"No, thank you," he said presently. "I don't think I will sell the
Yellow God, as Jeekie calls it. Perhaps you will kindly keep her here
for a week or so, until I make up my mind where to stow her."

Again Mr. Champers-Haswell uttered his windy whistle. That a man should
refuse £17,000 for a bit of African gold worth £100 or so, struck him
as miraculous. But Sir Robert did not seem in the least surprised, only
very disappointed.

"I quite understand your dislike to selling," he said. "Thank you for
leaving it here for the present to see us through the flotation," and he
laughed.

At that moment Jeffreys entered the room with the documents. Sir Robert
handed the deed of partnership to Alan, and when he had identified it,
took it from him again and threw it on the fire, saying that of course
the formal letter of release would be posted and the dissolution
notified in the _Gazette_. Then the transfer was signed and the cheque
delivered.

"Well, good-bye till Saturday," said Alan when he had received the
latter, and nodding to them both, he turned and left the room.

The passage ran past the little room in which Mr. Jeffreys, the head
clerk, sat alone. Catching sight of him through the open door, Alan
entered, shutting it behind him. Finding his key ring he removed from
it the keys of his desk and of the office strongroom, and handed them
to the clerk who, methodical in everything, proceeded to write a formal
receipt.