Well； he is no worse than the rest； in this weary world；〃 and he burst
into a hearty laugh and swung his chair round； adding； 〃Now then；
Alan； what is it？ I have a quarter of an hour at your service。 Why；
bless me！ I was forgetting that it's more than a dozen years since we
met； you were still a boy then； and now you have left the army with a
D。S。O。 and gratuity； and turned financier； which I think wouldn't have
pleased your old father。 Come； sit down here and let us talk。〃
〃I didn't leave the army； Mr。 Jackson；〃 answered his visitor； 〃it left
me； I was invalided out。 They said I should never get my health back
after that last go of fever； but I did。〃
〃Ah！ bad luck； very bad luck； just at the beginning of what should
have been a big career； for I know they thought highly of you at the
War Office； that is； if they can think。 Well； you have grown into a
fine…looking fellow； like your father； very； and someone else too；〃
and he sighed； running his fingers through his grizzled hair。 〃But you
don't remember her； she was before your time。 Now let us get to
business； there's no time for reminiscences in this office。 What is
it； Alan； for like other people I suppose that you want something？〃
〃It is about that Sahara flotation； Mr。 Jackson；〃 he began rather
doubtfully。
The old editor's face darkened。 〃The Sahara flotation！ That
accursed〃 and he ceased abruptly。 〃What have you； of all people in
the world； got to do with it？ Oh！ I remember。 Someone told me that you
had gone into partnership with Aylward the company promoter； and that
little beast； Champers…Haswell； who really is the clever one。 Well；
set it out； set it out。〃
〃It seems； Mr。 Jackson； that /The Judge/ has refused not only our
article； but also the advertisement of the company。 I don't know much
about this side of the affair myself； but Sir Robert asked me if I
would come round and see if things couldn't be arranged。〃
〃You mean that the man sent you to try and work on me because he knew
that I used to be intimate with your family。 Well； it is a poor errand
and will have a poor end。 You can'tno one on earth can； while I sit
in this chair； not even my proprietors。〃
There was silence broken at last by Alan； who remarked awkwardly：
〃If that is so； I must not take up your time any longer。〃
〃I said that I would give you a quarter of an hour； and you have only
been here four minutes。 Now； Alan Vernon； tell me as your father's old
friend； why you have gone to herd with these gilded swine？〃
There was something so earnest about the man's question that it did
not even occur to his visitor to resent its roughness。
〃Of course it is not original；〃 he answered； 〃but I had this idea
about flooding the Desert； I spent a furlough up there a few years ago
and employed my time in making some rough surveys。 Then I was obliged
to leave the Service and went down to Yarleys after my father's death
it's mine now； you know； but worth nothing except a shooting rent；
which just pays for the repairs。 There I met Champers…Haswell； who
lives near and is a kind of distant cousin of minemy mother was a
Champersand happened to mention the thing to him。 He took it up at
once and introduced me to Aylward； and the end of it was； that they
offered me a partnership with a small share in the business； because
they said I was just the man they wanted。〃
〃Just the man they wanted；〃 repeated the editor after him。 〃Yes； the
last of the Vernons； an engineer with an old name in his county； a
clean record and plenty of ability。 Yes； you would be just the man
they wanted。 And you accepted？〃
〃Yes。 I was on my beam ends with nothing to do； I wanted to make some
money。 You see Yarleys has been in the family for over five hundred
years； and it seemed hard to have to sell it。 Alsoalso〃 and he
paused。
〃Ever meet Barbara Champers？〃 asked Mr。 Jackson inconsequently。 〃I did
once。 Wonderfully nice girl； and very good…looking too。 But of course
you know her； and she is her uncle's ward； and their place isn't far
off Yarleys； you say。 Must be a connection of yours also。〃
Major Vernon started a little at the name and his face seemed to
redden。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃I have met her and she is a connection。〃
〃Will be a big heiress one day； I think；〃 went on Mr。 Jackson； 〃unless
old Haswell makes off with her money。 I think Aylward knows that； at
any rate he was hanging about when I saw her。〃
Vernon started again； this time very perceptibly。
〃Very naturalyour going into the business； I mean； under all the
circumstances；〃 went on Mr。 Jackson。 〃But now； if you will take my
advice； you'll go out of it as soon as you can。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because； Alan Vernon； I am sure you don't want to see your name
dragged in the dirt； any more than I do。〃 He fumbled in a drawer and
produced a typewritten document。 〃Take that；〃 he said； 〃and study it
at your leisure。 It's a sketch of the financial career of Messrs。
Aylward and Champers…Haswell； also of the companies which they have
promoted and been connected with； and what has happened to them and to
those who invested in them。 A man got it out for me yesterday and I'm
going to use it。 As regards this Sahara business； you think it all
right； and so it may be from an engineering point of view； but you
will never live to sail upon that sea which the British public is
going to be asked to find so many millions to make。 Look here。 We have
only three minutes more； so I will come to the point at once。 It's
Turkish territory； isn't it； and putting aside everything else； the
security for the whole thing is a Firman from the Sultan？〃
〃Yes； Sir Robert Aylward and Haswell procured it in Constantinople。 I
have seen the document。〃
〃Indeed； and are you well acquainted with the Sultan's signature？ I
know when they were there last autumn that potentate was very ill〃
〃You mean〃 said Major Vernon； looking up。
〃I mean； Alan； that I like not the security。 I won't say any more； as
there is a law of libel in this land。 But /The Judge/ has certain
sources of information。 It may be that no protest will be made at
once； for baksheesh can stop it for a while； but sooner or later the
protest or repudiation will come； and perhaps some international
bother； also much scandal。 As to the scheme itself； it is shamelessly
over…capitalized for the benefit of the promotersof whom； remember；
Alan； you will appear as one。 Now time's up。 Perhaps you will take my
advice； and perhaps you won't； but there it is for what it's worth as
that of a man of the world and an old friend of your family。 As for
your puff article and your prospectus； I wouldn't put them in /The
Judge/ if you paid me a thousand pounds； which I daresay your friend；
Aylward； would be quite ready to do。 Good…bye。 Come and see me again
sometime； and tell me what has happenedand； I say〃this last was
shouted through the closing door；〃give my kind regards to Miss
Barbara； for wherever she happens to live； she is an honest woman。〃
CHAPTER II
THE YELLOW GOD
Alan Vernon walked thoughtfully down the lead…covered stairs； hustled
by eager gentlemen hurrying up to see the great editor； whose bell was
already ringing furiously； and was duly ushered by the obsequious
assistant…chauffeur back into the luxurious motor。 There was an
electric lamp in this motor； and by the light of it； his mind being
perplexed； he began to read the typewritten document given to him by
Mr。 Jackson； which he still held in his hand。
As it chanced they were blocked for a quarter of an hour near the
Mansion House； so that he found time； if not to master it； at least to
gather enough of its contents to make him open his brown eyes very
wide before the motor pulled up at the granite doorway of his office。
Alan descended from the machine； which departed silently； and stood
for a moment wondering what he should do。 His impulse was to jump into
a bus and go straight to his rooms or his club； to which Sir Robert
did not belong； but being no coward； he dismissed it from his mind。
His fate hung in the balance； of that he was well aware。 Either he
must disregard Mr。 Jackson's warning； confirmed as it was by many
secret fears and instincts of his own； and say nothing except that he
had failed in his mission； or he must take the bull by the horns and
break with the firm。 To do the latter meant not only a good deal of
moral courage； but practical ruin； whereas if he chose the former
course； probably within a fortnight he would find himself a rich man。
Whatever Jackson and a few others might say in its depreciation； he
was certain that the Sahara flotation would go through； for it was
underwritten； of course upon terms； by responsible people； moreover
the unissued preferred shares had already been dealt in at a heavy
premium。 Now to say nothing of the allotment to which he was entitled
upon his holding in the parent Syndicate； the proportion of cash due
to him as a partner； would amount to quite a hundred thousand pounds。
In other words； he； who had so many reasons for desiring money； would
be wealthy。 After working so hard and undergoing so much that he felt
to be humiliating and even degrading； why should he not take his
reward and clear out afterw