swift glance at Vernon out of the corner of his eye； departed。
What is called an awkward pause ensued； in fact it was a very awkward
pause。 The die was cast； the matter ended； and what were the
principals to do until the ratifications had been exchanged or； a
better simile perhaps； the /decree nisi/ pronounced absolute。 Mr。
Champers…Haswell remarked that the weather was very cold for April；
and Alan agreed with him； while Sir Robert found his hat and brushed
it with his sleeve。 Then Mr。 Haswell； in desperation； for in minor
matters he was a kindly sort of man who disliked scenes and
unpleasantness； muttered something as to seeing himAlanat his
house； The Court； in Hertfordshire； from Saturday to Monday。
〃That was the arrangement；〃 answered Alan bluntly； 〃but possibly after
what has happened you will not wish that it should be kept。〃
〃Oh！ why not； why not？〃 said Mr。 Haswell。 〃Sunday is a day of rest
when we make it a rule not to talk business； and if we did； perhaps we
might all change our minds about these matters。 Sir Robert is coming；
and I am sure that your cousin Barbara will be very disappointed if
you do not turn up； for she understands nothing about these city
things which are Greek to her。〃
At the mention of the name of Barbara Sir Robert Aylward looked up
from the papers which he affected to be tidying； and Alan thought that
there was a kind of challenge in his eyes。 A moment before he had made
up his mind that no power on earth would induce him to spend a Sunday
with his late partners at The Court。 Now； acting upon some instinct or
impulse； he reversed his opinion。
〃Thanks；〃 he said； 〃if that is understood； I shall be happy to come。 I
will drive over from Yarleys in time for dinner to…morrow。 Perhaps you
will say so to Barbara。〃
〃She will be glad； I am sure；〃 answered Mr。 Haswell； 〃for she told me
the other day that she wants to consult you about some outdoor
theatricals that she means to get up in July。〃
〃In July！〃 answered Alan with a little laugh。 〃I wonder where I shall
be in July。〃
Then came another pause； which seemed to affect even Sir Robert's
nerves； for abandoning the papers； he walked down the room till he
came to the golden object that has been described； and for the second
time that day stood there contemplating it。
〃This thing is yours； Vernon；〃 he said； 〃and now that our relations
are at an end； I suppose that you will want to take it away。 What is
its history？ You never told me。〃
〃Oh！ that's a long story；〃 answered Alan in an absent voice。 〃My
uncle； who was a missionary； brought it from West Africa。 I rather
forget the facts； but Jeekie； my negro servant； knows them all； for as
a lad my uncle saved him from sacrifice； or something； in a place
where they worship these things； and he has been with us ever since。
It is a fetish with magical powers and all the rest of it。 I believe
they call it the Swimming Head and other names。 If you look at it； you
will see that it seems to swim between the shoulders； doesn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Sir Robert； 〃and I admire the beautiful beast。 She is
cruel and artistic； likelike finance。 Look here； Vernon； we have
quarrelled； and of course henceforth are enemies； for it is no use
mincing matters； only fools do that。 But in a way you are being hardly
treated。 You could get ￡10 apiece to…day for those shares of yours in
a block on the market； and I am paying you ￡1。 I understand your
scruples； but there is no reason why we should not square things。 This
fetish of yours has brought me luck； so let's do a deal。 Leave it
here； and instead of a check for ￡1700； I will make you one out for
￡17；000。〃
〃That's a very liberal offer；〃 said Vernon。 〃Give me a moment to think
it over。〃
Then he also walked into the corner of the room and contemplated the
golden mask that seemed to float between the frog…like shoulders。 The
shimmering eyes drew his eyes； though what he saw in them does not
matter。 Indeed he could never remember。 Only when he straightened
himself again there was left on his mind a determination that not for
seventeen or for seventy thousand pounds would he part with his
ownership in this very unique fetish。
〃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。
〃You are leaving us； Major Vernon？〃 he said interrogatively as he
signed the paper。
〃Yes； Jeffreys；〃 answered Alan； then prompted by some impulse； added；
〃Are you sorry？〃
Mr。 Jeffreys looked up and there were traces of unwonted emotion upon
his hard； regulated face。
〃For myself； yes； Majorfor you； on the whole； no。〃
〃What do you mean； Jeffreys？ I do not quite understand。〃
〃I mean； Major； that I am sorry because you have never tried to
shuffle off any shady business on to my back and leave me to bear the
brunt of it； also because you have always treated me as a gentleman
should； not as a machine to be used until a better can be found； and
kicked aside when it goes out of order。〃
〃It is very kind of you to say so； Jeffreys； but I can't remember
having done anything particular。〃
〃No； Major； you can't remember what comes natural to you。 But I and
the others remember； and that's why I am sorry。 But for yourself I am
glad； since although Aylward and Haswell have put a big thing through
and are going to make a pot of money； this is no place for the likes
of you； and now that you are going I will make bold to tell you that I
always wondered what you were doing here。 By and by； Major； the row
will come； as it has come more than once in the past； before your
time。〃
〃And then？〃 said Alan； for he was anxious to get to the bottom of this
man's mind； which hitherto he had always found so secret。
〃And then； Major； it won't matter much to Messrs。 Aylward and
Champers…Haswell； who are used to that kind of thing and will probably
dissolve partnership and lie quiet for a bit； and still less to folk
like myself； who are only servants。 But if you were still here it
would have mattered a great deal to you； for it would blacken your
name and break your heart； and then what's the good of the money？ I
tell you； Major；〃 the clerk went on with quiet intensity； 〃though I am
nobody and nothing； if I could afford it I would follow your example。
But I can't； for I have a sick wife and a family of delicate children
who have to live half the year on the south coast； to say nothing of
my old mother； andI was fool enough to be taken in and back Sir
Robert's last little venture； which cost me all I had saved。 So you
see I must make a bit before the machine is scrapped； Major。 But I
tell you this； that if I can get ￡5000 together； as I hope to do out
of Saharas before I am a month older； for they had to give me a look…
in； as I knew too much； I am off to the country； where I was born； to
take a farm there。 No more of Messrs。 Aylward and Haswell for Thomas
Jeffreys。 That's my bell。 Good…bye； Major； I'll take the liberty to
write you a line sometimes； for I know you won't give me away。 Good…
bye and God bless you； as I am sure He will in the long run；〃 and
stretching out his hand； he took that of the astonished Alan and wrung
it warmly。
When he was gone Alan went also； noticing that the clerks； whom some
rumour of these events seemed to have reached； eyed him curiously
through the glass screens behind which they sat at their desks； as he
thought not without regret and a kind of admiration。 Even the
magnificent be…medalled porter at the door emerged from the carved
teak box where he dwelt and touching his cap asked if he should call a
cab。
〃No； thank you； Sergeant；〃 answered Alan； 〃I will take a bus； and；
Sergeant； I think I forgot to give you a present last Xmas。 Will you
accept this？I wish I could make it more；〃 and he presented him with
ten shillings。
The Sergeant drew himself up and saluted。
〃