The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-06-17

your behalf with the idea of bring
ing this man to book. Is that not
so?"
"That is my errand," he replied,
gravely. eff you care to undertake
the task, we, on u side-and I
speak as the mouthpiece of the COM
pany-will be prepared to pay you
very high terms for your services; in
point of fact, almost what you may
ask in reason. The matter, as you
may suppose, is q most serious one
for us, and every days delay is add
ing to it. May I ask what your
terms would be, and when would you
be prepared to start?"
your offer is a most liberal one,.
I said. Unfortunately, however, 1
fear there is a considerable difficulty
in the way OF my accepting it,"
"a dificulty!" he exclaimed, rails
ing his eyebrows as if in astonish-
ment. 'But surely that obstacle can
be removed. Especially for an offer
of such magnitude as we are pre-
pared to make you"
Excuse me-" I said, somewhat
tartly, "but, however great the in
ducement may be, I never break faith
with my clients. The fact of the
matter is, only yesterday I prom
ised to undertake another piece of
business which, while not being SO
remunerative, perhaps, as that you
are now putting before me, means a
very great deal to those who are, for
the time being, my employers"
"Would it be impertinent on my
part to ask at what time yesterday
afternoon you arrived at this mo-
mentous decision?"
shortly after four O'clock" I an
swered, but not without a little Won
derment as to his reason for putting
the question. For my w part I did
not see what it had to do with the
matter in hand.
"Dear me, how very vexing, to be
sure!" he observed. "This is certain
ly another instance of the contrari-
ness of fate"
"How so?" I asked.
Because it was my intention to
have called upon you shortly after
lunch yesterday on this matter" he
answered. unfortunately I was pre-
vented at the last moment. Had I
been able to get here, 1 might have
f~orestalled your more successful
client. Are you quite sure, Mr.. Fair
fax, that it is out of the question
for you to undertake what we
want?"
eff it is necessary for me to go at
49, &C.,. = =. - r kkn-l
if it would be of any use to you, 1
could send you a most trustworthy
subordinate; one who would be quite
capable of undertaking the work,
and who would give you every salts
faction"
81 fear that would not be the same
thing" he said. "My firm have such
implicit faith in you that they would
not entertain the idea Of anyone
else going. Now think, Mr.. Fairfax,
for a moment. If you are prepared
to go, I, in my turn, on behalf of my
company, am prepared to offer you
your expenses and a sum of $4,000.
You need not be away more than
three months at longest, SO that you
see our offer is at the rate of &c.,
900 a year. It is princely
ton"
I looked at him closely. 1t was
plain that he was in earnest-in
deadly earnest, SO it seemed. Even
a defaulting manager would scarcely
seem to warrant so much zeal.
Il am very much flattered by your
Offer" 1 said; land believe me, I
most truly appreciate the generosity
of your company; but, as I said be-
fore, if it is necessary for me to go
at once, that is to say, before 1 have
completed my present case, then I
have no option but to most reluc-
family Decline"
Perhaps you will think it over"
he continued, "and let me know, say
Tomorrow"
"No amount of thinking it over
will induce me to alter my decision
[ replied. "You must see for your
self that I have no right to accept a
retainer from one party and then
throw them over in order to favor
another. That would not only be a
dishonorable action on my part, but
would be bad from a business point
of view. No, Mr.. Bayley, I am ex-
ceedingly sorry, but I have no option
but to act as I Am doing"
'In that case I must wish you a
very good morning." he remarked
and took up his hat and umbrella. ]
could see, however, that he was still
reluctant to go.
/ "Good morning." I answered. 81
hope your affairs in the Argentine
may brighten before very long"
He shook his head gloomily, and
; then left the office without another
word.
, When he had gone I answered some
letters, gave some instructions to my
managing clerk, and then donned my
hat and set off for the Office of the
r shipping company that had brought
5 Gideon Hayle to England.
Unfortunately it transpired tha'
they were not in a position to d.
t very much in the way of helping me