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 afterwards？
This he remembered he could do； since probably by some oversight of
Aylward's； who left such matters to his lawyers； his deed of
partnership did not bind him to a fixed term。 It could be broken at
any moment。 To this argument there was only one possible answer； that
of his conscience。 If once he were convinced that things were not
right； it would be dishonest to participate in their profits。 And he
was convinced。 Mr。 Jackson's arguments and his damning document had
thrown a flood of light upon many matters which he had suspected but
never quite understood。 He was the partner of； well； adventurers； and
the money which he received would in fact be filched from the pockets
of unsuspecting persons。 He would vouch for that of which he was
doubtful and receive the price of sharp practice。 In other words he；
Alan Vernon； who had never uttered a wilful untruth or taken a
halfpenny that was not his own； would before the tribunal of his own
mind； stand convicted as a liar and a thief。 The thing was not to be
borne。 At whatever cost it must be ended。 If he were fated to be a
beggar； at least he would be an honest beggar。
With a firm step and a high head he walked straight into Sir Robert's
room； without even going through the formality of knocking； to find
Mr。 Champers…Haswell seated at the ebony desk by his partner's side
examining some document through a reading…glass； which on his
appearance； was folded over and presently thrust away into a drawer。
It seemed； Alan noticed； to be of an unusual shape and written in some
strange character。
Mr。 Haswell； a stout； jovial…looking； little man with a florid
complexion and white hair； rose at once to greet him。
〃How do you do； Alan；〃 he said in a cheerful voice； for as a cousin by
marriage he called him by his Christian name。 〃I am just this minute
back from Paris； and you will be glad to learn that they are going to
support us very well there； in fact I may say that the Government has
taken up the scheme； of course under the rose。 You know the French
have possessions all along that coast and they won't be sorry to find
an opportunity of stretching out their hand a little further。 Our
difficulties as to capital are at an end； for a full third of it is
guaranteed in Paris； and I expect that small investors and speculators
for the rise will gobble a lot more。 We shall plant ￡10；000；000 worth
of Sahara scrip in sunny France； my boy； and foggy England has
underwritten the rest。 It will be a case of 'letters of Allotment and
regret；' /and/ regret； Alan； financially the most successful issue of
the last dozen years。 What do you say to that？〃 and in his elation the
little man puffed out his chest and pursing up his lips； blew through
them； making a sound like that of wind among wires。
〃I don't know； Mr。 Haswell。 If we are all alive I would prefer to
answer the question twelve months hence； or later； when we see whether
the company is going to be a practical success as well； or not。〃
Again Mr。 Has