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of /The Judge/； is a friend of yours； isn't he？〃
〃He was a friend of my father's； and I used to know him slightly。〃
〃Well； that's near enough。 As I daresay you have heard； he is an
unreasonable old beggar； and has taken a dislike to our Sahara scheme。
Someone has set him against it and he refuses to receive
advertisements； threatens criticisms； etc。 Now the opposition of /The
Judge/ or any other paper won't kill us； and if necessary we can
fight； but at the same time it is always wise to agree with your enemy
while he is in the way； and in shortwould you mind going down and
explaining his mistake to him？〃
Before answering Major Vernon walked to the window leisurely and
looked out。
〃I don't like asking favours from family friends；〃 he replied at
length； 〃and； as you said； I think it isn't quite my line。 Though of
course if it has anything to do with the engineering possibilities； I
shall be most happy to see him；〃 he added； brightening。
〃I don't know what it has to do with； that is what I shall be obliged
if you will find out；〃 answered Sir Robert with some asperity。 〃One
can't divide a matter of this sort into watertight compartments。 It is
true that in so important a concern each of us has charge of his own
division； but the fact remains that we are jointly and severally
responsible for the whole。 I am not sure that you bear this
sufficiently in mind； my dear Vernon；〃 he added with slow emphasis。
His partner moved quickly； it might almost have been said that he
shivered； though whether the movement； or the shiver； was produced by
the argument of joint and several liability or by the familiarity of
the 〃my dear Vernon；〃 remains uncertain。 Perhaps it was the latter；
since although the elder man was a baronet and the younger only a
retired Major of Engineers； the gulf between them； as any one of
discernment could see； was wide。 They were born； lived； and moved in
different spheres unbridged by any common element or impulse。
〃I think that I do bear it in mind； especially of late； Sir Robert；〃
answered Alan Vernon slowly。
His partner threw a searching glance on him； for he felt that there
was meaning in the words； but only said：
〃That's all right。 My motor is outside and will take you to Fleet
Street in no time。 Meanwhile you might tell them to telephone that you
are coming； and perhaps you will just look in when you get back。 I
haven't got to go to the House to…night； so shall be here till dinner
time； and so； I think； will your cousin Haswell。 Muzzle that old
bulldog； Jackson； somehow。 No doubt he has his price like the rest of
them； in meal or malt； and you needn't stick at the figure。 We don't
want him hanging on our throat for the next week or two。〃
Ten minutes later the splendid； two…thousand guinea motor brougham
drew up at the offices of the /Judge/ and the obsequious motor…footman
bowed Major Vernon through its rather grimy doorway。 Within； a small
boy in a kind of box asked his business； and when he heard his name；
said that the 〃Guvnor〃 had sent down word that he was go up at once
third floor； first to the right and second to the left。 So up he went；
and when he reached the indicated locality was taken possession of by
a worried…looking clerk who had evidently been waiting for him； and
almost thrust through a door to find himself in a big； worn； untidy
room。 At a huge desk in this room sat an elderly man； also big； worn；
and untidy…looking； who waved a long slip of galley…proof in his hand；
and was engaged in scolding a sub…editor。
〃Who is that？〃 he said； wheeling round。 〃I'm busy； can't see anyone。〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 answered the Major with humility； 〃your people
told me to come up。 My name is Alan Vernon。〃
〃Oh！ I remember。 Sit down for a moment； will you； andMr。 Thomas；
oblige me by taking away this rot and rewriting it entirely in the
sense I have outlined。〃
Mr。 Thomas snatched his rejected copy and vanished through another
door； whereon his chief remarked in an audible voice：
〃That man is a perfect fool。 Lucky I thought to look at his stuff。
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