Part 43 (1/2)
”The sue”
”You lent me nearly as s were different then----”
He stopped, and Mordaunt gave hilance Holbrook's hesitation was curious
”How are things different?” Mordaunt asked
”You bought shares that seldoin; now you may lose the principal”
”The loss would be mine I have always paid”
”That is so The trouble is, if this venture rong you ht not be able to pay”
Mordaunt was silent for a few otiate the other loans; it looked as if the fellow had now less grounds for trusting hih it was not his honesty but his power to pay he doubted Why did Holbrook think his power had got less?
”Am I to understand you refuse to lend?” he asked
”I would sooner not However, if a smaller sum----”
”A smaller suhtiness ”Well, I will not urge you and dare say you are occupied”
The lawyer let hiht hard as he drove ho, as if he wanted to satisfy a client whose business ht by and by be valuable, but his attitude was now different There was no traffic on the road that went up a long hill, and Mordaunt could concentrate on the puzzle When he was half-way up he began to see a light Bernard had gone to town and had stayed some time; he had probably called on the lawyers who had ot clearer and when Mordaunt reached the top he thought he understood
Bernard had altered his will and Mordaunt would not get as ht possible The hospital would cost a large suh Bernard often used the formal manners of the old school, he had a rude vein; he had broken down stubborn opposition and beaten determined strikers while he developed the famous iron mines No doubt, he saw in Jim qualities like his and now ot would be taken froht Holbrook's caution indicated that his share had been severely cut down Jiined was his
He let the engine go, the car leaped forward, and he drove furiously until he reached the Dryhole, for he wanted to find out if his supposition was correct When he put the car into the garage a iven you another job,” Mordaunt said ”You haven't got the big car properly polished yet”
”She got very hen I took Mr Dearha in the rain?”
”I was outside the lawyers' office for an hour,” the man replied
Mordaunt frowned as he went to the house The reason for Holbrook's caution was plain, and if Janet Halliday i, she was much deceived Bernard had probably ht he would notand pondering
A few days afterwards, Ji waders and yellow oilskins, crept up a hollow in the sands It was about nine o'clock in the evening, they were a ht h The tide was flowing, the water rippled noisily in the channel, and flakes ofweed floated past The harsh cry of a black-backed gull rang across the flats and se
Farther off, the clanging call of black geese caun and his feet sank in the h shooting, and now and then Jake and he went out at nights When one had hunted fierce ga driven pheasants was tame sport, and the beaters found the birds; but on the sands oneof the ducks and geese Besides, there was soerously soft and the tides were treacherous Soeese can't be far off,” he rele and I expect so with theuess you'll go on; but if I'd been alone, I'd have started ho fast”
”We have a quarter of an hour yet,” said Jim ”Anyhoe'll shove on for the next bend”
They went on Their waders and oilskins scarcely showed against the sand, and the murmur of the current drowned the noise they ot louder, there was a creaking beat of wings and so,” said Ji up They'll fly across to the marsh when the tide moves them”