'
'He is clearly very anxious to get the highest interest possible for
his money. His ideas on business seemed, I confess, rather vague. I
did my best to help him with suggestions.'
'Of course.'
'He talked of taking some five hundred pounds' worth of shares on
his own account.'
The men regarded each other. Rodman's lips curled; Mr. Hilary was as
grave as ever.
'You didn't balk him?'
'I commended his discretion.'
Rodman could not check a laugh.
'I am serious,' said Mr. Hilary. 'It may take a little time, but--'
'Just so. Did he question you at all about what we were doing?'
'A good deal. He said he should go and look over the Stores in the
Strand.'
'By all means. He's a clever man if he distinguishes between Irish
butter and English butterine--I'm sure I couldn't. And things really
are looking up at the Stores?'
'Oh, distinctly.'
'By-the-by, I had rather a nasty letter from Lord Mountorry
yesterday. He's beginning to ask questions: wants to know when we're
going to conclude our contract with that tenant of his--I've
forgotten the fellow's name.'
'Well, that must be looked into. There's perhaps no reason why the
contract should not be concluded. Little by little we may come to
justify our name; who knows? In the meantime, we at all events do a
_bona fide_ business.
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