you.’
‘They’re saying that you’re in the soup for good an’ a’.’
So that was it! Stimpson had heard the same yarn, and so had Witheroe and his teller. And so had Una! And so, he supposed, had everyone else in the confounded place.
As Charles sat gazing with unseeing eyes at the titanic crane, which was still hoisting the brobdingnagian locomotive aboard the mammoth ship, he swore that such a state of things would not continue. He would either get money – somehow – and put himself right with all these people, or he would take those sleeping-draughts and forget for ever about money or people, or worry or love. Which was it going to be?
Chapter VII
Charles Sees His Way
Charles had that morning left his wrist-watch at a jeweller’s to have a broken glass replaced, and when the works closed he walked back into the town to call for it before going home. On his way he overtook his cousin by marriage, Peter Morley.
‘Hallo, Peter,’ he greeted him. ‘Funny to run into you again so soon. We usually meet about once every six months. How’re things?’
‘I say, Charles,’ Peter returned with more animation than he usually showed, ‘you didn’t tell me you were going to the old man.’
Charles laughed. ‘No,’ he said easily, ‘I didn’t. I hadn’t thought of it at the time. In fact it was what you said suggested it to me. Have you been?’
‘I have,’ said Peter grimly. ‘But look here, what’s it all about in your case? You’re not going to tell me you’re feeling the draught too?’
‘Everybody’s feeling the draught,’ Charles declared. ‘I’m not stony, of course, or anything like that, but I’d be glad enough of a bit of money. Want to put in some new machines to get our costs down.’
‘Bless my soul!’ Peter exclaimed. ‘You, of all people! And with that magnificent little business! I should have said you were rolling.’
Charles smiled. ‘Everything in this world’s relative,’ he pointed out. ‘But tell me about yourself. I gather from your remarks that you’ve been too.’
‘Yes, I’ve been. And found the old boy brimming over with wrath against you. And when he heard I was coming on the same job he fairly went off the deep end. I don’t know, Charles, that that was a tremendously friendly action, that of yours.’
Charles turned and faced him. ‘How do you mean? What action?’
‘Going to him like that. The scheme was my scheme and you might easily have spoked my wheel.’
‘What utter nonsense, old man. Don’t be an ass. My application had nothing to do with yours. In fact, my going to him might have helped you. I might have created a precedent. If he had decided to make me an advance, he couldn’t very well have refused you.’
Peter shook his head. ‘It’s done now,’ he declared lugubriously, ‘and there’s no use in saying any more about it. Did he do anything for you?’
‘Nothing like what I wanted. He gave me a thousand. Better than nothing, but I could have done with more.’
Peter whistled. ‘A thousand! That’s none so dusty, Charles. I wish I could get a thousand out of him.’
‘What did you get?’
‘Nothing in cash. But he’s going to consider taking up a mortgage on the farm. If he does that to a reasonable extent, it may see me through.’
‘My word, I don’t think you’ve done so badly. Did he give you any idea of the amount?’
‘No. He’s going to consult Crosby.’
‘You bet he is. He swears by Crosby. I never could see anything in the man.’
‘I don’t know him well. All the same he always struck me as a good lawyer.’
‘He’s an old woman. Too cautious by half. If you want anything done you’ve got to take risks. You know that as well as I.’
‘Taking risks is not a lawyer’s job.’
‘All right, you’ll know all about it if he says the farm’s not good enough security for a mortgage.’
‘I was wondering if I should see him.’
Charles shook his head. ‘Don’t you. He’ll go
‘They’re saying that you’re in the soup for good an’ a’.’
So that was it! Stimpson had heard the same yarn, and so had Witheroe and his teller. And so had Una! And so, he supposed, had everyone else in the confounded place.
As Charles sat gazing with unseeing eyes at the titanic crane, which was still hoisting the brobdingnagian locomotive aboard the mammoth ship, he swore that such a state of things would not continue. He would either get money – somehow – and put himself right with all these people, or he would take those sleeping-draughts and forget for ever about money or people, or worry or love. Which was it going to be?
Chapter VII
Charles Sees His Way
Charles had that morning left his wrist-watch at a jeweller’s to have a broken glass replaced, and when the works closed he walked back into the town to call for it before going home. On his way he overtook his cousin by marriage, Peter Morley.
‘Hallo, Peter,’ he greeted him. ‘Funny to run into you again so soon. We usually meet about once every six months. How’re things?’
‘I say, Charles,’ Peter returned with more animation than he usually showed, ‘you didn’t tell me you were going to the old man.’
Charles laughed. ‘No,’ he said easily, ‘I didn’t. I hadn’t thought of it at the time. In fact it was what you said suggested it to me. Have you been?’
‘I have,’ said Peter grimly. ‘But look here, what’s it all about in your case? You’re not going to tell me you’re feeling the draught too?’
‘Everybody’s feeling the draught,’ Charles declared. ‘I’m not stony, of course, or anything like that, but I’d be glad enough of a bit of money. Want to put in some new machines to get our costs down.’
‘Bless my soul!’ Peter exclaimed. ‘You, of all people! And with that magnificent little business! I should have said you were rolling.’
Charles smiled. ‘Everything in this world’s relative,’ he pointed out. ‘But tell me about yourself. I gather from your remarks that you’ve been too.’
‘Yes, I’ve been. And found the old boy brimming over with wrath against you. And when he heard I was coming on the same job he fairly went off the deep end. I don’t know, Charles, that that was a tremendously friendly action, that of yours.’
Charles turned and faced him. ‘How do you mean? What action?’
‘Going to him like that. The scheme was my scheme and you might easily have spoked my wheel.’
‘What utter nonsense, old man. Don’t be an ass. My application had nothing to do with yours. In fact, my going to him might have helped you. I might have created a precedent. If he had decided to make me an advance, he couldn’t very well have refused you.’
Peter shook his head. ‘It’s done now,’ he declared lugubriously, ‘and there’s no use in saying any more about it. Did he do anything for you?’
‘Nothing like what I wanted. He gave me a thousand. Better than nothing, but I could have done with more.’
Peter whistled. ‘A thousand! That’s none so dusty, Charles. I wish I could get a thousand out of him.’
‘What did you get?’
‘Nothing in cash. But he’s going to consider taking up a mortgage on the farm. If he does that to a reasonable extent, it may see me through.’
‘My word, I don’t think you’ve done so badly. Did he give you any idea of the amount?’
‘No. He’s going to consult Crosby.’
‘You bet he is. He swears by Crosby. I never could see anything in the man.’
‘I don’t know him well. All the same he always struck me as a good lawyer.’
‘He’s an old woman. Too cautious by half. If you want anything done you’ve got to take risks. You know that as well as I.’
‘Taking risks is not a lawyer’s job.’
‘All right, you’ll know all about it if he says the farm’s not good enough security for a mortgage.’
‘I was wondering if I should see him.’
Charles shook his head. ‘Don’t you. He’ll go
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