"I have been in this office, boy and man, practically my whole life long; I'm older than your uncle was, and I was here before he came. He was with Harding and Fletcher before he took this business over, and, so to speak, he took me with it. It was a solid business then, and it's a solid business still--indeed, it's even better than it was. I'm almost--if not quite--as well known in the City as he was; he would have been the first to tell you that with the continued success I have had something to do. He was, in some ways, a difficult man to deal with; but no man had a better head for business--if he gave his confidence, you might be sure it was deserved, and he had entire confidence in me." "Hear, hear! Go on; I like to hear you." "When he said a thing he meant it. It's always been a joke among those who knew him that Graham Patterson's word was as good as a bank-note. He has told me more than once that when he was gone----" "He anticipated going?" "Not more than other men; only, he was methodical and liked to have everything in order, and, if he could help it, leave nothing to chance. He has told me, as I have said, more than once, that when he was gone--since he only had a daughter--he had arranged that the whole management of the business should be in my hands, and that he had left me a small share in it. He said, frankly, some time ago that he would give me a share in it then and there; if it weren't that he was the kind of man who never would get on with a partner; and that was the case--often he was difficult. I am sure, from what he told me, that it will be found that he has left the management of the business in my hands, as well as a share. What I don't understand, therefore, is on what grounds you are taking up the position you appear to be doing. I am far from wishing to have any unpleasantness with you, Mr. Elmore, but I do not understand." "I represent Miss Patterson." "But I represent the business--which was her father's, not hers." "But it's hers now, you yourself admit that you only expect to be left a small share." "But I'm left the management." "That's--I am far from wishing to have any unpleasantness with you, Mr. Andrews, but--you must know that that's all tuppence." "Pray, Mr. Elmore, what do you mean by that? A will's a will; its terms are not to be lightly set aside." "You have not told me how old you are, Mr. Andrews, but you have told me that you are my uncle's senior." "So far as head for business goes, I am as young as ever I was." "I will not contradict you. I am inclined to think that you are as you were--thirty, forty years ago--that is, in a commercial sense, a thousand years behind the times." "You have no right to say that. What do you know about business--a young man like you?" "I am a man of business, Mr. Andrews." "I was not aware of it until this moment."