“Perhaps not,” Trent said, “but here's the truth. When I got back to Attra Monty had disappeared--ran away to England, and as yet I've heard never a word of him. I'd meant to do the square thing by him and bring him back myself. Instead of that he gave us all the slip, but unless he's a lot different to what he was last time I saw him, he's not fit to be about alone.” “I heard that he had left,” Francis said, “from Mr. Walsh.” “He either came quite alone,” Trent said, “in which case it is odd that nothing has been heard of him, or Da Souza has got hold of him.” “Oom Sam's brother?” Trent nodded. “And his interest?” Francis asked. “Well, he is a large shareholder in the Company,” Trent said. “Of course he could upset us all if he liked. I should say that Da Souza would try all he could to keep him in the background until he had disposed of his shares.” “And how does your stock hold?” “I don't know,” Trent said. “I only landed yesterday. I'm pretty certain though that there's no market for the whole of Da Souza's holding.” “He has a large interest, then?” “A very large one,” Trent answered drily. “I should like,” Francis said, “to understand this matter properly. As a matter of fact I suppose that Monty is entitled to half the purchase-money you received for the Company.” Trent assented. “It isn't that I grudge him that,” he said, “although, with the other financial enterprises I have gone into, I don't know how I should raise half a million of money to pay him off. But don't you see my sale of the charter to the Company is itself, Monty being alive, an illegal act. The title will be wrong, and the whole affair might drift into Chancery, just when a vigorous policy is required to make the venture a success. If Monty were here and in his right mind, I think we could come to terms, but, when I saw him last at any rate, he was quite incapable, and he might become a tool to anything. The Bears might get hold of him and ruin us all. In short, it's a beastly mess!” Francis looked at him keenly. “What do you expect me to do?” he asked. “I have no right to expect anything,” Trent said. “However, I saved your life and you may consider yourself therefore under some obligation to me. I will tell you then what I would have you do. In the first place, I know no more where he is than you do. He may be in England or he may not. I shall go to Da Souza, who probably knows. You can come with me if you like. I don't want to rob the man of a penny. He shall have all he is entitled to--only I do want to arrange terms with him quietly, and not have the thing talked about. It's as much for the others' sake as my own. The men who came into my Syndicate trusted me, and I don't want them left.” Francis took a little silver case from his pocket, lit a cigarette, and smoked for a moment or two thoughtfully.