On the Saturday night Scales came down, deferential and obsequious as usual, but clearly a little ill at ease. Arthur dined with him in the old-fashioned inn-parlour, and after dinner came at once to the point. He said bluntly that he believed the Leatham Brick Manufacturing Co. was a worthless property. Scales smiled enigmatically. "You appear to dissent," said Arthur. "No, not altogether. I never thought much of it myself." "Then why do you want my father to buy it?" "Why, to resell it, of course." "If it's worthless, you can't resell it." "It won't be worthless if your father gets it. If it's worthless now, it's because it hasn't been developed. The present owner hasn't had the money to put into it. Your father will develop it." "And then? "Make it a company." "And then?" "Resell it to the Amalgamated Brick Trust." "And if the Amalgamated doesn't want it?" "But they will. It's my business to look after that." "Then why not let the present owner sell it to the Amalgamated? He's worked it all his life. If there's a fortune to be made out of it, as my father seemed to think, it's that poor old man who ought to get it--not my father." "That's not the way business is done." "It seems to me the way it should be done. It's the only honest way." Thereupon Scales entered on an exposition of the methods of modern business, according to which it seemed that fortunes were only made by snatching advantages from the weak who could not hold them. Arthur listened in silence, and as Scales proceeded the boy's face had a curious likeness to his father's in his grimmest mood. "It's no good," he broke out at length. "If that is what business means, it seems to me to be nothing better than organised theft. I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Scales--for no doubt you hope to make something yourself out of this fine scheme--but my father expects me to report honestly what I think, and I shall report against the purchase." "You'll regret it if you do." "I should regret it all my life if I didn't." "Think over it. Don't act hastily." And as he spoke there was something like a tremor of anger in the suave voice. "I've done my thinking already," said Arthur. "There's only one thing more I want to say. If the transaction were never so honest, there's a weak place in your scheme which I think my father will appreciate. It is that he has only your word for it, Mr. Scales, that the Amalgamated will, buy the property, and, to be quite frank, I don't trust your word." He left the room and went to bed. The next morning he returned to Brighton. The first thing that met his eyes as he entered his room was a letter from Elizabeth. VIII THE ACCUSATION It was a very brief note, simply informing him that Hilary Vickars was ill, and wished to see him.