The remark was prophetic for as the words were spoken Barraclough was announced. "No good," he said. "You look tired, Barraclough," observed Mr. Torrington, who thought about men as well as money. "Am a bit." "Did you try to make Hendon?" "Did I try? Yes, I tried and travelled a Wild West shooting man on the lid of the cab who worked a hold up by The Welsh Harp. Far as I can see there must be hundreds out to prevent me." His mouth hardened. "But I'm going to do it. I mean to do it somehow." Mr. Torrington smiled sweetly. "Ardent young man," he said. Cassis put his finger tips together and remarked: "Recklessness is a luxury we can't afford." "I'm prepared to take chances," said Barraclough. Mr. Torrington quoted: "'On the sand drift, on the veldt side, in the fern scrub we lay. That our song might follow after by the bones on the way.'" "That's all very well," said Cassis sourly, "but our sons won't be able to follow after so long as Barraclough obstinately determines to keep the secret entirely to himself." "Pooh! pooh! pooh!" said Mr. Torrington. "That was understood." "It was," said Barraclough and swivelled round to face Cassis. "I've said frankly that until I get the concession no one but myself will be told the map reference. That's absolute." Cassis sniffed. "It was a pity you didn't get the concession when you made the discovery." "You know quite well that I wasn't sure. A false move might have brought every prospector in the world to the place--would have done. Besides with all this post-war territorial shuffle it was pretty nearly impossible to say which government actually owned the land. Been jolly if we'd got a title too soon and from the wrong people." "But the territorial point has been cleared up now, hasn't it?" Cassis put the question shrewdly. Barraclough shut up like a clam and made no answer. Lord Almont butted in. "Still you're pretty confident of getting the concession if you manage to get clear." Barraclough nodded. "If I can slip through and they don't stop me I'll be back with the whole thing settled in three weeks from the hour of starting." "And during those three weeks," said Cassis sourly, "Van Diest and his crowd will subject us to an intensive course of financial buffeting. As matter of fact he has begun already." "Well, it was no fault of mine the other side knew anything about it," said Barraclough. "If your confidential secretary had kept his mouth shut----" "There is no use in discussing that," said Cassis. Mr. Torrington swept the cards into a heap and shuffled them to and fro like a cook making pastry. "Getting very active is Van Diest," he remarked. "Not a good loser, poor fellow. Quite set his heart on getting into our little syndicate. Started unloading American Rails yesterday afternoon--broke the market badly. I had to reciprocate by selling Dutch Oils. Our losses on the day were about equal."