"Ab—solutely. Unhappily, I’m not yet in a financial position to support two ladies." "Two ladies?" echoed Quinney, thinking of Mabel Dredge. "I allude, sir, to Mrs. Quinney. She insists upon leaving you, if her child is turned out. That rather complicates matters." "It does," said Quinney grimly. "Under these circumstances, gentlemen, I feel justified in bringing pressure to bear. Mr. Hunsaker, who bought certain chairs yesterday, will call again this morning. He is naturally interested in the history of the chairs; and he might make trouble if he knew all the facts about them as known to you, Mr. Tomlin, to Mr. Quinney, and to me. I may add that my responsibility in the affair is negligible." "Slick talker," muttered Quinney. He could see that Tomlin was much impressed by James’s manner. The big fellow grunted uneasily: "What do you propose?" "A compromise, Mr. Tomlin." Quinney lost something of his dignity, when he jerked out: "He’s compromised my Posy, and many another pore girl, I’ll be bound!" "Pardon me, sir. That sort of talk before a witness is libellous." The last rag of Quinney’s dignity fluttered away. "I’ll down you, my lad; yes, I will!" "Self-preservation being the first law, sir, I must—sorely against the grain—down you first. Excuse plain speaking." Quinney jumped up. "I like plain speaking! I was weaned on it, short-coated on it! By Gum! my father damned me before I was born!" "Easy all," murmured Tomlin nervously. He addressed James with a civility which the young man acknowledged with a faint smile. "Do I understand that you threaten to down your master because he refuses to sanction an engagement between you and his daughter?" James shrugged his shoulders. "It’s a case of ’pull, devil—pull, baker!’ I mean to pull for all I’m worth." Quinney interrupted furiously: "And what are you worth, Lord Rothschild?" Tomlin held up a large hand, not too clean, upon which sparkled a diamond ring. "You spoke of compromise, James?" "Yes, sir. I suggest that my engagement to Miss Quinney should be sanctioned and recognized. I will stay on here, and demonstrate to Mr. Quinney my claims to be taken on later as a junior partner. Unless Miss Quinney of her own will cancels the engagement, the marriage will take place——" "Never!" shouted Quinney. James smiled deprecatingly. "Shall I retire, gentlemen? You have time to talk things over. Mr. Hunsaker will not be here for another hour yet." Tomlin nodded portentously: "Yes, yes; leave us." *IV* Tomlin was the first to break an ominous silence: "The long and short of it is, Joe, that this young feller can ruin us, rob us of our hard-earned reputations. We must square him." "Money? He wants money and Posy!"