"No," said the Colonel, staring at him. "Because if you did complain, and were not satisfied, I'd make a change, you know." "Don't trouble the women for my sake," said the Colonel gruffly. "Look here, Barclay, how would you play this hand?" He took up the cards as he spoke, shuffled them with an easy, graceful movement, the pieces of pasteboard flying rapidly through his hands, before dealing them lightly out upon the table, face upwards, and selecting four thirteens. "Now," he said, "look here. Your partner holds two trumps--six, nine; your adversaries right and left have knave and ace; B on your right leads trumps--what would you do?" Barclay knit his brow and took the Colonel's hand, gazing from one to the other thoughtfully, and then, without a word, played the hand, the Colonel selecting those cards that would be played by the others till the hand was half through, when Barclay hesitated for a moment, and then seemed to throw away a trick. "Why did you do that?" said the Colonel sharply. "Because by losing that I should get the next two." "Exactly!" cried the Colonel with his eyes flashing. "That endorses my opinion. Barclay, I shan't play against you if I can help myself. Money-lending seems to sharpen the wits wonderfully. What a clever old fox you are!" "One's obliged to be clever now a days, Colonel, if one wants to get on. Well, I must go. I have to see your neighbours. Rents are very bad to get in." "I suppose so," said the Colonel drily. "Good-morning." "I wonder what he makes a year by his play," said Barclay to himself, as he went back to the front door to knock for the third time. "I believe he plays square, too, but he has a wonderful head, and he's practising night and day. Now for old Linnell." He was shown into Mr Linnell's room the next minute, to find that he was expected, and that he was gravely and courteously received, and his rent paid, so that there was nothing for him to do but say "Good-morning." But Josiah Barclay's conscience was a little uneasy, and in spite of the fact that his tenant was far from being a rich man, there was something in his grave refined manner that won his respect. "Wish you'd come and see us sometimes, Mr Linnell, just in a friendly way, you know. Chop and glass o' sherry with Mrs Barclay and me; and you'd join us too, Mr Richard, eh?" "Thank you, Mr Barclay, no," said Richard's father; "I never go out. Richard, my son, here, would, I dare say, accept your invitation." "Oh, but can't you too, eh? Look here, you know, you're a man who loves bits of old china, and I've quite a lot. Really good. Come: when shall it be?" "Don't press me now, Mr Barclay," said his tenant gravely. "Perhaps some other time." "Then you're offended, Mr Linnell. You're a bit hipped because of the other lodgers, you know." "Mr Barclay, I have made no complaints," said the elder Linnell quietly.