Still, he had good news to communicate, and he began by asking whether Harvey saw much of Redgrave. 'Redgrave?' echoed the other in surprise. 'Why, I hardly know him.' 'But your wife knows him very well.' 'Yes; I dare say she does.' Carnaby did not observe his friend's countenance; he was eating with great appetite. 'Redgrave isn't at all a bad fellow. I didn't know him much till lately. Used to see him at B. F.'s, you know, and one or two other places where I went with Sibyl. Thought him rather a snob. But I was quite mistaken. He's a very nice fellow when you get near to him.' Harvey's surprise was increased. For his own part, he still thought of Redgrave with the old prejudice, though he had no definite charge to bring against the man. He would have supposed him the last person either to seek or to obtain favour with Hugh Carnaby. 'Sibyl has known him for a long time,' Hugh continued. 'Tells me he did all sorts of kindnesses for her mother at Ascott Larkfield's death; fixed up her affairs--they were in a devil of a state, I believe. Last autumn we met him in Scotland; he was with his sister and her family--Mrs. Fenimore. Her husband's in India, and he seems to look after her in a way that does him credit. In fact, I saw a new side of the fellow. We got quite chummy, and I happened to speak about Mackintosh & Co. Well, now, what do you think? Two days ago, at Coventry, I got a note from him: he was coming through, and would like to see me; would I lunch with him at a hotel? I did, and he surprised me by beginning to talk about business. The fact was, he had some money lying loose, wanted to place it somewhere, and had faith in cycles. Why shouldn't he make an offer to a friend? Would Mackintosh & Co. care to admit a new partner? Or--anyhow--could we make use of a few thousand pounds?' Rolfe had ceased to eat, and was listening intently. The story sounded very strange to him; it did not fit at all with his conception of Cyrus Redgrave. 'I suppose a few thousands would come very handy?' he remarked. 'Well, old man, to tell you the truth,--I can do it now,--for me it means a jump out of a particularly black hole. You must understand that we're not doing downright badly; we pay our way, but that was about all. I, individually, shouldn't have paid my way for many months longer. God! how I clutched at it! You don't know what it is, Rolfe, to see your damned account at the bank slithering away, and not a cent to pay in. I've thought of all sorts of things--just stopping short of burglary, and I shouldn't have stopped at that long.' 'You mean that this new capital will give such a push to the business----' 'Of course! It was just what we wanted. We couldn't advertise--couldn't buy a new patent--couldn't move at all. Now we shall make things hum.' 'Does Redgrave become a partner, then?'