rious companies are entirely distinct from each other?"
queried Mr. Aston thoughtfully, more for the sake of starting a line
of inquiry than because he saw any open door of escape.

"Entirely unconnected, but Mr. Masters, or his successor, holds the
ends of the various threads, so to speak. Apart from him each affair
has a multitude of masters and no head. If the money left in each
company were divided as a bonus--a preposterous suggestion to my
mind--they would each be free and would presumably find a head for
themselves."

"Then you had better work out some such scheme, and once free of the
source of the money we can deal with what's left at leisure. The Crown
will make no difficulties over its share and we can set the London
hospitals on their feet or establish a Home for Lost Cats." He got up
and walked across the big room to the window, looking moodily into the
street.

Mr. Saunderson looked genuinely pained and cast appealing glances at
Mr. Aston, who only shook his head.

"It is a matter for Christopher to decide for himself, Mr. Saunderson.
I cannot and may not influence him either way."

"There is not the smallest doubt of his parentage," said the lawyer in
a low voice, "one can hear his father in every sentence."

"It is unwise to remind him of it."

The other looked astonished. "Indeed, you surprise me. Yet he is
really deeply indebted to his father for the success of his own
invention."

"Still more unwise to insist on that. You must remember he had a
mother as well as a father."

Mr. Saunderson opened his mouth to say something and closed it again.
Presently he opened a folded paper and, having perused it, laid it
back in a drawer. Christopher rejoined them.

"Mr. Saunderson," he said frankly, "I fear I've spoken in an unseemly
manner, and I beg your pardon. I can quite understand I must seem
little short of a madman to you, but I've perhaps better reasons for
my refusal than you think. Put it, if you will, that I feel too young,
too inexperienced to deal with this fortune as Mr. Masters meant it to
be dealt with, and on those grounds I ask you to devise some scheme
for breaking it up without letting the workers suffer. I'll subscribe
to any feasible plan you suggest. Will you undertake this for me?"

"It will take time." Mr. Saunderson regarded him watchfully, as he
spoke, "a great deal of time."

"How long do you ask?"

"Two years."

"Then in two years' time, Mr. Saunderson, send me you