hey said I was
just the man they wanted."

"Just the man they wanted," repeated the editor after him. "Yes, the
last of the Vernons, an engineer with an old name in his county, a
clean record and plenty of ability. Yes, you would be just the man they
wanted. And you accepted?"

"Yes. I was on my beam ends with nothing to do; I wanted to make some
money. You see Yarleys has been in the family for over five hundred
years, and it seemed hard to have to sell it. Also--also----" and he
paused.

"Ever meet Barbara Champers?" asked Mr. Jackson inconsequently. "I did
once. Wonderfully nice girl, and very good-looking too. But of course
you know her, and she is her uncle's ward, and their place isn't far off
Yarleys, you say. Must be a connection of yours also."

Major Vernon started a little at the name and his face seemed to redden.

"Yes," he said, "I have met her and she is a connection."

"Will be a big heiress one day, I think," went on Mr. Jackson, "unless
old Haswell makes off with her money. I think Aylward knows that; at any
rate he was hanging about when I saw her."

Vernon started again, this time very perceptibly.

"Very natural--your going into the business, I mean, under all the
circumstances," went on Mr. Jackson. "But now, if you will take my
advice, you'll go out of it as soon as you can."

"Why?"

"Because, Alan Vernon, I am sure you don't want to see your name dragged
in the dirt, any more than I do." He fumbled in a drawer and produced
a typewritten document. "Take that," he said, "and study it at your
leisure. It's a sketch of the financial career of Messrs. Aylward and
Champers-Haswell, also of the companies which they have promoted and
been connected with, and what has happened to them and to those who
invested in them. A man got it out for me yesterday and I'm going to use
it. As regards this Sahara business, you think it all right, and so it
may be from an engineering point of view, but you will never live to
sail upon that sea which the British public is going to be asked to find
so many millions to make. Look here. We have only three minutes more, so
I will come to the point at once. It's Turkish territory, isn't it, and
putting aside everything else, the security for the whole thing is a
Firman from the Sultan?"

"Yes, Sir Robert Aylward and Haswell procured it in Constantinople. I
have seen the document."

"Indeed, and are you well acquainted with the Sultan's signature? I know
when