ther.

Reginald looked up. Horace's tone, if not imperious, had not been
sympathetic, and it jarred on him in the fulness of his projects to
encounter an obstacle.

"Why not?" he replied. "It's all very well for you, in your snug berth,
but I must get a living, mustn't I?"

"I should have thought something might turn up in London," persisted
Horace.

"Things don't turn up as we want them," said Reginald, tartly. "Look
here, Horace, you surely don't suppose I prefer to go to Liverpool to
staying here?"

"Of course not," said Horace, beginning to whistle softly to himself.
It was a bad omen, and Mrs Cruden knew it.

"Come," said she, cheerily, "we must make the best of it. These names,
Reg, in the list of directors Mr Medlock gave you, seem all very
respectable."

"Do you know any of them?" asked Reginald. "Mr Medlock thought you
might."

"I know one or two by name," replied she. "There's the Bishop of S--, I
see, and Major Wakeman, who I suppose is the officer who has been doing
so well in India. There's a Member of Parliament, too, I see. It seems
a good set of directors."

"Of course they aren't likely all to turn up at board meetings," said
Reginald, with an explanatory air.

"I don't see myself what business a bishop has with a Select Agency
Corporation," said Horace, determined not to see matters in a favourable
light.

"My dear fellow," said Reginald, trying hard to keep his temper, "I
can't help whether you see it or not. By the way, mother, about the L50
to invest. I think Mr Richmond--"

Mrs Cruden started.

"This exciting news," said she, "drove it out of my head for the moment.
Boys, I am very sorry to say I had a note to-day stating that Mr
Richmond was taken ill while in France, and is dead. He was one of our
few old friends, and it is a very sad blow."

She was right. The Crudens never stood in greater need of a wise friend
than they did now.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

REGINALD TAKES HIS FATE INTO HIS OWN HANDS.

The next day Reginald wrote and accepted the invitation of the directors
of the Select Agency Corporation. He flattered himself he was acting
deliberately, and after fully weighing the pros and cons of the
question. True, he still knew very little about his new duties, and had
yet to make the acquaintance of the Bishop of S-- and the other
directors. But, on the other hand, he had seen Mr Medlock, and heard
what he had to say, and was quite satisfied in his own mi