sure
than work and the calls of duty were not very arduous for a rich man.

The manager of William Chesney & Company was Duncan Fraser, a Scotsman,
whose whole life had been spent in England, the bulk of it with
Chesney. An upright, honorable, keen man of business, Duncan Fraser
was a tower of strength in the firm. Force of character was stamped on
him; he was unyielding when he felt he was in the right, and many
tussles William Chesney had with him about fresh moves connected with
new departments in the company's procedure. The two men were, however,
friends, and had respect for the abilities they both possessed.

It was Duncan Fraser's opposition to Alan Chesney going into the army
induced William Chesney to protest against it and give way only upon
the stipulation stated.

"He is your only son, and his place is at the head of the firm when you
think fit to retire," said Duncan. "He has no right to neglect his
responsibilities, and he ought to be trained for the position; if he
goes into a crack cavalry regiment he'll never settle down to the work
here."

William Chesney agreed with Duncan Fraser, but made excuses for Alan.

"I fancy he considers you will be capable of looking after things when
I am gone," he said.

"That's not the point. I'm capable now, but you are the head, and he
ought to take your place."

Alan Chesney and Duncan Fraser did not agree well, the former knew of
Fraser's opposition to his joining the army and resented it as an
impertinence.

"After all he's a servant of the company," he said to his father.

"And the best servant a company ever had. He's a big shareholder too;
don't forget that important fact, Alan," was the answer.

Duncan Fraser was a careful man; he had a large salary, and, being a
bachelor, saved most of it and bought shares in the brewery. When
William Chesney died he held the second interest to Alan, which gave
him considerable power.

To do Fraser justice he always desired, was anxious, that Alan Chesney
should be the active head of the firm; but his disinclination for the
work threw more and more responsibility on the manager, and although
Alan was nominally the head, Duncan Fraser was the man everybody looked
to.

Alan recognized this and resented it, although he knew it was his fault.

Duncan Fraser had the tact to handle the situation delicately; he
treated Alan with almost the same deference as his father, but did not
consult him to the same extent,