round from its accustomed place so as to face Rowan, who had perched
himself on a stool which was commonly occupied by a boy whom Tappitt
employed in his own office.

"My head not cool!" said Rowan. "It's as cool as a cucumber. I wasn't
drinking last night."

"I thought you might be tired with the dancing." Then Tappitt's mind
flew off to the champagne, and he determined that the young man
before him was too disagreeable to be endured.

"Oh, dear, no. Those things never tire me. I was across here with
the men before eight this morning. Do you know, I'm sure we could
save a third of the fuel by altering the flues. I never saw such
contrivances. They must have been put in by the coal-merchants, for
the sake of wasting coal."

"If you please, we won't mind the flues at present."

"I only tell you; it's for your sake much more than my own. If you
won't believe me, do you ask Newman to look at them the first time
you see him in Baslehurst."

"I don't care a straw for Newman."

"He's got the best concerns in Devonshire, and knows what he's about
better than any man in these parts."

"I dare say. But now, if you please, we won't mind him. The concerns,
as I have managed them, have done very well for me for the last
thirty years;--very well I may say also for your uncle, who
understood what he was doing. I'm not very keen for so many changes.
They cost a great deal of money, and as far as I can see don't often
lead to much profit."

"If we don't go on with the world," said Rowan, "the world will leave
us behind. Look at the new machinery they're introducing everywhere.
People don't do it because they like to spend their money. It's
competition; and there's competition in beer as well as in other
things."

For a minute or two Mr. Tappitt sat in silence collecting his
thoughts, and then he began his speech. "I'll tell you what it is,
Rowan, I don't like these new-fangled ways. They're very well for
you, I dare say. You are young, and perhaps you may see your way.
I'm old, and I don't see mine among all these changes. It's clear to
me that you and I could not go on together as partners in the same
concern. I should expect to have my own way,--first because I've a
deal of experience, and next because my share in the concern would be
so much the greatest."

"Stop a moment, Mr. Tappitt; I'm not quite sure that it would be much
the greatest. I don't want to say anything about that now; only if I
were to let your rema