great deal to those who are, for the time being,
my employers."

"Would it be impertinent on my part to ask at what time yesterday
afternoon you arrived at this momentous decision?"

"Shortly after four o'clock," I answered, but not without a little
wonderment as to his reason for putting the question. For my own part I
did not see what it had to do with the matter in hand.

"Dear me, how very vexing, to be sure!" he observed. "This is certainly
another instance of the contrariness of Fate."

"How so?" I asked.

"Because it was my intention to have called upon you shortly after lunch
yesterday on this matter," he answered. "Unfortunately I was prevented
at the last moment. Had I been able to get here, I might have
forestalled your more successful client. Are you quite sure, Mr.
Fairfax, that it is out of the question for you to undertake what
we want?"

"If it is necessary for me to go at once, I fear it is," I answered.
"But if it would be of any use to you, I could send you a trustworthy
subordinate; one who would be quite capable of undertaking the work, and
who would give you every satisfaction."

"I fear that would not be the same thing," he said. "My firm have such
implicit faith in you that they would not entertain the idea of any one
else going. Now think, Mr. Fairfax, for a moment. If you are prepared to
go, I, in my turn, on behalf of my Company, am prepared to offer you
your expenses and a sum of five thousand pounds. You need not be away
more than three months at longest, so that you see our offer is at the
rate of twenty thousand pounds a year. It is princely remuneration."

I looked at him closely. It was plain that he was in earnest--in deadly
earnest, so it seemed. Even a defaulting manager would scarcely seem to
warrant so much zeal.

"I am very much flattered by your offer," I said; "and believe me, I
most truly appreciate the generosity of your Company; but, as I said
before, if it is necessary for me to go at once, that is to say, before
I have completed my present case, then I have no option but to most
reluctantly decline."

"Perhaps you will think it over," he continued, "and let me know, say
to-morrow?"

"No amount of thinking it over will induce me to alter my decision," I
replied. "You must see for yourself that I have no right to accept a
retainer from one party and then throw them over in order to favour
another. That would not only be a dishonourable action on my part, but
wo