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¡¨Damn¡¡strange£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡muttered¡¡as¡¡he¡¡touched¡¡a¡¡button¡¡beneath¡¡the¡¡edge¡¡of¡¡his¡¡desk¡£¡¡A¡¡boy¡¡entered¡¡the¡¡room¡£¡¡¡¨Ask¡¡Mr¡£¡¡Bince¡¡if¡¡he¡¡will¡¡be¡¡good¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡step¡¡in¡¡here¡¡a¡¡moment£»¡¡please£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Compton£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡later£»¡¡when¡¡Harold¡¡Bince¡¡entered£»¡¡the¡¡older¡¡man¡¡leaned¡¡back¡¡in¡¡his¡¡chair¡¡and¡¡motioned¡¡the¡¡other¡¡to¡¡be¡¡seated¡£

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¡¨I¡¡never¡¡had¡¡a¡¡son£»¡¡and¡¡after¡¡Elizabeth's¡¡mother¡¡died¡¡I¡¡have¡¡lived¡¡in¡¡the¡¡hope¡¡somehow¡¡that¡¡she¡¡would¡¡marry¡¡the¡¡sort¡¡of¡¡chap¡¡who¡¡would¡¡really¡¡take¡¡the¡¡place¡¡of¡¡such¡¡a¡¡son¡¡as¡¡every¡¡man¡¡dreams¡¡ofsome¡¡one¡¡who¡¡will¡¡take¡¡his¡¡place¡¡and¡¡carry¡¡on¡¡his¡¡work¡¡when¡¡he¡¡is¡¡ready¡¡to¡¡lay¡¡aside¡¡his¡¡tools¡£¡¡I¡¡liked¡¡your¡¡father£»¡¡Harold¡£¡¡He¡¡was¡¡one¡¡of¡¡the¡¡best¡¡friends¡¡that¡¡I¡¡ever¡¡had£»¡¡and¡¡I¡¡can¡¡tell¡¡you¡¡now¡¡what¡¡I¡¡couldn't¡¡have¡¡you¡¡a¡¡month¡¡ago£º¡¡that¡¡when¡¡I¡¡employed¡¡you¡¡and¡¡put¡¡you¡¡in¡¡this¡¡position¡¡it¡¡was¡¡with¡¡the¡¡hope¡¡that¡¡eventually¡¡you¡¡would¡¡fill¡¡the¡¡place¡¡in¡¡my¡¡business¡¡and¡¡in¡¡my¡¡home¡¡of¡¡the¡¡son¡¡I¡¡never¡¡had¡£¡¨

¡¨Do¡¡you¡¡think¡¡Elizabeth¡¡guessed¡¡what¡¡was¡¡in¡¡your¡¡mind£¿¡¨¡¡asked¡¡Bince¡£

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¡¨And¡¡so¡¡I¡¡want¡¡you¡¡to¡¡get¡¡thoroughly¡¡into¡¡the¡¡harness¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡possible£»¡¡that¡¡I¡¡may¡¡turn¡¡over¡¡the¡¡entire¡¡management¡¡you¡£¡¡But¡¡I¡¡can't¡¡do¡¡it£»¡¡Harold£»¡¡while¡¡the¡¡profits¡¡are¡¡diminishing¡£¡¨

As¡¡the¡¡older¡¡man's¡¡gaze¡¡fell¡¡again¡¡to¡¡statements¡¡before¡¡him¡¡the¡¡eyes¡¡of¡¡younger¡¡man¡¡narrowed¡¡just¡¡a¡¡trifle¡¡as¡¡they¡¡rested¡¡upon¡¡Mason¡¡Compton£»¡¡and¡¡then¡¡as¡¡the¡¡older¡¡man¡¡looked¡¡up¡¡Bince's¡¡expression¡¡changed¡£

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¡¨I¡¡am¡¡sure¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡my¡¡boy£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Compton¡¡heartily¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Don't¡¡think¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡finding¡¡fault¡¡with¡¡anything¡¡you¡¡have¡¡done¡£¡¡I¡¡just¡¡wanted¡¡to¡¡call¡¡your¡¡attention¡¡to¡¡these¡¡figures¡£¡¡They¡¡mean¡¡something£»¡¡and¡¡it's¡¡up¡¡to¡¡you¡¡to¡¡find¡¡out¡¡just¡¡what¡¡they¡¡do¡¡mean¡£¡¨

And¡¡then¡¡there¡¡came¡¡a¡¡light¡¡tap¡¡on¡¡the¡¡door£»¡¡which¡¡opened¡¡immediately¡¡before¡¡any¡¡summons¡¡to¡¡enter¡¡had¡¡been¡¡given£»¡¡and¡¡Elizabeth¡¡Compton¡¡entered£»¡¡followed¡¡by¡¡another¡¡young¡¡woman¡£

¡¨Hello£»¡¡there£¡¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡Compton¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨What¡¡gets¡¡us¡¡out¡¡so¡¡early£¿¡¡¡¡And¡¡Harriet¡¡too£¡¡¡There¡¡is¡¡only¡¡one¡¡thing¡¡that¡¡would¡¡bring¡¡you¡¡girls¡¡in¡¡here¡¡so¡¡early¡£¡¨

¡¨And¡¡what's¡¡that£¿¡¨¡¡asked¡¡Elizabeth¡£

¡¨You¡¡are¡¡going¡¡shopping£»¡¡and¡¡Elizabeth¡¡wants¡¡some¡¡money¡£¡¨

They¡¡all¡¡laughed¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨You're¡¡a¡¡regular¡¡Sherlock¡¡Holmes£¡¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡Harriet¡¡Holden¡£

¡¨How¡¡much£¿¡¨¡¡asked¡¡Compton¡¡of¡¡his¡¡daughter£»¡¡still¡¡smiling¡£

¡¨How¡¡much¡¡have¡¡you£¿¡¨¡¡asked¡¡Elizabeth¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡am¡¡utterly¡¡broke¡£¡¨

Compton¡¡turned¡¡to¡¡Bince¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨Get¡¡her¡¡what¡¡she¡¡needs£»¡¡Harold£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡£

The¡¡young¡¡man¡¡started¡¡to¡¡the¡¡door¡£

¡¨Come¡¡with¡¡me£»¡¡Elizabeth£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨we¡¡will¡¡go¡¡out¡¡to¡¡the¡¡cashier's¡¡cage¡¡and¡¡get¡¡you¡¡fixed¡¡up¡£¡¨

They¡¡entered¡¡Bince's¡¡office£»¡¡which¡¡adjoined¡¡Compton's¡£

¡¨Wait¡¡here¡¡a¡¡minute£»¡¡Elizabeth£»¡¨¡¡said¡¡Bince¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨How¡¡much¡¡do¡¡you¡¡want£¿¡¡¡¡I'll¡¡get¡¡it¡¡for¡¡you¡¡and¡¡bring¡¡it¡¡back¡£¡¡I¡¡want¡¡to¡¡see¡¡you¡¡a¡¡moment¡¡alone¡¡before¡¡you¡¡go¡£¡¨

She¡¡told¡¡him¡¡how¡¡much¡¡she¡¡wanted£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡was¡¡back¡¡shortly¡¡with¡¡the¡¡currency¡£

¡¨Elizabeth£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡¡¨I¡¡don't¡¡know¡¡whether¡¡you¡¡have¡¡noticed¡¡it¡¡or¡¡not£»¡¡because¡¡your¡¡father¡¡isn't¡¡a¡¡man¡¡to¡¡carry¡¡his¡¡troubles¡¡home£»¡¡but¡¡I¡¡believe¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡failing¡¡rapidly£»¡¡largely¡¡from¡¡overwork¡£¡¡He¡¡worries¡¡about¡¡conditions¡¡here¡¡which¡¡really¡¡do¡¡not¡¡exist¡£¡¡I¡¡have¡¡been¡¡trying¡¡to¡¡take¡¡the¡¡load¡¡off¡¡his¡¡shoulders¡¡so¡¡that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡ease¡¡up¡¡a¡¡bit£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡has¡¡got¡¡into¡¡a¡¡rut¡¡from¡¡which¡¡be¡¡cannot¡¡be¡¡guided¡£

¡¨He¡¡will¡¡simply¡¡have¡¡to¡¡be¡¡lifted¡¡completely¡¡out¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡or¡¡be¡¡will¡¡stay¡¡here¡¡and¡¡die¡¡in¡¡the¡¡harness¡£¡¡Everything¡¡is¡¡running¡¡splendidly£»¡¡and¡¡now¡¡that¡¡I¡¡have¡¡a¡¡good¡¡grasp¡¡of¡¡the¡¡business¡¡I¡¡can¡¡handle¡¡it¡£¡¡Don't¡¡you¡¡suppose¡¡you¡¡could¡¡persuade¡¡him¡¡to¡¡take¡¡a¡¡trip£¿¡¡I¡¡know¡¡that¡¡he¡¡wants¡¡to¡¡travel¡£¡¡He¡¡has¡¡told¡¡me¡¡so¡¡several¡¡times£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡he¡¡could¡¡get¡¡away¡¡from¡¡here¡¡this¡¡fall¡¡and¡¡stay¡¡away¡¡for¡¡a¡¡year£»¡¡if¡¡possible£»¡¡it¡¡would¡¡make¡¡a¡¡new¡¡man¡¡of¡¡him¡£¡¡I¡¡am¡¡really¡¡very¡¡much¡¡worried¡¡about¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡while¡¡I¡¡hate¡¡to¡¡worry¡¡you¡¡I¡¡feel¡¡that¡¡you¡¡are¡¡the¡¡only¡¡person¡¡who¡¡can¡¡influence¡¡him¡¡and¡¡that¡¡something¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡be¡¡done¡¡and¡¡done¡¡at¡¡once¡£¡¨

¡¨Why£»¡¡Harold£»¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡the¡¡girl£»¡¡¡¨there¡¡is¡¡nothing¡¡the¡¡matter¡¡with¡¡father£¡¡¡He¡¡was¡¡never¡¡better¡¡in¡¡his¡¡life¡¡nor¡¡more¡¡cheerful¡£¡¨

¡¨That's¡¡the¡¡side¡¡of¡¡him¡¡that¡¡he¡¡lets¡¡you¡¡see£»¡¨¡¡replied¡¡the¡¡man¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨His¡¡gaiety¡¡is¡¡all¡¡forced¡£¡¡If¡¡you¡¡could¡¡see¡¡him¡¡after¡¡you¡¡leave¡¡you¡¡would¡¡realize¡¡that¡¡he¡¡is¡¡on¡¡the¡¡verge¡¡of¡¡a¡¡nervous¡¡breakdown¡£¡¡Your¡¡father¡¡is¡¡not¡¡an¡¡old¡¡man¡¡in¡¡years£»¡¡but¡¡he¡¡has¡¡placed¡¡a¡¡constant¡¡surtax¡¡on¡¡his¡¡nervous¡¡system¡¡for¡¡the¡¡last¡¡twenty¡­five¡¡years¡¡without¡¡a¡¡let¡­up£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡doesn't¡¡make¡¡any¡¡difference¡¡how¡¡good¡¡a¡¡machine¡¡may¡¡be¡¡it¡¡is¡¡going¡¡to¡¡wear¡¡out¡¡some¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡better¡¡the¡¡machine¡¡the¡¡more¡¡complete¡¡will¡¡be¡¡the¡¡wreck¡¡when¡¡the¡¡final¡¡break¡¡occurs¡£¡¨

As¡¡he¡¡spoke¡¡he¡¡watched¡¡the¡¡girl's¡¡face£»¡¡the¡¡changing¡¡expression¡¡of¡¡it£»¡¡which¡¡marked¡¡her¡¡growing¡¡mental¡¡perturbation¡£

¡¨You¡¡really¡¡believe¡¡it¡¡is¡¡as¡¡bad¡¡as¡¡that£»¡¡Harold£¿¡¨¡¡she¡¡asked¡£

¡¨It¡¡may¡¡be¡¡worse¡¡than¡¡I¡¡think£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨It¡¡is¡¡surely¡¡fully¡¡as¡¡bad¡£¡¨

The¡¡girl¡¡rose¡¡slowly¡¡from¡¡the¡¡chair¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡will¡¡try¡¡and¡¡persuade¡¡him¡¡to¡¡see¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Earle¡£¡¨

The¡¡man¡¡took¡¡a¡¡step¡¡toward¡¡her¡£¡¡¡¡¡¨I¡¡don't¡¡believe¡¡a¡¡doctor¡¡is¡¡what¡¡he¡¡needs£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said¡¡quickly¡£¡¡¡¨His¡¡condition¡¡is¡¡one¡¡that¡¡even¡¡a¡¡nerve¡¡specialist¡¡might¡¡not¡¡diagnose¡¡correctly¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡only¡¡some¡¡one¡¡in¡¡a¡¡position¡¡like¡¡mine£»¡¡who¡¡has¡¡an¡¡opportunity¡¡to¡¡observe¡¡him¡¡almost¡¡hourly£»¡¡day¡¡by¡¡day£»¡¡who¡¡would¡¡realize¡¡his¡¡condition¡£¡¡I¡¡doubt¡¡if¡¡he¡¡has¡¡any¡¡organic¡¡trouble¡¡whatever¡£¡¡What¡¡he¡¡needs¡¡is¡¡a¡¡long¡¡rest£»¡¡entirely¡¡free¡¡from¡¡any¡¡thought¡¡whatever¡¡of¡¡business¡£¡¡At¡¡least£»¡¡Elizabeth£»¡¡it¡¡will¡¡do¡¡him¡¡no¡¡harm£»¡¡and¡¡it¡¡may¡¡prolong¡¡his¡¡life¡¡for¡¡years¡£¡¡I¡¡wouldn't¡¡go¡¡messing¡¡around¡¡with¡¡any¡¡of¡¡these¡¡medical¡¡chaps¡£¡¨

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¡¨Just¡¡the¡¡thing£¡¡¨¡¡exclaimed¡¡Bince£»¡¡¡¨just¡¡the¡¡thing¡¡for¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡long¡¡sea¡¡voyage¡¡will¡¡do¡¡him¡¡a¡¡world¡¡of¡¡good¡£¡¡And¡¡now£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡stepping¡¡to¡¡her¡¡side¡¡and¡¡putting¡¡an¡¡arm¡¡around¡¡her¡£

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CHAPTER¡¡VII¡£

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