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〃Well； Mr。 Heythorp； the long and short of the matter is this： Our friend Mr。 Pillin paid you a commission of ten per cent。 on the sale of his ships。 Oh！ yes。 He settled the money； not on you； but on your relative Mrs。 Larne and her children。 This； as you know； is a breach of trust on your part。
The old man's voice： 〃Where did you get hold of that cock…and…bull story？〃 brought him to his feet before the fire。
〃It won't do； Mr。 Heythorp。 My witnesses are Mr。 Pillin； Mrs。 Larne； and Mr。 Scriven。〃
〃What have you come here for； thenblackmail？〃
Mr。 Ventnor straightened his waistcoat； a rush of conscious virtue had dyed his face。
〃Oh！ you take that tone；〃 he said； 〃do you？ You think you can ride roughshod over everything？ Well； you're very much mistaken。 I advise you to keep a civil tongue and consider your position； or I'll make a beggar of you。 I'm not sure this isn't a case for a prosecution！〃
〃Gammon！〃
The choler in Charles Ventnor kept him silent for a moment； then he burst out：
〃Neither gammon nor spinach。 You owe me three hundred pounds； you've owed it me for years； and you have the impudence to take this attitude with me； have you？ Now； I never bluster； I say what I mean。 You just listen to me。 Either you pay me what you owe me at once； or I call this meeting and make what I know public。 You'll very soon find out where you are。 And a good thing； too； for a more unscrupulousunscrupulous…〃 he paused for breath。
Occupied with his own emotion； he had not observed the change in old Heythorp's face。 The imperial on that lower lip was bristling； the crimson of those cheeks had spread to the roots of his white hair。 He grasped the arms of his chair； trying to rise； his swollen hands trembled； a little saliva escaped one corner of his lips。 And the words came out as if shaken by his teeth：
〃So…so…you…you bully me！〃
Conscious that the interview had suddenly passed from the phase of negotiation； Mr。 Ventnor looked hard at his opponent。 He saw nothing but a decrepit； passionate； crimson…faced old man at bay； and all the instincts of one with everything on his side boiled up in him。 The miserable old turkey…cockthe apoplectic image！ And he said：
〃And you'll do no good for yourself by getting into a passion。 At your age； and in your condition； I recommend a little prudence。 Now just take my terms quietly； or you know what'll happen。 I'm not to be intimidated by any of your airs。〃 And seeing that the old man's rage was such that he simply could not speak； he took the opportunity of going on： 〃I don't care two straws which you doI'm out to show you who's master。 If you think in your dotage you can domineer any longerwell； you'll find two can play at that game。 Come； now； which are you going to do？〃
The old man had sunk back in his chair； and only his little deep…blue eyes seemed living。 Then he moved one hand； and Mr。 Ventnor saw that he was fumbling to reach the button of an electric bell at the end of a cord。 'I'll show him；' he thought； and stepping forward； he put it out of reach。
Thus frustrated； the old man remained…motionless； staring up。 The word 〃blackmail〃 resumed its buzzing in Mr。 Ventnor's ears。 The impudence the consummate impudence of it from this fraudulent old ruffian with one foot in bankruptcy and one foot in the grave； if not in the dock。
〃Yes；〃 he said； 〃it's never too late to learn； and for once you've come up against someone a leetle bit too much for you。 Haven't you now？ You'd better cry 'Peccavi。'
Then； in the deathly silence of the room； the moral force of his position； and the collapse as it seemed of his opponent； awakening a faint compunction； he took a turn over the Turkey carpet to readjust his mind。
〃You're an old man； and I don't want to be too hard on you。 I'm only showing you that you can't play fast and loose as if you were God Almighty any longer。 You've had your own way too many years。 And now you can't have it； see！〃 Then； as the old man again moved forward in his chair； he added： 〃Now； don't get into a passion again； calm yourself； because I warn youthis is your last chance。 I'm a man of my word； and what I say； I do。〃
By a violent and unsuspected effort the old man jerked himself up and reached the bell。 Mr。 Ventnor heard it ring； and said sharply：
〃Mind you； it's nothing to me which you do。 I came for your own good。 Please yourself。 Well？〃
He was answered by the click of the door and the old man's husky voice：
〃Show this hound out！ And then come back！〃
Mr。 Ventnor had presence of mind enough not to shake his fist。 Muttering： 〃Very well； Mr。 Heythorp！ Ah！ Very well！〃 he moved with dignity to the door。 The careful shepherding of the servant renewed the fire of his anger。 Hound！ He had been called a hound
3
After seeing Mr。 Ventnor off the premises the man Meller returned to his master； whose face looked very odd〃all patchy…like；〃 as he put it in the servants' hall； as though the blood driven to his head had mottled for good the snowy whiteness of the forehead。 He received the unexpected order：
〃Get me a hot bath ready； and put some pine stuff in it。〃
When the old man was seated there； the valet asked：
〃How long shall I give you； sir？〃
〃Twenty minutes。〃
〃Very good； sir。〃
Lying in that steaming brown fragrant liquid； old Heythorp heaved a stertorous sigh。 By losing his temper with that ill…conditioned cur he had cooked his goose。 It was done to a turn； and he was a ruined man。 If onlyoh！ if only he could have seized the fellow by the neck and pitched him out of the room！ To have lived to be so spoken to； to have been unable to lift hand or foot； hardly even his voice he would sooner have been dead！ Yessooner have been dead！ A dumb and measureless commotion was still at work in the recesses of that thick old body； silver…brown in the dark water； whose steam he drew deep into his wheezing lungs； as though for spiritual relief。 To be beaten by a cur like that！ To have that common cad of a pettifogging lawyer drag him down and kick him about； tumble a name which had stood high； in the dust！ The fellow had the power to make him a byword and a beggar！ It was incredible！ But it was a fact。 And to… morrow he would begin to do itperhaps had begun already。 His tree had come down with a crash！ Eighty years…eighty good years！ He regretted none of them…regretted nothing； least of all this breach of trust which had provided for his grandchildrenone of the best things he had ever done。 The fellow was a cowardly hound； too！ The way he had snatched the bell…pull out of his reach…despicable cur！ And a chap like that was to put 〃paid〃 to the account of Sylvanus Heythorp； to 〃scratch〃 him out of lifeso near the end of everything； the very end！ His hand raised above the surface fell back on his stomach through the dark water； and a bubble or two rose。 Not so fastnot so fast！ He had but to slip down a foot； let the water close over his head； and 〃Good…bye〃 to Master Ventnor's triumph Dead men could not be kicked off the Boards of Companies。 Dead men could not be beggared； deprived of their independence。 He smiled and stirred a little in the bath till the water rea