."

He stood over his cousin, looking down at him with quite genuine
concern and liking in his eyes. His size, his aggressiveness, his
blundering disregard of decency towards trouble, everything about him
was on such a gigantic scale that one could not weigh him by any
accepted standard. Aymer knew it, and notwithstanding Peter's unique
powers of hurting him to the soul, he made no attempt to scale him,
but met him on his own ground and ignored the torture.

"What has it cost you exactly, this visit?"

Peter considered quite gravely.

"Let me see. I was to have seen Tomlands. He's ceding his rights in
the Lodal Valley Affair and his figure goes up each day." He
considered again. "Three thousand," he answered with a wide grin.

"I am abashed at my value," said Aymer gravely. "I daren't ask you to
come again now."

"Oh, I'll have an extravagant fit again, some day. Where's the boy?"
His hand was in his pocket and Aymer heard the chink of coin.

"At work, or should be. Don't tip him, please, Peter. He has as much
as he needs."

"How do you know? A boy needs as much as he can get. Well, don't
forget my advice. Don't educate him."

He was gone at last. Presumably to gather in the Lodal Rights before
their value further increased.

Charles Aston did not betray any particular sorrow at missing the
visitor.

"It's rather odd his turning up again now after forgetting our
existence so long," he remarked, frowning. "Of course we've had
correspondence--not very agreeable either."

"I can hardly wonder at his not coming to see me, at all events. It's
nearly twelve years since we met, and I wasn't very polite to him that
time," said Aymer wearily.

"There was a reasonable excuse for you."

"I'm afraid I did not consider reason much in those days, sir. If he'd
been a saint in disguise I should have behaved like a brute just the
same."

Charles Aston came and stood looking down with a kind, quiet,
satisfied smile. The attitude was the same as Peter Masters' and
Aymer, remembering it, smiled too.

"What did he really want, Aymer? He never came for nothing."

"To induce me to go on the Stock-Exchange in partnership with him, I
think. Thought it would be less boring than lying here all day with
nothing to do."

Charles Aston opened his mouth to protest and shut it resolutely,
turned and walked down the room ruffling his hair, so that when he
went back to Aymer, his iron-grey thatch was more picturesque than
neat.