dual, with an unhappy knack of looking at the
dark side of everything. Add to this the fact that he entertained a
very exalted idea of his own (imaginary) excellences, and believed
himself to be almost, if not quite, infallible, and it will be seen that
he was not likely to prove a very desirable travelling companion.

Rex Fortescue, on the other hand, was so thoroughly good-tempered that
it had grown to be a tradition among the employes of the firm that it
was impossible to "put him out." He was never known to lose his temper,
even under the most exasperating circumstances; he took the worries of
life easily, and would seriously inconvenience himself to help others.
He was as energetic and industrious as he was good-natured; work was his
recreation, and it was notorious that to his energy it was chiefly due
that the firm of which he was a member had attained its eminence. His
senior partner characteristically took all the credit to himself, and
had gradually brought himself to believe that in establishing the
business he had seriously impaired his own health; but everybody else
who knew anything about them knew also that the junior partner was the
life and soul of the business. Rex was not what would be termed a
handsome man by any means, but his frank pleasant good-tempered face
proved far more permanently attractive than mere physical beauty without
these embellishments could ever hope to be.

Mr Brook differed from both his employers--where indeed will you meet
with two men exactly alike? Of the two, however, he most nearly
approximated to the senior partner, inasmuch as that, like that
gentleman, he entertained a very high opinion of his own abilities,
stood greatly upon his dignity, and was childishly jealous of any
preference shown for others before himself. Unlike Mr Dale, however,
he was a man of limited education; he had read much, but his reading had
been almost wholly superficial; he possessed, upon an infinite variety
of subjects, that little knowledge which is a dangerous thing. There
was consequently no topic of conversation upon which he had not
something oracular to say; he was wont to maintain his own opinion with
a very considerable amount of heat, and so obstinate was he that it was
quite impossible to convince him that he was ever in the wrong. He was
essentially a vulgar man; but, as might naturally be supposed from what
has already been said, he regarded himself as a polished gentleman, an