things. Now and then Warburton
asked himself whether his partner could be concealing some troublesome
fact with regard to Applegarth's concern; but he dismissed the idea as
too improbable; Sherwood was far too good a fellow, far too
conscientious a man of business, to involve his friend in obvious
risk--especially since it had been decided that Mrs. Warburton's and
her money should go into the affair. The inquiries made by Mr. Turnbull
had results so satisfactory that even the resolute pessimist could not
but grudgingly admit his inability to discover storm-signals. Though a
sense of responsibility made a new element in his life, which would not
let him sleep quite so soundly as hitherto, Will persuaded himself that
he had but to get to work, and all would be right.

The impression made upon him by Applegarth himself was very favourable.
The fact that the jam manufacturer was a university man, an astronomer,
and a musician, had touched Warburton's weak point, and he went down to
Bristol the first time with an undeniable prejudice at the back of his
mind; but this did not survive a day or two's intercourse. Applegarth
recommended himself by an easy and humorous geniality of bearing which
Warburton would have been the last man to resist; he talked of his
affairs with the utmost frankness.

"The astonishing thing to me is," he said, "that I've made this
business pay. I went into it on abstract principle. I knew nothing of
business. At school, I rather think, I learnt something about 'single
and double entry,' but I had forgotten it all--just as I find myself
forgetting how to multiply and divide, now that I am accustomed to the
higher mathematics. However, I had to earn a little money, somehow, and
I thought I'd try jam. And it went by itself, I really don't understand
it, mere good luck, I suppose. I hear of fellows who have tried
business, and come shocking croppers. Perhaps they were classical men
nothing so hopeless as your classic. I beg your pardon; before saying
that, I ought to have found out whether either of you is a classic."

The listeners both shook their heads, and laughed.

"So much the better. An astronomer, it is plain, may manufacture jam; a
fellow brought up on Greek and Latin verses couldn't possibly."

They were together at Bristol for a week, then Sherwood received a
telegram, and told Warburton that he must return to London immediately.

"Something that bothers you?" said Will, noting a peculiar