she must not say who it was.

"You can't make a business without squeezing somebody," said Sir Isaac.
"It's easy enough to make a row about any concern that grows a bit. Some
people would like to have every business tied down to a maximum turnover
and so much a year profit. I dare say you've been hearing of these
articles in the _London Lion_. Pretty stuff it is, too. This fuss about
the little shopkeepers; that's a new racket. I've had all that row about
the waitresses before, and the yarn about the Normandy eggs, and all
that, but I don't see that you need go reading it against me, and
bringing it up at the breakfast-table. A business is a business, it
isn't a charity, and I'd like to know where you and I would be if we
didn't run the concern on business lines.... Why, that _London Lion_
fellow came to me with the first two of those articles before the thing
began. I could have had the whole thing stopped if I liked, if I'd
chosen to take the back page of his beastly cover. That shows the stuff
the whole thing is made of. That shows you. Why!--he's just a
blackmailer, that's what he is. Much he cares for my waitresses if he
can get the dibs. Little shopkeepers, indeed! I know 'em! Nice martyrs
they are! There isn't one wouldn't _skin_ all the others if he got half
a chance...."

Sir Isaac gave way to an extraordinary fit of nagging anger. He got up
and stood upon the hearthrug to deliver his soul the better. It was an
altogether unexpected and illuminating outbreak. He was flushed with
guilt. The more angry and eloquent he became, the more profoundly
thoughtful grew the attentive lady at the head of his table....

When at last Sir Isaac had gone off in the car to Victoria, Lady Harman
rang for Snagsby. "Isn't there a paper," she asked, "called the _London
Lion_?"

"It isn't one I think your ladyship would like," said Snagsby, gently
but firmly.

"I know. But I want to see it. I want copies of all the issues in which
there have been articles upon the International Stores."

"They're thoroughly volgar, me lady," said Snagsby, with a large
dissuasive smile.

"I want you to go out into London and get them now."

Snagsby hesitated and went. Within five minutes he reappeared with a
handful of buff-covered papers.

"There 'appened to be copies in the pantry, me lady," he said. "We can't
imagine 'ow they got there; someone must have brought them in, but 'ere
they are quite at your service, me lady." He paused for a