due not so much to his
ability, but to the fact that he now had nothing to lose or gain from the
situation. As soon as Benson grasped this fact he began a masterly
retreat. Wayne noticed the difference between the partners: Honaton, the
less able of the two, wanted to save the situation, but before everything
else wanted to leave in Wayne's mind the sense that he had made a fool of
himself. Benson, more practical, would have been glad to put Pete in jail
if he could; but as he couldn't do that, his interest was in nothing but
saving the situation. The only way to do this was to give up all idea of
publishing any report. He did this by assuming that Wayne had simply
changed his mind or had at least utterly failed to convey his meaning in
his written words. He made this point of view very plausible by quoting
the more laudatory of Wayne's sentences; and when Pete explained that the
whole point of his report was in the sentence that had been omitted,
Benson leaned back, chuckling, and biting off the end of his cigar.

"Oh, you college men!" he said. "I'm afraid I'm not up to your
subtleties. When you said it was the richest vein and favorably situated,
I supposed that was what you meant. If you meant just the opposite, well,
let it go. Honaton & Benson certainly don't want to get out a report
contrary to fact."

"That's what he has accused us of," said Honaton.

"Oh, no, no," said Benson; "don't be too literal, Jack. In the heat of
argument we all say things we don't mean. Pete here doesn't like to have
his lovely English all messed up by a practical dub like me. I doubt if
he wants to sever his connection with this firm."

Honaton yielded.

"Oh," he said, "I'm willing enough he should stay, if--"

"Well, I'm not," said Pete, and put an end to the conversation by walking
out of the room. He found David explaining the filing system to Mathilde,
and she, hanging on his every word, partly on account of his native
charm, partly on account of her own interest in anything neat, but most
because she imagined the knowledge might some day make her a more
serviceable wife to Pete.

Pete dreaded the coming interview with Mrs. Farron more than that with
the firm--more, indeed, than he had ever dreaded anything. He and
Mathilde reached the house about a quarter before one, and Adelaide was
not in. This was fortunate, for while they waited they discovered a
difference of intention. Mathilde saw no reason for mentioning the fact