absolute."

Cassis sniffed.

"It was a pity you didn't get the concession when you made the
discovery."

"You know quite well that I wasn't sure. A false move might have
brought every prospector in the world to the place--would have done.
Besides with all this post-war territorial shuffle it was pretty nearly
impossible to say which government actually owned the land. Been jolly
if we'd got a title too soon and from the wrong people."

"But the territorial point has been cleared up now, hasn't it?" Cassis
put the question shrewdly.

Barraclough shut up like a clam and made no answer.

Lord Almont butted in.

"Still you're pretty confident of getting the concession if you manage
to get clear."

Barraclough nodded.

"If I can slip through and they don't stop me I'll be back with the
whole thing settled in three weeks from the hour of starting."

"And during those three weeks," said Cassis sourly, "Van Diest and his
crowd will subject us to an intensive course of financial buffeting.
As matter of fact he has begun already."

"Well, it was no fault of mine the other side knew anything about it,"
said Barraclough. "If your confidential secretary had kept his mouth
shut----"

"There is no use in discussing that," said Cassis.

Mr. Torrington swept the cards into a heap and shuffled them to and fro
like a cook making pastry.

"Getting very active is Van Diest," he remarked. "Not a good loser,
poor fellow. Quite set his heart on getting into our little syndicate.
Started unloading American Rails yesterday afternoon--broke the market
badly. I had to reciprocate by selling Dutch Oils. Our losses on the
day were about equal."

Lord Almont remarked that his broker had rang him up to tell him of a
fuss. Had no idea Van Diest was at the back of it. Cost him about ten
thousand but he held on.

"Quite so and it's all very well if we are going to get a return for
our losses," said Cassis. "But so long as Barraclough is held by the
heels we become a mere kicking post for the opposition. Not good
enough."

"Any suggestions?" said Barraclough.

"Yes. I suggest under the seal of confidence you inform us of the
exact location of this field and we dispatch a trustworthy servant to
carry out the necessary negotiations."

Barraclough remained silent.

"If you refuse to adopt that view all I can see for it is either to
drop the whole thing or to let Van Diest come in and split the profit."

For one inst