第151章

"He'll get it off his chest if he's going away to-morrow," decided Tembarom."If there's anything he's found out, he'll use it.If it doesn't pan out as he thinks it will he'll just float away to his old lady."He gave Palliser every chance, talking to him and encouraging him to talk, even asking him to let him look over the prospectus of the new company and explain details to him, as he was going to explain them to the old lady in Northumberland.He opened up avenues; but for a time Palliser made no attempt to stroll down them.His walk would be a stroll, Tembarom knew, being familiar with his methods.His aspect would be that of a man but little concerned.He would be capable of a slightly rude coldness if he felt that concern on his part was in any degree counted as a factor.Tembarom was aware, among other things, that innocent persons would feel that it was incumbent upon them to be very careful in their treatment of him.He seemed to be thinking things over before he decided upon the psychological moment at which he would begin, if he began.When a man had a good deal to lose or to win, Tembarom realized that he would be likely to hold back until he felt something like solid ground under him.

After Miss Alicia had left them for the night, perhaps he felt, as a result of thinking the matter over, that he had reached a foothold of a firmness at least somewhat to be depended upon.

"What a change you have made in that poor woman's life!" he said, walking to the side-table and helping himself to a brandy and soda.

"What a change!"

"It struck me that a change was needed just about the time I dropped in," answered his host.

"All the same," suggested Palliser, tolerantly, "you were immensely generous.She wasn't entitled to expect it, you know.""She didn't expect anything, not a darned thing," said Tembarom."That was what hit me."Palliser smiled a cold, amiable smile.His slim, neatly fitted person looked a little shrunken and less straight than was its habit, and its slackness suggested itself as being part of the harry and fatigue which made his face and eyes haggard under his pale, smooth hair.

"Do you purpose to provide for the future of all your indigent relatives even to the third and fourth generation, my dear chap?" he inquired.

"I won't refuse till I'm asked, anyhow," was the answer.

"Asked!" Palliser repeated."I'm one of them, you know, and Lady Mallowe is another.There are lots of us, when we come out of our holes.If it's only a matter of asking, we might all descend on you."Tembarom, smiling, wondered whether they hadn't descended already, and whether the descent had so far been all that they had anticipated.

Palliser strolled down his opened avenue with an incidental air which was entirely creditable to his training of himself.T.Tembarom acknowledged that much.

"You are too generous," said Palliser."You are the sort of fellow who will always need all he has, and more.The way you go among the villagers! You think you merely slouch about and keep it quiet, but you don't.You've set an example no other landowner can expect to live up to, or intends to.It's too lavish.It's pernicious, dear chap.Ihave heard all about the cottage you are doing over for Pearson and his bride.You had better invest in the Cedric."Tembarom wanted him to go on, if there was anything in it.He made his face look as he knew Palliser hoped it would look when the psychological moment came.Its expression was not a deterrent; in fact, it had a character not unlikely to lead an eager man, or one who was not as wholly experienced as he believed he was, to rush down a steep hill into the sea, after the manner of the swine in the parable.

Heaven knew Palliser did not mean to rush, and was not aware when the rush began; but he had reason to be so much more eager than he professed to be that momentarily he swerved, despite himself, and ceased to be casual.

"It is an enormous opportunity," he said--"timber lands in Mexico, you know.If you had spent your life in England, you would realize that timber has become a desperate necessity, and that the difficulties which exist in the way of supplying the demand are almost insuperable.

These forests are virtually boundless, and the company which controls them--""That's a good spiel!" broke in Tembarom.

It sounded like the crudely artless interruption of a person whose perceptions left much to be desired.T.Tembarom knew what it sounded like.If Palliser lost his temper, he would get over the ground faster, and he wanted him to get over the ground.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," he replied rather stiffly.

"There was a fellow I knew in New York who used to sell type-writers, and he had a thing to say he used to reel off when any one looked like a customer.He used to call it his 'spiel.'"Palliser's quick glance at him asked questions, and his stiffness did not relax itself.

"Is this New York chaff?" he inquired coldly.

"No," Tembarom said."You're not doing it for ten per.He was""No, not exactly," said Palliser."Neither would you be doing it for ten per if you went into it." His voice changed.He became slightly haughty."Perhaps it was a mistake on my part to think you might care to connect yourself with it.You have not, of course, been in the position to comprehend such matters.""If I was what I look like, that'd stir me up and make me feel bad,"thought T.Tembarom, with cheerful comprehension of this, at least.

"I'd have to rush in and try to prove to him that I was as accustomed to big business as he is, and that it didn't rattle me.The way to do it that would come most natural would be to show I was ready to buy as big a block of stock as any other fellow."But the expression of his face did not change.He only gave a half-awkward sort of laugh.

"I guess I can learn," he said.