The Blotting Book | Page 9

"But it was dangerous, anyhow," he said, "and I don't understand what
object could be served by it. It was running a risk with no profit in
view."
Then for the first time the inherent strength of the quietness of the one
man as opposed to the obvious quickness and comprehension of the
other came into play.
"I think that I disagree with you there, my dear fellow," said Mr.
Taynton slowly, "though when I have told you all, I shall be of course,
as always, delighted to recognise the superiority of your judgment,
should you disagree with me, and convince me of the correctness of
your view. It has happened, I know, a hundred times before that you
with your quick intuitive perceptions have been right."
But his partner interrupted him. He quite agreed with the sentiment, but
he wanted to learn without even the delay caused by these
complimentary remarks, the upshot of Taynton's rash proposal to
Morris.
"What did young Assheton say?" he asked.
"Well, my dear fellow," said Taynton, "though I have really no doubt
that in principle I did a rash thing, in actual practice my step was
justified, because Morris absolutely refused to look at the books. Of
course I know the young fellow well: it argues no perspicuity on my
part to have foreseen that. And, I am glad to say, something in my way
of putting it, some sincerity of manner I suppose, gave rise to a fresh
mark of confidence in us on his part."
Mr. Taynton cleared his throat; his quietness and complete absence of
hurry was so to speak, rapidly overhauling the quick, nimble mind of
the other.

"He asked me in fact to continue being steward of his affairs in any
event. Should he marry to-morrow I feel no doubt that he would not
spend a couple of minutes over his financial affairs, unless, unless, as
you foresaw might happen, he had need of a large lump sum. In that
case, my dear Mills, you and I would--would find it impossible to live
elsewhere than in the Argentine Republic, were we so fortunate as to
get there. But, as far as this goes I only say that the step of mine which
you felt to be dangerous has turned out most auspiciously. He begged
me, in fact, to continue even after he came of age, acting for him at my
present rate of remuneration."
Mr. Mills was listening to this with some attention. Here he laughed
dryly.
"That is capital, then," he said. "You were right and I was wrong. God,
Taynton, it's your manner you know, there's something of the country
parson about you that is wonderfully convincing. You seem sincere
without being sanctimonious. Why, if I was to ask young Assheton to
look into his affairs for himself, he would instantly think there was
something wrong, and that I was trying bluff. But when you do the
same thing, that simple and perfectly correct explanation never occurs
to him."
"No, dear Morris trusts me very completely," said Taynton. "But, then,
if I may continue my little review of the situation, as it now stands, you
and your talk with Sir Richard have vastly decreased the danger of his
marrying. For, to be frank, I should not feel at all secure if that
happened. Miss Templeton is an heiress herself, and Morris might
easily take it into his head to spend ten or fifteen thousand pounds in
building a house or buying an estate, and though I think I have guarded
against his requiring an account of our stewardship, I can't prevent his
wishing to draw a large sum of money. But your brilliant manoeuvre
may, we hope, effectually put a stop to the danger of his marrying Miss
Templeton, and since I am convinced he is in love with her, why"--Mr.
Taynton put his plump finger-tips together and raised his kind eyes to
the ceiling--"why, the chance of his wanting to marry anybody else is
postponed anyhow, till, till he has got over this unfortunate attachment.

In fact, my dear fellow, there is no longer anything immediate to fear,
and I feel sure that before many weeks are up, the misfortunes and ill
luck which for the last two years have dogged us with such incredible
persistency will be repaired."
Mills said nothing for the moment but splashed himself out a liberal
allowance of brandy into his glass, and mixed it with a somewhat more
carefully measured ration of soda. He was essentially a sober man, but
that was partly due to the fact that his head was as impervious to
alcohol as teak is to water, and it was his habit to indulge in two, and
those rather stiff, brandies and sodas of an evening. He found