hacommissionasthat?’
“‘Theworkappearstobelightandthepaymunificent.’
“‘Preciselyso.Weshallwantyoutocometo-nightbythelasttrain.’
“‘Whereto?’
“‘ToEyford,inBerkshire.ItisalittleplacenearthebordersofOxfordshire,andwithinsevenmilesofReading.ThereisatrainfromPaddingtonwhichwouldbringyouthereatabout11:15.’
“‘Verygood.’
“‘Ishallcomedowninacarriagetomeetyou.’
“‘Thereisadrive,then?’
“‘Yes,ourlittleplaceisquiteoutinthecountry.ItisagoodsevenmilesfromEyfordStation.’
“‘Thenwecanhardlygettherebeforemidnight.Isupposetherewouldbenochanceofatrainback.Ishouldbecompelledtostopthenight.’
“‘Yes,wecouldeasilygiveyouashake-down.’
“‘Thatisveryawkward.CouldInotcomeatsomemoreconvenienthour?’
“‘Wehavejudgeditbestthatyoushouldcomelate.Itistorecompenseyouforanyinconveniencethatwearepayingtoyou,ayoungandunknownman,afeewhichwouldbuyanopinionfromtheveryheadsofyourprofession.Still,ofcourse,ifyouwouldliketodrawoutofthebusiness,thereisplentyoftimetodoso.’
“Ithoughtofthefiftyguineas,andofhowveryusefultheywouldbetome.‘Notatall,’saidI,‘Ishallbeveryhappytoaccommodatemyselftoyourwishes.Ishouldlike,however,tounderstandalittlemoreclearlywhatitisthatyouwishmetodo.’
“‘Quiteso.Itisverynaturalthatthepledgeofsecrecywhichwehaveexactedfromyoushouldhavearousedyourcuriosity.Ihavenowishtocommityoutoanythingwithoutyourhavingitalllaidbeforeyou.Isupposethatweareabsolutelysafefromeavesdroppers?’
“‘Entirely.’
“‘Thenthematterstandsthus.Youareprobablyawarethatfuller’s-earthisavaluableproduct,andthatitisonlyfoundinoneortwoplacesinEngland?’
“‘Ihaveheardso.’
“‘SomelittletimeagoIboughtasmallplace—averysmallplace—withintenmilesofReading.Iwasfortunateenoughtodiscoverthattherewasadepositoffuller’s-earthinoneofmyfields.Onexaminingit,however,Ifoundthatthisdepositwasacomparativelysmallone,andthatitformedalinkbetweentwoverymuchlargeronesupontherightandleft—bothofthem,however,inthegroundsofmyneighbours.Thesegoodpeoplewereabsolutelyignorantthattheirlandcontainedthatwhichwasquiteasvaluableasagold-mine.Naturally,itwastomyinteresttobuytheirlandbeforetheydiscovereditstruevalue,butunfortunatelyIhadnocapitalbywhichIcoulddothis.Itookafewofmyfriendsintothesecret,however,andtheysuggestedthatweshouldquietlyandsecretlyworkourownlittledepositandthatinthiswayweshouldearnthemoneywhichwouldenableustobuytheneighbouringfields.Thiswehavenowbeendoingforsometime,andinordertohelpusinouroperationsweerectedahydraulicpress.Thispress,asIhavealreadyexplained,hasgotoutoforder,andwewishyouradviceuponthesubject.Weguardoursecretveryjealously,however,andifitoncebecameknownthatwehadhydraulicengineerscomingtoourlittlehouse,itwouldsoonrouseinquiry,andthen,ifthefactscameout,itwouldbegood-byetoanychanceofgettingthesefieldsandcarryingoutourplans.ThatiswhyIhavemadeyoupromisemethatyouwillnottellahumanbeingthatyouaregoingtoEyfordto-night.IhopethatImakeitallplain?’
“‘Iquitefollowyou,’saidI.‘TheonlypointwhichIcouldnotquiteunderstandwaswhatuseyoucouldmakeofahydraulicpressinexcavatingfuller’s-earth,which,asIunderstand,isdugoutlikegravelfromapit.’
“‘Ah!’saidhecarelessly,‘wehaveourownprocess.Wecompresstheearthintobricks,soastoremovethemwithoutrevealingwhattheyare.Butthatisameredetail.Ihavetakenyoufullyintomyconfidencenow,Mr.Hatherley,andIhaveshownyouhowItrustyou.’Heroseashespoke.‘Ishallexpectyou,then,atEyfordat11:15.’
“‘Ishallcertainlybethere.’
“‘Andnotawordtoasoul.’Helookedatmewithalastlong,questioninggaze,andthen,pressingmyhandinacold,dankgrasp,hehurriedfromtheroom.
“Well,whenIcametothinkitalloverincoolbloodIwasverymuchastonished,asyoumayboththink,atthissuddencommissionwhichhadbeenintrustedtome.Ontheonehand,ofcourse,Iwasglad,forthefeewasatleasttenfoldwhatIshould