man.’
‘So he was by a long way. That’s just the reason. Couldn’t afford him any longer.’
Charles turned. ‘Bless my soul, are things as bad as that?’
‘Things,’ Peter said hopelessly, ‘are just about as bad as they can be. I declare on my honour, Charles, I don’t know what I’m going to do.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that, Peter.’
‘This year it’s worse than ever. There was a good crop. Nearly everything is above the average. But I can’t sell the stuff. Prices wouldn’t pay getting it to the market. I don’t know what’s going to happen to us all.’
‘Pretty rotten, that.’
‘You may thank your stars you’ve nothing to do with land. For years there’s been talk about it, as you know, and the Government were always going to take it in hand.’ He shook his head. ‘They’ll tinker with it till there are no farmers left in the country.’
‘Industry’s as bad,’ Charles returned. ‘Why, only now I’ve heard that Bender & Truesett are halving their dividend.’
Peter looked at him. ‘You don’t say so! Does that hit you?’
‘Yes, it does. Fortunately, not badly. I have a little in it, but not much.’
‘Oh, you’re all right. That business of yours must be a little gold mine. But I’m in such a bad way that’ – he looked round and sank his voice – ‘that I’ve determined on a desperate remedy. I’m going to tackle the father-in-law.’
Charles strove to conceal his chagrin. This wouldn’t suit his book at all. If Peter applied to Andrew Crowther for help it would probably scotch his own chance in the same direction. He wondered if he could put Peter off.
‘You’ll not get much out of Uncle Andrew,’ he essayed.
‘I don’t see why not. It’ll be for Elsie’s sake, of course. And I don’t want much – only a little of what’s coming to her in any case later on.’
‘Why not let Elsie tackle him?’
Peter hesitated. ‘I haven’t really told Elsie how bad things are,’ he answered. ‘I don’t want to worry her more than I can help.’
Charles shook his head. ‘I shouldn’t touch Uncle Andrew if I were you.’
‘I don’t see why not. He can only refuse.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong, Peter,’ Charles returned sharply. ‘If you count on that you may make a thundering big mistake. Neither you nor I can afford to upset the old fellow, because your upsetting him is the same as Elsie’s doing it. He’s told us she and I are to be his joint heirs, but that’s not a law of the Medes and Persians. He can change his mind.’
‘He’d never do a thing like that.’
‘Wouldn’t he? Like a shot he’d do it. Look here: you know his ideas about efficiency and all that. Well, suppose you go and tell him that you’ve let your farm down. What will his reaction be?’
Peter did not reply. Obviously this view of the situation had not struck him. Charles was pleased with the effect he was producing. He went on with the good work.
‘Of course you might get on the right side of him, but there’s a risk. He might just as easily say, “This fellow can’t look after his own business and he’s certainly not going to throw my good money after his bad.” I don’t know: if I were in your place I’d only go to the uncle as a last resource.’
‘But I tell you it is a last resource.’
‘Oh, come now, Peter, it can’t be as bad as all that. Couldn’t you get a loan on the security of Elsie’s expectations?’
‘Do you think I’m a fool altogether? I tried that first thing. No go.’
Charles did not mention that he knew it also and for the same reason. ‘Couldn’t you sell the farm and live in a smaller way on the proceeds till the rainy day is passed? The old man can’t go on for ever.’
‘A good scheme,’ Peter admitted; ‘a thorough good scheme – provided you produce the buyer. I tell you, Charles, I’d have as good a chance of selling the North Pole.’
‘Well, you know more about it than I do. Still, if I were in
‘So he was by a long way. That’s just the reason. Couldn’t afford him any longer.’
Charles turned. ‘Bless my soul, are things as bad as that?’
‘Things,’ Peter said hopelessly, ‘are just about as bad as they can be. I declare on my honour, Charles, I don’t know what I’m going to do.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that, Peter.’
‘This year it’s worse than ever. There was a good crop. Nearly everything is above the average. But I can’t sell the stuff. Prices wouldn’t pay getting it to the market. I don’t know what’s going to happen to us all.’
‘Pretty rotten, that.’
‘You may thank your stars you’ve nothing to do with land. For years there’s been talk about it, as you know, and the Government were always going to take it in hand.’ He shook his head. ‘They’ll tinker with it till there are no farmers left in the country.’
‘Industry’s as bad,’ Charles returned. ‘Why, only now I’ve heard that Bender & Truesett are halving their dividend.’
Peter looked at him. ‘You don’t say so! Does that hit you?’
‘Yes, it does. Fortunately, not badly. I have a little in it, but not much.’
‘Oh, you’re all right. That business of yours must be a little gold mine. But I’m in such a bad way that’ – he looked round and sank his voice – ‘that I’ve determined on a desperate remedy. I’m going to tackle the father-in-law.’
Charles strove to conceal his chagrin. This wouldn’t suit his book at all. If Peter applied to Andrew Crowther for help it would probably scotch his own chance in the same direction. He wondered if he could put Peter off.
‘You’ll not get much out of Uncle Andrew,’ he essayed.
‘I don’t see why not. It’ll be for Elsie’s sake, of course. And I don’t want much – only a little of what’s coming to her in any case later on.’
‘Why not let Elsie tackle him?’
Peter hesitated. ‘I haven’t really told Elsie how bad things are,’ he answered. ‘I don’t want to worry her more than I can help.’
Charles shook his head. ‘I shouldn’t touch Uncle Andrew if I were you.’
‘I don’t see why not. He can only refuse.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong, Peter,’ Charles returned sharply. ‘If you count on that you may make a thundering big mistake. Neither you nor I can afford to upset the old fellow, because your upsetting him is the same as Elsie’s doing it. He’s told us she and I are to be his joint heirs, but that’s not a law of the Medes and Persians. He can change his mind.’
‘He’d never do a thing like that.’
‘Wouldn’t he? Like a shot he’d do it. Look here: you know his ideas about efficiency and all that. Well, suppose you go and tell him that you’ve let your farm down. What will his reaction be?’
Peter did not reply. Obviously this view of the situation had not struck him. Charles was pleased with the effect he was producing. He went on with the good work.
‘Of course you might get on the right side of him, but there’s a risk. He might just as easily say, “This fellow can’t look after his own business and he’s certainly not going to throw my good money after his bad.” I don’t know: if I were in your place I’d only go to the uncle as a last resource.’
‘But I tell you it is a last resource.’
‘Oh, come now, Peter, it can’t be as bad as all that. Couldn’t you get a loan on the security of Elsie’s expectations?’
‘Do you think I’m a fool altogether? I tried that first thing. No go.’
Charles did not mention that he knew it also and for the same reason. ‘Couldn’t you sell the farm and live in a smaller way on the proceeds till the rainy day is passed? The old man can’t go on for ever.’
‘A good scheme,’ Peter admitted; ‘a thorough good scheme – provided you produce the buyer. I tell you, Charles, I’d have as good a chance of selling the North Pole.’
‘Well, you know more about it than I do. Still, if I were in
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