what I am going to do. That's why I want you to do it at once.'
He rose, and sipped the glass of milk that stood on the side-table.
' There is one more thing,' he said. ' I want someone who will give a general supervision to my affairs here, which are growing important to me. I offer you the place because I like your way of doing business.'
' How much time do you want me to give to it?' he asked.
' Roughly, two days a week, anything of emergency to be dealt with separately.'
Bilton smiled.
' You chiefly deal in emergencies,' he said.
Mr. Palmer tapped the table rather impatiently.
' What do you make a year?' he asked.
' Round about two hundred thousand dollars.'
' I guarantee you a hundred thousand,' he said, ' on the two days a week basis. If it takes you longer than that, let me know. Only my affairs come first.'
Bilton considered this a moment without the slightest trace of exultation or pleasure.
' That's right, then,' he said. ' I guess I'll go off over the Wyfold business.'
' Yes, do. I'm going to look at Seaton House. I shall be in by two. Will you lunch with me?'
' Can't say,' said Bilton. ' I'm rather busy to-day.'
Lewis Palmer continued sipping his milk in a regular, methodical manner till he had finished it, and then put on some rather shabby dogskin gloves, an extremely shiny and obviously perfectly new tall hat, and rang his handbell. Almost before it sounded his bedroom door opened noiselessly, and his valet stood there.
' Lunch at two,' he said. ' If Lord Keynes gets here before me, ask him to wait.'
