Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/135

Rh different complexion on Miss Pavis's affairs."

"The shares of the Quorley Granite Company ought to be worth something."

"If we could get the Company out of Pudleigh's hands, and set it going again, they would indeed."

"That means that we want the control of anything over 50,000 shares, and you already control 40,000. If we could get hold of another 10,000 we could shunt the Pudleigh gang, and put in another board of directors."

"Exactly. And this reminds me that I don't know what has become of Miss Pavis of late. I haven't seen her for more than three weeks. I must make inquiries."

"Yes, she's grown worth inquiring about," I said heartily, and damped Morton's zeal at once, as I knew I should, for he was of a sensitiveness unusual in a lawyer.

"Perhaps—perhaps," he said, with some hesitation, "I had better wait till I have really good news for her."

As I walked back to the Temple, I tore the transfer into small pieces, scattering them along the gutter as I went.

When I reached home, I had a long talk with Angel about the quarry, and she gave me a good deal of information of the means by which Pudleigh had depreciated its value. Customers had been allowed to slip away, or had been driven