At the club a few days later, when the trouble had blown over, the Colonel asked Mr. Trupp if Ernie was ill.
"He seemed so slack," he said, with a genuine concern.
"So he is," growled the old surgeon. "He wants the Lash—that's all."
"Different from his brother," mused the Colonel—"that chauffeur feller of yours. He's keen enough from what I can see."
Mr. Trupp puffed at his cigar.
"Alf's ambitious," he said. "That's his spur. Starting in a big way on his own now. Sussex is going to blossom out into Caspar's Garages, he tells me. I'm going to put money in the company. Some men draw money. Alf's one."
CHAPTER XV
THE LANDLORD
Alf's great scheme indeed was prospering.
Thwarted by the Woman, and driven back upon himself, he had taken up the career of action at the point where he had left it to pursue an adventure that had brought him no profit and incredible bitterness.