"Of course! who else?"
"Well, I'm afraid I cannot be that," said Ivor awkwardly, digging his hands in his pockets. "See this letter, and say if thou thinkest I ought to refuse so good an offer."
Hugh took the letter with a look of serious surprise, and read it without comment from beginning to end; then he folded it up deliberately, and returned it to Ivor, looking him full in the face, and before his honest eyes Ivor's quailed and were cast down.
"Thou wilt better thyself very much by accepting their offer; but I never thought thou wouldst leave me, Ivor. I would have given thee as much as that had I known thou wert looking for it. I have, perhaps, been slow in rewarding thy merit; but, Ivor, I looked upon thee as a brother, and I meant only to wait until my wedding was over to offer to take thee into partnership, but now—go! I have been mistaken in thee; I never thought money would come between us. Even now—stay, Ivor, and I will give thee what Rees Carnarfon offers thee."
Ivor shook his head. "I have determined to go," was all he answered.
Hugh was wounded to the quick. He had a deep love for his manager—a love that had grown up for years between them, in spite of the difference in their ages—and to find that parting had no bitterness for Ivor meant bitter sorrow for Hugh.
"Then there's no more to be said, but pay what I owe thee," and he counted it out on the table.
Ivor gathered it stolidly into his palm, and took up his hat.
"Fforwel, Mishteer," he said, "we must part now; your life is full—you can do without me. There is Josh Howels, he is quite able to take my place; he knows all the ins and outs of the business," continued Ivor.
Hugh nodded. "Oh, yes, I can do without you," he said, in an offended tone.