"Yes," said Deringham, "unless he gives it up."
His daughter appeared thoughtful. "I scarcely think he will!"
Deringham laughed a little. "It might be possible to find means of inducing him."
Alice Deringham shook her head. "From what I have seen of Mr. Alton, I fancy it would be difficult."
"Well," said Deringham dryly, "we shall see."
He had scarcely spoken when a soft drumming sound came out of the stillness. It grew steadily louder, was lost in the roar of the river, and rose more distinct again, while the girl, who realized that a man was riding up the valley, wondered with unusual curiosity what news he would bring. She also grew impatient, for that staccato drumming seemed to jar upon the harmonies of the evening, and she walked to the balustrade when the sound swelled into a thudding beat of hoofs. The man was crossing the oatfield at a gallop now. Then the sound rose muffled out of the gloom of the orchard the trail ran through, and she felt curiously expectant when once more the rider swung out into the shadowy clearing. She afterwards remembered the vague apprehension with which she watched and listened, for it seemed to her that some intangible peril was drawing nearer with the galloping horse. A minute or two later Seaforth came into the verandah with a packet of letters in his hand.
"There are several for you, sir," he said, handing Deringham some of them, and passed into the house shouting, "Harry."
Deringham glanced through his budget, and his face changed a little, while his daughter noticed the set of his lips and the clustering wrinkles about his eyes. There was a telegraphic message, but he put it aside and opened a bulky envelope whose stamp he recognized. Then the missive he took out rustled a little in his hand as he read:
"I'm afraid negotiations are not progressing well. Mortimer, as you will see by enclosed copies of correspondence, demands a revaluation which would not be advisable before he will underwrite any of the capital."
Deringham laid down the letter, and his daughter turned suddenly at his exclamation. "The fools should have bought him off!" he said.