"I can't—I can't face any more!"
"Let me."
Deaves feebly shoved it towards him.
Evan tore open the envelope. His cue was to express surprise, and he did not neglect it.
"Listen!" he cried. "This is extraordinary! This is not what you expect!" He read:
"Dear Mr. Deaves:
The securities came safely to hand. Many thanks for your promptness and courtesy in the matter. To be sure, your employee did not obey instructions, but as it happened, no harm came of it. We trust your father got home all right. We so much enjoyed having him with us.
Well, Mr. Deaves, this terminates our very pleasant business relations; that is to say it will terminate them, unless you are disposed to fall in with the new proposition we are about to put up to you——"
George Deaves groaned at this point.
"Wait!" said Evan. "It is not what you think!" He resumed: