"All right," she replied listlessly. "But I don't see——"
"It's solid in my head that a muddle has been made—and between you and me, I'm going to sift it out."
"I shouldn't," said Auriole. "You won't be thanked for disobeying orders."
"Must take a chance of that," he answered. "Only learnt yesterday what it was all about and the size of the deal has got me gasping."
"Pretty tremendous, isn't it?"
"Big enough to be worth taking some private trouble over. You don't imagine Barraclough would have deputed anyone else to get the concession?"
She shook her head.
"Neither do I. But if it isn't that why does his crowd sit still and grin?"
"I suppose they don't know of his capture."
"Maybe. 'Tany rate, it's what our folk believe. I have my own views."