Burn
this note.
"R.A."
CHAPTER VI
MR. HASWELL LOSES HIS TEMPER
Alan and Barbara sat in Mr. Champers-Haswell's private sitting-room with
the awful decorations, and before them by the fire Mr. Champers-Haswell
reclined upon his couch. Alan in a few, brief, soldier-like words had
just informed him of his engagement to Barbara. During the recital of
this interesting fact Barbara said nothing, but Mr. Haswell had whistled
several times. Now at length he spoke, in that tone of forced geniality
which he generally adopted towards his cousin.
"You are asking for the hand of a considerable heiress, Alan my boy," he
said, "but you have neglected to inform me of your own position."
"Where is the use of telling you what you know already, Mr. Haswell? I
have left the firm, therefore I have practically nothing."
"You have practically nothing, and yet----Well, in my young days men
were more delicate, they did not like being called fortune-hunters, but
of course times have changed."
Alan bit his lip and Barbara sat up quite straight in her chair,
observing which indications, Mr. Haswell went on hurriedly:
"Now if you had stopped in the firm and earned the very handsome
competence in a small way which would have become due to you this week,
instead of throwing us over at the last moment for some quixotic reasons
of your own, it might have been a different matter.
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