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The Yellow Streak

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"That's all. It ends there!"

He looked round the circle of earnest faces. Then Horace Trevert
crossed to the desk.

"Robin," he said, and held out his hand, "I want to apologize. I ...
we ... behaved very badly ..."

Robin grasped the boy's hand.

"Not a word about that, Horace, old boy," he said. "Besides, Mary is
putting all that right, you know!"

"She told me," replied Horace; "and, Robin, I'm tremendously glad!"

"Mr. Greve!"

Robin turned to find Mr. Manderton, large and impressive, at his elbow.

"Might I have a word with you?"

Robin followed the detective across the room to the window.

Mr. Manderton seemed a trifle embarrassed.

"Er--- Mr. Greve," he said, clearing his throat rather nervously, "I
should like to--er,--offer you my congratulations on the remarkably
accurate view you took of this case. I should have been able to prove to
you, I believe, but for this curious interruption, that your view and
mine practically coincided. It has been a pleasure to work with you,
sir!"

He cast a hasty glance over his shoulder at the other occupants of the
room, who were gathered round the desk.

"I'm not a society man, Mr. Greve," he added, "and I have a lot of work
on my hands regarding the case. So I think I'll run off now ..."

He broke off, gave Robin a large hand, and, looking neither to right nor
to left, made a hurried exit from the room, taking Inspector Humphries
with him.

"Now that we are just among ourselves"--the solicitor was speaking--"I
think I may seize the opportunity of saying a word about Mr. Parrish's
will. Miss Trevert, as you know, is made principal legatee, but I
understand from her that she does not propose to accept the inheritance.
I will not comment on this decision of hers, which does her moral sense,
at any rate, infinite credit, but I should observe that Mr. Parrish has
left directions for the payment of an allowance--I may say, a most
handsome allowance--to Lady Margaret Trevert during her ladyship's
lifetime. This is a provision over which Miss Trevert's decision, of
course, can have no influence. I would only remark that, according to
Mr. Parrish's instructions, this allowance will be paid from the
dividends on a percentage of his holdings in Hornaway's under the new
scheme. I have not yet had an opportunity of looking further into Mr.
Parrish's affairs in the light of the information which Mr. Greve
obtained in Rotterdam, but I have reason to believe that he kept his
interest in Hornaway's and his--ahem!--other activities entirely
separate. If this can be definitely established to my own satisfaction
and to yours, my dear Miss Trevert, I see no reason why you should not
modify your decision at least in respect of Mr. Parrish's interest in
Hornaway's."

Mary Trevert looked at Robin and then at the solicitor.

"No!" she said; "not a penny as far as I am concerned. With Mother the
case is different. I told her last night of my decision in the matter.
She disapproves of it. That is why she is not here to-day. But my mind
is made up."

Mr. Bardy adjusted his eyeglass in his eye and gazed at the girl. His
face wore an expression of pain mingled with compassion.

"I will see Lady Margaret after lunch," he said rather stiffly.

Then the door opened and Bude appeared.

"Luncheon is served, Miss!"

He stood there, a portly, dignified figure in sober black, solemn of
visage, sonorous of voice, a living example of the triumph of
established tradition over the most savage buffetings of Fate. His
enunciation was, if anything, more mellow, his demeanour more pontifical
than of yore.

Bude was once more in the service of a County Family.

THE END

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