delivered; it went for Mackintosh & Co, the plaintiffs, whose claim the judge held to be proved.  But this by no means terminated the litigation.  The defendants, who had all along persisted in manufacturing and selling this patent brake, now obtained stay of injunction until the beginning of the Michaelmas term, with the understanding that, if notice of appeal were given before then, the injunction would be stayed until the appeal was settled.  And notice was given, and the appeal would doubtless be heard some day or other; but meanwhile the year 1891 had come round, and Mackintosh & Co. saw their rivals manufacturing and selling as gaily as ever.  Hugh Carnaby grew red in the face as he spoke of them; his clenched fist lay on the tablecloth, and it was pretty clear how he longed to expedite the course of justice.

Still, he had good news to communicate, and he began by asking whether Harvey saw much of Redgrave.

‘Redgrave?’ echoed the other in surprise.  ‘Why, I hardly know him.’

‘But your wife knows him very well.’

‘Yes; I dare say she does.’

Carnaby did not observe his friend’s countenance; he was eating with great appetite.  ’Redgrave isn’t at all a bad fellow.  I didn’t know him much till lately.  Used to see him at B. F.’s, you know, and one or two other places where I went with Sibyl.  Thought him rather a snob.  But I was quite mistaken.  He’s a very nice fellow when you get near to him.’

Harvey’s surprise was increased.  For his own part, he still thought of Redgrave with the old prejudice, though he had no definite charge to bring against the man.  He would have supposed him the last person either to seek or to obtain favour with Hugh Carnaby.

‘Sibyl has known him for a long time,’ Hugh continued.  ’Tells me he did all sorts of kindnesses for her mother at Ascott Larkfield’s death; fixed up her affairs —­ they were in a devil of a state, I believe.  Last autumn we met him in Scotland; he was with his sister and her family —­ Mrs. Fenimore.  Her husband’s in India, and he seems to look after her in a way that does him credit.  In fact, I saw a new side of the fellow.  We got quite chummy, and I happened to speak about Mackintosh & Co.  Well, now, what do you think?  Two days ago, at Coventry, I got a note from him:  he was coming through, and would like to see me; would I lunch with him at a hotel?  I did, and he surprised me by beginning to talk about business.  The fact was, he had some money lying loose, wanted to place it somewhere, and had faith in cycles.  Why shouldn’t he make an offer to a friend?  Would Mackintosh & Co. care to admit a new partner?  Or —­ anyhow —­ could we make use of a few thousand pounds?’

Rolfe had ceased to eat, and was listening intently.  The story sounded very strange to him; it did not fit at all with his conception of Cyrus Redgrave.

‘I suppose a few thousands would come very handy?’ he remarked.