“Let’ssee，“addedSirRoberttohimself。“OldJackson，theeditorof/TheJudge/，wasagreatfriendofVernon’sfather，thelateSirWilliamVernon，G。C。B。Ibelievethathewasengagedtobemarriedtohissisteryearsago，onlyshediedorsomething。SotheMajoroughttobeabletogetroundhimifanybodycan。OnlytheworstofitisI
don’taltogethertrustthatyounggentleman。Itsuitedustogivehimashareinthebusinessbecauseheisanengineerwhoknowsthecountry，andthisSaharaschemewashisnotion，averygoodoneinaway，andforotherreasons。Nowheshowssignsofkickingoverthetraces，wantstoknowtoomuch，isdevelopingaconscience，andsoforth。Asthoughthepromotersofspeculativecompanieshadanybusinesswithconsciences。Ah！herehecomes。“
SirRobertseatedhimselfathisdeskandresumedhiscalculationsuponahalf-sheetofnote-paper，andthatmomentaclear，heartyvoicewasheardspeakingtotheclerksintheouteroffice。Thencamethesoundofastrong，firmfootstep，thedooropenedandMajorAlanVernonappeared。
Hewasstillquiteayoungman，notmorethanthirty-twoorthreeyearsofage，thoughhelackedtheultrarobustandrubicundappearancewhichistypicalofsomanyEnglishmenofhisclassatthisperiodoflife。AheavyboutofblackwaterfeveracquiredonserviceinWestAfrica，whichwouldhavekilledanyoneofweakerconstitution，hadrobbedhisfaceofitsbloomandleftitmuchsallower，ifmoreinterestingthanonceithadbeen。Forinawaytherewasinterestabouttheface；alsoacertaincharm。Itwasagoodandhonestfacewitharathereager，ratherpuzzledlook，thatofamanwhohasimaginationandideasandwhosearchesforthetruthbutfailstofindit。Asforthecharm，itlayforthemostpartinthepleasant，opensmileandinthefrankbutratherroundbrowneyesoverhungbyasomewhatmassiveforeheadwhichprojectedalittle，orperhapsthesevereillnessalreadyalludedtohadcausedtherestofthefacetosink。Thoughthin，themanwasbiglybuilt，withbroadshouldersandwell-developedlimbs，measuringatrifleundersixfeetinheight。
SuchwastheoutwardappearanceofAlanVernon。Asforhismind，itwasableenoughincertainfashions，forinstancethoseofengineering，andthesoldier-likefacultiestowhichithadbeentrained；frankandkindlyalso，butinotherrespectsnotquick，perhapsfromitsunsuspiciousness。AlanVernonwasamanslowtodiscoverillandslowerstilltobelieveinitevenwhenitseemedtobediscovered，aweaknessthatmayhavegonefartoaccountforhispresenceintheofficeofthoseeminentandbrilliantfinanciers，Messrs。Aylward&Champers-Haswell。Justnowhelookedalittleworried，likeafishoutofwater，orratherafishwhichhasbeguntosuspectthequalityofthewater，somethinginitssmellortaste。