“Tellmethestory，Barbara，“saidAlan，“andtellitbriefly，forI
cannotbearmuchmoreofthis。“
Shelookedathimandbeganinaslow，evenvoice:
“Afteryouhadgone，dear，thingswentonasusualforamonthortwo。
ThencamethegreatSaharaCompanytrouble。Firsttherewererumoursandthesharesbegantogodown。Myuncleboughttheminbytensandhundredsofthousands，toholdupthemarket，becausehewasbeingthreatened，butofcoursehedidnotknowthenthatLordAylward——forIforgottotellyou，hehadbecomealordsomehow——wassecretlyoneoftheprincipalsellers，lethimdenyitifhecan。AtlasttheOttomanGovernment，throughtheEnglishambassador，publisheditsrepudiationoftheconcession，whichitseemswasaforgery，actuallyexecutedorobtainedinConstantinoplebymyuncle。Well，therewasafearfulsmash。Writsweretakenoutagainstmyuncle，butbeforetheycouldbeserved，hediedsuddenlyofheartdisease。IwaswithhimatthetimeandhekeptsayinghesawthatgoldmaskwhichJeekiecallsBonsa，thethingyoutookbacktoAfrica。Hehadafinefuneral，forwhathehaddonewasnotpubliclyknown，andwhenhiswillwasopenedIfoundthathehadleftmehisfortune，butmadeLordAylwardtheremytrusteeuntilIcametothefullageoftwenty-fiveundermyfather’swill。Alan，don’tforcemetotellyouwhatsortofaguardianhewastome；alsotherewasnofortune，ithadallgone；