“I think I understand,” I said.  “Your business with me is to endeavour to induce me to go out to the Argentine and make inquiries on your behalf with the idea of bringing this man to book.  Is that not so?”

“That is my errand,” he replied gravely.  “If you care to undertake the task, we, on our side—­and I speak as the mouthpiece of the Company—­will be prepared to pay you very high terms for your services; in point of fact, almost what you may ask in reason.  The matter, as you may suppose, is a most serious one for us, and every day’s delay is adding to it.  May I ask what your terms would be, and when would you be prepared to start?”

“Your offer is a most liberal one,” I said.  “Unfortunately, however, I fear there is a considerable difficulty in the way of my accepting it.”

“A difficulty!” he exclaimed, raising his eyebrows as if in astonishment.  “But surely that obstacle can be removed.  Especially for an offer of such magnitude as we are prepared to make you.”

“Excuse me,” I said, somewhat tartly, “but however great the inducement may be, I never break faith with my clients.  The fact of the matter is, only yesterday I promised to undertake another piece of business which, while not being so remunerative, perhaps, as that you are now putting before me, means a very great deal to those who are, for the time being, my employers.”

“Would it be impertinent on my part to ask at what time yesterday afternoon you arrived at this momentous decision?”

“Shortly after four o’clock,” I answered, but not without a little wonderment as to his reason for putting the question.  For my own part I did not see what it had to do with the matter in hand.

“Dear me, how very vexing, to be sure!” he observed.  “This is certainly another instance of the contrariness of Fate.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Because it was my intention to have called upon you shortly after lunch yesterday on this matter,” he answered.  “Unfortunately I was prevented at the last moment.  Had I been able to get here, I might have forestalled your more successful client.  Are you quite sure, Mr. Fairfax, that it is out of the question for you to undertake what we want?”

“If it is necessary for me to go at once, I fear it is,” I answered.  “But if it would be of any use to you, I could send you a trustworthy subordinate; one who would be quite capable of undertaking the work, and who would give you every satisfaction.”

“I fear that would not be the same thing,” he said.  “My firm have such implicit faith in you that they would not entertain the idea of any one else going.  Now think, Mr. Fairfax, for a moment.  If you are prepared to go, I, in my turn, on behalf of my Company, am prepared to offer you your expenses and a sum of five thousand pounds.  You need not be away more than three months at longest, so that you see our offer is at the rate of twenty thousand pounds a year.  It is princely remuneration.”