I don't know
whether I make myself understood: I am aware that you are not a
business man."
Stafford inclined his head.
"My father's debts--will they not be paid, will there not be
sufficient?" he asked, in a dry voice.
Mr. Falconer pursed his lips and shook his head.
"I'm afraid not; in fact, I can say definitely that they will not," he
replied, in a hard, uncompromising way.
Stafford looked round the large, superbly furnished room, with its
book-cases of ebony and wedgewood, its costly pictures and bronzes, and
recalled the Villa with its luxury and splendour, and the vast sums
which Sir Stephen had spent during the last few months. It seemed
difficult to realise that the wealth was all gone.
"What is to be done?" he asked, in a low voice.
Mr. Falconer was silent for a moment, as he regarded the handsome face,
which seemed to have lost its aspect of youth and taken on the lines
and hollows of age.
"I do not know. It is not for me to say. There will be a meeting of the
directors of the South African Company and others to-morrow, and some
decision will be come to, I have no doubt.
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