The Blotting Book

atest financial operation which he had just embarked in, but for the sake of the reader it will be necessary to go a little

with peace once declared it was absolutely certain that prices would go up. But, as is sometimes the way with absolute certainties, the opposite had happened and they had gone down. They cut their loss, however, and proceeded to buy American rails. In six months they had entirely repaired the damage, and seeing further unrivalled opportunities from time to time, in buying motorcar

oints within the next three months, and so stood at ￡7 10S 6d; he had the right of exercising his option and buying them at ￡6 3S thus making ￡1 7S 6d per share. But a higher rise than this was confidently expected, and Taynton, though not really of an over sanguine disposition, certainly hoped to make good the greater part if not all of their somewhat large

hand his partner had, it was not unreasonable to hope, said to Madge's father things about Morris that made his marriage with Madge exceedingly unlikely, while on the other hand, even if it happened, his affairs, according to his own wish, would remain in Mr. Taynton's hands with the same completeness as heretofore. It woul

bound up in the constitution of his soul, and in private life he exercised high morality, and was also kind and charitable. He belonged to guilds and societies that had as their object the improvement and moral advancement of young men. He was a liberal patron of educational schemes, he sang a fervent and fruity tenor in the choir of St. Agnes, he was a regular communicant, his nature looked toward good, and turned its eyes away from evil. To do him justice he was not a hypocrite, though, if all about him were known, and a plebiscite taken, it is probable that he would be unanimously condemned. Yet the universal opinion would be wrong: he was no hypocrite, but only had the bump of self-preservation enormously developed. He had cheated and s

ls turned up, if his signature or what not was required for papers before work could be further proceeded with. This, in fact, was the case next morning, and from half past eleven Mr. Taynton had to sit idly in his office, as far as the work of the firm was concerned until his partner arrived. It was a little tiresome that this should happen to-day, because there was nothing else that need detain him,

mmins?" he was saying. "I must come and see him

ir, tur

on! The morning is goi

isn't

sheet of paper toward him, poised hi

ook at that; now even you, Timmins, though you have seen Mr. Mills's handwriting ten

ed scrutinis

de!" he said admiringly. "I would have sworn that was

hed, and took t

and it's so easy to do. Luckily forgers

that be, sir?"

thoroughly well, but if one does that one just has to visualise it, and then, as I said, project oneself into the other, not laboriously

ent after looking at it. Then he

hat, too, would you n

s, sir," said he. "Sw

out of Timmins's hand, and tore it up. It might perhaps seem strange to dear

rather late,

are you? There's very little to do; I want your signature to this and this, and your carefu

mins carried the papers away leaving the two partners t

he said, "and there are some points I don't think you have

so closely the evening before, said to him. "He is going to try it on." But it was

that your quick mind would have seen n

forward ove

before you. These financial operations, shall we call them, have been going on fo

quite calmly; his face expressed no surprise at all; if there was anyth

ked in perfect wild-cat affairs, which ended in our-I say 'our' here-getting severely scratched and mauled. Altogether you have frittered away ￡30,000, and have placed the remaining ten in a venture which to

sed a

any exception the transactions have taken place

ut Mills did not wish his partner to be unde

n deny absolutely all knowledge

is had only this moment dawned on him, as if he had not under

aid, "as I hold letters of you

led rathe

aid. "I have never written such a letter t

ad no reply to this. But

up this hostile and

efore you, quite dispassionately I hope, certain facts. Indeed I should say it was you who had thre

ou before now to tide over embarrassments that would otherwise have been disastrous. By the exercise of diplomacy-or lying-yesterday, I averted a very grave danger. I

trembling as he fumbled a

that we are to share

And I think-I think my trouble ought to be remunerated. I sincerely hope you will take that view also.

e window where he drew down the blind a little, so as to

ing again, I suppos

o gamble like that. You may be right. I have no doubt you are right. But I think one has

unanswerable; anyhow Mr

the splash of sunlig

. You say that I know you have helped me in these transactions; you say you require remuneration for your services. Does not that, I ask, imply a threat? D

He felt that he was on safe ground. The blackmailer

I have not threatened you yet, because I feel sure you wil

d up a quill pen, the same with which he had b

severe on blackma

ackmail? Will not that imply the re-opening of-of certain

a completeness in this reasoning

ou want?" aske

relief." But he noted with satisfaction that there

sand pounds," he

s a lar

a small sum I shoul

t up and strayed aim

ay," he said. "I shall ha

le about a reasonabl

g to town thi

d deal of work to be done. I

e back the day

wn till the afternoon. I should like your definite answer then, if it is not inconv

over this with his h

aid. "You have done a cruel and wicked thing, but I don't see how I can resist it. I shou

ls

ine in the evening. I have had no exercise lately, and I think very li

is aid. He would have been polite to a th

he said. "I will not expect you therefore till half pa

ng. I shall only just

id not pay blackmail. They prosecuted the blackmailer. Yet here, too, Mills's simple reasoning held good. He could not prosecute the blackmailer, since he was not in the fortunate position of being innocent. But if you paid a blackmailer once, you were for ever in his power. Having once yielded, it was necessary to yield again. He must get some assurance that no further levy would take place. He must satisfy himself that he woul

meant that there was for him another eighteen months of work, just when he hoped to see his retirement coming close to him. Mills demanded that he should wo

nt slowly out of the office into which he had come so briskly an hour or two before. But his face expressed no sign of disquieting emotion; he nodded kindly to Timmins, and endorsed his de