The Profiteers
ind Roger Kendrick, Maurice White and the Honourable Jimmy Wilshaw stretched out i
hem from the threshold. "Are you all he
" the Honourable Jimmy murmured,
e're here for your good, Wingate. We are here to see that you
chimed in, "we are here to tak
ving his coat and hat to the valet who had followed him
upon us-wouldn't take 'no.' And indeed, why should we refuse? We have come to offer you rivers of champagne, cigars of abnormal length, and the lips of the fairest houris in London. In other words,
te said, mixing himself a whisky and soda
announced. "We sally
ed in this building. A
n, "you have the air of
waters of happiness. Exa
ered. "According to you,
an ought to be dashed careful where he breakfasts.
Wingate asked, "
per. She's filling her old 'bus up with peaches from the Gaiety. No
Maurice Whi
nity is a fine thing. Sometimes I have a grueso
aightening his tie before
boys," he said. "Time w
cal-loving soul, and was presented to many other people. Where he was not introduced he found a pleasing absence of formality,
going some! You're the bright boy of th
gate's side. "Introduce us, please, Mr. Kendrick. We have b
erica's greatest financier, most successful soldier, and absolutely inevitab
grabbed Wi
ggested. "All the best places w
nton is here, rather drunk and very quarrelsome. I heard him telling some one about having found you dining alone with his
ustify their existence,-a rollicking, Bohemian crowd, the jeunesse dorée of London, and all the talent and beauty of the musical comedy stage. It was a side of life with which Wingate was somewhat unfamiliar. Nevertheless, his feet that night wer
sked. "Or perhaps you don't go to musical
replied, "but as a matter of fact, I only arrived from Ame
d strengthened by the allotment to her of a few more songs and another dance, and she also recounted the arg
upon the boards, and I have numberless complaints because I am only on for such a short time in what should be the most important act of the play. I tell them it's nothing to do with me, but as long as m
te right," he declared, w
aken, our manager, I
shook
e confessed, "I know ver
a world of regret in her very blue eyes. "You might have a th
ain circumstances. All the same, I don't think I should
" she said archly, "that their
n, you see, I am half English. My mother was English al
age about servin
ined. "I turned out for Englan
aste of time and lives! Just fancy, in all those years, how many undeveloped geniuses must have been killed without ever having had their chance! Ho
aggered, "that taken from that point of vi
the end of it very much as though it had never happened.
differences must be settled somehow or other. Personall
serious things. Do you admire Miss Orford?" she asked, indicating another musical comedy lady wh
e from his question
oo thin," h
ion conceded, with apparent reluctance, "and
xion in time, I sup
rs. She understudies me, you know, at the theatre. Would
of warmth. "I should be far too brokenhearted to atten
sn't even do me the compliment of imitating
t circumstanc
not sure," she went on, "that I care about these large parties, although I
tal host," Wi
ung lady further confided. "I love to have a man who real
he suggested. "Didn't I see you lu
d in hand with a young lady in blue, and apparently being very en
" she said. "You don't thin
lady like you, whose choice mus
he demanded. "Perhaps just the people who
couragement,"
hed into
t the men who need encoura
d made some casual rema
ast few years. She
one so much as me," s
nds, I suppose
osed h
isting a ring around her fingers nervously, "I don't like it m
mentarily interrupted as she leaned forward to answer an enquiry fro
lect me so shamef
e amends,"
ssie Lane has asked you what you think of her friend, Miss O
aring!" he
. "I couldn't hear a word, bu
nds upon his shoulders. He seemed to be shouting something in his ear. At that moment he recognised Wingate. He staggered up the farthe
ed. "Here's Lord Dredli