Bones in London

st husband was a drea

ver

-card trickster, and by strict attention to business and the exercise of

een the youngest son of the late Lord Bortledyne and the only daughter of Albert Edward Smith, mechanic. To the Professor she was Miss H. Sapiens-an agreeable, featherless plantigrade biped of the genus

ter, and doubled when that daughter came to a knowledgeable age. Marguerite Whitland had the inherent culture o

d, Mrs. Whitland mourn

One-half of the burde

half was wrestling wit

nham C

re white collars and beautiful ties, had a large gold watch-chain over what the French call poetically a gilet de fantasie, but which he, in his own homely fashion, described as a "fancy weskit." He smoked large cigars, was bl

d possessions, he explained to her. She, giving confidence for confidence, told of the house at Cambridge, the furniture, the library, the annuity of three hundred pounds, earm

ld house at Cambridge had been disposed of, the library dispersed, as much of the furniture as Mr. Morris

f view. And she was happy in a tolerable, comfortable kind of fashion, and though she was wholly ignorant as t

n its management. She shared none of her mother's illusions as to the character of Mr.

hot brandies-and-waters. Mrs. Morris had gone to bed; Marguerite was washing up, for

-room and interrupted Mr. Morris at a most importan

he said; "she's goi

ed," said Job

for common-sense. He had another reputation w

ffed Mr. Morri

igar thoughtfully

are not good enough for her. She's fly! Fly ain't the wo

o school," said

ed many parts, for he had been acting in a touring company when Morris first met h

retfully, "very useful indeed. She is as pretty as a

shook h

y. "I've been a month studying this fello

o see him?" aske

ee him. But there are ways of finding out, aren't there? He is not the ki

y call him?"

start 'Dear Bones,' so I suppose that's his nickname. But he's got all t

d Job Martin, and Webber turned w

have brains--" he said, but Mo

idea-that

ing at his cigar, then,

he girl w

ed Webber

about me. I can guess what she guesses. I'd like to get her i

ggested the more

r like that!" He put his thumb down o

itating as to whether she should carry in the spirit kett

-proof. She stood fully a quarter of an hour whilst the three men talked in low tones, and

all, only to be held by pity for the helpless woman she would be deserting. She told herself a hundred times that her mother was satisfied in her placid way with the life she was living, and that her departure would be rather

the furtherance of his own nefarious business. She had an idea-vague as yet, but later taking definite shape-that if she

father was a man who for years had evaded the grip of an exasperated con

plan, was reminded, by the exhaustion of visible refreshmen

kettle at half-past nine. I'll go out and get it. Her royal

te. This was the culmination of a succession of "slights" which she had put

guer

but what was more significant, her dresses and the parapherna

n a very th

d laconically. "I was

ng his mind to a scheme of such fascinating possibilities th

*

rning Mr. Tibbetts

rrespondence as "Dear Bones," was sitting in his most gorgeous private office, wrestling with a lette

ht Luana I bought from your cleint (a nice cleint I must say!!!) is a frord fruad and a swindel. It is much two too big. 2000 pounds was a swindel outraygious!! Well I've got it got it now so theres thei

Mahomet, to the South Coast to recover from a sniffle-the after-effects of a violent cold-which had been particularly distressing to both. Four times the

p, sprinted to the door, fl

deuce are you stand

choked, went very red, choked

"Jolly old bell's out of order. Awfully sorry a

air. The excellent Ali preferred sitting on

ce," said Bones, "

nd a little smile trembled on the corner of her lips as sh

n, jolly old-young miss. Take my chair-it's the be

in the flex, and he s

dear old-young

of it; he, for his part, saw nothing but grey eyes and a perfect m

to see you-

ely lonely I get sometimes. I often say to people: 'Look me up, dear old thin

see you--" s

miss," murmured Bon

having girls in th

, with a dramatic flourish, "t

r-she was that, did she but guess i

desperately, "I'v

her, refixing

rk my dear old-my j

for work,"

ace was v

ou don't know the amount I get through in this sanctum-that's Latin for 'private office'-and the wretched old place is never tidy-never! I am

Bones's unsophisticated eyes, and, indeed,

for a dusting jo

," said Bones in a pan

on, I should have said

you've come to work! W

right

st

ll I do?"

bout scheming, getting out ideas, using brains, initiativ

e asked, and Bones's enthusia

ed in this morning's Times.

yes that danced. "I read all the advertisement columns in The Ti

had the idea last night; that's the very piece

to a sheet

The very thing

n upon one hand, his

n that cupboard. Also india-rubber. I am not sure if we have any india-rubber, but that can

writer?" sh

forehead with un

wanted something. I said to Ali

girl?" she sai

on who is devoted to me, body and soul. He has been,

a man,"

s no

t A-l-y; i

nat

s no

n Bournemouth just now. He had sniffles." he explained rapidly, "and the

was the most amazing o

yself. All thinkers do-I mean all brainy peo

u," said

later, a bare-headed young man dashing down the stairs three at a time; met him, half an hour later, staggering up those same stairs handicapped b

the girl, "that I know ve

ject to shorthand on principle, and I shall always object to it. If people," he went on, "wer

e said. "I don't know a great

s be

gle it up and down, makes the thingummy-bob run along. Every time you hit one of these letters-- I'll show you…. Now, suppose I am writing 'Dear Sir,' I start with a 'D.' Now, whe

'D,'" she

s but wholly delightfu

to his chambers in Cu

t fixed the rather impo

other pleasant morning

office at least three nights a week, fo

lonies, for harnessing the rise and fall of the tides, he had a scheme for building a theatre where the audience sat on a huge turn-table, and, at the close of one act, could be twisted round, with no inconvenience to themselves, to face a stage which has been set behind them. Piqued by a certain str

to receive impressions was wholly occupied with a scheme-which appea

ated even to him, and he looke

ht! … Goodness gracious

of a scuffle, an oath, a crash against his door and a

who was leaning a

uick!" he gasped,

a coarse pea-jacket and blue jersey of a seaman, his peaked hat covered with dus

in pain, and a thin trickle of red was

nes anxiously. "What's the matter with yo

d up at him w

ot it, the swi

deftly tying a handkerchief

Curtis. But right's right all the world over. I've suffered enough to get what I've got-starv

hook hi

ar old fellow," he s

side pocket and pulled out a flat oilskin case.

eman in these buildings," he sa

mouth to speak, b

young Harry, we were

. That's where we got

didn't believe there

is Dago

ago?" as

und this." He shook the oilskin case in Bones's face. "Well, the first thing I did, when I got to Sydney, was to dese

re?" said Bones

was very emphatic, was this simple old sea-dog-"it wasn't under the third tree, but the fourth tree. I got down to the firs

I'll bet they didn't trust y

is," he said. "There was four thousand in the little box. I filled both my pockets, and took 'em back to Sydney when we were picked up. I didn't dare try in Aust

said Bones, all a-qu

t somebody who would put the money up, an American

said Bones; "he's g

nd rose. "Well, sir, I'm very much obliged to you for you

dramati

betts," said

ty was on the f

thought Mr. Tibbetts

er," said Bones, "be as

d this is my desk. Pe

little sadly, then: "

go int

y clocks were booming one when he le

e he was young and healthy and required nine hours

e notes Bones had given her the evening before. There was a

have a matter of the greatest importance to discuss with you! See t

aid the girl. "You see, if anybody c

aid Bones,

rdon," said th

lly old Marguerite "-he paused, shaking at his temerity, for it was only on the previous day th

say it twic

's a bargain-I'll call you Marguerite once a d

ousand pounds; provisioning of same, three thousand pounds, etc., etc. She even undertook to make a copy of

" he explained unnecessarily, "and--" He began to

cket," said the girl quietly. "I'l

t seems incredible. I

d the girl; "it is prob

ur pyjamas und

I never discuss in public. I hate to

a simulation of regret that Bones di

t the plan, which was discovered wher

r a thorough and searching examination of the project. "It is certain to be about three thous

oked a

you a commission of seven and a half per cent. on all profits. Seven a

hed her

be fair,"

he corrected him, "and becau

I am not influenced by your perfectly horrible young face, believe me, de

wung her chair round to face him squarel

d lips and folded arms. He was neither shoc

oberly. "If this is a jolly old sw

, and he is an acto

, if this is so, what about the other johnny who'

the girl, and Bones

me the money, an' I sent him straight off on the job.

the girl. "That i

ed up, a m

who married your saint

ung an' jolly o

nked open the drawer, and s

writing rapidly. "You'd better keep i

derstand," she

id Bones brief

rm and read. It was postm

er-yacht to Mr. Dibbs, who paid cash. Did not give name of owner. D

Bones, cackling light-headedly. "Ring up jolly old Scotland Ya