Bones in London

private office, reserved exclusively for the use of the Managing Director of Schemes Limited. Nevertheless

monocle which was screwed into his eye, and the terrific importance of his correspondence revealed

ng miss," he murmured, "on the

y Bones paused and scowled at th

ad. "I don't know what's coming over me. D

look

grey eyes, a tall man in a long overco

ropped and he leant on the desk for support. "Not my-- Good heavens!" he squeaked, and then leapt

ed the other's hand in his bony paw, pran

aptain, I mean. This is simply wonderful! This is one of the most amazin' experiences I've ever had, my dear old sportsma

, pushing his erstwhile subordinate into a

round admiringly. "It looks rather l

the last word was in a hoarse whisper, accompanied by many winks, nods, and pointings at and to a door which led from

--" began

, dear old thing," he said solemnly, wagging his inky forefinger, "as an emp

uld find nothing better than a crystal pape

aid acidly, "is Fren

hich I have always carefully avoided.

genial ceremony, for Bones would rise from his chair, walk solemnly

on at last, "will you tel

ugged his

efly. "A deal now and a

one week, lose a hun

ou doing?" pers

ugged, but with

I suppose I am one of those jolly old spiders who sit in the centre of my web, or one o

, toying with his ivory paper-knife-"but one mu

do any preying at a

Bones's

his gramophone, but I had a look at it. As I suspected, it had no needle. A gramophone witho

them at a bob a b

s face

's what the other fellow said. I do a little gambling," Bones went on, "not o

Excha

owed hi

y-two francs, to-morrow it is worth thirty-four francs

it is three dollars ni

ilt

rritably, "what is four shillings to men like

annoyed, "there is a difference of four sh

asked Bones again, shaking his head sol

the door, and Bones rose wit

husky whisper. "Pretend not to notice, dear ol

ne that a hungry lion might have applied to one of the early Chri

king at. He judged her to be about the age of twenty-one. "Pretty" would be too feeble a word to employ in describing her. The russet-brown hair, dre

book under her arm and a pencil in her hand, and it dawned up

s secr

at young man, very red in

ho was stuck for the right word. In moments of extreme agitation Bones's voi

me, young miss?" h

t the door

were engaged. I wanted to s

id Bones more gruffly than ever.

no more notice of Hamilton than if he

f the purchase price is

"Are you certain, young miss? This day of all days

curled her lip, bu

ance. The cheque, jolly old young miss, we will sign it an

thousand pounds

soberly. He put in his monocle and glared at h

sment as to the method by which the interview might be terminat

orrow would do for th

aid Bones. "Why not? To-m

ked out of the room, and Bone

nes

ned to meet Hamil

milton gently, "

s, with a cough. "The lady is my

her," sai

Bones. "An extremely sensible

eople are sensible. When you talk about sensi

never thought of that. What a

lined to chan

return to his what-can-I-do-for-you air, "to bus

singly right,"

of his desk before he could find one that

roffered weed and e

ven to you, or one that

is part of a job lot that I bought pretty c

at's the point?" asked Hamilton, as h

Bones. "A gallant old returned warrior, comrade of m

inute," said Hamilton

r smoker, watched the

down very gently on t

ish this when nobody'

ous heavens! I paid fifty shillings a hun

nto the fireplace. "Yes, I have come to consult you, Bones," he went on. "Do you remember some e

that something of the sort ha

n reflectively. "You remember I told you there was

sily in his chair,

fellow--" he

you your advice. You wrote back, telling me to have not

I advised you to get into it as quickly as you po

t," said

e you are! You jolly old rascal, you

"I pointed out to you that the prospects were very al

me by rising and walking solemnly ro

possibly diddled you out of a fortune. But my intention was to write to you and tell you to get into it, an

ny--" bega

ficult by the fact that his hand never quite overtook his face. "It was an error on my part, dear old thing. I kno

" said H

ught of buying one myself. And to think that I put you off that Company! Tut, tut! Anyway, dear old man," he said, brightening up, "most

lton. "I'm trying to tell you my experiences. I put the

E

the Company, I tell yo

s more or les

chair and assumed his most

n factory somewhere in the North, and the only Plover car that's ever been built was made by a Scottish c

without considering matters, especially to my dearest friend. A company lik

car ever made," in

rance of it shows you that the thing is a swindle from beginning to e

milton. "You were just this minute

heard your story. Yes, Ham, you've been swindle

s jaw

little gentleman to put his thoughts into words, but it came upon him like a flash that the money which Hamilton had invested in the Plover Light Car C

I've been bluffing and swanking to you when I ought to

ton l

ones," he said. "The only thing I did think was tha

xtensive acquaintance with the firm and its worki

d see you," he said. "Sanders

d, picked up his long-plume

ugh about the City to tell me this-is there

rose j

voice, "that money's going to come back to you, or the name of A

great occasion. With both elbows on the desk, and two hands searching his hair, he sat worr

lowly across his beautiful room and knocked

tice. She found it a simple matter to say "Come in!" and Bones entered, closing the

said quietly, "ma

onsult me," she

nd in all the world," he said emphatically, "of the male sex," he added hastily. "Of course, friendships between jolly old officers are on a different plane,

used nor annoyed nor alarmed when Bones broke forth into an exposition of h

dear friend of yours," she said sugg

're the jolliest old typewriter that ever lived! I don

. "You'd already told me. I sup

reabouts of a certain rascal or rascals, trading or masquerading, knowingly or unknowingly, to the best of my knowledge and belief, as the--" He stopped and frowned. "Now

quietly, "but when I do they are th

his head. "No, it's-I've got it-Pl

ade a note

pare no expense. I want to know who's running the company-I'd investigate the matter myself, but I'm so fearfully busy-and where their offices are. Tell the d

erstand," sa

an paw and solemnly

here's a typewriter in London that knows more tha

ines he ma

girl came into the offi

capital of eighty thousand pounds, of which forty thousand pounds is paid up. It has works

ly look at her

is surprising information, dear miss?"

aid, "because it happens to be in the Telephone Boo

s head in sile

ter in London--" he b

icent idea. It was an idea worthy of his b

e and heavily drooping moustache, and a black chin. He smoked a big, heavy pipe, and, at the moment Bones was announ

or the name of Bones was known in the City of London, and it was the dream of such men as Charles O. Soames that one

iting under a heap of documents-one at least of which bore a striking family liken

y. He prided himself upon coming to t

of Mr. So

have truly said "the car," but under the circum

Bones, "I do not want to buy your ca

abour trouble," said

e difficulties in pro

g up supplies-but

Bones. "Now, I'm a man of af

initely that it sou

ness person to another City of London business per

rose to t

estly, "it is possible. It wants a little

red on a brass plate by the side of his door. None of them were sufficiently cap

oat and read his notes, or, rather, attempted to read his

Company," he said. "Now, I'll tell you what I'm wil

Here was one of the dream

ares issued," Bones went o

. Soames in a

ed at his

r hundred

nd," said Mr.

erence," said Bones. "The

f the Plover Light Car

"that they are being dealt with on 'Change. We have not troubled to apply f

said n

ium," said Mr. S

made n

premium," said Mr

in his firmest and mos

th such haste in the City of London. Bones went home to his office with a new

igh with technical publications dealing with the motor-car industry. The fact that he was buying the Company in order to

hundred thousand cars a day-he wasn't certain which-and how the car, in various parts, passed along an endless table, between lines of expectant wo

Plover car should be a household word. Its factories should spread over North London, and every year there should be a dinner with Bones in the chair, and a beautiful se

the office and banged a paper down on Bones's desk with the enthusiasm of

emember dear old Dicky Orum-preserve the decencies, dear

, "you're my mascot! Do y

r your voice, dear old

mustn't think I

nocked me up." He was almost incoherent in his joy. "He offered me thre

gaped

usand five hundred?" h

t mean t

rks, who saw in his mind's eye vistas of long, white-covered festive boards, and heard the roar of cheering which greeted him when he rose to propose continued pros

himself, ushered through the door of the outer office and standing as th

ning," sa

cry and strode to the centre

d. "A swindle, eh? You put this up

began Bones in

undred, and your pal's lucky. That's all I've got to say. It is the f

derate your languag

trode from the office, and they heard the door slam behind him. Bones and Hamilton exchanged glances; then Bones p

at the dickens did you

ilt

lemn pause. "And let this be a warning to you. Don't put your money in industries, dear old Captain Hamilton. What with the state o

ed the whole plan and went