Bones in London

by sheer artistic judgment. That is a fact which an old friend sensed a very

ation. In these days of aeroplane travel, when it is next to impossible to watch the comings and goings of important individuals, or even to get wind of di

g up and down like two badly trained jazzers. The directorate of both companies expressed their surprise that a credulous public could accept such stories, and both M

he oil market, making one of the few flutters which stan

inscribed in his private ledger; his ultimate and bigger balance he entered under a head which h

of a certain group of Territories-and Bones was th

was an exceedingly pr

ho opened several lett

ays not long past had

ilt

the City tells me that most of the things he touches turn up trumps. A

ton n

know much about business, but he's a regular whale on adventure. I've been studying him for the past month, and I'm beginning to sense his method. If

from the coffee-p

ade up your

is frantically insistent, has had a beautiful new Sheraton desk pl

ok his

of sheer generosity and kindness. That would be like Bones. But isn't there

mind investing my little lot, but it would worry me to see Bones pretending that all the

ng so crude. Of course, your money is nothing compared with Bones's fortune, but why don't you jo

thou

l eight thousand. Bone

Debentures-isn'

miled in

said. "From where on earth did

went

yesterday," she said.

go any farther, what about this matter of pa

ted the letters.

tian Hamilt

letter claimed first attention. It was a frantic and

magnifficant new sceme sheme plan! Wonderfull prophits

ng the letter across to his sister and indicating an il

the vile caligraphy. "It certainly does look like th

unbridge and two cameras and a fellow awfully nice fellow who understands it. A pot of money the story can be improve i

art for

ON

g a header into the cinema business," sa

thought

e Bones,

enterprise was upon him, and his desk was piled high with notes, memoranda, price lists and trade publications.

red the office,

ar old artist. Time is on the wing, the light is fadin', an' if we

s pen and leant b

ur sacred and sainted sister, bless her jolly old

was a moving scene. Bones shook h

r," he said, pointing to a massive piece of furniture fac

r his cheque-book, only he knew his Bones much better than to supp

eaking with an effort, "old comrade of a hund

e?" asked Hamil

use the office as you like-come in when you like, go home when you like. If you have a pain in the tum-tum, dear old friend, just go to bed and trust old Bones t

epeated

hing," said Bones miserably, ye

ked Hamilton, not

ewriter," said Bones fir

d. "I'm not going to pl

ones. "You couldn't have put it b

room, gripped Hamilto

nly. "Hard life ... terrible experience... Play

you talking about?

reed Bones gravely. "I

awned upo

n your s

secretary,"

I shan't bother her. She's your private secretary,

sit here and listen to you giving her orders. I should scream. I'm perfectly cert

e wrathful Hamilton. "What the dickens do yo

aised h

gly and was so impressive that Hamilton began t

atisfaction, dear old partner," said Bon

cked discreetly, Hamilton watching him in wonder. He saw him disappear, c

"permit me to introduce partner, ancient commander, gallant and painstaking, jolly old C

had been amazed before by her classic beauty, but now he saw a greater intelligence than

very old friend

id Bones

aid the gi

decent. You can't expect an innocent young ty

amilton hastened to ap

s an

he said in another tone, and rushed to offer an effusive welcome to a smart young man with long, black, wavy hair and a face remini

My lady typewriter you know, and anyway, there's no necessity for your knowing her-- I mean," he said hastily, "she doesn't want to know you, dear old thing. Now, don

bottom drawer of his desk, and when he had found the key for this, and had placed the document upon the table, and when he had found cer

expl

he proprietorship of the syndicate, had been seized with a brilliant idea, bought the property, lock, stock, and barrel, for two thousand pounds, fo

te, which was so tied and bound to Mr. Becksteine for the next twelve months that to have cance

has one touched me as this has. It's a jolly old tear-bringer, Ham. Even a hardened, wicked old dev-old bird like you would positivel

h Hamilton, though there was

ine thinks that this is

very softly, but he could raise his voice to thrilling heights. "A sure winner, my dear sir. I have been in the

id Bones in a

genuine

s no

of the great public, as this remarkable, brilliantly planned, a

a two-roller

urmured Mr.

ng; don't let's quarrel over ho

it?" aske

eine cough

one of the most brilliant geniuses in this or any other world.

teine cou

hing about other wo

orked the thing out, and I see just how we can save money. In producing two-roller cinematographs-that's the technical term," expla

salaries," said Hamilton patiently.

Becksteine, s

But why pay outside actors

ferocity of expression which did no more t

you. Answer me that." He leaned back in his chair, thrust his hands i

ave actors, my dear

nd we have them. Who is Jasper Brown, the villain who tries to rob the poor

ked the inno

e," sai

ton g

r-well, not necessarily handsome, but pretty good-lo

t be me, anyway,

tle soul doesn't know which way to turn, until this jolly young officer steps brightly on the scene, whistling a merry tune,

" asked Hami

and turned to

s," he said, "wh

the startled girl. "Wha

f the grandest parts that was ever written

that I should play it?"

riter, positively made for yo

othing so silly," said

u really didn't think

amilton could have supplied the three

ange the title to "The Good Girl," even though he wheedled his best, even though he struck attitudes indicative of despair and utter ruin, even though the gentle persuasiveness of Mr. Lew Becksteine was added to h

on't play, Bones

thing. I've got a lot of acting talent in me, and I fee

oachfully, "you won't allow yourself to be pho

ugged his

it of wood, dear old miss. I shall embrace her and forget all about it th

dly, and Bones followed her to her office, shower

ton went back to Twick

en fields, on the highways and byways. Really, old Bones has no sense of decency. He's got one big scene which he insists upon ta

laughed

k he'll do with t

m industry, a stockbroker or something, who has promised to see every bit of film as it is produced and give him advice

ndle of the camer

to laugh. "He practised the revol

he sacred soil of an Englishman's stately home. Bones wanted the wood, because one of his scenes was laid on the edge of a wood. It was the scene where the bad girl, despairing of convincing anybody as to h

the yellow-faced girl-the cinema artiste has a somewhat bilio

-Name. You come from that tree with halting foots

w, sank on his knees, folded his arms across his chest,

creamed wi

ughty old sceptic,"

eliminary rehearsal, th

epart; but Mr. Lew Beck

only the direction of

e, let fall a few u

inferior work of another, "it is in this scene that the two lawyers must be taken, walking through the

ones, and scra

ikely lawyers. Hamilt

to bring two lawyers with me?" asked Bones. "Dash it all, there's nothi

age where he was not prepared to

e said; "you must have

era can

company, but without rec

couple of fellows on t

will discover in this remote country village two gentlemen

s, and took a short cut through the wood, knowing that the

he fact that standing in the middle of the woodland path were two middle-aged gentlemen in top-hats and morning-coats, seemed to Bones to be a

thing. Don't make a noise! Ham, old boy, will y

and on the way up the slope Bo

m as they come along. Nobody will be any the wiser, and all we'll have to do will be to put a little note in." All the time he was fixing the came

ng; and he had all an Englishman's horror of trespass. They were talking together, these respectable gentlemen, when Bones began to turn the handle. They had to pass through a patch of su

d where they had made their unauthorised e

were regarding it from a high bank behind the wall-a bank which commanded a view of the road. One of them observed the camera and sa

t polite man

taking pictur

id Bones. "I will not

was a

chance?" asked the

elt rather guilty, i

t is--"

sis, its remarkable literary qualities, and its photographic value. He see

s the pieces as they are produ

said Bones. "He

Is that Lewis the stockbroker? And

ng weary of ans

arm innocently, and without knowing that we transgressed the jolly old conventions-if we, as I say

friend?" asked the

cross-examiner, that I took you bei

let me see your copy of that picture before you show it to Mr. Lew

ld friend and fellow-

and heart and s

t studio where the film would be developed and

to see it to-night, if

sir," Hamilton felt it was neces

t of facilitating the printing, or whatever you do to the

e theatre which Bones, with great difficulty, had secured for his use. The printing of the

eeled off, and when the lights in the little th

rty in an amalgamation I am making. I could assist you to fix a price," he said to the astonished Bones, "i

r," said Bones reproach

sk

d business," s

up to the door of the Wardour Street studio in a magnificent car,

ton n

y passion and Lobby. From first to last, after paying jolly old Brickdust, this thing

erly ma

d pounds for the whole concern, with the pictures as you have

ld out h

ones and a more jubilant Hamilton

. I'm holding 'em for a rise." He opened a newspaper he had bought in the restaurant. "I see that Jorris and Walters-they're the two oil men-deny that they'v

the names of Jorris and Walters were as well know

ve met them time and time again. Two of the joll

ogether in the library of a house in Berkeley Square, the blinds be

ow, I nearly fainted when I heard that that impossible young per

here," said Mr. Jorris. "Di

ant Mr. Walters. "I hope the young begg

as we know,