Bones in London

ce in dealing with such as have the Spark? Napoleon spoke of stars, being Corsican and a mystic. Those who met him in his last days were uneasily conscious that the secon

ey may amass wealth by sheer hard work and hard reasoning, but if they seek a shorter cut to opulence, be sure that short cut ends

from their hands by their busy Second, who ranges

was named, "Bones"-was one of these, to whom the increments of life come mirac

just as education destroys the more subtle instincts. Whilst the learned seismographer eats h

Bones was wise-uncannily wise in some respects. His success was due, as

concealed quantity can be given than the story

antities of jute for the manufacture of sand-bags. The fact that by this transaction he might have driven the jute lords of Dundee into frenzy did not enter into his calculations. Nor d

mands which the Government made upon it; and when, after the War, the Department offered its purcha

asked a question in the House of Commons, and the responsible Secretary went hot all over, and framed the reply which an Under-secretary subsequently made in such

other had made enormous purchases of linen, or of cloth, or of motor chassis, paying fabulous sums on the nail and walking off alm

f Supplies." And the end of that conversation was that Bones, all a twitter of excitement, drove to a gloomy office in Whitehall, whe

mysterious he was very mysterious; and he returned that night in such a conditi

leased with yourself,

e error have yo

condition of mind which Hamilton had described, "dear old pryer, wait till to-morrow.

the police court

. "Good Heavens, lad! Why this jolly old vulgari

xt morning, and learnt. He saw the head

T CITY MAN BUYS GOVERNMENT S

ailway carriage with a suppressed moan. He almost ran to the office, to fin

nt on where Hamilton had evidently interrupted him. "You can say that I've spent a great deal of my life in fearfully

ute?" asked t

you know what to say better than I can tell you. You can also say that I'm young-no, don't say that. Put it like this: 'Mr. Tibbetts, though apparently young-looking, bea

rising. "You'll see this in t

ad gone, Hamilton st

w voice, "you've never bough

ere is the contract." He smacked his lips and smacked the contract, which was on the table, at the same time. "Don't get alarmed, don't get peevish, don't ge

sked Hamilton, in a shaky voi

igure, and Hamilton

o him he dispatched an urgent telegram. After that he examined the contract at leisure. On

ther to the Ministry of Supplies, Department 9, or to the purchaser at his registere

his over

he said. "What

I suppose it's in case the old Government get a better offer. Anyway, dear

oused simultaneously-or perhaps it would be more truthful to say a little later-than a magnificent limousine. It was so far ahead of them that the chauffeur had time to des

d, a certain undulatory movement of hip, which spoke o

and broke off the conversation in which he was engaged, and which had t

t is a chinchilla coat wo

ine attire were honest mysteries, accept

really marvellous to me. It isn't as though you go out a lot into soc

s co

orgive me snubbing you, is a matter on which nobody is an authority except A. Tibbetts, Esq. There's a

in the brown coat. Bones removed his hat, smoothed his glossy hair, and with a muttered "Aft

or his appreciation of probity, followed her, and was thrilled to discover that she made straight for his office. S

by the time Hamilton entered he was sitting at

sanctum sanctorum. Rather was the holy of holies the larger and less ornate apartment

peared. Hamilton, mindful of a certain agreeme

private interview with you,

with an exagg

lease, show her in. A private interview, eh?" He looked meaningly at Hamilton. Hamilton did not raise his eyes-i

r in my room," said the girl. "I

at the uncons

typewriter," he said stiffly. "

ndulated and swayed from the outer office to the chai

aying and undulating with the same frank curiosity that Cleopatra might have devote

id Bones. "And what can

he been gazed upon with such kindness by a pair of such large, soft, brown eyes. Never had cheeks dimpled so prettily

n't know my name, do you? Here is my card." She had it ready in her hand, and put it

BERTHA

had adjusted his monocle, but the official ac

s as remotely resembled these, was accustomed to take on the air and style

e people bothering you for subscriptions! And really, Mr. Tibbetts, if I had to come to ask you for money, I would never have come at al

had never been pestered, and

of view," said the girl. "We are having a bazaar in West

ent plan," sai

d occasion to marvel anew at the ama

ghtfully. "Of course, it's many years since I was a little tot, but

s a pretty portfolio, bound in powder blue and silver, and was fastened by a

on in her soft, sweet voice. "I think we can raise all the m

I've got a couple of suits at home, rather baggy at the knees, dear old

on returned to the s

delicacy, my dear old philanthropist--" Bones was going on

ant anything like that. The way we expect to raise a lot of m

ed Bones. "But, my dear young miss, I ha

at what followed, but for the fact that he

, and now she produced something a

she murmured. "Yes, it is a po

flattering picture, for there was a stern frown of resolution on Bones's pictured face, which, for some esoteric reason, pleased him. The pict

picture were the words: "Our Captains of Industry

en who could be placed before him, but in his generous mood was prepared

ing," he murmured. "Hamilton, o

to the desk, sa

d regarding the picture critically. "Not at all bad, dear

said Hamilton innoce

irl l

subject," said Bones. "Switch on t

ure under the light, you'd probably think it wasn't good enough, and th

d. At that moment t

ief and only stenograph

nd Bones b

his, young miss," he said.

he group, looked at t

aid, and then she

-room, I suppose. You know, Ham, dear old thing, I never can understand this hero-worship business. And

here,"-she pointed to a little space beneath the p

pleasure in li

and splashed his characteristic

thing, an amazingly audacious thing, a thing w

r had dropped upon the signature and had been drawn acr

s. "My dear old miss! Confound it all

ve this pict

abit. Even in his agitation he could n

cture, Miss Stegg," sa

to add it to

gg said

of protest or explanation, she turned and walked swiftly from the office. Hami

ed it into the thick cardboard mount, and ripped off one of the layers of cardboard. And so Bones's photograph was exposed, shorn of all mounting. But, what was more important, beneath his photo

s st

, dear old typewriter," he said. "Why, that's

might be," s

ned upon Bones,

naughty, naughty, Miss Thing-a-me-jig was making me sign a blan

of the attempt upon his finances gradu

raphs, and the police had even circulated a rough description of two "well-dressed women" who, on on

Goodness only knows what might have happened, or where I might have been sleeping to-night, my jolly old Salvationist, if your b

eye," said the girl, without any great enth

said Bones, puzzled. "She

for twenty-five shill

ifully dressed. She h

nd, who had few illusions. "You can get them fo

shared a first-floor suite with a sister, and she burst unceremoniously into her re

wrong?"

a hard, tired face, and lacked

en a--" (one omits the description she gave of Miss Marguerite Whit

" said Clara. "Has she

f her coat and her hat, and patting her hair. "I

port it to

fool has a million to spend? Do you know what he's done? Made perhaps

o all representatives of the animal world whose characteristics are extr

the situation. She was the brains of a little combination which had done so much to distress and annoy susceptible financiers in the City of London. (The rec

uctuation of the market which Miss Clara Stegg did not note; and when Rubber soared sky-high, or Steel Pr

with Government contracts, and the things which they knew about the incomes of Go

n't. I tried him simply, because he's simple. If you work something comp

overed with fine writing, and that facing was concealed by a sheet of letter-paper which had been pasted on to it. The letter-paper bore

d at the signature, b

ate now. What is th

hree," repli

gg shook

re closed, a

tudy of Bones's signature, she wrote it, at first awkwardly, then, after about a dozen

re a wonder," said h

y. She sat biting

" she said. "I wonder--" She turned to her sister. "Go out and get all the evening new

e journals there was quite an important interview, which gave a sketch of Bones's lif

said. "I've been watching that jute deal for a long time, and

atiently. "What's the good of wondering?

the table, and the girl, looking down, saw that they were for the main part blank contracts.

he said. "It is the sam

nd most unwillingly, had contributed to her very handsome bank balance. Sh

he said, "and, anyway, I doubt very much wheth

the contract again and read the closely-printed cl

idea of that fell

t before," said

a wonderful place, though small, of Eastern hangings and subdued lights-when Hamilton burst in upon him; and Bones

beg

very

argu

sonably, annoyed at this

ton, he was

quietly, "I've had a

Shall I

-tut," "really, dear old creature, at this time of n

" said Hamilton,

ing an airy hand and sitting back with resign

id Hamilton. "It

vil of a hurry, old thin

never again touch the figure at which your friend tendered, Ministry have been trying to find a mug for years to buy their jute, half of

d his eyes and

s comforter,"

went on: "'Strongly advise you cancel your sale in terms

y, as he ran his finger ins

nk, Bones?" said

on the horizon," said

bly like serious troubl

rse," he said, "you're

private spe

er going to try a dirty trick like that on me? O

subsided feebly. He looked at the clo

oo late to cancel

s no

ld victim," he said misera

that," sa

tapped his partne

, and probably our pal in Dundee

ll, we shall have to cut down expenses, move into a

be so ba

never part with. Whatever happens, dear old boy, rain or shine, sun or moon, stars or any old thing like that"-he was grow

rpily. Hamilton, who had spent a restless night, thou

tlessly until he came to one large envelope which bore on its flap the all-

e Ministry,"

s no

voice shook-"through the rapacious and naughty old speculations of one wh

oing to open

ing me to take it away. Now, where the dickens am I going to put it, eh? Never talk to me about

at him in a

s wrong?" she a

" he added brokenly. "Oh, nothin

then picked up the envelo

and that she was perfectly confident-such was her sublime faith in August

nation on her face as

you've never done-- Wha

at made me do it? Greed, dear old s

wildered, "You were going to

aid Bones w

n't you?"

nk so," said

why you cancell

jumped to

ontract?" he sai

ueaked Bones. "What a naught

egretting that you should have changed your mind and taken advanta

allowed

mnly. "I'll never say a word against

ris, somewhat weary and bedraggled, were taking

ven that young devil a bit of trouble. Perhaps they won't renew the contract, and an

t, Bones never att