"How many?" wailed de Vinne.

"A hundred and fifty thousand," said Mr. Fred, and the two men stared

at one another.

De Vinne licked his dry lips.

"It comes to this," he said. "Between us we've sold him three hundred

and thirty thousand shares. There are only two hundred and fifty

thousand shares issued, so we've got to deliver eighty thousand shares

that are non-existent or be posted as defaulters."

Another long pause, and then both men said simultaneously, as though

the thought had struck them for the first time: "Why, the fellow's a rogue!"

The next morning they called upon Bones, and they were with him for

half an hour; and when they went, they left behind them, not only the

cheques that Bones had given them, but another cheque for a most

substantial amount as consideration.

That night Bones gave a wonderful dinner-party at the most expensive

hotel in London. Sanders was there, and Patricia Sanders, and

Hamilton, and a certain Vera, whom the bold Bones called by her

Christian name, but the prettiest of the girls was she who sat on his

right and listened to the delivery of Bones's great speech in fear and

trembling.

"The toast of the evening, dear old friends," said Bones, "is Cupidity

and Cupid. Coupled with the names of the Honourable de Vinne and my

young and lovely typewriter--my friend and companion in storm and

stress, the only jolly old lady, if I may be allowed to say so, that

has stirred my young heart"--he caught Patricia Sanders's accusing eye,

coughed, and added--"in Europe!"



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