"You took me and my friend?" asked the elderly man quickly.

"I am telling you, respected sir and cross-examiner, that I took you

being in a deuce of a hole for a lawyer."

"I see," said the elderly man. "Will you do me a favour? Will you let

me see your copy of that picture before you show it to Mr. Lewis? As

the respected park proprietor"--he smiled--"you owe me that."

"Certainly, my dear old friend and fellow-sufferer," said Bones.

"Bless my life and heart and soul, certainly!"

He gave the address of the little Wardour Street studio where the film

would be developed and printed, and fixed the morrow for an exhibition.

"I should very much like to see it to-night, if it is no trouble to

you."

"We will certainly do our best, sir," Hamilton felt it was necessary to

interfere at this point.

"Of course, any extra expense you are put to as the result of

facilitating the printing, or whatever you do to these films," said the

elderly man, "I shall be glad to pay."

He was waiting for Bones and Hamilton at nine o'clock that night in the

dingy little private theatre which Bones, with great difficulty, had

secured for his use. The printing of the picture had been accelerated,

and though the print was slightly speckled, it was a good one.

The elderly man sat in a chair and watched it reeled off, and when the

lights in the little theatre went up, he turned to Bones with a smile.

"I'm interested in cinema companies," he said, "and I rather fancy that

I should like to include your property in an amalgamation I am making.

I could assist you to fix a price," he said to the astonished Bones,

"if you would tell me frankly, as I think you will, just what this

business has cost you from first to last."

"My dear old amalgamator," said Bones reproachfully, "is that business?

I ask you."

"It may be good business," said the other.

Bones looked at Hamilton. They and the elderly man, who had driven up

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

only three people, besides the operator, who were present.

Hamilton nodded.

"Well," said Bones, "business, dear old thing, is my weakness. Buying

and selling is my passion and Lobby. From first to last, after paying

jolly old Brickdust, this thing is going to cost me more than three

thousand pounds--say, three thousand five hundred."

The elderly man nodded.

"Let's make a quick deal," he said. "I'll give you six thousand pounds

for the whole concern, with the pictures as you have taken

them--negatives, positives, cameras, etc. Is it a bargain?"

Bones held out his hand.




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