there. They
saw him, without his hat, rush into Piccadilly, spring into a taxi, and
shout excitedly to the driver. The next moment he had disappeared.

"That's the last you'll see of him," said Philip.

"His actions are certainly peculiar," gasped the millionaire. "He did
not wait for us. He didn't even wait for his hat! I think, after all, I
had better go to Tate Street."

"Do so," said Philip, "and save yourself three hundred thousand dollars,
and from the laughter of two continents. You'll find me here at lunch.
If I'm wrong, I'll pay you a hundred pounds."

"You should come with me," said Faust. "It is only fair to yourself."

"I'll take your word for what you find in the studio," said Philip. "I
cannot go. This is my busy day."

Without further words, the millionaire collected his hat and stick, and,
in his turn, entered a taxi-cab and disappeared.

Philip returned to the Louis Quatorze chair and lit a cigarette. Save
for the two elderly gentlemen on the sofa, the lounge was still empty,
and his reflections were undisturbed. He shook his head sadly.

"Surely," Philip thought, "the French chap was right who said words were
given us to conceal our thoughts. What a strange world it would be if
every one possessed my power. Deception would be quite futile and lying
would become a lost art. I wonder," he mused cynically, "is any one
quite honest? Does any one speak as he thinks and think as he speaks?"

At once came a direct answer to his question. The two elderly gentlemen
had risen and, before separating, had halted a few feet from him.

"I sincerely hope, Sir John," said one of the two, "that you have
no regrets. I hope you believe that I have advised you in the best
interests of all?"

"I do, indeed," the other replied heartily "We shall be thought entirely
selfish; but you know and I know that what we have done is for the
benefit of the shareholders."

Philip was pleased to find that the thoughts of each of the old
gentlemen ran hand in hand with his spoken words. "Here, at least," he
said to himself, "are two honest men."

As though loath to part, the two gentlemen still lingered.

"And I hope," continued the one addressed as Sir John, "that you approve
of my holding back the public announcement of the combine until the
afternoon. It will give the shareholders a better chance. Had we given
out the news in this morning's papers the stockbrokers would have--"

"It was most wise," interrupted the oth