d the shares could be had for the
price of the paper on which they were printed. It is rumoured in the
City that the Company is to be reconstructed, and that a considerable
amount of new capital has been found, with the object of expanding its
existing business."

Bones read the paragraph many times, and at the conclusion of each
reading returned to his reverie. Presently he rose and strolled into
the office of his secretary, and the girl looked up with a smile as
Bones seated himself on the edge of her table.

"Young miss," he said soberly, "do you ever hear anybody talking about
me in this jolly old City?"

"Why, yes," she said in surprise.

"Fearfully complimentarily, dear old miss?" asked Bones carelessly, and
the girl's colour deepened.

"I don't think it matters what people say about one, do you?"

"It doesn't matter to me," said Bones, "so long as one lovely old
typewriter has a good word for poor old Bones." He laid his hand upon
hers, and she suffered it to remain there without protest. "They think
I'm a silly old ass, don't they?"

"Oh, no," she said quickly, "they don't think that. They say you're
rather unconventional."

"Same thing," said Bones. "Anybody who's unconventional in business is
a silly old ass."

He squeezed the hand under his, and again she did not protest or
withdraw it from his somewhat clammy grip.

"Dear old darling----" began Bones, but she stopped him with a warning
finger.

"Dear old typewriter," said Bones, unabashed, but obedient, "suppose
something happened to the clever old Johnny who presides over this
office--the brains of the department, if I may be allowed to say so?"

"Captain Hamilton?" said the girl in surprise.

"No, me," said Bones, annoyed. "Gracious Heavens, dear old key-tapper,
didn't I say me?"

"Something happen to you?" she said in alarm. "Why, what could happen
to you?"

"Suppose I went broke?" said Bones, with the comfortable air of one who
was very unlikely to go broke. "Suppose I had terrific and tremendous
and cataclysmic and what's-the-other-word losses?"

"But you're not likely to have those, are you?" she asked.

"Not really," said Bones, "but suppose?"

She saw that, for once, when he was speaking to her, his mind was
elsewhere, and withdrew her hand. It was a fact that Bones did not
seem to notice the withdrawal.

"Poor old Bones, poor old mug!" said Bones softly. "I'm a funny old
devil."

The girl laughed.

"I don't k