nd Woodhouse, of Drapers' Gardens,
but they were let in early in the spring through the Venezuelan loan, as
no doubt you remember, and came a nasty cropper. I had been with them
five years, and old Coxon gave me a ripping good testimonial when the
smash came; but, of course, we clerks were all turned adrift, the
twenty-seven of us. I tried here and tried there, but there were lots of
other chaps on the same lay as myself, and it was a perfect frost for a
long time. I had been taking three pounds a week at Coxon's, and I had
saved about seventy of them, but I soon worked my way through that and
out at the other end. I was fairly at the end of my tether at last, and
could hardly find the stamps to answer the advertisements or the
envelopes to stick them to. I had worn out my boots padding up office
stairs, and I seemed just as far from getting a billet as ever.

"At last I saw a vacancy at Mawson and Williams', the great stockbroking
firm in Lombard Street. I daresay E. C. is not much in your line, but I
can tell you that this is about the richest house in London. The
advertisement was to be answered by letter only. I sent in my
testimonial and application, but without the least hope of getting it.
Back came an answer by return saying that if I would appear next Monday
I might take over my new duties at once, provided that my appearance was
satisfactory. No one knows how these things are worked. Some people say
the manager just plunges his hand into the heap and takes the first that
comes. Anyhow, it was my innings that time, and I don't ever wish to
feel better pleased. The screw was a pound a week rise, and the duties
just about the same as at Coxon's.

"And now I come to the queer part of the business. I was in diggings out
Hampstead way--17, Potter's Terrace, was the address. Well, I was
sitting doing a smoke that very evening after I had been promised the
appointment, when up came my landlady with a card which had 'Arthur
Pinner, financial agent,' printed upon it. I had never heard the name
before, and could not imagine what he wanted with me, but of course I
asked her to show him up. In he walked--a middle-sized, dark-haired,
dark-eyed, black-bearded man, with a touch of the sheeny about his nose.
He had a brisk kind of way with him and spoke sharply, like a man that
knew the value of time.

[Illustration: "'MR. HALL PYCROFT, I BELIEVE?' SAID HE."]

"'Mr. Hall Pycroft, I believe?' said he.

"'Yes, sir,' I answe