une, you're apt to lose your head. And then you're done. The
jade'll give me my cues--I'm sure of it. But she won't shout them.
I've got to keep my eyes skinned and my ears pricked, if I'm going to
pick them up."

"If I," said Adele, "were in your shoes, I should be just gibbering."

It was, indeed, a queer business.

The dramatic appearance of the funds had startled us all. Had they
arrived earlier, had they come in the shape of something less easily
negotiable than Bearer Bonds, had they been representing more or less
than precisely the very sum which Berry had named in his appeal, we
might have labelled the matter "Coincidence," and thought no more of
it. Such a label, however, refused to stick. The affair ranked with
thunder out of a cloudless sky.

As for my sister, with the wind taken out of her sails, she had hauled
down her flag. The thing was too hard for her.

It was Jonah who had sprung a mine in the midst of our amazement.

"Stop," he had cried. "Where's yesterday's paper? Those things are
Premium Bonds, and, unless I'm utterly mistaken, there was a drawing
two days ago. One of those little fellows may be worth a thousand
pounds."

The paper had confirmed his report....

The thought that, but for his wit, we might have released such
substance to clutch at such a shadow, had set us all twittering more
than ever.

At once a council had been held.

Finally it had been decided to visit a bank and, before we disposed of
the Bonds, to ask for and search the official bulletin in which are
published the results of all Government Lottery Draws.

Inquiry, however, had revealed that the day was some sort of a holiday,
and that no banks would be open....

At last a financier was unearthed--a changer of money. In execrable
French he had put himself at our service.

'Yes, he had the bulletin. It had arrived this morning...'

Feverishly we searched its pages.

Once we had found the column, a glance was enough. Our Bonds bore
consecutive numbers, of which the first figure was "o." The series
appeared to be unfortunate. The winning list contained not a single
representative.

More reassured than disappointed, we raised the question of a loan.

Our gentleman picked at the Bonds and wrinkled his nose. After a
little he offered one hundred pounds.

This was absurd, and we said so.

The Bonds were worth two hundred and fifty pounds, and were as good as
hard cash. The fellow had no office