Evening star., 1926-12-05

Piccadilly. He was looking rather lost.
Couldn't make out what the deuce he
was doing over here. because, when |
knew him. he hadn't a cent Well, 1t
seems that he got fed up with Canada
and went over to America to make his
fortune. And he did. first crack out of
the box. Bought bit Of land about
the size of pocket handkerchief in
Texas or Oklahoma. or somewhere, ond
one morning, when he was hOeing the
soil or planting turnips or something
out buzzed a whacking oil well. Ap-
parently, that sort of things happen
Ing every day out there. If could get
a bit of capital together, I'm dashed if
l wouldn't go to Texas myself.
We'll, We got talking. and he said
that he intended to settle in England.
] told him the thing for him to do was
to buy house in the country with a
decent bit Of shooting. and he said:
Well, how do you buy a house in the
country with decent bit Of shooting?
And l said: Leave it in my hands, old
horse. I'll see you're treated right So
he told me to go ahead, and I went to
Farmingdons, the house agent blokes.
| said I'd got a millionaire looking for
house in the country. Find him one.
laddie, l said. and We split the COM
mish.' He said, 'Right-o,' and expect
to hear that he's dug up something
suitable. Web. you can see for your
self what that's going to mean"
You're sure this man has money!"
Crawling with 1t. laddie.'
am bound to admit that felt cas-
ier in my mind. for 1t really did seem
as though the fortunes of Miss Mason
rested on, firm ground. / had never
supposed that Ukridge could be asso-
ciated with so sound a scheme, and l
said so. In fact, rather oyerdid my
approval. forit encouraged him to bor
row another five shillings, and before
he left we were in treaty over a fur
ther deal which was to entail my ad-
vancing him half sovereign in one
solid payment. Business breeds busi.
ness.
EOR 10 days 1 saw nothing Of Tx
- ridge. AS he was in the habit Of
making these periodical disappear
ances, / did not worry, but ! was con-
scious of mild wonder as to what had
become of him. The mystery was
solved one night when was walking
through Pail Mall
I say night, but 1t was nearly in
the morning. The streets were de-
serted, silence was everywhere and all
London slept, except Ukridge and a
friend of his whom l came upon stand
ing outside of Hardy's fishing tackle
shop. That is to say, Ukridge was
standing outside the shop. His friend
was sitting on the pavement with his
back against lamp-post.
He was a man Of middle age, rugged
of aspect and grizzled about the tenn
pies. l was able to inspect his temples
because-doubtless from the best mo-
tives-he was wearing his hat on his
left foot. He was correctly clad in
dress clothes, but his appearance was
a little marred by a splash Of mud
across his shirt front and the fact that
he had either thrown away or been de-
prived of his tie. He gazed at the hat
with poached-egglike stare. He was
the only man l had ever seen who was
smoking two cigars at the same time.
Ukridge greeted me with the
warmth of a beleaguered garrison
welcoming the relieving army.
wanted" he cried. as II he had
picked me out Of a number Of COM
peting applicants. You can give me
q hand with Hank, laddie.'
''Is this Hank?' I inquired, glanc
ing at the recumbent sportsman.
Yes. Hank Philbrick. This is the
bloke 1 was telling you about. the
fellow who wants the house"
He doesn't seem to want any
house. He looks quite satisfied with
the great open spaces"
Poor old Hanks a bit under the
weather." explained Ukridge. "It
takes him this way. The fact Is. old
man, it's a mistake for these blokes
to come into money. They overdo
things. The only thing Hank ever
got to drink for the first 80 years of
his life was water. with buttermilk
as a treat on his birthday, and he's