The Ely miner., 1928-11-02
CHAPTER X-Continued

"Quite right, quite right. Well JET
fersOn, recruit the staff at once.
suppose we'll need the usual lot, eh?"
Yes, sir. And. er-do you wish me
TO engage a chauffeur, sir?"
"That reminds me-" said Wilson, Il
met O'Hara last week. | think he'd
like to come back, if you want him."
Surely, surely-get him by all
means. Good fellow, O'Hara."
"How soon do you wish to occupy
the house, sir?"
"Tll come down on Friday. If you
can be ready?"
"Oh certainly, with ease, sir"
And on Saturday / shall have
few friends for the weekend. That's
all for now, jefferson"
AS the butler went out Stanley
lighted a cigarette, and looked about
the room.
WELL" he said, fits home, anyhow
And now, Frank, this is as good time
as any, suppose, to thank you for all
you've done for me while I've been
away"
"'ve done my best, sir"
"And no one could have done bet
ter"
"And why not? Everything I've got
in the world owe to you"
"Oh well, did myself good turn
when | did you one It's often like
that. By the way, suppose I'd better
give Jefferson some money" He felt
in his pockets. "Hm, not much In
here"
How much did you want. sir?" Per-
hape / can"
Never mind. There must be an old
check book in that desk somewhere
Just take the cover off and we'll see."
Wilson lifted the sheet from the
desk.
Hello" said Stanley, whats that?'
He indicated the mechanical contriv.
ance which stood revealed upon the
desk.
"Oh, yes" answered Wilson, "it's
your audiphone."
$50 it is. What's II doing here?"
But Wilson remembered everything
that concerned Stanley. "Don't you
recall, sir? The last day you were In
your Office you told me to send it down
here? You were going to clean up a
lot Of correspondence over Sunday
O'Hara brought 1t down."
that's so. remember. And then
l went to India" He searched vague
ly In one of the drawers of the desk.
saying as he did so, Funny things
happen to US. Now If anybody had
told me, when instructed you to send
this thing down here, that | should
start for India the next week, I'd have
thought he was crazy. Ah. here we
are" Producing the check book, he
took his fountain pen and began to
fill II out.
WELL" handing Wilson the check,
''give that TO Jefferson before we leave.
hope it's good, as Rollin used to say.
/ haven't balanced my book lately"
He looked at the secretary and smiled
at this feeble joke. But Wilson did
not smile back. There was nothing
about Waterman that could amuse him
any more.
Then he yielded to the temptation he
had been resisting, Speaking of
Roiin," he said, 81 want to ask you
something. saw him moment last
night. Er-have you kept in touch
with him at all?"
AT first, yes-there was such lot
TO do about your withdrawal from the
scarcely seen him.
"ADy gossip about him"
Wilson hesitated.
"Go on. I'm his friend-you can
tell me-"
"Well, sir, there's no doubt he's
been pretty well nicked in the Street
once or twice, and, well, it's only gos.
sip Of course, but"
Come on, come on"
81 hear he's been drinking good
deal.'
Stanley got to his feet, walked to
the window, and stood looking out
"Pm afraid you never really liked
him, did you, Frank?"
Wilson wriggled bit, and the other
continued:
81 fear you never made many allow
ances for him. There's no real harm
in Rollin. He's always getting into
hot water. It's true; but it's always
the result of his impulsive disposition
He always leaps before he looks. It's
q quality I've sometimes envied him. '
Wilson had definite ideas about the
impulsiveness of Waterman. He was
upon the point Of opening up the en-
tire subject OF WaterInan's affairs
when Stanley changed the subject
-hruptlv