"Mr. Sole"--the thin gentleman's voice and attitude were eloquent of reproof--"_please_ restrain yourself! My partner is annoyed," he explained "and not without reason. We offered fifty thousand pounds for Stivvins', and Staines, in sheer malice, has sold the property--which is virtually necessary to our client--literally behind our backs. Now, Mr. Tibbetts, are you prepared to make a little profit and transfer the property to us?" "But----" began Bones. "We will give you sixty thousand," said the explosive man. "Take it or leave it--sixty thousand." "But, my dear old Boniface," protested Bones, "I haven't bought the property--really and truly I haven't. Jolly old Staines wanted me to buy it, but I assure you I didn't." The stout man looked at him with glazed eyes, pulled himself together, and suggested huskily: "Perhaps you will buy it--at his price--and transfer it to us?" "But why? Nothing to do with me, my old estate agent and auctioneer. Buy it yourself. Good afternoon. _Good_ afternoon!" He ushered them out in a cloud of genial commonplaces. In the street they looked at one another, and then beckoned Mr. Staines, who was waiting on the other side of the road. "This fellow is either as wide as Broad Street or he's a babe in arms," said the explosive man huskily. "Didn't he fall?" asked the anxious Staines. "Not noticeably," said the thin man. "This is your scheme, Jack, and if I've dropped four thousand over that wharf, there's going to be trouble." Mr. Staines looked very serious. "Give him the day," he begged. "I'll try him to-morrow--I haven't lost faith in that lad." As for Bones, he made an entry in his secret ledger. "A person called Stains and two perrsons called Sole Bros. Brothers tryed me with the old Fiddle Trick. You take a Fiddel in a Pawn Brokers leave it with him along comes another Felow and pretends its a Stadivarious Stradivarious a valuable Fiddel. 2nd Felow offers to pay fablous sum pawnbroker says I'll see. When 1st felow comes for his fiddel pawnbroker buys it at fablous sum to sell it to the 2nd felow. But 2nd felow doesn't turn up. "_Note_.--1st Felow called himself Honest John!! I dout if I dought it." Bones finished his entries, locked away his ledger, and crossed the floor to the door of the outer office. He knocked respectfully, and a voice bade him come in. It is not usual for the principal of a business to knock respectfully or otherwise on the door of the outer office, but then it is not usual for an outer office to house a secretary of such transcendental qualities, virtue, and beauty as were contained in the person of Miss Marguerite Whitland. The girl half turned to the door and flashed a smile which was of welcome and reproof. "Please, Mr. Tibbetts," she pleaded, "do not knock at my door. Don't you realize that it isn't done?"