It did not occur to him either as singular that many of the bills he accepted should bear no drawer’s signature attached—an omission Mr. Stewart would at once have detected and challenged. Truth was, Mr. Black and the two Crossenhams played into each other’s hands, thus: the Crossenhams would get a bill discounted at their bankers, the produce of which Black would then pay into his own bank. Then he would get a bill discounted, with Crossenhams’ name to it as drawer, and hand that amount over to Crossenhams. Thus, the bills went dancing about like shuttlecocks—they were paid away, they were discounted, they were given as security, and nobody but Mr. Black knew for what exact sum Arthur had made himself liable. “Enough to puzzle Berrie Down,” said Mr. Black to himself, thoughtfully, as, after Arthur’s departure, he totted up the amounts attached to the memoranda of which mention has previously been made; “enough to puzzle Berrie Down, if the ‘Protector’ come to grief; but it shall not do that, not, at any rate, until I have had my penn’orths out of it.” Having arrived at which prudent and honest conclusion, Mr. Black closed his pocket-book, circling it for extra security with an india-rubber band. That pocket-book, which never left Mr. Black’s person except when he was asleep (and then he locked it up in a small safe in his dressing-room), contained all the present secrets of the promoter’s life. Had Mr. Stewart only obtained a sight of the pages that band kept so tightly together, he might reasonably have considered the ultimate success of the “Protector Bread and Flour Company, Limited,” problematical. CHAPTER X. HOW HEATHER TOOK IT. The secretaryship was duly accepted, although not by letter; Arthur Dudley thought it best to call upon Mr. Stewart, and express in person his willingness to fill up the post offered. Probably a secret pride influenced this determination. After a fashion, he was going to be the man’s servant; but that was no reason why he should not return Mr. Stewart’s call, and place himself on a footing of social equality with him. For this reason, also, he did not walk from Dowgate Hill to King’s Arm Yard, and take his chance of seeing Mr. Stewart at his office, as anybody else, standing less upon his dignity, might have done; but, at considerable inconvenience, repaired next afternoon to the great director’s house, where, of course, he did not find him. This, however, was a matter of secondary importance. The Squire had done the proper thing in the proper manner, and, having left his card, went back to Mr. Black’s abode satisfied. The same evening a messenger arrived in Stanley Crescent with a note from Mr. Stewart, expressive of regret at having missed seeing Mr. Dudley, and begging him to breakfast with the writer the following morning at ten o’clock.