"Fate!" he shrieked. "Fate! I told you my luck was in!" He turned to his wife breathlessly. "'Member those Premium Bonds you wanted me to go in for? Over a month ago I applied for twenty-five. I'd forgotten about the trash--and _here they are_!" * * * * * Two hours and a half had gone by, and we were rounding a tremendous horse-shoe bend on the way to Zarauz, when my wife touched Berry upon the arm. "Aren't you excited?" she said. "Just a trifle," he answered. "But I'm trying to tread it under. It's essential that I should keep cool. When you're arm in arm with Fortune, 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 Adèle, "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.