“I have not ze honour to know Mr. Greatorex; but I have here a price list of cigars, and if——” “Here’s Mr. Dorrell.” “Vere? I see him not.” “Well, he’s big enough, though he ain’t as broad as he’s long: that gentleman in the blue clothes comin’ down the path.” “Zat Mr. Dorrell! Vy—he is a boy! Himmel!” “Rum, ain’t it? S’pose you never _was_ a boy, Mr. Swob.” A tall loose-limbed young fellow had come into the drive from a side path, and was walking with great strides towards the gate. He was bareheaded; his black hair tumbled over a brow unusually high and broad. No other feature was noticeable except his eyes, which were large, deep blue in colour, and shot with a strange glow. He was dressed in a loose suit of what appeared to be blue alpaca, which was plentifully bestained. By this time Timothy had opened the gate and given admittance to the visitor. Tom Dorrell came up, held out his hand, and said in quick decisive tones— “How d’you do, Mr.——?” “Schwab, sir—Hildebrand Schwab, rebresentative of ze firma Schlagintwert, all orders punctually eggzecuted.” “Sorry to keep you waiting. Very busy, you know; if you had given me notice——” “Ach! I come on ze hop, sir.” Tom smiled. “Well, glad to see you, anyway. Is there anything I can do for you?” “Sir, zat is vat I ask you. You give orders, first class, for our Photographic Sensitizer Preparation Number Six; but my firma zink you do not know, perhaps, zat zey do many ozer zinks beside Photographic Sensitizer Preparation Number Six. Vy, zere is nozink vat ve do not do, nozink at all. Ve can supply anyzink—soft goots, musical boxes, hair oil——” “I know, I know,” said Tom. “I have your price list.” “But not ze new vun—revise and correck carte,” returned Schwab, pulling from his pocket a bulky volume in red paper cover. “Viz gompliments!” “Thanks! Now, I am very busy——” “Shust so! Business are business! Not for ze vorld vould I stand in ze light. Only bermit me shust vun vord. Ze orders you give for Photographic Sensitizer Preparation Number Six, vy, zey are immense, colossal; and you pay on ze nail. My firma get no such orders novere, and zey are surprise, because Number Six is new zink; it is not long zat it is on ze market. Vy zen come so large orders from so little place? Zey zink zere are business to be done; zerefore am I here.” “Well, you can’t expect the merits of the stuff to be known all at once.” “Shust so. Zerefore I come! Schlagintwert say: ‘Mr. Dorrell use a great lot of P.S.P. No. 6; zerefore muss it be vair goot; go and see Mr. Dorrell; perhaps he be so kind to give testimonial—zat vill be goot business.’” “Afraid I can’t do that. You see, I don’t use it in photography, and that is what you advertise it for.” “But ve vill advertise it for anyzink you please!” “My use of it is secret at present.” “Zen ve vill buy ze secret! Ve are vair rich firma.” “But it wouldn’t be a secret then.”