“I didn’t ask for shares at all,” gruffly responded Mackeller, “but I learn from my brokers that in all instances they were offered more shares than they required, but my instructions were definite enough, which were to accept and pay for all the shares they could get. In one or two cases, my brokers telephoned to me for instructions, and I suppose that’s how the news got out that they were acting for me, and if these brokers of yours thought they were pushing farther into a corner a man already there, they can’t expect much sympathy from me when they find themselves in the corner instead.” “Ah, no one would be optimistic enough to expect sympathy from _you_, Mr. Mackeller,” pursued the lawyer. “Then they won’t be disappointed when they don’t get it,” curtly commented Mackeller. “I beg your pardon, Mr. Hahn,” interposed Stranleigh, “but am I to take it you have come to see me on behalf of these unfortunate stockbrokers?” “No, my lord. I represent Mr. Conrad Schwartzbrod and his colleagues.” “Oh! and who is Mr. Schwartzbrod?” Before the solicitor could reply, Mackeller said, with lowering brows: “He is the head of the syndicate, the president of your company, and his colleagues are the board of directors.” “I see, I see. Then Mr. Schwartzbrod and his friends are not sufferers by this little deal of mine?” “Oh! bless you, no, Lord Stranleigh, except in so far as they have parted with their property a little more cheaply than they had intended. I believe Mr. Schwartzbrod considers that a fair price for the shares would have been from three-and-six to four shillings.” “I’m not very good at figures,” complained his lordship, with a slight wrinkle in his forehead, “but if three-and-six is a fair price, then the loss of the syndicate is merely a shilling a share, and as they sold me three hundred thousand shares, that comes to--” He looked helplessly at Mac-keller. “Fifteen thousand pounds,” said Mackeller sharply. “Ah, thanks. Fifteen thousand pounds. Well, that divided between seven amounts to----” Again he turned an appealing eye to the somber Mackeller, who replied promptly: “Two thousand one hundred and forty-two pounds, six shillings each.”