st at present, at any rate. I could easy find
an excuse for changing my job--perhaps get away from London
altogether. I've got a few pounds saved and I've always wanted to
open a banking account. A gent like you, perhaps, could put me in
the way of doing it."

"How much do you consider would be a satisfactory balance to
commence with?" Laverick asked.

"I was thinking of a thousand pounds, sir."

Laverick was thoughtful for a few moments.

"By the way, what is your name?" he inquired at last.

"James Shepherd, sir," the man answered,--"generally called Jim,
sir."

"Well, you see, Shepherd," Laverick continued, "the difficulty is,
in your case, as in all similar ones, that one never knows where
the thing will end. A thousand pounds is a considerable sum, but
in four amounts, with three months interval between each, it could
be arranged. This would be better for you, in any case. Two
hundred and fifty pounds is not an unheard-of sum for you to have
saved or got together. After that your investments would be my
lookout, and they would produce, as I have said, another seven
hundred and fifty pounds. But what security have I--has Mr.
Morrison, let us say--that you will be content with this sum?"

"He hasn't any, sir," the man admitted at once. "He couldn't have
any. I'm a modest-living man, and I've no desire to go shouting
around that I'm independent all of a sudden. That wouldn't do
nohow. A thousand pounds would bring me in near enough a pound a
week if I invested it, or two pounds a week for an annuity, my
health being none too good. I've no wife or children, sir. I was
thinking of an annuity. With two pounds a week I'd have no cause
to trouble any one again."

Laverick considered.

"It shall be done," he said. "To-morrow I shall buy shares for
you to the extent of two hundred and fifty pounds. They will be
deposited in a bank. Some day you can look in and see me, and I
will take you round there. You are my client who has speculated
under my instructions successfully, and you will sign your name
and become a customer. After that, you will speculate again.
When your thousand pounds has been made, I will show you how to
buy an annuity. Keep your mouth shut, and last night will be
the luckiest night of your life. Do you drink?"

"A drop or two, sir," the man admitted. "If I didn't, I guess
I'd go off my chump."

"Do you talk when you're drunk?" Laverick asked.

"Never, sir," the man de