slation with regard to certain
manufactures proved to be gravely deleterious to the health of those
employed in them. To-day Mr. Delancey and Mr. Hilary passed some hours
together in the latter's chambers. Their talk was of the company.

'So you saw Mutimer about it?' Rodman asked, turning to a detail in
which he was specially interested.

'Yes. He is anxious to have shares.'

Mr. Hilary was a man of past middle age, long-bearded, somewhat
cadaverous of hue. His head was venerable.

'You were careful not to mention me?'

'I kept your caution in mind.'

Their tone to each other was one of perfect gravity. Mr. Hilary even
went out of his way to choose becoming phrases.

'He won't have anything to do with it if he gets to know who R. Delancey
is.'

'I was prudent, believe me. I laid before him the aspects of the
undertaking which would especially interest him. I made it clear to
him that our enterprise is no less one of social than of commercial
importance; he entered into our views very heartily. The first time I
saw him, I merely invited him to glance over our prospectus; yesterday
he was more than willing to join our association--and share our
profits.'

'Did he tell you how much he'd got out of those poor devils over there?'

'A matter of sixty pounds, I gathered. I am not a little astonished at
his success.'

'Oh, he'd talk the devil himself into subscribing to a mission if it
suited him to try.'

'He is clearly very anxious to get the highest interest possible for his
money. His ideas on business seemed, I confess, rather vague. I did my
best to help him with suggestions.'

'Of course.'

'He talked of taking some five hundred pounds' worth of shares on his
own account.'

The men regarded each other. Rodman's lips curled; Mr. Hilary was as
grave as ever.

'You didn't balk him?'

'I commended his discretion.'

Rodman could not check a laugh.

'I am serious,' said Mr. Hilary. 'It may take a little time, but--'

'Just so. Did he question you at all about what we were doing?'

'A good deal. He said he should go and look over the Stores in the
Strand.'

'By all means. He's a clever man if he distinguishes between Irish
butter and English butterine--I'm sure I couldn't. And things really are
looking up at the Stores?'

'Oh, distinctly.'

'By-the-by, I had rather a nasty letter from Lord Mountorry yesterday.
He's beginning to ask questions: wants to know when we're going to
conclude our con