hark, and Philip Mason."

Jacob smiled a little contemptuously.

"I dare say they'd like to do me a bad turn if they could!"

The young man extended his hand for Jacob's case, took out a cigarette
and tapped it upon the desk, lit it, and subsided still farther into
the depths of his chair.

"Listen," he continued, "this is no idle gossip I bring you. Five
minutes ago I left the trio at the Milan, discussing over several
empty bottles of Pommery and a badly hurt bottle of '68 brandy no less
a subject than your undoing."

"Any specific method?" Jacob enquired.

"When I declined to join the enterprise, they dried up. All the same
they mean mischief," Felixstowe declared emphatically.

"But why should you think that they can hurt me?"

"Because you are on the straight and they are on the cross," was the
well-considered reply. "If three men of their brains mean mischief,
well, they're worth watching. They know the dirty ways and you don't.
The old game, you know--a feint in the front and a stab in the back.
Keep your weather eye open, Jacob. Beware of them, whether they bring
gifts or thunderbolts."

"Anyway, it's very friendly of you to come and warn me," Jacob said
gratefully.

"Not at all, old bean. I say, when are you going to get me a job?"

"What sort of a job do you want?"

"Your private secretary, couple of thou a year, and one of these
cadaverous, ink-smudged chaps to do the work. What-ho!"

"You're modest!"

"That's what the governor says. He was on to me about you yesterday.
Coming the man-of-the-world stunt, you know. Hand on my shoulder with
a fatherly grip. 'Jack,' he said solemnly, 'there's one golden rule
which people in our position must never forget. Make use of your
friends.'"

"And relations," Jacob murmured.

The young man grinned.

"To tell you the truth," he said, "the old man overshot the bolt a bit
there. Done 'em all in the eye for several thou of the best. I fancy
he's going to seek the seclusion of a distant clime for a month or
two.... But as I was saying, he's always on to me about you. 'My boy,'
he said, in his best Lord Chesterfield manner, 'you have contracted a
valuable acquaintance with that very personable and shrewd young
financier whom you introduced to us at Ascot. It rests with you to see
that that acquaintance is made of profit to the family.'"

"I am afraid," Jacob observed, "that in that way I have been rather a
disappointment."

"The governor isn't easily