l helping
to drive the wheel of prosperity for the House of Bultiwell!...

The ghosts faded away. Two old men were outside, dusting stacks of
leather. There was no one else, no sound of movement or life.
Bultiwell glanced at his watch, as he sat there and waited. Presently
he struck the bell in front of him, and a grey-haired bookkeeper
shuffled in.

"What time did Pedlar say Mr. Pratt would be round?" he asked harshly.

"Between eleven and twelve, sir."

Mr. Bultiwell glanced at his watch and grunted.

"Where's Mr. Haskall?"

"Gone round to the sale, sir."

"He got my message?" Mr. Bultiwell asked anxiously.

"I told him that he was on no account to buy, sir," the cashier
assented. "He was somewhat disappointed. There is a probability of a
rise in hides, and most of the pits down at the tannery are empty."

Mr. Bultiwell groaned under his breath. His eyes met the eyes of his
old employe.

"You know why we can't buy--at the sales, Jenkins," he muttered.

The man sighed as he turned away.

"I know, sir."

Then there was a little stir in the place. The two men left off
dusting; the clerks in the counting-house raised their heads
hopefully. Jacob Pratt arrived and was ushered into the presence of
the head of the firm. It was a trying moment for Mr. Bultiwell, but
he did his best. He wished to be patronising, kindly and gracious.
He succeeded in being cringing.

"Glad to see you, Pratt. Glad to see you," he said. "Try that
easy-chair. A cigar, eh? No? Quite right! Don't smoke much myself
till after lunch. Seen Pedlar this morning?"

"I've just come from his office," Jacob replied.

Mr. Bultiwell thrust his hands into his trousers pockets and leaned
back in his chair.

"Clever fellow, Pedlar, but not so clever as he thinks himself. I
don't mind telling you, Pratt, between ourselves, that it was entirely
my idea that you should be approached with a view to your coming in
here."

"Is that so?" Jacob observed quietly.

"I knew perfectly well that you wouldn't be content to do nothing, a
young man like you, and if you're going to keep in the leather trade
at all, why not become associated with a firm you know all about, eh?
I don't want to flatter myself," Mr. Bultiwell proceeded, with a touch
of his old arrogance, "but Bultiwell's, although we haven't been so
energetic lately, is still pretty well at the top of the tree, eh?"

"Not quite where it was, I am afraid, Mr. Bultiwell," Jacob objected.
"I'v