ow grey he was at the temples! No
wonder, dear me, with such a life! He was in his shirt-sleeves. His
waistcoat, with its grey satin back, fitted him tightly. He had
filled out--but he hadn't developed a corporation. Not at all. He
looked at himself sideways, and feared dismally he was thinner. He
was one of those men who carry themselves in a birdie fashion, so
that their tail sticks out a little behind, jauntily. How
wonderfully the satin of his waistcoat had worn! He looked at his
shirt-cuffs. They were going. Luckily, when he had had the shirts
made he had secured enough material for the renewing of cuffs and
neckbands. He put on his coat, from which he had flicked the
faintest suspicion of dust, and again settled himself to go out and
meet James on the question of an advance. He simply must have an
advance.

He didn't get it that day, none the less. The next morning he was
ringing for his tea at six o'clock. And before ten he had already
flitted to Lumley and back, he had already had a word with Mr. Bows,
about that pitch, and, overcoming all his repugnance, a word with
the quiet, frail, sad negro, about Alfreton fair, and the chance of
buying some sort of collapsible building, for his cinematograph.

With all this news he met James--not at the shabby club, but in the
deserted reading-room of the so-called Artizans Hall--where never an
artizan entered, but only men of James's class. Here they took the
chessboard and pretended to start a game. But their conversation
was rapid and secretive.

Mr. May disclosed all his discoveries. And then he said,
tentatively:

"Hadn't we better think about the financial part now? If we're going
to look round for an erection"--curious that he always called it an
erection--"we shall have to know what we are going to spend."

"Yes--yes. Well--" said James vaguely, nervously, giving a glance at
Mr. May. Whilst Mr. May abstractedly fingered his black knight.

"You see at the moment," said Mr. May, "I have no funds that I can
represent in cash. I have no doubt a little _later_--if we need
it--I can find a few hundreds. Many things are _due_--numbers of
things. But it is so difficult to _collect_ one's dues, particularly
from America." He lifted his blue eyes to James Houghton. "Of course
we can _delay_ for some time, until I get my supplies. Or I can act
just as your manager--you can _employ_ me--"

He watched James's face. James looked down at the chessboard. He was
fluttering