The Project Gutenberg EBook of Men of Affairs, by Roland Pertwee

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Title: Men of Affairs

Author: Roland Pertwee

Release Date: December 7, 2007 [EBook #23757]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEN OF AFFAIRS ***

Produced by Al Haines

MEN OF AFFAIRS

BY

ROLAND PERTWEE

A. L. BURT COMPANY

Publishers

New York

COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY

ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC.

_PUBLISHED, MAY, 1922_

First and Second Printings before publication

CONTENTS

CHAP.

1. Dissolution
2. Eight Closed Doors
3. Which Develops an Idea
4. Sitting on the Floor
5. Experiences of a Vagrant
6. Concerning a Tie
7. The Night of the 27th
8. Introducing a Lady
9. An Invitation to Stay
10. Nerves
11. Outlining a Programme
12. Pineapple
13. Harrison Smith
14. "Off the Beaten Track"
15. Tea and Tears
16. A Hyphen
17. A Doubtful Ally
18. Holding Out
19. At the Chestnuts
20. A Little Housebreaking
21. The Cornish Riviera
22. Plain Sailing
23. An Encounter
24. Rival Factions
25. Mr. Bolt Drops In
26. Among Allies
27. A Knotted Kerchief
28. Sand
29. Individual Resource
30. The True Auriole
31. A Way Out
32. The Appointed Hour
33. A Smash Up
34. The Finishing Straight

PART I.

CHAPTER 1.

DISSOLUTION.

At a pawnshop in the Gray's Inn Road, Richard Frencham Altar disposed
of the last of his worldly goods. Four suits from a tailor in Saville
Row, two pairs of shoes in brown and patent by a craftsman of Jermyn
Street, some odds and ends of hosiery, a set of dressing table brushes
with black monograms on ivory and the gold cigarette case Doreen had
given him on the day of their engagement. In consideration for which
he departed with a sum of twenty-seven pounds sixteen shillings in his
trousers pockets. At his rooms in Golden Square he settled his account
with the landlady, a luxury that reduced his wealth by a matter of
nineteen pounds. Of the eight pounds sixteen shillings remaining, five
guineas were placed on one side for the tobacconist who had supplied
him with Gold Flake and the margin transferred to an