The Profiteers

ind Roger Kendrick, Maurice White and the Honourable Jimmy Wilshaw stretched out i

hem from the threshold. "Are you all he

" the Honourable Jimmy murmured,

e're here for your good, Wingate. We are here to see that you

chimed in, "we are here to tak

ving his coat and hat to the valet who had followed him

upon us-wouldn't take 'no.' And indeed, why should we refuse? We have come to offer you rivers of champagne, cigars of abnormal length, and the lips of the fairest houris in London. In other words,

te said, mixing himself a whisky and soda

announced. "We sally

ed in this building. A

n, "you have the air of

waters of happiness. Exa

ered. "According to you,

an ought to be dashed careful where he breakfasts.

Wingate asked, "

per. She's filling her old 'bus up with peaches from the Gaiety. No

Maurice Whi

nity is a fine thing. Sometimes I have a grueso

aightening his tie before

boys," he said. "Time w

cal-loving soul, and was presented to many other people. Where he was not introduced he found a pleasing absence of formality,

going some! You're the bright boy of th

gate's side. "Introduce us, please, Mr. Kendrick. We have b

erica's greatest financier, most successful soldier, and absolutely inevitab

grabbed Wi

ggested. "All the best places w

nton is here, rather drunk and very quarrelsome. I heard him telling some one about having found you dining alone with his

ustify their existence,-a rollicking, Bohemian crowd, the jeunesse dorée of London, and all the talent and beauty of the musical comedy stage. It was a side of life with which Wingate was somewhat unfamiliar. Nevertheless, his feet that night wer

sked. "Or perhaps you don't go to musical

replied, "but as a matter of fact, I only arrived from Ame

d strengthened by the allotment to her of a few more songs and another dance, and she also recounted the arg

upon the boards, and I have numberless complaints because I am only on for such a short time in what should be the most important act of the play. I tell them it's nothing to do with me, but as long as m

te right," he declared, w

aken, our manager, I

shook

e confessed, "I know ver

a world of regret in her very blue eyes. "You might have a th

ain circumstances. All the same, I don't think I should

" she said archly, "that their

n, you see, I am half English. My mother was English al

age about servin

ined. "I turned out for Englan

aste of time and lives! Just fancy, in all those years, how many undeveloped geniuses must have been killed without ever having had their chance! Ho

aggered, "that taken from that point of vi

the end of it very much as though it had never happened.

differences must be settled somehow or other. Personall

serious things. Do you admire Miss Orford?" she asked, indicating another musical comedy lady wh

e from his question

oo thin," h

ion conceded, with apparent reluctance, "and

xion in time, I sup

rs. She understudies me, you know, at the theatre. Would

of warmth. "I should be far too brokenhearted to atten

sn't even do me the compliment of imitating

t circumstanc

not sure," she went on, "that I care about these large parties, although I

tal host," Wi

ung lady further confided. "I love to have a man who real

he suggested. "Didn't I see you lu

d in hand with a young lady in blue, and apparently being very en

" she said. "You don't thin

lady like you, whose choice mus

he demanded. "Perhaps just the people who

couragement,"

hed into

t the men who need encoura

d made some casual rema

ast few years. She

one so much as me," s

nds, I suppose

osed h

isting a ring around her fingers nervously, "I don't like it m

mentarily interrupted as she leaned forward to answer an enquiry fro

lect me so shamef

e amends,"

ssie Lane has asked you what you think of her friend, Miss O

aring!" he

. "I couldn't hear a word, bu

nds upon his shoulders. He seemed to be shouting something in his ear. At that moment he recognised Wingate. He staggered up the farthe

ed. "Here's Lord Dredli