A Mysterious Disappearance

ises of greater pretensions than Bruce had pictured to himself fro

cial brass plates marking the registering offices of many companies, gave evidence of some degree of importance-whether f

Ltd.," for "Messrs. Dodge & Company," the suggestive nature of the latter designa

many clerks, and adorned with gigantic maps of the Rand, West A

t of considerable size. At the farther end, seated in front of a gorgeous American desk, was

e question of the age o

the son?" he said, wi

s unexpected method of opening

ir, and fully able to deal with your bu

y matters if I know exactly to

-eyed lawyer might want-the representative of Messrs. Dodge, Son & Co. (Limited) expla

is no 'son,'

sir,"-this with

old i

h it? Will you kindly tell me what you w

t to know how o

ce irritated Mr. Do

is four months. Can I oblige you with any

de tackled the real business in hand. He was quite sure that a financial sharper in a temper w

of Mr. Dodge, "I have called to ask for information with regard to your

fe. You have evidently come to

u quite

ment, as it is impossible for me to carry every n

f disconcerting his caustic visitor. He touched an electr

when Hawkins entered. "Are we in communication w

, s

ever heard

, s

You see you have come to

so I

g at the back of Mr. Dodg

e became

n, and the extent of my information about Mr. Corbett.

derwriting, mostly for the flot

s a branch of

ven to understand that Mr. Corbett has had some dealings wi

absolutely un

e have money to invest in that way, and I naturally came to a firm who

ed himself for his previous attitude. His emotion was painful. For q

ruggled to ex

Mr. Corbett's name on me-a man of whom I have no sort of knowledge. It must have been my firm of which your friends heard. There is absolutely no other Dodge in Leadenhal

r. Corbett's identity, and if Mrs. Hillmer's brother had changed his

"so I may as well enter into negotiations with you

ase a bit, and we shall have at least five splendid proper

produced a box of excellent cig

f ￡10,000. The ore now in sight is estimated to produce two millions sterling, and the mine is not one-tenth developed. We are offering underw

s which have been already established, but in which, for want of sufficient capital, the vendors' s

t was capitalized for a quarter of a million, and the directors went to allotment on a subscription list of about ￡14,000. This money has been expended, but twice the amount is necessary to develop the property

said Claude to himself. He added aloud: "Th

laims on the Rand with more candor than is usually exhibited in such compilations. Judging from the reports of severa

proportion of share capital is fall

am so convinced about this mine that I will manage to pay the call myself. Roughly speaking, th

e the prese

way imaginable, yet upon the answer depended the whole su

as manifest

alking with a definite v

far had been candid enough. The Springbok Mine honestly looked to be a good speculative investment, so he resolved to place the

that purpose. If my principals like

st," said Mr. Dodge, taking a

e and address out of half-a-dozen, and rejected all as being in

ible, he left n

ction to a copy be

hummed d

ently high promising ventures. I presume these gentlemen are moneyless. If so, it is a factor in favor of your scheme.

t of view," he cried emphatically, "they

how remarkably little he had got out of the interview. "He was a jolly smart chap," communed the company promoter. "I wonder what he was really aft

saved much future perturbation. But, clever as he was, he did not know all t

ulfilment of his promise, he was about to place Sir

r, Thompson, who happened to be in the hall, ant

gone for a few days' rest at the seaside. If you called, sir, I was to tell you 'e would be glad to see you there s

Hard

at 'ome?' 'No, 'e isn't,' sez I; 'but you're wanted at the polis station.' She was in a keb, and she 'ad asked a butcher's boy to pull the bell, so 'im and the c

s Harding is certa

one subject of thought. It was not Mrs. Hillmer, nor Corbett, nor Dodge who trou