"About what?" demanded Hamilton.
"About two o'clock," said Bones. "You can stay and see your old friend
through, or you can let us have it out with the lad in camera."
"I'll stay," said Hamilton. "But I don't think he'll come."
"I do," said Bones confidently, and he was justified in his confidence,
for at two o'clock to the second Mr. de Vinne appeared.
He was bright and cheerful, even genial to Bones, and Bones was almost
effusive in his welcome.
"Sit down there in the most comfortable chair, happy old financier," he
said, "and open your young heart to old Bones about the Mazeppa Trading
Company."
Mr. de Vinne did not expect so direct an attack, but recovered from his
surprise without any apparent effort.
"Oh, so you know I was behind that, do you? How the dickens did you
find out?"
"Stock Exchange Year Book, dear old thing. Costs umpteen and sixpence,
and you can find out everything you want to know about the directors of
companies," said Bones.
"By Jove! That's clever of you," said de Vinne, secretly amused, for
it was from the Year Book that he expected Bones to make the discovery.
"Now, what's the game, old financial gentleman?" asked Bones. "Why
this fabulous salary to friend Sanders and selling this thousands of
pounds worth of shares, eh?"
The other shrugged his shoulders.
"My dear chap, it's a business transaction. And really, if I thought
you were going to interrogate me on that, I shouldn't have come. Is
Mr. Sanders a friend of yours?" he asked innocently.
"Shurrup!" said Bones vulgarly. "You know jolly well he's a friend of
mine. Now, what is the idea, young company promoter?"
"It's pretty obvious," replied de Vinne, taking the expensive cigar
which Bones had imported into the office for the purpose. "The
position is a good one----"
"Half a mo'," said Bones. "Do you personally guarantee Mr. Sanders's
salary for five years?"
The other laughed.
"Of course not. It is a company matter," he said, "and I should
certainly not offer a personal guarantee for the payment of any salary."
"So that, if the company goes bust in six months' time, Mr. Sanders
loses all the money he has invested and his salary?"
The other raised his shoulders again with a deprecating smile.
"He would, of course, have a claim against the company for his salary,"
he said.
"A fat lot of good that would be!" answered Bones.
"Now, look here, Mr. Tibbetts"--the other leaned confidentially
forward, his unlighted cigar between his teeth--"there is no reason in
the world why the Mazeppa Company shouldn't make a fortune for the
right man. All it wants is new blood and capable direction. I
confess," he admitted, "that I have not the time to give to the
company, otherwise I'd guarantee a seven per cent. dividend on the
share capital. Why, look at the price of them to-day----"