And she has gone and thrown herself away upon some penniless scapegrace,
most likely? Now, by the bye, how about this Honduras Company, Mr.
Orcott; they don't seem to have any London offices?"
"I believe not. We've some of their prospectuses somewhere about, I
think. Would you like to see one?"
"I should, very much."
Mr. Orcott opened two or three drawers, and after some little trouble
produced the required document.
It was a very flourishing prospectus, setting forth the enormous
benefits to be derived by shareholders from the profitable dealings of the
company. Some good high-sounding names figured in the list of directors,
and the chairman was Captain H. N. Cromie Paget. The prospectus looked
well enough, but the holder of Mr. Sheldon's dishonoured bill was not
able to derive much comfort from high-sounding phrases and high-sounding
names.
"I'll go down to Bayswater, and see if I can hear anything of your
governor," he said to Mr. Orcott.
"He was not there yesterday when I called, and his servants could tell me
nothing of his whereabouts," the young Yorkshireman said very coolly.
"Indeed!" cried the holder of the dishonoured bill in some alarm. "Now,
really, that is not right; a business man ought not to do that kind of
thing."
He called a cab and drove to the Lawn. There was the smart gothic villa,
with its pointed gables, and florid chimneys, and oriel windows, and in
the Tudor casements of the ground-floor appeared the bills of a West-end
auctioneer, announcing in large letters that the lease of this charming
mansion, together with the nearly new furniture, linen, books, china,
plate, carefully-selected proof-prints after distinguished modern
artists, small cellar of choice wines, &c.
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