A Man of Means | Page 9

he sank his voice
to a compelling whisper, "put every penny you can afford into Wildcat Reefs."
He leaned back with the benign air of the Alchemist who has just imparted to a favorite
disciple the recently discovered secret of the philosopher's stone.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Windlebird," said Roland gratefully. "I will."
The Napoleonic features were lightened by that rare, indulgent smile.
"Not so fast, young man," laughed Mr. Windlebird. "Getting into Wildcat Reefs isn't
quite so easy as you seem to think. Shall we say that you propose to invest thirty
thousand pounds? Yes? Very well, then. Thirty thousand pounds! Why, if it got about
that you were going to buy Wildcat Reefs on that scale the market would be convulsed."
Which was perfectly true. If it had got about that any one was going to invest thirty
thousand pounds--or pence--in Wildcat Reefs, the market would certainly have been
convulsed. The House would have rocked with laughter. Wildcat Reefs were a standing
joke--except to the unfortunate few who still held any of the shares.
"The thing will have to be done very cautiously. No one must know. But I think--I say I
think--I can manage it for you."
"You're awfully kind, Mr. Windlebird."
"Not at all, my dear boy, not at all. As a matter of fact, I shall be doing a very good turn
to another pal of mine at the same time." He filled his glass. "This--" he paused to
sip--"this pal of mine has a large holding of Wildcats. He wants to realize in order to put
the money into something else, in which he is more personally interested." Mr.
Windlebird paused. His mind dwelt for a moment on his overdrawn current account at the
bank. "In which he is more personally interested," he repeated dreamily. "But of course
you couldn't unload thirty pounds' worth of Wildcats in the public market."
"I quite see that," assented Roland.
"It might, however, be done by private negotiation," he said. "I must act very cautiously.
Give me your check for the thirty thousand to-night, and I will run up to town to-morrow
morning, and see what I can do."
* * * * *
He did it. What hidden strings he pulled, what levers he used, Roland did not know. All

Roland knew was that somehow, by some subtle means, Mr. Windlebird brought it off.
Two days later his host handed him twenty thousand one-pound shares in the Wildcat
Reef Gold-mine.
"There, my boy," he said.
"It's awfully kind of you, Mr. Windlebird."
"My dear boy, don't mention it. If you're satisfied, I'm sure I am."
Mr. Windlebird always spoke the truth when he could. He spoke it now.
It seemed to Roland, as the days went by, that nothing could mar the pleasant, easy
course of life at the Windlebirds. The fine weather, the beautiful garden, the pleasant
company--all these things combined to make this sojourn an epoch in his life.
He discovered his mistake one lovely afternoon as he sat smoking idly on the terrace. Mrs.
Windlebird came to him, and a glance was enough to show Roland that something was
seriously wrong. Her face was drawn and tired.
A moment before, Roland had been thinking life perfect. The only crumpled rose-leaf
had been the absence of an evening paper. Mr. Windlebird would bring one back with
him when he returned from the city, but Roland wanted one now. He was a great follower
of county cricket, and he wanted to know how Surrey was faring against Yorkshire. But
even this crumpled rose-leaf had been smoothed out, for Johnson, the groom, who
happened to be riding into the nearest town on an errand, had promised to bring one back
with him. He might appear at any moment now.
The sight of his hostess drove all thoughts of sport out of his mind. She was looking
terribly troubled.
It flashed across Roland that both his host and hostess had been unusually silent at dinner
the night before; and later, passing Mr. Windlebird's room on his way to bed, he had
heard their voices, low and agitated. Could they have had some bad news?
"Mr. Bleke, I want to speak to you."
Roland moved like a sympathetic cow, and waited to hear more.
"You were not up when my husband left for the city this morning, or he would have told
you himself. Mr. Bleke, I hardly know how to break it to you."
"Break it to me!"
"My husband advised you to put a very large sum of money in a mine called Wildcat
Reefs."
"Yes. Thirty thousand pounds."

"As much as that! Oh, Mr. Bleke!"
She began to cry softly. She pressed his hand. Roland gaped at her.
"Mr. Bleke, there has been a terrible slump in