The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes Part 4 (2/2)

”Of course I was pleased to hear this I had always been pretty sharp in the office, but I had never dreamed that I was talked about in the City in this fashi+on

”'You have a good memory?' said he

”'Pretty fair,' I answered, modestly

”'Have you kept in touch with the market while you have been out of work?' he asked

”'Yes I read the stock exchange list every '

”'Now that shows real application!' he cried 'That is the way to prosper! You won'tyou, will you? Let me see How are Ayrshi+res?'

”'A hundred and six and a quarter to a hundred and five and seven-eighths'

”'And New Zealand consolidated?'

”'A hundred and four

”'And British Broken Hills?'

”'Seven to seven-and-six'

”'Wonderful!' he cried, with his hands up 'This quite fits in with all that I had heard My boy, ood to be a clerk at Mawson's!'

”This outburst rather astonished me, as you can think 'Well,' said I, 'other people don't think quite so h fight to get this berth, and I alad to have it'

”'Pooh, man; you should soar above it You are not in your true sphere Now, I'll tell you how it stands with h when measured by your ability, but when coht to dark Let o to Mawson's?'

”'On Monday'

”'Ha, ha! I think I would risk a little sporting flutter that you don't go there at all'

”'Not go to Mawson's?'

”'No, sir By that day you will be the business er of the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, Limited, with a hundred and thirty-four branches in the towns and villages of France, not counting one in Brussels and one in San Remo'

”This took my breath away 'I never heard of it,' said I

”'Very likely not It has been kept very quiet, for the capital was all privately subscribed, and it's too good a thing to let the public into My brother, Harry Pinner, is pro director He kneas in the swi, pushi+ng man with plenty of snap about hiht We can only offer you a beggarly five hundred to start with'

”'Five hundred a year!' I shouted

”'Only that at the beginning; but you are to have an overriding coents, and you may take my word for it that this will co about hardware'

”'Tut, ures'

”My head buzzed, and I could hardly sit still in my chair But suddenly a little chill of doubt came upon ives me two hundred, but Mawson is safe Now, really, I know so little about your company that--'

”'Ah, sht 'You are the very ht, too Now, here's a note for a hundred pounds, and if you think that we can do business you may just slip it into your pocket as an advance upon your salary'

”'That is very handsome,' said I 'When should I take over ham to-morrow at one,' said he 'I have a note in my pocket here which you will take to my brother You will find him at 126b Corporation Street, where the temporary offices of the coeht'

”'Really, I hardly kno to express ratitude, Mr Pinner,' said I

”'Not at all, ot your deserts There are one or two se with you You have a bit of paper beside you there Kindly write upon it ”I aer to the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, Limited, at a minimum salary of L500”'

”I did as he asked, and he put the paper in his pocket

”'There is one other detail,' said he 'What do you intend to do about Mawson's?'

”I had forgotten all about Mawson's in n,' said I

”'Precisely what I don't want you to do I had a row over you with Mawson's one up to ask hi you away fro At last I fairly lost ood price,” said I'

”'He would rather have our s one,' said he

”'I'll lay you a fiver,' said I, 'that when he has ain'

”'Done!' said he 'We picked hiutter, and he won't leave us so easily' Those were his very words”

”'The impudent scoundrel!' I cried 'I've never so much as seen him in my life Why should I consider him in any way? I shall certainly not write if you would rather I didn't'

”'Good! That's a prohted to have got so good a man for my brother Here's your advance of a hundred pounds, and here is the letter Make a note of the address, 126b Corporation Street, and remeht; and may you have all the fortune that you deserve!'

”That's just about all that passed between us, as near as I can reine, Dr Watson, how pleased I was at such an extraordinary bit of good fortune I sat up half the night hugging ham in a train that would take s to a hotel in New Street, and then I iven me

”It was a quarter of an hour before ht that would e shops, which led to a winding stone stair, from which there were many flats, let as offices to companies or professional men The names of the occupants were painted at the bottom on the wall, but there was no such name as the Franco-Midland Hardware Company, Limited I stood for a fewwhether the whole thing was an elaborate hoax or not, when up came a man and addressed ht before, the saure and voice, but he was clean shaven and his hair was lighter

”'Are you Mr Hall Pycroft?' he asked

”'Yes,' said I

”'Oh! I was expecting you, but you are a trifle before your ti your praises very loudly'

”'I was just looking for the offices when you caot our name up yet, for we only secured these temporary premises last week Come up with me, and ill talk the matter over'

”I followed hiht under the slates, were a couple of empty, dusty little rooms, uncarpeted and uncurtained, into which he ledtables and rows of clerks, such as I was used to, and I dare say I stared rather straight at the two deal chairs and one little table, which, with a ledger and a waste paper basket, made up the whole furniture

”'Don't be disheartened, Mr Pycroft,' said th of my face 'Rome was not built in a day, and we have lots of h we don't cut much dash yet in offices Pray sit down, and let ave it to him, and he read it over very carefully