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Chapter 16
”Lupinsaid,quiteirritably:“Youdon’tunderstand.Isoldyour£20sharesfor£2;youthereforelose£18onthetransaction,wherebyCummingsandGowingwilllosethewholeoftheirs.”
February19.—Lupin,beforegoingtotown,said:“IamverysorryaboutthoseParachikkaChlorates;itwouldnothavehappenediftheboss,JobCleanands,hadbeenintown.Betweenourselves,youmustnotbesurprisedifsomethinggoeswrongatouroffice.JobCleanandshasnotbeenseenthelastfewdays,anditstrikesmeseveralpeopledowanttoseehimveryparticularly.”
IntheeveningLupinwasjustonthepointofgoingouttoavoidacollisionwithGowingandCummings,whentheformerenteredtheroom,withoutknocking,butwithhisusualtrickofsaying,“MayIcomein?”
Heentered,andtothesurpriseofLupinandmyself,seemedtobeintheverybestofspirits.NeitherLupinnorIbroachedthesubjecttohim,buthedidsoofhisownaccord.Hesaid:“Isay,thoseParachikkaChlorateshavegoneanawfulsmash!You’reaniceone,MasterLupin.Howmuchdoyoulose?”Lupin,tomyutterastonishment,said:“Oh!Ihadnothinginthem.Therewassomeinformalityinmyapplication—Iforgottoenclosethechequeorsomething,andIdidn’tgetany.TheGuv.loses£18.”Isaid:“Iquiteunderstoodyouwereinit,ornothingwouldhaveinducedmetospeculate.”Lupinreplied:“Well,itcan’tbehelped;youmustgodoubleonthenexttip.”BeforeIcouldreply,Gowingsaid:“Well,Ilosenothing,fortunately.
