Edgar Wallace

“ The old man will put you under arrest on the slightest provocation."
"This isn't my game," said Lieutenant Tubbetts sulkily.
The Major chuckled softly, and the ghost of a smile hovered about the corners of Carsley's mouth.
"You're an unfortunate soul, Tubs," said Sir George drily. "You're the victim of circumstances. If your father wasn't a banker, and if you hadn't so much money in your family that you positively reek of honest wealth, you would not have been in the Guards, you would not have come to South Africa, nor found yourself on a bit of wet veld, being ragged by Callington." ”

“ Nine ex-directors of Tubbetts's Bank received nine certified copies of a managing clerk's confession. Nine directors accepted Tubs's invitation to a meeting, and they came looking rather sheepish.
"Vicars was at the bottom of this from the first," said Tubs. "He was getting big cheques and running another account at the Yorkshire Industrial."
"I hardly know what to say to you, Tubs," said Callington, "except that I am sorry. I thought Vessey was straight. We might have ruined thousands of people! My blood goes cold when I think of it!" ”

“ Tubbetts sipped at his bouillon and said nothing, and the buzz of conversation, arrested for the moment by the little incident of Tubbetts at the fire, resumed.
"The fact is, Tubs"—Carsley leant over and laid his hand on the other's knee—"you didn't start fair with the Ninth. There was that business of the drag——"
"I don't believe in wasting money," said the other doggedly. "Because a fellow has thirty thousand a year, it doesn't follow that he must chuck his money about." ”

“ When the first shot was fired, he would have bolted, only Providence put his foot in a meerkat hole, and there he sprawled, yelling to his men to take cover."
"I wouldn't mind that so much," said the second in command. "Any man is liable to lose his head, but old Tubs is such a—a careful beggar. He checks the mess steward's accounts twice over, and gets perfectly frantic if he discovers that two and two have been exaggerated into five!"
Tubbetts, lying in his shelter tent, listening to the pattering of rain on the taut canvas, saw the end. ”

“ It may have been a coincidence that she called so soon after the board meeting, but Tubs thought otherwise. He was by nature suspicious.
He listened gravely to all she had to say.
"I'm sorry," he said, when she had finished, "but I see no immediate prospect of a dividend. If you need the money badly, I will let you have an overdraft on my own responsibility." ”

“ He thumped the table with his clenched fist.
"I want to help people as much as anybody—I want to do a turn for the wives of—of people—but Vessey's syndicate is rotten—rotten! Suppose we finance it——"
"Financing has not been suggested," interrupted Callington; "it is a question of guarantees."
"It's the same thing." Tubs heard the dissatisfied murmur of his directors, and went on rapidly, incoherently. "They want us to take an uncommercial risk; they want to trade on our credit. I know Vessey. ”

“ Mainward must take command!"
Tubs charged back, bellowing the news, and Carsley nodded coolly.
"Tell Mainward," was all he said. But even as Tubs turned reluctant feet to the left rear, he saw Mainward fall, shot through the heart.
Men were going down, too; little yellow patches lay on the green amongst the bushes.
Firing! Somebody was firing close at hand! The Ninth Guards, of course! His own men were firing at something ahead—firing at the blue sky and the yellow line of the randje. ”

“ Look at the men; they've confidence enough in us—in you."
"But they haven't," said Tubbetts fretfully, "and they'd be fools if they had! They know this is not my game."
"Right half battalion will advance by the left!"
George Brackett came cantering over the veld. An officer ran out to meet him, and they exchanged a word.
The Major beckoned Carsley.
"We are going to work round the right of that hill; there's a sort of nek in the middle of the range which isn't held. Your men ready?"
"Yes, sir."
"Hullo, Tubs!" ”

“ Tubs wriggled again. Callington was going to mention names—names of men he had seen lying in little pools of blood, men who spun round like tops and made strange noises when they fell.
"Poor Brackett has a daughter who is an invalid. Her only income is from the bank. A bonus would be a godsend to her. Carsley left a young widow—you would remember Carsley, Mr. Tubbetts?—to whom a hundred pounds or so would make all the difference. ”

“ Unheralded by the boom of the gun, or the whine that told of its passage, a shell burst over them, and there was a patter as of rain.
"Shrapnel," said the Major. "Go on, Claud."
"‘Suggest' was the last word," said the other coolly. "Signaller!"
A man had unstrapped a thin steel tripod he had been carrying on his shoulder, produced a mirror from a leather case at his belt, and deftly adjusted it. ”

“ Nearly one-half, for of the men who went into action on the right, ninety rank and file and one officer came out, and that officer was Tubbetts, unharmed.
They met—the grey old man and the young officer—and for a moment neither spoke.
"Brackett dead—Carsley dead—Mainward dead"—Lord Callington spoke slowly, thoughtfully—"and you—alive!"
He looked long and earnestly at the young man, and Tubbetts hung his head.
"Why?" The old man's sudden fury was appalling, and Tubbetts shrank back.
"Why? Tell me that! ”

“ Tubbetts, and people were saying at dinner last night that the bank was going to do something very wonderful that would make all our fortunes."
Tubs grinned responsive to the girl's weary smile.
"There is no likelihood of anything wonderful happening whilst I am chairman," he said, and when she smiled again, Tubs went red.
She was very beautiful, thought Tubs, when he summoned courage to look at her. Women were not "his game," either, and there was a little aching pain in his heart when she began telling him why the "bonus" was needed. ”

“ I have seen you throw away things more precious, but you are not going to bungle this. Here"—he smacked the table with his hand—"now"—he thumped it again—"we have got to come to a decision and guarantee this irrigation scheme. ”