H. de Vere Stacpoole and Margaret Stacpoole

“ Aided by Simon's distracted man, Mudd, Bobby has instituted a search for the missing relative. He meets him in a public barroom, in a hilarious and spending mood. Simon, during his short aberration, has already fallen victim to the wiles of woman in the person of Cerise Rossignol. Bobby, himself unwillingly attached, by a lightly made promise, to Julia Delyse, is determined to keep watch over his errant uncle and save him from himself. His friend Tozer, who has Bobby's literary career at heart, encourages him in his virtuous undertaking. ”

“ Walk down a bit. You look that side of the street and I'll watch this. He may have gone into a shop—and I must get hold of him.”
He walked rapidly on and Julia, sucked for a moment, into this whirlpool of an uncle Simon that had already ingulfed Mudd, Bobby, and the good name of the firm of Pettigrew, toiled beside him till they came nearly to the park railings.
“He's gone,” said Bobby, stopping suddenly dead. “It's no use, he's gone.”
“Well, you'll find him again,” said Julia hopefully. “Relatives always turn up.” ”

“ Bobby was already shaved, but he followed the other outside to a barber's and sat reading a Daily Mirror and waiting while Simon was operated on. The latter, having been shaved, had this hair brushed and trimmed and all the time during these processes the barber spake in this wise, Simon turning the monologue to a duologue:
“Yes, sir, glorious weather, isn't it? London's pretty full, too, for the time of year—fuller than I've seen for a long time. Ever tried face massage, sir? Most comforting. Can be applied by yourself. ”

“ Simon unlinked and in the face of the Strand and the passers-by produced from his pocket two hundred-pound notes, three or four one-pound notes, and a ten-pound note. Searching in his pockets to see what gold he had, he dropped a hundred-pound note, which Bobby quickly recovered.
“Mind!” said Bobby. “You'll have those notes snatched.”
“That's all right,” said Simon.
He replaced the money in his pocket and his companion breathed again.
Bobby had borrowed five pounds from Tozer, in view of possibilities.
“Look here!” said he. “What's the good of staying in London a glorious day like this? ”

“ He might have got into a taxi or boarded an omnibus or vanished up Sackville Street or Albemarle Street. Any passing fancy or sudden temptation would have been sufficient to start him off.
Bobby, hurrying toward St. James' Street to have a look down it, stopped a policeman.
“Have you seen an old gentleman—I mean a youngish-looking gentleman in a straw hat?” asked Bobby. ”

“ One guinea, Shines like silver, don't it? Thank you, sir, I'll send it up with the other. Yes, sir, it's most convenient havin' a barber's close to the 'otel. I supply most of the 'otel people with toilet rekisites. 'Air's a little thin on the top, sir. ”