Hilaire Belloc,
The Green Overcoat — Chapter 2
(1912)
“ In a hand as bold as he could assume Professor Higginson deliberately wrote at the bottom right hand-corner the fatal words "John Brassington."He was beginning to fill in the amount, when to his astonishment the cheque was snatched from his hands, while Jimmy thundered out—"Do you suppose, sir, that you can deceive us in such a childish way as that? Does a man ever sign his cheque like a copybook?" ”
Hilaire Belloc,
The Green Overcoat — Chapter 2
(1912)
“ Melba conveyed the cheque-book solemnly to Jimmy, and the two young men sat down again opposite their involuntary creditor, spreading it out open before them in an impressive manner."Mr. Brassington," said Jimmy, "what do I see here? Everything that I should have expected from a man of your prominence in the business world and of your known careful habits. I see neatly written upon the fly-leaf, ‘Private Account,' and the few counterfoils to the cheques already drawn carefully noted. I perceive," continued Jimmy, summing up boldly, "the sum of £50 marked 'self' upon the second of this month. ”
Hilaire Belloc,
The Green Overcoat — Chapter 2
(1912)
“ I certainly believed it when you gave it a third time after we released you." (It was a very partial release, but no matter.) "Now," said he, setting his lips firmly, "if you try to shuffle out of the main matter, I warn you it will be the worse for you, very much the worse for you, indeed. You will be good enough to sign us a cheque for two thousand pounds, and to sign the type-written acknowledgment in front of you."Men in bewilderment do foolish things even when they are men of judgment, and Professor Higginson certainly was not that. ”
