Page:Bailey - Call Mr Fortune (Dutton, 1921).djvu/206

Rh of a sort. One of Sandford's friends is a young fellow called Walkden, and he's in one of the firms which have been running the Stock Exchange boom."

"It's queer," said Reggie, and lit a pipe. "But it wouldn't hang a yellow dog."

"Do you think I don't know that?" Lomas cried. "We have nothing to act on, and they're all cursing me because we haven't!"

"Meaning Kimball?"

"Kimball—Kimball's calling twice a day to know how the case is going on, please. But the whole Government's on it now. Minutes from the Home Secretary—bitter mems. from the Prime Minister. They want a scapegoat, of course. Governments do."

"Find us some one to hang or we'll hang you?"

"I told you I was thinking of resigning."

"Because they want to bully you into making a case against the private secretary—and you have a conscience?"

"Lord, no. I'd convict him to-day if I could. I don't like the fellow. He's a young prig. But I can't convict him. No; I don't think they want to hang anybody in particular. But they must have somebody to hang, and I can't find him."

"It isn't much in my way," Reggie murmured. "The Civil Service frightens me. I have a