Page:Edgar Jepson--the four philanthropists.djvu/147

Rh showed a very fine conceit of himself for the rest of the afternoon. He came back with me to the Temple, where we found Angel and Chelubai awaiting my return. When we came into the room, his first words were, "I've got another job for the Company."

"Good!" said Chelubai, and Bottiger broke into the triumphant narration of the incident of the bet.

I was taken aback, but at the end of it Chelubai said, with cold ferocity, "I don't think there's a man in England I should have greater pleasure in removing."

"Oh, come," I protested. "You're not going seriously to maintain that that old blatherer Blackthwaite is an enemy of Humanity?"

"Not an enemy of Humanity? You should have seen him trump my nine of spades last Friday," said Chelubai. "You should have seen the no-trumper he declared on Monday," said Bottiger.

There was a baleful glare in their eyes.

"Has he ever talked to you about the fiscal question?" said Chelubai.

"He has to me," said Bottiger, and he laughed horribly.

"This is a very reprehensible spirit," I said firmly. "You propose to divert an organization