"Now, Blake," said Stranleigh, turning to the secretary, "did you put the pound a day in envelopes, as I ordered?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Then it would be rather a pity to tear them all open again, and since I've had the pleasure of telling these gentlemen what I think of them, I propose that we leave their compensation at the figure I first intended. You'd better go now."
Blake, rising, took with him a stout, well-filled handbag, and disappeared. A moment later the purr of a departing automobile was heard.
"Now, gentlemen, a very few words more, and I bespeak your serious attention. Within an hour you will be in possession of more money than any of you ever received at one time. It is perhaps foolish to make this donation, which every man before me knows he does not deserve, but if it enables you to get jobs, I shall be very glad. It will doubtless lead some of you a little faster on the road to destruction. That I cannot prevent, but I give you a final warning. The road from here to the station is direct. A fast walker may do the trick in thirty-seven minutes. Blake will wait at the station for quarter of an hour only, and there will hand to each man a packet, containing five-
