BARKERHS’ LUCK. 31

‘ Second,’ for, of course, you ’ve followed the quotations, and are likely to know what stock you ’re holding shares of. When you go back, take a look at them, and you ’ll see I am right.”

“ But I brought them with me,” said Bar- ker, with a slight flushing as he felt in his pocket, “ and I am quite sure they are the ‘First.’ ” He brought them ou.t and laid them 0n the desk before the manager.

The words “ First Extension ” were plainly visible. The manager glanced cu- riously at Barker, and his brow darkened.

“ Did anybody put this up on you? ” he said sternly. “ Did your partners send you here with this stuff? ” i

“ No I no! ” said Barker eagerly. “ No one! It ’s all my mistake. I see it now. I trusted to the newspaper.”

“ And you mean to say you never exam- ined the stock or the quotations, nor fol- lowed it in any way, since you had it?”

“ Never I ” said Barker. “ Never thought about it at all till I saw the newspaper. So it’s not worth anything?” And, to the in- finite surprise of the manager, there was a slight smile on his boyish face.

“ I am afraid it is not worth the paper it ’s

Written on,” said the manager gently. 2—v. 6