“I don’t think that Halliday really explored it very much. He found it, but just at the moment he received the tempting offer from America; so he was glad to get rid of it. I went over to Ras Benas before I bought it, and looked into the hole in the sand which gave entrance to the ancient workings.”
“Well, I hope you will find that it is still a rich mine. Gold is sadly wanted now that America holds all that we had before the war.”
“That’s just it,” said the smartly-dressed man. “Old Julius Evenden used that selfsame argument yesterday when I put the prospect before him.”
“Then you’ve offered it to Evenden?” asked Falconer, naming one of the greatest financial houses in the city.
“Yes, and I believe he’ll take it up. If so, it will mean a fortune for me.”
“Oh! you always were terribly lucky, Gilbert!” laughed Beryl. “Let’s go across and have a drink. I’m sure Mr. Falconer wants to wish you good-luck!”
And the trio passed along to the little bar just off the dancing-room.
A Marconigram sent from Fenchurch Street to Marseilles next day by Falconer elicited the fact, from Cook’s Agency, that the black trunk received from London addressed to Mr. Halliday had been claimed three days after its arrival.
Again Geoffrey inquired by wireless for a description of the man who had claimed it, but the reply was that he was “an elderly Englishman”!
Though Geoffrey was very full of work, experimenting upon the new circuit for wireless telephony, nevertheless he devoted all his spare time to solving the whereabouts of his old school chum. And in this Sylvia gladly assisted him.