"Yours, Mr. Bunsome," he said, "is purely the commercial point of view.
So far as Mr. Burton and I are concerned, and Mr. Bomford, too, you
must please remember that we are profoundly and absolutely convinced of
the almost miraculous properties of this preparation. Its romantic
history is a thing we have thoroughly attested. Our only fear at the
present moment is that too large a quantity of the constituents of the
beans which Mr. Burton has handed over to me, may be found to be
distilled from Oriental herbs brought by that old student from the East.
However, of that in a few days' time we shall of course be able to speak
more definitely."
Mr. Bunsome coughed.
"Anyway," he declared, "that isn't my show. My part is to get the
particulars of this thing into shape, draft a prospectus, and engage
Rentoul if we can raise the money. I presume Mr. Burton will have no
objection to our using his photograph on the posters?"
Burton shivered.
"You must not think of such a thing!" he said, harshly.
Mr. Bunsome was disappointed.
"A picture of yourself as you were as an auctioneer's clerk," he
remarked, thoughtfully,--"a little gay in the costume, perhaps,
rakish-looking hat and tie, you know, and that sort of thing, leaning
over the bar, say, of a public-house--and a picture of yourself as you
are now, writing in a library one of those little articles of yours--the
two together, now, one each side, would have a distinct and convincing
effect.
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