We lose money over Lupin's advice as to investment, so doesCummings. Murray Posh engaged to Daisy Mutlar.

　　February 18. - Carrie has several times recently called attention to thethinness of my hair at the top of my head, and recommended me to get itseen to. I was this morning trying to look at it by the aid of a small hand-glass, when somehow my elbow caught against the edge of the chest ofdrawers and knocked the glass out of my hand and smashed it. Carriewas in an awful way about it, as she is rather absurdly superstitious. Tomake matters worse, my large photograph in the drawing-room fell duringthe night, and the glass cracked.

　　Carrie said: "Mark my words, Charles, some misfortune is about tohappen."I said: "Nonsense, dear."In the evening Lupin arrived home early, and seemed a little agitated.

　　I said: "What's up, my boy?" He hesitated a good deal, and then said:

　　"You know those Parachikka Chlorates I advised you to invest 20 poundsin? I replied: "Yes, they are all right, I trust?" He replied: "Well, no!

　　To the surprise of everybody, they have utterly collapsed."My breath was so completely taken away, I could say nothing. Carrielooked at me, and said: "What did I tell you?" Lupin, after a while,said: "However, you are specially fortunate. I received an early tip, andsold out yours immediately, and was fortunate to get 2 pounds for them.

　　So you get something after all."I gave a sigh of relief. I said: "I was not so sanguine as to suppose,as you predicted, that I should get six or eight times the amount of myinvestment; still a profit of 2 pounds is a good percentage for such a shorttime." Lupin said, quite irritably: "You don't understand. I sold your 20pounds shares for 2 pounds; you therefore lose 18 pounds on thetransaction, whereby Cummings and Gowing will lose the whole oftheirs." February 19. -Lupin, before going to town, said: "I am very sorryabout those Parachikka Chlorates; it would not have happened if the boss,Job Cleanands, had been in town. Between ourselves, you must not besurprised if something goes wrong at our office. Job Cleanands has notbeen seen the last few days, and it strikes me several people DO want tosee him very particularly."In the evening Lupin was just on the point of going out to avoid acollision with Gowing and Cummings, when the former entered the room,without knocking, but with his usual trick of saying, "May I come in?"He entered, and to the surprise of Lupin and myself, seemed to be inthe very best of spirits. Neither Lupin nor I broached the subject to him,but he did so of his own accord. He said: "I say, those ParachikkaChlorates have gone an awful smash! You're a nice one, Master Lupin.

　　How much do you lose?" Lupin, to my utter astonishment, said: "Oh!

　　I had nothing in them. There was some informality in my application - Iforgot to enclose the cheque or something, and I didn't get a............