"Yes. But not ordinary amateur photographs; his work is more technical
and quite excellent of its kind. For example, he did a most beautiful
series of micro-photographs of sections of metalliferous rocks which he
reproduced for publication by the collotype process, and even printed
off the plates himself."

"I see. He must be a very capable fellow."

"He is, very," she assented, "and very keen on making a position; but I
am afraid he is rather too fond of money for its own sake, which is not
a pleasant feature in a young man's character, is it?"

I agreed that it was not.

"Excessive keenness in money affairs," proceeded Miss Gibson oracularly,
"is apt to lead a young man into bad ways--oh, you need not smile, Dr.
Jervis, at my wise saws; it is perfectly true, and you know it. The fact
is, I sometimes have an uneasy feeling that Walter's desire to be rich
inclines him to try what looks like a quick and easy method of making
money. He had a friend--a Mr. Horton--who is a dealer on the Stock
Exchange and who 'operates' rather largely--'operate' I believe is the
expression used, although it seems to be nothing more than common
gambling--and I have more than once suspected Walter of being concerned
in what Mr. Horton calls 'a little flutter.'"

"That doesn't strike me as a very long-headed proceeding," I remarked,
with the impartial wisdom of the impecunious, and therefore untempted.

"No," she agreed, "it isn't. But your gambler always thinks he is going