We walked on a few steps down the still silent, disheartening street
without speaking. Then he tugged his beard, half-halted, and glanced at
me quickly.
"See here," said he, "the more sensible people I can get in to help
us the better. Would you like me to hand you over the Judd family _en
bloc_?"
This was startling to the amateur philanthropist. But it is the way of
all professionals to regard their own business as of absorbing interest
to the outside world. The stockbroking mind cannot conceive a sane
man indifferent to the fluctuations of the money market, and to the
professional cricketer the wide earth revolves around a wicket. How in
the world could I be fairy godfather to the Judd family? Campion took my
competence for granted.
"You may not understand exactly what I mean, my dear Campion," said
I; "but I attribute the most unholy disasters of my life to a ghastly
attempt of mine to play Deputy Providence."
"But who's asking you to play Deputy Providence?" he shouted. "It's the
very last idiot thing I want done.
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