Ernest Bramah 
Bravo of London [EPUB ebook] 

Excerpt: ""A tolerably hard nut to crack, of course, " said the self-possessed young man with the very agreeable smile-an accomplishment which he did not trouble to exercise on his associate in this case, since they knew one another pretty well and were strictly talking business; "or you wouldn’t be so dead keen about me, Joolby." "Oh, I don’t know; I don’t know, Nickle, " replied the other with equal coolness, "There are hundreds-thousands-of young demobs like yourself to be had to-day for the asking. All very nice chaps personally, quite unscrupulous, willing to take any risk, competent within certain limits, and not one of them able to earn an honest living. No; if I were you I shouldn’t fancy myself indispensable."