London (England) -- Fiction; Love stories; Social classes -- Fiction
"That doesn't take up a great deal of your time," he remarked.
"But you're getting on, aren't you?"
"I think of going in for the boot-black business," he said. "I believe
I could make a reputation there."
"Don't you go losing 'eart," advised Mr. Trew. "I shouldn't be in the
position I occupy now if I hadn't made up my mind, from the start, not
to get low-spirited. If any disappointments come your way, simply
laugh at 'em. They can stand anything but that. Who is this I see on
the far horizon?"
"Don't let him catch sight of us just yet," begged the girl
apprehensively. "He seems to have ladies with him."
Henry's companions entered the house, as the roaring within became
insistent, and he looked up and down eagerly. Gertie gave a whistle.
"You and I have met before," he said smilingly to Mr. Trew.
"I was a Boy Messenger then, sir."
Gertie introduced her cousin with a touch of pride.
"I am trying to think," said Clarence, "where I saw your name to-day."
"Haven't made a name yet," remarked Henry. "Only been at it for about
eighteen months. I say! We don't want to go into that enormous crowd.
We'll stroll round and see how the penguins are getting on. They
sometimes look as though they were thinking of giving me a commission
to draw up plans for new Law Courts."
At one of the open windows the two ladies were standing, watching over
many heads the high tea that was being served to the impatient animals.
The younger one happened to turn as Gertie and her friends went by; she
raised her eyebrows.
"Everybody one knows appears to be here," said Henry Douglass. "I wish
you had agreed instead to run out with me from Baker Street Station
into the country."
"Can't do that yet," she answered definitely. "Not until we know each
other a great deal better."
"Your rules of conduct are precise."
"You'll like me all the better later on," said Gertie, "because of
that. Always supposing," she continued, "that you do go on liking me."
"So far as I can gather," he remarked good-temperedly, "I am _persona
grata_ now at Praed Street."
"I don't know what that means," she said; "but aunt has quite taken to
you. Just look at this! Isn't it extr'ordinary?--Clarence," she
called over her shoulder to her cousin, "here is most likely where you
saw the name this afternoon."
She examined the inscription framed on the bars. "Presented to the
Society by Sir Mark Douglass."
"No," said Clarence Mills. "That wasn't it. My sluggish memory will
arouse presently, and then I shall be able to exhibit signs of
intelligence."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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