The new millionaire he had not seen all day. When he got home that
night, he found Rex Lander in bed and asleep and did not disturb him.
He was tired to death and more anxious to make acquaintance with his
hard pillow, than he was to discuss Ursula Ardfern. In truth, he was
not prepared to discuss Ursula at all with any third person.
“I just loafed around,” said Rex the next morning, when asked to give
an account of his movements. “I had a very bad night and was up early.
You were sleeping like a pig when I looked in. I read your story in the
‘Megaphone’--by-the-way, you know that Miss Ardfern’s jewelry has been
stolen?”
“I know that very well indeed,” said Tab, “I saw her yesterday.”
Rex was instant attention.
“Where?” he asked eagerly. “What is she like, Tab--I mean off the
stage? Is she as beautiful--what colour eyes has she?”
Tab pushed back his chair and frowned at the young man across the table.
“Your curiosity is indecent,” he said severely, “really, Rex, I never
dreamt that you were so interested in the lady.”
Rex did not meet his eyes.
“I think she is very beautiful,” he said doggedly. “I’d give my head to
spend a day with her.”
“Phew!” said Tab, “why you young devil, you are in love with her!”
Rex’s babyish face went crimson.
“Stuff,” he said loudly. “I am very fond of her. I have seen her a
hundred times, I suppose, though I have never spoken to her once. She
is my idea of the perfect woman. Beautiful of face, with the loveliest
voice I have ever heard. I am going to know her one day.”
This revelation of Babe’s secret passion was, for some reason which Tab
could not define, an extremely disquieting one.
“My dear Babe,” he said more mildly, “the young lady is not of the
loving or marrying sort--”
Suddenly he remembered.
“Why, you are a millionaire now, Babe! Jumping Moses!”
Rex blushed again and then Tab whistled.
“Do you mean in all seriousness that you are truly fond of her?”
“I adore her,” said Rex in a low voice. “I got so rattled when I heard
a fellow say she was going to be married, that I had to send you to see
her.”
Tab interrupted him with a roar of delighted laughter.
“So that was why I was sent on a fool’s errand, eh?” he asked, his
eyes dancing. “You subtle dog! It was to bring balm to your bruised
heart that an eminent crime specialist must stand, hat in hand, in the
dingy purlieus of a playhouse, begging admission to the great actress’s
dressing-room.” He was serious in a moment. “I hope this isn’t a very
violent attachment of yours, Rex,” he said quietly, “in the first
place, it struck me that Ursula Ardfern is not of the marrying kind,
that even your great possessions would not tempt her. In the second
place--” he stopped himself.
“Well?” asked Rex impatiently. “What ever other just cause or
impediment do you see?”
“I don’t know that it is any business of mine,” said Tab, “and I
certainly am not in a position to give you fatherly advice.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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