The large mansion of Louis Heckle, millionaire and dealer in gold
mines, was illuminated from top to bottom. Carriages were arriving and
departing, and guests were hurrying up the carpeted stair after passing
under the canopy that stretched from the doorway to the edge of the
street. A crowd of on-lookers stood on the pavement watching the
arrival of ladies so charmingly attired. Lord Stansford came alone in a
hansom, and he walked quickly across the bit of carpet stretched to the
roadway, and then more leisurely up the broad stair. He was an athletic
young fellow of twenty-six, or thereabout. The moment he entered the
large reception-room his eyes wandered, searchingly, over the gallant
company, apparently looking for some one whom he could not find. He
passed into a further room, and through that into a third, and there,
his searching gaze met the stare of Billy Heckle. Heckle was a young
man of about the same age as Lord Stansford, and he also was seemingly
on the look-out for some one among the arriving guests. The moment he
saw Lord Stansford a slight frown gathered upon his brow, and he moved
among the throng toward the spot where the other stood. Stansford saw
him coming, and did not seem to be so pleased as might have been
expected, but he made no motion to avoid the young man, who accosted
him without salutation.
"Look here," said Heckle gruffly, "I want a word with you."
"Very well," answered Stansford, in a low voice; "so long as you speak
in tones no one else can hear, I am willing to listen."
"You will listen, whether or no," replied the other, who, nevertheless,
took the hint and subdued his voice. "I have met you on various
occasions lately, and I want to give you a word of warning. You seem to
be very devoted to Miss Linderham, so perhaps you do not know she is
engaged to me."
"I have heard it so stated," said Lord Stansford, "but I have found
some difficulty in believing the statement."
"Now, see here," cried the horsey young man, "I want none of your
cheek, and I give you fair warning that, if you pay any more attention
to the young lady, I shall expose you in public. I mean what I say, and
I am not going to stand any of your nonsense."
Lord Stansford's face grew pale, and he glanced about him to see if by
chance any one had overheard the remark. He seemed about to resent it,
but finally gained control over himself and said--
"We are in your father's house, Mr. Heckle, and I suppose it is quite
safe to address a remark like that to me!"
"I know it's quite safe--anywhere," replied Heckle. "You've got the
straight tip from me; now see you pay attention to it."
Heckle turned away, and Lord Stansford, after standing there for a
moment, wandered back to the middle room. The conversation had taken
place somewhat near a heavily-curtained window, and the two men stood
slightly apart from the other guests. When they left the spot the
curtains were drawn gently apart, and a tall, very handsome young lady
stepped from between them. She watched Lord Stansford's retreat for a
moment, and then made as though she would follow him, but one of her
admirers came forward to claim her hand for the first dance. "Music has
just begun in the ball-room," he said. She placed her hand on the arm
of her partner and went out with him.
When the dance was over, she was amazed to see Lord Stansford still in
the room. She had expected him to leave, when the son of his host spoke
so insultingly to him, but the young man had not departed. He appeared
to be enjoying himself immensely, and danced through every dance with
the utmost devotion, which rather put to shame many of the young men
who lounged against the walls; never once, however, did he come near
Miss Linderham until the evening was well on, and then he passed her by
accident. She touched him on the arm with her fan, and he looked round
quickly.
"Oh, how do you do, Miss Linderham?" he said.
"Why have you ignored me all the evening?" she asked, looking at him
with sparkling eyes.
"I haven't ignored you," he replied, with some embarrassment; "I did
not know you were here."
"Oh, that is worse than ignoring," replied Miss Linderham, with a
laugh; "but now that you do know I am here, I wish you to take me into
the garden. It is becoming insufferably hot in here."
"Yes," said the young man, getting red in the face, "it is warm."
The girl could not help noticing his reluctance, but nevertheless she
took his arm, and they passed through several rooms to the terrace
which faced the garden. Lord Stansford's anxious eyes again seemed to
search the rooms through which they passed, and again, on encountering
those of Billy Heckle, Miss Linderham's escort shivered slightly as he
passed on. The girl wondered what mystery was at the bottom of all
this, and with feminine curiosity resolved to find out, even if she had
to ask Lord Stansford himself. They sauntered along one of the walks
until they reached a seat far from the house. The music floated out to
them through the open windows, faint in the distance. Miss Linderham
sat down and motioned Lord Stansford to sit beside her. "Now," she
said, turning her handsome face full upon him, "why have you avoided me
all the evening?"
"I haven't avoided you," he said.
"Tut, tut, you mustn't contradict a lady, you know. I want the reason,
the real reason, and no excuses."
Before the young man could reply, Billy Heckle, his face flushed with
wine or anger, or perhaps both, strode down the path and confronted
them.
"I gave you your warning," he cried.
Lord Stansford sprang to his feet; Miss Linderham arose also, and
looked in some alarm from one young man to the other.
"Stop a moment, Heckle; don't say a word, and I will meet you where you
like afterwards," hurriedly put in his lordship.
"Afterwards is no good to me," answered Heckle. "I gave you the tip,
and you haven't followed it."
"I beg you to remember," said Stansford, in a low voice with a tremor
in it, "there is a lady present."
Miss Linderham turned to go.
"Stop a moment," cried Heckle; "do you know who this man is?"
Miss Linderham stopped, but did not answer.
"I'll tell you who he is: he is a hired guest. My father pays five
guineas for his presence here to-night, and every place you have met
him, he has been there on hire. That's the kind of man Lord Stansford
is. I told you I should expose you. Now I am going to tell the others."
Lord Stansford's face was as white as paper. His teeth were clinched,
and taking one quick step forward, he smote Heckle fair between the two
eyes and felled him to the ground.
"You cur!" he cried. "Get up, or I shall kick you, and hate myself ever
after for doing it."
Young Heckle picked himself up, cursing under his breath.
"I'll settle with you, my man," he cried; "I'll get a policeman. You'll
spend the remainder of this night in the cells."
"I shall do nothing of the sort," answered Lord Stansford, catching him
by both wrists with an iron grasp. "Now pay attention to me, Billy
Heckle: you feel my grip on your wrist; you felt my blow in your face,
didn't you? Now you go into the house by whatever back entrance there
is, go to your room, wash the blood off your face, and stay there,
otherwise, by God, I'll break both of your wrists as you stand here,"
and he gave the wrists a wrench that made the other wince, big and
bulky as he was.
"I promise," said Heckle.
"Very well, see that you keep your promise."
Young Heckle slunk away, and Lord Stansford turned to Miss Linderham,
who stood looking on, speechless with horror and surprise.
"What a brute you are!" she cried, her under lip quivering.
"Yes," he replied quietly. "Most of us men are brutes when you take a
little of the varnish off. Won't you sit down, Miss Linderham? There is
no need now to reply to the question you asked me: the incident you
have witnessed, and what you have heard, has been its answer."
The young lady did not sit down; she stood looking at him, her eyes
softening a trifle.
"Is it true, then?" she cried.
"Is what true?"
"That you are here as a hired guest?"
"Yes, it is true."
"Then why did you knock him down, if it was the truth?"
"Because he spoke the truth before you."
"I hope, Lord Stansford, you don't mean to imply that I am in any way
responsible for your ruffianism?"
"You are, and in more than one sense of the word. That young fellow
threatened me when I came here to-night, knowing that I was his
father's hired guest; I did not wish exposure, and so I avoided you.
You spoke to me, and asked me to bring you out here. I came, knowing
that if Heckle saw me he would carry out his threat. He has carried it
out, and I have had the pleasure of knocking him down."
Miss Linderham sank upon the seat, and once more motioned with her fan
for him to take the place beside her.
"Then you receive five guineas a night for appearing at the different
places where I have met you?"
"As a matter of fact," said Stansford, "I get only two guineas. I
suppose the other three, if such is the price paid, goes to my
employers."
"I thought Mr. Heckle was your employer tonight?"
"I mean to the company who let me out, if I make myself clear; Spink
and Company. Telephone 100,803. If you should ever want an eligible
guest for any entertainment you give, and men are scarce, you have only
to telephone them, and they will send me to you."
"Oh, I see," said Miss Linderham, tapping her knee with the fan.
"It is only justice to my fellow employés," continued Lord Stansford,
"to say that I believe they are all eligible young men, but many of
them may be had for a guinea. The charge in my case is higher as I have
a title. I have tried to flatter myself that it was my polished,
dignified manner that won me the extra remuneration; but after your
exclamation on my brutality to-night, I am afraid I must fall back on
my title. We members of the aristocracy come high, you know."
There was silence between them for a few moments, and then the girl
looked up at him and said--
"Aren't you ashamed of your profession, Lord Stansford?"
"Yes," replied Lord Stansford, "I am."
"Then why do you follow it?"
"Why does a man sweep a street-crossing? Lack of money. One must have
money, you know, to get along in this world; and I, alas, have none. I
had a little once; I wanted to make it more, so gambled--and lost. I
laid low for a couple of years, and saw none of my old acquaintances;
but it was no use, there was nothing I could turn my hand to. This
profession, as you call it, led me back into my old set again. It is
true that many of the houses I frequented before my disaster overtook
me, do not hire guests. I am more in demand by the new-rich, like
Heckle here, who, with his precious son, does not know how to treat a
guest, even when that guest is hired."
"But I should think," said Miss Linderham, "that a man like you would
go to South Africa or Australia, where there are great things to be
done. I imagine, from the insight I have had into your character, you
would make a good fighter. Why don't you go where fighting is
appreciated, and where they do not call a policeman?"
"I have often thought of it, Miss Linderham, but you see, to secure an
appointment, one needs to have a certain amount of influence, and be
able to pass examinations, I can't pass an examination in anything. I
have quarrelled with all my people, and have no influence. To tell you
the truth, I am saving up money now in the hope of being able to buy an
outfit to go to the Cape."
"You would much rather be in London, though, I suppose?"
"Yes, if I had a reasonably good income."
"Are you open to a fair offer?"
"What do you mean by a fair offer?"
"I mean, would you entertain a proposal in your present line of
business with increased remuneration?"
The young man sat silent for a few moments and did not look at his
companion. When he spoke there was a shade of resentment in his voice.
"I thought you saw, Miss Linderham, that I was not very proud of my
present occupation."
"No, but, as you said, a man will do anything for money."
"I beg your pardon for again contradicting you, but I never said
anything of the sort."
"I thought you did, when you were speaking of the crossing-sweeping;
but never mind, I know a lady who has plenty of money; she is an
artist; at least, she thinks she is one, and wishes to devote her life
to art. She is continually pestered by offers of marriage, and she
knows these offers come to her largely because of her money. Now, this
lady wishes to marry a man, and will settle upon him two thousand
pounds a year. Would you be willing to accept that offer if I got you
an introduction?"
"It would depend very much on the lady," said Stansford.
"Oh no, it wouldn't; for you would have nothing whatever to do with
her, except that you would be her hired husband. She wants to devote
herself to painting, not to you--don't you understand? and so long as
you did not trouble her, you could enjoy your two thousand pounds a
year. You, perhaps, might have to appear at some of the receptions she
would give, and I have no doubt she would add five guineas an evening
for your presence. That would be an extra, you know."
There was a long silence between them after Maggie Linderham ceased
speaking. The young man kicked the gravel with his toes, and his eyes
were bent upon the path before him. "He is thinking it over," said Miss
Linderham to herself. At last Lord Stansford looked up, with a sigh.
"Did you see the late scuffle between the unfortunate Heckle and
myself?"
"Did I see it?" she asked. "How could I help seeing it?"
"Ah, then, did you notice that when he was down I helped him up?"
"Yes; and threatened to break his wrists when you got him up."
"Quite so. I should have done it, too, if he had not promised. But what
I wanted to call your attention to, was the fact that he was standing
up when I struck him, and I want also to impress upon you the other
fact, that I did not hit him when he was down. Did you notice that?"
"Of course, I noticed it. No man would hit another when he was down."
"I am very glad, Miss Linderham, that you recognise it as a code of
honour with us men, brutes as we are. Don't you think a woman should be
equally generous?"
"Certainly; but I don't see what you mean."
"I mean this, Miss Linderham, that your offer is hitting me when I'm
down."
"Oh!" exclaimed Miss Linderham, in dismay. "I'm sure I beg your pardon;
I did not look at it in that light."
"Oh, it doesn't matter very much," said Stansford, rising; "it's all
included in the two guineas, but I'm pleased to think I have some self-
respect left, and that I can refuse your lady, and will not become a
hired husband at two thousand pounds a year. May I see you back to the
house, Miss Linderham? As you are well aware, I have duties towards
other guests who are not hired, and it is a point of honour with me to
earn my money. I wouldn't like a complaint to reach the ears of Spink
and Company."
Miss Linderham rose and placed her hand within his arm.
"Telephone, what number?" she asked.
"Telephone 100,803," he answered. "I am sorry the firm did not provide
me with some of their cards when I was at the office this afternoon."
"It doesn't matter," said Miss Linderham; "I will remember," and they
entered the house together.
Next day, at a large studio in Kensington, none of the friends who had
met Miss Linderham at the ball the evening before would have recognised
the girl; not but what she was as pretty as ever, perhaps a little
prettier, with her long white pinafore and her pretty fingers
discoloured by the crayons she was using. She was trying to sketch upon
the canvas before her the figure of a man, striking out from the
shoulder, and she did not seem to have much success with her drawing,
perhaps because she had no model, and perhaps because her mind was pre-
occupied. She would sit for a long time staring at the canvas, then
jump up and put in lines which did not appear to bring the rough sketch
any nearer perfection.
The room was large, with a good north window, and scattered about were
the numberless objects that go to the confusing make-up of an artist's
workshop. At last Miss Linderham threw down her crayon, went to the end
of the room where a telephone hung, and rang the bell.
"Give me," she said, "100,803."
After a few moments of waiting, a voice came.
"Is that Spink and Company?" she asked.
"Yes, madam," was the reply.
"You have in your employ Lord Stansford, I think?"
"Yes, madam."
"Is he engaged for this afternoon?"
"No, madam."
"Well, send him to Miss Linderham, No. 2,044, Cromwell Road, South
Kensington."