A Perfectly Splendid Chapter.
Mr. Bitt turned to Bill; indicated the door behind which my poor George
was wrestling in prayer. “The only difficulty is with that chap in
there. He knows the cat is found! How can we--”
“If you will leave that to me, sir,” Bill told him, “I think I can
arrange it without difficulty.”
“Or danger?” added Mr. Vivian Howard, who, standing for English
literature, would not lightly imperil his integrity.
“Or the least danger,” Bill affirmed. “He's a kind of friend of
mine--did I mention that, sir? I'll fix it up in a minute.”
He stepped briskly to George; closed the door behind him.
George said faintly: “Say it quick, Bill. Quick.”
“You've got it, old man. Got it.”
George rose to his feet; stretched his arms aloft; wildly waved them.
The tremendous shout for which he opened his mouth was stayed upon his
lips by Bill's warning finger. He hurled himself on a couch; rolled in
ecstasy.
Rapidly Bill outlined the proposals. Then he struck a heavy hand upon
George's shoulder. “And I've got it too!” he cried in an exultant
whisper. “I've got it too! I've got Margaret!”
“Margaret! However--?”
“Like this. Plain as a fiddle-stick. To-morrow, when we get out this
story about practically having our hand on the thief, I shall go bang
down to Marrapit with the paper and tell him I know it was Mrs. Major
who took the cat. You can imagine the state that'll put 'em both in.
Then--then, my boy, I shall say 'Let Margy and me carry on and fix it
up forthwith, and I'll promise Mrs. Major shall never hear a word more
about the matter.' He'll agree like a shot. The chief's not going to
prosecute, you see; so neither Mrs. Major nor you ever will hear a word
more. George, we've done it! Done it! You've got your Mary and I've got
my Margy!”
With swelling bosoms, staring eyes, upon this tremendous happening the
two young men clasped hands; stood heavily breathing. These men were
glimpsing heaven.
When they unlocked, George said: “There's one thing, Bill. Go in and
tell that precious pair they can hold over the discovery till they
please and that I shall never breathe a word. But tell 'em this: I don't
agree unless I have my cheque right away.”
Bill advised no stipulations.
George stood firm: “I don't care a snap, Bill. I will have it now. I've
been badgered about quite enough. I want to feel safe. I'll either lose
it all or have it all. No more uncertainty. Anything might happen during
the week, for all I know.”
Bill took the message.
Upon immediate payment Mr. Bitt at first stuck. “He might turn back on
us, or start blackmailing us. He may have stolen the cat himself for all
we know.”
“All the more likely, in that case, to keep his mouth shut,” commented
Mr. Vivian Howard. Despite he stood for literature, this man had strong
business instincts.
Bill urged compliance. He knew this finder of the cat; would speak for
him as for himself.
Mr. Bitt put a quill into his inkstand; took George's name; wrote a
slip; handed it to Bill. “Take that to the cashier, Wyvern. He'll give
you the cheque. Clear your friend out. Eh? No--no need for me to see him
again. Of course you must get his story of how he found the cat, to use
when the 'What my Loss means to Me' articles run out. Then come back and
we'll fix up to-morrow's account.”
A cabman drove to St. Peter's Hospital a seemingly insane young man,
who bounded into the cab with a piece of paper in his hand; who sang and
rattled his heels upon the foot-board, shouted to passers-by; who paid
with two half-crowns; who bounded, paper still fluttering in hand, up
the steps of the Dean's entrance with a wild and tremendous whoop.
George had scarcely explained to the Dean an incoherent story of L500
won through a newspaper competition, when the Mr. Lawrence, M.R.C.S.,
L.R.C.P., whose practice was at Runnygate, arrived.
Informally the purchase was at once arranged; a further meeting settled.
George bolted to another cab; drove to Meath Street by way of the
florist near Victoria Station; took aboard an immense basket of flowers.
At the house he gathered the flowers beneath his arm; on the way
upstairs shifted them to his hands; flung wide the door.
His Mary, white, a tooth on a trembling lip, her pretty hands clasped,
was before him. In a great whirling shower he flung the blossoms about
her; then took her in his arms.
“Runnygate, Mary! Darling old girl, Runnygate!”
He kissed his Mary.
Last Shots from the Bridge.
If you had patience for another peep from the bridge that I can build,
you might catch a glimpse or so.
Bending over you might see Bill seated at the editor's table of the
editor's room of a monstrously successful monthly magazine of most
monstrous fiction that Mr. Bitt's directors have started; Margaret, that
sentimental young woman, by her husband's side is correcting the
proofs of a poem signed “Margaret Wyvern.” It is of the most exquisite
melancholy.
Bending over you might see George upon one of the summer evenings when,
his duties through, he is taking his Mary for a drive in the country
behind that rising seaside resort Runnygate. They are plunging along in
a tremendous dogcart drawn by an immense horse. George is fully occupied
with his steed; Mary, peeping at constant intervals through the veil
that hides the clear blue eyes and the ridiculous little turned-up nose
of her baby, at every corner says: “Oh, George! Georgie, do be careful!
We were on _one_ wheel then, I _know_ we were!” But along the level the
wind riots at her pretty curls as she sits up very straight and very
proud, smiling at this splendid fellow beside her.
Bending over you might see the garden of Herons' Holt, Mr. Fletcher
leading from the house the fat white pony and tubby wide car which Mrs.
Marrapit, formerly Mrs. Major, has prevailed upon her husband to buy.
The pony has all the docile qualities of a blind sheep, but Mr. Fletcher
is in great terror of it. When, while being groomed, it suddenly lifts
its head, Mr. Fletcher drops his curry-comb and retires from the stall
at great speed. “It's 'ard,” says Mr. Fletcher--“damn 'ard. I'm a
gardener, I am; not a 'orse-breaker.”
THE END.