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Updated: June 8, 2025
It's a got-up thing between old Swann and the Nugent lot, that's wot it is." "Looks like it," admitted Mr. Smith; "but fancy 'is picking me out for 'is games. That's wot gets over me." "Wot about all that money I paid for the license?" demanded Mr. Kybird, in a threatening manner. "Wot are you going to do about it?"
Kybird, with his wife standing close behind him, appeared in the doorway. "Who's making all this noise?" demanded the former, looking from one to the other. "I am," said Mr. Silk, fiercely. "It's no use your winking at me; I'm not going to 'ave any more of this nonsense. 'Melia, you go and get your 'at on and come straight off 'ome with me." Mr. Kybird gave a warning cough.
"Thought you were never coming," said Miss Kybird, tartly, as she led the way to the back room and took her seat at the untidy tea-tray. "And you've been crying your eyes out, I suppose," remarked Mr. Nugent, as he groped in the depths of a tall jar for black-currant jam. "Well, you're not the first, and I don't suppose you'll be the last. How's Teddy?"
He followed them into the small and untidy back parlour, and being requested by his hostess to squeeze in next to 'Melia at the small round table, complied so literally with the order that that young lady complained bitterly of his encroachments. "And where do you think of sleeping to-night?" inquired Mr. Kybird after his daughter had, to use her own expressive phrase, shown the guest "his place."
He faced his visitor stuttering with rage, and pointed to the door. "Get out of my house," he roared. "I'm sorry to have intruded," said Hardy, as he crossed the room and paused at the door; "it is none of my business, of course. I thought that I saw an opportunity of doing your son a good turn he is a friend of mine and at the same time paying off old scores against Kybird and Nathan Smith.
"I don't think it was a very nice thing to do," said Miss Nugent, with a superior air. "It wouldn't have been a very nice thing for you if your brother had married Miss Kybird," said the indignant Jem. "And you said, if you remember, that you didn't mind what I did." "I don't," said Miss Nugent, noticing with pleasure that the confident air of a few minutes ago had quite disappeared.
Kybird bade him "Go along, do," and acknowledged the introduction with as stately a bow as the black satin would permit, and before the dazed Jem quite knew how it all happened he was leading the way with Mrs. Kybird, while the young people, as she called them, followed behind. "We ain't looking at you," she said, playfully, over her shoulder.
Kybird, who felt that he was expected to say something. "Dr. Blaikie was the other witness," continued Mr. Smith, disregarding the interruption; "and Mr. Swann made us both promise to keep it a dead secret till 'e's gone, but out o' friendship to you I thought I'd step round and let you know." The emphasis on the words was unmistakable; Mrs.
Smith met the pleasantry coldly; the ailment referred to was one of some standing and had been a continual source of expense in the way of balsams and other remedies. "He's worried about 'is money," he said, referring to Mr. Swann. "Ah, we sha'n't 'ave that worry," said Mr. Kybird. "Nobody to leave it to," continued Mr. Smith. "Seems a bit 'ard, don't it?"
The potent fluid softened him somewhat, and a half-formed intention to keep the news from Mr. Kybird melted away beneath its benign influence. "After all, we've been pals for pretty near thirty years," said Mr. Smith to himself. He took another draught. "Thirty years is a long time," he mused. He finished the glass.
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