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Updated: June 25, 2025
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."
"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." The man at the other end wrote the address, and then asked "At what hour, madam?" "I want him from four till six o'clock." "Very well, madam, we shall send him."
"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.
"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.
The girl herself sank into an armchair, while Stansford sat on a low table, swinging one foot to and fro, his wide-brimmed hat thrown back, and gazed at the girl until she reddened more than ever. Neither spoke for some moments. "Do you know," said Stansford at last, "that when I look at you South Africa seems a long distance away!"
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.
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.
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?
At three o'clock there came a ring at the telephone, and when Miss Linderham answered the call, the voice which she had heard before said "I am very sorry to disappoint you, madam, but Lord Stansford resigned this afternoon. We could send you another man if you liked to have him." "No, no!" cried Miss Linderham; and the man at the other end of the telephone actually thought she was weeping.
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.
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