Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/15

Rh they do, this Dr. Nikola, whoever he may be, won't be able to find fault with my arrangements."

Leaving the dusty high road of Business, they wandered in the shady bridle-paths of Love—to the end that when the chief bookkeeper returned to her own department, she had forgotten the strange dinner party about to take place upstairs, and was busily engaged upon a calculation as to how she would look in white satin and orange blossoms, and whether it was true, as Miss Joyce, a subordinate, had been heard to declare, that the manager had once shown himself partial to a certain widow with reputed savings and a share in an extensive egg and dairy business.

At ten minutes to eight precisely a hansom drew up at the steps of the hotel. An undersized gentleman, with a clean shaven countenance, a canonical corporation, and bow legs, dressed in a decided clerical garb, alighted. He paid and discharged his cabman, and then took from his ticket pocket an ordinary white visiting card, which he presented to the gold-laced individual who had opened the apron. The latter, having noted the red spot, called a waiter, and the reverend gentleman was escorted upstairs.

Hardly had the attendant time to return to his station in the hall, before a second cab made its appearance, closely followed by a third. Out of the second jumped a tall, active, well-built man of about thirty years of age. He was dressed in evening dress of the latest fashion, and to conceal it from the vulgar gaze wore a large Inverness cape of heavy texture. He also in his turn handed a white card to the porter, and having done so proceeded into the hall, followed by the occupant of the other cab, who had closely copied his example. This individual was also in evening dress,