Page:Guy Boothby--A Bid for Fortune.djvu/36

26 were any the worse for her fright. The thought was no sooner born in my brain than I was eager to be off. But it was too early for such a formal business, so I had to cool my heels in the hall for an hour or so. Then, hailing a hansom and enquiring the direction of their house, I drove off to Potts Point. The house was the last in the street—an imposing mansion standing in well-laid-out grounds. The butler answered my ring, and in response to my enquiry dashed my hopes to the ground by informing me that Miss Wetherell was out.

"She's very busy, you see, at present, sir. She and the master leave for England on Friday in the 'Orizaba.

"What!" I cried, almost forgetting myself in my astonishment. "You don't mean to say Miss Wetherell goes to England in the 'Orizaba'?"

"I do, sir. And I do hear she's goin' 'ome to be presented at Court, sir!"

"Ah! Thank you. Will you give her my card, and say I hope she is none the worse for her fright last evening?"

He took the card and a substantial tip with it, and I went back to my cab in the seventh heaven of delight. I was to be shipmates with this lovely creature! For six weeks or more I should be able to see her every day! It seemed almost too good to be true. Instinctively I began to make all sorts of plans and arrangements. Who knew but what—but stay, we must bring ourselves up here with a round turn or we shall be anticipating what's to come.

To make a long story short—for it must be remembered that what I am telling you is only to lead up to all the extraordinary things that will have to be told later on—the day of sailing came. I went down to the