Mrs. Westerfield's bold gray eyes expressed eager curiosity and interest. "You don't mean that he is going to be barman here again?"
"No such luck, my dear; he is a gentleman at large, who patronizes my house."
Mrs. Westerfield went on with her questions.
"Has he left America for good?"
"Not he! James Bellbridge is going back to New York, to open a saloon (as they call it) in partnership with another man. He's in England, he says, on business. It's my belief that he wants money for this new venture on bad security. They're smart people in New York. His only chance of getting his bills discounted is to humbug his relations, down in the country."
"When does he go to the country?"
"He's there now."
"When does he come back?"
"You're determined to see him, it appears. He comes back to-morrow."
"Is he married?"
"Aha! now we're coming to the point. Make your mind easy. Plenty of women have set the trap for him, but he has not walked into it yet. Shall I give him your love?"
"Yes," she said, coolly. "As much love as you please."
"Meaning marriage?" the landlord inquired.
"And money," Mrs. Westerfield added.
"Lord Le Basque's money."
"Lord Le Basque's money may go to the Devil!"
"Hullo! Your language reminds me of the time when you were a barmaid. You don't mean to say you have had a fortune left you?"
"I do! Will you give a message to James?"
"I'll do anything for a lady with a fortune."
"Tell him to come and drink tea with his old sweetheart tomorrow, at six o'clock."
"He won't do it."
"He will."
With that difference of opinion, they parted.
6.--The Brute.
To-morrow came--and Mrs. Westerfield's faithful James justified her confidence in him.
"Oh, Jemmy, how glad I am to see you! You dear, dear fellow. I'm yours at last."
"That depends, my lady, on whether I want you. Let go of my neck."
The man who entered this protest against imprisonment in the arms of a fine woman, was one of the human beings who are grown to perfection on English soil He had the fat face, the pink complexion, the hard blue eyes, the scanty yellow hair, the smile with no meaning in it, the tremendous neck and shoulders, the mighty fists and feet, which are seen in complete combination in England only. Men of this breed possess a nervous system without being aware of it; suffer affliction without feeling it; exercise courage without a sense of danger; marry without love; eat and drink without limit; and sink (big as they are), when disease attacks them, without an effort to live.