"I have heard it so stated," said Lord Stansford, "but I have found some difficulty in believing the statement."
"Now, see here," cried the horsey young man, "I want none of your cheek, and I give you fair warning that, if you pay any more attention to the young lady, I shall expose you in public. I mean what I say, and I am not going to stand any of your nonsense."
Lord Stansford"s face grew pale, and he glanced about him to see if by chance any one had overheard the remark. He seemed about to resent it, but finally gained control over himself and said--
"We are in your father"s house, Mr. Heckle, and I suppose it is quite safe to address a remark like that to me!"
"I know it"s quite safe--anywhere," replied Heckle. "You"ve got the straight tip from me; now see you pay attention to it."
Heckle turned away, and Lord Stansford, after standing there for a moment, wandered back to the middle room. The conversation had taken place somewhat near a heavily-curtained window, and the two men stood slightly apart from the other guests. When they left the spot the curtains were drawn gently apart, and a tall, very handsome young lady stepped from between them. She watched Lord Stansford"s retreat for a moment, and then made as though she would follow him, but one of her admirers came forward to claim her hand for the first dance. "Music has just begun in the ball-room," he said. She placed her hand on the arm of her partner and went out with him.
When the dance was over, she was amazed to see Lord Stansford still in the room. She had expected him to leave, when the son of his host spoke so insultingly to him, but the young man had not departed. He appeared to be enjoying himself immensely, and danced through every dance with the utmost devotion, which rather put to shame many of the young men who lounged against the walls; never once, however, did he come near Miss Linderham until the evening was well on, and then he pa.s.sed her by accident. She touched him on the arm with her fan, and he looked round quickly.
"Oh, how do you do, Miss Linderham?" he said.
"Why have you ignored me all the evening?" she asked, looking at him with sparkling eyes.
"I haven"t ignored you," he replied, with some embarra.s.sment; "I did not know you were here."
"Oh, that is worse than ignoring," replied Miss Linderham, with a laugh; "but now that you do know I am here, I wish you to take me into the garden. It is becoming insufferably hot in here."
"Yes," said the young man, getting red in the face, "it is warm."
The girl could not help noticing his reluctance, but nevertheless she took his arm, and they pa.s.sed through several rooms to the terrace which faced the garden. Lord Stansford"s anxious eyes again seemed to search the rooms through which they pa.s.sed, and again, on encountering those of Billy Heckle, Miss Linderham"s escort shivered slightly as he pa.s.sed on. The girl wondered what mystery was at the bottom of all this, and with feminine curiosity resolved to find out, even if she had to ask Lord Stansford himself. They sauntered along one of the walks until they reached a seat far from the house. The music floated out to them through the open windows, faint in the distance. Miss Linderham sat down and motioned Lord Stansford to sit beside her. "Now," she said, turning her handsome face full upon him, "why have you avoided me all the evening?"
"I haven"t avoided you," he said.
"Tut, tut, you mustn"t contradict a lady, you know. I want the reason, the real reason, and no excuses."
Before the young man could reply, Billy Heckle, his face flushed with wine or anger, or perhaps both, strode down the path and confronted them.
"I gave you your warning," he cried.
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."
"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. My father pays five guineas for his presence here to-night, and every place you have met him, he has been there on hire. That"s the kind of man Lord Stansford is. I told you I should expose you. Now I am going to tell the others."
Lord Stansford"s face was as white as paper. His teeth were clinched, and taking one quick step forward, he smote Heckle fair between the two eyes and felled him to the ground.
"You cur!" he cried. "Get up, or I shall kick you, and hate myself ever after for doing it."
Young Heckle picked himself up, cursing under his breath.
"I"ll settle with you, my man," he cried; "I"ll get a policeman. You"ll spend the remainder of this night in the cells."
"I shall do nothing of the sort," answered Lord Stansford, catching him by both wrists with an iron grasp. "Now pay attention to me, Billy Heckle: you feel my grip on your wrist; you felt my blow in your face, didn"t you? Now you go into the house by whatever back entrance there is, go to your room, wash the blood off your face, and stay there, otherwise, by G.o.d, I"ll break both of your wrists as you stand here,"
and he gave the wrists a wrench that made the other wince, big and bulky as he was.
"I promise," said Heckle.
"Very well, see that you keep your promise."
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? There is no need now to reply to the question you asked me: the incident you have witnessed, and what you have heard, has been its answer."
The young lady did not sit down; she stood looking at him, her eyes softening a trifle.
"Is it true, then?" she cried.
"Is what true?"
"That you are here as a hired guest?"
"Yes, it is true."
"Then why did you knock him down, if it was the truth?"
"Because he spoke the truth before you."
"I hope, Lord Stansford, you don"t mean to imply that I am in any way responsible for your ruffianism?"
"You are, and in more than one sense of the word. That young fellow threatened me when I came here to-night, knowing that I was his father"s hired guest; I did not wish exposure, and so I avoided you.
You spoke to me, and asked me to bring you out here. I came, knowing that if Heckle saw me he would carry out his threat. He has carried it out, and I have had the pleasure of knocking him down."
Miss Linderham sank upon the seat, and once more motioned with her fan for him to take the place beside her.
"Then you receive five guineas a night for appearing at the different places where I have met you?"
"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. If you should ever want an eligible guest for any entertainment you give, and men are scarce, you have only to telephone them, and they will send me to you."