Happy-go-lucky
Page 27
CHAPTER XVIII
DE L'AUDACE, ET ENCORE DE L'AUDACE, ET TOUJOURS DE L'AUDACE!
"Daddy," announced Amelia in a stage whisper, "there's a mandownstairs."
"What sort of man?" enquired Mr. Welwyn, rising from his seat and edgingcarelessly in the direction of his bedroom door.
"A rough-looking man."
"Tell him," said Mr. Welwyn with his hand on the door-handle, "that I amnot at home. Percy! Quick! Keep that fellow out!"
But it was too late. A stranger stood in the midst of the House ofWelwyn.
He was an elderly, undersized, seedy-looking individual, with a bluechin, a red nose, and a faded theatrical manner. In his hand he held ablue-grey slip of paper. He smiled amiably upon the shrinking figure ofthe master of the house.
"Don't trouble to exit on my account, sir," he remarked wheezily.
"Who are you?" stammered Mr. Welwyn. "What is the meaning of thisintrusion?"
"Name of Welwyn?" enquired the stranger briskly.
"Yes."
"Loosius?"
"Yes."
"Then," announced the stranger, proffering the blue paper, "I must arskyou for your hospitality for a short time--a mere matter o' _form_, ofcourse--until this small account is settled. It's Gandy and Cox," hecontinued chattily: "seventeen-seventeen-six; and I 'm put in possessionuntil it's settled. In other words, 'ere I am, and 'ere I stays until Igets what I came for."
Depositing his frayed headgear upon the piano, the emissary of Gandy andCox was upon the point of selecting a chair, when he became conscious ofa sudden pressure upon the nape of his neck.
"Outside!" intimated Percy's voice.
"Pardon me," replied the visitor without moving, "but you touch me atyour own risk. I'm put in by the law."
There was a stifled cry from Mrs. Welwyn and the girls.
"The warrant was signed and 'anded to me this morning," continued therepresentative of Justice, "at ten-thirty exact. It is now in the 'andsof your Pa, young ladies--"
"Law be damned! Out you go!" shouted Percy, whirling the speaker roundtowards the door.
"Reflect!" urged the broker's man, gently resisting Percy's efforts toeject him by leaning back and digging his heels into the carpet. "What'sthe good? If you dot me one and fling me out, it merely means fourteendays without the option for assaulting a sheriff's officer in theexecution of his duty, on top of the distraint. If you don't believeme," he added, clinging affectionately to the leg of the piano, which hewas passing at the moment, "go and read the warrant."
"REFLECT!" URGED THE BROKER'S MAN, GENTLY RESISTINGPERCY'S EFFORTS TO EJECT HIM]
"He is right, Percy," said Mr. Welwyn. "Leave him alone. A sheriff'sofficer!" he muttered brokenly to himself, as his son relinquished hisendeavour to speed the parting guest. "And I was once Fellow andTutor!"
"A broker's man!" wailed Mrs. Welwyn, putting an arm round each of herdaughters. "And I brought you up respectable, dearies!"
"A broker's man!" echoed Tilly, "and Lady Adela coming here thisafternoon!"
This was too much for that unpolished but chivalrous youth Percy.Something must be done, for Tilly's sake.
"Dad," he said desperately, laying a hand on his father's shoulder,"ain't you got no money nowhere?"
Mr. Welwyn shook his head helplessly.
"Mother?" said Percy.
"I've got about fifteen shillings," said Mrs. Welwyn, brightening up atthe prospect of action. "How much did that insect"--she indicated theminion of the law, now warming himself at the fireplace--"say it was?"
"Seventeen-seventeen-six," replied the insect, with the air of oneletting off a telling repartee.
"There is n't so much money in all the world!" whispered Ameliadespairingly.
"I've got six-and-threepence," said Percy, diving into his pockets.
A thought occurred to Mrs. Welwyn.
"Father," she enquired of the motionless figure on the sofa, "did n'tyou tell me that Gandy and Cox's bill was only a matter of sevenpounds?"
"It was, it was," said Mr. Welwyn, "but--I ordered a little more, tokeep them quiet."
Mrs. Welwyn, admirable woman, wasted no time in useless reproaches.Instead, she turned once more upon the broker's man.
"Now, look here," she said; "I want to ask a favour of you. We'reexpecting company here this afternoon. Will you go away, and come backin the evening?"
"And find the front door bolted!" replied the broker's man affably."No, I don't _think_! I prefer to remain. I've been in this professionfor some time now--ever since I abandoned _the_ profession, in fact--andI know a thing or two. I'm sorry," he added, "to disoblige a lady, and Ihope you won't take offence where none was intended. Try to look on thebright side of things. I might 'ave been a auction."
Percy broke in upon these comfortable words.
"Look here," he said; "will you go away for a quid?"
"There is nothing," replied the visitor, "that I should like at thispresent moment better than a quid; but I'm afraid it's my duty to stay.I shan't do nobody any 'arm, beyond taking a inventory of the furniture.You'll find me quite a confidential family friend in a day or two, Ishould n't wonder. Oh, dear, 'ere's another of 'em coming to 'ave ago!"
He closed his eyes resignedly. Before him stood Tilly--small, slim,white to the lips, with all her world tottering on the brink of theabyss. In her hands she held a cigar-box.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Surname," replied the broker's man pedantically, "Stillbottle.Christian ditto, Samuel. Net result, Samuel Stillbottle."
"Have a cigar, Mr. Stillbottle," said Tilly, with a ghost of a smile.
Mr. Stillbottle helped himself without comment. He was a man for whomlife held few surprises. "Thank you. But I won't go, mind you," was allhe said.
Next moment Tilly motioned him to a chair beside the table, and set thedecanter and a glass beside him. "Have something to drink, Mr.Stillbottle," she said.
"I shall be pleased to do so," replied Mr. Stillbottle graciously."Without prejudice, of course," he added, filling his glass.
By this time the others, astonished and interrogative, had gatheredround Tilly.
"Tilly," burst out Percy, "what's the good? He won't go--don't you thinkit!"
"Young man," corroborated Mr. Stillbottle, "you are right. I won't.You 've done it in one."
Tilly took an arm of Percy and another of her mother and drew both inthe direction of the sofa. Her breath came fast.
"Listen," she said rapidly--"you too, Dad! We _will_ have our tea-party.We won't throw up a single item in the programme. We'll entertain theMainwarings, and we'll show them that we know how to do things in properstyle, and we'll make them all enjoy themselves--even Sylvia--and I'llget my Dicky yet!"
She paused, and surveyed her mystified audience with shining eyes.
"But, Sis," enquired the dubious Percy, indicating the fully occupiedMr. Stillbottle, "what about Rockefeller over there?"
The indomitable Tilly laughed.
"He is our old family butler!" she said simply.