by Guy Thorne
***
It was two months after, and Mr. Terence "Bud" Kinsolving, the famous New York financier, was talking to Mrs. Herbert Wilkins in that lady's private sitting room at the Midland Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool.
"Well," he said, "I sail in two hours, Mrs. Wilkins, but I guess there's time to run round the city and size it up."
Mrs. Herbert Wilkins started. "But you only arrived from New York last night, Mr. Kinsolving," she said.
"Sure, but I've no time to waste. I came over for the nuptials, and I've seen the nuptials, and a fine, highbrow ceremony it's been, Mrs. Wilkins -- all the leading citizens of the burg."
"Well, of course, dear Violet owns a great amount of property, you know, Mr. Kinsolving."
"She's a daisy," said the financier, "and she's not a bit changed from when she was performing chores in my office in New York. And I like the look of that young fellow too. Nickel-steel nerve there."
At that moment a waiter entered with a tea table.
"Just a cup of tea, Mr. Kinsolving?" said Mrs. Herbert Wilkins with an ingratiating smile. She was happy. True, she had lost an admirable situation, but the day before she had banked a certain cheque -- a beautiful cheque!
"So as I can make myself long of it in five minutes, I accept your invitation, Mrs. Wilkins," said the American, sitting down with a jerk. "Say, some small ornithological specimen has whispered in my ear that there are circumstances of especial romance to this meeting of two twin souls."
"Ah!" said the old lady, very much in her element now, "so even you've heard something, Mr. Kinsolving?
"Rumour has been busy, Mrs. Wilkins," Bud remarked dryly. "Why did the Lord Mayor of this burg say to the glad groom that he had saved Liverpool? Get my wireless?"
Mrs. Herbert Wilkins understood the sense if not the letter of Bud's inquiry.
"In the confidential position which I held towards darling Violet I cannot, of course, tell you everything. As to the saving of Liverpool, my lips are sealed."
This was literally true, as Mrs. Herbert Wilkins had been allowed to know nothing whatever about a certain remarkable invention formerly of Castle Ynad, that was now being subjected to some very interesting and exhaustive tests at one of his Majesty's forts near Plymouth.
"Wal, what about the earl?" the American asked bluntly. "That's what I'm on."
Mrs. Herbert Wilkins sighed. "His death was a great loss to us all," she said in a mournful voice. "Violet and I were staying close to the castle when it occurred. Indeed, Mr. Kinsolving -- of course you must let this go no further -- I had hopes at one time that dear Violet might contract a union of a very different nature. It was his lordship's dearest wish, but alas, the hand of Death cut him short and----"
"She married t'other fellow instead. Quite so. Wal, I hadn't the pleasure of Lord Llandrylas' acquaintance. He never came to America for a bride. But I don't think Miss Violet would have done better than she has."
But then Bud Kinsolving, unlike Mrs. Herbert Wilkins, had not spent the greater portion of his life, even in a somewhat menial capacity, among the British aristocracy.
THE END
More books from North View Publishing are on the following pages:
