CABBY’S WIN.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9178, 23 June 1908, Page 7

CABBY’S WIN.

vßy A. St. John Adcock.) ’ard guvner! ‘Arf a mo’! Wot :ir.i> yar givin’ me?" The <M>on*i. Maned down from his perch. iiV'.tl, bi-Jding the two coins out in hh! -‘poo palm, fixed a startled ■and hi.-airing gaze on them. “That is your fare, my man,” said Mr Titney, with quiet dignity. “ ’Ave another look at it, mister,” "urged the cabman, still offering the contents of his palm for inspection. “It don’t look like that to me. P’raps this is your self-denial week, but it ain’t mine, and I shall ’ave to trouble you for one more tanner, sir. ” “Your fare is eigbteenpence,” said Mr Titney; he was a neat, selfconfident mao with a belief in his own importance,; “and you have it.” He waved cabman and the whole question aside with a delicate flick of his gloved liiand ; but the cabman tossed his blanket across the roof of >the hausom, hurled himself headlong from his seat, and strode obstinately after him. "‘Look ’ere, guvnor,” he ahonted, still exposing the coins scornfully in his palm, “if you’re sarin’ np for the rent, why didn’t you ’ave a taxi, then you could ha’ jdoue the ■trip for one and tenpence an’ had twopence to put in yer money-box? You caff’t ’ave a man an’ a real *orse :aa’ cab all round London for eigbteenpence. The price is two bob.” He was a large, husky, purplevisaged man, and he towered over Mr Titney with a gleam of battle in his eyes; but though Mr Titney was one of the small sizes he never realised that any body was bigger than himself. 5 “I have paid you, my man, and I have*done with you ” “Done me, you mean, but don’t i 1! you brag, guvner!” the cabman V( broke in truculently. “If you’re on i' the do, you shave yer moustache orf, 1 and ? say you’re under twelve, then [ you’’ll be able to go in everywhere £ ’arf price. S’long as you go about like a man, if yon can’t afford to pay \ full fare, you orter ’ang on behind ‘ when the driver aint’ looking. See? \ My fare’s two bob for growed-up * gents what rides inside. ” “‘You’re had all you are entitled to,” Mr Titney reiterated, calmly, hut firmly. “Now, go away, my rman, go away, and do not bo im- ■ pertinent.” “That’s nd good tome,” insisted ' the cabmar;. “You’ve ’ad your fc Tide, and ,'Tm goin' to ’ave my j V brass” . t v; : Heav.u ■:«’ . it across the pave- I v r meat, into building,, along the I -corridor to i... it of the stairs, and there Mr Ti? turned sternly at v . bay- ’ “I cannot Jilf, ppou to follow me ilnd'insult me lili this. ” He drew hut his card-eas.- ‘‘There is -my and address if yon minor me .w* ’*f f * w J j^her^• call the police.” . k ,:cepte<i the card,and i.° ft : v .uagh’tfalij, * igy if I was a boa. and lived tr. ' igton Gore,” he said, ‘l’d ' bilkin’ pore cabmen, bust Not much bon. » ‘ *i^4^ ITner ’ a orf > r ■ b igy went dceoronsly on up'’chough he had not he^rd. -11 ’ear more of this, njiJter,” bmau -Shouted after him. ,n’t snake nothink on this „iiiri ’as to take a hand in a o’ ibis sort, Igo for r« grand don’t you forgit it!” Titney Ignored him; he was . pleased itu the way in which pt bis Mmper end preserved his .cyvtlircaghout.*- Umtba second . he’shv.- the door' of his lawyer’s u.! him, and the husky 'l l* ---’'ing from ! below be■uihie. ■ icing away he casually - -d - -.)■ :• ncident to his lawyer; \ , wout- the man had said to i whcb- ho hod said to the •jo*' 1 o ith. o mu.oral pride in his 'i ' l i t handling cf a troublesome I” nerir permit that kind of man IV to £.;• *he better of njs,” he said, i **l suapi, -would'- not have any argnrf'eat wl..h the fellow. ‘You have .y. -;r ; .- ev far--,' I said. ‘lf you are uo‘ ...‘-uc-.-—’here Ismy card, mod you mons me.* ” The host way, Mr Titney,” observed the lawyer, approvingly. “K } ur.e -wrangling with them, the ruffians ! I only wish everybody had year courage and commonsense, sir, and such ov/iaances would soon be put down altogether.” Mr Titney was distinctly pleased with himsely. He took another cab - to the city, having business with his broker, and was a little disappointed that the driver accepted his legal •fee without a murmur; for he had itasted blood he had taken .one .scalp that morning and was in the .mood to take another. Incidentally he chatted about cab--men to his broker, and, in his complacent fashion, boasted of .his morning’s achievement, and his unstinted praise was very .gratifying. His good opinion of himself growing larger as he went ■ on, he told the story over and over ..again several times at the club, and stirred the envy of a man who had I been intimidated only the previous day into paying a similar cabman a shilling too much, sooner than have a nasty row in the street. “I never have any row with them,” said Mr Titney, smiling reminiscently. “Oh, dear.no! I do not answer them even. I merely give them my card, and directly they see you are not afraid of them they give up, and do not trouble you any further. They don’t get over me!” On the way home to dinner he quite looked forward to telling his wife; and had dim thoughts of how she would like to repeat the details of his astuteness to lady friends cf theirs and of the effect such a narrative must have on their already favcurable opinions of him. Whilst he was taking off his coat in the hall, Mrs Titney came out to nim. “Oh, it is you, Walter!” she exclaimed. “Did you find your purse?’ ’ ‘‘My purse?’ ’ He glanced round at her wouderinglv. “The man said,” she explained, - ‘chat you were not sure whether you had left it at home or dropped it in the street. ’’ “What man?” he faltered. “The cabman who called this morning.,” she returned, surprised at his astonishment. “He asked to see me, and said you told him if lie brought mo your card I would pay nim the five shillings for yon. . . . Wiiy, whatever is the matter, Waiter?”