The RomancE of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10718, 11 October 1912, Page 2

The RomancE of a Business Girl.

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s.'l i AV'TEiI J. AX i\Ju.)I\MAL INTIK)DI'CTIv)N. A r.yv at. fee C-orncr >iu.p «a. ; «>ii> iiiCiitlv cl is ra e I ui, both to tin. p..--rons, ill'i%l the management ci t..'.- <•" A hi l !.'. i'.'Uvbo.'lcd, atfllotlC cr.stn, rodolwn. of tin* North country in af mospj.;!.-:; nv.d bearing, had sewed anotho" lii:'!". 1 ce-.toi'iior by the ;.enitl or th© ;ic;-a and deposited him in tho street. 'L'he -.oim<>; follow v.iio had boon ;-o unceremoniously put out was a" overdressed dandy* with a waxed muztacho, small, colorless features, a-nd a vacuous expression. "With a Icok j horrified surprise lie scrambled to J;! : j •foot, and .hurried toward Fleet Stre'-l . hatless and gloveless But London- j ers meet- liatless men without number j during lunch,time, so that litt-ek- not- ■ ice? was taken of the dandy's rui'<i:*i , feathers. The aggressive North countryman calmly returned to Is is war, but many dark glances wer.« turned at him. "Must think that you aiv i>; a pothouse!" one bellicose old gen with a red face, snapped in his dir-1 ection. Among the score, of Innchorv, j onlvone viewed his conduct with ap-1 proval. The story of the assault had been taken to the proprietor, a stout, mid-dle-aged man, who cultivated the appearance and the air' of a bank-man-ager. He came downstairs with creaking boots, from the dining room above, and listened with judical gravity to the tale of the door portorsi big follow in somber livery. "Pitched Mr Arthur Hope into the street, sir, he did." "And what were you doing to allow such a .thing?" "Just gone to whistle for a taxicab for Mr Arthur Hope, sir." "H'rn!" grunted the propietor. He turned a severe glance on tile North countryman, aware that the select among his customers were awaiting his judgement. He walked toward the young fellow, and in a ponderous tone, demanded his name and addl'ftss. "Jim Carling, Here's my card, with a couple of addressings which will always find me. The Nut and Bolt Works, Thames Street, and the Nu and Bolt Works, Birmingham. The London office and showrooms are: in Thames Street, and I'm here three months ifi every year. Anything else?" "You will in all probability be summoned for coirimittiiiUg an assault.' Most annoying in a house of this sort. My customers are usually most gentlemanly." He. raised his voice. Oblige me by leaving as soon as possible, and understand you must not come here again. You will be refused admittance if you attempt it. The young gentleman upon whom you j laid your liancla is- the grandson of the | lord chancellor." j /"A cub the lord chancellor .nuist be proud of!" sneered Jim Carling, with «■ scowl. He got up from his haif-finishetl lunch of sandwiches and coffee, and reached for his hat. Tt was a slouch felit, with a very broad brim. Business Aras quite suspended. Several newcomers were standing hetwee the two rows of tables ; the half (Wen withresses stood anart with wide eyes and bated breath. One of them, a tall, well-developed of two or three-and-twentv, appeared to be flushed and angry, "A cub!" breathed the propietor, aghast. "You are a rude fellow, sir. Leave niv house at once." "Come, I say,"- drawled a voice from a "/liui-tained corner, "let two chap finish his lunch. Arthur Hope rtCted like an infernal cad, and if Mr What's-his-namo, with tho Buffalo Bill hat hadn't pitcned him out —well, I should." "We don't want your interferOnco, Captain Mayliew," the propietor interposed severely. "You are notovorirelcomo here, either." "Rats!" Captain Mayhew exclaimed pleasantly. He stood up and held his light hand to Jim Carling. "Give me your fist. You are a. man! J)on't quit until you've eaten what you have paid for. Look here, Gibbs," he added, turning to the resturant keeper, "this chap only expelled Arthur Hope for insulting one of the girls. Jt was Miss Flemming, if you must know, and she objected to being called by her Christian name, and pestered in other ways by the emptyheaded dude." The proprietor outspread his hands in lofty deprecteion. "No business of yours, Captain Mayhew, and we have already had trouble • enough with you." "And hut for my connection I suppose you'd have fired me out, old muttonfaoe," Mayhew grinned. "I took one of his best waitresses away, and married her," he said to Jim. "And deserted her," the propietor snapped. "You are a liar! She has deserted mo, and I came here to-day to see if Miss Flemming could tell me any- ' thing about her. Don't you insinuate a. word to my detriment, or T'll half wreck your dammed show. Come

BY F. L DACftE \rr'no>- of "A "Fleet c.i' .1) n-ums." "JSiiar JX»nnington.'s Mo'tiev," '-Th'.-- i?!'iiiclo.v :l >::a:we." ~~A ton: of the I'ast,' lien' in Bovxhge ote.

I ..-a, Mr Stirling • : 'l 'ariitig." carrootod Jim. '•And wo will g:vo this sanclimcn- ' \ humbug a- wide berlu hi future." j ' fj:■ pusimi p'k-"b the angry, gasping j iv>uir't£ keeper, and sliooK hands l with tiio tall, gocd-lookii.g girl. Jim j (tiling thrust out h;;< Jiaiiii, too, and | -:/_v t.-:>a-.ii of her <ml iinge-rs was ] i;k" aii electric shock to aim. j "'(i'.r -d-by, Muss F!o:r:ng. V\ c J ha.u't come b.-ick hero any more, and. !ii" you get the .'aek b.'eaase of this, HI -vvit ,x to my hrotiier—Judge May-]..'-vv. i t be boycotts the ('orncr Snop, ! a big following ■of lawyer;, will '<io the 1 same.. I'rn sorry you cant teli me | anything about my ivilY —the fanciful j ,;"■„•<>! !'•' Then ho laughed. "See .how 'your < han:pion is blushing!" | Miss Fleming resumed hor business ) dr.tii and the two young men walkj o«i out of the Corner Shop. Mayhew .• purif.ve.iy'kicking the chairs and tabi !es in his'progress to the door, f Hi- was a tall fellow, straight as a dart., with a thin, acquiline nose, ■hrgo, st(;oiy:-bluo oyos, and a heavy, bioi-d. mustache. His bearing was essentially military, and indicated the oavalrymam—an aristocrat, wit-fa an I o-xnggerrtted air of importance of his j family oonnoctions. By naltiure (he I was cold, overbearing, but courageous to the last oui:co of bloo din his body. His age might .have been anytiling thirty and forty, and, jiivijiig - inihesrited threo hundred pounds per annum on the death of an aunt, he had 'recently 'resigned ins commission in tho army. He was now living a life, of genteel poverty in furnished apartments, near Bayswater. "■Which way ate you going, Carling?" lie- Hsked familiarly, "We haven't been introduced in ishe aoeojitivl way, but X can See biiat you) are a gentleman, and I hope that my credentials will boar inspection. Face is, I owe you something for taking the grandson of (the lord chancellor down a peg. I should havo enjoyed doing it myself, only that I dare noi lay violent hands on him, for a particular reason. FGime. and fwd with me at the Criterion, if you can spare the time. They robbed you of your lunch here, and I only had a cup of coffee." ■ -"Thanks; I think I will." Jim was a bit flattered by the condescension of Captain -Mayhow—a. highflier, and the brother of one of the best known judges of the day. Mayhew was fully ten years his senior, too, and Was possessed of a'fascinating pefsortaltty. Jim wanted to learn something more about the • Corner Shop, and the good-looking waitress. All the girls employed there wore quite ladylike in appearance and behaviour, and the noted Captain Mayhew had actually married one of their coworkers! It was all very interesting, nlid very romantic. A taxi cap whirled them off to the Criterian. where Mayhew seemed to bo wol] known. An attendant reiun-od tliem ;of their hat's ?.hd canes, and conducted them to a corner table at the end of the dinnig room. '"Mjf (favorite .retreat;," Alayliev,' » said to Carling. "we can talk here, j Delieiouslv corl after the warm j sereets. T never remember n more . brilliant May in London. What are | you going to have?" He passed the menu to Jim. and turned his attention to the wine list. "You are mv guest this morning, Carling."