by W. W. Jacobs
CHAPTER V--_A New Lodger in Leytonstone_
On the next day, as Gray left the office for Liverpool Street Station_en route_ for Leytonstone, he ran into a man carrying a black bag.
"Hang you!" said the man. "Look where you're going."
"Your fault," retorted Gray, "stupid!"
"Who's that?" The man stopped. "Is that Jimmy Gray?"
"Why, it's Lambert," said Gray. "How are you, old man?"
They shook hands cordially, and slapped each other in the familiar oldpal style.
"Why, what are you doing down this way?" said Gray.
"Jimmy," said the other eagerly, "you're the very chap I've beenlooking for. I wouldn't have missed you for anything."
"Funds low?" asked Gray.
"It isn't that," said Lambert.
He opened the black bag and drew forth a notebook that bulged withcards and bits of paper. One of the cards he placed in the hands ofGray.
"Society of Old Friends," read Gray. "A new social club for businessmen; secretary, Charles Lambert, Esq."
"Guinea a year," said Lambert, "and the membership complete all butone. Exceptional chance, Jimmy. Spacious club-rooms, billiards, and allthe rest. Open as soon as members' list complete. My boy, it's a chanceyou ought not to miss."
"I know," said Gray; "they always are."
"Don't take my word," said Lambert. "Come and look for yourself. I'moff there now. Just by the G.P.O.--come along."
An hour later Gray resumed his walk to Liverpool Street, a member ofthe Society of Old Friends.
"That settles one thing," he said, as he got into the Leytonstonetrain. "Emily is sure to swallow this, and it'll give me a bit moretime off."
Gray, like Busby, had not been quite honest with his wife on thesubject of the Fairbrother legacy. As a matter of fact, at this momentshe knew nothing whatever about it, and had not the faintest idea thather husband was one penny richer by the death of the head of the firm.Gray had intended that she should benefit, but, like many anothercautious husband, he feared that sudden wealth might turn her brain. Hewould break it to her gently, at the rate of a pound a week at first.Having got thus far, he looked about for the best way of presenting thelegacy. No opening had presented itself until to-night, but he believedthat he had at last solved the problem.
Mrs. Gray was on the doorstep when her husband arrived at theLeytonstone villa.
"How late you are, James!"
James replied by kissing her affectionately, much to her surprise.
"Couldn't help it, Em. One of the men away from the office, and Jimmyhad to stay.
"'Jimmy had to stay, my dear! Jimmy had to stay!'"
he sang.
He was in a most amiable mood, a fact that would not have passed thenotice of his wife if she hadn't happened to be in an amiable moodalso. They sat down to a meat tea, and Gray attacked a steakvigorously.
"Jim," said Mrs. Gray, dimpling, and sipping a cup of tea, "what do youthink?"
Gray arrested the progress of a piece of steak to his mouth, and said,"What?" keeping his mouth open, apparently to take in the answer withthe meat.
"Guess," said Mrs. Gray, stirring the tea-leaves in the bottom of hercup.
"Can't," said Gray. "Anything the matter?"
"No, you old stupid," said his wife, placing her cup firmly down in thesaucer; "only that I have some good news, Jim."
"For me, dear?"
"Good news for both of us, Jim," said Mrs. Gray.
Gray smiled. "So have I, Emily. I've some good news for both of usalso."
Mrs. Gray opened her eyes wide, and then pouted.
"Oh, you know all about it. You are a nasty thing."
"I don't know," said Gray. "I only know what I have to tell you, andthat isn't what you have to tell me."
Sunshine again on Mrs. Gray's face. "Tell me your news, Jim," she saideagerly.
"Tell me yours first," said the sly Jim.
"No, Jim; do tell me yours."
"Well," said Gray, "I've had a glorious piece of luck. It hasn't comejust at once; but I've been saving it up till I was sure that there wasno mistake. There's a new club starting, dear, and I've got thesecretaryship--worth about sixty pounds a year. Think of that--anotherpound a week income! Isn't it grand?"
"Splendid, Jim!" breathed Mrs. Gray.
"Of course," said Gray, hurriedly, "there'll be a lot of work, and Ishall often have to stay there late in the evening. But I don't mindthat, so long as--so long as you have a little more money foryourself."
"Thank you, Jim dear; but I do hope you won't overwork yourself. But, Isay, Jim, wait till I tell you my news; perhaps you won't need to workso hard, then. I've let the front room at last, Jim, and splendidterms--a pound a week, breakfast and meat tea, full board Sundays.Isn't that good?"
"Bravo!" cried Gray. "Why, I'm dashed if you haven't done as well as Ihave!"
"It's all settled," cried Mrs. Gray. "I only let it this morning, andthe boxes came in this afternoon. Look!" She displayed two half-crownsin a plump little hand. "Deposit."
"You're a champion," said her husband. "We shall be so rich we sha'n'tknow what to do with the money. When does the old lady come in? Is shea widow?"
"Don't be stupid, Jim!"
Jim smiled. "Well, you know, dear, I thought----"
Mrs. Gray suddenly placed a hand over his mouth.
"That'll do, you wicked deceiver. Do you think you can play such gameswith me? As if I didn't know that you'd had a hand in it. You don'twant me to thank you, you bad old Jimmy, but I shall."
"But, my dear----"
"Now, do be quiet," said Mrs. Gray. "I know all about it, so there! Youwere thinking how much I wanted a little extra money, and what a sillyI was not to be able to let the room myself, and that's why you did it,now isn't it?"
Gray smiled, and tried to look as cunning as a monkey.
"I'm so glad," went on Mrs. Gray. "It will be such a help; especiallyas he's a nice man. I should hate to have a grumpy lodger."
"I hope he hasn't got a beard," said Gray. "I know you like beards, butI might get jealous."
"Don't be horrid, Jim; you know he hasn't got a beard."
"Perhaps his hair's red," continued the relentless Jim. "Now I come tothink of it, you are rather partial to red hair."
"You know it isn't," said Mrs. Gray, with a pout. "You are a tease,Jim."
"How do I know," said Jim, innocently, "when I've never seen the man?He may be a Chinaman for all I know."
Mrs. Gray ignored this remark, and began to clear the tea.
"I like his name," she said presently.
"Glad of that," said her husband. "What is it--Piper or Snooks?"
"If your name wasn't Jim, Jim, I think I should like it to be George.George is the next best name to Jim."
"Oh, his name's George?"
"You know it is. And, Jim, supposing you two men----"
Mrs. Gray suddenly stopped talking, for her husband had risen from hischair with a terrible frown on his face. Before she could speak hecaught her in a grip of iron.
"Why, Jim, whatever----"
"His name," he said, in a terrible whisper--"tell me his other name."
"Don't, Jim; you are silly----"
"Quick!" said Gray. "Name! name!"
Mrs. Gray gasped. "I don't--Jim----"
"Is it Early," said Jim; "George Early?"
"Of course. You must be crazy, going on like that!"
Gray released his hold and stared blankly at the carpet. Then he gavevent to his feelings in an outburst of invectives, which, beingunintelligible to his wife, put that lady into a high state ofindignation. What might have been a scene was dispelled by the rattleof a key in the front lock. Mrs. Gray swept out of the room, and aminute later her husband and George Early had the sitting-room tothemselves.
"Good evening," said George, sweetly.
"Good evening," said Gray.
There was silence for a while, during which time Gray rammed a pipewith Old Judge. George
selected a comfortable armchair, and lit acigarette.
"So you've been burying your uncle," said Gray, with a sneer. "I hopeyou buried him deep."
"Pretty deep, thanks," said George.
Gray planted his back to the fireplace, and looked sideways at hisenemy.
"I hope it's a big grave," he said, "in case there's another death inthe family."
"There won't be another death," said George; "we're pretty hardy."
"You're a clever devil," said Gray, in a tone that belied his words."If all the family are as clever as you, they'll be in Parliamentsoon--or jail. I suppose you think you've got the best of me; butyou'll find that two can play at this game."
"That's what I thought," said George. "It was because I couldn't getalong without you that I came down here."
Gray accepted the situation for the time being with sullen resignation,and Mrs. Gray, entering the room timidly and finding the new lodger ingood spirits, brightened up and forgot her husband's outburst. In halfan hour George knew all the local news and scandal, and was on the bestterms with Mrs. Gray, if not with her husband.
"Do you know," said Mrs. Gray, "at first I had a horrid thought thatyou and Jim were not friends. Wasn't it silly of me?"
"Absurd," said George. "We're like brothers."
"Ah," said Mrs. Gray, "but there's one thing you don't know. Jim onlyheard it for certain to-day."
"That's nothing," said Gray, suddenly; "he knows all about that."
"Oh, you mean----" said George, looking at his landlord.
"Where are my slippers?" bawled Gray, irritably, suddenly groping aboutthe fireplace. "They're never here when----"
"I'll get them, Jimmy!" Mrs. Gray skipped away to the kitchen.
"Not a word, mind," said Gray, in a fierce whisper to George. "I won'thave that business discussed here. I'm secretary to the 'Old Friends'Society,' at sixty pounds a year. That's good enough for you."
"It's good enough for you, I suppose you mean," said George.
"Well, remember--not a word."
"I'm not sure that I should be doing right----"
"You fool, do you want to ruin me? I haven't told her yet, and I can'tlet her hear it from you."
"Why not?" asked George.
"You ass!" said Gray, excitedly. "I can't explain here. I don't wanther to know."
"Quick!" said George, as Mrs. Gray's footsteps sounded in the passage;"shake hands, and I'll keep your secret."
The pair grasped hands dramatically.
"Yes," said Mrs. Gray; "it's a splendid thing for Jim, isn't it?"
"Splendid thing for the club," said George. "They know what they'reabout; you can take my word for it. Where could they find a man, Ishould like to know, with the ability, the splendid gifts, and theremarkable knowledge of your husband? He's a man," said George, fixinga keen eye on the paper Gray was reading, "he's a man in a thousand. Anorator, a politician, a scientist, a man of the world. Hisintellect----"
"That'll do," snapped Gray.
"No," said George, "I won't stop. Why should I? The position is a bigone; but you are as good as the position."
"That's what I say," said Mrs. Gray, who approved of all George said.
"They're getting a man," went on George, "who will fill an honourableposition with honour. The right man, too. For secretary you must have aman who is punctual, a teetotaler, and----"
"Oh, but Jim isn't----"
"Don't interrupt, Emily," said Gray, irritably; "you know what hemeans."
"But he said----"
"Oh, don't argue! What's the time? I want to run out for half an hour.I suppose you'll come as far as the corner--er--George?"
"Jimmy, old friend," said George, with an affectionate glance, "youknow I will."
The next morning George and his landlord travelled to town together.Gray didn't take at all kindly to the new arrangement, but gave vent tohis feelings in sudden outbursts of profanity.
"I suppose I'm going to have you hanging to me like a leech as long asI've got a penny in my pocket," he said bitterly.
George looked hurt. "It's your company I want, Jimmy," he said meekly."A bachelor wants a cheerful pal. You ought to know that, you've been abachelor yourself."
"You'll have to clear out," said Gray, darkly. "I won't have you in myhouse, I tell you straight."
There was an absence of sprightliness in Gray's manner at the officethat day. He sat in gloomy solitude at his desk, nursing his wrath. Allefforts on the part of Busby to draw him into conversation wereuseless. George, on the contrary, was in good spirits, so cheerful, infact, that Parrott and Busby began to feel a little uncomfortable.
"He's up to some mischief," thought the head clerk. "I shall have tokeep my eye on him." His fears were confirmed a little later on in theafternoon. The freckled Matthews entered his office and askedpermission for one of the carmen to speak with him.
"Who is it?" asked Parrott.
"Old Josh. Wants to see you particularly."
Old Josh was ushered in--a little tubby, weather-beaten old man with asqueaky voice. He entered at once into a recital of family woes, inwhich his son-in-law, who was out of work, figured prominently. Beforehis daughter married the family had been comfortably off--always had agood dinner on Sundays, never knew what it was to want a shilling; weekin and week out there was the money; and there were they all happy andcomfortable. His son-in-law had had bad luck, and that bad luck meanthelp from the old people, and the worry of it had made the missis ill;and, what with one thing and another, the family funds had fallen low,there was rent in arrears, and things had come to a crisis.
"Well," said Parrott, "I'll see what I can do, but of course, you know,you're getting the highest limit of wages the firm allows. Perhaps Imay be able to make it another shilling. I'll see what I can do,Benson."
Benson murmured his thanks, and proceeded to launch forth into a freshbudget of troubles.
"Very well," said Parrott, nervously. "I'll let you know as soon asI've seen Miss Fairbrother."
Old Josh twirled his cap for a moment and then said--
"The fact of it is, sir, you see, it ain't so much the shilling a week,which is welcome, though small. It's the present needs, as you may say,that knocks us over."
"I see," said Parrott, plunging into the perusal of a pile of papers."Well, I'll be sure to let you know."
Old Josh then made an effort and blurted out: "A party told me, sir, ashow the present needs might be put right by a certain sum o' moneydown, which I may say would be a fi' pun note. I make bold, sir, to askyou for the loan of that sum, which will be a God-send and a generousaction."
Parrott turned pale and stared. "What's that you say?"
"A matter of five pounds, sir," said old Josh. "If my son-in-law haddone as I told him, it wouldn't have been for me, sir----"
"Never mind your son-in-law, I'm very busy just now," said Parrott.
"Then I suppose it's no good my----"
Parrott waved his hand. "You'd better come--come and see me later. Ican't talk now."
Old Josh went off highly gratified, with many apologies for thedisturbance. The next person to enter was George Early, summoned byspecial messenger.
"Early," said the head clerk, "your work has been very unsatisfactorylately, and although you've been warned several times it doesn't seemto improve. You set a bad example to the others, and I feel it my dutyto bring this matter to a close. You are a smart young fellow, but youdon't quite suit the firm. I dare say you will be valuable to somebodyelse, so I set you at liberty a week from now."
"Thanks," said George; "then it's no good asking for a rise in salary?"
"You are dismissed," said Parrott.
"How did Old Josh get on?" asked George, complacently.
"I have nothing further to say," said the head clerk, firmly. "You maygo back to your work."
"Thanks again," said George; "but I have something further to say. Imay be valuable to another firm, but I prefer to remain here. That'sbecause I'm a smart fellow, a
s you say. I don't want to be hard on you,but I can't have any nonsense like this, so I may as well say so atonce. The bad example I set to others I have had under consideration,and I find that my abilities are wasted in the ordinary clerking. I'vetherefore decided to talk over with you the matter of taking a higherposition, where I shan't have to sit with ordinary clerks and corrupt'em. I needn't explain to you that it will be to your advantage to helpme up, because a man with your foresight will see that at once. Justyou think it over, and we'll have a little confab in a day or two."
He went out of the office and closed the door softly.
At the week-end George heard that Miss Fairbrother was thinking oftaking a secretary, and had cast a favourable eye upon himself,assisted in the operation by the head clerk.