Shades of Old Sleuth and Sherlock Holmes!
I wondered as to where the assistant was located
whose duty it was to take down whatever informa
tion I might loudly vouchsafe. And to this day,
much as I have seen of Johnny Upright and much
as I have puzzled over the incident, I have never
been quite able to make up my mind as to whether
or not he had a cold, or had an assistant planted
in the other room. But of one thing I am sure;
though I gave Johnny Upright the facts concern
ing myself and project, he withheld judgment till
next day, when I dodged into his street conven
tionally garbed and in a hansom. Then his greet
ing was cordial enough, and I went down into the
dining room to join the family at tea.

"We are humble here," he said, " not given to
the flesh, and you must take us for w r hat we are,
in our humble way."

The girls were flushed and embarrassed at greeting
me, while he did not make it any the easier for them.

"Ha ! ha ! " he roared heartily, slapping the table
with his open hand till the dishes rang. " The
girls thought yesterday you had come to ask for
a piece of bread ! Ha ! ha ! ho ! ho ! ho!"

This they indignantly denied, with snapping eyes
and guilty red cheeks, as though it were an essen
tial of true refinement to be able to discern under
his rags a man who had no need to go ragged.

[[21]]

p020 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p021w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p022

v?