“Let me get this yer all down on paper,” said George Hunt, searching his pockets.  “I find if I trust to my memory everything goes clean out of my ’ead.  Been like that since I was a boy.”

The man from London with the empty kit bag remarked that George was scarcely an octogenarian.

“I believe in eating roast meat if I can get it,” admitted the lad.  “Never been what you London people call a crank.  Spite of which, somehow or other, I don’t seem to make what you may call progress, and that’s the truth, Mr. Polsworthy.”

“How do you know that is my name?”

“I don’t,” he admitted.  “All I know is that that’s the name you’ve give up at the ‘Unicorn’ where you be staying.  Here’s something I can write on.  ‘Advice to Intending Emigrants.’  I’ve got no special use for that.  Now then, sir, let’s have it all over again.”

p. 52“I want you,” said the London man, drawing him away to a sheeted truck, and speaking with great distinctness, “to take a message for me up to the Vicarage.”

“Here’s a question I’ve very often considered to myself,” said George, stopping with the paper flat against the truck.  “Is there a ‘k’ in it, or isn’t there a ‘k’ in it, or doesn’t it matter whether you put one or not?”

“And see Miss Thirkell, and tell her—”

“She’s the one with the reddish hair, isn’t she?”

“She’s the one with black hair.”

“Not fur out,” remarked George, complacently.  “Go on, sir.”  He continued to write laboriously.

“Tell her that some one from town wishes to see her on important business, and will she be at the station here at half-past eight this evening.”

“But they’ve got their party on.  ’Sides which—”

“Nothing could be better.”

“’Sides which there’s no train about that time.”

“I don’t want her to go by train,” shouted the other in an irritable way.  “I only want to have a talk.”

“Excuse me asking, sir, but is it love?”

“You’ve guessed it!”

“A wonderful thing, once it catches you.  p. 53I never been mixed up in it to any considerable extent, but I keep my eyes open, and I noticed that once parties get affected by it, why there’s no telling.”

“That,” said the other, “is the case with me.  It’s all on her account that I have come down here for a week, and I find it impossible for me to go back until I have seen her.  Just a few whispered words of affection with her and October to me will seem like June.”

“Can’t promise to repeat all you say word for word,” mentioned George, “but I’ll give her the general bearing of your remarks.  I shall say that you’re over head and ears.”

“I believe,” said Mr. Polsworthy, with something like enthusiasm, “I shall have to give you a present.  You’re an honest, worthy fellow, and the most intelligent young man in the whole village.”

“I’ve said that to myself,” declared George, “frequent.”  He folded the document.  “About what time, sir, did you think of getting me to do this little job for you?”

When the Londoner had finished an address on the slothfulness of country life, he permitted himself to announce, more calmly, that he expected it to be performed now and at once.  The young railway porter went across the station-yard, spoke a word to the signalman on duty, and started off up the hill at a pace that seemed too good to last.  He did, indeed, return to say that if later Mr. p. 54Polsworthy observed he was wearing a white flower in his jacket, this might be taken as a hint that Miss Thirkell was willing to keep the appointment; if the flower was red, it would indicate she was unable to come.  Mr. Polsworthy went to his hotel, where, with the aid of scented soap, he put good sharp points to his moustache, and ordered, seemingly to give opportunity for range and ability in criticism, certain refreshment; the landlady said that his complaint was the first she had received since the year ’92, and strongly recommended him to take his bag to the “King’s Head,” which possessed but a limited licence.  Mr. Polsworthy, in apologising, remarked that he was one accustomed to the very best of everything, and the lady expressed an opinion that his looks and general appearance failed to bear out this assertion.

George Hunt, sweeping the platform, was wearing a red flower, and Mr. Polsworthy turned away regretfully, to consider some new mode of approaching the vicarage lady.  A whistle recalled him, and George managed to make it clear that everything was right; he had placed the wrong flower in his jacket—a mistake, he said, that might have happened to anybody.  George seemed highly interested now in the scheme, and produced a beard with wires to go over each ear; challenged, he confessed that he was not prepared to say to what use it should be put, or to declare that p. 55it was of any use, but it had been in his possession for some time, and he felt that either he or Mr. Polsworthy ought to wear it.

“By that means,” he urged, “recognition, if you understand what I mean, will be avoided.”

“But who is there to recognise us, and what does it matter if we are recognised?”

“There is that,” conceded George.

“You’re a fool,” declared Mr. Polsworthy.

“Not the first to pass that remark to me, not by a long chalk, you ain’t.  Mother says it ’bout once a day.”

Miss Thirkell came up the slope of the platform, and George went back discreetly to his work with the broom, touching his cap to the young woman as she went by.  She acknowledged the salutation distantly, saying, “Good evening, my man!” and gave a start of amazement on Mr. Polsworthy lifting his hat and throwing away his cigar.  She said that he had the advantage over her and he expressed regret that her memory should constitute the one defect in an otherwise perfect and beautiful nature.  Was it, asked Miss Thirkell, was it in Dover Street, the tenth of July of the current year, on the occasion of coming out of a dressmaker’s with her mistress?  That, answered Mr. Polsworthy, was the very moment, and the precise occasion.  Miss Thirkell considered this curious and interesting, since she was not in town on p. 56the date mentioned, and had never been in Dover Street.

Mr. Polsworthy, slightly taken aback, begged of her to refresh a brain that could never be relied upon implicitly; she admitted that they had met once.  Miss Thirkell remembered the day well, because her master took the opportunity to make some extensive purchases at a sale in King Street, St. James’s, and the articles had crowded the compartment on the way down.

“A race special came in,” said Mr. Polsworthy, corroborating, “just before your train went out from Victoria, and whilst your people were having a few words with the guard I strolled across to see what was the matter.”

“Now,” cried Miss Thirkell, delightedly, “now I know you’re telling the truth!”

Her mistress, it appeared, was one who did not mind the expenditure of money in useful things, such as dress and hats, but entertained a strong objection to lumbering the house with a lot of old silver and other articles, neither, in her opinion, useful or decorative.  Mr. Polsworthy expressed the view that in married life certain concessions had to be made; he had not hitherto considered the possibility of entering the state, but he was prepared to be generous in the direction referred to.  George Hunt, each time they went by, looked up and nodded and made some reference to the weather; there was p. 57more rain about, in his opinion; what we wanted was sunshine, so that cricket bats might be once more used.  The two, interested in their own conversation, scarcely gave notice to his meteorological comments.

“When can I come up and see you?” asked Mr. Polsworthy.  “I’m only down here for a little while.”

“What seems so wonderful,” sighed Miss Thirkell, dreamily, “is that you should have come specially to meet me.”

“To do that I would travel to the furthermost ends of the earth.”  He took her hand.

“Axcuse me interrupting,” said George, suddenly, “but in which direction do you reckon Canada is?  You’re better acquainted with geography than what I am.  S’posin’ now, you was going to walk there; which turning would you take?”

Miss Thirkell cried alarmingly that she had to be getting home; she had no idea the hour was so late.  On Mr. Polsworthy offering to accompany her, she gave a short sharp scream and declared this impossible; he, a Londoner, little knew the appetite for scandal that existed in country villages.  George, corroborating, said that if, for instance, he himself were observed escorting Miss Thirkell across the line, there were busybodies about who would assert they were as good as engaged.  The visitor seemed inclined to snap fingers at public opinion, and dare it to do its p. 58worst; the young woman said this was all very well for him, but not nearly good enough for her; she had no wish to lose an excellent situation.

“Character’s everything in these parts,” confirmed George.  “Up in London it probably don’t matter, but here it’s important.  When I leave the line—”

“Will to-night at ten be a suitable time for me to call at the house to see you?”

“My dear, good man,” cried Miss Thirkell, “you must be off your head to think of carrying on like that!  Why, the dog would make short work of any one who wasn’t in uniform.  Besides, the butler has to go down to the gate and let in everybody that comes to the party.  Now I must run.  You send a message through George Hunt.  He’s reliable.  We were boy and girl together.”

With a wave of the hand she went.  Mr. Polsworthy looked steadily at George for some moments.

“You’re a dull dog,” he said, slowly, “and that’s the only thing which makes me inclined to trust you.  If you were a sharp lad, the idea would never come into my head.”

“I’m all for straightforwardness myself.”

“There is no use,” said the other, with a burst of recklessness, “no sense whatever in disguising the fact that I’m madly in love with that girl.  And when a man’s in love, there’s nothing he’s not prepared to do.  In some p. 59way I must manage to gain admission to that house this evening.”

“And in some way, you’ll have to manage to get out of it.”

“An easy matter.”

George looked in at the booking-hall to make sure that no passengers were about.

“You’re not the first, mister, that’s tried it on,” he remarked in an undertone.

“What’s that?  I’m the last man in the world to do anything dishonest!”

“If you are,” said George, evenly, “that means Wormwood Scrubs will have to be took over by the White City.  In any case, your best plan is to treat me fairly, and treat me generously, and I’ll do what I can, so long as my name’s not brought into it.  My name must be kept out, on account of mother.”

Mr. Polsworthy declared his satisfaction, and hinted at surprise, on finding that George possessed so much acuteness.  He did, in a general way, prefer to work alone, but sometimes cases were encountered—here was one—where assistance was indispensable.  The great thing was to have a quiet half-hour inside the vicarage, and to catch the 10.23 p.m. for town.  George nodded, and made one or two suggestions.  Recommended a sailor’s bag; there were two in the cloakroom at the present time left by men home on furlough; one could be emptied.  Mr. Polsworthy, having inspected these, made his p. 60selection and, arranging concerning the loan of an old uniform, shook hands.  The kit-bag was presented to George, who said he might be able to make use of it.

“All I can say is,” remarked the man from London, “that I’m very much obliged to you.  You shan’t be the loser.”

“Question is,” said George, “how much be I going to gain?  I ain’t what you’d call mercenary, but I like to make a bit of money as well as anybody.”

Mr. Polsworthy seemed hurt by this view of the matter, and taking half a sovereign from his pocket, placed it in the other’s hand; George said he could go on.  Polsworthy went on to the extent of four pounds and then stopped, declaring irascibly that rather than go beyond this amount he would take the entire sum back; George pointed out difficulties, one of which included a reference to Police-Constable Saxby.  The amount reached five pounds, and the two again shook hands; the heartiness was this time on the side of George.

“If you have a chance of seeing her,” said Polsworthy, “keep up the idea that it’s simply and solely a love affair.  It’ll make a good excuse in case I happen to be interrupted at my work.  Mention that I seem to be able to talk of nothing else but her!”

“And that you worship the very ground she walks on.”

p. 61“Don’t overdo it.  You can say it’s all because of love that I’m going to dress up and come and see her.  Say that from what you know of me I’m as true as gold.”

“As true as five pound.”

“For Heaven’s sake,” urged Polsworthy, with some temper, “do try to avoid making a muddle.  If the business goes wrong, I’ll dog your footsteps to the very last day of your life.  If I get into trouble I shan’t be alone.  Make no mistake about that.  Where’s that slip of paper that you wrote down the particulars on?”  It was produced, and the man from London, with a snatch, secured it.  “Now,” he remarked, “now, I’ve got documentary evidence that you’re concerned in this game.”

“My mother won’t like me none the better for this,” said George, dismally.  “But I’ll go up to the vicarage again, and give the young party your message.”

Polsworthy, in a uniform that had seen trouble, staggered into the station-yard at ten o’clock that night and was stopped at the gates by P.C. Saxby.  The constable apologised for the act on seeing brass buttons, accepted the explanation that the other was an extra hand, and offered to give help with the sailor’s bag, but Polsworthy said that having managed so far alone, he would complete the job.  In the dimly lighted booking-hall he set his load down with relief, and p. 62went to the porters’ room, where he changed into his own clothes.  Ordered George to label the sack for London Bridge and, treating him as a stranger, gave him twopence for his service.  The window of the office opened and he took his ticket from the stationmaster and strolled across the line in order to be out of the way should disaster arrive prematurely.

Nothing amiss happened, and when the train arrived, he climbed into an empty compartment on the off side, and ventured to glance out of the window to see George hurling a well-loaded sack into the front break van.  They exchanged a congratulatory wave of the hand as the train went out, and George wished him, with great heartiness, good luck, and a pleasant journey.

Half an hour later George was ringing at the door of the vicarage, and playing with the watch-dog, who had followed him up the avenue, showing some inquisitiveness in regard to the load which George was carrying.  Lights appeared; a head looked out of a window; in five minutes he was being received in the hall by the entire strength of the company in varied stages of deshabille.  The restored articles of silver were taken out of the bag.

“A good deed,” announced the elderly vicar, addressing the audience, “deserves an p. 63appropriate and immediate reward.  My dear, run upstairs for my pocket-book.”

“Thirkell,” said his wife, “run upstairs for your master’s pocket-book.”

“That’s right,” remarked the vicar, on the return of the lady’s-maid.  “Two five-pound notes; here we are.  George Hunt, I have much pleasure in presenting you with this acknowledgment of worthy services.  My dear, give him some bread and cheese and beer, and say good-night and thank him.”

“Thirkell,” ordered his wife, “give him some bread and cheese and beer, and say good-night, and thank him.”

Miss Thirkell, in dressing-gown later at the side door, promised to be at the station in the morning in time for the first up train, and declared George had managed nicely from the start.  She thought it a pity there was no chance of sending a letter to her married sister in Canada to let her know they were coming, but George said he could afford to despatch a telegram.

“And that reminds me,” he added.  “I s’pose I shall have to leave ha’f a sovereign to pay for the other sailor’s bag what’s gone off with that London gentleman.  I don’t want mother later on to get the idea that I haven’t behaved fair and perfectly above-board!”