A Little World Part 18

"There, there! we've had enough of that," growled Lionel; and apparently bearing no malice for his rough treatment, now that there was a prospect of the reward being paid, the little man jerked himself to the door, turned, winked solemnly at Harry, and the next moment he was gone.

"What do you think of that, Harry?" said Lionel, as the heavy step was heard descending the stairs.

"Shall I tell you? You will not be offended?"

"Offended! Not I. Say what you like."

"Better not," said Harry, bluntly; "for my thoughts run upon self-government, and the way in which some part with their money."

Lionel did not seem to understand the allusion, for he only whistled softly as he set light to another cigar; while Harry raised his book, but not to read, for he began to think of the letter received that night, and to compare it with the appearance of D. Wragg, ending by dismissing the matter from his thoughts, with the remark, beneath his breath, that it was very strange, and a hope that it was not a trap.

"Perhaps I can act as friend, as well as tutor," he said to himself, with a smile; and then his thoughts roved off to Patty Pellet.

Volume 1, Chapter XXV.

AN ENCOUNTER.

"Brownjohn Street? First to the left, and secun' to the right. Better b.u.t.ton up your pockets," said a policeman, setting his neck in his shining stock, and looking hard at the inquirers of the way, who nodded thanks, and then strode leisurely on, the younger making loud remarks to his companion concerning the appearance of those whom he termed "the natives," and returning in a cool insolent way the unfriendly looks of divers slouching gentlemen engaged in shoulder-polishing the street corners, or hanging about doorsteps to converse with slatternly girls.

Not observing that they were followed by the policeman, the inquirers took the "first to the left, and secun' to the right." And then referring to a card which he took from his pocket, the younger man stopped short in front of D. Wragg's, looked eagerly at the dogs, and afterwards with his companion entered the shop.

"By jove, Harry, where are we?" exclaimed the first, aloud. "Look at that! who would not be a dove?" Then, fixing his gla.s.s in one eye, he stared rudely at Patty Pellet, who, taken by surprise, stood motionless for a few moments, with scarlet face, upon a low pair of steps, the dove she had been feeding still resting upon her hand and pecking softly at her lips.

"Allow me!" exclaimed Lionel, advancing as if to a.s.sist the astonished girl to descend; but the next instant she had bounded down, to stand with brightened eye at bay in one corner of the shop, her gaze being now directed at Harry, the recognition being mutual, though the latter was so completely taken aback that no word pa.s.sed his lips.

The next moment Harry had taken all in at a glance--the shop, the trade, Patty evidently quite at home there. His heart beat fast; and in spite of himself, as he thought of his companion, he felt, "What shall I do if she claims acquaintanceship?"

He felt ashamed of himself for harbouring the thought; but Patty made no sign, and the short silence was broken by Lionel.

"Prudish; eh?" he said, coolly, and he took a step forward.

"Recollect yourself," whispered Harry, sternly, and he laid his hand heavily upon the young man's shoulder.

"Oh! all right," was the rejoinder, and Lionel laughed, while Harry, still struggling with his feelings, wondered what was to come next. He called himself coward and cur one moment, and the next he rejoiced that Patty totally ignored their former meeting; while, immediately after, strange thoughts a.s.sailed him, and he felt a bitter sting as he realised the fact that the bright little flower who had proved so attractive to him at Norwood, should have its habitation amidst such squalor and surroundings of evil. He was a coward, and he knew it, as he mentally exclaimed, "I can't know her here before him!"

These thoughts pa.s.sed like a flash; but Harry was not alone, for swift fancies pa.s.sed through Patty Pellet's mind, each one leaving a bitter sting, as she felt that what the old people had said was right--there was too much difference between their stations, and that Harry Clayton was ashamed to know her before his friends.

"And I am ashamed to know him as well," she concluded, defiantly, as Harry in a suppressed voice, exclaimed, "I did not expect--"

Then he stopped and recovered himself, trying hard to arrange his ideas, his mind wandering from the Norwood drawing-room to Duplex Street, and from there to the strange place they were in.

"Had Lionel noticed the half recognition?" he asked himself, as fresh sordid ideas sprung up. "If he had, how could the present post be retained with comfort to himself? and he could not afford very well to throw it up. He would be lowered in the young fellow's eyes directly-- it was terribly unfortunate." Love was getting, for the moment, his wings terribly bruised in the encounter.

Then he stepped forward himself, and said, calmly, as if addressing a stranger--"I think this is Mr D. Wragg's place of business, is it not?"

The words had hardly left his lips before he was burning with rage and bitterness. What I had he been seeking her for months, and now that they had met, was he ashamed to know her before Lionel Redgrave, because he was a patrician, and the poor girl was here, when, scores of times, he had thought of her as his heart's queen? But why was she here? What did it all mean?

These thoughts pa.s.sed like lightning through his brain; but before Patty could answer, a response came from the back room.

"All right, sir, all right, I'm D. Wragg--that's my name," and the owner thereof began to jerk himself forward, while, with a slight bow, Patty glanced from one to the other, and then disappeared.

"Is this the Decadia, Harry?" said Lionel meaningly, "or are we at court? But what the devil's that fellow staring at?" he exclaimed, as he turned his gla.s.s fiercely upon a lowering face glaring in at the door, as, with his hands in his pockets, an ill-looking ruffian stood watching the two strangers.

"It's all right, gents, it's all right," exclaimed D. Wragg; "that's only Jack Scruby, and he's n.o.body. It's all right, gents!" and he jerked his arm here and there. "There's rats, gents, aint they?

There's dorgs, aint they! What do you say to as nice a toy tarrier as was ever give to a lady?"

"Who's the young lady who was here just now?" said Lionel, coolly.

D. Wragg's face changed slightly, as looking sharply up into his visitor's face, he said, bluntly--

"Oh, never mind her; she's a visitor--girl up-stairs. We was talking about dorgs, wasn't us?"

Lionel was checked for the moment; but seeing Harry's eye fixed keenly upon him, he said, roughly--

"There, there! I want no toy tarriers. Where's Luff?"

"It's all right, sir; don't you make no mistake. When I says as I'll get a gent his dorg, I mean it; and--there now!" he exclaimed, with a voice of the most intense disgust. "I did think as I was dealing with gents as would keep their word. I calls that shabby. But just as you like, though; I'm ready."

"What do you mean?" said Harry Clayton; for the little man had thrust his hands into his pockets, and leant back against a parrot's cage, whose occupant immediately buried its beak amongst the wiry hair that ornamented D. Wragg's scalp.

"What do I mean? Why! didn't I give you both a hint about the suspiciousness of the gent as had the dorg? Didn't I tell you what might be the consequences? Didn't I tell you as they was a body of men as I despises? And yet you both has the meanness to go and bring one along with you. That ere aint the way to get dorgs back as is lost.

Don't you make no mistake, gents. You may depend upon it as the party as that dorg follered home has gone right chock away in disgust long enough ago."

"Police!" exclaimed Lionel. "Why, the man's mad!"

"Looks like it, don't it," said D. Wragg, coolly. "Only don't you make no mistake. I've had dealings in dorgs afore now, gents; and I don't think, as you'll find, I aint fledged."

The young men turned as the speaker pointed towards the door, and gave quite a start as, in place of the heavy features just before the occupants of the door-frame, they saw peering in the impa.s.sive inquiring countenance of a policeman.

But the next moment the constable had sauntered on, muttering first the word "rats," and after walking a few steps, "or pigeons."

Harry directly recognised in him the constable who had directed them, and turning to the dealer, he said, quietly--

"My friend here is a gentleman, Mr Wragg. He gave you to understand distinctly last night that he should not employ the police."

"Then what was that there Bobby a looking in for, then?" said the dealer, in an injured tone.

"On my honour I don't know, unless it was from simple curiosity,"

replied Harry. "We asked him to direct us in a street a short distance away."

"Honour bright?" said D. Wragg.

"I gave you my word," said Harry, with ill-concealed contempt; and there was something so straightforward in the young man's countenance, that it immediately carried with it conviction, for the dealer brightened up, and directly thrust out a hand in token of amity.

Smiling the while, Harry Clayton took it, Lionel looking on with an amused expression.

"I beg your pardon, sir--I beg your pardon. Don't you make no mistake.

I aint a mean, contemptible cageful of suspicion, I aint. I beg your pardon. That there's a hand as never did nothing wuss yet than help to get a gent back his dorg, so as to oblige a regular customer. Plenty of gents trust me, and comes to me when they've had their dorgs foller other people; and I acks as mejum and commissioner, and does my best for both parties."