Part 4 (2/2)
”Very well; you may go.”
”Certingly, sir.” Mr. Brimberly bowed and crossed to the door but, being there, paused. ”Double me wages I think it were, sir, _and_ a bonus?
Very 'andsome, very 'andsome indeed, sir--thank you, sir.” Saying which, Mr. Brimberly bowed himself out, but immediately bowed himself in again.
”Sir,” said he, ”if you could give me some hidea, sir--”
”Some what?”
”A few 'ints, sir, as to the nature of said hobject--whether animal, mineral, or nooter, sir?”
”Well--perhaps 'animal' might be the more interesting.”
”Now--as to gender, sir--masculine shall we say, or shall we make it feminine?”
”Oh--either will do! And yet, since you offer so wide a selection, perhaps--er--feminine--?”
”Very good, sir!”
”And you'd better make it singular number, Brimberly.”
”Certingly, sir, much obliged, sir! Will you be wanting me again, sir?”
”Not again, Brimberly.”
”Then good night, sir--thank you, sir!” And Mr. Brimberly went softly forth and closed the door noiselessly behind him.
Being alone, Mr. Ravenslee switched off the lights and sat in the fire-glow.
”Feminine gender, singular number, objective case, governed by the verb--to love--I wonder!”
And he laughed a little bitterly (and very youthfully) as he stared down into the dying fire.
CHAPTER III
HOW GEOFFREY RAVENSLEE WENT SEEKING AN OBJECT
A clock in the hall without struck midnight, but Mr. Ravenslee sat there long after the silvery chime had died away, his chin sunk upon his broad chest, his sombre eyes staring blindly at the fading embers, lost in profound and gloomy meditation. But, all at once, he started and glanced swiftly around toward a certain window, the curtains of which were only partly drawn, and his lounging att.i.tude changed instantly to one of watchful alertness.
As he sat thus, broad shoulders stooped, feet drawn up--poised for swift action, he beheld a light that flashed here and there, that vanished and came again, hovering up and down and to and fro outside the window; wherefore he reached out a long arm in the gloom and silently opened a certain drawer in the escritoire.
Came a soft click, a faint creak, and a breath of cool, fragrant air as the window was cautiously opened, and a shapeless something climbed through, while Mr. Ravenslee sat motionless--waiting.
The flas.h.i.+ng light winked again, a small, bright disc that hovered uncertainly and finally steadied upon the carved cabinet in the corner, and the Something crept stealthily thither. A long-drawn, breathless minute and then--the room was flooded with brilliant light, and a figure, kneeling before the cabinet, uttered a strangled cry and leapt up, only to recoil before Mr. Ravenslee's levelled revolver.
A pallid-faced, willowy lad, this, of perhaps seventeen, who, sinking to his knees, threw up an arm across his face, then raised both hands above his head.
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