Part 13 (2/2)

With an execration which was by no means muttered, Mr. Arthur Courtnay sprang up. Tinker darted away, and Courtnay followed. They pelted through the gardens, Courtnay gaining; but as he pa.s.sed a couple of gendarmes standing in front of the Casino, Tinker yelled: ”Gare le voyou! Gare le voyou!” Instinctively the gendarmes flung themselves before Courtnay, and his impetus brought the three of them to the ground with some violence.

With one fleeting glance behind, Tinker scudded on to the hotel, and once safely in his room abandoned himself without restraint to convulsions of inextinguishable delight. When he recovered his habitual calm, he saw that Fortune had given him a weapon with which he might save his cousin.

Mr. Arthur Courtnay and the gendarmes picked themselves up; he made his explanations, and wisely compensated them for the bruises they had received in his fall. Then giving no more thought to Madame de Belle-ile, who sat awaiting him eagerly, he returned gloomily to his hotel, reflecting on the carelessness which had delivered him into the hands of an indefatigable imp of mischief. The upshot of his reflection was a resolve to press his wooing to an immediate conclusion. The next day and the day after, therefore, he redoubled his lamentations that the smallness of his means prevented him from going, as his natural honesty dictated, straight to Claire's father, and asking for her hand, and protested that he dare not risk the loss of her, which would work irreparable havoc in his life. It was only another step to suggest that, once they were married, her father's strong liking for him would soon bring about their forgiveness. He pressed and pressed these points, pausing at times to declare the vastness of his affection for her, until at last, against her better judgment, and in spite of a lurking distrust of him, of which she could not rid herself, she yielded to his persistence and the overwhelming influence of his stronger personality, and consented to elope with him.

Two days later, as Tinker, Sir Tancred, and Lord Crosland were at dejeuner, Claire and Courtnay pa.s.sed them on their way to the gardens.

”I shouldn't wonder if those two ran away together,” said Lord Crosland; and his cheerful face fell gloomy.

”They have the air,” said Sir Tancred coolly.

”Look here, you ought to interfere, don't you know? You ought, really,” said Lord Crosland, who had fallen under the fascination of Claire's fresh charm.

”Why don't _you_?” said Sir Tancred.

”Well,” said Lord Crosland uncomfortably, ”I did go to Sir Everard, and tell him to keep an eye on Courtnay; and he as good as told me to go to--Jericho.”

”Just like b.u.mpkin,” said Sir Tancred contemptuously. ”I'll bet you a fiver they bolt to-night--by the train _des decaves_.”

”I don't want to bet about it,” said Lord Crosland very gloomily.

Their talk made Tinker thoughtful. It would have been easy enough to settle the matter by revealing Courtnay's injudicious display of affection towards Madame de Belle-ile, but that was not Tinker's way.

He had a pa.s.sion for keeping things in his own hands, and a pretty eye for dramatic possibilities. Besides, he had taken a great dislike to Courtnay, and was eager to make his discomfiture signal.

At half-past four in the afternoon he knocked at the door of Madame de Belle-ile's suite of rooms, and her maid conducted so prominent a figure in Monte Carlo society straight to her mistress.

Madame de Belle-ile, having just changed from a bright scarlet costume into a brighter, was taking her afternoon tea before returning to the tables.

”Bonjour, Monsieur le Vaurien,” she said with a bright smile. ”Have you at last succeeded in gambling?”

”No; it would be no pleasure to me to gamble unless your bright eyes were s.h.i.+ning on the table,” said Tinker with a happy recollection of a compliment he had overheard.

”Farceur! Va!” said the lady with a pleased smile.

”I came to ask if you would like to sup with Mr. Courtnay to-night?”

said the unscrupulous Tinker.

”Ah, le bel Artur!” cried the lady. ”But with pleasure. Where?”

”Oh, in the restaurant of the hotel,” said Tinker.

The lady's face fell a little; she would have preferred to sup in a less public place, one more suited to protestations of devotion.

”At about eleven?” she said.

”At half past,” said Tinker. ”And I think he'd like a note from you accepting--it--it would please him, I'm sure. He--he--could take it out, and look at it, you know.” It was a little clumsy; but, though he had thought it out carefully, it was the best that he could do.

”You think so? What a lot we know about these things!” said Madame de Belle-ile with a pleased laugh; and she went forthwith to the ecritoire, and in ten minutes composed the tenderest of billets-doux.

Tinker received it from her with a very lively satisfaction, and after a few bonbons, and a desultory chat with her, escorted her down to the Casino.

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