Part 7 (1/2)

Edward Henry regretted his use of the word ”shanty” Inhabitants of the Five Towns may allow themselves to twit the historic and excellent Turk's Head, but they do not extend the privilege to strangers And in justice to the Turk's Head it is to be clearly stated that it did no e travellers than any other provincial hotel in England It was a sound and serious English provincial hotel, and it linked century to century

Said Mr Bryany:

”'Merica's the place for hotels”

”Yes, I expect it is”

”Been to Chicago?”

”No, I haven't”

Mr Bryany, as he re to raise his eyebrows

”Of course you've been to New York?”

Edward Henry would have given all he had in his pockets to be able to say that he had been to New York But by soo to New York, and being a truthful person (except in the gravest crises) he was obliged to answer azed at hiered by the discovery that there existed in England a le on for forty years without perfecting his education by a visit to New York

Edward Henry could not tolerate Mr Bryany's look It was a look which he had never been able to tolerate on the features of anybody whatsoever He re Mr Bryany to the Turk's Head was to repay Mr Bryany--in what coin he knew not yet--for the aspersions which at the eneral and upon the Five Towns in particular, and also to get revenge for having been tricked into believing, even for a moe It is true that Mr Bryany was innocent of this deception, which had been accomplished by Robert Brindley, but that was a detail which did not trouble Edward Henry, who luether--for convenience

He had been reflecting that some sentimental people, unused to the ways of paternal affection in the Five Towns, ht consider hiain, that Nellie's suggestion of blood-poisoning estions in such circuhts away, reassuring hiainst hydrophobia anyhow, by the recollection of the definite statement of the _Encyclopedia_ Moreover, had he not inspected the wound--as healthy a wound as you could wish for?

And he said in a new tone, very curtly:

”Now, Mr Bryany, what about this little affair of yours?”

He saw that Mr Bryany accepted the implied rebuke with the deference properly shown by atowards thethe fellow's countenance, he decided that, despite its brassiness and si, it was scarcely the countenance of a rascal

”Well, it's like this,” said Mr Bryany, sitting down opposite Edward Henry at the centre table, and reaching with obsequious liveliness for the dispatch-box

He drew frolass flask of whisky with a patent stopper, and then a spacious box of cigarettes

”I always travel with the right sort,” he reht ”It's safer and it saves any trouble with orders after closing-ti he dispensed whisky and cigarettes, there being a siphon and glasses, and three !” he said, with raised glass

And Edward Henry responded, in conforeless ritual of the Five Towns:

”I looks!”

And they sipped

Whereupon Mr Bryany next drew from the dispatch-box a piece of transparent paper

”I want you to look at this plan of Piccadilly Circus and environs,”

said he