Part 38 (1/2)

The affair was on all the contents-bills hours before it actually happened Edward Henry had been interviewed several times, and had rather enjoyed that Gradually he had perceived that his novel idea for a corner-stone-laying had caught the facile iht at least he was famous--as famous as anybody!

Sir John had ure of hied reat and enlightened public, and about the highest function of the drama, and about the duty of the artist to elevate, and about the soleers, and about the absence of petty jealousies in the world of the stage

Everybody had vociferously applauded, while reporters turned rapidly the pages of their note-books ”ass!” Edward Henry had said to hi Sir John--but he too had vociferously applauded; for he was from the Five Towns, and in the Five Towns people are like that! Then Sir John had declared the corner-stone well and truly laid (it was on the corner which the electric sign of the future was destined to occupy), and after being thanked had wandered off, shaking hands here and there absently, to arrive at length in the office of the clerk-of-the-works, where Edward Henry had arranged suitably to refresh the stone-layer and a few choice friends of both sexes

He had hoped that Elsie April would somehow reach that little office

But Elsie April was absent, indisposed Her absence made the one blemish on the affair's perfection Elsie April, it appeared, had been struck down by a cold which had entirely deprived her of her voice, so that the perforerly anticipated by all London, had had to be postponed Edward Henry bore the misfortune of the Azure Society with stoicism, but he had been extremely disappointed by the invisibility of Elsie April at his stone-laying His eyes had wanted her

Sir John, awaking apparently out of a dream when Edward Henry had summoned him twice, cliest rival on the insecure planks and gangways that covered the first floor of the Regent Theatre

”Coinnings of the second story, above which hung suspended froe that was eround

The two fur coats alri”

Noard Henry hated to be addressed as ”youngtone which Sir John used Moreover, he had a suspicion that in Sir John's mind was the illusion that Sir John alone was responsible for the creation of the Regent Theatre--that without Sir John's aid as a stone-layer it could never have existed

”You rimly

”In twelve months from now--before I coet rid of this thing on any ter that you had imitated my example and kept out of Piccadilly Circus Piccadilly Circus is sinister, e, Sir John,” said Edward Henry ”You'll get a still better view Rather fine, isn't it, even froe, and helped Sir John to cli there in the immediate silence, Sir John murmured with emotion:

”We are alone with London!”

Edward Henry thought:

”Cuckoo!”

They heard footsteps resounding on loose planks in a distant corner

”Who's there?” Edward Henry called

”Only me!” replied a voice ”nobody takes any notice of me!”

”Who is it?” muttered Sir John

”Alloyd, the architect,” Edward Henry answered, and then calling loud, ”Coure approached, hesitated, and then joined the other two in the cage

”Let ri towards Alloyd ”Are you the genius who draws those a little lines and scrawls on transparent paper, Mr

Alloyd? Tell , or do you only do them for your own fun? Quite between ourselves, you know! I've often wondered”