| 191 | 192 | 193 | 194 | 195 |
| 1 | 65 | 130 | 195 | 260 |
|
was."
"Meanin'?" said the fair young man in the white tie.
"That I'm going to wipe my boots on 'im straight away," said Mr.
Hoopdriver, reverting to anger, if with a slight catch in his
throat--than which threat of personal violence nothing had been further
from his thoughts on entering the room. He said this because he could
think of nothing else to say, and stuck out his elbows truculently to
hide the sinking of his heart. It is curious how situations run away
with us.
"'Ullo, Charlie!" said the little man, and "My eye!" said the owner of
the chins. "You're going to wipe your boots on 'im?" said the fair young
man, in a tone of mild surprise.
"I am," said Mr. Hoopdriver, with emphatic resolution, and glared in the
young man's face.
"That's fair and reasonable," said the man in the velveteen jacket; "if
you can."
The interest of the meeting seemed transferred to the young man in the
white tic. "Of course, if you can't find out which it is, I suppose
you're prepared to wipe your boots in a liberal way on everybody in the
room," said this young man, in the same tone of impersonal question.
193
Page
Quick Jump
|