The Regent

course of action. Certain details of the strange adventure pleased him-as, for instance, the dandy's welc

ouble windows, one within the other, appealed to the domestic expert in him; indeed, he at once had the idea of doubling the window of the best bedroom at home; to do so would be a f

er. Something must be done. Then he had the notion of writing to Nellie; he had promised himse

ed stationery. Between the tasselled folds of plushy curtains that pleated themselves with the grandeur of painted curtains in a theat

ear w

ng husband," but he was not a man to fling "darlings" about. Few husbands in the Five Town

ell her that he had engaged an unpriced suite at Wilkins's. He was not going to mention Wilkins's. Then he intelligently perceived that

royal blue. The which appeared to Edward Henry to point to a defect of foresight on the part of Wilkins's. At the gigantic political club to which he belonged, and which he had occasionally vi

s wife? He was not. Would not the news ultimately reach Bursley that he had stayed at Wilkins'

mpanionship, were it only momentary, of something human. H

urt of Austria, a gentleman-in-waiting arrived in the doorway of the dra

plain note-pa

Oh! Perfection o

nquiringly at the gentleman-in-waiting, who supported his gaze with an impenetrable, invulnerable servility. Edward Henry, beaten off wit

their immaculate living burd

ed her also that London seemed as full as ever, and that he might go t

man, with a long nose and long moustaches, wearing a red-and-black-striped sleeved waistcoat and a white apron, was in the corridor. At the Turk's Head such a person would have been the boots. But Edward Henry remembered a not

it?" he

ed, sir. No doubt your servant is bringi

moustache. It was an appalling fault in deme

ht Edward Henry, attracted too by a gleam in

valets for emergencies, but obviously it expected visitors to bring their own valets i

awkward situation." He hesitated, seeking to and

o hear t

innetonka, sailing from Tilbury at noon to-day, and sent him on in front with my stuff, and at the very la

r. And I suppose

crush and confusion there is on those big liners just before they start." Edward Henry had once ass

so,

ow would not have the idea of consulting the shipping intelligence in order to confirm the departure of the Minnetonka from Tilbury that day. Possibly the Minnetonka never

an" had only just occurred to him-"my man can't

one half-eager

a place for the moment-through no fault of his own. He's

at's the point." And he looked at his watch, as if to imply that anot

sir," said the hotel-valet, comprehending the gestu

Henry h

id commandingly. "Send f

tho

Wilkins's-I'll

r! Thank you v

etiring when Edward H

going out. Help me on wit

an ju

h," Edward Henry airily suggested.

hosier's in a side street he bought a shirt and a suit of pyjamas, and also permitted himself to be tempted by a special job line of hair-brushes that the hosier ha

f the hotel at half-past seven, and sat down therein to see the world. He knew by instinct that t

that he scarcely knew where to look-so apologetic was he for his grey lounge-suit and the creases in his boots. In less than a quarter of an hour he appreciated with painful clearness that his entire conception of existence had been wrong, and that he must begin again at the beginning. N

rposes of introduction. The young man was wearing a rather shabby blue suit, but a rich and distinguished overcoat that fitted him ill. In another five minutes Edward Henry

robably it would be a sacrilegious defiance of precedent to put a valet in the small bedroom. Quite probably Wilkins's had a floor for private valets in the roof. Again, quite probably, the small bedro

hing had

Edward Henry, indicating the doo

r," said

here, sir," said Joseph, g

med him of his new m

ward Henry. "You m