A Knight on Wheels

being sent for, had reserved her defence until the storm had spent itself, and then pointed out with admirable composure and undeniable truth

take a month's notice, which hurtled through the door after her, with

ne, Mrs. Falcon

you. Some day she will take it, you know, and then where will yo

e between his finger and thumb and threw it int

noticed a middle-aged woman pass the window, supporting one end of a basket, at the other

r ragged frock, and had holes in her stockings. But she was a pic

ch, being interpreted, means a dislike (from which many of us less highly-strung people also suffer) of performing uncongenial duties. But at the sight of the little girl, his professional instincts despatched him hot-foot through t

e, sir," she announced, "and you sh

of sixteen-button boots of patent leather,-the patent upon which had palpably expired,-once evidently the property of a lady of fashion, and a tragic travesty

rth, weeping, to be intercepted and comforted with

dfellows," which infuriated its creator so much that at luncheon his wife was affo

he glories of an autumn sunset, to make a heavy and unwholesome tea. But in an evil moment he asked for his daughter, and it was discovered that sh

housemaid and (later) her mother combined to tend her wounds

Academy, seriatim, to perdition. But to-night even these simple pleasures were denied him. His wife's chair stood empty. Probably she was upstairs, coddling that insubordinate brat, Peggy. Her own husband, of course, might shift for himself; he had no claim upon he

ghed b

I might not have climbed if I

on that he failed to hear seven portentous thumps

ling to keep an impoverished household together. His part was to work, work, work, with none to say him nay. Happy thought! He would go and wor

t, the downtrodden breadwinner proceeded to the studio. He stepped softly, for he did not want his wife

nts were strictly forbidden to enter the sacred apartment at all. It seemed too mu

morous mouth, bearing sustenance upon a tray, had paid him a lengthy visit. To her Philip had recounted the full tale of Uncle Joseph, not omitting the Beautiful Lady, but suppressing the nature of Uncle Joseph's profession and his own part therein. This was unfortunate, for ha

ing I will come and tell you what to do. Now, you queer little mortal, eat up your su

half an

he was aware of an inarticulate roar; and into his field of vision there bounded a gentleman with a golden beard and a fiery eye, wearin

y are you doing here?"

olitely that he

bring your filthy food in here? Tell me that!" His eye fell upon the tray, suggesting a

ge," replied the mooncalf

waved his a

a in my presence! It is a beastly habit an

ld," explained Phi

master of the house. "Don't answer b

and, to Philip's intense gratification, proce

all over my house? Who are you, to insinuate your disgusting

hopeful eye on the med

," he said

xplanation only exasperated

d daughter-let alone a staff of young and innocent servants? Supposing one of t

lence. Philip, realising that his host had not yet been taken into the confidence

enting Montagu cam

ome here at al

here to sleep,"

ed clenched ha

ed. "Do you imagine you are

. "I like your pictures awfully,"

oner first gaped at hi

ou a c

and said he was not sure. Mr. Falconer, after assuring him that ther

e you come from? I s

Hampstead," r

e in that b

es

at

mewhere," the crétin

your antimacassars, and china dogs, and wool mats, and wax fruit, a

from home," sai

uttered a yel

etting at the facts.

p tol

ed an air of feroc

enjoy my hospitality; but to-morrow morning, on the stroke of nine, an officer of the law-a policeman-shall wait upon you and conduct you back to the s

l-balanced householder shot out of the studio

oncerned in his mind about several things. In the first place, he had been discovered, and that might mean trouble both for Peggy and her mother. In the second the door was locked, which me

ion occurred to him. It was the only way, he decided, and moreover promised fur

less sleep of tired childhood, the lay figure and the othe