The Place of Honeymoons - Page 65/123

"Ever read this?" asked a pleasant voice from behind, indicating Rodney

Stone with the ferrule of a cane.

Harrigan looked up. "No. What's it about?"

"Best story of the London prize-ring ever written. You're Mr. Harrigan,

aren't you?"

"Yes," diffidently.

"My name is Edward Courtlandt. If I am not mistaken, you were a great

friend of my father's."

"Are you Dick Courtlandt's boy?"

"I am."

"Well, say!" Harrigan held out his hand and was gratified to encounter a

man's grasp. "So you're Edward Courtlandt? Now, what do you think of that!

Why, your father was the best sportsman I ever met. Square as they make

'em. Not a kink anywhere in his make-up. He used to come to the bouts in

his plug hat and dress suit; always had a seat by the ring. I could hear

him tap with his cane when there happened to be a bit of pretty sparring.

He was no slouch himself when it came to putting on the mitts. Many's the

time I've had a round or two with him in my old gymnasium. Well, well!

It's good to see a man again. I've seen your name in the papers, but I

never knew you was Dick's boy. You've got an old grizzly's head in your

dining-room at home. Some day I'll tell you how it got there, when you're

not in a hurry. I went out to Montana for a scrap, and your dad went

along. After the mill was over, we went hunting. Come up to the villa and

meet the folks.... Hang it, I forgot. They're up to Caxley-Webster's to

tea; piffle water and sticky sponge-cake. I want you to meet my wife and

daughter."

"I should be very pleased to meet them." So this was Nora's father? "Won't

you come along with me to the colonel's?" with sudden inspiration. Here

was an opportunity not to be thrust aside lightly.

"Why, I just begged off. They won't be expecting me now."

"All the better. I'd rather have you introduce me to your family than to

have the colonel. As a matter of fact, I told him I couldn't get up. But I

changed my mind. Come along." The first rift in the storm-packed clouds;

and to meet her through the kindly offices of this amiable man who was her

father!

"But the pup and the cigar box?"

"Send them up."

Harrigan eyed his own spotless flannels and compared them with the

other's. What was good enough for the son of a millionaire was certainly

good enough for him. Besides, it would be a bully good joke on Nora and

Molly.