an to race us up the hill for a shilling.

At these antics and such like our party laughed uproariously, with the
exception of Hodgson, who had his correspondence to attend to, and an
elegant young lady of some social standing who had lately emerged from
the Divorce Court with a reputation worth to her in cash a hundred
pounds a week.

Arriving at the hotel quarter of an hour or so before lunch time,
we strolled into the garden. Our low comedian, observing an elderly
gentleman of dignified appearance sipping a glass of Vermouth at a small
table, stood for a moment rooted to the earth with astonishment, then,
making a bee-line for the stranger, seized and shook him warmly by the
hand. We exchanged admiring glances with one another.

"Charlie is in good form to-day," we told one another, and followed at
his heels.

The elderly gentleman had risen; he looked puzzled. "And how's Aunt
Martha?" asked him our low comedian. "Dear old Aunt Martha! Well, I am
glad! You do look bonny! How is she?"

"I'm afraid--" commenced the elderly gentleman. Our low comedian started
back. Other visitors had gathered round.

"Don't tell me anything has happened to her! Not dead? Don't tell me
that!"

He seized the bewildered gentleman by the shoulders and presented to him
a face distorted by terror.

"I really have not the faintest notion what you are talking about,"
returned the gentleman, who seemed annoyed. "I don't know you."

"Not know me? Do you mean to tell me you've forgotten--? Isn't your name
Steggles?"

"No, it isn't," returned the stranger, somewhat shortly.

"My mistake," replied our low comedian. He tossed off at one gulp what
remained of the stranger's Vermouth and walked away rapidly.

The elderly gentleman, not seeing the humour of the joke, one of
our party to soothe him explained to him that it was Atherton, _the_
Atherton--Charlie Atherton.

"Oh, is it," growled the elderly gentleman. "Then will you tell him from
me that when I want his damned tomfoolery I'll come to the theatre and
pay for it."

"What a disagreeable man," we said, as, following our low comedian, we
made our way into the hotel.

During lunch he continued in excellent spirits; kissed the bald back of
the waiter's head, pretending to mistake it for a face, called for
hot mustard and water, made believe to steal the silver, and when the
finger-bowls arrived, took off his coat and requested the ladies to look
the other way.

After lunch he