FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159  
160   >>  
where there's some life. I'll take you. My lunch. Come along." Mr. Waddington protested but faintly. He murmured a word of apology to the _maitre d'hotel_, whom he knew, but Burton had already gone on ahead and was whistling for a taxi. With a groan, Mr. Waddington noticed that his hat had slipped a little on one side. There was a distinct return of his rakish manner. "The _Milan!_" Burton ordered. "Get along as quick as you can. We are hungry." The two men sat side by side in the taxicab. Mr. Waddington watched his companion in half-pained eagerness. Burton certainly was looking much more alert than earlier in the morning. "I tell you money's a great thing," the latter went on, producing a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. "I don't know why I should have worried about this little business adventure. I call it a first-class idea. I'd like to be able to take taxies whenever I wanted them, and go round to the big restaurants and sit and watch the people. Come to a music-hall one night, Mr. Waddington, won't you? I haven't seen anything really funny for a long time." "I'm afraid I should like to," Mr. Waddington began,--"I mean I should be delighted." "What are you afraid about?" Burton asked quickly. Mr. Waddington mopped his forehead with his handkerchief. "Burton," he said hoarsely, "I think it's coming on! I'm glad we are going to the _Milan_. I wish we could go to a music-hall to-night. That woman was attractive!" Burton set his teeth. "I can't help it," he muttered. "I can't help anything. Here goes for a good time!" He dismissed the taxi and entered the Milan, swaggering just a little. They lunched together and neither showed their usual discrimination in the selection of the meal. In place of the light wine which Mr. Waddington generally chose, they had champagne. They drank Benedictine with their coffee and smoked cigars instead of cigarettes. Their conversation was a trifle jerky and Mr. Waddington kept on returning to the subject of the Menatogen Company. "You know, I've three beans left, Burton," he explained, towards the end of the meal. "I don't know why I should keep them. They'd only last a matter of seven months, anyway. I've got to go back sometime. Do you think I could get in with you in the company?" "We'll go and--Why, there is Mr. Bunsome!" Burton exclaimed. "Mr. Bunsome!" The company promoter was just passing their table. He turned around at the sound of his
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159  
160   >>  



Top keywords:
Waddington
 

Burton

 

Bunsome

 

afraid

 

company

 
selection
 
discrimination
 

lunched

 
coming
 

showed


forehead

 

dismissed

 
hoarsely
 

attractive

 
muttered
 

entered

 
swaggering
 
handkerchief
 

cigars

 

matter


months

 

explained

 

turned

 

exclaimed

 

promoter

 

passing

 

champagne

 

Benedictine

 

coffee

 

smoked


generally

 
cigarettes
 

subject

 

returning

 

Menatogen

 
Company
 

mopped

 
conversation
 

trifle

 
wanted

ordered
 

hungry

 
manner
 
rakish
 

slipped

 

distinct

 
return
 

pained

 
eagerness
 

companion