ll. Acting on the presumption that you might have been a friend in
distress, I worked hard in your interest. Now I discover, to my
gratification, you are a perfect stranger whom I am proud to meet.
Permit me to offer my warmest felicitations and to assure you that Mr.
Brock will make a splendid brother-in-law." He hesitated a moment and
then went on: "So _you_ are the chap that really put in those c'nfended
memorial windows. 'Pon me word, sir, they are the rottenest--"

"Carney!" came the sharp reminder from his wife.

"I should have said," revised Mr. Odell-Carney, "you are the chap who
played the deuce with the building grafters in the County Council.
Remarkable!"

"Yes," said Roxbury, striving to grasp something of the situation as it
appeared to the other. "We beat them. The bill is lost. It will never go
to the Council. The sub-committee will not recommend it. Thanks, Brock,
old man; you have saved London a good many millions, I daresay. It was
you who did it, after all."

Before noon the hotel was agog with the full details of the remarkable
story. Cabled despatches in the newspapers gave the gist of the clever
trick played by the Medcrofts, and the whole of England was to ring with
the stories of Mrs. Medcroft's pluck and devotion. Everybody was buying
the papers and staring with admiration at Mrs. Medcroft.

The management of the Tirol implored the Medcrofts to remain--forever!
The bank and the police were profuse in apologies and explanations, and
Mr. Githens departed by the first train.

Freddie Ulstervelt, killing two birds with one stone, arranged a
splendid dinner for that night in honour of the prodigal husband of
Edith and also in open compliment to the vivacious Mademoiselle Le Brun.

Later in the day, it occurred to him that he might just as well kill
three birds as two, so he planned to announce the betrothal of Miss
Fowler and Mr. Brock, the wedding to take place a fortnight hence in
Mayfair. The Rodneys were invited to "stop over" for the spread. It is
left for the reader to supply the answer to this simple question,--

Did they stop over?

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE HUSBANDS OF EDITH***

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