FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110  
111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   >>   >|  
ou may shave off a ginger beard, but you can't alter your eyes. Mr. Wilson you are, and that I'll swear to in a court of law before a judge and jury. Let them say what they will about me being a liar." "Of what are you talking, woman?" "Of you, sir; and I hope I may mention that you were more respectful when you boarded with me." "Boarded with you!" Franklin stared, and spoke in an astonished tone. "Why, I never boarded with you in my life!" "Oh, Mr. Wilson, how can you? What about my little house in Lambeth, and the dear boy--my son Alexander--you were so fond of?" "You are raving." "I'm as sane as you are," said the landlady, her color rising, "and a deal more respectable, if all were known. Why you should deny me to my face is more than I can make out, Mr. Wilson." "My name is not Wilson." "And I say it is, sir." Both the man and the woman eyed one another firmly. Then Franklin motioned Mrs. Benker to a seat on a mossy bank. "We can talk better sitting," said he. "I should like an explanation of this. You say that my name is Wilson, and that I boarded with you." "At Lambeth. I'll take my oath to it." "Had your boarder red hair and a red beard?" "Red as a tomato. But you can buy wigs and false beards. Eyes, as I say, you cannot change." "Had this Wilson eyes like mine?" asked Frankly eagerly. "There ain't a scrap of difference, Mr. Wilson. Your eyes are the same now as they were then." "One moment. Had this man you think me to be two teeth missing in his lower jaw--two front teeth?" "He had. Not that his teeth were of the best." Franklin drew down his lip. "You will see that I have all my teeth." "H'm!" Mrs. Benker sniffed. "False teeth can be bought." "I fear you would find these teeth only too genuine," said the man quietly. "But I quite understand your mistake." "My mistake?" Mrs. Benker shook her head vehemently. "I'm not the one to make mistakes." "On this occasion you have done so; but the mistake is pardonable. Mrs.--Mrs.--what is your name?" "Mrs. Benker, sir. And you know it." "Excuse me, I do not know it. The man who was your lodger, and whom you accuse me of being, is my brother." "Your brother!" echoed the landlady, amazed. "Yes, and a bad lot he is. Never did a hand's turn in all his life. I daresay while he was with you he kept the most irregular hours?" "He did--most irregular." "Out all night at times, and in all day? And again, out al
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110  
111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Wilson
 

Benker

 

boarded

 
mistake
 
Franklin
 
landlady
 

Lambeth

 

brother

 

irregular


bought

 
sniffed
 
moment
 

difference

 

missing

 

amazed

 

occasion

 

echoed

 

pardonable


accuse

 

lodger

 
Excuse
 

mistakes

 

vehemently

 
daresay
 

genuine

 
understand
 
quietly

stared

 

astonished

 

rising

 

raving

 

Alexander

 
Boarded
 
ginger
 

mention

 
respectful

talking

 

respectable

 

tomato

 

boarder

 

beards

 

Frankly

 
eagerly
 

change

 
explanation

sitting
 

firmly

 

motioned