The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-01-04
CHAPTER II.
THE COUNTS DOUBLE.

felt for a moment so utterly, helplessly
amazed that I must either laugh or cry.
''Impossiblel" gasped. lyon could
not have, old man. Why, how could
the dear old governor no; it's impossi-
blel You didn't speak to him?
Eyes, did. I met him in Oxford
street and capped him and said, 'zdrav-
stvui, graf" Good morning, county,
s'and-well, he seemed bit surprised
and looked me over as though he didn't
recognize me, but he returned my salu-
tation -
''Go on, said, Sin heavens name
What did he say then-where. did he
go3"
i "That's the funny part Of it, y said
Percy. HE didn't stop to talk, and
your pater is generally SO kind and nice
to me. Instead of taking my arm and
having chat and probably standing
me presently rare lunch, he nodded,
jumped into hanson and drove
away.
81 can t believe it of old dad, Percy,
said. ''You must have been mistaken,
old man; you mistook some one else for
him. /"
ellis double, then, and another Rus
sian, toe, for he answered in Russian,
'Zdravstvui; but of course that might
! be coincidence, if it were not that am
ready to swear to it that he was your
father and no other, or almost ready,
| perhaps ought to say
1 jumped at the little point of implied
uncertainty.
'.Ah-almostl You are not absolutely
certain, then2"
"Well, to be entirely straight Per
cy hesitated-"I remember now MOTTO
ing-well, you know how very particu-
lar your father is about dress, and SO
! on. Today he did look different in that
respect. He wore a .Tyrolese hat and
seedyish coat; he didn't look you
know-quite SO distinguished as usual
that's all-and he hadn't shaved. .
"Then I'd swear it wasn't dad
cried, ''for the dear old man would SOON
er perish than walk up Piccadilly look.
| ing like the bounder you described
/ ':Oxford street, /" Percy corrected.
cor even Oxford street, said 1.
..'But stop. old chapl You seem to be
anxious it shouldn't be your father, .
said Percy, puzzled by my attitude.
"Wouldn't you rather know he was
Iiover here, safe and all well, than-well
heaven knows where2''
ssThe thing is tried to explain.
.Ishouldnt like to think he was here,
free on his own hook, as it were, be.
cause then, why shouldn't mother know
/ about it, and and all the world fol
the matter of that? It would mean that
the dear old man had gone dotty, you
know, and I'd almost rather anything
had happened than that
i 81 see, said Percy, and we walked
on awhile in silence, taking the nearest
route to my hotel. told my friend my
intention of starting tonight, and he
promised to dine early with me and see
me off at $50.
Chang itl'' he said presently. 81
wish was going with you. D'yor
know this is the most hopeless place il
the world to find any thing to do in. =
"There are nearly always matches a
Lord or the Oval, 4" said. "and ther,
are the theatersl
i 81 mean work, . he explained-''s
3 living. lean get 81 week as a clerk il
the city and that's the best offer Nv,
had as yet. jolly prospect, isn't it7''
i What a selfish brute / was, for tn
last hour had talked hard about m,
own affairs and had never even though
of asking after his Yet he was yer,
badly off, indeed, had heard, and, a
his words showed, he was without i'm
mediate prospect Of employment
ST most heartily wish you were com
ing over with me, said. 'Lool
here, added. "Why not come2''
sob, couldn'tl" he laughed "Mat
ters-my affairs are too important TO
that, or rather my want of affairs''
"Well but Isaid, struck with ,
sudden idea. eve shall require stew
ard badly until the old dad turns III
again to look after things. Why no
come and help us? promise you a fai
reward if my dear old mother has any
thing to do with it, which she certain
ly will. .
"Don't tempt me too sore, or 1 shall
fall" he laughed
Then J. went at him tooth and mai
and almost compelled him to accept tn
suggestion, and presently he did con
sent. He could not be ready, he said, il
time to start with me tonight, but b
would come tomorrow or next day. B,
that time he would get his passport an,
luggage together. 1t was rather shor
notice and might be bit of shock t
his mother, but she would quite under
stand. Eyes. old man, he ended, ''I'n
on for it. y
This decision of Percy's comforte
me greatly, for was very fond indee,
of my friend. At Toddlestone he and
had been known as Fidus and Achates
He would come as guest at present
If afterward it should turn out tina
mother required some one as agent o
clerk or whatever you like to call it
then Percy would step forward and say
"Will do?'
So we dined and drove to Victoria
and Percy saw me off, promising t
follow nv tho sama train tnmorrouv n