Anthony Hope

“ We all pricked up our ears.
"But," he continued, "I am not at liberty to say."
We sank back in our chairs.
"Do you know?" asked the Colonel, and Jack nodded solemnly.
"Out with it!" we cried.
"Impossible," said Jack. "But I may tell you that the matter engaged the attention of more than one of the Foreign Offices of Europe."
"Good heavens!" cried we in chorus, and Jack drank off his whisky-and-water, rose to his feet and put on his hat.
"Poor dear Mary!" said he, as he opened the door. "She never got over it." ”

“ We exchanged our possessions, the waiter withdrew with a wink, and I tore open the precious note.
"‘Whatever you do,' it ran, 'don't recognise me. I am watched. As soon as I can I will tell you where to meet me. I knew you would come.—M.'
"‘The darling!' I exclaimed. 'She's a girl of spirit. I'll take good care not to betray her. Oh, we'll circumvent old Dibbs between us.'
"At eight o'clock I went down to the salle à manger. It was quite empty. Mary and Miss Dibbs no doubt dined in their own sitting-room, and there appeared to be no one else in the hotel. ”

“ Do you sign "M"?'
"‘Yes, my name's—my name begins with M. Oh, if I'd only seen that waiter this morning! Oh, the idiot!'
"Then I believe I swore.
"‘Madame,' said I, 'I'm ruined! No harm is done to you—I'm a man of honour—but I'm ruined. On the strength of your wretched notes, madame, I've cut the girl I love best in the world—cut her dead—dead—dead!'
"‘What? That young lady in the—— Oh, you thought they were from her? Oh, I see! How—how—oh, how very amusing!' And the heartless little wretch went off into another peal of laughter. ”

“ All went well. The only question was as to the disposition of Miss Dibbs towards me. I prayed that she might turn out to be a romantic dragon, but, in case she should prove obstinate, I made my approaches with all possible caution. When my carriage stopped at the door I jumped out. The head-waiter, a big fellow in a white waistcoat, was on the steps. I drew him aside, and took a ten-franc piece from my pocket.
"‘Is there a young lady staying here?' I asked. 'Tall, fair, handsome?' and I slid the piece of gold into his palm. ”

“ The woman was so ignorant that she may really have thought that my birth was not equal to her daughter's; but all the world knows that the Munns were yeomen two hundred years ago, and that her Grace's family hails from a stucco villa in the neighbourhood of Cardiff. ”