Jeffery Farnol

“ Belloo sir!” cried Adam with his great laugh, “there ain’t nobody can ’andle the ribbons better than Miss Anthea,—there ain’t a horse as she can’t drive,—ah! or ride, for that matter,—not nowheres, sir.”
“Hum!” said Bellew, and, having watched the dog-cart out of sight, he turned and followed Adam into the stables. ”

“ Observing which, the Corn-chandler feeling it incumbent upon him now or never, to vindicate himself as a man of property, and substance, and not to be put down, thrust his hands deep into his pockets, spread his legs wide apart, and stared at Bellew in a way that most people had found highly disconcerting, before now. Bellew, however, seemed wholly unaffected, and went on imperturbably filling his pipe.
“At sixty-five!” cried the Auctioneer, leaning towards Grimes with his hammer poised, “at sixty-five— Will you make it another pound, sir?—come,—what do you say?” ”

“ Grimes a deferential “Good-day!”
“That there Adam,” puffed the Corn-chandler, “that there Adam ought to be throwed out into the stables where he belongs. I never see a man as was so much growed to feet and elbers, in all my days! He ought to be took,” repeated the Corn-chandler, “and shook, and throwed out into the yard.”
“Yes,” nodded the other, “took, and shook, and throwed out—neck, and crop, sir! And now,—what might you think o’ the furniture, Mr. Grimes?”
“So so, Parsons,” nodded Grimes, “so so!” ”

“ These eight antique chairs, going at fifteen!—going! for the last time,—going!—gone! Sold to the gentleman in the corner behind the side-board, Theodore.”
“They were certainly fine chairs, Mr. Grimes!” said Parsons shaking his head.
“So so!” said the Corn-chandler, sitting down heavily, “So so, Parsons!” and he turned to glare at Bellew, who, lying back in an easy chair with his legs upon another, puffed at his pipe, and regarded all things with a placid interest. ”

“ Conspicuous among them was a large man with a fat, red neck which he was continually mopping at, and rubbing with a vivid bandanna handkerchief scarcely less red. Indeed, red seemed to be his pervading colour, for his hair was red, his hands were red, and his face, heavy and round, was reddest of all, out of whose flaming circumference two diminutive but very sharp eyes winked and blinked continually. ”

“ There ain’t another piece like this in the county, as I know of,—solid ma-hogany, sir!—and the carvings!” and herewith, he gave two loud double knocks upon the article of furniture in question. “Oh! I’ve ’ad my eye on this side-board for years, and years,—knowed I’d get it some day, too,—the only wonder is as she ain’t had to sell up afore now.”
“Meaning Miss Anthea, sir?”
“Ah,—her! I say as it’s a wonder to me,—wo’t wi’ the interest on the mortgage I ’old on the place, and one thing and another,—it’s a wonder to me as she’s kept her ’ead above water so long. ”

“ Belloo sir!” sighed Adam, with a hopeless shake of the head, “an’ that be a powerful lot o’ money, sir.”
Bellew thought of the sums he had lavished upon his yacht, upon his three racing cars, and certain other extravagances. Three thousand pounds,—fifteen thousand dollars! It would make her a free woman,—independent,—happy! Just fifteen thousand dollars,—and he had thrown away more than that upon a poker game, before now!
“Lord!” exclaimed Adam, “the very sight o’ that theer Grimes’s pig eyes a-starin’ at Miss Anthea’s furnitur’ do make the Old Adam rise up in me to that amazin’ extent, Mr. ”