ly what it meant; it was apt to make him reflective. He did not dislike Robert Brindley, his habit was not to dislike people; he admitted Brindley to be a clever architect, though he objected to th

oo clever to submit unduly to the influence. Besides, Stirling was not a native; he was only a Scotchman, and Edward Henry considered that what Stirling thought of the district did not matter. Other details about Brindley which Edward Henry deprecated were his necktie, which, f

enry felt entirely at home. Nevertheless, the two men, having presented

," said Stirling, indica

he front chair!" Ed

ply. "The front chair in a stage-box is the one proper s

nguish his face among the confusion of faces in that distant obscurity; he, Edward Henry, had failed to notice them, even in the prominence of their box. But that they had distinguished him showed how familiar and striking a figure he was. He wondered, too, why they should have invited him to hob-nob with them. He was not of their set. Indeed, like many very eminent men, he was not to any degree in anybody's set. Of one thing he was sure-because he had read it on the [38] self-consc

ageant of the aristocracy and the democracy of the Five Towns, crowded together, tier above gilded tier, up to the dim roof where

at to offer me. I happened to have the evening free. It isn't often I do have a free evening. And so I thought I'

t to know him, is it?"

e was another

ng striking in rubber shares, M

ow these thin

d modestly. "Too late to do much! In another fortni

an Englishman"-

rse'?" Edward Hen

d Stirling's rich laugh was heard. "Only it does just happen," Brindley

ed, half proud and half apologetic

red Edward Henry with

er been to Longshaw in their lives, have only heard of it, as they hear of Chicago or Bangkok. Edward Henry had often b

t I've lived eighteen years in America, and it seems to me the bottom will soon be

y!" said Brindley. "D

oking at the Five Towns," sa

uch people for looking tw

is native district. He gazed in silence at Mr. Bryany's bras

eve me! Of course it has its good points, and England has her good points; but there's no money stirring. There's no field for speculatio

lf, Mr. Bryany?" i

my little bit. I can get ten per cent in Seattle and twelve to fifteen in Calgary

and the cinematograph beg

lowered voice, his views on the great questions of investme

ng at home," Mr. Bryany said, in a wound

r all the time he was cogitating the question whether the presence of Dr

said Mr. Bryany, while Edward Henry glanced quickly at him i

of a litt

theatre in t

Twenty minutes ago he had been idly dreaming of theatrical speculation, and now he could almost see theatrical speculation s

rest he forgot the enigma

d Mr. Bryany. "I'm Seven Sachs's manager." It w

cordiality, "and I suppose these chaps told you I was the sort of

asy laugh, but seemed

ittle affair?" Edward

Mr. Bryany. "It would take too lo

at about

London by the first t

ome othe

orrow will

at about

d a quiet, confidential chat in my rooms over at the Turk's Head. I never [42] dreamt-" Mr. Bryany was now as melancholy

e doctor. The ways of Providence had been made plain to Edward Henry. "I say, doc!" But

it?" said

ch you. You're wa

a caution!"

hly protested. "I didn't tell you before

mien was

l you I was h

e objected to the doctor giving an entire evening to diversions away from home-he considered that a doctor, when not on a round of visits, ought to be for ever in his consulting-room, ready for a sudden call of emergency. It was monstrous that Stirlin

matter?" ask

badly bitten by a dog, and t

all

ou bet s

's the

the

parted Robert Brindley abruptly joi

that case of hydrophobia at

nry's hea

he said anxious

in the darkened box, and he could hear the r

see it in

N

id I," sai

, and the band began to play "God Save the King." Brindley and Stirling were laughing. A

Henry. "But my wife's most precious infant h

here?" Stirl

Have

N

later. I've some business round this way.

and Robert Brindley had decided that he could not leave [44] his crony to travel b

et rid of the d

itten by a dog?" asked Mr.

ard Henry replied, carefully non-committal

dgment passed on him, by a very old woman very many years before. This discerning h