"Well, hif she harsks arfter me, say Montgomery Julien Hethelbert sends 'is luv," said the boy, more cheerfully.
"Montgomery Julien Ethelbert," said the girl, opening the door.
When she had closed it behind her, Buster addressed himself disgustedly to his pal, Lord Castlereagh.
"Montgomery Julien Hethelbert," he repeated in high disdain. "Hain't that an 'ell of a nime for a sporting cove like me?"
"Wuff!" barked the dog, in sympathy.
Chapter Twenty-Five
SIR INCOGNITO RECEIVES A WARM WELCOME
The gentleman whose attentions to Jane Sweeny were causing so much excitement in the neighborhood favored by her residence, little suspecting that a warm welcome was there in preparation for him, let himself quietly out of a little private door in the rear of his great mansion and turned his steps cheerfully towards their rendezvous. He seemed to be in fine spirits, for once or twice he checked a whistle as it was about to escape from the lips he had unconsciously pursed as he strode quickly along.
It seemed to be his wish to avoid recognition, for he kept his face hidden as much as was rendered possible by his up-turned cloak collar and wide, drawn-down hat brim, though this desire upon his part seemed to grow less imperative as he left the fashionable locality in which he lived, and turning down a side street, followed a course that twisted and turned from poor neighborhood to even poorer, then on till the respectability of the locality was once more on the increase until he found himself on a shabby street not far from the one on which the establishment of Mrs. Malone was situated. The spot at which he had arranged to meet Sweeny's daughter was now near at hand. The gentleman, who was tall and well shaped, though slightly inclined to corpulence, strolled leisurely along the street, evidently confident that his charmer would not fail to be on hand promptly at their trysting place, but much to his surprise, when he arrived there was no one waiting for him. He paused, gave an exclamation of disappointment, and, drawing out his watch, stepped nearer the street lamp that he might see if he had anticipated the time appointed for his arrival. The timepiece assured him that he was several minutes behind the chosen hour, and after swearing softly to himself, he pocketed it and turned, intending to stroll leisurely up and down the street until the tardy damsel should put in an appearance.
At this moment a stalwart youth, with eyes set widely apart and the jaw of a pugilist, walked softly across from the opposite side. So noiseless was his tread that the first comer did not discover his proximity until he had approached within a yard or two.