“Upon my word,” said Erb, looking at him wonderingly, “you are a perfect marvel. I never saw anything like you.”
“Thanks, old chap,” replied the other gratefully, and shaking his hand. “Meet me after the show and we’ll have a drink together. I was afraid at first you were a bit of a bounder. Don’t mind me saying so now, do you?”
“Not at all,” replied Erb. “You gave me much the same impression.”
“That’s most extr’ordinary. There’s an idea for a curtain-raiser in that. Two men beginning by hating each other, and later on—”
“Any message for your young lady?”
“Which?” asked Mr. Railton.
“You know very well who I mean,” said Erb with some annoyance.
“Oh,” with sudden enlightenment, “you mean the Danks person. Oh, tell her I’m all right.”
Erb looked at him rather dangerously, but the young man, secure in the mailed armour of self-content, did not observe this. Erb, placing his doubled fists well down into the pockets of his coat, turned and went off.
“By the bye,” called Mr. Railton, in his affected voice.