I overlooked that when making the
agreement. You see, gentlemen, as business men we've a right to
reasonable guarantees of good faith. We are paying Mr. Bickersteth here
a hundred and fifty dollars for this reception, and we naturally want
to know----"
Old Chiswick gave Bicky a searching look; then he turned to the
water-supply chappie. He was frightfully calm.
"I can assure you that I know nothing of this," he said, quite
politely. "I should be grateful if you would explain."
"Well, we arranged with Mr. Bickersteth that eighty-seven citizens
of Birdsburg should have the privilege of meeting and shaking hands
with you for a financial consideration mutually arranged, and what my
friend Simms here means--and I'm with him--is that we have only Mr.
Bickersteth's word for it--and he is a stranger to us--that you are
the Duke of Chiswick at all."
Old Chiswick gulped.
"Allow me to assure you, sir," he said, in a rummy kind of voice, "that
I am the Duke of Chiswick."
"Then that's all right," said the chappie heartily. "That was all we
wanted to know. Let the thing go on."
"I am sorry to say," said old Chiswick, "that it cannot go on. I am
feeling a little tired. I fear I must ask to be excused."
"But there are seventy-seven of the boys waiting round the corner at
this moment, Duke, to be introduced to you."
"I fear I must disappoint them.
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