[Illustration: “Look there, Doris—you
see that path? Let’s go on to the moor
a little.”]
A Great Success
By
Mrs. Humphry Ward
Author of “Eltham House,” “Delia
Blanchflower,” etc.
New York
Hearst’s International Library Co.
1916
“Arthur,—what did you give the man?”
“Half a crown, my dear! Now don’t
make a fuss. I know exactly what you’re
going to say!”
“Half a crown!” said Doris Meadows,
in consternation. “The fare was one and
twopence. Of course he thought you mad. But
I’ll get it back!”
And she ran to the open window, crying “Hi!”
to the driver of a taxi-cab, who, having put down
his fares, was just on the point of starting from
the door of the small semi-detached house in a South
Kensington street, which owned Arthur and Doris Meadows
for its master and mistress.
The driver turned at her call.
“Hi!—Stop! You’ve been
over-paid!”
The man grinned all over, made her a low bow, and
made off as fast as he could.
Arthur Meadows, behind her, went into a fit of laughter,
and as his wife, discomfited, turned back into the
room he threw a triumphant arm around her.
“I had to give him half a crown, dear, or burst.
Just look at these letters—and you know
what a post we had this morning! Now don’t
bother about the taxi! What does it matter?
Come and open the post.”
Whereupon Doris Meadows felt herself forcibly drawn
down to a seat on the sofa beside her husband, who
threw a bundle of letters upon his wife’s lap,
and then turned eagerly to open others with which his
own hands were full.
“H’m!—Two more publishers’
letters, asking for the book—don’t
they wish they may get it! But I could have made
a far better bargain if I’d only waited a fortnight.
Just my luck! One—two—four—autograph
fiends! The last—a lady, of course!—wants
a page of the first lecture. Calm! Invitations
from the Scottish Athenaeum—the Newcastle
Academy—the Birmingham Literary Guild—the
Glasgow Poetic Society—the ’British
Philosophers’—the Dublin Dilettanti!—Heavens!—how
many more! None of them offering cash, as far
as I can see—only fame—pure and
undefiled! Hullo!—that’s a compliment!—the
Parnassians have put me on their Council. And
last year, I was told, I couldn’t even get in
as an ordinary member. Dash their impudence!...
This is really astounding! What are yours, darling?”
