The Cabmans Story | Page 2

home, when it struck me that I
might as well make a bit of a circuit, and see if I couldn't drop across
something. Pretty soon I gave a gentleman a lift as far as the Oxford
Road, and then I drove through St. John's Wood on my way home. By
that time it would be about half-past one, and the streets were quite
quiet and deserted, for the night was cloudy and it was beginning to
rain. I was putting on the pace as well as my tired beast would go, for
we both wanted to get back to our suppers, when I heard a woman's

voice hail me out of a side street. I turned back, and there in about the
darkest part of the mad was standing two ladies--real ladies, mind you,
for it would take a deal of darkness before I would mistake one for the
other. One was elderly and stoutish; the other was young, and had a
veil over her face. Between them there was a man in evening dress,
whom they were supporting on each side, while his back was propped
up against a lamp-post. He seemed beyond taking care of himself
altogether, for his head was sunk down on his chest, and he'd fallen if
they hadn't held him.
"'Cabman,' said the stout lady, with a very shaky voice, 'wish would
help us in this painful business.' Those were her very identical words.
"'Cert'nly, mum,' I says for I saw my way to a good thing. 'What do for
the young lady and yourself?' I mentioned the other in order to console
her like, for she was sobbing behind her veil something pitiful.
"'The fact is, cabman,' she answers, 'this gentleman is my daughter's
husband. They have only just been married, and we are visiting at a
friend's house near here. My son-in-law has just returned in a state of
complete intoxication, and my daughter I have brought him out in the
hope of seeing a cab in which we could send him home, for we have
most particular reasons for not wishing our friends to see him in this
state, and as yet they are ignorant of it. If you would drive him to his
house and leave him there, you would do us both a very great kindness,
and we can easily account to our hosts for his absence.'
"I thought this rather a rum start, but I agreed, and no sooner I said the
word than the old one she pulls open the door, and she and the other,
without waiting for me to bear a hand, bundled him in between them.
"'Where to?' I asked.
"'Forty-seven, Orange Grove, Clapham,' she said. 'Hoffman is & name.
You'll easily waken the servants.'
"'And how about the fare?' I suggested, for I thought maybe there might
be a difficulty in collecting it at the end of the journey.

"'Here it is,' said the young one, slipping what I felt to be a sovereign
into my hand, and at the same time giving it a sort of a grateful squeeze,
which made me feel as if I'd drive anywhere to get her out of trouble.
"Well, off I went, leaving them standing by the side of the road. The
horse was well-nigh beat, but at last I found my way to 47, Orange
Grove. It was a biggish house, and all quiet, as you may suppose, at
that hour. I rang the bell, and at last down came a servant--a man, he
was.
"'I've got the master here,' I said.
"'Got who?' he asked.
"'Why Mr. Hoffman--your master. He's in the cab, not quite himself.
This is number forty-seven, ain't it?'
"'Yes, it's forty-seven, right enough; but my master's Captain Ritchie,
and he's away in India, so you've got the wrong house.'
"'That was the number they gave me,' I said, 'But maybe he's come to
himself by this time, and can give us some information. He was dead
drunk an hour ago.'
"Down we went to the cab, the two of us, and opened the door. He had
slipped off the seat and was tying all in a heap on the floor.
"'Now, then, sir,' I shouted. 'Wake up and give us your address.'
"He didn't answer.
"I gave another shake. 'Pull yourself together,' I roared. 'Give us your
name, and tell us where you live.'
"He didn't answer again. I couldn't even hear the sound of breathing.
Then a kind of queer feeling came over me, and I put down my hand
and felt his face. It was as cold as lead. The cove's dead, mate,' I said.
"The servant struck a match, and we had a look at my passenger. He

was a young, good-looking fellow, but his face wore expression of