The Missing Link | Page 6

seized them, and they made a dive for the
vehicle. Nickie followed to the door.
"So long, if yer mus' be goin', Willyum," he said, pleasantly. "So long,
Jinny. How's the old man's fish business?"

"Drive on!" gasped the gentleman. He had the scared expression of one
who had seen a spectre.
The liveried menial whipped up, and the carriage was swept away.
Nickie returned to his heap, and for fully two minutes Stub McGuire,
his employer, gazed at him in speechless, open-mouthed amazement.
"Well, of all the blarsted cheeks!" gasped McGuire, when speech came
to him.
"Don't mention it," said Nickie.
"Don't mention it!" yelled Stub. "No, iv course not, but what price his
nibs in the noble belltopper mentionin' it t' th' Johns, an' gettin' you
seven days fer disgustin' behaviour?"
Nickie smiled inscrutably, and continued his work. When the carriage
returned, he made an adroit movement, and courteously opened the
door.
"'Low me, Jinny, my dear," he said, offering his grimy hand.
The lady stepped down, and passed him disdainfully. The gentleman
brushed him aside.
"'Ope yeh 'ad er pleasant ride in yer cart, Billy?" said Nicholas.
He followed them to the gate, and called through the bars.
"Very sorry, Jinny, but I carn't haccept yer pressin' invitation ter dinner,
havin' er previous engagement."
He returned to his work again, smiling sweetly. He seemed to enjoy
Stub McGuire's horror.
"'Ere, 'ere," said McGuire, "off this job you go if you don't know better
than to insult people that way. You'll be gettin' me inter mischiff."
"Not at all," said Nickie, "not at all. Surely a man may offer ordinary

civilities to his friends. Bless my soul, you wouldn't have me cut old
Billy in the streets, would you? If I didn't speak to Jinny she'd think I
was angry with her, and cry her eyes out. She has a tender heart, poor
girl. She is a sensitive soul, and craves for social distinction. She looks
to me to secure them a footing in exclusive circles, Mr. McGuire."
"I don't know what y're talkin' about," Stub grumbled, "but that's
enough of it, see?"
Nickie took no notice of his employer's admonitions, however, and
when a clergyman drove up in a buggy an hour later, our hero
intercepted him at the gate.
"Good afternoon, sir," he said. "Would you mind tellin' Willyum inside
there how Nickie sends him his compliments, and 'opes Jinny's quite
well."
"My good fellow, you must not be insolent," ejaculated the minister.
"They won't take it as hinsolence," Nicholas explained. "They've er
very touchin' regard fer me. Tell them. I arsked after 'em, won't yer?"
Even Stub McGuire noticed that Nickie, whose speech was usually
excellent, adopted the vulgar tongue in addressing the man he called
Billy, or any of his friends or relations.
Next day, Nickie inveigled three children, who were playing on the
lawn, and entertained them at the gate with frivolous conversation for
nearly ten minutes, when the state of affairs was discovered by their
dignified mamma, who sent a maid flying to the rescue. Nickie took off
his hat to the maid.
"Tell Willyum," he said, "that bein' 'andy, I'll drop in ter lunch t' day,
but Jinny's not on no account t' put up a big spread fer me. I'll jist take
what's goin'."
He finished these remarks at the top of his voice, the girl being
half-way back to the house.

When the important man in immaculate black came out a little later,
Nickie saluted him gravely, as between gentlemen, but without
deference.
"'Ow's it, Billy?" he said. "You might drop in an' see me this evenin'.
I'm livin' under th' blackberry hedge back o' your stables."
The stout man passed in silence, and with a great show of dignity.
Nickie had a busy afternoon. Evidently it was the dignified lady's
"day." Quite a crowd of people drove up to the gates during the
afternoon, and Nickie entrusted each with an affectionate and familiar
message to Jinny. All were horrified at the insolence of the disgusting
man, and one young fellow kicked Mr. Crips, but our' hero did not
seem to mind. He merely warned his assailant that he would issue a
County Court writ for any damages done to his trousers.
On the following morning at about 11 o'clock Nickie entered the
grounds, his rags fluttering in the breeze, marched to the door and rang
the bell. To the Napoleonic man-servant who opened to him, he gravely
presented a tomato can half-full of water, and said:
"Will yer please arsk Bill or Jinny if they'll be so good as to bile my
billy at the drorin'-room fire. Tell 'em it's Nicholas Crips what makes
the request. No, thanks, I won't come in, I'm afraid my motor car might
bolt."
The Napoleonic