Austin Buckingham was in the most agreeable humor as he proceeded to prepare his solitary tea, for he was a bachelor and yet he detested restaurants and boarding-houses. His dinner he needed to buy, and eat where he bought it, but his breakfast and tea he provided in the room which served as study and dining-room. He did not wash his dishes, it may be remarked, with the exception of a Kaga cup which was too precious to be intrusted to his landlady.
He had set aside his tea-things, and, with a paper and pencil, was proceeding to sketch a plot for his story, with Miss Martindale for the heroine and the young man with a scar for a hero, when there was a knock at the door, and the servant came in, bearing a card. It contained the name of Henry Dale Wilding, a correspondent whom he had never met, but who had begun with asking for his autograph, and had now ended, it seems, with calling in person.
"Show him up," said the story-teller; and Mr. Wilding, who was two steps behind the servant, instantly presented himself. His face was certainly familiar. Ah! it was the scar upon the face which made the recognition easy.
"This is very pleasant," said Buckingham cordially, as he bade the young man lay aside his coat and take a seat by the fire. While his guest was obeying him, the host said in an aside,--only the aside was inaudible, contrary to the custom of asides,--"He does not recognize me. I will draw him out."
"I was in town this evening,--in fact, in this very street," said Mr. Wilding,--"and I could not resist the temptation to call on you."
"I am very glad you didn't," said Buckingham heartily. "It is evident you were led into it. Have you many friends in town?"
"Not very many. I know one or two men in college. I thought at one time of coming here to college myself. I gave that up, however, and now I am thinking of taking a special course, perhaps in English. Indeed, that is one reason why I came to town to-day."
"Well, the college is hospitable enough. It is a great hotel, with accommodations for regular boarders, but with reduced tickets for the _table-d'hôte_, and a restaurant for any one who happens in, where one may dine _à la carte_."
"I have not had a classical education," said the young man.