This she proceeded to do, and in an amazingly short space of time, with the authority of the lawyer, had settled the scruples of the mayor; received a release of indebtedness from the Consul, who willingly surrendered his papers, declaring that he had had "more than twenty pounds' worth of fun out of the elephant"; and transferred the documents to the lawyer, with instructions to sell the beast to the original consignees at Southampton, and to remit the purchase-money to the elephant man, less the twenty pounds for damages, which, she added, "Just cancels his debt to the Consul, making him square on the transaction."
"Lady Melton," said Aunt Eliza, turning to Mr. and Mrs. Scarsdale and Mr. and Mrs. Allingford, "has authorised me to say, on her behalf, that she overlooks and regrets the events of the last few days, and wishes them to be forgotten. In token of which she requests you four to dine with her, and spend the night at Melton Court; and I may add that you'll be fools if you don't accept." After which dissent was impossible.
"And I want to tell you," said Miss Cogbill, turning to Carrington, "that you've managed this affair very well; and as I'm in want of a likely young man as my business agent, if you call on me to-morrow in town, we'll see if we can't find something more profitable for you to do than hunting up stray honeymooners."
"Say!" interjected the graceless Richard, who was far from pleased at the turn affairs had taken--"Say, where do I come in?"
"Young man," said Aunt Eliza, turning on him like a flash, "did you buy a return ticket to America?"
"Well, then," she interrupted, "you use it, the first chance you get. And as for you," addressing the two married couples, "the sooner you start for Melton Court the better; and don't let me hear of your being lost again."
"Aren't you coming with us, Miss Cogbill?" asked Scarsdale.
"The lawyer and I," replied that lady, "are the only two responsible persons in this crowd, and we'll stay right here and look after--Her Ladyship's Elephant."
A LITTLE LIST OF DELIGHTFUL BOOKS TO READ BY
Sir G. Parker, M.P. H. G. Wells Jack London E. F. Benson John Galsworthy H. de Vere Stacpoole Philip Gibbs Joseph Conrad Stephen Crane Duncan Schwann Robert Hichens Lloyd Osbourne R. L. Stevenson Richard Harding Davis D. D. Wells Baroness von Hutten Frank Danby Elizabeth Robins Florence C. Price Sybil Spottiswoode Mrs. Henry Dudeney Justin Huntly McCarthy Eleanor Abbott Charles Turley Flora Annie Steel Eleanor Mordaunt Mrs. Hodgson Burnett E. L. Voynich Maxwell Gray