"You're out early," said Hardy, as the old man stopped and turned with
him.
"'Ave to be, sir," said Mr. Wilks, darkly; "out early and 'ome late, and
more often than not getting my dinner out. That's my life nowadays."
"Can't you let her see that her attentions are undesirable?" inquired
Hardy, gravely.
"Can't you let her see that her attentions are undesirable?"
[Illustration: "'Can't you let her see that her attentions are
undesirable?'"]
"I can't be rude to a woman," said the steward, with a melancholy smile;
"if I could, my life would ha' been very different. She's always
stepping across to ask my advice about Teddy, or something o' that sort.
All last week she kept borrowing my frying-pan, so at last by way of
letting 'er see I didn't like it I went out and bought 'er one for
herself. What's the result? Instead o' being offended she went out and
bought me a couple o' neck-ties. When I didn't wear 'em she pretended it
was because I didn't like the colour, and she went and bought two more.
I'm wearing one now."
He shook his head ruefully, and Hardy glanced at a tie which would have
paled the glories of a rainbow.
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