ves at 'ome," ses Mr. White. "I'm glad to see
you both. Emma 'as told me all about you."

Charlie's 'art went down into 'is boots, but every-body was so busy
drawing their chairs up to the table that they didn't notice 'ow pale he
'ad gone. He sat between Mr. White and Mrs. Jennings, and by and by,
when everybody was talking, he turned to 'im in a whisper, and asked 'im
who the big chap was.

"Mrs. Jennings's brother," ses Mr. White; "brewer's drayman he is."

Charlie said, "Oh!" and went on eating, a bit relieved in 'is mind.

"Your friend and my gal 'll make a nice couple," ses Mr. White, looking
at Ted and Emma, sitting 'and in 'and.

"She couldn't 'ave a better husband," ses Charlie, whispering again; "but
where is Mrs. Jennings's young man? I 'eard he was to be here."

Mr. White put down 'is knife and fork. "Eh?" he ses, staring at 'im.

"Mrs. Jennings's intended?" ses Charlie.

"Who are you getting at?" ses Mr. White, winking at 'im.

"But she 'as got one, ain't she?" ses Charlie. "That'll do," ses Mr.
White, with another wink. "Try it on somebody else."

"Wot are you two talking about?" ses Emma, who 'ad been watching 'em.

"He's trying to pull my leg," ses 'er father, smiling all over his face.
"Been asking me where Mrs. Jennings's young man is. P'r'aps you oughtn't
to 'ave told us yet, Emma."

"It's all right," ses Emma. "He's got a very jealous disposition, poor
fellow; and me and Sophy have been telling 'im about a young man just to
tease 'im. We've been describing him to 'imself all along, and he
thought it was somebody else."

She caught Charlie's eye, and all in a flash he saw 'ow he 'ad been done.
Some of 'em began to laugh, and Mrs. Jennings put her 'and on his and
gave it a squeeze. He sat there struck all of a heap, wondering wot he
was going to do, and just at that moment there was a knock at the street
door.

"I'll open it," he ses.

He jumped up before anybody could stop 'im and went to the door. Two
seconds arter Ted Denver followed 'im, and that is last he ever saw of
Charlie Brice, he was running down the road without 'is hat as hard as he
could run.

[Illustration: "He was running down the road without 'is hat as hard as
he could run."]

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Odd Man Out, by W.W. Jacobs

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