Guy Hammersley; or, Clearing his Name — page 182: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

GUY HAMMERSLEY. 173 when they had reached the other room, and hastily putting two chairs and a table in position, he an- nounced that all was ready for Harold to begin. So without any blushings or stammerings, or in- quiries of ‘‘ Where?” the boy started oft at ‘‘Are you the earl?” and with only slight pauses for the grand- father’s replies, which Shepard, not knowing the part, was obliged to fill in with dumb show, went on © till he was interrupted by an outburst of hand clap- ping from Mr. English. ‘That will do,” said the manager. ‘‘If only you can escape stage fright you ought to get through first rate with a little coaching.” On hearing this, Harold’s reserve gave way, and bounding across the floor he came rushing up to Mr. English and demanded, eagerly: ‘‘Oh, will I, and will you really give me a chance to play the part? I—I thought it was too good to be true when Guy told me there was a little bit of a chance of it.” ‘‘Well, now we will talk it over a little with your brother here while you—-” Mr. English hesitated and glanced at Shepard, who promptly came to the rescue with a Japanese dish full of photographs and the sug- gestion: ‘*‘ Here, Harold, take these over to the lamp yonder, and study up an attitude. They are pictures of various Fauntleroy boys and girls.” As soon as the boy had gone off, Mr. English addressed himself to Guy. ‘‘Have you authority to make business arrange- ments for your brother?” he began. ‘‘I should like to put this thing through at once, so we can announce Fauntleroy for next Monday,” Gomicbooks (€(0) m