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〃Dick； may I introduce you to Mr。 Wilfrid Curly？〃 said his cousin's
voice behind； and he found his hand being diffidently shaken by a
fresh…cheeked youth with a dome…like forehead； who was saying
nervously：
〃How do you do？ Yes； I am very well； thank you！〃
He now remembered that when he had first come in he had watched this
youth； who had been standing in a corner indulging himself in private
smiles。 He had an uncommon look； as though he were in love with
lifeas though he regarded it as a creature to whom one could put
questions to the very endinteresting； humorous； earnest questions。
He looked diffident； and amiable； and independent； and he； too； was
evidently English。
〃Are you good at argument？〃 said Shelton； at a loss for a remark。
The youth smiled； blushed； and； putting back his hair； replied：
〃YesnoI don't know； I think my brain does n't work fast enough
for argument。 You know how many motions of the brain…cells go to
each remark。 It 's awfully interesting〃； and； bending from the waist
in a mathematical position； he extended the palm of one hand； and
started to explain。
Shelton stared at the youth's hand； at his frowns and the taps he
gave his forehead while he found the expression of his meaning； he
was intensely interested。 The youth broke off； looked at his watch；
and； blushing brightly； said：
〃I 'm afraid I have to go； I have to be at the 'Den' before eleven。〃
〃I must be off； too；〃 said Shelton。 Making their adieux together；
they sought their hats and coats。
CHAPTER XIV
THE NIGHT CLUB
〃May I ask；〃 said Shelton； as he and the youth came out into the
chilly street； 〃What it is you call the 'Den'？〃
His companion smilingly answered：
〃Oh； the night club。 We take it in turns。 Thursday is my night。
Would you like to come？ You see a lot of types。 It's only round the
corner。〃
Shelton digested a momentary doubt； and answered：
〃Yes； immensely。〃
They reached the corner house in an angle of a； dismal street；
through the open door of which two men had just gone in。 Following；
they ascended some wooden； fresh…washed stairs； and entered a large
boarded room smelling of sawdust； gas； stale coffee； and old clothes。
It was furnished with a bagatelle board； two or three wooden tables；
some wooden forms； and a wooden bookcase。 Seated on these wooden
chairs； or standing up； were youths； and older men of the working
class； who seemed to Shelton to be peculiarly dejected。 One was
reading； one against the wall was drinking coffee with a
disillusioned air； two were playing chess； and a group of four made a
ceaseless clatter with the bagatelle。
A little man in a dark suit； with a pale face； thin lips； and deep…
set； black…encircled eyes； who was obviously in charge； came up with
an anaemic smile。
〃You 're rather late；〃 he said to Curly； and； looking ascetically at
Shelton； asked； without waiting for an introduction： 〃Do you play
chess？ There 's young Smith wants a game。〃
A youth with a wooden face； already seated before a fly…blown chess…
board； asked him drearily if he would have black or white。 Shelton
took white； he was oppressed by the virtuous odour of this room。
The little man with the deep blue eyes came up； stood in an uneasy
attitude； and watched：
〃Your play's improving； young Smith；〃 he said； 〃I should think you'd
be able to give Banks a knight。〃 His eyes rested on Shelton；
fanatical and dreary； his monotonous voice was suffering and nasal；
he was continually sucking in his lips； as though determined to
subdue 'the flesh。 〃You should come here often；〃 he said to Shelton；
as the latter received checkmate； 〃you 'd get some good practice。
We've several very fair players。 You're not as good as Jones or
Bartholomew；〃 he added to Shelton's opponent； as though he felt it a
duty to put the latter in his place。 〃You ought to come here often；〃
he repeated to Shelton； 〃we have a lot of very good young fellows〃；
and； with a touch of complacence； he glanced around the dismal room。
〃There are not so many here tonight as usual。 Where are Toombs and
Body？〃
Shelton； too； looked anxiously around。 He could not help feeling
sympathy with Toombs and Body。
〃They 're getting slack； I'm afraid；〃 said the little deep…eyed man。
〃Our principle is to amuse everyone。 Excuse me a minute； I see that
Carpenter is doing nothing。〃 He crossed over to the man who had been
drinking coffee； but Shelton had barely time to glance at his
opponent and try to think of a remark； before the little man was
back。 〃Do you know anything about astronomy？〃 he asked of Shelton。
〃We have several very interested in astronomy； if you could talk to
them a little it would help。〃
Shelton made a motion of alarm。
〃Please…no；〃 said he； 〃I…〃
〃I wish you'd come sometimes on Wednesdays； we have most interesting
talks； and a service afterwards。 We're always anxious to get new
blood〃； and his eyes searched Shelton's brown； rather tough…looking
face； as though trying to see how much blood there was in it。 〃Young
Curly says you 've just been around the world； you could describe
your travels。〃
〃May I ask；〃 said Shelton； 〃how your club is made up？〃
Again a look of complacency； and blessed assuagement； visited the
little man。
〃Oh；〃 he said； 〃we take anybody； unless there 's anything against
them。 The Day Society sees to that。 Of course； we shouldn't take
anyone if they were to report against them。 You ought to come to our
committee meetings； they're on Mondays at seven。 The women's side；
too…〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Shelton； 〃you 're very kind…〃
〃We should be pleased；〃 said the little man； and his face seemed to
suffer more than ever。 〃They 're mostly young fellows here to…night；
but we have married men； too。 Of course； we 're very careful about
that；〃 he added hastily； as though he might have injured Shelton's
prejudices〃that； and drink； and anything criminal； you know。〃
〃And do you give pecuniary assistance； too？〃
〃Oh yes；〃 replied the little man； 〃if you were to come to our
committee meetings you would see for yourself。 Everything is most
carefully gone into； we endeavour to sift the wheat from the chaff。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Shelton； 〃you find a great deal of chaff？〃
The little man smiled a suffering smile。 The twang of his toneless
voice sounded a trifle shriller。
〃I was obliged to refuse a man to…daya man and a woman； quite young
people； with three small children。 He was ill and out of work； but
on inquiry we found that they were not man and wife。〃
There was a slight pause； the little man's eyes were fastened on his
nails； and； with an appearance of enjoyment； he began to bite them。
Shelton's face had grown a trifle red。
〃And what becomes of the woman and the children in a case like that？〃
he said。
The little man's eyes began to smoulder。
〃We make a point of not encouraging sin； of course。 Excuse me a
minute； I see they've finished bagatelle。〃
He hurried off； and in a moment the clack of bagatelle began again。
He himself was playing with a cold and spurious energy； running after
the balls and exhorting the other players； upon whom a wooden
acquiescence seemed to fall。
Shelton crossed the room； and went up to young Curly。 He was sitting
on a bench； smiling to himself his private smiles。
〃Are you staying here much longer？〃 Shelton asked。
Young Curly rose with nervous haste。
〃I 'm afraid；〃 he said； 〃 there 's nobody very interesting here to…
night。〃
〃Oh； not at all！〃 said Shelton； 〃on the contrary。 Only I 've had a
rather tiring day； and somehow I don't feel up to the standard here。〃
His new acquaintance smiled。
〃Oh； really！ do you thinkthat is〃
But he had not time to finish before the clack of bagatelle balls
ceased； and the voice of the little deep…eyed man was heard saying：
〃Anybody who wants a book will put his name down。 There will be the
usual prayer…meeting on Wednesday next。 Will you all go quietly？
I am going to turn the lights out。〃
One gas…jet vanished； and the remaining jet flared suddenly。 By its
harder glare the wooden room looked harder too； and disenchanting。
The figures of its occupants began filing through the door。 The
little man was left in the centre of the room； his deep eyes
smouldering upon the backs of the retreating members； his thumb and
finger raised to the turncock of the metre。
〃Do you know this part？〃 asked young Curly as they emerged into the
street。 〃It 's really jolly； one of the darkest bits in Londonit
is really。 If you care； I can take you through an awfully dangerous
place where the police never go。〃 He seemed so anxious for the
honour that Shelton was loath to disappoint him。 〃I come here pretty
often；〃 he went on； as they ascended a sort of alley rambling darkly
between