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INDISCRETIONS OF ARCHIE
P. G. WODEHOUSE
It wasn't Archie's fault really. Its true he went to America and fell in love with Lucille, the daughter of a millionaire hotel proprietor and if he did marry her--well, what else was there to do?
From his point of view, the whole thing was a thoroughly good egg; but Mr. Brewster, his father-in-law, thought differently, Archie had neither money nor occupation, which was distasteful in the eyes of the industrious Mr. Brewster; but the real bar was the fact that he had once adversely criticised one of his hotels.
Archie does his best to heal the breach; but, being something of an ass, genus priceless, he finds it almost beyond his powers to placate "the man-eating fish" whom Providence has given him as a father-in-law
INDISCRETIONS OF ARCHIE
BY
P. G. WODEHOUSE
AUTHOR OF "THE LITTLE WARRIOR," "A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS," "UNEASY MONEY," ETC.
NEW YORK
GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
COPYRIGHT,1921, BY GEORGE H, DORAN COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1920, BY INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE COMPANY (COSMOPOLITAN MAGAZINE)
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DEDICATION TO B. W. KING-HALL
My dear Buddy,--
We have been friends for eighteen years. A considerable proportion of my books were written under your hospitable roof. And yet I have never dedicated one to you. What will be the verdict of Posterity on this? The fact is, I have become rather superstitious about dedications. No sooner do you label a book with the legend--
TO MY BEST FRIEND X
than X cuts you in Piccadilly, or you bring a lawsuit against him. There is a fatality about it. However, I can't imagine anyone quarrelling with you, and I am getting more attractive all the time, so let's take a chance.
Yours ever,
P. G. WODEHOUSE.
CONTENTS
I DISTRESSING SCENE IN A HOTEL II A SHOCK FOR MR. BREWSTER III MR. BREWSTER DELIVERS SENTENCE IV WORK WANTED V STRANGE EXPERIENCE OF AN ARTIST'S MODEL VI THE BOMB VII MR. ROSCOE SHERRIFF HAS AN IDEA VIII A DISTURBED NIGHT FOR DEAR OLD SQUIFFY IX A LETTER FROM PARKER X DOING FATHER A BIT OF GOOD XI SALVATORE CHOOSES THE WRONG MOMENT XII BRIGHT EYES-AND A FLY XIII RALLYING ROUND PERCY XIV THE SAD CASE OF LOONEY BIDDLE XV SUMMER STORMS XVI ARCHIE ACCEPTS A SITUATION XVII BROTHER BILL'S ROMANCE XVIII THE SAUSAGE CHAPPIE XIX REGGIE COMES TO LIFE XX THE SAUSAGE CHAPPIE CLICKS XXI THE-GROWING BOY XXII WASHY STEPS INTO THE HALL OF FAME XXIII MOTHER'S-KNEE XXIV THE MELTING OF MR. CONNOLLY XXV THE WIGMORE VENUS XXVI A TALE OF A GRANDFATHER
CHAPTER I
DISTRESSING SCENE
"I say, laddie!" said Archie.
"Sir?" replied the desk-clerk alertly. All the employes of the Hotel Cosmopolis were alert. It was one of the things on which Mr. Daniel Brewster, the proprietor, insisted. And as he was always wandering about the lobby of the hotel keeping a personal eye on affairs, it was never safe to relax.
"I want to see the manager."
"Is there anything I could do, sir?"
Archie looked at him doubtfully.
