The Argosy — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

96 A Secret of the Sea. “T don’t think your heiress is a difficult fish to catch, especially by such a clever angler as I do not doubt that you are. But then you must make up your mind to be indifferent to good looks, and good breeding, and a few other simple et ceteras.” ‘Ah! there’s the rub.” ‘But do you mean to say that the idea of marrying for money is one that you have never turned over in your mind ?” “‘T can’t say that exactly, but my ideas on the point have been very hazy ones indeed: quite nebulous, I assure you: nothing solid or tan- gible about them.” ) ‘‘Nebulosity of ideas is a very bad thing in anybody. The sooner you bring them down from the clouds and condense them into a practi- cal shape the better. First catch—not your hare, but your heiress ; then bring all your powers of fascination to bear upon her, and then " ‘My powers of fascination, indeed! You talk of me as if I were a rattlesnake.” Again Kelvin laughed, then recollecting an appointment, he looked at his watch. ‘ Well, don’t forget to be here at six sharp,” he said : and with that Gerald went. “A dinner, a five-pound note, and exit Jack Pomeroy: that is what Kelvin means,”’ said Gerald to himself. “ Well—he might have treated me worse than that. I’ll not tell him who I really am till the Jast minute. I wonder what his motive can be for keeping back the informa- tion from Eleanor? But I suppose I shall know all about it by to- morrow at this time.” Gerald passed a by no means unpleasant evening. Neither Mrs. Kel- vin nor Olive had ever been further from home than Pans. They were eager in their questions about the different strange places which Gerald had visited on his travels, and he was by no means loth to gratify their curiosity. What pleased Kelvin most was to see his mother so lively and full of spinits. ‘¢Give me a look in at the office about eleven to-morrow,” he said to Gerald as they parted at the door. Half an hour later, Kelvin received a telegram which necessitated his starting for Scotiand by the 7 a.m. train next morning. He was down betimes to breakfast ; but early as it was, Olive was there before him, waiting to pour out his tea and attend to all his little wants. ‘TI shall not be able to see Pomeroy,” he said. ‘‘ You can explain to him how I have been called away, and tell him that if he will leave his address I will write to him on my return.” | ‘Have you any idea of doing something for him ?” asked Olive. ‘‘My idea is to send him a five-pound note and have done with him.” “You were mentioning, the other day, that Sir Thomas Dudgeon CORNICE OOS (GO)