The Argosy — page 112: what you’re looking at

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

100 | A Secret of the Sea. line from you by to-morrow morning. Or shall you want a stil longer - time before making up your mind?” ‘“‘Thanks,” said Gerald with a laugh ; “ but till to-morrow will be quite long enough.” ‘Matthew mentioned something to me of the conversation that passed between you and him,” said Olive with a smile. ‘‘ He told me of his suggestion that you should elevate your fortunes by marrying an heiress.” “It was very unfair on Kelvin’s part to tell tales out of school.” ‘‘ But seriously, why should you not marry an heiress ?” ‘Seriously, I know of no reason why I should not, except this— that all the ladies with whom I have the happiness of being acquainted are very little better off than myself.” ‘Should you agree to become Sir Thomas Dudgeon’s secretary, you will have an opportunity while under his roof of ingratiating yourself with a veritable heiress.” ‘Come, come—the plot is thickening fast,” said Gerald, and he hitched his chair a little nearer Miss Deane. ‘Ves, a veritable heiress, young and charming into the bargain, and one whose affections, I have every reason to believe, are totally disengaged.” ‘‘Pardon me for saying so,” said Gerald, “but it seems highly Improbable to me that any relative of Sir Thomas Dudgeon would condescend to look upon that gentleman's secretary in the light of a suitor for her hand.” ‘“‘ The lady in question is no relative of Sir Thomas: she is merely a visitor under his roof; but a visitor who will probably stay there til a husband shall take her away to a home of her own. Why should not you be that husband, Mr. Pomeroy ?” ‘Why not, indeed! But would it be a breach of confidence if you were to tell me the lady’s name?” *‘ It would be no breach of confidence,” said Olive, ‘‘ although it was not my intention to reveal to you the lady’s name at present. How- ever, having been frank with you so far, I may as well continue to be so. The lady to whom I refer is Miss Eleanor Lloyd, of course a perfect stranger to you. Her father died a few months ago and left her twenty thousand pounds.” All Gerald’s self-control was needed to keep him from betraying himself to the pair of keen eyes that were fixed so steadily on him. He turned his head away and affected to be deeply considering the words he had just heard. He wanted time to recover himself. Up to a few moments ago, not the slightest suspicion had entered his mind that the offer which Kelvin had made him through Miss Deane had sprung from anything but a feeling of genuine friendship on the lawyer’s part ; and even when Olive had propounded her theory that he ECOMRRIC OOO Ss (GO)