The Argosy — page 268: what you’re looking at

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

In the Dead of Night. 251 The Squire laughed heartily: a thing he had not done for several weeks. ‘‘And I had just made up my mind to sell it, and was going to ask your advice about it!” Tom’s face flushed suddenly. ‘And do you really think of selling Knockley Holt?” he asked, with his keen bright eyes bent on the Squire’s face more keenly than usual. “Of course I think of selling it, or I shouldn’t have said what I have said. As things have gone with me, the money would be more useful to me than the land is ever likely to be. It won’t fetch much I know, but then I didn’t give much for it, and whoever may get it won’t have much of a bargain.” ‘Perhaps you wouldn’t object to have me for a purchaser?” “Vou! You buy Knockley Holt? Why, man alive, you must know that I should want money down, and But I needn’t say more about it.” “If you choose to sell Knockley Holt to me, I will give you twelve hundred pounds for it, cash down.” The Squire was getting into the way of not being astonished at any- thing that Tom might say, but he did look across at him for a moment or two in blank amazement. “Well, you are a rum fish, and no mistake!” were his first words. ‘¢‘ And pray, my young shaver, how come you to be possessed of twelve hundred pounds ?” “Oh, I’m worth a httle more than twelve hundred pounds,” said Tom with a smile. ‘‘ Why, only the other week I cleared a thousand by one little stroke in cotton.” ‘“‘Well done, young one!” said the Squire heartily. ‘‘ You are not such a fool as you look. And now take an old man’s advice. Don’t speculate any more. Fortune has given you one little slice of her cake. Don’t tempt her again. Be content with what you’ve got, and specu- late no more.” “At any rate, I won't forget your advice, sir,” said Tom. “I wonder,” he added to himself, ‘‘ what he would think and say if he knew that it was by speculation, pure and simple, that I earn my bread and cheese.” “And so you would really like to buy Knockley Holt, eh?” ‘¢T should indeed, if you are determined to sell it.” “Oh, I shall sell it, sure enough. But may I ask what you intend to do with it when you have got it?” “ Ah, sir, that is just one of those questions which you must not ask me,” said Tom laughingly. ‘If I buy it, it will be entirely on speculation. It may turn out a dismal failure : it may prove to be a big success.”’ “Well, well, that will be your look out,” said the Squire, good- naturedly. ‘‘ But, Bristow, it’s not worth twelve hundred pounds, nor anything like that sum,” CoOnniiclooolxs (GO) im