A Sovereign Remedy

kborough returned from his sick friend at the Seaview Hotel; but he took no heed to its warning, and turning

rifle startled, pen in hand, at the sound of the opening door. But Ned's quick eye detected

ds, guns, hunting-horns, and dueling-pistols testified to their amusements, a tin box labelled "Pentreath Estate Records," to their occupation, and a complete set of the Annual Register and Gentleman's Magazine to their literary tastes.

s if it had been seeking refuge in the hands

old times. I'm glad to se

, paused, and then feeling there was no go

re leaving to-morrow morning, and I may not

r Geoffrey, consulting his watch. "But

coolly, "but this

ever was curse more heartily or mo

afe. The wires are always fusing. They keep it very dark, but my friend--who is a

by his hand again as he inter

ch other's work--always! And--and your mon

," cried Ned outraged. "I was thinki

of them? night and day, sir--day and night!" Then his eyes finding Ned's, he stretched out his hand towards him in almost childish helplessness. "Oh, Ned! Ned!" he said, "you can't

his before, sir," said

he liked it. All he wants is money. And I--all I wanted was to make something--just something for Helen after poor old Jeff--went. He'd have looked after her, you see--the Pentre

ad to the rear. That was the truth, and behind that truth what a record of ignorance, ineptitude, greed of gain. Nothing for not

at refrain for England's heroism, her patriotism. It will go down to the ages, Ned, as one man's insight into what we English are becoming." He was walking up and down the room now, restlessly. "They were all bad, but Jenkin was the worst--and he ought to have known. It was his nephew who put in the electric plant. You'll say I ought to have struck, Ned, and so I ought, but your money was gone, Ned, and their's too, poor devils!--a lot of the farmers and people only put in a few pounds because it was my idea, you see

ed Blackborough appealing

ught you'd have chosen, sir, as t

ly, "I suppose not. But I've gone down, Ned, gone down terribly. I sometime

en gave an afterthought excuse which made

finest site in Britain. And so it is. There's not a better for health or beauty than Cam's point. So he put us on our feet again, and spent an awful lot on what he called 'colour wash.' At least it seems an

ng up and down mut

supreme pity, "what is to be done? The wires

w company secure, we shall put a new plant in and insure the place properly. And meanwhile we are awfully careful. I was

ricity, do you, sir?" asked Ned quietly,

a way. Hirsch insured when he came in.

onder?" asked Ned bitterly. "But I still do

owadays, if you pay a decent premium--any mortal thing." He paused and stood the image of hopeless perplexity; and t

hand again, saying:--"Thanks, Ned, it's been such an awful relief not to be thinking of money.

een tired of money for some time. Caveat emptor was an excellent legal if not absolutely moral axiom; but when men allowed y

seen Aura--he smiled at the remembrance of her standing framed in scarlet a

sandalled feet to forget--and to remember? That was life. To f

ed line of thought or reverie, telling himself it was

ed to him, making him wonder if it were a hard saying or

servants from London were swearing profusely as she fled about trying to do everything at once, did he discover his suit-case in the servants' hall, where two lordly chauffeurs accosted him scornfully as some one's belated valet. He escaped from them--and from the cook who, solemnly drunk, was using inconceivable language to the en

olden sovereign in the centre! Every one clutched, he as much as any one. Then with a jar, his mind reverted to the shade of many a tree he had seen i

de of a

ing apology he slipped into the empty place and found

ead of the table between Mr. Hirsch and Dr. Ramsay; and, thank Heaven! she had left off weepers in the

and blood. These thoughts and millions of others suggested by the whole entourage which in a second became part o

m! Do you think it fair that w

en," he replied in the same tone. "What is fair? I

u like," she retorted.

"Is there an outside standard or i

tcoats in the evening (they were not s

standard--the general

nits?" sugges

Between certain lines you can negotiate--even on the Stock Exchange, ha

is a standard,"

es," he continued addressing Mr. Hirsch. "You, I expect, believe in the law of supply and demand. Now, I feel, somehow, that if I were to charge a thousand pounds for a glass of wa

etically, a man surely has the right to get the best price he can

arked Dr. Ramsay. "Supposing it was made penal for

thing over to give away, and my charities cover my sins. Imagine it, a world where there was no 'coup,' where your brains

cted on his abundant vitality much as the attempt of a rival on the Stock Exchange to limit hi

ence of the Seaview Hotel, until some one said laughingly that there must be elect

crystal gaze--or stay, a magic mirror. Only a little ink in the palm of the hand, Mrs. Tresillian.

's instantly, almost rese

evil's own warlock. But you shan't be disappointed, Lady Wrexham. There is a real magical crystal that came from Thibet somewhere in the house. I

d upstairs like wise and foolish virgins, calling down jokes and good-nights to the men on their way to the billiard-roo

ect. "Pardon! But excuse me if I change my cigarette for a ciga

uncompromising directness. He was aware of course, he said, that the money Sir Geoffrey had invested was a loan f

rs. Tressilian, he was glad to be of use. The hotel would practically have to be rebuilt. At present its condition would

er was enough money to allow for the inevitable leakage. Then little men had little ways,

ated mechanic Jenkin and his gang, you could make anything of it. But they were incurably

been greeted by shrieks of laughter and the sound of a double shuffle done to the latest music hall "catch on." And he smiled. Hirsch was r

gone out in his irritation, but

ugh premium. In fact, the best thing that could happen now, if he might be excused for saying so, was--was a fresh start--without Jenkin! The hotel would practically have to be

osing," b

morning about the slight alarm at the Seaview last night. But, as I told you, it really lessens the odds of its occurring again. To make any fuss just at present, when you need to get all the money you can in order to start the thing fair, would be suicidal. I don't, in fact, see that we are bound to do any more than we are doing. There is a certain

m the door and lo

e said, "what

row, Ned," he said at last; "the night will bring wisdom. But I expect Hirsc

the business if I were you,

called it, he told himself that he had half a mind to buy out all other interests and spend an extra thousand or two in throwing the whole g

ust as he had taken off his coat,

ght, her face was pale. She had flung a white s

ome with me--you will, won't you? Put on your thick shoes a

echoed, "

nfused, and passed her

, of course; they

hat? What ha

come quick, I ought to be ther

leep-walking or dreaming. One of those deadly dreams of excessive hurry in

! But where

she spoke quite naturally. "It was in the crystal--the one

r whole bea

as she turned and fled, he after her down the da

or had she reall

dense white fog which clung to the damp walls. The windows of Sir Geoffrey's study were open, and as he ran past them, following the path, he heard something which sent the blood in a wild leap through his v

ards Helen's ghost-like figure seen in the clearer atmo

alled breathlessly, "that i

coming back to him, "It is the light--the ligh

as swift as a hare, and so dimly seen, too, dodging about among those huge boulders. And everywhere the sea-fog hung thick. "He

was going there he would catch her up then; and he would

t? And, if so, why was the sky so clear? Was there a glow

ried as he sped on.

e seen through fog. The strangest sight--a huge vignette, a magic-lantern slide, sharp in the centre,

voice beside him. Helen--Good God! how ill she looked, all unlike herself--

ou here, and I must get down at once, the road'

should be, racing like a great fuse to the heart of a mine. It must be a motor--Hirsch's most likely--Thank Heav

sir, we've done all we c

he last. "Helen!" he cried r

fway he turned doubtfully, hoping she had followed him; but, already almost lost in the mi

ole mind was set on that nebulous circle of flaming light. He was nearer now, the vignetting grew sharper, towers a

he counted ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, fifty-five, sixty. A ship! a ship, indeed! Was there to be no ending or h

k God! so they must

ran, "A ship in distress on the rocks--th

he shouted, and the

ief,

fisher-folk ran past him bac

and high upon the furthermost seaword balcony, as yet untouched by the flames, a li

ed him, making h

little lady!

figure breaking loose from hands that woul

e shouted as he ran

and Ned never forgot the look of that scared

r," came the answer.

enden sprang forward, also, to hold him back. The Fates did that, however, for as he would have plunged into the burning house, the upper hi

, and may do it yet if the stairs stand. It's madness for you. And my God! there

der stupidly how she had managed to change her dress--she wore a c

said. "Ned, wh

muttered; "I tried to follow, but got hurt. Try to

She stood quiet, silent; only once he heard her say to

ght, sought it elsewhere, though already a murmur had come out of the fog that there was no immediate da

ssed, and Ned stood hold

of returning feet up

ted the smoke south-west, obscuring t

ing in which all else was forgotten--a sharp sound like the crack of a rifle, a quic

f had f

amsay, for all her height lifting her easily. "You wi

heeks. "I drove it myself, and I didn't understand, but the Wrexham's is here. My God! what a

e frail thing which had dared to usurp Cam's point, they found Sir Geoffrey half-way down the

wrapped in his coat to preserve her from

promise anyhow had been kept as