The Cruise of the Make-Believes

father and Mr. Byfield had suddenly grown to be to all appearances such excellent friends; although even in that there was a lurking dread, lest the wily Daniel Meggison

a share in the good things that were coming; but only, quite properly, after her father had been satisfied; quixotic notions were not to be encouraged where a rich young man absolutely offered to toss fifty pounds over a garden wall in Islington. Gilbert Byfield, on the other hand, already began to doubt whether afte

with some ceremony to a saloon bar; which was not of course quite the idea that had been in the mind of Mr. Gilbert Byfield. The wily old man had already drawn sundry sovereigns, on account of that imaginary fortune, and still nothing had been done, when one evening he

" he whispered-"my

where the little man was standing. "What do

g, collapsed," said Meggison, nodding at him slowly. "Never knew her do it befo

away-at once," sa

is lips with the tip of his tongue. "Just what I said, Mr. By

ace up and down the room. "We've waited too lo

e other, twisting the skull cap round and sha

ow to do it," said Gilbert, pondering. "But now we

he had quite made up his mind to start upon a journey forthwith. "All times are ali

end of his desk, and so facing the little man at the door with folded arms. "If it hadn't been the question of

" Daniel Meggison put his head on one

h any substantial sum of money that might be placed in your hands

nst the door, and folding his arms in turn. "I have be

-and I only use you because there's no one else that stands in such near relation to her as you do. She wouldn't take money from me-but you will; and so we've got to start some little fiction

uncomfortable pause. "Fifty pounds is not much, when it comes t

hat you have sufficient money to keep it going. I've a cottage in Sussex-at a place they call Fiddler's Green; I've used it for fishing a

ir," he said, with a shake of the head, "that she might find it dull. No society-no

ile. "I imagine we can trust your daughter to like the place to which I

e I come in," retorted t

sum of money. What more natural, therefore, than that you-devoted father-should immediately turn to your daughter with the earnest desire that she should be the first to benefit by your good fortune. T

a tame ending, Mr. Byfield, sir," said

e, that I must not appear in the matter; I shall be as greatly surprised as she will be to hear of wha

wning; "what I don't like is the temporary nature of it. Come, sir-don't b

t Fiddler's Green, and to bring her back to London rest

vour to act my part in that game of make-believe as becomes a father and a man. If by any chance you should be walking in the garden att

ly at one side of his head, and went downstairs, whistling softly to h

inks, that he would be a very limpet-sticking fast to his benefactor, and not to be shaken off. This young man had talked lightly of fifty pounds-had spoken of them, in fact, in much the same fashion in which Daniel Meggison might have spoken of fifty pence. Over a second glass Mr. Meggison said that this sort of thing should be encouraged; that men of sentiment we

her in some dismay, with his hands thrust in his pockets, and with the inevitable cigarette drooping from his lips; for this was a new and uncommon disaster, which threatened

bear a shock-to hear news that might prove startling? Bessie a little faintly declared that she was quite well-was sorr

lodgers for ever, my child; henceforth this particular Englishman's house is his castle-inviolate. Henceforth h

brey, applying a light to his cigarette and winking at h

d such-like places-while you are wasting your time and your substance in a species of debauchery-your father is out and about in the world-looking here and there and everywhere for opportunities.

and shiftless life he had his grip upon a man who was prepared to pay largely and without question; and the education Daniel Meggison had received in a hard world had prepared him to meet such a man, and to deal with him in the right way. The more he talked the more his ideas grew, and the more certain he was that he had tapped at last a

to put him in his chair. But he boisterously put an arm about her, and stood

neral meanness? Who would not be excited at the prospect of leaping, in one glorious moment, from Arcadia Street to affluence; of stepping in a moment glor

, leaning against the mantelpiece, and presenting a bored expression to the company. "Not that I'm denyin', mind you, that you'd do a lot i

lid, sir," he ejaculated. "What if I tell you that I can

inging to his arm, lookin

that it might have been. For the future, my dear Bessie, I will make amends; for the future our relative positions will be changed. No longer shall you trouble about lodgers-no longer shall

has happened? It's only some dream-something that in

laimed. "The chance of a lifetime-a m

ey contemptuously. "Where did y

y deeper into ruin even than before; that was a risk I had to take. But no"-he shook his head, and smiled with deep wisdom-"I knew from the beginning that I was right. A pound or two in the right direction-and a pound or two

rtment, than his fellows of Arcadia Street. Her life had at all times been a surprising thing of chances; this greater chance that had come was only what might in her dreams have been expected. Practical only in th

y father had his chance he would do better than anyone. They were not to mind her tears; she had perhaps been a little tired and a little troubled at times; but all that was done

abbily shook the hand of his parent, and murmured "Good old guv'nor!" as an encouragement to that gentleman to do even better yet. And then in a bewil

delicacy. "And I have done nothing by halves; in fact, I may tell you that I have already provided a place in the country-a mere modest cottage. Charming spot-

as she looked at this new wonder. "The country-a

omy place-and well furnished. Fishing, I und

blaming him for that. Can't say I care much for the country as country-but I dare say I shall get used to it. Rummy thing, though, that you should have kept the game g

n in the family," said Mr. Meggison. "In this matter you will have to take your time from me; when I say 'move,' we will move. Now,

nd by sheer bluff and cunning. Someone else was to pay the piper, but Mr. Daniel Meggison had quite made up his mind that he would call the tune. And so elated was he that he even unben

n his own account. She went out into that garden of her dreams, feeling a little strange now that the dreams were coming true-vaguely troubled in fact that there should be no more necessity for

rospect opening out in Bessie's imagination; she would be in a sense regretful at the thought of leaving it, because so much had happened there-every poor

ll him. Pride was in that thought, because all in a moment she was lifted nearer to him by reason of her new riches. She was greater even than this wonderful young man who could spend money re

egan. "You've been my best friend-almost my only friend;

the wall, and looking down at her. "What h

hing to do with lodgers; there are never going to be any lodgers any more," she said; and he thou

r that the strange fortune which had come to her father was a matter that would provide leisure for a period of a few weeks only, when he r

y. "Very rich-is he? And what's h

" she said proudly. "He's taken a house in the country-an

is he?" said Gilbert s

thinking that we should be glad if you would come down. I know

itation to his own place. "And I suppose you're going to stop there until you're

ed him. "Father's going to give it all up; we're going t

at the end of the garden was opened, and old Meggison came in. He was singing to himself in a high cracked falsetto, and the hand that was not required to suppor

child; go t' bed. Object mos' strong

inary stagger, essayed to follow her. He was pulled up

telling her?" dema

ttle exaggel-exaggeration," he repl