The Man and the Moment

should have been with me and had a good round of g

himself into h

and I have g

en answer this absurd remark, he just puffed

erested," his host ejacu

mmy

is true. I hav

ellow, you

way out of the difficulty-an angel has dropped

artled. Michael looked as tho

! I have no patience with you, you old fo

and down restlessly. "It is the very thing. She wants her money and I want my freedom. She gets hers by marriage, and I get mine. I don't care a rush for domestic bliss, it has never appealed to me; and the fellow in Australia who'll come after me has got a boy who

go out. This incredible story was b

ct state of despair, ready almost to decide upon marrying old Bessie, and I return in an hour and you inform me eve

d, it was real

as you see-and a girl-a tourist-fell through the secret door. I haven't opened it for five years. She was running away from a horrid fello

e story, the girl being engag

preposterous tale no longer interested him. He thoug

Henry, I am telling you the truth. The girl appears to be a young woman of decision. She explained at once her circumstances, and it st

put down his

rdian's consent and a special license, and I shall be back by the six o'clock train on Thursday in time to get the ceremony over th

lly rose fr

bride?"

emony with her certificate of marriage, which she means to brandish in the face of her relation

affair of

and his firm chin

oman of eighty-four-than Violet Hatfield; and now, when I have found a much more suitable p

yce inte

g up for yourself by marrying a young girl-What is the sense in it?" he continued, a little excited now. "The younger

ng now, and that expression, which all his underlings knew meant

e to old Fergusson, my chaplain, and tell him to be in readiness, and I suppose I ought to see my lawyers in Edinbu

t it prudent to ask. "It is a pretty s

for that sort of a marriage and mere busin

w and looked out for a mo

uite fai

chaplain, but he looked over his shoulder startled, and then a gleam o

She jumped at the idea, I tell you, Henry-I have not got time to go into the pros and cons of that side of the question, and I don't want to hear your views or

owards the door, and when th

ng this, I suppose-taking advantage of a young girl

an to blaze with thi

ing the least advantage of her. I shall have to get her guardian's consent, and I suppose he'll know what he is up to. I ha

smiled his radiant, irresistible smi

old friend," he said,

looked grave as a

e been real pals, although I am so much older than you-but I'm damned if I'll stay and see you through thi

Binko, who sprang at him in love

Get along,

be ready to catch the 10:40 express at the junction for London town. Then he seized his cap and, calling Binko, he went off into the garden, and so on to the park and to the golf house, wher