"Humph!" he muttered, "I don't know if I am right in consenting
to Lucy's marriage with a pauper."
"Oh, father!" cried the girl, "Archie is not a pauper."
"I have enough for Lucy and me to live on," said Hope, although
his face had flushed, "and, had I been a pauper I could not have
given you that thousand pounds."
"You will be repaid--you will be repaid," said Braddock, waving
his hand to dismiss the subject. "And now," he rose with a yawn,
"if this tedious feast is at an end, I shall again seek my work."
Without a word of apology to the disgusted Mrs. Jasher, he
trotted to the door, and there paused.
"By the way, Lucy," he said, turning, "I had a letter to-day from
Random. He returns in his yacht to Pierside in two or three
days. In fact, his arrival will coincide with that of The
Diver."
"I don't see what his arrival has to do with me," said Lucy
tartly.
"Oh, nothing at all--nothing at all," said Braddock airily,
"only I thought--that is, but never mind, never mind. Cockatoo,
come down with me. Good night! Good night!" and he disappeared.
"Well," said Mrs. Jasher, drawing along breath, "for rudeness and
selfishness, commend me to a scientist. We might be all mud, for
what notice he takes of us.
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