Part 48 (1/2)

”It's all right, 'Ziah!” he exclaimed, ”the knot's tied.”

”You ought to be ashamed of yourself, that you ought,” panted Keziah, darting away to avoid another embrace. ”And pray where's Miss May?”

Tom Brough did not answer, he only hurried into the drawing-room, where old Richards sat upright, holding on by the arms of his chair.

”Where's May?” he gasped, looking ashy pale; ”why have you not brought her back?”

”Because she was not mine to bring,” said Tom Brough coolly. ”Flunk Marr waylaid me, and he's carried her off and married her.”

”Brough! this is a plot, and you are in it,” exclaimed old Richards fiercely, as he saw the serio-comic smile upon his friend's countenance.

”Well, yes, I had a little to do with it,” Brough said quietly.

”And is dear Miss May really married to Mr Frank?” cried Keziah.

”Silence, woman,” roared old Richards. ”Brough, I'll never forgive you.

You've planned all this with that beggar, and he's swindled me out of a thousand pounds, and robbed me of my child! A rascally, lying beggar.”

”Gently, gently, my dear Richards,” said Tom Brough, coolly. ”I don't think that now I have taken him into partners.h.i.+p he is quite the beggar you imagine. What with that and your thousand, and what we--_we_, friend Richards--will leave them when we die, I don't think there will be many men hold up their heads much higher in the City than Frank Marr.

On the whole, I think your child has done well.”

”Brough, Brough,” exclaimed old Richards excitedly, ”what does this all mean? In G.o.d's name tell me, or I shall have a fit.”

”In G.o.d's name,” said Tom Brough, slowly and reverently, ”it means that I, blessed as I have been with wealth, could not commit the grievous sin you wished against that sweet child I loved her too well to condemn her to such a fate, and Frank Marr found me more open to appeal than he did his father-in-law. I told him to come again to your office when he had been to me, and at my wish he accepted all your terms, though not without a deal of forcing on my part. He's a fine, n.o.ble-hearted young fellow, Richards, and listening to me I tried to make matters work for the good of us all.”

He looked at old Richards as he spoke, but the old man was scowling at the wall.