rt which attended the concession. "If you don't come
in, you'll not give it away?" Again Harry nodded. "It's a big chance,
but we haven't got the money to take it, and unless we can take it we
shall have to sell our rights. It's an option on land. I secured it, but
it's out in a week. Before then we must table twenty thousand. And ten
cleans us out."

"What'll happen if you don't?"

"I must sell the option--rather than forfeit it, you know. I've an offer
for it, but a starvation one."

"Who from?"

After a moment's scrutiny Sloyd whispered a name of immense significance
in such a connection: "Iver."

"I should like to hear some more about this. It's worth something, I
expect, if Iver wants it. Shall I go with you to your office?" He hailed
a passing cab. "I've got the money," he said, "and I want to use it. You
show me that this is a good thing, and in it goes."

An hour passed in the office of Sloyd, Sloyd, and Gurney. Harry Tristram
came out whistling. He looked very pleased; his step was alert; he had
found something to do, he had made a beginning--good or bad. It looked
good: that was enough. He was no longer an idler or merely an onlooker.
He had begun to take a hand in the game himself. He found an added,
perhaps a boyish, pleasure in the fact that the affair was for the
present to be a dead secret. He was against Iver too in a certain sense,
and that was another spice; not from any ill-will, but because it would
please him especially to show Iver that he could hold his own. It
occurred to him that in case of a success he would enjoy going and
telling old Lady Evenswood about it. He felt, as he said to himself,
very jolly, careless and jolly, more so than he remembered feeling for
many months back. Suddenly an idea struck him. Was it in whole or in
part because there was no longer anything to hide, because he need no
longer be on the watch? He gave this idea a good deal of rather amused
consideration, and came to the conclusion that there might be something
in it. He went to the theatre that night, to the pit (where he would not
be known), and enjoyed himself immensely.

And Lady Evenswood had made up her mind that she would find a way of
seeing Mr Disney soon, and throw out a cautious feeler. Everything would
have to be done very carefully, especially if the marriage with the
cousin were to be made a feature of the case. But her resolve, although
not altered, was hampered by a curious feeling to which her