ounds."

Archie Hope frowned at the incurable obstinacy of the sex. "I didn't buy
you, dearest: how many times do you wish me to deny a sale which never
took place? I merely obtained your step-father's consent to our marriage
in the near future."

"As if he had anything to do with my marriage, being only my
step-father, and having, in my eyes, no authority. In what way did you
get his consent--his unnecessary consent," she repeated with emphasis.

Of course it was waste of breath to argue with a woman who had made up
her mind. The two began to walk towards the village along the causeway,
and Hope cleared his throat to explain--patiently as to a child.

"You know that your step-father--Professor Braddock--is crazy on the
subject of mummies?"

Lucy nodded in her pretty wilful way. "He is an Egyptologist."

"Quite so, but less famous and rich than he should be, considering his
knowledge of dry-as-dust antiquities. Well, then, to make a long story
short, he told me that he greatly desired to examine into the difference
between the Egyptians and the Peruvians, with regard to the embalming of
the dead."

"I always thought that he was too fond of Egypt to bother about any
other country," said Lucy sapiently.

"My dear, it isn't the country he cares about, but the civilization of
the past. The Incas embalmed their dead, as did the Egyptians, and
in some way the Professor heard of a Royal Mummy, swathed in green
bandages--so he described it to me."

"It should be called an Irish mummy," said Lucy flippantly. "Well?"

"This mummy is in possession of a man at Malta, and Professor Braddock,
hearing that it was for sale for one thousand pounds--"

"Oh!" interrupted the girl vivaciously, "so this was why father sent
Sidney Bolton away six weeks ago?"

"Yes. As you know, Bolton is your step-father's assistant, and is as
crazy as the Professor on the subject of Egypt. I asked the Professor if
he would allow me to marry you--"

"Quite unnecessary," interpolated Lucy briskly.

Archie passed over the remark to evade an argument.

"When I asked him, he said that he wished you to marry Random, who is
rich. I pointed out that you loved me and not Random, and that Random
was on a yachting cruise, while I was on the spot. He then said that he
could not wait for the return of Random, and would give me a chance."

"What did he mean by that?"

"Well, it seems that he was in a hurry to get this Green Mummy from
Malta, as he fe