venue,
there was almost a triumphant smile upon his face. This, however, was
not reported to Mr. Barnes, for the spy was behind and could not see his
face.

It was only a few nights after this that Mr. Mitchel was walking home
from the club, accompanied by Mr. Thauret, when the latter turned the
conversation upon the Miss Remsens.

"They certainly are charming girls," said he, "but one would need to be
rich to afford the luxury of marrying one of them. I suppose they have
nothing until the death of the mother."

Mr. Mitchel thought that he understood the object of the question, and
for reasons of his own was glad to reply to it.

"O, not at all," said he. "The father left each of them a handsome sum,
fifty thousand in fact, which they are to receive as soon as married.
The bulk of the money, of course, went to the widow, but her interest is
only for life, and then it is to be equally divided between the girls. I
think it is somewhere near half a million."

"You are a fortunate fellow. I wish I had your luck."

"My dear Thauret, can a man of your intelligence believe in such a
stupid thing as luck? It no more exists than its antithesis, ill luck.
Every man succeeds or not, according to his own skill in guiding his
life. Now you envy me my marriage to Emily, when certainly her sister
Dora is just as charming, and richer, too."

"Miss Dora is charming, true; but that does not make me a successful
suitor. But what do you mean by saying that she is richer?"

"Why, you see, her sister is devoted to her, and has promised her a gift
of ten thousand dollars the day she marries, upon one condition."

"And that condition is?"

"That the husband shall be satisfactory to her."

There was a silence for several minutes, finally broken by Mr. Thauret:

"Well, in the light of your approaching marriage, which will make you
the only man in the family, I presume your influence would count. If I
should wish to marry Miss Dora, I suppose you would favor my suit?"

"That is not a new idea to me, I assure you. All I need say is that when
you gain Dora's consent, you shall have mine."

"Thank you." Mr. Thauret said this with suppressed emotion, and after
that neither man spoke until they said good-night at Mr. Mitchel's
hotel. Mr. Thauret, upon reaching his own room, smoked a cigar, and blew
little ringlets over his head, thus occupying himself till long after
midnight. He seemed to be building castles, and from the satisfied
e