left of his mother's money), putting everything at his friend's
disposal. Miss Paget was disgusted with him for doing this, and when the
motor wouldn't mote and the invention wouldn't float, she just said, "I
told you so!"

It was at this time, Jack went on to tell me, that Miss Paget bought
Beau. She had had another dog, given her by Jack, which died, and she
collected Beau herself. Only a few days after Beau's arrival, Jack went
down into the country to see his aunt and talk things over; for she had
brought him up to expect to be her heir; and as she wanted him with her
continually, as if he had been her son, she had objected to his taking
up any profession. Now that he'd lost his own money in this unfortunate
speculation, he felt he ought to do something not to be dependent upon
her, his income of two hundred a year having been sunk with the
unfloatable motor invention. He meant to ask Miss Paget to lend him
enough to go in as partner with another friend, who had a very thriving
motor business, and to suggest paying her back so much a year. But
everything was against him on that visit to his aunt's country house.

In the first place, she was in a very bad humour with him, because he
had gone against her wishes, and she didn't want to hear anything more
about motors or motor business. Then, there was Beau, as a _tertium
quid_.

Beau had been bought from a dreadful man who had probably stolen, and
certainly ill-treated him. The dog was very young, and owing to his late
owner's cruelty, feared and hated the sight of a man. Since she had had
him Miss Paget had done her very best to spoil the poor animal,
encouraging him to growl at the men-servants, and laughing when he
frightened away any male creature who had come about the place. While
she and Jack were arguing over money and motors, who should stroll in
but Beau, who at sight of a stranger--a man--closeted with his indulgent
mistress, flew into a rage. He seized Jack by the trouser-leg and began
to worry it, and Jack had to choke him before the dog would let go his
grip.

The sight of this dreadful deed threw Miss Paget into hysterics. She
shrieked that her nephew was cruel, ungrateful--that he had never loved
her, that he cared only for her money, and now that he grudged her the
affection of a dog with which _he_ had had nothing to do; that the dog's
dislike for him was a warning to her, and made her see him in his true
light at last. "Go--go--out of my sight--o