have been obliged to borrow the money from you; otherwise the
mummy would have been acquired by some one else. But when I find
the tomb of Queen Tahoser, I shall repay the loan."

"You have repaid it already," said Hope, looking at Lucy.

Braddock's eyes followed his gaze and his brows contracted.
"Humph!" he muttered, "I don't know if I am right in consenting
to Lucy's marriage with a pauper."

"Oh, father!" cried the girl, "Archie is not a pauper."

"I have enough for Lucy and me to live on," said Hope, although
his face had flushed, "and, had I been a pauper I could not have
given you that thousand pounds."

"You will be repaid--you will be repaid," said Braddock, waving
his hand to dismiss the subject. "And now," he rose with a yawn,
"if this tedious feast is at an end, I shall again seek my work."

Without a word of apology to the disgusted Mrs. Jasher, he
trotted to the door, and there paused.

"By the way, Lucy," he said, turning, "I had a letter to-day from
Random. He returns in his yacht to Pierside in two or three
days. In fact, his arrival will coincide with that of The
Diver."

"I don't see what his arrival has to do with me," said Lucy
tartly.