The Ely miner., 1930-10-31
CHAPTER I-Continued

Agnes, Lady Sandison, glared at
her stepSOn. Such a to-do about a
wee pickle money. Well, that's that,
SandiSbrae, even at the rent | have
gotten out of they foreigners, won't
keep you at the first. You've the taxes
TO pay, and one or two debts. AT the
end of the second year you'll have
nice bit left over. but it will be at
the end of the second. What's your
plan"
Sir George lifted his hands, and let
them fall. Il have none as yet. /
meant TO go TO my uncle and ask him"
you'll get nothing" interrupted
Lady SandiSOn grimly. Il was to him.
myself. He'll do nothing"
Sir George blushed.
Lady SandiSOn gave him a keen
look. 1T wasn't because ! asked
him, that Lord Cheddar-ArmstrOng
wouldn't do anything for his sisters
son. Indeed. didn't ask him outright.
He came to the solicitors office. to see
about the settlement of the estate,
and asked TO see me. He was against
you for the oil business. He consid-
cred that you had thrown the little
money your mother had left yoL away"
Il did"
"And he said there was no more
Armstrong money going that gait, and
he asked me to tell you that he'd sons
r of his own to start in life. He wished
you well but he didn't care to see you
until you had made some effort to
become useful member of society,""
"Meaning?"
MARRYING money, | take it."
But how?"
Lady Sandison laughed. "He left
ohat 10 you. He said something about
your sL~re of the family looks being
all that the Armstrong; were respon-
sible for, and they were the best
assets you had"
Sir George looked considerably
annoyed.
Lady SandisOn smiled grimly. Hes
a grand looking man himself, but /
cannot see that he's getting much out
of the wealthy marriage he made. His
his children all take after the mother
They'll not get far on their looksI"
"He can keep his money" growled
Sir George.
HE will. He'd rather lose his re-
iigiOn than a single pound of it."
She looked again at her stepson.
at was then this America scheme
came into my head If we go away
while the place il rented and earning
and leave my hit of money turning
itself over and earning whilst we're
in America. where nobody knows us
we could work and make a living"
Sir George looked ar her. Aggy was
clever And aftc7 all Aggy was fond
of him. He had no one on earth
nearer than Uncle Charles and he had
not a penny of his own. and Aggy was
not offering him money. but chance
TO earn some. Over here there was
nothing hut chance to borrow and
not much at that. He spoke, after a
bit, slowly.
by the Lord! An ideal''
Its more" said Lady Sandison
"its a certainty, for ! have a trade
that will make money any time. I'm
a cook that could please king. If
the worst comes 70 the worst ri please
an American millionaire. and take
some of his money back with me-
And you"
Then she broke off as she saw Sir
Georges face
you're a clever woman, Aggy, and
your plans not a bad one. except the
part where yOu-cOOk. That will not
be necessary. But you've forgotten
one thing, and that's that | have moth
ing TO offer anybody. Why. I'm too
poor to pay my passage over, and no
qualifications for job If were over. :"
"No qualifications Aggy's voice
was full of scorn. "Do you never look
iD the glass"
"Oh, come. Aggy," Sir George GER
tainly was annoyed. "You are as bad
as Uncle Charles"
lord Charles wasn't far wrong"
declared Aggy judicially.
"COnfound it, Aggy. We won't dis
cuss that" Sir George said irritably.
Then he thought for an instant.
'Could your brother help us?"
Hell get the chance at it," vowed
Aggy.
"Well, that will be something" Sir
George agreed. "By Heaveni I'd like
to tryl If could raise the price. But
i tell you frankly, Aggy, it's no use
I'm brOke-fiat."
Il can manage the passage money"
declared Aggy abruptly, IF you think
well of my plan. In fact" she added,
looking at him cautiously, II have the
tickets in my purse"
'Whatr'
81 thought I'd risk it. 1t would be
jist a matter of refunding If you do
refuse" She sighed with pleasure.
"Oh. laddie, don't refuse me. Think
what it means to me to have some one
that belongs to me to do for!'
Sir George arose to hir full height.
Trembling a little, Lady Sandison
arose, too. Was he going TO utterly
annihilate her and walk out of her
life altogether? For one moment she
feared it, She was perfectly aware
that this young man had come TO her
with one idea-to get the interview
over and then never see her again.
and she adOred him. She knew that
this was her last chance, and that