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"Still, making every allowance for inexperience in these matters, I should have thought it impossible for any one to spend a whole day bidding at a place like Hammond's without even securing a single article." "But, dad," put in Sylvia, "Mr. Ventimore did get one thing on his own account. It's a brass bottle, not down in the catalogue, but he thinks it may be worth something perhaps.
Futvoye, as she extricated herself from Sylvia's arms and turned to face Horace. "From all I hear, Mr. Ventimore, you're not in a position to marry at present." "Unfortunately, no" said Horace; "I'm making nothing as yet. But my chance must come some day. I don't ask you to give me Sylvia till then." "And you know you like Horace, mother!" pleaded Sylvia. "And I'm ready to wait for him, any time.
Ventimore to stay, mother, when he so evidently wants to go," said Sylvia, cruelly. "Well, I won't detain you at least, not long. I wonder if you would mind posting a letter for me as you pass the pillar-box? I've almost finished it, and it ought to go to-night, and my maid Jessie has such a bad cold I really don't like sending her out with it."
"Good evening." But Fakrash was already gone. In spite of all he had gone through and the unknown difficulties before him, Ventimore was seized with what Uncle Remus calls "a spell of the dry grins" at the thought of the probable replies that the Jinnee would meet with in the course of his inquiries.
But when he was out in the fresh air, walking westward to his club, he found himself wondering more and more what could have possessed him to throw away a guinea when he had few enough for legitimate expenses on an article of such exceedingly problematical value. Ventimore made his way to Cottesmore Gardens that evening in a highly inconsistent, not to say chaotic, state of mind.
"Well, I'm sure he'd rather be where he is," said Sylvia, and Ventimore entirely agreed with her. "Horace, I must look at everything. How clever and original of you to transform an ordinary London house into this!" "Oh, well, you see," explained Horace, "it it wasn't exactly done by me." "Whoever did it," said the Professor, "must have devoted considerable study to Eastern art and architecture.
"I've got nothing doing just now," he said; "so I thought I'd come in and have a squint at those plans of yours, if they're forward enough to be seen yet." Ventimore had to explain that even the imperfect method of examination proposed was not possible, as he had despatched the drawings to his client the night before. "Phew!" said Beevor; "that's sharp work, isn't it?" "I don't know.
"This is taking a most unfair advantage of what I was weak enough to say last night, Mr. Ventimore," she began. "I thought I could have trusted you!" "I shouldn't have come so soon," he said, "if my position were what it was only yesterday. But it's changed since then, and I venture to hope that even the Professor won't object now to our being regularly engaged."
"Indeed, I was greatly disappointed," said Horace, "though of course I know how much you are engaged. It's all the more good of you to spare time to drop in for a chat just now." "I've not come to chat, Mr. Ventimore. I never chat. I wanted to see you about a matter which I thought you might be so obliging as to But I observe you are busy probably too busy to attend to such a small affair."
In spite of the fact that it was the luncheon hour when Ventimore reached Hammond's Auction Rooms, he found the big, skylighted gallery where the sale of the furniture and effects of the late General Collingham was proceeding crowded to a degree which showed that the deceased officer had some reputation as a connoisseur.
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