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an," Mr. Bullsom said, "whom I like so much or think so much of as Mr. Brooks. If I'd a son like that I'd be a proud man. And as we're here all alone, just the family, as it were, I'll go on to say this," Mr. Bullsom continued, his right thumb finding its way to the armhole of his waistcoat. "I'm going to drop a hint at the first opportunity I get, quite casually, that whichever of you girls gets married first gets a cheque from me for one hundred thousand pounds." Even Selina was staggered. Mrs. Bullsom was positively frightened. "Mr. Bullsom!" she said. "Peter, you ain't got as much as that? Don't tell me!" "I am worth to-day," Mr. Bullsom said, solemnly, "at least five hundred thousand pounds." "Peter," Mrs. Bullsom gasped, "has it been come by honest?" Mr. Bullsom smiled in a superior way. "I made it," he answered, "by locking up forty thousand, more than half of what I was worth, for five years. But I knew what I was about, and so did the others. Mason made nearly as much as I did." Selina looked at her father with a new respect. He rose and brushed the ashes of his cigar from his waistcoat. "Now I'm off," he declared. "Brooks and I will be back about seven, and I shall try and get him to sleep here. Fix yourselves up quiet and ladylike, you girls. Good-bye, mother." * * * * * "We have about an hour before dinner," Mr. Bullsom remarked, sinking into his most comfortable chair and lighting a cigar. "Just time for a comfortable chat. You'll smoke, Brooks, won't you?" Brooks excused himself, and remained standing upon the hearthrug, his elbow upon the mantelpiece. He hated this explanation he had to make. However, it was no good in beating about the bush. "I am going to surprise you very much, Mr. Bullsom," he began. Mr. Bullsom took the cigar from his mouth and looked up with wide-open eyes. He had been preparing graciously to wave away a torrent of thanks. "I am going to surprise you very much," Brooks repeated. "I cannot accept this magnificent offer of yours. I cannot express my gratitude sufficiently to you, or to the committee. Nothing would have made me happier than to have been able to accept it. But I am absolutely powerless." "You don't funk it?" Mr. Bullsom asked. "Not I. The fact is, there are circumstances connected with myself which make it inadvisable for me to seek any public position at present." Mr. Bullsom's first sensations of asto
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