第41章 CHAPTER XII(3)

"Oh yes, you may smile and look astonished;' went on the Professor good-humoredly, "but science does not destroy the primeval instincts entirely. Lucy, my dear," he took her hand and patted it, "while in London and in lodgings, it was borne in upon me forcibly how lonely I was and how lonely I would be when you married our young friend yonder. I had intended to come down to-morrow, but to-night, such was my feeling of loneliness that Iconsidered favorably your idea that I should find a second helpmate in Mrs. Jasher. I have always had a profound admiration for that lady, and so - on the spur of the moment, as I may say -I decided to come down this evening and propose.""Oh," Lucy clapped her hands, very well satisfied with the unexpected news, "and have you?""Mrs. Jasher," said the Professor gravely, "did me the honor to promise to become my wife this evening.""She will become your wife this evening?" said Archie, smiling.

Braddock, with one of those odd twists of humor which were characteristic of him, became irascible.

"Confound it, sir, don't I speak English," he snapped, with his eyes glaring rebuke. "She promised this evening to become Mrs.

Braddock. We shall marry - so we have arranged - in the springtime, which is the natural pairing season for human beings as well as for birds. And I am glad to say that Mrs; Jasher takes a deep interest in archaeology.""And, what is more, she is a splendid housekeeper," said Lucy.

The temporary anger of the Professor vanished. He drew his step-daughter towards him and kissed her on the cheek.

"I believe that I have to thank you for putting the idea into my head," said he, "and also - if Mrs. Jasher is to be believed -for aiding her to see the mutual advantage it would be to both of us to marry. Ha," he released Lucy and rubbed his hands, "let us go to dinner.""I am very glad," said Miss Kendal heartily.

"So am I, so am I," replied Braddock, nodding. "As you very truly observed, my child, the house would have gone to rack and ruin without a woman to look after my interests. Well," he took the arms of the two young people, "I really think that we must have a bottle of champagne on the strength of it."Shortly the trio were seated at the table, and Braddock explained that Mrs. Jasher, being overcome by his proposal, had not been able to face the ordeal of congratulations.

"But she will come to-morrow," said he, as Cockatoo filled three glasses.

"Indeed, I shall congratulate her to-night," said Lucy obstinately. "As soon as dinner is over, I shall go with Archie to her house, and tell her how pleased I am.""It is very cold for you to be out, Lucy dear," urged Archie anxiously.

"Oh, I can wrap up warmly," she answered.

Strange to say, the Professor made no objection to the excursion, although Hope quite expected such a stickler for etiquette to refuse permission to his stepdaughter. But Braddock seemed rather pleased than otherwise. His proposal of marriage seemed to have put him into excellent humor, and he raised his glass with a chuckle.

"I drink to your happiness, my dear Lucy, and to that of Mrs.

Jasher's."

"And I drink to Archie's and to yours, father," she replied. "Iam glad that you will not be lonely when we are married. Archie and I wish to become one in January.""Yes," said Hope, finishing his champagne, "my income is now all right, as my uncle has paid up.""Very good, very good. I make no objection," said Braddock placidly. "I will give you a handsome wedding present, Lucy, for you may have heard that my future wife has money left to her by her brother, who was lately a merchant in Pekin. She is heart and hand with me in our proposed expedition to Egypt.""Will you go there for the honeymoon, sir?" asked Hope.

"Not exactly for the honeymoon, since we are to be married in spring, and my expedition to the tomb of Queen Tahoser cannot start until the late autumn. But Mrs. Braddock will come with me. That is only just, since it will be her money which will furnish the sinews of war.""Well, everything is arranged very well," said Lucy. "I marry Archie; you, father, make Mrs. Jasher your wife; and I suspect Sir Frank will marry Donna Inez.""Ha!" said Braddock with a start, "the daughter of De Gayangos, who has come here for the missing mummy. Mrs. Jasher told me somewhat of that, my dear'. But I shall see Don Pedro myself to-morrow. Meanwhile, let us eat and drink. I must go down to the museum, and you - ""We shall go to congratulate Mrs. Jasher," said Lucy.

So it was arranged, and shortly Professor Braddock retired into his sanctum along with the devoted Cockatoo, who displayed lively joy on beholding his master once more. Lucy, after being carefully wrapped up by Archie, set out with that young man to congratulate the bride-elect. It was just half-past nine when they started out.

The night was frosty and the stars twinkled like jewels in a cloudless sky of dark blue. The moon shone with hard brilliance on the ground, which was powdered with a light fall of snow. As the young people walked briskly through the village, their footsteps rang on the frosty earth and they scrunched the snow in their quick tread. The Warrior Inn was still open, as it was not late, and lights shone from the windows of the various cottages.

When the two, following the road through the marshes, emerged from the village, they saw the great mass of the Fort bulking blackly against the clear sky, the glittering stream of the Thames, and the marshes outlined in delicate white. The fairy world of snow and moonlight appealed to Archie's artistic sense, and Lucy approving of the same, they did not hurry to arrive at their destination.

But shortly they saw the squarely fenced acre of ground near the embankment, wherein Mrs. Jasher's humble abode was placed. Light shone through the pink curtains of the drawing-room, showing that the widow had not yet retired. In a few minutes the lovers were at the gate and promptly entered. It was then that one of those odd things happened which would argue that some people are possessed of a sixth sense.

Archie closed the gate after him, and, glancing right and left, walked up the snowy path with Lucy. To the right was a leafless arbor, also powdered with snow, and against the white bulked a dark form something like a coffin. Hope out of curiosity went up to it.

"What the deuce is this?" he asked himself; then raised his voice in loud surprise. "Lucy! Lucy! come here!""What is it?" she asked, running up.

"Look" - he pointed to the oddly shaped case - "the green mummy!"