Lord Loveland Discovers America

								

dollars. The murmur of those echoes depressed him, as did the white
whirl of snow veiling the windows of the shooting lodge whither Lady
Loveland had retired to live upon nothing, that he might have something.
But his mother was happy in prophetic thoughts of a future, when Val
should have saved his own and the family's fortunes. "Of course you
won't need to go to Oshkosh," she said. "Very likely they'd have
small-pox or Red Indians there. I only meant that if there could be
millions in a town with such a name, what must there be in others more
important and easier to get at?"
"I'll stick to the important ones that are easy to get at."
"That means you are making up your mind to go?"
"It's practically made up--thanks to you, Mater. I believe in quick
decisions."
"How like your father! After selling the house in Grosvenor Square, he
made up his mind in ten minutes to go to Monte Carlo, and----"
"Don't compare that decision with this, for Heaven's sake. It wouldn't
be lucky."
"No, dearest," said Lady Loveland meekly, her delicate nose reddening
with reminiscences. "Well then, it's quite settled. I feel it's for the
best. And I can trust you to bring me a daughter-in-law to be--well, not
to be ashamed of."
"I'll promise you anyhow she shan't disgrace you by her manners, or me
by her looks, after I've gone so far to get her."
"Why, you might find something that would do, on the ship, which would
save so much time and trouble!" exclaimed Lady Loveland, brightening.
"You could marry immediately on landing. And yet--perhaps it would be
foolish to do anything irrevocable until you'd looked to see what there
was in New York. You mustn't be reckless when so much depends upon
prudence. Still it would be wise to sail on a good ship, where you might
meet millionairesses. That would be only an ordinary precaution."
"It wouldn't be an ordinary price," said Loveland.
"We must manage it somehow--and a good cabin. You owe that to your
position."
"I owe so much already, I may as well owe a little more."
"Val, dear, I asked you not to joke. It confuses me. And I need to
concentrate all my ideas upon one point. Let me see. Yes! The pink
pearls!"
"The pink what?" asked Loveland, startled.
"I still have them. The double rope, you know."
"I know. Another beastly heirloom."
"Still, one can pawn heirlooms. Your bride can redeem it--and the other
things. I've always saved the pink pearls for a great emergency. This
is a great emergency. Battenborough ought to give seven or eight
hundred. And though seven or eight hundred, as you say, wouldn't go far
among the debts, they might send you to America and back."
"I'll have to throw a few sops to Cerberus, if I want new clothes to
impress the American girls," laughed Val. "That brute Deedes won't give
me so much as a waistcoat unless he gets something on account."
"Pay him something," said Lady Loveland. "Pay what you must. Keep what