For the next two or three days, Archie felt decidedly, worried over
his projected marriage with Lucy. Certainly he had--to put it
bluntly--purchased Braddock's consent, and that gentleman could scarcely
draw back from his plighted word, which had cost the lover so much.
Nevertheless, Hope did not entirely, trust the Professor, as, from the
few words which he had let drop at the dinner party, it was plain that
he hankered after money with which to fit out the expedition in search
of the mysterious tomb to which he had alluded. Archie knew, as did the
Professor, that he could not supply the necessary five thousand pounds
without practically ruining himself, and already he had crippled his
resources in paying over the price of the green mummy. He had fondly
believed that Braddock would have been satisfied with the relic of
Peruvian humanity; but it seemed that the Professor, having got what he
wanted, now clamored for what was at present beyond his reach. The mummy
was his property, but he desired the contents of Queen Tahoser's tomb
also. This particular moon, which he cried for, was a very expensive
article, and Hope did not see how he could gain it.
Unless--and here came in the cause of Archie's worry--unless the five
thousand pounds was borrowed from Sir Frank Random, the Professor would
have to content himself with the Maltese mummy. But from what the young
man had seen of Braddock's longing for the especial sepulchre, which
he desired to loot, he believed that the scientist would not readily
surrender his whim. Random could easily lend or give the money, since he
was extremely rich, and extremely generous, but it was improbable that
he would aid Braddock without a quid pro quo. As the sole desire of the
baronet's heart was to make Lucy his wife, it could easily be guessed
that he would only assist the Professor to realize his ambition on
condition that the savant used his influence with his step-daughter.
That meant the breaking of the engagement with Hope and the marriage
of the girl to the soldier. Of course such a state of things would make
Lucy unhappy; but Braddock cared very little for that. To gratify his
craze for Egyptian research, he would be willing to sacrifice a dozen
girls like Lucy.
Undoubtedly Lucy would refuse to be passed along from one man to another
like a bale of goods, and Archie knew that, so far as in her lay, she
would keep to her engagement, especially as she denied Braddock's right
to dispose of her hand. All the same, the Professor, in spite of
his cherubical looks, could make himself extremely disagreeable, and
undoubtedly would do so if thwarted. The sole course that remained,
should Braddock begin operations to break the present engagement, would
be to marry Lucy at once. Archie would willingly have done so, but
pecuniary difficulties stood in the way. He had never told any one of
these, not even the girl he loved, but they existed all the same. For
many years he had been assisting needy relatives, and thus had hampered
himself, in spite of his income. By sheer force of will, so as to force
Braddock into giving him Lucy, he had contrived to secure the necessary
thousand pounds, without confusing the arrangements he had made to pay
off certain debts connected with his domestic philanthropy; but this
brought him to the end of his resources. In six months he hoped to
be free to have his income entirely to himself, and then--small as it
was--he could support a wife. But until the half year elapsed he could
see no chance of marrying Lucy with any degree of comfort, and meanwhile
she would be exposed to the persecutions of the Professor. Perhaps
persecutions is too harsh a word, as Braddock was kind enough to the
girl. Nevertheless, he was pertinacious in gaining his aims where his
pet hobby was concerned, and undoubtedly, could he see any chance of
obtaining the money from Random by selling his step-daughter, he
would do so. Assuredly it was dishonorable to act in this way, but the
Professor was a scientific Jesuit, and deemed that the end justified the
means, when any glory to himself and gain to the British Museum was in
question.