"Hang the establishment!" said Tom; "any one would think you were always getting your children into trade. I shall marry little Tryphie, if she'll have me. I'm not going to marry for money. Pretty sort of a fellow I look for making a brilliant match, don't I?" "Oh, Tom, Tom, Tom," said her ladyship, bursting into tears, "you will break your poor mother's heart." "Not I," said Tom, cynically; "it's not one of the heart-breaking sort. But I say, you've made Diana miserable, and Maude half crazy, and now I hope you are happy. Tell you what, I shouldn't be at all surprised now if it's through you that Charley Melton is going to the bad. If so, you've done it and no mistake." "I am surprised that your father allows you to talk to me like this," said her ladyship. "I never knew a son so wanting in respect." "Dad's asleep; don't wake him," said Tom; "the old man's about tired out." A snore from the easy-chair endorsed Tom's words, and he sat smiling at his mother, knowing from old experience that she would not go away till he had done criticising her conduct in his rough and ready style. "I shudder when I think of poor Maude's escape," said her ladyship. "Nothing could be more disgraceful than that young man's conduct. He sees at last though that he cannot marry Maude, and that it would be little short of a crime, so he--" "Stands out of it," said Tom. "Hang me if I would, if any one was to try to cut in after Tryphie." "Once for all, Tom," said her ladyship, "I desire that you cease that nonsensical talk about your cousin. Tryphie will marry when I select a husband for her." "Oh, of course!" said Tom; "but look here--two can play at that game." "Will you have the goodness to explain what you mean, sir?" "Yes," said Tom, taking out and counting his money. "Let me see,--about two pounds ten, I should say. I dare say old Wilters would lend me a fiver, if I asked him." "Tom," cried her ladyship, excitedly, "if you dared to do such a thing I should never survive the disgrace. For my sake don't ask him--at all events not yet. There, there," she cried hastily, "there's a five-pound note. Now, my dear boy, for your mother's and sister's sake, do not do anything foolish for twenty-four hours. Only twenty-four hours, I implore you." "Thankye," said Tom, taking the note and crumpling it up, as he stuffed it into his trousers pocket. "All right, then: I'll wait twenty-four hours." "What--what do you want the money for?" said her ladyship, adopting now the _tremolo_ stop to play her son, as the _furioso_ had proved so futile. "I'm going to buy a revolver," said Tom, kicking up one leg as if he were dancing a child upon it. "A revolver, Tom? You are not going to do anything rash--anything foolish?"