‘And good work,’ answered Marston, approvingly, offering his companion a cigar. ‘We will go up to town to-morrow and set to work on the keys. If this comes off right, I think Smith and Co. can divide the profits and dissolve partnership—eh, Brooks?’ ‘You won’t turn the game up for a few thousand, guv’nor—not you!’ ‘My dear fellow,’ answered Marston, ‘you forget I am only an amateur. I simply do this to acquire a modest competency in return for the expenditure of a little time and considerable talent. If I can put ten thousand pounds at my banker’s over this affair, I shall marry and settle down into a quiet, church-going, turnip-growing country gentleman.’ Brooks laughed at the idea, but Mr. Marston was never more serious in his life. CHAPTER XXXVIII. RUTH ANSWERS A LETTER. Mr. Gurth Egerton’s interest in Gertie Heckett was something wonderful. It took him often to the residence of the Adrians. There he was now a welcome guest, for he had soon found out Mr. Adrian’s weak side and opened fire upon it. In his travels he had been among some of the interesting people Mr. Adrian delighted to honour, and his conversation was almost as interesting as the books. Marvellous stories had Gurth to tell of foreign lands, and especially of those lands where the natives were of the barbarous type dear to Ruth’s father. Either Egerton had seen a great deal, or he was a good romancer. But, whether he dealt in fact or in fiction, his wares were attractive enough to command old Adrian’s custom, and Gurth never called and stayed ‘just to have a cup of tea’ without being invited again and pressed to come early. Gurth’s account of his bachelor loneliness had not been lost upon Mrs. Adrian, and as he never contradicted her, but set himself studiously to please her, he gradually won his way into the old lady’s good graces. Ruth was grateful to Gurth for the interest he took in Gertie. She knew he was rich, and she had heard he was a charitable gentleman. He entered into all her philanthropic schemes, begged that she would be his almoner and let him know of any deserving cases she came upon in her visits to the sick and poor. Altogether Gurth Egerton proved himself a most desirable acquisition to the Adrian family circle, and was highly approved of by everyone but Lion. Lion always growled at him, and nothing would induce him to be friendly. Gertie apologized for her favourite’s behaviour, and Gurth turned off the unpleasant effect of the dog’s determined hostility with a joke. Mrs. Adrian, when Lion had, on the second or third occasion of his rudeness to her visitor, been turned out of the room, suggested that the dog had been brought up among low people, and had low people’s natural antipathy to gentlefolks.