"Bah! a man's fate is what he makes it. Look here; fifty or a hundred borrowed for a few days, and then repaid." "But suppose--" "Suppose!" cried Pradelle mockingly; "a business man has no time to suppose, he strikes while the iron's hot. You're going to strike iron, not tin." "How? Where's the money?" "Where's the money?" said Pradelle mockingly. "You want fifty or a hundred for a few days, when you would return it fifty times over; and you say, where's the money?" "Don't I tell you I have no one I could borrow from?" said Harry angrily. "Yes, you have," said Pradelle, sinking his voice. "It's easy as easy. Only for a few days. A temporary loan. Look here." He bent down, and whispered a few words in the young man's ear, words which turned him crimson, and then deadly pale. "Pradelle!" he cried, in a hoarse whisper; "are you mad?" "No. I was thinking of coming over to Auvergne to spend a month with my friend, the Count. By-and-by, dear lad--by-and-by." "No, no; it is impossible," said Harry hoarsely, and he gave a hasty glance round. "No," whispered Pradelle, "no; it is not impossible, but as simple as A B C." "But," faltered Harry, who was trembling now. "Hush! some one coming. No; you need not mind," said Pradelle with a sneer; "only two ladies walking up the road. Now, I wonder whom they've come to see." "No, no," said Harry in a husky whisper, as his companion's last words seemed unheeded; "I couldn't do that." "You could," said Pradelle, and then to himself: "and, if I know you, Harry Vine, you shall." CHAPTER TEN. HARRY VINE HAS A WANT. Breakfast-time, with George Vine quietly partaking of his toast, and giving furtive glances at a _Beloe_ in a small squat bottle. He was feeding his mind at the same time that he supplied the wants of his body. Now it was a bite of toast, leaving in the embrowned bread such a mark as was seen by the dervish when the man asked after the lost camel: for the student of molluscous sea life had lost a front tooth. Now it was a glance at the little gooseberry-shaped creature, clear as crystal, glistening in the clear water with iridescent hues, and trailing behind it a couple of filaments of an extreme delicacy and beauty that warranted the student's admiration. Louise was seated opposite, performing matutinal experiments, so it seemed, with pots, cups, an urn, and various infusions and crystals. Pradelle was reading the paper, and Harry was dividing his time between eating some fried ham and glancing at the clock, which was pointing in the direction of the hour when he should be at Van Heldre's. "More tea, Louie; too sweet," said the head of the house, passing his cup, _via_ Pradelle.