登陆注册
20065000000031

第31章 MAMMON AND THE ARCHER(3)

"I'm very sorry," said Richard, as he resumed his seat, "but it looks as if we are stuck. They won't get this jumble loosened up in an hour. It was my fault. If I hadn't dropped the ring we--"Let me see the ring," said Miss Lantry. "Now that it can't be helped, I don't care. I think theatres are stupid, anyway."

At 11 o'clock that night somebody tapped lightly on Anthony Rockwall's door.

"Come in," shouted Anthony, who was in a red dressing-gown, reading a book of piratical adventures.

Somebody was Aunt Ellen, looking like a grey-haired angel that had been left on earth by mistake.

"They're engaged, Anthony," she said, softly. "She has promised to marry our Richard. On their way to the theatre there was a street blockade, and it was two hours before their cab could get out of it.

"And oh, brother Anthony, don't ever boast of the power of money again. A little emblem of true love--a little ring that symbolised unending and unmercenary affection--was the cause of our Richard finding his happiness. He dropped it in the street, and got out to recover it. And before they could continue the blockade occurred.

He spoke to his love and won her there while the cab was hemmed in.

Money is dross compared with true love, Anthony."

"All right," said old Anthony. "I'm glad the boy has got what he wanted. I told him I wouldn't spare any expense in the matter if--"

"But, brother Anthony, what good could your money have done?"

"Sister," said Anthony Rockwall. "I've got my pirate in a devil of a scrape. His ship has just been scuttled, and he's too good a judge of the value of money to let drown. I wish you would let me go on with this chapter."

The story should end here. I wish it would as heartily as you who read it wish it did. But we must go to the bottom of the well for truth.

The next day a person with red hands and a blue polka-dot necktie, who called himself Kelly, called at Anthony Rockwall's house, and was at once received in the library.

"Well," said Anthony, reaching for his chequebook, "it was a good bilin' of soap. Let's see--you had $5,000 in cash."

"I paid out $3OO more of my own," said Kelly. "I had to go a little above the estimate. I got the express wagons and cabs mostly for $5; but the trucks and two-horse teams mostly raised me to $10. The motormen wanted $10, and some of the loaded teams $20. The cops struck me hardest--$50 I paid two, and the rest $20 and $25. But didn't it work beautiful, Mr. Rockwall? I'm glad William A. Brady wasn't onto that little outdoor vehicle mob scene. I wouldn't want William to break his heart with jealousy. And never a rehearsal, either! The boys was on time to the fraction of a second. It was two hours before a snake could get below Greeley's statue."

"Thirteen hundred--there you are, Kelly," said Anthony, tearing off a check. "Your thousand, and the $300 you were out. You don't despise money, do you, Kelly?"

"Me?" said Kelly. "I can lick the man that invented poverty."

Anthony called Kelly when he was at the door.

"You didn't notice," said he, "anywhere in the tie-up, a kind of a fat boy without any clothes on shooting arrows around with a bow, did you?"

"Why, no," said Kelly, mystified. "I didn't. If he was like you say, maybe the cops pinched him before I got there."

"I thought the little rascal wouldn't be on hand," chuckled Anthony.

"Good-by, Kelly."

同类推荐
  • 越史略

    越史略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 身观经

    身观经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文忠集

    文忠集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 唐书直笔

    唐书直笔

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 固气还神九转琼丹论

    固气还神九转琼丹论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 落寞的时光

    落寞的时光

    马波涛对自己的人生完全没有一个系统的规划,上学,辍学,和狐朋狗友们胡混。从没想过自己有一天也能被救赎……直到她的出现。她的美丽和纯洁几乎让他自惭形秽,他的人生从此出现了转折……
  • 仙魔茧

    仙魔茧

    命运?身世?实力才能决定一切!看一个坎坷少年,如何挣脱命运,一步步揭开,这传承无数年的仙魔阴谋!
  • 总裁用心爱:宠妻无下限

    总裁用心爱:宠妻无下限

    本书暂时停更,因为一些原因没时间更,书友们请谅解(一对一绝宠文,小小虐,欢迎跳坑)刚重生就有未婚夫?林雪本来不想理他,结果却被他逮回家却扔在床上,一遍又一遍的尝试108种姿势。某天早上,林雪装可怜对萧瑾天说。老公你就不能给我放一天假吗?恩?给你放假?看来我还是不够努力,说完恶狼扑食朴向这个让他疯狂的女人。救人啊……谁来救救她,看着这只想日日夜夜欺负他的人,是谁说萧瑾天对女人不敢兴趣的,过来我保证有糖给你吃……谁来告诉她,世界怎么了,莫名其妙的重生,还莫名其妙的生了小包子
  • 脏了青春葬了人生

    脏了青春葬了人生

    从16岁遇到所谓的初恋的时候,她知道,她的人生,发生了翻天覆地的变化。尝试了不能尝试的,做了不该做的,痛了,爱了,醒了,懂了,可是,女人终究是女人,特别是她这样的女人,同样的伤痛,伤了无数次,懂了无数次,最终还是好了伤疤忘了痛。这是个人生设下的漩涡么?不,不是,这是你自己设下的漩涡。
  • 每天学点经济学大全集

    每天学点经济学大全集

    全书共分为七篇,从日常生括、生产经营、生存竞争、投资理财、国计民生、宏观政策、对外交往等不同侧面全面系统地讲述了经济学的基本理论知识及其在现实社会生活中的广泛应用。本书最大的特点在于,采用生活化的语言,将经济学内在的深刻原理与奥妙之处娓娓道来,让读者在快乐和享受中,迅速了解经济学的全貌,轻轻松松地获得经济学的知识,学会像经济学家一样思考,用经济学的视角和思维观察、剖析种种生活现象,指导自己的行为,解决生活中的各种难题,从而更快地走向成功。
  • 腥红之眸

    腥红之眸

    肃杀的月夜中令人恐惧的葬歌响起,随风飘荡的银发,腥红颜色的双眸,半锈的直刀,青色的苹果,金黄的残月之下,死亡在无息的涌动。
  • 爱情只差刹那芳华

    爱情只差刹那芳华

    两年的婚姻生活,冷小菁过得比谁都狼狈。明明是民政局肯定的关系,她却永远只能站在背后……一场不为爱而结的婚姻,是不是注定收获不了幸福?开始的时候,她就知道,他的爱,披着报复的外衣!青春懵懂的年纪,即使这样,她依旧孤勇的选择飞蛾扑火!开始的时候,他告诉自己,她的存在是为了祭奠另一个女子。到了最后,在这场婚姻里,她收了心,全身而退;而他,在步步为营的设计中,赢了所有,唯一输掉的是自己的心……
  • 逃婚王妃:王爷你别追

    逃婚王妃:王爷你别追

    二十四世纪世界级美容院的大老板,竟然在早上出门上班的时候被一个从天而降的花盆给砸死了!老天爷,你玩我呢!一朝穿越,被一个老头捡到抚养长大。某一日下山,却不小心被一只妖孽缠上了,从此,宫轻语便开始了她的逃婚之路……小片段:啪!某妖孽帅气壁咚:“轻儿,嫁给我把。”“…………起开。”“我当你默认了哦。”宫轻语猛地抬脚一踹,“呜哇!轻儿……下脚不必这么狠吧……你以后的幸福可……”宫轻语头顶暴起青筋,抬脚,又狠狠的在妖孽肚子上踹了一脚,“唔啊!”妖孽,卒。
  • TFboys

    TFboys

    本文由百度和腾讯提供,谢谢合作,仅供参考,以实物为准,蟹蟹O(∩_∩)O~·
  • 命定你我

    命定你我

    上一世的情,被仇包庇,究竟几分真?几分假?毕竟爱过,不求同年同月同日生,但求与你童年同月同日死,居然穿越?!上一世的情,这一世的怨,后悔也已晚。本不再信爱情,却有偶遇他,冥冥之中自有安排,如何般的情世离愁呢?