"How can I take it in hand? I have one farm of a hundred and fifty
acres in hand as it is. Do you know what it would cost to take over
that farm?" and he stopped in his walk and struck his stick into the
ground. "Ten pounds an acre, every farthing of it--and say a thousand
for the covenants--about four thousand pounds in all. Now where am I
to get four thousand pounds to speculate with in that way, for it is a
speculation, and one which I am too old to look after myself, even if
I had the knowledge. Well, there you are, and now I'll say good-night,
sir. It's getting chilly, and I have felt my chest for the last year
or two. By-the-way, I suppose I shall see you to-morrow at this tennis
party of Ida's. It's all very well for Ida to go in for her tennis
parties, but how can I think of such things with all this worry on my
hands? Well, good-night, Colonel Quaritch, good-night," and he turned
and walked away through the moonlight.
Harold Quaritch watched him go and then stalked off home, reflecting,
not without sadness, upon the drama which was opening up before him,
that most common of dramas in these days of depression,--the break up
of an ancient family through causes beyond control. It required far
less acumen and knowledge of the world than he possessed to make it
clear to him that the old race of de la Molle was doomed.
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