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Les diagrammes sttivants illustrent la mdthode. , 1 2 3 > 1 2 3 4 5 6 «*4K,'^/-^'>j^j^V_'''^^^i-Vl 9^ -,e.*^i?^ 'J-1'5 *" ^ Jt43 "ii^ -rtl * <. 4 /^ ki- rn. \ ( V \ ■Ifc' :>•.•_) ■PR f l-r-'i'.T^'* .f i^*?' .' *,--iJ, tJ'.jT'H- :•'-?"••' ,t,» .•i';.«i:'T,«;f;, fp ■ '^J?*' . •►/" !■'•_'■ •■ I V J V \ lone March J' # 411^ X ^ v^jr^' : ■^^il^^^^j^Mi. Ji'A'i^j' 'Arf'^^.'^WV'ij', 4)» y j^'_ sn-x^^ BY THE SAME AUTHOR THE STICKIT MINISTER THE RAIDERS THE LILAC SUN-BONNET BOG-MYRTLE AND PEAT THE MEN OF THE MOSS HAGS SWEETHEART TRAVELLERS CLEG KELLY THE GREY MAN LADS* LOVE LOCHINVAR SIR TOADY LION THE STANDARD BEARER THE RED AXE THE BLACK DOUGLAS . J^f- -rj.,.,.^fy-.^. lone March N V By- S; R. Crockett ff^itb Illustrations by E. Pollak / ■■■" . . ■ > / Toronto J The' Copp Clark Company, Lj^nited 1899 ■/A ' ^1 x..._ w. -v t: Entered accordinir tJ) Act of the ParlUment of CJanada, in the year one thousand eight huiKlred and ninety-nlne, by Thi Oopp, Clark Oompamt, Limno » Toronto, in the Office of the Minister of Affriculture. ^ ' 880063 ■ ■i*.-' .,^ Ai^K^y r r . , , 'SIS? ■^ To «> # MY EARtlEST AND BEST AMERICAN FRIENDS MR. AND MRS. GEORGE L. JEWITT OF NEW York: Dear People Over There — I send you this book knowing that you will under- stand (among other things) how deep and sincere is my Jove for America, and how much I owe to Americans of that heart-gold which alone does. not take to itself wings and fly away. There are several sorts of your countiymen and women in this story -all in their way as chartning as I love to remember you two - that is, all save one I suppose there are bad Americans. I read the Ne^ rork Sunday World and seem to have heard of such, though possibly they may have been of foreign exti^c t»on. Bur the mean American I had neither heard of nor yet read of, till we three.met him together under the I g''«"mg stars of the winter Engadine. I am certain that neither of you have forgotten Mr. K^mey Judd and the development of the various de- lightful t«it. of character which I have attempted to -^ |£-.,, Dedication ' describe in these chapters. I remember with joy your own pregnant reply to that young gentleman's boast. , "I am not often taken for an American! "he said,\ and smiled. / «^When you are, for heaven's sake don't give your\ country away ! " said one of you ; and the young man stopped smiling. But enough of Mr. Judd: I send you this across the Big Water to certify that though the years and the fates divide, there are hearts over here that warm at the thought of you both. The gods who watch over friendships bring us to our next happy meeting! . S. R. CROCKETT < ,1 Pebicuik, March ^8th, 1899 ^'W »« sv » I J ■•'4,'? Contents I Hark, the Lajik ! f' . . . i n The Woman of Fortune ....... g in The Theory and Practice of Short En- gagements ,g IV The Subjugation of the Alps 29 V Nemesis Stalks .......;... 37 VI The Elevation of Man ^3 VII Counterplot ..... 54 VIII Presbytert and Presbyter gj IX Before the District Committee S. A. C. . . 68 X loNE Clears the Slate 7. XI The Consent of Governor March . . . .84 Xn The Cuckoo in the Nest go XIII The Cuckoo leaves the Nest 100 XIV The Professional Admirer ,09 XV Shillabeer's World's Wisdom Emporium . . ,a, XVI A Universal Private Secretary .... 130 XVn Messrs. ^aton and Webster, Confidential Agents . . . ,^, ********* *4** XVni Two Waifs of the City ....... i6x XIX Vaulting Ambition ,g- XX Mr. AcnNQ Director Swsu ...... 177 ^ Th« Imtbllectual Mob .... ^k . . jig XXn ThiDeaoJJeat .W? . . 194 ix v. Contents » WMOM CHAfTU I ■" ■ XXIII The Flower Girl • • "^ XXIV The Crcesus Club . ai6 XXV Mrs. Marcus H^rdy ....... **5 XXVI The Oppressor of the Widow .... a34 JfXVII Jane Allen's Tragedy , »4o XXVIII Derelict *♦' ' XXIX Castle Gimcrack **3 XHX The Lady of the Red Shawl .... a? 3 XXXI The Refuge among the Leaves . . . . aSi XXX^I The Little Biro ^ . • • »9» XXXIII The Ninth Wave *99 XXXIV The Pleasant Purple Porpoise . . . .305 XXXV A Lite fob a Lifb . 3" XXXVI The Purifying of the Peculiar People 3»7 XXXVII The Boat Train 3*8 XXXVIII Fey ^' XXXIX The Nicest Wedding in the World . . 346 XL Saturday Night Marketing 354 XlJlJjoT Death, but Life !......• 359 . - ^,vU^^■- i4t (t.\Xihi%': lone March r n u CHAPTER I HARK, THE LARK ! IT was an o^ day, yet Keith Harford was awake betimes in the tiny hostel on the Wengcrn Alp, held (as the sign stated plainly) against Jl comers by Johann Jossi. Keith awoke because he missed some- thing. He turned restlessly in the little Swiss bed of five foot six inches in extreme length, over the terminal bar of which his feet projected like the "trams" of a wheel- barrow. The young man was wakeful from unaccusr tomed comfort. He had indeed taken his knapsack to bed with him, which, in addition to a spirit lamp and appurtenances, contained a camera built with knobs and acute angles particularly inimical to luxuty. He had also entrenclied himself behind half a dbzen books and a field- glass covered in ru^ty leather. All these were mingled and scattered about under the sheet, and as Harford lashed this way and that he turned now upon, the edge of a book and anon upon the brass- bound corner of a box, with a sense of comfortable discomfort and stem refreshment which 'passed all too quickly. For hours he had wrestled with the fusty national coverture of feathers' and had been overthrown, speaking in the dead unhappy night words better left unstid. And yet at the time even these had been some solace to him. ■■ r '■!■- • r:^ lone March / But now in the clean-rwashcd morning air the van- quished feather-sack reposed without on the tiny cause- way in front of the Eigerhof, and was indeed the first • object that saluted the morning gaze '6f Herr Johann Jossi as, simply attired in shirt and jrousers, he strolled barefoot and hatless out of the haclc door of his inn to arouse the sleepers in the stables to their daily work. For with the energy of despair Keith Harford had cast the devil out at the window. And the feather-bed now squatted on the path, a humorous broad-based round- shouldered gnom/q, one corner of it comically lurched forward like the ear of a dog that has beej^ kicked once and now listens intently for signs of further hostility. Through the twin green-painted leaves of the open latticed window Keith could see, as he drowsed ofF and waked up alternately, the darting swallows weaving in- tricate webs of air in the gulf between him and the dis- tant mountain side. This Seemed so near that he almost imagined he could reach those white patches with his ice-axe from the window. But Keith knew well that yonder blue scar, like a chip knocked out of a tumbler edge, denoted a bare spot of glacier ice fifty yards across, from which an avalanche of fragments had been precipi- tated sufficient to bury the Hotel Wengem-Alp, with ill the stables, cow-sheds, goat-shed^, and sheep-pens thereto appertaining. * Sleepily he watched a white spot of the glacier slopes enlarge and slide downwards, pushing before it a little ruffle of greyness like a breeze on still water. There was aj>ufFof smoke like the exhaust of a high-pressure engine at the black edge of the cliff, a hazy mistiness beneath, and yet so far away was all this that before the dull, long-iesounding roar of the snow-slide entered through the open casement, Keith was once more un- easily dozing. tf- *Lfri i. 1 ..1 ■■ ^, ^J /•-..<>■ u*.. , ■r / Hark, the Lark t Now the Wcngernhaus under Johann lossi was-a good- hotel, and the sleeper only restless frortt an overplus of comfort. For Keith Harford had spent much of the previous month in scaling new " faces" of well-known mountains, and in tracing out untried routesi over passes of such extreme difficulty, that to the uninstructed eye it seemed much easier to go straight over the .tj^ of the mountains themselves, and so be done with it. ile had bivouacked in the huts of the Alpine Clubs, slept the sleep of the just upon the damp straw beds of the Swiss Union, lain like a log upon his back all night on the bare opportunist boards of France, and acquired on short leases the elegantly-fitted mountain mansions of the Tyrol — these last with real glass in the windows, a mirror on the wall, and a circulating library in the press by the German stovQ. Gftener still, remote alike from shelters and huts, he had shared with Marcus ' Hardy, his. one chosen cofhrade, the discomforts of a nook among the rocks, where, as the latter sadly ad- mitted, the sole amenities of the situation were, '* Har- ford's knee^ in your back and half the Oberland in the pit of your stomach ! " Keith Harford had not slept when only the Thai- wind sighed softly through his green lattices, like the whispered speech of lovers in the dark. He had waked before the first starling twittered under the heavy pine- smelling caves ; but yet, so perverse is man, so soon as the inn yard arcwe to cheerful bustle, when the clatter- ing of tin milking-pails, the' goatherds' cries of " ieets- ieetsy" the chink and tinkle of cow-bells, the whinnying of goats and the lowing of cattle were emulously at strife to deafen the clamour of shrill patois and the clatter of outgoing horses' hoofs, Harford turned to his pillow with a sigh of content and hope. This was something like. He fcit that he could sleep now, and accordingly he slept. -3 . *. 'I ^ ^1 '^1 % '{.i^^-tlf^Xl 9iV. ^ ^'«"* " ■*■ Xtps-il^' lone March >■"'•.. / But the welcome oblivion was not to be for long. The light door of unpsiinted wood which separated him from a Ibi^g barrack-like corridor, bent inward at the top lik^ the leaves of a book turned over by the finger of an eager leader, and the seeing part of a jovial face looked In. It\was Marcus the giant, making ready to wake hiii friend with a thunderous rataplan. For Keith Harford, aware of his comrade's little ways, had taken the precaution to fasten his door before going to bed the night before. "Not that a little ^hing like that matters with these flimsy Swiss Ibcks," said Marcus, as he levered if open in the middle with the broad cutting edge of his ice-axe. The nails which held the lock parted from the new wood with a soft suck of wheezy discontent. " It 's as easy to draw the things they call screws here as O the somniferous beggar ! Keith, are you going to sleep all day ? " Then with his ponderous fists Marcus performed a deafening obligato upon the violated door, whistling shrilly and marking the lime alternately with the heels and toes of his well-tacketed boots. His victim sat up in bed with an expression at once bland and dazed. , The'giant nodded confidentially. "Wagner," he exf^ained, referring to the music. " * The M li-ch of the Thingummies ' — fellows with wings to Uieir pickel-haubes, you know. Now then, drums, anJW trumpets!. Tarantara-ra-ra. Slap-hangity- whopj and- - there-you-are — Pom-POM ! '* Having thus ended his fantasia he bowed right and left gracef illy, as if acknowledging^ wild bursts of applause frbm a crowded audience, and ended by laying his hand uion his heart in the strictest Blue Danubian manner, steing a feint but sad 'smil? flioker upon tho 4 ^^«SAl> ii»-eCa,';rS!K(i.'-l?flS(i'jj '^ifM^z^^ ii^rf ..»■■■, }n at once Hark, the Lark ! fiice of his friend, Marcus Hardy next hollowed his palms, and with his thumbs to his lips he began to play a soft and moving melody. "Flutes and oboes," he explained, with a wave of his hand ; « the Spirits of the Woods and Mountains descending to arouse the Sleeping Beauty of the Wengern ! " He broke off short, however, with quick alternate in- dignation. "I never saw such a fellow as you ar*. You don't deserve to live, much less to get any break- fast ! " he cried. « You 've no gratitude. Why, after alll 'vc done for you, you sit grouting there as solemn as a ^ brass monkey with the toothache. What 's the matter with you, man ? At 'your advanced age you can't be in love ? " \- "Oh, do go away and order breakfast, there 's a good fellow ! " said Harford, quietly sitting up in bed, and skirmishing with one hand under the sheets for a missile. Seen in the broad light of 4zy, Keith Harford showed of very different mould from that in which the burly giant Marcus was cast. His finely-shaped smallish head was covered by a close crisp of dark hair, with here and there a thread of early grey running becom- ingly through it, and in his darkly-melancholy eyes dreams and disappointments seemed to have their dwell- ing. Keith Harford looked "interesting," which is a word foreign to the male vocabulary;^, and when he came out upon a hotel " piazza " any whWe from Cha- mouni to the "Three Kings" of Basle, appreciarive maidens remarked covertly to each other, " I 'm sure he's had a disappointment." Marcus Hardy stood for a moment with a comical air" of disappointment puckering his genial face. « Well," he said, with an exaggerated sigh of resigiia- tion, ** I never glimpsed such a chap -r- dev il -i^h it tf S ' "'^^ il^llbi ■v A' ^ >> •J lone March I / encouragement or appreciation ! Here have I been all round the pWe at the screech of day to »wot up Wag- ner, and I've practised that fellow Strauss till I'm a perfect yf^cck — Pufsfittonen, Vtbratitntn. This sort of thing——" He showed symptoms of beginning again with the military comb which he had been covering with paper torn from a Tauchnitz volume, but his companion- held > up his hand: " Now do go away, there 's a good fellow," he said. " I '11 be down in ten minutes." , "All right,'*' said Marcus, nodding. "* Man's inr humanity to man ' — or words to that effect \ . 'T is the way of the world ! I 'U hv/i the funeral baked-meati all ready." < And so, tucking his ice-axe under his arm, he went playing himself down the long resonant alley of pine boards to the strains of " The Flowers o' the Forest," cheerfully, though somewhat capriciously, performed upon imaginary bagpipes. ^ ' But Marcus was arrested ere he reached the stairs, and the melody cut off sharply as with a knife by the voice of Keith Harford behind him. « Stop that. Hardy ! Not that — make a fool of any tune but that, old man." The tones were carn^t and full of feeling. Hardy nodded his head to himself several times quickly, as if giving Wfe matter up. * " WelH*'.he ihuttered, « it 's much use a fellow trying. ■ to be cheerful, with poets and geniuses lying round loose. All right, old man ! " he cried aloud ; « I forgot that ^ou were more than half a wild borderer. Have, you any sentimental objections to ' Tpmmy, make room / for. your uncle?' " And dropping his boyish boisterousness all at once .,, ■ 6. / !fegpv!!i^jte*S ''Jf,, *■'■', ^. Hark, the^ Lark ! ^ ,,- like a otiMquerading cloak, Marcus Hardy tramped down to the sanctuni of Herr Jotsi, cornered that potentate, and with practical directneti began •to arrange for breakfast on the short green turf in front of the house, beside the great brass telescope through which so many ascents of the mountain had been made, and which, tilted at a knowing angle, was sunning itself in the pure morning air and winking confidentially up tp the Silver Horn of the Jungfrau under the indigo black sky of the Bernese Oberland. -^ :ral times ^1 low trying. ^B ng round ^B "- 1 forgot H Have, ^H lake room ^B >u.v ^ -'-^^ U at once ^^H ^L (1 ^ CHAPTER II ',, THR WOMAN OF FORTUNE ARCUS HARDY, late of Trinity Hall, .Cambridge, an4 territorially of Rayleigb Manor, Hants, stood whistling softly upon the selnt green carpet outside the Wengernhaus. lie was watching the wliite whisks of «now shooting down the couloirs of the Eiger opposite him like slim coiling serpents — nothing but the sonor^. after-roar from the valley beneath telling of the tljj^ffiland tons of ice and snow which had gone plunging and leaping downwards to pulverise themselves a mile ^nd a half below. ** Thank the JL.ord I'm no genius!" was the some- what superfluous burden of his meditations. **If a fellow has to he. as solemn as a boiled- owl and as infer- nally touchy as a professor of poetry — • by Christopher ! ^;^d rather i>e a mole-catcher and tramp the fields with a flat spud under my arm ! " And the ex-studenf of Trinity Hall kicked up gi grass tufts in his indignation. . HN^i quick CQpnpui . tion seizii^g him, he added in an altered vein,' old Keith ! It would do liiim all the good in (he worli tq jtumbl< neck and crop into love. That would give AjJB ^m ething decent to moon about, I know." :')^»llj|raiSK glanced at his friend's window with the airiMip i»p Pw|wdfeavinfe;tried all the hidden things of lovepMBp(i^!lR> the, inclusion that these also are vani^^pKi next mc^pnitlie received a shock. . «B|' JoW!"he excbimed under his breath, as a shadow slanted quickly across the grass, and he lifted 8 it:. , "^ .iiC> ;ef*fe».A«.^ J" >i^ wp "It- The .Woman of Fortune hia eyet mtttg^^etjf to mark the thadow-caster as the passed. ^^^P|^' '» clipper ! " Al**4lMfil"^*^h«ch ocdasioned the exclamadbn "W ^} '" "^nt, Marcus squared his shoulders, deeply satisfactory breat)), and-gave himself up to Ik unashamed Anglo-Saxon stare, followed (as it .was' in his impressionable bosom) by an equally unrestrained admiration. / ' "Oh, I say ! " he communed with himself half aloud. "I tell you she's a beauty! Ifo^mistake this time, Mark ! She 's got a profile like Diana when she was giving that poqr hunting bloke particular fits, proud and a little bit cold till you rouse her; and, I deci?.rc, just the VJBiy d?rk 4)air I like-— light and swirly, li|ce snow blowi^ off an arrfte when there's a gale up aloft. Gad ! a girl like that would make a poet out of me too I She would, in a week ! " Another shadow fell upon the grass. A tall, military-looking man, clwdl-run and grey- moustached, had come quietly out of the inn of Johann Jossi, and now paused by the table in front of which Marcus stood waiting %r his friend, and watching this sudden apparition of radiant girlhood with widelyropened eyes , of surprised admiration. ^j|Sgi:urc^jiithe fact that Dian's back was turned to- WHs him, Marcus Continued his observations aloud more than half consciously, and wholly withouT remark- ing the amused smile on the face of his new companion. . «i tell you what, Harfo^rd ; she 's a daisy ! Why that girl 's a tearing beauty any day in the week ! Wish I knew her ! H^ha-aat f *' He turned with such frank, boyish appreciation in his honest >yes that, catching the ftlntest quizzical flicker on the face of the niiliuiy- lookir^ inani he reddened a little.- ■ « I beg your pardpn I " he said, a little stiffly i « I V k ^ > V - «■ . ^' ■;•> •1'.-, , ■V 'f 'W .,)':')„ '^'-: * .^^OH-^ ^^/,:g A\ ' ' f- If,' l^!^-*^, .■.^^lA., ,./^^;^g,n^*^^„'g> -^,fj I i i. V. lone March ^ thought it was my friend who had come out and was standing behind me." ^ The placid, tolerant smile remained. The military- looking man seemed unaccountably pleased. « Yes," slowly came the reply, spoken with the most^ delicate suspicion of a drawl, "yes — she is a bwuty. And more than that, she 's the best girl in the worldl^ .. As he said them, the words were more the stattfment ,. of a universally admitted fact than any mere verdict of chance enthusiasm. Marcus turned quickly upon him. - « You know her ? " he queried. « Golly, wish I did ! Who is she ? " . « Well " the monosyllable, more by a certain liquid dwelling on the consonants akin to the delicate Welsh usage than by any accent, proclaimed the speaker an American^ "there are reasons why I ought to know that young lady well, though I 'm not sure that I do. She's my daughter, sir!" Marcus coloured hotly, like the boy he was m spite of his twenty-five years. , . ,. i « I 'm sure I beg your pardon," he cried, impulsiswif Ufting his soft cap from his closely cropped head, with that characteristically Kiger gesture which endeared him to his friends. " I always was an ass. Do you knoWj I never think what I say till I get into some beastly hole. I hope you won't think me a common border ruffian. E__r— r ! My name is Marcus Hardy — of Rayleigh, In Hants ! " he added, with some vague desire to indicate himself. , , , i The giant paused, blushing to his freckled temples. The military-looking man, however, only smiled benignly and bowed in his turn. "My name, sir," he said very quietly, "is Hcniy — Quittcy ^areifa^' ^^=^ 10 ■ Sa^" >i^'* "pr^irt-. .1^"^ Jf^%l<.'f-^' I it^K^'iA-^thJiif^X.^ 1 fcf •/ n f*'?" The Woman of Fortune i -4 "Ah, Governor!" said Hardy promptly, "I heard you were over here — in fact, well, if it is n't cheek to say so, I 'm deuced glad to meet the war governor of the State of Callibraska ! " Governor -March looked as surprised as he was obviously pleased. " But how ? " he said. « I thought that the English cared no more for our Civil War than for the crow fights and kite skirmishes of the ancient S<:ots and Picts." i . As he spoke he was looking the young man oVer, and saying to himself that he would never have suspected Marcus Hardy of any historical knowledge more bsoteric than the annals of Rugby football, or the names and weights of the strbjces in the lust six winning Oxford aAd Cambridge boats. "Well, the truth is, sir," answered Marcus, « I ought to have been a soldidr. But the ' mater ' shut down on it. My mother belongs to the Peace Society — that is, when ^She 's not on the warpath. She thinks wars are all wi«uig, and just pitches it into m? hot that I 've got to stop at home and look after my stake in the country. Hang my stake in the country, say I! They can have the whole show to pasture their three-acre cows on^ as for as I 'm concerned ! " The elder man smiled indulgently. " " And so very naturally you come to Switzerland to do it," he said. "So do I. I 've got a stake in my country^ too, and that 's why I 'm here ! " After thb there was a pause, and the two men silently faced the mighty mountain wall, which oyer against the Wengem Alp squares its shoulders and defiantly compels all eyes, like Atlas upbearing the vault of heaven. Far in front of them the girl stood, apparently on the very t p re cipicey h c K lbew m u ik ui g a prt tty va^t . ^. ■5 ;*fe«^t-(,'j, ,A^1^.\ II lone March with her head as "^she looke super- fluously determined for the* occasion. « Well," said the Governor slowly, " perhaps you are right. I don't myself think that the young man needs encouragement ■ — that is, on ordinary office days. But after all, is n't this a sort of Glorious Fourth ? And when a youth has been carrying 'mid snow and ice the banner with the strange device, and shouting * Excelsior ' all the morning till he is crow-hoarse, you might at least take one peep at him just to show in- terest. Excelsioring without a gallery is not exactly Kearney's pet form of wickedness ! " The girl did not reply, but stood gazing abstractedly up at the vast mountain wall which rose abruptly out of the desolate Valley of Death beneath them, into which the avalanches spouted and roared every few minutes, being loosened and dist>atched almost as regu- larly as trucks from a mine by the rays of the morning sun. The three were still standing about the white-spread ' table when Marcus heard his friend's step behind him, and turned round to greet Keith Harford, and, if pos- sible, to include him in the conversation. As he did so the girl bowed slightly and continued on her way to the inn. But as she went she turned her r^ard full upon the grave face and erect figure of Keith Harford, sometime tutor and now travelli ng companion to "Tilstfcug" Hardy; Their i^erSd:a¥d dwelTTi momenr »3 .-^ i. f ■ > i. I ,';> lone March / each on the other, the girl's inquiringly; the man s ab- stractedly. The moment passed, Af^ing as the waft of deUcatc air which accompanied /lone March s pass- age, apparently as like those before it and behmd as any tel^raph pole which scuds past a lightnmg express. But looked back upon, the momentary eye-bhnk now seems pregnant with fate and potent for the Eternities. "A pretty American! Clearly we must get oat of this or Marcus will be falling in love again!" That was all Harford's contemporary thought. . « He walks well and has nice eyes -~ but he does n t like me. I wonder wV ! " mused lone March in the instinctive manner of pretty women as she went towards the house. , , Governor March was not only a very agreeable but a very handsonic man, and as he turned again towards the young Englishmen his look was full of kindly dignity and encouragement. ^ a ^Ar "This is my friend — and former bear-leader, Mr. Keith Harford," said Marcus, smUing, as Harford came up, "and the best feUow in the world, if he does write books which pubUshers won't buy ! '' , « Small blame to them," said Harford with a htt^e laugh; "the publishers would publish my books quickly enough if the public would okly read them. They can't make bricks without straW any more than other ^^^Lc your literary productions published in the United States, sir?" asked the (Governor, after he and Harford had lifted their, hats sligWy but courteously to each other. . .ii> i.:~j . Keith Harford shook his head iadly, and with a kind of characterUtic drolling languor^ in his voice, replied, ul fear, sir, my friend gives youl a wrong impression. *-' — pMiblicatio n. It i» - il rove fatf dly written anytl »4 fs 4 •as.'-'- '■"■•^»- ^H y.. The Woman of Fortune true, however, that learn a few coppers by contribu- ting to the monthly magazines and. the weekly press." "Ah," cried the other gratefully, at last striking a subject to which he could do justice, "you should come to our country, where the Press is a mighty power one greater than President and Congress put together. You would find ample scope for your talent there." "I fear, sir," Keith Hirford answered, "that the Press of your country would have none of me. I am not a shining success even here, where methods are old-fashioned and slow. I have little ambition, and no confidence in myself. I have never made much of anything in this world^ not„even of my pupil here to whom, for instance, I endeavoured to convey some skill in the use of the English language, but, as you see, wholly without success.'* "You did, old 'boy," cried Marcus joyously, "you stuffed me no end with roots and derivations. But, praise the pigs,' I could always go right outside and foiget them like Billy-o!" "And he caUs that jargon English," smiled Keith Harford as he referred the matter to the Governor. " No, sir," said Mr. March, whose thoughts refused any but the practical groove, " and you never will suc- ceed if, as you say, you have no confidence in yourself. Allow mc to tell you that such humility shows the poor- est kind of judgment, sir. , There now is John Cyrus Judd, the father of young Kearney Judd, to whom my daughter is engaged to be married — John Cyrus Judd, sir, is the most successful operator in bread stuffs and general finance our country has ever seen. You re- member the wheat corner in '70, the year of the war and of the failure of the Russian crops? Well, sir, John Cyrus Judd cleared over ten millions of dollars in one year. But h e d id n' t d o i t hy going a h^ .. ^ t rffing- ^ i ,:! I '1 " 'te. I IS ? r^x M'- lone March every one that he was entirely unacquainted with the difFerence between a bean and a pea. No, sir j he Was supposed to know everything. He did know most things, and what he did n't know he took the credit for knowing. Apd so John Cyrus scooped the land of promise from Dan even to Beersheba." Keith Harford stood looking silently at the smooth Jy round head of the Monk, who wore his cowl of snow drawn well down about his ears, and humped his shoulders a trifle as if the morning air bit shrewdly up there. The Governor followed the direction of the young man's eyes. "Mr. Kearney Judd is making the ascent of the Eiger to-day*" said he, "and his sisters have gone up the hill behind the hotel to look' for him througli an Alvan Clark telescope ! " - "Is Mr. Kearney Judd the,^h — the gentleman in" light gaiters and straight eyebrows who was here last night with his guides. Christian Schlegcl and Peter Jossi?" queried Marcus with a sudden access of interest. Governor March nodded humorously. " I guess you have located my friend pretty descrip- - tiyely, sir, though he had more clothing on than you say when last heard from. But now I will leave you to your breakfast, and see if I can find my daughter*'^' The young men followed the erect and handsome figure pf the famous war Governor with their eyes till he passed round ^the corner of the inn. « What a beastly shame ! " cried Marcus, kicking up the turf discontentedly. "That toad engaged to a girl like tliis ! Why, I listened to him bullying his guides' till for two pins I 'd have knocked his bally head off. I wish now I had ! " he added regretfully. But Keith Harford wgs not paying the slightest at- ■<■ i6 • vv A VSi^SmMi3^^^^!^iS:^^iM0^s^^^ihS^*Si^^mii£sS(.^I^^^^si^^'>fi^^i^% r^. ^^4'; '-' n '■^i> [i ^,^ 71,' ted with the , sir ; he Was know most the credit for the land of > the smooth owl of snow humped his shrewdly up :tion of the icent ' of the Lve gone up through an entleman in as here last and Peter access of - The Woman of Fortune tention to this enounciation of the sorrows of Marcus. Hisxyes were again fixed dreamily and sadly upon the mighty toothed pyramid of the Eiger. ■ Observing his -abstraction Hardy put- his palms to his own mouth and produced a weird imitation of the native jodel almost at Harford's ear. "What's the matter now, you howling dervish?" 'Tc w^f"'"'i^?f^"^' *"'"•"« "P°" ^^ indignantly. " Well, said Marcus hotly, «if I see a man a thous- and and one mUes from his breakfest, I 'm going to call himback to this world if I ruin my voice in doing it. 1 suppose you are such a hideous puAlindold mole that yoli don t realise that you 've just Seen one of the pret- tiest girls in\ the four continents, and that she 's engaged to a beast iii spats ^ yes, in spats and brown knickers, w«h a voice like an infernal peacock squaUing on*a "Do you want any b)*fckfast ?" said Keith Harford with a great calm. » ■ itty descrip- han you say avc you to jhteiC' 1 handsome eir eyes till kicking up ed to a girl his guides lead off. I slightest at' '1*-^, w ^[^^^ ta^&|i«iif^i-vrjK.. ■T Ti^ # ! ;ii|i at ^ M'iwfcU» ' ^«>IJ f l f |ij j){ | g y CHAPTER III THE THECHIY AND PRACTICE OF SHORT ENGAGEMENTS IT was true. lone March was engaged to "the beast in spats," as Marcus had so brusquely and uneuphoniously^ designated Mr. Judcl, Jr." How it had come about lone herself could hardly have fold. Almost from childhood she had spent most of her life abroad i hence lier ideas upon marriage were essentially different from those of the majority of her country- women. Her fathervhad devoted the whole of his ample leisure to her service and pleasuring, ever since she left the Convent of the Angelical Sisters at St. Germains, in which (after her mother's early death) she had been educated. Her name was properly Hermione, but the childish contractioij* had been detained, probably because it had accorded best with her free and unspoiled nature. Indeed lone March had been made much of ever since she could remember. As an American baby of course her mother spoilt her. Her father and numerous bach- elor uncles afforded her a choice of knees to ride upon and backs to bestride. Even in the staid and cloistered precincts of the Angelical Sisters a charmingly frank smile and a ringing voice have, their privileges, especially when backed by undoubted wealth and the willingness to part with it. So it came about tha( from the Lady Superior to the lay sweeper in coarie linen and blue flannel, every inmate of the great white barracks petted and spoilt the daughter of the -American millionaire. Her pocket-money expressed in francs was the subject of much hand-clasping and/ eye-upcasting between the Mother Superior and the y[sitlnj; Father Confessor. It 3 ^ ' ^rfS'.VTiiJ-ia^S^p^c^i^tfe^l^ifcltl.-l^Ss^^S^ $*,'HSS^*S#»fe>%^ ' ; CEMENTS Short Engagements Iwould be disaster intolerable if such means could not be |sanctified to the service of Holy Church. But all this had done lone no harm. And now, after she had wandered Europe for four years with her fikther, roing whither she would and moving on when the whim look her, the girl remained still frank, thoughtless, care- Ess, thoroughly unspoilt — taking it for granted that all ras well and that every one was happy in her'presence. tut it chanced that Governor March had been c6m- slled, at an unfortunate time of the year, in the depths )f a boisterous and stormy winter, to undertake suddenly business journey to New York, in order to safeguard Icertain important interests which were threatened by the [grasping and omnivorous talons of a gigantic trust. At (this time the Judd family — the European repre- sentatives of John Cyrus Judd, "the second richest j man, sir, in the world " — was wintering at Florence, with some subsequent id^a of going further south when, jalohg with the lengthening days, there should arrive {even to mid-Italy the strengthening cold of early spring. It came about in this way that lone March, being aged twenty years, and the greater part of twenty-one, had been committed to the care of Mrs. John Cyrus Judd, and (generally) admitted to the privileges apper- taining to the social branch of that great connection, as well as to the companionship of her daughters Astoria and Idalia. y For some months lone found it very pl^sant to " go around " with these two gay maidens and their complai- sant comfortable mother, a lady from the Middle States — who, in the midst of such riches, as tlie world had never seen, maintained her calm level-headed standard of house- wifery and her Acuity of considering the pennies, the while her lo rd, in the arid defi les o f Wall Street, looked \ as E^.&)i'-r''* ' ■■ r-'J^ #."*'^^Srti~f«'*;.Nj-*.ja.'4', '>t ^ *■ lone March as sharply after the pounds, recko|iing these latter, how- ever, usually in terms of millions of dollars. « / Nor did the situation become less pleasant for lone when Kearn^ Judd arrived from America, having had thf beauty, wit, ^nd general eligibility of lone March dinned into him by his sister Astoria iti that cheerfu-l* . daily cypher-gossip which brother and sister kept up b# means of the private cable owned by the Judd combitj^Jt tion. So soon as Kearney began to act as convoy and* to do general courier duty for the ladies, it was found * possible to dispense with the professional services of Signior Antonio Caesari di Milano. So that the latter bland gentleman was no longer able to add fifty per cent, to all reckonings and shop accounts, and mi *.;post occa- sions to set aside the best room in every lO^el, for him- self. ; •■' „, ^ When lone's father came over on the first boat by which it was considered safe for him to leave the shores of the Republic, he brought as his companion — who but John Cyrus Judd the Great and Only, Pontifex Maximus of all them that deal in scrip and share. For that potentate had come to the rescue of the endangered interests of Governor March at a most critical moment, and, by throwinej Jjis mighty combination into the^ scale, had easily established the former on a pedestaj more dignified and commanding than ever. It happened /that on the night when John Cyriis Judd and Governor/ March arrived at Lugano there h^d been a thunderstorr/i on the lake, during- which Mr. kearney Judd had appi-oven his knightly courtesy, at dnce by the gallantry of his oarsmanship and yet more by chivalrously casting about thb shoulders of lone the college jacket which had protected her from the sudden downpour. The gallant squire of dames accompanied lone back to the hotel in dripping flannels, and instinctively seeing his ■—--- -: -—20-—-- -7 ---.-- -:--:-- •. °M e latter, how- sant for lone " a, having had lone March that cheerfu-it; | :r kept up h^} ';2| idd combitj^- "% " ] 5 convoy and' it was found I services of lat the latter ifty per cent. I t-;^ost occa- jfc^l- for him- I first boat hy re the shores ' inion — who ily, Pontlfex share. For : endangered cal moment, to the scale, destalf more Cyrijis Judd ■re hid been Ir. Kearney dnce by the chivalrously »ll^e jacket downpour. 3ne back to y seeing his ■i^ 1,: .,^/^] , it' '^7W^ short Engagements advantage, he promptly developed a chill and a yet more serious and opportune fever. lone was at once grateful and full of rembrse. For it had, been in spite of the repeated warnings of her com- panion ^hat they had rowed so far out upon the lake. ' ' Nayj even after the first mutterings of the storm had changed to a nearer continuous roll, she had perversely insisted upon proceeding farther From the shorei.in order that she might watch the vivid pyrotechnic display over the lake and distant mountains — palest electric blue, brilliant white scribbled as with diamond point across the sky, broad green emerald illumination awasfh between the mountains, all /sharply riven ever and anon by the fiery serpent's tooth of the descending levin bolt. The „ terror of the storm seemed to increase the young manlT claims upon lone's gratitude, and it needed but her father's urgent entreaties, still fresh from his debt of gratitude to the great Cyrus, the eager and affectionate solicitotions of her friends Astoria and Idalia, her own utter indifference, her continental and conventual notions of marriage, and (last and least) the confidential twilight quiet of the garden of the Hotel du Pare where the band played late among the fireflies, for lone March to awake one morning and remertiber with dismay that she had definitely affianced herself to Kearney Judd. Words are weak to express her father's pleasure, and the girl found her reward in that. Though by no means mercenary, this union with the blood royal — as it were — of Atnerican finance would put all his future oper- Nations on a different basis. It was even an additional anchor out to windward that Kearney's intention should be known. And though Governor March was too kind and too American a father either to bid or to forbid any reasonable banns which lone might have desired to pub- Lwhea the4ailminatioiv€ame b y ^wr^ iw tt'init .^./i: V; ti ■i^'i^^jl^S^^ ^i^*. -,„ .r -.KJL i\^^ .#♦• was his funny Scotch name? But he was so good- lookinp; for all that. Then after that came Jimmy Day, Oliver Haig, Harry Priestly, and that nice curly-headed boy at Newport — what did he call himself, Frank some- ■ thing, was n't it, Astoria ? Or perhaps Fred. It began with F anyway. Then theje were half a dozen Trans- atlantic mixed biscuits — three or four of them, all different colours — two * Cities of Paris,' one » Germanic,' one * Pacific,' several * Arizonas,' and oh, such a lot of Cunarders, all ending in * A ' ! " lone looked at her friend in surprise. " Yes, indeed ; and it was rather like being Cunardere ourselves, Idalia and Astoria, see ? Only Astoria is n't half so fast, and I 've lost ever so many passengers ! " ** You don't mean that you were engaged to the seven seas and the Continent of Europe with several of the Pacific States thro\yn in for the honour of the flag?" lone cried, gazing at her friend in surprised horror. « Well, you see, it was this way," explained Idalia: " 'Storia and I cross the pond pretty often. 1 always go down early to get my cabin all right, tip the stewards, and — well, see the passengers come on board. Then 'Storia and I pick out the best-looking man as he comes up the side and toss for hiha ! The loser to have second choice." , . ' "I never did anything of the sort," protested Astoria, " and I think you are simply horrid, Idalia Judd ! " « All right, 'Storie," said Idalia calmly, " I was only giving you a look in. Well then, /pick out the nicest- looking man, tall, generally dark, with a moustache of well-cnt beard. He must haye something about him, a sort of air as if he were kincj of sorry over things and generally low in his mind — as if he didn't care whether lie got any breakfast or not." Short Engagements •* Seasick ? " suggested lone, over her shoulder. ^ K "f*' ^J"**' "''' " J"*' ^*'*^" ^^«y "e coming on board. Oh, i,o,» continued Idalia, pausing to make things dc«s "that Vjust thepoint. He must n't get sea- sick. If h« , ■r he would go mousing after, a pretty little MormpnesV, pretending all ^he while he was only pasting a letter ! Now unfaithfulness is the one thing I can't stand, and I told him so. " » I did not ^k you to love me U^ Kenneth,' I said to him, * only to, attend strictly io business while you were about it.' « However, he was so heartbroken that I forgave him just before we got to Digger City, aiyl at Sacramento I said I ^d be Ais new-found «ister. But he said he was n't annexing any more sisters, and so we parted for ever ! " ^ And as she came to this most pathetic climax, the evil witch Idalia pretended to dry her eyes one after the other with the comer of a daihty lace handkerchief. « I havenever been quite the same since ! " she added^ looking up with a touchingly innocent expression in Jier eyes. ■> '9 Yt ..- !i •8 ■ H ' ^i: i m^^ ' A • r^'-T^ CHAPTER IV THE SUflJUOATION OF- THE ALPS MR. KEARNEY JUDD-did „« do ,hi„« him t, ■* "^ ''"'' "^ ""''» "ho owned l..m as a son. H,s tngagemen. ,o I„„o March wa» an ep^odc among episodes i but notwithstanding, hT^ sufficienriy in love to' be aware of the sensation r-J March's beautiful daughter would tSeTN^'C' Besides, the young man carried about with him the con v,c..„„ whenever he taUted to lone that he waTom ." how in the presence of an incalculable force and moreover, that this was a girl the possession of wl^m could not by any stretch pf imagination be expres^^ terms of millions of dollara. 7 «PresM«'8-<>^«hc«ble.ican'd2ir . turous era. Every young man of the fire, importance Dow^rf. WhJe ha .mets attended to «ch thing,, it -< si!■ '>4*. iLtiA iMMi^ ^ ■ i ' i. i"fl«•.it^^■«'^;I, J^^'" tlt^ lA/ The Subjugation of the Alps •et tcy earn his living) to turn over alternatives in hU mind. It was all very well to carry back certificates of the ascent of great peaks, and to be abfc to foil ofFthe sono- rous names -Matterhorn, Wetterhorn, Dom, Monte Viso, Lyskam, and that utmost Adamello which looks upon Venice. It would doubtless be especially pleasant at Delmonico's to patronise Mont Blanc - to nickname It « The DufFer's Walk." Better still, he would be able £ his phVases was highly appreciated. But before he left the Times-Herald buildmg he saw that the fuU extract was cabled to Europe, where it had its due effect in inducing Mr. Kearney Judd to continue his series of triumphal marches over the eff«e and prostrate mountain ranges of Europe. . ** So on the morrow, Cha^ton Milholland (who at the time was sitting up in bed and casting an eye of tolerant humour over his own leaderette) had fixed Kearney's determination to attempt from the south the ascent of the noble toothed wedge of the Eiger — which is at once the Matterhorn and the Dent Blanche of the Oberland mountains. Little brown Peter and big blonde Christian of the bowed shoulders smUed when they heard of the project and the name of the mountain. Little Peter, who was « wit, pretended to pull up his sleeves, and made the . -gesture of hauling a bucket up a well. But both rose 35 4. X 4 f.'^ iliU i«a ~'l-r~^pi. 4 m ^ "V I ' \ lone March to their feet with' a sudden unanimous start upon learn* ing that the assault was to be delivered by the south face, that which looks out towards the Wengern Alp and the hostelry of Johann Jossi. Little Peter even attempted a remonstrance, but he was cut short by the stern ul- timatum of the son of the Napoleon of Finance. "Can the thing be done?" asked Kearney the Dictator. "Certainly it Atn be done, my Herr," began. Peter, " but^ ; • " And he paused, not daring to add aloud the . remainder of his thought — "but you are not the man to do it ! " " Then I will do it ! " said Kearney Judd, in prompt defiance of Peter's unspoken condemnation. For remembering the storm on the lake of Lugano, he wisely calculated that the object lesson of his danger and success would do more to soften the stony heart of lone March thii^ the gift of all the diamonds of the Cape. •A -^.ii^w^ ^''. 36 ■^H-~ . .<^*4x-. r'trjtt I' t^, 1 »)» -1,, h' V ',4* ■ CHAPTER V , ^ NEMESIS STALKS MARCUS HARDY, genial giant, and for the time bang gcntleman-at-laige, sprawled in a cheap deck-chair with a cushion at the baclc of his head and a telescope glued to his eye, in front of the « Wengernhof held by Johann Jossi." He was giving vent to sundry explosive little snorts which be- tokened a high degree of mental excitement. " WeU, _ I say — I 'm dashed if ever ~ no, I never, m all my life!" These incomplete ejaculations were* accompanied and unified by a soft whistling hiss between the teeth, which intensified or softened as events more or less interesting passed l^fore the watcher's eyes upon the steep mounuin slopes opposite him. Keith Harford had finished breakfast, and was medi- tatively gazing at the distant mountains beyoiM Lauter- brunnen, under the brim of his white wide-awake, which he wore pulled so low over his brows that his tUted cigarette almost touched the brim as he smoked and' dreamed in the soft warmth and breathing hush of the niorning air. It m^ht have been supposed that Harford would have been affected by the excitement of his friend. But the feet that he did not even notice his extravagant excla- mations of interest, tells much as to the relations of this curiously assorted pair. Keith had long given up paying tbc tbghtest attention to the fervent but passing enthusi-* Mms of Marcus. Nor did Marcus expect him to do sa For that genial giant had lived, moved, and had his being - ' S 7 ■ ^= 4*- 1 •'■-r V ^ lone March in a constant state of high-p'resilire ebullition during all the years his tutor had known him. Life was full of interest, and every fresh circumstance a perpetual sur- prise to Marcus Hardy. Whereas in Keith Harford's opinion the period of the Delight of the Eye and the Pride of Life had long passed for him — if indeed it could ever l^ve been said to exist. He therefore minded his junior's brusque exclamations no more than the in- terruptions of a dog who barks in his sleep, hunting alone in a paradise of rabbits yvhere are neither fences nor rabbit-holes. But the gasps and snorts of the gazer became rapidly louder and more furious, till at last he sprang to his feet with a jubilant shout. " I say, Harford," he cried, " do come here and look at this. It 's the best game going. Come quick ! " Harford turned a tolerant eye upon his friend, con- templating him much as one may follow the antics of a puppy, in the absence of anything better to do. " Well, what is it this time ? " he said listlessly from underneath his hat brim, without ifloving ; " it can't be another pretty girl over there on the Eiger, surely ? " " Pretty girl be hanged ! " cried Marcus ungallantly. " I tell you it 's the Beast in Spats ! He 's stuck up there like a fly on a gumpaper ! And I just bet a fiver he is wishing that he never had the eternal check to spar up to the south front of the Eiger ! " Keith rose and lounged carelessly towards the telescope. His merciuMi friend was already back adjusting it to be ready for ms inspection. " I 've got him again — : no — yes, there he is ! By hokey ! Hanged if they ain't haulin' him up by the slack of the rope like a blooming bag of potatoes. You never saw such a degrading spectacle ! " Taking the cigarette between his fingers, Harford bent 38 I i 4 " . !» ■"■- '•■»^' ..'■,.'.- J- ":j -^^ V>,*- «t, Nemesis Stalks *nd looked through the long tube of shining yellow brass which Marcus Hardy had pointed so " carefully. He looked into the centre of the gloomy cleft which runs diagonally across the mountain, and, as it were, outlines roughly the basement storey of the Eiger pyramid. / He looked through a rushing, rippled, aerial river at the opposite side of the mountain. The Eiger, with all its rippled snows, storm-tossed crests, gashed crevasses, and terminal flioraipes, appeared exactly as if it had been ieen througj^gjMBig water of a clear brown colour. ^^J's airy JKjKm^s the moisture-bearing Thai wind pouring thStpPnie valley towards Grindelwald. Quite clearly, though with a curious blurring of their outlines, Harford saw three men struggling with the sternest realities of the mighty obelisk of rock. Or rather, two of them were struggling with a third whose incapacities constituted the real difficulty of the ascent. Keith Harford, who knew with more or less intimacy every guide in the Oberland, Was at once able to distinguish the vast tawny form of Christian Schlegel, who, with his feet braced against a rock, was straining with all his might to pull the reluctant body of his " Herr " up the steep slopes of tne Eiger. " They will never get him to the top that way ! " cried Harford, interested in spite of himself. " It is already past nine, and at the worst they should have been within a thousand feet of the top by this time ! " " Ah," cried Marcus, who in the interval had run into the hotel and possessed himself of another and smaller glass in order ^ot to miss a particle of the fun, « there 's better than that to come. You hold on, my boy, till he goes whack on his face again. That 's plummy, if you like ! " And so without moving from their places the two watched the trio plastered like flies on the men steep =20. rj ^ ft a fat:-to"-u *^ f*' s^ *•> f" f i uf^ ione March > ^ k , 'r , i-A -^ , a- jrA--« K screes and cpncave snow slides of the south face qf the Eiger. Presently they saw the traveller fall "over exhausted on the snow, lying inert ^nd .prone on his face even as Marcus had prophesied. « That 's about enough for him. He 's at jhis prayers now, I guess ! " cried Hardy, slapping h^s knee in f ecstasy. « I don't think Spats will take iiny more Mat- terhoms in his — this season, at least ! " But presently the two guides* were again at the ropes,' both this time standing high above the intrepid climber. With their feet firmly braced in crevices, and putting forth all their streng^li, they hauled their charge up the mountain from six to ten f(5et at a pull, their Sent and straining backs telliae of the violence of their exertions. "That's what I^should call an assisted passage," • said Keith Harford quietly. ■ "I'll wager that fellow has a groove round his waist like the middle of an hourglass for a month after this ! " cried A^farcus; and forthwith, as his manner was, he shouted with explosive laughter at his own humour. Both the young men were so eagerly watching the comedy being enacted upon the opposing mountain, that they did not observe a tall, slender girl who had paused behind them, her summer dress of twe^ blown becom- ingly back by the wind. She heard their laughter, or rather that of Marcus, which indeed might very well Jtave silenced the noise of the avalanches round all the circle of the hills. Mostly she kept looking straight ' before her, but once she allowed her regard to fall upon the unconscious -pair with an expression in which a certaip personal feeling mingled with a prevailing dis- dain. But all unconscious the eye of the giant was glued to his telescope. He leaned back in his canvas chair in order more unrestrainedly to enjoy the scene. c P I I s 1< h h P '■A,a' ki-^-JiH^Mi't-t'^. J |r«i * * . '^(.^'r' '^itJ^^'K'^ ^,1^ ! Nemesis Stalks His disengaged hand slapped his thigh in ever-heightening ..ecstasy. . ." I declare the beggar is hanging on to the Eiger as if it were the mane of a kicking horse. It looks as if he were afraid the mountain would *buck,' and pitch him into the valley." ^/ lone March stood a moment qyite still, her hand held level "and motionless above her brow, and her light win^-blown hair wavering in curls and wisp^ibout her shapely head. Her eyes fell upon Keith Harford as, all at once catching sight of her, he rose to his feet with a flush of annoyance on his handsome face. Something t of proud appeal in her attitude held him silent, and ie stood staring at the girl, forgetful alike of conv<5ntions and proprieties. But with his brow to the eye-piece 'bf the tblesCope, ^^arcus blattered away unconscious, snowing ahd chok- ing with half-injirticulate laughter. ' \ r- "Never saw such ^ feUoW ! Keith, 1 declare hi \% blubbering like a baby. Hush up, wjU you, tiU we hear ] him howl ! We could, if it was not for those blooming ,: ava|anches!" '. The giri included both the young men in. her look of chilling contempt. But her eyes, dark almost as the purple of the zenith on a summer midnight, dwelt longest and nMst reproachfully upon Keith Harford. - And in that fingering momeint she seemed to leave something behind her which rankled in his heart, and left him restl- • ( out in Bond Street spats! — Hello though, where 's the fellow g^ne'? — Harford — Keith, I say," shouted Marcus, removing ^is eye from the telescope. But the grass plot in front of the inn was vacant, exci^t for a fat tortqiseshell cat which blinked in the' sun. Every « window t>tlMt south stood Wid(i ppeji, black and blank under its green sun-blind. The valley beneath was trystal clear, so that even in the deepest shadow Marcus could see the steely aquamarine glitter of the ice-frag- jnents freshly fallen from the glacier. Only on the ilab feet of the Eiger, towering pyramidal before him, Marcus discerned even with the naked eye, certain black Inarkings which closed and. 6et>arated, each fine as the dot on an " i " on a sheet of folio paper. But all beneath and in front of him was empty, ' vague, and large — flooded with sunshine and drenched * in silence, whUe higher up, pile upon pile, rose the mountains — grim, indomitable, infinitely aloof, in the outer porch of which Nemesis was dealing after her manner with Mr. Kearney Judd. 44 ;,> N CHAPTER VI / THE elevation' OF MAN EXT morning the pleasant party gathered in the house of Johann Jossi, upon the Wen- gem Alp, was broken up. Governor March, -. his daughter, the sportive maidens and staid maternal head of the house of Judd all winged their way to the chilly marble halls of the Hotel \Yilder Mann at Mei- ,. ringen, while Marcus Hardy and his friend Harford took ' to .themselves provisions, porters, and guides, and set out for parts unknown. Their guide as usual was Melchior Aimer, and their general intention, so far at least as they owned any to each other, was to " traversiren " various first-class peaks — that is, to use the summit of a moun- tain as a pass, and to climb up one side of it and let ' themselves down the other. , ' The small, badly-constructed carriages carried off the Americans rapidly enough, and the two young men were left alone on the steps of the hotel. Each avoided the other's eye, for Marcus had been unusually distrait and awkward, and Keith effusive in leave-taking beyond his wont. So each feared the comment of hrs companion, • and both were silent. * Silent they remained ^ntil their own preparations were complete, and they set out. Marcus^ whose spirits never suffered more than a momentary overcast, was sad for at least ten minutes at the thought of parting with the three - girls — though whether the reserved aodcitifficult lone March or the many conquestqd and amenable Idalta had made the deepest mark upon his heart, he could not, for the life of him, have told. ^ ^ 43 > f -I - jifco^^ »^rijj»^?t —a 3*1 4i"l f*r- - * ''~M\ ..^* ihf , tl . , v-.^^,^^- .^ ■#' CHAPTER VII . /^ COUNTERPLOT ABOUT the same tiAie, in their pine-built bar- racks of the night, Marcus was putting a question to Keith Harford. "Now that's all ver^well ; but what are you going to do about it ? " « I think I shall first speak to Governor March," said Harford. >, "Nonsense!" said Marcus emphatically. "That is as much as to give away all we know. Let the fellow have i^^ot, and in a way he will remember to his dying "We must first be sure that he is guilty," suggested Harford. " Guilty ! " Why, is n't he guilty ? Did n't we sec him with our own eyes ? What more do you want ? " cried Marcus as vehemently as if he were on the eve of committing a personal assault. " I 'm not exactly deaf," pleaded Harford ; « and if you can be reasonable for one lucid moment, why should the son of a multi-millionaire take away the character of two poor Swiss guides ? " " If I can be reasonable — Why, man, dqn't you know ? He had engaged them for the entire season at a howling figure. , And when he got enough of the high mountains — when he found the south face of the Eiger y ai n't any gort of picnic, Jhie w a nted b a dly to ^ m A= I I tv of his agreement. So, as the easiest way, down he comes and swears till all is blue that his guides were both drunk on the mountain;" 54 ■J ■^' \\ii, I ..i-vrfSia . ^ ^•.i^^iiiv.'Sx^', ijhij i'-'i'^i'^1- ' r Counterplot ^^^j3 - Hvfotd shook his head. He could not believe in the possibility of such conduct. Nevertheless, as it proved, tht words of Marcus contained a pretty fiir statement of' the actions and intentions of Mr. Kc^ney }udd. That hereditary financier knew the valiie of money, and" was perfectly well aware that ijn this matter his word would be taken before that of a couple of guides^ whose siplf-interest would discount their, denial of his Statements, and whose silence would < be tak«n for the sullen consciousness of guilt. " And I'll tell you what, Harford," Maijcus went on. " There 's that deuced pretty girl he *s engaged to. If we smite the beast hard enough and opdnly enough, she 's not the sort to piit up with a sweep ^ke that. If we let him have it good and straight, so I that he will think he 's Struck an avalanche, I bet four to one we smash the March-Judd engagement all to bib." " That," said Harford exceedingly deliberately, ** is the very reason why I cannot interfere." 1 *vWell," said Marcus, "if you are going to be so hanged top-lofty and scrupulous, put on your cap and step down -the road. And if in half/ an |iour I don't show you a dcaen very^^ellent reasons why you should interfere — why, I '11 give you my word you can boot me back up the village stnist right td ^he top of th? hotel steps ! " ^f: A moment more and Marcus and Harford, haMJog found their caps, stood in the long white hig|hway,iPni its thin straggling tfees — poplar, beech, b1^^ and pin« — mingling as in a border lan3 between two climates.. It was still a sort of golden dusk, the mountains retain- ^Hg an- after-blush^ th< rich carmi ne gl o w which t iF ■<& »' A' hour ago had illuminated their tops and filled the valley with strange luminous haze. «Come on!" cried Marcu9,Jtriklng into his quick ■-■■♦■ 55 «:i^' "- ii.Wi^/-*'' *jii ;f. i,^PS on^Marcfe . homing stride, as soon s^%er th^ blazing circle of lights and j|pestale % \ A; .: 'I 'ffethe „ - ^ ,,„, , ^-T^ balls Whic% . Jlurrounded the hotel, froMs^' ^^'^piit-a-pat It %w^hc w *' mountains looking d< iging Co^tjice of 'a sti ;rai%e, forlorn, amethystine led Keith Harford of the made straight into the counfry, pathway to anothef, cliiiibing ;-fences as at a^teeple-c^ifc, .. -^;^*% cJ»3l6ts were dark. In one or tifei a *'il^^* "ill^! 'flickering, showing where a douce g^- wifi^^y not yet finished the preparations for the fru^ faitaily 1|pper. But in niost the peasants were alrea<5* asleep, ^d a gentle gust of snoring wafted out from tljem like the mufBed thunder of a land of dreams. % Tor it was high summer, when the days are long for yibour, and the nights short for rest in the Oberland. . , , It was quite in keeping that K?ith Harfor^, a man of • strong impulses, but much abstraction and ^serve of V dbaractqr, should never ask his companion where he was ' taking hini. Presently, however, the two young men ' 4t/'?^P*'^ at a, chalet built by the end of a little wooden ^^frridge which spanned the torrent berteath and r^ng » 'hollow under their feet as they stepped upon it. The dash of the waters came soothingly up to Keith Har- ford'* ear. He, stopped and looked over. He c see the grey-green phosphorescence of the glacier str glance here and darken there, cabinedr and tonne between the black ja|[ks. Lower still, a thin tooth of stone jij JB^ the stream sefnt oil white spurae-stra' Waters Har - t' --v. - air. Th j^'^ft4y^C\!-H^*. . ASjijj- mr IjL^* r'^^-^w/^'^jr •r"'*J$^x^''fm Mi?R Counterplot M ;•> ^^M v-^. •> f - 1 ■ 4: V .night with his arms folded on the slight rail of cloven pine, liad Marcus not caught him by the elbow and drawn him away by main force. . " Ascending a little flightof roughly hewn wooden steps, they came upon the unmistakable odour of a seasoned Swiss chakt, a perfume compact of ancient wood-fires, smoke-dried raft The sound appeared to jar upon Christian. He uised his hand and brought k down with thunderous force upon the little " dresser " of cleaned-scoured pine, on w^ich sundry dishes of green and white ware glistened. -" Be^ 4uiet, woman ! " he cried. And for very fear and surprise botb^anoth^r and child instantly fell sjlent.' Then the man looked long at Marcus, studying his face before speaking. " I think you are a friend," he said at last, in ^e broad-vowelled, German speech of the Oberland valleyei- " yes, I do think ypu are a frienld^ . What have you come to hear ? There is nothing goo# to tell. They have taken away my Fuhrerbuch, my papers, my testimonials. 1 am fit for nothing now but to go >nd work with the Italians upon the railways -* " • " And he was so good a guide, my Christian, so care- ul, so strong," cried tl}p wife^ again breaking silence, '■'■ and only takes drink a very little, even on holidays, never once on the mountains. And that day there was \ not one drop — not one single drop. For he and Petei^\ had to work hard to drag the Herr up but a little way ! Also, we are respectable, and have paid our taxc^ to th^. commune regularly for twenty years ! " }, H 58 * .>tfi' It 1^ '( '."' ~l'i. ».:;v •r Counterplot is but Peter's word and mine against t\iit of the rich American Herr." Then Keith Harford came forward, and laid his hand gently on the guide's shoulder. ' ** Be of good courage," he said. " For the presei^t say nothing to ahy one. Do not stir from your house till they send for you to go before the Court of the Alpine Club. And we wi^ be there to see that no harm befall you.** " May God bless you, Herr ! " broke in his wife ; •^ they will perhaps listen to you. You will not see them do wrong to my Christian ? " " I promise you they shall not," said Keith very quietly ; and somehow the tone of his voice was more comfort to the woman than the gold which Marcus placed in her hand. " Well," said Marcus, when they found themselves out again in the dusk of the night, "have you had enough, or would you like to go along to the.j:»)ttage of little Peter ? He has nine children.'* Keith Harford was silent for full five minutes, us go over to Grindelwald at once," he said. " I have a friend there with whom we ought to consult." -> ^ Marcus, ever ready for adventure, caught eagerly at , the idea. %; ■' ^^ I know a path through the pine woods," he said,; " it is di|ificult to find even in d^ylightj but if we can hit it, jt will cut ofF a couple pf hours." " It is too dark to see in the wood," said Keith} "we sj^l lose tim *' Let us bjl^f Jf a dozen penny dips ! " cried Marcus, who scentdff^f ^perien ce. And Keith had had too "Let ■^ many InstJiiKiM of the practical pioneer character of his companipn's expedients when in difficulty to enter a faintest cav||t. So, without gothg back to their inn. # 4S- •J' -^ " V . ■W"- I *f>tt .i^ /"' " r he March ^o the pair stnidc into the vUlage again, winding their way rapidly ainong intricate lanes and allejrj^t jll presently they were knocking at the dQ,«g|iiM%neraUdeal«> (not h^ of the English stores aifd English prices,' but the worthy irillageF who supplies to natiil»e Grindelwald the ^ sta^tt^of life and luxury). -IWl'^^'"^***"' w^s already in bed, and muttered lusty *g^W^« at being disturbed. But the cheerful apos- *W<* °^ Marcus, and the devil's jtattoo he beat on the panels of the door with antiphonal knuckld and toe , attracting the attention of the neighbours, the worthy 'Chandler wa^i compelled to arise and come out upon his, balcony, cla^ most unholily all iif^ yellow flannel, and with a red night-cap stuck awry on his head. " Six candles — devil's nonsense ! What do a couple ^ mad EnjgHihmen^want with six candles in the middle of the night? ||.it not enough that they run the moun- tains all day ? Must their father, the Evil One, permit them tb come rousing honesj^en out of their beds ? But the price shall make uffA ! Yes, the price shall make up for it ! " ;c^ V Yet, after all, ^r t#influenee of the pheciy and irrepressible henhonSte of- Marcus, and, perhaps, also^^ owing to Frau Or*n^^ opinion of the good looks of' lM|silent and thouglitWompanion,||e ov^^chJ|es (or- cdmpen&ation for distu^ancw) didWt kmo^t to moi»^ ^than a couple of siiiall niclj^el coins. ^^Spiijisently, with f pocket full of candies anckJbree^xM df lucifer^ f- r^r ■ f iiiatches, Marcus was .leadin^gps^my int^the forest a||^v f IV^^ri' ^y^lk W' *' •■ 7*^',^ lone March But Keith Harford was silent. The subject did not amuse him. He was trying to decide whether the eyes of lone March were sapphire, like the sea, or amethyst, like the depths of the evening sky. And before them both, as they ascended the darkling forest path, Marcus Hardy's improvised lantern burned like a steady star in the hushed and windless night. 6a iifA-^n^^^ , \ -^r^ IW •./-^ ' .1 CHAPTER VIII PRESBYTERY AND PRESBYTER THE Presbytery at Grindelwald was shining rosy red in the reflected rays of the rising but still unrisen sun when Marcus and Keith stood before it. Already there came a noise of young labour from the yard behind, where in the shade some one was getting through morning dpties to an accompaniment of cheerful song. Presently a stripling lad came round the gable with an axe upon his shoulder. A pretty country maiden, short-kirtled, barefooted, w^s singing over her milking-pailsj scouting them with white sand, "her elbows showing pinC against the green gloom of the pines. At sight of her the youth dropped his axe, and finding the girl's fresh round cheek, as an Irishman would say, « convanient," he helped himself to an almost pardon- able kiss. But to this the girl did not tamely submit. The sound of a hearty palm smitten fair upon resound- ing flesh rang instantly out. Then the young man, .divided between the pleasure, of achievement and the pain of punishment, snatched up his axe and ran oft rapidly down the path, laughing triumphantly back over his shoulder as he went. . J^^^k The girl stood up, eloqu^'of^ngue — so long, that is, as the aggressor was in sigW^ J^ien she also smiled,^ then grew thoughtful, lifted her apron a^ if to wipe her cheek, but picked at it instead, and did not for a long jaiin u t e re s um e the scouring^o^ her milking^pailsi^ Mar- cu9 was delighted with the whole scene. He considered hinasclf something of a connoisseur in these matters. / /ii' ■,i^ijB«6&;(4,'^4-'<^»ifk/(iife'M r^k ^P %■ X -■< lone March ° "Did you notice," he said softly to Harford, "that she was only angry after it was all over ? Even then she scolded just so long as she could be heard. You '. believe me — the next time she wHl forget to scold at all." ■ Thus far the wise and much-experienced Marcus, who at an early age prided himself on his knowledge of women — and so was laying up wrath against the day ; of wrath. - . But Keith Harford di^ not smile. .His thoughts Were^.^ as usuaF, alike dreamily distant from bold wooera aniS from, maidens, willing or inaccessible, at play among/ their milking-pails. "Marcus amd Harford sat down on a fallen tree anifv Smoked steadily till the door of .the Presbytery opened, and *h^' burly, rosy Presbyter himself, clad in an old ecclesiastical garment which was seeing out its last days as a dress?ng-gown,- stumped down the, wooden stairs > with a towel over his arm. He was going to the little .spout of water at thte end of the gardejj to.m^ke his morning ablutions —a foreign nabit whidi, in his capac- ity of mountaineer, he had contrac||d from the Engii^.''' 'Ho* stopped a mon:>ent, aghast, at the sight which greeted his eyes, and then came hurrying forward with both Ihin^s outstretched to welcome Koith Harford. " My dear friend„" he,.said, "this is truly un/:xpected ; but then, all accidents are good that biing yq,u to "my door. Go in, and I will, get you sdm^ breakfast* afte^ the Ertglish . mode — the beefsteck, the cole-meat, ^he ham-negg. , I will b H %:^X^ % M >•* ■/ ^ 3 . r .♦ lone March telescope had revealed. The pastor, who, upon finding the two young men in trouble, had expected to- hear siomething very different, listened at first with wonder- ment, and then with a certain grave approbation. " And why should you care for two poor men of oiir people ? " he said ; *' it is not expected of your country- men to show such anxiety as to ca^se them to under- take a night march to get a couple of village guides out pftCQuhle^- — " Well," Harford replied, *' it Was just because they are two poor men, whose chances of justice seemed somewhat scant,. that we did come." The pastor considered awhile, humming a German hymn, which, even when delivered through the nose, held in it the tramp of armies. After a while he spoke. " I will call in due order a meeting of the court. I will preside over it myself. 'We will have this Herr Judd before us to tell his story — how he broke his con- tract, -and why he dismissed his men. Meanwhile, of course, you will not say a word — keeping what you call 'mum.' Then there will a grand mine explode under his very feet, and your so rich man will learn what it is in Switzerland to take away the characters of honest • men." . < Whereupon the three clasped hands, drinking " scald" yXo each other in good Vienna beer, and parted — the two rlnglishmen once more taking the path through the wood, along which, led by Marcus with his moon waning on its stick, they had descended upon Grindelwald in the rosy dawn. ' The pastor stood' and watcjhed tl\pm out of sight. "Perhaps I have misjudged^ the English," he said; n" oftentimes they appear stiff and sullen of temper only because they cannot speak a language well, and stre - ' . 66 / m ..■i,,.i>^j.ifaai|i^ r *♦"" Presbytery and Presbyter too proud to speak it badly. But if they would con- sent to learn a little kindly folk-speech, take their meals at reasonable hoVirs, and do deeds like this — perhaps one day the rest of the world might even begin to like them." 1 ■ r>' t ■^ > ., 19 |,A.;^^^.i;si^'»^S-i...i-^,::tix4T|(A, .! . ^. " ,♦?. CHAPTER IX BEFORE "fHE DISTRICT COMMITTEE S. A. C. THE S. A. C. Guides' ConimiMee was in session. The president of tide district, in whose hands was the oversight of all high-mountain guides' certificates, was none other than our burly parson. With him were conjoined three or four men, prominent citizens of the commune — Herr Adler, the mountain- eering landlord of the principal inn ; Osc^r Cgnradia, a dark Italian-looking man, a rich proprietor from the neignbouring valley; the local doctor, and an assessor or t legal adviser all the way from Thun, with a wooden gar- goyle face, like those which they carve on pipe bowls iri • that enterprising village. These men sat on cane chairs in a semicfrcle, silently waiting for the opening, ■.^>- Before the District Committe^. characters, though they had never been guilty of excess upon duty -^ well, at other times they were as other men.' ' Left to themselvemhey would simply have listened patiently and without defence to the burden of acc"^ation, and submitted silently to the punishment. Yet this would not have proceeded either from stupidit)t^r indif- ^ ference. Christian and Peter were men of some ]^al reputation as good men in an emergency, but neSer '* were quite blameless in" the matter of occasional brandy. So ndw, as they stood waiting for their accuser, their eyes turned again and again with eager .inquiry towards the I door. At W the tall, slight figure of Keith Harford appeared, carry^ing a certain indolence about Js pose which strikingly belied the owilcr's active habits. At this point Christian Schlegel furtively kicked little Peter behind the table, as he would have ^Ipne ^ the' chamois hunt whdn a big buck stood up againsi ihe sky-line aiid he dared not speak. lb But, meanwhile, where was thp accuser? Justice stood on tiptoe, arid Harford wa&' ready Xo give his testi- mony. Marcus too ought by this time toha^rc been at - <^ the Preabytery; Al?o where was Marcus f ^' 1^ Alas! beauty in reductive gijise had claimed hlift.' On hjs way to the court he met Idalia Judd, who stayed him in the pleasant gardens about the/ dependence- of the ?Iack Eagle (which her father, returning from Meiringen, had hired for his.family), where* under thegines the ants' were scurrying to and fro with their pine needles, or '^ busily transporrtlng their eggs fron^int to point. " "You may come and sit dopjyn by me — sWely it is much too hpt a day to break yoiir neck, on glaciers,*' commanded the imi)crioas Idalia, -swinging h0r Japanese fan by one charming finger. Whereat, looking at her, • ' Marcus swung 9 moment on the apex" of temptation,^ ,to<^i«ii'>. .a fit:', .:m._y^- / " lone March walked solemnly forward, and isat down at Idalia's feet. *' I have to go to the pastor's, house on urgent busi- ;ness," thus he salved his. conscience. "I can only stoy^ a minute." . •^v "Oh,*' said Idalia,* with a start; "yes, I know — ^ about my brother's guides. Do you know, Mr. ttaraC, ,1 aim very sqrry for these two poor men ! '* " Oh, jhe two pdor men are all right,'?' ^id careless Marcus, nursing his knee and looking up ifi^p the blue eyes of Idalia Judd. Now up to this point only amused mischief had been dancing in those clear orbs, but now, though they still continued to smile, a clever brain was working like yeast behind thern. " You mean," said the girl, apparently as carelessly, " that my brother will do something for their families, or that the fault is too common here to be thought any- thing of, and they will escape punishment ? " *' No," said Marcus, breaking a stick slowly into finger-lengths, and throwing the pieces at a large ant which was packing the dead body of a relation over one shoulder after having unfraternally bitten off his head; " Smd, do you know, if I were your brother, I would not go down to the court to-day." " No," said Idalia, leaning nearer to him and speaking >a little breathlessly ; " and why not ? " ■■ Though not, like her sister Astoria, favoured with her bfother's cdnfidence, she knew enough of the peculiar talents of Mr. Kearney to feel some appre- hension. " Well," answered Marcus, "Task him if he knows, any reason why he had better not appear. And say to him that whatever he knows, other people know just as ftiuchl" * , . 'NO,' SAID MARCns, l.REAKI.-4p A STICK Sl.uWLy ,nto UNGER-LENGTHS." 'A i S-' I? .1 K ^ .\ i: ^ ''V i: / » ■'■^: ..«^ Before the .District Committee i " Thank you," said Idalia, smiling and rising ; " I shall not forget." .J "I tell you this for your sake^ not for your brother's ! " said the traitor, rising also and looking after her as she moved light, foot to the door of the hotel. Idalia nodded gaily over her shoulder and the blue eyes smiled sunhtly as ever. But there was trouble in her heart, for though she did not love her brother virith any overpowering affec- tion, yet nevertheless, for her, mother's sake, she did not wish him to be caught in any snare of his own devising. So effective were her words, and so active and potent, the power of Mr. Kearney Judd's imagination, joined to what remained to him of a never very active conscience, that in five miButes that yoQngman was making his way through the skirting woods by a. path whiclt joined the main froaJ to InterlaKen sojwe distance belbvv the village, -^ KearnVwas hatless and iH spnie disarray, foTv he had • been so Startled by Idalia's i\Apressive warrt^^that he had in no wise stood uppn the order of hjs goin^ It wa$ early in the season and the full *fm;y of- tlie tourist stream had nbt yet set in ; other^vise the strange spectacle might have been seen , of a young man in 9 neat, London-made tweed suit running hatless down i \ white Alpine highway. : By the bridge of Zweitutchinen he found a return carriage, andi jumping iaj-bade the' driver go as swiftly as possible to the statiok at' Inter-' laken. At whi^h being arrived, and mounting, ipt^one ' of the little rabbit-hutche$ on vvJieds which at t|j|t, period se»ved as carriages between jhe lakes, he passed for the present out of our ken. -v^ Meanwhile the court was proceeding with that leisure^ and headachy dulliless which characterises all coiitinen- '■!, ■■» tal official |Sf-ocedure, legal and semi-1 garden of the dependence of the Bla '"t^trahror waked and yawnipd. [ He sat >ut in the [e, MarcusL ;ain on ■ :■%' lone March German wonder dent dispassio the plank from which Idalia had risen. He was in hopes that she would come back ; but, though that in- genious maiden was not too proud to watch the garden seat frooT behind her closed green blinds, the eyes of • Marcus saw no more than the white front of the house staringly hot in the sun, with its freshly painted shutters closed on account of the noontide heat. After a long pause, the faithless Mar^s strayed tow^ards the court- room. He arrived just in time to hear the conclusion of his friend's story. Keith Harford gave his evidence in a*^ quiet voic^;jand at the first sound of his clear, fluent pes of the two accused men had turned ^n him. But as he recounted each inci- Ision and a certain grave detachment and psual in so young a man, the sullen indif- ference of the accused was broken up, and they nodded vehemently as point by point the story of the abortive attempt upon the Eiger was told. No sooner had Keith Harford sat down, after answer- ing the questions put to him by the pastor and several other members of the court, than a tall, slender girl roSe and gently requested to be p^irmitted a word. The pastor nodded kindly and with sympathy. "Understand, madam, we do not claim any legal powers," he said ; " we are only here to find out the truth. But if you can tell us anything pertinent to the occurrence or reveal anything which may cast light upon the conduct of these two accused men, we Shall be very glad to listen." . " I can cast no light upon the circumstances," s^d lone March. " Then on whose account do you appear ? " " On behalf of Mr. Kearney Judd," she said firmly, looking past Keijth Harford with a certain h?rd pride in 72 i Before the District Committee the set of her finely cut features, as if 'she haia secret shame close to her heart, and were making a ^[^ience of glorying in it. ^ -^KF « Are you Herr Judd's wife ? " asked the pSr inno- cently enough. "No," she answered, with the same proud look at Keith, in which anger and defiance seemed to mingle; " but I was engaged to be married, to him." '* The tense of the verb was not lost on Keith Harford. He looked up quickly, and, though she did not appear to be aware of his existence, it seemed to him as though the mformation that her engagement was a thing of the past; had been meant for him alone, x^ And why is Heri- Judd not here to answer for him- '^self?" asked the president. > . The girl went on bravery, the only woman i^ that . silent company of men. " I do .not doubt but that Mr. Judd will be able to set the matter right as soon as he is able tQ appear. He has many mterests and much anxiety. I do not know why he is not here. . He may have been summoned hastily^ ?way on business. But in the meantime, as his repre- " sentative, I ask to be allowed to pay these men their wages and board wages for the complete term of their engagement, together with any sum which the court may direct, as compensation for the loss of Mr Tudd's employment.", , The pastor smiled and bowed amicably. He was glad to accept a proposal so satisfactory to his compa- triots, and which had also the merit of avoiding so grace- fully all international complications. . « Madam," he said, « your proposal is such a hand- some one that we leave the amount of compensation to your discretion and sense of justice, and postpone the hearing of Herr Judd's explanation of the circumstances 7.1 r I V. \ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) •. 1.0 L^12.8 ■ 36 1^ 'II: 14:0 22 2.0 I I.I V ■ Sdencesi Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. USSO , (/I6) 872-4503 V iV \ ;\ »« ...Ay ^^ Ua L . /♦ » I ■ \ • * * %. ..--' • L m 1 • • a p •> ■■ ...I 4 w^---^ ■ , ' —■ — ~ »— \ - ' ■' ' — — p ■■.1..^ ■'-»#%■ fejL- -r it^^'- 1t^%J£ i ~ ■ ■ fei^i-. "ii ■■\i: . .' ■ ... «' , *^''- .._..^|B ^ 4 lone March to a future occasion. Doubtless if he had not been summoned away by busing he would have been able to clear up the discrepancies between his sworn fdcgunt of the ascent and that given by the men, which lus now been so amply co^oborated by my friend Herr Keith Harford, of the English Alpine Club. Peter Jossi and Christian Schlegel, I shall ask leave of the court to en- dorse your certificates on behalf of the S. A. C. with an honourable testimonial of your &ithfulness. JThe court stands adjourned." « And as lone March passed out of the cool shades of the Presbytery, in which she had taken the burden of another's shame upon her, she looked »nce at Keith Harford. It was a strange glance whos^ meaning the young man could not fathom, save y lone Clears tbc Slate >! - badly to earn your living^ wiB get you a swept little office all to yourself^m-TWenty-Third Strciet, where you will be fairly netfour house on Fifth Avenue. If I were you, I would set up a typewriting bureau. I am sure, if I were a man, I should be just dying to have you type'^my things. And you would soon * be quite popular, and have a lovtfy time with authors and drama- tists. But dramatic critics are the handsomest — only so conceited. And they are tremendously high-toned, they won't mix with the others ; so you would have to run a little branch establishment Specially for them. I could manage that, if you liked." As she made the suggestion Idalia patted her fichu laces into the most bewitching shapes, and smiled at her friend through the interstices of her parasol fringe, as if lone were a dramatic critic who was in danger of uking his typewriting business to some other office. W *^ r' 8% ^ ^fejtj )!.: lg-,-^U J ^^.". ^ .>, r in ^"•^^mmmmfmn /• i •s CHAPTER XI . THE CONSENT OF GOVERNOR MARCH BUT lone had still a much more serious ordeal of explanation to fatfc with fi^atheu^ He had been confined to his room all the morning with ^a chill, and lone found him busily working up his arrears of correspondence. When her light knock came to ^the door of his room Governor March' answered with 'the nervous irritation of. a man who -has yet much^ to accomplish. "May I come in, father?" said a fresh young voice outside, high and clear, . At the first sound of the words Mr. March passed hi^ hand rapidly across his forehead, as though sweeping away some invisible cobwebs. Then he pushed a col- lection of letters and papers hastily into »a tablcrdrawer and turned to open the door to his daughter. '^ "Why, lone," he said, "I call this a treat. I am glad to «ee you, I thought that you had gone off some- where with the girls and' Kearney." Tjie girl patted hen father afl^ectionately and indul- g6nxly on the head. Then she rearranged his still abun- dant hair with a couple of swift finger-pastes, seized him determinedly by the chin, brought his head up to a con- venient kissing level — and kissed hiin. " It was just about Kearney Judd that I was going to spoakf to you, fatherkin," she said. " I want you to "know that J. have given him up. I never did care for hfm, and since that business at Grindelwald I simply couldsfnot bear to go on a day longer thinking what sxid a man might be t^ me." \ - .t*j--^^ia.4«F6^ ^4^. ( ^ \ - -SB. The Consent of Governor March 1 Wr'H'"' ir^ '° g-- greyer and older a, Irt kLh k "^"'^r ''P *J-"'^*='^^^' ''"^ he would not let h.s daughter see his emotion. He walked to the ' window and looked out upon the long clean-swept si«« if:^: ^'''-'^^^^' 'ittl<^children^n^e p^k waTk^ hat Ae J^L7t" ^'""'^y-'y'' ^- g-' ^eU instinctively that ht wa.ted her answer with a certain trepidation^ But she resolved not to be more serious than she could • help. So she answered lightly enough J- m^L ^'"' '^r^^l °^ '^''^ H^''' ' Idalia and her mother are all nght, and as fo*r the r?st, they dor^t -^matter a row of pins to tisj*' ^ "Perhaps not," replied her ftther, rising ^nd bedn- a ?h? '71"' -'"^ '°"" '^' ^-"^ ^«^I««V as he had the^™ h -^'"^ f '" ''^ "'"'' -^^ disturbed; « but many milliois of tZ^lri Tnr^llTtf n^nute how this news may affect me. I am und " ' deep obligations to Mr. Judd, and- " ^ as ?rfnT ^"■''^ ^PP^^' ^"^ ^"^^'^ -^T>i« daughter' '« ^ f for a moment he meditated some apperi to her 1 came to tell you somnh ni dse too fath-r •• «!,. .sa.d. laying her clapped hand, Jl™ dow'Clsl ht am ttred of being no better than a dS and a bard™ ' Zrr'\ ,' ""■»»"'>"'' I ne,erla"''/„„tt;^ tiling, to help you. Let me go ofe and w„* f™ ' aving. ,1. you did. I h.,e h^n ^^^'':^IZ y^ ^ lone March yet you know I have never earned a penny. My whole life has been swaddled in cotton wool. It is a dead life, a useless life. Father, I would rather sell flowers on the street, I would rather peddle candy on a train, than go on like this. Let me go out and do something. I know French and German well enough to teach a little, I suppose." *She smiled. "You yourself made me learn shorthand and the typewriter, like the good old dad that you were. That surely is some outfit. I have good health. I know I have a Spirit which will make me go through with things. Let me swim out a bit into the openand feel the need of keeping myself afloat, as you did when you were a young man." Almost at her first words Governor March had thrust his hands deep in his pockets, and now stood silent, with his legs wide apart, staring down at his daughter as if she had'%uddenly gone mad. "Why have you taken it into your head that you must do this wild thing, lone ? " he said, drawing his hand from his pocket and laying it tenderly on lone's arm. " My girl, you are as innocent of the world 9s a week-old kitten. And you want to earn your own living ! Why, what do you suppose I have been toiling for ever since I buried your mother, but that you might * be able to go where the best go, know the best people, and (when you felt like it) marry among the best." lone could not resist a little shudder at the idea called up by her father's last words, and a bitter word slipped out before she knew it. " Mr. Kearney Judd is of the best, I suppose ? " she said. Governor March winced a little, ais if he had been -«mitten4^htly on the face with « g^ove. — ~— ""WplV he answered slowly, with the level courage which had carried him through his war-governorship, ri ,",1* The Consent of Governor March "Kearney Judd is in one sense of our best. His father represents some of our greatest interests. I think that the young man has behaved very badly in this matter, perhaps. But there may be circumstances which we do not know. There generally are in such cases ; and when you are older you will know that the world never listpns to more than one side of any controversy. But this wild idea of goij^ut to work for yourself— you do not mean it serious^? " . " But that is just what I do mean, father," she an- swered, with something of his own grave decision ; « I have been thinking of it deeply. I cannot bear to be useless any longer —just a thing to be provided for, petted, coaxed, my slightest tastes consulted, a limitless bank account at my disposal, to be expected to care fbr 9 nothmg but shopping and visiting and entertaining, on the Contment to-day, in England to-morrow, at home the week after next. Such a life may suit many girls, but It would kill me. Besides, you know, if once I had tried the other and satisfied myself, I might be able to settle down to this." Governor March laid his hand on his daughter's arm, as though touched by the gentle tone of the last words. ' "lone," he said, "I loved your mother. I never spoke a cross word to her in all my life. Neither have I ever refused you anything you have asked me. If your heart is set on this thing — why, lone, you are of age, you are an American girl, you are my girl. I will not say you nay. But — you must promise me that if you are in any troable, in the least difficulty out of which I can help you, you will wire or cable me at once, without waiting a moment " "He lifted his hand from her arm an« Pu-^hased within. But in the hWy« bl ^J at differ™, rates of speed, each shHlling its own «# uic nwMgers room. Her heart sank «S ..il- l's Jkjti'jii^ )! «J»«ll»» a* >.. J. ( s > i.i,i *> t,"!!? f ■ -1ST ■ lone March as she entered. She made certain that she had been mistaken for a customer, and now that she was an ap- plicant for work such a supposition was inauspicious. But yet, on the mere declaration of her needs and capac- ities, she found herself engaged. At least, she was to be accepted on probation, and the wages were a. pound a week. In five minutes lone found herself with her hat and coat off, seated beside a beautiful new machine, close by one of the largest windows of the wide City office. Her heart beat quickly as after a draught of wine while she fingered the keys and tried the paces of her machine. Definitely this was life at last, she thought. She stole one glance at the busy girls around her, and observing that not one of them paused to lift their eyes or appeared to observe the new-comer, a strange elation and joy pervaded her whole being. « At last I too am a worker," she said to herself; "I am on the street level of humanity. I am a unit in the great army of those who earn the bread they eat»" Her meditations were cut short by the appearance at her side of a girl with eyes of a faint and cloudy blue and ha^qrebelliously wispy, which stood out in auburn tufts abdit her brow, the set a black japanned structure before lone and was retreating without a word. lone looked up inquiringly. The girl with' the blue tired eyes surveyed her sternly, but when the bright frankness of lone's glance encountered hers the hard expression melted a little. " The manager sends you this copy-holder," she said qtiietly, and forthwith vanished back towards the upper end of the hall, among cashiers' desks and multitudinous obstructions of polished hardwood. — lonewas^at first"«c«diiigly gritefut, Buf aRcF^B^ had ^nished a sheet or two, and was pausing to read her work over, it struck her thati^,a4* I,)^4, The Cuckoo in the Nest ing and clicking workers possessed such a thing as a copy-holder. It was strange, and lone strove to fathom the meaning of this especial favour It seemed a singu-s^ larly delicate compliment to pay to a new-comer. But the matter did not long disturb her. She wa^s delighted with her new avocation, and tingled with hap- piness as she touched the keys of the beautiful machine she had been set to "operate." They went down easily as her slim but capable fingers pressedShem, and they rose with a fine crisp insurgence which imparted a feeling of life to the keyboard. A corresponding elation took hold of lone. She had never, she thought, been so happy before. She felt that she could pass her life amid such surroundings. " How could my father," she meditated, « know the happiness of work himself, and yet deny it to me, his only daughter ? " *% Promptly at the stroke of one all the girls rose quietly andjyent to a little dressing-room in the rear of the main building. From this they presently emerged in straggling groups, silent so long as they were upon the premises tenanted by the Gopher & Arlington Company, but (as lone was enabled to see through her window) voluble enough so soon as they reached the pavement of the dingy little lateral street, on the side-walk of which they formed a troublous eddy, tossed aside, as it were, by the stream of traffic which poured ceaselessly up and down the great thoroughfare in front. lone noticed that not a glance betraymg the slightest interest was thrown in her direction — not a smile nor much as ? nod was wasted upon her. This^she so ght^migbt be business «tquetf e, ^uT It HFd^^ hot aT a^l accord with that good comradeship which she had always heard obtained amongst fellow-workers. She had never doubted her power to mkke people like her; and 9« '',M.. \. / The Cucko(i in the Nest i^ondon Simply to earn my br«iid." ^ ' """ '° The girl darted an anerv look af i,«r j ' the anger of dark ^„.c • ^'^' ^""^ "°^ ^vcn "Earn your bread ! " she said scornfullv « Hh we know all about your bread." '"">^- ^h, yes ; "Indeed," said lone, in some distress • « .K ,1. "i *" '"'•■y "»< yo" are unkind. I „,. ,„„ , the first that you would like me I " '^'" " »IigIS; f Jet^etK^^'T"! ,'"'"«' "" "^^ "^ . r^'ntS^ '^en"S'.h':l'hf - ^"™" '^ ' of her head, .he -aUed w'o hert^ Tj"' daug^of .h, miUionai^ we,, with'g^tdetd j'' 93 ■:$ lone's us: SL- (' |. if vj' "^' w^s7"" —r-fr ^"'^' lone March companion, observing this, shrugged her shoulders and tossed her head. * "I have nothing further to say to you, miss ! " she s^id loudly to lone, as if she had been answering a ques- tion or refusing an appeal. Whereat, understanding that she was dismissed, lone returned to her place. Precisely as the clock struck the hour, the girls be^n to return in twos and threes. As they entered, they went fijpt to the cloak-room, and then, as directly as a homing bee, each returned to her own work. No one stole a glance ifi her direction, and lone understood that this inexplicable lack of interest meant that for some un- known offence she had been sent to the typists' Coven- try, for her intrusion upon -the offices of the Gopher & Arlington Corporation. • ^ " Never mind," so she comforted herself; " the pale girl will tell me all about it, and I shall know how to make it all right with them. They shall like me before ^ I have done with them." It was Ker first rebuff, and it came specially hard upon lone just when her heart yearned wildly to be friendly with all her fellow-workers. Exactly at half-past two she was at the east corner of the side street so hicidly designated by the girl of the revolutionary love-lfrcks. She was not to be seen, lone walked two or three times backward and forward, growing gradually conscious of the eyes which followed her flj^m first-floor offices, where young gentlemen with - pens in their hands called each other forward to look at her. J»«t as she was beginning to fear that she might have mistaken the place or gone to the wrong corner, jher arm was seized froin the dark of a doofway^^sid e a ^ little pork shop, and she was pulled inside. She found herself face to face with the pale girl. Without speak- 94 ij, J i-. ,,-'A^i^.^,'^v >'fv 'UV-* -• V - i,lf..^-i his^ -J- ' ?•■ The Guckoo in the Nest jng a word, they went up the stairs to a barren little landing paved with stone flags round which closed and gnmy doors frowned at the two girls, as if demanding then- business there. ^ "I am glad you have come," said lone, without cir- cumlocution ; « now tell me, what have I done wrong that the girls do not like me ? " " They think you are a * cuckoo,' " answered the pale girl promptly. *^ «* A cuckoo • ! " said lone, bewildered. « Is this a joke ? " " You will find it no joke ! " said her companion, nod- ding somewhat' truculently, yet with an obvious effort ^d she averted her face as often as she met the honest ferth-looking eyes of lone March. ^^« Why, then, do you call me a * cuckoo'?" said "You want me to tell you- then I will ! " burst out the pde girl. «You are a » cuckoo ' because you It L' .hTr '^r'l' ?r "^- ^^' ^^^ ^"°^ ^^ -bout It at the Gopher & Arlington. We 've been there bt. cZ; A ' T1 y^"" °^" "^'"g- A gentleman came and arranged about you with the manager. He and not the company, pays your wages. That isn't any pound-a-week dress. These aren't pound-a-week ^oSrih^n"* T "'^^ n H^^ g°^ -^ the end of that gold chain under your i^€l^_ that's no pound-a-week hKket. I don't ask what it is. Maybet I don't qui e blame you as the rest of the girls do. But just the same you are a < cuckoo.' If you are square, then you do"^' need the work. Or else you come to improve, so tha jou may unde rsell us, and r „f o u r r a t e^^feAhe ^ke^ httle extra pocket-money. You take the bread out of / arc, so goorf-looking that y(U be sent to ,(^hc fat ■/ ■''^ lone March ft- V- jobs. You '11 have the nicest letters to write and all the easfcst pickings— just as you've got the new machine and a copy-holder. Look here, did you see that girl in the dark corner ? Well, she was told to give up her seat^ near the window to you, and her eyes are weak. Is n't that enough reason why you are a * cuckoo ' ? " The pale girl had grown excited with her oratory. Courage had come to her in the act of speech, as, in- deed, it has a trick of doing. Her eyes engaged some- what fiercely those dark ones of lone's, (Tver which there was now spreading' a surface-mist of unshed teare. But in a lAoment lone had commanded herself. "There is ^me mistake," she said quickly. "I came to the Gopher & Arlington quite by chance, after trying several other offices. ' The manager was' very kind. He questioned me and asked my name. As soon as I told hirti, he engaged me at once. But certainly no one came to arrange about mo} for I don't know, a soul in London at this moment except your- self and the people at the hotel" where I have always stayed ! " ^ The girl still regarded her somewhat suspiciously, but lone's eyes ,had their' wonted ^ect, and doubt shrank before the level loyalty which shone out of their depths. " What is your name ? " she asked less aggressively. " My name is lone March."\ " Mine is ^e Allen,"v volunteered the girl, tacitly acknowledging the cotirtesy and speaking wijh more equality than she had yet shown. « I do like you — and if what you tell me is true " lone's eyes were still upon her, and she could not this t ime drop hers. Jane Al len moved resti vely and lapped -the^my^ags of the landing with her foot. " You know that what I say is true ! quietly. said lone 96 I -a£iM;>'i^^P. . ^ !.« su i/«-yc' "9 ^ /' The Cuckoo in the Nest But there certainly was a gentleman here. We all a L ?i7 '7 h,»«d»ome, with grey hair, and he had a long talk w.th the manager. He brough him a letter Bank pf Chicago. I know because Ruth Menks/whd ut ^ tunTr ""^r ^'"^^ ""^'^ "'"^'^ words a min. utc), found the envelope m the waste-paper basket ai she was called .n a^in, she got oders that Miss 3 was to g.ve up her table, that a nW machine was^f 5 sent there and the place left vacant. Tbese^erl a,ll nodded to each other and said * Cuckoo » ' Th/n ' came .long, and were engaged like a sho"" '" ^°" A sudden thought stnick lom. ^ ♦!. t . . I in a low v6ice. «I thought so . Th- • i J after all ! " ^ ^ T" "S**'' " Open the case at the hart " ,««». j t / »tahd r«^ ,.,k * • . ' ' answered lolne calmly. an« read what is writte^n on it " T V» ^■wwrj-f*^;^^"'^' *■" lone March " That is' trae," smiled lone j " I , - see it all now My father wish^ me to get an easy situation; and in his innocence he thought that he would arrange matter* quietly — * man to man/ as he always says. So he went straigl^t to the mknager and, well — arranged them with a vengeance." / ^ »» Now look here," said Jane Allen, jerking her h^d emphatically, "of course you might have written the whole thing yourself. I don't know your liandwriting. -But all the sama I believe you, though I warn you the ^--girls may not. But what made you leave home if your father is as rich as all that —the boss seeing him to the door ;aa if he were thcManaging Director, and every- thing arranged* in a minute ? " lone hesitated. I||jbemed strange that she should be willing to make tS^ most private explanations on the grimy first landing of a dismal London staircase, to a little cockney girl with pale blue eyes and wispy locks of reddish hair beneath her shilling hat. « There was trouble at home," she said, slowly, and looked |way through the window. . S ^^ •■ , " Ah," said Jane Allen, with the instinctive, sympathy I' of a fellow-sufferer in her voice. She came very quickly a step nearer, and looked piercingly into lone's eyes. "It was ibout your young m^n, was riHt# Would they not letyou ha^^him ? " !jMii^» ^ "Hardly that," said lone gravely^ wdBS^K^she would put the matter. "I — he, that is " " He was not true, to you ? " questioned the pale girl, a light beginning to burn like a lamp in her eye? and a »•--'" flush beaconing on her cheek ; " he went away, you off, did n't he ? I know them ! " said lone, hesitating. <* I was en- k I ^. & J"*! # man, and-- weli, I 98 him out >g^, ::r|-:f. .>i! f r ^y^i' Hi ■ , The Cuckoo in the NTest And a little throb came into her throat whi^h the pale 1 mistook fof tears. It was really thankfulness. short and caught lone by the wrist. Um'e P'*"'' ^°*' ^' "'"'^ ^* ^'^^''' '^ y°" di<' « « " So I left home," continued lone ; " I could not knlw^^''""""' ^^"^ ~"''* "'* •' " '"^^ >"^ Allen, u / anJ^^w! l"'"! °"' ^"u^'"^» ^"' '^" P^'*^ g'^J> ^'*h a quick and hvely joy on her face, thr^w her arms about her neck and kissed her. « T'^'r '**. f^ ^7 ^°""^ ^''"^ °"*'" '^'^^^'>'' sobbed. I m so glad you found him out in time ! " ' - 4 I tray , J* ■■i. ^. !"*1 v^*« # I i f9 ^ •>-t I. ^■SK **?. CHAPTER XIII THE CUCKOO LEAVES THE NEST NEXT morning lone was first of all the girls at the office. The manager only was before her. He stood at his desk iri the inner office arranging the work for the day, and looking over the pile of letters requiring attention. lone went up to him with her usual light, quick, decisive step. " I am obliged to you, sir, for your courtesy to me, and for the attention which you were good enough to pay to my father's wishes," she said; "but you will not be suiprised that when I know the facts I qannot con- tmue to accept work on these conditions, t shall have * to give up my position here." The manager was a young man still, though lifelong absorption m a rushing business had aged him before his time. « Miss March," he said earnestly enough, « I hope you will not do that. Apart altc^eflier from your father s wishes, you do your work very well. Yesterday you read that difficult scientific manuscript, after two others had failed. We cannot afFord to do without you." He smiled and resumed the scrutiny of his letters, as If he considered the matter at an end. But lone had no intention that it should be settled so easily. ^ « I am indeed sorry, sir, thatl cannot agree with you. You mean it in the kindest way, I know. But by receiving wages on ,^he conditions which my farher ■^ **^ ^ ..-— — »r w^aj '**y m iner wrangfid witB you I am keeping some one else out of an excellent position. I am usurping, some other girl'. loo • #», ',-m,\ '/ "?-<"*H'?o'"'' ^^ , The Cuckoo Leaves the Nest place. Be good enough to inform me what notice I must g.ve to the Company, in order that I may make otfter arrangements." ^ a^?..'. .' '",^"^g^'-'<^°'"i"g '•ound from his desk, and standing up (as he did to a good customer) with his hand on the edge of his bureau. « The girlslill soon get oyer any httle feeling they may have at present, and I can assure you that you will find yourself better ofF in a large and well-appointed office than elsewhere » lone shook her head and smiled at him « I did not propose, when I left home and undertook to ea^n my hvmg, that my father should pay my wages " .^^r^T^" '"'^ '^' manager emj^ad- m!jU .'.^ ^"^"^ ^"^''■' certainly glad to oblige a man so well known and influential as Governor March we^hould be soriy to lose your services for their own « Thank you," said lone ; « but, nevertheless, I should iiJce, It possible, to leave to-night." The manager was more and more anxious to get back to h.s correspondence. He had been casting furtive h sTe?t "' ^r: ''V""" "' ''^ '^^' «» '-<» done his best. The daughter of the rich war governor was wen eno^h, but after all, he h^ a long'and cornel! cated days work before him. I„ a fe^ minutes his Inri,'",'^! "'^" commission would be upon him, and he d>d not yet know how many machines he had S X^- ^-^ -^y - ^ p- "Pon ^hf ,-".^/" '"^ -5^ """""y" ^^ ^^^ bowing t o the girl with ^^^ & n^,^i t it it your Jnter^oiHo iS^ " But of course, so far as the Gopher & Arlington Com: pany .s concerned, you arc at liberty to come and go « your pleasure." ' *^° " toe ■ \, ^,* ^^^WU.^^1. - 1 > ,' lone March ^ ^Tn- '^^J"^*^ ^™ ^^'^''^^^^ *"** ^as turning away. «M.ss March," he continued, "if you wL at^ny time a testimonial from us to enable you to obtain an- other situation, I shall be glad to be of any service to esTential."'" '"'' ^°" ""'" ^""^ '"''' ' guarantee almost "I should like to take one now," said practical lone, «miling upon him. ' ., The manager gasped and started, glancing piteously^; , • 'l the pile of letters still unopened before him ^^ - « Very well," he said ; cc j shall make a note of the matter and dictate you a certificate in the course of the day. lone went to her place. The girls were already pass- ing in, and with business-like quickness arranging their work apon their little tables. One or two of them even glanced distantly in her direction. Jane Allen walked directly up to lone and shook hands. « Good-morning," she said. « I am glad to see you. And so will all the other girls be soon. They are coming round." • ^ « It will have to be very soon, then," said lone, smil- ing, "for the nest will be empty this evening at six. The » cuckoo' ,s going to fly sharp at that hour." You are not leaving ? " queried the girl, astonished, lone smiled and nodded as she inserted more sheets of scientific " in her copy -holder. « My dear," she said, « what I told you is true. You eave nm*. ^« — .^ ^^^ livine-. you don't want your father to help pay your wages, » There was a flush of j^i"'"'*^^^?" V^ Pjjcj'gg of. JaneT^feiT. "" "You are not going to make it up with himf" she whispered suspiciously, with an accent on the pio- loa ■ it. ^ JL.**!"^!??* S'% \\i ray. at any ain an- ^ice to almost I lone, ^r tv- '«Vf t '-' , '•II'' " '^''i ' ■" ' -* W ''J — — -- ^ ^~- — —■■r"!" '^ .,,llj^ ^•# The Cuckoo Leaves the Nest ^ '1 noun which showed that^he did not refer to Governor March. This time lone laughed outright. . ' "There is no fear of that ! » she s^id, smiling down at the fierce impetuosity of her companion. "Ah, you never know," said the pale girl, speaking in a low, intense whisper, « when they come excusing and explammg, and coaxing and petting. At first you tell him that you hate the sight of him. But if he catches you round the waist (as he will be sure to do if he knows his business), then sharp little strings begin to tug about your heart that you never knew were there before — why, then there is no saying what you may be fool enough to do." And again the blue eyes filled with fire, burning with a dry and tearless flame, which lighted up the pale face with a certain fierce dignity. "Do not be afraid," said lone gently, putting a hand on her arm ; " he will never come back, nor trouble me any more." At that moment the manager came out of the inner office, and the girls were soon clicking away for dear life. Jane Allen went to her place, and began to rattle faster than any of them, as if to work ofF some hidden emotion. Only once she leaned over to her neighbour with a paper in her hand, as if to ask a question. When she returned to her work the fluttering sheet had disappeared Instantly a leaven of interest and kindliness began to spread about the room, washing unregarded round the window-seat where lone sat, unconscious of all save her task. Soon the girls no lon ger avoided the place. O nr "^annmnd asked tl^e^oan of the office dictionarv, "if Miss March was quite sure she was not using it ? »' Another took one of two damask roses from her bosom and laid it on lone's desk as she passed. M j^^v-rt!f^,Ai4' -^ .1?^ The Cuckoo Leaves the Nest "^ I don't mind about the table in the window a little bit I can see just as well where I am. I hope you will stop. "Cissy." The tears welled up from deep, down in lone's heart l vT ^y '.■%,'\* .1 li r -.•j?*!** ■ f 't^i'" [ The Cuckoo Leaves the Nest * I have a quick temper ; but if you will have me, I shall be glad to come with you." "^ Jane Allen threw'her arms about lone's neck " Oh," she cried, « don't be alarmed, we'll knock it out together right enough. Most of us arc a pretty decent lot -as good as you ckn expect for fifteen shil- W.U find that there's a good deal of that about in L hot weather. I've got a prime sample of my own. Only I don't keep it to myself, nor put it out tJnurse. Uh no; ,t comes away like snow off a roof, and for five mmutes every one gets the benefit of it- first come, first served. But you and I will hit it, so long as we agree never to sulk or bear grudges without speaking "Oh I'll tell quick enough," said lone, with that perdously sweet smde which several rimes had brought her lips mto danger in conservatories and upon moon-- ight promenades. lone had a way of conficHng a smile to a spectator as .f ,t were meant as a personal compli- ment- which is well enough with women, but may be dangerous with men. ^ "Do you know, lone (may I call you that?), I'm You 11 th.nk I 'm a great one for kissing. Well, I 'm not. I have not kissed any one - since - ah„ since ever so long ago ! " She caught her hand to her breast quickly, as thougli a memoiy tot^k her by the throat. ^ ^ "But there 's something about you. I don't know ^'WW^-kKsyou ljar*s>-* 'ijt^ « -:Wk ., 7 •" ■•■-,■' I Thc-Profcssional Admirer of Sounder,, she presently found herself deep in con nusoands. But Jane Allen moved ditictiy in front of *e^you„g n„n. and stared fiercely and^ dislainfuli; Cl your sort. Ail tile same" (she meditated), "that tail»r Jlsdc tweed suit of lone's won't do. We mus7l„ k a nice black merino before she is a day^deT ^ "Ah, lady," William's missus was saying meanwhile all unconscious of Jane's angry bv-nlav "71,^ - ^ ' .hat likes -em fresl^'a. nine ^7 a 'sh^lt' J an^ k^ welcome to spend 'stravagant if they can afford o flh^ g«.d money m the fire, as it were. And there's thm that hkes 'em salted, and I winnot deny but thev'^ «.s.y so, ana go a long way in a family' Buf Ln men r T I """^ ">'y *»"'='« > thirst and sends' men to the beer-shop. No. but what my William _ Me. h» 1 -would scorn to do such a thin^ for a Ire ttav dTsh ti;r^ '' V ' ""' ?^''^e' f<"- > ''""'■■rig''' tasty dish that s as good as any Lord Mayor's banoue, g.ve me a couple o' nice full-Zaviered red hernnr^S a gl<»s on them like a peacockses' neck, and d?^e on the tongs over a clear fire. Why, the verv smell o- ,«n»^one brings William hoppin'^Jp them'TtalTl". ^^wnrr:;:^'- " "" ■* ""^-^ ■>" — "•^-x When diey reached the station at which they were to of red herrmgs, as expounded by William's missu J£ia«&mdly_unconsciou^.f-ri^,^^^ young man who was still sitting opposite to Jane Allen He had been trying ,„ ftscinate lone, by circumvenrg 1 1 r ^ IM '^f^ si''! lorie March with looks of admirati<^ the voluptuous outlines of the lady of thiehjarket-basket. > - William's missus was still busy at her explanation when it was time for lone to get out. " And you see, my dear, says I to him, » Wefclum,' says I, * I ha' been a long-sufFerin* woman and a hard-workin' all my days, and' I have n't come to this at my time o' life that a cherry-faced traipsin' hussy like Marthy Burton can re- proach me for wearin' yellow gum-flowers in my bonnet. Ah, good-day to you, lady, and blessings on the sweet young face o* ye ! " For the smile had done its appointed work, and Weelum's missus would liave fought a pitched battle with Marthy Burton or any other for lone March before she had been five minutes beside her. Yet lone had scarcely spoken twenty words to her. The young man in the tight frock-coat got out and walked along the platform and up the stairs immediately behind lone and Jane. The latter kept her eyes straight before her, but, as she said afterwards, her ears were laid back till they grew perfectly stiff with listening for his footsteps. And air the while the unconscious lone chatted gaily on, her hand on her companion's arm, for the excitement of a new life was upon her. The sounds and scents of this world of hard-working millions were like notes in a song to- her. Each little gate and brass plate — they were passing the Battersea model cottages — waked a very paean of gladness in her heart. She was in the midst of a fresh burst of wonder and admira- tion at the flowers and plants which she had seen at otic^ of the windows, w*en a shadow seemed to fall acrcjss ? them toth. The frock-coated young man was at their sidp with h is hat of F, and^thoiigh his words d]d nbt re ach If- Tone, he was apparently inquiring whether he might be permitted to "see the ladies home." 112 Vo S^l -A' o cii:- -.V.-' ^J The Professional Admirer lone looked him over with a certain cold, disapprov- ing inspection, but she was wholly unprepared for Jane Allen's burst of passion. Left to herself, she would probably have dismissed the youth as she might an in- trusive dog, and passed on her serene maiden way with- out a thought or a tremor. But Jane (as she herself put it) had been saving it up for this young man. • She turned upon him with her hands clenched, and a deep glow of suppressed anger in her eyes. i " You cur ! " she almost hissed. " If you dare to utter another word or persist in following us another step, I '11 put this into you." And she opened a little knife with which she did her pencU-sharpening and erasures in the office. The young man appeared half amused and half intimidated. But apparently he was used to such adventures. For he made the girls a still more profound bow, and, speaking clearly for the first time, began to assure them that, though only his sincere admiration could justify his intrusion, he could not think of their going alone through so dangerous a district, and that he was resolved to see them both safely home. * Jane Allen's teeth glittered and her lip curled with contempt in a way which might have warned any less self-satisfied wooer. « Oh, you will — will you ? " she said. " We will sec about that as soon as we meet a policeman. Stand back, I say ! " and she poised her arm like a black- skirted St. George getting ready to spit the dragon on a broken-bladed pen-knife. -^S^^^ young man continued to smilejnit now some- __ wliat less assuredly. « I did not mean to offend you, young lady,!' he said ; "besides, if I may say so without offence, it was your tricnd's acquaintance I particularly wished to make." I ^ 113 •■* lone March " Stand out of " I dare say," retorted Jane shortly, the way ! " But the young man did not leave them. Walking abreast, with Jane Allen in the middle, the three now arrived at a lonely, unfrequented place between the bounding walls of a large engineering works. Here the young man thought he saw his chance. lone's air of having heard nothing alarming deceived him. He came round and walked beside her, trying to look back into her face with his most fascinating smile. Thus, while Jane became every moment more and more speechless with indignation, they arrived opposite a gate, one half of which stood open. They saw a long array of machinery in all stages of repair and resolution into component parts, whilst a pulsing recurrent throV from somewhere unseen told of a prisoned heart of steam Jane Allen looked through the gate with anxious eyes Her face suddenly brightened. A figure in a dingy blue jacket was walking away from them with sloi «teps. " Tom ! " she cried eagerly — " Tom Adair ! " The -figure in dingy blue turned, and seeing the girls, came towards them with ever»quickening steps as h» caught the anxiety on Jane's fece. " Tom," she cried, " don't let this fellow follow us. He says- he will go home with us, and he won't leave us 1 All we can do we can't stop him Oh, I hate hirti ! " And jane Allen stamped her foot, and if looks could have killed, the young man in the tall hat would hav" fallen dead at her feet. 4iea nwhile t he blu e -jei k iited figure which had^nr swered to the name of Tom Adair continued to advance rapidly, yet with the same deceitful appearance of leisure. He w^s grihiy and shiny from head to foot. His ca» 114 '■iSi. ■V ... ..The Professional Admirer ^" fairly glistened with oil and engine-black. But his eyes were blue, and^shone strangely pleasant out of his streaked face. And as he took off his cap with a quick movement of respect, lone saw that his head was covered with a cnsp crop of yellow curls. « Oh, this kind young gentleman won't let you afShe he ? said Tom Adair, with his hands in the poVkets of his light loose working jacket. « Well, we will see about that." Tom had by this time insinuated himself between lone and her too intrusive admirer, and stood close by the gatepost. He touched a knob with his finger. An 't^ I electric bell rang somewhere in the rear, and a man promptly appeared out of a little cabin like a couple of sentry-boxes placed side by side, with a turnstile in front. There was another turnstile, and a corresponding double sentry-box on the other side. But between them the high gate st«)d half open. The man who came out of the ca^ntotheleft in answer to Tom Adair's summons, had also his hands in his side pockets ; but he was neatly dressed m brown tweed, and wore a hard round hat upon his head. ^ " ^ " Peter," said Tom Adair, "just walk with these ladies as far as the corner of Ely Street, will you ? They will be all right after that. And. I'll look after your gate till you get back. The night draft won't be tumbling in for an hour yet, and you '11 be back, and I '11 bel're 2t/' ' '"^^ ""^^ " ^''^ ^^"'^^•"-> '^^ JT^c Professional Admire r * -n^. >k > u .: ~r "^" no d o u bt wish e d by thia- umc that he had not come, but he put a bold face on the matter and disclaimed any intention of insulting the ladws He only wished to see them past a dangerous part of the town. r jj u» ■*U^»«!'t'\'!Vjw.» T*^.' A. liTV^w-P*'!' ^;"^f Ol?Ti#* f^ry^^mt;^-^^ lone March Tom Adair, standing between lone and the young man, still kept his hands in his pockets. '^ « Yes," he agreed, « this part of the town is a little dangerous — for cads like you. Go on, Peter. Good- night to you, ladies. No, you don't, sir; I have some-' thing to say to you first." "Don't hurt him, Tom. Don't get into trouble . yourself, mind ! " cried Jane Allen. "He- is n't worth it." . The two girls, with the friendly time-keeper of the Riverside Engineering Works in attendance, walking silent and embarrassed by their side as if he were counting their steps and checking their progress by the lamp- posts, turned the corner and were out of sight in a moment. Then Tom Adair's attitude underwent a sudden alteration. He was probably younger by ten y^rs than his antagonist. Indeed, his whole appear- ance, in spite of the deforming grime and oil, was singularly boyish. " Well," he said, coming nearer to the gentleman in the top hat, who stood his ground with a certain sneering confidence which betokened the professional bully, "you w<)uld not leave these ladies alone when asked." « It is no business of yours, young fellow, whether I would or whether I would not," replied the other,V"ing himself into a posture of defence. " But anyway, I '11 teach you to interfere where I am concerned. It will be better for you in future to keep to your smithy, and l^ave gentlemen alone." " Oh, don't be in too great a hurry ; I'll oblige you in a moment when the ladies arc out of hearing ! " said Tom Adair c omposedly^ ,! an f his fle H< sto "Oh — ladies," sneered the other; "that one in thfe check suit was a lady, was she i And your friend ^h? little milliner was another ? Ladies ha 1 ha | " ' ii6 (( you I ^ The Professional Admirer Tom Adair did not answer in words. His chin sank an .nch or two and his elbows took a somewhat shaker angle where they pressed against his sides. But hi hands remained easily in the pockets of hisworking slop He walked quietly closer to the bully. He glanced tne engme-shop. wJ^"^' "° P""'^'™" i" ^igl«- A stmy cur, with hB nbs shomng o„,«de like hoop, on a decrepi, baL,, and h,s t„l .„ck.d in between his legs as though kepHn the way. I, seemed a m,snon,er to eall Tom .Adair's l.ttle puffed under the eyes. His arms were in the correct posture and his hands were clenched. W hands were st m his Dorkpt« Tk * "m s . . happened. ^ '" ^''^^ something « Thud/ thud! " There came a couple of dull, crushing sounds auite pecuhar and indescribable, but not to be for^ot'ten o urnb::efle'r T ''X'-''' •"'P- ^'^^^^'^^^ upon bare flesh. Tom's hands were out of his pockets now for the first time since .he had lifted his cap to W and Jane Allen. Yet they had come so qucI^/Z h.s adversa^r had never seen them move, till ^e all h. H7hrsr;.1 ^^-^^ t'-^ b-on-holVlfarot^ ^oJZ^Z^Z:^:^-''^ ^- Adair side Dockets k1 J^l. ^'^ ^^"'Js once more in his ^dc^pocket,, besought him- to get up and have some But defensively above his ht^AuJ^ ' ^'*'°^ "^'^^^ half-hea^yy^^f^: ^ '^ ^ '^^" " ^^^ ^°"'^^^- .I-om Adair steppc4 a little back and contemplated ttf lone Marph ^ ' the bloated face, one side of which was now swelling so rapidly that the left eye was almost closed already, while a thin stream of blood and a thickening lip informed Tom where he "had got in his left. « Help ! Murder ! Police ! " shouted the bully, but with somewhat unequal vigour. Tom drew a whistle from his pocket. " « All right," he said cheerily ; « if that is .what you want, I can accommodate you in five minutes. We have an officer on the premises, and as I am foreman of the yard (I can give you in charge for creating a dis- turbance, Don't apologise -^ no trouble at all ; it is as e^sy as hammering in a tintack ! " " The rasc^ rose quickly enough now, and without a smgle word he went down the road towards the river, holding a handkerchief to his face. Tom Adair looked after him. His muscles twitched with desire to take a-riinning kick at the brute. But he only shrugged his shoulders instead, and mutt.ered, « As Jane said, he ain't worth it! Hillo ! here 's Peter got back." Peter nodded without speaking, and would have gone off at once to his sentry-box. "Well, how did you get on with the girls, Peter?" he asked. "Oh, so-so," he answered. Then appearing to recollect, he chuckled and said„ "We had kuch a talk." "Talk, Peter? I didn't know you could talk. What m the world did you talk about ? " Peter appeared to consider deeply. Then he said, "Well, I don't know as I talkqd*iuch, but I listened JWbB allure." Whereat he whistled melodiously and brushed the crown of his round hat with his sleeve with an ostenta- tion of exceeding ease. .118 ^?r;i "HU'J^. «-,.'] ^0ii^A^ [ welling so idy, while informed ■\ bully, but ivhat you :es. We reman of ig a dis- ) it is as without a he river, ir looked to take gged his he ain't ive gone Peter ? " iring to such a ' Id talk. le said, listened The Professional Admirer "I say, Tpm, ain't she a beauty — what ? !' and Peter winked kt his friend iheai^ingly. « Which ? " .said Tom stolidly, with a perfectly .expressionless face. Peter looked at him with contempt and incredulity. "Which!— he asks me which. Garn, don't kid me; you don't kjiow Which is the good-looking one! I suppose you would n't call the " "Shut up, Peter," said Tom Adair suddenly, "if you don't want your nose flattened ! " "No," answered Peter, meditatively feeling that Qrgan, " I dunno as I dd,exactly. But what 's happened to the fellow I left with you ? Had he been up to any monkey tricks with the young fadies ? " "There's all that's left of him," said Tom loftHy pomting to a slight depression on the skirting cinder path, which ran towards the engineering shop, on which lay a desolate ^ose. Then without another word he stalked haughtily within and shut the great gates. "'Ere^ Tom," cried Peter ; " don't get the hump on you for nothing'. I was doing for thp best ! 'Ow on earth was I to know that the little 'un— I mean the ^pretty little 'un— was your mash?" But Tom Adair was too much offended to answer. Peter winked at the cur dog, which had come back and was apparently on the point of shaking itself to pieces iri an attempt to attract his attention. Then quite suddenly he slapped his thigh, whereat the dog, whose ncrvfes were set on hairsprings of well-rounded distrust of all such moyeme n ts,boyn ded away and -^ vanished round the corner. "What a game ! " said Peter. The abandoned rosi; took the time-keeper's eye. He picked it up, dusted it, and stuck it in his own button- I led the 3Stenta> -r J^*^f4jS^.V ^Or ^t^JVV.'-V-i.jfm'rVi^-^gf^^f^P;^ lone March hole. Then he turned his bead to this side and that contemplating with approval the effect upon the brown' r : ^. '"^ completed to his satisfaction, he unlocked the turnstile and took down his check-list to T IS but a httlc faded flower ! " ( I to a^_\n' "i"^ *KfiW!ift«Krs-5^S^^? \ < that, own , he t to bile, V CHAPTER XV SHILLABEER'S WORLD'S WISDOM EMPORIUM WHEN lone and Jane Allen had bidden fare- well to the silent hut appreciative Peter at . the corner of Ely Street, Battersea, they turned sharply to the left. Then skirting a terrace of small houses, each in exact facsimile of the other, thev found themselves in Audley Street, at the upper end of which was the house wherein lone was to lodge. Over the door upon the glass transom were the figures 29 Underneath glittered a brass plate largely en.r?ved with the name Ada,r. It was a little house rusty-red as tofits bncks, with a mere pocket-handke/chief of garden front- age under the window. In the, centre of the pocket- handkerchief a few blades, of grass were stmggling disconsolately upwards, taring to touch each other occa- sionally for company. Then came a border of "gar- dener's^rter," cckj., j^,,^., ^„j « bachelor's button "; while "London pride" smothered all the borders with Its dainty florescence, which in that dreaiy place showed like sea-foam, dusty with the smoke of its own titular Adaif ;•?'"''. ^"i, i'^.P'"^"^ ^° «<^ ye," cried Mrs. am d English bnck, but which, even after years of exile, ^ tasted of " dW^el^t^ orwhic** **• /• . . bich tU screws of thie latest produc- *- „ r?P' ? *•*• "— "-• '^ws or- tne latest produc- .ons of Fairfield and Dumbanon turn up the spuL and dnfti^e of Glayow on theirway to the measured mile. Come awa', lassie, IwlSTYeared something uncanny >Mi^. iii^k«^J ti^^V*^ 'J^^v^ lone March had happened to ye. I '11 pour oot your tea this verra minute. We hae gotten a haddock the nicht, and it 's nne and tasty." " Mrs Adair, this is my friend Miss March," ^aid Jane Allen, performing the introduction ceremoniously enough. lone went forward to shake hands with an in- stmctive flush of pleasure. For her heart was drawn at once to this sonsy, freckle-faced, raw-boned Scotch woman, with her capable hands yet moist from the wash- tub, and her hair escaping in thick grey locks from un- derneath the white westland "mutch." (This is a linen cap with strings, in which the head is encased in that fashion which is no modern mode de Paris, but which nevertheless, the Scots owe to the Auld Alliance, and which may be seen to this day in the market-places of „ Loches and Amboise.) "Ye are welcome, missie," said Mrs. Adair j "I wish It had been the bonny Clydeside that ye were comin' to bide in awa' doon yonder by Inverkip—wi' the lave- rocks singin' blithely in the lift, the linties jinking in the whin bushes, and the bonny steamboats on the Clyde gangin' and comin' like the angels ascendin' an' de- scendin' Jacob's ladder." In a short time, when lone had transported her small belongings from the hotel in the Strand, she was made free^of the house in Audley Street, and was to every in- dweller in it as a sister or a daughter. She learned to respect silent, self-contained, taciturn, rigidly upright Hugh Adair, a six-foot Tipperary Prodestan', who with his quiet ways was the very opposite of the shiUaleh- twirhpg, tread-on-the-tail-of-me-coat Irishman of the ^fy-. J^gJgarned also to love his bot-^empefed .and^ leal-natured wife, whose generosity was such that if her husband had not looked after the finances, she would have beggared hefself to feed every lazy lout of a « gaun •' 132 ■^. iifSh -*2»* U .^ti '■^"f in- and «kJ Shillabeer's Emporium i #ody," and clothe eveiy barefoot bairn with a Scot's accent that happened to stray into Audley Street.^ It is a curious study, this of popular racial head-marks Doubtless the comic « blandantherin"' Irishman exists, and as certainly so does the close-fisted, bang-went-sax- pence Scot. Yet the genius of both races is quite other. The Irish, a high-strung, close-lipped, punctilious race, who as a nation are breeders of great judges, doctors, commanders-m-chiefs, are doomed to misrepresentation on the British stage by jig-dancers and windy orators. On the other hand, the Scot in whom is the true genius of Knox and Burns and Scott, is apt to be generous, vain without conceit, lavish without extravagance, eager to please, prone alike to the greater sins and the severer virtues, with a hatred of meanness which is as natural as his respect for revealed religion. Tom Adair, son of Hugh of that ilk, and already a foreman of the yard in the great engineering works of JefFray & Company, pos- sessed the characteristics of both father and mother. Like his father he was slow to speak ; like his mother he was quick to act, and that always to a generous in- tent. Men who dwell amid the ceaseless clatter and unresting rush of machinery^seldom talk much, and even at home Tom was a silent bookish lad. But he was ever anxious to do anything for his mothw. It was a sight worth seeing to watch the good son fitting stationary wash-tubs, extending water pipes, or putting up new and improved drying lines across the' tmy bricked yard at the. back of the house — all with the same fine conscientiousness and attention to detail ^*"*^^ ^^■^^^?^y~^^''" ^'^^^ ""^t^e him foreman nf partment, while his father remained sjill the plain ship's carpenter he had been bred in the city of Belfast forty years before. ^, ' ■ lone counted j*p her mo'ey on the night she went td ^ . 123 — \ ( iji> u'' t„At- '^'-., \-i ^ifel*- if- it ■ lone March lodge in 29 Audlcy Street. She had exactly fifty pounds and three Shillings, so that she felt secure for some time at her present rate of expenditure. Nevertheless, it was well that she knew how to economise. For discoutage- ment and disappointment waited upon her endeavoursfas mdeed they mostly do on all new projects, that these may be tried in the furnace as gold is tried. Day by ' day lone went out with a string of new addresses, mostly, supplied by Jane Allen, who obtained them fronr the kmd and willing Goirher & Arlington girls. 1 erhaps it was the season when authors do not send in their copy when publishers and literary agents do not Zr r^"" '° T"" '°"'S" rights: when mer. chants write their own letters - and as few of those as possible. At any rate the market was overstocked, lone must wait. ^ At last, one day she heard accidentally of Shillabeer's Information Bureau and World's Wisdom Emporium and m one glowing momenta new hope took possession ot her. The namjS was new, and the thing also. None of he Gopher & Arlington girls knew anything practical of the concern, but all had heard that there were many openings f<^ talent there. It had only been running a few months, and eyeo^body knew the romantic story of .^founder. Mr. Shillabeer had been a commercial wLl'" !LT^''''^r '"^ ^'^^^^M^ he struck this great dea. Then, .n four strides he h| become famous, and. It was presumed, rich also. ^ 'val!rllftl!' ^u^ T' '"'° ' ^^^y of consideiable abtr;il1- " u^ *.^''"' ^'^^''^^' *"d ^'^h this he set about r«d.amg h,s idea and establishing a great knowl- edge indu«t.y. There wa, nothing in theL.M 1^,^ •*:^ TreHTNaAwniarSlSbeer and hi^sp^^ f!tv."' *'*i°^'''" "^''^'"^^^ ^^'^^ contemptuous wo'^L" tlie fxtrcine cheapness of the knowledge market. There • "'^^ 124 •Sv Shillabeer's Emporium was, he argued, no branch of science so abstruse and recondite that it had not been mastered by some waif of ill success, who would be ready to distribute, for\a pound a week, the knowledge which had been of siich little value to himself. Again, it was the era of Universal Stores. Evei> the brush-and-hog-bristle line had been injured by the com- petition of great establishments which bought at special rates by the thousand gross, and Wore whose conquer- ing monopoly his smaller customJto-s went down like ninepins. Well, why should not hk Nathaniel Shilla- beer, pool the .unrelated and useless brains of a nation ? He began instinctively to make out his programme. Though not a literaiy man himself, the phrases of thp perfect prospecti^s flowed, from his fingers. The Wis^- dom Emporium vOiould compose, copy, translate, publish, or introduce to publishers. It would prepare speeches, report them, extend them, typewrite them, correct proof-sheets, illustrate, criticise, or have criticisms in- serted in the literary gossip journals — applausive for the books of moneyed clients, or destructive and en- venomed for those who were of the enemy. Speeches new aihj original on any subject for pulpit or platform, banquet or deliberative assembly, could be supplted at current rates. Shillabeer's would also answer all ques- tions, speak all languages, know all knowledge, and find out all secrets, from those of the stars to those of the private detective agency. v lone found Shillabeer's reldily -r- it was easy, enough to do that. Across the fr6nt of a great building near Ludgate Circus, the name and style of *< Shillabeer's Universal World's W isdom ETHpori um " we few ritten in letters which seemed fitted to be read in Mars. A gilt angel stood on the domed roof blowing a trumpet to the prais© and glory of Shillabeer, the Great and Only. I2S kJ^S&&!'^rAMr '£*' "% ST*-*""!^-"^ JWi'3|! Vll lone March * While at night an infernal machine seared the eyes of all the neighbourhood by flashing " the Name " on the fronts of the houses opposite, or occupied itself in .ndmn^ -Shillabeer" in letters of alternate green and red, begmning laboriously with the letter S and ending by a flourish, in supposed imitation of the signature of the great Napoleon of Ideas. " Shillabeer's " was patent and palpable, but it was not , so easy to find Shillabeer. '^ ^ ^ . ' First of all lone stated her business to a young gen- tleman, of the top of whose head she had a limited but mt^resting i.iew through a pigeon-hole. But he was busy, and did not even glance at her. '•TS.pply Department F," he said sharply; where- upon lone thanked him and went out obediently to seek department P. ^ , She attrajjted little attention anywhere now. For the defaulting tailor-made tweed had been exchanged for a black serge of cheap quality, originally constructed for the universal woman without any relation to the particu- lar individual who might be compelled to wear it. But with deft flitti^ig needle lone had remade it, Jane sitting by in breathless admiration of her friend's skill. Externally, Department F seemed like all ' the other departments of Shillabeer's. It had apparently to do with advertisements, and a stream of customers at manv wmdows bargained for so many "appearances" in different papers, or glanced at sample insertions in variously priced journals and magazines. At the pigeon- hole marked "General Inquiries," lone stated her case A morose, dark-skinned man glanced casually at her" j^'^^^y^ ^. 'gc and qu alifirafi on s , and f ro m yvln mi' ~ sHeY^Brought testimonials. To all of which lone Tad h ^''J," '""^!; °^ ^he professional manner as sh, had been able to pick up from Jane Allen. 136 \ '.I 'A ^'\ { I Shillabeer's Emporium The dark-skinned man grunted, and rising with a tired sigh, he reached down a large book. He consulted an index, turned to a page, and ran his finger down. "We have," he said, in an impressive tone of voice "just twelve hundred applications for the same kind of work. You will make 1,201. What is your name? ' Marks,' did you say ? - Oh, March. You '11 need to learn to speak more clearly, young-lydy. In London we 've got no time for making out foreign langwages ' " For the first time lone's heart sank. She went away from the pigeon-hole and the dark man with an ache in \ her heart. Evidently there was no place for her here. She stood a moment sadly by a window from which she could see the eternal elbowing push of business on the sidewalk beneath her, and hear the rumble and growl of the heavier waggon traffic along the street centre. '» There is no working place in all this London for me, she said. "I must go back. I am not fit for anything but loafing through this world of busy men and women." Tears rose in lone's eyes, ai^d she felt instinctively in her pocket for her handkerchief. As she did so, a door Th /'u^t '"^ °^ " '^^ °^ pigeon-holes, through which could be seen a glimpse of a luxurious office JTrii J ! T'" '^''° ''°^ '"^'^'"g ^' lo"*^ ^^s of the dark full-blooded vanety,^with high cheek-bones, smallish eyes, stiff ereet eyebrows, ind thick lips habitually pursed -an mdiyidua^^ity coarse, enWh in some respects, but not devoid y a c«|^inla^ca«Sa handsomeness. Wh M Jl l^''^ ^''*^ ^"'*^^' penetrating look. ZS^^ Shjl^«L(% it. wa^e).to saw thf bla ck - yess an^the evidence of tears, hp had intended simply to request the young woman to be good enough to allow her emotion to overcome her elsewhere than in the Department F of the World's Wisdom Emporium. 127 ^ /.•J*''K.i!!*li»i: V lone March But a second look « lone's profile, and vn another .mo her darkly glorious eyes, L s^ft as ZlT^i * „, ''"i""^ u*° '■""'""^'^'■fcf in her pocket, lone had ■ moved to the outer door, but she had not ;et "kind^ pulled" (as the painted notice on the grouLglas Z structed her to do), when a defe^ntial young m^ 1 M a hand on l,er cuff, ahd asked her to be good^enZh to «ep th,s way In the dark of the pasLge theT, h ., but w,,h a gesture n,„re businesslike than haughty lone disengaged her am,. Whereat the clerk shruggid h,s shoulders w,th a knowing air, as if he desired toln- fortn her that such n.ceties were not good business for apphcantsat the World's Emporium l indulgeXm. "Will you come this way," he said aloud, somewhat constrainedly ;« the head will see you 1 " It.was a luxurious room into which lone was ushered. The door shut behind the clerk noiselessly. A fire was burnmg bnghtly in the gn,te, and a warm perfume o" Russia leather and rich carpets pervaded the place. A tall, smalUyed, heavy-jowled man stood alone by the mantelpiece At lone's approach he threw away th^ .«i::r^rrv;;^^r;:.e^«^''--^''>'-™- a'r„„'i° ,!;«"'. °^ "; "'i"-'°w would fall fuU on her and iHnminatf-her eyes. He Kim8elfIo«nKed swivelled book-rest, and attentively studied his visitor. laS i it/^tr'ihii'Mf,^ii>i--'^^S£idi,iA&:iSkji^h. ' \ Shillabeer's Emporium " You wish for employment," he went on after a moment's silence, « so at least I am informed by my "clerk. It is true that we have many applications -- far more than we can possibly find places fpr — wide as our connection is. ^ That is, of course, in our ordinary em- ployment bureau, which is- open to eveiy one. Biit if you will tell me your name, your circumstances, and your qualifications, I will myself see what can be done " -.. I«ie looked at the man gratefully. It was the first ■puraging word she had heard in a long round of dis- , Ointments. And when the eyes of lone March looked all their thankfulness and gratitude upon any son of Adam, something was bound to happen. On this oc casion they shone forth with such a soft and sudden splendour — such dreamy depths of heavens opened through the dewy mist of their recent teare — that the man before her stood up with a sharp quiver of the eye- lids., Something kindled on his face and beaconed in his eyes like candles being lighted in a darkened room. He breathed faster, and passed his lips one over the other rhis was clearly not a man of the stamp of Mr. Kearney lone continued to smile as she detailed her experiences. Mr. Shillabeer did not ask her the length of her stay at the Gopher & Arlington office. To her secret relief he scarcely glanced at the certificate itself. he shot It at her from his pursed lips as out of a pop-gun. 1 he terms of the engagement did not suit me," said lone as quickly. « I hope they will suit you better if I make you my =P«vate secretary," said Mr. Nathaniel Shillabeer, with "" d-m^jng pn,mptness. « Can you begin work ^ "9 .\.yji:,v.,i. \4>ii-...:S,ii., kiMilak^^fliiid.^.-^^. •f"^ fwi"?* CHAPTER XVI A UNIVERSAL PRIVATE SECRETARY « SHILLABEER'S Emporium was already a worW- famous establishment, and in their several' spheres the smallest office-boy and the most gin- sodden female floor-sweeper put on (as the poet singeth) " eternal side," in consequence. But chiefest of the exhibitors df "side" was H. Chadford Eaton, sometime confidential man and business factotum of Nathaniel Shillabeer. When lone entered the house this young ger^Jeman was still sufl^ering fro^ the result of an acci- dent which had befallen him some weeks before. He h^^ been late at the office (so it appeared), and when going home he had fallen over the bottom part of the wicket-door opening out of the great gate which alone permitted egress upon the street. , His nether lip, though now healing, bore the marks of having been badly cut, and his left eye was much bruised and discoloured. It was he who received lone, when next morning she arrived professionally equipped with pen, pencil, india- rubber, note-book, and hand-satchel, to begin her firsi day's work as private secretary to Shillabeer the Mag- nificent. In ways which need not be described at present, Mr. Eaton kriew of lone's advent. He carried in his pocket-book a description of her appearance written ou» in a flowing and clerkly American hand, with wisp) floreations and, as it were, "grace-notes. " But he r^ ccived his first official intimation of her proximity from the youth who had laid his hand 6n lone's arm at tb« glass swing doer of Department F. ^ 130 !'■ iV ■A ■Mikm^A&ib.irJifii-:^Vi'ff'. *?f A Universal Private Secretary w V « There 's another on 'em coming this morning » ^ «Gee!" said H. Chadford ; "there's too many filhes m this shop ! How many hands does this one stand ? " " She would n't stand mine yesterday, Sy^w^y " ^an nvered his friend ;« proper high-stepper, I tell'ybu I Kegular Newmarjcet action, and no go as you please, oo look out ! " . . H. Qhadfbrd Eaton cafessed his moustache tenderly and smiled. It was still a trifle painful from the stumble over the wicket. Then he answered, « Porkie's pad- dock am 't no sweet place for high-steppers. ' But in a month she 'II feel her oats less." ' . . Now it is a curious thing that both of these young H^'men could write a verv orthodox and admirable bUsines! letter m the Qu^s English (commercial dialect) begmmng, "Dear Sirs, I beg to acknoWledge the redtipt r of your favour of the gth,'^ and ending, « Yours, truly, Shillabeer & Co., Ld., pr. H. C. E." Nevertheless, H. Chadford and the defereoiial clerk chose to make all their verbal communications of' a pnvate nature in a certain cryptic and sham-spbrtj^ shorthand, the result of earnest application to the second-rate sporting papers. As we know, Mr. Eaton alM studied pugilism ; but more of that anon. ^Promptly at ten lone was at the door of the Private Control Department of the World's Wisdom F.mpDriuni. ' There was a proud look' in her eyes ^hich, proved ^. ceedmgly becoming. She knew she would Succeed this time. There is no such word .^s « fail " ih the bright lexicon of a young woman engaged as pnVatc secretary ^jfat han ic l Sh i llabeer Th^^e^-^^^g aged,to^ 0^ ■ her own merits, and whose claim possessed no other visible means of support than a certificate from'tha manager of- the Gopher & Arlington Siicf -office. ■ F: ''' . \ : '. 1 '•^ * ■•| ■^ ;a.;.-8i, 4»^ lone March , 1 1' To say that Mr. H. Chadford Eaton was astonisHed when he saw lone, is so tremendously to understate the case that it is hardly worth writing the word down. There is but one word to exp^s his state of mind, and though the verb is an English one the ufage is American. H. Chadford was paralysed. "By Jinks" (thus he communed with himself), " s' help me if this ain't the girl I shadowed the other 33 piluj^JSi^^tt -!.*.-« ry ^ lone March the great man whose genius had lately founded, whose' nod preserfBy controlled the whole vast fabric of the World's Wisdom Emporium. "I have been expecting you, Miss March, with a considerable amount"of impatience," he said, leading the way mto an inner office, carefully and not untastefully fitted with the usual furniture of a drawing-room of the period, as that apartment is conceived of in Tottenham Court Road. In the centre of the room, however, stood a table plainly covered with red leather. It was piled with books and papers, which, though cleared from either ^ end, had gradually accumulated in the centre till thev formed^ a barricade several feet high. "This is your place,« said Mr. Shillabeer to lone » pointing to the chair at the table. She h^d, with a quick business alacrity which pleased him, already divested herself of her jacket, gloves, hat, and veil, as rapidly as a man would dispose of his hat and stick It was only after watching lone March for a long time that one found out how swift were all her motions combining as they did the free grace of a wild animal A^ith the tramed deftness and simplicity of the artist's hand sketching in a picture. If the young girl only- walked across a room, the eye followed her movements with a vivid pleasure. But it was not till\one had ac- companied her along a crowded street, that the deft ease ' and effortless rapidity of her motions became apparent The entire morning's mail had been left just a$ its contents had been roughly opened by the proprietor's forefinger and thrown down in a heap. And now Mr. bhillabe e r's small keen-sighte d eyes followed Tnt,. ,s she ^fomi6r prace Before the ^e of papers, and began deftly to put them into order with well-accustomed hand. Without appearing to do so, he watched her as she '34 ,;■ ;?l;,^M^M', J ■rr • ' ,f vt A Universal Private Secretary tfroppcd the torn envelopes into the waste-paper basket, folded the receipts, smoothed out the letters to be an- swered and presently passed her employer a trim sheaf of docketed papers for his attention,' all within five min- utes of her entry She had often amused and delighted her father with similar business-like swiftness and nicety of method He used to tell her that he never had had so 5ood a clerk, and that in war time it would have added Kcars to h.s life to have had her at the head oF one of the distributiijg-departments. " :fn'her first entrance Mr. ShiUabeer had flung him- down into a low chair, over the arm of which he threw a casual leg as he watched his new secretary. He had the credit of being a man of mixed motives, of a dubious but powerful strain of blood, of honest and dis. honest intentions, all welded into ^ strong confederation by his deep and bver-bearing selfishness. As he him- self was accustomed to say, there Was but one member of his firm, and in the World's Wisdom Emporium Ld he was Nathaniel ShiUabeer, Unlimited. '* When lone passed about the table with her swift young Dian grace, to give him the papers of the day which she had arranged, her eye rested with a cool scrutiny upon her employer's attitude. There was no overt disapproval in the look, nevertheless Nathaniel " Shilbbeer took the leg down. He could not have told in the least why he did so, but the fact made an impres- ";" Tu ^^'J' "^"^ ^°""'^ ^"* ^'«°^y '■" the house of ShiUabeer. Presently he rose and walked to the win- dow turning up the end of an intensely black and glossy beard and biting at it abstractedly. Meanwhile, lone J^Jgain 41^ herself expectantly, and ,m glanci aTKer employer, with her pencil ready upon the fpj. Sh.llabeetvstood a while glooming and gazing at hfs sec- retary, holdmg the docketed sheaf of papers in his hand. '35 . ^ &fe«H*ra^^VJ*-r^l^ll^ , - 1^' *- s '••'■ \w -iitilkii /•«<, v;^ lone Marcn Suddenly he spoke with the sullen ind truculent note in h« voice which was natural to him when thinking " You are not an English girl ? " he said. « I am an American;" replied lone, who though she was not g,ven to waving the stars-and-stripes, knew no reason why she should -deny her father's nation and her own. Shilhbelf^" ^^^^-"^ American accent," objected Mr. "It is not necessary any more than to have an Ene- /i9h one. But I was educated chieHy in Paris," lole rephed, smothering a strong inclination to tell the man that the thickened consonants and mispronounced vowels ot his own speech were worse a thousand-fold than the purest Down-Eastern drawl, in which you can hear the At^ntic zephyrs whistle through the noses of Cape « Is your father alive ? " came the next question. America" '^'^ '°"'' ^'^^"^^^ " ^^ '' at present in ' She wondered if it were customary for Englishmen emp oyers to catechise all their deoendants as strin- gently. ^ ^ . J'^r r'r ??"' ^ '^^^ ''» "° '■^'^^'^^^ o'- friends on this side of the Atlantic ? " continued her interlocutor. Not one," said lone, looking down with a trace of • sadn^s. As she spoke she thought of one to whom, if the Fates had not been cross^rained, she might have given the latter title. ^ fi r.?^ ^'"i "!*" P^"'"^ ^ ""^*^- Then he went to the fireplace and kicked a piece of coal with his toe in an ^m-mindei manner. lone longed to lell him that hr w« bummg the leather of his boot, but, uncertain of his mood, she refrained. Suddenly he turned sharply to- 136 ^/a iStoiJ Aifci^"!* tt'- irr t note in thinking ♦ ugh she * cnew no r and her / :ed Mr. — ») A Universal Private Secretary wards her, and with an awkward gesture he said, "I hope M.SS March, that ere Io;,g you will fiod friends on this side of the Atlantic also." He paMsed near her c4iair, uncertainly fingering a pen between^his thick powerful fingers. The door into the outer office opened cautiously, and the head of Mr. H. Chadford Eaton was quietly protruded within. . He smiled when he saw his master's position and atritude. Something seemed to jar on Shillabeer's nerves. He turned round sharply and caught sight of his confidential ThcT'mile dropped like a curtain. "I thought — " beganWr. Eaton, stammeringly. « (/./ .«//" cried Shillabeer fiercely, with an aston- ishing volume of sound. And, as if blown away like Lid ^V .""'cl-i^f °^ magisterial displeasure, the head vanished. Shillabeer marched to the door into /Department F and turned the key. Then he seated himself nearer lone, and a little behind, so that he could overlook the girl as she worked, and with a sheaf of' letters m his hand he began to dictate. There was no mistake about u. Nathaniel Shillabeer was a great busi- ness man. He decided thft most impoitant%uestions with a single-mmdedness and forcible precision which Accustomed as she was to her father's dependence upon the judgments of others, won Jone's admiration. He gave his decisions or issued His orders in the fewest Zr r l^^^'u' 'J'' '''"' "™g'"g f°^ the establish- r.l r> Tm °^i'' ^""'^^'^ ^'^^^^^ Emporium ett?«b r ; ^'^ ^''■^' *"^ "^^"y «^ '^' <^-tated W^ *>f^^'rs easily ov^^ih^^^ea^ n j di ct ate d,, mpidl y— and confidentially concerning involved questions of site own e e °" '"'^^^J^' *' >*= ^^ °^'^^ matters under his i\ ■'%. lone March Mr. Nathaniel Shillabecr was' what is caUcd in America a ma^etic man. Vitality beats high in dark- skinned, crisp-haired men of his type. His arteries ran sluices of red blood. In the Southern States the gloss and «kink " of his hair might have cast quite unfounded suspicion on the purity of his blood. But he was de- finitely a personality, and his very coming into a room was apt to afFect nervous people. Fifty years ago he would have been a medium. Five hundred earlier he would have ended on a throne, as the sainted leader of a crusade, or on the flaming pyre of the wizard. As it was,- he had created and now controlled a vast business by the sheer force of his will and the massive strength of his personality. People were mostly either strongly attracted or . strongly repelled, by him. On one occasion, when Nathaniel Shillabecr entered a drawing-room in -which a nervous pianist was performing a difficult piece, with- out looking round the lady threw up her hands and cried, — "lean play no more — truly I cannot. Some one has come in who drives the music from my mind I am very sorry, but to-day my fingers will not obey me any more ! " Nor could the hostess persuade the great artiste either to try again or to. accept her promised fee. "It is no use," she said; "another time when you are alone or with other people; but now" (she cast her hands abroad, palm§ upward) ^^ he has taken it all awav from me." • There could be no doubt that to many people Nathaniel Shillabecr was « bad medicine," and that through no fa ult of his own. But with as many others. - and even with men and women of a social position far above his own, he was very successful. Shillabecr was 138 * ii^^f »i^*ii -W" A Universal Private Secretary ready, for instance, to lose his money Without grumbling 80 long as this could be done in the society of men and women of whoin he approved. He had a limitless store of cunous experiejggs. He told anecdotes of a singu- larly chequered quaintiest unc spheres he bee desired, might as well as a man '^alth. engaging frankness and the o in certain very influential ft attraction, and, had he so mself a gentleman of fashion Now, however, in office hours he was more gentle and approachable by lone, and more careful both of his language and actions in her presence than any one had ever seen him. He occupied himself much in watching the girl and studying her charaeter. He found out easily enough all that could be known about her by means of the deferential cjerk and Mr. H. Chadford Eaton. And one day he very much astounded that young man, in whose eyes he had suiprised something more than admiration for lone, with the words, « Re! member, sir, you let that girl entirely alone ' " Which being delivered with a certain wellig^n contraction of the brows, and a low hissing thr^shut teeth, for uTu'?r°"/'" °'*'"" '*^''"^"** '^^ reasonable soul out of ti. C/badford. But he made this up to his self-respect (in the absence of his master) by greeting the exits and entrances of Ipne with a W whistle meant to. reach the ear of the deferentul yputh, his companion. Fo»- which whisfJe Tom Adair, had he bee^ within hearing, would cmainly have beaten his recovered face into a fresher and more complete pulp. , ]^ the days w hic ^ s»icceeded ,: ^ h % j > ccurr e ^ t o^ ^^e-^ne to regre^ her occupation. Mr. Shillabeer was studiously kmd;^ indeed, at times almost over-con- ^.derate. And if Mr. H. Chadford grinned behind her ^ "--'■'■ ":t- mf ■■ . . /I A jskisMtiik ' f i lone March wtr^f' ^°"', was much too busy to notice him. With quick natural intuition her master had so well read the character of the girl, as to know that he could in no wise acquire a stronger hold over her mind than by aUowing her to drink deep of work and responsibility lone was ofte^i retained after all the other clerks had gone in order that she might extend drafts or manifold conhdential instructions for Mr. Shillabeer's managers in the provinces, or for his agents on the other side. All the while Nathaniel Shillabeer sat near her, and took equal share and share in the girl's work. But lone remained quite unaffected by the strong vitality of her employer. Few women, in a dependent position could have been brought into hourly direct contact with Mr. Nathaniel Shillabeer without being moved either to love or to hatred. But there was about lone a clear-eyed straightfor- wardness, a practicality in which was no trace of sex a steadiness of purpose added to her national confidence' that in any emergency .a girl could steer her own course —all which characteristics combined to counteract the effect of Mr. Nathaniel Shillabeer's reputed magnetism. 140 ..!.■• tJ i%K • J( » *JW.S., ■ M Jk CHAPTER XVII MESSRS. EATON AND WEBSTER, CONFIDENTIAL AGENTS IT was not till the third month of lone's business engagement at the World's Wisdom Emporium that Mr. Shillabeer realised whither he was tend- ing, though most of his employees had long ago realised It for him — and indeed expressed their, opinion in terms more or. less picturesque. During that time he had grown by daily companionship to find the presence of lone necessary to him. He formed the haWt of pro- longing the hours of business, for the sole purpose of keeping near him that which caused such unwonted stirrings in his soul. ; In the electric air of congenial work and responsibility lone was not slow to put on fresh bloom and beauty, Her figure developed with the joy of new purpose. A quick and i^ivid grace flashed abroad m every movement, in which there migtt yet be traced something the hectic and feverish flush of thje constitutionally dllicate. The wttrk in which she was engaged caused a nervous quick-burning joy to beacon in her eyes. It was her new spring-time— the spring- time of that second and fuller loveliness which comes To most women when they fall deeply and once for all in love, but which lone .wed to finding at once a purpose and a career. She gave no thought to the permanence of her employment. For not only was the concern an ""Portant one; but the p ronriefnr^ Mr. Na tha ni e l S htMa^ "Beer, was never tired o*f telling her'how indis^n'^blc she had become to him. And in this way there had arisen a sort of comrade- ship between secretary and principal, which, from its 141 * ^^^\^. . ' .«i SI a.,4 s. v ■ W; lone March very simplicity and directness, was a type of the ideas which were dominating the girl's life. lone accepted certain unconventional things as the necessaiy concomi- tants of independence and the earning of her own living tor instance, she went and came into Mr. Shillabeer's business rooms at any hour. But her mind was entirely set upon the half-dozen cylinders of business communi- cations which it was her duty to "take off" the phono- graph. She could think of nothing else till she could lay their contents, perfectly transcribed and typewritten upon the desk of her chief. With all her soul in he^ work, she nodded abstractedly to any of the clerks who might be in the outer office, and to many of the regular callers who came to do business with the head of the Worlds Wisdom Emporium. Glances and covert •nnuendoes, nods, winks, and wreathed smiles, she heeded no mo,^ than the noisy chafF of tile greets through Battersea ''^"^ °" her way from her lodging in And if at times the hand of the master rested longer than was necessary beside her own, it affected her no more than if the speaking tube of the official phonograph had fallen momentarily across her arm. Both were exigences of business, accidents of independence, like the new rapidity of toilet she was learning, and the small p«isoup-smelling eating-house where she took her,.mcal^ when she was unable to return to 29 Audley Street for 6nc Sunday evening lone sat at her desk, tired with that^glad-hearted weariness which comes from congenial work perfectly performed. It was not her habit to work W«i. W caused^ her to make the offeFof^vorkinfit off. If her master would give her the necessary instruc tions before leaving. To her surprise Mr. Shillabeer '43 ,t!!j,^-.'iit^M.^ L'X MV.Ia.UtV^Vi^.wifXiW'i R_., ;i«ifcj "ty ■'■"">'' Messrs. Eaton and Webster said at once that he would meet her at the%ffice at atiy hour which would be conyenient d^ her. As he spoke the spark whidi she had noticed more than once leapef agam mto his eye. For it did not seem possible that a young woman in the prime of youth and beauty could be so much engrossed in business and the handicraft of clerkship, that of her own accord «he would give up her Sunday in order to « extend " letters taken in shorthand simply that the decks might be clear for another batch on Monday Khofning. Meanwhile strange things were stirring in the busi- ness-hardened h^n of ShiUabeer — tHfngs of which no member of his huge ^fF suspected him. Down -in the vulgar depths of his tfeing, sonJething not dominated by the multiplication table was swiftly leavening the lump The love of women, self-sacrifice, comradeship _ these had been to Nathaniel Shillabeer mere words invented to put a higher price upon a purchasable article. He understood all about that. ^ It was on his level. In like manner he had no pleasu^^e in a sunset or a sunrise. But he understood that other people had. So he was ready to pay a large price foj^a picture of a sunset painted by an eminent hand. And yet at that very tnoment the flush of sunrise was stealmg over h.S^own dark nature. tJpon the following morning the deferential de% was at the ofKces before h.m. He was not so clever as H. Radford Eaton, and hitherto he had not received nearly so much of his mas- ter s confidence. But in this matter of his private secreteiy, and the Sunday work at the office, Nathaniel Shdhbeer vaguely felt that he would rather trust the dctcreiu*-! clerk Ttenr Mr. *^— So unheralded and gentle as a cloudless dawn, grace r"?/L^, u' '•"^- "• ^^^^^°^^ ^«°" ^« clever, th.u|ht ShdUbeer. He received (and earned) . con- H3 iA^- \^h^ 1 ..* as "7," / lone March _ « Good-morning, Miss March," he said as he ent*«^ the room. "Doyouknow,IfeeIaperfeLo«TeT pnving you at pnce of your Sunday's nleasur/.n! f i!' society of your friends." ^ ^ ^"'^^ *"** °^ '^'^ ^ uJZr'i"i""^fy '"^ ^"^°"' '^'^^^ as she stood up to shake hands. She was still glowing from her Wa^k m the crisp November air from L stadonTf the Wedjunday dole of district trains had made her a • " I have no friends in this city," she said. " « I went to early service at a little, old, ivy-covered church on the other side of the river ; and, for the rest, I am ve^^ gad to be at work, Sunday or Saturday. It makes oltd so much less lonely in the midst of all these people." Mr. Shillabeer did not answer. Words seemed some- how to have flowed away from him. He must get down iMm back to hunse f. He went and sat opposite lone af the best-hghted end of the great work-table. Here for some hours, with the ease and tireless patience of a true man of busmess, he proceeded to dictate letters and draft agreements connected with the establishment of a paper tb appear simultaneously in England and America, which was destmed to become the official organ of the World's Wisdom Emporium. In lone's fingers the swift pencil flew along in curved and dots while her heart raced gladly after it. She did not muph like Mr. ShiUabeer, but she was stopping dis- ^" iJl""- i^^^""^^' have p refen-ed certainly I ^ -teft atefil- mirk- »k=-i=rr::r:rrr^- ^ TT^" _ J '■^ >^^~ wittr The raucous Impersonality of the phono- gniph, to which she could say irreverently, « O shut up, will you r when it went too fiist for the tapping of her lA.- *i„ 'Y > >- Messrs. Eaton and Webstei T^Z u'yT^'''';'^ a^n^panylng he/wonls with a petulan cl.ck » as she shut off the wheezy giggle of the needle on the cylinder. Then she . would ^have • kughed to herself, purely from excess of pleasure in this new and useful. career. But, though she would have preferred the phonograph, yet, for the sole sake of being tTl' 'u^^'l ^'"'^S to spend the day wither Shillabeer rather than walk in Hyde Park with the possi- ^ bihty of pne of her father's friends iwoghising her, or even remain in her lodgings listening to the chatter Ind answenng the questions of Jane Allen. At half-past four tea was laid on, the tai?le between them by the youth bland of countenance, who, so far as Shdkbeer's .^s concerned, answered to the name of Webster Mr. Shillabeer asked lone to serve thTim- promptu httb meal. The girl, whose loosely bo nd nd Mnbusmesshke ha.r had by this time run into'a distressful tangle of love-locks, pushed the most irrepressible and intrusive of these harlc fr^«, u u "=>'"ic ana m.n^ K 1 J I ^^'^ *"'°^» ^n*'' with her. mmd balanced between her letter book and the type- wnter, obeyed. She proceeded to pour out tea n an abstracted and impersonal manner. , t£ "'^ and' ^^7 "' ^""'S^ °"'cr^°^ ^"^ ' ''"'^> Missm^h, and taiji! ^ sa.d«> Mr. Shillabeer, reaching ove.; in h.s decisive way, and clearing away the Mris ^ P^^ which lone ba#^^„.Lcorn^:;^h" where to fin^ them again ! » cried^one, laySTher hand "^pulsively up6n his^ist. ThAarm L'ch ofTe . Mr. NathW Shillabeer returned to his seat feding, forihe first time in his life, bashful. He became con scous all at once of an overpowering want in his ll '45 f p. H* •W .^j u -;t.' p lone Marc ^He lookef Way fgbn;! ^^one Uross the streetsa^^he p^^ emplfk i^h^^ a city Sunday, " the faint hb|;;^dour, lif^bles aA^ bJacic-beetles whick pervaded e**fjHihing, so^i^d ia typify h|ji^n 1^* "^ . "WhSta*>plIhave4e#V^#U m.^ce on hil4rist w^ oi i^^|f .ii^e lar* fool you d're ! '^^ repifft A^ither side of rd at strife to keep the mastery. " »' This is ity, your paid servant.. ^ She is a pretty girt, lilt so are others. Doubtleis she wants to catch Jfoii, aft others have tried. She wa||f^; yoar money. You i^n'ow you can get anything for moi^y ! " ^, But the dawning soUl of Shillabeei?krould not now be ' t^ke;i in so cheaply. He recognised the arguments as those of (Fet us say) Mr. Chadford Eat|»^. « No," cried the Dawn of Gnce, coming nearer to the horizon, " this girl is solely eagei«if-for work.' She has no Resigns, no, artifice. But there radiates from her clean soiil soiiikething you* want and have not got. Have you a frien4 in the world? Eaton— .Webster — the Honourables who win your hioney ? Tush — ^ friends ! You knov^ better, Nathaniel Shillabeer ! But this girl if she loved you, if she would stand shoulder to shoulder with you, life would be a new thing ! She understands • the poetry of business. Why,, she and you would go over the whole earth; you two would animate the world!" All this (and much more) passed thmugh Shillabeer's mind while lone was distributing with a touch, caressing ^nd almost ;You are forgetting li HiililllJii said. ■■ •' 'smiled, ind glanced up " It ft a li^le cold," she sail 146 v. iurbed papjers iss March ! ** 3 It matters.* '•2iffi5te- / '. ">. > . \\ Messrs. Eaton and Webster " But it (foes cried Shjllabecr. matter me get you another cuj And with prompt and careful hand he was as good as his word. lone, bent upon her work, took all these attentions as she had been accustomed to take such things, not understanding the revolution whiqli must have come over her master's soul that he should even dream of doine * them. ^ But the deferential Webster understood, or thought he did. For at that moment, opening the door to remove the tray, he saw his master in the. act of pouring out Miss March's second cup of tea. He closed tjie door softly, and went downstairs smiling and muttering to himself. Hie was notetigaged to carrjr trays for private secretaries, he repeated to himself. But he did not think of Saying so much to Mjj^ Nathaniel Shillabeer, for he . knew very certainly the great man's answer to that. But nevertheless' he promised himself some amuse- ment frorti the business, and in the long run he would take it out of the girl. At that moment Webster, the cunning and deferential, heard a rap at the outer door. It :^as .^^culiar.and yet unobtrusive. « Hello, that 's Chadford ! " he said. « I wonder what 's his little game in the City of a Sunday ! He ain't ordered to attend on little birds of private secretaries." He paused and chuckled again. « Lor', though, how he 'II laugh vyhen I tell him ^ J| '^WSbstef opene^Jlie door, and as he had anticip'ated, ' f there stood ]Vf«: Ht ©hadford Eaton, rigged out in his Stind^ ^st, a new tall h;tt, and the trousers wjiich had «o/.been split by Kis rftcei^^""'''*"* "^^ ■*? ^accident. MiS'l ==^*=WwH|H^whi8pereid7Wcbsfe^^ mostly by a motion of his lips.'^^ " "What 's uij ? " i^nalled Mfe Eaton as cauifiousTyf' ■ i t . .f-iHi^^K'-li-^. L„«i'!iiiit»;K Messrs. Eaton and Webst.er « It might, but it won't," paid Mr. taton, biting the imitation ivory head of his walking-cane. Webster stared. WH^T^^r',.""? •" ^" ^•'^ quickly, "not know? Why, I 11 tell them. I would n't keep it to myself for a thousand pounds ! " "It may be worth less -perhaps more; anyway, you'll keep it." ^ ^ Again Webstei- gazed open-mouthed at his mentor who sat caressing his moustache with the front angles of the (imitation) ivory handle. As he did not speak, Websteir suddenly lost his temper.' «\^hat is this rot, anyway?" he said fiercely, Don^t sit grinning there like a monkey with a hare, lip ! Put a name on your little gat**ie. What is it ? " " He is pouring out her tea, you said ? " " I told you so," retorted Webster. « Don't get shirty," said H. Chadford Eaton calmly. " Quit your handle-sucking, and speak out, if you 'vc got anything to say ! " Webster said « anytbiai " "What else was there?" said Mr.^Eaton, leaning his chin on the cane handle and looking up. " She had her hand on his wrist. I saw her ' " Mr. H. Chadford Eaton whistled a long, low, mellow "Stash that, for God's sake! You'll have down ! " i>, , " He 's too busy," said Mr. Eaton calmly. " Well Porky shows his usual good judgment, I will say that tor him; though, as he don't know, who the lady is It &bBund to be instinct." ' ■o the lady is?" said ^ Webster slowl y. Thca^ rlighfedup., « Why,- Is she such a bad 'un ? Is" wanted ? Has she done * time ' ? '*« "Done «time/ you Jool!" chuckled H. Chadford. % ' " "49 V t X. ' „ ".^.'j -t ■1SWP" A ■V lone March ; « Some day you '11 do * time ' for being such an eternal soft. Miss Mar^ippMII^ t^JOM. and »s worth about three millibns s'terling at the present rate of ^change." He leaned back and contemplated at his |;a»e the effect of liis announcement upoh Webster. Uflbelief, doi^bt, uncertainty, calculation, self-interest, vanity, hope, chasfed each other across that ordinarily inexprcssiye countenance.. For net result, Mr. Webster stepped to a tiny glass fixed between three nails on the sweating w^ll, '^:^nd refolded his cravat so as to show the, cleanest side. . ]i "^°" *^°"'' "^^2" I* •' " he said ; but the cock of his head as he regarded the cravat showed that H^hought otherwise liimself. "" % Mr. Chadford Eaton smiled and nodded. i^on't be giving yourself taffy, Webby," he said, with intense cryptic meaning. « This is n't your little show— it h n't ^n mine. There 's better in it^fcr us than that !-" l^* % ^t, '" "S" ' ^ f^^ ^ehster, witX a grip upon his safety- valv^Me'#cognised the difficulty of hupiying his comrahfbn, and waited for him to go,jon. " !^M^'^'^ '* ^^^ daughter of'ian American gov- ernor -<^S of Vicero^i or dppe^ord Lieutenant, I judge.' ' fife has rto end of mosftey, and IS/^ M^h vfill get it all, ev?.iy cent. .^jj0i.;^ii^ n't I nearl^^tch up on a big rock wjuja I s&do\yed her out of Battersea that night? Luc^Hphe^d n't*know me again !" "And what is^e <^ng here in" Ludgate Hill as Porky^s secretary, then, if she 's a millionairess, / should like to know ? " said Webster, with an attempt at a *sneer.. 1 ^5.. 1 "You won't know," retorted H. Chadford Eaton, with sudden truculence, "unless you keep your silly mouth shut. — tight shut, from this out, do you hear ? " 'SO ::»:..: J 9^ M^ 'yt^- Messrs. Eaton and Webster Mr. Webster preserved entire silence. " Now listen," continued Mr. Eaton, after a long belligerent pause. "I'll only tell you once. Miss March was engaged to a bloke her pa wanted her to marry. He was' up to some games (he did n't say what) that she did n't cotton to. /Fhe usual thing, I suppose. Well, she kvbked ovi^ thg traces, and came off to earn her own living. Now do '^^u understand ? " " And 'what has all that ^ot to do with us ? " said Webster acrimonioicly. He .was in " the Intelligence Department, and resented, Mr. Chadford Eaton's tone. " Nothing^ to do with you, my friend^ nor with any chunu) like you ! " retorted Chadford coolly ; "not un- less I take you in with me — which I wouldn't do ex- ^cept that I need a pal to work this thing properly. There are two people to be made squeal - — maybe three, and it spreads it too much for one man." lyik Webster said nothing, but waited for his principal to }ntinue. N " Now," said Mr. Eaton, " an heiress does n't get lost without having people looking after her. So her fj father is on the trail, also the young man she threw over. He's taken it jolly hard, poor bloke! jH^J^ey're both as rich as the Bank of England, too. '^AiUmr- 1 know ^em both ! " liiWF " You know them both ? " gasped tWebster. " How did you come to knock up against a plant like that ? " ,' "^w^Sf Mr. Chadford Eaton took off his glossy hat deliber- ;|tely, blew some dust from the brim with scrupulous ckre, tried if he could see his face in the top by turning it at different angles, and spoke, — *llt all- comea-^r k ee ping g o od socie t y, dea i^ bo y > — l t> am a member of a quiet little sporting club, wher« various things are done that would n't interest you. There I meet, we shall say, Mr. Jones from America. 151 i*V- l'*-*ifi.« aftiVaW ) lone March I find put who he is -I get chummy with him He •f 1 will help h.m m a l.ttle private matter in which he does not want to appear publicly. I say that I shaJl be « Wi^' "^^"^ " *"'' ""'*^ S""" • " ^"^"•'■'^d Webster. ' Why to marry the girl, of course. No, not al- together because she 's an heiress, I think. He don't need that, with all that 's coming to him. But :_ we"l parJfm her eye, and -he wants her! That's fbout " But how ? " ' "I am coming to that. In the meantime over and above th^e's the old man. He is writing and cablL^^^ to sIm h '>" *° '"' ''^ '^"S^^-- h' ^^ writ n to Shillabeer's, even. Now, that's your biz You rwrvoL;:r'^«v°^'^" ^^g>^^^'e I'liattl^d to love s young dream. Do you catch on ? " u^xJl''"' "°''*^'*^ somewhat uncertainly. What s my share ? " he said. « I must be in on the ground floor, mind ! No kiddin' with me "' My remarkably fresh friend," murmured Eaton eanmg a Intle nearer him, ccyou will come in just^S You'cln't n '' ' '^ •" ^'^ ^'"'' - "P - ^»^-oo" You cant afford to quarrel with me. So listen You II have your fair half of whatever you can get It' of the anxious parent, and ten per cent, on all I ra^e out of skittish beauty and the hymeneal alta . yZ can have that — or nothing." «r. xou Mr. Webster smiled a little ^n ujW but appcorxiL^^ prefer «that--tol™i£Jn^~'^^^^P**"*^^*^ « Well," said Mr. Eaton, rising and shaking the le« 152 ° ':f,,m .v. v./ (( Messrs. Eaton and Webster his trousers to settle the folds straight down the front, emember th.s .s only the first act. Porky is playing h.s own game for all it is worth. By-and-by he '11 Zl himself away. He simply can't help it. You knl and fl.ng ^er job m a hufF. She will be friendlesi alone- Beauty m distress at the Adelphi, with the snow commg down as big as half-crowns, and her eyes lik^ wUow-pattern saucers. When that happens (a^7t W , you and I must be on hand. We will bring up the Wer-,f we can in ,Jme to rescue, in any caj to'con! sole. We can work ,t so that she will be mighty glad to see Mr. -Jones, let us call him. After thatTwhy wha 's the matter with St. George's, Hanover SqlTj -plus a leetle American cheque to come the way of 'yours obediently, H. Chadford Eaton ' ? " « That 's all very well for you, Chadford ; and from rtie way thmgs are going up there, you had better have your man on the spot, to be ready for the noble-hero business. But where do I come in ? And what 's the old man got to do with it ? " « Oh, the anxious parent is an understudy," said Ea on 1,,,,^. a B„t it 's the same old part,';evis d on' h JT T"'' "' ^""t"^- "^ "^°'^ '^^ back, don t he ? He s our second string. He will pay for .on of that quahtyjs an expensive article. We must on J '. ; :i^r' °^" - ' ^aton & Webste confidential ag^W , fiers to be addressed to my ^ digs^ You w. 11 keep tnk/f Ji^ if he writes to DepLmfnt Z collar h,s letters as they come in. If necessary, you must go over to America and see him' " _ -^;WonTpipt^ wanted them married, did n't he ? _«Yesi but the noble hero won't split. «53 He knows a lone March-* s> 1 ") whispered Webster, with suddenly " He 's coiping. What shall -^e do ? game worth two of that. He is going to work the 'Live your own life, but give me the. right to deftfld you' racket. So as soon as ever Porky^ Hello ! What 's that ? " .\, * "It's him ! ' whitened face. > He '11 kill us ! " " Go out and meet him," whispered Chadford, push- ing his friend to the door. " Keep mm from coming in her^ ! " Deferential Webster, White and scared, hurried out. " Why did you not come when I called ?" demanded Shillabeer fiercely, from the middle of the stajrs. " I did not hear you, sir. I was up^ all night with toothache, and may have fallen asleep ! " '\ " Go to Cooledge's, and order dinner for two, to be sent in immediately. Serve it yourself when it comes.'*^ And the chief of Shillabeer's trampled away upstairs 'again. . Webster returned to his friend,"trembling from head to foot. : t ' "Narrow call th*^ time, Webby- ! " sai(| ]Vlr. Chad- ford Eaton, to show that he\vas not afraid. But his companion did hot answer. He looked about for a cap, and went hastily out without speaking. As soon as he was gone, Mr. Eaton laid his glossy hat carefully on a chair, tooi^off his patent leathftf boots^ and stole^ upstairs on his stocking soles. ^ It was- an extreme step tp\ take,j?ven ih the interests of business, but he W3S abundantly reWarjJei For this is^ what he heard. ' ' * ir At the-gi^at table in the office lone March was still sitting. She had pushed away th^^iles of cbrrespon- denoe, finished and unfinished, and nov^,$at looking up . at Nathaniel Shillabeer with the fr^je aB^iunembarcassed. . . I''.. ' Ti'., ■4, Af « ■ .",v. i^^ ...•^. 'Mi^' A.{- '1^ Messrs. Eaton and Webster gaze of an interested companion. The great man paced to and fro, rest|^ss as a caged tiger, and declaimed vividly; His ^subject wis the future glories of Shillabeer's, and as he spoke his voic^trembled, and a shiny top-dressing of perspiration began to appear in beads upon his forehead. ' « Miss March, up to this point I have worked it all alone, unaided," he said, gesticulating with his hands as he talked. " No humart.^being has ever suggested, helped, encouraged, me in anything. But, though you may not believe it. Miss lone, I am a man who needs friendship — who above all others would appreciate help, love, sympathy." f , /' '^'^^se things are not sp necessary as you suppose," said lone. " I cime out. into the world because ii had too much of them." ^ ^Shilkbeer hardly seemed to notice her words. Like n^st on«iIdaed men, he wS^ not easily turned aside ffom the metals^ which he had 'laid down to carry his purposes. He paused before Jone's chair, and gazed fixedly at .her. , . ' . "I am glad you consented to wait dinner with me. I have sonvething to say to you — something imp9rtant." t ("It is comihg now — lucky J 've got my man over there In waiting," chuckled H.#had ford. Eaton, on his , knees on the mat outside, and *is ear glu6d to the kev-' hole.) • ■ . ^ 4 « Of course I am glad to Vait,*' said lone. « I think we might finish these specifications to-night; if ydu don't -^incj^ And besides, I am afraid that I was so happy »t the idea of working here.all day,^that I forgot to order any supper at my lodgings." , ' % ■ s *! ("Ah ! " murmurdd Mr. E^tp^, wishing that keyholes had been larger, and his ear and eye so arranged that he cbuld have used both at the same tfilhe.J ■^ x '^ " Miss March," he heard his master say ^xt,^ " what % \ / ^:, Sl-'.^ 'I n 'WS ▼ V .'- ■ % tf „ * / /••... '"■■;#'■ '"Y"" '•(* J 1 ' "i(i''vr-^-»" ,4 I ' % lone March 1 have, to 'say may seem extraordinaiy to you, but I am a man who has found it best to be direct and plain I have never believed much in ' love,' in the sentimental sense of the word. Byt you have made me think other things '' , ' "That 's good enough ! It is coming. Sharp 's rile word now - 1 Ml bring my man over," murmured Mr Eaton nsmg from his l^nees; "besides, I hear that fool Webby clattering dishes down there. He '11 be up here in a mmute with the soup tureen if I don't stop him " And so saying, he stole down to the cockroach-haunted cell where he had left his hat and boots. It was nearly an hour after this when the deferential Webster, coming with two cups of cofFee towards the door of the inner office in which dinner had been served almost stumbled over two young men. He checked the exclamation which rose involuntarily to his' lips. Then^ the listeners heard the voice of lone March, a little .. moved as if by ^ome crisis of feeling, but presently steadying itself in the act of speech. "No, Mr. ShiUabeer," she said, «I cannpt consent .to remam m your employment after what has taken place." "Let me beseech of you," the man's voice came hoarse and tremuloiis; "this need make no difference between us. I will never refer to it again. I teU you I need companionship, help " " It cannot be," said lone. "It shall be — it mu§t be ! I cannot permit you to go thus. You shall not ! " r / v « Let me go, Mr. ShiUabeer I " Outside on' the landing Mr. Eaton signed to thfe man behind him that the hour was come. He opened the . door and stepped back. This is what the three spies MW. lone stood by the mantelpiece, her gloves on her Messrs. Eaton and Webster ' hands and her satchel over her arm. Papersy and plans were scattered in confusion about the floor.' In front of her, and barring her Vay to flfhe doir, stood the powerful figure of Nathaniel Shillabeer, his face drawn ^ and whitened with intense feeling, his hand outstretched to take the girl by the shoulder. '^^ Kearney Judd felt that his chance h^d come. He was certainly in no wise destitute of courage, for he rushed forward instantly and caught Shillabeer by the arm, twisting him rbund out of lone's way. "Miss March, J am here to save you," he cried; . " in my presence you^bave nothing to fear." lone and Shillabeer gazed at Kearney in absolute astbnishment. Then it struck the girl that her cruelty must have driveri the young man mad, and a remorseful wave swept over her that she had so completely for- gotten him. "And pray who may you hi? " ^ said Shillabeer, .recovering himself, and staring at ' t|ie intruder. " I am the representative of Miss .March'* family," Kearney said valiantly, "and I give you notice that in my p;-esence Miss March is safe from your insults ! I am armed, sir ! " ' - \'^ And from his tail-pockets he produced ^g'revolver in a manner somewhat undramatic, owing to the fact that -. he could not locate the pocket-hole til| the third attempt. "Insuhs? — My insults to Miss March!" said Shillabeer, his eyes widening. He bit his lip, a frown darkened his brow, and his fists began to clench themselves. "Yes," cried Kearney, encouraged by his own dis- ' play bf armament ; « I give you notice that if you do ^ • not freely allow Miss March to leave yoi,u be good enough to infor.^ him what has passed between us?." ^ tot \'' Shillabeer i,as done me the favour to ask me o be h.s wife, said lone frankly ; u ,„ honour which I was forced to decline. ' Mr. Shillabeer then urged me to reniam in hjs employment notwithstanding what had pas^d. Jhat w.s alK Have you anything to object' Kearney flushed crimson. He felt he had been duped. I thought—." he stammered, turning from one ^^the^ther. « j ^j^^ed Your clerk informed nu^^TT^^ ^'' no further, but looked about for Mr/ ^ Chadford Eaton, who cowered out of sight. lone re- garded him a moment calmly and dispassionately. "Mr Shillabeer,' she said, "will y^u accompany me for a moment ? I can with confidence leave these gentlemen to your care." Nathan^l Shillabeer offered lone his-arm with instant abcnty though with a gloomy countenance. And as the giri a:nd".he\ passed down the stair, they caught a glimpse of Mr. Eaton shrinking back against the locked door of Department Z. "Do not move, gentlemen, till I return," said Shilla- beer^^sternly " I have something to say to each of you. He did not speak again tillhc had opened the street door, apd fone held out her hand. A lamp-lighter was lighting the nearest lamp on the pavement. Its beams fell suadenly^ellc,w through the grey gloom on the tense face of ShiUabcer. 1 M %• «2f*' • Messrs. Eaton and Webstor "Will you not alter your mind ?« he said, with a pleading quiver in his voice, strange in so rough a man. lone sfiboJc her head. ;^* I cannot," she said; "things could nfever be as befoi-e beto^een us. But all ^he same I shall never forget yoOr kindness to me.\, She held out both her hands impulsively, pulling off her gloves to give them to him. He caught h^r' fingers, and crushed them in a sti^g man'Wierce nervous grasp. T^ "You will not forger," he said, " if you ever' need a friend, where you can assuredly find one ? " ^ " I will not forget ! " she, said, tears coming Ij^nto her eytes, and a sense of cdmpression hardening to constric- tiort about her throat ; " yoi hav^befen veiy good to me. I almost wish I could ! " "Don't trouble about it," he said gently ; " it will come all right ! " !, And with an awkward gesture he dropped one of the girl's hands, and lifted the otherjjfo his lips for an instant. Then he vartisheti within, locking the door after him. lone was left on the «tep under the pale gaslights with a suddfen sense of lonelin'ess. 'She drew pn her gloves slowly. Thertp was a warm place on her right hand, where the rough, strong man had kissed it, and a warm place also in her heart when she remembered ^ Nathaniel' Shillabeer. ghe smiled^ a littlfe sadly. *' I could n't, of course," she murm'ured }/« but I Shall not foi]get him —fever. He loved me for myself alone." "Get yoiiq^'ansom. Miss I "c/ied a, smart boy, who Saw her hesitation. " Show you Ihe way to St. Paul's , Miss — hevenin' service just qn ! '.' "Thank you, I will take a 'bus," said lone, glanc- ing up for the last time at the beplacafded front o^ the -/ «h '''A "\ '"■I n .■ '■>-'• i^ ' 4.<(ir..'- * fB^-rH r^ \ ' lone March " ^ World's Wisdom Emporium. «I wonder " ^/"^aa a' - hcrsdf,uif ever I shal, be so happ7aga:n." T^ , • . , But within othtr thihgs were happra^ns whiJh n,eJ not b. expressed in detail. Sufficiem .h« ^i ht h f three Battered and dishevelled young men had Cached •he pavem,„t_in detachments of one aM time The- ^" And what do you think of yV precious plan now' Mr. Napoleon;- Junior," sneered Webster, "and whL' are you go.ng to do ab^t getting me into a new cri^^ chrlntled."''' "' "^'^ ^''''^" .^-" -" "« be \. ^A.J'-''*,. ■^v t66 »^':-;., CHAPTER "XVIII I', , . , TWO ^WAIFS OF THE CITY ' IN this cataclysmic fashion lone found herself once . rtiore at" a loose fend. The World's Wisdom Emporium had clin\axed like a blown soap-bubble. While it lasted Shillabeer's had indeed afforded her a lib- eral salary, Iniich more than sufficient for her moderate needs. And of that, together with the money she^ had brought from Switzerland, there remamed just forty pounds, which seemed quite enoi^h to live;^ upon till she should find something else to do. Her little fortun^he determined to bank at an American Exchange for safe keeping, and tor'draw enough for her weekly expenses as occasion detnandetHf' /■' She it)entioned her trouble to Jane Allen, thougl^ without telling her the whole of the interview with fflflP^ late principal. " No," Coincided Jane, somewhat wistfully. " I sup- pose you cou\d ^I't marry him. But it's a pity all the same. Up till now I've always been sorry I 'm not as pretty as you : but then on the other hand, people don't fall in love with me, so that I 've got to give up a good place to keep out of their way. But Vhat are you going to do, lone ? Secretarying is hard to get, and, besides, you have very likely had enough of it. Have you ever acted ? " "Well, yes " confessed lone ; "that is, I've often played with amateurs. Many of the big hotels abroad have quite nice theatres." "What have you acted in ?" « II i6i ■X. ^*-' iohc March "^ r. "u^? r""". '*'^' "^'^^ ^^'^ "'"^ things for amateurs — Ophelii, Lady Macbeth, Rosalind, and - well XadL" Jane Allen cried out with sudden laughTer , J T "^If ''^ '?' Shakespeare women are no good " she said, when she had recovered « but th. u j n^igh. , ,p 3 ,,,,. Anyway, you^outlforath: on t|,e stage. You are too tall for ^ soubrette thoufh but you would do famously for a weeper or . V A- juvenile." ^ ^ , ^ "^^^P^"^ o"^ a leading " But I have had no training, an^' ± " 2. ;; Who ? _ Madge Tremont ? " queried lone. « We 1, not quite. My friend is n't exactly the star ../," smded Jane Allen. . Indeed, she donX^oCnVav anythmg to say ; but once she had to cough\nd khock down a book when she was a waiting Lid, so tha^^ Madge Tremont vljould know tb,t she was there, and not be gomg ori too much with her young man " said W ^"'""^ """ ^^ ^^"'"^ °" '" '''' profession,- • « Susie La Valliere, yes - I should just say.^oT'' Wh^ she can whistle better than any girl I ever heard -the treble on one side of her mouth, and the bass at the ^ other, as natural as life. And as soon as there's a whisthng part at the ' Sobrie^,' they 're just bound to » ' ir. " ^ ^^'' '^^''" she 'IJ. farock the star all to fit*. Madge Tremont won't be in it ' " ^ « What is a whistling part, Jane ? " « Oh, sort of sohg ai/d dance you know I Dandy n.gger boy from.Ole Virginia, Alabama Coon with a \Z hat and trousers made ofth'e stars and stripes. Nigg^ are rather 4W j^st ftow, but they 're sure to Cornells- 162/ \ -^ sm^mm"' .'Wi>fiim,~'im^»mtm ■'■,■; :^^:,..•{: ■A -^ %"yh Two Waifs of the City ^ again before long. I '11 run across and talk to Susie to- day." lone had no great faith in the ability of Miss Susie La Valliere to whistle her into a good place at the '* So- briety." Besides .which she felt herself quite unable to compete with a gifted lady who could whistle the treble with one side of her mou^h, even without taking into account the bass upon the other. Nevertheless she thanked Jane, and intimated her intention of accompany- ing her into town;, lone was not the girl to sit down and wait (as her father ufed to sky of a lazy man) " for a million a month job at doing nothing to come along." ' That afternoon the two girls started together far ' ,,, the American Exchange, to open the wonderful bank account. At the coraer of the Common it came on to ram, and they boarded a tramcar into which many nurses and children, who had been enjovihg a breath of com- ' paratively fresh air,^ were crowdim Amongst others who made their way in wa# a^ stFong, dark-browed, country-Iqokmg woman, pusHing a litt-le girl before her The chilcf was in the rudest gf health. Her face shone round as the full moon _ either apple-cheek .deeply ' stained with red. Her eyes, small, beaded, and>lack i sloes, were fixed on a basket of cher^es, from which she was catmg steadily witH the.mostacBsolute confidence iA her powers of digestion. *' '.* ■' Just opposite,, upon the 1c«ee of, a ytung widow in >- deep mourning, was perched .a chifpf angther mould and world.- Slight, pale, dainty, and refined, she, sat ' watching with a-certain vague wistfulncss the operations of the exuB^fant gourmand. , - Once or twice she whispcted something to her Mother, but the widow shook her h. at the interruption, and coi i>^ i6j f querulous impatience P to stjtre abstractedly t :■* lone March out of the window through the transparent advertise- ments of soap-extracts and cut tobaccos^*' But presently the mother of the cherry-eater, who was jovially talkative and interested in all her neighbours, caught sight of the little girl seated on her mother's knee. She stooped down and said something to her own daughter, who however only frowned and went on eating. * " Offer some of your cherries to the little lady," she repeated audibly, delivering the sentence as if it had been an actual box on the side of the head instead of only a forewarning of one. With the sulkiest and most unwilling of airs, the little kl turned over the contents of her basket. With care Id deliberatioji she selected the very smallest and most [ripe of her cherries, which she offered to her dainty ighbour seated opposite. She was thanked with the most charming of smiles, and an inclination of the head whkh would have done credit to a court. Then the pale fa^ was turned-uo_to the mother for permission to eat the cl "Thank you very much," she said, when this had been safely accomplished. " It is very good; indeed I " But from the donor there came no response. Her anguish of minjl was extreme. In frembling haste lest her mother should insist on further generosity, she began to cram the remaining cherries into her mouth literally by handfuls, till even Jane Allen grew alariped. "That -child will for a certainty choke herself on the stones, if she is allowed to go on shovelling the cherries into her mouth like that ! " she whispered to lone. ".Perhaps like your whistling friend, she keeps one side of her mouth for the cherry, and the other for the, stone," returned lone. " Oh, will y«u just lo«k ? " murmured Jane Allen, 164 ''^v^^ Two Waifs of the City in an awed whisper, catchtag her companion by the wrist, "lone, it is quite true. She is dropping the stones into Ker lap as she cits — three or four at a tin{e — what a perfect little pig ! *' JS|l • ^ Just then the epicure, reachi^PKe bottomTbf her basket, and it was with an absolute sigh pf rciief that the last cherry disappeared down her throaj. Not one more could possibly be torn from her. And now with - all anxieties past she sj^t eyeing the interloper, as if mentally hoping tha^ the oi\e ravishetl. clieriy might disagree with her. .. " The widow and tfie little girl made ready to get out at the end of the tramway line. Jane and lon^ followed them. As they did sq a gentleman came forward and lifted his hat to the widow. It was Keith Harford. A vivid blush rose to loneJS face and she turned sharply round, hoping to lescape -unnoticed by the other side of the car. But she was too late," Keith Harford had spied her; and with the slightest elevation of eyebrow, he lifted his hat to her also. " Miss March," he cried, ^fter he had shaken hands with the young widow ; "you are not going to run off without spe;^king to me» I am {surprised % see you in this part of London. I did not even know that you^ were in Engird." Ipie nodded with some vexation, knowing that the « colour was rising to her neck, and would before long be beaconing agitation from her cheeks. ' " I came over some months ago," she answered curtly enough. " Will you allow me to introduce my sister-in-lavv,^ Mrs. Vincent Harford," he said, "and also my pet sweetheart. Angel ? " " I like you," cried the pale little girl impulsively, running ^p and taking hold of lone's hand. " I loved you i6s ik % V i^' ¥1 ' ft ^)f I- '■■:'^, V 'y Jii^ /.:w»* in Marcus. His wife rumpled his hair down over his brow, till his blue eyes looked ruefully forth from the tangltf like an owl out of an ivy bush.' "It's nice, loii; just try it I Curls like that over the forehead tickle your hand so cunningly when you stroke them. ^She won't, horrid thing! Ne-cvvy-er Or in a strajige h say, *Good-h You 're welco Only I don't women are si Ahd so on. f/w \t «. ■^4, 1 r . '% lone March ' ■ ■■ \ . and holding to the tree, I saw the light move and darken below, and then flicker and brighten in the windows above, And then — and then — after a while I saw it put out. It rained out there by the tree, and, the big broad drops fell on my face. But I did not ctre, for I fell down and lay all night in the wet like one dead. " And next day I was taken to the hospital, for it, was brain fever, I had. And it was eight months and many things had happened before I came out again, the shadow of the girl that- walked along that road from the little station, all to see Joseph Broome's wife standing at the door. B^t/when I came home I sent him all the sheets that were not marked and the other things I had got rtiidy. And .he took. them. But you see these were marked, and so I could not send them. For I heard, that her .name was Alicd." « And all the time Jane Allen knelt by lon^s bedside, holding the linen in her thin fingers, smootTlng it and touching 'ifjgently as if it had been a dead child, turning the nam? .iliis way and that as she looked at the pretty neat black lettering. The water was running steadily down her cheeks now, and with the begirtiing of that the diy sob had ceased., Suddenly, however, the- girl threw her face forward, and with her brow siuib dj^ lone's shoulders, she cried out in paift. " Oh) I think I would ri't have minded if he had n't . stroked her just like he u$ad to do me. on the rh^^V T > ' i-^,"")*' •,i .-.- *. Came mome imitation — all iron girders and cockroaches ! " put in Marcus. His wife rumpled his hair down over his brow, till his blue eyes looked ruefully forth from the tangle like an owl out of an ivy bush.' "It's nice, loii; just try it! .gurls like that over the forehead tickle your hand so cunningly when you stroke them. ^She won't, horrid thing! Ne^vvr-er f lone March and holding to the tree, I saw the light move and darb below, and then flicker and brighten in the windov above, And then — and then — after a while I sa it put out. It rained out there by the tree, andAtl big broad drops fell on my face. But I did not Sit for I fell down and lay all night in the wet like or dead. „ ' " And next day I was taken to the hospital, for it, ws brain fever ^I had. And it was eight months and man things had happened before I came out again, the shadow of the girl that' walked along that road from the littl station, all to see Joseph Broome's wife standing at th door. B^t/when I came home I sent him all the sheet that were not marked and the other things I had go rtiidy. And .he took. them. But you see these wer marked, and so I could not send them. For I hear that her .name was Alicd." ^ And all the time Jane Allen knelt^ by lon^s bedside holding the linen in her thin fingers, smootSng it anc touching 'i^ntly as if it had been a dead child, turning the nam? .Ais way and that as she looked at the prettj neat black lettering. The water was running steadilj down her cheeks now, and with the begirtning of thai the diy sob had ceased., Suddenly, however, the girl threw her face forward, and with her brow sunb on in a strsuige land. I shan't cry. No^ sir ! I shall just., say, *Good-by«j, Mr. Man — pleased to have met you. You 're welcome to the other girl, if you can get her.' , Only I don*t believe shfc 'd look at you — though some women are such flirts, it's perfectly hqrridl" Ahd so on. • * Or »3S kiii^lh Jf c?» .t^'&"?M ■Ik f^ *(if* .' I •,i darken indows I saw nd.,tibe" t care, :e one it, was many hadow s little at the sheets id got were heard. dside, it and irning pretty :adi|y • that irgirl id n't . olr T 'lA' r ' Jane Allen's ."yragedy "Jane," she said, "get into bed at once ! " ' - ., ," I must put these back," she sai^, checking her sobs quickly and rising to her feet. *»You will catch cold -^ I will ^ that," returned lonp. ~ . . , : fiq lone took the linen sheets, and leaving Jane Allen .• . m her warm place, she went into her friend's room. . , The little bureau was open. Op the bed lay a folded - dress, ipf.white^un's veiling, with lace and a- blue rosette ^^f ribbons upon it at the shoulder — a poor, tawdry,; .home-made thing. But the same hard woman's sob ' "l^S""^ ^T^'' throat as. she gazed, for she Jcnew that ; Sheikas looking '> the ^"edding-dresS of her that should ^have been Jane Bropme. So sy^ftly and reverently she *^3^^ *— '•'"*^" ^°''" P"^^^' ^"*^ nestled the faded white " ' ^iKg^^^'^r- Pn top. As she pulled it i^ff the bed, a' P'cliJ^y half revealed underneath the pillow. Iqne o^uld not help- looking. atv it by the light of the candle. It renresented i'verv cmiifr_lr.«u;«~ ..„ .. It represented A^vefjr smug-looking young m|n with short muttpnchop whiskers, his abundant ha^dressed . in a sleek cock'slComb. Me was leading in a*self-con- ^ tinted ^nd provincial manner against a pillar which stood alone in a classical landscape. Bpside him, and "upon a chair,^sat >tl,e dimpling radiant image of the girl whose pale s^dow wii'to^y Jane Allen. The young man's hand was half raised from her shoulder, as if only the moment before he had stroked her cheek and m..rn»..«^ ^' c.^ ^u: h %:'■ #, ^'tr •^^ ^■v1^l^, ■■^*?.^( , =:. lone March Kekh'^Vrt ''" """J^^ ^'^^ ""'' ' ^"-^ °f Uncle Keith s. I hke your fnend, too ! » she added, with ip- J>he looked after the retreating figure of Jane Allen "Jane," said lone, " do come here ' " .lo^^K "r'";"g'j: J^"« ^t°PP<=d, turned, and came lowly back lone introduced her, but she sJfFered rather than responded to the ceremony. A. princess in her own nght could not have bowed with more of protest in her manner, .f m private life she had been introduced to her grocer. lone was much vexed. She even said to herself that she could have cuffed Jane Allen "My friend and I are about to take the train here/or s!id lone. ^"'""' "' ' '"' "^ ™"^^ ''' ^°" g-*^-by V' " "My sister also is going to Victoria said Keith H.rford,^sm.hng pleasantly; "perhaps we might all go Then lone could have bitten her tongue out for hav- jng spoke, so hastily. She could so ea^ly h^ve parted from them at the entrance to the station, and taken a bus mto the City. Now, however, it ^as too late especially as Mrs Vincent, with an 'expression 1 1; hope ^"^ ^* ^''' compelled to echo her brother's Keith Harford asked where they were going, that he might take tickets fpr them. ^ ^' ^ th.? T k'TT', '*'"' *'"^'^" *** »^d<=<^» ^'"iling, "so they will be third class." ^ shiwn* *'"^''"* "^"^ "'°''*' ^''^"'^ "^^^ '•'* ^""^ y« "We are jJL^QQj^afld the tic ket ^^ would have been — third m any case." 166 ,.j;*. ; t Two Waifs of the City " I can quife well pay for my own ticket, thank you ! said Jane Allen aggressively, at the same tim/bending down to the wired wicket. "Single to th»^ TemDlc, please!^ "^ J r ' " No, Jane," said lone, " you know yojd have to go to Victoria first." ., . / Keith Harford smiled calmly Qow^ upon< Jane Allen. " Certainly you can pay me," he toid, " but you •night at least let me get the ticket for you." Finally Jane consented to alter ^er destination to Victoria, but as they passed down the steps, and while Keith was showing the tickets to the gale-keeper, she leaned towards lone. " You are making it up with hiiji," she hissed ; " and after what you promised, too. I 'II never speak to you again as long as I live ! " lone stared, bewildered. What could the girl mean, and why did she hold herself as StifF as if she had fastened in Mrs. Adair's kitchep poker ?ilong with her stays ? But she had no time for questioning or argument. For till Victoria was reached, it took all her powers of fence to answer satisfactorily the innocent questions of Keith Harford and his sister-in-law. Little Angel, who had taken a child's sudden fancy for lone, sat stroking her glove and looking fondly up into her face. As they came out of the station, Keith Harford sig- nalled a hansom and leahed forward to open it for his sister. A little spasm o^ discontent and dislike passed across her face. / " Come away. Angel ! *' she said pointedly. " Uncle Keith wishes to get rid 6f us; we won't keep him from ^iifr friends I" -i-^- — / The cab drove oflF before any one had time to say a word, and lone turned about to take Jane Allen's arm 167 •0: FftavsM'J&iifcii*^!, !-ai> i-- . * 1, ' ' k / . . » !• xtt! St., v; ' ■'1. *»j^ «^- *'' "-^ fl*^^ '■•ZVS-' \fi' '» lone March and coax her into a better frame of mind. Keith was b^ her side, but Jane Allen had vanished. " Did you see anything of my friend ? " she asked of Harford a little breathlessly. "She certainly was here a moment ago. Can she have gone into a shop?" said Keith, looking about him however with no great eagerness or alacrity. But neither m shop nor yet on street did they see ariy more of Jane Allen that day. * ♦■• m \ •.^ i68 -i , ^■.>.,:-,. i.M m::SI'^--- CHAPTER XIX VAULTING AMBITION KEITH HARFORD and lone were left alone, and after the first plunge both toqk the matter rather calmly. Without thinking much of their surroundings, they walked contentedly together down the wide and busy street, the passers-by seeming somehow no more than idle phantom-shapes about them. Instead of the gloomy trivialities of Buckingham Palace Road they beheld the mural front of the Eiger, with the toothed Wetterhorn and the silver Jungfrau setting their snowy horns over the sullen cowled Monk. " Hansom, sir ! " called a crawler from the pavement edge. '' Thank you, I have engaged my guides ! *' replied Keith. lone laughed a little helplessly,' as one might in church. " How strange ! " she said. " I too was thinking about the main street of Grindelwald at that very moment. Why, how pale you ai'e, Mr. Harford ! " " I was about to say the same of you, Miss March ! I fear we have both lost our mountain tan ! " They were silent for about a hundred yards, threading their way past a spate of passers-by, till to avoid them they turned almost mechanically into a quieter side street. " I think that I had better tell you," said lone at last, - controlling her voice, " that I have left my father, and malcing fny own liviniT ^— not very surrcgsfiiUv a* yet, it is true. I am * out of employment ' at present. * Is n't that the English phrase ? " 169 iii^>»!Us^v^'ii i M^f^ u^ ■/' lone Match There was pain as well as mirth in the little laugh which accompanied her words. "I too am as poor as any one needs to be," said Keith careless improvident fellow at best. When I have money 1 spend it, or give it away -at any rate it takes to Itself wings and does just as the Scriptures say And- peTpirzri ' r>^'^ ^"^ '"^^-" - « --- thev don' a ^ ""T ^'^^"^ ^"°"8''' ^'"^ ^^-^ehow they don t always remember to pay me for it as quickly I " lone, sUfU;;^" ^^' ^'^"^ ^° P^^'" ^--^^ P-ical thell'"'^""" ^°-°'"^°"^<^"o'' How could I ask th ^*1!7 ,T ' ^^'^ of wonder •n Keith's dark and thoughtful face, worn keen and thin during months of disappointment and loneliness. "People never ask you for money, I suppose?" mused lone, darting a swift sharp glance at him under her eyelashes. ., "Oh, they do -they do," he admitted mournfully: and sometimes it is verj painful when I have got none to give them. But these are mostly trades-people and not ^ _ « Not university men !" There was the least grain of hard irony in lone's tone. « What a silly child » " she was saying to herself. « How the man does need to be looked after ! " *. wa^ed ^""^ ^'""^ ^'^"^ "°'*' ''"'' '*°'*' thoughtful as they "But you — did I understand you to say that vou needed work, Miss March ? " , ^ Keith Harford had not yet taken in the situation. . ^jLg^J^ejyLAhaLlsjustwhat^^ in two places, bnc after the other, and I did n't suit one »,7o * ?^,v T# Jt ZW, » I .**■ ^ Vaulting Ambition and the other did n't suit mc. So I am thinking of try-~^ ing the stage. It is, I know, the last refuge of the incompetent — or the last but one, the parapet of West- minster Bridge being the ultimate, I believe." Happily^Keith had heard her first words only. »» The stage," he said • « that is strange. I have jiist been appointed Lec^rer on Shakespeare and the Classic Drama to an International College of Dramatic Art., The salary indeed is a mere ^pittance, but it may lead somewhere — and besides, beggars cannot be choosers." A wonderful sense of coincidence came over lone. This, if not precisely providential, was surely something very like it. " Let me come with you," she said simply ; « that is just the very place I am seeking for." An eagei- answering light shone on the face of he^ companion. He seemed about to say something, then he checked himself and was silent for a moment. " Better wait," he said, " till I see what the place is like. Could I not call upon you to-morrow, and talk it over ? " -But lone had been accustomed all her life to " rush " , things, as she herself would have said. "Oh no," she pleaded, " do let me come along with you now ! " •' He would have called a han^m, but lone with a new pity and comradeship in her heart to see him so pale and discoui-aged, said, « Unless you are pressed fof time, Mr. Harford, why don't we both walk ? It will do us good." Then, as they threaded their way citywards, Keith Harford told how he and Marcus Hardy had parted at the end of the month in Switzerland — Hardy to go Paris with the judds, KeifS Harfor^^ to^efurirW" London alone. '71 sW AlAr!- .- W . ' ► ^ , 'i lone March «And you,'' queried lonc^ "why did not you also accompany the Judds ? " " Oh, I — well, I had only ten pounds left after pay- ing my guides for the season and " " Did your friend know that ? " asked lone with sud- den sharpness. " Hardy ? Oh no, certainly not ! He knows noth- ing of my affairs. He has had plenty of money all his life, and so, very naturally, he thinks nothing about it." lone was silent a long time. She was walking un- evenly, superstitiously avoiding the cracks in the Hag- stones m a way she had when thinking deeply. *| And yet you have told me ? " she said softly. " That is different," her companion interposed eagerly. "By necessity or choice you are as poor as I. Besides though I have not known you long, I thought from the veiy first time I saw you that I should like to call you my friend. May I ? " They were at a street-crossing. lone was about to tnp across m her quick impulsive way, but a huge over- •loaded omnibus came thundering down upon them like a topphng c^ of Juggernaut. Perhaps by instinct, per-'f^ haps a httle by intention, Keith laid his hand with a light restraint over lone's gloved fingers as they bent themselves round the top of her umbrella. lone did not resent the action. Keith and she seemed somehow comrades m one regiment, derelict fragments of the same forlorn hope, both poor and both castaway in the mighty whirl of this London. Presently the crossing cleared and they were at the other side. Ere she knew It, lone found herself detaching her harid from Keith's arm which she had involuntarily clutched as a second ^rthquake on four wheels charged down upon them. J hese^^are simple' x\^^^^r^^\^^^^^^^^^^^^ yet really as significant 6f approaching danger, like the 172 i-yfcTJ.'-. i * Jf - f*^ fe-f 4^*|;i.^ rTii>4j|^iVJ^«lj| jm,r. Vaulting Ambition tunnels driven by water rats through the sea dykes of Holland. " The International College of Dramatic Art ought to be somewhere about here," Keith said, as they turned out of the eternal e4dy of Trafalgar Square and thc^ double flood tide of the Strand, into one of the quiet streeb which make a left-handed bend north-westwards in , the direction of Leicester Square. lone was distinctly disappointed with Kersymere Street, in which the college was situated. N6 magnifi- cent frontage greeted the eye — only the u§ual sub- merged tenth of unkempt and grimy domiciles, the same frowsy and greasy shop fronts, the same flourishing public-houses as elsewhere in the district. There must, she thought, surely be some mistake. They stood before Number 120. It proved to be •'Entered by a lowish and inconceivably dirty doorwajf, which had had recently painted over it the legend " International College of Dramatic Ajft " jn black cap- itals which permitted of no further argument. "It does not look particularly promising," said Keith, « but then these places often do not make a show, and after all the instruction is the thing." " Certainly," chimed in the hopeful lone ; " and if the principal has had the sense to engage you as a lecturer on Shakespeare, he will doubtless have equally good people to give instruction on other subjects." " Let 's see — I ought to have a prospectus about me somewhere," said Keith, and forthwith pulled a magni- ■= ficcnt document out of his breast-pocket. It was printed on Vellum-like paper, which of jtself suggested respecta- bility and'a diploma with seals at the end of the curriculum. lone 's hand trembled as she unfo lded the prospectus. Rosy visions filled her mind. A gateway into a new fairyland seemed to swing suddenly open before her. t73 ^ tf^l t.,i|S^ ' .(}.,-.-•;, lone March She thought of the applause of the hotel audiences which had endured seeing her act Rosalind and Lady Macbeth on alternate nights for » whole week in the dead of .winter. She had been conscious that some slight train- ing v/as all she needed, and noM^ it seemed that good fortune and Keith Harford had led her straight to the right place. The staid " long primer " and the abun- dant "Old English" of the advertisement seemed to dance before her eyes. Crowded and enthusiastic play- houses appeared to rise at her in the very dots of the i's, and every coital T was a signpost pointing the way to fame and fortune with both arms. When the turmoil in her heart stilled itself a little and lone could calmly grasp the meaning of what was before her, she began to read the composition aloud. The two stood together in the grimy doorway of the Colfege like_, a couple of children. Keith was looking over lone's shoulder as she read, in a comradeship which knew no future and no past, but which somehovt)- seemed to be ' right, and the only possible relationship between them. At last, through the discomposing clouds of agitation and excitement, the following facts disentangled them- selves from the shaking paper, upon the edge of which Keith had considerately put his hand that he might steady it sufficiently for lone to read. It appeared that, for the sum of ^30 in sterling un- dipped coin, on.e could obtain a session's instruction from the greatest artists in the metropolitan dramatic profession. For three months lone could enjoy the advantages of a regularly equipped theatre. There was also a hall for instruction in dancing of the most severely classical sort, skirt-dancing being an extra and serpentine ' gyration, a speciality to be^ contracted for privately. Elocution, voiwproductio^n,srngm^^^^^ the classical drama were all represented in this mos» 174 # y' I. liO-tf'sySsfs^ss^i^ia^fiil*^ i -*^^^§ Vaulting Ambition comprehensive curriculum. lone felt it made her an actress only to read the prospectus over. Her finger ran along the line Where Keith's name ought to have stood. It terminated with that of a dis- tinguished literary crkic, the infallibility of whose judg- ment upon all subjects bad never been warped by writing anything original upon even one. " And you are Mr. Wobbleigh Cavendish's successor ? " she said, looking with reverence at her companion. Keith bowed a little ironical bow of acknowledgement, looking down at her meantime over her shiulder. "I have that privilege," he said; "but I am sorry for the great man if I also succeed to his honorarium." " Oh, I should love to come to your class," lone went on plaintively ; " but I suppose it will be a long time before I am so far advanced as to be permitted." " Well," said Keith as wistfully, « I don't know. If you will notice, Shakespeare and the Classic Drama are bracketed with the art of Fence as a supernumerary subject at the end. That is perhaps wHy the pay is 'Cnly a pound a week." « A pound a week," cried lone ; « surely i^ou are to get more than that — why, the fe^e tHifty pounds for^a course of three months. sJbfy the/>ust pay^ their professors more than a pound Jk'week." « There are the buildings to keep up and the acting director to provide for, I suppose," said Keith. "I've not seen him yet, but he writes a very good letter/ I have one in my pocket, and it is quite poetical. Let us go up. After you have seen the inside of the CoUegeT you can decide whether you cara^o join." Presently they entered ^n outer office, which they Jbund mjhe sole pccupMon ^f a grimy and wizened^ "boy. This prematurely aged youth ^yas relaxing him- self by vaulting over two chairs placed back to back «75 flWi^jfe'lU^i^SM.''. jei4W^* Ipne March . ^ , propeHing himself by means of a large and vxry ancient floor-brush He took the two, cards with fingers which instantly hallmarked the paste-boards on dther si e ' Then, after he had glanced at these rather doubtfully he grinned compassionately and forthwith vanished into an inner room. • Keith and lone looked^ about them. "Certainly the reception-room of the College did HS^any n^'than . floor-bnish had not been used for its legitimate purpose during at least a^generation. . The walls: however, were covered w.th photographs of professional ladies in all manner of impossible poses and irrelevant costumed uo"here '^^ k""' ''"'°' localtheatres had been tacked up here and there as a suitable mural adornment. about him with a smile. ""«ng "Shockingly dirty!" snorted lone, with a disgusted femmine dilation of the nostrils, cc if j '^f ^ s.ngle day I '11 snatch that broom fi.m the bo^ and J some tea-leaves to sprinkle over all this » " l "The director will see you," said the grimy boy at his moment -appearing again at the inner door, and coking round for the broom in order to resume hisTn- terrupte^ studies. He watched the door close upon ' ^m, and then added in a meditative undertone,To Lror , cabbage for two ! " \ * ^ '■ ■» % " • -# ■■ • «. 176 — ^ .,„- ^ t ■\ -*m ^. e and yeiy ancient with fingers which is on cither side.' rather doubtfully, ivith vanished into II. Certainly the 5*yany nwfe than pro^ectus. The egitimate purpose Is, however, were ana) ladies in all levant costumei. i had beeo tacked lornment. Harford, looking-:^ with a disgusted f I stay here a the boy, and get ! ««*■ he griniy boy at inner door, and o resume his in- loor close upon undertone, " O ■ CHAPTER XX -^ MR. ACTING DIREtTOR SWEEL V.N y . ' , . ^ IN a moment they found ^emselvfs, as it were, in the presence of the arbiter of their fates, lone the mdepefident put it thus to herself, for -Keith seemed to h^r already almost like a brother. She felt m «her heart that she could trust him to the outer edee of Time - and beyond. Was he not somohow different rrom every one elisc ? The chief director of the International College of Dramatic Art proved to be a tall, thin, scholarly-looking man, with eyes which might have been fin£ if they had not been concealed by glasses of an aggressively round shape, -d*^k green in colour. As h, turned hi. face towards Ibne, his aquiline nose protruded "between thfc circles like -a cow-catcher, betvveen the twin side-lights of 4ier native locon^tive. In another moment, how- ever, she had grown conscious of a particularly cool and keen regard, which pierced her through and through as If to discover whether the sacred fire was alight in her bosom, and exactly in which spot it burned brightest. "You are an emotional. Miss March !^' announced the director, as the result of this prolonged inspection. They were the first words he had spoken after the- tormalities of introduction. " I — I bqg your pardon," said lone. « I don't think 1 quite understand. I came hert with Mr. Keith Har, - foj:d I merely thought of joiiiing the college ,s a pupil** / ° ,.^......6 »«^ wucgc »s^^ -jTm-^S^FTSPh^TATcirclcs of his green dead- %hts upon Keith inquiringly. His expicssfen became " «77 J. V ■' 'm ■''i I ~Si] Srf^.. ,.««5f;^'.il«fr>. rf^ ''-p .*. \ ■'. ts '^KV-'-rjity ^■o.-jj ^.f^n^srfn.-^'ni^f^^^- lone M^rch ^ distinctly less aef«eable - h- guineas L. sole t tl Sgr""' " """ °^ '^^^ ' and the classical -!l"^'"'"""S upon Shak^^^^^^ "My dear Professor Harfofd--so I diH f T u been looking out Mo-<.rl., r ,. °'° • ^ have ""ge of hacked wioden bT/h P™««H"g. A young gcmWn w«7hav2 '""''' "'^ "''■''^'' •™ "i* wooden b^adT'wordrwhile" """T''°"' '""">« «ated on the backs of the t^ "'!"' °""'" »■"« mostly smokine ciL«t« j ^" ''^' »"« ' baunfs with shttsTf" wro, "h?T "■' ^°"'- tl.= floor „i,h him, MacS" ' ' ^"'''"*"' ^'I" " The professor of Fenr*. i,,. • signed," said the director .r ^^ ^'^'"Porarily re- a hearing, « the n.n^^^ ' '°°" '^^ ^''^ ^^^W obtain I will no'; detet Z' '""""^ ^"^ ^°"^ ""-" « But it wasThe qh t ^^^^ "P^''^*^ ^^^'B^^-" ' « director seemed saddened ,nA j- passed his hand wearilv ^TC-^ d'sappointed, and of professor a. TZdlw ^ "' " ''"" ""«""« <■» Wm. But he LTo, give „p """ """^ '°° "■«" r-.o„r Christie ^^::iP^;---^ 178 "■^tiii'iVt^ ii-l 1' Mr. Acting Director Sweel are a Scotchman. You will therefore be peculiarly fitted for demonstrating that true inwardness of the passage to your class. Gentlemen, let me introduce to you Professor Harford, your new instructor ! " And with that he bowed and got out as quickly as possible, leaving Keith alone with this somewhat ca^al and exceedingly unceremonious band of " students." « My dear young lady,", said the director, breathing a sigh of relief as soon as he had dispos^^f Keith, "you wish to join the college. , You are^s I. said before, an emotional, though you riiay not be conscious of your metier. And permit me to say that you could not have come to a better place to develop and prune — yes, prune is the word — the luxuriance of your talent. Without doubt, when you have the rough edges a little rubbed down, when the diamond of your genius is polished and set, if you will permit me so to speak, it will be ready to shine resplendently in its own proper sphere." He bowed again, and lone was quite grateful for the momentary relief. It took the full-orbed glare of the green "caution " lights off her for a moment, and turned them blightingly on the carpet — which, moreover, seemed to have suffered severely from them in former times, to judge by its present mangy and threadbare condition. " And now, my dear young lady," he continued, fixing her again as the glasses came to the " present," " I do not wish to take your money till you thoroughly under- stand our position. "Our staff of instructors is at present most un- fortunately somewhat incomplete. But the professors Itft are really of no importance,^ being only" those of a second-class order. Besides, as you know • from the recent appointment of youi* friend, we are as 179 VCTt-~"tS[ /TfJi •,' lone March rapidly as possibfe fiJlino- ,.„ .i, ^e" you this no. Cofder^o^' ^'^^"^'«- Still, I _ pointment." ' "'^' ^° P'-^^ent future disap. Mr. Augustus Clarence Svveel /h- Pl-nly both over the door of 1^ t' "'"' "'^ P""^^^ Jette. on the prospectu^ne't han^L^P "' '" ^^^^^ fiJi up, in which she was asked . °"' " P"P^^ ^^ of rules and restrictions. Thte °h'^'^" ^ ^" "^""- a glance. If she were ^oin. .T I ^^'^^ °^^' ^ith f^ she was prepared tfpuVherj? "h ^^ ^'""^ - But a paragi^ph towards the foot oftr ^''^'P^'"^' m strong black Clarendon tvo! f P'^"'"' P""^^*! caught her eye, and she^L J^^ • '""« ^^^^tion, •' «ood like ; five barfed " '' "'' '°"°^- 'f'hu distinction. ^'^ ^ate across her path to "Some such couree,"said Mr A «"«'}'."»'« find most necel™ k^"""' ^"'~' »pace at our disposal i„ ,L " ,7' "" " ""^ '•"•'"'^ In^olumarij^ a, W. sigh escaped Lc. ^o-ct'.4tra':i^r:^;^r"r'>=p-.'.ie ^aogr in London, and cenaw/d"' ''^'^T ' """ ' "'"li'drsL^T'^^'ifrrv-"-"^^ r-ng .d ealentedl '^. ^^ Z"1li:;:'^^ managed." ™" "^ I"'". « might be i8o i! vacancies. Still, j event future disan. Mr. Acting Director Sweel lone gave him a grateful look, which was stopped point-blank by the green dead-lights. As the College of Dramatic Art seemed shutting its doors upon her, the girl realised how high were the hopes which she had been building upon it. " At any rate," continued Mr. Sweel, " I will con- sult oi*r lady superintendent, and see if we cannot arrange the matter without publicity. For I see clearly that if you had a chance, you would do credit both to yourself and to us." lone fairly blushed^ ^ith pleasure, marvelling at Mr."* Sweel's insight into character. When he left the room she felt that she had already made a great stride towards success in her future profes- ^sion. But, after five minutes of sobering solitude, she began to wish that she had had the courage to ask Mr. Sweel what were the branches of study which had been closed to her by the premature departure of the instructors. On her way to the college she had resolved to be so exceedingly business-like, to make such strict inquiries as to the exact course of study to be followed, and the percentage of good and lucrative engagements obtained by graduates at the close of the college term. And lo ! here she was, without a single question asked, fairly hanging upon the verdict of Mr. Sweel and upon that of an unknown and probably hostile lady superintendent, while the precious thirty pounds — three-fourths of her whole available resources — were literally burning holes in her pocket. In ten minutes Mr. Sweel returned and said that he was most happy to inform Miss March that his com- ■mittee had resolved, upon his initiative — and, hr mU Sfefe say, guarantee, to waive the recommendation clause in her favour ; but she must on no account allow the fact to leak out in the college or elsewbcK, as others less i8i "' -ff.JtAf.ji^^, tt'iA \^i< ..^Aitii.:^' .>?' .r**,Ja ■ ■W'flp'w-^s^^^^^l^ps -t lone March fortunate might consider that an injustice had been done to them by her irregular admission. ■With an eager beating heart lone agreed to everything . without a word of question, and in a moment more she had signed half a dozen necessary papers. Her purse was m her hands, out of which she told one by one the thirty golden sovereigns, receiving in return a matricu- lation card, with the arms of the college printed in gold at the top, and, in addition, a proud internal conscious- ness that she was already well up the ladder of fame. "Now," said Mr. Sweel, somewhat moderating ' his tone of suave flattery as soon as the chinking pieces had changed hands, « we will, if you please, proceed at once to the theatre, and there you may join the class of practical training which is at present going on under Professor Claudius Roscoe. To-morrow I will arrange what course of study it will benefit you most to pursue, and what line of dramatic art you ought to take up." They passed into a larger room, the upper end of which consisted of a raised platform, on which a couple of youths and two or three girls were countermarching and gesticulating. The girls were dressed with a show of cheap fljiery. Their hair was so much banged and befnzzled that what remained of it looked as parched and wiry as the bushy parts of a poodle. The young men generally presented a loose-jointed, out-at-clbows appearance, and lone could not help vaguely wondering whether it was because of the burning of the sacred amp of genius, or because they could not afford the uxury of a barber, that they wore their hair so particu- larly long, lank, and turned outward at the ends, ^^ithe middle of the platform a stout little man, o f a dwnnctly Jewish ca«tt>f ifemires, was standing brandis^^^ ing a chair and looking wildly excited. The entrance of Mr. Sweel with lone prevented the i8a ittiimliiniiiirtn MMi *^ id been done M|. Acting Director Sweel I ■ . continuant^ of whatever remarks the little man was about to punctuate with the chair, to the evident relief of the grqtip on the platform. " Miss' March — Professor Roscoe,"„said the director with a /bland smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, Miss March/ your latest fellow-student, in whose bosom the sacred/ " * Bi^ at this moment Mr. Sweel was interrupted by a trenifendous burst of applause from the room into which Kefth Harford had disappeared. The conclusion of the director's peroration, which, however, was obviously well known to the students, is therefore lost to humanity. "I leave. Miss March in your hands," he went on, as with an obvious lack of ease he edged himself towards the door, " and I am sure one of the ladies will be good enough to take charge of our new friend after the lesson is finished. I have not yet decided what precise direction Miss March's studies are to take." After Mr. Sweel had vanished, lone stood looking on, and feeling distinctly forlorn and friendless. But at least it was a comfort to think that Keith Harford was in the next room. Professor Roscoe's interrupted lesson pro- ceeded, and in a little while lone grew interested and amused to hear the frenzied accents in which one of the towsy-headed girls implored a certain extremely stolid hero to « forgive her," while that Spartan youth leaned in a severely classical and reposeful manner upon a painted mantelpiece. From this his elbow continually slipped as he became every moment more and more nobly unapproachable and unresponsively dignified. On the whole it struck lone how much more thoroughly the girls were able to forget themselves and throw themselves — hno their partr than The men, who* without exception^ walked and spoke as if operated by hidden clockwork. Yet it was not without a secret thrill of anxiety that she i33 l&Hij^J*»t#?«fi!t$. *ii. M\>-^ ^t ^ .Bff- ^ /■■ YXl lone March thought hpw, perhaps in a few minutes, she herself might be called upon to fece the critical eyes of her fellow-students. But for the present she was spared this ordeal. The lesson was, in fact, almost over, and at its close the girls came over to lone in a body, and with the heartiest' good-will in the world, offered to « see her through." Meanwhile Mr. Roscoe was addressing spme final scathmg remarks to the young men before departing! These seemed to be to the effect that eveiy man-jack of them might just as well have been blocked out of wood and finished with a face of putty, for all the use he could make ©(either limbs or features in order to express emotion. ^ "If there's an ounce of brains divided among this whole class, I'll -I'll eat my hat!" was his final summing up, as the fieryr little professor shSimed the door. ! "And a very greasy meal you 'd have of it," said one of the girls. « No, it^s a shame; I won't say a word - against him. Little Roscoe 's the only decent man about the place. There 's a new man here to-day, though — dark, and awfully handsome; but Sweel has turned him on to the Fencing and Shakespeare, instead of old Wob- bejgh Cavendish. He may be no end of a swell at ex- plaining the illustrious William, but I ^oubt if he knows the inside of a theatre when he ^es one." As the girls came forward to talk to lone, the youths one by one somewhat reluctantly left the room, casting envious glances across at the graceful figure of the new pupil, which certainly contrasted pleasantly wit* the - ;»frow8y commonplace blonde good looks of her senion in ^college standing . " Now, if you like, I'll talce you round and expound the wiles and deceits of old Green Dfeadlights," said a 184 »'* -■*ii «*Sj.\"& fj^-*,: Mr., Acting Director Sweel dark heavi^-built girl, who was addressed as Snowdrop Rogers by her companions, but whose imperious carriage and piercing black eyes were certainly far from suggest- ing that modest blossom of spring. . " Don't you go with her, Miss March. Oh, what is your first name? We can't be *Miss'-ing each other all day in this abode of the dead. We've got too much to put up with in other ways. * lone ' ? ^What a pretty name ! Is it a given name or a stage name ? Really ! Well, don't you get yourself taken round by Snowdrop Rogers. All she wants is to sneak you into a quiet corner and spout Lady Macbeth at you j " -^ " Oh, but," said lone cheerfully, " I can do that too, as well as the next man. I would just spout Lady Mac- beth back again till she dropped, if she tried that on a stranger. Now, I warn you, Snowdrop Rogers. On your life be it ! " *' But you don't look the part, my dear, and I do," objected Snowdrop ; '■*■ you 're much too slim, and your nose " " Now then, out of the way, Sairey Siddons ! " cried a bright, merry-voiced little girl. " Don't you go gorying and knifing people all over, the place ! ^ Out, hanged spot,' or I '11 fetch some Sunlight Soap to .you ! How glad I am that I have n't got to weep all over the stage ! I 'm going to be a soubrette — yes, indeed, every time, deary ! And I 'm nothing wonderful of a genius, either. There's Lavinia Starr, though — -she is one, if you like. Why, she can say the alphabet fit to make a stone cry, yes .^- or even an actor-manager ! Come on — do it for us now, Lavinia ! " " Oh do ! " cried lone, somewhat excited by her "ttfiittgfr cnvironmeiiQv "^1 can't a bit think what 7011= mean." . • Whereupon Miss Starr, being ^^ boosted " up on to .85 - ^ El-SM » 4s " i«&l ttbvt^ .. 1 U, ^, rtjj , ^ , J5'^ji«!?r*n lone March . the deserted platform by the wiUing arms of her sister aspirants, proceeded to address the tables and chairs in soul-mdving and harrowing accents. Yet, though she used only the letters of the alphabet in their proper order, lone began to see a whole domestic tragedy growing out of the idiotic nonsense, and ere she had reached the letter Z for the third time, Lavinia Starr had hushed the noisy group of girls into a kind of wondering silence. ^ - " There is n't another girl in the school can do that," whispered Si*wdrop. "But Mr. Sweel doesn't like Lavinia, and always casts her for' low comedy servants, and nhe stupidest character parts, where she looks a fnght. Sweel does n't know enough to come in when it rains, anyway — though he has had the cleverness to rope us all in and get bur good money just for nothing. I say, though, what in the world possessed you to join right at the fag end of the term — when there 's hardly a decent teacher left, and about all the good you '11 ever get is the liberty of tramping this rickety old stage here?" ^ " But," faltered lone, a little buzzing trouble com- ing into her ears, « the prospectus said — and Mr Harford " « I don't know Mr. Harford," broke \n Lavinia Starr sharply; "but the old prospectus is all lies, anyway. It promises a lot, I m>w — more than you and I will ever see. We've afl been pretty well done, that's a fact ; but we can't help it, and kicking does n't do any good. So we just make the best of it, and help each other all we can by working out scenes together." By this time lone's heart was in her boots; but she remembered the section about the emuloua mnni^gyra who, at the close of the college session, were positively falling over each other in their anxiety to offer distin- «i '^ i ■i,4-<» ^'jM^SJt^^^^^iS^ .Mr- ,~ ^^\ ■ ;j ": -Jf •■>;<*?.*; • - • ■ ',ti W^t-' Mr. Acting Director Swecl ' guished positions to the graduates of the International College. Timidly she hazarded a leading question on the sub- ject. The girls unanimously laughed the short, bitter laugh of scorn. " " Well," said one, « you take my word for it, lone March, when you go on the hunt for an engagement, the more profoundly in the gloom of the background you keep the International College of Dramatic Art, the more likely you are to sign papers. Isn't that to, girls ? " :* 187 in ' I ■ .y'-ti":-''- CHAPTER XXI THE INTErLECTUAL MOB KEITH HARFORD was waiting for lone when she came dov^n the grimy staifs from th^j" ternatidna CoJlece He«^,«-^ "iwiem- entered herself m » pupil of Mr. Sweel-rLTl. j , down thirty 4x.u„ds i!, hard cash. ' '""' P""' " If anything could make me r«,r« k, • it is this," he slid. ^) ' '""'"8 ■"« y^ .J "-1' "' r" ""' °"' "f"" professor, trourselfc '^t:^7I^lf" "''""■" -'^ "'""'"K ""Us over' co;^^:^--— ;-ce„. vanced'cSlr,i;.7;-.;' "- •"-been a„ ad- ^aM » t^/""-' ™;''"gi ?and we scarcely could rencing^lass .mdeA^L. T^ ^17 .r" ht jsteryoftheat in three lesson^ sflhad fo tf U-' __ "^" iomewnat battered. The next== -«lence. I. had not preWoudy occuiwd to th«^ ,i»t.-i,w -J. ■■' :,' ^fr- - ■"7:-*".-V'' Tht Ijitejlectual Mob agreeable young gentlemen that it was necessary to treat any of their instructor^ with deference. I suspect I have led several to think difFerentlj." "Th^ what was the great cheering we heard in the lecture-ijbom ? " smiled lone, delighted to 1r jr of the excelleru lesson which her friend had been teaching the male aspirants of the International College. "Oh, that!" said Keith carelessly; " I suspect that must have been when three of them tried a sort of surprise storming-party." , " How did that happen ? Tell me ! " asked lone eagerly. < " Well,'* said the ex-mouritaineer quietly, " as each came on to * rush ' me, something met his eye ! " f, " And are you going on with ybur work at the Col- lege after such treatment?" lone continued, while Keith finically satisfied himself that his rat^her worn tan gloVes fitted his small hands without a wrinkle. « Certainly," he said easily ; " I begin to-morrow to .' lecture on Shakespeare. I do not suppose that I shall have any further trouble with these young gentlemen." Thus th6 day which had b^un so brightly, epded, so far as her new career was concerned, in a sick feeling of disappointment. Yet somehow, in spite of the-Joss of her money, lone's heart was glad. She had found a friend — one, too, who was different from all others ; a man of her own class, yet careless of wealth or position ;• one who cared not a jot \Vhether her father owned one dollar or ten millions of them. It seemed worth all her past disappointments only to have learned to estimate aright tjie worth of a good man's friendship. lone attended the College of Inter;iational Art with ^«eal 4aid r^ularity* She found that the^^ong list t>f- teachers on the prospectus had been reduced to three. These were Mr. Roscoe, an enthusiastically honest little 189 'i%»f&^i n* lone March Jew ^ho gave instruction in actu.g and stage-craft ^ general, .^I.ss Winn ison,„ who taught elocution and . Ke.th Harford, who, with immense acceptance and sud- . denly towenng popularity, essayed the other nine or ten subjfccts; doing his best as each came up, with a grave itnpart.al.ty and nonchalance which qiade him the adored of the g.rls and the envy of the young men. As for Mr. Sweel, he did nothing but lie in wait for fl.es .n h.s gnmy parlour, and expend in some mysterious D^ot'frh'^ r "^ ^'^ °"« thing. He found his \ruW b f^TT '^"g^g^'"^"^- temporary in its nature, truly, but st.ll an engagement. lone had been about three weeks at'the International College when one morning Mr. ^y0 came into Mr Roscoe's .lass while the students iTe working ouTa scene representing i„ vivid detail the sorrows of^Esther and George D'Alroy. He motioned the enthusiastic little man as.de, and, with , dignified wave of his h^nd announced that Mr. Joseph Johnson, the eminent tl' ' ged.a.H was to play for a week at the Paragon T^^e tt^lhW ; '' Pf ^> ^^ranged with the authori- ties of the Internat.onal College of Dramatic Art for the servces of "an intellectual mob " Any o/ the students of Professor R^o..'c .' \u V« **•»-•'" fgr the present would be attached to the -* least a beginning and would trea^ those larger boards on aany o^^ would one^fey shinT do honour^ their Alma Mater. IQO No positioifK^ accustom* which, he as lumina fit. it- . to. ^' 'f / % i, M V: H AS KACH CAMK <>N To KTSII MK SOMKIMINi; MKT IIIS EYE. 4 , ^v, 1 ' \ . like iiioR m^ . -. toriu 1 «■ *. A . oth< entt whi sue I - rati sac par • »- ■ ; ■ f L • -0 ■ - nin The Intellectual Mob / FceUngthat for once he had created a genuine ?ea- sation, the Director bowed and retired amid general electric tension. The followitfg day lone and Lavinia Starr, between ^ whom a strong friendship had sprung up, were at the stage door of thelParagon promptly at ten o'clock. It was Idne*s first introduction to the fascinating world of stageland, but its marvels did not look appetising in the dull grey of the morning, with the clammy river fog and the sour smell of an unyeAjilated building combining to kill the most dauntless enthusiasm. The lights of the Temple of Art were represented by a flaring gas-pipe in the middle of the footlights, shaped like a capital T, an arrangement which only rendered more murky the shadows lurking in the shrouded audi- torium, and more despicably commonplace the hetero- geneous mass of properties piled at the back of the stage. Here, for instance, was the couch on which the fair Desdemona had last week yielded up her life. On top of it, where her head had lain pale and pathetic in degth, there now reposed the steps of the Roman Forum to be used that day at rehearsal. Sets of furniture of half a dozen periods, rocks, waterfells, and all manner of odds and ends cumbered the wings. To which was presently added the living Mris of the International College and other similar institutions, every youth and maid of them enthusiastically eager for that first chance "t »■•- .hi";:' an?;e.t„t' d"S J .h^f S^"" "■= -■" ".^ as well have been 1,^?,^ , ■'^"'""^ '"'«*" J"« > .ha. .he audie^eV:r?Sr„"'' "' ''"""■ ^'" '" n7"^ IT" 'r'"'"' "' '«'^^- «^- ^* 9:n::ttesfo!7;:„„dU-z;,tr"d uking no imeres. i„ ,he proceedings" '"'' Poor Mark An.ony, however, could hardly be ex pected to view .he affiiir in .his li.ht :.nj ^ ' hct hr ,-,.„. Vil^^ rch r poor Mark Antony I chance over the body and turned into at ngs of an « intellectua 'kins -- who, in virtue 5 looked upon as the liege — "is the fun of ance to show that you :Jc was the mob, tK^ c Antony might just vith his friend, for all m. upoq being remon- llectual Roman mob eelings. Men with rarquinius Superbus >ling their heels and 5." :ould hardly be ex- »and, as a matter of tate bordering upon lid have the life of these idiotic young he stated in super- where he was prc- he would, play the :tual of mobs was peaceful and happy ve embraced Mr. 'a«^-« swan^song. N. ^' a Starr went down ;• t The Intellectual Mob to the street ofF Leicester Square, they found the Inter- national College of Dramatic Art in the hands of the sherifPs officers. Mr. Sweel was not to be found, though a warrant was out for his arrest; and on the street below they discovered Keith Harford pensively regarding the scene of his labours from the outside. " And has it come to this," he said, with mock tragedy, when he had shaken hands with them, « after all our exertions we are turned without warning to the door ? And, in my own case, without even ten days' salary to comfort me. I suppose I must go now and write some- thmg which no one will print, and which, if it is accepted won't be paid for till Doomsday ! " ' "Well, never mind," said lone, speaking as she might to a partner with equal rights j « I have nearly seventeen pounds left, and a good deal of water will run under the bridges before we see the end of that ! " Keith Harford said nothing in reply, but his face lost Its expression of bantering irony and became cxcecdinelv grave. ^ ' »3 193 <«-ti CHAPTER XXII THE DEAD-BEAT SINCE lone left her old life behind her, she had heard with regularity from her father, but dur- ing the last month or so there had been a break After the "cuckoo" fiasco at the offices of the Gopher & Arlington Typewriter, she had only given Governor March tjie address of the American Exchange. But there she was pretty sure to find a letter from him be- tween the ninth or tenth of every month. On this occasion, however, the date had twice gone by without the arrival of any letter upon the smooth, water-lined American note paper which her father always used lone sadly counted her diminishing stores of money. "I wish," she said to herself, « that I had all the money I want right now, so that I could run over and see what has got hold of the dear old fellow." One day, soon after the closing of the International Collqge of Dramatic Art, lone had again failed to receive any letter from her father. She was sitting looking through the advertisements in an American paper, and reading the description of the brilliant successes of some- body s Cuticura, for the sake of the « homey " feeling it gave her. She did not like to confess, even to herself, that her struggle for independence had turned out to be a less pleasant thing than she had imagined. She was startled out of her day-dream V a bright eager voice at her sh oulder, and raisin g her eyes from a particularly appall- Tn^ woodcut ta« eut riptly caIRd wooden ^e found to her surprise a tall man bowing to her with the gladdest and kindest of expressions in his eyes. His face waa 194 mm . J®.''6u Kif^ ^■=< i .S?-^(J.i^^v«l-i^iSs! V The Dead-Beat typically American, clean-lined, finely contoured, worn prematurely into delicate crow's-feet about the eyes, and his hair was already taking on a "slightly frosty gray at the temples. She recognised the man as having been introduced to her by a chance hotel acquaintance, whom she had met on the street near the Langham Hotel as she was returning from *' working the town " on one of her unsuccessful quests for employment. At the time lone had been annoyed at this, and very earnestly de- sired to carry the acquaintance no further. Her old life had long been dead to her, and now, when want of suc- cess had come to her, she found herself with less desire than ever t" w .1 _.» i«.4iS»*S&ia6i'.-« ' ' . \ ■ lone March as if she ow/ea .He tj^ :JL^;::rf^-:^ ard Oil trust out of all the business in it f " stiffl w^'°^"T'^^ '°"" drew herself up a Tittle stiffly. Was It to. be thp old story ~ a reni^Jf L r u old ..% compliments .he had grin soT ':"?«; Seth Livingston noted the movement "Now look here," he said, "you 're going to shake m., and it won't be ftir if you do. For I Lm til friends with you for die safce.of a little g rl 3 off t Salem, that is looking out just now for a fetter a« Ick over with those washed^ut English' postage st^m^ just as you kee,) eyeing that letfer- Jk of^pi^Xi;; up the™ for a five cent picture of E^esident GaS w th weJrta*t"'l'l\r' ""f '" ■^'J'- Though the words were bantering, the man's tone was so fricndiv and sen- .uine ha, she could no. <,ui,e reject the kindn'e«of^I intention. Yet neither did she desire to be dn,wn i^to any acquaintance whith might bring her into T^uS w th Jier former life. So she remained silent, ^h Lijgston „ent on with easily „newed confidence got off your name so slick the other day could not r^ knew by the first flutter of your neck frill that I had me some one almighty like you before, and thatl ow^^ ha. girl something like my Jife. Now I 'd like toll We paying righ, now if I could_«„ that thear^ck is h gl^pric«l even ye^ b« .J^ jUr„ ^„ .„ J* ^ market^ leavt^'Sstnlf ""' ■"" ""'''^ "«"'«'"^'*- T96 ii , U 7 »jiiti*,i«r4i..tiAs '-mjmsmri The Dead-Beat " You owe me your life ! " she said slowly. " Why, I nevef set eyes on you till I met you the other day near ' the Langham with Julius Randolph ! " The American nodded and smiled. "That 's all right," he said. « You think so. Well, plerhaps it 's so. At any rate, I owe it to somebody about your size in frocks, and with her head set on her shoulders just like that. And if it was n't you, why, then, I 'd as lief begin paying you as anybody else. You won't mrnd my saying that I 've been watching you for the l^st hour, and I 've got an idea that you are down on your luck. Now, I 've been there myself, you see, and I know. Something 's gone wrong with the switch. Somebody has failed to connect, maybe, and I 'd like to help fix things if I could. I was considerably lower down the grade when that little girl gave me a hand up " . " I am sure you are mistaken," said lone. « But tell me what you mean ! " " Well " — Seth Livingston dropped into the quaint, slow-sounding speech which lone loved to hear, it was so like her father when he talked reminiscences with his comrades of the war-time — " you 've been to 'Frisco more than tWo years ago, is n't it ? Thought there could n't be two profiles like that, nor yet two heads screwed on identical ! And that, you know, was about all I saw of you. I had' been a pretty low-down rolling- stone for \ year or two before that. In fact, I had rolled ever since I cut loose from an office stool in Bridgeport, Conn., keeping square enough all the time, but playing '" t he hardest kind of lu c k, with n ever a let- up from itart to finish. Just before I met the little girl with the profile, I 'd been shovelling coal ipr two dollars a day in a wretched one-horse town, that had got becalmed and silted up in a back-water near a rushing district out ^l^tatei^iiSa^is** Siw^u" i -4, lone March .V »> West — and pretty far west at that. Now coal-shovcl- Hng is no free lunch with cocktails to follow, I can tell you. So I wanted — I did li't know exactly what I wanted— but to get somewhere else than the place I was in, at any rate." " Two dollars seem very fair pay for a day's work said the practical lone, judging by her recent experi- ences. "I wish I could get half that just now. You should have saved something out of efght shillings a day — that is, if you took nothing but ice water to the crackers." Seth Livingston laughed and shook his head. "I tell you two dollars don't go far" in a place where a chunk of bread- costs fifty cents, and where they chame you a dollar for only smiling at the blankets in your bunk at Mike Brannigan's boarding-house. Well, I 'd got about as much discouraged and disheartened as a man could, without fairly electing to pass in his checks altogether. Ther^ was a mining camp booming up on the Divide, but the rates were so high on the railroad that It would have taken me a year to raise even the meanest kind of scalped ticket. All the same, I wanted the worst way to go mining, and I knew that, if I tramped, it would keep me hoofing it till past the middle of winter, I am so inf— , I mean. So dreadfully slow on the pad. Well, at last, when I had thought it out, and got things down to a fine point, I saw that there was nothing for it but to sneak a ride op the cars as a dead-beat." ' lone moved a little restlessly, really because ft memory ' had begun to stir within her. Her ^lour rose, and she breathed a little fast er. Her companion feared lest he "ted offended her. "I know," he. sard syn^athetically, "it does not sound very high-tonfed. But as fonn of recreation « ride- 198 fvnpA •- '^^ ''^^^^t.W ^OT^, ' '> If"""' . Vf. -. tvAS The Dead-Beat sneaking ' takes rather more sand than a pitched battled with trumpets and guns and things, and a fellow must be pretty desperate before he tries it. You see, the railroad men in the West have orders to chuck a dead- beat ofF whenever caught, and if a mean cuss lights on you when the train is making up time on a down-grade — well, some coroner draws the dollars from his county treasurer, sure ! And you *ve about done bucking against fate and faro in this wicked world. Well, it was eleven at night, and I'd been waiting since sundown among a pile of clapboards for the train going up the grade to pull out of the water-station. At last, after- about a million years, she came along fussing, sneezing, coughing, and pushing a whole Newfoundland fog-bank before her. I tell you, I jumped for the first car like a cat at a birdcage, and crouched down on the dark step of a Pullman. Great Scott, I might just as well have boarded a rattlesnake convention on a. sunny ledgfc ! There were about a dozen people on the step already; passengers come out to cool off, I guess. For when these cars get heated, with a full-bred buck nigger doing the stoking to suit himself, I tell you, it just makes the marrow bublile in your bones. Well, anyway, there th?y were sitting pretty quiet, and a young fellow was telling a story. It was a good story too, so they took no notice of me ; indeed, nobody got on to my curves at all except one pretty girl sitting on the top step with her chin on her hand, and her elbows 9n her knees. She looked down at me. I tell you^ I was n't any nice- looking spectacle these days. There was n't much first family about me that night — not to look at, there was n't. No, sir! I wanted to be introduced all over ^gain to such a thing as a' bath, and my clothes were not quite the cut of Ward Mac. But the girl on the top . landing did n't hitch away any, nor yet pull in her skirts 199 "«.■ *■ lone March n.. chuc J(T"^';7„ •" '■■^ ,7" »•«> «-»"' '"""='' l-'^ "«k «y 'No • B„t t . , T f "' "' "■'■" h^lf a mW,o —1.. I'd -ebif„i^:it;,.txr/^"'""' s« beside n,e, if you'l^e • shJl"" ?"" "' •■"• '^'^ ■hat conductor S .ht'k v kT'"" ' ' P^^aps then touch you.' ^'"' ''*"8 •" •«. ""d won-. And .he one wi.H .he"nl?^s.t^:;:T|:TJ^''» ' the boss comes alone and he'll »k- I ^' Z' ^ "^^^^ 7«.-d better Selieve T up and didT^ *" *""^' ** And rhenK T — » .^ . And there I sat and never slipped a word. SCO ^ But '\" *■/■ in' ^ The Dead-Beat what did me the most good was the touch of that girl's gown and the scent of her dress and hair. Now, I don't want to be irreverent and I ain't a scrap, as mother will tell you. But — well, it was just all they talk about religion and new life to me. I tell you that little girl converted me, as good as an entire camp-meeting and summer picnic ^convention rolled into one. And as often as the conductor come along, she *d start them off on a chorus, and then he'd think it was the same old gang jollying him, ain^~give them the off track and the go-by. For she set the young fellows to monkeying with that conductor, «o that he 'd rather * see ' four aces with a bdbtailed flush y^an come near. And she kept them at it for more than a couple of hours, till I had made nigh on a hundred miles, up into th^, mountains, and was thinking of dropping dfF at the next stopping- place. But the day broke early, and we shipped a con^ ductor with eyes like a mountain-cat and the shoulders of a bufTalo. This Sullivan-Corbett fellow got the drop on me and chucked me right there, in spite of the remonstrances of my little girl, and her threats that she 'd spend her last cent in having him tried for murder if anything happened to me. OfF I had to get at a run! But that girl was a perfect Mascot. For just when the chucker bounced me, the train was climbing and chay- chaying up a 1.25 grade, and the pine trees were just a-crawling past like a funeral procession when they're changing the pall-bearers and the band are dripping the top-note out of their trombones. So I lit good and soft within twenty yards of a quartz mill. Yes, sir ! And that mill was wanting a man about my size, who could hold his tot of forty-rod without spil ling, and knew to tend an engine. " In fact, I struck it rich right from the word * Go.' And in a year and a half I was able to pull up stakes 201 ■„ ^- jf..^. lone March ^^i> I • ^ ^ island who are willmo. »^ the chips for anv smar^ a •'• wiinng to put up pa lur any smart American to olav wiVh r - they are right enough this time for I • 'S""* business down to a finJ ' r ^ "" ^^ttrng this- . the pencil as yet but Lh'""r ^ " °"'-^ «^-P-'"g Wd .head, Z\ZtVjVy''' 'r ^^"" I-ondoners see a hotel which thet wi I T'" '" ^'' '^''' once they see it R... k u^ T ^"""^ '^g^'" ^^en m gen ng there I r„^l, u i "'^ ^ S""*' ''me can' r«t^•il, pW ,0 t r r^"*^ »P="» "■« ' ^ good musing douMe-Jead^ . "!• ?'? '"'' '« "I"' » •heir headachy Undeitound""^^'""'^'' "''^ Then You never seen, ,0 h^T •" """ "'=''« "«= '"«!■ ~ you are on a .hj" c„V "XT' 17 "" ""■=" coming round good. ' ' ^ ^^^ *^" »« " Now, Miss March 1 '^ \ . you know anything about thT. ^°'"^ '° "^'^ >^°M ^^ the Pullman ;^or you ^^^^^^^^ °" ^^^ "PP- step of -d it ain't my busCss,!^,;^"^^- f ^ '^ -^y> '"e for her sake how I can ^.7" '^ ^°" ^^"' ^e" J 'n. going to start nght In and 'd '7\ ^' '' ' ""^ of that Pullman^r gfr and on ' ^"'^ ^""^ '^' '^^<^ ?tle girl who is kee^ n/ the°K T°""' °^ ^^^^ ^^''^^^ [^ftoo., just be«use ' hf ha^es . '" ' J^^^" ^-'' J%y-riding aiH^ sitting^ S^^^^-?^^^^ e xrep r^_ side of the strm »" ^"^^ ^"'^^'"g ^he oeher , 302 f / 1*" ' , "W.'i '"^^•^,-- J. s» and the them, .So criew least g a whole iglish how nt to stay Jt of rich 'o put up I guess "ing this- Jarpening 'or »Full let these u'n when >od, and od time s that I what a Then e tired. wnson'& 5 when ars are yo^ if step of away, in, tell / can, e sake other boot- xcep t „ other The Dead-Bcat Something of the man's heart in tjie last words, or perhaps the remembrance of her former self on the San Francisco train, suddenly moved lone, aqd before she knew what she was doing she found herself telling all her troiibles and anxieties to this friendly . American, whose handsome, kitidly face grew grave and thoughtful as she proc^ded. ** Ah," he said, " yoi^ Should have .tried Anierica for your complaint. Girls have ten times more show there. And though, God -knows, there are rascals everywhere, there are also heaps of good men over there %ady and aching to do the horse-whipping. You would find heaps in eyery city who would be proud to give you a hand for the sake of their own women folk} yes, and think thertiselves precious lucky to be thanked with a «mile. But oiver here the place fairly swarms with< -sharks like Sweel, and never a man's finger itches upon the trigger pull." ** Perhaps over here they have n't all got little girls keeping books in Salem I " suggested lone mischievously. Seth Livingston looked up quickly. There was a blush on his cheek, but a sort of proud straight look ' in his eye. / " Now yovf'^c laughing at me," he said, smiling him- self;-^" but I don't care. I'm only sorry for all the other fellows who have n't been to Salem ! " / lone broke into a gay laugh. / " Well," she said, " there 's one lucky girl dotting i's in that boot factory. I wonder if there are not two berths over there." ^ "Now, look here. Miss March," said/ Seth Living- ston, "I hope you won't be offended | but seriously, if you do wiirit a job, 1 think Tcan^t you into one right flLway, before this old mud-heap of a city is much older. But first I want you to knovy my mother. See, r ^2>^ 203 r!*^.,^_v -.-tWf, ' , _„ i'SS .' M' ^ •- ■ . ■'t.-f'^jfe l> ^1»>w >* lone March she's right over there. I guess she \ ,. .u , window now, the second to^he ri.t Lol' "''^ laying W for .e with a respi.L f' ' ttdf o7 c".' pepper's Cough E^iulsion, because I went o ! u my overcoaf T^hti ■ ^^'»us>e x went out without floor, with or^^rfo Id rireVeyt T^^ taxes, while I ran over here to wave the « ""'"\^''I and meet the girl who went to ^F "^''-spangled, AnJ T • . L *° Frisco two vear<5 aao And I JUS. be. you n,oeher will d„ ;,, ,^. Vk" if?^ unmothered from her birth. ^ "^ ''"" " Ah," he said softly, "lam sorrv R,.f will s« „y .„,h„ fi^;, 3„d rher:^^^;; jr^ui™ '" "y l^"" 'hM you can arrange flowers^ bv IV you wear ,h„„ Io„g.«aIkcd L ?„ ^ot '^ H«"irafLTf a°""" '""" "-' " -"VdHe " . * at Halt a guinea a performanci. Oh j . Before I am .mroduced ,o you, mother." A. .^4 204 ■■:■'■/ I TIL "t fe- . >1i Thk Dead-Beat ^' I should like to tell you that I am the only daughter of Governor March of Callibraska ! " In an instant the bright smile was stricken from Seth Livingston's face. He gasped and turned away, sud- denly pale to the lips — quite unseen, however, by lone, who was collecting her feminine impedimenta of small parcels, and looking about for her umbrella. "Of Governor March of Callibraska!" Seth stam- mered in an altered tone. lone looked at him curiously. « Did you know him ? " she said. « Most people do over there. There is no one quite like him, they say." " No, Miss March, I do not know Governor March ; but I seem to have heard about him ever since I was born ! " he said, lamely enough. . lone moved swiftly and lightly to the door. Setli Livingston went to the rack where the cablegrams were displayed, as if to look for his own umbrella. Then he glanced around him to see that the officials were occupied with other matters. All heads were bent down, so with a quick movement he detached a Butter- ing telegraph "flimsy" from its toothed catch, and thrust it deep into his pocket. " You will like my mother," he said, as they descended the wide stone stair. "I am quite prepared to like her," returned lone. " I like her son veiy much already —for the sake of the little girl in Salem ! " , • • Now this was what was written on the " flimsy " which Seth Livingston had in his pocket as he went down the stairs by the side of lone March : Js-dead. His a fairs =M MiUiMa ir t ExmG m xernor M a rdLi art in total confusion, and it is said that he has been smashed by the Judd-Piters combination. He was war Governor of Callibraskar ao5 .M#?i vil«^V%£]J>itl » CHAPTER XXIII THE FLOWER GIRL THE room in which lone found herself was not m..rt T ""^*"'''^'" ^"hin a few hundred feet of the murky Tames.s. On the walls were framed engravingi -- Washington crossing the Delaware occupant the place of honour above the mantlepiece. The Dedam o7l t Ti"'^'?'^- ^""'^ °^ F^"«"il Hall and the fir platr I„''"^'"^-"°"^\°^^"P'^^ "-'^« near th nreplace In one corner there was a sort of shrine composed of American flags, framed and glaz J I Sta.^ ghttenng on top, and the Stripes descendin^^er pend.cularly to the bottom of the frame. Opposife wa" another glass-case in which hung an old blue'co^J^fh shoulder-straps of rusty gold, together with an offic"", sword suspended By a waist-belt. ^ A thin-faced old lady, with a sedately placid exnres^ he n'^bLk •'/"^'" "''" resting for a momem ai wonrK n u"i '^°"' °"' ""^ •"• She pulled at the wool ban .n her large apron-pocket every minute or two Trlctice' "'°'"''" ''"' "'"'^ *^"^ °^ ^ ''^«-« o^ ston, "she .s quite the latest and most satisfactorv Mothe'" r "^i-^'/"' ^'^^y ^°-« ''o- o teZ to make you acquainted, and she is the daughte o/ Governor March of Callibfaska." ^ 206 , ■i>#->jte>A ■,tft>MK:> I.'iMuli .Wl!. ilM AwkiS >'• " !<( F . i ;>^Au^ • \.i^ .^ '^ *,.. .t #^^ : * The Flower Girl u My dear ! ," said the old lady, rising and holding out one hand, while she conserved her knitting with the other. " Why, I 've heard of your father as much as a million times ! Indeed, he got all my spring chickens for two whole years to melt into bullets to help end the dreadful war — and — and I gave him two of my sons as well." She cast a look at the blue coat which hung limply opposite the trophy of flags. "Mother," said Seth, "do give Miss March some tea, before you get talking about the War. There's nothing so thirsty as talking about the War. It 's as bad as lunching with three brigadier-generals at the Union Club." u^ " Don't you mind Seth, Miss March," said the gracious old lady, smiling placidly at her guest ; " when you 've lived as long as I have with joking men, you '11 know that more than half the time they are the only ones to see their own fun." « Say it, mother ! " said hir son provokingly. « Well, I will, S^th." She nodded a little defiantly at him. " He wants me to say that I would n't be as fanny as he is for a farm. He says that that makes him feel as if he were righj down by Boston Harbour. It seems curious they don't say a simple thing like that over here." "Yes, mother," he answered; "whenever you get to saying that, I can smell the South Bay and hear the N. Y. express sail through to Matapan just a- whooping ! " > By this time the tea Was poured out, and the old lady ^^^produced frbm r wall-prcsr«undf y cakes and myst e rious^ condiments, which she set on the table with great com- placency. "Do you kn«w, I just can't take to these stiff Eng- a«7 '^Jki' ,i^^t^J ^.v lone March vigorously : u ^^ Z' ' • ^ ^'^- Livingston S« and I have .h™ if ,h, "^LZj^' """ "■'" to read that notice, mother ? " hZ ^ ! ^^P^" tacked on the waH. P°'"''^ '° » "'"d No Meals to be Partaken of ««... **** Apartments Without Special Arrangement ^ J with the Direction I of the Syndicate Hotels. «WeU, sonny," said his mother "are nV * Direction of the Hotels ' ? A. * >'°" ***<^ telling me nothing eL ever L'T ""'"' ^°"'^^ ''^^^ GWy.. I would nt be alJl?. ' ''"' °^" '" '"^^ Jectedl, intothe Pockets^i^hi^t^t!'""^^^^^^^^ nwde his I.p suddenly quiver He Za t "' crushing sorrow which L ^hiT fc!^,>°T "" Md Of their foht ulk A, ^ . *" 8"' "' •'■^ launched upon her work b^^o ^kT "' ""'"''' «« ^^ . ,•,****)¥ ".iit^^^ii J- u. -I- --^^ ?a.' a *■ iffU^ut ■ ^.S'JWl a the de- 'ivingston ^ buy in all and then " mused J me to ering to r happen > a card ou the 5 been in the give k de. there n the It the t her I and help • er or ' The Flower Girl cried Mrs. Livingston } ** you ought to be ashamed of yourself, Seth. Miss March, he can't keep from telling every one he meets about little Mamie Grove. He generally gets there within ten minutes. How long was he with you ?. You look so sweet and sympathetic, that / I should n't blame him if he got to Salem within a minute and a half." " Mother, you are really the most unscrupulous person. And yet they say that the great American lie is going out! They should just hear my mother abusing and slandering her only son ! But the truth is, that with Miss March alongside,^ most men would forget to men- tion Salem at all ! " " Well, Seth, if you could be sensible for fiv? minutes, perhaps you would tell us how you propose to attach Miss March to the senwce of your Hotels ? " " Why, mother. Miss March is already engaged td arrange flbwei^ on the dining-tables at half a guinea for each set-ovit } and as -we have many special dinners, I think she may count on at least three or four in an evening. And of course, as the thing has to be done quickly, we will stand cab fares between the hotels." *^ Dear me ! " said lone, smiling gladly » *^ you are quite a &iry prince with a magic wand. Why, I shall be a millionairess, and have money to burn ! But per- haps, after they see me start in to do oine table, the Di- rection will shut down on me, and say, *■ Flowers is off', please help lay the cloths — it is all you are good for ! ' " ^ And a very nice thing too," said Mrs. Livingston ; . " F just ache to show these lazy good-for-nothing German waiters how cloths are laid in New England ! " ^ I think there is not the least doubt that Miss March Inir wccied," wffir Sets. « ini like BW Touiirrighr now, and introduce her to our Manner. Don't tell him that yqu haven't had fifty years' experience! Go to »4 ; ao9 bout «, •*-^' ',;j3r' *« icate., wreit'^;d';r;:fo^xr;^^r t :2 "'- the harshness of their outUnes. ' "* ''°"'" lone endeavoured to treat ea<-l> ..u- j- . ture, maldne of on, ,„ ° "" » <•"*'"« Pie- even^in, Soio^on in aU h^'^io^'^ltr ""'" fair ^^le'ti^rrsldTn,; ? tSfief ! '"""h "^^ " restaurant Th.t D • • , "'«f '"ward of the astoniswibu^ans^^""".,''^""' '"'=«' '°»>-hat- "And the table is ordered for thn». " ™ a t wth her finger to her cheet, Z^^l C^ "^ beny, the other wUl be iir aS^u ■ ^ . *°°"^ four to one that she wilUe dti W^wm'' " t" the red table." ^*" 8'vc them -"-"^s^ as nevertSTTAttlter^^" 2X3 J»<1 21.'''* f.Cfjk-^ ^"""t ' V- Vl ,"VK]»^ Tlhe Flower Girl When lone cafne back the next night, she found that so hr as that hotel was concerned, her reputation was made. She had smiled graciously as the dinner-giver anxiously adjusted her opera-cloak, and whispered some- thing in his ear. Then the lover had turned about to say to the deferential manager, "The young lady desireji to congratulate you on your table-decorator ! " It was with joy in her heart that Tone returned to the httle bouse, where Jane Allen was sitting up anxiously awaiting her return. « Wherever have you been, lone ? " she cried, as soon as she had flown into the narro'w passage to cktch her friend round the neck. Mrs. Adair came bustling out, her face red from the oven in which she had been pre- paring a beefsteak-pie to be carried by Tom Adair and his fether to the works on the morrow. lone told all her tale of Seth Livingston's kindness, and no| the least of her joy was the sight of the unselfish rejoicmg of these honest hearts. ^«So in a week or two I shall be quite rich, and 4 able t9 give you all a treat to the Crystal PaIace,'Dr even, if you are very good, to Hampton Court on Sun- day. Besides" — she turned and put her hand afFec- tionately on the plump matronly shoulder of Mrs. Adair — "it is high time that I paid my debts. I have been expecting, any time these two weeks, that you would be putting me to the door." Tom Adair coughed as if he had been about to speak, whae his father moved his feet ofl^ the kitchen fender noisily and upset the tongs. « Eh, lassie ! " said Mrs. Adair, holding up her hands inprotest ; « how can ye speak like that ? Ye are just rare yin O- oorsels, an' were lever to/^peak o' sUler to ye, ony yin o' thae twa men sittin*^ aboot tlirfire wad ' gie me my head in my hand and my lugs to play wi' I " \ •».,. f ;-»>--- gentleman table." "'' " °" y"" bedroom ■hrough, ve need n V '"' ""' ''"" '" ''"^ up ■ day o- .he we^ 7^", .f " "' '"^ *»" f'-'S"'"" wha, and ha,f a do!I:";^I f^^^ ■'' f' ">" " °>»". looiing-glass y ^ ""^ '" '^O"' "^ *« 'i'tk **/ it I ' Uhall "^^-« '<^ *ave done this -I cannot taJtc 1 Shall go to-morrow and give «;back to him/ "4 . I »» ',".11., :o fihd her- >nc moved ! 80, Mrs. gentleman f message, gied me a bedroom le. 1, for the and wi' ices, that keek up ir scones ye white ten what !ar to be n eager- led with it open, I uttered li a few through r. Hr The Flower Q\t\^ t" Then she remembered that "she did not know Keith Harford's address. At this tnoment Jane Allen came in with eager eyes of inquiry. She pounced at once upon the traces of the tears which lone had hastily endeavoured to wipe away. " What did I tell you ? " she said reproachfully. " I knew how it would be ! You should never have let him speak to you again. Men are all vipers, and when- ever you give them an inch they will take an ell I " " But, Jane," said lone, smiling in rather April fash- ion, " this is 'not the man I was once engaged to. I never saw Mr. Mirford till I was in Switzerland a year ago." Jane Allen's eyes danced with a sudden joyous light. "Why didn't you tell me so before?" she said. " Here I have been just horrid to you for weeks, all be- cause I thought you were taking him on again — and I knew too well what that meant. But, tell me, is he nice ? Do you love him ? " "No," said lone doubtfully; "I do not love him. How should I, after seeing him only half a dozen times ? But I am sorry for him. He is ill and poor, and does not know how to look jjfter himself any more than a baby." Jane Allen did not say a single word, but roSe from the side of the bed whereon she had been sitting. She came swiftly and impulsively over to lone and kissed her. Then, still without a word, she -went into her own room. r shoe .. ^ little ' ttake t i i ' 4 'm *■*' ^ J ■ 1 " '.'" ?■•'' H :\K ^ #- '".;#: '-'A m y' CHAPTER XXIV THK CRCSSDS CLUB « .he Hcd Univ^l. The primogeni- .^ of «bbu-.™.hed^ri!-™,:^: j";r, c w..h prominent oilish eyes. For the won>hip of aZ mon ^d .helife-Iong pursui, of .he elusive goZf ^2 «.d .h.re do notv somehow- or other, conduce to ,£, . 2'. o^ "I" C"l'. heavier of body and broader of Im W« ""Th™""' *• /" "" ''^''' >«""-- "f *S most part . correspondents of distinguished Snwicial no. perhaps altogether .b«ve d„i»g a little diplomacy o^ ?at r: '"";}„"' """ "' "^ *« oppot^nity/j; fact. It wa. . dinner given to the brother of the cele- ^Sey'r^! """ "^ "»^ «"^*«' P''". M^ TTie celebration was ,o aU pl>c, m two of the hand- somes^ ,«,„« of the Hotel Universal. The Zt. assembfed .„ the Salon de I, Commune, and tb. SZl w» laid m the Salle de Robespierre. The decoration IL ,f K !r" ^ "■""ghout, and no expense luL^ I. K ^' '°'' ""*^ of that fomoi; hotel, rcuurant, which w| just then establishing the world- .f ■imJitj'ji 1 ■^::- icr ni- cy n- en n- Pt be ih ir e il ■» 1 I ^he Croesus Club wide repuuflon — details of which may be teen from the advertii^ments of any illustrated journal. As Mr. jCearney Judd was distinguishing the Universal Hotel by shaking it the place of his residence while in London, It was natural that he should be in the salon of receptioiy in time to receive his guests. Also as the hour of dinner had been fixed early in order to facilitate an adjoy^rnment to the " Elysium " Music Hall in time for th0 principal item on the programme, the smalUah purae^mouthed brethren of St. Croesus, with their buffalo- honJ moustaches, arrived with equal alacrity, and were warmly received by their distinguished Prior. / But the control of the Universal Hotel did not look with> the same enthusiasm upon the unusually early dinner hour. The chef was in a thumb-biting, shoulder- shrugging state<'of revolt in the magnificent,^ kitchen; at the top of the house. The lady decoratcA* had been disappointed by the late arrival of her flowers. The foreign supplies had not come on in time. And so iit chanced that even while the guests were assembling in the Salon de la pommune, in the adjoining Salle deft hands were throwing here and there across the great table sprays of Persian lilac, bleached by rapid* forcing in the dark, and subduing to a half light the sparkle of the electric lamps underneath, glowing loops yM.c\i beamed through the mist of blue and white with sug- gestions of azure heavens and angelic purity exceedingly , appropriate to the Croesus Club. Banks of moss were overlaid with the deep unutter- able tones of the trumpet gentian, rising from the stiffl rarer sapphire of the smaller Alpine ilower. Above shone masses of blue cornflower, snoWy ageratum, and nuble Swairithrer daisies; TiwiftTy aSd^ in silence whifF Hngei^: were showering among these sprays of k>ng- le|ift4 Jfieedwell and creamy spiraea altcrnaptii^ with ■A % i- >i^ a,,1> >^jrf^'fj o it-'i g^' W" \," r ' t » ■ " V^ ^■?^ ''^«M«"^ .V'.- -•'A lone March "■:*„ sm.l» and , he stiffcr stems of innocent fore«.me-not mtoken of the eternal devotion of d,e membe,, of tt,: C™su, Club to each other -so long, that is, as they ott r.ht^re."'""'^""^ ■'"•'"— ' '•*- '^'^ The rooms were only separated from each other bv the thmnest of folding doors. In fee,, little more han the Salon de h Commune from that of the Salfe de thrir? •'" •"' '"-■^""^'y lulls and silences of their fast-r„„„,„g ,„,,, .^^ ^.^^^ ^^__y ^^^ of black anH°\?"' ""'' ''" ^ " '™« ">= «<* * ,.black and whue as n.mble servitor, passed in and out. Pnor Kea^y Judd stood by the doorway receivi4 'A-^i^i&.i!tJs^mi'iSi^-AMii%:^M^ - ^ > et-me-not, lers of the is, as they thers kept other by lore than ih divided Saire de lences of tire clink fiksh m and out. receiving 'Ut every if some- lieftnore, » poet's IS not a i grand- Sons of lligence rt. He tsy long — you ot, you enemy less to e more ng-ate. For the ceived The Croesus Club abundant " poinjers " from the Grcat-and-Only. There- fore his words were as gold and worth noting. Indeed, most of the members of the Croesus Club, after a night with their Prior, secretly consulted their shirt cufFs of the evening, arid (not always to their advantage) arranged the finances and speculations of the following morning by the light of these words of weighty wisdom. "He .is n't a very big fish; indeed, only a jerky and troublesome one. My old man has been fooling hiin and playing him for some time — Governor Henry Quincy March, you know ! " "Oh, yes," said the Man-with-a-Grandfather, "I've heard of him — Governor of Callibraska in war time, was n't he — raised the shekels for the freedom of the nigger — that kind of thing ? Enlisted afterwards as a private in the army ; very noble ; went to Andersonville, * caQse he would n't bow the knee ' — no end of a fellow." " As yqu say," nodded Kearney drily, " no end of a felfow. Only — there fe an end of him now. But there is more to his record than that, and I know it. He started out in business with the cash he sneaked from the Liberation Bureau. He throve on plund^and carpet- bagging all through the late sixties. This March fellow has been in our way a long time. He 's been playing the patriot even more than usual lately, only rather over- doing the part — million dollars to this and that hospital, ten millions to Taskora University, to found ai scientific chair for the study of the other side of the moon. All very well when you've got the boodle an^want moreV- no better ad. in the wc^»than astronomy for a phil- anthropic^raud like March. But when you have n't got the ready, and don't de serve to have it, it gets to be ^out time For some one to shut down on the foolT my old man did the shutting, and now- ^^ ./ ** I 've teen him," interrupted one of the diplonuts, :''l^^'*:- ■'-'' L^^^-i lone March pulling his^moustache. « By Jove, twy, had n't he a' daughter of sorts -handsome girl, too? Saw her at Naples or Sorrento!" "Say, ^weren't fou rather sweet in that quarter, Kearney? Gave you the mitten once, didn't she? vveii, 1 bet she is deuced sorry now'" I think old March had a daughter," said the Prior, ttl^A ";o"stache, also twirling his own particular buffalo-horn i "don't know whe^e she is now. She'll have to turn.out and do.something for her living, which will be good for her soul ! " ^ The folding do«irs slid noiselessly open. Instinctively, With a relieved apprehension of the announcement of ^mner the whole Croesus Club turned towards the Salle de Robespierre. And there, set against a background of darkest blue, and backed by a faint shiny mist of electric ght from a hundred half-hidden fai.^ lamps, stood a Render figure ma plain black gown, relieved o„ly by a wide collar of white about her throat. The girl's face brilliant. Her lips were parted, and showed full gera- munj scarlet against the ivory whiteness of her skin, lone s whole attitude expressed such a world of anger and contempt, that the Brothers of Croesus nearest the foldmg doors shrank back as if they feared that the girl was about to strike them on the fece. ^ " Yes," she said, her words sounding out clearly and S" L"a : ^ J;;^of expectant sile'nce, « Gov'ernor March has a daughdT I am that daughter. And I am earning my own living. I h^, turned out honestly to wm my br«d. You say that my father has failed"^ '^^1-t ■'■'*!?» ^-^■^ W^' foie one «^ j,oo wu bom he had done hi. woit, mi aao ri «¥.ltt*iiif ii '\%-¥'^ I ^ « 7 The Crcesus Club to, America is to-day what she is because of such men as my father." There was a murmur and an astonished recoil among the guests. Behind her the waiters clustered and whis- pered. ." Run for the manager ! " said one. " Bring Mr. Livingston — the girl 's gone mad ! " whispered another. But lone had more to say before any one could stop her. "As for tha^ thing therp," she pointed an indignant finger at Kearneys wk) after recovering from his first surprise, stood dMjj^lantly smiling and stroking his moustache, " '^flH^''^*^'^'^ disgrace that for a few days I wore his ring^fimy finger, till I learned to kiiow the wretched coward, the despicable liar he is. But to- Doorrow I will write to Governor March, and as sure as that reptile crawls upon the earth, he shall be punished. My father will require the justification of his words from bim to his face, and if he dare not meet him man to man- — well, with such as he, there is at least some Mtisfaction to be got out of a horse-whip." As lone spoke out her indignation a stony silence fell ipon the company, broken only by an agonised whisper horn the diplomat. " My God — the girl does n't know ! " lone March ran her eye over the company^ — a slow withering glance of infinite disdain. " You are men, you are gentlemen — most of you arc Americans — you would not stand and listen to your own fathers and sisters being belied and insulted behind their backs. Gentlemen, I put it to you, has Governor March deserved ill of his country I He has no son to stand up and vindicate him here — only one feeble girl. I ask you,' gentlemen, is there no one who will have the -4Banl ines8 t& defend^ the absen t , -and t o sa y t» that fa g^ «nd cad the words which I cannot say." "Yes, by Jove, there just is! I'll take up that 291 ' .-^■^^ ^"^•^■^1^*^ > «"' ■'^?^^fx'*^ ^ f « **^?!?J£ lone; March run ,w. of ■^^'^inV^c^^r.rxr *: h.s .tand b«ide .he sicnde. pathetic fig„„ fK "Mj- father knew Governor Match, I- taow^ht •laughter and no man insults either in my p,e«re o^ yet m the Hotel Universal." ^ presence, or V; And who might you be?" sneered Kearney Tudd mrsiche""" '^' '"'•'^"' '"^"' "■™ "> His-'i^t' "I ami man and an American — you are no more " You may perhaps l^-ar of this to-morrow through '^ ■ S^cale ^""'^"^'SentoftheUnivenalHoiel His opponent nodded grimly - "That*, all right/'- he said. "You'll find Seth Livingston on hand when the music plays " fiut the journalist, touched by the beauty and the p.t.fulness of the girl, had a word to say. ^ I am sure that we all sympathise .with Miss March n her bereavement," he began lamely eaough. Then the chorus broke indignantly about him. HuT-'d?^— 'IJL^lf y-^ -guc, mani on rtyT^ '" '"" ^""^^ ^"^^ '"™-^ «nd held iivr«Tce-crr'^ '"f' "»"*""« ^'••"^^^ ^- « <»- I ti: Zn.i'^J^ l!L°^^g'll ^-^ humbly, as J ^^ ^^ ^ ^•-<^--^' ^) ^^ 333 ' .''» ^^«it^^«t>-i.^'j^ \''! v^l i I The Groesus Club There was a confused murmur as if to drown his iinal words; but it came too late. lone March had heard. .« Gowrnor March's death " shp gasped j « you say his » death.' My father dead, and I not told of it — I not with him ! " . She stood a moment longer, swaying like a lily in the wind, looking dully from one to the other, as if not understanding why they were all gathered there. « Is this true, Seth Livih^ston? Ah, you are silent;, you know it. You knew it this afternoon, and you did pot tell me! I thank you, sir — I thank you, gentle- irien. I ask your pardon. I must go — I must go to> finrf my father. I think — I think he is needine ' me!" . ^ And she fell back into Seth Livingston's armsi "Gentlemen," said her champion, "you see that it is impossible after this that you can dine here to-night. Be good enough to adjourn elsewhere." "Very pretty —exceedingly neatly acted," sneered Kearney. « Let 's leave the hotel drummer with the girl. Come on, boys; this has been better than any show we are likely to see to-night." Seth Livingston shifted the unconscious girl into the arms of a sympathetic waiter. ' "'This may be hai%ed poor business as business," he muttered; ^," but I guess I'm going to see it through." / And the next moment something swift as the first -^ upward rush of a rocket struck Kearney Jud(i between the eyes, and he found himself upon the floor of the Salon de la Commune. Tstar hhn ta his room t" said SethT;rvingstonr And went to his own to send in his resignation. Meanwhile Mrs. Livingston ■ was caring for the un- =23 •^ : .*:'' f^. / .rfi't "v «.1,.>s ^ H4" March t4" "'"*" '"" "* "™ " "*" ^««»« Hi&mother whispered to him,— . '^ **She will do nicelv eh* :. ' quiee right, SetJ, boyf"'''^ « "'""^S *<>. You did " '^»'*nk you, mother," said her son. who knew h. had not erred when his mother used his p^ name «? guess you and I will have to eo back « ?! -1 J caaget^a berth at three dol L^ a dav iii tht •.^"r- ^ his. mother. ^ wmething fit to eat I " said 4?i$^ a SiC4 \ •/■n i'V>-;^« iring tittle knocking You did knew he me. »* I now. I : fectoryi le book- v\ ^'"said CHAPTER XXV MRS. MARCUS HARDY BUT Seth Livingston did not Io$e his post. As he sjjid himself, he stood the "racket." He managed to convince his directors that if he had been wrong-headed and unbusiness-likfe, at least his action had done no great harm ^ so long, that is, as the knowledge of it was confined to a dozen or so who had the best of reasons for keeping the matter private. "And thank goodness, there's no Judd-Peters' dollars in thb show, or I'd have been done up sure!" said Seth, after he had got outside of the board-room, where, as he admitted, it had taken him "ten blessedly sultry minutes to see the other fellow's bluff, and raise him to' the limit." , lone March remained with his- mother all night, and the white-haired old lady alternately nursed and petted her with whispered tendernesses and the healing sym- pathy of silence. Seth himself took a hansom oyer tb Audley Street in the morning, and relieved the anxious minds of Jane Allen and Mrs. Adair. Thence he re- turned city-ward again accompanying Jane Allen on the top of a 'bus, and talking about lone " ten-to-the- dozen" the whole time, aat Jane afterwards somewhat cryptically affirmed. " , * In a week or two lone was able to be out, and even -to go^ back to herworfc ar the tables, bur the shock of~ the night of the Croesus dinner had told upon her greatly. The old elastic lightness seemed permanently gone from her step. The willowy sway, lissom as the stem of a I-- 15 U#H>-. 'AsSo. r V,., 9*5 mwwvt^emvn" ^'..wgMBR Sv> ; lone March irom Ilw carnage. She moved listlesslv, she loak^ J,l h« «r,«emr™'" ■""'" """"' ">«»»*usiasrj' ner nm attempt as an artist in Bowers. few! d7«f r" "" *"' ""'■™"' "«■>""" of he, laher-s death from an unexpected source. She was sit. had obtamed a professional substitute for"er I'ess ^ fcX",:;? °' *"«!.. -a girl whom S«h hidl^^d ^rb^'ue7;£L^M!''--"Vwas m'uri;- louIanJ"— ''" °" '^' °"*" ^^^'^ h^'n'nered a second ,^j . . i twenty doors on either siHo and over an indefinite area across on fh. •.' of the way. °" *"* opposite sid^ w wr^rrrt'^tu^^^^^^^ ^'"""^^'^ -''^"^ , ir . ""^ * murmur of voices — h..k J '?f '"8 *rough this,, giriish ,oice, clear h«h^«.d r.prf,wi,ieh made a dozen explan,,;,;,'^' .l™e heard with ,rCwS^S^ ..on«l... Ensued thereafter ,h. mpid rusSe of^Z. 226 •-1? JS< 4* a C'- -*§5!f^j^ (•V^7k B H ' ■' lone March y all I shall have (till I get papa by himself, when Astoria IS safe out of the way) is only ten thousand dollars a year, and about twelvr hundred that Marcus has from his estate and things ! " "That is n't dollars, though," said Marcus, beginning to cheer up and look about him. •• "And we are going to have such sweet times in the dearest httle cottage, Marcus and I. Of couree we can t afford a proper house, or carriages, or servants. U dear, we are to have only one little Biddy-of-all-work I And I'm to do ri<^e puddings, and there'll be a little boy m nice, shiny buttons to clean the boots and keep It cheerful for the hired help. No, I think we won't wear boots that need to be blacked at all — browa leather IS so much nicer anyway, and cheaper too, espedally the sloppy kind with canvas tops. They 're only half-a- crown a pair at the Stores, if you smile nicely at the oterk who attends to you ! " « We shan't be so poor as all that," ventured Marcus the giant But his wife swooped down upon him, and ^napped him up. « O yes,Ve will, nice thing. (Is n't he nfce, lone ? It 8 only the Greenn^yed One that makes you not answer.) Of course we shall be >or, and have just nothing p year to live on. I think it is a shame, hi/ mother has a beautiful feudal castle about as bie as Windsor all to hereelf." ^ "Imitation — all iron girders and cockroaches!" put " in Marcus. ^ His wife rumpled his hair down over his brow, till his blue eyes looked ruefully forth from the tangte like an owl out of an ivy bush. "?'' "'?*'. ^°^' J"** ^'y it! gurls like that over 4 -the Avehnd tickle jotiriavi so curiningly when you stroke them. She won't, horrid thing! Ne-cvvr-er .:^_ • *- ^W,i^i; -Tk " 'i' 4 Mrs. Marcus Hardy mind, then, it's ownest owii will do it for it — all it wants, so it shall then ! " " O shame — shame ! " said Marcus, blushing more redly than ever out of the overhanging wisp of hair Idalia had been stirring. Then he picked up his wife as easily as a kitten and set her down on a chair. Idalia rose to her feet, and stamped on the thin carpet. "O you great, strong, horrid brute — I hate you — abusing your' poor little wife ! Don't speak to me — you see how I am not allowed to say a single word in my own defence, lone. All is over between us ! Be- sides, you are looking at lone twice as often as you look at me, and yofl said ^at at Grindelwald you liked her better than you liked me. Yes, you did — you know you did ! Now don't argue, Marcus Hardy. You know very well that you have not a single word to say for yourself, and I 'm not going to listen to it anyway, if you had. Thank goodness, I 've got something else to do!" Marcus looked over to lone for sympa^. She smiled such a smile as had not been on her ijps since- she listened last to the bright irresponsibility of Idalia, that sweetest of featherheads and loyalest of friends. " There you are at it again," she cried, ** you are both doing it now. Marcus Hardy, I won't have you flirting with lone before my very face, if I am ah orphan ■ in a strange land. I shan't cry. No, sir ! 1 shall just, say, » Good-bje, Mr. Man — pleased to have met you. You 're welcome to the other girl, if you can get her.' Only I don't believe she 'd look at you — though some women are such flirts, it's perfectly horrid!" Axid»04Mi. ,..:,. ,ii.; - ,...., ,..,.. .. '" I >33 m ■"4- 'J «W ^ « •ii CHAPTER XXVI THE OPPRESSOR OF THE WIDOW BEFORE Idalia and Marcus left Audlcy Street that night they had persuaded lone to ac- company them on their first visit to Rayleigh Abbey, the incvbating centre of Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy's bi>monthly niw religions. But before she left London lone was determined to find Keith Harford^ and return him the thirty pounds- which she knew he could so ill afford. She did not'^ know Keith's address, but on one occasion at his request - she had noted down that of his sister-in-law, Mrs. " Vmcent Harford, with the indefinite intention of calling upon her at some future date. It was a small house in a quiet lane, not far from J^udley Street. lone found It one of a narrow, double row of similar buildings, constructed of the peculiar mealy red brick of South London, and the tenements, though one degree moi« pretentious than those in Audley Street, were at least ten degrees less comfortable. ^ Dingy yellow cu^ains drooping within the small oriel window, marked out the house of Mrs. Vincent Harford from that of her neighbours. Waxen fruitage of brilliant dyspeptic hues inclWed in an oval glass case, was visible where the yellow curtains separated a little theone froin the other. Little Angel, looking infinitely pathetic in a loose ^^^^^^m^^^^^h^^ opened the door^ and as soon^.^ as she recognised the visitor, she flew with a d^d ciy into lone's arms^ •-? / •34 *«... , 's.: J*>" Street to ac- ayleigh lardy's Aed to loundt,; id not equest Mrs. :alling use in found dings, South more least 1 oriel irford illiant isible froiq' loose ^o on — d cry The Oppressor of the Widow A. ^ »* I am so glad you 've come,"**lhe said. " I am all alone in the house, and it is so empty and big. At least, when mother is in bed, and the charwoman won't be back till to-morrow. So I was playing at being the Queen, and cutting off people's heads. Now you%an be the Queen,, turn and turn about." "That must be a nice play," said lone. "But I hope your mother is not seridfes^ ill?" " Who ? Mother ? Oh, no, only she always goes to bed when there is nothing else to. do. But 1 '11 tell her, and she '11 be so glad you 've come." And with a skip and a wave of a harm daintily^elfish, the quaint neglected child disappeared up the narrow stairs which l?d t* the bedrooms of the little brick house. A few minutes afterwards, through the thin partitions of the jerry-built house, a querulous voicjp could be heard asking a question. The low-toned apswer was received with the words, " I wonder what has brought her here ? " vj Presently little Angel came flying back with news. " Mother 's getting up as fast as she oRn. And I 'm to talk to you till she 's ready. And oh, I hope it wfll be such a long time." ** So with another shrill cry of joy she caught her friend round the neck. " You are so pretty, do you know ? " she went on, " and ever so much nicer than most pretty people. You don't mind my mussing your things, do you, a bit? When I grow up, I'm going to be very pretty, ^nd have lovely silk dresses. One is to be of sky-blue silk — oh, so thin — and it is to be trimmed with Garibaldi a hroad belrofhrnrliirsoirsllk roundnmy waist. Yes, and when I go out people will all say, »Who is that lovely crea-churef Do they say that 23S ■n -MS.', ^ 4 ,'iwr ,.W( ■0* when lone March . ^r!" S? °"* { ^'"^ f"'*^ '^^y ^"^ ^y « to them- on an qlcj black frock. 1 us, or rich like rich. i* ;».'., selves, for all you have only „ say, though, are you really poor lit Uncle Keith? Maxima says that he is ever and that he 04ght to let us live in a far nicer place than ^Xhere was a light, uncertain tread on the ill-built stairs which even when Angel flew up them, creaked nJuA ' ,^*^^J»*^^'ght. The little, warped, thin- panelled parlour door 6pened, and the widow came in. As soon as the chil^ heard her mother coming down the stairs, she sprang down from lone's knee, passed her fingers through her hair, and tripped over to another chair on the ed^^ of which she sat with her fingers folded m her lap,%,d her hiouth pursed and prim, look- ing the very ghost of the child who a moment before had wantoned and chattered in lone's lap "Ah, Miss March," said Mrs. Harford, handing lonp one or two um-esponsive^fingers, much as if she had been Passbg her a bunch of bananas. "I remember you. My^rother-well, he isn't my brother, thank goodness^ -my late dear husband's brother, I mean, went away wuh you after puttmg me and this poor child into a cab Of course, he only did tjiat to get rid of us. Keith Harford never has any consideration for any one's feel- ings but his pwn." ^ "Oh mamma!" said little Angel; "Uncle Keith « very kind, I'm sure. For when he has money he d^"'d^U;.''""'°""* and you know he gave me my Ln "When he has money ! " cried the widow, with an unpleasant little laugh. "Well, Miss March, I dare- ^ yg ii t!^ A f rien d of my fa otfei^Tn-fawX and wi l l go^ ^raight and teU him what I say. But I don't cait:; he 'Kttowt It already, or ought to. A thousand tim^fis I 've ■r*^. s^^\T^^' w.,"*i>-{ tr ivr 1"' Vj^ The Oppressor of the Widow told him that if he would get a paper to edit, or go on the Stock Exchange," he might easily make enough money to take us all out of this hole. Ah, Lyall Harford, my own dear husband, was so different. You would never have suspected that Keith and he were brothers. It is true that Lyall was most unfortunate, and lost all . his money. But then, so long as he had any, or could get any, he spent it like a gentleman — yes, like a gen- tleman, and not— — " « But," cried" Angel anxiously, " Uncle Keith is poor too!" " Silence, child ! What do you know about it ? ' Poor indeed — with hi^ clubs and fine chambers. He keeps us here in this rat-hole, and all the time he is roll- ing in the lap of luxury himself. Besides which, if he would only ask his friend Hardy for money, he could get all he Wanted in a minute. And they say Hardy's mother is jJfst wild to marry him, and he won't. Keith always was so terqbly selfish." , lone could scarcely help smiling ^uring the progress of this diatribe. But she f(^lt thiisithe sooner she got out of the house the more happy she would be. " I should be glad if you could tell m#*whore to find Mr. Harford," she said at last, " I have ^gbfe money of his to return to him. He has been very kind to me- indeed." ^ " Oh, I daresay ! " cried the widow, >^ssi^g her head, and her fingers rap-rapping angrily on the paper Wore her. " He is just the very man to be angelic to every- body but those he is in duty bound to help — his poor dead brother's wif* and child. He 'd call up the first f*i m •i6 crossing sweeper, and stuff his - pocketg jivith money. ~*^ But to me and my child he scarcely alldWs as much as will keep body and soul togtthct ! " "When I saw Mr. Keith Harford last,** said lone m how can he fj, and yet refuse to like Mrs. 'Forsaker- ivettient.— all because,, itile older than himself, and because h| pm*n<^ that he has not the requisite *^*^*'°" *o®^ her in Return. How paltry ! " ' u^'^ ^. '"deed to get away from the little par- behind the^iingy yellow curtains with Keith Har- .«iii!f ?*" '• P^^^^'- "^^^ P^'*"»J apartments m* **' **«^<=''-'"-'aw so frequently referred turned ' nff'^ '^* ""'■"T^"'' '^'"Sy *t^P« leading southward. olt^I«^ Street, and when Jone reached the place the area of the house suggested that the e^itire fabric had ^n reared upon, s^ solid substratum of blackbeetles. i/T ^'MJ there anything really rtillionairish about the tTeTeir ■*^^''^°''^ who,aftera long interval, answered abedf'<'^v"°'?' r?^ ^^y^ Mr. Harford is ill abedf ^ee him ? Well, mum, Mr. Harford has only a SiedT' ^°" "' '*"■'• ^^^'^ ^ '""y ^^ «'^^ '«« ouf'lf^^ '°"k** 5 ''°'^" ajjard-featured womah came out of some back premise^ stood looking dow upon lone w.th an air of|K reprpa.b. ^• . Who .s the pei^n, sWW^ she/grated, with tho^ "Friend of Muster Harford's," teid Sarah, throwini her voice casually over her shoulder. ^ »39 ■.^«^ •"'^'f ressor of the Widow and is not able to see any featured woman ; " but I will for him, or any letter or - t^e in lone's hand. Thank you," said lone, who had instantly con- ^^ubtP' '"*^i?^ ^^"^'^ '^''^y^ "I w^» not AndCwalkedawiy. She was resolved not to trust her pj^aous thrrty pounds to ihe care of so evident a harp! She would either get Marcus Hardy to go with it I; Post Office. A. she went slowly away she dros^Tover to the opposite side of the street, and, casting a glance aloft, she endeavoured to decide which of the small! diitv windows could be that of Keith Harford's roorti. On the fourth storey one was open nearly half its extent, and the gnmy curtain within moyed a little as if a breeze were stirring gently up abo^e, itough there was not a breath of air in the narrow street whire she stood. Vv ** .^V^ •v.. ^ '"■* ,.# y ■& r" 1' ■»*■ 1 ,.^,.4- 1 ii; -. 1 ,- , -. Y'^I V"""^ '''' \ /»* -y "^ f^ CHAPTER XXVII JANE Allen's tragedy ALL that night lone lay awake thinking of Keith Harford alone in the grimy house in Tarvit ^ Sti^ct, at th<^ mercy of the hard-featured woman. It weighed ,onher>eart like an oppression, that somehpw she had hel?3Tiis voice call her from be- hind the dirty curtain of the fourth-storey room. To- wards morning she fell into an uneasy slumber, from which she was aw^ened by Jane Allen bending over her and touching her gendy on the shoulder. "^ Tell me what is/ffilTmatter," said the girl. « I can't bear to hear you. lying moaning like that ! " " There is nothing the matter at all," said lone ; « I must have been dreaming." «Was it about ^A/m?" queried Jane almost, in a whisper. ' loni was silent, for truly her heart, was sick and sore within her. « Let me come in beside you, lone," said Jane Allen, " and just tell me anything you want to.'' After all, there is nothing in the world like human sympathy. By it alone the heart of man, running' for even a little way in double harness, is eased of the straiU ing load wliich sags and lurches behind him over life's uneasy causeway. lone did not know that she was in love - - certainly at -tiiirtimesIrrwoirtdniosfvehemcMylave to Jane Allen ; but Jane had infinitely more tact than to ask the question point-blank. She only lay quietly, with ."dii t- IS' \ Jane Allen's Tragedy ' (her hand round h^r friend's shoulder. And because the hearts of all women are the same, and their comprehen- sion of each other's good and ill greater than that which IS granted to man and woman, lone March was at once soothed and aided by the gentle hand and silent sympathy of the httle type-writing girl. At^Iast lone spoke, very softly and evenly. r > / "I have a friend," she said, "one who was kind to me — to whom I wish to be kind. He is very ill I went to see him to-day, but I could not. The landlady was horrid, and would not let me go up. Yet I seemed to hear his voice calling me to come and help him-rr-" « lone March," said Jane Allen firmly, giving her a fierce little shake, « now you 've got to stop this straight ^T-V ^°" '"'' ^ ^"^ S° '^^ ^''' ^^'"g •" ^he morning, ^d If there is any frowsy old rent-grabber in London that can keep me from Seeing -him as my heart is set on — well I U enjoy meeting her, that 's all I " j So the two girls lay awake in each other's arms till the grey W the morning reddened to the smoky copper sunrise of Battersea, while the fnilk-carts, driving Chelsea- wardKtowards the spideiy tackling of the Albert Bridge, rattled m to hearing, grew louder, clattered, passed, and ceased. Then came the hoarse, coughing ciy of the early sweep ; after him the man with the unknown procla- mation, whose voice in these regions can be heard afar in all withers -a mysterious calling in the dawn which lone d^ed soundey ike that of Jonah: "Nineveh the Great shall be ^^ed _ destroyed in three days ! " These all went b^PSi^ir appointed houi3, regular as theju-cling hand&-*nt. lone March many oayi stays in the same spot all day and nig one after the dther. ^■^ And «11 ri^^'ugh the shifting hours lone told Jane AUen of )i«^§i.endship ft,r Keith Harft,rd - of her en- gagement tc^^earney Judd, of the meeting in Switzer- t^ ^^W^^ °^ J"^"*"" J®"*'' *"** *'^'" ^'ot brief anger at Meinn^, Then she went on to tell of the meeting in London a%r many days, of the glances left in iier heart, meamndess at the ^^me, which, however, had grown great and important during absence and .without the utterance of a word. And all the while^Jane Allen murmured question, understanding, sympathy. At last m her turn she began to speak to lone in the same low and eve^Vpice— th^vpice-in which women tdl each other thetsecret thihgs of^e heart. "Yes, lone (}car," she said, ^Hhat is. the beginning — the beginning of true love. No, do^^ W any more ^ just listen ! For such a man you woull do much,tk not yet all. I have done ^fcfiut I w^ill only til you part. For when the'^rt if bitter ft is easy t^ speak, but not easy to speaj wisely. 1 *^j °"^' I""! ^*'^" '^So ther^ife^ a man whgy:jswore hW Wed mej And I loved hiS^od help nilll foye^ him suU. We went to one chapeL We sang|||^ pne * choir. IHe. was poor and I was p6or, l^t \J^oMd hard for ^at which would give us a litt^ ^hree years— -that is a long time outi They said 11^ v^srf pretty then t- Others %^ ^"' ^P^"* **'*'"Sht of, and .never so miiS as looked" at ai^ j^er. I believed in him, and trusted him in all thingr^. He .was to me as 'God. He travelled in wool and underclothing for Remington & Carter —I mean that was his business; and we had begun to gather little e togetHef. 'a prl's'life ! he said so; thing* fw thfr4wuscr^^^ce here7 loho t ^^A4nthi growing light of the dawn Jane AUea 84* '■^ ur iili w t i .,. > d^^^vV D.-^'U^^^^i^^^ -fe; ■■'mimmmium"'' ( 'J ^7-ie;»",(, .^' '^■ ''$0»^ i set. - . * - - Jane Allen's Tragedy ll^lT^*' ^^ ""'''"«' *«»«l' *= door. I„ a mprnfik she wa. back again „ith J„ Iook«l ik.a bcfere and Bad kept up ,hrough„t h« *m.ti«Tat eur,ou.ly W and even tone. |„, „„„, aH Toitd /down at th^nen in h« hand. s,.,„ge quick quivet- • . woman-, Prtn,onition*/en,«,-onalftcrm -^117 .nd.h^ came a sibw rcburring ,„b in her th^a" h"; • rea^ what isVritten there ! " High Peak, No. 12;' she read on the - The marking-ink was black and had only just passed over it for the "See, . ">w corner of th? dense, as if tl , first time. ~ _^ ' nl"^"' " **'S"^>: « that. We li,ed up *u s I f! *hiu;:rgr:rciL'' -"^d"- "*- . ;^^^ehi„d .he4ov!^g „l: "^;,,i-:: -r ■ ft„ I ' ,'"''" '^" •<> "™ "er, other daT .hen onie a week, and soon only one or twifn the' «s, and so I kept my te„t up, for I Led him; Then U^^= you, I began to fear^that h,j,was ill. So I got a' home a'nTm"^'"' '"''^ ' '»<^^"=''' f-"" We home, and took the train to the station in the country wailced along miry roads to his' master's works ^Hn^ J^re e lived of aU the people I me, And" Lf not ]u\tm who it waU T »t,.o«* tr_ ... ... . ^f^whoTwT^^ icoad. His letters hid ahvays been sent to the Works \ ^tt^t ■vtf.i >.<«i^ ii: lone March — I had sent one there only the day before ! He got them quicker that way, he said. And it was about sun- down when I came to the house. It was bright and new-appearing, with a shining brass handle to the door, and in the little garden in front there were Canterbury bells and * None-so-pretty,' all' in blossom. These were his favourite flowers. And as I stood and wondered, there came a tall dark girl out of the cottage door, and looked down the road with her hand above her brows. I had nevtr seen her before, but something told me who she was, and I grew all cold as a stone. Some folk might have thought her pretty. I only thought I should die. But I did not faint. I did not cry. I was not even angry. Only I stood farther ofF behind some bushes by the wayside, hiding like a thief in a little nook where they had once broken stones — broken them with a hammer — as women's hearts are broken ! "And by-and-by round the turn of the white empty road I saw him come. He had a bundle of papers in his hand, and he waved them when he caught sight of the tall girl. / had seen him do that. And then — and then — she gave a little skip upon one -foot as if she were glad, and looked over her shoulder to see that no one was watching. Then catching up her skirt in one hand, she ran to him like a three-year-old child. Ah ! she loved him, and she was good — but then so did I. If she deserved happiness more than I, well that was not my fault. I had loved him first, and longest, and most. But I grew ever colder, and my heart ever stiller. It seemed to be turning to stone within me. But I made no sign, ^nd he and she came tlowly past the bushes behind which I stood, and they Were looking -^ogeth e f-at-thc^ magaaines^ wtd^ books fce-faad b rought ' back. His arm wa& about her ; I knew just how firm the clasp was, just where it began and where it ended. Afif>-!ftf^ ■i. eti^SH fv im H^:^f -^"^^ »'w-i^e ' hf^t^g^^r ?v Y f^^l^i Jane Allen's Tragedy There was a proud look in her eyes, too, that came- he slipped h.s hand up over her shoulder and stroked her further cheek. They we:^ too far off for me to tcHhig '"^^^ '^*'*'" '''' ^'^ "• ^"' ^ ""^^^ "« "* Little Sweethe,^!'^ that was what he said to ner. ^nd ,t was then that my heart broke. But I waited from S '' ''r^' ' '^'- ^° "^^'^ ^^ ^»>^ ^- ^o J^-P from falling. It was a book with bright pictures all about flowers and greenhouses and seeds' an/ prices 'tha they were looking at together. We had often talked w^th the brass knocker, she laughed out suddenly, and leaned her head back. He bent down to kiss her, at wh.ch she pretended to be angry, and ran in quickly j^" shut upon them. n J* \^*"!-f "*" ""'' ^'y* *"^ ^ *>"«* « voice saying not a bit hke mme, c Whose house might that be ? I '?b nr^:""Th"T^'f '°""- ^'^•' y—y well say US pretty. There's lots of brass i' that house, lady Whoy, that young man married his maislil?^Saughter ten days agone coom next Saturday.^r -^ ^ ''^I thanked him, and said that it was ^ood thin. tree '^nd "j'^' ^'^^ ^'''' '^^^" ' ^"^-^ ^o th'j tree and tned to pray, with my brow hard against the «>ugh bark But I could not.' Yet I used'to do h Se nth^ "^ . "P' *"^ "'"*=' °"^= "°"^«d how fast the night came down. And hours after, still standing ^^^(iHn:^^ •*i* f'n >Ku ^'You will catch cold ^ I will fo that," returned lonp. . , Kq lone took the linen sheets, and leaving Jane Alien >• . m^her warm place, she went into her friend's room. . , The httle bureau was open. Op the bed lay a folded dress, ipf.whita^un's veiling, with lace and a- blue rosette ;^f ribbons upon it at the shoulder — a poor, tawdrv,," ^>,^e-m*de thing. But the same hard woman's sob ' :'^f"t'"'^ ^T^'^I*'^*^*^^. she gazed, for she Jcnew that ; she Was loo>ing.^|t the ^edding^resS of her that should ^have beenjane Bfoome. So sy^ftly and rever6ntly she •-«-*"'ned the.linen to'its place, and nestled the faded white "^^^♦■Vvpn top. As she pulled it i^ff the bed, 9 3^y half revealed underneath the pillow. Iqpe o^uld not help- looking. atvit by the light of the Candle. It represented i^vpq smug-looking young nj|n with short muttpnchop whiskers, his abundant ha^dressed . in a sleek cock'sicomb. Me was leading in aVlf-con- ' ^ tinted ^nd provincial manner against a pillar whiph stood alone m a classical landscape. . BpsicJe him, and upon a chair,^sat'tl^e dimpling radiant image of the girl whose pale s^j^dow w^'to^ay Jane Allen. The young man's hand was half raised from her shoulderj as if only the moment before he had stroked her cheek and murniuredv " Lir sweetheart ! " , ^ Somehow lone felt that he did it again as ioqn *s the photographer turned his back to goJnto hb dark room. •^ . ■' 'iif* m. ,.,.,. || J i ■tfi" ' t. .^-. a roo m two ; She returned t6 Jane Allen, who silen tly m ade t foi herj ^d there, tmirwasllmeldii^&the .w. girls lie,w.thout further spoken word, each comforted. ^nd Strengthened, their hearts lightened, and the corfiing 'i-*"^ ♦ ♦' ■:.. ^» lone March day made less dark, because of the tears of the night and the mutual heart-opening of the morning. Each knew now what the other meant by the pro- noun " he." And all real girl friendships are based on that. ^J 348 ..^■,.f:tu\-^^^.'':'l]tJ. it •■><). ->.-V'-^'"^i" "f- f CHAPTER XXVIII r>- DERELICT THE next morning lone and Jane Allen were ?gam at the door of the dirty house in Tarvit Stj-eel;, lone had wished to go first to Mrs. Vincent Harford in.prder,to enlist hcr ai,d. But she had not got half through the account of her interview with that lady when Jane Allen shut authoritatively down on that project. ,g^. " I would n't trust a pet white rat to a grasping toacf like that ! " was the unscientific but clear and unmistakable formula in which she expressed her dislike of the selfish- ness of Mrs. Vincent I^arford. So lone pressed the matter no more. ^ Jane began the day by going to the manager of the Gopher & Arlington Company, who was openipghis day's mail in the little mahogany-panelled office in King William Street. She demanded a whole holiday, which the manager willingly accorded to one of his best and most regular workers. Down a long vista of type- writing tables he saw the slim figure of lone, who was standing looking at an instruction book. With a sud- den increase of interest he said to Jane Allen, « Is that your friend Mis? March, who left us some time ago ? I heard that her father was dead. I wonder if she would n't like to come Jane, however, shook not the time to make such -* J ^^ .* now. her head. She felt that it was pro|y)sitiaiB tg lone, and so prescntlyThe two girls found themsefves stemnflng the strong morning tide of humanity runniiig eastward and cityward along Fleet Strict., ,♦.... ■d- *49 «.|^*1*4,/1- ( »- •/ \if. lone March • ^- Having arrived at number 9, Tar v it Street, E. C lone rang the bell, -^his produced no effect whatsoever] whereupon with a quick and sure hand she knocked .. loudly upon the rusty unblacked knocker, ^o that the echo came back at once from roof and basement. "How is Mr. Harford to-day?", asked lone with a quiet aplpmb, which was made more stern and dejter- ro.ned by the presence of Jane Allen, in whom she felt there resided kn invaluable reseVve of power and language in case of a first repulse. & 6 It was the saiTve grimy unwashed serving-maid who answered the door. ^ « Muster Harford, mu§i ? Why, 'e bain't no bet- ter. ' . " Can We see him ? " ' . The serving-maid glanced over her shoulder. / - " I think as 'ow I could manage to slip 'e oop when missus goes forthe neck of mutton."" ■ She leaned over towards the girls with a grimly confi- dential look upon her face. .7? . " ^ « She 's that 'orrid mean -^ she ^oes out every day to . buy the vffry cheapest stufF to feed '^m on. She '11 be gone in ten minutes^ arid she '11 stop a whole hour, nosin' round and cheapenin'. I'll sneak you up then, mum, an no <^e nev'er the wiser.'^ She nodded to Jone with a -knowing twinkle in her ^ eyes. Evidently she. had conceived'' a low opinion of Jane Allen pn the. spot, for she added, pointing to lone's companion, « '-Er can stop below alohg d' md I " But lone had imbibed a new spfrit, whitfh forbade h^ to^be^dependent upon the good offices of a-lodging-house .^• y o u , " she s ai d; "j>uu aie ve ry kind, anf T not forget «. But I would tflce to see Mr^arfon* •J r r'-"- slfall- "npw. 1 * B .*Sf» <;e^' #.■ J Derelict " Bless you, miss," lid the girl, cc J dare n't » 'E goes on just hawful-'E's fairly off 'is chump-an'''as K i "I''! ^'y'- ^"^ '"'««"«> sl^e won't let .'im go becaure she 'as collared 'is trunk, an' _. *No, ma'aii I ham sorry that you can't see Mr. .'Arford to-day. ¥^ ^ is not receiving no visingtors to-day." The abrupt change in the manner of the servant girl tv'l ^7. ;;' . l^ t'' ^PP^^'-^"^^ °rMrs. Hofehbund, he landlady of the Tarvrt Street man^n at the head of the stairs, with art expression of such fixed' aird ^adlV ■ hatred on her face that lone, left to herself, would have prec^ttately retired, but for the strong reserve behind herm the shape of Jane Allen. ■ , • " No," grated Mrs. Horehqund, from her coign of vantage, « and you can't see Mr. Harford, an' ku Shan t see Mr, Harford. This is a respectable boarln' ■ house for young gentlemen, and I can't be admittin* young women promiscuous-like off the street, as it ' were." , 5 \ "But I must see Mr^Harford," sWd lone firmly; <« I hospittl "" '"^ '"' ^' ^^^ ""''' '° be;femoved to a "He will not be removed till the arrears of his rent •s paid m full. Nor yet until a doctof certifieH^at' he ' IS to be nrioved to a place where he can be better taken care of than by a humble biflkrespectable person in my sphere in life." ^^ , >, ♦* Toy have called in a doctor, then ? " queried lone. "And, pray, what ' business may that be of yours v^ether I 'ave or whether I 'ave ii*t ?", retorted Mr«. Horehound. « I suppose I am responsible for my own n II I Then, with her noseJn the air, the landlady became gentIfHMrt*s.wife or his «i^t#? '» - • ' f - X ,P f v^ > V •i* :^^vi' ^.■^ '"m^^ * .. *• < -H*"" -~ 8>. lone March ^cither,", returned lone ^jromptly. «i ,„ „„. I his friends." ^ riV.friend — yes — friends often come to see my * "»eA. But I 'm not going to be tobk in by you ^^^^keof^ you. I Ve seen too many o' your sort Jane Allen stepped to the front. ;^ ■ »»We have come to take Mr. Harford :^ay ," she said, "and get him into a hospital. Try toTtopus a your penl. If he dies you will be taken up for man- slaughter, if not murder ? " «l8 this another ^ friend ' ? " sneered the grim-visaged landlady, making a final rally. •^-I am what it does not concern you to know. Let us see Mr, Harford, or we will go away and come back, with a policeman and the County Coun- al doctor. They '11 see to it that you are pLecuted for having a case of contagious disease in your house wuhout reporting it. You can get two' years for It was an an^ow sibt at a rfesperate venture into the air, but the joints, of Mrs. Horehound's armour Were many and wide. "I dunno' as 'tis any case of inffcctious disease," she grumbled, "but perhaps you had better bring a doetor But mind you, I don't 1<*e a thing belonging him pass out^of my house lUI I am paid f^vtxy penny of my just She retreated up the stairs without a word more, and led the way to Keith's room. .After the first landing the wax-cloth was Worn into hole., and the feet of the * girls felt the steps uneven beneath. Up and up they " went, tumiflg aft erjtun»ns, an d M «ch theloo r gww more uneven and broken, the staircase narrower and meaner. All pretence of wax-cloth ceased at; the ben»- .' »* _ J' jiJii.«_u«lVl Ji ,v .-Jf ning of the thil-d flight and even the banisters began to • show blanks in tncir serried array. * As they ascended they became conscious of a voice speaking continuously and very fast, while sometimes an ' ironic laugh, that seemed hardly human, pealed through • the house. Again the softest and most moving accents , of adoration and entreaty- reached their ears, causing • Mrs. Horehound to look to either side, to make sure that: the doors leading into the lower rooms were tightly closed) " lone March — I beg your pardon. Miss March, but you make me forget myself — you know you are so kind to me. You are not going to marry that rascal ! I do know him to be a rascal, Marcus. Hold your tongue I You were angry with me if/ tbeTCourt at Grindelwald, Miss March, but you will forgive me ngw — now — before I die." . • There was a pause, and the voice began again when they were almost at the door: ^ " Marcus,- 1 did not tell you before that Moved that girl; but I do. I loved her from the very first day I ever saw her. With all my heart's heart I loved her. I would- die to save her finger from aching. What do you know about it? You 've been ii> love with twenty girls. I never loved but her; yet/she will never know it, Marcus. I would not touch her sweet young life with the shadow of my failure. An old-young man and in lov^e — ha, jia ! Forty next year, and the grey already running through the black ! 'Well, both will be laid away for repairs among th^ worms, deep under the roots of the churchyard grass ! " ^t this point a feebljs ekicht voice burst into song: *' John^And trs on my j n , John. «*V, When we were "Krst acquent. Your locks were like the raven; Your bonny brow was brent ; vmem^^mm I lone March But noo your brow is held, John, Your locks arc l^e the snaw. But blessings on your frosty pow, John Anderson my jo." ^ , ^'- Ha/ ha/ ha / ha/" A strange cackling laugh, like that of a parrot, ^g out as the door was opened. And there before them, on a dingy London bed, under a^ common coverle^ lay Keith Harford, his eyes open and brilliant with fever^ turnings hi^ head slowly from side to side with the weaiying iteration of a chained wild animal. He 'had been staring fixedly at the ceiling, but he paused a moment and looked fixedly at the incomers. "Is thatjyou, Mrs. Horehound? , No, ^oodhound, I mean — sired by Vulture out of Horseleech ! Ha, ha ! Good I The tbp of the morning to you, Mrs. Blood- hound ! Did you happen to see my Sylvia pass this way ? If you did, I hope you told her to meet me at the churchyard gate." ■f Then pausing, he sang, still in that dreadful voice :- " Greh King Pandion, he is dead, AllShis friends are lapt in lead ' ' \ loi^ bent down and laid her cool ungloved hands'llpon the pale and burning brow. " Keith ! " she said softly, with her fact imn/ediately above his. ', / ^ He. turned upon her eyes fhat were yacaftt of alf sight. They/ seemed to look through and beyond and behind her. .» / " Hush ! " he said impressively, raising his hand and pointing upwai^d; "they told me she was d^ad. « Pnt .' ^ They hed. 1 knew she would cheat tht^ She cdmcs to see qie when they are! all gone. I h^d her voice m^- I Derelict just no,^ Once she laughed, softly arid sweetiy. But 1 wish she would not play bo-peep with Mr. Sweel be- hind the curtains. I think it is a little unkind, when I am going to die so soon. But still - 1 am glad to see her ,n such excellent spirits. Young lady ! -You with the smut on your nose and the hair in curl-papers - t'h": wayl""^-''' ^°" ''^PP^" ^° -^ -y SylL pass And he smiled as he tirelessly reeled ofF his wandering as If he had be^n dehvenng a lecture in class. • it LJ^'^TKlV T""'^' '^^ scoundrels. ^ But I sent' It back.^ Ha, h^that was good ->eh, Marcus ? She could never guess V- And I did ri^t want the book* anyway, though the man that bought them was a rogue and cheated me damnably. What should a dying W r ^hWgh. « did not get in the papers ; so she will ,|ver • . know. A pauper's funeral ! Ha, ha! I say, Marcus ^ ;t made all th^^women cry, so Jthey ^ai ~\ *T / > ii Keith's v'te^ altered again. It Jrew re\tkined «^ ^^ conversational. * .t^cJ*. «; d eyes vwer lone March " My dear sister," he said, " I am so glad to see you. I am sorry Lhuve no money besides the quarter's allow- ance whicwl have already sent you. I cannot put you into a better house. I have no money even for myself, nor can I beg from my friend Mr. Hardy, who has gone to America — for the present at any rate." lone's steady hand was cooling his broW. She had taken her handkerchief and wetted it at a water-bottle greasy and green from lack of internal cleansing, which stood on the bare round table by the young man's bed. Presently^^^l^P^ed up again who yoiT^are," he said softly, his ^Irge and dark in their deathly purple sockets, « butWwas good of you to send her away. That woman wearies me, and I have no more money to give her. That other harpy downstairs — but I will not rant like a fool ! Of course the woman takes what Is her due. And she can't help it if her name is Hore- hQund. With a headpiece like that to support in re- spectability she ought to have married an honest man named Smith or Jones. Thoiftson is good name, too, • though more uncommon. What o'clock do they wake a fellow up when they are going to hang him — daybreak, isn't it ? Well, if they would only put up the gallows I somewhere else than just outside the window, Iwould not care. The strokes of the hammers ring through my head all the tinie, and I can't get any sleep. I declare I shall write to the Times upon » The Rights^of English- men about to be Hanged.' What a capital subject for the silly season ! " And so without a minute's pause Keith wandered on and on and ever on. lone looked up to Jane A^en, who stood with clas||ed hands and anxious brow at the ==53ot of the bedv -- '^- - — — -^ — -^^ ^ > 256 *ifcn*!rfyvEtf-«rPf^-; .^-^'i- *'• »' /,t» see you. 's allow- put you myself, las gone She had :r-bottle, 5, which I man's >ftly, his y purple r away, loney to will not what^is^ f Hore- t in re- ;st man Tie, too, ;y wake lybreak, gallows [ would ugh my ecjare I Lnglish- ject for ;red on A^en, at the > aspec , Derelict - V "Jane," she said, « we must get him out qf thi,, J|| p^ce where he ca„ be property nursed and cared for." Not a foot^t.1 my just debts is paid in full ! " said Mrs. Horehound, determinedly. " Let me see your account ! '* said lone. /^o"'t you do anything of the kind, lone; she can't Iielp you taking hitp to an hospital." " J?'"'r".f '"^ '"''" ^'"^ ^""""^ to Audley Street if the doctor will allow it," said lone. «Do you fetch him and I will s^Ie uFith the woman." ^ ""* Jane went swiftly and silently downstairs. She knew where th^ was tl,_e office ^ an insurance docto: c^s" by. ^ Sre would bnng h.m. if he happened to be in. ' " nn 111 "°' P'rf"''^ '" '^^ neighbourhood," -said ' Doct4 Spencer Bateson, a tall, stout man. of' genial beammg down upon the anxious girl ; « it % not fuette; but ,f there is any dahger or need, I wi 2^ Is the gentleman a frjend of yours ? " ' * S°- "He is a friend of a friend of mine," said Jane ^^Sl,e .s wuh h.m now. Conie this way at in3e; mstrum^nts'into htU "t '''" ^"' "^"'^^^ °^ TaTv^t'st^r" Th?f !ir;° ^'^ '■^'^ ^"'"^ -- - 1 arvit btreet. The landlady was standing on the lower 'She' fad "^'^ f' ' f^"' ^'"^ ^^'^-"^ - i^- ac She had emerged s.gnally worsted from her financia conflict w.th lone. For that practical young womTn ^^JTe'. ""^^ 'r ''^•'^^^'"^ ^'^^ ^°-'^- ^- ^""r o hfr I . P"'^^'^"'- ^^^'^^ '^y comparison with other weeks for which the account had been settled the fact wa^^established that for the last- fnr.n;J!l kJu.. times charged ::|^-.^^^^. — r= pz ""Y^ " ""^» tu e r e al r e nt o Driven from post to pillar, Mrs. Horehound *7 „-fc 257 roomr^ had at last Jj. ••;'*. 1 " / I • 1 • ' w^ 4 *. - _.. ^ , , — .i \ V *- i * ' '. ■-.' ' - » ' ' . ' . ' - Y. 1 ; ■- ■\ n 1 ^' /" , * " . « ■ -i 'M h 'V :0 \ \ i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) i ' J: I.I 11.25 w' 1.0^ ^mm Hi 112 ^ m 22 > M ~ 1.6 ^ . /■ 7", ■■ Sciences Coiporalion ^v <^ :17 ^\ V ^^%^ "^^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. U5S0 (716)872-4503 ;\ s ^ ^ ^ t • • « ■ i «. - ' s ^ a if • . * , * , ■ ^\ , At..<^.J^^ M .. '■ .■ ' --a.,.. .,.,..i ^ , ■■'■:. » ' t* si^^^iif j^v ^U^p, lone ^ March written a receipt for the amount of her account after full deductions, and this was^^ow safe in lone's pocket as she- sat calmly beside Keith Harford, waiting for Jane's^eturn. Doctor fencer Bateson possessed such a majestic carriage and such a commanding and sonorous voice that, from his first entrance, he fairly appalled Mrs. Horehound. " Where is your patient, madam ? " he demanded, as so^ as he came within the outer door. " I hope you have him in ^who curiously enough, found that it was wfe^lly convenient' to take Battersea on his way from Ha^mpstead to his office in the Strand. uJiTa^^'"' '^"r ^^'"P*^'"^. pointed to a somewhat prolonged illness. It was not till the fifth day that Keith began to recover his consciousness. Then the quick over-activity of the brain and the constant and wearying pour of words gave way to a sleepy uLon- resume his mental wanderings. Sometimes lone would tCe 7 \'r " ^'^ "°'^^ P^^^> '"^^ --»^ern en- trance of which was within a few minutes' walk of unrLllfes " ' "'" ^''^ "°^^^ °^P^-^°- ^'^ " direction opposite to that by which she had gone out she almost stumbled upon a young man. He seemed to be gazing ardently in .the direction of No. 33 while waVrs^;'heId't' -'' ''7'-' - ^^- - 'he Trick foul cr I '" ""^''"g ^^°"g '^^ base like some Ixceed nJ'"' "'' """ ^"'^"'^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^'^^^ ^e was exceedingly anxious-not to disclose his identity. Some- thmg famihar about the hock-bottle slope of the neck Sh"T W ^'.7 r'^ '°"^ - turn quickly round She foun^ herself almost face to face with H. Chad- Shiver' '' ^°"fi^"t«J -^-rk to Mr. Nathaniel 250 ^=c lone March The youth, finding that he was recognised, suddenly withdrew his head, and pulling out his cigarette-case, he began with an obvious assumption of .careless ease to light up, keeping however his" eyes persistently averted from Tone's face. She proceeded slowly to the door of number 33. Tom Adair was just going out to meet Jane Allen — as he had got into the habit of doing, osten- sibly because in these days of trouble and sick-nursing Jane generally <;arried home ice and all banner of dainties and medicaments, which could be more cheaply obtained'^ at Bilhngsgate or Covent Garden than in the suburbs. • "Tom," cried lone, eagerly, "the fellow who followed us before is ^t the corner. I wish you would " • Ere she had finished her sentence Tom Adair was off. He^ never paused save to thrust his best new "bowler " more firmly down on the back^Uiis head But Mr. H. Chadford Eaton knew that.i^Krict of Battersea would be warm for him, and as'^Tas lone passed he had taken to his heels riverwarJs. - When Tom reached the first corner ^he was already disappearing at the end of the, street, tom gave the view hallo, and redoubled his exertions. But H. Chadford knew his pursuer, and did not wish to repeat his experiences of the yard gates. The confidential clerk ran straight for the nearest underground station. He battered up the long approach to the Albert Bridge. He dived into the intricate maze of small streets and courts' which lies to the south of King's Road, and finally just as Tom Adair was close upon him, he ran across an open square and plunged unexpectedly down the steep descent of an underground station. A train passed up the platform at the same moment with a growling creak of brakes and a .whfrl of escaping steam. 260 Derelict Tom almost had h.s enLy that time, but H Chad ford was through before him. All ticketles, Lu I past the guardian of the gates Torn ' u "' f^n^ u . gates. i om was about to follow, bu, ,he gate porter was no, ,„ be caught twice Slan, came the heaVy poste „ i„ his face. " Too te!' ST ! Next train in five inutes I " ' And before the words iere out of his mouth the H rb"."r T" '°T° ""= "^^ of "-e ;tation.^ ^ H. Chadforf passed slowly opposite his pursuer as the ^™ns.d groaning and hissing „„t. As "he d^J fo h made that ancent gesture of contempt and defiance whose org,n is lost in solar myth, but' whose pt "i To"m°AdrlTJ:; t'lTasT ' ", 'T' '"' ""' the stair, ^ , ' ' ^^ ''""^^y renrounted AHen Tr '"/7 ^' *° ^^ ^'J* unconscious that Jane Allen had arnved by th^ same train which had borne Tom . ?"'• J'"*' ^^'^^^ ^ l'«Je behind Tom complacently smiling. She did not speak till they had almost reached the top Then she said "Oh, Tom, I did not think you could be so mean — to let me rarrv all ^u u . •' those long stair. !»' ^ '" '^''^ ^'^'y P^^"^« "P Whereupon neither Tom Adair's remorse nor his profuse explanations and apologies availed him any- K^h'^ r°"r,T' '"'° '^' ^'^^■^°°'" °n« Sunday "Do you know," he said confidentially,' « that vou v^ d,st,„ctly remind m> of some one who did a ' ^ d=«l of ku>dn«. for me. Once, long ago. I was^c^n! ^j , a6i ' ill Hi <-•• ?£■/■: ■"'■Th:'r t^ ' lone March demned to die, and a girl took my punishment and died instead for me." " She must have loved you ! " said lone softly. Keith Harford leaned forward. He was so weak that he could not ev^en raise his hand, but the eager boyish-' ness of his face was accentuated by the pallor of a brow from which the Alpine sunburn had quite faded. "No," he said, "she did not love me — she could not. But it was her fate, and she could not help it. Don't you think it is mean to live on and to let a girl die for you ? * Would you like to know her name' ? It was lone March ! " And as he spoke lone felt a chill shadow creep over her as if he had indeed spoken the truth, and she was in .reality doomed to die instead of Keith Harford. And she remembered the words of the epistle she had heard that morning in church. " Tet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die." 363 -.WW id died f> ik that )oyish-' I brow could elp it. a girl f? It > over le was le had n dare ':#; >;^i*-»»^,r 4. CHA^^JXIX CASTLE GIMCRACK RAYLEIG«. ^BBEY in the county of Hants, was as a city set on a hill, conspicuous near and far, taking the eye of the wayfkrer from sea and plain, by valley and down. Its massive towers apparently betokened reverend age. Its gateways of rough hewn stone were fitted to withstand th© battering elements of a thousand years. A square Norman keep rose in the centre, indented dark and solemn against the sky, a clifF-like wall of stone and lime like those of Loches or Threave. Battlements and towers cinctured it about, vast in their proportions, built apparently oft overawing and pretentious masonry. Thus shone Rayleigh Abbey from a distance. A nearer view, howeVer, showed all this magnifi- cence to be but the *« insubstantial ^jageant of a dream." The massive walls were relatively no thicker than pasteboard, the flanking towers mere shells, the grand square of the lofty keep was iron-framed with windows uncompromising as those of a factory. While from an interior view the great castle, cynosure of travellers' eyes and a landmark from afar, became a mere "Crystal Palace" set-piece, involving only so many thousand square feet of frontage and a wilderness of ungainly props and struts behind. Its future owner, Marcus Hardy, for once happily inspired with words, had named it Castle Gimcrack. In the meantime, it was life-rented by his mother, Mrs. Forsaker-Hanly, and Marcus and »"■« wife were received only as guests, little more ^ 263 <■'«. IH' '% •i-r.s,,./«3a^ lone March favoured indeed than countless others who like unclean t Tti'uu'"': '^^ '""^ '°"^ ^^--^-^ °f heaven Rayleigh Abbey had been designed, founded, and com- ple^d-so far at least as so gaunt a jest in iron and stone can ever be said to be completed -l by one Theo- phrastus^ Wiseman Hardy, the grandfather of Marcus andthemventoroftheBody-and,Soul Water-and-Mus- tard-Pl^ter Mmd Cure, applicable to all diseases tht nesn is heir to. Theophrastus Hardy had made a fortune in slave- running from the Gold Coast to the Southern States of America early iri the century, and, while yet comparatively a young man, had retired upon an ample competence an uncomfortableconscience-and a new religTorH s' only son, Aldebamn January Hardy, had sunk into a too «rly grave under the unjust burdens of his name and of the wife imposed upon him by his father. Soon after uT^ at th reliminary horoscope of his only son • 'A^\ "^ ^°^" '^" ^°"h'e burden, and became wd^d but a name, a bust, and an inscription in Jf^en marble on the chapel wall of Rayleigh Abbey. Thus ran hp memorial: — *% Here does not li« aught that is mortal of .• ALDEBARAN JANUARY HARDY, only son of THEOPHRASTUS WISEMAN HARDY and Beloved Co-partner of MARTYRIA EVICTA LUCRETIA FORSAKER-HARDY of Rayleigh Abbey, Hants. HI. Ashes, being passed through the Fire, were * , Scattered over the Wide Sea. His 8ogl, recomposed and reinvested, •8 Angel or Jelly-fish, SOMEWHERE AWAITS THE ETERNAL MORNING. ' 264 Tsse Castle Gimcrack 10 Martvri^ ir„.- , r '^ • Mriking executive capacity to Martyrta Evicta Lucrelia, his dauehfer-in-hw- »nj -■ %taeS rcl,, i '■^'Ti,r\''''"""'''^'^ '" '■'"'-'" de- faced v.n L ''«'P'"-Mtus, a white-haired, keen- faced, venerable man, mostly attired sailor-wise in a blue coat and a stemmed officer's cap like that of a mate m the mercantile marine, had long been dead- buTh! Wed on nevertheless in various pictures and „± * he Ih ^?^"'7"^'''<^ -««i«ance of scissors and p^ste best suit ftrhV"' """^^' '^°^ "^'^ -•'^^ -- i of Blr„ • ^""t'^"^'^ "^g'-oes out of the slave pens of Bonny, .n spue of the wailing of forsaken wivis and s Jrt^h^ron^^^^^^^ \-' '^•'-•Tin the ject, and the l^ks T^rtlTt^^^^^^^^ through them all H.rl !i ^u ''^"'°" ^^""^ clean our Fu«h.r ' '^'''' ^^'^ ^'^^^ ''^^^ "^^n across thTnJ !. '. ^"** ^'^"^^ "nderscorings ran across the pages, and radiated in all directions to thl On^ JIh ^"'^'^P^'-^"' « ^hart of the Martian canals On. of the mo« characteristic volumes was a copy of m If. ^ lone March the Christian scriptures, Grangerised, " improved," and spiced to the taste of Theophrastus Hardy by additions ^ from the astrology and black-stone scrying of Dr. Dee, I and from the word-cunning, wet-bandaging, and primi-* ^j tive leechdom of the Elizabethan herbalists. It is said that when searching for a catchword to give some unity and coherence to his o//a, Theophrastus hesitated long between Christ and Buddha, and only decided upon the Nazarene on account of the rooted ignohin^e of a public which (in these pre-Theosophist ' days) declined ,to distinguish between Buddha and Con- Tiicius, and was apt to take it for granted that all such curious names represented different varieties of tea. _ But under the new dispensation of Martyrja ^victa '^ Lucretia, the elastic system of the founder had suddenly become mawkishly spiritualistic, and now manifested itself chiefly in the Healing of the Hands of Faith, the Anointing with Oil, the Presfcnce ' and Manifestations of Spirits good and Spirits evil — and, above all^ in the necessity for all mankind to conform to the gospel (as k happened to be at the time) according to Martyria Lucretia, decked in the apocalyptic red shawl, and spiced by an extempore prayer sandwiched between each course at dinner. "^AU t|iis made the English Mecca of the new eclectic religion a strange place for lone and Keith to build up their bodies in, and « minister to minds diseased." But at least the air was pure at Rayleigh Abbey. It stood on the coast at a lonely Tspot overlooking the waters of the English Channel, set high a6ove the crumbling gravel banks of the southern coast line. Opposite, the purple-grey clifFs of the Needles stood up like shadowy ninepins deserted after a stirring game by . dead giants. From the misty water, ten miles away, the Isle of Wight heaved its blue Aouldcrs out of the brine 266 Ji- Hf WTWJ-^wa'Sbifes*^- * i ^' Castle Gimcrack While to the left the long curlew's beak of Hurst Castle promontory pecked perpetually at. the tawny breakers of ^ the Solent. " You aon't need to mind the mater," pleaded Mar- cus; « therein be no end of rum people about, but you can always get a quiet smoke behind the stables." So with this to look forward to, lone agreed willingly enough to accompany them, |specially as Keith Harford, bemg now convalescent, was soon to follow ; and, in the meanwhile, could very well be left to the motherly cire of J^rs. Adair and the tart and caustic encouragements" of Jane Allen. For lone had been insensibly drifting , into a condition of constant severe headaches, accom- » panied by strange lassitude, which often ended in vertigo and chronic dizziness. This had be^un so subtly that she could not recall any particular time as the beginning of her illness, the more serious developments of which, however, probably dated from the sh(ii:k of her father's' death. After Keith Harforj^ge^urp to consciotisness, lone had but seldom gone ^fhis room, leaving the actual nursing to the capable kmdly l^and^ of Mrs. Adair. In- «deed, she straitly charged both of her friends that they were on no account to divulge- her share in Keith Har- ford's transference to Audley Street ; 3i^ both, with the natural alacrity of women to guard each other's secrecies, faithfully promised what she asked. It was in the duskpf a November evening that lone ' and Idalia, wi|h Marcus carrying wraps and dressing bags,- found themselves at the little wayside station upon whose platform they had been dropped ofF the Bourn- borough express, with an immense pile of buildings loom- ing dimly up above them, and crowning the seaward cliff. To lone, looking upward from beneath, R?yleigh Abbey seemed to rise into the very skies. Along the »6i ^ / i Sjft .K lone March south and west the chill yellow of the sunset still lingered, Tk nu ^^ T'"'*!"** ^""^ '*'''°"8'^ '^' bedraggled woods the Channel wind drove in their faces in gust? which sent the blood stirring sharper through the veins, and' whipped the tingling cheeks 6t the three vdykgers as with tangible thongs of bitter air. 'X ' J'^^y «:«7 driven by an immobile anciem^oachman, , who had mdeed saluted with the well-bred passivity of his race when his young master came out of the station . but who afterwards had devoted himself entirely to watch- ing his. horses' earjj ai^d to. the maintenance of his per- sonal self-respect. • . ^ Marcus cast 4iis eye knowingly along the horses' legs from the nght front. « Grey's rtear fore going^ rather stiff, Caleb ? " he said "Yessur — I daresay, sir," returned the coachman with a shght cough of apology. " It^'s that hold Had- miral sir ! Well, 't is a wonder as all the grey's legs am t broke to flinders _ 'im ride to meet ! " "Any more up at the house?" . ^ ^« Lor' Lor',- such a mixed pack they do be, Master Marcus, begging your pardon !- There 's two o' them broadcloth gipsies — making so bold, as we calls them ere Tiiediunj^s ^ tellin' fortinV an' a-pourin' oil an' a- holding of their hands afore folk's eyes to make 'em better o' what they never was took ill o' ! Just the same old gammon done in a new way, interferin' wi' proper doctors and decent droogists wi' licenses from the ^ Queen _ God bless 'er ! And some there is, that thinks no more o' theirselves than tTslToAl "''^" '^ ^"""^ '''^' ^^- '"- ^he . the"r ^ W ^'^ :'"""'' ^"^ '^' ^""'''^ ««*J«d into therr long, clean, eight-mile-an-hpur gait. « There '5 JUS packs and packs of Junatics u? there. You'll have -^o learn to smoke, Ide. Th, back^f tho stable 's the only place I know of." « " "^ >*Oh, shoot ! "^ cried his wife, turning up her nose "I guess, .f/,t comes to that, I can smoke ^ust as well' Wa onraTd "^'^^ "'^" ' was - 1 Lan, the^e' Wa^ once a handsome young Spaniard on board the ^ura„,a who made the .nost lovely cigarettes — " aone turned upon her quickly with inflated nostril. was anoth'e:" '' °" ' """ " "^' "^'^' ''V'^ ^paniar.^ ^ "No I don't — not any more than usuaUhat is" hat^he aught Astoria to smokeV and - well, I got not to mind It so very much! " " I see,", said lone, s«?eing veiy dearly incjeed, for with ' marriage had come discretion, and th^pith of Id^alia's ' oWted! ' "°' " '""' " "'"' ^'^.i^*^ ^^ '-^ -^^^ »h^ - Caleb, sitting square and immovable aloft as one of the tower, of the Abbey itself, at. this, moment dn,ve a$9 ^ |aiiik.».i...sfii(t»'£, J. \„ "if* lone March through a great gate, across an open space within . high bounding walls, and finally stayed the horses within a , covered courtyard exactly like a railway terminus with the rails left out. Glimpses of brilliantly lighted staircases were seen on either hand, but no^monk of orders grey or brown came torth to bid welcome to the arriving guests at this curious Abbey. " So long, Caleb ! " cried Marcus ; « take our traps round. We '11 be at the garden house for dinner in an hour, and then I'll get you to coach me as to the partic- ular breed of vainpire we are hatching now. You are the only soul in this mad place who has got his head screwed on straight. Lord, won't I just make a clear- ancc here if ever Ah ! " And Marcus ground his teeth as he looked about him at the ghastly, glass-roofed cave of the winds which served for an entrance hall. "Well, come on, girls," he cried, affecting a more ^ cheerful tone. "Let 's find the mater, and get it over I " he said. "There 's all the marks of a big carnival on to-mght. We 're in luck, Idalia. On the first night qf our coming to Bedlam, to drop in for a boss A i Tar- antella-show of bounding idiots ! " The journey had somehow given lone little singing pains in her head, and now th^feeling that all this huge bulk about her could be no more than a hollow painted masque came over her. There was a curious smell on the staircase and through all the lower corridors which shecould not account for— an odour apparently com- poiwded of stale wet straw and paraffin oil. Marcus explained it in one word, which, however, failed to bring any satisfaction to the girls, who after that walked on JUfitoe , li fti n g c ont amdieug sk irt s. "Cockroaches I MiUions on 'cm ! " he said unctu- 370 h. ,^3t- Castle Gimcrack ously. "Wait till night, though; then they come out in earnest to guard the palace from the enemy. Napo- Idalia gripped, her husband's arm. « Marcus " -she cried in a horrified tone, « I shan't sleep a wmk m this place. ^ „.ust take me away this very .nstant ! Vll have hT^eric. on the spot -I feel them coming on - if I so much as catch a sight ot one of the horrid beasts." "They don't come ^upstairs, Idalia," said Marcus, soothmgly; «and in a day or two you won't mind the smell or even think of it, except as the attar of all true Body-and-Soul Water-and-Mustard-Plaster religionaries." After this expiration Idalia and lone lifted their skirts yet a little higher, and walked more gingerly and with still more delicate particularity. At the top of the wide iron stairs they came upon a long array of lights m shaded lamps. They heard also the distant sound of voices, but no human beings appeared either to stay or welcome them. They seemed, however, to leave the musty underground smell of wet straw and paraffin alto- gether beneath them as soon as they reached this upper iJ-^^^'/r/''''^" ^"^^ '' '° ''^^ "g''^' '^ chapel to the' left said Marcus, cc i ^^..^ -^ -^ ,^ ^ , .^ ^.^^ be held in the chapel. Let 's draw that cover first." 1 he walls of the passage were covered with a curious kmd of decoration. Patches of paper faintly yellow occupied the centre of the panels. lone looked ' narrowly at one. It seemed to be an ordinarv print covered with some kind, of varnish, and fte whole .4ecpmc4. w«h- garid^^^«rfoBfi,-iare T c^^^ attempt at painting. "That's English history," said Marcus, with the air 271 «(if- ,?^^^^^'i''„Jt*«.-vs, iAj. lone March of a showman. " We arc somewhere about the Wars of the Roses here, I think. My grandfather used to stick up pictures like that out of histories issued in six- penny numbers. The worse the pictures were, the better they pleased him. He used to work at colouring them himself on wet days, and say that the Spirit re- vealed to him exactly wharf the people were like. For instance, Warwick the Kingmaker was always dressed in green with a red nose, and Queen Elizabeth habitu- ally came out all over different coloured spots, like those you see whei\ you look too long at the sun. As for Adam and Eve, you should look in the dining-room behind the sofa " « Marcus ! " cried Idalia, warningly. 373 Wars id to I six- , the iring t re- For :ssed bitu- hose 5 for oom ,. . CHAPTER XXX ! '^ THE LADY OF THE RED SHAWL THE hum of humanity now waxed louder and nearer. The scattered lights grew more concentrated, the air became more stifling, and they entered a gallery, long-vistaed like those of a museum. Here many people were waiting about, some in evening dress, others in the ordinary tweeds of un- conventional life, one or two in decent black which suggested the respectable Scot in Sunday attire. The majority of these were strolling about like day-trippers on a pier, while a few looked listlessly over a kind of balcony, as from the boxes of a theatre one may look down on a disturbance in the pit. Not a soul took the slightest notice of the travellers or appeared to recognise in the young man the future owner of this strange house. Marcus went forward to where there was a break in the ranks and looked over the iron rail. Then, after a glance, he beckoned the girls forward. " Now please just pinch yourselves to make sure fliaf you are alive, and then look ! " he said. lone came to the balustrade and did as she was bidden. Directly beneath her, where the pit of a theatre would be, there appeared a dusky chapel enveloped in a blue haze of incense smoke, and scantily illuminated by lamps Jet down from the ceiljng, which glimmered, mere point8_ of twinkling fire, harf)yind there in the gloom. The chapel-like ground^fl^c^ was shaped like t^e deck of a ship. The back part of it was filled with pews of the i8 ay» wwwESK mm-:immmim lone March mdst ordinary design, wherein many people sat crowded together. The upper end, corresponding pretty closely to the choir of an ordinary church, was dotted all round with httle points of light at about mid-way its height, making a complete circle of flame which cast a subdued straw- coloured radiance upon semi-prostrate forms and deep blue hangings. The figures appeared to be kneeling, and were ar- ranged in a semi-circle as at a communion rail, while two others, clad irf priestly robes of spotjess white, went to and fro as if administering a rite. lone fairly gasped, and began to fear, either that her mind must be giving way, or that she had unwittingly set foot in a mad- house. Then her eyes, growing accustomed to the gloom, distinguished two great chairs enthroned on either side of the choif, on which (and directly opposite to each other) sat an elderly lady and gentlem'an. The lady wore a low-necked evening gown, and held a vinaigrette in one hand, while with the other she con- tinually r^anged a huge red shawl about her head and shoulders, ^hich as persistently managed to slip down again as soon as she had got it to her mind. Occasionally, when the white-robed figures came near in the performance of the function, this lady nodded and smiled to them in a friendly and encouraging way like a past master familiar with all mysteries. The other throne was occupied by a fine-looking old man in full evening dress, who sat dangling one foot over the other knee, a glimpse of red flowered stocking showing coquettishly on his shrunk shank, and his ten fingere mangled in front of him, precisely in the attitude most affected by t h e r espe ctab l e o l d g e n tlemen whiV-# tf i:&*.£ll -- « x » > m mm m^ Th e Lady of the Red Shawl / « That 's the mater and my uncle the Admiral on the il'd T^ 'r" ''''''" ^'^'^P-^d Marc i^rt erently; "but I can't make out what these JohinS L he centre are up to _ oiling up, or anointing, or s^m - tning, It seems to me ! " As he spoke one of the kneeling figures „ the tail .mm^jately on having some liquid dropped on the pTr, ,ng of her ha,r (" exactly like sweetening a bicycle C ng, • sa.d Marcus) leaped up and shoutfd, "Thank th^ Lord, I'm cut-ed." * 'wnit tne "Praise the Lord -our sinful sister is healed I " re Zm oVthHrV"^"^ °^ ^'^"^ p-p'^ '-- ^^ gloom of the chapel, prompt as an echo. btand up and give praise to the Healer," said a deep ^:^}^ ''--'-' '-- ^'^ ^^"-^^'^e Se chlf' 7'"^'^^!'° had been anointed rose and began a^ chant, strange, high, strident -a howl rather tha^ a song -which rose and fell and diminished, and then ^am took on volume till many of those who had be n "Praise the Lord!" lone heard one white-bearded man say, "she has got it. Jane Giace TomlTns is speakmg with tongues." Marcus for the first time gr^w somewhat uneasy. This IS quite a new dodge," he murmured -« how molrr"- 'l""^'' ^' '^ "°"^ ^•'^ ^he kennels on a moon^jght^„.ght. I should just like to go down and stop the noise with a dog-whip." ^^mE L^I^' leaping up u n e xpectedJy bei^.»>^^ -re, Mke^lhe h^Wmers of a Hi6fr««»-j .,:.____. -^tliere m i ^ k w^' '"-H"'g up u n e xpectedJy he«^«^ =^re,TIkeWe h^Wmers of a disfronted pian7when you tL The r r^''"^. ^'^ '^y^> •"- -^ women ros^ healing or "grace." Then they joined the horrible gt^aUMrSk^i**^^ ' 4'- 11-. li'Ci V lone March i r:t I " swaying medley of discord till the chorus b^an to affect all in the chapel, while some even among the prom- enaders on the gallery fell on their kn'ees and showed hysterical symptoms as the wild barbaric chant rose and swelled beneath them. Tears dropped down bearded faces. Apparent strangers clasped one another round the neck, and the torrent of sound rose and swirled dis- mayingly among the weird iron arches and gaunt, black, cobwebby network of beams overhead, tiU the roof itself seemed in* danger of being rent off by the explosion of pent-up emotion. "O Marcus, take me away; I cannot stand this! . Do you hear ? Why did you bring me to such a horrible place ? " cried Idalia, suddenly clutching her husband by the arm, « I know I shall scream the next moment, or jump over the edge of the gallery." Marcus Hardy looked very grim, and took his wife firmly by the wrist. " This is a game I knew nothing about — quite a fresh deal since my time. But you shan't see it again, little giri ! Just wait a moment to shake hands with th<^ mater for decency's sake, and then I '11 take you to more respectable quarters." ' Even as he ffpoke the turmoil stilled itself as if by magic. lone, perhaps owing to the feeble state of her health, was thoroughly fascinated, and could not take her eyes off the pair of veiled, white, officiating figures. They had retired into the deep" blue gloom, and now stood with hands above their heads, illuminated duskily by the circle of pale willow-leaves of fire which flickered in a semi-circle around them. — All thmgs ^aee possible to them that irelicvc/* iff-" I ■U^- toned the slow, stern voice of the taller officiant ;, " only have faith and your diseases do not exist. Give praise to the Healer and He will heal you. Those to whom 276 <*s«!SB#Bti'B«RU*J«# .Mr irUr, / The Lady of the Red Shawl He has given power are but instruments in his h^nds. Praise them not." '^ ^^ The lights went out as on a set scene. The white figures vanished into the darkness behind, and from the body of the chapel there came up th^/brdinary sound^ of an audience dispersing. « Come on," said Marcus hastily, « let us go and trap the mater before she goes to bed, or else we won't sM her till goodness knows when." And with his wife still clinging distressfully to his arm, and lone more impressed than she cared to admit even to herself, Marcus Hardy descended a narrow, iron winding-stair, which led to a different part of the castle, lone was growing faint for want of something to eat, while her journey, the drive through the shrewd winter- ish air, and her strange abrupt entrance upon this placfc of horrors, mockeries, and incantations had almost de- prived her of the powers of thought anfl speech. Marcus moved like one who desii'es to get an un- pleasant duty over, and lone followed him thinking her friend's husband more of a man than ever she had done before. « Honour thy father and thy mother," she said to her- self^ " it was never harder to do ! " As the three crossed a dimly-lighted corridor, they saw before them a hall covered with thick Indian matting. The lady and gentleman who had been seated on either side of the choir in the chapel, were walking up and down arm in arm. " Mother ! " said Marcus, going up hastily to the woman of the red shawl. The kdy-tumed and footed ar her son. She was tall, " dark, and had been strikingly handsome. Her straight thick eyebrows almost met over her close-set eyes. At this time the lady's weight must have reached eiehtccn 377 (S* -inJA. \ lone March "My son!" cried Mrs. Forsaker H,r^„ Whv Jn ; ■ ^'^°*''ga'> I welcome vou ! 7JL7IZ r ""J - -«<. -J I would have Zl "Yes, miother, I know,^' said Marcus- « foil my neck and Wd .e-'.i.h new efe s' and ' leT also a brand new fatted calf, Bu< the fact i, T'J ,1^ not -on the station platform at leaL LI , " yon -re looking pretty fit, m,>^ , ■• ^"'^-^ "''• talllrkll"''" ^°""f I^^"' -y »".•• turned the ediy so. I have had the secret revealed to me Th J. L"°r" i°" !° '""°'"- These bless^ Tils A^ Sted *; """" "r"'-""*'' •-"' complexly « On. f ?r ° '"■^ ^^""^^ *^o Indies ? " -°;'"«sXre^:fii."t"':ot:?.^"-- cyi7:rw:rXatifrnX x?.r r t; with a little eesture of „if ^'^ ?<""''»"" forward . husband's interest IhajlT""'""' « ''''"' ■>" .he beasts of Ephesus t ,^" l ^ "s"' "'"■ »" «p « wasu7,lsf«idtturj ;t":?srw';^ am ready to do for your sake f" ' i>ec what I the low^r erpctually ic point a opening returned is a mus- me you ! lye come alien on dresses, d rather a say, ned the ^ ndoubt- There ils, Mr. upletely lelf has is such a. beau- Imiral ? >r dear larcus, ' )od of >rward in her ithaU jlaifce^ hat I The Lady of the Red Shawl one^w"' ^°'"^^^"""^>^ ^'^^'^ ^^^ off adroitly with " Avaunt, woman ! " she said haughtily, her eyebrows «.sed almost to the roots of her hair, « think not to come near me. My son has doubtless been in the far country, and has been spending his substance, ahem ^ among the usual sort of people » " "Mother! " said Marcus warningly. The lady pf the eyebrows stopped. Clearly she had ' «^V^^'°"'^°''^'''"S afraid of her son. Well," she continued in a milder tone, « remember, 'f you are really married you have made your bed, and you must he on it. And if you and this woman are a pair of paupers, don't come whining to me and thinking little money .s all embarked in the sacred service of the Cause. You won't get a penny beyond your allowance so Jong as I am alive ! So I warn you ' " And she hitched her red shawl over her head, and glowered, hke an elderly Fate of a determined frame of mind, down upon the rash couple. But Marcus like Pet Marjorie's duck, was more than usual calm. He knew his mother. « Mat,r," he said, nonchalantly, « I told you that this was my wife. Her maiden name was IdaKa Judd, and she ,s the daughter of Mr. John Cyrus Judd, the great American millionaire." ^ j y 5 »^ It was the first time and the last in his life that Marcus used the substantive and attributive adjectives to describe ills father-in-law. Nowon^this occ asion Mrs. Foreaker-Hard y pro vfed ' *«rseif»woman^quR:E c«|ft heart No sooner had she ifll the distinguiibd and world-famous (or, according to the point of view, in famous) name, than she flew towards #- >..^. liSuet ^i,'5i&«64fVi"»<4tkjii>«/4ai£l»- 37^ Idalia, her ^>' •'Jl»fP'^S>tltr. lone March turn submitted with a good grace to be enfolded and temporarily lost to ^ sight in that capacious fnaternal embrace, " My-beloved daughter ! " she cried, with the beauti- ful impulsiveness born of a lifetime of prescribing mus- tard and water, "'I was prepared to love you from the* first moment. Cy«e glimpse of your sweet face, and nothing more was needed ! It was, as if it had been re^ „ vealed. But who may this be ? .Your sister ? So like you ; your very irhage, indeed I I love and welcome her too for your sake ! Such an acquisition as you will both be ! We shall hold a thanksgiving service at oncei Tranter, go and ask Mr, and Mrs. ArmineJl Howard- Hodge to come to me ! " " This is Miss March, a friend my wife brought with her as a companion ! " interposed Marcus, hastily, just^ in time to save lone from sharing the fate of Idalia. He saw from lone's face that in her present frame of mind, she could not stand that infliction. " Oh, a companion ! " ejaculated Martyria Evicta Lucretia, instantly checking her enthusiasm and promptly losing interest. She turned to Idalia. " But tell me about^ yourself, my love ! Is your dear, de-e-ar father wjth you ! Or your charming mother — your mothef^I suppose, is living? They, might both be of^immense use to us in the Cause, if "" they could only be brought to see the light. I hope yqu will be instrumental^ my dear ! " " Thank you," said Idalia, " my father and mother are » both quite well. They are unfortunately not with us." ' ' Then she added to Marcus in a lower tone unheard ijjrMartyria, "But > bet a bright new dottar they're^to "" us!" 280 . a. CHAPTER XXXI THP REFUGE AMONG THE LEAVES AT this moment there issued from a side ?door a tall man, apparently built in jointed slections like a fishing-rod, and close behind him a little smooth-faced woman drifted in, with the sh^pest and chilliest eyes in, the world — the keen acrid blue of a mountain lake when the wind blows fretfully from the north. Abandoning Idalia, Mrs. Fors^ker-Hardy ran to them and clasped the tall man about the neck. He bent to receive her embrace with the cpnscious simper of a spoiled beauty who receives an expected compliment. Then loosening her arms as swiftly, she turned and kissed the woman of the acrid eyes. She, however, only submitted like a sphinx, looking at lo/ie^over Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy's shoulder all the while. -/ "Oh you loves — you dears," palpitated, at once asthmatically apid ecstatically, the Lady Principal of Rayleigh Abbey; "what a blessed time you have given us ! Truly. the Power was manifested this night ! " The tall man came forward with blandly beaming smile and outstretched hand ; but the little woman stood still and fixed her eyes keenly and piercingly upon each of the party in succession. They dwelt longest upon j I # The Refuge Among the Leaves lughter and submit," saidjhc lady. « But where is your friend Keith ? I understood he was to be with you ! " • She uttered th ■hi^^M^ml?t>.<<^t''^i:i^tJ&L*>s'^i ir- ^^-^^l-r- r r lo^e March " Oh, this is just lovely," cried Idalia, clapping her hands ; " it is like storming an ogre's castle, and being captured, and then in the last chapter escaping from his clutches with the fairy prince. I vote we have a private orgie all to ourselves ! " " Wait here till I open the door and get a lamp," said Marcus. " The steps are not all they should be, but I don't want them repaired. For if I did, some of that vile crew would be sure to come and hang up their hats, if they suspectqd there was a snug shop of this sort down here. So 1 've got man-traps and spring-guns all about to keep them away. And those who do get caught, or shot, I fling their bones down the well. Oh, I've thought of everything!" lone and Idalia stood hand in hand in the darkness at the foot of the stairs. Marcus went upward and disappeared. " Oh," cried his wife, suddenly clutching lone, aftei a moment of awe-stricken silence, broken only by muttered imprecations from above, where Marcus was struggling with the key, and by the fluttering of bats disturbed among the ivy, " suppose this is a real haunted castle, and he never comes back any more. Marcus, Marcus^ — I'm coming up after you right now. Do you hear, I 'm not going to wait. No, Marcus Hardy- — if you think you are going to play with the young afFections of Idalia Judd, and then leave her to moulder in a melon-frame, you '11 get left, sure ! " Marcus appeared just in time to catch his wife in his arms at the narrow leaf-surrounded landing-place, from the further side of which the rail had dropped away. ** Idalia, you wicked girl," he exclaimed, more soberly than was his wont, " do you know you mig ht have ^okeh your neck ovier thefe7 Why couldn't you have waited ? " a86 i \-^ti' .&£ikMi^liiaM^^&ki ia«i a- . kt i ! i iafe* l The Refuge Among the Leaves "Well, I got thinking you weren't ever coming back, and lone and I were two such lone lorn females down there ! Besides, I heard just regular armies of cockroaches creeping and scuttling all about ! You might have thought, Marcus ! You can't love me a bit — not a little bit. And J think you are horrid. I wish I had married Washington Alston. He would n't have teased me so, nor gone and left me all alone up to my knees in fertiliser in the backyard of a lunatic asylum ! And, besides, he has a much nicer nose than you." " Never mind my nose, little woman," said the good- humoured giant ; « come inside, and see if you don't think I 've got some good points as well as Mr. Wash- ington Alston. lone, give me your hand ! " 'So in a trice the wandering trio found themselves in the sweetest and cleanest little nest of rooms. In the first and largest of these a supper-table was laid, shining with silver and the whiteness of napery. With a pleased smile of anticipation upon his hitherto immobile face, old Caleb stood ready at the door to welcome his master's guests. He was still attired in his coachman's boots and leggings, but his red waistcoat was partly covered by an ancient blue dress-coat with broad brass buttons stamped with an anchor. As the three passed in he saluted each in a stiff manner with his right hand and elbow, as if his fingers still held the butt end of a whip. From the warm-smelling oak-panelled corridor three rooms opened a little further on, 'and lone fell into a chair in the first and began to laugh helplessly. Some- thing in the note of her voice brought Idalia flying in from her own bedroom with a smelling bottle. « What is the matter, lone ? Quick, out with it ! " ciwUdaKa, becoming fiercely pereffipfory all at once. " Nothing," said lone, still half sobbing, half strug- 287 /■' lone March / gUng with a wild desire to laugh, " only it seemedj so funny to come through the desert of Sahara and |the wilds of Colney Hatch, and find your things all arrai^ed neatly on the bed, your dressing case open, and ^hot water in a tin can in the basin — and if it has n't g^t a gardener's watering-rose on the spout ! Ha — ha^' — ha ! It is so funny. I can't help it ! " This time Idalia knitted her brows and shook- her friend by the shoulder. The case was growing serious. " If you' don't stop, I '11 tell Keith Harforcj you nursed him — now ! " lone stopped instantly, the mirth stricken frc*n her face. " No, you must not ! " she said pleadingly. | " Well, you behave then ! " . i All this while Marcus was rapping steadily 4)n the door. « Can I come in ? " he said, his maligned nose peeping through the crack. " Why, what *s the matter?" ^^ "Nothing — do go away!" commanded his," wife; «or no — be useful for once, and bring a spooqftU of brandy." In a moment Marcus was back with a small glass of Hennessy XO. " Had too much of it up there, lone ? " he said. « Well, you shan't be troubled with that galvanised-iron Inferno any more. I '11 see to that." " No," answered lone, touched by his kindness ; " it was n't that. I 've not been quite up to the mark lately, I think — and — and that garden-rose on the hot-water can set me laughing." Marcus went to the door. tt Cal e b, you «ld feel^" ^^e^c^ied^^^»ha t o n e a ck made you put these things on the hot-water cans ? " Caleb, with suddenly lengthened face, came to the a38 UiV. i V'*'J''V iiT» ■ i^ ^v£i^SR4»^i'. /■' 'I The Refuge Among the Leaves door, touched his finger half way to his brow for man- ners, and then after a pause carried it further, till of its own accord it began to rub the side of his grey crop- head in perplexity. " Well, the. way of it was, sir, that I 'ad to ask Lar- kins the gardener for one or two of his waterin' pots — there not being none in the bloomin' place, not countin' the one your honour busted with throwing at the cat." " Bless my soul, so I did ! " »cried the cheery Marcus, contritely. " Well, come on, and let us sec if you have forgotten how to cook." "Supper "is served, ladies and your honour!" said Caleb gravely, standing at his usual half-cock salute as they filed past him. The supper was a high approven success. The sweetbreads were cooked to a turn, and delicately smothered in white sauce. The mushrooms on toast were a further joy as they grew less hungry, and the game pleased one sense with- out offending another. "Why, Caleb," said Idalia, "I declare you cook better than the stuck-up Antoine, my father's cordon bleu ! " " Thank you. Miss ! " said Caleb impassively, making once more his curious jerk of his elbow which repre- sented the butt of an imaginary whip. *' Look here, Caleb, you must n't say * Miss * to this young lady. I told you before she was my wife," cried Marcus. " Beg 'ee pardon, sir," said Caleb, saluting as before ; ** of course she is — if you say so. I '11 endeavour to remember, sir ! " " Caleb is of the world's opinion — that you can't be a man's wi fe, if your hair curls natur ally," laughed Idafia. **But this 18 t^e ring, Caleb, and I 've got the certificates here in my ulster pocket, if you M like to 19 389 lone March loojc at them — all stamped and ready fixed for pappa when he piills alongside with his rights of a father, and aUthat!"* As Id'ne bid her head on the pillow that night, the cold blue eyes of the High Priestess of the new religion seemed to search her soul through and through. An4 more than once she woke with a start, under the beliel that Mrs. Arminell Howard-Hodge was standing by h«< bedside. ^ 1 safet The over ponii favoi M u' confi a she ,U exits with wher who ran post who could Tl hone] serva who and ' ^ihifte T"" appa and , the gion And iliel CHAPTER XXXII THE LITTLE BIRD TWO days later Keith Harford arrived. Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy adjusted the red shawl once more, securing it fore, aft, and centre with safety pins capable of holding a second-class cruiser. Then she set a wonderful bird-of-paradise hat rakishly over one eye, ordered her own private team of piebald ponies, and finally drove down to the station to meet her favourite guest. Marcus smiled a quiet smile as he watched her depart. "The mater thinks no end of poor old Keith," he confided to his wife. " I am afraid though, he is in for a sboeking bad time. But I expect he knows I " Usually the lady of the house paid no attention to the exits and entrances of her visitors, contenting herself with summoning them to her chamber to be interviewed whenever she desired their presence. Many of those who most regularly attended the meetings, were lodged in rambling unattached barracks built in the early days of te. water-cure, and now made self-sustaining by an im- post )}( two guineas a week levied upon those adepts who coura afford it — and upon neophytes whether they could afford i; or not. The vast stohe and iron alleys of the castle itself were honeycombed witn^^edrooms like a rabbit warren, but the servants attended to none of the guests, excepting a few who dwelt in Mrs. Forsak^- Hardy's own private wing, and were under^ her immedi^e protection. The, rest ih e m se l ve s in t he N jnt er vals bctwcen^thfr. 291 iL.l.^>. lone March ■'*.. three regulation meals in hall, of which all partook in common. '" At these the lady of the house ate little, claiming ascetic privileges, and (apart even from the society of her intimates) making her truly sustaining meals in the privacy of her own chamber. Marcus and his guests continued to occupy their fortress in the garden wing, and enjoyed there a delight- ful combination of runaway match and picnic, which was particularly agreeable to the feelings of the newly- married pair.) " I never thought a Home for Cranks could be so in- teresting," said Idalia. « Do you knoW, lone, I actually saty a man to-day who looked as if his clothes had been made for himself, and a woman who seemed to have got into her gown right side first." It was a shy, pale, shattered Keith Harford who stood on the Raylpigh station platform that night and looked out eagerly for his friend Marcus. He turned to give some directions concerning his luggage, and when he faced about again he found himself almost smothered in the portly eighteen-stonc embrace of Mrs. Forsaker- Hardy. " Mr. Harford, Marcus is at home. But it is I who am the little bird to welcome you. I could not rest till I had told you the first news of the dear place, and of us all ! " cried the widow romantically ^ she shook his thin , hand. « But bless my life, dear, de^ar friend, how pale you look ! Marcus told me t|iat you had been iU, but had the little bird known how ill you really were-— well — I will not confess, but perhzps— perhaps she would have flown to you. No matter, it is all over now. The breezes of the Chaniiel, and the manifestations 'of thp healin g Powe r will soon restore you a gain. For now the The Little Bird Keith, upon whose faculties the journey and the wea*k- ness had acted disastrously, could not achieve anything more sentimental in reply to this, than a spasmodic and semi-articulate ejaculatioil that he must go and look after his luggage. " Oh, the servants will assuredly have attended to that ah-eady ! " said Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy, promptly check- mating this move. « But if, like a naughty, unkind, fidgetty man, you are set on going —why, the little bird will come too ! " At this point she gave a skip intended to represent the charming innocence of her birdlike nature but which was more suggestive of a sportive circus elephant privately • practising on tubs, or of a haycock which late in life had taken to step-dancing. It was as his companion had predicted. Keith's shabby old travelling bags, rescued by lone from the tender mercies of Mrs. Horehound, were ah-eady being driven away in the luggage cart towards the vast bulk of the Abbey, which rose against the sky like a veritable St. Michael's Mount, its lighted windows in serried array, tier above shining tier. The lady life-renter of Rayleigh and the financial mainspring of all these mysteries, conveyed Keith to the carriage by means of a tender compelling pressure upon his arm. The sleek piebalds stood twitching their long tails at the white-painted gates. The lamps were lighted, and shed a soft radiance forward upon ^lining harness and well-groomed horseflesh. A trim- buttoned tiger held the door, while Caleb himself sat immovable on the low box looking his woodenest into the darkness. ^'lN o w conf ess,^' whispered Martyria Evicta, archly^^ " was n't this a sweet surprise to you ? You thought it would be Marcus or someone else— instead of me! ** 293 m ft ;>*•• '' Ion€ March *>' She cooed the last words like a turtle-dove coquetting with its mate, and bent rapturously over so that she might lp6k i^to Keith's eyes. By this time they had ^ started, and already the carriage was passing swiftly and evenly over fine roads of hard sand upwards- "tf^ the Abbey. The lamps shone on the swinging gai^^ the ponies, whose sides flashed out and in alternate!} iiite and tan as the lights from the burnished reflecto^ ajid the shadows of the trees fell upon them. Invincibly fixed in his place, as if stanchioned to the seat with iron rods, sit Caleb 'the sphinx, and beside him Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy's tiger folded his arms inscrutably like one of the junior, divinities upon Oljypus, or, perhaps, (more exactly) a party-leader at questiWi tiipc Presently the widow laid a plump soft hand 6n the back of Keith's buckskin glove, with an enticing pres- sure which made the favoured swain wince as if he h^ accidentally trodden upon a toad in the heather. " Is Marcus quite well ? " he said lamely, to break the silence. Then he laughed to himself. The ques- tion reminded him of the homecomings of boyhood in vacation time. For when he met his fether at the station, he cduld never think of anything to say all the way home, except "Is mother quite well?" «* I have been quite well." "Is Charlie quite well?" " Thomson Major is quite well." "Is Mary the cook quite well ? " « Is old Snoggins still qpite well ? " "Do not trouble about Marcus," replied the widow, smiling, " he will answer for himself, all in good time. But tell me about your illness. How came you to be so poorly, and never to write and tell me ? You know that there is nothing I would not have done for you. I would have brought you here at once, and if you had been too weak to come, I should have brought the PowER^o^you, and nureed ydionyi^glf.**^"" """^ 394 The Little Bird ' Her hand was stroking the back of his glove undisr* gtiisedly now, and making him as jumpy and nervous ' ks if a steam-roller had been playing with it as a cat plays with a mouse. ^ i -' " Miss March is with you, is she not ? " he ventured at last. For his heart cried out, shy and reticent lover though he was, for news of the Beloved. " Miss March," said the lady, evidently puzzled, but Vith -a-coWer strain apparent in her voice, " I don't know Miss March. Is ^he a patient "at the Abbey ? There are tcoreSt,.! do not know even by name or sight. .But Mrs. Howard-Hodge will douStless be able to inform you." *■'' She is the young lady who came with Marcus and ms wife," explained Keith, with a certain indignation <\hat any one should profess ignorance of a girl so i^markable as lone March. "Oh, the tall pale-faced companion!" -cried Mrs. toilsaker-Hardy. "Yes, I remember now — I believe I did see her. She looks rather like a lamp-post rigged •dut in an umbrella cover, doesn't she? Poor v thing ! Mrs. Howard-Hodge tells me she is not long for this world. Her position must be a very trying one. . It is •o hard to be dependent on the charity of others. She Was at the same school as my daughter-in-law, I believe -^ who is, you know, the daughter of the famous John Cyrus Judd, the American millionaire. It is very good of Mrs. Marcus Hardy to countenance her. For she does look dreadfully like a monitor, or a charity scholar, jr something of that kind." " I assure you. Miss March is the daughter of one »f the best " Keith began, indignantly, and then {paused. He felt that he had no right to inform his bostess of facts which lone might wish to keep con- tealed, and of which, at all events Marcus knew quite in- I 18 much as he. 295 «s^t4ti|i^-ii^iSiA a»-^«>» u— , i. , <_ _» ..'^-'ii.-J^'i. lone March "Come, Kcifli^ murmured the widow, "do, not let us talk of Miss March or any one else ! teU me all about yojirself !• That is the^ only subject of real interest between us." . The time was short and the lady was anxious to bring theconversation b?ck to legitimate lines. ^ "Oh» « was nothing muph," said Keith. "I have had^a senous illness, but I have been well looked "Ah," said Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy, "the usual doctors 1 suppose — me,:e ignorant butchers. And such nasty flirting nurses as they h^ye in common hospitals— not women of Grace and Power ! " r^'ir^^'F f'^''^ Keith, "my doctor was an M.D. of Edinburgh, with three stars after his name in the calendar — before he was twenty-eight. And as to nurses " "All the worse — the more wedded to their despicable superstition," interrupted the widow decidedly, "fii the commg- manifestation of the True PoWer, all surgl cal instniments of every kind will be banished from the*; land under the pain of death. Nothing but prayer and' " the application of God's bountiful provision of cold water, mustard plasters, and anointing oil on suitable linen dressings, wilLbe pei:mitted in all cases. An M.D. of Edinburgh, dear Mr. Harford, will no more be tolerated than a mad dog which runs the streets inoculating rich and poor alike with the froth of his own rabies!" The widow was quoting now from one of the ad- dresses of Mrs. Anrtinell Howard-Hodge upon the physical manifestations of the Power. "At all events I had the best ofnursingi" said Harford. For alas ! Jane Allen had not been quite as Jjicreet^as^Io n e m i ght Aave^wishe d. And aa he^ glanced 296 . \ o iiii*tierMi&.i '^^/s/2^iS^^iL^ jK^:iJ.^i£»^^ \ The Little Bird ' up at the gloomy embrasures of the battlements of the Abbey, and then at the lighted windpws ranged below, he wondered behind which flake of light was the dear"* and s^hapely head of the girl who had saved his life. Ah, if only he were well and a sttccess in life — instead of a wreck and a failure ! But what had he to offer to , such a girl ! With an easy movement of C springs and rubbered tires, the carriage rolled smoothly into the courtyard, and round under the arches of iron and glass, till it stopped at Mrs. Forsaker-Harily's private entrance to her own wing of the Abbey of New Religions. The well-buttoned wasp-waisted tiger was at the door obseq^iously touching his scalloped hat. Mrs. Hardy descended' with the tread of a festive buffalo. > "You shall have all the privileges of illness," she said, smiling, "the little bird will be your nurse — and guardian ! And a greater power — a .dearer and a sweeper, I might say, than that of any M.D. of Edin- burgh — will have the felicity of sustaining your wearied steps." And she cast her eyes upward as if she had been singing one of the especial hymns of the new cult. For J!4rs. Forsaker-Hardy had had a choir of orphan gffis trained, who sang at all the fairs and harvest festivals for miles round — and who were expected to pay the cost of their keep by the fees and gratuities they re-^ ceived. Each of these choristers was conspicuously placarded on the back with her name as follows : — JANET JONE& ORPHAN. Contributions thanirfuliy received on the o t he r «idei=^ y o 297 , jts St i f A" c> .*)• » . ■ ' IT" ' j:'.3ti> i^J- ' lone March " Come to my own rooms, dear Mr. Harford," said the enamoured widow, "a little confection awaits us there, jjist a trifle of beef-tea, and, ah -- sparkling wine -^nothing more. The latter is not generally partaken of in this establishment, because — ahem — I hold (as did my dear father before me) somewhat strict views on the subject. But in cases of necessity like yours and mine, dear Keith — I mean Mr. Harford — some allow-*' ance must surely be made." -"^ - « Certainly, certainly! I — I should like to see Marcus," Keith began, with a nervous dread of any further tete-a-tete manifestations of interest. "Marcus is very well. Your friendly anxiety does you credit ! " replied the widow, patting his arm affec- tionately, "but in the meantime you and I are much better company by ourselves. Who came and met you at the station — Marcus or I ? Who brings you to our home [she dwelt lovingly upon the pronoun] , Marcus or I ? Which — ahem — respects you most, Marcus or I ? " "You are very kind," stammered the unfortunate Keith, as they found themselves in the privacy of the boudoir of Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy, hung with white and gold, cosy and radiant with light and the glitter of silver ranged on the board. "You are too kind, Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy ! " « Ah," yet more softly cooed the widow leaning her head towards her victim, "call me by a dearer, a sweeter name ! Call the little bird by her own pet name — say * Tiny.' Call me * Tiny ' — dear Keith ! ' And with a sigh of amorous content eighteen stone of devotion (and "Tiny") laid its head upon Keith Harford's shoulder. •9« CHAPTER XXXIII THE NINTH WAVE THAT night Keith dined alone with his hostess — as had indeed been that lady's intention from the first. Idalia and Marcus were to come up afterwards. Nothing was said about lone. " Better let the mater have her fling," commented the dutiful son, as his wife and he were passing through the garden, '■'' it will be all the easier sledding for Harford after. The more mother sees of him just at first, the sooner she '11 let up on him." lone did not accompany Marcus and Idalia. For that night she was infinitely weary and, as it seemed to herself, she had done with life. Instead she stretched herself upon one of the little low beds, like hospital cots, which garnished the ascetic guest chambers of the Garden-House. These had indeed been originaHy fur- nished with an eye to the needs of certain Gentile and unregenerate bachelor friends of Marcus, rather than for the guests to whom at present they gave domicile and harbourage. It was therefore well over in the next afternoon before it was the hap of Keith Harford to meet lone. They found each other in a still and enclosed garden fastness, made apparently for lovers* converse and security. Even at this late season it was fragrant with blossom, and sonoroM* w i th t he song of birds welcomin g a fallacio at^ spring in the short and fitful sunshine of an English Indian summer. The girl had suddenly come upon her lover as she 399 111 i f :i ' li ^jt^^ h i„»i . J •iii'.in lone March /oitercd listlessly round a curve of the green privet walL Whereupon Keith had run to her, eager and impulsive as a boy. "lone— -Miss March," he cried, "forgive me for calling you that. But when a man owes his life to a fnend, he does not stand upon ceremony with him. Tell me of yourself. Do you know you are looking quite pale and ill? I fear what you suffered for me has proved too much for you." He seized her hand and held it firmly in both <^ his, gazing meantime ihto her face as a condemned man might upon that of an angel of mercy suddenly alighted before him with a message of love and hope from another world. "Thank you," said lone brightly, removing her hand and putting it for safety into the side pocket of her housewife's morning apron (for she had been helping Caleb with his cookery). « But really I am quite well, and enjoying myself hugely." "Why then are you so pale — so^in? The wind on these cliflfs will blow you away if you venture up there ! " " Oh, as to that," she answered, " I always was a rake. There 's no putting good flesh on ill bones, as my father used to say. But you — I think the fine sea air straight from France must be doing you good already ! Can't you almost smell the patois in it, the blue housesj the white tHted carriers' carts (how I love them !), the maid-servants with their wide gofl^ered caps? — Oh, there is no country in the World like France " ' " And yet you have chosen England ! " "To make my living in— yes, certainly," said lone wistfully^ U but not to jiye in — not to holiday-malr. in. Fancy the delight #f a walking tour in France A walking tour," said Keith, sighing a sigh of melancholy remembrance. "I don't feel as if ever I $00 ■ The Ninth Wave ^ could' walk again. I am exactly like the gentleman of ydur ancient national * chestnut ' who was * born tired ' ! " " Exactly," cried lone, glad to see his spirits bright- ening; **yet I can fancy a walking tour with you as guide — " " Can you ? " ejaculated Keith, with his heart beating rarely and a new light shining in his eyes. " Why, yes," said lone, stoutly declining to be drawn into frivolous side issues ; '^ I can fancy you as the leader of a walking party — elsewhere, of course, than among your beloved Alps. You would have all the knap- sacks beautifully arranged. We arrive at the station. We disembark on the platform. But, alas, there, ranged at the * Sortie ' are carriages, voitures, victorias, what you will ! " * Let us get jn,* you say ; * Providence has mani- festly sent us these as the reward of merit. We shall begin our walking-tour when the horses give out.* There — is not that your idea of a walking tour ? It is pretty mucn mine ! " K€ith laughed. " At present I fear it is something like it. But you — you look ill and tired. lone, I know what wonderful things you did for a man sick unto death. Oh, if I were truly a man and not a broken-down weakling, I might thank you. As it is — as it is, I can only kiss your hand." And before she could resist, even if she had wished, gently and very respectfully (much too respectfully) Keith rais'ed lone's hand to his lips. Now there is no woman who desires an overplus of deference in the man she loves. He may reverence, in I the antique phrase, the very ground she treads on. He may kiss (though the good custom has become obsolete with th^ evanescence of the " princess robe," that most 30" lone March becoming of all dresses for a woman with a figure) the hem of her garment. But these are the early stages. When the tide rises to flood and like an overflowing reservoir suddenly let loose, his love takes its way, she desires no deference or holding back. Rather, like a besieged city, she chooses to be taken by stoj-m and to make an end amidst the fierce delight of battle, not to be sapped by mine and countermine or dominated l)y slow circumvallation. And with all her yearning for work and freedom lone was a woman. Keith, on the other hand, was a man adept in many things, but ignorant? of the very A B C of love. He had explored the mysteries of pure reason. But the heart of a woman, in which (thank God) is almost always purity but very rarely reason, remained shut to him. He had not even approached its intimate fast- nesses. He had not explored its hidden ways. So now, instead of clasping lone in his arms and taking vehe- mcht possession of her love for time and eternity, dis- creetly and coldly he kissed her hand. lone stood a moment irresolute, leaving the hand in his keeping. Then with a certain quick returning self- possession as cold and firm as his ow^n, she drew it in to her again, and looked at the man for whom almost she had laid down her life. « Not yet," she thought, "is it fitting that he should knowaU." Yet better than most women she could appraise exactly the delicate reserve of his withdrawal. She knew that Keith's scrupulous honour was a finer and rarer thing than a stronger man's most insistent passion. But she was a woman like others, and in her heart of hearts she desired to be wooed ^ not by formal observance. ordelicate restraint, but impetuously, directly, almost as the soldier-citizens of Rome wooed their Sabine brides. '4- 30a ii«h. The Ninth Wave This man with his reverence, his high ideals as to what a man ought to possess before asking a woman to share his lot, appealed strongly to her. But chiefly with pity for the blindness that could not see the equal-glowing love which had grown up in her heart — and with some- thing of contempt too for the weakness which could not take advantage of the yielding in her eyes. lone knew that Keith Harford's heart was all hers. What else indeed (save the secret of her own) had she learned during those weariful head-tossing nights when she had sat and watched him? What else had she listened to in tKIe days when the gates of life were drawn back and all the cords of a man were unloosed. She smiled as she looked intb Keith's eyes. They seemdd to worship her as a divinity set far off. She wondered, with that irritant perversity of mind which comes to women in desperate situations, what would happen if she were to say « Keith -— Keith Harford, listen. I, lone March, love you. I have loved you ever since the first day I saw you ! " But she resisted the temptation to say these words aloud and walked on. Keith followed at her side, slowly growing conscious of the fact that it was now her mood not to be spoken to. Yet he had a sense that something tremendous was about to happen'. Suddenly, as if she had been alone, she began to hum very low the words of the song he had sung on his bed of delirium. '« John Anderson, my jo, John, When we were first acquent " — ^^ At the first bar Keith Harford stopped and looked at Jier, —The words eaate^to his^ earwirii a V^nge i ndt-- terminate familiarity, bringing with them also the perfume of a woman's most intimate presence. Where had he # 303 T4-iii t - lone March heard them before, he asked himself? Why should they lie so clos^ to his heart ? " Your locks were like the raven. Your bondy brow was brent." Then a belated breaker ffom the great sea of uncon- sciousness, the ninth wave of the tide of love swept over him. In a moment he had taken lone's hand and drawn her to him. Words of ferventest devotion rose- unbidden to his lips. In a moment more he would have pleaded his love face to face unashamed and unafraid. But there, at a tbrning of the path within a few feet of them, stood Mrs. Forsakec^iHardy with a countenance red as any peony. ;^11 her eighteen ston<^ of ascetic adipose quivered with indignation like a shaken jelly. At first she could not speak for agitation. Growing slowly al^st purple with indignation, she stood brow- beating the^wo culprits on the path before her. Keith's arm dropped disgustedly from lone's waist. The effect of the interruption upon the girl was characteristically - different. A flush of irritation, mingled with an irresist- ible smile at the humour of the situation, rose and flushed lone's cheek .and brow. Her lips curled, and in another moment she would have laughed outright. But Mrs. Forsaker-Hardy turned slowly away with a stamp of her foot, muttering explosively certain words which sounded like « Toad ! Snake! Viper f Traitor!" Then she marched majestically out of the garden, and locked the private door behind her. J04 -!iS>jiv4>.' CHAPTER XXXIV THE PLEASANT PURPLE PORPOISE IDALIA was lying with lier ankles crossed over the brass rail at the foot of her bed. She was reading "a novel and yawning portentously as she turned the pages. " Whee-ooh," she whistled, curling and uncurling herself luxuriously like a disturbed! kitten. *^This is dull as New Jersey," she said. " I must- get ofF soon, or', as I tell Marcus, I shall have to run away all over again with somebody else — anybody, in fact, who will give me a more amusing mother-in-law." "If you had seen the lady just now — you could not have wished fortmore or better," said lone. " Du tell r Want t' know ! " cried Idalia with instant interest, speaking, as she often did, in the dialect of an old summer landlady of hefs in the White Mountains. ",Well," said lone, throwing herself on the opposite end of thf bed and leaning an elbow on the brass bar which Idalia had indicated with the gesture of a man offering another a cigar. Idalia obligingly slid Jjer feet further «long to make room. , "I met Mr. Harford by accident in the garden— i-" " By accident in tb(e garden ! Yes, I know ! Go on," said Idalia breathlessly, taking her pretty, slippered feet down from the bar and gathering them under her excitemeht? ** ^Vas he making love to yira ^ How ^ nice. I thought it would come to that — high time too! r>ay, does he do it nicely ? ". lone smiled reflectively. so V,:' 30s i!}t1slfM^X^Mii^i».i ' '1 *.'*^,-(»^fe lone March "Well, no — if it comes to^hat, he doesn't'" (Idalia looked disappointed.) "In fact, to tell the truth, if there was any love in the vicinity, it was I who was making it." Idalia nodded with the air of a connoisseur. Her lips smiled slightly and daintily at a remembered delicious- ness — like one who tastes old memories and finds them good. "Yes, that's nice too," she agreed, her eyes stUl mistily reminiscent. « I did n't think you had it in you, lone. There 's taore than one kind of man who needs to be made speak. They mean well, but somehow can't make the riffle. Let me see — there was Mortimer Kitson, he was that kind, and Billy Pitt — no, he was n't, quite the contrary in fact. But go on, lone, don't le' me interrupt the progress of this romantic ghost illusion For when it came to solid spooning, I guess the pair ol you would be about as warm as a couple of average spectres on a chilly night. In fact you both look like * haunts ' as it is. It 's about time you made it up if that 's what concealment does to your four - damask cheeks. Why, look at me, sence I was married I'n> getting as fat as a little porpoise — " • She burst into gay song : — "A Jiveetly perfect porpoise, A pleasant purple porpoise. From the tvaters of Chili ! " " Oh ! " cried Idalia, her ideas darting off at a tangent on the track of something new, "did you ever try tp say that second line over in different ways ? First seductively, * A pleasant purple porpoise * — as if thg "~T dear beast was before you an J you were quite deter- mined to take your hair out of curl-papers and pioducr your best impression on him? Then tragically witl 306 i 'ftF.«i!)*ie-, 'n> < 'Tile Pleasant Purple Porpoise yoitf bands in the air, thus, — * A pleasant purple por- poise, from the waters of Chili ! ' Does n't it sound as if all your friends were dead and you yourself were doomed to an early grave -t- like that tiresome *popr little Jim.' Or blubberiiigly, like sour butter-milk, gurgling out of a tin Jipper at the old form up in the mountains. Oh, do you remember that funny calf they had, and Zeke the farm-boy, who fell in love with me ? " \ Idalia was sitting up now with^her feet tucked under her, heedless alike of skirts and lace frilleries in her beady excitement. "No," commented lone with severity; "I don't want to hear either about * pleasant purple porpoises,' nor yet of farm hands whom you tried to break the hearts of. Lady Clara Vere de Vere at third hand makes me tired. For, you see, I was n't at that farm. ^ It was some other gooseberry who ai4^d and abetted. All the same, I don't doubt you proyed yourself the same little fiend you always were,. Mrs. Marcus Hardy. On the contrary, if you will attend for a moment I will tell you that Mr. Harford and I had the honour to meet your esteemed mother-in-law in the garden walk, and so it came about, that just when she was almost upon us — she saw him " "No; you don't say," cried Idalia, clapping her bands joyously. "Good for Keith, excellent good! I never thought he had the spirit." "I don't know what you mean, Idalia Judd," said lone with dignity, "nor yet how your inspired cow- herds out Salem way w^^re in the habit of behaving. -- But, ag a matt ei^of fac^ MniiBffigd^^war kisstngnnr" hand." ^ \ " Mfft " came with a sniff .^temptuous from the Paris wrapper, "that aU? MyTt-what a fiiss about .307 i4a|Ar4.^1 ififfi^l k lone March nothing. Why, any young men I 'd have had anything to do with always did that the second day on the steamer trip, or sometimes when we were just losing sight of the « lighthouse, if the ship was a racer ! " "Idalia, I'll tell Marcus if you talk nonsense like, that ; I will, for true ! " " Oh, shoot ! " cried the married lady, recklessly. "I don't care for a crate of Marcuses. He is a dear old slpw-coach anyway, and I had to love him better than the lot of them — I just could n't help it somehow. But he knows ^11 about it pretty well, I guess. Only, as for me, I 've quite given up the follies of my youth. And now for the rest of my life I'm going to devote myself to seeing that Marcus does not flirt — nor kiss my dearest friends in corners — that is, when they are as pretty as some one I know." ^ "Set a thief to catch a thief!" smiled lone, willing for the time being to let herself be carried out of her own troubles by the gay irresponsibility of her friend. " Exactly," cried Idalia, unabashed ; « but come, you have not told me all. Reveal the dark secret of your crime. Kpkh Harford kissed your hand, did he? Well — so far good. It is often enough a fair enough opening, arfd after that I 've frequently mated in four moves. But, after all— it is only the gong before dinner-^ the question is, » What next?' sez I to myself, sez I," « Why, then," said lone calmly, taking no notice at all of this persiflage, "we looked up, and there was Mrs. Forsajtcr-Hardy standing tragically on th% path before us, like Lady Macbeth done up in a red shawl. ^ad th^ was all 1^ "Come now, lone Mai^ch," said Idalia, fixing her fiicnd with a hooked index finger, " look me in the 30S .^• / »^, -^_vl l-^lwjlil-^ ■ i , ' The Pleasant Purple Porpoise eye ! Say, » Hope-I-may-die,' and then tell me that was all she saw ! " "Well," said lone slowly, as if trjring to recall the infinitely remote, " perhaps he iX)as going to " "I knew it -I said it," cried Idalia, clapping her hands,^ "you can always feel it coming miles before it arrives. What a shame! It would have come all right in another moment but for that crazy old woman. And now — why, it mayn't happen for ever so long. It 's /e^bad ! Keith Harford is just the kind to give up easily ^hen he's crossed — sort of shut ofF steam sudden-like just when his pressure gauge is registering 1 60 ! What an old wretch ! Talk about the Scarlet Woman ! We must have him here,, and then when he is reading us poetry — Tennyson and those things — (he reads poetry beautifully, Marcus says), 1 '11 pretend that I hear Marcus calling me, and I '11 slip out ! See ! 1 Ve got a lovely collection in the blue and gold series — »Gems of Love' it is called. We'll give him that — not a miss-fire from cover to cover — all prizes and no blanks, roses and raptures right through from, beginning to end ! " ' lone laughed happily. There seemef the sallow dried-up skin about them. As the woman came near lone felt the brisk forcefiil- ness of the description of Marcus, who constantly averred that only to glance at Mother Hodge gave him the crawls down his spine. " She looked," he cried, *^ as if she had been buried three days, and had gone about ever since regretting she had been dug up." On the present occasion Mrs. Howard-Hodge came and held out a hand td lone, in which there was a curious tingling power — some electric force which lone felt resentfully yet was obliged in some measure to submit to. " Miss March," said the Seeress, " I have been wish- ing for a chance to speak to you for some days. It was with that purp