The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-04 00:00:00

- -
[Au, RIGHTS RESERVED.]
STRIVE AND THRIVE.

CHAPTER XXX.

A SURPRISE FOR BELMONT.
WRT
t. LE the charmed listener awaited Eda's resump-
ucn of her narrative, she continued as follows:
have come now to the pleasantest and strangest
paf.2rtfo°rf 11; story. I sought work to enable me to
own and my brother's support, for I was
'aY determined not to be a burden upon the kind
frie
who were so freely sharing their scanty means
When they found me resolved on this
_eult, they took me to the house of a very wealthy
Intkie2Tan, a distant relation of their own—one Colonel
" Colonel Mink !" echoed Howard, with such an
41Phasis, and such a start, as fairly frightened the
gentle narrator.
" Yes, sir."
~„‘ Of what street, stnet what nmber'?"
P-4a, told him witn c‘, faltering voice, for she was
cea,, IIY alarmed at the strange expression on the
ullatenance of her auditor.
Clu what day was this?"
I,‘lt is just a week ago, to-day."
4nd I have been there thrice since then," thought
"without hearing aught of it."
th;` nut surely Colonel Mink did not himself know of
°r—perhaps they did not know your name and
eat`l have not the least idea why you ask these
balit,;est questions," answered Eda; "but Miss Sib-
certainly. introduced me by name, and, quite un-
tureessarily, I thought, related the one great adven-
2,
d e °f my life, and how I was rescued by you from
eatll
4.8 Y me! Did she say Mr. Belmont ?"
She did—l remember it well; but the story was
th' new to them, they said, for they had read it in
pr,,,llewspapers of the day. Colonel Mink was not
Vent. I speak now of Mrs. Mink and her daughter
.randa.,)
"Ilfiranda ! Did eke hear this ?"
I'es, sir."
440 ward rose and paced the cabin for several minutes.
si.e
euee and when he returned to Eda he said, with
lee tt vo' ' a
of singular calmness:
' Please to go on."
i.ll)‘lt is little more that I have to tell," resumed Eda;
kilt that little accounts for my being here to-day.
kink freely promised me the employment which
" tuuch desired, but she said she did not require me
[lt th
e house, and that she preferred to bring the work
1113 residence at the Misses Sibbald's."
es—go on."
gr t when she came on the next day, to my
keeat surprise and joy, instead of work, she brought
the Intelligence that Colonel Mink, sympathising
'with
of tigis tny distress, had resolved to offer me the means
°ace joining my invalid father in Jamaica."
‘lViranda brought you this proposition ?"
‘i
and the money."
Ulla' 'rid you accepted it? And it is with these means
You are now travelling ?"
da replied faintly, and with a timid look:
tes, sir—have I done wrong ?"
; you have done no wrong. What else
a loving daughter do but accept the means to
ail exiled and suffering parent? No, you, at
lie:, are all excellence and 'goodness still. Thank
iveu for that ! Thank Heaven for that !"
Vein Belmont paced the room for a few minutes
1/43 every evidence of emotion, and when he once
returned to Eda, he said:
pro“,lliss Walworth, I have a strange and startling
Dr vosition to make to you, and I know that I am
xtiZtl„ll.l, lug much upon your confidence in me when I
~ov,`" it. I am going to ask you to abandon this
try,,-"te, and go back with me to your friends in
,14°,:i;:tYti• lam going to ask you to return to this
Beai—, by my hands, the money with which he has
pe,:d the evidence of his own and his daughter's
'1,1:137. Will you do this ?"
tillet'a was very much amazed, not only by his ro-
ll,. t,,but by much of the language, enigmatical to
r'ol‘l,,rlVnich accompanied and preceded it. But she
regrerly replied, though not without a pang of filial
I Will certainly do your bidding, whatever it may
)," am sure it must be right, and that my
Would so desire. But lam really grieved to
that Colonel Mink's seeming noble benevolence is
tt plit is as false as the mirage of the desert. He is
I, land treacherous man! And when I reflect how
11181 V" confided implicitly in his honour and that of
haD„a;ll.lilY—have been duped by them, how nearly my
L-ness has been wrecked for life, my indignation is
37ciad bounds."
EZI treUlble to hear you speak so passionately," said
fillsilas she saw the wrath of Belmont pictured in his
cheeks and flashing eyes.
do not know," he added, "that your aid will be
hitrtired to unmask this miscreant, but I wish to leave
Pais 1,0 loop-hole Of retreat 'from the conviction of
!vere,7s°l• which I shall fasten upon him. If you
ehLg,cae, he might inyent some neW fiction, which
-.i.`"(l be without the Means to controvert."
See!,
(lefiterlpf course. your visit to your father shall be only
Charges
not abandoned, and I will be answerable for
" aes
rg
Do:
Inuchn°et Peak of it—you to whom I already owe
TaY not so, Eda; I would have you forget that
‘,. lave
.„,any reason to be grateful to me."
"alworth's fellow-pas.engers were, of course,
astonished to see her preparing to leave the
lierrfore it was fairly out of port; and when, with
Ail t fsother and her baggage, she was helped into the
hel°o,7'.(tt, Which came alongside about twenty miles
the city, various conjectures were started as to
eaDQ4lsc of so unusual a movement. The waggish
414, shaking his head gravely at Howard, said
411,,if he had known his errand, lie did not think he
-1141 have been able to hear his hail.

CHAPTER XXXI.
8414, A SPEEDY RETURN.
lite and Grace Sibbald had returned home not a
saddened by the loss of their friend, and when, •
haekill the afternoon, they sat side by side in their
tlts„. Parlour, engaged at their needlework, and -
e
'lllg thi
-13ted Unusual events which had lately nter-
their their quiet life, the door bell tinkled lightly in
and Grace, as she .t
rose to answer ,
hope
dear Eda was not gone beyond the f
)4_ T
Should have been certain that war 0
her
ki‘ thought 'heard a carriage stop. It may be the
by thibPossible ! We should have been half deafened
toiti
17,Leed clatter of the bell, if their pompous footman had
Qra •
before
had given a few smoothing touches to her
oefore the mirror, while these few words were
It, ela, and then she went to the hall door and opened
4,13 F
--‘old, there was Eda, blushing and smiling—there
Nty 'rank, laughing and shouting—there was the
tiowlage and the baggage—and there was the Hon.
qd Belmont.
stra;ace was nearly wild with joy, and scarcely re-
-Ifj;lllied the expression of it as much as a fitting respect
e stranger might have required.
si threw her arms around Eda, and kissed her
ktr,4,i4ild again. She hugged Franky-, and was then
:11ced to Mr. Belmont, whom she already knew
from Eda,'s previous descriptions of him.
shook hands4cordially with her, and having
eid the hackman to wait for him, the whole party
t'4l,st'h;atto the little parlour, which Sally had been
,71;7i11g to improve ever since she had discovered,
Et6° ale blinds, her distinguished visitor.
Position was of course, a most embarrassing
;rie'iads77 there was only one construction which her
'°h. could possibly put upon her return, under
104 v7rellinstances, and every minute the e3Ti ana.
t hilt as delayed added to her confusion and distress.
-r," sooner was the ceremony of introduction
Zer, than Howard, who fully appreciated all
b„..4 gailF to the elder Miss Sibbald :
h,7lt 7,- are surprised to see Miss Walvvorth so soon
v"s4- Your hands, and you will be still more sur-
.ohWhen you learn the cause."
tltql ' tbat is easily imagined," replied Sally, with an
tVett I:kikovhich brought a slight access of colour
ti3ft. Ward's cheek, while poor Eda began to
toi,e shi P had gone down with her before it was
„rtalten.
titPiterlijaell I shall leave her to explain," added the
_pretending not to notice this badinage,
th 11". liberty to disclose everything connected
Chs%, tlagul and—and---in one sense. certainly
th:4ver;ilul affair. I shall call and see you again,
ttl Eda, if I have your permission, and in
Oh C
anurne I
hope to have fixed on some definite ,
korp, ,zalliY, how could you say such a dreadful
‘.e
1 amied Eda, as soon as the visitor was
"eri nohave t had you say it for the
A
trlo h `-`•
t
e ears stood in Eda's eyes, something
was flashing out from them than Miss
vea' ever before seen in her gentle guest.
scrry Eda," she said. "I know now that
soialeng, for I saw by his serious look that there
Oh other mystery about all this."
I.4.4ever I, but it was a terrible thing to say! I
',tare
4'10114 '',ct be so bad as that, I hope. But really,
to look him in the face again."
say tllha e'se cold I think? Grace thought the
11(it Sog' know, although I have not heard her
4,1:111. W°llld anybody have done. They would
tlot 47t ..°8 thought so but they would have felt
Ekt: that It, as
I did. And then I know, if you do
'Nnggee.lltl,Tnen always like to be joked about
story
k 4 p.g.18 Come now, forgive me, Eda, and let us
''Qr7,l4t thlluerful
Said Miss.
k,
Walrorth, "in order that
thhtY be oo m 0 it) th,re ore mistakes made, let me assure
;4L111,0i,,,s
r no--no—love affair,noranYtg
istS*o;oetveenst ide-LYI • Belmont and me 7 that he has
not
t 7, of such a thing; that he is a man of
-4Tid of great wealth, and that—that in
.„" of most prep 44 writs idea that he should
Nposi,,Poor! homeless girl like me."
nihreltd Saliy, meekly; "we will bear
ow, pleise to go on."
Ittoglers N,,,e;" But she did not proceed far before
they absorbed In eager attention, in proof
u not once interrupt her until she had

finished the somewhat forotracted riairative,
posed, beyond the possibility of refutation, the
duplicity and falsehood of the Minks.
"Now, then," said Sally, drawing a long breath
when she had closed. "It's just what I always said
of them! I knew that Miranda was a compound of
deceit and affectation. But when they seemed so
benevolent to you, I tried to think better of them.
But the secret is out now! They only wanted to get
rid of a rival! Most magnanimous Minks."
Eda hastened to say that she supposed it was because
Howard had saved her life that they feared her but
that there was no other occasion for their alairf

"And then to tell him, two or three mont:,, ago,
that you were married and gone out West, so tia he
should not look for you, and that they could have a
clear field! The imfamous wretches! I don't care
how rich they are. I hope they will be publicly ex-
posed."
"I do not see," said Grace, "what necessity there
could be for such wealthy people resorting to such
trickery. Miranda must have plenty of beaux."
"Yes, but they wanted some one very grand:
they have always been running after titled foreigners,
and Miranda was nearly engaged once before to an old
viscount. How they ever got hold of Belmont is the
marvel to me, for I am not so much surprised that a
young man like him should be easily taken in by
Miranda, who is certainly handsome, and is to have a
colossal fortune." _ _

Belmont made good his promise to call in the
evening, but he saw Eda only in company with her
friends, and the exciting discovery of the day formed
the principal topic of conversation.
The Sibbalds were delighted with the Englishman,
whose sterner look of the afternoon had passed away,
and whose playful and boyish manners did not indi-
cate a hart overladen with grief.
"I believe he is heartily glad to get rid of her,'
said Sally, when he had gone; "and it won't be a week
before lie will propose for Eda. 1 can see."
(To be continued.)