The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-07-11 00:00:00

[AX.r. RlGriTs DESERVED.]
BTRIVE AND THRIVE.

CHAPTER xxxil.
A STARTLING MISS/VB.
_TRE week which ended with the sailing of the Bolivar
till' been fraught with anxiety to Colonel Mink and
s family; and their relief was proportionately great
',lien assured that the vessel had at last really started
'on her long voyage, bearing with her the innocent
cause of their apprehensions.
Mink determined to give expression to his happi-
licas by a little conviviality, and he resolved on a
Isocial evening party—one of those many extempore
gatherings which were common in his drawing-rooms
ia the intervals between his larger and more imposing
fetes.

The shortest notice sufficed to assemble quite a
crowd of fashionable people at the house of such an
"knowledgell leader of the gay world, and the invi-
Iltions were sent out on the very day of the embarka-
tiOn, and were for the following evening.
The elegant card for "The Hon. Howard Belmont"
14.4 written by the snowy fingers of Miranda herself,
lird was quite a caligraphic triumph in its way.
, Howard found it in his room on his return from
evsning visit to Eda, and the feelings with which
!'e now contemplated such a missive is not difficult to
linaagine : yet he was rather glad, on the whole, that it
'lad been sent, and he looked upon the invitation as
Vlite opportune for his purposes.
Colonel Mink's friends did not disappoint him-
-I.leither did his enem!es ; for there were not a few on
;Ile visiting list of the family who belonged properly
to the latter class.
Some, indeed, of the colonel's most distinguished
licquaintances looked with envy and dislike upon the
Parvenu who had so suddenly risen up among them,
d who was able to distance them all in his style of
,ilv.ing, and especially in the splendour of his enter-
'44ll:news, which left competition far behind.
And sweet as Miranda could be, or seem, towards
Ilia admirer whom she sought to fascinate, her arro-
gance towards her own sex had not always been con-
cealed, and had brought forth its natural crop of hatred
ilad envy.
.1 tut these things did not disturb the equanimity of
Minks, who were able to class their visitors with
‘ulerable accuracy, and who, next to their friends,
:N°Yed the presence of their enemies on all occa,-
g
Icris whi,th ave them an opportunity to triumph over
them. -

-
1 The presence of the Honourable Mr. Belmont in the
:ain of Miranda's suitors was expected to afford such
tilliaoPPortunity now, and it was with secret exultation
_ t the heiress, who was apparelled with unusual
Nalendour beheld several of her fair foes among. her
•Rilests
_ •

Chief among these were two sisters, who had won
undying hatred by a constant tacit assertion of
i,eriorlty, and who had never, by word or look, par-
ttlelPated in the adulation, which, from numberless
37coPhantie sources, Miranda was accustomed to re-

, -
the Courtne s would be condescending to the
Their Zocial status, if not now higher, was of
Dllr older date than that of the rich plebians, whom,
°ugh consenting to visit, they refused to conciliate.
•e_itenda complained that Miss Courtney, the wit and
Zality of the family (she thanked heaven that they
17ere not rich), had even ventured to play off some of
Ze,r airs of superiority upon Mr. Belmont, by treating
quite as she would any other gentleman, when lie
, 'du shown her some trifling civility.
ZeB.1-le had taken it quite as a matter of course, at
ilch Miss Mink was wroth, more especially when
afterwards heard Howard speak of -her as a
feCtly well-bred lady.
3:ll``She's dying of envy, I know," Miranda said to her
°ther, " notwithstanding her seeming indifference;
f
eted .
„ 1 I don't bring her pride down yet -e—
-:4o,:feady Belmont will not need to trouble herself
14 such people," replied Mrs. Mink, smiling. "An
ete-vah will soon divide you from all your detractors
"gti calumniators."
ebolOht I know that; but I shall find an opportunity.
lae`ure Igo to be quits with Miss Courtney, you may
, -cl)ehd on that."
:leh,
4'
You must remember your dignity, my love, and
new and exalted station will require of
' e 010
I Will remember it. I am not. going to compro-
. le,se,_ 111 Y dignity either. You shall see.'
a:Jle rooms were nearly filled with an assemblage
1Y of elegant and refined people. Guests were
arl'lying, and at every new step Miranda's eyes
,trught the door, though not with an air of solicitude,
~Nerith any abatement of the animated conversation
;:ei2ich she was maintaining with the little coterie of
11:`c and belles who surrounded her. Her father
Major Bellers, an old admirer of the heiress,
were standing just outside this circle, and while they
toerr,o conversing, a servant entered and handed a note
ae l.:olonel Mink, who, after looking at both the super-
r!Ption and the seal through his eye-glass, said in a
ii?'ee which reached all who stood near him, including
8 daughter. :
e,:,,,hv, this is from Belmont! I fear we shall not
ef,' "nal tenight. Here, Miranda," lie added, passing
41letter over the heads of two or three ladies, "see
tviee,/,;: says, for this gaslight plays the mischief
mis-,Ves• A little near-sighted, you know."
lcareful to
'lnk opened the note with composure, being
eroke„ Preserve the seal, with its coat of arms, un-
to th "* arta not intermitting her current of small talk
But ose around her.
eeiti. ho sooner were her eyes upon the writing
lib, le, than they seemed fixed there by some hor-
fe_',e fascination, while a deadly pallor overspread her
4:tures. So complete was her abstraction while her
' 14 e,r?'a down the short page, that her usual presence
iler"und—nay, her mind itself--seemed to forsake
Deee eShe uttered a faint moan, and attempted to
ezeyroin the room; but at the next instant, putting
'lauds to her head, she staggered forward, and was
le ea from falling to the floor only by the timely in-
r,l)osition of Major Beller's strong arm.
kii,•,?.°o(l Heaven! what is this?" exclaimed Colonel
tle;:e assisting to support his daughter. "Something
ters'oful must have happened to Howard. Help here
' Mirand e
eerrhe a'
,elitilt room was at once in general commotion. Miss
ee Was carried out, and everybody, of course, was
ri- to learn the cause of the alarm.
'bees kink's apprehension of harm to Howard had
leesliliehestly expressed, one of the ladies, thought-
Of lee ,alaY impropriety, caught up the terror-inflict-
to which the swooning girl had dropped, and
read a few words aloud, as follows:
bea:?oloriel Mink,—Your unparalleled perfidy—'
crt,,,,,- • dear! Here Is some quarrel," she said,
freo,,Pling up the note, for she was a friend of the
' leea,"Y• "We must not read this. I thought it was
Ati j_ accident to Mr. Belmont, by the way Colonel
cliej sPoke about it. Dear! dear! Please to forget,
ti 's, what I have read, for it is evidently something
vete
tlekit while this honest lady had slowly made out
few words, a sharper and more eager pair of
Peering over her shoulder, had real a good deal
her, and: indeed, had gleaned the substance of
short letter, which ran as follows:
11101 Colonel Mink' —Your unparalleled perfidy has
to r
Ille
Cleit,„ ght. The Bolivar has sailed, but without
OVeng off the witness of your duplicity. Miss
,ioe worth herein returns the money with which your
'lit (Y,,,l'lirabie and high-minded daughter has so liberally
; 'ed her for her journey. I shall see you no more.
h HOWARD BELMONT."
' Aee
'que accompanied the note.
N 4-4,1)450n who thus succeeded in furtively obtain-
et Dtb;tull knowledge of the contents of the billet was
fiee'ege gossiping woman, who lost no time in dif-
AlB4.4ytgaheitiinefdormation which she had thus surrepti-
tliksi Was Mr. I3elmont's accident a serious one ?"asked
Courtney, who had heard this version of the
le lee Iti 4 distant part of the room, and had come up
the - -ere
ete particulars.
Zed ~,, accident at all!" replied Mrs. Brash, in a
fYiklo • ciliSPer "It's a dreadful quarrel about a Miss
4 1,,.°11112,
ttpelfvalworth! WahvOrth ! Oh, that's the lady he
ketl from drowning some two years ago," said
h%ltehr voice. "I haveheard all about that story."
,Neth" rumour spread. A dozen heads wedged
p,. .er listened to this story, and then separated to
.'e it, with variations, to others.
1,-7,.leete- Ililisehief had been speedily done. Scarcely a
'lad elapsed after Miranda's removal from the
et ee,eo
4et fa, re she revived sufficiently to speak, ear her
words were:
m'ke ' letter ! The letter! Ihave dropped it! For
h eh's
.4 saee do not let it be seen."
ooe i ether ran back just in time to receive it at the
Zlkeercall the indiscreet friend, who, having already
tirlg i:.: its contents to the world, was hastening to 1
4 ktie. to him.
hi n, tl he
many minutes, Colonel Mink returned
ll e• 4
;,1413,t13v,1e drawing-room his agitation was most ,
Ole d.,'sible, despite his efforts at composure. . 1
e;,4t theZilghter continued slightly unwell, he said;
Orlie„would return to the rooms in the course of the
-4ritilrld he begged his friends not to allow their
etAl to , be disturbed on her accaunt.
tlena '-"-r. Belmont, his—ah, accident was not a
°lie, and no fears need be entertained on his
„Oisf_course, did not understand the smiles and
tes'ruggings with which the latter part of.
e,"rient was -received by some of the company.
1"411,..s request that the gaieties should not be
Viee., dancing were resumed, while
auTrrupted was readily complied with, and
liti-geh la,„`„; ile conversation,
btik epi-8-4 received such an impetus from ,the start-
,mBkly tithaa pltio of the evening, of course went on more
kilt N ever.
kikt Ilda elleala hour had elapsed.without the return of
(4,18 kh,Zr her mother, and when word came that
tie'ee 11d, „ eeontinued unwell and would not again
lee,i,te de"Lev!' friends of the family took the initia-
t4,7uley "ert'hg, and their example was rapidly fol.
Latieosa.."‘.the rest, notwithstanding the polite pro- 1
oi their haggard host. !

Whezi,

tv,,lt.

1114-iie

I
CHAPTER XXXII'.
1
1
sIEBALD GIVES RDA A WARNING.
4;43, p-,.4121X had discretion enough not to seek to.
1),13' Nitioo,' Palliate his conduct to Mr. Belmont, or m
kr" 14 to reverse the decision at which that gentle-
' for 4#1.1"1„. ved. The proof was too overwhelm-
"us. and he wisely de,cidgct itici DUPlit NIL

acqifai-ntalit:6s:.th thiñ 01 the English nobility
to drop
His disappointment was, indeed, severer, and his
chagrin more intense and lasting, than he had be-
lieved it possible for any reverse to inflict upon a man
of his wealth. That Miranda's sufferings were still more
accute, need scarcely be said; and when she had re-
covered from a week's &were illness, the mortified
family left the city temporarily for Washington, where
the Congressional season was about to open, and
where they could plunge freely into the vortex of
fashionable life, without fear of the finger of scorn
being especially pointed at them.
When they returned, they intended to astonish the
"upper ten" with a fete which should out-do in
brilliancy all their previous displays; and in the en-
suing spring they would start on their long-contem-
plated European travels, to return only when their
misadventure should be partly obliterated from the
public mind.
Such was the programme of the Minks for the

future; and whatever their conscious shame might
. be, it did not serve materially to dilute their accus-
tomed effrontery and arrogance.
Ten days had now passed since the return of Eda,
and the time was close at hand for the sailing of
another steamer for Havannah, in which she and her
brother were certainly to go. As the affair had re-
sulted, there had been no necessity, she thought, for
her coming back, and, nothwithstanding the great
pleasure she always took in Mr. Belmont's society,
she could not avoid a wish that he had been a little
later, or the Bolivar a little earlier, on that day which
recalled her to a flitting fortnight of happiness, to be
followed by a lifetime of increased regret.
Howard was so gentle and tender in his deport-
ment towards her, so solicitous for her comfort and
welfare in every respect; he spoke ever in such
kind and almost affectionate terms of her father,
that her isolated heart could not fail to respond to so
much goodness and manly sincerity, with all the
strength and ardour of a first and fervent love.
In vain she combated this feeling; she could
neither repress it nor flee the fatal fascination until
the day appointed to separate her from it for ever.
At times she thought Howard inconsiderate and
cruel in coming so often to see her, in lavishing so
many gifts upon her, in speaking so sympathisingly
of her trials; for, although it was all done, she was
sure, in the most fraternal spirit, yet he ought to
have reflected that she was human, and that too
much kindness may sometimes inflict a wrong.
Dear Eda! Where wa.s now that joyous elasticity
with which, but two short weeks ago, your young
heart bounded at the thought of re-union with a
beloved parent, even at the expense of a long and
dreary journey? A tender pensiveness had supplanted
this vivacity, varying, without impairing, the beauty
of her sweet and innocent face.
When Miss Sally Sibbald saw that Mr. Belmont was
coolly making all the arrangements for again sending
Eda off upon her voyage, she reluctantly receded from
her belief, so confidently expressed before, that he was
a lover of that young lady, and was about to declare
himself. She no longer joked Edo, about him, but
commi:serated the poor girl, and wished her out of the
danger which she so plainly saw threatening her peace
of mind. _ _

" The man ought to know better than to trifle
with a child like that,' she said, "and I declare I've
half a mind to tell him so."

"For mercy's sake, sister," said Grace, "remember
how you have. already offended Eda by your blunt

speaking "
"I know—l
.will be mum; it will be only two days
longer, and I have cautioned her against false expecta-
tions."

"Oh, you have! And did not that offend her ?"
"Not at all; she thanked me for the warning, which
she said her own judgment had already given her.
But I fear both alarms have come too late. I never
saw a person look more dismal and wretched than Eda
has occasionally, during the last two days."
"Oh, sister! Is it possible ?" exclaimed Grace, who,
having been at school, had seen little comparatively of
their friend. "How very sorry I am. But Mr.
Belmont is certainly a good man, and I am sure he
would not intentionally give any person pain. I
suppose lie thinks it is impossible that she should be
so presuming as to think of him as a lover?'
" Doubtless. And it would be looking rather high
for Eda, especially as they say he will probably be a
lord in a few years. But the heart cannot always be
schooled to prudence, and lam sure I heartily wish
that this great and fascinating man was out of her
way for ever."
That evening Mr. Belmont called, and if Eda was
downcast he certainly was not. He had never before
seemed so light-hearted and joyous, so overflowing
with spirits. It was really quite cruel in him not to
repress this exuberant mirth on the eve of his friend's
departure, and Miss Walworth, if she could have
believed any evil of Howard, would have thought so.
But he was an eccentric man, and she made allow-
ances for him. When at about eight o'clock he asked
her to take a walk with him„ she complied without
embarrassment, and without any other thought than
that he had some message for her father, which lie
wished her alone to hear.

Sally and Grace looked significantly at each other
when they went out, but they saw by their friend's
unconscious face that she had no suspicion correspond-
ing to their own.
It was a cold, moonlight night, and they thought it
improbable that the pedestrians would be long absent,
but nine o'clock came without bringing them; and
when the slow-moving finger on the dial of the
clock had half completed another circuit, they still
listened in vain to each passing step, in the sure
belief that the ramblers had returned.
The hour of ten pealed hoarsely from the city-hall
steeple; its last vibration died away, and many weary
minutes still passed by, before the curious and now
almost anxious sisters were gratified by the return of
their friends.
Belmont did not come in. He said something
gaily about losing their way, and about having got
"out of the village "before they were aware of it, and
promising to call in the morning, he hurried off. But
Eda came in, with the traces of tears on her cheeks,
yet with her whole face radiant with such an expres-
sion of perfect happiness, as that index of the human
heart seldom has the opportunity to portray.
There was no mistaking these signs, and Eda knew
it.
"Are we to have another postponement of the
voyage now, Eda ?" Grace asked, throwing her arms
around the neck of her friend and kissing her.
"No, Grace—but—but—he—is going to Jamaica
with me. He has some business with papa." _

•
Deep blushes followed—crimsoning face and neck
all over, and fresh tears started to those soft and
eloquent eyes.
"Let me go now," she added, "and you shall know
all to-morrow; but—pray—pray let me go to my room
now.,,

(7o be continued.)

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