The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-01-03 00:00:00

LAU 11101118 REEERTED4
AMBITION'S LADDER
.14, the Author qf " Atherstone Grange: "4 Life lot
a Lore," 4-e.

CHAPTER XXXVI.
UR. WOODVILLE DRAWS THE LONG ECM
Married, married, and not to me!
Is it a dr,am ? or can it be?
'
"So! muttered Clarence Woodville to himself that
night, as he walked away from Mrs. Grime's after 1,
4 Shorter stay than usual, for he wished to think
42yer the intelligence he had received from Laura
.Deemond and decide what was to be done if—as he
'fel-Sr much feared—it should turn out to be correct.
There is a competitor in the graces of the fair
rel3ll, and of all men in the world-, Lennie! By
t ove ! it almost took my breath away to hear his
mule. I wonder, too, that the old doctor's name
.11)id not strike me as being familiar when I heard it
• ef°re. However, man against man, I fancy I'm a
ttateh for most, and an absent rival isn't much to be
feared. Besides, I think that if the worst comes to
the worst—if the lovely Laura has not been drawing
liiPon her imagination for her facts, and Master
canie has found favour in the eyes of my lady
4.,ye. I shall contrive to put such a spoke in his
wheel as will knock him completely out of the run-
uing, no matt r how good his present chances may I
be. . . However, that's a matter that will stand
I can't stand that girl's bullying any longer.
• • It has gene quite far enough, and there's no
aeuYing what she might do, . . There's no
I`4sePending upon women, after all. The wisest of
'em would cut off her nose to spite her face.
' • And there's a lot too much of the spitfire
about Laura Desmond to let her consider con-
,.Befluences if she takes a mad whim into her
'ea& • . No, there's no help for it, self-preser-
vation is the first law of nature, I have hoard it
said. . . I've acted up to the 1 rinciple pretty
well hitherto, and it won't do to allow any santi-
Menal scruples to stand in my way now, when a ,
rash woman's word might blow everything to the
four winds. . . . I don't half like it either," he
e°fltinued, musingly, and with a slight repugnance -
to carry out the business he contemplated, "but
ehe's brought it all on herself. . . . If she would
naiY be reasonable . . . but what's the use of
1 eaPe ting such a thing from a woman?"
a With which slighting reflection on the sex
,kilarence Woodville turned into his hotel, for his
: Vng train of thought and speech half muttered to
oiinself had brought him so far before it came to an
'3ll,_d, and looked lazily round at the loungers who
B‘ood about the bar.
It was not one of the more select hotels of the
Modern Athens, as its inhabitants proudly dub their
Northern Metropolis, that Clarence Woodville had
selected for his residence, but one of a semi-public
Character, having a smoke-room, with which he was
not unfamiliar, and a private bar at which chance
enstoneers were served, more after the fashion of
Stich establ;shments in America and the colony from
which he had come. It suited his requirements—
which were not, after all, of the most refined order
.---however, very well, his Bohemian habits tending
t,owards such society as was to be found in the
9.
e_oose fish" members of the community who
`4Bserabled there nightly, and among whom he
numbered more than one acquaintance.
Among others he met, and occasionally entered
'into conversation with, was a sharp-nosed, hawk-
eYed man, very seedy as to attire, but nevertheless ,
, with that indescribable something about his air that
ISPeaks so distinctly to a close observer of better
times that have past, generally never to return.
, Ibis man it was that Clarence Woodville'e eyes
' lieught out, for he had gathered sufficient of his-past
,•
history and present circumstances to feel assured
1 •that in him he should find a ready and unscrupulous
tool if he were only paid sufficiently well.
And in this estimate of the man's character Clar-
ence 'Woodville was perfectly correct. Formerly
an attorney in fair and respectable practice, dissi-
Dation long continued in had little by little
tiestroyed his reputation till but few clients could
bue induced to trust their business into the hands of ,
~...41.0bert or, as he was more familiarly called, Bob—
tieseltine. Re still contrived by some means to
l'etain his status, though with a very shay held,
, Ir. d Clarence Woodville, knowing all this, sought
e un out as the very man he wanted. ,
Not far had he to look, and going up to Bob
tieseltine Woodville accosted him with apparent
eartiness proposed a drink and a cigar, which the
other readily aecepted, and took a seat ior that put-
•se in a quiet corner of the smoke-room, where
'414337 soon began to understand each other. '
h Their conversation was desultory at first, but the
41.1vYer, whose wits.were sharp enough till stupefied
With drin'a at which stage he was not yet 1 arrived,
Peeerily made out that his companion had some-
hing more serious in view, and between two of a
lidney such as these there was not much need for
41:137 preliminary beating about the bush.
. "Yes, you are quite right," answered Woodville
replyto a bold challenge from the lawyer to speak
,s
object plainly; and dropping his voice he con-
tinued : "5 have a little affair in hand that I want
• t.9anaged for me, but it is one that requires some
little care, and I don't want to appear in it myself.
You understand ?"
, "I thine I do, but I shall know better when I
4aVe heard what it is. And, hark you—no putting
it darkly. Speak in plain words they won't
frighten Bob ITeseltine, and it won't be so much
'trouble to understand you."
Acting upon this hint, Woodville lowered his
still more, and gave the lawyer his instruc-
gen,.
, They were simple enough, merely showing him
uOve he could earn a handsome reward by going
'9ver to Rome and giving the necessary information
Illere for the arrest of Laura Desmond, stipulating
'ol' payment in advance, if he pleased, but at all
events managing it in such a manner that she
should have no warning, no time to communicate
afterwards either with Eve or Mrs. Gnome and
Unmasking him to them.
, And the bargain was soon struck, though not
40fore Clarence Woodville had himself been corn-
Lolled .to supplement what after reward Mr.
•tteseltine might earn by a considerable payment '
out of his own pocket. 1
' I'm not going to do your dirty work for
Aothing," doggedly insisted the lawyer, when
Woodville hinted that he would be amply paid as it
ore.. "I heard something about the matter —I was
°mg a little bit of business in Paris at the time,
ilrld the papers were full of it—and maybe you
, Ivouldn't be precisely pleased to have your name
'tagged in over here.
, . And Clarence Woodville, though he protested
•.11Itt he stood in no actual danger—as was indeed
'he feet, since ho had been cunning enough to
1 4 .
ivoia any complicity in the fraud that could be
4.segally proved—was fain to give in to the man's
‘leinand rather than run the risk of an exposure
Which, if it could have no other result, would
IProbably ruin all his hopes in the scheme he had
L; and it was arranged that Heseltine should
• ttaart the following morning on the dirty errand he
_ d undertaken. This settled, Clarence Woodville
fetired to rest with the pleasing reflection that he
„egad provided against any danger so far as Laura
was concerned, as- if all went as well as he antici-
Pated—before she could ha, e any chance of
Ifinrnaskine. him he would have 'secured the st tkeg
ler Which he was playing, and be far away out of
ger reach. .
1 But before this could be brought about he must
tesarn how far she had spoken truly as to Eve's at-
ZOhnient. If that were a fact, indeed, (then his
I c would be more difficult than he had anticipated.
:but even so he did not despair.
I t. /low to open the sub;ect, however, was the pies-
-1".• It must be done cautiously, brought about in
/4.tliral manner —that was essential, and he could
k of no way.
, x.e herself innocently enough afforded the very
Pening he desired.
e Mrs. Gramie had all her life been a great reader of
Zevels, but her failing sight rendered her enjoy
! te'ent of her favourite recreation too difficult now to
.. often indulged in, and Eve, who was good-nature
l'self in such things, would read aloud to the old
for hours together when they were alone—often
Ill'en she would have preferred some other employ-
vent than one so monotonoue and wearying. She
o useo engaged when Clarence Woodville walked in
• Ill:„
Lae day after his brief interview with T ante and
h e Put down the book with a little sigh of relief as
6 entered.
po,I. Pray don't let me interrupt you," he said,
I le !It*. " I shall fancy myself in the way if you
'Ave off on my account.'
! th,:‘ Oh, it is not that," she said, hastily. "To tell
1 rtlth, I'm hardly sorry to be interrupted. The
I i);•',° is a very stupid one, though I daresay you
i i ',Oat find something interesting in it." I
Perhaps, though [ am not much given to read- i
—1: novels especially."
:4b, but this is different."
: Indeed! Why?"
,
~.‘ Part of the scene is laid in Australia," said
e.
le: And because it describes life in the bush and
1 libal:lers that she does not quite understand, in-
fen-g'u of weak pictures of modern society and pages
•ii,;4040f senseless twaddle, the foolish child can see no
IT.thiine it," observed Mrs. Gl...erne. "For my part,
4 apa the book a very interesting one."
I be allowed ? " said Woodville, taking it
, tEtilaun turning over the leaves slowly. "It looks
10 ,43' written, I must say, and the author appears
I
la
( now. the ways of the country pretty well. This 104
48 it I Pltally drawn picture in words of MelLourne
to be."
5,,, h, the destriptions are well enough, I dare-
It a admitted Eve. "But what I don't like about
' thered_the exaggerations that till nearly every pa2e,
aveeewnright nonsense that one is expected to
_ I, 'sv wholesale."
* 4,6011 are severe ! " said Woodville, with a sa.ile.
Le e 41Y on some thins. For instance, who can
ttre icPected to believe people—men lancau
la r.
aeteo "Loh a hurry to get married 'that they
c 1 , 'Y go on board vessels just arrived in harl our
ket,al3oBe to the first woman they meet, without
or,e,ae g to inquire whether she is married, single,
v' Card ? ,
..
oodvip they might loge a chance," observed
le, lauszhing at the look of scorn. ' Hut

Lnere is not so much exaggeration in that, Miss
Trenchard, as you imagine. Such incidents were
by no means uncemmon in the early days of the
colony. • The ses.es are more equally balanced now,
and there is no occasion for such blind haste to pro-
cure a partner for life."
"And yet," persisted Eve, "it is stated here that
up to the present day women go out to marry men
whom they have never seen and know only through
corresnonaence."
"Not at all unusual, I assure you," returned
y
Cla nce, after a moment's thought. "I know a
casein my own personal e \ perience."
" ou?
" Pray- don't misunderstand me," he went an,
lau hing at her startled look. "I put it rather
aw wardly. I should have said that I know a gentle-
ma well who determined to have none but an
Englishwoman for his wife, and actually wrote home
to his friends to that e7fect, asking them to select one
for him, and promising to pay all necessary expenses
forouttit tnd passa,-,e if any eligible damsel could be
found to accept his O'er."
"And one was found !" exclaimel Eve, increda-
lously.
"Without the least trouble. A daughter of the
very man he wrote to. She was portionless, but
pretty; he a man of substance, and the cha.r.ce
was too good to be lost. They packed her off it
mace."
"And she married him ?"

"Well, no," slowly returned Woodville. "Un-
fortunately for her and my friend, sometody else
came in the way. A long voyage on board ship
leads to a great deal of flirtation, and among the
passengers by the Hesperus —"
The Hesperus !" repeated Eve.
"That was the name of the vessel. Amorig the
passengers, as I was saying, was a gentleman—
young, impressionable, and go d looking—who
managed to make himself so agreeable to my
friend's fiancee that she east prudence and worldly
prosperity to the winds, and marriei this Mr.
Grant immediately after their arrival in Mel-
bourne."

Mr.—Grant! did you say !" gasped Eve.
Yes. Leonard Grant was the young gentle-
man's name," continued Clarence Woodville, taking
no notice of her strange manner. was present
o.t the wedding, for, odd, as it may appear, it took
!place from my friend's house. He wasn't a bit
hngr y . Indeed, he confess -d to me that the girl
wasn't at all his style, though of course he would
,have kept his word had she been ready ; but when
she told him honestly that she had lost her heart,
I and that though if he claimed her promise she
! would not go back from it, he behaved most
generously in the matter, and it ended as I have
told you."
"A very good thing for him," sharply observed
Mrs. Grxme. "I suppose it happened some time
ago ?"
Eve listened with strainad eagerness for the
answer. It could not be her Leonard who was
meant, who had behaved so treacherously. Ah, no,
she would not believe it.

But Clarence Woodville's next words dispelled
this ray of hope.
"Not so very long," he answered. "A few
months, that it all, for I left Melbourne almost
immediately afterwards, and have been in England
a very short time, so 1 am unable to say how the
young people agreed after their romance was over.
But I am wearying you—you do not look well," he
said anxiously, looking at Eve.
"I— oh, yes—l am quite well, thank you," she
answered mechanically. " But the heat, I
think—"

She could say no more, stop for no further ex-
cuse, for she felt that in another moment, do what
she would to prevent them, the hot angry tears
must force their way out; and to avoid any such
exhibition of the grief and pain which consumed
her, and for which she could offer no explanation,
she rose hurriedly and quitted the room, to seek
refuge in her own apartment, and there give full
sway to her bitter, unavailing sorrow.

CHAPTER XXXVIL
DESOLATE.
I cannot see what pleasures,
Or what pains were;
What pale new loqes and treasareS
New years will bear.
EVE did not make her appearances downstairs again
that night. There was nothing the matter with her,
she protested when Miss Desmond, sent by Irs.
Grwme,went up after her—nothing beyond a slight
headache. All that she wanted was quiet, to be left
alone, and as she turned her face obstinately
to the wall after making this request, and would
answer never another question, Laura was fain to
comply with it and leave the girl to hertielf in
peace.
Such peace as she could find, that is to say. Poor
Eve was not one to take trouble of any sort lightly,
much less such a sorrow as this that had fallen upon
her with such stunning fore. Rather she felt in-
clined to rebel, to bemoan her unhappy lot, and tell
herself, as she wept bitter scalding tears, wrung
from her by the tidings she had just heard, that not
in all the world was one more miserable, more heart-
broken, and desolate than herself.
_ .

No, not one.
All hope was atan end now, and forever. Unsought,
nnurged, she had surrendered her heart to a man
who cared nothing for the gift, who—if he had
guessed her secret —might even then be making
sport of her infatuation, boasting of it, and
Ah, no! not that. Wounded though she was,
stung by his indifference, Eve acquitted Leonard
Grant of so much baseness as that would have
pointed to. He was ignorant of her feelings, uncon-
scious of the place he held in her affections, looking
on her only as a sister instead of in the dearer, ten-
derer light by which she regarded him or surely
such love as hers must have won his in return.
Of that, howe er, there could be no thought row.
She must forget him, drive him from her memory,
for did he not owe all his duty, all his love to
another?

What was she like, this woman whom Leonard
had made his wife, who had cast such a glamour
round him in a few weeks of intercourse.

Pretty, Clarence Woodville had described hr,r
as being; but was not she--Eve Trenchard fair
to look upon?
And as this thought crossed her mind Eve went
to her mirror and gazed long and earnestly upon
the flushed, tear-stainel features which she saw re-
flected there.

Could this girl, whom Leonard had married in
such hot haste, surp:iss her in attrac iveness ? she
asked herself.

And with some reason, for the face she 1. olcd
upon was a very lovely one, desp'te its expre sion
of grief and the swollen lids which dimmed the
bright lustre of her eyes. \
It was hard, bitterly hard, for she had loved I i n
so much and so long—ever since she ( elld remem-
ber, and had fancied, in spite of his silence, that
he too loved her; and the pain of finding her-
self mistaken, that she was as naught to him, %,as
almost too great to bear
"But I must learn to do so," she raurn-e:red
drearily, turning away at last from the contemela-
tion of her own charms. "I must think no more of
him. Ah ! how can I help it? How can I?" she
went on, throwing herself on the bed, her face
buried in the pillows in an abandonment of o.tief.
"He was all the world to me, and I have losChim.
Cruel! cruel that he is!"
And while she moaned her lot so unavailingly and
thought hard things of the man she upbraided, poor
Leonard, all ignorant as he was of the lie that did
him such ill-service, divided from her by many
weary miles of ocean, was impatiently counting the
days that must pass before they could meet again,
tortured with doubts as to the real nature of her
regard for him.
Meanwhile the author of all this mischief returned
to his hotel quite satisfied with what success had
attended him so far. Laura Desmond—doubtl ss
without intending it—had served him well, inasmuch
as without the hint she had given him he would
have known nothing of the rival in the background.
As it was he had disposed of that danger very effec-
tually for the present, and in such a way as would
—if he knew anything of woman's nature—aid his
own designs most effectually."
"She will be ready to jump at the first oppor-
tunity of proving that it hasn't affected her in the
least," he argued. "At least, she'll be very un-
like the rest of her sex if she doesn't. There's no
chance of her suspecting the truth of the story, I
fancy. She swallowed it readily enough—that was
quite plain; and I flatter myself I told it in a
manner that does me great credit for my inventive
faculties. It's a pity Laura wasn't there to hear
me. Perhaps as well not, though. She's a spite-
ful sort of party, and might have dropped awk-
wardly into the conversation. At all events, I've
advanced matters pretty considerably in my own
favour by this last stroke, and all I have got to do
now is to hurry them on still more, and strike while
the iron is hot.
But Clarence Woodville did not advance quite
so rapidly in his designs as he anticipated would be
the case. For the next two days Eve was not
visible, and when at last he did obtain sight of her
she was cold, almost uncivil, in her demeanour to-
wards him.
Clarence Woodville, however, was not to be
daunted by rebuffs, especially such as he had more
than half anticipated.
"She'll alter soon," he thought, complacently.
"I have only to bide my time."
And the result showed him to be right. It was
not in Eve's nature to bear ill-will towards anyone
for long together And when she saw how patiently,
with what tolerant kindness he treated her, ac:ept-
ing,, without a word of complaint such evidences of
her displeasure as she vented upon him, her mood
softened to one of more gentleness, of which he was
quick to avail himself.
"I was beginning to fear that I had in some
way or other offended you," he ventured to say one
evening when he called, and found her alone in the
garden. "Unconsciously, of course, for I can lay
nothing to my conscience that accuses me. Was I
right ?"
"Oh 'no no," exclaimed-Ere,- aillttle -ashamed
of her past, petulance, for which, indeed, she could.
assign no cause, since, of course, as she innocently
thought, the pain he had inflicted upon her was no
fault of his; "but I—l have not been quite myself
lately."