The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-14 00:00:00

CHAPTER XLV.

IN CONCLAVE.
In mans most dark extremity
L
Oft ccour dawns from Heaven. EOunD Ge su
ANT left Kensington Gardens after the
bimeeting which he had hoped so raneh from with
_thtterness in his heart, his brain in a confused whirl
at prevented him for some time from considering
what was best to be done.
The cool effrontery of Clarence Woodville, the
eotladent air which he showed, coupled as they were
Itv'th Eve's heart-broken avowal to himself, all served
° eenvinee Leonard that his hopes were doomed to
Buffer wreck that by some as yet unexplained means
naan had contrived to obtain an overpowering
litullence over Eve's mind-he would not, could not
edit that her love was thrown away in such a
quarter which enabled him to count only too surely
uPors her acquiescence, else he had not exhibited so
!talked a confidence in the result. That such power
ee
'n gained unfairly there could be no doubt
--that she loathed, detested its enforcement was
tluallY beyond question, and Leonard vowed to
massif that at any cost, even though he must relin-
-111.14h the dream of happiness that so long had been
b:sao would strain every nerve, use every means at
"Laillalld to frustrate Clarence Woodville and set
~ve free from the enforced fulfilment of a promise
luat could only have been extorted from her by
trickery.
411 how was he to begin? In what way look for
There was a difficulty Leonard could not surmount.
e was compelled to acknowledge it-for he could
xl.ot but see that Eve's conduct was so incomprehen-
!leusee
bis that until he possessed some clue as to its
"
s
the efforts, he made, working so comple'ely
" dark as he must, would probably, almost
ecessarily, lead in the wrong dire .tion.
Better so,
te oats nee tlati
th however-better to fail in attempting
an to rest supine and allow matters to
h their course. Better even to relinquish all
. °Pe of recovering those proofs of his birth, which
ta the t„mult of excitement produced by Claren, e
floVroociville's audacious proposal Leonard had almost
hi gotten, than suffer a villain to reap the reward of
sesseeNe.illaillY• Everything, even that, was of
—arY importance when compared with the one
se -absorbing thought of how best he could rescue
woman he loved from the power of an un-
'eruPulo adventurer.
tesus no feasible course presented itself to his
flan aftthough he walked about for hours, bus; s, bus;with'
er plan, formed only to be rejected, till at
tie t) warned of the lateness of the hour by the
• Betted state of the streets, and wearied out both
111 mind and body, he returned home.
bolscra. Atkins met him in the hall, and insisted on
-tung him off with his coat, which was wet
esltto.°ol, though he had been unconscious of the
hce Dear! dear! exclaimed the old lady, "Where
aN'e you been to all this time? You ought to get
4.eur things off at once, but the doctor wants to see
You directly."
" Is he at home ?"
aYes, long ago. And some gentlemen are with
ro
PThen say I will come down when they have
stle," returned Leonard. "I am in no humour
r Seeing visitors now."
.A; but it's upon business, I think," weed Mrs.
"One of them is young Mr. Sareoris, and
e other a strange gentleman."
stranger! " thought Leonard, and for the
L"onient he wondered whether Woodville could ha l e
tured there already. But he was speedily un-
Boeeeived on entering the study, when Doctor seimp-
e earn() forward and introduced him to George
artcris and Lord Lynwood.
At the mention of the last name Leonard drew
ack.rs, a dark, angry flush upon his brow.
t:1-1-10 not reject my hand, Mr. Grant," said Lord
tewood ; for your mother's sake. I will not try
it "ell% the past -though I was not quite so lase as
towas thought, Let me at least make some amends
eiel°ll) and accept what help I can and will give to
d„.111,r memory and assist you. There can be no
he continued, turning to the doctor "if
he'e.ness is any proof I could s rear to the fact that
~la_Geoffrey Mainwaring's son."
aav -But a little stronger evidence might be of
tostantage," drily observed Georgo Sextons, "and
unately I have brought someone with me who
sett' if his professions are to be depended upon,
es."K more decidedly' and set the question of Mr.
trant's identity at rest -without the aid of those
Pere which I lost, or rather had stolen from me.
klaY I ask your permission, doctor, to have my
J\ Stairs !"
" Why, what can he know about the matter ? "
" YOU will hear all from his own lips. All that
c•an tell you is this : he and Alick Wood lived
oar each other wheo they wore boys, and Edwards
vlaa a perfect recollection of the unfortunate lady
lobo was known as Mrs. Grant. Will you send for
Doctor Sampson rang the bell, and very soon
•r-dwards was before them.
" Now, Edwards," resumed George Sartoris,
there stands the young gentleman [ spoke to you
,ahout, and whom you say lyou can ;identify beyond
'°.,4lst if he be the person we imagine him to be."
leeonard looked at the man with a puzzled ex-
Pression.
don't quite understand," said Leonard.
hat does it all mean? How can he know m?
C'ertainly have not the slightest remembrance of
vilag ever seen him before.
on 4; VerY likely not, sir," said Edwards. "I was
:;-,la lad at the time, and you-if I ain't wrong
ladn't got the length of walking by yourself.
a better Just tell you how it was in my own
it, I think. I needn't make a long story of
hod My master knows how I was brought up
~ Where
at I lived. I used to be a good deal in
out of a neighbour's house-Mrs. Wood her
Alue was-and I remember quite well her having
eoo'ager that used to do slop needlework. That
4 117 her out a good deal, and Mrs. Wood, who was
eas,ud sort of a body, though rough, would take
there her baby the while. One day I was
840;1 and Mrs. Wood askedame to look
atte-,`„ Lao child for a bit, while she was
oeet-"rig to the shop. Like most boys I wasn't
kilo, careful or fond of children, so I didn't take
sike(ii notice of him, but let him play about as he
,tict bathe heal thrug while I went on reading. By
he began to cry, still I took no notice; but
,t5llB-,118 got louder and louder, till I thought he
c:,°ing into a fit, and the old lady came running
elle 'tie' of the shop to see what was the matter, for
scpought that I was teasing him."
this, eqlsose all this rigmarole leads up to some-
41the, observed the actor, a little impatiently,
e; ?go I can't see what, as
ta,41.°(111 will very soon see, sir," coolly returned
' 'y But I want to ask you a question firs...,"
'3ll4°a*
1 IPes 1. Ing a child hardly two years old hitcl a
coal burning into his flesh till it was
making a hole large enough to put a
napis• 'ee"l,) would the scar of such a wound ever
•Yotee"r I ask ;you, sir, because as a doctor
, most likely to know."
tot6Whould say most decidedly not, if it had burnt
• Cu qh.tPlY into the flesh, as you say."
1;:44 WaS just the case, sir. While little
i'mSisite• ll,'"„na playing before the fire a redhot cinder
'4ll on to him, and there it stuck, as I say,
-I,".as quite cold, for he hadn't sense to tell
chet.'-iat ailed him. I carried him to the nearest ,
11(1 1t to have it dressed when we did find out,
,remember perfectly, he said las the child
ti bear the mark to his dying day." 1
ul.3.lcioubtedly it would," said the doctor.
riak that case," broke in Leonard, who had
:ea attentively to the forgoing, "I am afraid
hust submit to be nameless henceforth, for to
la ecto towledge I have no such scar."
ertl
eh ,r Sampson's mouth fell, and the other gen-
for 'coked grave. They had all taken it so much
teeranted that there could be no doubt that
Ariseurd'a disclaimer took them completely by
we've been mistaken, it appears!" ex-
theTleu the doctor' in a disappointed tone. " Who
alree Tice. then, are you, Len? And yet I could
the eears' swear there is no occasion to ask, in spite of
s p. or rather the la( kof it."
elltlee,rhaPS," quietly interposed Edwards, "the
4eht at-",,411 is wrong himself. He may have the
It
‘i Yet not know it."
v °W ?
°this eoleas.ily. If he's got it at all it is quite Out
sight."
,°(1.01, Y didn't you say so at once?" roared the
ms the,
e' .7,led at Edwards's prolixity. "Where is
y
lr °lt wouldn't mind unfastening your collar,
terapsee wards, addressing Leonard, "Doctor
i'ete rna3' be able to see for himself whether
"elsitois or is not such a sear as I describe, just
4 YOur left shoulder."
les rld svia
ce sfe_ Yon earth couldn't you say as much at
t'estiii,T,'d of trying one's patience as youlhave ?'
-kett.e `-leraanded the doctor. "Off with your coat
eellUt Leo
oeseritn nerd was already bared, and a very few
" 4... were required to confirm Edwards's story.
,thc'etor Stire of it! I always said so !" excla'rned
e 'llattea'n)Pson in great delight. "Why, what's
1.4 por T r with the lad ?"
ce
es J'eonaed
, in h. had sunk into a chair, burying his
'lv, that banes, and when he looked up they
sea' , The Itue was very pale.
Ay, , owledge has come too late," he said
ilasttuleleseq, had rather have remained as I was,
i'teeieetio. unknown, with one certainty that
13.1 ever t rae now. But that is past. I was a
to XV% es cherish such a dream."
b„ °tar a slid the doctor. "It is not foolish
onwerrs°od, honest affection, even if the object
Le(' Who uY."
01.4„.a. saYs she is unworthy ?" hotly demanded
....stionles,,t`e` is she love me ?
IA one iikatV et. much if it had been anotl, er man
it her fault that
e Alba! Oh, it will drive me mad I"
Y go for the present, Edwards," said

01.14, xi •

: ,

:..4

Mr. Sartoris adding, as the man went out :
"There is no occasion for him to hear everything.
Mr. Grant may-"
"Confound Mr. Grant !" roared the doctor; "give
him his true name. :We know it is his, now."
."‘ Well, Mr. Mainwaring, then. I am not in-
clined to dispute it, for one. Perhaps he will trust
us all to be his friends, and be assured our object is
to help him."
"You cannot," groaned the unhappy youth.
"Eve told me herself that she was promised to
another, and I have this day found out who he is."
" Who !"
"A man who calls himself Clarence Woodville,
who is really no one else than Alick Wood.'
His hearers looked at each other in undisguised
amazement. Only George Sartoris was at all pre-
pared for such an announcement.
"I suspected as much," he said quietly. "But
how did you learn this P "
"From himself."
" Ah, you have seen him, then P"
"1 have." _ _ _

"And believe what he has told you P"
"Why not? His assertion is borne out in every
point by her own otherwise unaccountable con-
duct."

" Unaccountable ! Preposterous, you mean ! "
wrathfully exclaimed Doctor Sampson. "It's my
firm belief the girl's bewitched. But women are
beyond my comprehension altogether. Go on, Len.
Tell us all there is to tell."
And Leonard recounted his interview wi h
Clarence Woodville, Doctor Sampson uttering
numerous exclamations of disgust the while.
"However, there's one point gained," he said,
when Leonard had finished. "We do know who
we have to fight against now."
"What can be done if Eve is on his side?" asked
Leonard.
"On his side, indeed ! " exclaimed Doctor Samp-
son, scornfully. "Why what a faint heart you
must have, Len! I'll be sworn she cares for no one
but yourself."
"For me ! " and the young man laughed bitterly.
"She has certainly taken a curious way of showing
it, then."
"As women very frequently do," interposed
George Sartoris. "But I quite agree with Dr.
Sampson—at least, lam persuaded that Mr. Wood-
ville will prove no successful rival."
"What do you mean F• " excitedly asked Leonard.
But Mr. Sartoris declined to answer, and so
rearoused the doctor's wrath. _ _

"More mysteries!" growled that gentleman.
"I wish somebody would speak plainly for once
in a way."
Leonard also would gladly have heard more from
George Sartoris, but he refused point blank to offer
any explanation, arid as the hour was now very late,
proposed an adjournment to meet again next day.
But they were not to break up quite so soon, for
even as the party was about to separate at the door
a cab drew up, and the elder Mr. Sartoris jumped
out.
" Ah, Sampson ! " he exclaimed, shaking the
doctor by the hand. "I am glad you are up. I
wanted to see you, too, Leonard."
And then, for the first time perceiving his son by
the light of the hall-lamp, he started back in sur-
prise.
"You! "he exclaimed.

"Yes, sir. - It is really myself, I assuregyou."
"I did not even know you were in England," con-
tinued Mr. Sartoris. "Why did you not
.write to
me ? "

_
"Because I hoped to do better, to bring you good
news, father. I have not quite succeeded yet, though
I have been hard at work ever since on the matter it
referred to. However, more of that hereafter; I
was just on the point of starting home f with an old
friend. You remember Lord Lynwood?"
"Bless my soul! You don't say so ? " cried the
lawyer in surprise, as he took Lord Lynwood's ex-
tended hand. "Is it really you ? "
"No other, Mr. Sartoris "

"But whaiever brings you here at this time?"
asked Doctor Sampson as, the first greetings over,
they all returned to the house.

• 'Read that and you will know," answered Mr.
Sartoris, at the same time handing the doctor a
letter, which he glanced over and uttered an
ejaculation of surprise.
"Well of all the-" he commenced.

"Read it out," Mr. Sartoris went on. "And tell
me if you ever heard in all your experience of a
more impudent demand."
The doctor settled his spectacles, and read aloud.

"Sir, I shall be obliged by your addressing a line to me at
the Trafalgar Hotel, appointing some time and place to-
morrow for an interview. To save conjecture as to the
purport of this request from an utter stranger I will at
once inform you that my object is to propose formally to
you for the hand of your ward, Miss Tranchard."
_ _ _

"The insolent scoundrel!" interpolated Doctor
Sampson, and resumed.
"I may at the same time mention that as I have already
been honoured by the young lady herself with an accept-
ance of my suit, I presume you will offer no opposition.
Eve will no doubt explain to you all that is necessary res.
pecting our engagement, and all further that is required
I shall be happy to famish at the interview I have the
honour to request, and remain
"Yours very sincerely.
" CLARENCE WOODVILLE."
A dead silence ensued upon the reading of this
cool-worded epistle, which Doctor Sampson was
the first to break.
"Have you answered it ho enquired.
"Not yet. It only reached me to night."
"Then take no notice of such insolence, I say."
"On the contrary," interposed George Sartoris
"Reply to it at once, and say you will be happy to
see the writer to-morrow evening, at Chiswick.
" What! " cried Mr. Sartoris. "You advise that
I should write civilly to such a man ? Listen
calmly to a proposal made by one so vile, so---"
"Exactly," said George, as his father stopped for
want of words to express his disgust sufficiently.
" I do.'

Leonard uttered never a syllal- le. There was
something in the manner of the speaker, a sel-
assurel air, that seeined to inspire him with con-
fidence.
The others looked at each other in blank surprise.
"I must confess I don't quite see what yo i'ro
driving at, George," said his father after a brief
pause.
"Naturally. But will you follow my advice ? "
"Unless anyone suggests another course, yes;
ior I suppose you have sime object."
But none of them spoke, and George Sartoris
rose to go.
".So far so well," he said in an assured tone.
"We shall checkmate Mr. Clarence Wocdville yet,
I fancy. Come, Lynwood, it's time we were f.
We will not tax your hospitality to-night, father."
So, till the next day, the party broke up.
The reason for Clarence Woodville's sudden altera•
tion of his policy was not far to seek. His loss
necessitated 'a bold stroke for victory, and he
played it with—as he thought—a certainty of
winning.
George ; Sartoris felt equally convinced of the
contrary.
(To bs continued.)