The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-09-27 00:00:00

CHAPTER XVII.'
A PROPOSAL.

What hast thou to advance arainst my snit?
The youth is cc mely, brave avd honest, else
Id not prefer it.
NEARLY a dozen years have primed away since the
night on which Joe Bradley and his confederates
were captured, some to be sentenced to a light term
of imprisonment, others—and among these the
chief offender of course held the first place—to pay
a heavier penalty for their offence by a more
lengthened imprisonment.
Twelve long, but uneventful years so far as the
purposes of this history are concerned. Years
during which no tidings reached England of Alick
Wood or the companion of his flight, and the very
remembrance of them became almost completely
blotted out from the mind of Leonard Grant, who,
under the fostering care of his kindly protector,
Doctor Sampson, developed health and strength both
of mind and body, and was grown into as perfect a
specimen of a stalwart, good-looking young English-
man as his guardian could have wished.
If only he could have obtained the proofs—which
he doubted not were in existence—of his protege's
identity with the missing heir to Geoffrey Main-
waring's fortune, the doctor, who had set his heart
upon such a discovery, would have had nothing left
to desire. All hope of this, however, he had long since
given up, though time only strengthened instead of
weakening his belief in the theory he had built up,
and he contented himself with such reward for his
self-imposed guardianship as was afforded by
Leonard's grateful appreciation of the benefits
heaped upon him, and a close watch upon the boy's
character as he grew to manhood, which left no
room to fear that the taint of earlier associations
had left any trace of their evil influence in the dis-
position of the frank, brave lad to whom every day
he bcame more attached.

"What are you going to make him, Sampson Fn
asked Mr. Sartoris, Just after Leonard's fourteenth
birthday—an anniversary which, in the absence of
any danite date, the doctor had fixed as falling
due in accordance with his cherished belief. "It
is nearly time you decided on some course for
him."
"Oh I've settled all that long ago," Doctor
Sampson replied, without the slightest hesitation.
" Yes ?" _ _

"Long since," emphatically repeated the doctor.
" I shall do for him exactly as I should for my own
son, if I had one."

" A h ! and that is-"
"Have him educatel for my own profession.'
"Are you sure he will take kindly to it
"Sure, positive! Where could he find a nobler,
cr one more useful? And his taste lies that way.
Why, when the lad is home for his holidays he
spends nearly all his spare time in my surgery,
studying the Pharmacopeia and trying his hand at
prescriptions."
Which description of Leonard's leisure occupa-
tions was quite correct, but unfortunately for the
doctor's hopes, his interest in the study of medicine
was only a temporary one, being supplanted by a
stronger passion, and it cost the lad a severe struggle
to forego his own wishes when he found out what
his guardian desired.
But, hard as it was, Leonard's nature was too
affectionate, his consciousness too strong of the
weight of obligation he was under to his benefactor,
to allow any doubt on his side as to what he should
do.

There ensued a very earnest, though perfectly
amicable dispute which should give way, Leonard
warmly insisting upon relinquishing his project,
and the doctor as olptinately declaring thatit should
not be baulked merely to gratify 'him.
"Do you take me for such a tyrant as to desire
you to make a sacrifice of your whole life for a whim
of mine F" he said. "Besides, where would be the
use? You could never succeed in a profession you
have no heart for. I won't say that it is disappoint-
ment to me, but you mustn't fancy, my dear boy,
that it will make any difference in my love for you
that you objeot to be forced into a path distasteful
to you. No, no. Choose your own way, and I will
help you to the best of my ability."
Leonard was not, however, to be so easily per-
suaded. He had given utterance to his thoughts
when ignorant of what his benefactor desired, and
would have given worlds to recall the hasty speech
when he saw the good man's face grow serious and
pained, and heard the regretful tones in which he
answered him. Warm-hearted and grateful, he
would have smothered his own inclination and
acceded with outward cheerfulness at least to the
doctors plans—would never have let him even sus-
pect what a very different career he had pictured for
himself, had it been possible. _ _

But lie was quite unaware of what Dr. Sampson
looked forward to, and answered without a mo-
ment's pause when that gentleman, thinking the
time ripe, broached the. subject by asking him
whether he had any definite idea as to what pro.
fession he would like to follow.

_
Thereupon he spoke and his words brought
about the first pang he had ever caused their
hearer.

"I should like to go to sea, sir," he replied to
the question which Dr. Sampson had hoped would
have so different an answer.
"To—to sea!" exclaimed the doctor.
"Yes, sir," answered Leonard: but not so con-
fidently, for he saw that his proposal was something
more than distasteful. "it is not—you don't think
it wrong, do you ?"
"Wrong, my boy! No, certainly not, But l—
oh, Len, Len! I thought you would help me—that
I should have you always with me, to—to follow me,
and now— —"

He finally broke down under the disappointment,
and then it was that Leonard, full of regret for the
pain he had so unwittingly caused, strove to repair
his error by renouncing the darling project he had
formed.

I This, however, the doctor would not allow, and
they argued the point for sometime, each a gainsthim.
self, till at last a compromise was effected, the boy's
greater persistence forcing Dr. Sampson's acceptance
of defeat, and it was arranged that Leonard should
shortly leave school and become his guardian's pupil
for two or three years, by which time he would be
qualified to act as assistant, and take a voyage in
that capacity.i
So ended Leonard Grant's dream—for dream it
was, after all—and when the time came in which it
might have been fulfilled, other hopes' higher
aspirations, had banished from his mind the idea
which, in common with so many boys (whose only
knowledge of the sea is derived fr,im their perusal
of Marryat and Cooper) once held such firm pos-
session there, to be replaced by that stronger, more
absorbing ;sentiment which since the world began
has ruled over man's life with an influence none
other can compass.
He had no thought then of leaving home, for the
glamour that all experience at some time or other
during life was cast around him. He loved, though
almost without hope, for she who had ensnared him
was rich as he was poor in this world's wealth, and
it was, he told himself, folly and mad presumption
to think of Eveline Trenchard as within his reach.
Besides, she was as yet so young—not even released
from school. But that did not prevent him from
worshipping her, secretly, as he thought, though his
feelings were not so well concealed as to escape
observation by Eve's guardian and his own, much
to the pleasure of the latter gentleman, who actually
helped to foster them by bringing the young people
together on every possible opportunity-La course
which did not at all commend itself to the ap-
proval of Mr. Sartoris, as he told the doctor plainly
directly he observed what was going on.
"Personally, I have nothing to object to in the
young fellow," he said; "on the contrary, I like him
very much."
" Well, sir, and he deserves to be liked—to be
loved, I may say—and why shouldn't Evy hue him
too ?"
"For several reasons," gravely replied the lawyer.
"To begin with, she is too young to have even
thoughts on the subject."
" Nonsense 1" growled Dr. Sampson • "it's my
firm conviction that girls begin to think of it as
soon as they are out of their long clothes, if not
before. However, I was not thinking of marrying
them at preset. But what other objection have
you besides tbillir youth ?"
" Means," laconically answered Mr. Sartoris.
"She's got plenty."
"Exactly. And he is--"
" Well ?"
"Absolutely without."
"Whose fault is that? But it isn't true," argued
the doctor. "All that I've got will go to him some
day."
" Perhaps."
" Perhaps ! What do you mean P"
"Only that some day' is rather an indefinite
time to look forward to," answered Mr. Sartoris
significantly.
" well, do you think I should say so if I didn't
mean it F' said his friend, a little nettled at the im-
plied doubt.
"Not at all. What you intend now, however,
and what you may ultimately do are very different
questions; but there are some things no man can
answer for."
__

What things ?"
"Why, you might marry yourself, and have
other claims upon you. Oh, don't look so indig-
nant ; I've known more unlikely events come to
pass."
Dr. Sampson uttered a snort of contempt.
"D 7 you take me for an idiot ?" he asked scorn-
fully. "If you can't End any better reason than
that, Eartoris, don't try to give any. Even ad-
mittit g the possibility, her fortune is enough for
both----4i his, rather, for so it ought to be, if the
poor lad had his rights."
"I n't, admit that, Sampson, on such slight
evidenAP as a likeness which exists only in your
fact,
44 ll' fancy, indeed! Why it's as plain as a
pikestaff,” retorted the doctor.
"S' s,rou have said before: but I really camiLA

perceive it. Still, I don't want to light with you
over that question again. It may be as you assert,
but there is no getting over the fact that no proof
is forthcoming; nor do I think it all probable that
any will ever turn up:-

"There we differ," returned Dr. Sampson, though,
to tell ihe truth, he argued much against his own
convictions. "It's my belief that the proofs will
ttga up, and that, perhaps, when we are least ex-
pecting them."
" H'm ! through the medium of the ingenuous
youth formerly doing business with a private mint,
but who, seeing the error of his ways, turned
Queen's evidence, and has gone to seek a more con-
genial field for the exercise of his talents at the
Antipodes, eh :;'" slyly responded the lawyer; and
then, in a graver manner, "but I am afraid in that
case you will be disappointed, my dear Sampson.
Depend upon it, tha fellow had no information.
worth a moment's consideration, or you would cer-
tainly have heard of it long before now. Take my
advice—though as there is nothing!! to pay for it I
suppose you won't—and don't build up a castle of
cards for your proVge's benefit. It is bound to fall
to:the ground."
"There, there 1" exclaimed Dr. Sampson, with
an impatient wave of his hand; "it is not wise on
my part to discuss this subject with you. lam
sure always to be worsted in the argument, though
I feel convinced I am right, and that you only
feign, to hold a different view for the purpose of
vexing me."
"No. There you are not quite just," interposed
Mr. Sartoris, quickly. "Perhaps, as you say, I am
not quite sure that your fancy is utterly without
foundation, and if I saw my way to clearing the
matter up I would help you with all my heart.
That, however, is just what seems to me impossible.
So, to resume—You say that, in your opinion,
Leonard loves our ward I.'"

"It's more than opinion," answered the doctor,
"I am certain of it, and unless I am greatly mis-
taken, Eve has given him her heart in return."

"You think so ?"
" Assuredly." _
," But she is such a:child, both in thought and
years." •
"A child! Bah! aearly eighteen."
"Still, that is too early, to my m7nd, to be fill-
ing her head with ideas of love and marriage. And
then, again, to speak plainly, I don't think it is
advisable for a man to be dependent on his wife.
She has, as you say, sufficient for both, but that is
not the point. What is he to live upon? ller
money? Surely not. Such a position would
humiliate him; or, if he could accept it without
feeling any shame, he is not the man I would chose
for Eveline's husband."

"And pray who said that Leonard would have
nothing irascibly asked the doctor.
"I judge from what I know," returned his friend.
"'What you promise is, after all, only prcspective,
and while the grass grows,' you know--"
"The steed won't starve for want of means to pay
for the butcher's and baker's bill," said Doctor Samp-
son. • "If you hadn't taken me up so quickly instead
of jumping to conclusions, as you always do, I
should have explained my intentions before. Only
one word now, granting the money obstacle re.
moved would you still withold your consent ?"
= I should have to make sure that it is required
before giving a positive answer to that," cautiously
replied the lawyer. "I have told you already that
I like Leon rd, however, and if you are not out in
your calculations as to Eve's feelings towards him I
may venture so far as to say that I will throw no
unnecessary stumbling-block in the way of their
happiness. Does that content you ?"
" It must, I suppose,"
"Then let him come and see me, and we'll talk
the matter over. But understand, Eve must not
be spoken to as yet, or I shall withdraw my con.
s-nt."

CHAPTER XVIII.
ANOTHER PROPOSAL.
There! my blessing -with you;1
And these few precepts in tny memory

Look thou eh araacter:
DR. SAMPSON was by no :means dissatisfied with
the result of his mission, for he:had in fact made
up his mind to a much stronger opposition on his
friend's part, and although Geoffrey Mainwaring's
will gave him equal authority over Eveline as that
conferred on Mr. Sartoris' the doctor's sense of
justice made it plain to him that his co-guardian's
voice in the matter should carry most weight, since,
by mutual agreement, to that gentleman had fallen
the chief share in superintending Eve's education,
and his home was always the one in which she passed
her holidays.
Sartoris is a good fellow 'later all," mused the
doctor, as he left his friend's house. "It is only
his cautious, lawyer-like way of looking at things
that vexes me, and perhaps he's in the right. At
all events, it's his ntture, and I mustn't find fault
with him. I wonder what Len will say to my
news?'
He did not allow his wonderment much time for
exercise, but went in search of Leonard as soon as
he reached home, and addressed him in a tone of
well-feigned displeasure.
"I wonder you can look me in the face, sir,"
he said. "To deceive me so after all my trust in
you."
Deceive you! How ?in what manner sir ?"
asked the young man, bewildered no less by the
suddenness of the accusation than its utter incom-
prehensibility.
"It is not the fault itself that grieves me so
much," continued the doctor, shaking his head
solemnly, though a sly twinkle in his eye would
have betrayed him but that Leonard was too much
taken
,aback to observe it. "To commit an error
is human nature, but to persevere in it when
one knows his faults, even to glory in the wrong-
doing—as I know you do—and to keep it a secret
instead of making a full confession and seeking
pardon. Oh, Len, Len! I don't know what I
ought to say to you."
"About what, sir ?" asked Leonard, thinking in
va'n for some explanation of this tirade. "What
have I done? I declare I do not know in the
least."

".What have you done ?'' repeated the doctor,
assuming a still more portentous frown, and survey-
ing the imaginary delinquent mournfully. "Are
you so hardened as to pretend ignorance, or can it
possibly be that your moral sense is so blinded that
you cannot see your crime ?"
"Crime, sir! Good Heavens I"
"I repeat it—crime. Does not your conscience
accuse you? Must I put it into words ? "
"Upon my word, sir," replied Leonard, still never
doubting the seriousness of the charge, "I am quite
at a loss to follow you. You are making a mistake,
or somebody else has deceived you, for I certainly
have not."
" No? "

"Not to my knowledge. If unconsciously, 1.
shall be quite ready to—but you are joking, sir,
surely."
" Joking !" and the doctor lifted his hands as
though horror struck at the suggestion. "Joke on
such a matter! What do you take me for, sir? Is
it a joke to go and fall in love with a young woman,
as you have done, and whisper soft nothings in her
ear, as you also have done ?"
eonard flushed up. He si,w now that he was
'being bantered, but hardly knew how to defend
himself.

"There you are mistaken, sir," he answered con-
fusedly; 'cat least, so far as concerns the second
part of your accusation. I never uttered a syllable
to Eve—to Miss Trenaard—that might not have
been spoken before the whole world."
The doctor burst into a roar of delighted laughter
at the success of his stratagem.
"Oh, Len, Len 1" he cried, "you're a bad hand
at hiding your secrets. Who mentioned Eve's
name? Come, come, my boy, you must forgive my
little trick to find cut what I've suspected for a long
time, and tell me all about it."
And little by little Doctor Sampson ealabten
from his proteg6 the story of that love which
Leonard now confessed he cherished, but imagined
he had completely succeeded in concealing from
observation.
"It was not that I wished to deceive you, sir,"
he said simply. "I should indeed be ungrateful
for all your kindness if that were the case—but
what hope is there, what hope can there be for me?
None."

"You're too modest, Len. What would. you say

now, if I told you that—always supposing the young
lady likes you well enough—there is every hope
that the matter may be arranged ?"
Leonard looked eagerly at him.
"Oh, &r," ho exclaimed tremulously, " don't
raise my expectations so high. I have schooled
myself to resignation, but if I once admit the
possibility of winning her I —l—"
"And why should you not ?" asked the doctor.
"Though certainly that wobegone face would be
ough to frighten any girl. Tush, lad! Faint
he4tt never won fair lady.' Any woman's to be
won by a man who woes her with spirit, and as for
the 'fair, the inexpressive she' we are speaking of,
I don't ancy you have much cause for despair. But
remember one condition." _ _ .

"Any," quickly responded Leonard. " Only tell
me that I may in time hope for so much happiness,
and I will willingly obey what conditions, submit to
whatever test of my fidelity miy be imposed upon
me."

"Except the particular one that Mr. Sartoris
considers it necessary to Eargain for, I suppose,"
drily returned Doctor Sampson.
"And that is-s'

" Thae for the present, at least, you must not
seek to draw Eve into an -engagement'or even tell
her of your love. Ah !.1
thought so,' continued
the doctor, seeing I.eonard's dismayed look at the
announcement of this stipulation. "I did not
suppose that it would quite meet your views, and
would have tried to induce him to alter it, or, at
all events, modify it, but that I am inclined to agree i
with him. She s very young,
.has seen nothing
the world yet, and you are hardly a veteran your-
self, you know. There's plenty of time."
" Yes," sighed I eonard, " but --"
"But what? You ot your inch, and of course,
Eke the rest of humankind, you won't be content
short of an ell. It's no use disputing the decision,
Len," he added. "I quite agree with Sartoris in
thinking it necessary, and even if I didn t
there
would Le no chance persuading him to alter it.'

So Leonard found, though he urgea ws lan
strongly to Mr. Sartoris the next day.