The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-02-20 00:00:00

defendants, a widow and her daughter. The latter,
(a beautiful girl of nineteen), by justice and her
father's will, is the heiress of large estates; but her
claim is disputed by a relative of her own, who alleges
that a deed, executed by an ancestor two generations
back, took from the late testator the power of leaving
the property away from the male line. The case is
intricate and involves many nice points of law; but
Maurice Glanville—for he is the counsel—has studied
it carefully, and read it in the light of love as well as
law. An accident made him first acquainted with
Helen Templemore in early life; though long parted,
she was never forgotten; for the last twelve months
she has been his waking thought, his sleeping dream.
He knows that should he gain this cause, it will only
place a greater barrier between them; for it will be
long ere he can hope to achieve a fortune and position
enabling him honourably to enter the list as a com-
petitor for the hand of the fair Helen. Nevertheless,
he bends every faculty of his powerful mind to win
back to the woman he loves the wealth of which her
grasping cousin seeks to deprive her. The witnesses
have been examined, the counsel for the plaintiff has
been heard, and Maurice is replying. As his deep,
full voice reverberates through the lofty hall, you may
see, by the strained attention and the breathless
silence, that he is master of his audience; and when
he concludes a speech of three hours' duration, each
individual sinks back, as though relieved from a spell
which, whilst the pleader's voice was heard, they felt
themselves unable to break. The verdict was in
favour of the defendants. As Maurice left MI court,
he was warmly congratulated upon his success.
"No fear of you ncw, my boy," said Mr. Haw-
thorne; "your fortune's made."
"Alas !" thought Maurice, "lie little knows that my
triumph has, in all probability, blighted it; for what
is fortune without Helen ?"

Throwing himself into a cab, Maurice was driven to
Grosvenor-square, where Mrs. Templemore and her
daughter were residing.
" Thanks—a thousand thanks—for your exertions
on our behalf," cried the elder lady as he entered the
room.

"My news has preceded me, then ?" said Maurice,
with a smile. "I hoped to have been the first to con-
gratulate you."
"The Earl of Beverley has anticipated you by a
few minutes," was the reply. "Ha is in the
drawing-room with Miss Templemore. Will you go up ?"
"Not at present; I was only anxious to relieve
your anxiety: make my compliments to Miss Tem-
plemore." And Maurice was gone.
His cogitations during his drive to Mr. Rawthorne's
were of the bitterest.
"And this," he exclaimed, "is my reward! Yes;
he will propose now. Her wealth will help to redeem
his mortgaged acres."
Maurice would have been a welcome inmate at Mr.
Rawthorne's, but he preferred lodgings near the
courts; and after leaving his friend's hospitable table,
and reaching his own domicile, wearied with the
labours of the day, he prepared to retire to rest. But,
unfortunately, the rooms above his were, tenanted by
one of those young gentlemen known by the designation
of fast ; and as he was entertaining, on4his particular
evening, a few choice spirits like himself, poor Maurice
had little chance of rest. Song followed song in quick
succession. A young student from Ayrshire warbled
the " Banks o' Doon," whilst an Irishman from Killarney
favoured them with "Paddy o' Rafferty." At length,
towards morning, the company gave some signs of
breaking up by singing in chorus, the National
Anthem, accompanied by a tremendous clinking of
glasses, and stamping of feet, which shook the house,
and dislodged some paintings from the walls of
Maurice's room; among them, the portrait of his
mother, which received some damage. Thinking he
had forborne long enough, Maurice sent William with
his compliments, and a request that they would be a
little less riotous. He was answered by the giver of
the entertainment in person, who assured Maurice, as
well as he was able, that they had become uproarious
by drinking to his health and rejoicing at his success;
adding, that his brother Alfred had been among them,
but left some time before.

The youth returned to his own rooms, and dismissed
his noisy associates; but he had given Maurice food
for bitter musing.
"My brother !" he mentally exclaimed. "I fear
his gentle, yielding nature is making him a prey to far
worse men than those he has been with to-night.
Even our good qualities, when not under proper re-
striction, may become our bane."
The next morning Maurice sent for an artist to
examine the portrait. In doing so, the latter uttered
an exclamation of surprise.
" Here is a new contrivance!" he said. "This
picture has a door with key-hole and hinges, very
minute, but quite perfect."
"A door—a keyhole 1" cried Hawthorne, who
happened to come in. "As I live, Maurice, the
mystery is unravelled! The key I gave you at Raven-
side—where is it ?"

With trembling eagerness Maurice produced the
key, which was found to fit exactly. When the small
door was opened, a number of documents, carefully
labelled, were disclosed ; and Mr. Rawthorne called the
attention of the artist and the servant to each paper,
lest their evidence might be required hereafter. This
done, the artist took his leave; and Maurice and the
lawyer sat down to peruse the long-lost documents.
The first they opened was a letter from Hugh Glan-
ville to Mr. Rawthorne, giving a detailed account of
his elopement with Miss Archer;and their snbsequent
proceedings. Instead of embarking for the Continent,
they had retired to a small village in Wales, and
resided there till the birth of Maurice; after that event,
Mrs. Glanville's health became delicate, and they
crossed to France. A proper certificate of their
marriage in the parish church of Tremadoc, and a
register of Maurice's baptism, were the next papers
opened; and Mr. Rawthorne warmly congratulated
his protige on his restoration to name and fortune.
"Our first task," he said," must be to visit Tremadoc,
and examine the books. Though I anticipate no
difficulty, it is possible her ladyship may contest your
claim, and Pulsford would stick at nothing. He has
been supplying that unfortunate boy, Allred, with
money for the turf and the gaming table; for he has
long considered your claim a delusion, and when he
finds the estate of Ravenside snatched from his grasp,
he will be furious."

"But Ravenside is entailed, my dear sir."
"Pshaw ! there are such things as docking an entail.
With Lady Marion's extravagance and Alfred's
irregularities to uphold, believe me, Ravenside would
soon have changed owners. But we lose time; we
mustbe in Caermarthenshire to-morrow, Maurice."

CHAPTER VI.
Ms heart was formed for szftness—warped to wrong;

Betrayed too early, and beguiled too long.—BYßoN:
IT was a lofty room in one of the fashionable man-
sions at the west-end of London. The usual accom-
paniments of carpets, mirrors, couches covered with
rich velvet, and tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl and
loaded with costly hijouterie, tormed the furniture of
the apartment. Seated before a table was a lady
still beautiful, though past the prime of life; but there
was an anxious look upon her face, and an unquiet
.giance in her eye, which told that all was not peace
within. Reclining on an ottoman on the opposite side
of the room was a youth verging on manhood, who
was employed in caressing a noble staghound.
"I wish, Alfred," said Lady Glanville, "you would
let Ponto alone, and take your breakfast. I sent for
you to town purposely to have some serious conversa-
tion with you; and though a week has elapsed since
your arrival, I have scarcely seen you. Can you re-
main with me an hour this morning?"

"I havi an appointment with Cavendish at twelve,''
said the youth, consulting his watch; " but it wants
an hour to that time, so I am at your ladyship's
service."

There was a slight tone of sarcasm in the speaker's
voice as he concluded, which his mother did not
appear to notice. Taking a seat beside her son she
said—

"I have been much shocked at the frequent de-
mands you have made upon me of late for money; it
is not two months since you received your own ample
quarterly allowance, and I have received letters from
you twice since that period demanding more. I fear
you are falling into extravagant and vicious habits."
"Indeed, mamma," said the youth, with a light
laugh," I would not have troubled you, but old Pulsey
has been rather rusty of late, and refused to advance
the needful; and as you have always wished me to
keep the highe,qt company—which generally means the
fastest—l have only been fulfilling your own com-
mands."

Lady Marion started from her seat.
"Do you mean to tell me," she exclaimed, "that
Mr. Pulsferd has been encouraging you in your career
of folly and vice, and supplying you with money un-
known to me?"

I certainly have drawn upon him occasionally,"
said Alfred; "but in twelve months I shall be of age,
you know, and will then make arrangements for pay-
ing all off, and settling down quiet at Ravenside as a
sober, married man; so just oblige me with a cheque
for three hundred to-day, dear mother, and I promise
you I will woo, and strive to win, the lady you were
recommending the other evening."
"Alfred, Alfred, you terrify me. Three hundred
pounds! I cannot understand what you do with the
money. And this man Pulsford, I cannot understand
him either; he seems drawing a net round us; but I
shall break the meshes yet."
As she handed the cheque to him, she said—
"There must be no more applications to Pulsford ;
I dislike that man exceedingly. As to Miss Temple-
more, I have heard "—and Lady Marion's voice took a
tone of bitterness—" that Maurice Archer means to claim
the lady's hand as a reward for his successful pleading.
I think Mrs. Templemore will foil him there, and you
must assist. The young lady's property adjoins Raven-
side, and she is a beautiful and amiable girl."
• Alfred laid his hand on his mother's arm, and looked
her intently in the face as she ceased speaking. The
young man's eyes sparkled with a dark light, and his
voice was hoarse with emotion, as he answered her.
"Mother," he sai I, "would you add to the wrong
you have already done my brother by asking me to
woo and wed the lady he has chosen? No! Though
Helen Temp'.emore had a kingdom for her dowry, and
an angel's face and form, if Maurice Glanville loves
her, she will never be more than a sister to me. You
talk of my extravagance--if my brother had been
allowed to watch over my youth, I had been widely
different."

Ile then left the room. As she paced it, with a
quick step, and flushed countenance, she exd'Aimed—
" This insolent boy defies •me ; and I have sinned
and suffered to give him the power of turning his
father's halls into a tayev,rn for his riotous companions;