The Portland daily press., 1880-01-24


check his diligence in doingh duty, and he
quite dismayed his solicitors, who were ad-
vising him to defend the action for eject
ment that was going to be instituted, and
dispute the claim of the title that would be
laid before the House OF Lords.
II wish to have no dispute" said George
de Vray. Given if legal flaw were discov-'
cred, / should not avail myself OF it SO long
as a moral certainty existed. And that does
exist" The lawyers grumbled; but they
were fan to own that the marriage certlfl-
cate was genuine, and that nothing put chi
canery could spoil the suit of Mr.. Timburel,
who now described himself as Ralph de
Vray, claimant of the Earldom of Beauvray.
OF course George de Vray's marriage
was postponed. The turn in his fortunes
had thrown so much business on his hands
that it was impossible he could devote mo-
ment to honeymooning until it was all dis
posed of; besides which, he felt bound to
make Mr. Moyle the offer of releasing his
daughter from her engagement. At first this
proposal was pooh-pooEed equally by the
bill discounter and Miss Moyle herself. Mil
lie was not quite so sensible as she was pref
ty wept a good deal at not becoming a Coun-
tess; then she wept at the nobility OF
Georges action, which everybody was prais-
ing In fact, during week, she believed
good many pocket handkerchiefs with her
weepings over one thing and another. But
in the main she was disposed to remain
faithful to George, and took some credit to
herself for her fortitude.
Now there was staying in the house OF the
Moyles q poor little cousin of Miles named
Gertrude Brown. She was soft-eyed bru-
nette of eighteen, very quiet and lovable,
who acted as companion to Mile and had to
bear much from the whimsical humors OF
- Ia IL.
ceived marked kindness from Lord Beauvray
who treated her as if she had been his sister;
and she looktd upon him with admiration as
the most noble being she had ever seen. His
remuneration of rank and wealth had struck
her as an act of surprising heroism, and she
could not SO much as allude to it without
tears gushing from her eyes. Gertie Brown
had a heart that beat in unison with all that
was great and good. A shrewd, merry little
thing, too, in her way, she was capable OF
discerning the difference that existed be-
tween a genuine man of honor like Lord
Beauvray, and mere man of money like
her Uncle Moyle. When she saw George de
Vray after his ''ruin," as old Moyle called it
behaving with the same cheerful grace as
usual, not seeking praise, but stunning it;
giving himself no airs of hero, but talking
and laughing simply like a man who has
done his duty without any fuss, and is glad
of it-she thought her cousin happy among
all girls and sighed to reflect that Millie did
not, perhaps, appreciate her treasure as full
ly as she ought.
1t was this enthusiasm of poor Gertie
Browns on poor George de Vray's behalf
which began to make the cup of Mr.. Moyle's
bitterness overflow. That worthy gentleman
had taken to musing that there was an end
now to his chances of getting into Parlia-
hor md all hat
George de Vray might remain pet of socie-
ty and by means of Miles money keep
sumptuous town-house; but this was not the
same as being an Earl, with an enormous
rent-rOll and influence over q whole county.
Old Moyle limited as much to his daughter,
and to make the lesson more forcible, threw
out gloomy suggestions that his own future
was not very secure, and that Mile might
some day find herself constrained to live on
her husbands $500 a year, and to make her
own dresses with the aid of sewing-ma-
chine. This lamentable prospect caused
Miles tears to break out afresh, peevishly,
so that she flew at Gertie when the latter
happened to pass some remark in Georges
praise. Mr.. Moyle also scolded his niece,
and very roundly, saying that she was silly
girl to think there was anything grand in
throwing ones money out of the window,
so that all the world might talk about it.
Poor Gertie held her tongue, although her
heart throbbed wofully She had heard that
the new Lord Beauvray, the ex-Mr. Timbur
ell, had been invited to dinner that evening,
and she began to suspect that her precious
uncle was forming plan for making his
former clerk a sutton for Miles hand.
Her intuition was not at fault. Old Moyle
had fastened to make peace with his dis
charged clerk, and the latter, whose vanity
was tickled by seeing his quondam tyrant
cringe before him, gradually became regu-
lar guest at the bill discounter's, though he
took care never to come at times when he
was likely to meet George there. These Wis
its displeased Gertie Brown, who could feel
no admiration for the vulgar manners and
purse-proud ostentation of Paul de Vray.
This young man was handsome, however,
and not devoid of talent. 1t was no secret
to Mile that he had aspired to win her
hand at time hen such a hope was folly,
and he exercised over her the fascination
which saucy assurance and a bold "gift of
The CAB" ever do over girls who are weak
and giddy One day, after he had been talk
ing to Millie for an hour in his most brilliant
vein, some recollection of a droll sally of his
made the girl laugh after he was gone, sand
she exclaimed: "He is decidedly very anus
ing"
81 find him most wearisome,' answered
Gertie, dryly
tsYou are not bound to sit and listen to
him, them" said Mile, with a flash in her
eyes.
81 will withdraw, then, ON another occa-
sion-with great pleasure" was Gertie's re-
ply.
''Thats it, dove sha'n't miss YOU By
the by, you never make yourself scarce
when Mr.. George de Vray comes here"
"There are net the same reasons for do
ing SO. Mr.. George is thorough gentle
man."
''And you mean Mr.. Ralph is not?"
Certainly not, to my mind"
"Ah! ali! Pray is it simply because Mr..
George has given up property that was not
his that you consider him so superior to his
cousin? l see nothing wonderful in that.
If found one of your trinkets among my
things should restore it without growing
all over the town about my honesty. Indeed
think it rather strange that Lord Beauvray
should not have discovered this secret until
he had enjoyed his property several years; it
looks much to me as if some other people
had discovered it, too, and as if he had only
acted under compulsion."
"Oh, Mile, you are casting an aspersion
on one of the most noble acts l have ever
heard OPP exclaimed Gertie, quivering all
over.
''Well, it's your fault" screamed Mile,
exasrerated. 81 am sick Of always hearing
you harp on the same string. If you are so
fond of Mr.. de Vray, why don't you get him
to marry you. That would be two beggars
together"
Naturally, Gertie went to her room to
have good cry, but from that day she
ceased speaking about George and became
very circumspect in her demeanor toward
him. When he called to see Mile, she left
the room. George soon noticed these tao
tics, for his interviews with Mr.. Moyle's
daughter were growing more and more irk-
some by reason of Miles GOODNESS and
At the least thing, she would
snap and sulk; and one afternoon, when
George innocently made some enquiry about
Miss Brown, she fired up in a jealous pet.
"You seem very anxious about Miss Brown.
I am not obliged to show her off in the
whenever visitors come. She
is only pauper cousin whom we have
taken in from charity, either"
cts queer charity, dear, if you talk of it
in that way" laughed George 81 don't |
consider poverty disgrace, either"
'No, but it's very announcement" said Mil |
lie, still queruloufly, ''and that reminds me;
# we marry, suppose you don't mean to |