Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1886-08-14

what a young barrister named Harding,
whose acquaintance I had made in the hotel
smoking room, was never tired of saying.
"Five millions, and not an encumbrance Of
any kind, or chick or child to whom to-
leave it."
my dear fellow" I responded feebly, for
I felt but little interested in this ~all-absorb-
ing topic, "what does it matter to you or to
me how much the man is worth2 We shall
never reap any benefit from his gold"
"Ah, you are young" said my lively COM
panion, who was really no older than my
sell. "You don't understand the world yet,
Fenton. Haven't you seen how all the dow
ayers in the hotel here are laying their plans
to capture the unfortunate wretch as soon as
he makes his appearance among them2
When you have lived a little longer you will
begin to realize the power of gold. I tell
you, sir, that there isn't a woman In this
place at this moment who wouldn't sell her
daughter in marriage to this man Maulever-
er, though he were old as Methusaleh and as
wicked as Satan. And there isn't a girl in
the place, either, who wouldn't cheerfully
say yes to the bargain if it were proposed
to her. Five millionsl Why, the man who
owns it can do anything"
"Why do you talk such nonsense9" I said,
angrily. "You cannot mean what you saw.
You wish to make all women out to be as
bad as a few men are"
Twas hot with indignation. Why I hardly
knew myself. I had no near female relations
of my own-none for whom I cared. But,
somehow or other, when Harding talked in
this style, sneering at all womankind as
though all alike were bad, the face Of the
girl l had met in the train rose before nv
eyes, and I felt constrained to do battle with
him, if it were only upon her account.
He laughed lazily.
"You excite yourself, my good fellow,
unnecessarily" he said. "Of course I am not
even limiting at the possibility Of there being
any mercenary persons among the ladies
of your acquaintance. No doubt there are
exceptions to every rule; but for my part ]
have not yet seen the woman whom five mil.
lions would not fetch. Wait and see for
yourself, when the great man deigns to put
in an appearance at the morning parade"
~ thought he had already done So" I re-
piled, feeling a certain amount of
ton at the anger I had shown. "Hs has
been in Scarborough for SOM time, has he
not4"
"He is in this hotel at the present moment;
but he is laid up with some illness-gout. /
suppose, as it is the rich mans special all
ment-and has never been out of doors since
his arrival, two weeks ago"
This was only one of the innumerable oc.
casions on which Mauleverer and his mil
lions were dinned into my ears, until l grew
to hate the very sound of the mans name.
1t seemed to me that this vulgar image of
brazen wealth, about which everybody
talked so constantly, was a rival even in my
heart to that other image Of youth and
beauty upon which my fancy was fixed. 1
tried to shake off Harding's unpleasant sug-
gestion with regard to the readiness of all
women to yield themselves to the seductions
of the mans gold; but 1 could not dc SO alto
gether, and in the state of mind to which
my passion had brought me, I positively be-
gan to wish that this M~auleverer would take
his departure from Scarborough before l
had again met with the lady OF the train.
What. l thought to myself, if she were to be
brought within the reach of the magical in
auence of the millionsa
That she was still in the town l never for
a moment doubted. Why 1 should lave
chung SO stoutly to this conviction 1 cannot
pretend to soy. But so it was. An instinct,
some secret presentment, assured me that
she was still near me, though unseen, and
that l should meet her again.
One lovely morning, when the golden sun
shine was flooding the bay, and the genial
summer warmth, tempered by tho pleasant
sea breeze, was tempting everybody out of
loors, went for my usual walk in the Spa
grounds. Perhaps it was the weather that
had stirred the young blood in my veins,
and had made me feel more confident than
lhad ever done before of success; but what
ever may have been the cause, it is certain
that as walked across the bridge by which
the grounds are entered my step was more
elastic and my head lighter than on any pre-
vious visit to the place.
How we'll you look this morning!" cried
Harding, whom I found seated on q bench
not far from the entrance to the grounds.
Scarborough suits you, l see. Come and
sit beside me for a little. We can see all the
world as it passes"
Thanks; I'll join you presently" I said.
Il would like first, however, to stroll to the
end of the promenade"
Something within me urged mo onward,
"Ah" lie replied, with a light laugh of
genial mockery. "You are like everybody
else, l see. But how long is it since you
vowed to me that the mans gold would
never-no,~ never-attract youg"
Hooked at him in blank surprise and said
nothing.
what a you not heard?" he con-
tinued, after reading the truth IN my puz-
zled face. "Why, I thought the news had
spread by this time to the uttermost hooks
and corners of Scarborough. Why, he is
there-down below by the band-Maul-
eVerer, the millionaire. That is why we
have this end of the gardens to ourselves this
morning. 1t is just as I told you it would
be, all the old dowagers are fighting for
places near him, but unfortunately for their
chances the young ladies have been before
hand and have made a regular ring round
the man. 1t is quite a pretty spectacle, I
assure you, all the beauty and talent Of the
queen OF English watering places'-that's
what they call it, is it not?-concentrated
IN one particular spot and all for the bene-
ut OF one poor mortal in the ordinary dress
OF a Nineteenth century tourist"
"Confound the fellow" I said. u care
nothing for either him or his money. shall
stop with you" And I seated myself beside
him.
Harding lifted his hat, and made me a low
What a compliment you nav me! Believe
me / 4 am grateful. But there, nv good fell
low, don't waste your time on me. Even if
you don't care about the millionaire it viii
90 well worth your while to have a peep at
the pretty faces. There are some fresh ones
to-day, and some Of them, I assure o are
not unworthy even Of your attention Go:
and III wait for you, to hear what you think
of the spectacle"
he lighted a cigarette with that air of
buoyant self-possession which I could not
help envying in him. and I felt compelled to
comply with his wish.
Perhaps he had exaggerated a little when
he described the popular excitement over
Mauleverer's advent. There were, at any
rate. some worthy people sitting under the