Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-16
CHAPTER III.

lndlspenSaDleS and haQ tne DearQ ana nous
tache of Mr.. Percival Dau5eny removed by
the razor, thereby imparting quite differ
ent character 10 his face, went down to
Dereminster, and took up my quarters at
the George and Dragon" the best hotel in
the town, entering my name in the register
as "Mr. Evan Onslow of London" Three
days after my arrival I had the unique
experience of being o locker on
at my own funeral-or rather at the funeral
of Horace Sparkinson. That gentleman,
who had been fatally injured in the hunting
field, had been found dead in bed, having
passed quietly away in his sleep. On the
same day I read in the newspapers an ac-
count headed, Mysterious Disappearance
of Surgeon at Millingham." He was
spoken of as being young man of excep-
tional promise in his profession, and no ad.
equate motive seemed forthcoming which
would serve to account for SO strange pro-
ceeding on his part Ifelt sincerely sorry
for him, and if could have benefited him
in any way, 1 would gladly have done so.
Ny one burning desire now was to be
revenged on Ida Menteith for her rejection
of me, or rather of the Horace Sparkinson
who was now supposed to be dead and
Mr.. Evan Onslow should obtain an intro
duction to her.
Among other frequenters of the billiard
room at the George" was a callow youth
of good family of the name of Ford, who,
from q casual remark overheard by me,
found to be we'll acquainted with Miss
Menteith, and that in fact, she, together
with her uncle and aunt, were frequent visi-
tors at his mothers house. To this young
man 1 attached myself 1 put him up to
several wrinkles" at billiards, practicing
an hour with him il private every morning.
1 initiated him into the mysteries OF ecarte
and poker, told him stories of lite in
London and Paris which caused him
to open his guileless blue eyes very
wide indeed, and above all, took care not
to win his money, or whenever did, so
arranged matters that he should not fail to
win it back at our next meeting. The re-
suit was that IN less than a month after
making his acquaintance, Mr.. Evan Onslow
was honored with an invitation to the din
ner, to be followed by a ball, given BY his
mother in honor of his coming Of age.
There, as had fully expected I should, 1
met Miss Menteith, accompanied by Mr..
Timbrell and his wife. An introduction
followed in due course, and was fortunate
enough to secure three dances with Ida.
When all was over, and handed her into
her uncle's brougham, I did not fail to fa-
yor her with a tender pressure of the fingers
and flashing glance from mes beaux yeux.
Her eyes met mine for moment and then
dropped before their ardor in what felt to
be no simulated confusion. After that I
knew the rest would be plain sailing.
Not many days passed before received
an invitation to dine at Fernside. I took
care to pay assiduous court to both uncle
and aunt, and as most Of their little likes
and dislikes were known to me of old, 1 was
able to play on them without the trouble of
having to find them out beforehand. So
taken were they with me that, after my sec
ond visit, I might have spent half my time
at Fernside had been so minded. Nor did
1 experience any more difficulty in dealing
with Ida. All ber idiosyncraeies were
patent to me and could strike any chord
at will, feeling sure what the response
would be.
81 have never met any one with such an
intuitive knowledge of me as you seem to
have" she said to me one day, with little
uneasy laugh. you seem to know my
fancies and foibles almost as well as l know
them myself" One trait in especial I had
not forgotten, which was her, by no means
uncommon, weakness for good-looking men,
handsomest man who had ever paid court to
her.
She was fast caught in the tolls, she who
had caught so many in her time and had
such scant mercy on her victims
My intention had been to cause Ida to fall
in love with me, and then to treat her as she
had treated Horace Sparkinson, but as time
went on and I was more and more in her
company, fell under the old enchantment.
and all thought or desire for revenge faded
out of my mind; I felt only that ], loved her
and that the one purpose of my life was to
make her mine.
All this time was living at the "George,"
passing as a great gentleman of means and
leisure. Once I had secured the entree to
society, nobody seemed to trouble them.
selves about my antecedents, or cared to
question me as to which branch of the
Onslows my people belonged to. I was
young and handsome, and had the mack OF
making myself agreeable, and having
slipped in among them, they were quite
willing to take me at my own valuation.
But, however pleasant all this might be
and was, it did not blind me to the fact that
when should propose to Ida, as had fully
made up my mind to do, it was imperative
that 1 should be in a position to answer
whatever questions might be put to me hav-
ing reference to my means, connections, and
standing in society. As far as Ida herself
was concerned, had no fear. She had one
O. those romantically impulsive dispositions
which led some women to derive a supreme
delight from knowing that the man they
love owes everything to them, If only
when they give him themselves, they can at
the same time lift him from poverty to af-
fuence, the joy of the generous creatures
knows no bounds But with Mr.. Timbrell
it would be altogether different. Simple
minded though he was in many ways, he
was man of business, and he would un-
doubtedly put questions to me which I
might find it difficult to answer with due
regard to the facts of the case. Here was
8 dilemma out of which was puz-
zled to find way of escape. was
burning to propose to Ida and yet was to
take premier pas which is said to cost so
much, being exceedingly doubtful where it
might land me. If only I could persuade
Ida to agree to a secret marriagel
Another disagreeable circumstance was
that, about this time. 1 began to fall short
of money. Daubeny's ESQ had melted
down to e10, and 1 knew not where to look
for a replenishment Of my purse Horace
Sparkinson being dead and buried, it was
out of the question that he should claim his
dividends or draw cheque on his bankers.
This was contingency I had not fore
seen when I so precipitately and
eagerly took on myself the person.
ality of the young surgeon. 1t was
awkward, deucededly awkward. Never
till now had known the meaning of the
term "hard up," and the experience was not
an agreeable one. Something must be done
and that without delay. 1t would be ridic-
ulous and worse to be turned out of my hotel
just as was on the eve of proposing to
young lady worth e3 200 year. Even il
Ida were to agree to secret marriage, had