Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1898-01-13
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Arley Ransome looked at the calm,

| Arley Ransome looked at the calm,
handsome face
"Will you listen to me, Lord Caraven-
listen in patience? l have something to
say. [ have worked hard all my life
worked as few men have ever done before
from sunrise to sunset and often
through the long, silent night. l have
worked because | love money-because
| am ambitious; because | have had an
end in view. You know, my lord, that,
besides practicing as a lawyer, l have
been, and am now, money lender; 1t is
no news to you that advanced the mort
gage money on Ravensmere, and that,
unless you can pay it, the estate becomes
mine"
The earIs pale, handsome face flushed
hotly. It was hard to picture his grand
ancestral home in the plebean hands Of a
money lender.
Il have a daughter, and she must take
the place 1 would fain have given to my
boy. My lord, make you this offer. You
are a ruined man-you tell me there re-
mains for you no hope nothing but death.
Now, I will give you life, liberty, wealth.
I will make you greater than any of the
Earls of Caraven have been yet. | will
give my daughter a dowry of two hum
dred thousand pounds if you will marry
her"
Lord Caraven lost his self possession
for half a minute; then he proudly said:
II have been spendthrift and a prod
igal, but | have not fallen so low as that,
Mr. Ransome. I do not think that l
shall purchase my life, my safety, my for
tune with woman's gold.'
Sc, p'c &c
my lord" said the lawyer. Marry my
daughter, and you will not have another
care in the world. She will be happy;
you will be free and wealthy, | shall be
content"
Il have known the time" remarked
Lord Caraven, when | should have horse
whipped any man who dared to make such
q proposition to me. | imagine all fine
feeling has become extinct in me. Can
you not manage all this for me without
asking me to marry your daughter?"
NO" replied the lawyer, quietly. Gas
have told you. if | had son, he should
have been master of Rayensmere; failing
that. my daughter must be it's mistress"
mot with my consent" said the earl
haughtily.
Your refusal to marry her makes her
more certainly so. Ii you refuse-if you
prefer ruin, disgrace. dishonor, shame and
death to marrying an innocent girl, whose
fortune would set you straight in the
| world-it is at your own option
You cannot care much for your daugh-
ter, to be willing to sacrifice her to a
spendthrift, said the earl
| MY lord, each one among us has his
price. | want title, rank, and position for
my daughter. You can give them to her
You want wealth-she will bring that to
you. Will you give me an answer"
Il should not purchase a picture with
out looking at it, said the earl. Il can
not promise to marry Lady whom have
| never seem"
"You shall see her, my lord-at once, if
you WILL"
"Where?"
"At the Hollies, near Kew, my lord. If
you please, we will drive down there"
Il do not know-it is not right do
not care to save myself in such a fashion.
Even if l married your daughter, am
quite sure that should not like her.
Every one likes Hildred," said Mr..
Ransome.
"Hildred! That is pretty, quaint
name" said the earl Il do not mind
going to the Hollies with you, but l
make no promise. If l should not like
your daughter, she would be very miser-
able. My cab is at the door. We can go
in that"
Without another word they started,
Lord Caraven feeling more decidedly
ashamed of himself than he had felt yet.
1t was one thing to be considered the
fastest man, the greatest spendthrift of
the day, and another to purchase his safe
ty by such marriage as this.
"A money-lender's daughter! l cannot
do it, he said to himself more than
once ''She is sure to be vulgar; she Will
have red hair, and will be highly delight
! ed at the idea of being countess. What
should 1 do with such wife-I who
have worshiped hundred beautiful wom-
| en?'