The times., 1901-04-28

all her jewels and finery. !. for my part,
will urge the captain TO let her accept the
invitation.
H'All this is very circumstantial What
them"
Il will promise the captain to find her
a husband man of position. man OF
| rank. and above all. one as viTtuous as
myself" He said this without the least
blush or even smile.
Where is that husband to be found?'
'As yet ! do not know. He must be
creation of our own. lie must not know;
a person somewhere. l have. believe,
a good many of my former friends in the
fleet or the kings bench. Now. Anasta-
sia, to find. one of these un.ortunates. to
offer him an allowance, say a guinea
| week in return for a power of attorney
to administer the property. True. there
are the creditors but we might take over
get out t. He went on suggesting deceits
and villainies.
You said we What have I to do with
the scheme? 1T is, you must confess,
| Ludovic, one of those arrangements or
understandings which the world calls
Conspiracy-'
Lord Fyingdale released her hand Her
| words panied his sensitive soul If at
this time. after all have done togeth-
| er, we are to talk of conspiraCies. we had
| better act separately" ne said cOldly.
NO, ! am your servant, as you know
sometimes your most unhappy servant,
| but always at your command-Only now
| and then ii pleaSes me to call things by
vic, | look in my glass. and / see not the
| Lady AnaStasia in a company of fashion,
put q poor wretch sitting in a cart with
her arms tied down, Il white nightcap on
| hersalead and n prayerbook in her hand.
| There is a coffin in the cart
'Anastasia, you are ridiculousi What
| have we done that all the world would
not do If it could? These scruples are alb
surd. and these visions fantastic.
What is your share? You know that half
of mlne-all that is mine-is yours well.
| You shall have my hand and my name.
! These you should have had long ago had
they been worth your picking up. Alas.
| Anastasia, no one knows better than you
the desperate condition OF my affairs,"
We'll, will obey you. ! viii go back to
town. | will go tomorrow. The other
parties in our innocency-they will also go
back 1 sLppose?"
They will have done their part. Sir
Harry. and the colonel. and the parson;
deal to keep, and they have done their
work.
Should I see the girl before !. go?''
Perhaps not. Write to her from
! London. Invite her to stay with you. For
my own part, l viii look about me for the
man we want-a prisoner; on the poor
thing for guinea a week. The girl will
not know that he is prisoner. 1t will be
| quite easy
| This he said, concealng his real inten-
ton. and only anxious to get this lady out
of the way, but he left her suspicious and
Jealous. That is to say. she had already
]
husband from the Fleet and the rest made
her still more suspicious and jealous.
Having dismissed Anastasia. there re-
| manned the parson and the poet. The lat
| ter he could send way at a days notice;
! the former he would probably want for
certain purpose He sent for Mr.. Semple,
his secretary.
"Semple." he said. 81 have now made
enquiry into the truth of your statements
I mean as regards this young lady's for
! tune"
1T is as told your lordship?"
1T is. The fortune you have exagger-
ated. but it is, no doubt considerable.
Well l have sent for you in order to tell
you that / am resolved upon carrying out
the project you submitted to me. My own
| affairs are as you found out, embarrassed.
| The girls fortune will be useful to me.
Her person-fs passable; her manners will
be improved. ! have therefore determined
| to make her my countess
My lord. I rejoice to have been the
/ humble fYsfr-1Jp1er1r---F'
You have kept the secret so far.
| believe AT least l have seen no sign
that anyone suspects my intentions. You
| have invented a lie of enormous audacity
in order to bring us all together-myself,
| with your project up my sleeve. and GER
tain friends Of mine to assist in various
quarters. Your inventions have converted
| an ordinary well into health restoring
spring. You have caused the elevation Of
this town of common sailors and mechan-
| les into a fashionable spa. Semple, you
are very ingenious person. l hope that
your are satisfied with your success"
'Gratified, my lord, not satisfied"
| Il understand You shall be satisfied
very shortly by the fulfillment of my
| promise. 1t is. If / remember. 10 find you
| a place under Government worth at least
| goo year. with perquisites. You shall
learn. Semple. that / can be grateful and
that ! can keep my word, written or sp0k-
en- Now, there remains one more ser
He proceeded to give him certain in
And, remember. the greatest secrecy
| is to be observed. Neither You nor the
| captain is to reveal the fact until the
business is completed. Everything will be
ruined IL anything is revealed. Your own
| future depends upon your secrecy. You
are sure that you have your instructions
aright?'
4 am quite sure. my lord 7 am your
| ambassador / come with a message of
great Importance. There are reasons why
the proceeds are to be kept secret. The
| lady will be made a countess before a
prying and inpertinent world can be in
| formed of your lordship's intentions. /
fly my lord. l fly
.'One moment, friend Semple Before
you depart on this mission resolve me as
| TO difficulty in my mind -
| ''W hat is that, my lord?'
| You are aware of course. that my plan
| of life is not quite what this girl expects
| in a husband. She Will expect, in fact,
the bourgeois virtues-c0nstancy, fidelity,
early hours, regularity. piety. You know
very well that she will not find these Vir-
tues-You are preparing for the girl. in
fact. "A great disappointment and perhaps
| a life Of misery. If | did not want her
| money. ] might pity her"
Sans face darkened.
| Tell me. my friend, in return for what
acts of kindness done to- you by the cap
tain or by Molly herself are you confer
ring this boon upon the girl2'
| The poet made no reply for a while,
Then he answered. his eyes on the ground:
The thing is as good as done. | may as
wen let you know. The captain cudgeled
mc like a dog-like dog. My gratitude
is so great that ! have succeeded in mar
| rying his ward TO you. my lord. What
worse revenge could take2'
| Frankly, / know of none
| You viii waste and dissipate the whole
| of her fortune, and would it it were ten
times as great. in raking and gaming; you
| viii send her hack to her own people bro
ken hearted and ruined That will be my
| doing"
| Friend Semple." said his lordship, IF
| [ were not tylingdale, ] would be Semple,
and, to tell the truth, if l saw any other
| way of raising money l would-well-per-
| hapsI would even pity the girl and let
her 60
CHAPTER VIII.
| THE EXPECTED BLOW.
That evening the blow, feared and ex-