A MATTER OF MILLIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 262, 5 November 1890, Page 7

A MATTER OF MILLIONS.

0 ANNA KATHARINE GXEi:*,

Author of ' The Leavenworth Case,' ! The

Forsaken Inn,' Etc., Etc.

BOOK SECOND.—THE RIVALS.

CHAPTER XVII,

THE FIRST STEP TAKEN. *jr__H»"G strange in it ? Well, yes, there was something very strange in it. A murmur rose throughout the room, and, with one accord, each head turned toward tho artist, wbo himself bore tho name *ju9t EDoketi. He had risen, and though all were ready to behold in his face surprise at this U-jtrre introduction of one of his own name into bhis limited circle, thoy wete nob prepared for bhe vivid expression of incomOTehensible and growing emotion which his countenance so forcibly betrayed. Ib was as if he had received a shock in which there W aa semething liko fear, bub the step he took forward and tho gesture which he made showed thab the fear was not for him_elf, but for another ; and the question immediately rose in every mind : ' Who is this other, and what is there to fear?' The gentleman whose introduction had aroused'all this curiosity was meanwhile standing in a courteous way before Miss Aspinwall, who, afber the first instant of hesitation, had gr.ebsd him wibh genuine ■warmth and one of her frankest; smiles. * You musb pardon us,' said ehe, " bhe seeming discourtesy of your But there is another Hamilton Degraw in the room, and the name being an unusual one, my firsb thoughb was thab you were seeking S n introduction to him. Will you sib, Mr Degraw, While I read Mr Morris' nooe ?' The stranger smiled and bowed and took the seat offered him. Ho was in no degree embarrassed, and if conscious of all the glances levelled upon him, did nob show ib. Bub perhaps he was nob conscious of them. Ifor bhe momenb his abbention was released by bhe preoccupation of his hostess, he turned at once toward the window-seat wifch sn eagerness that made theindignanb blood leap into the cheeks of the watchful artisb, and though bhere was no impertinence in hia manner, nor any recognition beyond thab which is accorded by an appreciable nature to suddenly revealed beauby, all those who had passed sufficisnbly beyond their first youth „to have, any insight into life and tho felb bhab brouble lad. entered the room -with this second Hamilton Degraw, and thab in bho very __omenb of his introduction, fche firsb scene in a drama had opened, thab would ere long occupy all bheir^thoughts. Nor was this seemingly unfelb even by the object of his infceresfc. Though her agitation was nabural enough when we consider bhab her heart and possibly her lips were trembling with bhe name he so unceremoniously announced to be his own, there was still something in her abtitudo and fche agitation which.nformedher whole figure, that expressed the presence of a fear similar to thab expressed by the artist. Was it bhab she felb bhe burning ardour of this stranger's glance, and realised the complications which a new love atfchia time would occasion ? Or had she become in some way aware that the name she had just heard was nob only bhab of .her lover, bub bhe man who had 'wrought mischief wibh so many of the name of Jenny Rogers? Whichever be the truth, she showed an emotion almost greater than that of her lover, though it did nob la_-b so long. By tho bime Miss Aspinwall had finished her nobe,' bhe aignorina's face had become calm, and her .figure regained its poise, and though a steady pallor had taken the place of her fifcfufjblushes, not a 'face in tho room looked more composed or a mind more ab its ease than hers.

'I am much obliged to Mr Morris,' was Miss Aspinwall's remark, aa she folded up this note. - ' I am always glad bo receive anyone upon his recommendation ; and in* bhis case his recommendabion is very pressing." And burning toward her friends, she observedin lier own gracious, dignified way: * Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to inbroduce bo you Mr Degraw, of Cleveland; a friend of my friend, and soon, I hope, bo be a friend of each one of us.'

The young people immediately crowded forward, for the stranger, while nob handsome, thab is, in comparison with bhegenblcman usually associated wibh his name, possessed a figure and bearing likely to attract all lovers of elegance and culture. Two of the company only remained in the rear, and these were the signorina and her lover, who, not-relaxing one ioba of his defiance, stood ab her side as if on guard, while he soughtto catch Miss A spin wall's eye, aa if to warn her to be careful in her demonsbrabions toward a person with whom were'eonnectod bis gravest doubts. For in the rapid glances which he had bestowed upon this interloper since his firsb entrance, he had nobed that the stranger was-ball, easy-mannered, and possessed nob only of bhe grey eyes which had misled the police in his own case, bub of the black moustache also ; and, believing that he had before him bhe man who had occasioned so.-much mischief in the city he had jusb left, he neither could suppress, nor did he endeavour to,'the spirib of antagonism and rage which, wibhoub these reasons for dislike, would have been sufHcienbly aroused by the persistenb delight which the sbtanger manifested in contemplating the woman whom bhe artisb now regarded as his future •wife.

As' Miss Aspinwall, therefore, guided her new-guest from one person to another, he followed them wibh a burning- gaze, thab presently book on a new fire as he perceived bhem burning toward himself and his now self-possessed and apparently expectant' companion. . 'Mr Degraw,' remarked Aspinwall, refraining for various reasons from raising her eyes to .bhe gaze which mighb have proved a warning to her had she meb it, 'allow me to presenb bo you a gentleman of your own name, if hot of your artistic calling;. Our friend" is the painter of whose works you musb often have heard,' she-ex-plained, turning bo blie gentleman ab her side. 'Ib was on account of his presence that I manifested such surprise upon your introduction;'

"'You are -very pardonable,' replied the etraDger politely. 'I have heard of Mr Begraw many.bimes, and am truly glad to toeet.him,' She arbisb frowned. What was bhere in this person bhab commanded respecb even frsm oile who bad every reason bo believe aim to be a villain? Was ib in hi 3 manner ? It was perfect.; bub bhab the artist had been fed-to expect. Or was ib his eye, which, if Wdenb, had aclearness that was uncommon, and' a face which, if prejudice had nobstood Between him and its possessor, would have toade him his undoubted admirer. The to if-b.ry.of bhe thing chafed him. Nob calculating his words, he replied, with scarcely bailed sarcasm :

'A_d I have heard of this genbleman Then, seeing thab the other Wtnobvwiqee, he added, less pointedly; Ab-feasbßO I am led bo bhink from his appearance and manner.' 'Evidently astonished ab the greeting he "a 4 received * tho gentleman isbared ab the Mfigfe-f or a ,mo__enb, then .turned .toward *ne signorina. Immediately Miss Aspin"frail, 6tn.1l tuiobservanbof the almostfranbic Bl ßtts which the arbisb hurriedly made her lips to -speak -the formal -words °V the necessary inbroduction, when the stopped her by uttering ib himself : . Valdi, allow me bo pre&ent to of,Clevolarrd.'' ; Instantly an expression of surprise;passed ?7 er sWiiFa:tyGj., iThftueb we_st_ll«peak of *ac singer by bho name under which w© firsb

knew her, she had been universally known in this house by bhe simple one bequeabhed bo her by her parenbs. To hear her addressed, then, in this public way by bhe sbage-name she had definitely discarded, roused bhe curiosity of all who heard ib. This the speaker had expected, bub whab he had not looked for, and which, coming ab this critical moment, literally shook his self-possession, was the look of disappointment bhat came into the countenances of the bwo persons introduced. That the stranger -was expecting to hear a different name was evidenb, and thab she was nob pleased ab bhis efi'orb bo preserve an incognito which sho had definitely cast aside, was equally plain. She soon proved this to be a fact beyond dispute. ' I think, 5 she remarked smilingly to the artist, • thab you have allowed yourself fco forget that when I withdrew from bhe operatic stage, I dropped my stage-name. I was Signorina Valdi, Mr Degraw,' this to the stranger, ' bub now—' She paused, for the artist had made her an unmisbakablo gesture—a gesture which caused her to turn pale, bub which did not hinder her from finishing the phrase which shehad begun. ' Bub now,' sho persisted, ' ifc is as Jenny Rogers I. am known both here and elsewhere.'

Ib was done. The stranger looked relieved ; bhe artist discouraged. If safety lay for her under fche incognito the latter had attempted to improvise for her, she had thrown that safety aside. Did she realise ifc ? There was no token of fche fact in her face, which was upturned to the stranger with confidence and content engraved upon its every lineament, Troubled ab the sight, her lover turned to Miss Aspinwall, and, drawing her a step away, said anxiously ; 1 You must excuse any seeming rudeness which you may observe in me. I have no confidence in this man, and was very desirous of preventing his introduction to Miss Rogers. Why, I cannob tell yon now ; bufc believe me, bhe reason was good and such as you would pardon.' Then, as he saw bhe person thus alluded to was boo busy with hi 3 new acquaintance to notice bhis little aide-talk, ho added hastily : ' Be sure he is the person alluded to in his letter of inbroducbiou, before you show him too much abbention. If he is the man I have every reason fco believe him — Bufc here the stranger burned and bhe artisb was forced fco leave his sentence uncompleted. Terhap3 ib was as well. A full knowledge of her guest's identity would only have hopelessly embarrassed Miss Aspinwall and'made the remainder of fche evening unbearable. Whereas, now, ifc passed off wibhoub any marked constraint;, though bhose who knew bha hostess best were aware thab all was nob as ib should be, either wifch her or bhis stranger. The doubb evoked by the artist's broken words remained in her eyes, and though that stranger did nob remark it, others did, and were either pleased or displeased according fco bho character of the impression which ho had made upon them. Ten o'clock came and with ifc the departure of bhis genbleman, who, for one reason or another, occupied the attention of everyone presenb. When he rose to go—he had been talking for, some time to a group of girls, though his attention did not seem fco be with bhem, bub wibh bhe face and figure of bhe beautiful signorina sitting a short distance from him, in her old place on the wide window-seat —there was an actual stir of relief from all sides. And yet no ono in all the room, nob excepting even fche handsome arbis% looked more nearly bhe beauideal ot manhood, than- this man with his ball and imposing figure, strong face and courtly expression. 'I leave,' said he, to tho hostess, 'with many thanks for my kindly reception here. Though I had been told much ot bhe charms of Great Barrington, I had not heard that its advantages of nabural scenery were more than equalled by its opportunities for the highest social intercourse.' And such was the -grace aud seaming candour of his words that Miss Aspinwall for«ofc for the moment her doubts, and gave him oue of those lovely smiles which are seldom accorded bub to the most welcome guests. •'I shall do myself the honour of calling he thereupon remarked, and before she had time bo recover from the embarrassment which these words caliod forbb, he had made his bow and left; bub nob wibhoub casting one more look at bhe signorina. The instant his departing step was heard on the gravel-walk wibhoub, a murmur of voices broke forth.

' How peculiar !' ' What a.genbleman! «1 wonder it ib can be a case cf love ab firsb sight!' - Two Dograws in the field •' Ab which lasb ejaculation the hostess turned pale, though she tried to keep up her spirits on this perhaps th. -most trying evening of her life. In the window-recess, another hurried and passionate colloquy was going on. '0, my love,' the.artisb was saying, 'I bried to save you from this man. He is the wretch who has made so many Jenny Rogerses unhappy. Perhaps you have not road the papers, and perhaps you did not know thab persons of your name are ab presenb under a sorb of ban, but I knew ib and knew thab from bhe very similarity between his name and mine that he was bhe person mosb bo be dreaded by you. Yeb you would nob take the hint I gave you, but insisbed upon owning to your real name, and not content with fcjhab, allowed him to address you and even* bo engage you in conversabion.' ' And has any harm come from ib, or will any harm come? I have heard of some of the sbories you speak of, bub there was nobody bo tell mo thab there was anything in this gontl-eman to fear. Nor can I believe .here is. You are labouring under a mistake, or look with prejudiced eyes upon one who seems bo infringe upon your righbs by bearing the same name.'

'Do you .plead for him, Signorina? -Has he" imposed on you, too, by his 5 devilish urbanity and hypocritical smiles? I will nob believe ib. He may burn bhe heads of school-misses and factory-girls, bub surely not yours. Why, he is a murderer, possibly.' , , ~ 'Oh, no !' she exclaimed, hotly, and would have said more; but jusb bhen Miss Aspinwall approached them, and pressed the artisb to finish the revelations which he had been inteirupbed in making to her earlier in-bhe evening. Bubhe had lost the desire to speak. Something in the signorina's manner betrayed such unbounded trust in the stranger, thab he felb ib would be bub waste of breath bo reiterabe his suspicions, while to brand bhe stranger as an adventurer and criminal in the presence of a company who had already received him rs an equal, was, iv bhe absence of obher proof than thac which had been urged againsb himself, a manifest risk and possible shame. His reply, therefore, .was less uncompromising than Miss Aspinwall had anbicipabed. •-I was aboub bo warn you, said he, 'againsb this Mr Degraiiv, nob because I know him, bub because a of his name and mine has earned a very doubbful reputation in New York. Though ib is hard to believe that this person is the one who has engaged the attention of the police, still my fears are such that I could nob refrain from giving you a hint of them. Thab is all, Miss Aspinwall. I now consider my duby in bins regard ab an end.' . ' She took out of her.pockeb bhe note which the sbranger had brought her. 'This seems enbirely en regie,' she remarked. ' I know bhe'writer well, and I know his signature. He recommends Mr Degraw bo me as a gentleman of family .and distinction. To doubt bhat this is true is to doubt the knowledge or judgment oi : my friend. This I cannot do ; go I must 3_ill continue bo receive Mr Degraw.' The arbiab bowed and waived tbe subject; j.He felb himself in a false posibion,

and hated his own precipitancy, while ab bhe same time he found it impossible bo dismiss his doubts. Ho was also troubled by bhe smites and beaming aspecb of bhe signorina. It she loved him, could she or would she hail this manifesb -triumph of his rival ? Bub did she love him? Had bhe tide he believed to be turning in his favour received a check, and would he bo obliged to add to the list of the possible wrongs committed by this interloper, the sudden nipping in its bud of bhe puresb Passion-flower bhab ever blossomed from a poet's hearb or evolved itself from a poet's dream ? ( To be Continued.)