FOR LOVE OR MONEY

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 191, 14 August 1899, Page 6

FOR LOVE OR MONEY

By ST. GEORGE ItATHBORNE,

Author of "Doctor Jack," "A Fair Revolutionist," "A Sailor's Sweetheart," "A Chase for a Bride."

CHAPTEE V. FEDORA.

When Overton made up his mind to enter the London mansion of Fedora's paternal ancestors unannounced and without an invitation, he undertook a task that not every man could carry into execution.

The power of a sturdy fee has often accomplished wonders, but unfortunately Jack, while knowing this fact, •was possessed of but sixpence in all the world, though rich in talent and promises of future greatness. He watched his chance to slip in !*ith a party alighting from a carriage, and, strange to relate, was successful in accomplishing his end, though Cerberus at the door eyed him a trifle supiciously, as though in doubt whether to hold him up or not.

The bearing of the artist was so lordly that the man dared not on his life question his right to enter without evening dress. It happened that there were a few eccentric characters at this time among the nobility, who delighted in appearing democratic and outraging fashion and the. common usages of society whenever and wherever the occasion arose, and doubtless to this fact Overtoil owed his escape from being summarily ejected. It was far from his plan to seek the drawing-room where the merciless light would disclose the threadbare condition of his black garments. He remembered bitterly how he had so willingly taken the money laid aside for a new outfit to purchase for Fedora some novelty to which she had taken a fancy. He had gloried in the sacrifice at the time. Why, he adored that lovely creature so earnestly that had it been possible and necessary he would have coined his heart's blood in order to gratify her every whim. A little survey showed him the conservatory where the perfume of many exotics filled the air. Here was a place in which he might linger until such time as Fedora proved accessible.

Music throbbed upon the air. It was not a dance, but some species of reception, a soiree devoted to the masters, and given in honour of some celebrated composer temporarily in the English metropolis. At least there was a soothing- balm in this soft murmur of melody that reached him there among the luxuriant flowers.

More than once he obtained a glimpse of Fedora through the open doors, and her appearance almost created a riot within his heart. She was bo royally beautiful, dressed almost as a queen and decked with the family jewels.

Poor Jack groaned aloud.

His anguish was intense,

Why had not the gods allowed him an opportunity to wrest fortune, with or without fame, from the world's great arena, that he might shower such gifts upon the object of his mad devotion as had never yet been granted to woman ?

He again experienced that cold sensation in the region of his heart as the bitter realisation forced itself upon Mm that only through a miracle could a young and beautiful woman be expected to give up such a wonderful position and, obeying the dictates of love, accept the proverbial cottage with the man who reigned in her heart.

While he thus watched and waited, alternately laughing in a reckless way at the audacity of his expectations, and presently sullenly grinding his teeth at seeing Livermore bending over Fedora with a look of ownership in his manner, Overton found his opportunity. The girl, in playing hostess in her grandfather's house, had occasion to pass into the conservatory in order to pluck a handful. of flowers for some purpose. Thus she was within five feet of him. He could even hear her faintly trilling some fragment of the music that had just ceased.

The sound angered him. She was apparently supremely happy, while lie suffered the tortures of the damned. Before her opened a rosy-hued avenue carpeted with flowers and overshadowed by all the favours wealth could bring, fawning sycophants who kissed her hand and called themselves her dear friends, devoted admirers. Yes, wealth, luxury, and everything the heart could wish surrounded her ■while lie knew not what the morrow held for him, while the dreadful future apart from her love looked like 3 yawning abyss, the dismal depths of ■which had swallowed many such a man who placed his trust in woman.

All this comfort and pleasure was hers, because he willed it. |

Without his energy in the matter — oh! how he nerved himself for that fatal desire to see her enjoying all that other girls had—Fedora would at this hour be but an art student in Paris, supremely happy in his watchful love. AJas, thai wretched lust for power, position and wealth, how easily it upsets the world and brings about a revolution in the best of hearts.

Fearful lest This one chance be snatched from his grasp by the appearance of perhaps the hated African hero, who haunted Fedora's lootsteps, Jack summoned his resolution to the fore, and determined to put his fate to the test.

When he uttered her name, coupled with a little Italian term of endearment which he had been wont to use so tenderly during those happy days in the paradise of Bohemia, Fedora startled and almost cried out.

He was instantly at her side, his eves fixed upon hers with an eager

glow. No wonder the girl trembled. His entrance in itself was enough to alarm her, and, taken all in all, Jack's rather dishevelled appearance might have sent a shudder through any girl's heart, especially when she involuntarily compared him with the wellgroomed favourites of fortune in the drawing-room beyond.

However, Fedora was no common girl. She knew how to master her own feelings all too'well, and in the past lia.il been accustomed to controlling Jack as the electrical engineer with his finger on the button manipulates the massive machinery.

'My poor Jack, how did you come here? 1 hoped to see you quietly tomorrow, but never dreamed of tonight when —the house is so full, and we are in danger of interruption.' And she offered him her hand. She whom he was tempted to crush in a passionate embrace because of his great love —the girl who had vowed to be his wife, and whom he had not met for months.

He would not take it—he must have all or none. If she meant tq east him aside she would hear no weakness from him. Thank heaven, he had enough pride to conceal the deadly pain from her, even though, like Prometheus chained to the rock, he could feel the vultures tearing at his vitals.

'To-morrow would have been too late. 1 have a positive engagement for the morning that may call me out of England suddenly, and it was absolutely necessary that 1 see you tonight, else you may be certain I should never have gone to the trouble to seek an interview in this absurd

manner.'

His words were apparently calm, for as yet he managed to keep the torrent of his passion under fair control.

The girl drew in a deep breath, and her eyes took on something" of a defiant expression, as though determined to meet the worst; she had dreaded this interview, but it was inevitable, and the sooner it could be over with the better.

'Well'?' she said, impatiently tapping the toe of her dainty boot on the floor.

It was like casting her gauntlet into the arena.

Overtoil still remained master of himself.

'Are you happy, Fedora?' he asked coldly. 'Although there are a few things that g-ive me cause for grief, still I can truthfully answer, yes. I would be more so could I only know that you depended less upon me, Jack—not that I do not appreciate your noble devotion, but under the altered conditions, with grandfather's resentment towards artists —for you know my father was one when he ran away with my mother —our dream of the past could hardly be realised.' She spoke quickly and rather mechanically, he thought —evidently her lesson was well conned —when one desires to cast off a lover whose attentions are no' longer desirable, how many good and sound reasons may be found.

Her eyes were lowered —the sense of shame and guilt was so heavy upon this radiant creature that she could not meet the stern accusing- glance of the orbs that had wearied themselves many a time in her service. 'I am to understand, then, that it is your desire to break your solemn engagement with me—that from this time I pass out of your life forever — for God's sake be frank with me, Fedora —have you seriously considered this step in all that it means —how often I have called you my own wife, and that our vows were ratified in the sight of heaven ?'

'I have considered every point,' slowly;

'And your decision?'

She looked up at him —defiance struggled with the old lovo that could never be entirely crushed in her heart. 'Oh! Jack, be merciful—l could not

give up all these beautiful things that a. woman's heart holds dear, and go back to that life again, even for you!'

'Tell me, have you ceased to love me, Fedora?''he demanded in an imperious way she had never known him to show before.

'Sometimes J. think so, and then I discover it is not true, and that I shall always love .you, Jack, but 1 shrink from poverty —my devotion is pitiful and weak compared with yours —1 could never endure that again.'

'But you need not —all f ask is that you remain faithful and wait—by the power with which my love endows mo 1 swear to wrest honour and wealth from the world, aye, to even your heart's content. Can you not enjoy your present position and still bid me hope?' It was his last appeal —the yearning cry of a soul that stands on the brink.

She shook her head sadly

'1 have considered all that, my poor .lack, but it would not be dealing honestly with dear grandpa, who is so very proud, and who v loves me so. It would be better for you to forget me. 1 am not worthy of such love as you ha.ye given mo, being, after all, only a weak girl. Forgive me, Jack; ,oh, forgive me, if 1 have wounded your noble heart. AJI my life, .1. shall remember as a sweet dream how we made such rosy plans for a little bower among' the looses, like a couple of happy yet foolish children. I had not then learned the stern lessons of life, nor met the tempting allurements wealth holds out. You are angry with me, I know, Jack. Alas! what else can I do—you must forgive me!'

He shoolc her hand from his arm— the flash of diamonds dazzled him.

'I shall never do that —all my life was at your feet—you trampled on the holiest emotions a man can feel— you have made me bitter and cynical toward your sex. The past—l shall remember it but as a spur to goad on the great resolve to which 1 devote Tiiy future life. Love—l shall mock at the sound-proceeding from a woman's lips—nothing can rise superior to the mad desire for such advantages as money brings. And the day of reckoning will come when all this bitter humiliation will be wiped out. You need not look alarmed, Fedora —I would not harm a hair of your head for worlds. You don't understand what I mean now, but sooner or later how bitterly you will repent. 1 have one little faint hope left, and, like a drowning man clinging to a straw, I clutch at that to keep me above the flood. Heaven help us both when that, too, is gone. I might bitterly reproach you. but the wound is too deep for that. I feel as though I stood upon a new made grave, wherein I had laid all my bright hopes and my heart. Go back to yoiir guests—to him. I shall quietly leave this house, and you will never again see the Jack Overton you knew. Another will some day take his place and avenge his bitter wrongs. And so, good-bye.'

After he had so rudely repulsed her the girl stood with downcast face, working nervously at the flowers she held. Overton, stung to the. quick by the desperate condition of his fortunes, turned and walked out of the conservatory, leaving her there. Her eyes followed his every step. A mighty battle was taking place within her heart, wherein were arrayed all the forces that go to make up a woman's existence here on earth. Love struggled desperately against pride and the desire for power, position and wealth —her form trembled as the leaves in a storm —she saw again the happy scenes of the past, when all her world was centred in this one devoted man, whose fondest wish was to be doing something to increase her pleasure of living—she remembered how gloomy the days when he did not come, and how she had crowned him king in the sacred recesses of her heart. Alas! he had been dethroned, and other gods ruled there now—gods that gave magnificent jewels, dresses direct from Paris, the glitter and foam of fashionable society, the ability to travel and see the wonders of the world.

It was the last grand struggle between these opposing forces—whichever won now must henceforth reign supreme.

He was going, and forever—she could not expect to look upon his face again, the face that had bent over her in such tenderness when she was ill, and glowed with such sincere satisfaction when the good things of life came her way, mainly through his unceasing endeavour and ready sacrifice.

He had spoken of a fresh made grave as though it were a funeral—well, the decision she had given him rang the death knell of his hopes. It is always so solemn to even think of death —perhaps he had some desperate resolution in view—involuntarily, racked by this old and still strong regard, she stretched out her hands after him in a sudden impulse that was dead almost as soon as it was born.

'Oh, Jack! forgive—return!' It was but a whisper, and as the music had struck up again, he heard

it not.

Her arms droprjed to her sides, for Jack had passed out of sight. Through the conservatory door she could sec the fashionably dressed guests beyond, the flower decked drawing rooms, the glitter of jewels, and I lie pomp and vanity of the four hundred.

A ad Fedora, who was after all only a woman, with woman's weakness, sighed deeply as she said:

'Yes, it is best —I could never be happy again away from this bright existence, for which I was fitted by nature. lie will perhaps find one more worthy. We must forget—as he says, bury the past forever. Poor old Jack —Heaven be kind to you, and heaven be merciful to such a weak girl as Fedora Thorpe!'

(To be continued daily.)