A COUNTY FAMILY.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 108, 31 January 1879, Page 3

A COUNTY FAMILY.

4_ (By the author of "Lost Sir Mapsingberd." CHAPTER XXXVll.— (Continued). THE TEMPTATION. If the sentimental emotions evoked in Mr William Blackburn with reference to his late wife were more power ul than we might have been led to expect, they were not, on the other hand lasting' for, after a very biief retirement, he came forth, and joined the rest of the party in the garden without the least sign of his recent depi ess-ion ; nay, he was even in bigh spirits— clumsily brisk — grotesquely genial, like some wild animal whose vagaries would not be unamwdng, if one could only . be certain bow they would end. "Is this, now," thought Mr Waller, smi ing encouragingly at his young frieud, " merely the eff --ct of his favorite stimulant-, or does be wish to show me that what I have just seen in him was only a momentary weakness ?" Lucy also regarded him with a a shuddering interest she had never experienced before. She bad been ih possession of her father s scheme «.f course, but he had not directly confided it to her. She had not pictured to herself the actual possibility of this man's being: her lord and mastei. Doubtless the reader has >een a parallel case, for there are many inch in good seciety (indeed they are most numerou? in the best); but if not, let him imagine how much more noteworthy the gambols of the Greater Ape would appear to him in its cage in the Regent's P<iik, if it were enacted ihat, after" a certain time the creature would exercise a personal ; authority over him. She - wondered w bat arrant ement bad jast been made by her father .with this man in r yonder room, and augured ill for herself from Mr William's boisterous mirtb. :: Eden, on her .part, was ncarcely in 'lighter mood than her 'friend; she had told Lucy of Denton's visit that morning — but that yoaoglady was at present unable to enlighten her aa'toits ; cause, and this filled her with vagua alarms. Stanhope was, for some

I reason best known to himself, by no means at 'his ease — nor tad he been so of late wmn Ellen and Lucy Were present, so that on Mr Walter and William dcv Ived the task that day of making conversation, and what ii vulgarly called *' doing the agreeable." J t was as though for s *me evening party too fashionable t.« amuse themselves, tbe most accomplished singer or elegaut pianist had been engaged, and a 1 so a gentleman whose on'y art was to stick pina in to the fleshy parts of his legs, or draw yarH» of tape out of his mouth' — altbough it must be f ranted Mr William was certainly no conjurer. fc would have been much more difficult however, even under less adverse circumstances, to make time pass at the Fishery thm at the Manor. There was not room and verge enough io tbeir pteseat picturesque but contra ted posi tion to do as they pleased ; all was thrown together in. that narrow space, and except for tbe malady of the sea, might almost aa well have been fellow- pa sengers ship-bored, compared with whom all companiea ashore, even in their quarter of an hour before dinner, or when enjoying a " little music " afterwarJs, are hilarity itself. ] When the postman came that afternoon, who took away with him a letter (with au enclosure) in Mr Waller's fioe flawing and yet business hand, he brought one of a different appearance for Stabhope. To judge by its superscription, j which was "Mr Stanhope, Esq., care of Mr Blackburn, Esq ," it had beeu written with a skewer, and exoited in that dearth of subjects of interest, quite a topic of conversation as to whom such an eccentric correspondent might be. Mr. Waller opined that it was a love-letter i from some young lady ot rank whose education had been neglected. " More likely," observed dull William, cunningly, " it's from one of bis turf friends." " Who uses, characteristically, a horse's shoenail, instead of a steeJ-pen." added Stanhope, good-Lumouredly. He read it and crumpled it up in hia pocket, carelessly, saying that Black urn wa? so far right - that it was a beggin^-letter from po< r old Jerry the card-seller, who had come to grief. "Why, you don't mean to say thafc any one begs of yow?" was Mr. William's coarse rejoinder ; *.nd so the mattor endc'. Bufc when the long afternoon tame to its close at last, *nd the visit-is )ad departed, taking Mrs. Blackburn with them whom they had persuaded with d ffiuu'ty to be their guest for the next day at least — Stauhope took no further pains to hide that something bad anmyed him deeply ;».nd the more he showed it, tbe higher Mr. William's spirits rose. As he "watohed him iuvoiuntanly take out Bgun and again the mis sive he had revived, only to thrust it back *nu> his pocket with a muttered curse, he chuikled to himself and whistled merii'y. " Ih-clo Dean has done ih<? trick," thought he. "Oh, yes, it's a begging-letter right enough ;but it h>6 : none .< f old .Lr-y's wbi in it. Isa stand-and-deliver affiir, from one of his Goodwood friends, I'll take my davy." And for once in his life at leaet Mr Wdliam migLt have ma^e a statement on oath and yet not committed peijury. It was a letter of the " You-call-youroeh a-gentleman " sort, which those who owe debts of honour, and which they are unable to pay, ought to make up their minds not to wince at it; but it galled >1s present recepieut to the quick. "As for your being abroad, I know it's all Dawlisb's gammon," ran one of the senteuces, "and I. f>r one, am not going to be fobbed off with promises. It's true tbat I can't get my rights by Jaw ; but if St< k 1 s and I — for he's my paidner — don't get our c>>ol four thousand withia the week, mind tbis, I'll post gov,." Presently, as they sat iv the twilithb over tbeir brandy-and-water and cii<ars, at the open window, a boat glided slowly by up the stream. "Now, I'll stake n.y jife," cried William, who who was always offering tbii wager (aa in his idea at least it was) upou the most trifling event-, •'those two young rogues there are after nightpoaching." •Very Likely," answered Stauhope, curtly,; "I dont care a farthing whether tbey are or not." •'Bun it's my river, Sir, every yard of it, from here to Mosedale." "Then I wish 'em luck." said Ftanhope, draining his and mixing himself another. " I cay, what the deuce is tbe matter with you, old fellow ? enqui*eri W.lliam, always conciliatory when another sohwed »igns of fight. " V- v seem uncommon down upon your lack to-n'ght," " Well my luck is rather down upon me J returned the other, biterly — my usual luck, that is. . " B"sh ! what have you got to complain of T — a hand- ome, gentlemanly your.g fellow, whom all the girls are wild for, with a fine bouse and an old name, and whose estate, if it is a little dipped — — " Mr Wd iam stopped ; he could not quite conceal the delight he took in thus torturing his friend, and the other's eyes flashed fire. '• I have no estate, Sir as perhaps you know,'' said be, desperate y, "head that," and he tossed him over Mr -"tokeb's parduer's letter. " Whit an impudent sc>>undre! !" ejaculated the other, when he had mastered the contents, "if course" — and here he lit a fresh cigar, as an excuse for nofc meeting his companion's gaze *' of cour.-e you'll pay the begeer off at onue, and have done with bim ? And yet four thous and pounds is a large sum to have to pay all of a sudden." "To me afc halt it i*, M said Stanhope, sternly. " Indeed I have not got the money." "Wot got the money? exclaimed tbe o f ber, raising his bushy eyebrows, " Uear me ! What will you do, then ? B >h ?" "No; it has not come to that yet, T hope. I must raise this sum how I can. Bedmoor Fir grove is still mine to sel , and that will fetch it ; and in the meantime I must trouble you to ad vance ifc to me." "The trouble would be a pleasure," said William, co< ly, " but upon my li c I have not fif y pounds I can call my own. If you bad askvd me at break ast-time, I might have lent you a little more, but my father in-law that is to be was so very pr» ssing this morning, that I had to lend ie to him " "Is this really true, Blackburn ! Cm you j not help me in this strait at *11 ? If yon will only make the advance, I will pay you ten— twenty per cent. You know that lam one to keep my word." *' This gentleman here does hot seem to know it," said William, carelessly, pointing to the letter ; "although I dare say what be writes ia lies." " No ; it's true," paid Stanhope, hoarsely, taking no notice, in his fierce t xdtement, of the other's irritating manner. "I believe I have been tha greatest fool alive ; " aid he gr.-und his teeth so that the cigar fell frora his lips bitten clean through. "I. know one way, and only one, by which you may still be a rich man," said Wdliam, slowly. " To-morrow? " cried the other, bitterly. " Yes, to-morrow ; that is, as soon a3 you like." Stauhope shook his head. •* It is not," continued the other, *' the way v hiph you have in your mind, but another way." "What do you mean ?" there was something in Blackburn's voice which, wretched as Stanhope felt, gave him a thrill of horror. " Well, I'll tell you upon two conditions. First, that you don't fly into OBeof your foolish passions — 'enough to make a fellow's blood run cold as look at you ; and secondly, that, whether yon agree to my proposal Or hot, you'll keep it a secret — never, baeathe it to any human being — never speaa about it again, even to myself, unless I ask yen." To b* continued.