MRS HAROLD STAGG.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6242, 2 September 1891, Page 4

MRS HAROLD STAGG.

|BY ROBERT GRANT.]

CHAPTER VIII

ADD THE MOON'B FATJIT,

Eleanor found herse" on a graveled tin roof with chimney-pots on every side, and a network of wires stretching like mammoth silver cobwebs hitber and thither into sheeny space. Far off to the right aud left a river glistened, wherr ->n many lights movti and twinkled. High over head the moon rode in gorgeous tranquility, sole mistveas of a heaven unfleoke. by a single cloud. _ " You have your wish ; you are in Roof Park, mv lady. Wi 1 -. you take your choice of seats P" said Uncle Phineas, with mock solemnity, indicating a couple of comfortable looting chairs and a hammook in front of them, which swung between two chimneys. "The hammock for me, if no one else wants it," she said. " Thiß is perfection ; so cool too; you can feel the breeze from the sea. Why do not more people do this ? At least it is no longer very hot," she added, observing the smile on both their faces. She stretched herae-f out and drew the netting close around her, so that only her face peeped forth. " Swing me, Uncle Phin." The professor removed from his mouth the pipe he was about to light, and smilingly complied; while Mr. Struthera, dropping into one of the chaira, began to finger lightly the strings of the banjo. "He will sing for you if you ask him," said the professor. "I do ask. lam very fond of singing, Mr Struthers.

For a moment tbe young man hesitated ; then, after a preliminary thrum or two, he sang in a sweet, strong voice. Silently swayed the hammock, save for a moment's creek on the rusty hook, at the close of each oscillation.

|JThe professor_had been able to kindle his meerschaum, and stood happy, giving now and again with his hand a slight impulse to the shrouded figure. The singer's voice welled out in eloq.ent rapture, lingered a moment, and then lapsed into the quieter strain that comported with his ditty. There was pathos in his tone before the finish, and when he had come to an end, and the instrument was at rest, the hammock still swayed and the smoker still smoked, and only the creak and tha far off rumble of the city streets broke the silence. After a moment he started off again, this time aa though he were fearful that bis song had been of a too sentimental order, with a light negro ditty, descriptive of the charms of Eliza Jane, which evoked a ripple of pleased laughter from the hammock, and spurred him. to essay another of the same type, concerning a little "yellow girl." The professor, having set the swing a-flying by a couple of stronger twists of his forearm, composed himself in the other chair, to watch the cat die, aa he eaid, which melancholy event took place just as the melody was brought to a oloße. Thereupon Eleanor sat up and, grasping the netting on either side, pushed against the roof with her feet, and set herself in motion again.

"Don't disturb yourself; you are to sing!" she cried to Struthers, who statted np as though to take his turn at swinging her. "I am enjoying it so much."

He thought a little and began once more with one of Moore's short love songs, and a second, and still a third time he made a new choice before the humor seized him to desist or her to speak. Then they chanced to look up at the same moment and to perceive that the professor's bead had fallen forward on his breast and that he was not smoking.

"He is asleep," said Eleanor, in a whisper. Then, aa she watched the electrician lay the banjo softly beside him, she added with enthusiasm: "It must be an endless delight to be able to sing like that."

" It is a relaxation to me from my work, at any rate. Your uncle seems to like to hear me, and _one of the neighbors have complained as yet."

Eleanor, shrouded in the hammock, was able to peep at bim through the network without being observed. The moonlight fell upon him iv such a way that his features were thrown into relief. They were refined and suggested a sensitive temperament. She reflected that he must be between twenty-five and thirty. His appearance was neat, but he was evidently poor. What a. strange contrast were these new surroundings to those which she had just left! What would her aunt say if she could see her now rockiDg in a hammock on a roof, while an impecunious student of science sang to her. Eleanor could not help smiling at the thought, but at tho same moment she said to herself tbat "he was fiftyfold more interesting to her than Owen Page and the other young men with whom she had associated during tbe past year." There was, moreover, something shy and unsophisticated about this one, which gave her a sense of composure which it was rather pleasant to feel.

"Have you lived here long, Mr Btruthero ?" she asked.

" Only about six months in this house. But I was born and brought up in the city. Last summer I waa graduated from the school of mines.'-'

"So you have begun your life-work," she replied, wistfully. "I am immensely interested in electricity. lam assisting a prominent chemist in making some experiments, and in my leisure—which is considerable—l am pursuing my studies and investigations on my own account. Sooner or later I hope to obtain a position either with some large concern tbat puts in electrical plants or regular employment as a consr'Hng engineer in such matters."

He spoke with a direct simplicity thai attracted Eleanor.

" Then we are somewhat similarly situated," she was tempted to reply; "only you have your -work already in a measure provided aud mapped out, and I am still an idler perforce."

" You P" he ejaculated, wonderingly. She enjoyed his astonishment for a moment without responding, then she said : "Yon did not know, then, that I was looking for a position."

He became confused, and it was plain that he waa nonplussed, doubtful whether she was bantering him or not. Again she waited, finding his embarrassed silence and almost distressed mien delicious, by way of contrast to the veneered audacity of the young men who visited her aunt Emma.

"Yes, I am going to be a teacher; that is, if any one will engage me. I have come here to ask my uncle about it. He does-not know as yet. I should like a position in a college if possible, so that I might become a professor iv time, if I were fit for it. But lam ready to begin at the bottom of the ladder, and accept anything that offers. Does the idea shock you, Mr Struthers ?"

She had had no intention of confiding her secret to him. Somehow it had slipped out, and here she was lying bare her inmost soul, as it were, to th's half-starved-looking young engineer, whom she had never seen before to-day. Was ia that she felt certain of his sympathy by instinct, in spite of the intimation of mistrust which her query conveyed ?"

"Shock me? Why Bhould it?" he said, simply. " Only—" he added, and then precipitately helled, while renewed discomfiture betrayed itself on his cheeks. "Only what, Mr Struthers?" Eleanor asked, with a delighted laugh. For a moment he hesitated, then suddenly raising b : s eyes, he answered:

" Only I had not supposed you_to be that kind of a young lady."

" And what kind of a youug lady had you supposed me to bo, Mr Struthers ?"

ne evidently realized tbat bis boldness had merely d"awn hire on to thinner ice, for he seemed to u-jdergo contortions before her interrogator and laughing glance. She had raised herself in tbe hammock as she spoke aud was looking full at him. But it plainly was not bis wont to rescue himself from peril by subterfuge, for after a moment of agonized confusion, he said with the same d' .ectness as before : " I assumed you were rich, and tbat it wou'd not have occuuel to you to do »'iyth'ng of that sort." "In other words, you took me for a frivolous butterfly of fashion." Eleanor waa soiry the moment she bad spoken, and realized the flippancy of her remark the more keenly as he answered in a tone that was free from any suggestion that he was punishing his tormentor: , " It does not follow, does it, because one ta „leh, that one has to be a frivolous butnaive searching for of his reply,

be sent to school; and I told my uncle Harold then that it is my wish to bfe a teacher. The boys are well cared for now, so that I am at liberty to carry out my, intention. The only trouble is—" Eleanor paused, realising that it was rather ludicrous that she should unbosom her perplexities further, yet an inexplicable'impulse unsealed her lips again, and she continued —" the only trouble is tbat they —or particularly my aunt—do not understand at all why I should wish to leave them. She and my uncle have both been exceedingly kind and generous to me ; they have an exquisite house, where I have everything my heart could desire in the way of luxury, and nothing would please them more than that I should remain with them until—until I am married," she said, with a little laugh " Aunt Emma is bent upon my marrying, and I'm afraid it will break' her heart if I don't. But a woman can't affoid to throw away her whole future merely in order to be married. Why phould a woman give up her life-work more than a man?" she added, eagerly. "Would a man—would you, Mr Struthera?" Struthers blushed. " I have never been in love," he said. " For the matter of that, neither have I," she responded, gayly. "It is merely a suppositious case, so far as that goes. But does it not come to the same thing when Aunt Emma says that if I become a teacher I shall cut myself off from the possibility of ever making a brillia.t match ; for, of course, Mr Struthers, I shall never put up with a match that is not brilliant." The fall of the professor's pipe relieved the young electrician from the necessity of replying to this last observation, for, aroused by tbe noiae, Uncle Pbineas opened bis eyes and sat upright. _ )t «• I verily believe.l have been anoozing.__ " I verily believe you have Uncle Phin," Eleanor answered: and she and Mr Struthers laughed gleefully. The professor looked at his watoh. "Twenty-five minutes to eleven!" he cried. " Here, you. young people, this will never do. Roof Park closes at half-past ton sharp. And what is more, young man, you forgot our coffee." '•So I did, sir," stammered Struthers. " I apologise." , , . The professor shook his head incredu. lously. " Again I verily believe that it was done on purpose, in order that I might fall asleep. The young against the old ! History repeats itself night after night; and, worat of all, the moon, who used to have the reputation of being circumspect in such matters, winks half the time at what is going on, and leaves ua in the dark the rest." He rose, and after a last survey of the brilliant heavens, led the way to the opening. " Come ; it is time for bed." "I shall petition the trustees of Roof Park to-morrow that iv future the gates remain open an hour later," said Struthers, quietly, as he offered his hand to Eleanor to assist her over the sin. "But that will not help us to-night, she replir i, with a sigh, looking up regretfully at tbe glorious moon. "A woman never thinks of to-morrow." "Tbat is the reason why so many of you make mistakes; take an old bachelor's word for it!" cried the profe3aor. " The gates are closed," he added, as the trap door fell into place, and they began to descend the step-ladder. [to be continued.)