A Two Hours Courtship.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 40, 16 February 1907, Page 10

A Two Hours Courtship.

'"■""- 3Bi* Liliak QuiLraiD.CoTJCH, Author of "'Roger-Howard," eto (411 Rights Rosorved.)

For six months I have been Lady Beersbury. when people wonder (as I know many do) ohw it is that I, a mere aobody a year ago, am now a peeress, I long to ■ tell them that it was the gasman who j brought it about ; for it certainly was. When two girls, living in two rooms, come to the end of their money, and a man "cuts off the gas," as he terms it, pertain it is that something has to be done, and the "something" sometimes brings about unexpected results. That "syas the situation in which Cecily Ardla,:npnt and. f "found ,-ourselves one; March evening, and, sitting in-ihe light of two tfiin, flickering candles, wo 'decided with Attavy hearts that the "something" must bo the selling of some of Cecily's most treasured emerald and aquamarine jewellery. .Cecily was crying, and tiying not to show the fact. I was angry with circumstances, and did not care how much I displayed it. I think if they had been my own fkeasures which had to go I should not h^ave felt it so keenly, but I had nothing valuable enough to sell, and I was miserable £hat Cecily should have to part with the one thing that was left of her inheritance. Cecily did not caro for jewellery as personal ornaments, and she certainly had no opportunity in our present circumstances for wearing beautiful green stars Bet in rays of diamond. But the gems had been the most treasured possession of her gs-andfather, who camo by- them nobody quito"knew how," '.except" that they were, tho .gift - of . a beautiful Spanish_ lady --about- whom -• the old gentleman rarely spoke,' and' that one article froni the set had, always been missing. Cecily and I, who had been schoolfellows, found ourselves, not many years after our school life was over, both fated to faco the- world 'and earn our own living. It was harder or Cecily than on me. for 1 had been an orphan most of my life, and my father, a soldier himself, had bequeathed me a sort of soldier's ability to bqar the rough and tumble of circumstance. Consequently when one day I found that my very slender fortune had been gambled away by a rogue solicitor, I turned my play into work, and began to do my test to turn into money ths pictures *I had hitherto painted for pleasure. Cecily's father, however, had been what the melodramatists call "a scion of a noble house" — a decidedly younger "scion," but still a "scion," with^vcry little idea of business or af work. And when his entire fortune (which was not large) was swept avcay in an innocent scheme for importing rubber from a district where no rubber grew, he just sat down staring blankly at ruin, and did not get up again. For nearly six months he stared on out of an almost lifeless head, till one day they covered his staring eyes with a coffin-lid, and felt that it was easier to-bear Ibis .death than that life '■ - T . Then Cecily came to town with" her wonderful skeins of silk and magic needles, and lived in my studio, and we worked together to keep the wolf from the door. The wolf was kept out, after a fashion, but it will be no surprise to those who have tried to do likewise, to hear that we could not keep out the gasman. He came — and he left us in darkness. "It will be all right in time," I declared, trying to be cheerful in the j light of those poverty-stricken-looking candles, "but just at present the situation is awkard." "Starvation is staring us in the face," asserted Cecily desperately. "Nothing of the sort," I objected, "we've a bad six weeks before us, till I've finished my miniatures, and you've done you^ curtains, but then we shall swim along all right." "One can do a lot of starving in six weeks," she said gloomily. Then we sat and stared at the. candles till we then Cecily rose and went into the bedroom. When, she came back she laid upon the table the Spanish lady's beautiful gift — a.necklet, pendant, brooch, bracelets, aud on© earring of strung stars, uncommon in ■workmanship, and wonderful in effect, lie emeralds had been carefully choseafor their fradnaled colouring, each star being^ of a deep green at the centre, shading lighter towards the points, where the eaneraids were cleverly blended with aquamarines." The setting of the stones could s«wc<Jy < .be geen, but between each sta,r'poinb w<a» a- line of gold, cunningly irra--diatealiiyrveTy minute diaanpndgr '. ; "We can't do anything to-night," sajd -CJecily,-*'bu± tp-morrow we will sell some •.Ol^fnis. "TJgE:—^on't it, tie dxeaOful — tb"feUingy X;iMan— going to a. man' and saying " "I shall do that part," I interraptea firmly. Vlf I canH- contribute jewels, at •least -I can give- my. services. At any nfate, I mean to gaJ' • '. It was a great wrench next moralOK to .take the pretty jewels from their/v*lvefc'Case and decide .which should be patted with,.', but at last we concluded that one bracelet would be enough to mend our-fortanes for"the-;tiine, and I- started on my errand. • It ~was-not qniteJßO'bad as I had feared. I: -went to Springard} one of the best 3eaiers in antique and rarejeweliery, and. he had so much the manner of one accustomed to having bracelets offered to him every day by ducbesses, that I began to Jeel as if; the- affair were quite ordinary, undertaken for a mere whim, 'instead; or for an- insistent gasman, and I gained courage rapidly. Mr. Spsingard wa» inclined to undervalue the bracelet, but he'seemed interested in it too, and' in no hurry to have me gone. He talked quite a lot about various jewels, and the styles of different periods. "Now, this kind of bracelet," he said, atflength returning to Cecily's treaaure, "is generally made in pairts," and ho looked at me keenly. "Is it V I remarked politely. "Is this one of a pain?" he asked. "This is the only one J have to sell," I-. replied. "If you .would allow me to .have the Vhole set," he said unexpectedly, "I could offer a much better price. It would bo worth much more to usdn comparison." At that I laughed, for his shrewdness could not conceal the fact that, in spite of his first manner, he -really thought well of the bracelet. ' "I am afraid," I said, carelessly, " tha* if I had a whole set to dispose of 1 should scarcely do it -for the-sake of providing a more valuable -thing for someone eke to buy." "But the price would be much higher in proportion " "But the price of tbeibracelet is enough fer me," I smiled. "I rnenely wish for enough money to buy epmeth'ing I want*: more., • I did not tell him that tho "something" was ga»; and after a little more talk I took his money, and walked off as if little transactions of- this sort were trifles with me, Cecily laughed^ even while ebe sighed, when I told her of the interview, and together w« planned a little feast, to reward us tor all we had gone^ through. TAjfcas on the third, day. aftex.tfiig.4hak

Cecily turning over her morning letters, gasped, and exclaimed, "What can, have happened !" Then she handed me an •! envelope, on the flap of which were the j name and address of "Richard Springard, jeweller." For a moment a horrible fear shot through me that ho had discovered some defect in the bracelet, and wanted his money again ; and as part ' of it lay in the pocket of the gasman, and more of it had been turned into bread and butter, and even fourp^nce of it faced -me in the shapfc of daffodils, I felt theTc would be real difficulty in the matter. My fears, 'however, melted when I read the letter. "Madam," it ran, ''I trust you will pardon mo for approaching you on the ! subject of your emerald and aquamarine set of jewellery (of which tho bracelet was disposed of to me on the 27th ult.), j but if you can see your way clear to die- J posing of the complete set I can assure you that I could effect a sale to your advantage. I am, madam, yours obediently, Richard Springard." Our breakfast that morning was eaten in a flutter, half-pleasure, half-fright — pleasure that the great Richard Spiingard had betrayed a real interest in tho jewek, fright lest circumstances should ever force us to allow him to put his hands on them. After breakfast Cecily wrote her refusal, merely saying that she had no intention of selling anything further. Then we went back to work, and tried again to forget the missing bracelet. And there, we concluded, the matter would end. . *•• ' It did Dot. "Cecily !''"" I exclaimed,- two days later,"here is a thrilling mystery." "Where?" demanded Cecily, coming to my side, as I stood at the window in the twilight. "Do you sco that man?" indicating a figure strolling away on tho opposite pavement. "Yes. But he doesn't look either thrillinn; o r mysterious " "Well, let mo tell you that man," I answered her with solemnity, watching this house !" "He has a casual way of doing it then," she laughed, ref jsing to be impressed. "Three times to-day," I continued, "when I have happened to look out, that man hns been passing, and looking at this building." "How v>2Ty subtle of him !" "It's all very well for you to be flippant," I Tctorted: "but I believe he is after ycjr emeralds." " Goodness gracious, Hermione," she cried shuddering, " don't say such things. He looked a gentleman." " Yes," I admitted. "He looks so much a gcntlemm as to be out of place gazing up at 'Model Dwellings for Working Women.' " '" Don't let us scare ourselves," pleaded Cecily nervously. ''He's probably only looking out a good position for a sky-sign, or he'k contemplating an article on 'The Modern Woman, and How She Livec,' " "Well, I wish he wouldn't," I objected crossly. " She won't be able to live at all if he goes about frightening her to death." We waited'somo time at tho vcindow, but the man did not appear again, and at^ length, we turned to our overdue meal. The very next morning came the beginning of our acquaintance with Lord Seersbury. From the hand of his cscretary came a letter to Miss Ardlamont, caymg that his lordship had a great wish to procure any pieces of jewellery similar to the bracelet which Mr. Springard had purchreed from Miss Ardlamont, and if Miss Ardlamont pocsessed, and would be willing to part with, any such, he would take it as a personal favour, and would gladly agree to any price she might name. He would call if she would permit him. " That clause about the price is a compliment to your honesty, my dear," I laughed. But Cecily was angry. " Old fossil !"' she exclaimed. " Fancy my beloved emeralds, and ajl Grandpapa's lomancc going to a 'collector!' It's just impudence, and he shall not have them." And she sat down at once, and wrote a polite but frigid note to his lordship, saying that she had no intention of parting with her jewels, and it would be useless for him to call, as 6he was unable to receive him. There, again, one might have considered the matter -ended j but I am bound to say that by this time I was excited by the situation, and I had a feeling. that we should hear more of it. ' We did. " Listen to this, Hermione !" Letter in hand Cecily rushed into the bedroom a few days later with a scared face. " Hero is more of that dreadful emerald business. What do you make of it?" And she read — " 'If the lady who sold the emerald zx.ttA acpiamarino bracelet on 2Tth Slarcli, will grant a short interview to the writer, in the Murillo Room of the National Gallery, on 10th or 11th April, she will confer a deep obligation. The writoi* will wear a bunch of violets. Will the lady carry daffodils?'" " A thrilling lifi>^ is opening beforo us," I said with mock solemnity. " Don't joke. I'm beginning to be horribly nervous," shuddered Cecily. * 'Whatever does it all mean? I sell a pieco of jewellery in a simple and aboveboard manner, and from that time I know no peace. Myßtery is in the air. I feel as if unknown people were shadowing me. Nothing much has actually happened I know, but the unaccountableneas of it all has got on ms nerves." " Put an end to it tnen," I advised.. " Go to the Murillo Room qn the 10th." " Not for worlds !" she declared. " The whole thing frightens me. I have grown almost to dislike the emeralds themselves. I wake in the night and expsct to see people groping after them." ' ' " A change of air fe what you need," I said decidedly. "When our next 'dividends' come we'll have a tour in the Riviera." " Don't be absurd," sue pleaded/ -Then *ho tore the letter in shred 6, and went back to her work. It was quite true, though, I had noticed it myself. Cecily had become pale and nervous, and altogether unstrung, first by the loss of her bracelet, and then: by these strange attempts to obtain the' rest of her jewels. Watching her day by day I had seen how restless and uniike herself she was, and as I went about my work now thatithis fresh development had come, I determined that > the''troubleiintist^ be stopped in some way or another. Long and silently I weighed' it all 'in my mind, and the outcome of my determination was that the afternoon of the 10th found me actually in the Murillo Room, with my eyes wide open for a man or woman wearing violets. But there were no daffodils in my own hands. f. had not long to wait. Even as I walked through the doorway of the room, a half-conviction was in my mind regarding the person I should see; and before I ■ had so much as noticed that at least three ladies woro violets tucked into their coate, my eyes fell upon the man who had. haunted our street ten days ago, and a bunch of violets was in his buttonl»>le. I never for a moment doubted that this was Cecily's correspondent, and & strange* gladness filled me that it was to. He looked so kindly, so trustworthy, as well as well-dreesed, and what is termed n. "thorough gentleman," that I felt at once. that ho,w.©.ve^th^traaj|acUp^sygh J t

terminate, there would 1 be no unpleasantuses and nothing to dread. He seemed to be dividing his attention, between the pictures and the doorway, waiting presumably for the lady with the ■ daffodils. And I, wondering whether he were connected with Mr. Springard, whether he were quite another interested person, but feeling sure all tho lime in my own mind that he was Lord Secrsbury's secretary, strolled slowly through the room, and passed out into the streets again. But my mind was mado up. 1 felt sure there was nothing to be feared from this man, and I was determined to bring tho silly matter to an explanation of some sort. "Cecily," I said, as soon as I reached home, "I've been to the National Gallery. I've seen your man with the violets." Cecily dropped her toasting-fork on the fender, and gasped. "Oh," she said. "Oh, how could you! Oh, why did you? Oh, Hermiono, how did you get on — what was he like? — what did he say 1" "Mercy," I cried, "one at a time. I did it to satisfy my curiosity, and there was no 'getting on' in the matter, for he didn't know I was there." "Didn't you speak?" "No. I went to prospect. But lam going to-mirrow — carrying daffodils." "No, no, you must not — " "I moan to." "Don't, Hermione, please don't." "Yes — unless you will go yourself." "Oh, I couldn't." "Well. I can. lam sure he is all right — a gentlemen, I mean — and I'm going to got somo sort of sense about those mysterious old worrying emeralds of yours." "If you will, you will, I suppose," she said despairingly, "but I shan't know an easy moment till you are back again." "I wonder if I shall," I thought. Sixpence I gave for my daffodils next day at Piccadilly Circus, and then I walked on to the meeting-place, with my heart thumping Jike a mine-stamp. I shall never forget that afternoon. It seems now as if my life began at the moment I saw again the man with the violets, and he walked towards nie. _ Without any awkwardness or hesitation he greeted me. "You 'are the 'lady of the bracelet?'" he said. "Yes," I replied. "And you sent a lettor — Lord Scersbury's letter?" "Yes, I am deeply obliged to you for coming." "I can't tell why I did," I blurted out, feeling suddenly absurdly shaky ana overcome. "Let us sit down," he said gravely. "I want to tell you simply and honestly why I wanted to see you." "You wanted to get tho jewels for Lord Seersbury," I affirmed. "Quite true," he smiled, as we sat down facing the "Adoration" picture. "But I shouldn't have chosen this mode of approaching you — a mode you have ovory right to be suspicious of— if I could have met you in any other manner." "Please go on," I said. "If you are Lord Seersbury's secretary, you know just haw the matter stands so far." He looked at me searchingly, and seamed about to speak , then ho fell silent for a- while, and I waited. "Lord Seersbury," ho said at last, "has a groat wish to become possessed of pieces of jewellery similar to tho bracelet sold by you to Springard. Therefore when Springard resold the bracelet to Lord Scersbury, and told him that tho lady who brought it to him had several more pieces^ " "Which fact ho merely guessed at," I interposed hotly. "I never told him so." "Springard is a sharp trader," he remarked. "I am differently situated. I — Lord Seersbury has a sentimental icason for wishing to have the full set of thoso emerald and' aquamarino jewels." I shook my head -slowly. Much as I loved Cecily, I already felt sorry that this man must be disappointed in his mission ; 'You will not part with them?" "I cannot." "If you will have patience," ho said, "let me tell you something of the reason why lam here to-day. I cannot tell you all the story for I do not know it. It was a story known only to — Lord Seersbury's grandfather, and he never told it. Well, to continue, Lord Scer3bury Ayas loft early an orphan, and his grandfather took the child into his lonely home and his lonely heart, and treated him with all the love, genorosity and devotion tho best of parents could havo given. You understand, ho was everything to the boy — and tho boy worshipped him." "Yea," I replied, "I see all that clearly enough." "The oid Lord was owner of much land and many possessions, but he was a sad, solitary man. Nothing seemed to be of valuo or interest to him, excepting his grandson, and — one thing clso. Can j-ou guess what was? 55 "No. How is it possible that I could?" "It was a single earring — ono star of emeralds and aquamarines set in gold and diamonds !" Tho words fell on my caro like an unreal story of the imagination. Without reason, I felt the blood ebb back from my face. It was all so strange, so mysterious. . I seemed to have.walked out of oyeryday life into this- room to listen to impossible things which yet seemed -more possible than tho old life I had led till this day. "The old man never told the story of that aingl« jewel ; but year after year he would take it, in ita case, an dgo away for weeks together, and his gTandson guessed then — what he has eince learned to be the case— that he went in quest of the fellow-jewels, the remainder of that Bet of emeralds and aquamarines." He ceased speaking and looked at me. "Oh, how etr»nge!"l murmured, full of amazement, and dazed- by the unreality of the situation. "How marvellous it all seems — " "He died: without) gaining what he sought," he continued, "although ©vety jewoHer was on the watch in liis interest. Now can you wonder that his grandson it eager, for the sake of the old mane memory, when h© at last has hopes tfyat the- jewels are in existence?" "No, I do not wonder; and I admit that the jewels aro in existence. But," I shook my head sorrowfully, "you must tell LoTd Seersbury that the lady who possesses thorn values them also. Tell aim 'that oho also had a grandfather wlib prized them beyond all his other possessions. Lord Seersbury cannot have them. Only great neoesciity made her paTt with the bracelet, and there is nothing except -absolute beggary which would make her part with them." "Jb there truly no happier way ?" Leaning forward he smiled into my face with hones)), kindly eyes. "I can see no other way," I aisured '.him. ''When I came into this room," ne said, half-sadly, half-boyishly, ".hall I tell you what I thought — for one moment I" "Yes, do," I said eagerly. "I thought," he said slowly, smiling depMcatingly the while, "that I would ask the lady of tho bracelet to be my wife." For moments the whole room seemed to sway and reel about me. A dreadful, overwhelming feeling, part anger, paH joy, part shamo, filled and confused* me. [ I put out my hand as if to stave it off, and ho took it and held it firmly. L- -vJISS&b-e ftSSJCXitb mo*." ho plwd,e<L,