THE RED-HAIRED GIRL.

Evening Star, Issue 12626, 4 October 1905, Page 2

THE RED-HAIRED GIRL.

[PdMnbeft hy Special -Arrangement.]

Br TSAH6JVB3 Moosm, Author of 'The Girls bi the Htmse,' 'Sir Boger's Heir,' 'The Jessamy Bride,' 'The Original Woman,"Well,After All,' etc., etc. [Copyright.] , CHAPTER XVTL ladv Greebam sent not a card but s letter "the following inviting MiM Dill and her father to an informal dinner at Battenburg square, and apologising for the very short notice she was giving them; and Miss Dill and tor father accepted the invitation. It w«B a very pleasant little dinner. No nriddle-a«ed person was present—no person who might well be disposed """D^li—DSl—Captain Dill? Now, whew have I heard that name? Wasn't there some scandal or other associated "•**«* Captain Dill in oar young days—something about a howe-or was H a girV-no, I believe it was about a cheque that chdsnt come right."* No one was present at the dinner who could say anything like this. Sir Theodore had now and again come ecrcrw men who had said something to the same effect. But to die ears of the young«r generation the Difl scandal of twenty-five years perore had never come. The younger generation had its attention so folly occupied with the infinitely more scandalous scandals which were being enacted under their own eyes they had tio time to become acquainted with the pslrry peccadilloes of the part. Asa rnatter offact, if the indulgent younger Kcrerition bad Veen made aware of tae iarticulaT peccadillo alluded to twenty-five years beforTaa the "Dfll Scandal" tbey would have been disappointed. "But the cheque was paid after all, they would say in remonstrance with their informant who had had the levity to allude to the thing as a "scandal." Great Scott! If tie money was paid, what did it matter? And after all, there was only hundred pounds involved!" Thatis how the younger generation, who have been | breathiwr an atmewphero impregnated! with fraud, would regard an attempt to talk to fch"m about the dolinqnency of Dili. So H was quite a pleasant IHtle party, its member* ir.c'«'lin« Arihony GiWrharo and his friend Ernest Bathirate, the brilliant worn? man whom the English and; American newspapers stvled a »cientißt. and l-'rench a savant. He sat beside Esther, and in hh< bovE>li (■Trthtßoosui told her mmething m f hV aspira/tioms. Before the as-|t!-.-.rtK J had been banded round he had .'[:rr<"'l f>>r h»?r the eate leading to a new Ti-nrM —<rates not mad' l of pold—not even m.icle ni the pcar'a which belong to the rates of still another world —no, these were nwdp of a combination of minerals which had been cfi«ravered by Mr Bathgate, and whk)h would resist the impact of the most powerful projectile in existence. Ernest Ba+heuto was able to lead her a few steps into this marvellons domain. For nearly an hour site sat fascinated. How paltry everythmir in the world seemed in comparison with the mysteries of which this man spoke. What had people been doing all these years —bickering about religion, perspiring over politics, grasping for gold, instead of pressing fonrord to the attainment of the troth. She felt that Lady Oresratm's rising was the most insnpportable moment of her life. It was Eke being aroused from a dream of delight. She gapped back into the commonpjaceneso of society and the convestioDalities of the draw6ni»-roora—into the placid purling conversational streams as to whether the music of the new part suited Mdba—as to the possibißriea of the latest bnrctar—as to the forthcoming taKeanx. Doris came to her side with many qrsss■frkms. Had Mr Bathgate interested her? Had he told her how he had discovered femrmhrm? Oh, Mr Bathgate was a delightful man, and he bad said more than ones that if her couam Anthony would only give himself up to one branch of science he wonld make his mark, s Miss Dill assented to her encommms. She did ix>t think that she had ever met a more interesting man than Mr Bathgate, and was it not a pity that Mr Gresham could not be induced to make bis mark? "Oh, but he has made his mark." cried Doris qnkkhr. and with the air of one who feared lest the others should rest for a single instant under a misapprehension. " Everyone admits tljat Anthony has done estremeh/ well. He read a paper that was printed by the Boyal Society. He has made some real discoveries and has been at the point of making others when scmeene else has made them. He may have solved the greatest question of the diy—the question of color. Still, from tth.it Mr Bathgate said, I am rather sr-rry that he bothered himself with something that is not quite science. Are not you?" Miss IHH was not going to be so impolite to the absent Mr Gresham as to •.nggest tbat she regretted his excursion to the West Indies, by which she had been privileged to meet him; she only said that if Mr Gresham bad succeeded in solving the problem of black and white, his deviation from the path of pure science might be condoned. .And then the artful Miss DUI gently dnw Miss Gresham on to talk more and more about her coasin, until she noticed that Miss Gresham waa growing tenderly tinted with the bloom of a rose that is not damask, through the iutereat sbe took in her cousin as a topic. Then a yoong woman sang a very pretty drawing room scng, with weU-tramed inanity, and Doris 1-ad time to recover herself She signalled her recovery by making something like an excuse for ner former garrulity. "He has always bona to me like a brother, von know," she said, forgetting to mention Anthony's name. "That's why I am naturally so mush interested in everything lie does." Then the artful Miss DHL, having agood deal of sympathy for anyone who was artless, did a graceful thing. She pretended that she did~ not think that Miss Gresham had been garrulous on the subject of hez censin to the exclusion of every other topic. ''l did not know that you knew Mi Bathgate so well," she said. "Of coarse, you must be greatly interested " "Oh, I mean Anthony—my ooosin; wc -were talking of him, were we not?" cried Doris. "Of comae—how stupid of mef cried Esther. "I think that that sort of brotherly friendship—more than friondsfaip—eornrndnship, is the most delightful relationship in the world." "We have known each other from the Vhaß we were children," said Doris. "I have always looked up to him as to a brother. We have never had secrets from each other. Oh, I am very pzond of Anthony." "And you have good reason," said "EsOatn. roan wbo VeO& a girl oil his secrets is a man for her to be proud of, bntwhen he listens to all—all—her secrets in addition—ah, I am talking to yon as< a mother, and people who talk Eke mothers without being mothers are ,Eke the Englishman who went to teaeft his language to the French without knowing a word of theirs. But Mr Gresham is undoubtedly a man to be proud of." Doris was silent for a considerable space, and when she resumed her chat she chose a new topic and one that had no possible connection with her cousin and the pride which she inspired within her. Doris was surprised!—almost alarmed at herboldnras in saying what so many people (including Doris herself) ferfy hot were not prepared to say. She came to tire condasion before king that Miss Dili was a very straightforward girl, and that sbe not only admired her but liked her as welL Her conclusion was a mistaken one. Miss DiTt was sot rtraightfanrard; but she was nertainlv a girl to admire and to lflce. Sbe had not been brought up to be straigmforw^rd; she h**} bren brought ap to fie admired, not te> be artless. Even while Doris Gresham was thinking that Esther was srngolarry- straightforwnrd, Esther had been leading her on h> rw -overhand way, to reveal tober at least •ne-ef ber-eecreta-jsiieh <hs had at* sua.

Messed to her eousin, bnt om which might possibly interest him. She wondered if in carrying oat the system of sharing; lucie** uhich TJorfe sidd had alway# prevailed between Ivarsolf afld, Anthony, U»' eonfklenoas were treated like prisoners of war and exchanged. Being a girl barself she kaev that, in keeping such a compact, the girl did not give aw»Jr generals in exchange for corporals. But she was perfectly certain thai th* ttan carried out his port of the transference by offoring a corporal in a cocked hat in exchange for a real general. Slie wondered if "Kber of Ujcm was deceived to the smallest extent Meantime the winecup was circling the polished oak table, and Captain Dill was telling an extremely interesting story of Panama at one end o" the table, while Anthony and his friend Ernest Bathgate were talking science at the other end. Captain Dill had become quickly popular with a member of Parliament who clearly saw that he could turn to good account some information which he nod received en the subject of the protection of British interests in Central America. The _ member of Parliament was very attentive to ar.yone from whom he could get something. It paid him to be attentive. Sir Theodore sat at the end of the table between these guests and listened placidly to both. He knew the member's methods, and he was rather anxious to learn those of his old friend Dill. The interview which b? had had with Dill was quite insufficient to enable him to say whether his old friend was true or false. He suspected his old friend of being ready to make use of the information which had ecme into his hands, to his own advantage. To be sure, be had indignantly protested against the suggestions of bhicfc-n-ail: hut when hn was going away ho had rather more than hinted that be wished his daughter to be received by Lady Gresham. He wondered if this was not a form of blackmail—this obtaining the social protection of I/ady Gresh&m for his daughter. He had his fears. He thought it t<n likely that a long residence on the Spanish Main would h»ve a tendency to strengthen the mowl fibre of a man who bad left England on account of a certain imakness In this respect He was greatly relieved when liis wife ami daughter returned from their viwt to the Carlton Hotel, expressing their admiration of the beauty and the manners and the toilet of Maw Dill. The fact of his hxvinn- a danrhtcr who dressed so as to win the esteem oTliady Greeham went far to reassure Sir Theodore of the integrity of Captain Dill—a fact which showed that Sir Theodore was capable of forming a true b»»ris for his deductions. He was glad for his wife's sake that DilTs form of levying blackmail was one that could be submitted to without the exaction being deeply felt. And now, as he Bat between the man and the member of Parliament., be could not but acknowledge that it was no hardship to be compelled to entertain Dill at his table. Really it was Dill who did the entertaining, and hie manners were quite good—in fact, just a trifle too fcood; and this fact meant —though they did not know *t—that his manners were a trifle too much in evidence. Perfect manners are those which call for no remark. But he was undoubtedly entertaining, and when a man is entertaining no onesnould care whether he is honest or otherwise. Sir Theodore, listening to all that Dill had to say, and observing that he took only a single glass of white port, almost ceased to question his integrity. At the other end of the table Ernest Bathgate and had come together, and were discussing some weak point in the deduction* which a distinguished savant had mado from his observations of th*> spectrum of a certain gas. It was not until Ernest was flicking the ash off bis second cigarette from the sleeve of his coat that he said : "By the way, do you happen to know who Miss Dill is—l sat beside her at dinner!' "Miss Dill? Oh, she us—well, she is Miss Dill," replied Anthony. " That is her father to the left of my uncle. Did you find her interesting ?" Ernest made the customary pause of the exact thinker, and then he said: "More than interesting. How is it that I never beard of her?" "Possibly because you have never been in South America," said Anthony. "She baa lived in all the Republic* in succession, and has survived countless revolutions." "You met her out there?" said Ernest. "Yes. It turned out that her father was an old friend of my uncle's. That is how they come to be here to-night." Iu the pause that followed, Anthony became aware of the fact tbat two other men a little higher up the table were also speaking gently of Miss Dill. They bad not caught her name, but without mentioning itthey were, Anthony knew, referring to her beauty. (They, too, were talking " shop" ; one was a painter and the other a sculptor.) When the drawing rooms wore reached Ernest Bathgate walked straight toward Esther and sa* down beside her. At the same moment the painter was begging of Lady Grosbam to present him to Miss Dill, and the Bcubptor, knowing what he was about, thought him a forward fellow. Anthony saw all that occurred, and so did Captain Dili. The thought that came to them simultaneously was: "The girl is a success-!" CHAPTEB, XvTTL Before another week had passed there was no roam to doubt that Miss Dill was a success. Lady Greaham had a reception a few nights after her small dinner party, and Esther was present and presenttd to twenty or thirty people, all of whom bad asked their hostess or their hostess's daughter to do them this good total. (They assumed that it was a good turn.) Some of these were cniite notable people, not merely in society, Dttt in the world. They were very civil to her, especially the mothers of married daughters. They knew that they ran no riaksby promoting the popularity ftf an exceedingly handsome stranger, and tl-ey had a hope that when she became popular she would remember her patronesses, though their experience led them to bo du Dions on this point. People who have had the aid of a staircase for a social asoeat usually regard the stair as a bore. But beyond a doubt Miss Dill van a great success socially, and Anthony Gresham, looking on, became aware of the fact He was glad that he had been so prompt that, night at the opera. To bo sure, it was not at has entreaty that his aunt bad called upon Esther; it waa at the request of Sir Theodore; but Bt2l Anthony know that, he bad been the first to approach her. He had not been deterred by anything that had come to his ears aboard the homewardbound steamer regarding " El Capitan" ; and he was now, he felt, reaping the reword of his friendly act. And what waa his reward.' be asked himself. Was it seeing- her suxroanded' by some of the best people in Kngland—not the people whose names appear most prominency in the fashion columns of the o*wspapars, but tile best peopU.—and to hear them express their admiration of her beauty and their opinion that she wan so nice? WeH, thato mis- something to make him I ghki tftafc Ik* Imd renewed Iw »ccyuaarataaic« with her. He looked across the room at her with . in heart full of the memories of that ro-mance—-be thought of it as a romance now, i though whop be was taking part in it he had not been impressed with «e romantic ekoneci—be looked across the room at htr and thought of her as the girl whom 1m bad not kissed when he had the chance. His reward? Waa this has reward—this reflection that he had not kitted bar? or was his reward to come? Thai was a Section which he had to think about; and found that be could think about it better in a room where Doris Gresham was not. That was why he left his aunt's reception, saying only a lew. words to Esther as he stood beside her Sofjt. minute at two; hot these 1 , words Were in a different tone from that of the words which had bean said to her by anyone else in lbs room. He bad spoken them in the role of toe foetid of long »»tanding—-of the one with whom she was on" confidential terms; and she had responded in. the same spirit. Since be had renewed his aetraaintenee with her he had not until now renewed with her the tone that had pervaded their chat on the road to Caracas. Ha had always talked ; with more oooatxaint to-her, even when hndihfusi rltneit bsaV^sMS)«&havaetnArV

of that starlit had together had its influence upon him.. , She responded in his strain, w£n an intimab -wwS "or, t*ro, ! wW foaf, «^let v Jfcat had something confidential' about -itf and be went away very thoughtful, ahd"-w4th"a feeling that lie should be happier than ne actually was. Y.; •-. ;,-,,• j; ■ i' ; ..' *j. '.' He had several opportunities of'rne-jittijr her during the next fortnight, for -jhc hod received cards by the down for ad the chief functions of the season. . Anioony himself was invited to one of them try a hostess who said: . " Do try to drop in some tune during tite night, Mr Gresham; I am having:- tnafc handsome South American girl, Miss Dill. I suppose you have met her?" Ho said that he liad been fortunate enough to meot Miss Dill, and he hoped that he should have a chance of seeing her at the reception to which she was used as And he had bis opportunity here us well as elsewhere, for the handsome South A«ierican girl was having what is called "ft good tune" in the more northern par's of the double continent. She went newly everywhere, and the rumor that she belonged to North America, and that her father was Colonel Dill, who had once made a corner in "gums" during an inclement winter, increased her social attractiveness a hundredfold. The Dukes became alert. The desire to knit more firmly together the ties which bind the two parts of the one great people became more even than their religion—nay, more even fchfin the desire to maintain unbroken the traditions of the Ivric stage to the junior nobility—when thev saw Miss Dill and heard the whispers of the lucky gamble of her father. There were people who mentioned twelve million dollars as the exact sum represented bv the profit on the gamble in gums. Their mothers divided this sum by five, bo that they might be able to think what it meant in pounds English, and Miss Dill had no notion how nearly she was having a chance of refusing a peerage or two. El Capitan was naturally delighted with his daughter's success. He felt that once more his good taste and generous nature nasi triumphed. If he had been a commollminded man he would havo traded upoii his knowledge of his old friend's secret. A person of a commonplace mind would havo demanded an immediate payment of ten, perhaps twenty, thousand pounds, and a fully' Secured annuity besides, bleeding the poor old man to a state of mllansc, for a man like Sir Theodore would certainly be readlv to part with half hi" fortune to prevent "the publication of so terrible a soanddl in connection with his family. But that was not his wav, Captain Dill thanketl heaven. No. he "had not been sordid; hjc r had said nothing to Sir Theodore about a cash payment. Indeed, he had scorned to nxiko anv attempt to negotiate on the «ul>ject of the information which he had in liw possesion regarding the existence; at tlielinv-' of Sir Theodore's marriage into the family oftheCserlyons of the woman (nee FancelliJ whom ho had married in the presence of Captain Dill several years before. He had smiplv mentioned at the close of their interview tbat his daughter had shown a (lifpouition to mop© at the Carlton Hotel in the a.b*ence of anv congenial companions, and happily his old friend had reciprocated his good taste by asking his wife and daughter to call upon Miss Dill. And his good taste had its reward. Once a?ain his knowledge of men and his know. ledge of the world was displayed, and ho was able to give a picturesque little dinner at his hotel to fifteen or twenty .iew friend*, every one of whom was a personage in society. But the little dinner wae a great sucoehs, a3 it wae duly clvronicled in the right columns, and as it was the means of bringing Mr Roeenbaom, who wo* taking a great interest in the mining concessions which Captain Dill h&d obtained in exchange for fcome certain servioae rendered to past presidents of come of the republics, into contact witia a very young earl and a very old baroneb—the material from which the ideal company director is developed. Captain Dill accepted on behalf of himself and his daughter the suggestion made by Anthony Greaham, that they should pav him a short visit at his place in Bussed. He reminded Captain Dill that several weeks had passed sine© ho had promised to come to Cnaworth in order that Mias Dill might make the acquaintance of Mrs Gn?sbaui. So that altogether the dinner at the Carlton was a brilliant ;>nccess, and Esther, yawning alone with her father in their Tffi"vate sitting room, agreed with him when he made a mild little boast of his ability to atttiin io a position for himself and her I iu England such a# their friends in Central America would not have bdieved » possible for him ever to achieve. "I hope you will soon be able to li>t upon some way of increasing our funds, dear father. We are taking slices out of our capital, and this charming little dinner of yours will represent a full round of the loaf, 'lima© liqueurs which yon insisted upon are down in the wine card at eight shillings each." Her father laughed. "That is ever the way with women, he eaid. " They baive small hearts. They take a petty view of nil things. They are not sportsmen. They will not throw away a apra* to catch a sahnon; or if they must do it choose the smaDeet possible sprat." "That's perfectly tree, said she goodlHunoredly. "They prefer the certainty of a sprat ftir breakfast to running the risk of having no lunch, owing to the fact that the salmon whieh the men look for is not taking any sprats just then. We bare breakfasted off epratd before now, father, and found them tasty." " England is swarming with salmon jnet now, and they are crying out for sprats," said her father.

" Gudgeons are mare numerous ; I believe they make good dSreotora," said Esther. '•But why these fishy parables, dcajfather?"

" Before two months have passed we ehall have floated the first of om- oonces ; sioD-s, my child." " Floated—floated it in the ocean of gudgeons?" "Whatever you please. In my parable the salmon constitute the Board, and those eight shilling liqueurs were the sprats that caught two of toe beet." " I aan going to bed; your metaphorical fish are getting muddled. You fish for directors to use them as bait for the gudgeons —tho country parsons and the nur«siy governesees who, I understand, apply for shores in anything that is fishy. I am going to bed."

"The best place for you, my dear. You are rarely tedious, but you are so just now, with your straining sifter the Complete Angler so soon after dinner. Good nlgbfc, dear girL Yon mode a most admirable hostess. Yon kept everybody in a good humor. It wuS just like tho old days. You havo always been a great help to we, Esther."

"A landing net. Good night." Her father equeesed up a piece of paper into a pellet and threw it playfully ait iier as she went oat of the room.

It was indeed like the old days, but with a difference, Esther tboogbt too, whale «te sat on the little sofa in her bedroom. But she thought more of the difference than of tbe likeness. She knew that she was now amortc: people who were above suspicion in the worto?—people wtoo would not do a ffiphooomble thing either in public or private life—people who would not have a horse of tbehw pulled) to win a fortune—people who would not countenance such intrigues an made wp the sunt of the social and political life of the men and women among whom «he had hvod all her life. Sbe hud never known a scrapie when she wae helping her father to tarry out his little plane at the expense of sach people. She knew that it had boon a case of mine and counter mine. She was only playing the game as it was understood by everyone there. The game was al wits against wits—an excellent goine for the jungle-. But she as?ked hereetf if she was prepared to carry on the Game game under the new conditione of her life. Was she going to back up her father, now that be wan trying to get the better of people who had accepted ham as one of themselves without suspicion that he was trying to in&ke a gain out ot them?

She had stall a fooling that her father had got a footing among these, people )y some means other tima th* hand -which an old frieadabtp had *t*etebed oat to ttn. She know that she Qottld not help t&ot. But now that she mw how her father tneoat to: jwraiflt in hia-iottlgafei, coly adast&tuc tuea to Jri» rhwjrt tf. Aiwaj

jwaa help, him $o .develop . reqfilre to deliberate foSJveff* lone irDOn this' question; If she lay aWfctF jfo?!«n^D^:*t^^eT ; |BM?Ji? n*g?bedE her rJßswfescwsß' wati due to crmhj shtJther' canse."' Toe was that during the ftnaer 1 Airthtsly Grtsliam'hod told bar the whoW story of how his friend Ernest Ba#fcat«: had'heeh treitsd by the fcw> gin*t fcpenfllfaf f departuifarts of the &ft%te —the Wfc-'j&ffiof' and the*. her mdignafckm at' this stupidity had survived. But she awake wondering how it was that some' woman had not come to the assistance of Ernest Bathgate. She had great confidence in the ability of a woman to help a man; and she was so imperfectly acquainted with the workings of the War Office that!'she actually thought it possible that a woman s influence might be able to do something for a man in that quarter. (To be continued.) .»■ v •