THE RANT MILLION,

Lake County Press, Issue 2792, 3 July 1919, Page 2

THE RANT MILLION,

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

By MARTIN J. McHUGH

["C 0 P Y R I G H T.l

OHAFI'EU V (Continued,.)-. Anthony Clair noted the changed aspect of his old home with surprised dismay. His impressions were not improved when on reaching the doorway he was confronted hy a group of dirty children, who stared at him and then disappeared with shrill announcement of his advent. Immediately a red-faced, middleaged woman appeared. "Glory be to Heaven! And is that yourself, Mr. Glair?" she exclaimed. "Sure now, but this is a surprise, though Christy was saying he heard tell ye'd been seen in the town." "Yes, I came back the day before yesterday, Mrs. Minogue," said Anthony. "Is Christy in?" "He's down at the mowing, but will be up presently to his dinner," answered Mrs. Minogue. "But won't you step within, sir? Not, indeed, that there's a place fit to receive you, nothing being the same now as in your time, sir, and with a scatteration everywhere by reason of the changes himself is still making." "Oh, I'll go into the kitchen and sit down a minute," said Anthony.

Mrs. Minogue, with reiterate apologies and an air of confusior led the way through the hall int the kitchen behind, preceded b, the children. Dusting a chaii she invited her visitor to be seat ed, and then bade a wild-looking girl go and call her father. "Sure, sir, when himself ant nic heard the talk of your beint back again, sorrow a word o truth Ave thought was in it," sai< Mrs. Minogue. "For, says in> . man to me, what would be bring ing the master back again fron America so soon, with no chick o: child in Ballyran, or even a rooitself he could call his own?" ''l'll tell you why presently,' replied Anthony. "What newp if there since I left?" He asked the question merely tc put the woman at her ease and tc ward off the manifestations of lie] own natural curiosity, for he felt no interest whatever in local happenings. And while Mrs. Minogue very willingly poured forth a torrent of gossip, he hardly heard her, but looked about him at the disorderly room that had now become a peasant's kitchen, and at the dirty children standing around staring at him. He was about to get up and escape from the close atmosphere, when the kitchen door opened and Christy Minogue entered. "Begor, Mr. Anthony, but 'tis a cure for sore eyes, so it is, to see you again!" he exclaimed, in a tune of great heartiness. "'Twas only yesterday I was told you were stopping in Ballyran, and I vtiih for going straight into the town to see if it was true, for Micky Connors that said it. Sure now, what took you back to the old country again so soon, at all, at all?" Christy Minogue was a tall, large-boned man nearing sixty, though, with his thin hair still reddish and his active movements, he did not look his age. His ruddy, shaven face was ill-feat-ured and much lined, and his small eyes, set close together. gave the impression of cunning. "That is what Mrs. Minogue has just been asking me." said Anthony, with a smile. "I came back to Ballyran. which I never expected to see again, simply because I got enough money in America to last the remainder of my lifetime, no matter how freely I may spend it." "Did you ever hear the like of that!" exclaimed Christy, with a bewildered look, not at his late master, but at his wife. "T)o you mean to tell us, sir, that you made

Author of "The Maid of the Mill," "The Death Mask," "Pea cock Farm," "The Dream Song,"Etc.

a fortune like that in the Ctatei all in nine months ? Come now. 'tis joking you are, Mr. Anthony." "I didn't make a fortune," replied Anthony, smiling. "I gol one left to me by an America] gentleman with whom I became friendly. Now you understand. 5 "Sure, I hear what you say, Mr. Anthony, and I'm bound tc take your word for it," returnee Christy, with evident incredulity. "But why would you be left j< fortune by any strange gentleman?" "I shall tell you something oi the story afterwards, when I have looked over the old place," said Anthony. ''Well, well, 'tis wonderful the llungs that do be happening in in the world, there's no denying that Christy, for I often read them on the paper," commented Mrs. Minogue. "And Heaven knows twas a good deed of that gentleman to give that bit of luck to Mr. Clair here, that deserved it if anybody ever did, being the nice kind gentleman and the o. oo d master lie always was." "Amen to that, Bid," responded her husband. "And it you've really got all that power of money you say, sir," he went on

| slowly, to Anthony, "is it the way p you've come back to Ballyran to spend it where you werje bom and bred?" i "That's it," replied Anthony. I mean to pass the rest of my days in the old place." "You'll be building- a palace of a house, now?" said Christy, in a tone of lively curiosity. "I heard tell you were up at Colonel Clair's, and I don't doubt but thai lie d wisli you to make a great show of it for the credit of the family, now that you're rich, as you say." Anthony smiled at this admis-! 6ion that his former servant kne>-. more of his movements than ' ! had at first pretended to. I "No, I'm not going to buildany house," lie said. "My old. 1 home will be quite good enough; tor me." f "Is it this place?" asked, Christy, with a look of alarm Sure, now, don't you say you'd be wanting- it back. Because, if you are, Mr. Anthony " , "Oh> I'd give you a big price tor it interrupted Anthony. •Something very different from what you gave me." ! "Look you here, now, sir, 1 gave you what you were very glad to get, and no man would give you more," began Christy, raising Ins voice. "I don't deny that for a moment," broke in Anthony quietly i "And the price I'll pay you '» "I wouldn't sell this farm of i land now for a mint of money," 1 said Christy, vehemently. "Sure, i why was I so eager to get it, if it 1 wasn't that I was born on it, nnd < my father, too. before me, and s tis long enough \ wished for it ; and slaved for it." "I'll give you enough for the 1 place to enable you to buy the 1 best farm you could desire or a work." said Anthony. v ".No, Mr. Anthony," returned n t liristy, vigorously. "Here I am a and here I'll stay. Sure, now, sir' hj tis a queer act, and one I'd never n think you'd do, to come and ask n me to give back this farm, that I paid you my hard-earned money tl tor " ' , , IT . n It isn t what anybody would st he expecting of a gentleman like yourself, sir," broke in Mrs B Minogue, with frightened aggres- m uveness, "to be wishful to gra'o hi nick the place you were so „h { ] f . : n ?et rid of." p" "Well, we won't speak of it any nore just now, as you have got B: lold of the strange idea that I ot rant to wrong- you, instead of de-' nc

siring to benefit, you," said Anthony, in a rather crestfallen tone, as lie looked at his watch and rose. "Now I shall take a look round the place and get back to Ballyran."

"You mustn't be running off with yourself like that, Mr. Anthony, without taking a pick of dinner." protested Christy, hastily, impelled by a sense of duty of hospitality to such a visitor, and also by the desire to keep bini until he had learnt all he felt lie should know about the amazingly unexpected state of affairs, which he felt convinced held a menace for him. "But where will Mr. Anth . be taking it!"" asked Mrs. Miuogue. "The parlours are all upside down with the building of the new dairy." "What about my old room upstairs!-'" asked Anthony to Christy. "You were to leave my books undisturbed until I sent for them or gave you other directions.

"Faith, your room is just as it ever was, Mr. Anthony, and you'll find your books there as you left .hem, and everything else of yours safe and sound," said Christy. '"Tis only once in a blue moon anybody <loes be going into that room ;it all."

"Very well," said Anthony, cheerfully. "In that case I'd like to take a look at my old room and rest a short time there, perhaps. And—well, yes—l will take a little taste of dinner, thank you, since you invite me to, for I'm hungrier than I thought."

CHAPTER VI. Anthony Clair spent most of - that day at Peafield, and arrived t back in Ballyran to find everybody i talking about his fortune. For 3 that he had to thank the Itosebank servants. ■ j By nightfall he had reason to ) I wish that the Colonel's domestics I j had been deaf or dumb, or sworn ■ to secrecy. For he found himself i the victim of a continuous succes- ■ ] sion of visitors, all asserting their • desire to be among the first to conl' gratulate him. i The next day was Sunday, and I r fine. As sometimes happens with Irish country families, some of the ' Clairs were Protestants, while 'others were Catholics. The ' Colonel, having attended divine service with his wife, encountered : Anthony as the latter came from; : his church, accompanied and fol- ; lowed by an embarrassing crowd 1 ' of well-wishers. ( "You are tasting the sweets off popularity, I see," said the Colonel, with a broad smile, as he pulled up his trap at the pave-! inent. j "Yes, indeed,' laughed An-' thony. "If I had only guessed itj would be as bad as this, 1 should) have stayed in Peafield, where I| , spent a pleasant day yesterday, I

recalling- the old life that no' ' seems so far behind me." "Oh, the rejoicing people woul have got you there, all the same, said the Colonel. "But you'll b quite safe in Rosebank. So com over to me at once, and begin you promised visit. I won't listen 1 any postponement, but will sen the trap to Tumpane's for you lup-o-nge this afternoon." "Certainly, you must come t us to-day, Mr. Clair," chimed i: Mrs. Clair, very graciously. "W I are looking forward to your visi J with the very greatest pleasure, can assure you." Anthony met this pleasant ini portunity with a thrill of pride am wonderment, and he accepted th invitation all the more willing! \ because Miss Gegan, who was ii the trap, supported it with i brie-ht smile that seemed to offei candid comradeship. He was lingering chatting when he was suddenly conscious that someone had come up to him with the intention ot joining in the conversation. The Colonel, who was talking at the moment, suddenly stared, stopped, and then said, abruptly, as he shook the reins and the trap moved off: "Well, this afternoon you come to Rosebank—have your things ready when my van cail s for them. Good-bye for the present." "Faith, and the Colonel is a

mighty proud man, and no mistake!" said a voice at Anthony's side, as he was staring' thoughtfully and rather wistfully after the leparting trap. "How well the! sight of me frightened him away,] is if I was the divil himself!" Anthony turned to find standing! >y him at the kerb n stronglymilt man of middle height and! bout fifty. His clean-shaven face, I lith its long upper lip and broad I ose and its small round eyes, had j great many claims to ugliness; ut for all that it produced an imlediate impression of good hu-j lour and intelligence. [ "Now, what call has he to be lat proud-in himself? Answer le that, if you can ?" went oti this ranker, smiling at Anthonv. "Oh. the Colonel is a Clair of allyran," said Anthony, as fli > nestion was directly addressed to . in. "We all have our little fail- ( ' gs, and pride is that of the; lairs." ; "Sure, now amn't T a Clair of i j dlyran myself," returned the .' her, promptly, "and there was : 'ver yet the man could call me ;

"Well, I had better tell you the ' history of the legacy in full, and | then you will understand," said Anthony. And thereupon he narI ruled the story to his astonished ' companion, who punctuated it with many exclamations. ''.Faith, now, you did give me a drop a few minutes ago, when I thought that money was to be handed out to the Glairs—and Heaven knows, u share would be as welcome to myself as to most: of the family,"' said Corney, the, 1 story over, as lie ran his hand' through the rough red hair that surmounted his high, narrow forehead, and grinned disappointedly, but good-humouredly. "But it's ;i wonderful bit of luck ;is it is. For you'll do something for the ('hiirs with that money, won't you, sir?" "Of course," answered Anthony. "It has been bequeathed lome specially to make the family' ureal again, and by becoming ifi'eal they will acquire money—iml more than poor Van Rant's—is well as power and distinction."

proud and speak the truth at the same time."

"A Clair? Are you, indeed?" said Anthony, looking at him with interest.

"A Clair—faith, yes, and as good a one as any of them," went on the stranger. "Sure, Mr. Clair, sir, don't you know me now?" Anthony studied him attentively without recognising an : quaintance.

"Perhaps you might be Mr. Corney Clair?" he hazarded at length on an inspiration. "Right! I'm that very man!" returned Corney, heartily. "And proud I am to meet you, sir." Corney put out his hand, and Anthony shook it in amity. Hitherto, he had merely known of the existence of Corney—who had a farm many miles away, beyond Stradmore—but strangely enough had never met him. "And proud I am to meet vou, sir/ repeated Corney. And then, turning to some of the crowd who were closing in on them, he said, vigorously, "Arrah, now, be off with yourselves, and leave Mr Clair and myself to have our mouthful of talk, for I've-.come a long way for that." "They won't ask your permission for that, for they haven't been asking even mine," laughed Anthony. "So you've come into Ballyran to-day to see me?" "Yes, and why not?" replied Corney. "'Tis queer, now, you never clapped eyes on me before, that's your own cousin nevertheless, and I wouldn't have known yourself from Adam, only, with the people pulling and dragging you from one another to-day with wishing you joy of your great fortune, I hadn't the trouble of hunting for you. But let us come away out of this."

"Certainly," assented Anthony, and he turned and proceeded towards Tumpane's. "If you've come into Ballyran only to see me, the news of my good luck must have travelled quickly." "They were talking of nothing else in Stadmore yesterday," said Corney. "But tell me now, Mr. Clair, is it really true for them that you are left a fortune of millions Millions, mind you—that's what I heard."

"In a way, yes—millions of dollars," replied Anthony, with an inward sigh at having once more to go over his story. "That is, about a million pounds." "Think of that, now !" exclaimed Corney. "It wasn't a Clair left it to you. anyhow—that's one thing certain." "It was not," said Anthony. "It was an American gentleman whom I became acquainted with when I, the first of the Ballyran Clairs to go 1o America, emigrated last year. And that fortune was not left eaxotly to me." "Not to you? Sure, now, I don't understand," exclaimed Corney, quickly. "Not to vou? Well, who was it left to really?" "That is, it was left to me," amended Anthony. "But for the Clairs of Ballyran."

" "Musha, yes!'' cried Corney. , e in a delighted whoop that startlet e the passers-by. "Glory be to , T Heaven!—do you tell me so?" 0 "Yes, yes—but only on condi f'j tions—and conditions that will nol i be easily fulfilled," returned Anthony, quickly. And then, seeing 0 that he had arrived at Tumpane's, u he added, "I'm staying here just e now. So come in and I'll tell you t all about the matter. I hope you J will be able to stop and dine with me." "I will, then, and thank you. | Sure, now, my trap is in the lane here, and I intended to get a pick ■ of dinner at Tumpane's, anyhow," 1 returned Corney, as be followed x Anthony into Tumpane's, passed « through tbe sliop, and entered the little room behind it, which hapt pened to be quite empty. "I'm sorry I didn't manacre to explain myself more clearly and s quickly," then said Anthony, siti ting down at a table covered with , linoleum, lavishly stained by customers' glasses. "That money has been left to me not exactly to divide between tbe Clairs of Ballyran, but to make the family <.>reat again." "Great again!" exclaimed Corney in amazement. "Sure, Mr. Clair, what's your meaning at jail?"

CHAPTER VII

"But how in thunder arc the family to become great? Answer me that now!" asked Corney, his forehead wrinkled with thought"Will you be asking them to go about again like in the old days, breaking up the people with swords and them righting hatchets they did be having then?" "I'm afraid the Royal Irish Con stabularly would have a word to say against that," laughed Anthony. "No, the Glairs of Bally - ran will have to become great as peoole can be great now, and each in his or her own way."

"It beats me to think how you'll do that for them," said Corney, slowly. "There's myself, that isn't a bad farmer, for I've took a first prize for mangels this very year at the Agricultural Show, and even the gentlemen of the Department of Agriculture have been taking a lot of notice of my new way of rearing calves. But what would you expect me to be turning to besides now, if it wasn't the farming, to become great at my time of life?" "If you become the finest farmer it is possible to be, you will be the p'reatest Clair in your line," answered Anthony, encouragingly. "I'm pretty sure you will do well, but 1 have yet to see what can be made of the other members of the family on whom will fall a share of the task of making the Clairs of Ballyran great once more."

"Ok, muslia! But it sounds downright cracked!" exclaimed Corney. "Think of starting the old Colonel and the doctor to become great Clairs once more—along with myself, that they know well by sight, and can't bear the thought of being kin to. And there's the high and mighty Mr. Brendan, the counsellor, that's a neighbour of mine "

"They must all become great in their way, if they want to get a share of Mr. Van Kent's million," interrupted Anthony. "But, tell me, do you know what members of the family are still living in the county?"

"Just the ones I said, and very few more," answered Corney, slowly. "There's the poet, Mr. Hyacinth, that lives with his widowed mother near Knocknapogue; and there's Mr. Costelloe; and, of course, there's Mr. Larry, the sport, that you'd see at every races; and there's others that live away and that I've onlv heard tell of."

"Well, I must look them up at once, and gather them all together in some place where I can keen them under my eye, and let them develop as much greatness as they are capable of, and do that as quickly as they can," said Anthony. "And you must come into the scheme, too, Corney." "Faith. I wouldn't miss it!" exclaimed Corney, jubilantly. "I wouldn't miss it for a crock of "•old as bi<>' as myself ! For if you get all the Clairs of Ballyran herded together like that, there'll be the greatest sport in the world—and. mark my words, the deuce to play in the end !"

Anthony Clair sat in the garden of Jiosebank, enjoying- the fine afternoon in the manner he liked best—that was, reading and smoking by spells. He had at the moment laid his book aside on the rustic bench, and his pipe had gone out, while, busy with his thoughts, which were happy ones, be looked about him at the riot of roses for which the garden was noted. Mr. Gegan, who had been having some desultory and unilluminating conversation with Anthony, was pacing a nose-edged aisle of the garden, finishing a cigar. Sadie, who had been helping Mrs. Clair to entertain, was bidding Brendan Clair good-bye at the little gate that led on to the roadway. When the click of the gate-latch and the departure of Brendan on his bicycle marked the conclusion of that ceremony,' Anthony smiled happily to him-. self as the girl turned back, a picture of loveliness, and came ( towards the house. | She stopped a moment to talk

to her father, who then went in-' doors. Instead of following him, she lingered picking some roses, only to throw them away; and Anthony smiled again to himself, putting his own interpretation on her maidenly abstraction. Her eyes meeting his, she came and sat on the bench. "Brendan is a charming fellow," said Anthony. "He is very popular, and greatly admired by the ladies. It was inevitable that you would like him." I "He had a very attractive per- t sonality," admitted Miss Gegan. t "Are vou a great admirer of his. Mr. Ciair?" I "Of course," answered An- jj thony noting with gratification s that she had blushed slightly as a *he spoke. "T cannot say I know '' him well," he wont on, with , 'baracteristic, conscientious ennlour, "but T intend to do so thormghly, and then T hope to find )im all T should desire him to be [ —and that is, one of the best men I >n earth." U'.< Jta (To be Continued.) gr