THE RANT MILLION,

Lake County Press, Issue 2794, 17 July 1919, Page 2

THE RANT MILLION,

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT i

By MARTIN J. McHUGH.

Author of “The Maid of the Mill, ’* “The Death Mask,” “Pea cock Farm,” “The Dream Song,’’Etc. rc 0 P Y R I G H T.l

Mrs. Clair O’Donnell came forward effusively. “flow do you do. Mr. no, .Cousin Anthony?” sh said gushingly, shaking his hand ‘‘What a pleasure to meet you! Ii was too bad of you to have run away from us like that yesterday.” ‘‘There would have been little gocxl in my remaining,” replied Anthony, with a short laugh. “I have brought my girls to see the old home,” said Mrs. ClairO’Donnell Freddie Teddie, you have not said one word to our dear cousin. What can he think of you!” Her two daughters, in the middle twenties, pleasant-looking like their mother, but unexpectedly countrified, shook hands with him rather solemnly. ‘‘Your daughters were never here before?” he asked. ‘‘Never even in Ireltynd, ” said Mrs. Clair-O’Donnell. with a sigh. ‘‘lmagine that! They never even saw their father’s ancestral home before. Dear, dear! What a change since 1 was here last!” Anthony made no comment. He was under he impression that this Miss Clair of the past, who had lived at a considerable distance from Ballyran, had never visited at the Castle. It was in London, where she had been a hospital nurse, that she had met and married Sir Donahs scamp of a younger son. ‘‘But you are restoring it lo iff former glory,” went on Mrs. ClairO’Donnell. ‘‘What a room for a dance! Y’ou must give a housewarming worthy of the occasion, Cousin Anthony.” ‘‘lt’s the Colonel who’s to live here replied Anthony, smiling. ‘‘No doubt he’ll rise to the occasion if you prompt him, for he is very sociable.” “Indeed, yes. He’s a dear!” responded Mrs. Clair-O’Donnell. warmly. “But he says he will not live here.” “Whoever does can hold the house warming soon, interposed Mr. Glynn. “For I mean to have the work done at top speed. Anthony is homeless at present, and may be tempted to settle down here when we make the place tempting enough.” The interesting subject of Anthony’s homelessness, which elicited the still more interesting fact of * his forlorn singleness, was discussed as the party completed the tour of the house and the back garden, which was being cleared. Anthony would not have been quite so much at his ease if he had known the matrimonial plans that were instantly incubated in the good lady’s brain while she chatted volubly. “Nice people—l like them,” he said, as he drove off with the Glynns. “Yes, rather,” admitted Mr Glynn, carelessly, while his wife maintained a critical silence. ‘‘We’re visiting at the doctor’s, so, unless you come with us, I must put you down at the cross roads.” As Anthony did not care to join in the visit to Dr. Clair, he parted from the Glynns at the place mentioned. That was near the river, and he strolled along by the bank. He was deep in thought over flic problems of the moment, when he saw approaching him an anglet whipping the stream. It was Mr Costelloe Clair. “Oh, you, Anthony!” cried tin little old gentleman, when he hat squeezed a gold-rimmed monocle up to his right eye. “How d’ye do, my boy?” | Anthony stopped and chatted,! while Costelloe proceeded to pad * up his rod. Seen in the onen V..1 was a ruddy old fellow, with the' airs and mannerisms of a faded fop. “Come along to Bose bank, ’ ’ lie said, taking Anthony’s arm. “We bad a most unsatisfactory meeting yesterday. But, by gad! do you! know now, that fiasco may have' been all for the best. There were some people there who—well, never mind.' ’ “I’m not going to Rose bank now,” returned Anthony. “Tomorrow, perhaps. Mrs. Clair-0

CHAPTER Vill —(CoutiLood ) * * ; luu just get u mull from my poppa how to manage them," advised Sadie. ‘‘l think that would help you.” "I'll ask him when we get in," returned Anthony. Then they chatted gaily until they reached Shannon View, where Mr. Gegan was at the door. "I’ve brought Sadie back tu you safe and sound," said Anthony. "And much sooner than I expected to." Mr. Gegan opened his eyes very wide. "Look here, young man—- — " he began. "I’m not young. You only think that because I’m neatened up a bit," interrupted Anthony, correctingly. "As a matter of fact, I’m just forty. But, old as I am, I’ve met a lot of relations who were a great deal too much for me to-day. Sadie says you can give me a hint about managing them, and I’d be glad if you would." "Come right in," said Mr. Gegan, in a subdued voice, after a long look at his daughter’s laughing face. “Come right in, and have a cocktail before w r e talk. For if you feel like me, you need a cocktail almighty badly." Prussia. CHAPTER IX. Anthony slept at Peafield that night. Ho had made an arrangement with Christy Minogue to occupy his old room whenever he wished to do so. Christy, although well paid, had consented to this with secret distrust, suspicious of his former master’s intention to regain his old home. In courtesy Anthony had sent word to the Colonel that he ■would be staying the night at Peafield, and had asked that his whereabouts should not be divulged to his newlyfound relations. But early next afternoon Mr. Glynn and his wife .turned up in their motor-car. Anthony, seeing from his window the approach of the car, hurried down to the hall door. "Who told you I was here?" he asked, dismayed. "Nobody," answered Mr. Glynn. "Not finding vou at Rosebank or in Bally ran, I concluded you were here. That’s what my head is for." "Sorry T can’t ask you in," said Anthony, somewhat embarrassed. "The fact is ’’ "Thanks, but we couldn’t go in," said Mr. Glynn. "I have come to take you to the Castle. The work is well in hand, but I want further instructions. ” As there was nothing for it but to go, Anthony went. On the journey he talked about the Castle to Mr. Glynn, who had completed its purchase and set about the necessary repairs with energy. The solicitor, rather to his surprise, had found his millionaire client not at all as soft as he had anticipated. For Anthony had made a much reduced offer,, saying he must spend the family money prudently. Plis offer, however, had been readily accepted, for in that part of the world mansions like Ballyran Castle, once vacated, usually became derelict. Arrived at their destination, Anthonv found a favourable change effected in the Castle after even a few days’ work. Already the frontage had been cleaned and broken places cemented, and the mansion presented a hotter appearance. A jaunting car and the Colonel’s trap waited outside. Anthony and his companions went indoors. There all was as yet chaos, the walls being in process of replastering. The contractor and his foreman met the visitors and for some minutes Anthony was busily discussing the details of the indoor work, as the party went from room to room. In a vast drawing-room, entered last, they encountered Mrs. ClairOTfotmoll and her daughters, who had come in the Colonel’s trap.

louucll, whom I met just now m ’ it 11 if Castle, made me give a hull i •roiiiise lo call oji her then.’ - 1 "Mrs. O’DonnellOh, yes, D ■eturned Costelloe, with a somewhat i ' •onteniptnons air ol affected forget , ! ulness. "Of course, I cannot say ■ L know her. She keeps a lodging-*, toiise in London, i believe. Coino i iow, is she really a. relation of I •\* * I )urs ! \ "I do not know her business, and j \ do not want to.” said Anthony. | 'Hut i Clink her ;i very agreeable J idy. and her daughters nice un-i affected girls. If she were not a| Clair she would not be here. "1 am sure she is a credit to the \ family,” returned Costelloe, hastily, j; "Well, my dear boy, we won’t dis- \ cuss her or any of our relatives; but j as this is quite a heaven-sent op- ] portunity to chat alone and con- t Jidientally over that wonderful j fortune ’’ "I’m not going to discuss Mr. Van Rant’s money now,” interrupted Anthony, bluntly. "I ; won’t do so alone with any of you. When the family decide to meet again, 1 shall attend if promised a quiet hearing and discuss everything with all of you together.” "Now, look here, my dear boy, there are some unreasonable—some impossible —persons ” said Costelloe, appealingly. "If you want things settled soon, do what you can to bring about . that meeting,” interrupted Anthony, a little sharply. “I will not say anything more about it now.” Costelloe Clair, taken aback, was silent some moments, during which he studied his companion’s face. Then, deeming it unwise to persist, he chatted generally about An- j thony’s American adventures, mak- : mg one or two little futile attempts to bring the conversation | back into the channel he desired. Anthony stopped when they had got some way towards Rosebank, disengaged his arm, and held out his hand in farewell. "Where are you going?” asked Costelloe. "Not to Rosebank,” answered Anthony. "Perhaps to Bally ran.” "Well, wherever you go, I go too, my boy,” said the old gentleman. "I feel quite peckish. Could we get something to eat in Ballyran?” "You might, perhaps, at Turnpane’s,” replied Anthony. "He’d give you a meal if I introduced you.” "Tumpane’s ?” queried Costelloe. f'A hotel?” "There’s no hotel, or restaurant cither, in Ballyran,” said Anthony. "Shawn Tumpane’s is the publichouse where I lodged recently Shawn dines early, and has usually pig’s head and cabbage on this day; and if you walk briskly you might he in time to get it nice and hot. If we are late, and there is none left, you could have canned beef out of the shop, of course.” Costelloe Clair was something of an epicure, and he visibly shuddered at his companion’s bill of fare. “I think I had better go back to Rosebank,” he said, after a thoughtful pause. "Reconsider, and come back with me. Do.” "No,” replied Anthony, "I’ll ro into Ballyran. I want some Trong black tobacco.” Costelloe Clair, without insisting further, bade Anthony good-bye, and hurried away, inspired with a new and less favourable impression of this homely Clair, who a.te pig s head and smoked common tobacco. Anthony got into Ballyran main street, and was making for Turnpane’s, when Mrs. Clair-Morley emerged from a draper’s shop with her two sons. She bowed stiffly, and then stopped to speak. "Good-day, Mr. Clair.” she said, in a somewhat commanding voice. "I have been unable to ascertain where you have been since you left Rosebank, and am glad to have met you. ” "I have no fixed residence at present,” replied Anthony. I passed last night at the little farm - ■my former home.” "A little farm—ah! I remember the place, Peafield,” said Mrs. Clair-Morley. "That you, now so wealthy, are content to be so humbly lodged, should reconcile me to having had to procure accommodation at Miss Curtin’s. She waved her hand tragically towards the draper’s shop. "All are not squally welcome under the Colonel s •oof.” Anthony knew that she was not. i’or he had often heard that when Augusta Clair had married somebody in the cotton line, and gone to live in Manchester, she had become an outcast to the family. "I am pleased to see your sons; I hardly noticed them in the excitement of yesterday,” said Anthony, as a digression, turning towards the two young men. One was tall and f dark, and the other shorter and j fair and wearing spectacles, but | both looked intelligent and agree- ! able. | “I am sorry yesterday’s meeting was such a failure, ’ said Anthony, preparatory to parting. "I have just mot Mr. Costelloe Clair, and have told him that I shall attend another meeting of the family whenever my relations will undertake to hear me without interruption. If they again start behaving as they did yesterday, I shall at once walk out of the room.” j "It is only just that yon should be heard.” said Mrs. Clair-Morley, in a judicial manner. "Yesterday

you were treated shamefully, and j w it was impossible for some of us to; hj get any correct idea of your inten- i b lions. How do you propose that* o that American gentlemen’s money t should be apportioned between us?|li My position is this ” ‘ t “All I can say now is that I shall t lay my proposals before the family when we meet again on the condi- c tions I have named,” interrupted < .Anthony, hurriedly. “Do what you f can to bring that meeting about, <_ Now I must say good-day.” i He saluted, and walked away be- \ fore Mrs. Clair-Morley could bar \ his path—a possibility suggested by ( her facial expression. As he was j entering Tumpane’s, Corney came ( out. > S ' “Hello, Mr. Clair,, sir I was , looking for you,” said Corney. | “Any news?” asked Anthony. ( “Yes and I came into town to let ’ rou have it,” replied Corney. ‘You told me you didn’t know ; ,vhere Mr. Larry was. Well, I found out lie was in England, and look the liberty to drop him a iue to let him know he was wanted, ■ nd what he was wanted for, ( hough I haven’t to tell you that: Bridgie, that’s a better scholar than i myself, gave me a hand with such a big job. And you may be sure mough Mr. Larry will be over here like a bird to join in the fun.” “That’s right,” answered AnI tliony. “And now w r e shall before 1 long have every Clair we want, for Hyacinth, who has been staying in Dublin, will be coming to IBallyran in a day or two. I hope you j will be ready to go into the Castle with the rest?” ! “I’ll do my best, Mr. Anthony,” | said Corney. “But, sme now,' you’ll let me get in all the hay and ( tidy up even if I’m a day or two | behind the others that has nothing j I todo at all. Bedad, you needn’t | fear I’ll be backward in joining the j company, for, as I told you before,. I wouldn’t miss being there for all, the world. Only give me a few days’ leave to finish up the work of the farm, if I’m wanting them.” Anthony promised indulgence. CHAPTER X. j Seeing Brendan on the other side Jof the street, Anthony crossed. ! j “Such a nuisance! I’ve broken j my bicycle, and have had to leave ’ it’ in there,” said Brendan, nod- ’ ding towards an adjacent shop. “I j haven’t been able to borrow another, and Magrath’s car won’t be available for another hour.” “Where are you going?” asked Anthony. “Back to the Colonel’s, where I’m stopping to help him with arrangements,” answered Brendan, who was out of humour. “I wish you’d hurry up the business, for Rosebank is full of bores.” “Have you visited at Shannon View yet?” asked Anthony. L “No,” replied Brendan. “Time enough for that. Haven t I been seeing the Gegans often enough of late?” “Come with me now to Shannon View, at any rate,” said Anthony. “The visit will keep,” returned { Brendan, indolently. ! “If you’re going to neglect Miss Gegan after rousing her interest, | an d—well, let us be plain —securing I her affections,” said Anthony, grimly. “If you mean to behave ' like that ” “Don’t jump down my throat, ! my dear Tony,” laughed Brendan, affecting a light and pleasant I manner. “I’m not going to negj lect Miss Gegan, who is really charming. I wonder could we get Magrath’s car sooner?” As he spoke a side-car emerged from Tumpane’s-lane, Larry driving-. Anthony quickly recrossed the road. “Are you going in the direction of Shannon View, Larry?” he fiskcd “I am, then, Mr. Clair,” replied Larry. “So if you want a lift, i you’re welcome to it.” “Thanks,” said Anthony. And he beckoned to Brendan. _ ' “When are you off to America?’ asked Anthony of their driver, as he and Brendan got on the car. ’ “Perhaps you’ll think better of it, after all.” j “Maybe so, Mr. Clair,” answered ( Larry, rather sheepishly, as no . whipped up his horse. _ { “The afternoon is advancing, and we can pay only a short visit, j j said Anthony, as they set ! down at Shannon View. “You had better make the most of your time.” “Trust me for that,” laughed Brendan. “I’m used to making the most of my time with the ladies. I suppose she’ll have lots iof money. Do you by chance know how much the old fellow is worth?” “What does it matter whether Miss Gegan will have money or not? How could you ask such a question—above all now, when you are looking forward to sharing Van Pant’s million?” retorted Anthony, in sudden anger, and stopping’short to stare contemptuously at Brendan. “I’m disgusted with you!” t i “I mean no harm by a simple question. Of course, Miss Gegan is altogether charming, and I am , very fortunate,” said Brendan, . taken aback at the other’s unex- , pected anger. “I naturally thought ] you might know something about . her father’s financial standing.” ( Anthony was about to answer sharply when he saw Sadie at the

window. His anger vanished and lis face lit up as she waved her land to him. It was she who ipened the door to them, and Anhony felt pleased at noting her ' leightened colour as she shook lands with (Brendan and then led | hem into the drawing-room. Mr. Gegan, who had been re- > •lining on a conch, reading, re-, •eived the visitors in a very | j Tiendly way. Then all chatted j generally. Brendan, his debonair t nanner tonclied with an almost ' j ender courtesy towards his hostess, soon took the lead in the •onversation. Anthony, then falling into silence, listened to the easy flow of his kinsman’s eloquence, which seemed greatly to j* entertain Mr. Gegan and Sadie. 1 When a question from Mr. Ge- } ' gau obliged Anthony to take a • prominent part in the conversation for a few minutes, he felt like a , selfish intruder. But he related with quiet humour his encounters with his several relations that afternoon. “I guess 1 was right when 1 said to Sadie last night that you were up against a very hard proposition in the administration of Van Rant’s millions,” said Mr. Gegan, thoughtfully. ‘‘Oh, I’ll help Anthony to come to a decision,’ said Brendan, olihandedly. “When we put our heads together his difficulties will vanish.” “Your head will set us right, it f anybody’s can,” said Anthony, ad-! miringly. “With your '“ifts, Brendan, you should be well in the running for the Lord Chancellorship now.” “Oh, you Hatter me!” protested Brendan, but in a tone that conveyed the impression that his! | kinsman’s estimate of him was j only just. “Not at all,” returned Anth-i ony. “Some of Mr. Aan Rant’s I money will be very worthily spent now in giving a good chance in ! life, before it is too late, to a man like you, who knows everythin'/, and can do most things, even to singing and writing i poetry.” “Oh, if you can write poetry, you must write something in my I album,” said Sadie, rising and going to a side table. “Am 1 to write a poem?” asked Brendan, taking the album and looking smilingly into Sadie’s eyes. “I am afraid I could not write anything good enough at a moment’s notice.” He took a long time to deliberate the problem; but evidently inspiration failed him, for at length ho quoted some hackneyed verses. “Now you, please,” said Sadie, taking the album to Anthony. “Any little thing at all you can remember.” “As I’ve been reading all my life—that’s about the only thing 1 can do well —I could quote you some nice lines,’ said Anthony, nursing' the album thoughtfully, ( while he poised Mr. Gegan’s fountain-pen. “But I should not like to write anything for you, ! however beautiful it might be, i that had been applied again and again as a tribute to all kinds of people. So I'll write any simple thing I can compose, even if it will possess only the merit of haying been written for you alone.” | He wrote, and then handed the album back to Sadie. His quickly - ! written verses were quite clever of their kind. Sadie was so pleased ' and surprised that she could only i murmur her thanks. Not bad,” criticised Brendan, 1 glancing at the verses with surprise he tried to conceal. “You might have been a minor poet, Tony, if you had received a decent education.” I “I’ll have to do as lam now, said Anthony, with a sigh. And then, glancing at his watch, he declared apologetically that they must terminate an over-long visit. 1 “You must both stay for dinner," said Sadie. And then to Anthony, “We intended to invite you tor this evening or to-mor-row.” i Anthony, with a glance at his dustv clothes, demurred; but Brendan, possibly with a thought Ito his dinner company at the ! Colonel’s, gracefully acquiesced j for both. The two men then went with Mr. Gegan to smoke in the garden, which, like that of Rosebank, was approached from the drawing-room by a Trench window, only that it was at the back of the house. They remained out in the garden in the warm twilight until a moon nearing the full up in the clear, greenish-blue east became i prominent. Then the dinner-bell called them in. | The dining-room proved to be (he room from which Sadie had \ seen her visitors arrive. It was small, but perfectly appointed, ; and the dinner, served by a deft hand, surprised Anthony by its choiceness. Brendan dined well and enjoyed himself. Anthony , enjoyed himself fully as much: but he ate little, so intent was he , on watching Sadie, who. in pink ; semi-toilet, looked the incarnation i of loveliness. Air. Gegan, doubt- , less undisturbed by emotions of i my kind, dined well, and made an j 'xcellent host. j C (To fce continued.) I