TED'S SWEETHEART.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11955, 2 May 1902, Page 3

TED'S SWEETHEART.

Sir William Higgingbotham elevated his pince-nez and gazed blankly at his son. " A music-hall actress! Did I hear you aright, Edward?" He always gave him the benefit of his baptismal name when he was angry. "Yes," said Edward, commonly called " Ted," defiantly. "And if she were a flowerseller in the streets or—or anything (he was not eloquent) she would still be the prettiest girl in the world, and I would marry her." Fool !'' said Sir William, ' sharply. " Thank God that your mother never lived to see this day. Well, you know what to expect if you cany out your mad intention. Though it is not in my power to destroy the entail, I shall leave you without a penny." " Vcr> well, sir. And my mind is at present unchanged, and if you have nothing more to say, shall we terminate this interview " With pleasure." Sir William bowed stiffly as if lie had swallowed a poker, and Ted left the room. Of course the first thing he did was to fling himself into his hansom and be driven to Molly Melcombe's domicile. She and a fellow actress shared a flat Hear the Strand. It being shortly after lunch, Molly was at homo, and, clad in a delightful deshabille, looked perfectly (harming. Her beauty was not dependent' on paint, powder, and gaslight. " Oh, Teddy," she cried, waltzing across the room to meet him. "You are like the trains on the South Easternregulated neither by time nor man, which is a new version of an old proverb. But, in the name of goodness, what possesses you to call at such an unearthly hour?" "To sea you. of course," said Ted, kissing her. " Well, Mol, I have had it cut with my Pater, and—" " He has out you off with a shilling and consigned me to a warmer climate." " Well, not at present, though that is what he threatens to do—the former, I mean." . "And you? What are you going to do?" .Molly looked at him sideways out of her big, blue eyes. "Marry yon, eh, Mol? I'm not quite a pauper. I have five hundred a year from my mother and my army commission." "You're a clear, stupid, old fellow, and I'm not a quarter good enough for you," said Molly, with suden compunction, which statement Ted naturally contradicted. Sir William was not given to frequenting music halls, but that evening he felt a sudden desire to go and see this siren of the footlights who had beguiled Ted. He was unprepared for the dainty little maiden who presently tripped on the stage, and at sight of whom the house rose to its feet. Molly sang snd danced, and flung her little limbs about in sinuous motion amidst the bewilderment of shimmering skirts and changing lights until one was fain to shut one's eyes, the spectacle was so dazzling. "Well, she certainly is very pretty." said Sir William to himself, when "it was all over, and he was pushing his way through tho crowd, "just the sort of girl' a young fellowwould make himself a fool over. * But it won't do. Ted mustn't marry her." He hailed a hansom, and, jumping in, continued the train of his thoughts as he bowled swiftly homewards. " I wonder," he paused reflectively, a cigar half-way to his lips. " if I were to have a little talk with her. make it worth her while to give up Ted: I daresay she wouldn't be above a bribe." With Sir William to think, was to act, so the next morning, having made a note of Molly Melcombe's address, he, or rather his valet, arrayed him in faultless attire, and, with a buttonhole of violets, sallied forth. Arrived at Molly's residence, he sent up his card, and was soon ushered into her presence. She looked so delightfully calm and dignified that he felt suddenly awkward and tonguetied, and almost wished he had not come.

"To what am I indebted for the honour of this visit?" asked Molly, returning his profound how with a cold little salutation. Somehow, Sir William stumbled through an explanation. '" So the long and short, of it is, you want me to throw Ted over." she said, when he paused for breath. " Well, what are you prepared to offer? ' '* Five hundred pounds?" asked Sir William, producing his pocket-book. "Is that Ted's marketable value? Not enough," said Molly, shaking her head with its wealth of hair, black as a raven's wing. She looked "very lovely and irresistible, lounging back in a chair, her hands clasped behind her head, while the wide sleeves falling back from her arms revealed their alabaster whiteness. Sir William felt hi» pulses throb faster as he met her gaze. His heart was filled with" a sudden mad envy of Ted's yputh and good looks. • " I should have thought a handsome girl like you would look higher than mere pipeclay," he said. " Why, you might marry a title!" "But perhaps I would rather have a man," said Molly, smiling and showing a faultless set of teeth. Then she gave a little, hard laugh. " I didn't mean it," she said. Of course, I only care for money, and the things money can buy." "Well, name the price you want." said Sir William. All you have," said Molly, rocking herself backwards and forwards, and tapping the floor with her high-heeled slippers. Sir William looked at her. She certainly was bewitcliingly prettyand Ted was a fool —and he (Sir William) would only be 60 next birthday. Quite in his primea well setup, fine man. He glanced covertly into the mirror over the mantelshelf. Perhaps his hair was rather thin on the top, even lacking. But men get prematurely bald nowadays. And his moustache was beautifully dyed and waxed. He turned suddenly and confronted Molly. " Then yen will have to take me, too," said Sir William. .-' She bent forward, her eyes very bright. " Do you mean it?" asked Molly, seriously. "Yes, 1 do," said Sir William. "Give up Ted and marry me, then you shall have everything to make you happy—money, position, title. Otherwise you will only be a poor soldier's wife, with a few paltry pounds a year—not enough to keep you in bonnets. Well, Miss Ivlelcombe, which is it to bo'.'" " Your offer certainly sounds very tempting," said Molly, reflectively. " And it's hateful to he poor. But—what will Ted say?" "Oh, never mind Ted," said Ted's father. " He mustn't know a word till we are married." . " 1 see," Molly nodded her head. " Welt, here's mv hand upon it"—she held it out, ■•mall, and soft, and white"— lost in Sir William's big, bony paw. "I hope Ted won't take it to heart —commit suicide, or anything nasty like that," she said, as an afterthought. " He is a conceited young puppy," said Sir William, charitably. " lie wants some of his nonsense knocked out of him, and to be taught a lesson." "Then this ought to do it," said Molly. " I suppose," she looked up at him sweetly, "you really are very rich?" " Yes, very. But," awkwardly, "T. don't want you to many me for my money only. Don't'you think vou can care for me a bit, Miss Melcombe—Molly?"

"Oh, of course," said .Moll}-, lightly. "But one can't do everything at once. Ob. by-the-bye, had we not hotter fix the day? Fdo so long to be : veal live baronet's wife." So the day was fixed for a week hence, and Sir William tool; his departure, feeling that ho had renewed his youth, like, the eagle. Whatever qualm - of conscience he experienced when be thought of Ted he speedily stifled. Sir William had been a great lady-killer in his young days: hr was gratified to find that he was still desirable in the eyes of a young and charming woman. For, after all. he flattered himself, it was as much him its'his money. The name of Molly Melcombe was a dead-letter between father and son, and Sir William chuckled when he thought of the surprise he was preparing for Ted." At last the eventful day arrived. The ceremony was -fixed for eleven o'clock at — Church, and thither ir good time Sir William wended his way. With his lavender kid gloves, expensive buttonhole, and dyed hair he was a sight to behold. As his valet said (little guessing upon what business his master was bent), " V believe the old chap fancies he's young again. He might be going to meet his best girl." Sir William waited in the vestry while.the pew-opener hovered round, taking sly peeps at him in all /lis glory. At last the clergyman and the clerk appeared. But no bride. The church clock struck the quarter-past eleven, and Sir William felt himself turning hot and cold. The clergyman grew fidgetty; he had an important engagement at twelve. .lust tken up the aisle came a messenger; a telegram for Sir William Higginbotbam. With trembling fingers he tore it open— a few words : '"Ted and I were married by special license this morning. Money can't do everything. I would rather have a poor gentleman than a rich cad. Hope you like your lesson.— Molly."