"CAPTAIN KITEFLIER."

Southland Times, Issue 18059, 31 January 1903, Page 1 (Supplement)

"CAPTAIN KITEFLIER."

Qe the New World Experiences ol an Old World Adventurer. Characters: Captain Kiti-.fmeii, a -jeutlemaa of no account. Jack, liis ' pal." llicu.vrd Kivp.rson, au Anstralian millionaire. Maud Eivkrson, b'a daughter. llaiiuy iIoiiTMAKK. a briefless banister. IjDCY MonxMAKE, bis sister. Fiir.n Pelves, Kioiianl Jliverson's oUI sbijjuwte. Petbk Pi.vkkktok, an English detective. \ /ew otheis of minor importance. BCENB--\Vholly in Bi'dnoy. FLIGHT 111. '"* It was 10 a.m. on the lGth December. 18—, when Maud Riverson, obedient to a me.ss;ioi.> froui her father, enUrxl the stud J at " Ilolly-loa." " You wi.-h to speak to me, papa P" " Yes, my doar. My old friend, Ebon Uclver, of L'ulliugwood, h:is recommended a rouili-mau "— here he looked' through his Joublj eye-glasses at a letter — of very great social standi tig in England, He is to remain in Sydney for at least a menth, and I waa thinking it wouldn't be half a bad plan if hespjnta fow days wiih vs — a couple of weeks or t hereabouts, eh ?" He lor tea li:0i anxiously at his daughter. " You know, I wish to oblige Delver ia anything possible, md this gent'eman is, it appe-irs, a very prominent person. Moreover, Delver is \'ory much taken with him, aud the family is tremendously rich ; at least, so says the letter. What do you say ?" "That Mr. Del ver's friend can stay here if you wish it, and it pleases yon, papa ?" " It does please me, and so, aa you are agreeable, I'll just drop him a note to tirubbins. aud tell him to fetch up his traps." That very afternoon Captain Kiteflier became an inmate of " Holly-lea." " Why, this works admirably," he said to himself, as he threw himself into a comfortable lounge, and surveyed his quarters, As cosy a bedroom as oue could wish for. and certainly much better th tn the ono I had at GrnbbinV. Curse him and his bill. Sow I iaii stay here for a good three weeks; right into the new year, in tact: Truly, n groat scheme. A wife, and perhaps J&20.000 dowu ; a father-in-law I sdiall cut when con•■enient, as, by the way, I h-hall that cou--I'onnded. ppy, Jack, and this domain my p ■ospectiveprop n-ty. A ust nil iv is a veritable .cold mine for a gentleman of my wants, dimple women, ignorant fathers, and a defective social code. I'm in luck." Captain Kiteflier then exam in id tlu furniture of his be I and dressing-room, and jven wuut so far as to lift the bed clothes and to test the quality. " Excellent ! Everything of Ihe best, aud aow if the rest of the establishment is only is substantial as aye thsse and the drawingroom, lam quite satisfied. How ths old boy bit, to be 6iire. Bah! The colonial <nob is p^rhtps the most detestable of all for lv slobbers at the sight of a crest an 1 whiu 112 heirs a title, no matter how Idy, goes dowuou his uiarrow-bouesancl licks tha dust. I hope, though, that the daughter is tho samo, as then tli3 prize will be ihe easier won, and the valueless part of it tho sooner disposed of." This, Captain Kitoliier looked upon us a certainty, but when he went to dinner he was disagreeably surprised to find hi;hostess not nearly so credulous as her repealed father, " Captain, this ia my daughter. Maud, illow me to introduce Captain Kiteflier." The girl bowed, and then Hushed ocarldt •is she recognised in her father's guest tinman who had so grossly i. a Ited h.T in tht iardens ; and sho utloreil the coldest of welccmeo in consequence, while the adventurer felt his heart beat -unplo.usan ily quiok ). , ncath hir scornful gaze. Still, Captain Citi-flior was n>t easily repelled. He had a t ike to pay, and th.'sc small obstacles weiv ill iv the game. He, therefore, did his best 0 unlo Ihi recent past, and .so started to irttfte, if possible, a favorable impression b,v ;alking upon the variety of subject*— and alking was one of his gifts -hj deemed nost calculated to interest his hearers. At .or his host he was in raptures, and could oarely conceal his satisfaction. Richard Riverson waa— in ona thmg at lea 9t — a Awl. " How we'l he talks, hi said to himself. ■ and how pvoud ho looks. Gad ! Matnlie h ill marry an aristocrat after all. A glass 1 win.;," ho cried in respectful rupture. Jlis guest smiled superciliously and ■owed. " With pleasure." Maud looked at his evil countenance, and won levod how her father's old friend had given such a person a ere leni iai of au> kind. She had so far no re:ison to doubt th. man's bona tides, aud with a wo:uau'< intuitive knowledge, she did. Be side*, hat. ho not insulted hji\ and iv a mvuier ii, which no self-respecting girl conM forgive •• ihe g'.aneed at her father's beaming f U53 Did askod horsjlf would it not bo better tc iiiliglilen him. But. uo ! The revelation would be thrown away. Richaid Kiveison did nut hold the same ideas as his daughter, and, iv addition to liltle or no education, entertained any but refined ideas on the matter of making acquaintances. His good points wero business ones, and it is to be regretted that his manners had uot increased in value with his prospects. Still, he meant well, and the gold of his affection for his on'y child and pjrth mcc the dead love to which in his innermost hjart he still clung, redeemed a lot of the baser metal in his character, if not all of it. So Maud resolved to forgot tho unpleasant episode, and in tho same instaut to make herself modftr-ately agreeable to the guest for as long as she was doomed to meet him. lt would be just" us well, she thought, to treat him with courtesy while he remained at " Holly-lea," and afterwards it would be eHsy to cut him, and so forgot his existence Fortunately she was not aware of the schemes being woven in her father's brain and was not, therefore, disturbed in consequence. So everything went off smoothly at the dinner table, and later on in th evening, when opportunity presented it-self Captain Kiteilier approached Maud, nnd, with some confusion, broached the uiattei of a few clays ago. , " Words cannot express the disgust I feel for myself. Will you allow mo. Miss Riverson, to say bow sorry I am for what happened, and to pray your forgiveness ?" "It waa an unmanly act, Captain Kiteflier"—what a vile namo, sho thought— " and hardly deserving of pardon. Besides, I question whether you would hive apologised had you not discovered "that tho daughter of your host and the lady you so affronted wero one and tho same person." " On tho contrary, Miss Riverson, I was disgusted with myself immediately ; therefore, although I do not deserve your consideration, still, will you forgive iug? Besides, you cut my lip, you know," Maud bit her lip to conceal a smile. "For that I am sorry, of course, even though you richly deserved it. However, as you appear contrite, I shall not be ungenerous, bnt forgive you," She reluctantly accepted his extended hand, and thus the first advance was made. ht this time preparations were being Holly-lea" for a few festivities. Mand had struck npon the idea, of .having a juvenile party for the neighbouring children, 1 pf whom «ho fc&diimted fully & bundred for

ihe end of the month, while greater pleasure had been planned for their elders. Richard Riverson had been preased^ by Maud *, allow of a ball, but this ho would not con sent to. The most he would concede was dinner with a small dance afterwards, if, a» he expressed himself, the girls insisted on* scampering. " So Maud sat down to her pretty little writing desk, and issned at least two dozen more invitations, nnd the first one was posted to Mra. Mortmane and her son. To the latter she also wrote a dainty note which, prior to sealing and despatching to the post office, she pressed to her lips. The samo day Captain Kiteflier swallowed aßtiff brandy and soda in order to strengthen his nerves, and inarched boldly up to the rich man's study. He tapped at the door, entered on the " Come in," and, being desired to take a seat, astonished his host by asking permission to pay his addresses te the heii-ess. The suddenness of the proposal somewhat, startled the elder man, who, however, laid down his newspaper and looked curiously at the applicant. " This is rather short work, isn't it P" •■ It is, sir ; but I love your daughter passionately. Of course, if you have any ob- t jection " " Well, I can't say that I have. I like short courtships and merry marriages. Still, I'd like to hear a little more abont yourself, eh ? My daughter will inherit my fortune." " I had no thought of money," Baid the other. " Tho fact is, I expected my income would be sufficient for both." "And that is?" " Two thousand a year, sir, a sum which may be nioro than trebled should my brother, who is hoh to the main estate, die before me," " Humph ! your brother's unmarried ?" '* Oh, yes, and likely to remain so. The fact is, Mr. Riverson, he's a dying man. Two years or so must see him out at most j though, heaven knows, I do not wish his death." " Of course not, of course not," murmured the othev absently, tubbing bis nose with his glasses. " Very proper, indeed." " But apart from that," continnod the Captain, " which I montioued only to prove my respectability, my expectations are large ones. Sir Blackall Kiteflier is very rich; 05 years of age ; no children ; and enjoys a baronetcy and fortune which will, with the entailed estates, fall to my brother, and in the event of his decease, to me." " Then, bhould your brother die, you will be— " " Sir Somerset Blackall Kiteflier, and one of tho richest landed proprietors in Wales." " My dear Captain," cried the self-made man, " you do us honor. Go in and win, my boy, I'll. give Maudio £20,000 down on her wedding day, and, if you make her a good husband, live times that amount. Few men who have liad to make every shilling they possess can say fairer," he concluded proudly. " You are everything that is good, my dear sir !" exclaimed the exultant Captain. "Might I ask you to prcparo Miss Riverson. I am not oversure that she regards me with favor. Mr. Mortmane " " What of him P" demanded Riverson, sharply. " Oh, nothing. Though I concluded, that is, 1 imagined that ho was not thought lightly of." " What, him ! him ! him !" cried the rich man, angrily, forgetting his grammar in tho extont of his indignation. " I'll kick him out of the house if he tries that game on." The Captain essayed no answer, but backed out of tho room. His very success had made him uncertain, and he was anxious to be alone to dream over his golden prospects, and to concoct further family 'histories.

As for Riverson he lost no time in sen-ling for hia daughter and bringing 'things to a head. As soon as she had obeyed his summons he announced that he hud news for her — "good news," he said, drawing her lohiui and stroking lur on tho check 'affectionately. " How would you like to be married P" She flushed to tho roots of her hair and trembled, " How would you' like to be Lady Kiteflier P" Tho girl Started from his arms. " I don't understand you." "Pooh! it surpritos you. Well, know that Captain Kiteflier, heir to one of the oldest titles and estates iv Wales, h is asked my permission to marry you." " And you — replied ?" " Yes, of course." " Then, I'll never marry him Oh, father, I love Harry Mortmane." " Hang him 1 How dare he address you?" > ' " Mr. Mortmane is a thorough gentleman and a most worthy young- man," remarked Maud, drawing herself up, " and I will not allow yon, even though you are my father, to speak unkindly of him !*' " He is a confounded puppy, miss, that's what he is, and not worth hia tait." " He s worth nioro than any other man to me. As for this Captain Kiteflier, what do you know of him ?" " Lots, miss,- lots." 1 "You know little or uothing, papa. Why, he may be an impostor— an adventurer." " You're a fool ; and mark me if you don't many him 111 leave my money to a hospital — a hospital ; what do you think of that 'i As for this Mortmane, if over he shows his face in my house I'll have him thrown from ihe door." " You must do nothing of the kind, sir. No father has a right to so control his daughter in this respect. Besides, I'm engaged to Mr. Mortmane, and faarry him I will, even if I have to wait for him a thousand years." " You won't live a tenth aa long." '< Well, until I'm of nge." She swept past her fathor and shimmed the door after her, and then, never pausing until she reached the room, locked the door and throw herself across the bed in a passion of tears. Two houra later, Captain Kiteflier asked his host for the loan of £700, to be returned in a month-'s time— as soon as the next Orient boat came in. The rich man, who would have denied many a deserving charity the slightest assistance, wrote a cheque for the amount named, and pocketed an acknowledgement, the most worthless he had eve* received. To bt CoHtMid,