ELVA BLANE'S STRATAGEM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3376, 3 February 1879, Page 3

ELVA BLANE'S STRATAGEM.

BY W. T.

Elva Biane sat before tho fire that »fcornvr, delightfully lonely day, wil.hlier anibi-rbruwn oyes fixed very thoughtfully on- tho rainbowhued flames that darted over and bet-m en the shiny lumps of coal. She was a mite of a girl, this-Elra, Bl.me, and as she nestled among tho brow n cKthions of the big chair, one could have-easily fancied her for a bird in ita nest.

She w»3 not especially pretty, and- jefc cv(>iy one liked hey, and the admiration, "her winsome ways, her girlishly ladylike demeanour elicited, was far more to be proud' of than if people had raved over her sunny; browo Imir, her. bright dark eyes, or an y< other pcison^l oliarm.

So, every one's friend, little Elva had been •very happy — until It was somewhat of the old etory— not quite all,, and yet a little n-.ora ; only klva .thought, gazing into the leaping, bhw uud ;yellow gold flames, that never was a love ,affair quiie so complicated, quite so hopeless 'as hei-9.

; She couldn't help giving a, little sob of pain as she thought how handsome- Dare Ik-naun was, aad how utterly indifferent Ue was to her— ab least indifferent in a. lover-like sunse. Then, when the thought of ., Daisy Howard came sm-ging over her— beautiful Dai>y, over whom. Dare had seemed, to hare «ouc demented °

. As for Dare liimself, he lvid. always known Elya, and quite naturally failed to appreciate her; entertaining fou.her a peasant, .brotherly regard, never dreaming *he i-arc-d ,for him beyond the iuisolUbli, tliou»htl"ul regard, she gave every one who had tlie°good f Ol tune to come under har sweet, euniiv influence.

It was a pretty strong emotion for Elva to cherish— positive hatred for Daisy How ai d, ■who,. not being content with, turning Dare'" head topsy-turvey, had actually won hlvaV brother as well— grave, stsrai,. reticent Pl.ilnj. iiiane, who never had cared for a woman before, who now was absolutely pale from t)ie^ strength and doubt of hiu-.-lore for Daisy ut d Daisy's estimation of him..

lhey know they were rivals— Philip r.nd Dare, but aa yet were friends, for tbu i VUH »n that.eachwas so confideut of his own iier.*oiwi success, ultimately, that he coidd aflord tojbu magnanimous.

It came hardest upon, Elva, who, not i»crsonally knowing Misv Howard, coul i -/nut iiidge of the delicacy and sweotnesa oft Jiejr disposition ; who, only; having seen tha picture of her in. an artibt'a gallery, formed iui opinion grounded on, natural woma.-h- W lousy. J J

It pulled both ways on Elva— th knowledge that she loved, the »iaa who k'.vod Jier brother's love, and when, in honest; i«di"nant displeasure, she declared that d.-ar,- o fd Philip should be bho victor in the Wracc she wondered if it really was diaintefestcvlne.-s for her brother's success, or the foulpm h aio that if Dare were vanquished, ehe^vyuLd be appointed chief cpnsoler.

So you see, if. Elva was a tiaymitoofa^ girl, she was passably well po3i«ed iv the J affairs that war agitato human hearts, whether in big or little bodies.

No one to have, seen Daisy Howard as slesat at her machine, stitching merrily away. on. a wonderful combination of tucks, and insure . tions and edgings, would havo blamed Pt.Vm, Blanc, or Itorc Upnson, or rjiybody el«e 7w> liaving fallen in love with so fair a specif* of feminity.

She wjs a graceful, Biylish girl, v4# dressed as. simplj as she looked that mpvai; n — in a gored blue Chambevy wrapper, brujjj J> J with whitp linen, and not an.adj unct oivo/ L ment toher toilot beyond striped blufi. nn ". white linen cuffs, and a. pointed turnover; un , lar, with, a narrow blue- ribbon to finftslj,'/ ''' She looked as quoonly, as aelf-po>' lfc " as haughtily cool, as radiantly faiii, ? JCBS f.' simple caress at her sewing niachinlr ' n \ ns did leading the wait*, when shq fay 'U9 f. he lerod in silks and jewels, and I>hsi y T< r pausing as ho pawed the windo/w p ,, , ' how perfect she was, under all,cifie- ' tll0 "K llt She was un odd girl— as. dUFe.Jjei nev, air, views, from others, as h.e; jJ ? ""Y 1 " ejos, with tlie big black pupihj, a ■' d * rk l mlel gold hair, differed from otke* » •od , , h r i]o **)' nary blue and yellow. -eoplo a ordiShe was rich, yet made, hi because she thought a wo- r own clothes > know all there was to fcjp man , ou ° hb to making, and besides, kept a- W about dreßß " the year round .making i sempstress busy "poor rates." jannonla for Jicr

• She hud the rarest d' seldom wore, apd daw© a m 0n o c s ',, Ul '' fc sllC to a simple basket ptaeb llU \ e She ' land P l '». v , carriage horses and staU '"' wh( m lll( " • k P lt ;» d ' (i daj s at a, time. ' brou S h am sLood idle

A generous, brave, ir , , . . , , eves bad learned to. 'dependent girl, whose her master's ; whosa , Aroo V , wh f ? 7 IL 'J llloL one mentioned his ? heart thro *>bcd if any who had given all b n * me ' ever 80 Ci»»»allj ; the keeping of-wo e^™ J . >' ou "« lu .y c into m, . . s it Philip or Dare ? This, morning, . _. l . . . , . fair, blonde face ' ™ e ° ., Da ] ye looke , d in . lns lie felfc, Daisy saf lU i l , of t»e honest admiration smiled. sed her cool » P laci d ejes and

"Oh, Mr Be , . hopinsforaa n8On! llow fortunate, I wns askiDs : joifca/ opportunity of seeing tou and She look '* V ? Ul \ . WiU y° u fi mn t 't ?" franknpw* r ,*£ hlB C 3 e * ™ f ' h tl«li«ioiw the mosliin md .£ aro would haTO granted and he tad' ipoesiblefavourshecho.se toti.sk, anemph* - J ]^ r 80 ' *°°« wi ' h ? 6 lanco nnd seconds JlB made her cheeks burn for ;i

" Lb v on TQW iU not demand exlniordiimry effort auioiw " P a . rfc) Mr Benson. I only want your vprs£' iP' 1 * n m J ' souwnii* ' undeV an original

in w 8 nant * C( * nim au clegaui.ly bound hook, chtf >1( * ancl K anie t> nofc Jni'gPi" than a medium £ quo book, smiling bcwilchinjily os slus did "» while Dare's heart sank to "his boot solos he promised he would do Id's bus!..

"lam so much obliged," Daisi- wn'il, ho-,-uilingly, as he tucked the elegant little hookunder his arm, with such a rueful expression of countenance as seldom bcfeJl Daisy'a lot to see.

"Mr Blanc has agreed to furnish mo with a line or two of his own composition, and then I shall have obtained all I c-ai« for. Please let mo have my 'souvenir' by ei»hf. to-night, at the furthest, Mr Benson, iis Mr Bliino will need afc least an hour or so, nml I want tlie entire collection read at the so,' see this evening." Dare said something, vaguely, about; heinjj most happy, and highly honoured, and went away in a blissful state, bordering between despair at even accorapliahing four ovi-ill'il hues to rhyme, and proud satisfnetton at. being asked to contribute, mingled with a eavage determination to cut Blanc dead, poetically. ' Ho walked down to his office very leisurely, wondering how to best exprc s his sentiments aod yet veil them so that. And then it occurred to him that if everybody was to hear them read, sentiment would not do.

What would he do ? Was ever a fellow in such a fix ?

Dare began to despise Blanc becauso thoro was a. poetical atreak in his family that would enable him

It seemed to him like an inspiration— if there really waß a "poetical streak" in the JUane family, of course little, accommodating Elva would be blessed with it as well £? Ph vl& He would aflk E1 ™ to help him. Dear little soul, she wouldn't refuse a fellow such a faYovtr.

He wo-ald go down tho firet thing that evening, bo as to give her from seven to eight

to compose the "original verte," and wouldn't Daioy Howard be delighted? Time— eight o'clock. Vlace- the large. xreft-lighUtl libraiy in Maf BLine's big, delighted bouse. Persona?'— Elva Blanc, with flushed cheeks^ listemng to her brother Philip. " N ou do ff '.j ers, for my eake^ won't you ? It'll be-all-right, you know, in the end— all'ir fnir in lovo ;ind war — and I want the firstchance, for -I do think Duisy will nukr finch a delightful: sister-in-law. Come,, now promise me ; there's a darling liltls girl." Hund^o-i •c-PhWip-liftcd- Elvu's flashed facer by tin* chin and looked in- her eyes. "Will you* If she really lovsdhim ifc wo'i't. hinder him fron> winning her, yoov know." r lva raided her eyes t»>hie. " \ vs, .VII do- it.. For joor sake, Philip/* ' nnd in her own hesrt she- added, and ; forroj' own ! ]f J. only cauld moke him forgebDainryt Howard.'^ *' * *■ * * ». (To bo oontraued).

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