Better than Gold

Chapter I

Two Rivals instead of One .... 108 CHAPTER H. Job Foster's Birthday ..... 120 CHAPTER IH. Almost her Hero 130 CHAPTER JV. Aunt Dorothy's Story CONTENTS. VLL

CHAPTER V. PAGE

Treachery 162

CHAPTER VI.

Uncle Stephen 185 CHAPTER VTI. A Fading Violet 194

CHAPTER VIII.

Ordered Home 203 CHAPTER ES. I love him, Madeline 214

CHAPTER X.

A Troubled Reverie 228

CHAPTER XI.

Summoned to Cliff House .... 235

CHAPTER XII.

In the Library ...... 245 CHAPTER XIH. Uncle Stephen's Welcome .... 255

CHAPTER XIV.

Getting Weary 262

CHAPTER XV.

On Dangerous Ground . ... .took the Scconb. (continued). TEMPTATION.

PART II. CHAPTER

I. AN UNTIMELY INTEERUPTION. " AN the other side of the hid looking for ferns." That information provoked Madeline; she fancied that she could detect some malicious exultation in the captain's look and tone, as though he enjoyed her embarrassment — annoyance which she could not help betraying." " Are they coming here, Mr. Hammond ? " She repeated her question in a tone that roused the gentleman from his self-com muning and made him realize the immediate VOL. II. B necessity for doing his best to smooth the ruffled humour of the lady, or prepare for the alternative, and relinquish all hope of being able to advance his cause by means of the opportunity which he had so adroitly made for himself. He replied hurriedly, — " Yes, I believe they will, for this is the famous dell that Mrs. Peat talks about, but they will enter at the other end, I brought you the shortest way."

The brown eyes flashed upon him a glance half playful, half indignant, and the ripe crimson lips pouted saucily as she said, — " Well, I'm not grateful, for I would rather you had not done anything of the kind." "Why, Madeline?" " Because I would." He laughed as he said, — " A genuine woman's reason ; will you not try and give me a better ?" " How can I ? you could not have any thing better than a genuine woman's reason." If there was any latent coquetry in Made line's nature, it could not fail to be gratified by the rapt, unspoken homage of the listener, who hung upon her words as though her lips had dropped pearls. If she had designed to heighten her fascination to him and there by test the extent of her power, she could not have succeeded more effectively than by her manner that morning.

A very woman even in her faults, her pretty airs of anger and independence, her coyness and self-will, even her waywardness and difficulty to please, were among the attractions that drew her to him, and enthralled him in fetters that no effort of his own could break. It was Madeline's voice that broke the pause which followed. " We had better return and join the others, Mr. Hammond ; they will think it so strange of us deserting them like this." " I don't think, Madeline, we shall be missed, unless they happened to come across some rare specimen — a very unlikely thing, for Mrs. Peat and her daughters have ex plored and examined every foot of the ground between Haycroft and the dell, and if we are b missed they will take it for granted that we are somewhere about botanizing." "Botanizing!" interjected Madeline with some energy, indenting her broad forehead with several discontented little wrinkles.

" I don't like botanizing, Mr. Hammond." " Not like it ! I am surprised to hear that, Madeline. I wonder what Mrs. Peat would say if she heard you." " I don't think I should care what she said ; one thing I am sure of, she would give me a lot of dry, prosy talk, that I should not care to listen to ; one cannot help getting tired of hearing about Alices, and their pin natified branches or fronds." The captain smiled as he said in reply, — " I quite agree with you, for I am often bored to death with her long dissertations on the subject. Just before we started she was trying to impress upon me the difference between the systems of Linnæus and Jussieu, but I am afraid she did not find me a very attentive pupil, though of late I have been cultivating an acquaintance with the science." " I thought you told me only this morning that you positively disliked botany."

" So I did, until I discovered one of nature's fairest flowers — a queen rose, that I want to secure for myself, as it is necessary for my happiness." He managed to throw such significance into his look and tone, and pointed his words in a manner impossible to be mistaken. Madeline had listened with heightened colour ; try as she would she could not help feeling uncomfortably self-conscious, and worse than all she could not keep from betraying it to the eyes that were bent upon her face as though to read her inmost soul. " I think we had better go back at once, Mr. Hammond," she said nervously; "we ought never to have got separated from the rest of the party." The captain put on a deprecating look as he said penitently, — " I see you blame me, Madeline ; but I assure you it is not altogether my fault, for it was decided by Mrs. Peat that we were to visit the dell, but they have chosen the footpath across the fields, and will probably enter at the other end, and if we return now the probability is that we shall miss them altogether."

" Oh dear ! how provoking ! what shall I do ?" and Madeline looked longingly back along the path by which they had come : there was no way of escape. The gentleman seemed to enjoy the situation, and there was an expression of triumph in his eyes. Her startled look was not lost upon him, and he was heartless enough to smde as he answered the question which she put so appealingly. " You ask me what shall you do ; I wish you would abide by my answer, and allow me to decide." " I don't see how I can avoid doing so, Mr. Hammond, for I presume you are quite at home here, while I am a stranger, as it is the first time I have been in this dell." " I am surprised to hear that, and you have been to Bank View so often; why, I think it is the only place worth seeing in the neighbourhood ; I wonder they never thought of bringing you."

As Madeline remained silent, the captain continued, — ■ " But this is a digression, and I am keep ing you waiting for my advice on the subject of what is best to be done — whether to advance and meet the rest of the party, or go back, as you just now suggested, and endeavour to overtake them. On that point I have already given my decision, for I don't think we could manage to get up with them. Let me see" (he drew out his watch and glanced at it), " we have a precious half-hour before us, Madeline, let us make the best of it before the fern-seeking party puts in an appearance." Madeline felt inclined to ask what he meant by " making the best of it " and " precious half-hour ;" but she checked herself, fearing that it would be leading up to what she was most anxious to avert ; that such a question would be giving a key-note which might precipitate that which her woman's instinct told her was impending, a declaration of love from Captain Hammond.

There was a pause, which both felt to be somewhat embarrassing. The gentleman was stealing furtive side-glances at the flushed face and pretty drooping eyelids, and saying mentally, " I wonder if she suspects what I am longing to say ; somehow I fancy she does. I only wish I knew how to begin, and that I did not feel so nervous about ven turing; it would be dreadful if I did not chance to seize the right moment, for I should lose all ; it would be like trying to cage a wild bird, to cross Madeline's humour, for she has been contradictory all the morning." The continued silence was very disconcert ing to Madeline, and made her feel very uncomfortable and ill at ease with Captain Victor; it seemed so suggestive of a lovers' tete-a-t£te that she was anxious to break the spell that appeared to be growing out of the surrounding scene.

The soft green gloom of the dell, broken by rifts of sunshine, the babble of the brook, and the gentle rustle of the falling leaves, all contributed to form an influence which Madeline thought would not be wise to prolong. Still keeping her eyes veiled under their long, dusky lashes," she managed to say, — " WeU, Mr. Hammond, have you decided which way we are to go ?" The sound of her voice effectually roused the captain from his reverie ; he looked hope lessly self-conscious, and stammered out in a way that was not very dignified, — " Which way, Madeline ? I— I— to tell the truth, I was thinking of staying, rather than going anywhere. In short, I — I — was about to propose that we wait for them here — they will be sure to come ; and if they do not, we can easily find our way back to Bank View."

This was instantly negatived by Madeline. She spoke hastily, with a deeper tinge of car mine on her cheeks. " I would not stay on any account, Mr. Hammond ; we must hasten on — I could not think of loitering here any longer; " and she gave a decisive emphasis to her words. The captain glanced at her, murmuring to himself, " She guesses what I want to say, and is afraid ; but I am not going to let the opportunity pass ; I have made up my mind to tell her, and put an end to all my doubts." Aloud he said, " Just as you please, Madeline ; and while I have you to myself, I may as well tell you something I have wished to — to — ■ — " " Excuse me, Mr. Hammond," Madeline exclaimed, suddenly quickening her steps, and determined to change the current of the gentleman's thoughts if it were possible, " do you not think we are likely to have a shower ?

" " A shower, Madeline ! why there is not the slightest indication of one." " Oh dear ! how foolish of me, Mr. Ham mond. What a many birds seem to congre gate here," she added. It was an unfortunate observation, which she heartily regretted having made, for, to her dismay, Captain Hammond adroitly made it the vehicle for his love-making. " Yes, there are a many, Madeline ; and do you know I fancy they come here to sing their love-songs to each other ; and it is just the place in which I should like to tell my love, and learn whether I am to be happy or miserable for the rest of my life. Dear Madeline Confound it ! " he suddenly broke out with irrepressible irritation. Mystified by the extraordinary change in his tone and manner, Madeline looked round, and to her unmistakable relief saw Mrs. Peat, attended by the servant, who had accompanied the party from Bank View, for the purpose of carrying the ladies' satchels and the plants they expected to find.

The lady was ad vancing towards them, complacently smiling in her satisfaction at having discovered the pair of truants, of whom she was evidently in search.

Chapter II

A LETTER FROM ABROAD. AN the night that the banker's coachman put his master down at the "Three Masts," and drove home the brougham with out him, Jane Reid sat alone in the library. She had evidently been reading, for an open book lay on the table beside her. She seemed to have taken quite a fancy for sitting in the library of late, and what made it more strange was her expressed dislike to the room, which she always spoke of as a " dingy place;" and it certainly was very far from cheerful. She was seated near the fire, and was toying idly with her watch-chain and some charms that were attached to it ; but it was evident that she was quite unconscious she was doing so, for they got detached from the chain and fell to the floor without her having even missed them. To all appearance she was "gazing earnestly at the httle timepiece on the mantle, but in reality she was dreaming.

Aunt Dorothy had complained of headache, and retired early to her own room, not caring to spend the evening tete-a-tete with her niece. The old lady sorely missed the com panionship of her favourite Madeline, for whom she secretly pined. In her absence she visibly drooped and shrank into herself, becoming very sorrowful and heart-sick as the grey autumn days followed each other in an unbroken, lonely round. Aunt Dorothy had failed considerably during the past two years. She had never quite recovered from the shock of her nephew's death ; her hold on life had grown feeble, and as her health gave way she lost some of her individuality, except on occa sions of some sudden spur of sickness or trouble to those about her, then she was Aunt Dorothy still ; but it was clear to all that she was gradually fading.

Alfred Fairfax, always grateful for her care of him duringhis illness, would have been grieved to see the change in his nurse. It often troubled Madeline, but Jane took it quite composedly, reasoning. in her pitilessly clear judgment, that was seldom in danger of being blinded by feeling, that it was only natural for people to break up and grow old, and that no amount of fussing over them would influence that inevitable dispensation. This was quite true, but Madeline recoiled against her sister's calm way of putting it. No wonder that Aunt Dorothy missed the tender ministration of her younger niece. It was not in Jane's nature to care about the old lady's ailments, or get concerned at dinner because the contents of her plate re mained almost untouched. She would have laughed contemptuously at the absurdity of making it a trouble because the old lady could not always take her food with the same relish.

" It was natural for every one to lose their appetite at times, and Aunt Dorothy could not expect to be an exception." Thus argued phlegmatic, matter-of-fact Jane, adding that Madeline was a sidy inex perienced little goose to frighten herself at such trifles, but the world would teach her better by-and-by." Madeline indignantly denied that she frightened herself at trifles, or that the world would teach her better ; she did not believe it was better to be indifferent to the troubles and suffering of others. " It isn't a Christian spirit, nor a Christian doctrine, Jane." Unwilling as she was to acknowledge it, Jane was beginning to realize that Madeline was her superior in argument and word-fencing. What a cold proud face it was, in spite of its beauty; how hard and unyielding, even when seen at its best — an expression that marred its youthfulness and took something from the effect of its finely chiseled outline and classic regularity of features.

This was strikingly apparent in that face before the fire, — sitting there alone, with her graceful head bent forward and her white fingers abstractedly toying with the glittering thread of gold that formed her watch-chain, the warm fire-glow giving a transient colour to the pale cheeks, and resting in gleams on the crown of sleek dark hair. She was handsome enough to queen it over men's hearts, and command any amount of that homage which is such grateful incense to woman's vanity, yet lacking the brightest jewel in a woman's crown, her simplicity and sweet loving sacrifice of self. Jane's reverie was so profound that a knock at the library door had to be repeated before it was noticed. " Come in, Barker;" and she took up her book as if she was about to resume her reading. It was not Barker, but the parlour-maid, who was supplying his place for that evening.

The butler was out, Mr. Reid having given him a holiday, and he had not yet returned from Wyewood, whither he had gone early in the afternoon. The servant came in, glancing at her young mistress, and treading carefully, as though fearful of awaking a sleeper. Miss Reid turned her head and glanced towards the girl as she coldly interrogated her. " What do you want, Wilson?" " I have brought a letter which the postman has just given me, miss." Is it for me?" " No, ma'am, it is for Miss Leigh." Jane held out her hand for the letter, then changed her mind, for instead of taking it, she suddenly withdrew it, saying, — " For Miss Leigh, then leave it on your master's desk." The girl obeyed, and was about to leave the room when Jane stopped her. "Has Barker returned yet?" "No, miss." " Then tell cook that her master will require a cup of chocolate, and she may as well make me one at the same time.

She had better do it at once, as I expect the brougham every moment." " It has come back, miss." " Indeed !" Jane exclaimed, rising hastily. VOL. n. c 'if " How is it that I was not informed ? Does my father know that I am here." " He has not come, miss." " Not come 1" Jane repeated, for once sur prised out of her usual self-possession. "No, miss; I heard James telling the gardener that he had lest the master some where on the way." Jane quietly resumed her seat, saying as she did so, — " I was afraid something had happened to your master, Wilson. Don't forget to tell cook about the chocolate." " Is there anything else, miss ?" " No — stay, you had better put some coals on the fire. There, that will do ; if I should want anything else I will ring." Jane sat for some time after the servant had gone, looking into the fire, and wondering to herself what had caused her father to leave the carriage between Wyewood and Cliff House, and then let it come on without him.

She suddenly got up from her seat, with the intention of ringing, having decided to send for the coachman and learn from him where he had left his master. Before touching the bell-wire, she glanced towards the letter which the servant had brought in, and feel ing a desire to know from whom it had come, she advanced to the desk and took it up to examine the writing. " Why, it must be from Alfred Fairfax ! No, it cannot be, for the postmark and stamp are foreign. It is from India; stdl I feel sure it is Alfred's writing — I should know it among a thousand. What can lie have to write about?" Her fingers quivered ner vously about the letter, which she put down, then took up again. " He must be seeking a renewal of the engagement." She re examined the letter, then murmured between her set lips, " Yes, that is his seal.

I should like to know what he says. And what is there to prevent me from opening it ? I know it is dishonourable, but I think I have a right to know, for I love him, and she is my rival. No, she shall never see this letter, whatever mav be the result.'" c

Chapter III. An Evening At Bank View

botanizing expedition, botanically speaking, proved a failure ; Captain Victor, in speaking of it to Lieutenant Hough on the return of the party to Bank View, called the specimens rubbish, and the whole thing a wretchedly-managed affair. But he did not enlighten his friend tbe lieutenant why he thought it so badly managed. The lieutenant thought it one of the pleasantest botanical expeditions he had ever attended, and considered that the captain was finding fault without a cause. " Why, my good fellow, the weather was magnificent, and you secured Miss Reid for a companion ; what more could you wish for ? as for the specimens, they are certainly not very good." "Very good, Hough!" interrupted the captain ; " why, they are contemptible." " Granted they are, but they did us good service in tempting the ladies out for a morning walk ; why, I never enjoyed myself better."

Captain Hammond shrugged his shoulders as he replied, — " Then you were more fortunate than I was, for with me the walk began well and ended badly." " Why, did you and Miss Madeline quarrel?" "Quarrel, Hough!" repeated the captain, giving his companion a surprised stare; " certainly not." " Then what on earth made it turn out badly, Hammond ?" There was another shrug of the shoulders on the part of the captain, and it was evident to Lieutenant Hough that he was either un willing to confess the cause of his not enjoying the walk to the dell, or he really did not know how to account for it, and the thought flashed through the lieutenant's mind that perhaps his friend was not well, for he had noticed that he was unusually quiet. He was on the point of asking him if he felt ill, when the captain replied to his question.

" Everything seemed at cross purposes, Hough." " Cross purposes, Hammond ! I cannot for the life of me see how you can make that out ; why, you were more fortunate than any of us, for you succeeded in smuggling Miss Reid into the dell, which by the way is one of the finest places for making love that I ever saw. I tried hard to persuade Miss Parr to go, but it was of no use ; if she had consented, I meant to have made her — " He checked himself, glanced curiously at the captain, who was seriously damaging one of Mrs. Hammond's fancy mats that happened to be lying on the table beside him. The thought had passed through his mind that Captain Hammond had made an offer of marriage to Miss Reid, and been refused. " Yes," he murmured to himself, " I have solved the enigma at last; poor fellow, he may well say it had ended badly.

I hope Lucy won't serve me the same. I'm glad I did not run the risk this morning. Only fancy, if I had and she had declined to have anything to do with me ! No, no, I must make myself sure that she cares for me before I venture." Here the lieutenant's musings ended, and he put his hands upon the shoulders of his friend, saying earn estly,— " I say, Hammond, old fellow, I'm very sorry for you; hadn't an idea she had served you such an but there I see the subject is disagreeable to you, so I'll drop it." " You are right, Hough, it is disagreeable; if she had only the good sense I gave her credit for, she would never have done it ; you can imagine what a disappointment it was to me." Captain Hammond was under the impres sion that the lieutenant was talking about Mrs. Peat, whde that gentleman took it for granted that it was Madeline Reid to whom his friend alluded.

Before Lieutenant Hough had time to reply, Mrs. Hammond broke in abruptly upon their tete-a-tete. " Victor, how can you be so mischievous ? you have nearly destroyed that mat. You might be a great schoolboy. Mr. Hough, I wonder you would let him pull it to pieces. I believe you military gentlemen are all alike — -never happy unless you are in mischief;" and Mrs. Hammond disguised her annoyance under a forced laugh. The captain looked ruefully at the fringe that ornamented the edge of the mat he had so hopelessly destroyed by pulling out the threads. " I don't know what I could be thinking of to do such a thing as that ; I am very sorry that I have spoilt it, Martha, but you must forgive me." " You must be in love, Victor," Mrs. Ham mond responded, giving him a scrutinizing glance ; " and if that is the case, I will forgive you, on the condition that you make me your confidant."

Captain Victor's face flushed slightly under her keen searching glance, but he said with a laugh, " You ladies seem to imagine that we must be in love if we are at all out of spirits or a little absent-minded." " And is it not generally true ? For in stance, in your case Victor, can you deny I am right ?" and Mrs. Hammond touched him lightly with her fan, adding, as the captain thought, a little maliciously, " there you need not be at the trouble of seeking for an answer on the ceiling, for the colour of your face is quite sufficient. Do you not think so, Mr. Hough ? why bless me, your face is getting as red as the captain's. I am afraid you have not passed unscathed in your tete-a-tete with But there, I will say no more about it, only remember, gentlemen, that I cannot help using my eyes, and that few of your sex can keep a secret of that hind from a woman."

Then turning to the captain, she continued, " My reason for interrupting you was, I feel uneasy about your brother ; he is nearly two hours late — a thing that has not occurred for years. Wbat do you think can be keeping him, Victor?" " He must have missed the train," Captain Victor answered, heartily glad that his sister in-law had changed the subject. " But he has had ample time to get here by the next one," Mrs. Hammond replied, glancing at her watch; "besides you know he promised to come back early." " Ah, so he did." " Perhaps some business at the bank is keeping him," suggested Lieutenant Hough. Mrs. Hammond at once negatived the idea, declaring that nothing short of the bank building being on fire would detain him. " Are you afraid there's been an accident on the line ? " inquired the lieutenant.

" Yes, I must confess that is the chief cause ofmy uneasiness." " I think you need not trouble yourself then, for if there had been one we should have heard of it before this ; bad news has the reputation of travelling fast." Captain Hammond, who had walked to the window, again joined them, saying, — " Here's the carriage coming, and unless it has returned without him, he will be here in a few minutes." Captain Victor and his friend the lieutenant passed into the hall, where they met Mr. Hammond, as he hurried in from the carriage. " I suppose you were all getting uneasy about me, Vic." "Yes, we began to think you might have eloped with a Wyewood beUe, and I beheve Mrs. H. had some thoughts of sending me after you, for she has just been consulting me on the subject — in fact, she was getting quite excited, so you had better prepare yourself for a lecture, and it wdl serve you right, unless you can give a good account of yourself.

Now then let us hear what kept you." " Politics, Vic." " Politics ! " repeated the captain in a tone of surprise. "Politics!" reiterated Mrs. Hammond, who had just entered the hall and heard her husband's reply. " Yes, my dear, I have been detained by a political meeting ;" and Mr. Hammond rubbed his hands together as if he was enjoying their surprise. " You don't mean to tell me, Wilfred, that you have really stayed away for such rubbish ? " " Yes I do, and what's more I have pro mised to attend another meeting to-morrow night." " Why, I thought you took no interest in them." " Don't you think I would if Mr. Reid was going to be the new member ?" queried Mr. Hammond with a self-complacent smde, as he saw his wife start. " Mr. Reid the new member, Wilfred ! what could the Wyewood men be thinking of to select him?" and Mrs. Hammond's lip curled scornfully.

" I suppose he did not require to be asked twice." " There is no need, my dear, to get so excited about it ; if Mr. Reid was elected member for Wyewood he would do his duty. And now that you mention it, I wonder they never thought of asking him." " Why, they must have asked him, Wil fred," exclaimed the captain, "if he is going to be the member." " Ah ! yes, of course," repeated his brother. "What do you mean by that, Wilfred?" (queried the captain, eyeing the banker suspiciously, as if he suspected he had been indulging in too much wine.) Did you not tell us that they had asked him, and that he was going to be the new member." " I must have been dreaming if I did, Victor, for to my knowledge they have not done so yet. " Then whom have they asked ? " queried his wife rather sharply, — " Try and guess, my dear."