Chapter I
Embarking for England 9 II. Making New Acquaintances 15 III. The American Widow 26 IV. A Rough Night 32 V. On Deck in a Storm 42 VI. In Town 49 VII. A Confidential Chat 54 VIII. Alice Munraven and the Picture 62 IX. The Widow and the Countess 66 The Widow discourses on Dollars and Titles 73 X. The Countess gives the Widow some Advice in Regard to Marriage 78 XI. The Widow makes her Debut in London Society, and has a Strange Interview... 85 Contents. VI page chapter XIII. Interrogatories 93 XIV. "Le Passe est Mort ! Vive le Present!" ioo XV. John Harden takes • the Widow into his Confidence I09 XVI. The Countess has another American Guest 117 XVII. The Widow and the Parson 123 XVIII. Lady Featham Loses Two Profitable Guests 134 XIX. Unpleasant Companions 141 XX. The Widow Makes an Offer 149 XXI.
Discomfited 158 XXII. Alice's Story 165 XXIII. The Likeness of my Mother 174 XXIV. The Voice of the Tempter 185 XXV. A Mysterious Attack 195 XXVI. " ' Twixt Life and Death" 204 XXVII. A Nocturnal Wanderer 213 XXVIII. Summoned from Paris 217 XXIX. The Widow Consoles John Harden 226 XXX. Dr. Astor 237 XXXI. The Earl is Introduced to an American Detective ... ... ... 248 XXXII. Tell-Tale Letters 2cg XXXIII. " Your Terms are Generous " Contents. VII chapter PAGE XXXIV. Alice gives Mrs. Leonard a Hint 282 XXXV. A Startling Tale 291 XXXVI. "Two Flittings" 3°4 XXXVII. " I Love the Ocean " 31° XXXVIII. Restoration 3'8
CHAPTER I. EMBARKING FOR ENGLAND.
On a bright and sunny morning in May, when the Hudson River was teeming with craft of all sizes and descriptions, and the docks on each side were bristling with life, the Cunard Royal Mail steamship Bulgaria was lying at the Company's wharf in New York, embarking passengers for Queenstown and Liverpool. No handsomer picture is to be seen afloat than this huge and magnificent vessel as she towers high up out of the rippling, glistening water, with bunting flying from the tops of her masts, her three enormous red funnels shining in the sun, and her rails and bridges looking as white as freshfallen snow. Her popularity is amply testified to by the length of her passenger list, which generally surpasses that of any other steamer plying between the old and new continents. Her record of speed is the best, though there are several others which can come within a few hours of her time.
Six hundred cabin passengers can be quartered within her, and can obtain as much luxury and comfort as they could get at the Metropole or Meurice's. Speed, comfort, the best food, good cooking, and safety are now, in the order named, the absolute essentials to a successful Atlantic liner. The first of these has been so much de manded and so much studied that it is almost as easy to foretell the time when an ocean greyhound will arrive at her B destination as it is to name the hour at which the Irish Mail will reach Holyhead. Passengers were continually arriving in cabs and car riages, and their friends were flocking down in vast numbers to bid them ban voyage. This is one of the greatest pleasures of the American girl who is staying at home — to spend an hour on the deck or in the saloon of an ocean steamer, saying good-bye to her more fortunate sister who is going to Europe.
On the whole, this bidding adieu is generally rather a jovial ceremony, notwithstanding that sometimes a little weeping and hysterics are thrown in. The decks of the vessel, though so broad and spacious, were already crowded with people of both sexes, every age, and various nationalities. The saloon, although its seating capacity at table is over three hundred, was so packed that it was impossible to get either in or out. There were a hubbub and chatter that were absolutely bewildering. There were crowds of women clinging round every passenger of their own sex, all trying to talk at the same time ; there were love-sick young men congregated around the objects of their fancies, each endeavouring to edge in a word of sentiment or admiration, and sadly wondering whether some foreign prince or nobleman would succeed in carrying off his beloved one ; there were husbands and fathers waiting anxiously for the signal for visitors to go ashore, in order that they might hasten back to their daily toil and money making ; and there were young ladies who were " not going to Europe this year," giving their friends all sorts of com missions to execute for them in Paris, London, and else where.
Presently the ship's whistle blew a shrill blast, the bell rang with a deafening clang, and the officers shouted " Visitors, ashore ! " Not a single person, however, attempted to obey the injunction. It only stimulated every one to talking louder and faster, and to making frantic struggles to get nearer to their departing friends. There was so much to say, and so little time to say it in. A few minutes elapsed, and again the whistle was blown and the bell rang. Still the confusion increased. All seemed to have thought of a lot more things they had to say, and apparently were Embarking for England. 11 determined to say them. After only a short interval the bell and whistle were sounded a third time, and the officers shouted determinedly, " All visitors ashore ! " Then there was a change. Hand-shaking, kissing, weeping, embracing, and hysterical laughter took the place of chatter and con versation.
Delicate feet were trampled on, bonnets and hats were crushed, carefully dressed hair was dishevelled, and bouquets were demolished. A rush was made for the gangway, the visitors streamed back to the wharf, and soon the ship was deserted by all save her passengers and crew. A slight pause ensued, during which there was a perfect silence, presenting a curious contrast to the pandemonium of a few minutes previous. The travellers were crowded at the side of the ship gazing down at friends and relatives on the docks ; the stay-at-homes were thickly packed together on the dock, staring up at friends and relatives on the ship. It was only, however, momentary. An interrup tion came in the shape of an officer's voice singing out, " Clear away ! " and, the gang-plank disappeared as if by magic. An electric bell tinkled in the engine room, a sort of throbbing pulsation was felt throughout the ship, and the huge vessel was en route.
Slowly she backed away from the wharf, turned her head down stream, and glided majestically through the water. The majority of the saloon passengers, of whom there were nearly four hundred, remained on deck, keeping their eyes fixed on the fast-vanishing dock, until there was nothing visible on it except a dark mass of human beings and a sea of fluttering handkerchiefs. As these grew dim the travellers began to scatter. Many descended to the saloon to write letters to be sent back by the pilot boat ; some went to the smoking-room to make new acquaintances over a convivial glass, or to drown their sorrow at a friend's absence in the same way ; others wan dered about the deck, occasionally stopping to take a farewell look at the statue of Liberty or some other familiar landmark. Leaning against the rail, a little apart from any other passengers, were two Englishmen.
The elder was a well built, aristocratic-looking man of about fifty-five ; the B younger, a tall, strapping, broad-shouldered fellow of about twenty-four. The first was the Earl of Beachville ; the second, Herbert Lonsdale, nephew and heir of the Earl, the latter's sister having married her second cousin, who had been, until his death, heir presumptive to the title. The attention of these two appeared to be concentrated on a trio of their fellow-travellers, standing a little further aft. " God bless my soul ! " the Earl had exclaimed, on first observing these three, " who can that girl be ? " " Deuced pretty, whoever she is," replied his nephew. "Wonder if she is American ? " mused the uncle. " Did you ever see an English girl with such exquisite feet and hands?" replied Herbert. "Of course she is American — everything about her indicates that ; and what is more, she is about the prettiest Yankee girl I have ever seen, and that is saying a good deal.
I suppose the old gentleman and lady are her father and mother, though they bear no resemblance to her. I wonder if they will give a fellow a chance to make her acquaintance, or if they will keep her tied to their apron-strings. I am sure the mono tony of the voyage would be much relieved by her com panionship occasionally, so I trust she will have some liberty." " As a rule, American girls are not often tied to apron strings, but have as much freedom as they desire, so you need hardly worry yourself on that score. They all three look well-bred and very pleasant, and so, if you wish it, I will cultivate the old gentleman's acquaintance. There is something very interesting to me in that girl's face. I wonder who they are." " That is easily found out. Here, steward ! " calling a passing functionary of the ship whose livery denoted his occupation, " do you know who that gentleman and those two ladies are ?
" " Yes, sir," was the reply ; " they have crossed with me before. Their name is Munraven ; they live in New York. The young lady is a great heiress, sir, I've heard say, sir." The steward, having imparted this much information, hurried on his way. " Munraven ! " exclaimed Lord Beachville. " Why, Embarking for England. 13 those are the people our Minister at Washington wrote about, and said that he had given them letters of introduc tion to me. I know lots of people who know them. Mr. Munraven was United States Senator for several years, and Attorney-General, too, I believe." "Then let us go and speak to them," said Herbert, whose anxiety to make the young lady's acquaintance seemed to know no bounds. " Don't be in such an infernal hurry," curtly responded his uncle. "He has got letters of introduction to me, and it is only right that I should give him a chance of presenting them.
We don't want to throw ourselves into their arms at first sight." " True ; but we might arrange to sit next them at table. So much depends on what companions and neighbours one has at meals on board ship ; and you know when we came over last voyage I had an old maid opposite me whose false teeth used to fall out every time the ship lurched, until finally she decided to leave them in her cabin. It was most unpleasant." " I see you are determined to have a monopoly of that girl's company if you possibly can. However, I have no objection to your making arrangements to sit next her if you wish it. There are a good many people on board I should neither care to have for a neighbour nor a vis-a-vis." " All right ; I'll arrange it in a few minutes. It will be far pleasanter to have a pretty neighbour like that girl than to sit next some of these unpleasant foreigners."
And having delivered himself of this opinion, the young man walked slowly down the deck, and finally disappeared through the hatchway. In the meantime, the unconscious objects of his atten tion and plans had been standing together near the side, watching the numerous craft past which the Bulgaria was now swiftly gliding. They were father, mother, and daughter. The first was a bright and intelligent-looking man of probably sixty years of age. His hair was quite grey, and his moustache, which was the sole hirsute adornment on his face, had only a shade more colour, but his complexion and eyes showed that he was dark. The second was a stylishly dressed woman, looking quite the same age as her husband. The brown eyes and the few black hairs intermingled with the white indicated that she had been a decided brunette, and a single glance at her pleasant face was sufficient evidence that she had once been a remarkably handsome woman.
As for the third, she did not possess the slightest like ness to either of the other two. Apparently about eighteen she was moderately tall, plump in figure, and exquisitely formed. Her hair was glossy, and of a luxuriant chestnut colour ; her forehead broad and white ; her eyes blue, large, and expressive ; while her eyebrows, in pleasant contrast to the ivory whiteness of her forehead and the glittering chestnut of her hair, w-ere quite black. A Grecian nose, a prettily shaped mouth, and a well-rounded chin completed the face that had appeared so attractive to Herbert Lonsdale. The Venus-like contour of her figure was shown to the greatest advantage in a tight-fitting grey cloth dress, cut short enough to exhibit a pair of small, neat feet, encased in perfectly fitting boots ; while on her head was a pretty little yachting cap of the same material and colour as her dress.
During Herbert's absence the Earl musingly contem plated the profile of this girl, and was like one awakening from a dream when his nephew returned. " It is all right, uncle," the young man explained. " They had already got their seats at the end of one of the small tables, so I made the steward place us next to them. The old gentleman will sit at the head, with his wife and daughter on either side of him ; you will sit next to the wife, and I will sit next to the daughter. We shall be opposite each other. Places had been assigned for us at the captain's table, but I told the saloon steward that the Munravens were friends of ours, and that we all wanted to be together. A sovereign soon paved the way for him to make the arrangement, although the seats we have got had already been assigned."
Chapter II. Making New Acquaintances
It was evening. The sun was setting, looking, as it gradually descended behind the horizon, like a fiery ball of red fire, and throwing a bright, lurid glare over the surface of the ocean as far as the eye could reach. The big steamer had just slowed up opposite Sandy Hook to disembark the pilot, and the decks were crowded with passengers watching that son of Neptune as he skipped nimbly down a ladder into his little boat. Observed by nearly a thousand pairs of eyes to the owners of which he is the last connecting link with the land they are leaving, he takes his seat in the stern of the tiny shell, and as his oarsman pulls away, waves his hat to the captain, and sings out, " A good voyage to yer ! a good voyage to yer ! " The passengers still lean over the side, keeping their attention fixed on the minute craft as it bobs about like a cork, until it gradually fades away in the distance, which is only a brief space of time, for as the boatman dips his oars in the water, the electric bell tinkles in the engine-room for the engineer to go ahead at full speed.
There were twenty-nine hundred miles of water to be ploughed through before Queenstown could be reached, and a couple of miles away on the starboard bow was the celebrated City of Vienna, of an opposition line, driving her engines to the utmost in the hope of bring signalled first. The Bulgaria had her reputation to maintain, and judging from the foam she threw up on either side of her, and the dense smoke her funnels were emitting, she intended to maintain it. Standing side by side, still gazing at the fast-disappearing land, were the Earl of Beachville and his nephew, and near to them were the gentleman and the two ladies whom the steward had designated as the Munravens. The captain, gorgeously arrayed in blue and gold, came down from the bridge, and seeing Lord Beachville, stopped and shook hands with him ; then, catching sight of Mun raven, he advanced a step, exclaiming, " How do you do, Senator ?
I am glad to see you crossing with us again. How do you like my new ship ? She's a flyer ! I'll take you across this trip quicker than any mortal man has ever been taken before. A lot of New Yorkers have bet that the City of Vienna will be signalled first, but they'll lose their money. We're burning three hundred and fifty tons of coals a day, and we ain't going to burn it for nothing." " Well, you know, captain," answered Munraven, shaking hands with him, " I'm a man of leisure at last, and an hour more or less on the ocean won't worry me. All you steam ship men now are sacrificing everything to speed." "Yes, but it is the fault of you American travellers," retorted the captain. "You are all crazy for speed. If you are going Westward your motto is New York, Hell, or Heaven in six days ; and if Eastward, Liverpool, Hell, or Heaven.
You'll never be satisfied till you can be shot through a pneumatic tube from New York to London, or vice versa. That is what you'll bring it to. I w-onder Edison hasn't invented one before this." He glanced over the water at the City of Vienna to see how she was progressing; but there appeared to be no visible difference in the rate of speed of the two huge vessels. Both were driving away at their utmost, and it looked as if they might keep side by side during the entire voyage. Then, turning to the Earl, who had been a listener to his brief dialogue with the American Senator, he remarked, " I hope, Lord Beachville, that you will let me know if I can do anything to add to your comfort or to Mr. Lons dale's." As he spoke he laid great stress on the " Lord Beach ville," probably remembering the reverence which citizens of the Great Republic have for titles, and wishing his American friend to know that he had among his passengers one of the first peers of the English realm.
" Thanks, very much," replied the Earl ; " but we are excellently situated and most comfortable." Munraven, at the sound of the name mentioned by the captain, raised his cap, and bowed to Lord Beachville, saying, " Have I the pleasure of addressing the Earl of Beach ville ? Because, if so, I am fortunate enough to be the bearer of several letters of introduction to you." " I have no doubt," replied his lordship, " that I am the individual for whom they are intended ; but I know you so well already, Mr. Munraven, by name and reputation that I will not trouble to read them just now. I am exceedingly pleased that we have met at last. It has been most unfor tunate that each time you have come to England I have been abroad. This is my nephew, Mr. Lonsdale." The American bowed to Herbert, and then introduced his wife and daughter.
" Captain," said Miss Munraven, after she had bowed to Herbert and his uncle, " are we really going to race that steamer over there — the City of Vienna, isn't it ? " " Oh dear, no," was the reply ; " we never race. Such a thing is unheard of among the crack lines." " I am sorry," the girl replied, with a tinge of regret in her tone. " I thought it would be so lovely to have a race all the way across the ocean." "Well," the officer answ-ered, "you will probably find it just as interesting as though we really did race, for that boat evidently intends to do her best to get to Queenstown first, and we are equally determined that we will be first. She's a fast one, and we shall very likely be in company for several days. But we don't race ; we only have a little friendly competition, to see which can make the best time."
" And both of you carry a good deal of money ? " queried Herbert. " Is there much money on board? " asked the girl inno cently. " Mr. Lonsdale didn't mean that," said the captain, smiling. " He meant that there was a good deal of betting on the result. I think the odds are a little in favour of us, but this is only the third voyage that ship has made, and she hasn't been driven before." " I am afraid I am very green," murmured Alice Mun raven ; " I didn't understand." After a few minutes' more general conversation, Herbert suggested that they should take a walk, and he and the youngest of his three new acquaintances promenaded till the dinner-bell rang. The dinner-hour on board a large ocean steamer is always very pleasant when the weather is fine and the passengers well. There was no reason why it should not be pleasant here.
The saloon is spacious and handsome, and brilliantly lighted with electric lights. Beautiful baskets and festoons of flowers are suspended above the tables. The service is excellent, the plate shines like polished mir rors, and the general brightness of the scene is added to by the presence at table of nearly four hundred well-dressed men and women, among whom can be seen many beautiful faces. A pleasant surprise awaited the Munravens when they found that they and their two new acquaintances were to be table companions. "What a lucky incident!" exclaimed Munraven. "It almost seems as if we must have been seated together by design." " Perhaps," replied the Earl. " If you will question my nephew you will find that design had a very large share in the arrangement." " Design," said Herbert, looking to Alice for approval, " had just this much to do with it — that when I saw what a pleasant-looking little family you were I induced the steward to seat us next to you."
" And we are very glad you did," answered the American. " Nothing could have been more agreeable for us." As the dinner progressed the reserve of first acquaintance wore off, and when the little party rose from the table the two Englishmen and the three Americans felt almost like old friends. Together they all ascended to the deck, where the Earl and Munraven and his wife seated themselves in a snug corner, while Herbert and Alice promenaded. A brisk walk after dinner on board ship is almost as conventional a thing as a shivering crawl and a drink of nasty water before breakfast at Homburg. About the first questions new acquaintances on board put to each other is whether their trip is for pleasure or business, and its duration. Herbert, probably taking it for granted that Alice was not concerned in business, skipped this question, and only inquired how long she expected to be in England.
" Oh, for some time," she replied. " Papa now is a man of leisure ; he has resigned his seat in the United States Senate, and retired both from politics and the practice of his profession. He is sixty, and up to now has rarely known a genuine holiday." "You Americans seem to work awfully hard," remarked her companion — "if you are not busy amassing money, you are struggling hard in the political arena." " Yes : too hard, I often think. Really, papa never used to have any time for pleasure. He had such an immense law practice, and has held so many different offices, that he was always busy. I was only a little girl when he was District Attorney of New York County, but I remember what a lot he had to attend to, and how, even when he was at home, after being in his office all day, people would continually call to see him.
The District Attorney, you know, is Prosecuting Officer, and although he has several assistants, he is always occupied. Then, afterward, he was Attorney-General of New York State ; and after that United States Senator ; and while he was the latter, every man in New York who wanted an office — and their name is legion — or a loan of money, or a letter of introduction to some official, or a friend or relative released from prison, or a free pass over a railroad, or articles liable to duty passed through the custom-house, or a hundred other things of that kind, used to come bothering him. If they couldn't see him during the day they would come at night. When we were at Washington, during the sessions of Congress the most disreputable-looking creatures used to come ringing the bell and demanding to see him, and when the butler shut the door in their faces they would go away vowing that papa should never be re-elected, and calling him a traitor to his party — they considered themselves the party, no doubt.
An American politician's life is neither happy nor honour able, and papa was always much too good-natured and much too upright to lead it. He has finished with it now, though, and I am very glad. His friends tried to persuade him to stay in the Senate, but mamma and I finally prevailed on him to resign ; and now we intend to keep him in Europe for some years." " So that you can have him all to yourselves ? " " Yes. Last time we came to Europe he had to leave us in Italy and go back to Washington. He is naturally very energetic, and was never happy when idle." " And you, do you inherit his energy, and devote your self to any special accomplishments ? " " No ; I am afraid not — at least, only to music. That is the only thing of which I make a serious study. I am going to take singing lessons in London from the great teachers."
" And do you intend to sing in public ? " " Oh, no ; papa wouldn't let me do that, though if one were really a great singer I cannot imagine anything more delightful. I am supposed to have a fair voice, and I want to sing well, because everything I do I like to do well, and because I am devoted to music, and also like to give pleasure to my friends." " Your friends, no doubt, appreciate your consideration. I only hope that I may have the honour of being numbered among them." " I think," said Miss Munraven, with a naive look in her great blue eyes, " that as we are to be fellow passengers for a week, to sit next each other at every meal, and to see each other morning, noon, and evening, that you will have every opportunity to attain for yourself that honour, if honour it is." " No effort on my part shall be neglected to attain it."
She laughed lightly, but made no immediate reply; and the two continued their walk until they were interrupted by Mrs. Munraven coming to carry off her daughter for the night. Herbert, his uncle, and Munraven remained on deck, chatting and smoking, till the latter also went below. Finding himself tete-a-tete with his nephew, Lord Beach ville remarked, "Very nice people — the nicest Americans I ever met. What a beautiful girl that daughter is ! It is very strange, too," changing from the brusque into a musing manner of speaking, " that there should not be a particle of resemblance between her and either of her parents, and yet a most extraordinary likeness to a very old friend of mine who died many years ago. Every time I look at that girl's face she recalls to my mind memories of many, many years back."
"I noticed," said Herbert "how very unlike she is to her parents. They are both dark, each evidently having had black hair till it turned grey, dark brown eyes, and dark complexions ; but she has blue eyes, glorious chestnut hair, and a very fair complexion. The only dark things about her are her eyebrows — they are black." " The lady to whom I referred had the same coloured hair, and yet black eyebrows just like that girl's ; and her eyes and mouth were precisely similar. Mrs. Frank Harden is the person I mean. You hardly remember her, but you know the picture of her in my study, and also the one in your mother's boudoir in London." " Yes, I know the pictures, and, by Jove ! now I think of it, Miss Munraven is awfully like them. I have often looked at those pictures and thought what a beautiful woman Mrs. Harden must have been.
This girl is beautiful, too, and uncommonly clever as well. There is none of that stupid demureness about her that one finds so often in the English girl. She can talk like a statesman on any subject, and seems to be acquainted with every play and opera ever put on the boards. When she cannot converse upon a subject, depend upon it, it is not worth conversing about." " Her father must be a very clever man to have attained his position. He is in the front rank, both as a lawyer and a statesman. Then, too, he has none of that bumptiousness or brag we so often find in the rich Yankee." " Not a bit. Let us look into the smoking-room." They left their seats and strolled into the large deck cabin specially provided for smoking, drinking, and card playing. Several games of cards were in progress, and as they entered, Lord Beachville was invited to make a fourth in a rubber.
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