The price she paid

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Chapter I

OU are not going to get rid of me as soon as you expected, Phil," said Georgia, meeting her friend at the door of her room, as she went upstairs to change her riding-habit.

" Ah ! well, I must bear my burthens," returned Phillis. " But what do you mean ? Your aunt would never consent to go away and leave you here."

" She is obliged to stop and play nurse. Mrs Mayford has sprained her ankle."

" Oh, the poor soul I And how is she ever to manage to keep still ? Is she badly hurt ? "

" The doctor says she must not leave her bed — or at least her sofa — for ten days," Georgia replied ; '' but come in while I dress and I will tell you all about it."

VOL. III. K

Phillis followed her into the chamber and sat down, divided between conflicting reflections — sympathy for Mrs Mayford, for she could never hear of any creature sufiering without feeling that — ^pleasure at the idea of keeping Georgia still longer, and a quick recollection that Maurice Peyton would remain also — a recollection which disturbed her greatly.

Georgia, Busy with her toilette, did not notice Phillis's troubled face. Her eyes shone with a restless light, and two deep lines traced themselves between her brows, as was always the case when she was thinking deeply, but her stern habits of self-control enabled her to listen to Georgia's remarks and reply without any appearance of being occupied by any thought outside their conversation.

They pitied Mrs Mayford, indulged in sympathy for the trials which awaited Aunt Conyngham, and then Georgia observed, —

" But you haven't said you are glad to keep me, Phil."

" I don't think I need — you know."

Miss Grosvenor had finished dressing by this time ; she crossed the room, laid her hands on Phillis's shoulders, — stooped and kissed her forehead ; it felt hot and feverish.

" You don't look well ! " she exclaimed. " You are pale, only just two tiny red spots burning in your cheeks."

" I'm a little tired, perhaps ; then, too, I have been over to see Mrs Plummer again."

" The poor woman ! And the funeral is to-morrow ? At least it must be a little comfort to her to think that her money troubles aro settled. Maurice told me that he and Denis were going to-day to see the man who holds tiie mortgage."

''Mr Peyton has been very kind," Phillis said.

m

" Oh, giving a little money is nothing," replied Georgia; but he is kind — good and generous, and thoughtful too, as few young men would be whom life has petted as it has him."

Phillis wanted no serious discussion in regard to Maurice ; just at this moment she could not bear it. She roused herself, to say in her lightest banteringtone,—

" Don't wax energetic, my dear. Fve no idea of disputing the youth's perfections."

" He would be out of place in this world if he were perfect."

" If we find him in danger of becoming so, we can gently chloroform him into a higher and a better sphere," interrupted Phillis.

" Oh, you inveterate joker ! I am sure you laugh at him enough — you need not laugh about him."

" I can't imagine ever speaking seriously of him or to him," replied Phillis. Yet she knew her assertion lacked truth ; it might have been true a fortnight back, but it was not now.

A speech like this always gratified Georgia. Having no faith in Maurice's powers of constancy, she liked now and then to be assured by Phillis's words or manner that to her this acquaintance was merely friendly — his gallant attention only a pastime.

Yet she wondered, as she had often done, that Phillis had not been deeply attracted by this handsome, elegant creature, and again her odd remark, more than once uttered, that there was something which would keep her from loving any man, recurred to Georgia's mind. She stood leaning her hand on Phillis's shoulder, gazing absently out of the window. Her own perplexities and troubles suddenly started up, and she sighed heavily.

" You are tired too," said Phillis ; " you have ridden too hard."

" Yes, I daresay," she replied. Just then, through the open casement, floated the sound of Maurice's voice, speaking to grandma. " There is that bad brother of mine," continued Georgia ; " I must go down and tell him of Mrs Mayford's accident."

" But it need make no difference about his departure," said Phillis. " I don't suppose he will feel it necessary to stop and nurse the gentle widow."

" Do you want him to go ? " Georgia asked, turning quickly towards her.

How Phillis longed to answer in the affirmative, but she dared not ; it would be a confession of weakness which she would have died rather than utter.

" You are the goosiest goose alive ! *' cried she. " Am I likely to want either of you to desert us?"

Maurice put an end to the conversation by calling from the porch, —

" Do you young wom^n mean to stop upstairs all day? A pretty way to treat a visitor! Cinders has just summoned grandma to a consultation, and here I am left like the last rose of summer, with nobody to admire my loveliness."

" Come down, Phil," said Georgia.

" Presently," she answered ; "I have something to do first."

Phillis went to her own room, and Georgia descended the stairs, meeting her brother in the haU.

" What's this grandma tells me ? " he asked. " The May ford has hurt her ankle, and the aunt has to stop and take care of her ? "

" Yes," Georgia said. A sudden idea seized her. Aunt Conyngham could not refuse to let her go away if Maurice insisted upon leaving and having her society.

" Well, it's hard lines on the aunt," observed Maurice, glancing up the staircase as he spoke, to see if there was no sign of Phillis.

He had had a disappointment. Knowing that Phillis wa? to go to Mrs Plummer s that morning, he waited down by the lake, certain she would pass that way — waited more than an hour, and then Joe Grimshaw appeared on his road to the post-office, and informed the watchers that Miss French had already been to Mrs Plummer s and had driven home with Farmer Petherick, who found her there.

Joe mentioned the circumstance casually, as if he had no idea with what purpose the young gentleman was loitering in the wood; but though Maurice paid no attention to the remark, and only said, "Hurry up, Joe, and bring my letters and Miss Grosvenor's to the Nest, ' the boy perceived that he was disappointed.

" He's as fond of her as a fly is of honey. I wonder if she likes him. Folks allays said she'd marry Denis Bourke, but, hokey pokey ! you can't never tell what a gall 'uU do," Joe meditated, with a reckless expenditure of negatives, and a wisdom beyond his years. " It's my opinion Miss Gros-ve-nor has ketched Bourke — ^but then there's the city chap ! I can't seem to fix it straight noway ; but them that lives will see."

Joe passed on, whistling philosophically, and Peyton followed in his wake towards the Nest.

" Maurice," said Georgia, " there is no reason why you and I should wait. Mrs Mayford would not accept my assistance, and aunt will be so occupied for a week that we shall see very little of her."

" Why, when should we go ? You wouldn't want to stay alone in the town house," returned Maurice discontentedly.

" But we might make a journey in some direction."

" Oh, it is too late in the season ; the weather may break up any day now. Besides, the aunt wouldn't like our deserting her ; and, indeed, it wouldn't be right — just think a moment and you will see that ! " said Maurice, with an access of virtuous care for others which sat as easily upon him as if such burthen had been long familiar.

Georgia could not help smiling at this exhibition of primitive Christian-like charity, yet she hated to give up her one means of escaping the perUs of Denis Bourke's society and her own folly. She could not tell her brother why she wished to fly; she would have no fresh confidant. She knew that she should never change, never yield to Bourke's persistence ; she should conquer — live down her foolish dream, as Mr Caruthers predicted. It was enough that she had been forced to let him participate in her secret ; no other human being, not even Maurice, should share it.

" But if aunt didn't object ? " she pleaded.

" She would. Even if she consented, she would feel terribly hurt. Really, Georgia, I am surprised at your thinking of leaving her," rejoined Maurice, his air of virtue increasing till it became quite majestic.

Georgia burst out laughing.

" You are too absurd ! " cried she. ** So you are not discouraged yet ? I should think 3^our complete failure in trying to flirt with Phil would have worn out your patience ; you must have purchased a new stock."

" And an inexhaustible one," returned he.

He laughed, but his tone was serious enough to strike Georgia.

** Why, Maurice, if you were anybody else, I should think you in earnest ! " she exclaimed.

" Very well ; you can think I am * anybody else,' if you like," he replied carelessly.

Grandma came out at the moment, and interrupted their conversation. She was quite talkative, for her — divided between sympathy for Mrs Mayford's misfortune, and pleasure at the thought of Miss Grosvenor's departure being deferred.

" Phillis and I hardly dared to think about it when the time for your going^^eemed so near," she observed.

"Ah, grandma, you have spoiled me dreadfully," answered Georgia, leading her to her favourite easy-chair in the porch, beside which stood a table, whereon her book and knitting were already placed.

" I want some of the spoiling myself ; Georgia sha'n't claim it all," said Maurice, bending over her.

The old lady looked from one face to the other, with her tender, wistful smile.

" You really are a very handsome pair," she said, " and you are very kind. Few young people would always remember an old woman as you do."

** Phillis sets too good an example for us not to follow it," said Georgia ; *• and then, you know, wie both love you, grandma."

After a little talk, Maurice began to fidget. Finally he asked, —

" But where is Miss French ? "

"She is busy; she will be down presently," replied Georgia; who, even while conversing, had been thinking of Maurice's looks and words before the old lady appeared. If he was really in earnest at last — ^if he loved Phillis ! The thought was very pleasant to Georgia. And could Phil be brought to care ? Surely, yes. Maurice always succeeded in what he set his heart upon having. Then the idea of a secret in Phillis' s life recurred to Georgia, but she put it by ; probably it only existed in her own fancy. Maurice and Phillis — she liked to join their names — if only Maurice could be sure of himself ! But Phillis was to have consoled Denis Bourke ; that had been Georgia's plan— and—

Here she became conscious that her meditations were growing foolish, and resolutely fastened her mind on the conversation.

In the meantime, Phillis was sitting in her own room, not even making a pretence of employment — sitting with her hands clasped over her knees, her head resting against the back of her chair, looking tired, worn, and exceedingly impatient.

" I wish Maurice hadn't heard what Miranda said," her reflections ran ; "it will give him such lO The Price She Paid.

a chance to say sffly things. Of course it's all folly — he doesn't care really ; it is only because he can't find that he has produced any impression on me. And the worst of it is, I care — I do ! I wouldn't hare thought I conld be snch a fool, when I know so well that if he loved me ever so dearly, it woold be no use — ^no use ! I didn't know I cared till the other night ; somehow what the poor child said forced me to feel it. How coold I be so absurd, so idiotic, with a gulf deep as the grave between his pride and me — ^with — fancy my telling him ! and — "

She broke off in her reverie, and began pacing up and down the room, in a state of feverish excitement, which even her strong will could not subdue.

" Life is very hard ; there is no use in trying to disguise that fact," she thought, unable to get her reflections further away from the channel into which they had drifted than these bitter murmurs against existence. " I never did anything really wicked — why should I be punished ? Kcligious people say it will all be made clear hereafter; that we shall be thankful for all our troubles here. I think that is about the weakest article of faith that theology ever bound up into its huge bundle of inconsistence ! Future happiness won't fill the blank ; besides, if we are never granted any hapjpiness in this sphere, there is no logical reason for supposing we shall be more kindly treated in another 1 Then the parsons say we must not reason — faith is what we must have —

The Price She Paid. i r

that being the case, why did we have reason given to us ? They say that in the face of our very worst trouble, and it sounds fiendish— yes, it does ! "

Here she was interrupted by a tap at the door.

" Oh ! who is knocking ? I wish I could be let alone ! " Then she called, " I can't come down yet, Georgia," supposing that Maurice had sent his sister up to fetch her.

" I ain't aweer that anybody asks you to, Miss PhiUis, and 'tain't no use conversin' with no Georgia whatsumever when she ain't here," responded a voice which Phillis could not fail to recognise.

Ah ! she did not object to seeing Ann Raines ; she was in a silly mood, and solitude bad for her! Ann Raines represented the commonplace, work-a-day side of existence — let her enter by all means ! Whether she wished to talk about the new counterpanes, or house cleaning, or whatever subject, it could not fail to be something which would put fancy and imagination to flight.

" Come in, come in," she said, hastily catching up some dress stuff that lay on the bed, and beginning to fold it, as if reflection in regard to a new gown had occupied her.

" Did you say come in ? " demanded Miss Raines, evidently speaking with her mouth at the keyhole, for her voice sounded choked and difficult*

'* Yes !" cried PhiUis.

**Hey?" questioned Miss Raines, unintentionally exasperating. Phillis crossed the room, and opened the door with such suddenness that Miss Raines nearly fell over the threshold. " Laud's sake ! I thought the side of the house had fell in ! " she exclaimed.

" I had answered you twice," said Phillis, controlling her impatience, and speaking with perfect good humour.

" Wall, if it comes to that, I'd asked you twice," replied Miss Raines, recovering her equUibrium. "I didn't hear, and I don't go a pokin' my nose about till I know it's wanted. You might ha' ben a washin', or huntin' a flea, or sumpthing, for all I could tell."

" But now that you are here — you and your nose — what do you want, Ann Raines ? "

" 'Tain't a pooty one, and I know it ; but I should look funny comin' without it," observed the spinster, putting a lean finger to the organ in question, as if to be sure it was there. " There's a great deal of character in noses, Miss Phillis — natur she manages wonderfully — now you couldn't change 'em about and make any improvement in folkses faces."

" I daresay not ! But what brought you, Ann?"

" Wall, I wasn't a comin'. Maria Jenkins, she's a settin' with Miss Plummner, and I'd fixed up to home, so I thought I'd walk over to Wachuset, and then when I got here, I agreed

I'd step in and see what you said about my beginning that quilt next week."

" I wish you would ! " Phillis replied, going back to the bed and taking up the dress-lengths again.

" That's a very pretty blue," said Miss Raines, in the tone of a connoisseur^ " but I like green better."

She wore a gown of the colour she admired, a shawl of various discordant tints, and a marvellous hat, with a whole bird on it, which stirred every time she moved her head, as if anxious to escape ; it looked vicious too, as though inclined to bite unless allowed to carry out its desire.

"You are very gorgeous to-day, Ann," said Phillis French.

" Oh, nothin^ to speak of," returned the spinster, regarding herself in the mirror with a satisfied smirk. ** As I was a comin' through the hall, I see Miss Georgia and her brother on the porch with your grandma — Mr Peeton he had to stop me to joke ; what a fellow he is ! "

"A man who has nothing to do but amuse himself can joke very easily, I should think," said Phillis, with a sudden bitterness, growing out of her recent reflections on the unsatisfactoriness of existence to so many pilgrims.

" I expect he's awful rich," said Miss Raines ; " and he's a picturful creetur' to look at, and no more stuck up 'n Miss Georgia ; though when you first see 'em, abody would think the ground wasn'$ good enough for 'em to walk on ; but, law ! they ain't a might ! "

" I m afraid you have a weakness for Mr Peyton. I shall tell your old admirer, Mr Watersj" said Phillis. "And now I must go down and speak to Ninny."

** How you do tease a body ! " cried Miss Raines, bridling. " Wall, I guess 'tain't hard to see who Mr Peeton likes. Laud's sake ! if you'd seen how pleased he looked when I let out what Mirandy said."

The old maid stopped in dire confusion, and shrank under the stem glance Miss French fixed upon her.

" So you told Mr Peyton ! " she exclaimed. " After promising me that you would not ! "

" I sware to man, Miss Phillis, I would ha' cut my tongue out, I was so sorry," pleaded Ann, puckering up her face as if about to weep. " I was that upsot by poor Mirandy's dyin' I didn't know what I was about, and he asked me questions, and out that popped afore I thought."

A wave of vivid colour had swept over Phillis's cheeks, and left her paler than before.

" It is of no consequence," she said. " I was only afraid it might disturb him to hear that — "

" I didn't know what it was, and I said so ; you hain't told me yit," broke in the spinster. "Anyhow, he didn't look disturbed, I can tell you.'^

She forgot her fear of reproof in curiosity, and nodded her head till the bird seemed alive, and just ready to nip the end of her nose. Phillis wished devoutly that it could !

This message from the dying child would certainly be made use of by Maurice to turn their first private conversation upon serious matters ; she could not bear that at present.

"When are you coming back from Wachuset, Ann?" she asked, seized with a sudden idea.

" Oh ! I do know — ^it's a off day with me — - mabby I'll step in to see Miss Winston — she 'twas Cornelly Jones, you know, and then I want to do a little trading, and, if I can, ketch a ride back towards evening."

"Stop till afternoon, and I will drive you over," said Phillis. " I want to put the store-room in order, and Cinders is too busy to help."

" Oh, wait till to-morrow," urged the spinster, disliking to relinquish her proposed holiday. "Til do it up to the boudle for you, ef you will ! "

" I mean it to be done to-day," said Phillis ; " if you would rather go to Wachusel and spend money, instead of stopping here to earn some, why, you must, of course."

"But I shall spile my frock," expostulated Miss Kaines, yielding a little at the thought of money, for she was parsimonious, and dearly loved to add stray shillings to her hoard.

" YouVe a black petticoat on," said Phillis, as the spinster lifted her gown in her energy. "Take off your dress — I will give you a jacket to put on. I must do that store-room. Don't be disobliging, Ann. I'll pay you for a half^ day's work."

"Ef I must, I must," replied the old maid, removing her hat. " Fetch in your jacket, Misd Phillis. I ain't one to run in the face o' Providence by shirkin' work. But you needn't come. I know jist how you like things. Go off to the company, and you see if I hain't got it all fixed up square by dinner-time."

" No ; I want to sort my garden seeds — there is a great deal I must do myself," said Phillis.

Work — real physical work — that was the thing for her in her present mood. Was she to sit down and fold her hands, and brood and fret like a fine lady ? Not a bit of it. She was Phillis French — farmer, dairy woman, boardinghouse keeper. She had been indulging too much of late in idleness. If she wanted poetry, she must find it in occupation — ^to work, to work.

So it came about that when Maurice, losing patience, persuaded his sister to go in search of Phillis French, Georgia hunted her high and low, and at last found her with her head in a drawer of the store-room press, while Miss Raines, perched on the top of a step-ladder, was brushing the shelves which stretched across one end of the room.

" Can't stir — sha'n't have finished till dinner-time," was all the answer Georgia got to her entreaties. " You'd better run away — you will be covered with dust."

Maurice was forced to take his departure without seeing Phillis, and when he came back in the afternoon, she had driven over to Wachuset, and taken Miss Kaines with her.

However, Peyton did not allow disappointment to render him cross; he remained with grandma and Georgia, took a walk with his sister, and lingered till tea-time in the confident expectation that Phillis would presently appear. But instead, there came Joe Grimshaw, whom Maurice had sent to the town on some errand. He had seen Miss French — she had asked him to stop and tell her grandmother that she should not return till late, as Mrs Mayford desired her company ; but grandma was not to feel uneasy — Ann Raines would come back with her.

VOL. IIL B

CHAPTER IL

T would not be a thing that one could promise as likely often to happen between two men aspirants for the same woman, that they should retain a sincere liking for each other, but it did occur in the case of Mr Caruthers and Denis Bourke.

Something, no doubt, was attributable to the fact that each believed in the end he should triumph, and could afford to show generosity towards his rival, but much more must be ascribed to the nobility of their characters.

The negotiations concerning the coal lands in which both were interested would have obliged them to see a good deal of each other, but so far from confining their intercourse to these business relations, they were often together, and found a mutual pleasure in cultivating the acquaintance.

They held endless discussions, drifting off into arguments upon every possible subject from ethics to metaphysics, and contriving to differ radically in almost all things without growing acrimonious, never indeed separating after one of their wordy combats, without each feeling his respect for his antagonist increased.

Mr Caruthers still believed that Bourke's plans could only result in failure and loss of money, though he was obliged to admit that in the young man he had met that vara avis, a theorist capable of being practical in the attempt to reduce his ideas to useful working form.

A few days after Georgia's conversation with Mr Caruthers, the two gentlemen rode upon some business to a place a number of miles off along one of the wildest of the mountain roads. They got belated, missed their way, and a violent storm, which burst over their heads without warning, retarded them still further. Luckily they found themselves within reach of a small country inn, where they got supper, and were made suflSciently comfortable. The evening was so far advanced when the tempest ceased, and the night so dark, that they decided to remain until morning, as Bourke knew the landlord was correct in his assurances, that a torrent which crossed the road a mile below the house would be so swollen by the rain that they must go a long distance out of their course, and the probabilities were, that in the darkness they would again miss their route.

They spent a pleasant evening, however, and sat talking until late, theorising and arguing in their usual fashion. Up to this time, there had been one thing, and one only, which showed a mutual consciousness of the peculiar relations in which they stood — any mention of Georgia Grosvenor was carefully avoided. How it happened that to-night her name gained a place in the conversation, perhaps neither could have told ; but it did so, and Mr Caruthers determined to take advantage of this opportunity to establish an entire frankness between Bourke and himself — a result he had been meditating for several days.

" We have at last hit on a subject of conversation where we are not likely to disagree, at least in regard to the esteem"^ and admiration which the lady merits," he said, with a smUe.

" Well, no, there could not well be two opinions concerning that," Denis answered, meeting the other's glance with a smile as open and good-natured as that which he received.

They smoked on in silence for a little, Mr Caruthers gazing thoughtfully into the fire, and Denis watching the wreaths of smoke that curled above his head from the pipe he smoked in preference to the Havana, choice as it was, which his companion had offered him.

At last Mr Caruthers turned towards him again, and said, with an abruptness more in keeping with Denis's usual manner than his own, —

. " What are you thinking so deeply about, Bourke ? "

Denis roused himself with a start ; his fancies had floated off into a vague reverie, concerning which he could only have told that Georgia Grosvenor had been its object.

" Upon my word I hardly know," he said ; " in fact, I believe I was not thinking at all."

"Dreaming, then," amended Mr Caruthers. " Ah, there is where your age has the advantage of mine ; you can still dream, and hope to see the visions become a reality."

"I mean that some of them shall, at all events," Bourke said firmly, but without anything aggressive in his tone, though he could not help thinking his companion s words held in some way a reference to Miss Grosvenor, but he knew Caruthers too well to suspect that they were meant to be mocking or a rebuke.

" And you are a very determined man, so the intention carries a weight with it which it would not have, coming from most people," Mr Caruthers observed. " I should say you had never in your life given up anything you had set your mind on ; now, frankly, am I not right ? "

" I believe I never did," Bourke replied ; " but that is not saying I have always succeeded."

" Ah, well, even the strongest will is not omnipotent," Caruthers said pleasantly.

" Luckily for the rest of the human race who would have to live in the same world with it," returned Bourke.

"And the persons with whom the carrying out your will brings you into opposition— do you hate them as bitterly as is the habit of most determined people ? " Mr Caruthers asked.