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appetite arrived at length, and the young folk | ter; "but the more I consider it, the less I like streamed out of the tent towards various parts it. You see, I am getting too old. I have seen of the lawn, as eager to resume their sports as if exactly the sort of woman I should wish to digestion were a thing unnecessary. But Viv- marry, but I haven't the face to offer her such ian's new acquaintance kept close to him; she a battered gray-haired wanderer. No, it won't had found a listener to her tales of wonder, and do." was determined not to lose him. So she chattered away unweariedly, while they sauntered together in the shadiest part of the lawns and gardens. Vivian was in no hurry to talk to Jack Eastlake; preferred indeed to let that hos'pitable creature enjoy the humors of the day with no interruption. And the young ladies, he thought, had plenty to do in entertaining the children. So he strolled about, and listened to his little friend's prattle.

As they wandered through a kind of shrubbery which bounded the lawn, they became aware of a tall gentleman, gray-haired though in the prime of life, who sat on a stile which led towards some pleasant park land. His back was turned towards them. The red-haired little girl exclaimed:

"There's papa!"

Then running forward to him, she cried out: "Oh papa, papa, here is such a nice gentleman! He knows all about mermaids and fairies, and says he's the Old Man of the Sea."

CHAPTER XVIII.
EARINE'S LOVER.

"Sir Rupert. What did the fellow call me?
What? An old fogy?
Yes, Sir Rupert.

Andrew.
Sir Rupert.

Ha! He shall feel the thrust of an old fogy's rapier." Old Play.

EASTLAKE, I need not say, was delighted to welcome Vivian. And how great was Earine's delight! The child, as Vivian had fancied, looked somewhat melancholy as she sat in the tent; but her beautiful countenance lighted up with perfect joy when she recognized her old protector-her master, as she loved to call him and to think of him.

It was late in the summer evening when Eastlake's young guests dispersed, and the party staying at Birklands finished the day with a mirthful meal, which was neither dinner nor With this queer introduction, Vivian found supper, but a mixture of both. Hence Vivian himself face to face with Captain Lester. Af- had no opportunity of talking to Earine until ter a laugh at the oddity of the affair, they easi- the next morning. ly entered into conversation.

"My little Psyche," said Captain Lester, "reads nothing but romantic nonsense, and believes all that she reads. I have been abroad since her mother died, which was eight years ago, and Psyche has lived with a maiden sister of mine, who has taught her nothing but fairytales."

"Eastlake seems to be holding quite a children's festival," remarked Vivian.

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"You have travelled a good deal ?" "Travelled and fought. Served in India in my youth, but sold out and came home when my governor died. Then I married: my wife lived only two years after Psyche was born. could not stay at home, so left the child with my sister, and started to see a little adventure. Saw a good deal, as it turned out, with Garibaldi. When there was no fighting to be done, I took to wandering, and have been pretty nearly everywhere. After a few years of such a life, it is impossible to settle down quietly."

"You are not looking well, Earine," were his first words.

"How can I be well when I am away from you? Why may we not be together? I should be well then, and you would soon be happier than you are now."

"Don't preach to me, that's a good girl. You must be patient."

"I try to be patient," she said, "but it is very hard. Your good friend Mr. Eastlake is always telling me I ought to marry, and recommending different people whom he knows. And then there is Captain Lester. I know, by the way he looks and talks, that he will be asking me, one of these days-and it is such a trouble to me.'

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"Oh, is that what keeps Lester here?" said Vivian, laughing. "Well, he seems a very nice fellow. Don't you like him ?"

"I should like him very well if he would let me alone," said Earine, indignantly.

"But you know, my dear little girl," said Vivian seriously, "why I dread the thought of marriage. You know I can not trust myself. You know that since that terrible day when I was suddenly struck down I have not been my own master-I have been incapable of governing myself. It would be a folly, Earine-it would be a crime-for me to run the risk of marriage."

"You say you are not your own master. "Difficult perhaps," replied Vivian; "but Perhaps not, but you are mine. If you would hardly impossible. You had much better marry only let me do my duty to you! I don't ask again." you to marry me, but let me live with you and "I have thought of that," said Captain Les- serve you. When your trouble comes upon you,

then I could help you. I am sure that I could | a scanty crocus chitonion, and tied her marvelcure you but I have told you so a thousand lous hair in a careless knot at the back of her times, and what is the use?" shapely head. Since Undine got a soul given her, never was creature more innocent than Earine. Vivian was her master; he had given her a soul; he had developed her sensuous life into a spiritual life. Such things are done but rarely. This Greek girl realized again the myth of Pygmalion: a divine statue when Viv- . ian first beheld her, she would have become coarse and gross and sensual like her fellows, but for his influence. He taught her to think. He taught her to blush.

"My dear child, I wish I could believe you. You believe in your own power, I know. But if I were to let you have your way-and if then the madness should seize upon me, and I should do some desperate thing—what a miserable affair it would be. No, Earine, I must try myself somewhat longer. I had a dream on my way here which proves that I have not recovered my health of mind as yet."

And then he told her of his suicidal night- He taught her to fear. mare at the Peacock. He taught her to love.

"Ah! if I had been with you," exclaimed the Greek girl-without a blush at the notion, for, you see, young ladies, she was an innocent ignorant child of nature-" you would not have had such a cruel dream."

"Well, Earine, you may be right. But I have not yet made up my mind to the possibility. I am going to test myself. then we shall see.

...

"How will you test yourself?" "I am hardly certain. I have three or four plans. It is absolutely necessary that I should find myself in a saner state before thinking of marriage. And it is doubtful whether I ought ever to think of marriage."

"Well," said Earine with a long sigh, "you are the master, and I am the slave. Tell me that you hate me, and desire never to see me again, and I will go away into some lonely place and die."

"But I don't hate you, Earine, and you know it perfectly well. I don't ask you to be reason able-it is too much to ask of any woman-but be kind. Remember how much I have suffered -how much I am suffering now. Think of what I should feel if we were married and had children, and my old madness came upon me."

'Oh, I am very cruel and thoughtless," she exclaimed, "I know I am. But then I love you so very much. I am always unhappy when I am away from you. I believe I do truly believe-my love would cure you. But I won't say any more. Do as you think right-only tell me what you mean to do."

"I will tell you in good time, Earine-when I have decided for myself. Forgive me if I seem hard to you: your love, my child, is the happiest gift I have ever received: without it I should be as wretched as a fiend. Don't let us talk any more of this now. I have something else to say to you."

I think, therefore, that for Miss Earine Delisle it would be unfair to erect too high a standard of etiquette. Greece and England differ. I have seen two sturdy fellows staggering under the weight of a single bunch of grapes, hung on a pole, and carrying it from shoulder to shoulder. That was on a Greek island. When grapes in such clusters are brought to Covent Garden from Surrey, then perchance maidens like Earine will be found in the home counties. "I have something else to say to you," Vivian observed. "You remember that tyrannical Rouen Prioress."

"I should think I did," said Earine, laughing. "She took good care to make me remember her. Her stripes seem to smart even now."

"Did you see much of her handwriting? Can you recollect it ?"

"She was very fond of writing orders and warnings and reprimands. And she wrote a rather curious hand; upright, more like a man's than a woman's. I should know it directly."

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"Is this at all like it ?" said Vivian, showing her a letter of Madame de Petigny Garnuchot's. "It is hers," she said, excitedly. "I'm sure of it. What have you found out about her?" "I think," said Vivian, quietly, "that I have recently had the pleasure of making her acquaintance. She is staying in the same house with me. My Cousin Eva thinks her a charming person."

"But how has she managed it?" asked Earine, eagerly. "Surely she ought to be in prison.'

"They manage those things better in France. She is much too clever a woman to be allowed to remain in prison. No, child, I suspect she is a government official, and a stanch servant of the Emperor."

"What do you mean?" asked Earine.

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Why, my child, when your tyrant got into I am terribly afraid lest the exquisitely deco- the clutches of the police, the police found that rous young ladies who in these days wear the they could make much better use of her than most charming dresses, without, of course, the keeping her locked up, with hard work to do, remotest idea of fascinating mankind, should and bread-and-water to cat. So they have sent think my little Earine a forward, designing her to England as a spy; for England is the minx. She is not, really. Please to remem- refuge of men who can not live in their own ber that she is quite uncivilized; that she was country, and France has too many such men. born in the Sporades, and brought up on goat's One of them is living at Broadoak—and this milk cheese and Greek wine and the "Odyssey ;" woman is there as a spy upon him, as these letthat before she reached England she knew noth-ters prove. How the deuce she managed to get ing of chignons, fichus, paniers, tabliers, but wore into such quarters is a mystery to me. However,

there she is; and there she may stay for a while, until I get a good opportunity of exposing her. By-the-way, I must send on these letters of hers, else she'll suspect something."

"Upon my word it is wonderful," said Earine. "She was a very clever woman, but this is more subtle than I could have imagined. I should like to see her again."

curious, and feel you have a right to be curious, I will relate the little girl's history."

"I don't know about having a right to be curious," said Lester. "You know you were advising me to marry again, and I told you I had seen the very woman I should like to marry. Well, I meant Miss Delisle. She is a perfect creature, in my opinion. I dare say she thinks me an old fogy, though I have twice the strength and vigor of the youngsters of this "No. She was brutally cruel, but it was generation. I dare say she wouldn't look at her nature. To have such a nature is punish- me if I ventured to ask her. But I thought I ment enough. No, I have no wish for revenge, would say a word or two to you on the matbut I am curious to see her in her new character, whatever happened." ter."

"Would you like to revenge yourself on her?"

"You shall see her. I wonder how she would look sitting opposite you at a dinner-table."

"She would be astonished, I think," said Earine. "Do you mean to deal with her soon? If you leave her alone too long, she may perhaps do some serious mischief."

"I don't see how she can," replied Vivian. "The gentleman whom she is employed to watch is beyond the reach of imperial persecution-as safe at Broadoak as if he were in an impenetrable fortress."

"Yes," said Earine; "but if she gets at his correspondence, and if his letters implicate people who are not beyond imperial reach ?"

"Egad, I never thought of that. It might have awkward results. I must give Catelan warning."

"Will you write to him?"

"It would not be safe. No, I must go back to Broadoak and talk to him. I have said nothing to him yet. But I don't want to expose this woman until I have discovered how she came to be invited there. Then I'll take you to Broadoak, and we'll see if she recognizes you."

you

"Then will be going away again the moment after you arrive,” said Earine, reproachfully.

"Oh, another day won't matter. And afterwards you will have to go to Broadoak with me, child. Don't be pathetic."

Just at this point of their colloquy Clara Eastlake and little Psyche found out where Earine was, and carried her off on some of those mysterious enterprises wherewith English ladies occupy their mornings. Vivian, strolling farther away into the grounds of Birklands, met Captain Lester, smoking and sauntering. They joined company, but were for some time comparatively silent. At last Lester said:

"Miss Delisle is a charming young lady."

"Very," said Vivian, dryly.

"Sort of a ward of yours, isn't she? At

least so I heard."

There was a pause, and the two men walked along a mossy path under a line of lime-trees, smoking meditatively. At length said Vivian,

"If you married a woman, you would like her to love you-to become yours because she loved you better than any other creature.” "Yes," said Lester.

"Do you see any sign of that in Miss Delisle?"

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you if I tell her to marry you; whether you would be happy together under that condition, judge for yourself."

"She would marry me if you ordered her to do so!" said Lester, in a surprised tone.

"Yes. She would kill herself if I told her to do so. She considers herself my slave. I tell you all this in confidence. And, if you wish it, I will tell you her story."

Again was there a pause, and many puffs of smoke ascended to baffle the bees that were busy among the lime-blossoms.

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"No," said Captain Lester, "I won't hear her story, unless she chooses to tell it me herself. You have no objection to my asking her the important question ?" "Not the slightest. If she became your wife, she would be a very fortunate woman. "Well," said Lester, half to himself and half to his companion, "I think I shall try the perilous experiment. I shall fail, of course: divine beauty like hers is not to be wasted on old fogies. One might as well give Chambertin to a chimney-sweep."

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"If any body else called you an old fogy, I suspect there'd be a row," said Vivian, laughing. "And you evidently have more faith in your chances than you admit, or you would not make the trial."

"Well," replied Captain Lester, "I quite agree with Montrose

He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,

Who dares not put it to the touch,
To gain or lose it all.

"If you feel any particular interest in her, So I mean to try, and take the consequences."

*

*

**

**

*

*

Lester, I'll tell you all I know of her history, but in the strictest confidence. There are very Having thus resolved, Captain Lester did not few men whom I would tell; but the moment delay. It was a pleasant summer evening, reyour little girl introduced me to you, I saw you freshing after a sultry day. Already the lamps were a fellow of the right sort. So, if you are were burning in Eastlake's drawing-room, but

lawn and terrace were more attractive, so the ladies were loitering outside.

Vivian and his friend lingered over the claret, but the Captain watched his opportunity and joined Earine in the evenglome.

er.

Of course he began by talking about the weath

What a blessing, to the uninventive English, is the ever-varying weather of this island! Captain Lester, having left an excellent bottle of Lafitte for the purpose of asking a young lady to marry him, of course began with the utmost innocence to laud the loveliness of the evening. "What a beautiful moonlight night!" "Very delightful," she answered.

"I have travelled a great deal by moonlight," went on the gallant Captain," in all parts of the world and in all sorts of scenery, but there is nothing so beautiful as moonlight among English woods."

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Here was an opportunity. Captain Lester was too keen a campaigner not to seize it.

"I would take her there," he said, "if I could persuade some one else to come with us. Will you come, Miss Delisle ?"

"Me!" she said, in amazement, turning upon him her great sapphire eyes, which shone like gems in the misty moonlight.

"Yes, Miss Delisle. Will you be my wife? I have admired and loved you from the first moment of our meeting. I am much older than you, but I have as much vigor as most men half my age. I think I could make you happy."

He spoke too volubly to be interrupted, had Earine made the attempt. But she did not try to interrupt him, and was in no haste to reply to him. The thought came to her that perhaps Vivian had encouraged him—a thought which filled those sapphire eyes with lustre of tears,

"I used to like it on the sea," said Earine, and changed the serenity of her countenance to among the Greek islands."

"You have travelled in Greece ?"

"I am a Greek."

profound melancholy.

"It is impossible," she said at length. The sad tone of the girl's voice was sufficient "The devil's in the moon for mischief," and to prove to Captain Lester that indeed it was when Captain Lester got on that topic, there impossible. He might as well have retired at seemed every chance of his rapidly approaching once, and he felt that he might. Yet it seemed a tenderer one. Earine's simple statement, how-to him cowardly-and even discourteous-to be ever, retarded his advance. He had no notion repelled by the very first refusal. that she was a Greek; he fancied her a simple English maiden; this bit of unexpected information caused him to meditate.

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"Am I too old, Miss Delisle ?" he persisted. "Do you fear that Psyche would be troublesome? I have plenty of money; we could live where you please; we could go away to your favorite Greek islands, and live without the troubles of civilization. For your happiness I would do any thing."

"You are very kind. me. But please say no impossible."

You are too good for more. It is indeed

"No one would think so," he said, after a pause of a few moments. "There is nothing foreign in your manner and speech, Miss Delisle." "I am very glad to hear you say so. I always fear that I am betraying myself when I speak, or when I do any thing. You have travelled, Captain Lester, and you know that Greek girls live in quite a different way from Convinced of the futility of further persistthe young ladies of England. Why, I can re-ence, Captain Lester said, member, in the hot afternoons, I and my cous"I will not trouble you any more, Miss Deins, and a bevy of other girls, used to make up lisle. I see it is useless. Let us be friends, as swimming parties, and spend hours in the wa- before." ter, and often swim so far out that we could hardly see the shore."

"And were none of you ever drowned? And did nobody steal your clothes ?"

"Drowned? Oh dear no! Babies learn to swim before they can walk-swimming is much easier than walking. And as to clothes," she said, with a slight blush," we never wore enough to tempt a thief."

"I am so grateful to you, Captain Lester," said Earine, frankly, placing her hand in his. "We shall always be friends, I hope."

"Always," he said, emphatically, holding for a moment her tremulous hand, and thinking what a slender flower-like thing it was.

And the Captain meant it; for he was a chivalrous gentleman, and could never think otherwise than with reverence and attachment

“A naïve young lady,” thought Captain Les- of the woman he had vainly loved. ter, and liked her none the worse for it.

"Would you like to return to Greece ?" he asked.

"I am happy in England,” she answered. "I gave my daughter a Greek name," said Lester, "because I love the country."

"She is a delightful little girl," she said, "and has been telling me wonderful English stories that I never heard before. So I have been telling her the adventures of Odysseus, and she believes them all, and likes them very much. Ah! she would enjoy a life in the Greek islands."

Lo, there is a sound of young voices and gay laughter under the lindens, and a flutter of white skirts, and red-tressed Psyche comes dancing along the turf, exclaiming

"Oh papa! Oh Earine! Coffee has been waiting such a time! Mr. Eastlake says you must have run away together."

*

*

Thus began Vivian's sojourn at Eastlake's. He intended to return to Broadoak in a few days. I fancy he staid a few months.

CHAPTER XIX.

MURDER.

"After life's fitful fever he sleeps well."

ONE morning, as they sat at breakfast, with all the windows wide open, and the soft breeze of July breathing over the velvet lawns, and bearing into the pleasant rooms the divine fragrance of a myriad roses, the letters and papers were as usual delivered.

cal treatment. The physicians were baffled, until the arrival of Dr. Fownes, famous for his studies in toxicology, who immediately pronounced it a case of slow poisoning. His opinion amazed the country doctors, who warmly controverted it; he, knowing he was right, took resolute measures, and did the best he could to administer the right antidote. But he was too late. The poison-one of the latest inventions of chemistry-had taken too firm a hold of its It was a delightful day. Every body had victim; and Rupert Redfern, one of the strongcome down stairs in the most joyous of humors; est men in Europe, was subtly destroyed in the the two young ladies, in their light print dress- very prime of his life. That he had been slowes, looked as fresh as flowers. Vivian, in the ly poisoned, was incontestably proved at the ingayest mood, was telling little Psyche his quest; it was also shown that his wife, Lady dreams, as fantastic as Arabian Night frag-Eva, always personally administered his food ments; Captain Lester seemed to have recovered from his disappointment, and was full of cheery talk; and as to Jack Eastlake, he was as jolly as all the jolliest of Mr. Charles Dickens's characters rolled into one. How is it that when people are in this temper there almost invariably comes something to upset them?

Jack Eastlake, lounging over his coffee and grilled fowl, indolently opened his "Times."

"No news, of course," he remarked. "Duke of Plantagenet come to grief on the turf at last. Sheriff's officers in his house with claims for half a million. Biggs, clerk in a bank at two pounds a week, has been living at the rate of twenty thousand a year, and inviting his Directors to meet Peers at dinner; now he's absconded, and every body's very much astonished. The Prime Minister is going to bring in a bill to disestablish himself. Nothing very fresh,

you see."

It's so

"I always think," said Vivian, "that it is a great mistake to look at newspapers when you are in the country. It's the time to forget politics and literature, and to enjoy life. pleasant to think that a revolution or an invasion or an earthquake may be happening while one lies on one's back upon the turf, and smokes a cigar, and watches the floating clouds. As for me, when I wander about I don't even let people know where I am going."

"Every body is not so independent as you, Mr. Vivian," said Lester.

"By Jove, Vivian!" exclaimed Eastlake abruptly, "here's something that concerns you. Look at this."

and medicine, and allowed no one else to interfere with them. Hence it happened that she was now virtually a prisoner, under the coroner's warrant, at Broadoak Manor.

These facts Vivian learned from the "Times." Other facts there were, which he learned later, and from other sources; among them, that the tenants and laborers on the Broadoak Manor estates were perfectly maddened by the Squire's death-but that they resolutely refused to believe Lady Eva his murderess.

"I must go to Broadoak at once," said Vivian, in a strange, low whisper to his friend. "But come out on the terrace a moment. Look here; Eva never did this thing; I believe I know who did it. I will go off by rail at once. I'll ride to the station if you'll let one of your grooms come to take the mare back. Now will you come over to Broadoak, and bring Earine, some time to-day? It is most important-I can't stop to explain why." 'Rely on me, my dear fellow," said Eastlake. "I'll ride with you to the station, and then come back and have some lunch, and bring Earine by the very next train.”

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"Good!" said Vivian. "You're a true friend. I must go to poor Eva's help. The child will be distracted. Ask Earine to come out to me."

Earine came.

"My child," he said, "I am going to Broadoak at once. Eastlake will tell you why. He will follow by the next train, and bring you. Good-bye."

In ten minutes more he was in the saddle, And he walked to the window with the and his mare, Ianthe, was giving Eastlake's cob, "Times" in his hand, and pointed out a para- a fine vigorous weight-carrier, a thorough breathgraph to Vivian, who had followed him. So ing. The five miles to the station took less than pale had Eastlake turned, that both his daugh- a quarter of an hour. Luckily there was a train ter and Earine perceived that there was some-in a few minutes. Vivian sprang into a smokthing serious. ing-carriage, just saying to Eastlake, "Thanks, old fellow. Come on as soon as possible."

The paragraph, which Vivian read with dilating eyes and quickened pulse, narrated the death by poison of Rupert Redfern, Esquire, of Broadoak Avon, and the inquest held upon his body, and the detention in custody of his wife, Lady Eva Redfern, on suspicion of having committed the murder. Mr. Redfern, according to the narrative, had quite recently been attacked by some mysterious ailment, which required medi

It was a ride of an hour and a half. As he sat alone in the carriage, he reflected on the strange state of affairs. That Eva had murdered her husband was simply ridiculous. They loved each other-not with the intensest love, which Eva had not learned, and which the Squire could never teach her-but better

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