LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 232, 8 March 1875, Page 3

LITERATURE.

COLLARED.

By Albany de Fonblanque, Author of "A Tangled Skein," &c.

{Concluded)

The occupants of the "construction on wheels " agreed during their drive that no notice should be taken that night of the Marquis's little joke. If he had really made away with the keys, his best punishment would be to find that his plan had failed—failed even to excite remark. If he had not —why, the least said would be soonest mended.

'You stole a march upon us,' chirped the Bird.

' And how quickly you dress !' said Askleigh, running a finger round inside his shirtcollar, as gentlemen will when about to enter a ball room.

The Marquis followed this act with a guilty look. He could see nothing but linen and cambric about the Captain's throat. That look betrayed him. He had taken those keys. When he heard that sharp elicit of the lock, the "happy thought" upon which he had acted struck him. Ashleigh should not go to the ball. He (the clever one) would have the field to himself ; and if he could get anything like a promise from Miss Balfourc, a fico for the consequences ! Everything was fair in love and war. Had not the Captain tricked him about going after those birds? Besides, who could prove that he took the keys ? Early in the morning he would throw them under the fender, or put them somewhere else where they could be found. 0, yes, it would all come right. Well, it had come all right, but not in the way ho hoped. ' How the deuce did the fellow get it off?' he muttered to himßelf as

he turned away. 'Good job, though, that he doesn't suspect me.' There was nothing for it now but to do his best and take his chance ; and as he looked at himself and his diamond studs in the glass, and thought of his twelve thousand a year, he did not despair. Happy Charley made his way to Fanny and asked to see her card. His face fell as he found it was full.

' Is this quite fair ?' he asked. ' First come first served is a good rule, is it not ?'

' Under ordinary circumstances, perhaps, but—may I ask to whom these initials put down against half the best dances belong ?' 'W 7 hat, theU. X. L.?' 'Yes.'

'To a person who, if he can waltz as well as he talks, will be a charming partner. Why, you goose, don't you know U. X. L. all others with me ? People do so worry me for dances when I go to balls that I put those letters down in the dressing room. You can rub them out if you like. ' Fanny, if we were not in a ball-room—' 'Well, sir?'

' Never mind.' She guessed what he meant, but didn't mind all the same.

' My love,' said her father, who passed at this moment, ' Mr Fitzwalter-Smith is looking for you. I told him he would probably find you in the blue-room, as Mrs Tremayne makes it her head-quarters.' Mrs Tremayne, the lady of the house, was nominally Fanny's chaperon, and this was a hint to place herself under that matron's wing when the music ceased. She took it, and was marched off to the blue-room, where papa left her. Far be it from me to suggest that there was a conspiracy between such Lighlyrespectable persons as Mrs Tremayne and Mr Balfoure, having for its object the benefit of Fitzwalter-Smith, who was personally known to only one of them ; but they were very good friends, and if the gentlemen had hinted that his daughter (who was a special pet of the lady) would not object to become the victim of such a plot, it might—mind, I only say it might —have been arranged. Such things have been clone, and such conspirators have been blessed. Anyhow, it so happened that the lady of the house found something very particular to attend to, and left Fanny alone, after having kissed her, and said rather markedly : 'I do so hope, dear child, that you will enjoy yourself.' The dear child immediately perceived the odour of a creature belonging to the rodent species floating in the atmosphere, and retired to a conservatory into which the blueroom opened. She emerged just as Mr Fitzwalter-Smith entered, with something like a glorified cobweb wound coquettishly round her fair neck and shoulders. That conservatory was a perfect cave of CEolus for draughts, and pretty girls who have been dancing should take care not to catch cold. * I am so glad to find you alone,' he said, taking the obverse seat of a causeavse into which she subsided. ' Solitude has its charms, but I must confess that they do not appear to advantage at a ball,' she replied. ' Where, however, a tete-a-tete is the perfection of delight.' ' That depends upon the heads.' ' Say the hearts,' he insinuated, with what he felt sure was a killing smile. ' O dear no. We leave our hearts behind us when we put on our ball-dresses and white ties, Mr Fitzwalter-Smith.' ' Don't you think those double names are awkward? —such a mouthful, you know. When I marry, I shall drop the Smith.' ' Why not the Fitzwalter, if brevity be an object?' she asked with a little malicious smile. ' I could not ask any lady to take such a name as Smith.' ' I think she would endure it if she liked the owner.' 'Ah, if I only knew how to make its owner liked.' ' Shall I tell you how, in my humble opinion, a gentleman should act to be—to be liked ?' ' O, if you only would !' ' Well, first, he must be manly and honest and straightforward; must scorn anything like tricks and trickery.' The Marquis winced. 'Tricks and trickery,' she continued, ' always rebound upon their author, and sometimes hurt him severely.' 'ln love and war ' he began, but she interrupted him. 'That is a false and foolish axion, Mr Fitzwalter-Smith. Everything is not fair in war. You mustn't use explosive bullets, or shoot sentries, or fire dh hospitals, or poison wells, or do other cruel things which inflict death or pain upon individuals without advancing the main object in view.' 'You have only proved half your case. What about love ?' he said, leaning forward and trying to catch her eye. 'That you must find orit for yourself,' she replied. ' Young ladies are not supposed to be learned in the rules which govern Cupid's strategy ; but I have a sort of vague idea that to love a person one must first respect him, and consequently that he must not make use of every sort of weapon which deceit or malice may put in his hand.' *Of course not; but a fellow may make the best of his chances, surely ?'

'Faint heart ne'er won fair lady,' she laughed. She was thinking of what had passed in her father's lathe-room. The Marquis took it as encouragement. .' Then let me seize this opportunity—this happy opportunity,' he whispered, 'to tell you what I hope, what I feel almost sure you must have guessed—that your hand is the dearest object of my ambition ; that I love yon to distraction ; that I cannot live without you. No ; don't answer—don't say a word yet I know it will be awfully hard work to win you, but give me time, give me hope. Say that I may lay my life, my fortune, at your feet, and that I may some day persuade you to be my wife.' ' lieally, Mr Fitzwalter-Smith,' she replied quietly, ' I was not prepared for this outburst. lam really very sorry if > I have given you cause for supposing that it could have any but one result; which is, that I thank you for the honor you propose, but am obliged to decline it.' ' You reject me altogether !' he cried, aghast. ' Why, look here !' She unrolled the glorified spider's web as she spoke; 'and lo ! round her dear little white throat hung—the chain collar !

Upon the very prettiest dimple on her sweet plump neck reposed the brass plate with its inscription, of doom :