LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 776, 15 December 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

THE MISCHIEF MAKER. ( Continued.) Theodore evidently did so ; for he turned continually to address her when a lull in the conversation permitted. Mr Lester perceived this, and made some sotto voce remark to Annie, which brought the colour rapidly to brow and cheek. In the drawing-room, after dinner, Miss Issott pounced on the unfortunate clergyman the instant he made his appearance ; and, inviting his attention to some views of Paris, she again engaged him in a conversation of such prodigious length that she gave him no time for any society but her own. A thorough woman of the world, with some conversational powers and ready wit; she would have been an agreeable companion to one whose mind was not otherwise employed ; but Theodore glanced uneasily to the sofa where the rest were gathered, and was by no means an attentive listener. Nothing daunted, Miss Issott plied him with questions, and would hardly release him when, seeing the Belvoirs about to part, he rose to escort Annie to the carriage. His horse was in waiting at the hall door, so his bade his host good night, and accompanied them to the park. Once in the road, lie gave reins to his steed, and galloped off to the town. *As he pulled up in the street, he muttered, inmost unclerical fashion, ‘ Bother the woman ! Then, as a bright thought struck him, he exclaimed aloud, ‘ I’ll go to the Belvoirs’ tomorrow. ’ ‘Goodnight, Theo,’ said a gentleman on the pavement. ‘Are you dreaming, old boy, or who were you addressing ?’ ‘ What did I say, Johnson —‘ for it’s you, I s«e ?’ ‘Can’t tell, but I recognised your voice. ‘Oh 1’ said Theodore. ‘ Good nightand be abruptly rode ob.

The next morning Theodore mounted his horse, and was early on his way to Belvoir Park. It was a fine country seat, the hereditary residence of the Belvoirs from time immemorial. The present Mr Belvoir, a celebrated London physician, had come into possession a few years before our story commences ; but his love for hia profession prevented his retiring from it, and he still had a town house where he could be consulted three times a week. Theodore, on his swift steed, the envy of all the neighborhood, soon reached the hall; and, relinquishing the latter to the groom, he entered. Mrs Belvoir, a tall, stately lady, with a kindly face, and hair plentifully sprinkled with grey, was alone; but she welcomed him heartily, and bade him be seated. H e chatted with her for some time, then rose to go, but first asked if he might have a book from the library, which Dr Belvoir had promised. Just then, Mrs Belvoir’s presence was requested by a domestic ; so, asking Theodore to suit himself, she left him. He entered the library unceremoniously, but instinctively drew back when he saw the room was occupied. Annie Belvoir—for it was she—rose from the table, and hastily closing her Iliad, said, ‘ Good morning, Mr Gordon. ’ 4 Good morning!’ replied Theodore, ‘Pardon my intrusion, Miss Belvior,’ he continued, ‘ I was not aware you were here. I came for a book. ’ ‘ Help yourself, Mr Gordon,’ replied Annie, nervously pushing a newspaper over her Iliad and dictionary. ‘ Thanks !’ he said, and began to search for the book in question. Meanwhile, Annie turned to the window, and was soon apparently absorbed in the prospect, which certainly was a lovely one. Presently, Theodore left the shelves, and came to her side. ‘ I can’t find it, Miss Belvoir,’ he said. * What is the name ?’ ‘ I hardly know. It is a new work on theology, I think.’ ‘Oh, papa keeps that kind of book on the top shelves,’ replied Annie. ‘You will find it there, no doubt. Here is the ladder. ’ Theodore mounted, and soon discovered the object of his search.

When he was once more on terra firma, he laid the book on the tabic, and came round to Annie again. * Miss Bel voir,’ he said, ‘ I came here to see you this morning. ’ ‘ Indeed !’ she replied, studiously regarding the lawn. ‘ Yes, I came here to ask a great favor of you ! Can you guess what it is ?’ Annie made no reply. ‘ I am here because I love you, Annie may I call you Annie ? and that I might tell you so !’ Her heart beat violently. She could not make her lips say what her thoughts were asserting. ‘ You are not offended !’ said Theodore. * I have presumed too much.’ *Oh no,’ replied Annie, extending her hand and venturing onel ook, so glowing, yet so timid, that Theodore's heart bounded within him at the realisation of his hopes. He drew her to the sofa, and sat down beside her. She laid her face on his breast. ‘ Not a word for me yet, to complete my happiness ?’ he said. She attempted to speak, and hurst into tears. Theodore could not understsnd this. He smoothed her hair with gentle strokes—the silken hair he had so longed to touch ; he tenderly kissed the forehead he had often looked upon as so fair and sacred. It soothed her. Composing herself, she looked up at last, .with a smile full of contentment, and said, softly, ‘ I am so happy ! That is all!’ An hour passed. Few such hours come in a life time. The lunch bell rang, but they heeded it not. Presently the door opened, and a fair, girlish face looked in. It was Madge, come to call her sister to lunch; but she approached so softly, and disappeared so quickly when she saw the state of things, that the lovers knew not of her presence. ‘ Mamma,’ said she, bursting into the dining-room, 1 do go to the library.’ ‘ W hat for, my child ?’ 1 Oh, never mind ! Do go at once !’ Mrs Belvoir went. She opened the door. There, standing in the bay window, his figure half hidden by the flowing curtains, stood Theodore, and beside him, one hand resting confidingly on his arm, looking earnestly at him, was Annie. Mrs Belvoir walked round the table and confronted them, Theodore started and flushed up. Annie left him and hid her rosy face on her mother’s shoulder.

‘ Let me introduce you to my promised wife,’ said Theodore; ‘that is if you and the doctor give your consent,’ ‘ I give mine willingly,’ said the lady, holding out her hand, ‘ But this is a trifle sudden, Sir Gordon.’ ‘ Yes, it was too bad to steal a march on you so; but I couldn’t help it. I found Annie here, you know.’ Mrs Bel voir laughed, accused him of using clairvoyance as a love philter, and said, ‘ And you have been here ever since I saw you 1’ Theodore smiled, and accepting Mrs Belvoir’s invitation to lunch, he gave an arm to her and the other to Annie, and led the way to the dining room. In the doorway they stumbled over Madge and Emmie, who had been watching the scene within. ‘Come here, you rogues!’ said Mrs Belvoir, ‘ and welcome your new brother that is to be, if papa says yes.’ Emmie and Madge emerged from their hiding place, and offered no objection to the brotherly kisses Theodore gave ; and Madge whispered slyly to Annie, ‘ So that’s studying. is it, Nie ?’ ‘ Yes, I have been leading,’ replied Nie, in her confusion mistaking the question. They had a nice homely lunch, which w as enlivened by some of Madge’s brilliant sullies. The lovers were very quiet, and I won’t pretend to say whether Annie or Theodore looked most conscious on the occasion, but they certainly vied with one another in the deep color which constantly dyed their cheeks. When the repast was over, Theodore left, and you will not be surprised to hear that the theological work lay on the library table after his departure. On the road homeward he overtook Mr Lester’s groom, on horseback, and hearing

from him that Nella was just in front, he gave Diana the reins and joined her. ‘ The air is balmy this morning remarked Theodore, whipping the flies from Diana’s ears. ‘lt is, Mr Gordon. Have you been far ?’ * To Belvoir Park,’ he answered. * Oh, it is awfully jolly up there, I fancy,’ remarked Nella, looking mischievously at him. ‘ Yes, Mrs Lester, it’s capital; and what is more satisfactory to me is that I have got my wish, and I fancy you know what it was.’ ‘Do you mean ?’ she said, her eyes beaming. ‘Yes, I see you do. I congratulate you, Theodore ’ ‘Thanks,’he said; and leaning over, he clasped the hand she offered. ‘ You have guessed rightly. That lovely creature has bestowed what I almost feared to asked ; and I am, as you see, the happiest of mortals.’ ‘I am so glad,’said Nella. ‘Won’tyou come up and tell Tom?’ * Not now. ‘ I’ll leave that bit of news for you.’ ‘ For shame, Theodore!’ she replied, as she turned in at the park-gate. ‘Good morning.’ Nella galloped through the park in her exuberance of spirits, but she reserved the news till dinner-time. Then Mr Lester, Miss Issott, and herself were partaking of that meal, she told it. Miss Issott looked daggers at her niece, and Tom opened his eyes and just stopped himself in a significant whistle, ‘ I’m so glad!’ he said, unconsciously using his wife’s words. When they were gathered in the drawingroom later, Nella broke in upon a prolonged silence to ask Mr Lester if he could escort Miss Issott and herself to Worthington the following day. ‘You know, Tom,’ she said, ‘I think auntie ought to see the castle and lake, for she has a wretched opinion of the attractions of our country. ’ ‘ Indeed! ’ said Mr Lestex-, lazily stretching himself in his arm-chair. ‘Then I’ll do my best to eradicate them; but not tomorrow, my dear, for I am engaged.’ ‘ The day after, then ? ’ said his wife. * Don’t make any arrangements including me,’ observed Miss Issott. ‘ I shall not be here on Friday.’ ‘ Not here! ’ exclaimed Mrs Lester. ‘ Why, I thought you had come for two or three months ? ’ ‘ Unmarried ladies may change their minds ! ’ replied her aunt, sarcastically. ‘Of course,’ said Tom. ‘ But you surely don’t mean to leave us so soon? We shall think poorly of our hospitality after this.’ ‘ You need not,’ said Miss Issott. ‘ I have merely a fancy to visit Edinburgh before the winter, and perhaps I may give you a flying visit on my way home again. ’ ‘ I suppose you call Paris home now ? ’ ‘ Generally, replied her aunt; and then she gathered up her work, and said, ‘ Good night.’ For a few minutes aftar she had gone, Mrs Lester remained buried in abstraction till a low, significant whistle fx-om her husband roused her, and she said, ‘What think you of my beloved relative, Tom ? ’ ‘ Whew ! She is charming ! She is, in truth, an angel! ’ *****

The next evening Miss Issott and her maid Violette left Hazelgrove, in order to catch the midnight mail from Stafford to Edinburgh. As the carriage which bore them to the station rolled out ot the park gate, Theodore Gordon rode in. ‘Good bye, Mr Gordon,’ said Miss Issott, opening the window and leaning out. ‘ Good evening,’ replied Theodore. ‘ Are you leaving us?’ ‘ For a while,’ responded the fair occupant of the vehicle. * A strange man!’ said Miss Issott, aloud, clasping her shawl closer. ‘ Close the window, Violette. It is chilly to-night.’ Violette obeyed, and then sank down in silence in a corner of the carriage. Meanwhile Theodore had reached the Hall, and giving his horse in charge, he entered. Mrs Lester was alone, for her husband had not yet returned from London, where he had gone that morning to fulfill the engagement of which he had spoken to Miss Issott and Nella. ‘Alone?’ said Theodore, cordially grasping her offered hand ‘Yes, Mr Theo, all alone. Tom gone, auntie gone, all gone. Isn’t it too bad ? But never mind. Now you are here, I shall not care. Sit down, Theodore. You have given Stephen your horse, of course ?’ ‘ Yes ; but ’ ‘No *buts,’ please. lam alone; Annie is not; so don’t be selfish.’ ‘ But she may expect me,’ said Theodore. ‘May she? Well I am going up tomorrow, and I will offer an excuse for you, so make yourself comfortable.’ ‘ I met Miss Issott,’ he said, as he sat down. ‘lndeed ! ’ ‘ Is she really gone away ?’ ‘ To Edinburgh.’ ‘Ah !’ said Theodore, thoughtfully. ‘ Has she friends there now, Mrs Lester V ‘ Yes, plenty, 1 believe. It is some years since she was there ; but she often speaks of the Umphrays, Bannatyues, and—let me see, Dalgleishs, I think.’ ‘ I know them all,’ said Theodore, running his hands through his abundant curls. ‘Do you ? The Dalgleish family is the best; and the youngest scion, a capital fellow about ray own age, used to be my bosom friend. I have almost lost sight of him since I came here, but I think I will hunt him up for (■hristmas. Does Miss Issott visit at the Bauuatynes’ too ?’ he said, nervously twitching the ends of his long black whiskers. * Yes ; but Miss Bannatyne is beautiful enough to make her the least bit jealous I think, and she doesn’t go there much.’ Had not Mrs Lester been busying herself with a piece of embroidery, she could not but have observed the bright flush that crossed Theodore’s countenance at the men tion of Miss Bannatyne. {To he continued,)