LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 780, 20 December 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

TINY'S LOVERS. (Continued.) The girl made a pretty little moue, and looked at him in the most bewitching wayimaginable. ' Ah, Tiny, how wonderfully you are like your dear mother, as I knew her thirty years ago! You are wonderfully good for the gout, little one; I'm ever so much easier now.' ' Oh, I am so glad, uncle,' cried the girl, her eyes sparkling, and then growing humid. ' But, now, look here,' said the old gentleman. ' I'm father, and mother, and uncle, and everything to you now, am I not ?' and he held up one finger as he passed his arm round her shoulders. ' Yes, dear, of course.' • Then, tell me at once—which of them is it?' 'Who is it?' said the girl, with dilating eyes. ' Yes, who is it, you—you—well, therelove, out of these fellows? for I suppose one of them will have you.' * I only love one,' said the girl, ' and that s you, uncle.' 'Yes, yes, little one, so you do—so you do; but you care a bit for Harry Lawler V ' O no, uncle. He always scolds me, and is cross with me about my studies, and says I waste time.' ' Well, then, the parson—Fanshawe ?' ' O uncle, Mr Fanshawe is very friendly and nice, but' ' You wouldn't like to be Mrs Fanshawe ? 'O no, uncle.' ' Very glad of it. He gives me the horrors whenever he comes into the house; seems to think smiling a grievous sin, and a hearty laugh an unpardonable offence. Bullied me for an hour one day about what he called my indiscriminate charity, because I gave coals, and blankets, and beef to the poor old folks; said I ought to place it in the hands of his society, where its application would be watched, and the charity reduced to a, system. I'm very glad, my dear, it isn't the parson. Then, is it Jones ?' ' Oh! dear Mr Jones, I do like him so, uncle; he's so funny.' 'Eh?' said the old man, looking grave; ' you don't mean' 'O yes, I do, uncle; he ia funny, talks about nothing but horses, dogs, foxes, and

runs, from the time he comes into the house till he goes. Look here, uncle, darling, I'm going to make you laugh. This is it.' She snatched a chair to his side, sat down, folded her arms, and rested them on her knees, leaning forward, so as to bring her face into close proximity to his, and then, with her eyes twinkling with merriment, she went on : '" Well, you see, Miss Murray, we found as soon as we got to Toddly's copse, and the 'ounds rattled him out of cover in less than five minutes. He made off for the whins, the whole pack well laid on, the best mounted men well up, and the ruck trailing off behind, with every likelihood of its being bellows to mend, before they were out of the big plough field." ' ' Ba, ha, ha !' roared the old gentleman. ' Yes,|that's it. He nailed me for half an hour once about a run.' ' And he never talks about anything else, uncle. I believe, if he sent a present to a lady, it would be a fan made out of foxes' tails.' ' And yet, said the old gentleman, ' you think you could love' 'Love Mr Jones, uncle?' cried the girl, clapping her hands. ' Oh, nonsense, uncle; why, he smells of stables ! I'd sooner marry Tom Harris.' 'How is poor old Tom?' said the old gentleman. 'Very bad, I'm afraid, uncle,' said the girl sadly. ' He's very old, you know. He told me yesterday he'd been in the Hall stables seventy-five years.' ' Poor old boy !' said the old gentleman. 'But look here, puss: Lonsdale—the captain ? Ah ! have I found you out ?' There was a rosy flush on the girl's face, and she hesitated for a moment, and then hid her face on her uncle's shoulder. ' I will be open, uncle,' she said softly; 'I think I d<-> like Captain Lonsdale, a little—a very little.'- ' I'm sorry, Tiny, sorry,' said the old man, stroking her hair, ' for, though he's my guest, I don't much like the captain. I'm afraid he's not good stuff.' ' Uncle !' ' Well, well; perhaps it's only my crabbedness, but I'm always suspicious of a man who talks so much about himself. It's very dazzling to a young girl, but there's a ring about it I don't like. I'd rather it had been Harry Lawler, child.' 'He hates me, uncle, I'm sure, because I'm so stupid.' ' Yes, pet; he hates you, like I do; so he asked my leave, like an honorable gentleman, to pay his faddresses to you, while I suppose Lonsdale has been making his hay. But there; I'm sleepy and tired. Only pro mise me this, my pet—that you'll do nothing rashly. Don't choose in haste. ' I don't want to choose at all, uncle dear; and you may depend on me that I shall not be silly.' ' That's right, my darling; I know I can. Now, put a handkerchief over my face. No; that won't do; make a hole in it.' ? But it's a new handkerchief, uncle.' ' Never mind ; nip a piece out; I must breathe freely, even at the cost of a handkerchief. Now, kiss the top of my head, and be off.' The little maiden lifted the handkerchief, and kissed the bald pink forehead, dropped it again, and went silently out of the room, leaving Vice-Admiral Hanley to get such repose as his gout would permit. Chapter 11. While the above narrated conversation had been going on, Captain Lonsdale, a tall, handsome officer of dragoons, with a great deal of whisker, moustache, and eyeglass, was, as has been stated, in the billiard-room with Captain Barry of the navy, an old friend of the admiral. The dragoon seemed to be enjoying himself, for the sailor was bluff, and good-temperedly submitted to being beaten again and again. ' That makes you out, I suppose ?' said the sailor, as the dragoon made a clever stroke. 'Yes, and one to spare,' said Lonsdale. 'Trouble you for another sov.' The money was paid, and the dragoon went on knocking the balls about. ' Now,' he said, ' just one more.' 'No,' said the sailor; 'l'm tired. Soon be time now for dressing.' 'Ever seen this stroke made?' said the dragoon, placing the balls in an apparently impossible position. 'No,'said, the sailor; 'and I should say it couldn't be done.' ' Bet you half-sov. I doit.' 'Done ' The stroke was made with apparent ease. ' Shouldn't have thought it possible,' said the sailor. ' Clever, isn't it ? said the dragoon. ' I'll trouble you for half a sov.' As the money was handed over, a quiet, earnest-looking, gray-eyed young man entered the room, and took a seat, as if to watch the game. He was apparently about eight-and-twenky, certainly not good looking, but with a thoughtful, intelligent cast of countenance that was most prepossessing.' 'There's another little thing I've seen done,' said the dragoon. ' Look here. _ I place the balls all in a line here : the trick is to hit the farther ball without touching the one between.' ' Well, that can't be done,' said the sailor. 'Bet you half a sovereign it can.' ' Done!' 'Excuse me, Captain Barry,' said the new comer; ' that trick is as simple as can be, and you must lose your money. The dragoon paused, placed his glass in his eye, and stared at the speaker with an air of the most profound astonishment. ' By Jove, sir, I didn't know that your opinion was asked !' ' It was not asked, Captain Lonsdale ; but seeing through the trick, I thought it only fair to warn Captain Barry.' 'Trick? Not at all, it's skill.' 'I beg pardon, then,' said the new-comer; ' I looked upon it as a trick. By all means, then, play the stroke—with the balls lying just as they are.' 'Oh, yes,'said the sailor; 'it was a fair bet; play the stroke, by all means.' The dragoon refked his glass, thrust his hand into his pocket, took out a half-crown piece, and laid it in front of the second ball; the consequence of which movement would have been, that the first ball, upon being driven by the cue, would have struck the half-crown, risen in the air, leaped over number two, and descended on the other side, striking number three. • I think I was right, then, Captain Barry; it is a trick, for the balls do not lie as they were.' 'No, no ; of course not,' said the sailor—- ' I don't think that is quite plain sailing, Lonsdale, I don't, indeed,

' As you like,' said the dragoon carelessly; and, to conceal his chagrin, he began to knock the balls savagely about, -while the new-comer entered into conversation with the sailor. A few minutes after, Captain Lonsdale placed bis cue in the rack, began to hum a popular opera-bouffe air, pulled his moustache, gave his glass a most aggressive cock in his eye, stared very hard at the new comer, and marched with imaginary spurs clinking and a big sabre under his arm, out of the room. ' A confounded cad I' he muttered; ' must have been some low billiard marker, or something of the kind; but I'll be even with him yet.' ' Poor girl!' thought the other, as he sat and saw the dragoon close the door; 'I wish she could read both our hearts." 'Why, Mr Lawler,' said Captain Barry, ' I thought you were a regular bookworm !' 'So I am,' was the reply; and the young man's face lit up with a frank, sweet smile. ' But you play billiards ?' 'I play most games,' was the reply, modestly given; at least, such as call for skill and thought.' ' Well, too, then, I'll be bound.'

' 0 no; but passably; but I have always taken an interest in getting to the bottom of tilings.' ' You play chess, then ?' 'Yes, a little.' ' And whist ?' ' Yes; I know most games—a little, and have even entered into sports, in spite of my literary leanings.' ' Oh, come then, we'll have a game at billiards till dressing bell.' 'With all my heart !' was the reply ; and they went to the table. ' What shall we play for?' said the cap tain. ' Oh, for love,' was the laughing reply. 'lt would not be fair to you if we had stakes.' ' Our friend the soldier did not seem to think so, said the sailor, bluffly; 'he has won about twelve pounds of me this afternoon. ' ' Indeed,' said the other. ' I think it's a pity to spoil a good game by debasing it into au instrument for gambling. But there; I'm preaching. How many shall I give you out of a hundred ?' ' Can you give me any ?' ' I'm afraid so, from what I have seen of your play. I have practised a little.' So it seemed, from the way in which he played, which was with great skill, the result being that he won with the greatest ease, and to the extreme delight of the frank sailor. 'My dear fellow, you play splendidly. I should esteem it a great favour if you would give Lonsdale a thorough thrashing. ' There I must ask your forbearance; I would much rather not place myself in competition with the captain.' The answer was made in so grave a tone, that Captain Barry did not press it. The dinner dressing-bell too rang, and they departed. Some twenty minutes afterwards, when Harry Lawler desceuded to the drawingroom, it was to find Captain Lonsdale in an elegant attitude by the drawing-room chim-ney-piece, upon which he leaned as he talked to Tiny, otherwise Lydia Murray; while Mrs Kowbotham, the lady who presided over the admiral's establishment, sat upon a lounge, voluminous in black velvet. Lawler found himself almost unnoticed, for Tiny was evidently listening with great interest to some fashionable bit of chit-chat being related by the captain, who seemed to redouble his attention and empressement upon seeing Lawler's entry. ' A delightful change in the weather, Mr Lawler,' said Mrs Rowbotham, in a solemn voice, that seemed to have emanated from a tomb, aud which, taken in connection with the black velvet costume, suggested the possibility of the latter being a pall. ' Delightful weather,' said Lawler. ' How is the admiral ?' ' Oh, most decidedly better,' said the lady. ' So well, that he insisted upon Lydia coming in to dinner. Dear girl, how attentive she has been to him !' There was a deeper tint on Tiny's cheeks, for Mrs Rowbotham's voice rolled through the room like the tones of a loud contralto bell. Lawler said he was delighted to hear it, and seemed abstracted. ' What a flow of language your friend the captain has !' said Mrs Kowbotham, after a pause. And then, from behind her fan, 'JWhat a couple they seem to make, don't they ?' ' Yes, very,' said Lawler, still more abstractedly; for he had just glanced at Mrs Rowbotham's plump arm, upon which glittered a showy new bracelet. 'Hm !' he thought to himself, ' I see; the present from the captain, to win her to his side.' The dinner bell rang, and the butler unclosed |the door. ' Where is Captain Barry?' said Mrs Rowbotham.

' With my master, ma'am,' was the reply; and the gentleman in question joined them directly afterwards. It was a bitter repast to Harry Lawler, in spite of its luxury, for he could not help seeing how thoroughly Tiny enjoyed the attentions of Lonsdale, who evidently felt his power, and was determined to make the best use of the opportunity. When the ladies rose to go, Harry Lawler, being nearest, intended to open the door, but Lonsdale brushed by him, aud himself performed the duty, though not without causing a look of surprise to flit for an instant across the young girl's face, and her thanks to the dragoon were certainly not of so warm a character as he anticipated. On returning to the table, Captain Barry tried hard to make the c onversation general, but it soon became evident that there was to bo war between the two young men, for Lonsdale almost offensively evaded replying to a remark made by Lawler, and half-turned his chair towards the fire; and at last, in despair, the neutral visitor rose, yawned, and proposed that they shoiild join the ladies. On reaching the drawing-room, the report was that the admiral was much better, and in a comfortable sleep, so Tiny was at liberty ; and as if to make up for the slight that had, through her, been put upon one of her uncle's guests in the dining-room, she half advanced to meet Lawler, and began to talk to him about music. He was at iirst very cold and quiet, but in a few minutes tho sweet warm enthusiasm of the girl melted his icy crust, and he began to converse with animation upon music and the great masters, till Tiny wondered how she could ever have thought him cold and strangej ' By Jove, Miss Murray,' said a voice just then, ' you haven't sung us tw acw irench chanson ;' <W witn a smile sho went to the piano, and though to Lawler there was

1 something Eden-like in the scene, as he sat there listening to the little silvery voice which trilled forth the pleasant melody, it seemed as if a cloud had come over all, and he sighed as he saw how Tiny was once more drinking in the honeyed platitudes of the dragoon. • She came to my side, as she would had I been any other guest,' said Lawler to himself as he walked slowly into a small boudoir, whence, turning over the leaves of a book, he coidd see through into the drawing-room, where the bluff sailor, Captain Barry, was having a hard engagement with his own face, as he fought to avoid seemed bored by the rather inane remarks of Mrs Rowbotham, which belled and boomed through the room; while Lonsdale completely encrossed the society of Tiny Murray. Very charming, and young, and innocent she looked as she sat there with the soft light of the great lamp falling upon her animated face, and Lawler sighed as he stood end gazed. ' I was foolish to come,' he said to himself —' very foolish. It was only a dream, and the awakening is very, very bitter. My darling—my darling !' he breathed out in a passionate sigh; ' God grant you be happy !' He let the cover of his book fall, and slowly began to move towards the other room. ' I have awakened now, he said to himself. • The dream is at an end, and I must face reality.' ' You will sing something, Captain Lonsdale,' Tiny was saying, as Lawler re-entered the room. ' Well, 'pon my life, I—l really'—— ' G Captain Lonsdale!' chimed in Mrs Rowbotham, 'you must sing—you must, indeed. He does sing, doesn't he, Captain Barry ?' ( Well,' said the sailor, ' I think he does ; I heard him practising a piece at the piano, a day or two ago.' 'There, Captain Lonsdale, I knew you could sing.' 'Well, er—er —really, you know, if you wish it, I will try,' said Lonsdale ; and he glanced towards the little room, as if disposed to lower the curtains to cutoff Lawler; but, to his in*ense disgust, there was his enemy sitting composedly in a lounge, close behind him. 'I shall never be able to sing . with that confounded cad there,' he muttered; and a savage frown crossed his face. But he threw off the feeling of annoyance, took his seat at the instrument, and sang a fashionable patter song, full of vulgarisms, each verse ending with something about Piccadilly.

Captain Lonsdale was eagerly complimented, but he did not feel satisfied; he caught a glance flying between Lawler and Tiny, and he saw the latter looked flushed and annoyed, though he would not own that i'i could possibly be with hia singing. ' I think we ought to make Mr Lawler sing now,' said Mrs Rowbotham, as she saw him crossing the room to where Tiny was sitting. Lawler looked at Tiny, and her eyes said yes as plainly as possible; so he took his seat at the piano, and played one of Mendelssohn's ' Songs without Words,' in a dreamy, strange manner, which the captain considered so slow that he began to talk loudly to Mrs Rowbotham. gaming nothing, though, by the move, for Tiny quietly left her place, and, to Mrs Rowbotham's intense disgust, stood by the piano, and turned over the leaves till the player had finished the lied. ' She has a soul for music, after all,' thought Lawler, with a sigh, as she turned away when the last chord died out. ' I shall have to shoot that fellow,' said Lonsdale to himself, as he retired for the night. ' The cad does everything so easily. I wonder how long he is going to stay?' ' How can she care for such a man ? ' said Lawler to himself, as he sought his pillow, and lay thinking. 'Ah, well, woman's a riddle.' Chapter 111. A fine brisk late autumn morning, when they met next day at breakfast; through the great windows the golden-leaved oaks stood out russet against the sombre green of the pine woods. The fern.s were covered with gem-besprinkled cobwebs, which hung from frond to frond, all dry, brown, and crisp. The larches were of a russet yellow, amongst the feathery green spruces; and glinting in the distance, its bosom sparkling in the sun, was the great mere, dotted with green islands, bearing pines and clumps of evergreens, while in all directions wild-fowl flitted and splashed about. Now it was a flock of wild duck, with their keenly cut swift wings, wheeling round and round, before descending with a rush to fleck the water; anon it would be a flock of coots flying with a piping cry, and their feet trailing in the lake ; while grebes and divers disported here and there in the pale sunshine of the passing year. The news about the admiral was excellent, as Tiny took her place at the table, and Mrs Rowbotham, all smiles, began to dispense the tea and coffee. ' Is it to be the pheasants this morning ? ' said Lonsdale languidly; or will Miss Murray allow us to play cavalier in a ride V ' I would not go away from the house this morning,' said Tiny; 'not till my uncle is better.' 'But he said, my dear, that you were to go out to-day,' said Mrs Rowbotham. 'Yes; uncle is very .kind,' said Tiny; ' but still I should not like to be ought of sight.' ' Well, look here,' said Captain Barry ; ' I've been longing for days to go on the water. Let's take the guns, and try for the ducks. Miss Murray could go with us, and then we should always be in sight of the house, and a signal would bring us back. Kow would that do ?' ' Ah ! the very thing,' said the captain. Tiny's eyes sparkled with pleasure, and the matter was soon arranged. One of the keepers was to have the boat ready in an hour, and soon after breakfast the party prepared to start. ' Not going, Lawler?' said Captain Barry. 'Come along, man; there'll be plenty of room.' Captain Lonsdale frowned, and Lawler glanced at Tiny, to see if she would give him ever so slight an invitation to be of the party ; but no : she kept her head averted, and playfully held out her glove to the captain, that he might fasten it. : Thanks; no,' said Lawler. 'I am going to the study.' ' See ti*»G the fellows keep up a good fire,' c«;a the dragoon banteringly, and with a sneering laugh, directed at the young man, he followed Captain Barry and Tiny down ■the path that led to the lake.

' I believe I'm a~fool,' said the young mafij* as soon as he had shut himself in the study ; g 'but all the same, the more I see her getting* limed by that man, the harder it seems. . J ought to go away, but I can't. Does she love him, I wonder ?' He took down a book from the shelves, and threw himself into a chair, rested his forehead on his hand, and tried to read, but not a word could he retain. ' I ought to have gone with them,' he saijl , at last impatiently. ' A look would have drawn me, but she has only smiles for that man. If he were only a fine, true hearted fellow, I believe I could give her up without a murmur, and say: " God bless them both !" but with such a man as that Oh, it's insupportable ! I shall have to make some excuse, and go.' ' I hope that boat is safe,' he said to himself after a pause ; and a strange feeling of uneasiness came over him. ' I wish she were back on shore. The signal would bring her, but it would only alarm her ; and I : should look as if I had brought her ashore on ' false pretences. Bah ! I'm out of sorts.' He took to walking up and down the study ; went to the billiard-room, and took down a cue, but only put it back in disgust. He was going to the drawing-room, but hearing the voice of Mrs Rowbotham, he lied in dismay back to the study. (To be continued.)