LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1715, 19 August 1879, Page 3

LITERATURE.

m BOEOUGH-ENGLIBH. A Tale of South Afmcan Like. By Copia Fandi, S.C.L., Author of "Twelve True Tales of the Law." Chapter IV.— {Continued.} Jack did take it so, and acted accordingly, but it is quite needless to state exactly what took place. 'lt is quite time we went in and Haw my father,' said Dolly. Siutwango, the Kaffir, was called to take the horse, and in they went. 'I think it right to mention,' said Dolly, «that my father has already destined me as the bride of the gentleman who has so improved our fortunes.' Jack started. • What, Lowcraft V said he. * Ha, ha, ha! you are astonished at last. But here comes my father.' Mr Brokesby waß delighted to see their travelling companion. ' I hope, Mr Smith, you are getting on it this delightful country V said he. Jack said he was getting on very well, but had yet to be convinced that the country was so very delightful. Mr Brokesby, half reproachfully, disclosed to him the magnificent investments to which he had been introduced by Lowcraft, and then invited Jack's congratulations on the fact that so distinguished a gentleman had condescended to pay his addresses to Miss Brokesby. , Jack made a little gesture of impatience. " ' I forgot to mention,' said the old man, 'that my daughter will probably be hiß equal in point of fortune,'

• I should think it very probable, sir,' said Jack, drily, •My daughter is sole devisee under the will of my brother-in-law, who has quarrelled with his family. The will is not likely to be revoked, and is in my hands, who am charged with the duty of exeontor.' Dolly smiled at Jack's astonishment, and her father regarded her smile as indicative of satisfaction at the contemplated alliance. Jack was puzzled at her pleasure, and she was pleased at Jack's puzzlement. ' Fetch me the paper,' said the old man. Dolly took it out of a drawer. ' Yes, sir,' continued the father, reading—- ' This is the last will of Jeremiah Smith, of Broughtondale, in the North Riding of ' •My own 'J. ather!' exclaimed Jack, rising, ' You a son of Jerry Smith !' said old Brobesby, gasping for breath. • The youngest son. And then you are the beautiful girl,' said he. turning to Dolly, ' whom my brother writes to me about as having been to see them ?' 'Yes, beautiful or not,' said Dolly; 'I went there. And now, iny dear Jack,' said she, placing her hand in that of Jack's ' we are cousins.' ' And must act as such,' said Jack, kissing her. ' And Jack has already proposed to marry me,' [said the radiant girl; 'and so he will enjoy the lands of which his father has disinherited his children.' And Dolly's white arms encircled the neck of Jack, while her long hair covered the shoulder on which she lent. The old man heaved a sigh, and was silent. Poor creature I he was too feeble of will to express either approval or objection. His chief sensation was fear of what Lowcraft would say. ' As you please,' said the old man, and he walked slowly away. Jack spent the happiest quarter of an hour of hia wbole life, at the end of which time he convinced himself that good taste required him to tear himself away. •I shall see you again to-morrow,' he said. ' No,' said she ; ' that yon must not do. I should dearly wish to be with yon always. The time will soon come when we shall not be parted. But the scene of this evening has been too much for my father. His misfortunes—his natural weakness—his unduly raised hopes—this surpilse, have all been too much for him. He must have time to recover. Promise me to keep away till I send for you.' Cunning and tender creature! She remembered the business with the cook, and was afraid lest her lover should prematurely meet his rival. Jack felt that the appeal to him had something defective in it, but he was not in a condition to refuse anything, and so he sealed with his lips the self-denying ordinance. Sintwango brought the horse to the gate. He looked at Jack's face and laughed. ' Wau!' said he; 'the white man is sorrowful because to wait is painful. But he will soon earn cows with which to purchase his maiden.' Nothing, he thought, was wanting to win a woman except cows. Chapter V. THE LAND 18 MOBE DANGEROUS THAN THE SEA. If Dolly and Jack had not been bnsy with their own affairs, it would still have been useless to think of giving timely advice and succour to her poor, delnded, imbecile father. He was not in a comdition to receive it. Nevertheless, Jack, as he rode back to town shortly afterwards, reproached himself with not having had the presence of mind to utter a few words of oaution. ' But how could it be expected of me '!' he exclaimed to himself. 'ln the course of an hoar I have proposed to, and been accepted by, the sweetest angel on earth. In the same short space I have regarded her first as a pauper and then as a wealthy heiress, and I hare been told in the same breath that my father was my enemy, that my bride was my own cousin and his devisee, that I had a rival, and that he was already rejected in my favor, and that he was busy in ruining the father of the girl who was destined for me and not for him. _My short legal experience may well be forgiven for losing itself amidst snob, a changing kaleidoscope of fortune.' It was not till several days had elapsed that Sintwango, carrying the stick which was the symbol of the messenger's office, gilded noiselessly into the lawyer's chambers, and handed to Jack the following letter : • My dear Jack, —Much as I have longed to see you, I have not thought it fit to write to you. The reason is, that things are improving. My father has evidently told the major of what happened on the occasion of your last visit, for since then I have not been persecuted by any more of the gallant gentleman's attentions. His honorable conduct in this respect is, I assure, quite a surprise to me j for I had been preparing myself for the part of a heroine victimised by a detested suitor, whose approaches were backed up by the stern force of parental authority. Instead of this, I have been treated with quite as much indifference as is consistent with civility. My late admirer is as attentive as ever to my father, whioh, I suppose, is due to the attractions still lingering about his shrunken purse. They are often closeted together. A document had to be signed yesterday, of the nature of which lam ignorant, Let us hope it will not inflict any further loss; But I think it is now time that the trnth should be explained to my father. Indeed, I have partly prepared him for it, and he will be happy to see you, though not nearly so happy as your affectionate, 'Dolly.' Jack was soon on his horse and on his way. But, although he rode at a good pace, he did not arrive before he had made up his mind what to do. 'You will be careful with my father, won't you V said Dolly. 'He is weak and nervous ; you must not frighten him.' The old man was seated in the verandah in his armchair. He rose with difficulty to welcome Jack. ' You have always been a friend,' said he, ' and I trust in you ; and I am not sorry that I leave my daughter in your care when I shall cease to be able to protect her. She says you have something to say to me about my own affairs.' , «I have,'said Jaok. 'Are yon prepared to hear it V , . , ' Say what you please. It may aitonißh or may grieve me, but I shall regard It as dictated by friendship.' ' Then,' said Jack, ' what I have to say is this—Loworaft has deceived you. Like most other sugar estates, his is rotten. It is heavily encumbered, and the mortgagees and creditors are pressing. The money you paid him went to stave off, for only a little while, claims which must shortly orush him. You have acted without advice, but it you have taken a share in the concern, you have bought a loss and not a profit. You are not the first newcomer whom he has taken in. If report does not do him injustice you are not the first strange on whose Inexperience he has traded. If it had not been for exploits in this line he would long ago have succumbed. You have told him of your daughter's fortune, and when he has ruined yours he means to possess himself of that also. As you may Buppose, I shall take good care he does not get either her or her money, but I cannot protect a gentleman whose beard is already grey, except on his own request.' , .... ~ ' I am bound to state,' said the old man, «In favor of Major Loworaft, that the moment I told him that you were the accepted suitor of my daughter, he honourably rehnquised all pretensions to her, and has acted in accordance with his promise.' ' There are two reasons for that, said Jack. ' One is that such a profession of disinterestedness was the surest mode of conciliating your confidence in time for the payment of the next instalment. The other reason is, that it would not suit him at this juncture to make an enemy of a gentleman who is clerk in an office where all his affairs are known.' . ' What do you advise me to do ? said tno old man. • Have you signed anything? ' Yes; a document by which I took a fourth share in consideration of £6OO down, and £IOOO more to be paid in instalments.' • Have you a copy?' • No, but I am to have one.' «Then what you must do is this—ask him for a copy, and say yon are goin; to take it to our office for advice. If he refuses, say you will come to us all the same.' • Well, and what then ? ' ' Then you will see what I have sal 1 ib true.'

j ' I will ask him myself,' said Dolly. | *lt is always thus with me,' said Mr Biokesby.' 'I give my confidence to a man, and then another man comes and tells me that the one I have trusted is a rascal,' CHaPTJK "VI. BEYOND BESCtJE. Next day the Major made one of his frequent visits to the cottage on the Berea. He wished to talk to Mr Brokesby alone, but the old man refused to allow his daughter to be excluded from their conversation, and the latter, a 3 gcod as her word, asked for a copy of the agreement, with a view of taking legal advice, JLowcraft turned first purple and then pale with anger, and, on recovering his power of • peech, he only employed it to resort to the usual protestations of honor, and deprecation of any imputation upon his motives, followed by those accusations of ingratitude in his victims which are regarded as a necessary peroration to all discourses of the like nature. ' I should have thought you capable of a little more originality, Major,' said Dolly. This is a rery stereotyped form of address from the impostor to the dupe.' ' Impostor 1' screamed the Major. ' Yea ; your character is known to others, and the demand which I have just now made upon you has shown you in your true colors to us. This is the man, father, who I told you was cheating you, and whom you destined as a husband for me !' {To be continued.)