LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2005, 28 July 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

PHANTOM FORTUNES.

( Continued.) Gwen stares in undisguised amasement at her cousin. Has he forgotten Miss Sherrington and his troth to her ? How dare he trifle with so sacred a thing as love ? How could he make a joke of wbat was sober earnest to her ? The girl’s whole soul rises within her ; and, when he strives to take her hand, she snatches it away. ‘ Yon do not love me, child. Is that what you mean, dear ?’ She will not hear the pain that quivers in his voice, she will not see the wistful eyes bent on her. With the whole force of her humiliated nature she gathers courage to P< Love you ? I ? No, truly I And, if ever you dare to address such language to me again, I will go straight to the major and demand his protection from your insults.’ bhe is gone. Percy stands gazing after her. « Well,’ he says, ruefully, ‘I have heard of several curious ways of receiving an offer, but never of one quite so strange as this, I pay her the highest compliment that is in my power, and she accuses me of insulting her 1 Oh, Gwen, Gwen, have I been deceiving myself all along ?’ This is an eventful day in Gwen Moulton’s life. She is destined to be even more startled and surprised than she has yet been. As she enters the hall door. Major Bertam and her aunt advance to meet her, ‘Oh, Gwen,’ begins the lady,hysterically, ‘ such news for your, dear.’ Her voice falters. « Nonsense, Matilda! Let the girl hear it from Joyce himself.’ And before his wife can Interfere, ho has opened the door of an adjoining room, and Gwen finds herself in the presence of a bald-headed, benevolentlooking old man, a perfect stranger to her. ‘Miss Moulton?’ With courtly manner and extreme deference, he rises and bows to the wondering girl. ‘ Yes; that is my name,’ she says, simply. . ‘Your uncle —that is to say, Major Bertram, your aunt’s husband —has not told you of the good fortune that has befallen you ?’ ‘Good fortune? No!’ Gwens puts one hand on the table to steady herself, feeling confused, bewildered. What is coming i The old gentleman clears his throat. • Miss Meadows, of Castle Izod, was your aunt, I believe ?’ » She was my mother’s aunt,’ corrects the girl. She is dead,’ continues the old man. ‘And it waa supposed, until two or three days ago, that the bulk of her property waa left to young Vincent. There certainly was a will made to that effect, but the deceased probably destroyed it, as it is not forthcoming, nor can the lawyer, Mr BlassoD,

gave any cine to its whereabouts. Thisdocument laying his hand upon a roll by' his side —‘which was drawn up by me, leaves everything to Laura Moulton’s child. You are that child, I believe. Allow me to congratulate you on your accession to one of the finest estates in Devonshire, and to ‘What dees it all mean? I don’t understand !’ Gwen is trembling from head to foot. ‘ Miss Meadows cannot have intended to leave it to me. I saw her only once—when I was a very little girl, and—l—l am only a governess, you know. Oh, there must be some mistake !’ ‘There is no mistake, my dear young lady. I will show you the document if you please, that makes this property legally yours— ’ unfolding a roll. ‘lt will be a disappointment undoubtedly to yenr aunt and her son.’ ‘ Percy ! I am taking this from him ?’ The lawyer smiles there is a slight tenderness in that quarter. Well, that would be a ve.ry nice solution of the difficulty. Should the young heiress marry her couein it would be a very charming arrangement, and simplify matters wonderfully. ‘Oh, I don’t understand !’she says again wearily, passing her hand over her brow. ‘Percy has nothing, and I have everything—why should it be? It cannot be right! What does it mean ?’—with a bewildered look in her large eves, ‘lt means,’ says the lawyer somewhat pompously, ‘ that a stroke of good luck has fallen to you, and not undeservedly, I am sure’—bowing ‘But I don’t want this money—l would rather not have it. It can’t be right that I should take it at all, and—Percy have nothing.’ ***** Six months came and went, Snow lay thickly upon the ground, ana the country round Beverly looked bleak and desolate; but at Castle Isod all was mirth and merrymaking. Gwendoline Moulton reigned supreme—queen by virtue of her beauty, her wit and her wealth. So long as she was only the governess no'one had found out how perfectly charming and fascinating the young girl was, but now there was not one dissentient voice, for the settling was as brilliant as the gem. ‘ Fine feathers make fine birds,’ said the heiress laughingly, as she glanocd down on the blue velvet dress that fitted her slight form so exquisitely, ‘ Nobody ever thought me beautiful when I was with] Aunt Bertram' —no one loved me then, except ’ She broke off with a little sigh. I! there was a flaw anywhere, if there was the faintest cloud on her horizon, a roc’s egg to be desired, it was the fact that Percy Vincent held aloof. Was it to be wondered at? Had she not scorned his leva ? Had she not robbed him of his inheritance ? Mrs Bertram had been once to Beverly on a fortnight’s visit, but she had contrived to render herself so excessively unpleasant that the invitation was scarcely likely to be repeated. The mother’s heart was sore. She could not forget how Percy had been promised the old lady’s wealth, nor could she forgive the girl who bad stepped into his place. Gwen came to the conclusion that they were better apart.

So accustomed to luxury had Misa Moulton already become that, looking backward on her life, it seemed as if it were some other who had lived and moved and felt. She thought of the past years as she might have thought of a story that she had read, and if she had been born to wealth and luxury she could scarcely have worn her honours more gracefully or with greater self poasesssion. Gwen could not live alone. Tho castle was large and somewhat dreary, and she was far too young to live in seclusion. Her aunt Bertram had thought the matter over, and at length Gwen had yielded to her entreaties and engaged as companion and chaperon a handsome widow lady of middle age. Mrs Boland found her post a very pleasant one, and, before she had been at the castle a week, Owen acknowledged that she had dene wisely, for tho widow was gay, fond of society, and willing and able to take the task of entertaining her guests in great measure off the young heiress’s shoulders. They were sitting over their chocolate one morning, Gwen yawning lazily, and looking more than half disposed to go back to bed, while her companion seemed as sprightly and bright as if she had not danced until four o’clock. * Oh, dear, I suppose those invitations must be written to-day V interrogated Gwen. * Just give me a list of canes, and I’ll soon finish them,’ said the widow. * I wish yon would. And, by the way, just write a line to Mrs Forrester, and tell her I shall be glad to see any friend ©f hers. She wrote to know if she might bring two girls who are staying with her.’ * And yon wish them to be Invited ? Don’t yon think that your list is full already ?’ ‘ It seems so ungracious to refuse,’ returned Gwen, hesitatingly. ‘ I don’t like to do it.’ If she could have refused, she would have done so, for she knew that Wildred Sherrington was coming to stay with Mrs Forrester during the winter months, and she more than half suspected that it was to her rival that she was extending an invitation to her ball, and she had no wish whatever to renew her acquaintance with that young lady. _ _ . She was right in her surmise. On Christmas Eve Mildred Sherrington made one among the guests at Castle Izod. She was not much altered —a trifle more inclined to embonpoint, perhaps ; but her beauty was as perfect and as radiant as ever. Miss Moulton drew her hand quickly from contact with the velvety fingers, but the lady was disposed to be very cordial. * Whom do you think I met the other day;’ she asked gushingly. I Mr Mathers ! He is so improved I’ ‘I see him sometimes,’ answered Gwem coldly; ‘ his father lives in this neighbourhood, and he often comes down to see him. ’ ‘And to see —whom else V with a wonldba quizzical air, which Gwen ignored. ‘He always was an admirer of yours in the old times ’ ‘ Was he V Gwen spoke listlessly. Her thoughts had gone back to the Christmas Eve just one year before, when, happy in the love of the man beside whom all others were shadows, she had found life well worth the living—ay, though she had not then as many pence for her portion as she now owned golden coins. That was before Mildred Sherrington came with her matchless beauty to win him from her. Gwen set her white teeth hard on her lower lip. Perhaps Miss Sherrington guo-sed whither her thoughts had, flown —at all events, her nexs words answered the question that flattered at Gwen a heart. , . , . * I’m afraid you are not so kind to poor Horace as you used to be. You should take a lesson from me ; although my lover Is not so rich as I once thought he would be, I am constant still. You’ll find no change in mo !’ —pensively. Then she was still engaged to Percy! Gwen’s heart throbbed painfully, ‘Excuse me,’ she said ; ‘ I see Mr Robson beckoning.’ And with a stately bow, she moved away. Mildred shrugged her white shoulders disdainfully, ‘ Still in love, poor little fool 1’ Miss Sherrington was destined to bs Gwen’s thorn in the flesh for tha next ten days. She was continually running in to see her :at all times and seasons, boring her with questions and remarks, and hinting at a speedy marriage, until Gwen confided to Mrs Boland that if she stayed any longer with Mrs Forrester she would fco obliged to shut up the Castle and go away, * Tell the servants you don’t wish to see her that will be sufficient,’ said her companion. ‘ Ah, you don’t know Mildred Sherrington if you imagine so! She is quite inextinguishable ! Like an india-rubber ball, she will rebound the instant your finger ia off her, and be every whit as elastic as ever.’ ‘ Well, I do not know that I would not be bored with any one I did not like,’ said the widow. ‘ She shall not come to the theatricals, I am resolved,’ declared Gwen ; nevertheless she know that she could not do other than invite her, considering that the young lady had remained at her friend’s house for another week for the express purpose of being present. And she came, and was more detestable, and looked mere beautiful than ever. (T* be continued.')