LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2062, 2 October 1880, Page 3

LITERATURE.

• THAT CHARMING COUNT.’ ( Continued .) Starolyi had announced that morning that he must leave on the spot for Vienna. At the same time ho had sent Dora to her aunt’s room (Mrs Darner was laid up with a moat unfortunate cold) to ask her permission for an immediate marriage by soeoial license. A a may be imagined, Mrs Darner had promptly and absolutely refused. Through ner confidential maid she sent a telegram to Arthur Leatrange, putting him in possession of the facts as they stood, and nrgmg him to speed in his researches. A prey to anxiety, she listened for every bell that might bring her news, and fretted cruelly at her own enforced inaction. The only thought which gave her any comfort was that of the impending arrival of her married niece, Mrs Corbett. This lady lived about thirty miles from Farnleigh, and Mrs Darner, when forced to keep her room, had written, begging her to come and watch over Dora. Diana Corbett had answerad th&t her children were only just recovering frem the measles, and she was about to accompany them into seaside lodgings. She w mid only wait to settle them th re, she added, and then take instant flight to Farnleigh. There the hoped to be on Wednesday—the next day to that on which we find starolyi urging a wedding by special license. It is useless to repeat all the arguments, alternately angry and impassioned, which the Hungarian used to overcoma Dora’s resistance. Suffice to say that he eventually extorted from her a promise to join him in London on ihe following night. It was his own intention to leave Farcleigh immediately, and he undertook to make all the necessary arrangements for the marriage to be celebrated ‘at the Austrian Embassy’ on Thursday morning. The night of Wednesday Tora was to pass at the house of Starolyi’s greatest friends—a Baron and Baroness attached to the Corps I’iplomatiqne. Dora, bewildered by his fluency and awed by the general splendor of of his projects, when she had once given her promise, had not the courage to withdraw it Nevertheless, the tears she shed on bidding adieu to him, when he went to pack bis trunks and take leave of the Stracays, had their source far less in any emotion connected with him than in genuine remorse and terror. The thought of abandoning her aunt in tick ness positively wrung the girl’s heart. the passed a miserable night, and when her sister arrived next day, went forward to greet her with eyes so heavy and cheeks so wan that Mrs Corbett gave a cry of oonster nation. * Good heavens ! child,’ said the bonny, bright woman, taking her sister into her arms, ‘ yon are the person I should have been sent for to nurse, it appears to me. Bat I suppose your malady is only sentimen'al. ’ Mrs Corbett, with all a happy married woman’s interest in a love affair, was full of curiosity in regard (o Starolyi; tortured Dora with que-tions about him ; and wp never tired of lamenting that she had arrived just one day too late to ceeh’m ‘ .He might have waited to m<ke the acquaintance of his future sister in-law. Of course, 1 shall wore with you Dolly, to overcome Auut Dsmer s objections, and I hope that one day you will present me at the Court of Vienna ss a reward for my services,’ laughingly said Di, whom Mrs Darner had not yet let into the secret of Arthur Lestrange’s hints, or her own suspicions. In the course of the afternoon came Clarice Ferrers to inquire after Mrs Darner, call upon Mrs Corbett, and—talk about the Count,

‘ Such a dreadful loss i e wore sorry to hear that he had to go. But f course ike Emperor needs his services. We shall all miss him—even you, Dora, for I think he used to come here occasionally P ’ said the brunette. 4 He used to come every day, ’ answered Dora, with more asperity than prudence. ‘Dear me,’remirked Clarice, and Irckrii considerably taken aback. •To inquire after Mrs Darner, I suppose? He always said he liked her so much.’ ‘Did he ?’ said Dora,'rather astonished in her turn. ‘He appears to have concra’ed hie feelings with great success,’ observed Di, msl<cionsly. Clarice surveyed them with a complacent smile. * Be was very reserved. 1 fancy foreigners often are. But he became latterly so intimate with—ab—ah—us, that he confided to us i\ his feelings and al : h ! splans.’ ‘ Not all, I fancy,’ said Mrs forbctt, instinctively ranging herse’f on her aistei’a side. 1 For instance, you did rot apparently tnow that ho was going uatli he was gone.’ Miss Ferrara deigned to make no reply no this, and with an elaborate air of indifference began to talk of something else. But when she was leaving she dropp d a few more hints to Do-a on her way from the hall doer to the ga-den gate. ‘lt is nice weather now, it not? Are you thinking of going soon t i the seaside ? We?—Oh! I really do not know yet what my mother and the children wifi do. I shall probably go abroad. ’ ‘ Witn friends : ’ questioned Dora, in sons amazement. People in Kamleigh—unlike the rest of the world—st 11 c msidering ‘going abroad’ in the light of a great, event. 1 With friends ? ’ repeated Clarice, * Um! —well! with a friend at ‘any rate. What lovely Cape jessamine 1 ’ and she plucked a spray. ‘ Put this geranium with it. May one ask the name of this mysterious friend?’ asked Dora, playfully enough. Bat hex fingers trembled a little as she she held out the scarlet blossom, ‘ All in good time, my dear At present I am bound to secrecy.’ And w,th a light laugh of trinph Miss Ferrers brm-hsd her friend’s soft cheek with her lips, and darted into the road. The shadows dauced up end down Clarice’s slight figure as she walked, making odd, shifting patterns, now on tho top of her linen sunshade, now on tho flounces of her muslin dress. Dora stood there, her heart full of heavy doubt. She was a fool, she told herself, to pay any attention to Clarice’s words. Tho brunette was always hinting at her conquests. Max had naturally said that he hoped to meet her again, and on this slender foundation she had built up a me Irillfant future. Dora felt angry. And this anger supplied the fillip that was needed to her resolution. Starolyi had never appeared so indispensable to her happiness as now, when fra moment she had questioned his allegiance. She looked at her watch. Is was past five. In another half hour the express left; she mnst be quick if she wished to accomplish her purpose. Her heart beating higher now with defiance than even exr-temeat, she hastily gained her room and begun her preparations. They were brief. She took from, her writing case the letter which she had already composed to Di, with the intention, of sending it by a messenger from the station; thrust a few things into a ba,-, and, with only one sharp pang on pas-iog her aunt’s closed door, she slipped down stairs, through the open door into the garden, and then set off, running along the lonely road at the pace of Orestes pursued by the Furies. The down express from Lrado i arrived about five, and, as the finer folk of Farnlrigh were not much in the habit of trave ling by night, the fugitive hoped to find-the station nearly deserted. On arriving there, however, and taking her ticket, a few words addressed by the station-mister to one of hia subordinates revealed to her that something was amiss on the line, the presently received an explanation. ‘ You must have a few minute®’ patience. Miss. The down express it- not yet in, an 3 the np-train will consequently be a little late in starting. There has hem a stoppage before Swindon—nothing serious, I think. ’ This was very unwelcome news to Dora. Her courage, born of excitement, was fret ebbing, and she feared to meet, among the passengers from London, soms acquaintance who wonld be mnch astonished to find hex starting at such an boor and alone. When at last the train steamed up, *nd the tramp of feet along the platform followed, she cowered in her corner like a hunted hate. Finally the steps ceased, and Dnra hoped that all the passengers had vanished. The bell for the departure of the up train rang, and she feeling that, whatever was to happen now, she mnst mike a rush for safety, when suddenly she rec illected that she had not sent her letter of explanation to Di! ‘Bristol—Swindon—change for London. Look sharp, miss! You’ll be late,’ exclaimed a guard to the scared and flurried girl. ‘Oh, please ! ’ cried Dora in great distress, * yon must wait a minute, pleise ! I want a messenger. See ! here is a letter. It most be taken to Vine Lodge, direct'y, and given into Mrs Corbett’s own hards. Not Mrs Damet’s, mind, for the world.’ ‘ Can I do your commission for you ? ’ suddenly asked a voice, which could not have terrified Dora more if it been the tramp of deem. And there, at her elbow, pi zz'od and profoundly astonished, stood Arthur Leatrange ! ‘ Where are you going ? ’ he a k-d, as the girl mechanically put out her hied to him. ‘To—to London,’ said Dora, fljnnderiag helplessly into the exact trm b. ‘ Then— ? ’ began Arthur, bnt broke off and glanced at the letter which she held. He felt that he had no right to question her. ‘Tima’s up, miss. We can’t wait any longer, even for Miss Mo.-ton,’ interposed the station master. Dora gave a gasp of despair, thrust tho letter into the hand of the puplexed guard, and seized her bag. Lea* range’s steady glance incensed her. She turned from bias impatiently, made a dash for a first-class carriage, sprang in, and sank upon the cushions more dead than alive! ‘ She’s npto some mischief, und. by Jingo 5 I’ll go after her,’ said Lestrange to himseli, and crying to a horrified and iro e official, • I will pay at Swindon ? ’ he, t o, reached ft vacant compartment, and leaped in as th* train was already in motion While bring whirled along to Swindcn, Leatrange had time to arrive at certain oeaclusions, based upon Mrs Darner’s telegram of the previous day, and a letter cl fuller explanations which he had received from her that morning His plan of action was consequently matured by the time that the train had arrived at the j n .tion. Descending with precaution 1 o as not te be seen by Dora, whom he eauly dogged on the crowded platform, he hurried to the tel-graph office and sent two iftipatehos—one to Mrs Darner, to reasauie htr ; another to London.

Then he paid his fare, lighted a cigar, and entered a smoking carriage in a calmer frame of mind. Sitting well hack, he caught a fresh glimpse of Dora as she harried part, and a rash of tenderness swi-lled his heart at the sight of the pale little face and lovely figure. .And Indeed the poor girl was by this time in a pitiable frame of min 1 The meeting with Lestrange had thoroughly unnerved her-

The journey seemed eternal to her, exoir.' d and worn out with emotion as she was ; and when finally at midnight the train reacted Paddington, aid her eager cjes dtte ited her lover in the crowd under the gas lamps, she jumped out and ran to him i.ke a pautu.-£ stag to its refuge. * My brave darling ! ’ exe’simed the Hungarian, and with a tbriil of, perhaps, the truest feeling he had ever known, too:-. Dora’s icy cold, tremblir g hand in his • William ford, I arrest, jou lathe Queen e name 1 said an easy voice behind him. Starolyi started and tnrnei w ith a livid fact. A quiet looking individual iu plain clothes took him by the shoulder, on 1, with a significant gesture, exhibited a a'ip of printed paper. Suddenly, as if they had risen from the ground, two const-bie* appeared arid produced a pair of hand cuffs. Arthur lost' ange'a grave, pale, conntenance also disengaged itself from the surrounsing crowd. And ‘,tlm ‘Count ’knew that, after many doublings and manifold e cap>s, in a moment of sweetest trinirph. his fate had overtaken him, and he at od f-eo to face at last with the avenging m-j sty of th« Ifci*, ( 7V is tfrwtee. KndJ