LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2719, 27 December 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

JACK ENTWISLE'S COEEESPONDENCE. [From -Truth.'] Sir George Minton never forgave his wife for her conduct during the first year of their married life. It must be owned that her flirtation with her cousin, Jack Entwisle, was inexcusable in point of strict morality. A married woman should, of course, know better than to receive the attentions of an old lover, even though she be a young inexperienced girl, wedded against her will to a husband double her age. But no harm came of the unfortunate affair, for Jack Entwisle's regiment was suddenly ordered off to India, and nothing further passed between the young people after their separation; while everyone admitted that Lady Minton had since atoned for her youthful indiscretion by her patient devotion to a stern and exacting husband.

But the recollection of this unpleasant episode always rankled in the baronet's mind. Though his coldness was in a great measure due to a naturally stern and unsympathetic disposition, there is no doubt that his jealousy, having been once roused, was constantly on the alert. He kept his young wife under strict surveillance, and made her lead a life of absolute seclusion. Lady Minton, being an amiable, sweettempered woman, did not complain of her lot, which she seemed to regard as a just punishment for her rash behaviour at the outset of her married life. Her husband's demeanour had inspired her with an almost exaggerated notion of the seriousness of her offence, and had reduced her to a state of complete submission. Her sole aim and ambiti*n were to regain his love and confidence, and though the task sometimes seemed an ungrateful one, she did not despair of attaining in course of time her laudable aspiration. It was natural, therefore, that Lady Minton should be very much startled at receiving a visit one day from an individual named Jeans, who said he had until recently been Jack Entwisle's servant, and had something important to communicate. He was a sleek, elderly man, with an unpleasantly familiar manner, and Lady Minton instinctively guessed that he was the bearer of evil tidings. * I presume I had better come to the point at once, my lady,' said Mr Jeans, when asked his business; ' the fact is I have in my possession certain letters written by your ladyship to my late master when ho was in England.' Poor Lady Minton gave a start and turned crimson with confusion. In the fatal days of her foolish weakness some correspondence had passed between her and her cousin, which she shuddered to think of. The bare possibility of these letters being in existence overwhelmed her with shame and terror. ' I don't believe it,' she replied in a startled tone. ' Your ladyship naturally supposed the captain destroyed them,' returned Mr Jeans, noting with evident satisfaction the effect of his announcement; ' I daresay the captain is under that impression But he did not destroy them all; as I said just now, some are in my possession.' 'lf so, give them to me, please,' said Lady Minton, striving to be calm and stretching forth her hand with involuntary eagerness. ' With pleasure, but I should mention to your ladyship that I am in great want of money just now, being out of a situation.' ' You want a reward. "Well, here, take a sovereign—or two, if you like,' said Lady Minton, drawing forth her purse with trembling hands. «You are not serious, my lady, of course,' said the man impudently, *or else you have forgotten what is in the letters. I did not bring them with me. They are too valuable to carry about. But I copied one of them, which your ladyship may like to see to refresh your memory.' Lady Minton mechanically took the paper which the fellow handed to her, but she was too agitated to grasp its contents. She saw, however, that it was couched in endearing terms, and was signed with her christian name. She had written many such, and the recollection made her tear the document into shreds with a passionate gesture. ' I demand the whole of the letters written by me which you say you have in your possession,' she exclaimed in desperation. ' You shall have them, my lady, for five hundred pounds,' said the man ; 'l'm sure I've no wish to cause unpleasantness between you and Sir George.' Lady Minton winced at the implied threat, and turned deadly pale. The prospect of the letters coming to the knowledge of her husband, even after the years which had elapsed, fLled her with dismay. In her nervous apprehension she probably exaggerated both the character of the correspondence and the effect it might have upon him. But he was the sort of man who would not disdain to rake up an old grievance, and she stood in such awe of him that she trembled at the thought of increasing his resentment. ' The letters are mine, and you have no right to them,' slie said, ' they must have been stolen.'

'Admitting that I stole them, they could not could not be recovered without a scandal,' said Mr Jeans, who had evidently considered his position ; ' bssides the captain is abroad, and the letters are really his and not yours.' The man's cool impudence and cunning had their effect upon poor Lady Minton, who was not a clever woman, and she felt quite uuable to hold her own against him. ' The sum you name is quite out of the question,' she said, in despair, ' I could not raise half nor a quarter of that amount, even if I wished.' *We never know what we can do in that way till we are put to it. I speak from experience,' returned Mr Jeans, sententiously; ' I don't wish to inconvenience your ladyship any more than I can help. Give me apound or two to relieve my present necessities and I am willing to wait a week or even a fortnight. 3 Poor Lady Minton, in her dire perplexity, felt quite grateful for this suggestion, and eagerly availed herself of the opportunity of gaining a little time for reflection. She emptied the contents of her purse into Mr Jeans' ready palm, and nervously said she would communicate with him in a day or two. 'A line to 'J. J.' in the first column of the ' Times' will not be overlooked, my lady, and I will wait upon you at any time,' said Mr Jeans, relapsing into oily politeness ; 'as regards the sum I named, I would prefer cash, for obvious reasons, but jewellery will do as well, provided there is a fair margin for contingencies.' Lady Minton did not respond to this magnanimous offer, and Mr Jeans took his departure, evidently satisfied with the result of his visit. He had succeeded in thoroughly frightening the poor lady, whose crushed spirit and timid disposition rendered her an easy victim. Had she been clever or strong-minded she would have defied the man and have run the risk of his sending the letters to Sir George, which he would probably never have done, since there was nothing to be gained by such a course. But, unfortunately for herself in the present emergency, Lady Minton had neither tact nor courage, and consequently her only thought was how to bribe the man to silence. She did, however, take one practical stop, though only as a forlorn hope. It struck her as extraordinary that her cousin should have been so culpably careless as to omit to destroy her letters, and this reflection gaverise to the suspicion that the man Jeans might be attempting an impudent fraud. In her heart she felt that the ex-valet was not less to be feared than he pretended ; but after anxious deliberation she telegraphed to Captain Entwisle, who was then stationed at Malta, asking him to clear up the point and to address his reply under cover to her maid, whom she could trust. Meanwhile she began in a feeble way to prepare for the worst by raising what money she could. She soon found, however, that it would be quite impossible to collect any considerable sum without arousing her husband's suspicions. To apply to him for funds was out of the question, for he would insist upon knowing the object of her requirements, while she dare not dispose of the contents of her jewel case, because every article was carefully enumerated in a schedule which Sir George kept. With the assistance of her maid she pledged a few trinkets and personal ornaments, but the proceeds were so trifling that she abandoned the effort in despair. Unless her ceusin's reply should be reassuring she felt powerless to avert the exposure which he apprehended. More than a fortnight elapsed before she received John Entwistle's answer, which, unfortunately, only served to banish her last hope. It ran thus : " My dear Emily,—l am awfully upset by your telegram. I certainly intended to destroy all your letters, and I could almost swear I did so. But lam bound in honesty to say it is possible that scoundrel Jeans may have stolen some of them. I have since learned that for years before he left me he carried on a deep and cunning system of robbery, and I have certainly missed some correspondence. I would strongly advise you to consult my friend Captain|Twenlow,{of ours, whose address is the Naval and Military Club. You may rely on his discretion, and if he, or any other adviser you may prefer, thinks it expedient to bribe the man, any draft you may draw upon my account at Grindlay's will be duly honored by my orders. Trusting you will not scruple to make me pay (if necessary) for my carelessness, which is the least atonement I can offer, believe me, your affectionate cousin. "John V. Entwistlh." (To be continued.)