Marrying a Millionaire.

Hastings Standard, Issue 171, 14 November 1896, Page 4

Marrying a Millionaire.

I. Muiiuie YVi'iittifslcy tU-csubil the interview, vi t she would not have foregone it. Even to li. nr from lialp'i's lips what she knew sne was yoinsj to hear was —well, a pleasuie. Uut it was dangerous. She was in her own room when her maid came to teil her that Mr lluyton had called. She was tinkering the necklace; of pearls that Mr Donald Ferguson had sent Iter hut week, just as a trifling birthday present. It had cost hundreds, said the jeweller to whom her proud mother had shown it. casually. There was also the little gold watch with the monogram " W.M." wrought in diamonds on the hack. That had arrived on Christmas Eve. an hour or two before Mr Ferguson himself. "It's no good." sighed Maimic; "it lias got to be. I'oor Kalph must see it.' Then she went down to " poor Kalph." He was -standing gazing raptly at Maimie's latest photograph. It was in a gold frame, the the gift to Mrs Wrottesley of the inevitable Mr Ferguson. '■ She deserves to be mounted in gold, and in gold she shall be mounted, if you will allow me." Mr Ferguson had said ; and, of course, Maimie's mother had no objection. " Mr Kuvton," Mamie whispered. lie turned and showed her his saddened face. '• It's got to that, has it he said. •• After being ' Kalph ' for about a score of years, too." " My dear boy," said Maimie. impulsively. " circumstances have got to be accepted, and it s no use thinking anything else." •• So I suppose. Circumstances embellished by about a million sterling." " You have no right to reproach me lik-J that !" ••No? Then I reckon no one has that right. However (Kalph pulled himself together and looked the gallant fellow he was), as I have no intention of surrendering without a murmur, let me say my word and depart." " W hat have you got to say asked Maimic;. Her voice trembled slightly. *• Why, just this, Mnime. if you will excuse the liberty I take with your name —I love you as fondly as a man can love a woman, and if I do not marry you I suppose I shall go single to the grave. But that wouldn't matter much, I expect. The main thing is this—l've had a lift in my department, and my income is now .£BOO per annum. On that, if you would look on me with favor —" He hesitated. Jn spite of his restrained, half ironical humor, the yearning tone got into his words. " It is impossible, Kalph ; quite impossible." Kalph shrugged his shoulders. "So I supposed," lie remarked. " You may as well have my scalp, though. I've been told ladies enjoy these conquests when their sere and \ellow leaf time comes." " You are cruel," murmered Maimie. '• Am I 't hen I apologise, f'ntil three mouth-; I was under the impression tiia! we Were all the world to each other, and that a suitable income was the only hindrance to me as an acceptance suitor for your dear hand." " I never said so." "No. It was your mother. Therefore, I will infer nothing. Good-bye."

Maimie s blue eyes had tears in them. She knew now what this parting meant to her, as well as to him. She did not put her hand into his for a moment or two. She did not e\en look at him.

It was without a strong effort that llalph kept from taking her in his arms, in spite of everything. These tears maddened him. •■Good-bye, Maimie," lie said again. '■ and good luck." Good-bye. llalph," she then replied, with a muftled sob in her throat. His hand closed upon hors. and held it while he could have counted ten. I do not despair." he said, •• for I both suspect and hate my rival." There was a rustle of silk, and in sailed Mrs Wrottesley. She had heard these last words, and was angry. '■ My daughter will marry Mr Ferguson next month," she said, with the stoniness of demeanor that must have reconciled her late husband to his early demise. There can be 110 question about rivalry in this matter. Good afternoon, Mr lluyton. King the bell, Maimie." Kalph Kuyton went back to town both irritated anil depressed. Not being a very original young man, he could think of 110 more original way of fighting the great Donald Ferguson, late of Melbourne and Coolgardie. than of calling in the aid of a detective. Mr James Porter, the detective he engaged, encouraged him mightly by not laughing when he heard all llalph had to say. ■■ You see." said Kalph. apologetically, " there's nothing really against him that I know of, but " " But there's a very large field of possibilities, (juitc so. When does this marriage take place '? " •• In five or six weeks, I suppose," said Kalph dismally. •• We must thank heaven for the invention of telegraphy. You wish 110 expense spared ? " '■ Up to a few hundred, you know," Kalph replied. '• Very good. Then I will be off to the city immediately. If Mr Ferguson has any virtues and any failings I shall certainly hear of them there." •• Then I may really hope?" - •• To the extent of the few hundreds you can ntlord to spend in the matter, Mr Kuyton," said the detective. 11. In these words there seemed to Ealpli, after the expiration of a week, 110 encouragement.

Mr Porter had absolutely notliing to tell him in derogation of Mr Ferguson's pocket; which had perhaps naturally appeared his only assailable side.

■■ I wish, sir," said the detective, "that my credit was as good as this Australian gentleman's. Folks smack their lips when they speak of him." Whereat Kalph groaned. •• We may as well stop then," lie murmured. But Mr Porter waved his hand in rather a superior manner. You just leave it with me," he said. •• We've not done with him yet. I'll tell you soon enough when it's a hopeless ease." And so Kalph went his way with a shoulder shrug, and made all manner of foolish mistakes at the office, for the nearer Maimie's weddinff day approached the less he was able to live like the promising young man he had been accounted —before Mr Donald Ferguson came 011 the scene. The last week arrived. The impending marriage had been mentioned in the papers, and Maimie's wedding gown had been described in two 01* three of the ladies' weeklies. Ralph's own particular chums, who knew how hard he was hit. had done their best with liim—and failed. They could not convince him that there were as good fisli left ill the Portia Sea as any that reached

Grimsby market-. Neither could they pe; suiule him I hut Maimie Wrottesley was a rtless minx and wortii no true man s adoration. Meantime Mr I'otter had not boon accessible. Ralph had called twice and had not seen him. He had written and received no answer. The truth was that his client irritatecT the good detective, who preferred not to see Ralph until lie had hit what he was aiming at or was positive lie never could hit it. Mr l'orter was, in fact, " not at home " to Mr ltalph Buyton. This, if Ralph could have known it, would have been yet one more of those pleasant arrows which the fates just then took delight in shooting at him. As it was, he thought comparatively little about the detective, and all about Maimie. He had seen her and the Coolgardie limn driving together (with Mrs Wrottesley) in the Row, and he had seen them together in a Bond-street shop. If lie could judge by Maimie's face, she was prodigiously unhappy. And he did so judge. Mrs Wrottesley was wiser. She knew better. Now that the marriage was only three days distant, this astute lady felt sure nothing could keep her from being mother-in-law to ft millionaire. But instinct told her so much that was in her daughter's mind that she longed intensely for tin; <|uick and safe transit of these lastthree days. Needless anxiety, you would have thought, if you could have seen the marriage ceremony, which was dulj' celebrated with all the pomp exacted of the rich by Dame Fashion. 'J here was not a hitch anywhere. True, Maimie was very pale, and once held her hand to her heart. But other brides did the .same thing, and wen.' not a whit less happy for it as wives. Then eaine the breakfast, and soon afterward Mr and Mrs Fergursoii were curried north. Maimie hankered after the lakes for a honeymoon, said her mamma, and so Mr Ferguson had engaged rooms at a Windermere hotel. Matters had got thus far, indeed, ere Mr l'orter intruded himself upon the unhappy Ralph. The latter was at the ofliiv. after an ineffectual luncheon, when the detective appeared. " Well, Mr I'or- " Ralph was beginning with great irony, when the other stopped him. " There's no time for talk, sir," he exclaimed ; "come with me at once." Hut, do you know " ••I know everything. That confounded ship only came in at 11 o'clock this morning, and I couldn't trust my documents until then. I've thought it best to charter a special for us all." The detective spoke with unction. lie enjoyed his client's surprise immeasurably. •• I'll explain it as we go along in the hansom," he added. '"The others are already at Huston." It was Ralph's turn to feel faint. However, Mr Toiler's subsequent words were better for him than sal volatile. •' There was another woman in the case." ran l'oi ter's tale. " I learned that from a Melbourne man who knew the parties. He vowed Ferguson was married to her eight years ago. 'Hint, was what he had to establish, and it's taken some doing. I can tell you, in the time. However, they're a wide-a-wnke lot in Melbourne, and, thanks quite as much to that Melbourne man (who has a mighty line grudge against. Ferguson) as to your hundreds, Mr Ruyton, cveything's clear, The wife herself and her eldest boy are at Huston. She has the certificate, and the lad's face tells its own tale. Oh, it's just a beautiful bit of piecing throughout, and all we've to do is to lix up the rogue about supper time."

Ralph's feelings may be imagined. Happily, there was 110 difficulty about the train. It could be so managed that this special arrived even before the other, carrying Mamie and the man who was not her husband. Of the journey in both cases nothing need be said except this; Maimie came near wishing there could Vie a collision, with her death as one of the consequences. Mr Ferguson's veneer of refinement was east ruthlessly asido between London and Windermere. She was by 110 means the conventionally happy wife on her wedding day when she was invited to leave the train for the luxurious carriage that was awaiting them. But at the hotel, much to the manager's chagrin, a dramatic scene had been arranged for them. The millionaire's face was wreathed in smiles as lie handed Maimie across the hotel threshold. " At last he exclaimed. The next moment he started and swore. A woman and a boy had approached him in the vestibule. • '•Donald!' said the former, and the boy exclaimed '• Father !" The woman's eyes were tearstained and reproachful. They did not look at Maimie, however. " This is a plot. Who is in it?" then cried the millionaire. He glanced at Maimie. whose agitation was unmistakable. " You don't believe this nonsense, my dear?" But Maimie only looked at the boy ; that sufficed. "I'm in it Mr Donald Ferguson, at your service," then said Mr l'orter handing the millionaire his card. " Furthermore. I have to place you under arrest." Ralph also stepped forward, trembling, with eyes for Maimie and 110 one else. " Maimie," he murmured, " shall I take you home'?" But for answer the bride, who was 110 bride, could only starimier, "Oh, Ralph," and faint into his arms. When she recovered her senses MiFerguson was out of Westmoreland and she was being excellently cared for by a sympathetic domestic. The next morning Mrs Wrottesley appeared on the ■cene in a prodigious rage. Nor was her rage much abated by the resignation—even bright resignation —of Maimie under this terrible blow. As for Ralph, he had hurried back to town in the night, and was a changed man at the office next day. After the formal dissolution of the marriage that was no marriage even Mrs Wrottesley thought her daughter might as well marry Ralph. And neither Ralph nor Maimie cared for the slight slur that the Ferguson affair had cast upon the latter as a candidate for a husband.—Scottish Leader.