CHAPTER XXX.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 285, 28 July 1888, Page 4

CHAPTER XXX.

off. You remember onough of me to know j that I mean what I say. ' 'I enclose a cheque for a thousand pounds. No doubt you are in need of it.' This she signed and sealed, and directed to the baronet's club, and then tapping her gold snuff-box, she fell to meditating. 1 1 trust the vagabond's in London, 1 she mused ; ' like enough he's off again on one of his everlasting tramps. A travelling artist ! Faugh ! and he a Brompton • Pretty vocation truly ! As poor as a church-mouse and as proud as Luciter ! 'Twill be just like him, if he is in London, to ignore the whole arrangement, and to take himself off to the Antipodes. He lacked broad in the last five years, I've no doubl, and I suppose he'd starve rather than come to me for help. Let him then ; what's not worth asking for is not worth having.'

THE GRAND BALL. The earl and his daughter returned to Grosvenor Square, and a footman followed in a private carriage, bearing the casket of jewels ; and while her father sought Lady Neville, to make her acquainted with the details of the compact into which he had entered, Marguerite sat down to examine them with a girl's admiring: delight. Lady Neville was pleased beyond all expression She did not personally know the young baronet. — he had been abroad for years ; but the fact that her niece Avas to inherit all the vast wealth of the dowager countess, caused her to be content with the husband that accompanied it, no matter what manner of man he might be. As soon as she had learned all the pait-icnlars, she hurried to her niece's chamber with her congratulations. Marguerite sat in a great chair, with the open casket on an ormolu stand in front of her, the light from the window transmuting evory costly stone into a blazing star. Lady Neville fairly gasped as she caught sight of the jewels. Then, with an exclamation of delight, she caught her niece to her bosom. ' My dear child !' she cried, kissing her again and again, ' you cannot tell how glad I am of this. I congratulate you with my whole heart. Why, little countess, you are the richest woman in England.' Pearl sobbed a little, clinging to her aunt's shoulder, then she said, with flushing cheeks : ' But, dear aunt, the— the— l mean Sir Bayard Brompton ! I never saw him in my life— what if I don't like him ?— what if he doesn't like me ?' ' Oh, nonsense !' replied her aunt : ' you must like him, Pearl. You know, my dear, a girl can like any man she pleases, provided he is a gentleman ; and you must like Sir Bayard — there's no retracting now. As to his not liking you, there is but little fear of that. With your beauty and your dowry, you will be the star of London. But the matter is settled, and lequires no further discussion, and aa the ball takes place to-morrow night, let us give a little attention to your toilet. And, by the way, I have succeeded in getting a maid for you this morning ; a nice, decent person, and highly recommended. Ring the bell, my dear.' The new maid came in answer to the summons — a tidy young woman, with a pretty, pleasant face, and soft, steady brown eyes. ' This is your young lady,' said Lady Neville, indicating her niece. ' What did you tell me your name was ?' 'Janet, your ladyship, Janet Burns.' 'Ah, yes. Well, Janet, 1 truss you will do your best ; you will find Ladj Marguerite very kind, and not hard to please.' Thp young woman curtsied, and struggled hard to keep down some strong emotion that threatened to master her ; her lips trembler!, and her eyes, as they rested on pretty Pearl, swam with tears. Lady Neville observing it, asked, in ama/eruent: 1 Why, my good girl, what in ths world affects you so ?' Janet flushed with embarrassment. ' I beg your pardon, my lady,' she stammered; 'but my young lady theie looks so much like someone 1 used to love ; but it's over now.' Lady Neville frowned and shrugged her shoulders. She was not over-fond of scenes of sentiment, and thought the new maid's emotion decidedly out of place. ' W ell, never mind your lady's lookfe.' she said, haughtily, ' and spare us any exhibition of sentiment, I beg. Now, if you are quite done,' she continued, as Janet dried her eyes, ' I should like you to bring those cases from the adjoining room.' 1 Ah, me, she's a chip o' the old block, is my Lady Neville,' muttered Janet, as she hastened to obey. ' Now, Marguerite,' said Lady Neville, as Janet removed the lids, ' you may choose your ball-dress— these are just from Paris. Take them out, Janet, and hold them up.' A pearl-white moire-antique, heavy with priceless lace, and a sky blue tissue of finest silk, covered with a mist of something that shone like hoar-frost, and looped in graceful folds with wreaths of snow-drops, every tiny blossom having a shimmei ins 1 diamonddrop in its heart. At sight of this last marvel of Parisian skill, Lady Maiguerite uttered a cry of delight. ' That is my ball-dress, Aunt Neville,' she exclaimed. ' Oh, was ever anything so perfectly lovely !' Lady Neville smiled. * Chosen, just like you,' Bhe said, ' the white moire is twice as elegant, and three times as costly. However, you shall please yourself. The blue tissue it shall be, with your hair in light curls, and let us see, what about the jewels ?' 'The pearls, aunt,' suggested Marguerite, turning to the casket, and lifting a lucid string in her white fingers. Lady Neville shook her head, and looked into the casket with serious, eyes. ' Your taste is exquisite, child, she remarked ; ' the pearls would suir your dress, but the countess would not be pleased. You must make your debut in the Mortlake diamonds, and such diamonds,' she added, raising the tiara, flashing with luminous stones from its roseate bed, 'their equal cannot be found outside the royal casket. Pearl, you are a fortunate irl !' Meanwhile, in her dressing-room, with her jewelled stick at her knee, and her gold snuff-box close at hand, the Countess of Mortlake was scribbling the following characteristic lines to her nearest relative : ' Sir Bayard Brompton,' she wrote, ' you are an ill-bred churl ; you haven't come near me in five years, and I've half-a-mind to cut you off with a shilling. Been watching the " Times," day by day, for the notice of my death ? But I'm not going to die, my baronet : and when I do, it'll be none the better for you, unless yo do my bidding.' 'My will and estate are all my own, without entail, and you'll never gel your clutches on one penny, unless you come here to my ball, to-morrow night, and obey me to the letter. ' Angus, Earl of Strathspey, has a daughter, and I have made her my heir, with this provision, that she shall take you, Bayard Brompton, for her husband. Now, on the other hand, provided you come down and consent to the arrangement, I will make you my heir also. You see it is a joint concern, you two as man and wife shall have the Mortlake title and property. Refuge to marry her, fail to make your appearance fco-morrow night, and I'll cut you