CHAPTER XXXI.

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

CHAPTER XXXI.

WE VRT>*G BORROWED GARMENTS. From the club-room, the letter which bore the coronet of the countess on its seal was forthwith sent to Sir Bayard Brorapton's bachelor apartments in Regent-street. The baronet was not in, but his friend and companion, Colonel Richmond Brooke, was. The rooms were pleasant, buo by no means luxurious, for Sir Bayard was not encumbered with surplus cash, yet they wore an air of taste and refinement, and were thoroughly littered with the appurtenances of an artist. Pictures in every style, and every conceivable design, lined the walls ; half completed sketches were scattered round in every corner, and paints and brushes lay about indiscriminately. In the midst of all this, on the afternoon in question, Colonel Richmond Brooke lounged upon the sofa in the baronet's sitting-room, puffing a choice Manilla. A servant entered and deposited the letter in the card-basket that stood on Sir Bayard's writing desk. The colonel stretched him&elf, got up with a yawn, and crossing the room proceeded to examine it. ' The coionet of the countess, by Jove !' he ejaculated, as his eyes fell on the ciested seal. 'What the deuce is out now, l wonder? Is the old dowager about to peg out, and make Brompton her heir ? Sho will make him hei heir sooner or later,' he continued, a sudden gleam lighting his eyes, ' and I shall not get a shilling. Yet I am as much a Brompton as he is. I wonder that he never suspects who and what I am — his illegitimate brother ! Curse him ! I hate him and her, and all the name and race of them !' He ground the words out through his set teeth, and began to pace the floor in rising anger. A tall ana stately gentleman, this Colonel Richmond Brooke, a soldier of fine repute, and the chosen friend of Sir Bayard. They had met years before, when the baronet was on one of his tramps away out in India, and had grown to be fast friends. The basis of this friendship, no doubt, was the strange and striking resemblance that existed between the two. Twin brothers could not have been more alike in their general appearance, yet they wwyee y e wholly dissimilar in character and disposition. They got to be great friends to be sure. Sir Bayard tiavelled with the colonel's regiment, and the colonel got a furlough, and came to England on the same ship with the baronet, and they loved and trusted each ooher in a very Damon and Pythiaslike fashion. They had been but a day or two in London, when the letter from the Countess of Mortlake arrived at the rooms in Regentstreeb ; and the baronet was absent, having uin down into Sussex to see a brother aitist. Colonel Brooke paced the floor, and puft'ed savagely at his Manilla, eying the crested letter at intervals with ill-repres&ed curiosity. ' I would like to know its contents,' he mutteied, at last, advancing to the wiitingdesk, and taking up the letter again ; ' why shouldn't I know ? I've as good a right as hts ! By Heaven, 1 will,' he bur«t forth at la&t. ' I have nob followed him all these years, and watched his affairs, to draw back now ! I tbiU know '' He sab down before a desk, and. taking a knife from his pocket, he proceeded to cub bhe seal in so skilful and de\terous a manner that the impress of the coronet was nob defaced. He drew out the folded sheet and ran lii^. eyes over the crabbed and scribbled lines, a dark red flush mounting to his foreheid as he read. When he bad finished he returned bhe sheet to the envelope, adjusted the seal, and put back the letter in the card-basket. ' Her heir,' he muttered ab lasb, crossing bo bhe window ; ' her heii , and hu&band to an earl's daughter.' His breath came deep and hoarse, and the \eins stood out on his forehead like great coids. For a full hour he icmained at the window, staring down into bhe street below. Then he returned to the sofa, as if the intensity of his reflections wearied him. 'My opportunity has come •' he muttered, ' now or fall for e\er ! I wonder if I could do it ? A i'i->ky job it would be, bub I've a cool brain and a strong will, and Lconaid is true and tried. By my soul, I will,' hi ciied, with sudden determination ; ' 'tis worth the trial, and if I fail, I fail, that's all. But I must bestir mj'sclf, 1 he added, with a laugh ; 'bhe ball come? ofl to-morrow night, and by eight bii Bayard will be back from Sussex. What's clone must be done quickly.' tie arose, and striding across the room, gave the bell-rope- a vigorous pull. In two minutes his valcL entered. The colonel .signed him to a seat. 'Leonard,' he said, quietly, 'would you like to make ten thousand pounds ?' The valet's black eyes twinkled and he grinned until his white teeth glibbtered wickedly. 'Shouldn't mind it much, colonel,' he replied. 'So I thought,' resumed the colonel. ' Well, theie's a chance, and if you've a mind bo try ib, 1 11 unfold bhe plans.' 'I'll try ib, colonel, I'll try ib,' cried Leonard, rubbing his hands together in anticipation ; ' you know me ; the tougher the job the better it suits me.' His imster nodded and smiled. He knew hifc Mephistopheles, and he tru.sbed him as he did his own heart. They wei-c old friends and had served each other many a good bum in the dayb gone by ; true and tried friends wort Colonel Brooke and his valet, ' Well, in the finsb place, there's not a breath to lo.se — what's to be done must be done at once.' Leonard nodded. The colonel crossed the room, and took up the crested letter. ' Here is a letter from the Countess of Mortlake,' he said ; ' she writes for Sir Bayard to come to a ball bo-morro-v night ; to morrow night, you hear, my Leonard, at j her residence in St. James's Square. He is to be her heir and to be presented to a daughter of Lord Strathspey, which daughter is bo be his future wife. A rare bit of luck, you see, my man, for Sir Bayard Brompton V Leonard nodded undersbandingly. ' Now for the point. /am Sir Bayard Brompton — to-morrow night I ."ball go to the ball of the countess, and receive my bride at her hands. And now your job comes in. A man went down to Su&sex on Monday, and will return to London this evening — a man who fancies that he is Sir j Bayard Brompton, and prospective heir to j

the dowager countess. 'Leonard, 1 and i Colonel Brooke faced his valeb, a strange, subtle light in hispale-greyeyes — ' Leonard, that man must not return to London tonight, nor ever more — do you understand ?' The valet's eyes lit with a responsive flash, and he smiled, showing his gleaming white teeth through his dark beard. The colonel went on : * D 6 your job effectually, and the hour that I come into possession of the Mortlake estates you shall have ten thousand pounds, Bank of England money.' ' And what if you do not come into possossion of the Mortlake estates ?' questioned Leonard, shrewdly. ' Then we shall both remain beggars,' roturned the colonel. ' But I nhall come into possession — there's nothing to hinder me if you do your job in the right way.' Leonard rose and held out his hand. 4 'Tisa bargain,' he said; ' and good-bye ! The colonel grasped it heartily, and Leonard vanished.