CHAPTER XXII.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 355, 30 March 1889, Page 3

CHAPTER XXII.

Even the most self-satisfied of individuals are apt in their passage through life to meet with an occasional rebuff, , and when the sting of scorn onco penetrates through the slippery surface of their complacency, it occasions an abnoimal amount of irritation. Ln the course of Ills career Mr Denver had very rarely experienced that unpleasing sensation named "feeling small;" but when he found his advances rewaidcd by a smarting slap on the face, he began to entertain a dim comprehension of what the temn might mean. And the more lie compre,hended the less he liked ib. Mortification was the first, anger the second sentiment; prevalent in his mind. The idea of a man, arrived at the sober age of seven : find-thiiby, v being treated in this unceremonious fashion by a mere chit oi a ,girl pome twenty years his junior ! The little hussy should iind out to her ,'cost that for all her airs and graces the day might come when he would say and do exactly what he chose, without its being in her power to resent any one of his actions. She had roused .in lnm a spirit ot obstinate defiance, andhefeltthat to humble her pride, to assert his authority, and to mould her to his .will, would be both a satisfaction and a triumph. He could not conceive that his own manner^ were to blame — that a girl brought upawayfiom towns and town society did not appreciate the frivolities current in modern Babylonia. And yet how pretty she had looked ! How lovely she would be in a year or two's time, when she had acquired a little more polibh, and her ideas had become a fcriiie less old-fashioned ! After a while Mr Denver pulled himself together and returned to the house, where ho pelceivcd the majority ot his guests had already re-assembled. Diiectly he appeared, Mrs Sheppcrton rose to depart, and requested Mr Denver to inquire it her carriage were at the door. This he did with malicious alacrity, having at once noticed on re-entering the drawing-room that both Dulcie and Bob Mornington were still absent. ' G'oocZ-night, Mr Denver,' said Mrs Shepperton, shaking hands with effusion. 'Thanks "so much for such a very pleasant evening. We have enjoj^ed ourselves immensely, and I really quite regret being forced to tear myeelt away.' 'You need not be in any hurry,' he answered, significantly, ' for if I mistake not your Hock is not all gathered together.' • Goodness gracious ! I declare. I never noticed her a,bscncotill you remarked upon il, but that child Dulcie is missing. Wheie on garth can, she be f 1 1 saw her not so very long ago,' he returned, with a dark --cowl, 'but Mi=s 'Dulcie apparently prefers the society of Mr Mornington to mine.' ' Dear, dear ! You don't say so ! How excessively foolish ! But there ! it'i. just like Dulcie. When ,1 was young, girls possessed a little moie modesty ' than to go sfar-ga'Jng,' laying a con tern pbuous stress ■on the word, ' with every penniless hobble-de-hoy they came across.' M"r Den ver-^-angry as he was— could not rojrain from smiling at the mercenarysontimept so evidently displayed in this speech. But it was part of his revenge to incite tho mother against the daughter. ,' Miss Dulcie appears to enteitain a decided paichfptt for "penniless hobble-de-hoys," 'he observed, malignantly. l Let us hope increasing years may bring superior wisdom.' ( % Surely, 'most men would have felt ashamed of such meanness, but Mr Denver experienced no qualms of conscience. He had thoroughly made up his mind to pay Dulcie out, and was not squeamish as to the means employed. ' It's really too bact, of Dulcie keeping; us all waiting like this/ paid Mr* Shepperton impatiently. ' Would you mind, please, Mi" Denver* v going out into the garden again and telling her to come in immediately? Say that I am excessively angry.' ' Rather a thankless task,' he muvmei'ed, satirically. 1 ''No; Mrs Shepperton, much 'rfsit grieves me to refuse any request of yours, I cannot take it on myself to disturb tho artless flirtation of' so young and loving a couple.' He had cunningly foi'eseen the effect of these remarks 'and each'word sent a sting through-Mrs Shepperton's motherly heait. ' Young and loving "couple !' she reiterated, too incensed to' remember her company manners. ' Nonsense ! They are no such thing !' ' Indeed ! I'm delighted to hear you pay so. Personally, I know very little either in Mr? Morningcon's favour or disfavour ; but it seams to me that ib would be a sad pity for MissDulcie to throw herself away in such a manner.' 'Of course it would! You are quite right, Mr Denver, and that's exactly what I'm always telling Dulcie, only she's such a little goose 'there's no, dinning any sense into her. Love has quite gone out of fashion nowadays. , People have begun to discover that it's not, half so) comfortable or enduring a thing to settle upon, -as a good house, plenty of "carriages, horses, and servants, and a nice round sum in the funds/ Mrs Shepperton was growing exciied. She was nob sharp enough to see that. MiDenver simply played on hor weakness for tho furbherance of his own ends,

' I entirely agree with you,' he said hypocritically ; ' and 1 wish more mothers eh - terfcained your sensible ideas. However,' with well-feigned indulgence, ' you must not be too hard upon Miss Dujcie. 1 daresay her little vagaries are quite harmless, and that she will scon outlive her affection for this youthful Hercules.' > ' Outlive it, indeed ! She'll have to outlive it as sure as my name's Shepperton. She and Bob Mornington had 'best say all they have got) I 'to say to each other this evening, for they shan't get another chance hi a hurry/ Mr Denver smiled contentedly. He had obtained his object without much apparent effort ; and now, if Dulcie's flirtation with Bob was nipped in the bud owing to his insl rumen tality, he could enjoy the double gratification of taking a sure revenge on the girl, and of getting rid of an individual whom, already, he instinctively felt might prove ti'oublesome.