Silas Dennington's Money,

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10679, 6 July 1912, Page 2

Silas Dennington's Money,

OUR SERIAL.)

BY F. L. DACRE.

CHAPTER XVI.—Con tinned,

"Although he is my father," continued Madge, "I feel that T almost hate him for his selfishness. And ho is forever harping on the death of your cowboy cousin, and saying that the disgrace of it has ruined what prospects lie had of a wealthy marriage. Wc quarrelled dreadfully, and he v/nnt away in high dungeon, but he took nearly the whole of our money with him.'' She covered her eyes with her handkerchief, and sob-bed hysterically. "Come—come, Madge, old girl. Things are pretty .bad, but I am doing finely—splendidly! We can help cue another, you know. Now, cheer up. Grantley must he cared for, and both, of you must go on a- sea voyage. What about a trip to Australia in one of the P. and 0. boats? You can let the Court furnished for a good round sum in the summer months —fifty pounds a month easily. Leave it to me, and I will act as your agent. TVdclv Urowp's the man for the job, and ;:!! i he cm ■ rospondence can pass through h';n. ! ' Madge raised her shining eyes to Jack's. He was smiling down at her, no shadow on his face, although his heart was aching. All this was a dark significance to him. He must go rn living under a cloud, and this nervous i panic of Grantley's! Was Grantley a coward at heart? i

"How good and true you are, Jack. You are more than human; yon are divine! Oh, I know the'truth ! Grantley told me last night." She shuddered. "And'l think that he has been a little easier since. Jack was startled. "The truth? What do vou mean, Madge?" "The truth about your cousin's death," she said, in an almost inarticxdate air. "And I think Grantley- has acted in a cowardly fashion. I told him so; I couldn't help it, and he has one desire now to get well and strong to fact it- out. He says that you don't ■ mind for a month or two longer—that his shattered brain and nerves would give out completely ,no\v." "That's right—that's right, Madge. I am in no danger ; I am prospering all along the line. I must think of jou and Grantley. A few months away -will make a new man of him. You know what a fighter he is when lie is well. He was ill after that night—he has been ill ever since. I won't 'have a word .said against him. I'm all right, I tell you; doing finely. Oh, you are a splendid woman, Madge." "But Grantley's been hiding behind my skirts, Jack. He told n e that, and I won't have it. His silence was all my sake —and yours, too. What do you take me for? I'm not one of that sort!"

He stooped over, and took both of her hands; with smiling, hopeful eyes, he looked down at her fished face. "I don't mind for a few mo;''lis longer, Madge. Go away on this voyage, and get Grantley strong ar.d well. He'll soon pull round, now that Lis mind is easier, and then we'll clear nn the trouble. T'm going to get married myself, soon." He reddened like a bashful schoolbov. :

Madge forgot Iter tribulations in a flash. Nothing is so interesting to a woman as a love story, unless it ho a marriage or a birth. And was not Jack Madge's own particular chum?" She had long boon in love with him herself, h> a motherly protecting kind of way. In the good old school days she had been his mentor and friend. It was hard to associate Jack with love and marriage, and she scarcely knew whether she wa\s glad or sorry.

"Tell me about it. Do I know her?" she asked.

"No," said Jack, his voi?e, his manner constrained. He knew Madge's pride of birth and station and all that, and-Rosamund's father only kept a very tawdry-looking shop.

"Who is she? Is it a love story? But I needn't ask that. Your face is sufficient answer, and you were always an idealist. If you make a mistake your whole life will be ruined. If she falls short of your conception, you will ruin hers. You were always a visionary, Jack." "There's a lot of worldliness in me, too, Madge," he answered indulgently. "I thought you would be pleased." "Of course I shall be pleased if you are made happy; but, in any case, I shall feel that I am losing a great deal iof you. When a man's married, a mere sister becomes very shadowy. You once told mo Jack that I was the nearest approach to your ideal woman, and lam positively jealous. Is she anything like me?" "No," Jack said, dreamily. "You are very tall for a woman, Madge, and very dark. She is of middle height, and fair —brown eyes—brown hair. She is as beautiful as you are, but of a softer, gentler kind. Her voice is low and sweet; yours is musical in a higher and stronger key." "Good heavens, Jack! My perfect antithesis! Does this come of your suddenly acquired worldliness? But you've forgotten one thing—the halo." Again Jack smiled indulgently. . "It was all very sudden and unexpected—just as you have predicted , that it would be, lots of times, Madge. Until a few weeks- since I did not

Author of "'Held in Eosdage," ' : A Phantom of the I : John's Heiress," "Ifee Shadow of SLs.u- ; Daughter cf Mvitcryy" c-tc

| dream of the oxistpr.ee of Rosamund l Grant." , I "Rosamund Grant? I never heard the name before," Madge said, a little regretfully. "Lovo at first sight —tho dawning of the Golden Age!' 1 Then her eyes rested for ono bricAn'o- , merit on the name over the curiosity | shop, and she gave a little gasp. Tier ■ distress was poignant, hut she turned j away her face to hide it. The vulgar daughter of a little shopkeeper in a London back street. And this was Jack's romance—Jack, the idealist, her hero, her chum, her protege! "And the young fool" (they were about the same age) "lias made comparisons between us," she thought bitterly. "Comparisons which, in hfs purblind condition, reduce me to a rushlight in tho glare of the sun." All nt once Jack sprang up, and ran to tho window. Ho tapped on the glass, and someone appeared at the opposite window. It was a girl, and her fresh young beauty was almost saintly in its charm in the gloom and dismal surroundings of Nether Street. Tho grimy window fryamc, and the blackened walls made a grotesque, frame.

"There she is, Madge," Jack s;iid. "That's Rosamund Grant, my .sweetheart!"

Madge was astonished in spite of herself, and a fragment of Tennyson flashed through her mind : "So sweet a face, such angel grace, In all that land had never been." "She's very nice looking, Jack, and has a good face," Madge said generously. There was no beating about the bush with Madge. "But one.can't T ass a reasonable opinion in such circumstances. I was horribly frightened at first. Of course, I saw the name over the shop, and guessed something." Jack laughed merrily. "Oh, the shop! T know that you have some fantastic and old fashioned, notions about sttch traders, and all that sort of thing, but RosamuiuVs father is a gentleman —an eccentric — recently a 'Cambridge professor. I must introduce Rosamund to you. Now, how can we manage it? This is I hardly a suitable place. What do you i say to taking you somewhere to tea?'' "I must phone to Grantley, and then after one call I am free for on hour or two. Let's first finish the business' that brought me here. You have kindly offered to take our wretched affairs in hand, and nothing would please Grjintley better. He really is not capable of doing anything rational. If you think that you can let the Court furnished, we will make arrangements to get out." "My dear girl, don't think twice about' it.' Leave everything to me, and take Grantley away " "My burdens are dropping away from mo like useles garments," she smiled, half tearfully. "Jack, you are worthy to be called a saint."

"What'stnff yon do talk. Now, Madge, I'll expect you back within half an hour, and in the meantime I will arraruie with Rosamund to meet us in tlte Tenvnle Gardens." They went downstairs together, and while Mad<re "Donnington turned toward-. th~ Strand, Jack sauntered into Mr Grant's ".hop. "I want a restful quarter of an hour with Rosamund," ho said to Hcsr.imintl's father. "There isn't a minute's neace at my office. Did you see that lady from whom T have just nar!;■''d?" • Grant nodded. "Mr Grant, T want to introduce Rosamund to hrr. can smro l"'r for an hour or two this afternoon ?" Again Theodore Grant nodded, and his eves wore gloomy. ""I'll go up to the sitting room,'* Jack .said. "One minute, vou didn't report to me about the value of the ring, Mr Castlemaine." "Quito slipped my memory." Jrr.k tried to speak carlcssly, but ho was a poor liar. "Well?" - "I am satisfied.sir." "You are evading the point," was the testy rejoinder, and with a stamp of the foot. Jack managed to assume a look of surprise.

"Nothing of the kind. I thought it was a matter of little importance. The ring was valued at a trifle less than T paid for it. but it's the rule to depreciate the goods of a rival, isn't it?" "How much?" persisted Mr Grin*. There was a nervous, eager light in [ his eyes, and his hands were clasping i and unclasping. "Thirty-five shillings," Jack answered coolly. Ho was gaining confidence. "And I'm going to buy • a lot more of your things on the same terms." He looked round the simp appreciatively. There was a battered suit of twelfth-century armour, a grandfather's clock, pictures dim with age and dirt; silver and chinnware, watches and. jewellery, and a hundred and one things one sees in shops of this kind. He leaned over the counter. "[ am starting another new paj>'*r, Mr Grant —a ladies' paper, and Brown, my managing man, has convinced me that a solid circulation cannot bo secured unless we give away a lot of prizes. Now there is nothing in the world that appeals to women like jewellery, knicknacks, and pretty things for the home." "That is so," Grant said thoughtfully, "but the stuff hero is far too expensive." (')':> be Continued).