The Red Rat’s Daughter

the possessor of a cynical wit which he was apt at times to use upon his friends with somewhat peculiar effect. C

l of the world in general. Old Brown, his father, without the “e,” as you have doubtless observed, started life as a bare-legged street arab in one of the big manufacturing centres — Manchester or Birmingham, I am not quite certain which. His head, however, must have been screwed on the right way, for he made few mistakes, and everything he touched turned to gold. At thirty his bank

bits he was simplicity itself. Indeed, it was no unusual sight to see the old fellow, preparatory to setting off for the City, coming down the steps of his magnificent town house, dressed in a suit of rough tweed, with the famous bird’s-eye neck-cloth loosely twisted round his throat, and the soft felt hat upon his head — two articles of attire which no remonstrance on the part of his wife and no amount of ridicule from the comic journals could ever induce him to discard. His stables were full of carriages, and there was a cab-rank within a hundred yards of his front door, yet no one had ever seen him set foot in either. The soles of his boots were thick, and he had been accustomed to walk all his life, he would say, and he had no intention of being carried till he was past caring what became of him. With regard to his son, the apple of his eye, and the pride of his old age, his views were entirely different. Nothing was good enough for the boy. From the moment he opened his eyes upon the light, all the

one lovelier, sweeter, and boasting blood that was bluer than the last. A wiser and an older head might well have been forgiven had it succumbed to the attacks made upon it; but in his veins, mingled with the aristocratic Rushbrooke blood, young John had an equal portion of that of the old soap-boiler; and where the one led him to accept invitations to country houses at Christmas, or to be persuaded into driving his fair friends, by moonlight, to supper at the Star and Garter, the

played whist every afternoon with the same men at his club for the last ten years) and De Vere Robinson (who never reads anything save the Referee and the Sportsman, who detests whist, and who smokes the strongest Trichinopolis day and night) to spend three weeks cooped up on a yacht would be like putting a kitten and a cat-killing fox-terrier into a corn-bin and expecting them to have a happy time together. Browne, however, knew his business, and his party, in this particular instance, consisted of the Duchess of Matlock, wife of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and her two pretty daughters, the Ladies Iseult a

l. He would tell you, however, that he has no right to be considered a Dutchman. At the same time he would probably omit to tell you to which kingdom or empire he ascribes the honour of his birth. If you travelled with him you would discover that he speaks the language of every country west of the Ural Mountains with equal fluency; and though he would appear to be the possessor of considerable wealth, he never makes the least parade of it. In fact, his one and only idea in life would seem to be always irreproachably dressed and groomed, never to speak unless spoken to, and at all tim

f the usual uncomfortable bunks; the dining-saloon was situated amidships, where the vibration of the screw was least felt; the drawing-room was arranged aft; and a dainty boudoir for the ladies extended across the whole width of the counter. The smoking-room was in a convenient positi

ard. They visited Christiania, the Bukn, Hardanger, and Sogne, and eventually found themselves at anchor in the harbour of Merok, on th

ian fjord you have seen them all. But this statement is, as are the majority of such assertions, open to contradiction. The Ryfylke bears no sort of resemblance, save that they are both incomparably grand, to the Hardanger, or the Fjaerlands to the Gieranger. There is,

in their chairs on deck, gazing up at the snow-capped mountains at the head of the fjord, “one is tempted to beli

ey cheapen everything, and think nothing of discussing their hotel bills in the Temple of the Sp

e a poor man who knows, it is just those three annas overcharge in a dhobie’s bill that spoil the grandeur of the Sphinx and cast

travel,” remarked Mrs. Dobson, with the authority of a

the greater portion of mankind,” continued Miss Verney,

t be sent to it from all parts of the world. Competent professors would be engaged, who would teach the pupils how to comport themselves in railway trains and on board steamboats; who would tell them how to dress themselves to suit different countries, in order that they might not spoil choice bits of scenery by inartistic colouring. Above all, I would have them instructed in the proper manner of placing their boots outside their bedroom doors when they

,” observed Maas quietly, lighting another ci

dulous air. “The coincidence would be too extraordinary.” A smile went rou

the various countries they intend visiting, so that they should not inquire the French for Eau de Cologne, or ask what sort of vegetable paté de foie gras is when they encountered it upon their

intricacies of a Continental wine list might be

es after the fashion of a cyclorama; dress your waiters in appropriate costumes, let them speak the language of the country in which you are supposed to be dining, let the tables be placed in the centre of the hall, have a band to discourse national airs, and you would be able to bore yourself to death in comf

he hotel, explore the curious little octagonal church, and, if you are a walker, climb the road that crosses the mountains to Grotl

, as was known to her companions, preferred an easy-chair and a flirta

rfos Waterfall, which is the principal, and almost the only, attraction the village has to offer. The usual order of march was observed. The Duchess and the Ambassador, being the seniors of the party, led the way; the lady’s two d

ne’s reason for leaving his guests to pursue their walk alone was an eminently simple one. He strolled down to the boat which had brought them ashore, and, having despatched it with a message to the yacht, resumed his walk, hoping to overtake his party before they reached the waterfall. Unfortunately, however, a thick mist was descending upon the mountain, shutting out the landscape as completely as if a curtain had been drawn before it. At first he was inclined to treat the matter as of small moment; and, leaving the road, he continued his walk in the belief that it would soon pass off. Stepping warily — for mountain paths in Norway are not to be treated with disrespect — he pushed on for upwards of a quarter of an hour, feeling sure he must be near his destination, and wond

quired in the same languag

“and I am afraid I have sprained my a

he voice that did it. The accent, howeve

e?” he inquired, after he had vainly

thick that I could not see my way, and I slipped on

said it he moved carefully towards the spot whence he imagined the voice proceeded. From the feel

you now?”

e voice added, with a little laugh, “How ridiculo

ned to lead, it is very doubtful whether she would have conside

n five feet from him. Then, with that suddenness which is the peculiar property of Norwegian mists, the vapour, which had up to that moment so thickly enveloped them, rolled away, and the whole landscape was revealed to their gaze. As he took

very doubtful, active as he was, whether he would be able, unaided, to get her up in her injured condition to the path above. Ridiculous as the situation may have appeared in the fog, it had resolved itself into one of absolute danger now, and Browne felt the perspiration start out upon his forehead as he thought of what would have happened had she missed the tree and rolled a few feet farther. One thing was quite certain — something must be done; so, taking off his coat, he lowered it by the sleeve to her,

sufficiently close to enable him to place his arm round her, and to lift her into safety beside himself, the reaction was almost more than either of them could bear. For some minutes the girl sat with her face buried in her hands, too much overcome with horror at the narrowness of her escape even to thank her

ired, after she had tried to express her gratit

o the hotel when the fog caught me. Suddenly I felt myself falling. To save myself I clutched at that tree,

He insisted that he had only done what was fit and proper under the circumstances. It was plain, however, from the look o

r difficulties, for the young lady, pretend as she might to ignore the fact, was undoubtedly lame; under the circumstances for

id it will be impossible for me to walk so far, and n

ue-book in his pocket and a stylographic pen wherewith to write an order on his banker. In this case, however, he was compelled to confess hi

e main road, I could easily find a conveyance to

answered, with a seriousness that was m

his unregenerate days Browne had won many weight-lifting competitio

versation, so that the greater portion of the journey was conducted in silence. When at last they reached the mountain road — that wonderful road which is one of the glories of Merok — Browne placed the girl upon the bank, and, calling a boy whom he could s

she said, and a little shudder swept over her as the rem

ill be warned by me, you will be careful for the future how you venture on the mountains without a guide at this tim

humbly. “But do not let me keep you now; I have deta

ides, I could not think of leaving you until I have seen you safely

he girl replied. “We

married? He tried to discover whether or not she wore a w

ager. Behind it, and considerably out of breath, toiled a stout and elderly lady, who, as s

imself; “her accent puzzle

at being present at what his instinct told him was a wigging, administered b

uce you to my guardi

he vehicle, the man took his place at the pony’s head, and the strange cortège proceeded on its way down the hill

will not be long before you ar

ess, “Pray, believe that I shall always be grateful to

with a nervousness that was by n

perhaps you would not mind telling me

answered, with a smile, and then as fra

g as he said it, he added: “I am Browne’s Mimosa