The Red Rat’s Daughter

g, and very naturally they had supposed that their host, seeing it coming on, had returned to the yacht without waiting for them. Their surprise, therefore, when they arrived on board and found

et, as he soon discovered, it was difficult to account for the time he had spent ashore if he kept silence on the subject. Accordingly he made the best excuse that occu

ched the piano at which she was seated. “I assure you we have been most concerned about you; and, if yo

pping into an easy-chair; “but there was not the least nec

tch and was afterwards killed in Abyssinia. At one place we very nearly went over the edge, every man-jack of us, and I vowed I’d never do such a thing again. Fancy the irony of the position! After having been poverty-stricken all one’s life, to drop through the air thirteen hund

ing up from the novel she was reading. “How was

uckle. “Of course I argued that, since she was foolish enough to show her bad ta

lking of life-saving on mountains, on this evening of all othe

ed, and every one rose, preparatory to

inquired of Marsh, who

the individual in question made his appearance down the com

forwarded him information concerning a debate in Congress, in order that he might see in what sort of estimation he was held by a certain portion of his fellow-countrymen. Never a very talkative man, Browne this evening was even more silent than usual. The recollection of a certain pale face and a pair of beautiful eyes haunted him continually. Indeed, had it not been for Barrington–Marsh and Jimmy Foote, who did their duty manfully, the meal would have been

cused himself on the plea that he was tired and preferred the cool. Maas followed suit; and, when the others had take

d been standing at the rails for some minutes, “if we had been born and bred in

ve been better in many ways,” Browne replied. “I can assure you ther

?umen,” quoted Maas, half to himself and half to his

tched it drop into the water alongside. “But, however desirous we may be of dreaming agreeably, our world

npleasant knowledge that it does not do to go to sleep on an empty stomach. The debtor imagines himself the possessor of million

is t

e no time to think of such things. Doesn’t your Ben Jonson

it makes little or no difference, provided, of course, he has a fine establishment and the settlements are satisfactory. At the commencement of the season the girls are brought up to London, to be tricked out, regardless of expense, by the fashionable dressmakers of the day. They are paraded here, there, and everywhere, like horses in a dealer’s yard; are warned off the men who have no money, but who might very possibly make them happy; while they are ordered by the ‘home authorities’ to encourage those who have substantial bank balances and nothing else to recommend them. As the question of love makes no sort of difference, it receives no consideration. After their friends have sent them expensive presents, which in most cases they cannot af

e. “The mistake of believing that a marriage, with money on the side of the man and beauty on that of the woman, must irretrievably resul

Browne. “For my part I feel, after the quiet of this fjord, a

once in his life, was almost astonished. He

good. The fog must have got into your blood. And yet, if you will not think me impertinent for say

ion of himself with his companion. Accordingly he changed the subject abr

, and I have thanked you for your delightful hospitality, I shall hope to spend a fortnight with our dear Duchess in the Midlands; after that I am due in Paris for a week or ten days; then, like the swa

ve done, and to be tired of doing, everything. They tell me tigers are scarce in India. This morn

t, I remember,” Maas replied. “Pray, what has o

el restless and unsettled to-night, that is

n in complete surprise. “What on

shook h

til that moment, he had never thought of it. “Do you remember Demetrovitch, that ha

would in all probability have noticed that a peculiar smile played round the corners of his mouth as he said it. “But what has Deme

en asked me to pay him a visit. Besides, I have never seen P

in England. Now I think, with your permission, I’ll retire. It’s after eleven, and there’s something abo

one, for his memory was still haunted by the recollection of the same sweet face, with the dark, lustrous eyes, that had been with him all the evening. Do what he would, he could not endow the adventure of the afternoon with the common-place air he had tried to bestow upon it. Something told him that it was destined to play a more important part in his life’s history than would at first glance appear to be the case. And yet he was far f

the bay were hidden in thick mist, and rain was falling steadily. After breakfast the male portion of the party adjourned

going ashore, in order, he said, that he might confer with a certain local authority regarding their proposed departure for the south next day. As a matter of politeness he inquired whether any of his guests would accompany him, and received an

ll beg leave to accompany you. If I stay on board I shall go to sleep, and if I go to sleep I shall wake up in a

, and when they had descended the gangway they took their places in the boat together. For the first time during the excursion, and also for the first time in the year

emedy the trouble as far as lay in his power. So well did he succeed that by th

o not consider me in the matter at all, I beg of you; I can amuse myself

to hear him arrive at this decision. “If I were you, however, I shou

Then, bidding the other good-by

sedly come ashore to see, and when he had consulted him upon the point at issue, made his way in the direction of the hote

replied. “If you will follow

dy. What occasioned the delay it is impossible to say, but fully a quarter of an hour elapsed before madame made her appearance. She greeted him with a great appe

ad she been killed I should never have known happiness again. It was such a risk to

cally impossible, for him to protest. You cannot save a young lady’s life and expect to escape her relatives’ thanks, however much

t, alas! it will be several days before she can hope to put her foot to the ground. She

me Bernstein to inform her that he had called to inquire, and then bade her good-bye. He had hoped to have discovered something concerning th

oice reached him from a room on the right which caused him no little surprise. At

” he cried, with a somewhat exaggerated enthusiasm.

rted. “I understood that you were

lass of Vermouth prior to going on board. Believe me, there is nothing like Vermouth for counteracting th

d any right to complain. He only hoped that Maas knew nothing of his reason for being there. Conversant, however, as he was wit

something less than a quarter of an hour were on board the yacht once mor

ll, the yacht swung round and headed for the pass under the Pulpit Rock. Browne was on the bridge at the time, and it was with a sensible feeling of regret that he bade farewell to the little village nestling at the foot of the snow-capped mountains. Never did he remember having experienced such regret in leaving