Johnny Ludlow, Fourth Series

nce to remember, our doctor at Timberdale-"you seem good at telling of unaccountab

ney-corner, in the old red-cushioned chair, after his day's work was over, smokin

aper," went on Darbyshire. "It is the most cur

be seen through it; as you will acknowledge when you hear

ish extraction. He had an extensive practice, and lived in an old-fashioned, handsome r

r dead mother; had the same look of fragile delicacy, the same sweet face with its pensive sadness, the soft brown eyes and the lov

ok, a genial, pleasant gentleman of large private means apart from his success in farming. Rich though he was, he did not disdain to see practically after his work himself; was up with the lark and out with his me

les, had no fancy for farming, no particular head for any of the learned professions; he preferred commerce. An uncle, Matthew Brook, was the head of a mercantile house in New York; he offered a post in it to Charles, who went out to him. The second so

rook. "Well, be it so. I only want you to lead good and

us undertaking which had banking for its staple basis; and the thing failed. People talked of "swindling." Its managers ran away; its books and money were nowhere; its shareholders we

han it takes to tell of, not a vestige remained of what had been, save in memory: Sir Robert Tenby had another tenant at the Dower Farm, and Mrs. Brook had moved into a little cottage-villa not a stone's throw from D

his father. When the misfortunes fell, he was, of course, thrown out; and what to turn his hand to he did not at once know.

give me some copying to do, sir?" he asked: "either at

the lawyer, passing over the question. The two fa

slender young fellow of middle height, with gentle manners, a ver

urn up, like our old friend

h of a burden on my mother-though she will not hear me say a word about that," the young man

Mr. Delorane did take him on. William Brook went int

a was not out of fashion yet in Timberdale. Every one agreed that William Brook was to be commended for putting his shoulder to t

of money for that purpose. Later, when of an age to leave school, he was articled to Mr. Delorane, and proved an apt, keen pupil. Next he went into the office of a renowned legal firm in London, became a qualified lawyer and con

and well formed, the lips full, and the purple-black hair might have been woolly but for being drilled into order with oils. His complexion was a pale olive, his black eyes were round

e young man himself, but to his probable capacity for work. "He will be of no use to us, sir," was the substance of h

o but take him on when he asked me to? I like the young fellow; always did; and his poor father was my very good friend. You must make t

ntive, so intelligent, that fault could not be found with him; and at the end of the

ion in the world, could content himself with stopping on, a lawyer's clerk? Did he mean to continue in the office for eve

tress of love. He and Ellin Delorane had entered a long while past into the mazes of that charming dream, than whi

und it out. He went into a storm of rage and reproaches-chiefly sho

eeds let it go on still, and never suspect danger! Why, the fellow has had his tea here twice a-week upon an average!-and brought Ellin home at night when she has be

erhaps less harm is done than you fear, sir. They are both young, can har

I shouldn't?" re

as not to think of him in private or speak to him in public. Thus a little time went on. Ellin's bright fa

le of his eye. He had been in love himself once, and knew what it meant; little as you would believe it of a

rathfully began to Aunt Hester, one morning when he came upon her in tears as she

Aunt Hester, meekly wiping her tears. "I-I am afra

do you mea

t in her own mind-that Ellin might fade away like her mother. "I can see what a s

business had young Brook to get talki

; I imagine he is too honourable to have said a single word. They have just gone on loving one another

ck? What a simpleto

he did not like to hear it so stated to his face. Banging the door behind him, he was cros

yer had the greatest mind in the world to tell him NO and send him head-foremost out again, he thought of E

come upon their family-how deeply sorry he was that Ellin and he should have lea

ten further-"what on earth do you propose to yourself? Suppose I did n

d to me had we been as we o

it!" roared the lawyer. "Our busines

e says I cannot fail to get on well in my uncle's house, and attain to a good position. Uncle Matthew has no sons: he will do his best to advance

ut than he had been at all. "Do you suppose I should le

usiness, they may make me their agent over here. Oh, Mr. Delorane, be kind, b

ess a ready-made stock of

But I am pleading for what is dearer to me and to her than life: our lives will be of little value

ite of prejudice he did like the young man greatly, and he was not easy as to Ellin. "The best thing you can do is to go where you are going-over the Atlantic: and we'll leave the future to take

d expected: any way, it did not absolutely for

with me, sir-I start to-ni

etorted Mr. Delorane: but he did not withhold his hand. "No correspond

rstand; and you m

a bad bargain: give Brook a chief place in his own office and let them set up in some pleasant little home near at hand? Ellin had her mother's money: and she would have a great deal more at his own death; quite enough to allow her husband to live the idle life of a gentleman

r. St. George, as William Brook re

a line in a poem my mother would repeat to us when we were boys-'God and an honest heart

your chance,

!" repeate

onds are picked up for the stooping-instead of being chained, as I am, betw

you can pick up gold and diamonds fo

the rich Californian mines, or to the diamond mountains in Africa, and come back-as you wou

without a shirt to my back; a more common result than the ot

nd walked thus with him to the street-entrance. There they shook hands, and parted. Ellin Delo

obdurate, and that if William could get on in the future, perhaps things might be suffered to come right. It brought to her a strange comfort. So very slight

at the Rectory, who had recently become Herbert Tanerton's wife, and sat talking with her till it wa

l Aunt He

llin," said Grace, "you would cut off that corner,

ll

lli

well to his friends at the Rectory. The moon, coming out from behind a swiftly passing cloud, for it was rat

whispered unevenly, as th

t he certainly did not wholly deny it. I think-I believe-that

honour say what he would have wished to say. This meeting might be unor

not write to you, Ellin; I may not even ask you to think of me; I may not, I suppose, tell you in so many words that I shall think of you;

ks; she could hardly speak for agitat

m," she whispered. "I will wait for y

s an irresistible temptation for taking a kiss, especially if the kiss is to be a farewell kiss for days and for years. William Brook

ly those of us-there are not many-who have gone throu

f this afterwards, assured Ellin that it mu

to Ellin Delorane. He would send kind remembrances to friends, love to those who cared for

ary; but the riches that might enable him to aspire to the hand of Miss Delorane loomed obscurely in the distance yet. Ellin seemed strong and well, gay and cheerful, went about Timberdale, and laughed

a thousand pounds a-year, so I suppose it might be about five hundred. It was thought he might be for giving up his post at Mr. Delorane's to be a gentleman at large. But he did nothing of the kind. He quitted

t. George. After the departure of young Brook, he had been so tender with Ellin, so considerate, so indulgent to her sorrow, and so regretful (lik

t may be that he saw no hope of any happy return, and deemed t

there is of my going up to the moon," he said to Tod confiden

e is-in this short

e done as I advised him-gone a little farther and dug in the gold-fields. He might have

t. George?-that you'd like to go

dark orbs took a tinge of yellow as they ro

are in love with her as

, love's free, I believe. Were I her father, Brook should prove his eligibility

after him, made his comments. "Should not wonder b

r man!" I

fine upright free-limbed fellow he is! A

But I wouldn't give up William Br

all blame to him. Who could be in the daily companionship of a sweet girl like Ellin Delorane, a

n the garden at sunset, busy with the budding flowers, when St. George came to join her, as he sometim

was Ellin's greeting to him, as she sat

. "You often do look pale now, Ellin

jesting tones. "She begins to have fancies, she says, that I am not

look and action, who would not suffer the winds of heaven to blow upon your face too roughly," w

parted with emotion; she rose up t

George. If-if I understand yo

at I would shelter you from all ill until death

me find that I have been mistaking you all this time," she added in uncontrollable agitation: "

did not like the words; and he b

very hard

inted at is impossible. Impossible: please not to mistake me. You have been my very kind friend, and I value you; and, if

u intimate, understand each other fully. Can it be

yet, and that-that matters may be smoothed for us with papa. Whilst that hope remains it i

her head out beyond the glass-doors, "t

Mr. St. George, preventing

n, her brow smoothing itself. "But you

accounts settled-as Tod would h

it that a

adding up the last week's bills of the butcher and the baker, when she was interrupted by this question from her brother. He had come stalking upon her, rattli

Hester, dropping the bills in a

e. "I put a simple question to you, and you reply to it by asking me anoth

past few weeks Ellin had been almost palpably fading; was silent and dispirited, losing her bright colour, growing thinner; might be heard catching her breath in one of those sobbi

speak?" h

ot seem well, and looks languid: of course th

she paused. "As to broiling wea

ou. I was about to add that I think it is not so much illness of body with

d Mr. Delorane, unconsciously correcting

years, John, and seems to be no nearer coming home with a fortune than he w

is sister, turned the silver coins about in his pockets more

s never very st

s no need to

pair, if I don't use too strong a word, continue, it will

?" sharply ask

s much deprecation as though he had been the Great Mogul: "bu

apparently at the grass-plat, in reality seeing nothing. He was recalling a past vision: that of his delicate wife,

, you've got an enemy; or, if you seem to be in the midst of a lot of beautiful white flowers, it's a token of somebody's death. I am not so silly as that, John. But for some time past

nown tongue, it could not have brought greater surprise

r, "and she confessed to me that she was feeling a good bit troubled by her dreams. She generally has them towards morning, and t

bbish!" put i

t. Why should they come?-that's what I ask myself. Be sure, though, I make light of the matter to Ellin, and tell her her digestion is out of order. Over and over again, she says, they seem to

into the garden as before. Ellin's mind was getting unhinged with the long separation, she had begun to regard it

retty near an hour she thought. She wished he would go; she felt very uncomfortable, as she always did feel when she vexed him-and here were

to do it myself," he rem

hat,

and let them set up in some little

tammered S

ll for her aunt to talk about the heat! I know. She is pinin

appeared in that of Mr. St. George. It was not purple, it was not green, it was not yello

young men to be idle; leads 'em into temptation. We'll make him head clerk her

ce had caught the eye of Mr. Delorane. S

ane, sir-of her interests-in pl

All the same, I like the young man, and always shall. The child is moping herself into a bad way. Where shall I

e. "There are others, sir, of good and suitable position, who would be thankful to take

arks are ready to say of a pretty girl, especially if she be rich as well. But don't you see, St. Ge

st be turning childish in his old age, said one; Delorane is doing a good and a wise thing, cried another. O

fly, this was its substance. The uncle, Matthew Brook of New York, was about to establish a house in London, in correspondence with his own; he had

will strive to prove my gratitude in loving care for her; and I trust you will not object to her living in London. I leave New York next month, to b

give up your post, young man, and settle down by me here, if you are to have Ellin. I don't see, St. George, why Brook should not make himself into a lawyer, legal and

s. "I never feel too sure of my own future," he said in reply. "Now that I am at my ease

come and talk to him as soon as he returned. "The young fellow may have left New York before it can re

ng William Brook again, and the wedding that was to follow. Sam

winter have not come. Never a finer September than we had that autumn at Timberdale; the skies looked bright, the leav

to say that his return home was somewhat delayed, as he should have to take Jamaica en route, to transact some business at Kingston for his uncle. He should then proceed direct from Kingston by steamer to Liverpool, which pla

some relatives living in, or near Kingston-planters, I believe. Tell him I shall c

eemed to have taken possession of her: and without cause. One day, when we called at Mr. Delorane's to tak

"I hear you have taken up the notion that Swee

nt Hester must have told you that fabl

caps together for the best part of an hour-and

put in, "it is hardly th

e answered gravely. "But, somehow,

on earth do

, saying his return was delayed, a sort of foreboding seized hold of me, an apprehension that he would never

ou good, Ellin?" cried Tod, which was our Worcestershi

, Johnny!" she excl

elf, Miss Ellin, and see which talks the most sense

quickly. "Who told you anyt

"It's true

"I have had those strange dreams for

liam Broo

imberdale, sometimes at Worcester-in America, in France, in places that I have no knowledge of. There a

u had better sense. They will soon vanish, once Sweet William makes hi

eared attired in her crimson silk shawl with the fancy

n phaeton for a place called Pigeon Green, to spend the day with some friends living there. On this same morning, as it chanced, a very wintry one, Mr. St. George started for Wo

ey: the skies looked grey and threatening, the wind was high and bitterly cold. Worcester reached, he drove straight through the town