The Man Between: An International Romance

dding. Ruth thought some inquiry ought to be made, and Judge Rawdon called at the Holland House. There he wa

u not send us word you we

be typhoid. Nothing of the kind, howeve

t coals in his mouth, and he felt that he could not restrain them much longer. Hastening to his hotel, he locked himself in his rooms, and passed the night in a frenzy of pass

and forwards he paced the floor to such imprecations and ejaculations as welled up from the whirlpool of rage in his heart, hour following hour, till in the blackness of his misery he could no longer speak. His brain had become stupefied

p again, and that in all its farces he must play his part. At first the thought of Mostyn Hall presented itself as an asylum. It stood amid thick woods, and there were miles of wind-blown wolds and hills around it. He was lord

here. 'Tis a country where the impossible does not exist, and the unlikely is sure to happen-a country where marriage is not for life or death, and where the road

which he felt a sort of right. He asked Ruth if he might eat dinner with them. He said he was hungry, and the hotel fare did not tempt him. And when Judge Rawdon returned he welcomed him in the same generous spirit, and the evening passed delightfully away. At its close, howeve

n the afternoon, Fred. Suppose I ca

well

face when he heard the request for a business interview, and after the young man's departure he lost himself in a reve

d at Madam, his moth-er's house in Gramercy Park. A visit at such

Whereupon Madam sat down, and became suddenly about twenty years younger, for "business" was

jaculated sharply

y the business of

ust as I want it, and I am not going t

been the home and seat of the family for many centuri

roud Alethia Mostyn, who suffered twenty years' martyrdom from Squire John; and Sara, who took thirty thousand pounds to Squire Hubert, to fling away at the green table; and Harriet, who was made by her husband, Squire Humphrey, to jump a fence when o

you forget your own marriage. It was a happy one, I am sure. One Rawdon, at least, mus

treated Mary

not even

r 'she moped too much.' As the end came I spoke to you, and you pooh-poohed all I said. She went suddenly, I know, to most people, but she knew it was her last day, and she longed so to see you,

hat bitter day? I did not thi

sbands. They make landlords, and judges, and soldiers, and even loom-lords of a very respectable sort; but hu

ike it to go out

t worry myse

has a mortgage on it that the pr

and pounds on the old place. I told hi

nors and manor-houses

born and brought up nea

lace; yet if Fred forces a sale, it may go for t

buy it

to-morrow if I had the me

terest in Rawdon Court. Very well, then, it cannot be far wrong for Fred Mostyn to have it. Man

lp from you, then,

Rawdon by, marriage. The birth-

u have failed me for the

been for you, Ed

s-goo

ptorily, and he returned

't you a

nk I had the r

I. See what she says. She'

securities, but it would be at a sac

and, as I said, she

father we

ave said to you I would have said to him. Speak to Et

ke to speak

ou find you'll have to do, that carries th

n. You are not quit

o wonder if I'm a bit cross this morning. But

an Rawdons she felt it would prove a white elephant; and the appeal to Ethel was advised because she thought it would amount to nothing. In the first place, the Judge had the strictest idea of the sacredness of the charge committed to him as guardian of his daughter's fortune. In the secon

and many a time, but never once have the Mostyn men married a Rawdon girl-proud, set-up women, as far as I remember; and Ethel has a way with her just like them. Fred

he afternoon he wished to have some idea of the trend matters were likely to take. His policy-cunning, Madam called it-did not please her. She immediately assured herself that "she wouldn't go against her own flesh and blood for anyone," and his wan

to annoy, "I suppose it was. I felt it very much. Dora was t

case. I'm not one that wants the city to myself, but

utiful of God

yes. You can pick her sort up by the thousand in any large city. And a wandering-hearted, giddy creature,

It is beyond measur

fellow! He'll soon be as ready to curse his wedding-day as Job was to curse his birthday. A costly wife she will be to keep, and misery i

k to you about

d that he and I were sweethearts when we we

on Court is mo

ou say so-mor

. I find that I can get twice yes, three times-t

know they ar

s put me up to se

an come that road, you are a bigg

one to call me a fool, es

good things Bryce Denning offers you in exchange for a grand English manor, take them, and then if I called you not fool before, I will call you fool in your teeth twice over, and

e it will have to be sold, he is

Squire Percival, he will go to the poor-house first. Fred, you would sure

y, or else I wa

t or having it, but, for goodness' sake, wait unti

visiting him, also that he has asked a great many questions about the Judge and Ethel. He is evidently trying to prevent

t. You can make your mi

r to get my own I thought at once of Ethel. It seemed to me that if we could love each other the money claims of Mostyn and the i

ve loved you as a husband should be loved. She was a

e a favorable im

men, tall, erect six-footers, with a little swing and swagger to them. She th

w what she thought. I c

is safe. It is in one place, and in such shape as it can't run away nor be smuggled away by any man's trickery. Now, then, turn your eighty thousand pounds into dollars, and divide them among a score of securities, and you'll soon find

it as far as I can. This afternoon the Judge h

unsel about the 'good things' Bryce Denning offers you. And you may safely listen to it,

imself that his own relationship with them was merely sentiment. He had now nothing to hope for in the way of money. Madam's apparently spontaneous and truthful assertion, that the Judge cared nothing for Rawdon Court, was, however, very satisfactory to him. He had be

It was contracted, subtle, intricate, but he came forward with a congratulation on Mostyn's improved appearance. "A

d t

seems as if that would be a grand summer programme. But my lawyer writes me that the man in charge at Mostyn is cutting too much timber and is genera

king of that

hat we are almost like one family, and Rawdon Court lies, as it were, at Mostyn's gate. The Squire is now old, and too easily persuade

awdons? I have no acq

he mills, and one of them was clever and saved money and built a little mill of his own, and his son built a much larger one, and made a great deal of money, and became Mayor of Leeds. The next generation saw the Tyrrel-Rawdons the largest loom-lords in Yorkshire. One of the youn

nt concerning Mostyn politics. I take l

n interest in my affairs and give me you

even this picture interested me at all. You know I am an American, born on the soil, and very proud of it. Then, as you are acquainted with all the ins and outs of the difficulties and

haps he might have written to you on the matter.

am not the last male. From what you say, I think the

ided. It would be a great of

considered? A Rawdon

pinner, sir! A

iving bread to a thousand families, is a vastly more respectable and important man than a fox-hunting,

are American, n

k at things from very

d to lift the mortga

ntemplated. I confess, however, that if the Court has to be sold, I should like the Tyrrel-Rawdons to buy it. I dare say the picture of the offending youth is still in the gallery, and I have hear

at the Mostyns should succeed the Rawdons. We have, as it w

iment. Gold at last wil

your gold

old; cert

decisive words They

urn to Mostyn to look after your affairs is equally good. If I were you, I should follow my inclinations. If you put your heart into anything, it is well done and enjoyed;

I may leave for Newport to-morrow. I s

try to-morrow, to look after a little cottage on the Hudson we occupy in

The Yorkshire spirit which Ethel had declared found him out once in three hundred and sixty-four days and twenty-three hours was then in full pos-session. The American Judge had disappeared. He looked as like his ancestors as anything outside of a painted picture could do. His flushed f

und the impudent rascal! Does he think I will see Squire Rawdon rogued out of his home? Not if I can help it! Not if Ethel can help it! Not if heaven and earth can help it! He's a downright

arms of his chair, and gave himself a peremptory order of control. In a short time he rose, bathed his head and face in cold wa

hink Ethel and I and the law will be a match even for the devil and Fred Mostyn." Then, as he slowly went downstairs, he repeated to himself, "Mostyn seems to be the natural owner of Rawdon. No, sir, neithe

but something was wrong. The room felt as if there was an iceberg in it, and he kept his right hand in his pocket. I be-lieve he was afraid I would shake hands with him-it is Ethel, I suppose. Naturally he

ong but well-controlled feeling. While servants were present it passed for high spirits, but

gage over Rawdon Court, and is going to press it in September-that is, he proposes to sell the place in order to obtain

e Squire?"

uth. He has n

o be done? Is there

" Then with gradually increasing passion he repeated in a low, intense voice the remarks which Mostyn had made, and which had so infuriated the Judge. Before he had finished speaking the two women had caught his temper and spirit. Ethel's face was white with an

-for this year, at any rate. I cannot touch it without wronging ot

ing, I would not car

in cash and negotiable securities. Your mother's fortune is all yours, with its legitimate accruements, and it was left at your

with all my heart to make his home sure to him as long as

Rawdon. Now, I propose we all make a visit to Rawdon Court, see the Squire and the property, and whil

lly mean that we ar

see that all is as Mostyn says. I mu

th, "and we can be ready for th

; more than all, I long to see Rawdon. I did n

y nothing about it to Mostyn. He will call to-morrow morning to bid

wish ever to see his face again, and I must see

advised me to ask you about the mor

are the Tyr

o a century ago had lost his world for Love, and Ethel said

our fathe

glad that Love did not always make them poor. They

disinherited for love's sake, came to America some time in the forties. I asked your grandmother if this story was true. She said it is quite tru

now what be

e gold fields of California. That was in 1850. He never wrote again. It is lik

-Rawdons. I think I shall like them. My heart goes out t

awdon women have frequently been daughters of Destiny. Many of them have lived romances that would be incredible if written down. Oh, Ethel, dear, we cannot, we cannot for our lives, let the old home fall into the ha

and to go as its savior was a consummation of the pleasure that filled her with loving pride. She could not sleep for her waking dreams. She made all sorts of resolutions about the despised Tyrrel-Rawdons. She intended to show the proud, in

r who sat in Rawdon's seat; but she would not hear Mostyn blamed for seeking his right. Money and sentiment are no kin," she added, "and Fred has no sentiment about R

d Squire! H

would not do anything out of the way to him-he could not; the county would

d, I think that is 'out of the way.' And Mr. Mostyn is not to

sked you to trust him. You l

, I am aston

my family are against him. It's natural for Yorkshire to help the weakest side.

eak without a drawl, and get rid of his monocle, and not pay su

pay them the greatest attention," she said. "It was a noble thing in young Tyrrel-Rawdon

en, every respectable young man and woman in the county would have married where their fanc

rrel's descendants seem to have

a, and I remember his mother getting into a passion about it. She was a fat woman in a Paisley shawl and a love-bird on her bonnet. I saw his sister often. She weigh

shall be able to judge for myself. Since then there have been two ge

rel-Rawdons are chapel people. The rector of Rawdon church would not marry Tyrrel to his low-born love, and so they went to t

thodists are most r

g nothing

dent is a

zed, confirmed, and married in the Church, and I was always taught it was the only proper Church for gentleme

difference to me, grandmoth

at some things make a great deal of difference. Do you know your fathe

ome. We will take such

want to make new acquaintances at my age, unless I have the picking of them. No, I shall get Miss Hillis to go with me to my little cabin on the Jersey coast. We'll take our knitting and the fresh novels, and I'll warrant we'll see as mu

ften, Granny, and t

Stanhope, but I wouldn't ask her to Rawdon

kno

s then opposite the store of a famous English saddler, and near her was an open carriage occupied by a middle-aged gentleman in military uniform. He appeared to be waiting for someone, and in a moment or two a young man came out of the saddlery store, and with a pleasant laugh entered the carriage. It was the Apollo of her dreams, the singer of the Holland House pavement. She could not doubt it. His face, his figur

t to leave all to Destiny. Toward the upper part of the avenue the carriage of her eager observation came to a stand before a warehouse of antique furniture and bric-a-brac, and, as it did so, a beautiful woman ran down the steps, and Apollo, for so Ethel had men-tally called him, went hurriedly

ager questioning answered. Then she was joyous and full of hope, for "these two silent meetings are pr

to feel too much interest in this ma

m sure he is

sure? You know n

lieve what I feel; and he is as much interested in

ever see h

im next winter, he evide

e interested in any man on unknown ground,

is summer at Newport and elsewhere. He will be glad to se

this morning. He left for Newport t

icious torpor; yet Nelly Baldwin told me she loved an Atlantic passage because she

omes more natural to be dull. Very soon all mentally accommodate themselves to being bored, dreamy and dreary. Then, as soon as it is dark, comes th

ere are games, and books, and compa

happy, until gradually a contented cr

husiastically. "I shall

e in my heart,

ng that mingles

the sense of

e sea is a contented cretinism, Ethel. But in ten days we may be in Yorkshir

romised myself that my Prince sha

hel, it is

me, and

ed One, com

good hope, Ruth, and my

hall

INTO THE GARDEN TO SEE I

Solomon