Chapter Twelfth.
"O credulity, Security's blind nurse, the dream of fools." Mason.
Mrs. Dinsmore carried out her plan of filling her house with companyduring the holidays. They were mostly young people, and the time wasspent in a constant round of festivities.
In these Mildred bore some share; for she thought it right that sheshould do her part in entertaining her aunt's guests. Nor did herconscience forbid innocent recreation at proper times and seasons,though she could not consent to make mere amusement the business of herlife.
Some half dozen or more of the neighboring gentry were invited for thewhole fortnight, while others came for an evening, a day, or two orthree days, and on Christmas Eve and New Year's night, large partieswere given.
It was on the latter occasion that Mildred noticed among the guests,for the first time, a handsome man, apparently about thirty years ofage, who was an entire stranger to her.
His broadcloth and linen were of the finest, a magnificent solitairediamond adorned the little finger of his right hand; he wore animperial and heavy moustache, and something foreign in his look andmanner, as well as the fact that he seemed to be paying assiduous courtto Juliet, suggested to Mildred the probability that he was the CountDe Lisle, of whom she had heard her make such frequent mention.
She was not long left in doubt as to that, for the next moment Rebawhispered his name in her ear, adding "Juliet is in the seventh heaven,of course."
"There is something sinister in the expression of his face," thoughtMildred, turning away. "I do not like it. Yet it is strangely familiartoo. Where can I possibly have seen it before?"
His attention had been attracted to her and he inquired of Juliet, "Whois that pretty girl in pink and white!"
"Pretty!" returned Miss Marsden with a scornful toss of the head. "Icannot say that I admire her style. She's a Miss Keith, a sort of faraway niece of Uncle Dinsmore: a Northern girl and poor, I imagine; forher father's a country lawyer with a large family."
Juliet was absolutely ignorant of Mr. Keith's circumstances, but itsuited her plans to make it appear that she was no heiress; quite herown inferior in the matter of wealth, whatever she might be in looks.
"Do not be offended, my angel," he whispered bending over her andspeaking with a slightly foreign accent which she had again and againextolled to Reba as "perfectly delicious," "I meant not that she washalf so beautiful or charmant as yourself."
"Ah, Count, you are a sad flatterer," she returned with a simper.
"No, no! pardon the contradiction, Miss Juliet, but de truth is neferflattery."
"A penny for your thoughts, Miss Keith," said a voice at Mildred's side.
"Ah, good evening, Mr. Landreth," she answered turning toward thespeaker. "You are welcome to them gratis. I am wondering where Ihave seen Miss Marsden's admirer before to-night, or if it is only aresemblance, real or fancied, to some one else that I see in him."
"I cannot tell, indeed," he said, furtively watching the man for amoment, "but there is something in his face that would make me sorryto see him ingratiating himself with a lady friend of mine."
"Excuse me, but I must ask you to move, as we are going to dance andwant this sofa behind you, put out of the way," said Reba, coming up tothem with two servants.
"Certainly," Mildred said, taking Mr. Landreth's offered arm.
They passed down the room and out into the conservatory beyond.
"Are you engaged for the first set?" he asked.
"No; nor for any other," she answered with a smile. "I do not dance,Mr. Landreth."
"It is not too late to begin," he remarked persuasively.
"No, it is too soon."
"You don't think it wrong?" he queried as in surprise, "here in yourhome as it were? It's different, is it not, from attending a ball?"
"Yes; but I might grow so fond of it as to want to go to balls. I thinkit safest for me to avoid the temptation."
Sets were forming as they returned to the drawing-room, and Miss Worth,who had been sent for, to play the piano, was just entering by anotherdoor.
She had kept apart from the guests, spending almost all her time in herown room; so that Mildred had seen very little of her for some dayspast.
She noticed on the instant of her entrance, that she was looking paleand worn; then that her pallor suddenly increased to ghastliness, ason stepping in, she came face to face with Juliet and the Count in thenearest set, standing side by side.
He, too, started slightly and turned pale for a moment as his eyes metthose of the governess; but neither spoke and pushing hastily past himshe sat down at the instrument.
She felt herself reeling in her seat and thought she should fall tothe floor; everything seemed to be turning round: but conquering heremotion by a great effort, she ran her fingers over the keys and dashedoff into a lively dancing tune.
Her head was in a whirl, a mist swam before her eyes so that she couldnot see the notes, but her fingers flew so fast that the dancers weresoon panting for breath in their efforts to keep pace with the music.
"Not so fast! not so fast!" called several voices, but though foran instant she slackened her speed, the next she was rattling on asbefore.
Set after set had been danced, Juliet and the count taking part in themall, and now he led her panting to a seat.
"I like not zose tunes so well as some other," he remarked. "May Iclaim ze privilege to speak to ze player zat she choose something else,and not play quite so rapid?"
"Oh yes, certainly," smiled Juliet sweetly.
Miss Worth was turning over her music in search of a waltz some one hadcalled for, when a voice spoke at her side; a voice that made her startand shiver, though she did not look round.
"Your execution was von leetle bit too rapid for us," it said in anordinary tone, then in a whisper, the lips close to her ear, "Meetme half an hour after the company disperses; behind the clump ofevergreens at the foot of the avenue."
"Yes," she answered, almost under her breath, and without so much asturning her head.
She saw as in a nightmare, a white hand, too large to be a woman's,with a solitaire diamond sparkling on the fourth finger, busied amongthe sheets of music before her, then it vanished, her strained earcatching the faint echo of the retreating step.
She kept her eyes on her notes, her fingers wandering mechanically overthe keys, calling forth low, soft strains of music, while the dancerspassed out into the refreshment room. She kept it up unceasingly untilthey returned; then changed to a waltz in obedience to directions, ascouples began taking their places on the floor. How long it lasted shedid not know, it seemed an age of suffering to her before she foundherself again alone in the solitude of her own room.
As she entered the clock on the mantel struck two. She glanced at itand sank into a chair by the fire.
"Half an hour," she sighed, shivering and crouching over the blaze."What an age to wait; and yet I'm afraid not long enough to let themall get to bed and asleep. What if I should be seen!"
She dropped her face into her hands with a low groan. It was someminutes before she lifted it again for another glance at the clock; awan, weary, haggard face, full of dread and distress, but with no tearsin the burning eyes.
Slowly the moments dragged themselves along till at last the minutehand pointed to the half hour, when she rose, wrapped herself in alarge dark shawl, putting it over her head listened at her door for amoment, to make sure that all was quiet, then glided softly down thestairs, let herself out at a back door, and creeping along close tothe wall of the house, then in the shadow of the trees that lined theavenue, gained at length the clump of evergreens at its farther end.
A biting north wind swept the hard, frozen ground, and rustled thedry leaves at her feet, as she stood leaning against a tree in anintensely listening attitude. It seemed to pierce to her very vitals,and shuddering and trembling with the cold, and nervous dread, she drewthe shawl more closely about h
er, while straining her eyes through thegloom to catch a glimpse of him whom she had come to meet; for therewas no light save that shining in the winter sky.
She had waited but a moment, when a stealthy step drew near, and a tallform wrapped in a cloak, stood before her.
"Here first?" he said in a cautious whisper.
"Yes," she answered, in the same low key, and with a sudden catching ofher breath, "Oh, why are you here?"
"For my own advantage," he answered half defiantly, "and," in athreatening tone, "you'd better have a care how you betray me."
"I have no desire to do so," she returned, with a weary sigh, "but youmust go, and at once; you will ruin me if you stay; you must see that."
"Pooh. I see no such thing. And must is a word you have no right to useto me. Keep your mouth shut, and all will go well."
"What is your object in coming here?"
"Plain enough, I should think," he answered with a sneer.
"You are deceiving that silly girl, and intend to marry her, simply forher money?"
"Exactly. Who needs money more than I?"
"And how long will it take you to squander it?"
"Depends upon how much there is," he returned with a sardonic laugh.
"And your luck at the gaming table, I presume," she said bitterly. "Youare acting most dishonorably toward the girl. She would not look at youif she knew--"
"That I am an American born citizen, eh? Well, am I any the worse forthat?"
"Not for that--not in my esteem; but you know, you _know_ that is notall, nor the worst by a great deal!" she cried in a tone of suppressedagony. "And you ask me to stand by and see you deceive this girl to herruin, never stretching out a finger for her help! I cannot do it. Iwill not! Go! go! you must! you must never show your face here again!"
"Be quiet!" he said angrily; for in her excitement she had raised hervoice to a dangerously high pitch. "And look at home," he went on:"remember that you are partly responsible for my ruin, and that you,too, are sailing under false colors."
"But not to the injury of any one; not with any evil intent," sheanswered, clasping her hands beseechingly. "And if you drive me fromhere, Harry, you will be taking the bread out of our mother's mouth. Itis surely enough that you do nothing for her support yourself."
"I'll help with that when I have secured this girl and her money," hesaid with an evil laugh. "Just you keep quiet and all will go well.Keep my secret, and I'll keep yours."
She leaned back wearily against the tree, clasping her hands moretightly over her throbbing heart; tears sprang to her eyes, her lipstrembled, but no sound came from them.
"Well?" he cried impatiently.
"Harry," she said, very low and tremulously, "I have been readinga good deal lately in an old book--one whose teachings we used torespect in our innocent childhood--and it tells me that 'the way oftransgressors is hard;' that though 'hand join in hand, the wickedshall not be unpunished'; that there is such a thing as sinning awayyour day of grace; and it says, 'Seek ye the Lord while he may befound, call ye upon him while he is near.' O, Harry, turn from yourwicked ways before it is forever too late. There is mercy even for you,if you will turn now."
Spell-bound with astonishment, he had heard her thus far in absolutesilence; but now he interrupted her with a savage oath.
"I didn't know you'd turned pious," he sneered. "And I didn't come hereto be preached to. If you know what's for your good you'll keep quiet;that's all I have to say. And now I'm off. I can't stand here catchingmy death of cold."
He was turning away, but she grasped a fold of his cloak.
"Harry," she said in a choking voice, "we used to be fond of eachother: I was very proud of my handsome brother; and--and we've beenparted for five years!"
"That's true, Gerty," he said in a softened tone, turning back andthrowing an arm about her waist; "let's kiss and be friends."
"Harry," she whispered, clinging to him, "do you know anything of--of_him_?"
"No; and don't want to!" he answered savagely. "You're not fool enoughto care for him now?"
"Women are fools," was all she said in reply.
And they parted; he disappearing in the direction of the road, shecreeping back to the house, and regaining the shelter of her room;fortunately without meeting any one on the way.
She was tired, oh, _so_ tired! her strength scarcely sufficient tobring her to the desired haven; but even there she could not rest. Shedid not undress or lie down, but crouched beside the fire, her handsclasped about her knees, her head bowed upon her breast, while themonotonous ticking of the clock told off the weary seconds, and thesmouldering embers burned out leaving nothing but the cold ashes on thehearth.