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BROWNIE'S
TRIUMPH
By MRS. GEORGIE SHELDON
AUTHOR

OF

"Nora," "«Trixy," "Earle Wayne's Nobility,"
" Stella Rosevelt," "Virgie's Inheritance,"
"His Heart's Queen, Etc.

Copyright 1879, z88o, 188r, zgot
By STREET & SMITH
Renewal Granted to
Mrs. Georgie Sheldon Downs
1907
BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
CHAPTER I
AN ENCOUNTER

"BROWNIE!

Brownie Douglas, wait a moment."

Time-three o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th of September, 1876.
Place-vestibule of the Memorial Hall, at the World's
Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, when all the world
did literally flock to behold the great sights in that city of
brotherly love.
The speaker of the above sentence was a young lady of
about twenty, tall, slender, and of aristocratic bearing.
The person addressed was a bright little fairy, who
looked not over sixteen, yet who in reality was two years
older.
She turned quickly toward the aristocratic looking lady
who had spoken.
"What is it, Aspasia? I have been waiting for you.
Where have you been ?" she asked, brightly.
"Oh, this is you, then? I thought that young lady just
passing out was you-these linen dusters deceive one so."
"You look heated and weary; will you not sit down and
rest ?" asked Brownie Douglas, regarding the flushed face
of her friend with an amused look in her dark, bright eyes.
There was never a greater contrast than between those
two young ladies.
One tall, fair, and languid, and dressed in the height of
fashion; covered with jewels, laces, flowers, and furbelows,
not to mention a three-quarters of a yard train, which,
3

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

with the other fixings referred to, demanded so much of
her attention that she could enjoy nothing of the wonders
and beauties around her.
The other, petite and dainty; her glossy brown hair
simply coiled at the back of her small head, which was
crowned with a hat of dark straw, trimmed with a wreath
of scarlet berries and shining dark green leaves. Her
half-fitting linen ulster protected, while it did not wholly
conceal her rich though simple dress of black silk, which
just cleared the floor, and did not hide the "two mites
of feet," incased in their tiny French boots. A pair of
gray silk gloves covered her little hands, and a simple
linen collar was fastened at her delicate throat by a richly
carved spray of coral, her only visible ornament.
"Are you ready to go on now ?" she asked her friend,
as she saw the frown upon her brow fade out, at being
once more set in moving order.
"Yes, butThere! Oh, dear !"
Miss Douglas, who was about moving on, turned again
at this cry of woe, and immediately a ripple of musical,
irrepressible laughter broke from her scarlet lips.
There stood her friend in the act of gathering up her
voluminous train, while directly behind her stood an unmistakable countryman, with one huge foot planted firmly
upon the ruffles and plaitings of the beautiful skirt, securely pinning it to the floor, and making it optional with
Miss Aspasia, either to go on and leave behind her that
(to her) very important appendage, or wait until that
herculean member should be removed.
The luckless, though innocent cause of this uncomfortable state of affairs, was gazing with wide eyes, and open
mouth, at the figure of an Indian upon the trail opposite
him, and wholly unconscious of the strong attachment
which bound him to the fashionable belle.
"I beg your pardon," said Miss Douglas, hastening to
the rescue, "but will you please lift your foot ?"
"Eh? What? Oh, ya-as," ejaculated the clumsy, but
good-natured fellow. "I declare, miss, I never saw so
many wimmen a losin' their clo's off before. I hain't ben
nowhere to-day but somebody's dress has ben tumblin'
va fit if
off on 'em, and I've stepped on't. I sh'd hey

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

5

'twar me, and I'm tarnal glad I wur born to a pair o'
breeches."
Miss Huntington colored angrily, and murmured something about "such insufferable insolence," whereupon the
irrepressible countryman offered a piece of friendly advice.
"Grandm'th'r 'd tell ye to sew it on stronger to the
bindin'-put on a button and make a buttonhole. That's
her way, and I don't believe she ever lost her petticoat in
her life."
Having delivered himself of these pithy remarks, he
moved away, and at this instant a suppressed laugh greeted
Miss Brownie's ear. Looking up, she caught two pairs of
mirth-gleaming eyes fixed upon herself and her unfortunate companion.
Two young men were standing near, and had been
amused witnesses of the comical scene just described.
On being discovered, one of them lifted his hat and
bowed low to Miss Douglas, who flushed a rosy red as she
returned it, and who would instantly have burst into gleeful laughter had it not been for doing violence to her companion's feelings.
As it was, however, she linked her arm in Miss Huntington's and turned quickly away, but not before she had
caught the look of unmistakable admiration with which
the other gentleman regarded her.
"Who is she ?" he asked eagerly of his companion, after
he had watched her out of sight.
"That full-rigged craft, with all her sail crowded on,
is Miss Aspasia Huntington, a Baltimore belle and heiress-"

"And the other ?" interrupted the first speaker, somewhat impatiently.
"Is---hold on to your ears, my boy-Miss Mehetabel
Douglas, of Philadelphia," was the startling announcement, accompanied with a smile of amusement.
"Thunder !"
" 'Tis rather an imposing cognomen for such a dainty
piece of flesh and blood, I admit."
"Her parents ought to be choked for giving her such a
name."

6

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"They are already defunct, and, I believe, in no way
responsible for the obnoxious appellation."
"How so?"

"Her father died before she was born, and her mother
at her birth; so the poor little waif fell to the tender
mercies of a maiden great-aunt on her father's side, who
immediately had her christened for herself, and proceeded
forthwith to bring her up, after her own ideas, to inherit
her million of money."
"But the other one called her Brownie ?"
"Yes; no one could 'Mehetabel' that sprite. Her nurse
called her Brownie from the first, on account of her eyes,
hair, and skin, for she was very dark as a child."
"Showed her good taste--the name just suits her," muttered the first speaker, absently.
"The little elf liked the pet name so well herself that
she would never allow any one to call her anything else.
I believe since she has grown up her schoolmates and a few
of her gentlemen acquaintances, who do not feel familiar
enough to address her so freely, shorten the obnoxious
old maid title into 'Meta.' "
"You seem to know all about her."
"Yes, my sisters are intimate with, and very fond of her.
As for myself, I always thought her a bewitching little
fairy."
"She has the sweetest and brightest face in the world,"
was the enthusiastic reply.
"Ah, ha! Hard hit, aren't you, Dredmond?"
"So hard that I should like another of the same kind.
Will you introduce me?"
"Certainly, the first opportunity."
"You say the old aunt is rich?"
"Immensely, and very aristocratic, too."
"Aristocratic, is she? The little one herself seems to
be simple enough; she put on no airs. How civilly she
spoke to that countryman."
"Oh, yes; she treats the rich and the poor alike. She
has been very kind to some poor working girls whom I
know, and yet she has a thus-far-and-no-farther way with
her, when the occasion requires, which even your high
blood could not overcome."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
"There's fun in her, though; how her bright face
dimpled and gleamed when that clown stood ballast for
Miss Huntington. Douglas, I believe, was the name of
the little one, was it not ?"
"Yes."

"It is a good one with us."
"A good one! I guess it is, my boy. Why, Miss
Mehetabel, the elder, claims to be a direct descendant from
the Scottish nobility."
"Aha ! is that so ?"
"Yes, indeed; but I warn you if you go there not to
bring up the subject of genealogy, for once started upon
that topic, there is no whoa until she brings up with an
ancient queen."
"Pshaw! you are talking gammon now," returned the
young man, impatiently.
"Indeed, I am not. I have seen the genealogical tree,
and I assure you she has as good blood flowing in her
veins as you have, notwithstanding she has been an inhabitant of plebian America for nearly half a century."
"Well, well, Gordon, we won't quarrel about their ancestry; there is beauty enough there, let alone blue blood."
"Yes. But I think we have discussed the subject sufficiently. Shall we go over to Machinery Hall now ?"
"Anywhere you choose; but stop ! What have we here ?"
Adrian Dredmond stooped and picked up the shining
something upon which he had almost stepped as they
turned to leave the place.
It proved to be a costly cuff button of black enamel and
gold. Upon the face of it was a large D, studded with
brilliants, while a tiny row of the same precious stones
was set around the edge.
Turning it over, the young man discovered the word
"Brownie" engraved in finest letters on the back.
" 'Ye gods and little fishes,' Gordon! I've found a
treasure !" and he held it up to view.
"Egad! that is so. That must have cost a cool hundred," exclaimed Gordon, examining it critically, then
added: "You are in luck, my boy. It is a good omen to
find something belonging to one whom you admire."
"Is it ?"

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
"Yes; but I suppose torture would not compel you to
give it up until you can put it into the owner's own little
hands," and the young man laughed.
"You are right for once," returned Dredmond, lightly,
although with heightened color.
"It will give me a good excuse for seeking an introduction," he added, as he carefully tucked the button into his
vest pocket.
Again Gordon laughed.
"Mark my words, Dredmond, something unusual will
come of your finding that trinket."
"What makes you think so?"
"I don't know-it is a sudden impression, perhaps, but
I believe it will have an influence on your future."
"You are superstitious," replied Dredmond, with a little
scornful curl of his handsome lips.
"If it should result in your carrying Miss Brownie
Douglas off to the old country with you, there would be a
buzzing about your ears, I can tell you; for not a few
have their eye fixed already upon the dainty elf with her
golden pile in prospect."
"Are you among the number, Gordon?" asked his friend,
with a keen glance at the young man.
"Not I, my boy; my star shines from another quarter,"
Gordon replied, laughingly, though growing red in the
face with the acknowledgment.
"I think then, my friend, you are getting up a little
romance upon your own account, and without much of a
foundation to begin with. If you were interested I should
not wonder, but as there is no jealousy in the matter it
seems a little singular that you should jump at conclusions
thus. I fear, Gordon, I shall have to set you down as a
masculine match-maker."
"Call me what you like, but I confess that I think you
and that little fairy would suit each other wonderfully
well. She is just the right kind of a little woman to
"
make a"Hush, my boy; do not reveal my secrets here," interrupted Adrian Dredmond, looking anxiously around.
"Well, well, come on then to Machinery Hall; but,

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
Dredmond, I think you are over modest about some
matters."
"It is a failing which will never harm anybody," the
young man replied, smiling; then linking arms in a
friendly way with his companion, they wended their way
to view that wonder of modern achievements, the Corliss
engine, and those countless other inventions of the human
brain.
CHAPTER II
BROWNIE'S THOUGHTS

IN A luxurious apartment of a modern house on Chestnut street, two hours after the incidents related in our
first chapter, Miss Mehetabel Douglas, the senior, might
have been seen sitting in a comfortable easy-chair, while
Brownie sat upon an ottoman at her feet.
The former was a woman of about sixty-five years of
age, with a delicate, high-bred face, surrounded by bands
of soft, silvery hair. She had dark gray eyes, which
always had a look in them as of some hope suddenly
crushed out of her life, while a patient, gentle expression
hovered about her thin, aristocratic lips.
Brownie had just been reading to her from "Patience
Strong's Outings," and now they were talking it over
together.
"Why is it, I wonder," said Brownie, reflectively, "that
so much sport is made of old maids ?"
"I suppose because the theory prevails, that every old
maid has failed to catch a husband, and is therefore a fit
subject for ridicule," Miss Mehetabel returned, a little
gleam of amusement lighting up her sad eyes.
"Pshaw! I know any number of people, who are no
more fit to be wives and mothers than so many children;
and yet every one has managed to secure a husband, while
there are plenty of 'old maids' in the world, so patiently
living out their lonely lives, who would make such strong,
helpful wives, such wise and tender mothers.
Now,
auntie, you would have made such a splendid wife for

10

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

some good man; and you ought to have had at least a
dozen children. What a charming household it would
have been, for you would have governed so wisely and
so well. I don't believe nature ever intended you for an
old maid."
A spasm of pain contracted the old lady's brow, but
she replied, quietly:
"Perhaps not; yet there is, doubtless, some wise reason
for it. What would have become of you, dear, if I had
had a large family of my own ?"
"Oh, I should have only made up the baker's dozen,
and it seems such a pity that so much native talent should
all be lavished upon one poor little waif like me," Brownie
said, with a little laugh.
"If I had had the number you assign mee, dear, and
they had all proved the blessing to me that you have been,
I fear it would have been too much happiness for one
"
human being; and yet
The old lady did not conclude her sentence, but heaved
a deep sigh, while unshed tears stood in her beautiful eyes.
"Auntie, why were you an old maid ? I don't understand it-it must have been no one's fault but your own."
"My own fault, Brownie! You don't know-child, you
don't know," cried Miss Mehetabel, sharply, while a deep,
dry sob, that was almost a groan, burst from her lips.
Brownie was startled at her deep emotion. She had
spoken lightly, and with no thought that she was probing
an old wound.
She sprang up quickly, and seeing the fair old face
above her almost convulsed with agony, she twined her
arms about her neck, saying, remorsefully:
"Auntie, dear, forgive me! Have I touched some hidden spring of sorrow ? I would not have wounded you so
for the world."
"Dear child, would you like to read a sad page in an old
woman's history?"
"No, dear auntie, do not talk of anything that gives you
pain. Forgive me for speaking in a way that should recall
anything to distress you," said the young girl, sadly.
"You did not think to pain me, and I am glad now that

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

i

the conversation has taken this turn, for I would like you
to know something of what my past has been."
"Let us wait until some other time-you are tired and
ought to rest now," pleaded Brownie, recoiling from a
revelation she believed would be painful.
"No, Brownie, something prompts me to tell you now,
and I will obey the call. The book of my life is almost
written, love, and it will do me no harm to review it once
more before it is closed forever. I have borne my sorrow
alone for forty-five years, and it seems as if it would do
me good to breathe it to some one who would give me sympathy and remember it tenderly when I am gone."
Brownie's little hand fluttered down upon Miss Mehetabel's lips, and the tears sprang to her eyes.
"Let us not talk about it, auntie; I don't like you to
speak about going away from me. I should be desolate
without you, if I had ever so much money," and the bright
face wore a look of pain.
Miss Douglas drew the shining head down to her, and
kissed the sweet lips.
"Well, well, so be it, though it must come sooner or
later; but we will talk no more of it now. You are very
precious to me, darling, and your love has been the only
brightness of my life for the past eighteen years," she
said softly. "Go lock the door," she added, after a moment, "so that we may be uninterrupted; then draw a chair
beside me, and I'll tell you how I came to be an old maid.
It may be a lesson that will do you good."
Brownie glided softly to the door and turned the key.
Then she drew a low rocker and seated herself beside Miss
Douglas, while a feeling of solemnity took possession of
her, as she realized that a hidden page of life was about to
be turned back for her to read.

CHAPTER III
THE AUNT'S STORY

"You know who the Douglases are?" began Miss Mehe.
tabel, bracing herself up, with a look of pride.

12

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"Oh, yes; you have always given me to understand that
they belonged to a very honorable race."
"An honorable race, indeed! Why, child, they are the
descendants of a queen-a Scottish queen! Lady Margaret
Douglas was the daughter of Queen Margaret Tudor, and
back to her we can trace our ancestry. Never forget it,
child-never forget that you are descended in a direct line
from the royalty of Scotland."
Brownie did not reply to her last remark, for it was a
hobby with her proud kinswoman, and once thoroughly
started on the subject, she knew the family tree would
have to be brought out, and the wearisome task of tracing
the Douglas race for three long centuries would have to
be rehearsed. So she wisely held her peace.
"Yes, the descendant of a queen !" she repeated; "and
many of our ancestors intermarried with the English nobility, so that to-day, Brownie Douglas, there runs no
better blood in any veins than in yours and mine.
"Before I left the old country, dear, I mingled with the
proudest circles of the land. I was presented at Court, and
during a brilliant London season I was introduced to the
young Lord of Dunforth, son of the fifth Lord of Firth.
"His name was Royal-they called him Roy-and he
was rightly named, for he was fit to be a king!
"From the first hour of our meeting we loved each
other, and we were betrothed, by the consent and approval
of both his friends and my own, after an acquaintance of
six months. Our marriage was to be delayed for a year,
until Roy should complete his course at Oxford, when he
would come in possession of a fine estate in Essex. We
exchanged letters frequently, and the words he penned
were like a feast to my soul. I have them now, every
one, and they are all that I have left of the love, the glorious love, which I once fondly hoped would brighten my
life to its end. In the same circle in which we moved,
there was a very handsome girl, by the name of Lady Helen
Capel. She belonged to a very wealthy and honorable family, and it was said that before Lord Dunforth was introduced to me he used to pay some attention to her. From
the very first of my acquaintance with him she evinced an
intense dislike toward me.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

13

"Report said that she wanted to win him for herself,
and I believe in my heart that was why she was so
haughty and disagreeable whenever we met.
"Lord Dunforth finished his course at Oxford with
great honor to himself, and preparations were began for
our marriage, which was appointed to take place just before the Christmas holidays.
"One evening we attended a ball given by Helen Capel's
aunt, Lady Ruxley.
"On entering the ballroom I had given my card to Roy
to fill out such sets as he wished for himself, and then
as others were introduced to me, they put their names in
the blanks that were left.
"Soon after, Charles Capel came up with a handsome
but rather rakish-looking gentleman, whom he introduced
as the Count de Lussan. Roy had left me for a few minutes to speak to some one he knew, or what followed never
would have happened.
"The stranger immediately requested the pleasure of
dancing with me, and I innocently assented, never for a
moment dreaming that any one would be present in Lady
Ruxley's rooms with whom it would not be proper for
me to dance.
"I gave him my card, and he put his name down against
a waltz, while a peculiar smile curled his lips.
"Not many minutes after Helen Capel sauntered toward
me, and sat down by my side.
"For the first time in her life she was gracious to me,
aid, bearing her no ill-will, I chatted freely with her for
quite a while.
" 'Have you danced much?' she asked, holding out her
hand for my card.
" 'Several times,' I returned, with a smile, as I gave it
up to her.
"She ran her eyes hastily over the names, and I could
see her scowl every time she read Roy's. Then, suddenly
looking up, she exclaimed, aghast:
" 'Why, Miss Douglas, will his lordship permit you to
dance with the Count de Lussan?'
"The form of the question nettled me exceedingly, and
I replied, somewhat haughtily:

14

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

" 'His lordship will permit me to dance with whomsoever
I choose, Miss Capel.'
"She laughed a silvery, wicked laugh, and fixing her
bold black eyes upon me, said, in an exasperated way:
"Pardon me, Miss Douglas, but I do not believe Lord
Dunforth, who is very arbitrary when once his will is
aroused, will permit his betrothed to dance with any one
who bears the reputation which Count de Lussan bears.'
" 'But your own brother introduced me to him, Miss
Capel!' I exclaimed, indignantly.
" 'Charles? I'm astonished at him; but I presume the
count asked him, and he did not like to refuse. Why, he
is a notorious blackleg, and how he ever gained admission
here, is more than I can tell.'
"I was startled at this intelligence, but I would not show
it before her, nor yield one iota; and looking up at that
moment, I saw Lord Dunforth and Count de Lussan both
approaching me.
"Miss Capel remained by my side, evidently desirous of
seeing the little game played out.
"The count reached me first, and bowing low, offered
me his arm, saying his turn had come.
"I glanced nervously into my lover's face as I hesitatingly took the count's arm, fearing that all was not right,
and my heart stood still, as I noted its expression of blank
dismay and stern displeasure.
"He hastened forward, and taking my card, hastily
scanned the names upon it, and his brow grew dark with
wrath, as he read Count de Lussan's against a waltz.
"Bowing haughtily to my companion, he said, with compressed lips:
" 'Excuse me, but I must ask you to release this lady
from her promise to dance with you.'
"The count's eyes flashed fire, and his face grew crimson, as he answered, coldly:
" 'I cannot do so, my lord, except at the lady's own
request.'
" 'She does request it through me-by my desire,' replied Lord Dunforth, sternly.
" 'Miss Douglas, do you command me to release you?'
asked the count, turning to me with that same disagreeable

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

15
1

smile upon his lips that I had seen there when he had
written his name against the waltz.
" 'Tell him yes, Meta. I cannot allow it, and will give
you my reasons the first opportunity,' whispered my lover,
in pleading tones, in my ear.
"I was on the point of yielding. Oh, why was I so
blind that I did not? I had half withdrawn my hand
from the count's arm, when I heard a low, mocking laugh
near by.
"Glancing up, I saw Helen Capel watching every motion, catching every word and tone, a smile of mocking
triumph on her handsome face.
"In an instant I remembered my boast to her, that 'Lord
Dunforth would permit me to dance with whomsoever I
chose,' and in that fatal moment I resolved to show her
my power over him; that I had a will of my own.
"Lifting my head a trifle haughtily, I said:
" 'My lord, I have promised Count de Lussan that I
will waltz with him, and I cannot break my word.'
" 'Meta, Meta, don't do it!' he begged, in a whisper.
" 'I must,' I answered, coldly.
"" 'I command you not !' he said, in a tone which the
count caught, and curled his lip in scorn.
"I bowed coldly, all the antagonism in my nature
aroused by his command, then turning to my companion,
I said:
" 'The music is inspiriting, count. I am ready,' and
encircling my waist with his arm, he whirled me into the
midst of the giddy dancers.
"I had always loved to waltz; but, oh! how I have
hated it sinice then. And this is the reason, dear, why I
would never allow you to learn. It is not decent for
young girls to be encircled in the arms of men of whom
they know nothing.
"As we waltzed I became aware of strange, surprised
glances following us; whispered words of censure greeted
my ears, and a tremor of uneasiness took possession of
me, which merged into absolute terror when I reached the
spot where Lord Dunforth still stood.
"He was like a piece of statuary, his noble brow overcast, and his fine lips white and set as if in pain.

16

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"Count de Lussan released me, thanking me for the
great pleasure I had given him, and then moved away.
"My lover did not speak one word to me until the music
struck up again, and the attention of the people around us
was attracted in other directions.
" 'Will you oblige me by withdrawing from the company?" he asked then.
"I arose at once and took his arm.
" 'Oh, Roy, what have I done?' I exclaimed, in deep
distress at his coldness, my heart thrilling with a terrible
pain.
" 'You have disgraced yourself and me-the Count de
Lussan is the lowest blackleg in London.'
"I lifted my eyes and searched my lover's face after
those, to me, words of doom. It was as inflexible as marble, not a gleam of love, kindness, or forgiveness. He
was like a stern judge pronouncing sentence upon me, and
the thought burst like lightning upon me, searing my very
soul.
"I had lost him forever! and throwing out my hands
toward him, I sank with a low moan of agony at his feet
before he could even put forth an arm to save me."

CHAPTER IV
THE LEGACY OF JEWELS

"IN FALLING my head struck against the base of a
pillar, cutting a severe gash in my forehead, which, with
the blow, nearly cost me my life---there is the scar now,
dear."
The old lady lifted the silvery hair from her forehead,
revealing a white seam about an inch in length.
Brownie reached over and pressed her red lips upon it.
The act nearly unnerved Miss Mehetabel again.
"I was taken to a room in the house, she went on,
"put to bed, and a physician sent for, but it was hours
before I recovered consciousness, and the doctor said I
had had a marvelous escape.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

17f

"I lay for days listening, trying to catch the echo of
Roy's footsteps, and once or twice I fancied I heard it,
and the deep, rich tones of his voice, asking some eager
question. Then the sound would die away, and I thought
my ears and my longing heart had deceived me, for he
never came, and I was too proud and hurt to send for him.
"At last one day my maid brought me in a little note.
"I saw and recognized the handwriting as soon as she
opened the door.
" 'Give it to me, quick!' I cried, my heart bounding at
the sight of it.
"With trembling fingers I tore it open and read these
cold, formal words:
" 'Will Miss Douglas kindly favor me with an interview, if she is strong enough to endure it? and oblige,
"'ROYAL

DUNFORTH.'

"I nearly shrieked at the icy words-my nerves were
still unstrung, and they hurt me as nothing else had ever
done before.
"Was he coming to blame me-to charge me with the
disgrace I had brought upon him and myself, and then
cast me off forever? Had I sinned past all forgiveness?
I asked myself again and again.
"I seized a pencil and wrote:
"'Yes, come at once, if you can forgive your repentant
" 'META.

"I folded and enclosed it in an envelope, without sealing
it, and giving it to a maid, told her to carry it down to
Lord Dunforth, who, she said, was awaiting an answer.
"I did wrong to send him a written reply. I ought to
have gone to him, even if I had been obliged to crawl
upon my hands and knees to do so; but I was weak-I had
not yet left my room, was able only to sit up for an hour
or two at a time, and I thought, of course, he could come
to me. I never dreamed of treachery."
"Treachery, auntie !" exclaimed Brownie, who was intensely interested in the sad tale.

18

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"Ah, treachery, child, as you will soon see, and I might
have known it, too, had my wits been about me.
"The maid came back almost immediately.
"I looked up in surprise as she entered.
" 'Why are you back so soon?' I demanded.
" 'I met Miss Helen on the stairs,' she answered, 'and
she told me Lord Dunforth was in the drawing-room, and
she would take the note to him."
"I could not say anything, but I did not like it even
then; I did not like Helen Capel to be the bearer of any
message from me to my lover. I liked her far less since
the ball than I had ever done before, for I believed she
had tried to make all this trouble for me. I had refused
to see her during my sickness, although she had called a
number of times, and had also sent me beautiful flowers.
"I lay two hours, listening for my loved one's tread 'on
the stairs. I had not a doubt but that he would obey my
message and come to me. But at last I heard gay voices
in the hall, then his deep, rich tones gravely saying 'good
morning' to some one, after which came the sound of
closing doors, and I knew he had gone.
"With a heart like lead, I bade the maid go down and
ask Miss Capel if she had given Lord Dunforth my
message.
"She came back, saying that Miss Capel said, 'Certainly,
she had given his lordship the message.'
"Then it came to me that I had made a condition in my
note-I had said if he could forgive me, to come to me.
"He could not forgive me, therefore he would not come,
and, without even a word of farewell, he had left me
forever.
"I cannot tell all that I suffered, Brownie. I know I
raved against the injustice of Heaven in permitting such
sorrow to come upon me, and in shutting out the light of
my life from me. I cursed Helen Capel, her brother, and
the Count de Lussan for their part in the drama; but most
of all, I cursed myself for having allowed myself to become
their dupe.
"I insisted at once upon returning to my own home,
where I was again prostrated, and for another long month
lay sick and weak, and praying to die; and thus my wed-

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

19

ding day passed. Oh, who can tell the blackness of despair
which came over me as that day came and went. I was
to have been a happy wife, proud and blessed in the love
of a noble man. Instead, I was a heart-broken girl, wailing out my life in loneliness. A homeless beggar in the
street was not more wretched than I.
"Another month went by, and I was at length thought
able to ride out; and one day my father took me out to
Richmond 'ark, where we spent an hour or two driving
about.
"On our return, when about two miles from the city,
I saw Lord Dunforth's elegant carriage, with its span of
black horses, approaching. He was driving himself, and
a lady whom I did not know sat by his side.
"With my brain on fire, and my heart quivering with
pain, I sat like a statue, watching his every movement, noting his every expression.
"He gave a sudden start, which I could see shook his
whole frame, while an expression of pain passed over his
features. His face grew pale as my own, and he leaned
forward with an eager look in his eyes, as if about to
speak. Oh, if I had only smiled, if I had but spoken one
word, all would have been well even then; but I did not,
and drawing himself erect again, he inclined his head with
haughty grace, and was gone.
"Many times I longed to write him a line, begging him
to come to me, if only for an hour, that I might hear him
say he forgave me; many times I had the pen in my hand
to do so, but pride whispered, 'you are sick and feeble, it
is his place to come to you, not yours to beg his presence;'
and so we, who to-day might have been united and loving,
were parted forever.
"My parents decided soon after to take me abroad, as
the physician said my health would never improve unless
I had some change, and we set sail for the United States
early in May.
"In July, after our arrival here, they both sickened and
died very suddenly, and I was left alone a stranger in a
strange country.
"I could not return to England, where I had suffered
and lost so much, and I could not remain here alone. Ae-

20

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

cordingly, I wrote to my brother, begging him to take his
family and come to me. I had often heard him say he
would like to live in America. I commissioned him to
settle the estate, as far as I was concerned, to the best of
his ability, and bring me the proceeds when he came.
"To my great comfort, he consented to my request, and
in October arrived in New York with his wife and childtheir son, who was your father, Brownie.
"We decided to make our home in this city, having
spent some time in traveling, and finding no other place
we liked so well; and here they lived until God called them,
and here I have lived ever since.
"Five years after our arrival we heard that Lord Dunforth had married Helen Capel's cousin, Lady Leonie
Herford, and just three months later I learned that but
for Miss Capel's treachery I might have been his wife."
"Oh, auntie! only just three months after his marriage !" exclaimed Brownie, in deep distress.
"Yes, dear, those three months were all that stood between me and my future happiness; but what matters it if
it had been but a day, or an hour even, if it were that
much too late?
"I found out that Miss Capel never gave that note of
mine to Lord Dunforth, but told him instead that I utterly
refused to see him then and ever after.
"When he met me driving afterward, and I did not even
recognize him, but sat so cold and indifferent, he was confirmed in the truth of her statement. I"was told that it
was a terrible blow to him, for he loved me, and would
have made me his wife notwithstanding all that had passed.
He left England almost immediately after we sailed for
America, and did not return until a year before his marriage."
"Who told you all this, auntie?"
"A friend of his lordship told my brother, who met him
while he was traveling in this country. He did not know
the truth of the matter regarding the note I sent, until
brother told him, and I do not suppose Lord Dunforth
knows to this day of Helen Capel's treachery, or that she
was the cause of our separation.
"Now, darling," concluded Miss Mehetabel, with a little

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

21

tremulous smile which was sadder than tears, "you know
the reason why I am an old maid."
"Did Miss Capel ever marry ?" Brownie asked.
"Yes, the year following Lord Dunforth's marriage;
but I have forgotten the name of her husband."
"If you had discovered her treachery before his marriage would you have sought a reconciliation ?"
"Certainly, dear, for I know that he loved me with a
love as true and strong as my own for him, and this
makes me think to caution you, never to let pride stand in
the way of your happiness. If I had hushed the voice of
pride, and written his lordship to come to me, when I so
longed to do so, all would have been well even then."
"I should like to have known Lord Dunforth, auntieI mean I should like to see the man whom you would
choose," the young girl said, musingly, and not heeding
the advice just given.
In after months she remembered it.
A look of keen pain swept over the old lady's face, but
she had fully recovered her self-possession now.
"Go and bring me a little ebony box, dear, which you
will find in the third drawer of my dressing-case," she
said.
Brownie arose to obey, and soon returned, bringing a
beautiful casket about twelve inches square and eight deep.
It was inlaid with pearl and gold, in lovely designs, and
was quite heavy for anything so small.
Miss Mehetabel took a delicate chain from her neck, to
which was attached a tiny golden key.
Her hand shook as with the palsy, as she inserted the
key in its lock.
"This has not been opened for forty years, my child,
and I feel as if I were about to look upon the dead," she
said, in a voice that shook, despite her efforts to control it.
"Don't open it now, then, Aunt Meta. I cannot bear
you to live over this sorrow for me," Brownie answered,
a feeling of awe stealing over her at Miss Mehetabel's
words.
"I will look once more before I die, dear, and I wish
to tell you about these things, which are to be yours when
I am gone."

22

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

She turned the key as she spoke, and lifted the jeweled
cover, and Brownie uttered a cry of delight at the sight
which greeted her eyes.
There, upon their blue velvet bed, gleamed such jewels
as she had never seen before.
In the center lay a beautiful diamond necklace, with
ear-pendants to match. Then there was a coral and diamond cross, with a hair ornament, in the shape of a butterfly, to match. A tiara composed of pearls, opals, and diamonds, with a cross for the neck. Rings of pearls, rubies,
sapphires, and emeralds; one, a large pearl, surrounded
by six small, pure diamonds, Miss Mehetabel took up tenderly in her hand.
"This," she said, while her lips quivered, "Lord Dunforth put upon my finger when he told me of his love.
It has never been there since that day, when I believed
he went away from me forever of his own accord. These
other jewels were given me in honor of my approaching
marriage, but I have never worn any of them, excepting
this coral and diamond cross which Royal gave me, and
which I wore to that ball, where I lost everything dear in
life. I have no use for them, and henceforth they are all
yours, dear, to do as you like with-if ever you feel that
you can wear them for my sake, I wish you to do so."
"Oh, auntie, they seem too precious for me to wear;
they seem like something sacred to me," the young girl
said, reverently, while her eyes lingered upon their beauty.
"Then you will prize them all the more, dear, and I am
glad that it is so-you will never wear them lightly, and
they will never grow valueless to you. You have the
cuff buttons already which Lord Dunforth gave me the
same time with the coral cross."
"Are those-did you give them to me?" stammered
Brownie, feeling that she had almost been sacrilegious in
wearing anything so precious, and not know it.
"Yes, dear, they were the only articles of his giving
which I ever permitted myself to wear, and then only a
few times. So, feeling that they ought to do somebody
some good, I had them marked for you for your last
birthday."
"I shall never wear them again without feeling that

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

they are tenfold more precious than ever before," the
young girl said, with starting tears.
She little knew that even then one of them was lost.
She had removed her linen ulster upon returning home,
and left her cuffs hanging in it.
Miss Mehetabel now lifted the velvet bed, and laid it
with all its glittering wealth upon the table near which
she sat. Beneath it lay a locket of blue enamel and gold,
studded with diamonds; a little bunch of dried flowers, a
crumpled card, and a pair of soiled white kid gloves.
"These," Miss Mehetabel said, touching the flowers, "I
wore in my hair that night, fastened with the butterfly;
and these are the gloves-they bear the last touch of his
hand. This is the card on which the Count de Lussan
wrote his name."
She took up the locket with a tender touch.
"This contains the face of the one man on earth to
me. Open it, dear-I cannot."
Brownie took it, the great tears rolling over her flushed
cheeks. It seemed so inexpressibly sad, and as if she, too,
were about to look upon the face of the dead.
She pressed the spring and it flew open. From one side
of it there gazed up at her the dark, noble face of a man
about twenty-five years of age.
The fair girl gazed upon it for several moments in
silence, then heaving a deep sigh, she said, sofetly:
"He was grand, auntie !"
"Put it away," said Miss Mehetabel, with white lips,
"and when I am dead come and get this chain and key,
and wear it around your own neck as long as you live."
Little did that fond old lady dream of the pain and
shame which that legacy of jewels would bring upon the
fair girl whom she so loved.

CHAPTER V
STAKED AND LOST

THAT night Miss Mehetabel died suddenly of heart

disease.

24

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

How the next few days passed Brownie never knew,
but it was all over at last.
There were no near relatives, only some distant cousins,
and these, knowing they had no claim upon the old lady's
money, did not deem it worth their while to come to the
funeral. So Brownie and Aspasia, who had proved herself a real comfort in these days of trial, sat alone, excepting the servants and a few intimate acquaintances, in
those great somber rooms, while those last sad words were
spoken above the dead.
And then they carried her forth to her last long home,
and laid her beside those other dear ones, who had been
gone so many years.
It seemed to Brownie as if she were almost the only one
living-as if all the world had died and were buried,
when she returned to that great house in all its lonely
splendor.
"Oh, Aspasia," she cried, throwing herself into Miss
Huntington's arms, with her first wild burst of tears,
"What shall I do? I have nobody in the world now to
love me."
"Don't talk so, darling," she said, her own tears flowing
in sympathy. "I love you better than any one else in the
world, and I will never forsake you."
She little knew how soon her words would be put to the
test.
"I know you love me, dear, but you cannot stay with
me; you will soon go home, where you have a fond
father and mother, brothers and sisters, while I have no
one. I have no object in life, Aspasia, now that auntie
is gone," and again the torrent of grief rushed forth.
Miss Huntington made her lie down, and soothed her
as she would a child. With her own dainty hands she
removed her boots, brought a soft pair of slippers and
put them on, then bathed her head, and worked over her
until she grew calm again.
Their conversation was interrupted by a servant coming
to tell them that Miss Douglas' presence was required in
the library to listen to the reading of the will. The summons made the poor girl's grief burst forth afresh.
"Oh, auntie, auntie !" she sobbed, "your money will be

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

25

nothing to me without you-gold without love is worthless."

"You will go down with me, Aspasia," she said, holding out her hand to her friend as she arose to obey the
request.
"Certainly, dear, if you wish," was the kind reply, and
the two friends descended to the library, to find Miss
Mehetabel's lawyer, the family doctor, and clergyman
awaiting their appearance.
Brownie greeted them with a graceful inclination of
her head, then seated herself to await their business.
Rev. Mr. Ashley approached and took her hand.
"My dear Miss Douglas," he said, and his voice shook
with sympathy as he looked into her sad face, "it was your
aunt's request that her will be read immediately after the
funeral ceremonies, and as our good friend, the doctor,
and myself were witnesses to that document, we were invited to be present at the reading of it."
Brownie bowed. She could not speak, for the tears
were choking her so.
What was wealth to her in her lonely condition.
She knew everything was willed to her, for Miss Mehetabel had told her so, but her generous little heart recoiled
from having so much, when there was no one but herself on
whom to lavish it.
Mr. Ashley retired to a seat, and signified to Mr. Conrad, the lawyer, that they were ready to listen.
He took up the legal-looking document from the table,
near which he was sitting, and began to read.
Everything, as she had expected, was given to Brownie,
excepting a legacy of five hundred dollars to each of the
trusty servants, who had been with her so many years.
All the plate, the house, with its elegant furnishings,
the stable, with its fine horses and carriages, were hers,
and she privileged to choose whom she liked to manage
her affairs in the future.
There was a long silence after the lawyer ceased reading.
Brownie sat listless, and gazing absently out of the
window, and feeling so strange and lonely, as if some
great burden had suddenly fallen upon her.
"Ahem! ah-Miss Douglas will you kindly give me

26

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

your attention for a few moments ?" asked Mr. Conrad,
breaking in upon her reverie, and speaking with great
embarrassment.
She started violently.
"Yes, sir; I beg your pardon for seeming inattentive,"
she said, and the color leaped into her face for a moment.
She waited a few moments, but he seemed suddenly to
have become as absent-minded as she had been.
She glanced at him, and was amazed at his appearance,
while the doctor and Mr. Ashley exchanged wondering
glances.
Mr. Conrad was an elderly man of about sixty; his
hair was gray, and his face was wrinkled, but it was a
noble face withal.
At this moment it seemed to be convulsed with pain.
His lips were drawn into a tight line across his teeth,
and were almost livid, while the cords stood out hard and
knotted upon his forehead, and the hand which held the
will trembled visibly.
Brownie forgot herself instantly when she saw his evident suffering.
"Mr. Conrad, are you ill? Let me call Jones to get you
something," she exclaimed, half rising to ring the bell.
"No, Miss Douglas, keep your seat. My illness is of
the mind, not of the body," he replied, in tones of deepest
pain.
Then, quickly rising, he went over and stood before
her, with bowed head, and hands clinched, as if he were
struggling with some terrible emotion.
"Miss Brownie," he continued, speaking very gently
and humbly, "I have a very humiliating confession to
make. I pray you, when you have heard it, to judge me
as kindly as you can, and whatever you do with me to
meet the claims of justice, if you will only say on your
own part that you forgive an old man, it will take the
heaviest burden of my life from my heart."
She could not understand what this proud, self-reliant
man, who for many years had had charge of all her aunt's
affairs, could mean by speaking in this humble, broken
way to her.
"You wonder at my words," he went on, "and yet you

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
look trustingly upon me; but it will not be quite so when
I tell you that I have betrayed that trust."
"Betrayed my trust !" she repeated.
"Yes, betrayed your trust, betrayed your aunt's trust,
and played the villain of the deepest dye. Miss Douglas,
I have made a beggar of you !"
"Conrad, man, are you mad ?" exclaimed Dr. Sargeant.
"Surely, my friend, you do not mean anything so bad
as you have stated," said the kind-hearted clergyman, in
grave tones.
"A beggar !" cried Miss Huntington, she alone taking in
the full sense of the word, and appalled at her friend's
calamity.
"Did you understand me, Miss Douglas ?" asked Mr.
Conrad, somewhat impatiently, and wondering at her
apathy, while he did not heed the questions of the others.
"Yes; you said I-I should not have my property," she
replied, avoiding the harsh words he had used.
"Heavens! how indifferent you are; I said I had made
you a beggar. Not a pauper in the streets has less than
you will have when the debts are all paid," he cried, sinking into a chair by her side, the sweat rolling off his face.
"Yes, yes, I know what you mean," Brownie said,
arousing herself when she saw how distressed he appeared,
then added: "But please, Mr. Conrad, do not look sodo not feel so badly about it. I know auntie trusted you
fully, and I am sure it was something you could not help;
I dare say, I shall not mind it so very much when I get
used to it," she concluded, gently.
The stricken lawyer groaned aloud. He had been prepared for tears, and sobs, and censure; and here the noble
girl was forgetting all her own wrong, and striving to
comfort him for his share in it.
"Dear Mr. Conrad, will you please explain this disagreeable affair to me? I see it is troubling you very much.
I do not understand much about business, but I will listen
attentively, and try to comprehend," she said, gently.
"God bless you, dear child, for your goodness to me,"
he said, taking her hand in one of his, while he wiped his
moist brow with the other. "I do not deserve it from you.
Yes, I will explain at once, and have this dreadful burden

28

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

off my mind; it has nearly crushed me for years. You
know, dear, that I have had the care of your aunt's property for the last forty years-in fact, nearly ever since she
came to this city to live."
"Yes, sir."
"Well, for thirty years I was faithful to my trust. Had
any one told me then that to-day I should be a thief, I
would have felled him to the ground and spurned him
with my foot. Ten years ago a dear friend of mine died,
leaving his only child in my care, together with a property
of fifty thousand dollars. I invested it in what I believed
to be a sound concern, but in less than a year it failed,
and my friend's child was penniless."
"How sorry I am," was Brownie's simple comment, and
deeply impressed in the lawyer's tale.
He smiled bitterly, but clasping her hand more firmly,
went on:
"I then did something which was not right, but which
I thought must succeed, and everything would be all right
again. I felt that I was entirely to blame for the loss of
my ward's property, and that I was in duty bound to
replace it. I had no ready funds of my own, but I knew
that your aunt, with her vast wealth, would not miss fifty
thousand dollars for a little while, and I resolved to use
it-speculate in what promised to be a very successful
operation, hoping thus to win back a portion at least of
what I had lost for my ward. I staked it and lost !"
"Ah !" ejaculated the clergyman, with a sorrowful shake
of the head.
"Whew !" whistled the doctor.
"Horrid man!" breathed Miss Huntington, under her
breath.
But Brownie only nestled a step nearer the poor man's
side.
"Driven desperate by this unfortunate circumstance,"
he went on, with a deep sigh, "I grew reckless, and invested a hundred thousand more of Miss Douglas' money,
but again I lost. Then a bank where I had deposited a very
large amount of her funds suddenly suspended payment;
but hoping that all would come out right by and by, I
kept all knowledge of the difficulty from her. You know

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

29

that the old lady loved the good things of this life, and
was not at all careful of the dollars; and she need not
have been, had I been faithful. But I continued to speculate with what ready money I could get hold of, and, with
her annual expenditure, her thousands have melted into
hundreds; and to-day, when she thought you would inherit at least a million, I have to tell you, that if I pay
the debts and the legacies to the servants, there will not
remain sufficient to feed you for a year. I, who always
prided myself upon my integrity and my incorruptibility,
have forfeited my character for probity and honesty, and
stand here before you a criminal worthy to suffer the extent
of the law."
He paused for a moment, but as no one spoke, he continued:
"This is my confession; and now I surrender myself
into your hands, to do with me as you will. I had no right
whatever to touch a penny of your aunt's money. I
was deeply distressed at the loss of my ward's property,
but I ought to have stopped there. However, having once
failed of success in using Miss Douglas' money, I kept on,
hoping, in my desperation, that some favorable turn in
fortune's wheel would enable me to replace everything."
There was an awkward silence when the old man concluded.
Dr. Sargeant and Mr. Ashley were horror-struck at the
revelation.
It had been deeply humiliating to the old an respected
lawyer to make this confession in the presence of these
witnesses, but the time had come when the state of affairs
could no longer be concealed. The property was all gone,
and Miss Douglas' death necessitated a settlement of some
kind, and it would have to come out that her niece and
reputed heiress was penniless. The house and everything
would have to be sold to pay the outstanding debts, and
she who had been cradled in the lap of luxury from her
earliest infancy, must now go forth into the cold world,
to buffet with its storms and bitterness alone.
Brownie's face was very grave as he concluded, and all
but the lawyer were watching her anxiously, to see how
she would bear the news.

80

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

She began already to realize the care that had thus
suddenly fallen upon her. She knew that henceforth she
must work with her hands for the bread which she ate;
and during the lawyer's story she had changed from the
gay and light-hearted girl to the grave and thoughtful
woman. But still her first thought was for others.
"I am so glad auntie did not know of this be-before
she died," she said, her lips quivering as she uttered those
last words.
Mr. Conrad looked up with an expression of bewilderment.
"It would have made her so unhappy, you know, on
my account," Brownie explained.
"What will you do with me ?" he asked, wearily.
"What will I do with you, Mr. Conrad ? I do not think
I clearly understand what you mean," she answered, with
a troubled expression on her sweet face.
"You know that the law takes care of people who do
as I have done. The crime of embezzlement is no light
one."

"Oh, dear Mr. Conrad, do not speak so! You meant
to commit no crime; you only wished to right some one
else's wrong. It was not, perhaps, just the right thing
to do without auntie's knowledge, but I can do nothing
"
with you only
"Only?" the lawyer asked, raising his haggard face,
and eagerly reading the lovely flushed one at his side.
"Only to be very, very sorry for you, my friend," she
said, softly, and with a little quivering smile.
Mr. Conrad looked upon her as if she had been an
angel-wonder, reverence, awe, all expressed upon his
countenance. Then, with a deep groan, the strong man
bowed his head and wept the bitterest tears he had ever
shed in his life.
He could have borne to hear= the felon's doom pronounced upon him with the face of a Stoic; but this sublime pity and forgiveness caused him to forget his manhood, and made a child of him.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

81

CHAPTER VI
LOVE HAD CONQUERED PRIDE
SARGEANT now came forward, saying:
"Miss Douglas, do you realize how serious this matter
is? Have you considered what your position will be in
the world henceforth ?"
He did not like to have the lawyer escape so easily.
"I realize, doctor, that I am no longer an heiress to
great wealth, as every one has thus far supposed-that
there is no longer a life of idleness and pleasure for me.
On the contrary, I must go out into the world and work
for my living," Brownie replied, lifting her grave eyes
to the doctor's face, while there was a touch of dignity
in her manner which he had never seen before.
"Mr. Conrad," he said, turning to the lawyer, "this is
a very grave matter. How do your own affairs stand?"
"Much the same as Miss Douglas'. I have nothing in
the world except what I earn from day to day. If I had
money of my own, do you suppose I would have touched
any one else's ?" he asked, a flash of indignation kindling
his eyes, and his fine form for a moment becoming erect.
"Pardon me. No. But who is this ward of yours ?"
"Miss Emily Eliot."
"Where is she now ?"
"In my own family. She has never known of her loss;
I have provided for her every need and want by the labor
of my own hands. I never intend that she shall know of
it while I live-if I am taken away it will have to come
out.
"And, Miss Douglas, turning eagerly to Brownie, "if
you do not utterly hate me for the trouble which I have
brought upon you, will you, too, come to my home and
let me provide the comforts of life for you? I can easily
do that ; I have no one but my wife and Miss Elliot, and
my business will give me enough to support you all conmfortably."
"It Is well thought of, Mr. Conrad," said Mr. Ashley,
apprc ingly.

DR.

82

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"Oh, Mr. Ashley, and you, doctor, you can never know
the suffering which this thing has brought upon me,"
Mr. Conrad continued, rising, and pacing the floor nervously. "I thought I was an honorable man-I am an
honorable man at heart now, but my zeal to do well by
my friend's child, my zeal that no one should suffer who
had placed their interests in my keeping, has led me to
commit a wrong for which I can never atone. Had it not
been that others were dependent upon me, my life would
have paid the forfeit years ago.
"If that bank only had not suspended payment, Miss
Douglas might still have had a competence; but everything has seemed to be against me. But, Miss Brownie,"
he added, turning again to the sorrowful girl, "you have
not yet answered my question. Will you come to me and
let me take care of you ?"
"No, dear friend; you have enough upon your mind and
heart now, and I cannot add to your burdens."
"It will not. I pray you, give me the satisfaction of
doing this much toward averting the consequences of my
wrong," he pleaded, earnestly.
"My dear," interposed the clergyman, impressively, "I
advise you, by all means, to accept Mr. Conrad's hospitality and protection. You are very young, and not at all
fitted to do battle with the world. It will never do for you
to try and support yourself; you are entirely ignorant of
the ways of the world."
"Mr. Ashley, there are hundreds, yes, thousands, as
young, and even more delicate than I, who not only support themselves, but assist in maintaining their father and
mother, brothers and sisters," returned Brownie. "I do
not claim to be of finer clay than my unfortunate sisters."
"But they have been brought up to it," interposed Mr.
Conrad.
"Some of them have, and some have not. God has
given me health; and, thanks to my aunt, who took infinite
pains with me, I have an excellent education; and, gentlemen, I really feel competent to take care of myself," the
young girl returned, proudly, yet with a more cheerful
look than she had worn since Miss Mehetabel's death.
In vain they pleaded and urged, both the clergyman

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

338

and the doctor offering her a home with them, if she
would not go with Mr. Conrad. She remained firm, and
they were filled with admiration at the strength of character which she displayed.
"I will try for a while," she said, seeing how bitterly
disappointed Mr. Conrad was; "and if I fail, I shall know
where to come for a home."
"You are not strong, you will break down under it,"
he said, gloomily.
"I think not," was the cheerful response. "I have
always sympathized with these poor girls, and now I shall
know, by actual experience, what their life is."
"What will you do ?" the lawyer asked, while great tears
rolled down his wrinkled cheeks.
"I do not know yet; I shall have to consider that point
a while."
Then, after a few minutes' thought, and pitying his
distress, she added:
"At all events, whatever I undertake, if I fail, I promise
you I will not refuse the home you offer me; and if I need
a friend I shall always know where to find him."
She held out her hand to him with a sweet, winning
smile, and again the strong man broke down, weeping like
a child, and there was not a dry eye in the room excepting
her own.
"What a foolish set we are!" exclaimed the doctor, after
a vigorous blowing of the nose. "This young lady shames
us all. Succeed? Of course, she'll succeed, and I say
God bless her-she is an honor to the name which she
bears."
After a few more remarks the gentlemen took their
departure, and the two girls were once more alone.
"Brownie Douglas, you surely did not mean what you
told Mr. Conrad !" exclaimed Aspasia Huntington, the
moment the door closed after them.
"I told him quite a number of things; to what in par-ticular do you refer?"
"Why, working for your living, to be sure."
"Certainly, I meant it; there remains nothing else for
me to do."

834

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"But Mr. Conrad offered to relieve you from all anxiety
about your future. Why did you not accept his offer ?"
"I will never be dependent upon any one but myself,"
Brownie said, haughtily.
"But you will lose caste."
"Perhaps; but I shall not lose my character nor my
self-respect," was the very quiet though cold reply.
"Your friends will forsake you."
"They are not worthy the name, then, nor a regret,"
and the delicate red lips curled with infinite scorn, yet
there was the faintest perceptible quiver upon them, and a
wistful look in the dark, beautiful eyes.
Would Aspasia go with the rest ?
"Do you not care if you lose them ?" Aspasia asked
eagerly.
"I have had many kind and dear ones, but if they
have loved my prospective fortune more than they have
loved me, the sooner I find it out the better. At all events,
this calamity, if it can be so termed, will show me the true
and the false."
"And you will not feel degraded to go out and earn
your pittance, perhaps a dollar a day, with your own
hands ?"

"No. My hands may grow hard and rough with the
toil, but my heart will be the same."
"Brownie Douglas, you are a splendid girl, and I love
you a thousand times more at this moment than I ever
did in my life before. I am prouder of you as a friend,
prouder of you without a penny to-day, than I was yesterday when I thought you worth a million !" exclaimed
Miss Huntington, impulsively, as she threw her arms
around her friend and embraced her fervently.
This broke Brownie down completely, and she sobbed
wildly for a few minutes.
"Dear, Asia," she said, at length, wiping her tears, "I
thought surely, when you were talking about caste and
the degradation of toil you were speaking your own
thoughts. We have loved each other so well, that the idea
of losing your friendship was very painful to me."
"Forgive me if I for the moment pained you. I have
read of people being above such feelings upon the loss of

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
all their earthly goods, but I never believed it, and I was
testing you. I truly prize you more in your misfortune
than I ever did before. You have taught me a lesson today which I shall not soon forget. Your example toward
the poor and unfortunate has always troubled my conscience, and henceforth I shall shorten my trains and
extend my charities."
"I am glad to hear you say this, Asia, for you have
the means at your command to do great good," replied
Brownie, her face now radiant at this proof of true
friendship.
"Well, but I'm afraid the lesson will not be lasting if
you do not follow it up with others, and so, my darling, I
am going to propose that you go home to stay with me.
No, you needn't refuse," she continued, putting her hand
playfully over Brownie's lips, "on the score of being dependent, for you know papa has plenty, and would never
feel it in the world. He would be delighted, for he has
always admired you intensely."
"Aspasia, I know it will hurt you deeply to have me
refuse this kindness, but indeed it cannot be, dear. My
mind has been made up from the first to earn my bread
'by the sweat of my brow,' and nothing can change it,"
Brownie answered, decidedly.
"But if he desires you to come as a companion and a help
to me ?" urged Aspasia, earnestly.
Brownie laughed aloud at the idea, in spite of her
sadness.
"A companion, Aspasia, when your home is already
full !"

"Well, but you know Jennie is soon to be married, and
Lina needs some one to look after her French and music.
You would be just the one, and we would have such delightful times together."
"It would be all a mere form. I know I should not be
received or treated as a governess or companion in your
father's house, and I should live a life of idleness and
pleasure as much as heretofore. No; I have said I will
work, and work I will! And if my friends prove themselves as true as you have, I shall only be so much happier," was the firm reply.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

CHAPTER VII
EARNING

HER OWN LIVING

IT sooN became noised abroad that Miss Meta Douglas,
the heiress, was no more than any other common mortal,
since her wealth had taken to itself wings and flown away.
It seemed as if her heart must break, when, as the last
day before the sale came, she went from room to room to
take a farewell view of everything, and gather up the few
precious treasures which Mr. Conrad had told her she was
at liberty to take. Aspasia had insisted upon remaining
with her until everything was over, and donning a simple
calico dress, minus either ruffle or train, she superintended
with her own fair hands the packing of valuable books,
statuettes, bronzes, and ornaments, which she knew were
so dear to Brownie's tender heart.
And when, at length, the last day arrived, early in the
morning, before even the servants were astir, she had
slipped downstairs, and, moving noiselessly from room to
room, had tucked a card bearing the words "sold" upon
several of the finest paintings, which she knew Miss Mehetabel had highly prized, from the fact of their having
been brought over from the old country.
Her father had given her permission and carte blanche
to perform this delicate service for her friend.
But it was all over at last.
Everything was sold, and the house was left bare and
desolate.
Aspasia had gone, and Brownie was alone.
The debts were all paid, also the bequests to the servants,
which Brownie had insisted upon, although strongly urged
to invest the money for herself.
Mr. Conrad was obliged to do her bidding, and then,
with a sigh of despair, placed two hundred dollars, all
that remained of a fortune of a million, in her little hands.
"Why, I feel quite rich !" she exclaimed, merrily, as,
after counting it over, she looked up and saw his quivering lip.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
With a mighty effort he swallowed the sobs which
nearly broke forth, and managed to say:
"Now, my dear child, you will come home with me for
a while. Mrs. Conrad desires it, and Emily is lonely."
"Thank you, dear Mr. Conrad, I cannot, as I have
promised to be in New York to-morrow morning," she
answered, with an air of business which would have amused
him had not his heart been so full.
"In New York to-morrow morning !" he ejaculated in
astonishment.
"Yes, I have an engagement there."
"An engagement? May I ask of what nature ?" and
he felt hurt that she had not consulted him regarding her
movements for the future.
"Certainly. I saw an advertisement a week ago for
one hundred girls to work on fancy straws. I have always
been bewitched over fancy-straw work, so I wrote, asking
for a situation."
"But you have no friends there, and where will you
make your home ?" he asked, in dismay, yet admiring the
resolution expressed in her bright eye and flushed face.
"There is a boarding-house connected with the establishment for the accommodation of those who work in the
factory, and I shall board there for the present."
And thus it ended as Brownie decreed. He bade her
farewell as she took her seat in the train that was to bear
her away, feeling worse than any condemned criminal
who had been sentenced to hard labor for life, for she
must go forth unprotected into the world to earn the
bread she ate, and he was utterly powerless to prevent it.
Never was there a more lonely or heart-sick girl than
Brownie Douglas when she entered the office of Ware &
Coolidge the next morning, and presented her card, and
the letter she had received from them engaging her to
come into their employ.
"Do you wish to see any one, miss ?" asked a clerk, as
she entered the office, and bestowing a bold stare of admiration upon her lovely face.
"I wish to see Mr. Coolidge, if you please," Brownie

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
answered, with cold dignity, yet a hot flush arose to her
cheek at his look and manner.
"Ah, yes, certainly. Walk this way," and the dandy led
her into an inner office, where a man of about forty-five
sat reading his paper.
"Mr. Coolidge, a young lady to see you, sir," the young
man said, and, with another insolent stare, bowed himself
out.
The gentleman immediately came forward, and Brownie
gave him her card and the letter.
"Ah, yes, Miss Meta Douglas," he said, pleasantly, reading the name, while his quick eye ran over her dainty
figure from head to foot, taking in her beauty and expensive apparel at a glance. "You understand the business,
I suppose. What department would you prefer to work
in?"
"No, sir, I know nothing whatever about the business;
I have come to learn," she answered, frankly and simply.
The gentleman gave her a look of surprise, then a smile
of amusement curled his lips.
"My dear young lady," he said, a trifle embarrassed,
"there is some mistake about this. We never employ any
but experienced hands. The fall work is coming on rapidly, and we need those who can go right into it without
any showing or teaching. Did not the advertisement say
'none but experienced hands need apply?' "
"Yes, sir," Brownie replied, with a sinking heart; "but
I thought it might be only a mere form; and as I am very
quick to learn anything, and necessity has suddenly compelled me to labor for my living, I thought I would apply
for the easiest work I could find."
"Do you think straw sewing easy work?" Mr. Coolidge
asked, with a genial smile, and deeply interested in the
fair stranger.
"I always thought it very pretty work, and judged it
easy," she answered, naively.
"Have you relatives living in New York ?" Mr. Coolidge asked, thoughtfully.
"I have no relatives, excepting very distant ones," and
the sad tones touched him.
"Excuse me for asking the question," he added, cour-

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
teously, "but I feared if you remained with us, the accommodations in the boarding-house might not be pleasant for
you, and I hoped you had some other place to which to
go."

"Thank you," Brownie answered quietly, "but if you
kindly consent to my staying, the boarding-house will do
as well for me as for the others whom you employ."
He opened a door opposite the one by which she had
entered the office, and led her into a long room where a
hundred girls sat at tables, their hands flying back and
forth upon the hats and bonnets, as if their very existence
depended upon the number of stitches which they could
set in a minute; as it did, poor things!
"This is the wiring room," explained Mr. Coolidge,
"and I think you could learn to do this work more easily
than any other; you are not strong enough to run a machine, and your fingers are too tender to finish off the
tips," and he glanced at the delicate hands from which she
had drawn her gloves.
"Machines!
Are hats and bonnets made by machinery ?" she exclaimed, in surprise.
"Yes," and he smiled at her ignorance, then asked: "Do
you think you would like to work here ?"
"Yes," Brownie answered, "and I think I can learn
very readily."
"Very well. Miss Walton, please come here a moment,"
Mr. Coolidge called to the overseer of the room.
She came at his bidding.
A tall, angular, sour-visaged woman, who had been in
the establishment for years, and her face grew darker yet
when her eyes fell upon the delicate beauty of the young
girl standing by her employer's side.
She had always hated everything that was bright or
beautiful, probably because it made her own deficiency in
that respect so apparent.
"Miss Walton," continued Mr. Coolidge, "this is Miss
Douglas, and I wish you to assign her a pleasant seat in
the hall, and teach her to wire hats."
"Teach her! I thought no inexperienced hands were
wanted here ?" exclaimed the woman, measuring the young
girl with her keen eyes, and speaking in an impatient tone.

40

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"That was what I said, Miss Walton. I desire you to
teach her to wire hats. Please give her some work right
away."
Mr. Coolidge spoke in a quiet, authoritative way, which
there was no gainsaying, and he had specified hats, because he knew they were much easier to do than bonnets.
Without replying to him, Miss Walton told Brownie to
follow her, and, with a grateful smile and bow to her employer, she obeyed.
She was led to a seat in a quiet corner of the hall, where
Miss Walton, sitting down beside her, took up a hat, and
without speaking once during the operation, wired it with
rapid fingers, Brownie watching intently meanwhile.
"Can you do it ?" she asked, curtly, when she had
finished.
"I can try," the young girl answered, with a little sigh,
longing to ask a few questions, yet not possessing the
courage to do so of the forbidding-looking personage at
her side.
And now the wearisome, lonely task of earning her own
living was begun.
Her heart ached with a sense of utter desolation as she
sat there, vainly trying to imitate Miss Walton's example
of wiring a hat.
She felt more utterly alone among these hundred girls
than she had done the night before in her quiet room at
the hotel.
The wire hurt her delicate fingers, the needle, instead
of going to its appointed place, often slipped and pierced
their rosy tips, and the crimson drops would .ooze forth,
causing her to lay aside the work and wrap the wounded
members in her handkerchief until they ceased to bleed,
lest they should stain the hat.
One sad-looking girl on her left, had, without appearing to do so, been watching her ineffectual efforts with a
great deal of sympathy.
When at length, after running her needle half its length
under her finger-nail, Brownie laid down her work in
despair, she turned kindly toward her and said, with a
smile:
"The work is new to you, isn't it?"

BROW NIE'S TRIUMPH

41

"Yes," Brownie 'eplied, looking up at the sweet tones,
and much comfort'A by them; "and I am afraid I shall
never learn. I and so awkward."
"Oh, yes, you will. We were all so at the beginning."
"Were you? Then I'll try again," she said, brightening
instantly.
It was a real comfort to her to know that she was not
quite such a goose as she had thought herself, after all.
"Perhaps if I show you how to hold the hat, and just
how to set the needle, you would get on faster," said the
strange girl, laying down her work, and holding out her
hand for Brownie's.
It was even so. She was very quick in her motions,
and apt to learn, and after a while she found she could
wire a hat in ten minutes, when at first it had taken her
more than double thai time.
But the confinement-the close, hot room, the noise of
distant machinery, and incessant chatter of the girls
around her, began to wear upon her.
Her head throbbed and ached, as did also her arms and
back, from their accustomed work, and she grew so tired
and nervous that it seemed to her when night came as if
her brain were turned.
Wearily and sorrewfully she wended her way back to
the hotel where she had stopped the night before, and
threw herself upon her bed, too thoroughly worn out to
even heed the demands of hunger.
But her strong spirit conquered at last, and, rising, she
bathed her face and head, rearranged her toilet, put on
her hat again, and went down to the office to settle her
bill at the hotel.
Notwithstanding her loneliness on the night of her arrival, after the noise and din of the day, she would gladly
have remained in that quiet room, but she knew her purse
would not permit of it; so, after paying the clerk, she
ordered a carriage and proceeded to the factory boardinghouse, which was to be her home for the present.

42

(BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
CHAPTER VIII
AN

ADVENTURE

THE days passed slowly by, and Brownie became more
and more accustomed to her work.
Before the week was out, she found, by diligent application, that she could earn seventy-five cents a day, and
during the next week her earnings gradually crept up to a
dollar a day.
She became quite hopeful after this, for her nature was
naturally buoyant, and she was one who would not readily
give up an undertaking, for the spirit of the Douglas was
strong within her.
She began to feel very independent, too, and she really
enjoyed the feeling that she was able to take care of
herself.
To be sure, her earnings at the most were only six dollars a week. Three and a half of these were paid out for
her board and lodging, and another dollar for washing,
leaving her only a dollar and a half for other needs.
But she still had the two hundred dollars which she had
received from Mr. Conrad, and her wardrobe was amply
supplied for a year or two, so that she had no fears but
that she could live, at least until some better position
should be offered her. She hoped in time to find a situation as teacher.
Had it not been for that dreadful boarding-house, with
its noise, its small, close rooms, and its ill-cooked fare, she
would have been comparatively content, for she had made
the acquaintance of one or two young girls who were
refined and intelligent like herself, and who, too, had been
suddenly reduced from affluence to poverty.
Mattie Burnham was the name of the young girl who
had been so kind to Brownie on that first day of her life
in the factory, and soon, by her gentleness and refinement,
won a warm place in her heart.
Both of the young girls were extremely fond of reading.
One evening they issued forth, arm in arm, and wended
their way to a public library to exchange their books, and

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

to look over the new periodicals in the reading-room connected with it.
They exchanged their books, and then proceeding to
the reading-room, seated themselves in a cosy corner, and
were soon deeply interested in the various reading matter
which lay scattered about upon the tables.
They read for an hour or more, then Mattie, suddenly
glancing up at the clock, asked:
"Meta, do you know what time it is?"
"No," absently.
"It is half-past eight."
"Is it?" and Brownie's eager eyes were not even raised
from her book; she scarce heeded what her friend was
saying.
"What have you there that is so interesting?" demanded
Mattie, after watching her in silence for a few minutes.
"It is a little French story, and so intensely interesting !
Must we go home now ?" and Brownie looked up wistfully
at the clock.
"Yes, it is about time. We shall be locked out if we
do not get in before ten, you know."
"Oh, well, there is time enough, then. I must read just
a little more. I will read aloud, for I know you will like
it, the story is so beautifully told. Do you understand
French?"
"No."

"Well, no matter, I will translate it as I go along;"
and Brownie began and read for ten minutes as fast as
her tongue could fly, Mattie soon becoming as deeply interested as herself.
She at length stopped, with a sigh.
"Well, I suppose I must leave it; and they will not
allow us to take any of these books away," she said, regretfully.
"It is beautiful, Meta; but, before we go, just read me
a little in French. I should like to hear you."
Brownie laughed, and glad of any excuse to return to
the book, began to read aloud in. a spirited, piquant
manner.
"Dear, dear, what a chatter! I should certainly take
you to be a Frenchwoman yourself," interrupted Mattie,

44

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

at length, adding: "It is not half so interesting to me,
though, as when you translated it."
She arose as she spoke, and Brownie, with another wistful look at the entrancing pages, reluctantly laid the
book down and followed her example.
They were suddenly arrested, however, by a pleasant
voice, saying:
"One moment, if you please, young ladies."
They stopped and looked around.
An old gentleman was sitting just a little back of where
Brownie had sat, and he had been a very attentive listener
while she was reading so glibly from the French romance.
She had not dreamed of having another listener.
He was venerable, genial-looking man, with flowing
white hair and beard, and he wore gold-bowed spectacles,
through which his clear blue eyes beamed kindly upon
them.
"Pardon me," he said, courteously rising and addressing
Brownie, "but I wished to ask you if you are a teacher of
French?"

"No, sir, replied the young girl, blushing, as she thus
became aware that he had been listening to her. "I only
read for my own profit and amusement."
"Your accent is remarkably pure. Pardon me again,
but where were you instructed in the language ?"
"In Philadelphia, sir. I had a teacher who was a
native, and who never allowed his class, after they once
understood the language, to utter a word in any other
tongue during the hours for recitation."
"An excellent plan, young lady. Now, if it would not
tax your patience too far, will you kindly read me two
or three more sentences in French from this book?"
The old gentleman took up the book she had but just
laid aside, and held it out to her.
Brownie bowed gracefully, wondering what his object
could be in thus testing her powers, as she took the book
and began reading again, fluently.
"Thank you," he said, after a few minutes, during
which time he had been intently reading the face of the
beautiful girl before him.
He then immediately asked her a question in French.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

45

She smiled brightly, and answered it on the instant.
He asked another, and soon they were in a lively controversy, which was like Choctaw to poor Mattie, who was
anxious to get home.
"Do you speak any other language? Can you speak
Italian?"
"A piacere," Brownie responded, in liquid tones, which,
being interpreted, means, "at pleasure."
"And German?"

"I will not say I can speak it as fluently as the others,
although I understand it, and can read at sight in the
language. But its guttural tones never had that attraction
for me that the more musical languages of Italy and
France have."
"Are you musical ?" demanded the old man, abruptly,
after a few moments' thought.
"Yes, sir, I am passionately fond of music," returned
Brownie, becoming somewhat embarrassed at being so
closely questioned.
"I fear you think I am very presuming, my young
friend," he said, noticing her confusion, "but I have a very
particular reason for asking you these questions; and now,
if you care to humor an old man, will you come into the
music-room yonder and let me hear you play a little ?"
Brownie had ached to get hold of a piano ever since
leaving her dear old home, yet she shrank from displaying
her accomplishments in so public a place.
Still, the old gentleman was so courteous, and seemed
so really interested in her, that she disliked to refuse him,
and bowing assent, she beckoned to Mattie, and followed
him to the music-room.
To her intense relief, she found it was empty, and
sitting down at the piano, she began lightly running her
rosy fingers over the white keys.
The tones of the instrument inspired her in a moment,
and she soon lost all thought of self and her listener in
her intense enjoyment of the sounds which her soul so
loved to hear.
"Sing something, Meta," whispered Mattie, who had
stood by in wondering surprise at her friend's accomplish-

46

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

ments, and had only waited for a pause to make her
request.
Without a demur, she moderated her touch into an accompaniment, and sang that beautiful little song, "Your
Mission," the words of which had been running in her
head ever since she had first entered that disagreeable
factory.
She sang the first verses beautifully, but the third was
too much for her, and ere the second line was finished
she broke down utterly, and bowing her head upon the
piano, she had to let the bitter tears have their way.
It was a song which Miss Mehetabel had dearly loved,
and many times during the past year, when they had been
sitting in the twilight together, she had sung it to her.
In a moment she remembered that she was in the presence of a stranger, and almost as suddenly as she had
broken down, she recovered herself, and, rising from the
piano-stool, she signified to Mattie her desire to return
home.
Upon the first outbreak of her grief, the old gentleman
had retired to the farther side of the room, that his presence need not embarrass her.
He now came forward, and she saw that his own eyes
were shining with tears.
He held out his hand to her, and there was a note of
tenderness in his voice, as he said:
"My young friend, forgive me for taxing your patience
and good nature to such an extent, and allow me to say
that you have given me more pleasure during this half
hour than I have experienced this many a day."
Brownie gave him her hand, and while holding it, he
asked:
"And now will you allow me just one more question?"
She bowed, wondering what was coming next.
"I do not know what your circumstances may be," he
said, with a little embarrassment, "but could you be persuaded to teach?"
"Yes, sir, if I could feel satisfied that I was competent
to fill the position offered me," Brownie replied, frankly.
It had been her desire to teach from the first, but no
opportunity had offered, and she had resolved to secure

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
the first situation of whatever nature, if honorable, that she
could obtain.
"I am happy to hear it," returned the old man. "You
ought to be a teacher of languages and music. Now, if
you will kindly give me your name and address, I will
endeavor to call upon you at an early date, and talk with
you further regarding the matter."
Brownie did as requested, and did not fail to notice his
start of surprise when she mentioned her connection with
the firm of Ware & Coolidge, nor the contraction of his
finely shaped brows which followed it.
He then presented his card to her, after which he lifted
his hat, and bowed to both girls as if they had been the
most aristocratic ladies in the land, and then left them.
Brownie looked at the card.
It bore the name of Win. H. Alcott, M. D.
Wondering what object Win. H. Alcott, M. D., could
have in view regarding her, she carefully put the little bit
of pasteboard in her pocketbook, and then the two young
girls hastened home, arriving there just as their landlady
was about locking the doors for the night.
"You're late," she said, grimly, and with a suspicious
look into Brownie's beautiful face, she added: "I don't
believe in girls o' your age walking the streets at this
time o' night. I only advertise to take respectable
boarders."
Brownie's proud spirit boiled at these insulting words,
but she did not deign to notice them further than by lifting her proud head a trifle more haughtily, as she swept
up the stairs to her own room, followed by the more subdued and trembling Mattie.

CHAPTER IX
CHANGE OF OCCUPATION

THE next day but one, while Brownie was trying her
utmost, to do her allotted task and get out of the factory
an hour earlier, that she might slip down to the reading-

48

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

room and finish that little French romance in which she
had been so deeply interested, Miss Walton came to her
and told her, in her grim, curt way, that she was wanted
in the office.
Somewhat disturbed by this unexpected summons, she
laid aside her work, removed her dainty white apron, then,
with heightened color, but a dignified mien, she bent her
steps toward the room where she had been received upon
her arrival, and which she had not entered since.
Upon opening the door, she was surprised to find sitting, in confidential communication with Mr. Coolidge,
Mr. Alcott, the gentleman whose acquaintance she had
made in the reading-room two evenings previous.
She bowed slightly to him, and then turned to Mr.
Coolidge, who had arisen as she entered, and now greeted
her in courteous tones.
"My father-in-law, Mr. Alcott, Miss Douglas," he said,
by way of introduction, and Brownie now understood his
start of surprise when she gave him her address.
"Be seated, Miss Douglas, if you please," her employer
continued, placing a chair for her.
She sat down and folded her little hands in her lap.
Both gentlemen noticed her ladylike and self-possessed
demeanor, and inwardly commented upon it.
"Miss Douglas, Mr. Alcott has done nothing but rehearse your accomplishments since his meeting with you
night before last," said Mr. Coolidge, with an affable smile.
"If what he says is true," the gentleman continued,
"and I have no doubt it is, since he is amply qualified to
judge, this factory is no place for you."
Was she to be turned away on account of her little
knowledge?
"One cannot always control one's circumstances, sir,"
she said, quietly.
"True; I understand you, Miss Douglas. But it may
be in the power of others to control them for you in a
measure. Now, I have a proposal to make to you. If I
understood Mr. Alcott correctly, you would like to teach ?"
"Indeed, I should like it very much, sir."
"Very well. My family contemplate going abroad in
about one week; the steamer sails the tenth, I believe.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

We have been trying for several weeks to find some person competent to superintend the education of my two
younger daughters, and act as a sort of companion and
interpreter for them during their travels. Now, will you
accept this position and accompany us to Europe ?"
"How long de you contemplate remaining abroad ?"
Brownie asked, after a few moments spent in thought,
and greatly surprised at this offer.
"A year, at least; probably longer, if the girls and their
mother enjoy it."
"How old are your daughters, Mr. Coolidge ?"
"Viola is sixteen, Alma is fourteen. I have another
who is twenty, but I believe she considers her education
completed, although I think she said something about
studying the languages a little more while she is abroad."
"Have the young ladies completed any course as yet?"
Brownie asked, wishing to know something of their attainments before deciding.
"No; I regret to say, they have not. Their mother was
unwilling they should attend any public institution, so
they have had private teachers, and I am afraid they have
not improved their advantages as they should have done."
"Indeed, they have not !" exclaimed Mr. Alcott, excitedly. "They have behaved shamefully about it, and are
a couple of ignoramuses."
Brownie laughed as he said this, then asked:
"And do you think, sir, that I am capable of instructing
them, if older and wiser teachers have failed ?"
"Young lady, when you were reading French to me
the other evening, I was not impressed wholly by your
pronunciation. No; there was a ring of decision in your
tones, there was a look of character and firmness in your
face, that told me you would not fail to make a first-class
teacher," said the old gentleman, with emphasis.
"Your very youthfulness may help you to win where
the others have failed. And, as I told you, it is not altogether an instructress that we want, but a refined and
genial companion, and an interpreter also, for none of the
family are able to converse fluently in foreign languages,"
said Mr. Coolidge.
Sixteen and fourteen!

50

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

They were trying ages-just the time when girls loved
fun and frolic better than anything else in the world.
Was she competent to take charge of them and direct
their studies?
She longed to accept the position, she longed to go
abroad and visit those old countries so fraught with interest, poetry, and romance, and where her aunt had lived
and suffered so much. But the responsibility! Would
it be right for her to assume it ? Would she be able to
influence these young girls aright ?
"Mr. Coolidge," she said, when she had thought of all
these things, "I will tell you frankly that I would like this
position which you are so kind to offer me, more than
I can express, but I am only eighteen years of age myself, and I do not really feel like deciding whether I am
competent to direct the education of your daughters or
not. The other duties, I think, I could fulfill satisfactorily."
"Have you ever completed a regular course of study?"
asked Mr. Alcott.
"Yes, sir; a thorough course. I graduated from the
high school before I was sixteen, and I have since taken
a two years' classical course," replied Brownie.
"You'll do, then," said the old man, with a contented
nod of his head.
He was very much interested in the beautiful girl.
"My principal reason for hesitating is, that I have never
had any experience in teaching, and could only follow the
example of my own teachers, as far as I can remember it."
"You are very truthful and frank, at all events," remarked Mr. Coolidge, smilingly.
"I should not presume to accept this position, sir, by
placing myself in a false position," replied Brownie,
gravely.
"I think with my father-in-law, that you will do, and
I feel confident that you will prove faithful to your trust.
Shall we consider the bargain closed ?" asked her employer, giving her a glance of admiration.
"Mr. Coolidge-I-really
" stammered the young
girl.
She was astonished that he should desire to close the

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

51

bargain, without making any inquiries regarding her character or antecedents, and yet she did not know how to
broach the subject.
"Ah, I beg your pardon, Miss Douglas," and the man
of business looked utterly confused for a moment, "it was
an oversight entirely that I did not mention what salary
you would receive. Would four hundred a year and expenses meet your acceptance ?"
"Make it five, William," interrupted Mr. Alcott, adding: "With those harum-scarum girls it will be none too
much; there will be plenty of little knickknacks that she
will want to bring away from the old country, and an extra
hundred will be none too much."
"Well, call it five hundred and expenses, then," said
Mr. Coolidge.
"Excuse me, gentlemen, but I had not thought of the
salary which I should receive. I was upon the point of
saying that-you know nothing about me personallywhether I am, morally, one whom you would wish to receive into your family. I expected you would require references," Brownie said, with dignity.
"Really, Miss Douglas," said the former, "you have
shown yourself wiser than I in this matter. That is a
question which ought, according to the etiquette of the
nineteenth century, to have been settled in the first
place."
"The very fact of her speaking of the matter herself is
reference enough for me," said Mr. Alcott, sotto voce.
"However," continued her employer, "I suppose Mrs.
Coolidge would be better pleased to have that matter satisfactorily settled. What reference can you give us, Miss
Douglas ?"

"That is where I feared there might arise an objection,"
replied Brownie, with a sad smile, then added: "I have
only one friend in the world to whom I feel at liberty
just now to refer you; he is in Philadelphia-Mr. Arthur
Conrad."
"What! Arthur Conrad, Esq., the noted lawyer of that
city ?" exclaimed Mr. Alcott, with great interest.
"Yes, sir. He has known me all my life, and I think
I may trust him to speak a good word for me to you."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
"That will be sufficient, Miss Douglas," said the old
man, with a smile. "Arthur Conrad was a classmate of
mine years and years ago; he was a splendid fellow, too.
I know all about him, and if he knows all about you, we
shall not quarrel over further references."
"I will write to him this afternoon," said Mr. Coolidge, "and we shall probably hear in a day or two from
him. Then, as this is a mere matter of form, shall we
consider that you are engaged to us, and for the salary I
named ?"

"Yes, sir; and I thank you for your courtesy, and for
the confidence which you have shown to me, an utter
stranger. I assure you, I will do my utmost to prove
myself worthy of the trust you have placed in my hands."
Brownie arose as she spoke, and he saw that tears stood
in her grave, beautiful eyes.
Then, bowing to both gentlemen, she returned to her
work.
Two, three, four, five days slipped rapidly by, and
Brownie heard nothing more from Mr. Coolidge.
On the sixth day, as she was removing her apron and
putting her table in order, she saw Miss Walton hastening
toward her, a smile of satisfaction gleaming upon her face.
"Miss Douglas," she said, loud enough for several of
the other girls to hear, "Mr. Coolidge wishes you to come
to the office again; he wishes to settle with you."
Now, it was considered quite a disgrace for any one to
be called upon to "settle" before the season was over, and
Brownie became at once the cynosure of all eyes in her
neighborhood.
Brownie saw that several of the girls were regarding
her suspiciously, and listening eagerly to the conversation.
"Yes, Miss Walton," she said, in her clear, sweet tones,
"I have been expecting some such message as this for
several days. I sail for Europe with Mr. Coolidge and
his family on Monday."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
CHAPTER X
BROWNIE AT THE COOLIDGE MANSION

MR.

COOLIDGE

glanced up with a smile of welcome, as

Brownie, more beautiful than ever with the excitement of
her little encounter with Miss Walton, entered the office.
"Miss Walton said you wished to see me, sir," she said,
simply.
"Yes, Miss Douglas, as we sail on Monday, I thought.
best to close your account with the firm to-night."
"You have heard from Mr. Conrad, then, I suppose,"
she said, taking it for granted, while her face became
radiant with hope.
"No, Miss Douglas; I have not. I wrote immediately,
but, receiving no reply, after waiting three days, I telegraphed, and his clerk returned word to-day that he had
left town for a week."
Brownie's countenance fell, and she grew very pale.
All her bright hopes crumbled to dust, and nothing remained for her but to plod wearily along day by day.
"I am very sorry," she said, regretfully. "Of course,
it is settled that I am not to go with you."
"Why not?" he asked, quickly adding: "You jump at
conclusions, do you not? I told you, I believe, that, as
we sailed on Monday, I wished to close your account tonight. That does not look much like not going, does it?"
She had forgotten his words, and her face lighted a
trifle at this; but she asked:
"But would you be justified, sir, in taking me without
a recommendation ?"
"I think so, and I think you are over-sensitive upon
that point. I never met a governess before without a
recommendation who did not try to pass the circumstance
over as lightly as possible," returned the gentleman, with
an amused smile.
"I only desire that you and Mrs. Coolidge should be
entirely satisfied," she said, with proud dignity.
"Miss Douglas," he said, fixing a keen look upon her
face, "I told you, when we first talked this matter over,

54

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

that I considered it a mere form. I have been fully satisfied from the first that you are a lady, and amply qualified for the position I offer you. Now, if you will assure me that there has been nothing in your life, morally
speaking, which would debar you from entering my family, I can rest satisfied, and there will be time enough in
the future to write to Mr. Conrad."
Anything in her life, morally speaking!
A little smile of scorn curled her red lips, and the
color leaped again to her very brow; but she lifted her
clear, truthful eyes to his, and he was answered, even
before she said, with conscious pride:
"There is nothing, there has been nothing in my life
which any one could question."
"I knew it," he answered; "and now I have a request
to make, and that is, that you will allow me to send my
carriage for you this evening. There remains only about
a day and a half before we sail, and my family would like
to become somewhat acquainted with you beforehand."
Brownie shrank from this ordeal, but she knew it must
come sooner or later, and the quicker it was over with
the better for all parties.
"Very well, sir," she answered.
"At what time shall I send for you?"
"An hour will give me ample time to make all needful
preparations for the change."
"It is five o'clock now. Then at six precisely the carriage shall call for you. We dine at half-past, when you
will meet my family. Now, about this account; it is not
a very large one, Miss Douglas," he said, smiling, and
turning to the books.
After a moment, he continued, with some hesitation:
"Allow me to give you a check on account. You may
wish to make some purchases before leaving New York."
Brownie drew herself up like a little princess.
"If you will please pay me what I have earned, sir, it
will be all I require, thank you."
He ran his eye quickly over the figures, and then paid
her just sixteen dollars and a half, the amount of her
earnings for three weeks and two days.
"Thank you; that is correct," she said, after counting

3ROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

55

it; then, with a bow, she withdrew, a strange feeling of
pride and independence in her heart that for three weeks
she had supported herself by the labor of her own hands.
True, it would take about fourteen of it to pay for her
board and washing, leaving her only two dollars and fifty
cents surplus.
She was to receive a salary of five hundred dollars a
year, and she smiled to think how large the sum looked to
her now and besides there were her expenses and the opportunity of a year of travel in charming Europe.
Brownie arrived at the Coolidge mansion in season to
be introduced to the family before dinner was served.
She did not feel particularly drawn toward either Mrs.
Coolidge or her eldest daughter.
They were evidently worldlings, and received her with
an air of superiority and patronage that was intensely
galling to our proud-spirited little Douglas.
The younger girls, Viola and Alma, vere more simple
and affectionate, and, although somewhat hoidenish, yet
she felt assured that they had kind hearts, and promised
herself some pleasure with them.
After dinner the whole family repaired to the drawingroom, and the girls being anxious to know what the new
governess could do, desired to hear her play and sing.
She gratified them, playing and singing for an hour,
then tempting them from the piano, she made herself so
sweet and engaging that they were charmed with her,
while even Mrs. Coolidge and Miss Isabel relaxed their
haughtiness somewhat, though they both considered her
too pretty and polished for the latter's interest. She
wished no rival in the way at present.
"If only Wilbur will not lose his senses and fall in
love with her at first sight," Isabel said to her mother,
when they had withdrawn to Mrs. Coolidge's boudoir to
discuss Brownie's merits.
"Never fear, dear; Wilbur knows we would never tolerate a wife for him unless she was his equal in society,"
replied the matron, complacently.
"But you know that sometimes young men fall in love
with a pretty face, and become entangled before they
know it."

56

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

Miss Isabel was evidently very jealous of Brownie's
beauty and accomplishments.
She had not been at all pleased that her father should
engage a governess without consulting her own and her
mother's pleasure.
This feeling was shared by Mrs. Coolidge, but she had
learned wisdom from long experience, and did not openly
oppose her liege lord's authority upon any matter.
"I think you are worrying about nothing, she said, in
reply to her daughter. "I'm sure I can't see anything
so very beautiful about Miss Douglas," and she cast a
proud look at her own fashionable darling.
"Where are your eyes, mamma ?" was the impatient
reply. "Her features are perfect; she has the loveliest
complexion and color I have ever seen in any face; her
hands and feet are at least two sizes smaller than either
mine or Viola's, and her form just dainty enough to suit
a fastidioius young man like Wilbur."
"Really, Isabel, you must have spent considerable time
inspecting the new governess to serve up such a catalogue
of her charms," remarked Mrs. Coolidge, contemptuously,
adding: "Perhaps you are afraid she may attract others,
and interfere with your own prospects."
"She may; who knows ?" replied the envious girl.
"Well, if you really think there is danger, I will try
and persuade your father to get rid of her even now. But
I am of the opinion that you have exaggerated her good
looks; I see nothing so very noticeable about her, and I'm
sure she dresses plainly enough to suit anybody. She does
not wear a single ornament-nothing but those soft
ruches at her neck and wrists."
"Her dress is all right, but hers is a style of beauty
that does not need dress to set it off. She would look
lovely in anything. But it would never do to think of
sending her away now. Papa is bewitched with her, and
I do believe if grandpa was a young man he would fall
in love with her himself; he has done nothing but sound
her praises ever since he met her in the reading-room."
"Pshaw! Isabel, how extremely foolish you are; do
try and get such nonsense out of your head. But I promise I will take care that Wilbur does not see much of her,

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

57

or any other young gentleman whom we may meet abroad,"
said Mrs. Coolidge, resolutely.
"If you can only put that resolution in force she may
prove very useful to us, after all. Her accent is every bit
as pure as Monsieur Renaud's, and I must confess that
her music is perfectly bewildering. She will save all need
of music-masters or teachers in the languages, which will
be quite an item; it has cost me more than her salary
every year for my music and French," said Isabel.
"True, dear, and she will also be very valuable as an
interpreter in our shopping and sightseeing expeditions
abroad. But to turn to more agreeable things. I want
you, Isabel, to do your utmost to make a brilliant match
while we are in Europe. With your father's purse, your
face, figure, and appearance, I think you ought to win
somebody worth having."
"I hope I may, mamma; I should really enjoy being
'lady' somebody," and the vain girl got up and sailed
over to the full-length mirror to survey herself.
"Is it not time for Wilbur to come, mamma ?" she
asked, presently.
"Yes; he ought to have been here an hour ago," answered Mrs. Coolidge, glancing at her watch.
Scarce were the words uttered when the doorbell gave
forth a clamorous peal; another moment, and there was
a manly step on the stair, a deep rich voice called
"Mother !" "Isabel!" then the door swung open, and the
only son and heir was received with open arms and joyous exclamations of greeting.
Wilbur Coolidge was an exceedingly handsome young
man of twenty-two years, with a face that challenged all
criticism-bright, careless, defiant, full of humor, and
possessing a gleam of poetry-a face that girls judge
instantly and always admire. He had a frank clear eye
of deepest blue, brown hair tinged with gold, a smiling
mouth, from which, when he spoke, there gleamed two
rows of white, handsome teeth. Yet it was a mouth one
could not quite trust-there was something wanting which
made one feel that he lacked depth, that there was no
great chivalry in his nature, no grand treasure of manly
truth, no touch of heroism in his soul. There were few

58

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

women who would have read him thus critically, yet
Brownie did at a glance, when, descending the stairs arm
in arm with his sister Isabel, they met face to face, and
she was obliged to present him to her.
"My brother, Miss Douglas," she said, briefly and coldly,
and with a haughty lifting of her head.
Miss Douglas greeted him with quiet politeness, and
passed on; but not before she had caught his stare of
surprise and look of admiration as his eyes for a moment
rested on her face, then swept her dainty form from head
to foot.
"And who is Miss Douglas ?" he asked, after they had
passed beyond her hearing.
"Oh, she is a young person whom grandpa came across
in one of the public libraries, and persuaded papa to
secure as governess to the girls," Miss Isabel answered,
with a yawn.
"Governess!
Young person, indeed! Why, if I ever
saw the mark of the true and cultured lady in any one,
I do in her," he replied, with enthusiasm.
"Nonsense, Wilbur! I hope you do not allow your
head to be turned by every pretty face you chance to
meet."
"Not I," and the young man tossed his head, with a
gay laugh. "But this Miss Douglas is something more
than pretty. Hers is a face which, if a man learned to
love, he would gladly serve twice seven years for the
sake of making its owner his wife."
This was said partly to tease his sister, for he well
knew her weak points; yet, it must be confessed, he had
been startled by Brownie's wondrous beauty.
"Pshaw! Wilbur, I shall get entirely out of patience
with you if you run on like that; and let me warn you
beforehand, if mamma discovers you are 'sweet' on the
governess, it will prove most disastrous to the poor girl's
prospects, for she will post her off without any cereInony."

"Don't be disturbed, sister mine. We men, I admit,
have an eye for the beautiful, be it in princess or maid.
I suppose I may admire Miss Douglas from a distance,
as one would admire a picture, with no thought of pos-

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

sessing it. By the way, to change the subject, what is
father going to do with the horses while we are away ?"
"Send them up to the farm, I think."
"When do they go?"
"Monday morning, I think."
"Let us go out to the stable, then, and take a farewell
look at them," proposed Wilbur, cunningly.
"Not I, thank you! I've no notion of being perfumed
with the scent of the stable if any one should call. You
can go if you choose, and I will wait for you in the
drawing-room."
The young man gladly availed himself of the permission, laughing meanwhile in his sleeve that his artifice
had succeeded so well. He did not particularly enjoy a
tete-a-tete with the frivolous girl.
He knew well enough that his fastidious sister would
not accompany him to the stable, and he longed to be
by himself, that he might feast upon the remembrance of
that lovely face, which had flashed like a gleam from
Paradise upon him.
"She is the loveliest girl I have ever met, and I will see
more of her, Isabel and the maternal to the contrary notwithstanding," was his mental resolve, as he paced absently back and forth in the stable, wholly unconscious of
his stated object in visiting the place.

CHAPTER XI
ADRIAN DREDMOND

THE day of sailing came at last.
A good deal of confusion prevailed in getting the family, with their endless supply of luggage, from the Coolidge mansion to the steamer; and in the midst of it all,
Wilbur managed several times to escape the Argus eyes of
his watchful mother and jealous sister, and get a word
with Brownie.
Every hour in her presence only served to enthrall him
more hopelessly. He never wearied of looking upon her

60

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

bright face, nor of listening to the sweet tones of her
voice. She wove a sweet spell about him.
Miss Douglas, however, responded very quietly, and
with some dignity, whenever he addressed her.
She was observing enough to perceive that his attentions to her were anything but acceptable to the Coolidge
family; so, without appearing to do so, she avoided him,
and devoted herself to her young charges, Viola and Alma.
But a little incident occurred, just as they were going
aboard the steamer, which was to influence the young
girl's whole after life.
Brownie was the last to step aboard, excepting Wilbur,
and not paying strict heed to her steps, she caught her
foot in a coil of rope, stumbled, and would have fallen
had she not been quickly caught and upheld by a strong
arm. The shock was so severe that, overcome with dizziness, she lay almost unconscious for a moment in the
stranger's clasp.
"Has she fainted ?" asked Wilbur Coolidge, in anxious
tones, as he sprang forward, too late to render service.
"I think not. It was only the shock; she will rally in
a moment," were the words which Brownie, on coming to
herself, heard in such deep, rich tones, that she was conscious of a sudden thrill running through her whole frame.
She opened her eyes, and found herself looking up into
a face that was strange, yet familiar.
For one instant her eyes met his, and their souls met
through that glance. Then, with a vivid blush of shame
staining her fair cheek, as she realized she was being held
in the arms of a stranger, Brownie gently disengaged herself, and tried to stand alone.
"Brownie Douglas !" the stranger murmured, in wondering surprise, and as if the words were forced from
him by some previous memory.
As she caught them, the color again flew to her face,
and he, seeing her embarrassment, hastened to say:
"I beg your pardon, but my surprise made me forget
myself. Will you take my arm and allow me to conduct
you below? I fear you are not quite strong yet."
"Thank you," Brownie began, when Wilbur Coolidge
suddenly interfered.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

61

"I will attend to the lady, sir, thanking you kindly
for the service you have already rendered her," he said,
somewhat haughtily, and offering Miss Douglas his own
arm.
She took it, and with a grateful little bow to the strange
gentleman, and one more rapid glance into his fine eyes,
she allowed Mr. Coolidge to lead her away.
"Who was that gentleman, Miss Douglas ?" Wilbur
Coolidge demanded, with a grave face, when they had left
him, and he was carefully conducting her down the companionway.
"I do not know; I have never met him before, and
yet
" was Brownie's hesitating reply, while her face
wore a puzzled look.
"And yet what?" asked the young man, trying to speak
carelessly, yet with the vestige of a frown.
"It seems to me as if I have seen his face at some time,
but where, I do not remember." And the perplexed look
still remained upon her countenance.
"He seemed to know you. He called you 'Brownie
Douglas." Is that your name ?"
The color flamed again into her cheeks at the question.
She had noticed the stranger's involuntary utterance of
her pet name, and had been strangely moved by it.
"It used to be when I had dear friends."
She grew sad and pale again at the memories which
came thronging upon her at the sound of the dear old
name.
"I cannot understand, though, how he should come to
know it," she added, after a moment.
"Brownie-Brownie-it just suits you, Miss Douglas,"
said Mr. Coolidge, taking in at one admiring glance the
shining coils of brown hair, the liquid chestnut eyes, and
the long, dark lashes which just now half concealed them.
"My name is Mehetabel Douglas, Mr. Coolidge,"
Brownie said, coldly, and with dignity, not relishing his
familiarity, nor the tender cadence which his voice had
assumed.
He laughed aloud.
"Pardon me," he said, "but such a name for you is an
abomination. Don't you ever shorten it ?"

62

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"I do not think it is very euphonious myself, Mr. Coolidge, and therefore, when I write it, I shorten it into
Meta," she explained, smiling at his indignation, and disarmed by his frankness.
"That is quite respectable. But what is the matter? I
fear you have not recovered from your fall yet. Are you
sure you are not injured by it?" he asked, anxiously, seeing she had grown very white again.
"No; but it gave me quite a shock, and I think the
motion of the boat prolongs the dizziness. But I shall do
very well if I can only sit down."
"If this gentle swaying affects you so, I do not know
what you will do when we come to move," he replied, as
he hastened toward the saloon with her.
Here they found the rest of the family, quite anxious
at their non-appearance; and his mother and Isabel were
not in the best frame of mind in the world when they
saw the governess come in, leaning upon the arm of
Wilbur.
"Miss Douglas has had a fall, mother, and is faint;
please let her have your vinaigrette," he explained, as he
carefully seated her upon a sofa.
"Thanks, but I have one," Brownie said, and straightway produced one from her little traveling-bag, which
caused Miss Isabel's pale eyes to expand with wonder.
It was a costly little trifle of solid gold, and its stopple
was curiously formed and set with pearls.
She prized it, and loved to use it, because it has been
one of the things which had been used last by Miss Mehetabel.
"Do look, mamma! Wherever did she get it ?" whispered Isabel.
"I'm sure I don't know, child; evidently, she belonged
to a different sphere in life before she came to us. I
only wish your grandfather had been at the poles that
night she went to the library to beguile him with her
pretty face," returned the maternal Coolidge, impatiently.
"Oh, you begin to think she is pretty, do you ?" sneered
her dutiful daughter.
"Wilbur evidently thinks so, if I do not," was the
moody reply.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

63

Brownie's quick ears had caught every word, and she
very coldly refused the glass of ice water which the young
man in question at that moment brought her.
She then settled herself upon the couch and closed her
eyes, thus intimating her desire to be left alone.
Upon the deck above them there paced a young man,
with bent head and thoughtful brow.
He was tall and exceedingly well-formed, his broad,
full chest and square shoulders giving one the impression
of great strength and powers of endurance.
He looked the Englishman every inch, and a very noble
one withal.
He was not handsome, like Wilbur Coolidge, but he
possessed a face of decision and truth.
He had deep, thoughtful gray eyes, a good mouth with
kindly lines about it, and an expression of great firmness and character withal. It was a true, good face-a
face to be trusted under any circumstances.
"How does she happen to be here, I wonder?" he muttered, with a far-away look out over the waters. "I
know she left Philadelphia soon after her aunt's death,"
he continued, "and though Gordon tried hard to find
where she had gone, he could not. She faded out of the
fashionable world in which she used to move as completely and suddenly as a fallen star drops out of existence. I'm glad now I did not leave the button with
him, as he wished me to do; no, I'll give it to her with
my own hands, or I will keep it forever !"
He walked absently to the side of the steamer, and
stood looking into the turbid waters beneath; and not
long after two ladies drew near, and he overheard the
following conversation:
"Mamma, I tell you we shall have trouble with that
governess as sure as the world."
"I hope not," replied the elder lady, with a troubled
look.
"Wilbur is over head and ears in love with her already,
and it will be just like her to lead him on for the sake of
gaining a good position in the world," and the young
lady's tone was exceedingly disagreeable.
"Well, it cannot be helped now; you must make your-

64

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

self so interesting and agreeable that he will prefer your
society to that of any one's else; you must monopolize him
during the voyage, and when we are once settled, I will
see that she does not have any spare time to flirt."
"Talk about her having a fall," continued Isabel Coolidge, indignantly. "Alma saw the whole proceeding, and
says it was nothing but a stumble. She said a gentleman
caught her, and saved her from going to the floor, and she
lay back in his arms as helplessly and gracefully as any
heroine in a novel."
"I have not much doubt that she is artful, and would
not scruple to take advantage of Wilbur's weakness for
pretty faces, notwithstanding she appears so meek and
demure."
"Meek and demure, mamma! Why, she is anything
but that. She has the manners and bearing of a little
queen !" interrupted Miss Coolidge.
"Well, but she is very quiet, and does not appear to be
seeking his attentions; but, as I said before, we cannot
help it now; all we can do is to watch them closely."
"Never fear but that we can do that with our sharp
eyes; and with you and I both on the lookout, I reckon
we can manage them," laughed the young lady.
"Yes; and if we find any indications of anything serious upon Wilbur's part, I will find some excuse for shipping her off our hands as soon as we land. I will not have
my son's prospects ruined by a poverty-stricken governess,"
replied the haughty woman, sternly.
They moved away from the place where they had been
standing, and the young Englishman resumed his pacings,
a smile of ineffable scorn curling his fine lips.
"A poverty-stricken governess, indeed!" he muttered
between his teeth; "and I would not have her prospects
for future happiness ruined by the son of such a woman!
Poor child !" and his face softened into tenderness; "then
she has been reduced to that cruel necessity, and she will
have a hard time of it if left to the tender mercies of
those two. At all events," he continued, "I will manage
some way to get acquainted with her before the voyage
is ended, and return her cuff button. I shall miss it, too,

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

65

for it has lain so long in its place that it seems like a
precious talisman."
He took it from the pocket of his vest as he spoke--that beautiful little trifle of black enamel and gold, with its
sparkling initial in the center, inclosed in its brilliant
circle.
He turned it over, and read the tiny letters engraved
on the back.
"Brownie !" he murmured. "I could not help speaking
her name as I held her in my arms; and how beautiful
she looked when the lovely color leaped into her face as
she heard it. Never mind, when I put this into her own
little hands, I will explain it all."
He replaced the button in his pocket, with a deep sigh,
and then turned his attention to the steamer, as she cast
off her moorings and began to move out into the mighty
deep.
The reader has doubtless recognized in the stranger the
person of Adrian Dredmond, one of the young men who
stood in the vestibule of the Art Gallery at Philadelphia
on the day when Miss Huntington met with such a series
of accidents to her elaborate toilet.
He had come from the old country to attend the world's
wonderful exposition, and was now returning-but more
of him hereafter.
CHAPTER XII
DRESSING FOR THE OPERA

The passage proved to be an exceedingly rough one, and
Brownie suffered more than any of the party, rot being
able to leave her stateroom during all the voyage.
Upon their arrival at Liverpool, she was so weak and
wan that Mr. Coolidge and Wilbur were obliged to bear
her in their arms from the boat to the carriage which was
to convey them to their hotel, much to the annoyance and
disgust of Isabel and her mother.
Adrian Dredmond had waited in vain for the opportunity he had so desired. He had not once seen Brownie

66

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

during the voyage. He stood by when they carried her to
the carriage, and a feeling of pain smote his heart as he
saw her wan face and sunken eyes.
"I cannot give it to her now, but I will seek an opportunity. I will see her again," he breathed to himself.
They lifted her into the carriage, shut the door, and
drove away.
"Brownie Douglas-the name is as sweet as she looks
-good-by, my Brownie; we shall meet again," he murmured; and, with a deep tenderness in his heart for her
Adrian Dredmond went his own way.
From Liverpool, the Coolidges, after a few days of rest
went to London, where they proposed establishing their
headquarters for three or four months, while they made
excursions about the country.
Here they took a house in the neighborhood of Regent's
Park, and, to Isabel's delight, entered at once upon the
gayeties of the season.
Brownie's heart is stirred with various emotions as she
finds herself thus settled among the very scenes of her
aunt's former life.
Here Miss Mehetabel lived when she was a girl; here
she was wooed and won; here she had lived that short,
bright year, loving and beloved, and which was followed
by a lifetime of mourning and sadness.
She wondered if Lord Dunforth were still living, and
if it would be her lot while abroad to meet him. She
hoped so; and she was confident that she should recognize him, from the picture which was now in her possession, even though so many years had passed, and he was
an old man of over sixty.
Of course, she never expected to meet him as an equal,
or even speak to him; but she longed for just one look
into his face, to see if he had fulfilled the promise of his
early manhood, and to assure herself that he was the
noble, high-minded knight which her little romantic heart
had pictured him from Miss Mehetabel's description.
During the first hours of the day Miss Douglas and her
pupils dived deep into the mystic lore; and so charming
did she make their studies, and so interested did she appear in everything pertaining to their welfare,, that, to

BROWNIE'S

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67

their credit be it said, they applied themselves with the
utmost diligence to their tasks, and soon gave promise of
becoming quite proficient.
The afternoons were devoted to sight-seeing and riding, the evenings to receiving company, attending drawing-rooms, the opera, or the theatre.
One morning Wilbur came home in considerable excitement, and throwing some tickets upon the table, said:
"There, mother, are some tickets for her majesty's
opera, and I want every member of this family to attend,
for there are wonderful attractions to-night."
"Then, of course, we must all go, and the girls will be
delighted that you remembered them, for they are not
often allowed to appear in company, you know," she said,
smiling.
"And Miss Douglas, too, mother; I procured a ticket
for her," he added.
Mrs. Coolidge demurred at this.
"But Miss Douglas is in deep morning; it would not
be suitable for her to appear with us in her black garments," she said.
"Pshaw! she can wear something else for once. It is a
shame to debar her from such a luxury; any one can see
that she is passionately fond of music, and I should feel
mean to take all the others and leave her behind," he returned, indignantly.
Mrs. Coolidge thought a moment, and finally assented.
She well knew that too much opposition often whetted
passion, and she had no desire to provoke Wilbur into
being a champion for the governess, and accordingly gave
her consent.
He met Brownie in the hall a few moments afterward,
and told her of the arrangement for the evening.
Her face lighted with pleasure.
"Please, if I may be so bold as to make the request
wear something not quite so somber as this," and he just
touched the black dress.
Her face grew very sad, and her eyes filled with tears.
Miss Douglas had been dead just two months, and the
thought of gay attire seemed unsuitable to her.
"Forgive me if I pain you, but I would like to see you for

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

once as bright as the others," the young man added, and
then passed on.
She knew her black dress would not be suitable for the
opera, and yet she hesitated about changing it for two
reasons.
Her own feelings rebelled against it, as if it were doing
a wrong to Miss Mehetabel.
"And yet," she said, thinking it over, "I know auntie
would not wish me to deprive myself of the pleasure of
attending the opera, and I know, also, she would not like
me to appear in such a place in black."
The other reason was the fear of displeasing Mrs. Coolidge if she made any change.
But that matter was settled for her by that lady herself. She came to her room during the day, repeating the
invitation which Wilbur had given her, and concluded
by saying:
"Miss Douglas; have you not something a little more
appropriate that you could wear? This black is hardly
the thing."
"I have several nice dresses which I used to wear upon
such occasions, but I fear they are hardly suitable for my
position now," Brownie replied, with heightened color,
for the first time alluding to the change in her circumstances.
"Ah !" said the matron, in surprise, and pleased with
this evidence of the governess' modesty; then she added,
patronizingly: "You have seen better days, I presume ?"
"Yes, madam."
"Well, I leave the matter to your own judgment, only
do not wear black, nor white, for Alma will wear that.
Indeed," she added, after a moment's thought, "if you
have a nice dress, Miss Douglas, wear it, for, as we are
all going together, I do not care how nicely our party
appears."
An amused smile curled her lips at the expression, "if
you have a nice dress," and when the door closed after
Mrs. Coolidge, she laughed outright.
Evidently she thought if hte governess had seen better
days, they could not have been very remarkable ones.
She crossed the room, and opened the trunk in which

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

69

she had packed the richer portion of her clothing, and
took out her evening dresses.
The decision was a difficult matter, and it was more
than an hour before she could make up her mind which
one of those beautiful garments it would do to wear.
She had no desire to outshine Miss Isabel.
But that young lady, with all her love for show and
fashion, had nothing more elegant than Brownie's own
wardrobe contained.
She at length fixed upon a delicate maize-colored silk,
trimmed with puffings of soft illusion, and ruffles of fine
thread lace.
When the hour came for dressing, she arrayed herself
with a throbbing heart.
She had nearly completed her toilet, when Viola came
sweeping in, lovely in blue silk and white tulle.
In her hands she carried a most exquisite bouquet of
flowers.
She stood breathless on the threshold as she caught
sight of Brownie.
"Miss Douglas," she at length exclaimed, "how perfectly lovely you are!"
"Thank you, Viola; but you are altogether too enthusiastic in your compliments," Brownie returned, with a
smile.
Yet as she glanced into the mirror, she grew suddenly
conscious, and blushed with a sense of her own beauty.
Her hair was drawn away from her broad, low forehead, and knotted gracefully at the back of her small head.
Her beautiful neck gleamed through the misty fichu,
and her rounded arms were only half concealed by the
fall of delicate lace from her sleeves.
She wore a finely wrought chain of gold about her neck,
from which was suspended the beautiful coral cross, set
with brilliants, which her aunt had given her at the same
time she gave her the other contents of the casket.
The butterfly hair ornament to match she had fastened
in her glossy hair, and it sparkled and gleamed with her
every movement.
She surely was lovely, as Viola said:

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"I'm afraid your mamma will think me too fine," she
said, half regretfully, and struck by the young girl's words.
"But," she added, "this is the simplest thing I have,
unless I wear white, and your mamma said Alma was to
dress in white."
"Miss Douglas, who-what are you?" Viola asked, an
expression of perplexity on her young face.
"My dear, must I repeat my dreadful name? I am
Mehetabel Douglas, and a poor governess," Brownie said,
gayly.
"I know that, of course; but haven't you been a fine
lady at some time in your life ?" demanded the young girl,
impatiently.
"That depends altogether upon what you mean by the
term 'fine lady,' Viola."
"Why, one who has everything rich and elegant, and
who goes among fashionable people."
Brownie smiled at this definition of the term, but she
replied, gravely, and a little sadly:
"My dear, you have been so kind to me, I will gratify
you in this, only please remember that I do not care to
have it spoken of again. A year ago-yes, and much less
-my prospects in life were as bright as your own are now.
But death and misfortune took everything from me, and I
was obliged to do something for my own support."
"Did you live in an elegant house, and have servants,
horses, and carriages ?"
"Yes."

"Have you always had these things until now "
"Yes, dear."
"Then you are every bit as good as we are, and it's a
shame that you are not treated as an equal," burst from
Viola's lips, indignantly, as she remembered all Isabel's
sneers about "the governess," and her mother's scathing
remarks regarding "that person, Miss Douglas."
"Hush, Viola!" Brownie said, quietly, yet again smiling at the child's naive remark. "Shall I tell you what
my idea of a fine lady is?"
"Yes, do," Viola said, eagerly.
"In the first place, it is to be always kind and courteous
to every one; to respect one's self, so that one would never

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

71

do a mean or cruel act; and never to triumph over or hold
one's self above others who may be less fortunate in life."
"That's it! that's it! I only wish mamma and Isabel
could hear you. They think they are fine ladies, but, dear
Miss Douglas, I'd rather be one after your standard, and
I will !" and the impulsive girl threw her arms around
Brownie's neck and kissed her heartily.
Brownie was afraid she had made a mistake in speaking
thus.
She thought it wise now to change the subject, and
asked:
"Where did you get such lovely flowers, dear ?"
"Oh, I nearly forgot! Wilbur sent them to you, with
his compliments," Viola said, apologetically, as she gave
them to her.
Miss Douglas colored a vivid crimson.
She did not like to take gifts from him, knowing the
feelings of Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel; and, at the same
time, she did not like to wound him by refusing them.
"They are very beautiful, dear, and it is very kind of
your brother to remember me. But there are so many of
them, let me fasten this spray in your hair."
She took the loveliest cluster of white moss rosebuds
from the bouquet.
"There, see for yourself. Is it not an improvement ?"
she asked, as her deft fingers wove it among Viola's golden
braids.
"Thank you," the young girl said, her face beaming
with pleasure. "But you have given me the prettiest you
had, Miss Douglas," she added, regretfully.
"And why shouldn't I, dear? I have not forgotten
who was so kind and faithful to a poor, sick, useless little
body when we were crossing the ocean," Brownie playfully replied, as she kissed the flushed cheek.
She then selected a few flowers for herself, and telling
Viola that she was ready, they both descended to the
drawing-room.
A hush of expectation followed their entrance.
Isabel's eagle eye took in at one sweeping glance the
simple elegance of the governess' toilet, and her astonishment was plainly visible as she noticed those two almost

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

priceless ornaments which she wore upon her bosom and
in her hair.
"Indeed, Miss Douglas, I did not expect to see you
quite so radiant," said Mrs. Coolidge, in cold tones, and
wondering where her governess got such elegant jewels.
Brownie blushed deeply, but replied, courteously:
"Do I not meet your approbation, madam? If not,
any change you may choose to suggest, I will gladly
make."
"They'll spoil all her pleasure, the vixens," was Wilbur's inward comment, as his eyes gloated upon her wonderful beauty, and gleamed with a stronger ray of love
than he had henceforth dared betray.
Mrs. Coolidge knew she had tied her own tongue by
what she had said to Brownie in her own room, but she
inwardly resolved that the same thing should never happen again.
"Your costume is rather rich for your position," she
remarked, with well-assumed indifference, "but it is of no
consequence for once."
Then, as they left the house, she whispered to her
daughter:
"No one need know but that she is a guest."
"It's fine, isn't it, to have your governess outshine your
own daughter? I do hope this night's experience will
teach you wisdom," grumbled the envious girl.

CHAPTER XIII
A SCENE

HER MAJESTY'S OPERA, Drury Lane, was crowded to

its utmost capacity when our party arrived.
But having secured a private box, this circumstance did
not inconvenience them in the least.
Wilbur Coolidge took care, after his mother and Isabel
were comfortably seated, that Miss Douglas should have
:a place where she could command a good view of the
stage.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

He was disgusted with their treatment of the lovely
governess, and strove by numerous little attentions to
atone in part for their rudeness.
A battery of lorgnettes was immediately leveled at this
brilliant company, and there were numberless surmisings
and questionings as to who the newcomers could be.
In a box not far from the Coolidge party there sat a
royal-looking couple-an old gentleman, still hale and
hearty, although upward of sixty-five, and a matron of
perhaps a half-dozen years younger.
By the side of the latter, and assiduously attending to
her wants, was a young man of about two-and-twenty.
It was no other than Adrian Dredmond!
He, too, had leveled his glass as the newcomers settled themselves in their places.
After one sweeping glance, he half started from his
chair, with a low exclamation of pleasure.
"Whom do you see, Adrian?" asked the lady by his side.
"Some friends who came over in the same steamer
with me, I believe," he replied, taking another look, and
a smile of pleasure curving his fine lips as his eye rested
upon Brownie, who seemed to him in her elegant robes
like some beautiful vision from another sphere.
"Americans ?" demanded his companion, preparing to
adjust her own glass.
"Yes, your ladyship," was the quiet response.
"Ah!"

Her ladyship, as she uttered this with a slight accent of
contempt, evidently did not deem them worthy the effort
of a glance, and accordingly turned her glass toward the
stage, the curtain having risen for the first act.
For a time the attention of all was attracted in the
same direction.
Brownie sat as one entranced, forgetting the past, and
living over again the exquisite delight which she had so
often experienced in by-gone days.
"You are fond of the opera, Miss Douglas ?" Wilbur
whispered, when the curtain at length fell.
"Passionately," she replied, turning her glowing face
toward him; then added: "And, Mr. Coolidge, you have

74

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

given me the first bit of unalloyed pleasure I have had
since great misfortune came upon me."
Her voice quivered, her eyes were dewy, and her breast
heaved with the deliciousness of the hour.
"I would I could henceforth give you every joy of
earth," he murmured, tenderly, in her ear.
"Wilbur," his mother said, in cold, hard tones, "will
you come and arrange your sister's cloak ?"
She had watched his every movement, and her heart
was in a tumult of rage at that artful girl for presuming
to keep him at her side.
A meaning glance was exchanged between mother and
daughter, as she made her request; and after the cloak
was satisfactorily arranged, as he was about returning to
his post, Isabel said:
"Sit down here, Wilbur, and point out to me some of
the people whom you know."
He pointed out several, when she suddenly exclaimed:
"Why, there is Mr. Dredmond who came over with us,
is it not ?"
"Yes," dryly replied her brother.
"I like his appearance very much. I wish you would
go and bring him here, and introduce him to us."
"What is the use? Any other time will do as well, and
it is nearly time for the curtain to rise again," he said ,
impatiently, and with an uneasy glance toward Miss
Douglas.
"Oh, there is plenty of time. Look! he is bowing to
you now."

Wilbur returned the salutation, but did not move, and
his mother exclaimed:
"Do oblige your sister, Wilbur. He is, indeed, a finelooking young man; I wonder if he is well connected ?"
"Rather. He is grandson to an earl," was the laconic
reply.
"An earl !" ejaculated both mother and daughter, in a
breath.
"Yes; so I have lately learned, and, notwithstanding
he will succeed to an earldom upon his grandfather's death,
he is very modest about it, and prefers to be addressed as
plain Mr. Dredmond, rather than 'my lord.'"

BROWNIE'S

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75

"Wilbur, you must introduce him, by all means. Isabel,
who knows what may happen ?" and Mrs. Coolidge, much
excited at the intelligence she had just received, ruffled
her feathers with motherly pride.
"There, Wilbur! I do believe he is coming here. He
has left his box, and is coming this way !" exclaimed Isabel, her cheeks flushing a vivid scarlet at the thought of
being introduced to a peer of the realm.
Adrian Dredmond was indeed bending his steps in that
direction; but had those proud women known that it was
on account of their despised governess, and her alone, they
would not have been so elated.
Wilbur arose, and met him at the entrance.
"How are you, Coolidge ?" exclaimed the young man,
heartily, and extending his hand. "We have not met often
of late," he added.
"No; I have been dancing attendance upon the ladies.
Will you come in and be introduced?"
"With pleasure," and his eyes lingered upon that graceful figure, clad in maize-colored silk, seated between the
two young girls.
Wilbur lead him first to his mother and Isabel, then
presented him to Viola and Alma, and finally to Brownie,
in spite of Mrs. Coolidge's warning glance, as she saw
what he was about to do.
The young girl's cheeks kindled to a flame as she laid
her daintily gloved hand in his, and remembered that this
handsome stranger, whose name she had not known until
this moment, had held her in his arms, and so close to his
bosom that she had felt the beating of his great heart.
Wilbur noted her rich color, and the shy drooping of
her white lids; he noted, too, the lingering look of admiration which the young man bent upon her, and a great
pain smote his heart-a fear that trouble, and disaster to
his hopes, would follow this introduction.
Mr. Dredmond was invited to a seat by Isabel, and
instantly monopolized by her, while Mrs. Coolidge, much
elated at the turn events were taking, took care that Wilbur did not resume his position near the governess, but
kept him busy answering questions till the opera was over.
Miss Isabel intended that Mr. Dredmond should at-

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

tend her to the carriage, but, by some means, in leaving
the box, they became separated, he standing at the entrance until all had passed out.
Brownie being the last one, he offered her his arm to
conduct her through the crowd.
She could not refuse without seeming rude, yet she
was keen enough to perceive that the attention would call
down the dire displeasure of her employer upon her head.
In the lobby they encountered an old gentleman and
lady. In an instant the gaze of the former became riveted
upon Miss Douglas.
He stopped in her path.
His face grew ghastly white, his lips twitched nervously,
and he breathed as if terribly agitated.
Brownie lifted her eyes, and was startled at his appearance. It seemed to her as if she was confronting a
madman. He bent toward her until his quick breath
smote her cheek. He did not seem to notice her companion; all his faculties were concentrated upon the startled girl.
He lifted his shaking hand and touched with one finger
that glittering cross upon her bosom.
"There is but one cross like that in the world," he muttered. "Girl, girl, where did you get it ?" he demanded,
hoarsely.
Before she could collect her scattered senses to reply the
crowd surged in between them; the old man was borne
one way, Brownie and her companion the other, and she
only caught one more glimpse of a pair of deep, fathomless eyes, filled with keenest pain, a white, set face, its lips
livid and rigid.
Then she found herself in the fresh, cool air, and Adrian
Dredmond saying, in tones of apology:
"You will excuse him, Miss Douglas; he is an old man."
"Certainly; but he startled me somewhat," she answered,
drawing a deep breath; and before she could ask if he
knew who the strange gentleman was, she found they were
beside the Coolidge carriage.
"Really, Miss Douglas, is it you at last? You have
kept us waiting until we are tired," exclaimed Isabel,
peevishly.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

77

"I hope you have not been troubled, Mr. Dredmond,"
apologized Mrs. Coolidge, graciously, and giving Brownie
a withering look.
"Oh, no; it has given me pleasure to attend Miss
Douglas," blundered the young man, saying the very worst
thing possible.
"I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Mrs. Coolidge,
but the crowd detained us, and my cloak caught upon one
of the seats," explained Brownie.
"Crowd, indeed! I've seen governesses before this who
liked to flirt," sneered the irate Isabel under her breath.
Both Mr. Dredmond and Miss Douglas caught the insolent words, and they aroused all the fire in the young girl's
blood.
With the air of a queen, she turned, as she was about
entering the carriage, and holding out her little hand, she
said to Mr. Dredmond.
"Thank you, Mr. Dredmond, for your kindness, and
good-night."
He bowed low over her hand, then assisting her to enter
the carriage, lifted his hat to the others and turned away,
but not before he had noted the menacing looks cast upon
the poor little governess for her audacity.
"Miss Douglas, please step this way one moment," Mrs.
Coolidge commanded, in icy tones, upon entering the
house.
She led the way toward the library, Brownie following
with head erect, and a mien which even the fashionable
and imposing Mrs. Coolidge could not subdue.
"I wish it distinctly understood, Miss Douglas," the
matron began, with a look which would have annihilated
the young girl had she possessed less of the spirit of heroes
within her, "that hereafter you are to receive no attention
from gentlemen while you remain in my employ. Miss
Isabel's prospects are not to be interfered with by you."
Brownie's red lips curled with scorn.
She met her glance proudly and without the quiver of a
nerve.
"Mrs. Coolidge, I have not the slightest desire to interfere in any way with Miss Coolidge's prospects. The
occurrence of this evening was wholly unpremeditated as

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

far as I am concerned. But, madam, I wish it distinctly
understood upon my part, that if the insults to which I
have been subjected to-night are ever repeated I shall consider my connection with you at an end."
Mrs. Coolidge could have strangled her as she stood
there in her proud beauty, but she began to be a little
afraid of her as well.
"Really, Miss Douglas, it seems to me you are assuming a great deal for a dependent," returned the woman,
haughtily.
"I recognize the fact, madam, that I am in a measure
dependent upon your favor; but I am also aware that my
services are of no small value to you. When I consented
to take charge of your daughters' education, I did not
consent to forfeit my self-respect by quietly submitting to
any abuse from any member of your family."
Brownie's tone was very quiet, but very clear and firm.
"What am I to understand by this language from you,
Miss Douglas ?" demanded Mrs. Coolidge, nearly choking
with anger.
"That I expect due consideration from yourself and
family, while I in turn render you all proper respect. I
wish you good-night, madam."
With a courteous inclination of her bright head,
Brownie turned and walked from the room with the air
of an empress.
Mrs. Coolidge stood looking after her for several minutes in utter amazement.
"Who is the little vixen, I wonder ?" she ejaculated,
when she had recovered her self-possession somewhat. "She
is evidently far above her station; and, judging from her
appearance to-night, she must have moved in society equal
to any into which we are received."
But that lady knew, as the young girl had said, that she
was invaluable to her.
Already her younger daughters were acquiring a fluency
of speech and an elegance of manner which delighted her,
and she felt that it would not do to part with her cultivated
governess for any light consideration.
She knew it would be very difficult to find any one,
while they were abroad, who would prove as useful in every

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

79

respect as Miss Douglas, and she resolved to swallow her
wrath, and keep her at all hazards, unless Wilbur should
fall in love with her.
At all events, one thing was settled-Miss Douglas
should be seen no more in company.

CHAPTER XIV
ISABEL'S DISCOVERY

A FEW days later Brownie donned her hat and jacket,
and went out for a stroll.
She had been very brave and defiant while confronting
Mrs. Coolidge, but the reaction followed immediately, and
she had been sad and low-spirited ever since.
She felt so alone in the world--so weary of this loveless
life.
It was evident that she was looked upon as a mere machine, fit only to make herself obliging and useful.
To be sure, there had been no more unkind or insolent
speeches,; for Isabel had been warned by her mother that
Miss Douglas was so extremely high-spirited that she would
not submit to them; but their manner to her was so arrogant and overbearing that it was absolutely painful to be
in their presence.
She was thinking of it to-day as she went out, and try
as she would to rise above it, to feel that it was beneath
her to notice anything so low and ignoble, yet it did sting
with a keenness which was very hard to bear.
She almost began to long for the old days in the straw
factory, and the independence of being her own mistress
again even though she was obliged to live less luxuriously
and work more laboriously.
She walked briskly on for a mile or two, past elegant
residences, modern villas, and ancient halls, wholly unconscious of the more direful calamity which would befall
her upon her return-of the fearful cloud about to burst
above her head.
*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

80

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

Isabel Coolidge had, so to speak, been dying of envy
ever since the night of their attendance at the opera.
How did Miss Douglas happen to have such elegant
apparel? Where did she get such wonderful jewels?
She did not believe her mother's theory that she had
been suddenly reduced from prosperity to poverty.
"Mamma, I tell you I don't believe the girl came by
them honestly," she said one day.
"Why, child, you do not mean to say that you believe
the girl is a thief ?" exclaimed her mother, aghast.
"It is an ugly word, I know, but you said yourself that
you considered her artful.'
"Yes, I think she is about attracting the attention of
gentlemen; although, with her drooping eyes and unconscious manner, one less versed in the ways of the world
would say she was the impersonation of modesty."
"I hate such prudish airs, and I do not think there will
be any harm in watching her."
Since Adrian Dredmond's evident attraction toward her
on the night of the opera, she had resolved that Brownie
Douglas and she should not live long in the same house.
With these thoughts continually in her mind, she had
kept up a constant espionage upon the governess' actions,
and to-day, when she saw her leave the house, equipped
for a long walk, she concluded that the right time had
come to carry out certain plans which she had formed.
Watching her opportunity, when no one was about, she
slipped quietly into Miss Douglas' room, and locked the
door after her.
She had never deigned to enter there before, and she
was now surprised to find how tastefully everything was
arranged.
She noticed the few choice pictures upon the walls, and
here and there an exquisite little statuette or article of
bronze-those relics of Brownie's beautiful home in Philadelphia, which she dearly loved.
She went to her dressing-case, and was surprised'at the
elegance of her toilet appurtenances. She had none so
rich!
One little thing in particular struck her.

BROWNIE'S

81

TRIUMPH

It was an exquisite case of Russia leather, with the initials "E. H." engraven in gilt upon its handle.
She opened it, and an exclamation of delight escaped
her.
Within were six tiny flasks of cut glass, with gold stoppers, filled with choicest perfumes, upon each of which
the same letters were cut.
"Ah, ha! 'E. H.,' that does not stand for Mehetabel
Douglas !" she said, with a sinister smile.
She took them out, one by one, removing their gold
stoppers and inhaling the delicious perfume with which
they were filled.
Suddenly her attention was attracted by a folded paper
in the bottom of the case.
She took it p, opened it, and read, in a gentleman's
handwriting:
"My Darling: To-morrow will be our wedding day.
I cannot come to you to-day, as I promised, but I send my
little gift to help grace your table. I pray Heaven that
the fragrance which this little case contains may be but
the emblem of your future life with me. Ever thine,
" WILLIAM."

Could it be that Miss Douglas had been rich, and about
to be married, and then disappointed?
There was no date, and no name but that of William,,
to give the prying girl any clew as to the author of the
note.
No, this could have been no wedding gift intended for
her, or the initials would have been different.
She replaced the note, also the bottles, and then turned
her attention to other things, but becoming more and more
convinced of Brownie's dishonesty.
She opened the bureau drawers, and was surprised to
find several other articles marked with the same initials.
Two or three sets of undergarments, trimmed with
costly laces and embroideries, a couple of handkerchiefs,
which made her eyes water to look at them, an emerald
ring and a pearl pin.
She found Brownie's jewel-box, containing only a few

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

plain articles of jewelry, and one or two sets of jet, which
she had purchased since her aunt's death, and the cuff
button, the mate of which was in Adrian Dredmond's
possession.
But the jeweled cross and hair ornament were not to be
found there.
"I wonder where she keeps them ?" Miss Coolidge soliloquized, as, after examining all the drawers, she turned
her gaze about the room.
Her eye fell upon a large writing-desk, which stood upon
a table at the further side of the room.
She went over to it, and tried to raise the lid.
It was locked, and the key removed.
Brownie's keys, which were held together in a bunch
by a steel ring, hung by one of their number in the trunk
from which she had taken her evening dress on the night
of the opera.
Isabel's quick eye soon caught sight of them, and, with
a cry of pleasure, she darted across the room to secure
them, then returned to the desk, and finally succeeded in
fitting the right key in its lock.
The desk, in itself, was nothing remarkable, for it had
seen long usage, but its contents were rare and lovely.
A golden penholder and pen lay within; also an elaborate paper knife of the same metal; a silver paper weight
of exquisite workmanship and design; a seal of onyx, in
which blazed a huge ruby; besides several other things;
and all these were marked with the same initials, "E. H."
Isabel lifted the inner lid, and, behold! the casket of
ebony, inlaid with pearl, which Miss Mehetabel had given
Brownie on that last day of her life, was within.
There were also several packages of letters and papers,
but to these she paid no heed.
"I have found them," she cried, and was about to seize
the casket, when she caught the sound of a footstep outside the door.
Her heart stood still with fear, and cold chills crept
down her back.
She had not dreamed that Miss Douglas would return
so soon, for she had heard her tell Alma she would be
gone for an hour or more.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
She would not be caught in this contemptible act for
all the jewels in the queen's crown, and she began to look
about for some way of escape.
A hand was laid upon the doorknob, and it turned. A
moment's silence, and it was tried again-this time with
more force.
Then a voice called:
"Miss Douglas, please, may I come in a moment?"
It was Viola's; and Isabel grew faint with a sense of
relief, but she stood silent, scarcely daring to breathe, lest
she should be heard, and her sister insist upon coming in.
Presently she heard Alma call out:
"Viola, Miss Douglas is not there; she has gone out
for a walk."
Then the steps moved away, and the guilty girl was
obliged to sit down to gather strength, before she could
continue her investigations. Cowardice and guilt are inseparable.
She dare not wait long, however, and soon turned her
attention to the ebony casket again.
Fortunately for her, the little golden key, with its curious chain attached, was in the lock.
Brownie had forgotten to clasp it about her neck again
after replacing the jewels.
As she was about turning the key she hesitated, while
a feeling of her own meanness stole over her.
"If I didn't mistrust the girl, I wouldn't do it," she
apologized to herself. Then she added: "If she is not
what she pretends, of course, it is better for us to know
it before the girls become contaminated; but if I do not
discover anything, why, then it is all right."
With this bit of doubtful sophistry in her mind, she
turned the key and lifted the lid.
The sight which greeted her dazzled her, even as it had
Brownie when she had first looked upon those treasures.
There lay the coral cross and the butterfly hair ornament, for which she had been seeking, but she almost lost
sight of them while gazing upon those others, of tenfold
more value and beauty.
"Now I know she is a thief !" murmured the astonished
girl, when she had somewhat recovered from her sur-

84

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

prise. "It is not possible," she added, "that any girl of
her age, outside of royalty itself, could ever be the rightful
possessor of such magnificence as this. Why, there is a
fortune here," she went on; "and no one need tell me that
a girl would choose to work for her daily bread when she
has the means of living in luxury in her possession. But
no, it is evident that she has stolen them, and does not
dare to sell them for fear of detection. Yes, and she must
have stolen all those other things marked 'E. H.' What
a creature we have been harboring! I imagine Wilbur
and Mr. Dredmond will not think her quite so charming
when they come to know that her dainty hands have been
guilty of kleptomania. How exquisite," she said, bending
over them and touching the precious stones with her white
fingers. "This diamond necklace is fit for a princess.
But what shall I do about them?" she asked, after she had
inspected them all. "If she has stolen them, as I do not
doubt she has, they certainly ought not to be left in her
possession. I will take them to mamma, and ask her what
shall be done with them."
With this decision arrived at, Isabel closed the lid of
the casket, remarking its beautiful inlaid cover as she did
so; then, removing it from the desk, she shut and locked
that, and restored the keys to the trunk where she had
found them. Then she sped swiftly to her mother's
boudoir, devoutly hoping that Brownie would not return
until she had displayed her treasures to her, made her explanation, and they could decide what was best to be done
about the matter.
If the truth had been known, the meddlesome girl had
a secret longing to possess the jewels herself.

CHAPTER XV
A TERRIBLE ACCUSATION

MRs. COOLIDGE looked up with a frown, as Isabel entered the room.
"What have you there ?" she demanded, as she caught
sight of the casket which her daughter carried.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

85

"You remember, mamma, what I said about Miss Douglas being the possessor of such elegant jewels ?" said Isabel,
not heeding the question.
"Yes; you said you did not believe she came by them
honestly. Why?"
"I am sure of it now. Look here !"
She suddenly threw back the lid of the casket, and
placed it in her mother's lap.
"Merciful heavens, child! Where did you get these?
Ah !" she continued, as Isabel did not reply, "here are the
very ornaments which Miss Douglas wore the other evening."
She looked up at her daughter, and the two read each
other's faces in silence for a moment.
"You do not mean to tell me that you found all these
in her possession ?" she at length asked, in a low tone.
"I do, mamma," Isabel said, impressively.
"But how did you happen to discover them? Surely,,
my daughter, you have not been guilty of prying into her
things during her absence," said Mrs. Coolidge, gravely.
Isabel colored violently.
"I have, mamma. I should think it was time some one
investigated matters, when we have a governess in the
house possessing such treasures. I believed her guilty of
theft, and I was determined that the girls should not re-.
main under her influence if anything could be proved
against her. So I set myself to work; and I think when
you have examined the contents of that box, and hear
what I have to tell you, that you will conclude that she is.
no fit instructress for your daughters."
"Isabel, I am afraid you have done a very unwise
thing" remarked her mother, thoughtfully, with her eyes
still fixed upon the jewels.
"How so?"

"We cannot prove that she stole a single article in her
possession."
"Why, she has quantities of beautiful things, marked
with the initials 'E. H.' "
And Isabel explained about the case of golden-stoppered
perfumery flasks, and the contents of the writing-desk;;
also about the note.

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"If she is light-fingered, you don't want her here; she'll
be adding to her stock by approaching our treasures,"
concluded the heartless girl.
"No; if she is that kind of a person, she ought not to be
allowed to remain."
"Well, do you believe that any girl in her circumstances
could be the honest possessor of that fortune?" Isabel
asked, pointing toward the gleaming jewels.
"N-o, I'm afraid not. Yet I dislike, of all things, that
you should have got them in the way you have."
Mrs. Coolidge took up the diamond necklace, and it
sparkled in her hands like huge drops of dew in the sun.
"Very well; I will replace them at once, mamma, if
you think best, and we will say no more about it," replied
her daughter, cunningly.
She had noticed the avaricious gleam in her mother's
eyes as they contemplated their beauty, and she knew she
would give as much to possess them as she would herself.
"That would never do, my' daughter. I should not rest
easy while there is a suspicion against Miss Douglas'
honesty in my heart. There is only one thing to be done
now."

"What is that?"
"We must demand an explanation of her immediately
upon her return."
"Of course, she has a trumped-up story of some kind;
she is too artful not to be prepared for us."
"She will have to prove her property, my dear. At all
events, I shall advise her to dispose of them in some way.
It is not proper for a governess to have such valuables."
"Perhaps she would sell them to us, mamma," said
Isabel, a greedy look in her eyes. "That tiara would be
vastly becoming to me."
"They are the most exquisite jewels I have ever seen
in my life, and the settings are peculiar. But what is
there underneath? Have you looked, Isabel ?" Mrs. Coolidge asked, finding the velvet bed was movable.
"No; I was so startled at finding such an array that I
did not stop to make any further investigations, but
brought them directly to you."
Mrs. Coolidge lifted the velvet bed.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

87

"What have we here ?" she exclaimed, as she saw the
enameled locket studded with diamonds.
With breathless curiosity she touched the spring, and it
flew open, revealing the face of Lord Dunforth.
"Who can it be, mamma?" asked Isabel, with wonderwide eyes.
"I do not know; no one who belongs to Miss Douglas,
I fancy, from his looks. How strangely he is dressedlike some court gentleman."
"And what is this ?" said Isabel, taking up the card that
lay beneath. Then she cried out. "Why, mamma, it is
a dancing list, and look! here are the names of counts
and lords! Do you believe now that Miss Douglas ever
came by these things honestly ?" she demanded, in tones
of triumph.
"No, Isabel, I do not," returned her mother, with firmset lips; "and I shall inquire into it immediately on her
return."
"What could a young girl eighteen years old-a poor
girl without a penny, too, and who had never been out
of her own country before, know of lords and counts ?"
The idea was absurd.
There was a mystery about the whole thing, a tantalizing mystery, which both women were eager to solve.
Evidently Miss Douglas had seen better days, they reasoned, or she could never have received the excellent education she possessed; but then any enterprising person in
moderate circumstances could acquire that under the training of the first-class schools which are found in most of
the larger cities of the United States.
While these thoughts were passing through the mind of
Mrs. Coolidge, she heard the hall door open and close,
and Brownie's voice in cheerful conversation with Wilbur.
He had joined her by accident (?) while she was walking, and had made himself so entertaining and agreeable
that the clouds upon her face had all been driven away.
She tripped gayly upstairs, wholly unconscious of the
thunderbolt awaiting her.
Isabel confronted her as she reached the top stairs.
"Mamma would like to see you in her dressing-room
immediately, Miss Douglas," she said, haughtily.

88

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

She colored at the tone and manner, but, wholly unconscious of any coming evil, she obeyed the summons as
soon as she had removed her hat and jacket.
She found Mrs. Coolidge sitting cold and dignified in
her armchair.
"Be seated, Miss Douglas," she said, solemnly. "I wish
to speak to you upon a matter of importance."
Brownie sat down, her clear eyes wide with wonder at
her reception.
There was a moment's awkward silence, the lady of the
house hardly knowing how to commence.
"Ahem !" she began, shifting her glance from the clear,
innocent eyes, which she had thought must have fallen
before her accusing look. "Ahem! Miss Douglas, I have
sent for you to ask what may seem a strange question;
nevertheless, I feel it to be a duty to myself and family to
ask it."
Brownie's fair face began to change color again.
Mrs. Coolidge noticed it, and her assurance was restored.
"I, of course, expect you to give me a straightforward
reply," she added, impressively.
The shining brown head was lifted a trifle, her delicate
nostrils dilated, while an unwonted spark lighted those
beautiful eyes, which never for a moment left the matron's
face.
She requested to give a straightforward answer!
When had she ever done otherwise ?
"I wish to ask you, Miss Douglas," Mrs. Coolidge said,
coming to the point at once, and feeling very uncomfortable beneath her look, "if you have anything in your
possession which does not honestly belong to you ?"
She now fixed her stern gaze full upon the beautiful
face. The battle was begun, and she was prepared to fight
it out.
For an instant all three-for Isabel had returned to
the room, and now stood behind her mother's chair, where
she could watch her rival-could distinctly hear the ticking of Mrs. Coolidge's watch, which lay upon the dressing
table at her side.
Then Brownie arose, and stood like an insulted princess
before her inquisitor.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

89

"Madam, I ask-nay, I demand-to know why you put
such a question to me !" she said, in low, firm tones.
Her face had grown white as the narrow linen collar
which she wore, and her eyes burned dangerously.
"You forget yourself, Miss Douglas," Mrs. Coolidge
said, pompously. "It was I who asked you a question."
"And I consider such a question an insult, madam!"
"Very well; I expected you would; all people who are
guilty of wrong feel insulted, or appear to, when they are
accused."
"Guilty of wrong! accused! I do not understand you,
madam. Of what do you accuse me ?" demanded the
young girl, with a proud dignity which her employer had
not expected from her.
She began to feel a little shaky, but she was in for it
now, and must go on.
"I accuse you of having stolen costly articles and appropriating them to your own use," she said, solemnly.
"Explain yourself, if you please, Mrs. Coolidge."
Those brown eyes were almost black now, but her answer was intensely quiet, and the lovely face like a snowflake.
"Allow me to ask you one question before I explain."
"Certainly."
"How came you by those beautiful jewels, those very
costly ornaments, which you wore to the opera last Wednesday evening ?"

"They were given to me, madam."
"By whom ?"

"By a very dear friend."
There was a quiver in the sweet voice, a trembling of
the scarlet lips, but the lovely eyes were bright and tearless.
"How long have they been in your possession?" continued Mrs. Coolidge.
"A little over three months, madam."
"Mamma, mamma, does not that prove enough ?" burst
out Isabel, triumphantly. "Why, she has been with us
over two months, and she worked in the factory three
weeks. Who would give a poor girl such jewels as those ?"
Brownie's only reply to this outburst was a look of

90

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

ineffable scorn, and the elder lady went on in a severe
tone:
"I fear, Miss Douglas, that your story is against you.
When you sought employment from my husband you were
in such circumstances that you were obliged to toil for
your daily bread."
A proud inclination of her head was all the reply to
this query. She dare not trust her voice just then.
"And you say these jewels were given to you about that
time ?"

Another bow.
"The rich clothing, and other trifles which you have,
were they given to you also ?"
"Yes, madam !"

"And all by this same dear friend ?"
A peculiar look accompanied this question, while Isabel's
eyes gleamed in wicked triumph.
She could see whither these questions were tending, if
innocent Brownie did not.
"They were," she said.
"Was this friend a gentleman, Miss Douglas ?"
For one moment there came into the young girl's lovely
eyes a look of perplexity and astonishment, followed by
one of blank horror.
Then all the royal blood in her Douglas veins sprang
to arms!
The rich color surged up from her enraged heart over
her neck and face; up, up, as the full force of this horrible thought nearly drove her mad, until it lost itself
among the bands of shining hair, and tingled to her fingertips. Then it all receded, leaving her colorless as marble,
and, in her proud indignation, like some avenging spirit.
"Mrs. Coolidge," she said, in the same quiet, ladylike
tones, but they made the woman shiver notwithstanding,
"your language and insinuation is the grossest insult to
me, and again I demand an immediate explanation."
"Isabel, bring me that box," said Mrs. Coolidge, pointing to Brownie's casket, which stood upon the table behind
her.
Miss Coolidge obeyed and Brownie uttered a cry of
astonishment as she saw it.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

91

"How came you by that? Where did you get it ?" she
said, starting forward her lips quivering, and a choking
sensation in her throat.
Her dear, precious casket, still sacred from the last fond
touches of Miss Mehetabel's hand, profaned by their ruthless handling!
But all this emotion was but an evidence of guilt in the
eyes of those hard-hearted women.
"Is not that guilt, mamma, if you ever saw it ?" whispered Isabel in her mother's ear.
She nodded her head sternly, and then turned to face
her victim again.
"I will explain, Miss Douglas. The jewels which you
wore to the opera are in this box with others of much
greater value. Were these others given to you ?"
"They were."
"At the same time ?"
"At the same time, Mrs. Coolidge."
"By whom?"
"I decline to answer that question, madam," came deilantly from the young girl's compressed lips.
She had been insulted, abused; she would bear nothing
more from them.
They-these evil-minded, jealous women---had gone
to her room like thieves and hunted among her possessions
to satisfy their low-born curiosity, and having found
something which they could not clearly understand, they
were determined to make use of it to crush her.
Mrs. Coolidge could scarcely restrain her anger at
Brownie's defiance. She was very curious to know the
history of those jewels, that attractive picture, and that
dancing card with its high-sounding names.
"Am I to understand that you refuse to clear yourself
from the suspicion which rests upon you ?" she asked,
growing white with anger.
"Madam, I question your right to arraign me before
you in this manner, as I also question your right to enter
my room in my absence, pry into my affairs, and abstract
from under lock and key things which belong to me."
"Whose picture is this ?" demanded Mrs. Coolidge, tak-e

92

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TRIUMPH

ing up the jeweled locket and looking again upon that
noble face.
She ignored entirely Brownie's indignant protest, although she colored deeply, for she knew that if Miss
Douglas owned that box with its contents she and Isabel
were the thieves.
"I decline answering," said Brownie, firmly.
She could hardly refrain from crying out with pain to
see those sacred relics of a lost love and a shattered life
thus profaned by their rude handling.
"Beware, Miss Douglas; this defiance goes against you,
and I fear will be your ruin if you persist in it," said the
woman, majestically; then she added, feeling that she
needed to make some explanation: "You see that it is
something very unusual for a poor person like you to have
such rich apparel and jewelry in her possession. We invite you to go to the opera. We do not wish you to wear
black, and ask you to wear some other color. You appear
more elegantly clad than any member of my family, and
you tell Viola that it is the simplest dress you have. Now,
what are we to think? Would not any mother having
daughters desire to investigate the matter ? You say these
things were all given to you at the same time and by the
same person, and only three months ago. Can you not
see how very improbable such a statement appears, when
we know that you have been toiling for your daily bread
nearly the whole of that time? It would have taken a
small fortune," she went on, after an impressive pause,
"from anyone, to buy all these precious stones at one
time, and young girls like you are not in the habit of receiving so much at once. Why, Isabel thinks herself fortunate to get one piece of diamond jewelry at a time. Besides all this, I find here a card with the names of counts
and lords upon it. We do not have counts and lords in
America; you have never been abroad before, consequently
I know you have never had any acquaintance with persons
of such high degree. Here is also a glove marked six and
a half-I happen to know that you wear a six."
This was said with a frowning look at the little white
hands, which were folded in a clasp of pain, and hanging
against the folds of her sable dress.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"You refuse also to give me the name of the young
man in the locket. Now, I can account for all this in two
ways only."
Mrs. Coolidge, as she made this statement, bent her
stern gaze upon the pale face and downcast eyes of the
haughty girl before her, and thought she could see guilt
in every feature. She thought she had very cleverly argued
the matter, and paused a moment, well satisfied with herself, before clinching her point.
"And those are," she continued, in a hard, unfeeling
voice, "you have either stolen them from some wealthy
families with whom you have served, or-"
"Madam !"

The downcast eyes were raised now, and the fire which
flashed from them seemed almost to sear the heartless
woman's face.
"I dare say, mamma, she was waiting-maid in some
rich family, and came by them in that way," put in Isabel,
spitefully.
"Do not interrupt me, Isabel. Miss Douglas, please
wait until I finish before you make any remarks," Mrs.
Coolidge said, coldly, with a wave of her hand; then continued: "As I was saying, I think you either stole them,
or you have had relations with some person which would
debar you from ever entering any respectable family,
though I cannot conceive how anyone could be such a fool
as to lavish so much upon a-"
"Cease !" came in a hoarse whisper from Brownie's
lovely lips, which had grown of the color of ashes, and
were quivering with insulted pride and anger, while her
heart stood still with horror.
The word checked Mrs. Coolidge, in spite of her insolent self-assurance, and, bad as her language had been,
she was ever after glad that she had not uttered that last
maddening word.
To be accused of theft had been almost more than
Brownie could bear.
A Douglas accused of stealing!
But the other insinuation ! She had hardly been able to
comprehend it at first.

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She grew sick at Iheart, dizzy and faint, when the woman's meaning at length burst upon and nearly crushed her.
For one moment her blood seemed turned to ice, and
her brain on fire.
The next, conscious virtue asserted itself.
The proud figure grew more proudly erect, the little
head was lifted with a haughty grace, and Queen Margaret Tudor herself, of whom Miss Mehetabel had been
wont to boast, would have gloried in the majesty of her
appearance.
Then the pained, almost convulsed expression about her
delicate mouth relaxed into a withering smile of scorn.
What were these two base spirits, that she, a Douglas,
with royal blood in her veins, should fear them?
She turned her blazing eyes full upon her accusers,
and she found they could not bear the glance; their eyes
dropped guiltily beneath it.
Then, with that mighty calmness in her tones and manner, Brownie said to Mrs. Coolidge:
"Have you anything further to say to me regarding those
jewels, madam ?"
"Not unless I can persuade you to confess and make
restitution," she answered, uneasily.
"I have no confession to make; I have no restitution
to make. These articles of jewelry are legally minehow, I do not intend to explain to you, either now or at
any other time. The manner in which you or your daughter became possessed of them does you infinite credit; it is
an act of which doubtless you will be proud all your life.
Now, if you please, I will relieve you of them; and from
this moment consider my engagement with you at an
end, as, after such repeated insults I could no longer remain in your family."
She reached forth her hand to take the casket, but Mrs.
Coolidge clutched it with the grip of a miser.
"Oh, no, Miss Douglas, you cannot have this again;
you have not yet proved to me that it is yours, and I cannot allow such a valuable possession to go out of my hands
until I am assured who the rightful owner is."
She sneered, white with anger, that the girl should
dare brave her so.

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95

"You can put on as many grand airs as you choose,
miss, but you'll find that we know how to take them for
just what they are worth," said Isabel, scoffingly.
"Mrs. Coolidge, that box and all its contents are mine,
and I demand that you yield it up to me," Brownie said,
sternly, fully aroused.
"Hear the minx, mamma; do dismiss her instantly,"
cried Isabel,' angrily.
"You cannot have them, Miss Douglas, until you prove
that they are yours," returned Mrs. Coolidge, firmly, and
she closed the box with a snap.
"Then I shall be obliged to take legal measures to obtain them," returned the young girl, with decision.
"Ha, ha! hear her, mamma. She speaks like a princess,
and she says she shall consider her engagement with you
at an end, as if that were a matter she only can decide,"
cried Isabel, actually quivering with rage.
Brownie noticed her by neither word nor look.
Addressing Mrs. Coolidge again very gently, she said:
"Once more, madam, will you give up my property ?"
She spoke so imperatively that for a moment the
woman was staggered, and began to think she had better
yield the point, for, if the girl should call in official aid,
it might make things very awkward and unpleasant.
Isabel saw her mother's indecision, and, stooping, she
whispered in her ear:
"Don't you do it, mamma; wait until papa comes, at
least."
"You prize them very highly ?" Mrs. Coolidge asked,
after a moment's thought.
"I do."
"They are not suitable for you to wear in your position;
you are poor-could you be persuaded to part with them
for a consideration ?"
A sudden idea had come to her that if she could persuade the governess to sell them, they would hush the
matter up among themselves.
She was greedy for the jewels, and was determined that
they should not go out of her hands if she could help it.
"What do you mean by 'a consideration,' madam?"
asked Miss Douglas, in a peculiar tone.

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TRIUMPH

"Why, if I should pay you something handsome for
them, and pledge myself to say nothing more about the
matter, would you give them up?"
"Really, Mrs. Coolidge, you are very discriminating in
your ideas of honesty. You assert that I have stolen
property ?"

The woman's face grew crimson with rage at this shaft.
"You can leave the room, Miss Douglas, your insolence
is insufferable," she cried, rising and pointing with her
shaking finger to the door.
"You understand me, madam; I shall take the law, unless you give me my property," returned the young girl,
calmly confronting her, and taking no notice of her command.
"Take the law, then; you'll have a fight of it, if you do,
let me tell you, for no one will believe the tale of a governess, who has been dismissed for unworthy conduct.
Now, go!" cried the irate woman, almost beside herself
with passion.
Brownie uttered no words, but walked like a queen
from the room; but once within her own, she broke down
utterly.
To lose those treasures, which had been the silent companions of her heart-broken aunt during all those lonely
years, and around which clustered so much of hope and
despair, was more than she could bear.
The little chain, too, with its golden key, which her
aunt had told her to wear as long as she lived, that, too,
was in the power of those cruel women.
She grew nearly wild over the thought of her loss.
She must have them again-she would have them, but
how to get them was the question.
She realized all the difficulties which lay in her path.
She was a stranger in this foreign land, without a
friend outside the family to whom to turn in her hour of
need.
If she should take the law, as she had threatened, no
one would believe the story, as Mrs. Coolidge had said.
Only Isabel and her mother knew anything of what had
just transpired, and if they should deny her statement,

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97

how could she help herself, and who, indeed, would believe that a poor governess owned such valuables?
The more she thought the more hopeless her case seemed
to become.
Once her thoughts turned involuntarily to Adrian Dredmond; perhaps he would help her.
But her maidenly delicacy recoiled from seeking aid
from him, a stranger.
Where should she go? What should she do?

CHAPTER XVI
DECLARATION OF LOVE

WHILE Brownie was weeping out her misery alone, and
trying to plan what was best for the future, Isabel Coolidge and her mother were examining, more at their leisure,
the beautiful ornaments, which had so excited their admiration and astonishment and which they both began now
to covet.
Isabel tried the effect of each separate piece upon herself.
To do the two women justice, they really believed that
the jewels had been stolen.
"Mamma, this tiara of opals, pearls, and diamonds will
be just the thing for me to wear next Wednesday night
at Lady Peasewell's; see how becoming it is." And Isabel
turned from the mirror, where she had been catering to
her vanity for the last half hour.
"It is lovely, my dear; but I doubt whether your father
will be willing you should wear it. His ideas are peculiar,
you know."
"He won't be here, mamma. You know he said he
should not be home for a week or ten days; so he need not
know anything about it."
"I am at a loss to know whether it is best to tell him
anything about this affair," said Mrs. Coolidge, musingly.
"But what excuse will you give him for bouncing Miss

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Douglas ?" asked Isabel, who had a taste for using slang
once in a while.
"Her insolence to me ought to be a sufficient reason, I
think," her mother answered, flushing as she recalled the
governess' keen shafts and haughty manner.
"No one knows anything of the matter but you and I;
why not keep still about it?" urged Isabel, eagerly.
"My only fear is, that she will take the law, as she
threatened, and then your father would have to know
about it. Besides, he will be very angry at the way we
gained possession of them, and then there will be no end
of trouble."
She very well knew that if that day's doings became
known to her honorable husband he would insist upon her
returning the casket to Miss Douglas, and tell her that
she was meddling with what was none of her business.
She began to fear that she had been rash in pursuing
the course she had, and she heartily wished that Isabel
had kept her meddlesome fingers at home. And yet,
every time her eyes rested upon the glittering wealth with
which her daughter was toying, the desire to possess them
became stronger.
"Pshaw !" returned Isabel, "she'll never dare take the
law, and, if she does, who will believe her, providing the
jewels cannot be found, and we are very much astonished
and indignant at being accused of taking them from her !"
The two women gazed at each other in silence for a
moment.
"Isabel, you would not dare do such a thing-it would
be stealing and lying," said her mother, in a whisper.
"Oh, no, mamma; you are too conscientious altogether,"
returned the girl, shrugging her shoulders, and trying on
Miss Mehetabel's beautiful engagement ring at the same
time. "We both agree," she went on, "that they have
already been stolen, and we only take possession of them
for a little while, until we can find the true owner. I'm
sure I would give them up at once if we could find the
person whom they belong to. Of course, if we should acknowledge that we have them in our possession we should
have to give them up, and, whether Miss Douglas proved
her property or not, we should lose them. At any rate,

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TRIUMPH

99

let us hold on to them, and wait a while to see what she
will do."
"I am afraid it will not do for you to wear them, Isabel;
you may meet the very person to whom they belong, here
in London."
"So much the better, then, mamma; we shall know that
we did right in taking them from Miss Douglas, and can
make our explanations and restore them. It strikes me
that my suggestion is a very wise one, after all," concluded the artful girl, who was determined to keep the
jewels.
"You may be right, but I don't feel exactly easy about
the matter; above all things, don't let Wilbur know anything about it," returned Mrs. Coolidge, fearing more
and more that there might be trouble ahead for them.
"No, indeed, mother, and, as I began this business, I'll
take charge of these jewels, and you need know nothing
about them, if your conscience is troubling you."
Isabel replaced the jewels in the casket, shut it, and,
with a laugh, started for her own room.
As she opened the door, which had stood ajar ever since
Brownie went out, she encountered Wilbur, face to face.
She would rather have faced an alligator at that moment.
"What is it you don't wish Wilbur to know, and what
jewels are you talking about ?" he smilingly demanded,
as he barred her passage.
He had come up just in time to hear their last remarks.
"That is my secret," she replied, trying to turn the
matter off playfully, though her heart was beating like a
trip-hammer.
"Are they in that box? Let me see."
Before she hardly knew what he was about, he had
taken it from her and opened it.
"Where did you get these ?" he asked, in great surprise.
"They are borrowed," Isabel replied, giving her mother
a significant look.
"Borrowed! who could lend such a valuable collection
as this ?" he asked, beginning to feel, from their appearance, that all was not right.
"Ah," he added, with a start, after he had examined

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them more carefully, "here are those ornaments which
Miss Douglas wore the other evening. Do the others belong to her, too ?"
They saw that it would be useless to try to keep their
secret from him, and little by little he drew it all from
their reluctant lips. A more indignant mortal never trod
the earth than Wilbur Coolidge when he got at the truth
of the matter.
He demanded that the jewels be returned at once to
Miss Douglas, and a suitable apology made for their insulting treatment of her.
An angry scene ensued, which Mrs. Coolidge finally put
an end to by coming forward, taking the casket from
her son's hand, and locking it within her husband's safe,
which stood in the room.
"Now, Wilbur, be so kind as to hold your tongue," she
said, angrily, "you have made a fool of yourself with this
girl. I intended to keep these things until your father returns, and see if he believes a poor governess came by
these things lawfully."
"You women are regular tyrants, and I reckon when
father does return there will be a different state of things,"
he replied, with flashing eyes.
"Oblige me by dropping the subject, my son; you are
interfering in what does not concern you in the least," returned Mrs. Coolidge, coldly.
"I shall make it my business, madam, mother mine, just
as soon as the law will allow, if the poor, abused darling
will let me," he muttered, as he angrily left the room.
He watched for Brownie to come down all the evening,
but she remained in her own room, too utterly miserable
to desire to meet anyone.
Viola and Alma inquired for her at tea time, but were
told that she was indisposed, and would not come down.
Viola afterward stole upstairs with a cup of tea and a
tempting plate of cold chicken and toast, but Miss Douglas' door was locked, and she could not gain admittance,
so she was forced to take it back again to the diningroom.
The next morning Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel started off
on a shopping expedition, and as the carriage drove from

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101

the door, Wilbur rang the library bell, and desired the
servant who appeared to ask Miss Douglas to grant him
a few moments' conversation. The young man was pale
and excited, and after the servant disappeared, he walked
the floor nervously.
Brownie soon came down, looking haggard and wan,
her usually bright eyes heavy and lusterless, and great dark
circles underneath them.
Wilbur hastened forward to meet her as she opened the
door.
"My dear Miss Douglas," he said, flushing deeply, "I
do not know what to say to you, but I am more indignant
than I can express at the treatment you received yesterday."
Brownie smiled wearily, though her lips quivered at his
kindly words. It was so comforting to be treated civilly.
"Can I do anything for you, Miss Douglas ?" Wilbur
asked, eagerly, his heart deeply touched by her sorrowful
appearance.
"Thank you; I do not suppose it is in your power to do
the one thing I wish-give me back my jewels, for they
are mine, Mr. Coolidge, notwithstanding it seems improbable for a poor girl to own such valuables," she replied,
her color rising.
"I do not doubt it in the least," he answered, impulsively. "I know that you are truth and purity itself,
and, believe me, you shall yet have your own."
"Ah! can I ?" she interrupted, her face lighting up with
its wonted beauty for a moment.
Oh, how he loved her; and how it thrilled him, that any
words of his should have the power to make her beautiful
countenance brighten like that.
"Yes, you shall have them again," he said. "I cannot
restore them to you to-day, but just as soon as my father
returns I shall acquaint him with what has happened, and
he will see that justice is done."
"Thank you," Brownie said, appreciating his kindness,
yet fearing that his mother and sister would outwit him,
and influence his father against her.
"I feel deeply mortified," he went on, dropping his
eyes, "that anyone who is akin to me should be guilty of

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doing what my sister did yesterday; and the treatment
which you afterward received-there can be no excuse
for it."
"Do not speak of it again, Mr. Coolidge; it is past and
cannot be recalled. Your kindness and sympathy have
lightened my heart already; and as I go away, it will be
a comfort to know that I have your esteem and friendship."
"Go away! What do you mean?" he asked looking up
startled.
His mother had not told him that she was going away.
"Surely you do not think that I would remain where
my truth and honesty are called in question !" she replied,
with dignity.
"Where will you go?" and his brow contracted with
pain.
She could not stay; it were folly to think of it, he knew.
But it was like taking the sun from the heavens to have
her go.
"I do not know," she said, with a sigh, and her tone,
so sadly sweet, moved him to his very soul.
She had been with them less than three months, but
during that time she had grown to be the one woman in
the world to him.
He had learned to watch and live upon her every motion
and expression, to listen eagerly for her footsteps and
even the soft rustle of her clothing. The lightest sound
of her voice, her very presence, thrilled him as nothing
else had ever done before. He had lived a new life since
her coming. He knew he was a better man for it.
She had stirred into being new motives and purposes,
and he was beginning to think of forsaking this idle way
of living, and of trying to fit himself to be useful in the
world, and worthy of her.
And now she was being driven away like a criminal,
and insulted by his own kin.
If she should go away thus, with this dreadful cloud
hanging over her, what would become of her? Who would
take her in ?
His pulses throbbed wildly; he grew desperate with the
thought.

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103

"You do not know? Will you let me tell you where
to go ?" he breathed, bending eagerly toward her, his face
flushing hotly, and his eyes glowing with the wild love
which moved him.
She looked up a little surprised by his manner, and her
clear eyes fell before his passionate gaze.
"Darling," he cried, seizing her little hands, "you do
not know where to go ? Come to me. My dear, my dear,
you do not know how I have learned to love you since
you came like a ray of light into this household. Come
to me, Meta-be my wife, and no stain shall touch you;
they shall not dare to breath aught against you; place
your hand in mine, and I will plant myself between you
and all harm. My love, my love, I have found you. I
have seen many fair women, but now I have found my
fate, the sweetest fate man ever found. Say, dearest, will
you be my wife?"
She sat before him white, and still, and dumb.
"Brownie, you do not answer me. Will you not crown
my life with the blessing of your love? They shall never
harm you. We will go away where they cannot trouble
you by so much as a word. Will you not speak and give
me hope?"
She drew back from him, pained and sorrowful.
"Mr. Coolidge, if I speak at all, it must be to crush all
hope of any such thing as you desire, she said, sadly, with
downcast eyes and crimson cheeks.
"Meta!
Miss Douglas! no!" he cried, hoarsely, his
handsome face clouding with pain.
"Yes, Mr. Coolidge; hard as it is for me to wound you
thus, when you offer me the greatest homage a woman can
ever receive-the love of an honest heart-yet I cannot
bid you hope, for I do not love you in return."
"You have not had time to think of it. I have startled
you with my abruptness; you do not know your own heart
yet," he said, his lips growing white and quivering.
"I have not, indeed, had time to think, for I did not at
once imagine that you cherished any such feelings toward
me. But my heart does not respond to yours. No, Mr.
Coolidge, I cannot be your wife."
"Are you sure-are you very sure you can never love

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TRIUMPH

me, Meta?" he pleaded, while great drops came out upon
his forehead.
"Quite sure," she said, firmly, though kindly.
"Brownie, Brownie, when I love you so; when I have
listened eagerly for the sound of your footfall; when even
the tone of your voice has been music to me from the
first; when every fiber of my being has twined itself about
you! Oh! it is too cruel; I cannot have it so-only give
me one little ray of hope, and I will wait years, if need
be."
His voice sounded like the cry of the lost, and he caught
his breath with a hard, dry sob, that made the young girl's
heart ache with pity for him.
She arose from the chair where she had been sitting,
and the great tears rolled swiftly over her flushed cheeks.
"Mr. Coolidge, be assured if I could truthfully speak
the words you wish, I would do so; but it cannot be, and
as it will only give us both pain to meet again, let me say
good-by to you here, for I go this evening. Please accept
my thanks for your kindness to me, and let me still be
your friend."
She held out her hand to him and he took it, his whole
frame shaking with the great bitterness which well-nigh
crushed him.
He lifted it to his lips, then broke down entirely, and
with one quick movement, gathered her close in his arms,
and pressed his lips to her white brow.
"My darling, my darling," he groaned, "forgive me,
but you can never know the wretchedness of this moment
to me."
At that moment the library door sprang open, and Mrs.
Coolidge and Isabel stood upon the threshold.

CHAPTER XVII
JEALOUSY

WITH a feeling of utter dismay, Brownie disengaged
herself from Wilbur Coolidge's embrace, and started to
leave the room.

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105

But the two women barred the way, and would not let
her pass; while Mrs. Coolidge demanded, in stern tones:
"Pray, what is the meaning of this affecting scene ?"
Wilbur colored deeply, but braced himself for battle.
"Mother-Isabel-let Miss Douglas pass !" he commanded, in a voice as stern as Mrs. Coolidge's own.
They dare not disobey him in that mood, and moving
aside, Brownie passed out, and sped swiftly to her own
room.
"Now I will answer your questions, if you have any to
ask," the young man said, folding his arms, and regarding
them with a gloomy brow.
"I should like to know how that designing hussy succeeded in entrapping you into making such a fool of yourself ?" said Isabel, furiously.
"Really, Isabel, you are acquiring an elegance of speech
at which I am surprised !" retorted her brother, sarcastically.
"Wilbur, hush! Isabel, keep quiet !" said Mrs. Coolidge, authoritatively. Then, turning to her son, continued:
"I am astonished, my son, at what I have just witnessed.
That girl will ruin the peace of this family yet."
"She has ruined it already, as far as I am concerned,"
he replied, moodily; then added:
"But, mother, Miss Douglas is in no way accountable
for what you saw. I alone am to blame. I had just asked
her to be my wife-"
"What !" exclaimed both women, aghast.
"Yes; I began to love that beautiful girl the first moment I saw her. Further intercourse has only served to
deepen and strengthen that sentiment, and to-day I resolved to ask her to be my wife, that I might shield and
protect her from further insult and abuse on your part."
"Indeed !" said his mother, growing white with anger.
"When is the wedding to take place between you and
this lovely beggar?" sneered Isabel.
"I warn you not to try me too far, either of you!"
Wilbur replied, with a dangerous gleam in his eye; then
added:
"You did not permit me to finish my statement. How-

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ever, I have only to tell you that Miss Douglas has refused me."
His mother heaved a sigh of intense relief, and murmured:
"What an escape!"
While Isabel retorted:
"Showed her good sense for once! She probably knew
she would not be received into a respectable family after
what occurred yesterday. You always were a fool when
there was a pretty face around."
"Thank you! But be it known to you both, that if she
had so chosen, I should have made Miss Douglas Mrs.
Wilbur Coolidge just as soon as the law would have
allowed," was the stern reply.
"Now, if you please, he added, addressing his mother,
"I would like you to write a recommendation for Miss
Douglas."
"A recommendation for what-truth and honesty ?" she
sneered.
"For her thorough education and superior accomplishments, and her efficiency and success as a governess," he
retorted, firmly.
"I shall do no such thing !" was the indignant reply.
"Then, mother, mark my words, if Miss Douglas goes
away from here without a recommendation from you, as
a good governess, a refined and cultivated lady, I leave
this house also to-day, and utterly refuse to accompany
you farther on your tour. Is it not enough," he continued,
excitedly, "that you abuse and insult her, prowling about
among her possessions, and appropriating them, without
driving her forth from your home with no means of providing for herself in the future?"
"Of course those jewels do not belong to her, Wilburwhy will you persist in such nonsense? I honestly believe
the girl is a thief !" said Mrs. Coolidge, impatiently.
"But just suppose the future proves they are her property, who, then, will be the thief ?" he demanded, hotly.
"Why, if she can prove it to me satisfactorily, then I
shall have to yield them up to her, of course," replied Mrs.
Coolidge, flushing, and not relishing this side of the question.

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107
1

"Will you give her the recommendation?"
"I suppose I shall have to, in order to keep you with
us."

She dreaded nothing so much as his roaming off by
himself.
"Then make it out at once-and a good one let it be,
too; for Miss Douglas leaves to-day."
"Does she, indeed? I have not dismissed her yet, I believe," sneered the irate woman. But she sat down to the
table and began to write.
"That will not be necessary, since she has already decided to go."
"Thank you," he said, as she handed him what she had
written, and he ran his quick eye over it. "That will do
nicely. Now, if you will give me what you owe her, I will
hand both to her at the same time."
She saw that her son was in no mood to be trifled
with, and did as he requested, although inwardly resolving to be equal with the despised governess, if ever the
opportunity should offer.
Wilbur took both paper and money, and left the room.
He went directly to Brownie's door, and tapped. She
opened it, and he saw that she had been weeping. The
sight filled him with self-reproach.
"Forgive me," he said, regretfully, "for having added
to your unhappiness by my selfishness. I would have
given my right arm rather than that this should have
happened. But," he added, after a moment's pause, "I
did not come here to say this; I came to bring you these,
that you might be saved any further unpleasantness," and
he handed her the money and paper.
"Thank you," she said, touched by this kindness.
She opened the paper, and read Mrs. Coolidge's recommendation. It was all that she could ask, or even desire.
She counted the money, and found that there were five
pounds more than were actually due her. A painful flush
overspread her lovely face, as she separated them from the
rest of the money; then, folding it within the recommendation, she passed it back to Wilbur, saying, briefly, but
proudly:
"I cannot make use of these."

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"I understand you," he said, humbly, "and I cannot
blame you; but I thought in this strange city you would
need something of the kind."
"I do need it-indeed, I do not know how I am to get
along without something of the kind; but, after what has
occurred, I could not use that," Brownie said, with a
weary sigh.
He bowed, but did not press her to take it; then, after a
moment's thought, he asked:
"Miss Douglas, would you make use of one signed by
my father ?"

"Yes, and be very thankful for it," she replied, her eye
brightening.
"You shall have it; I will make it my first business to
obtain a good recommendation for you as soon as he returns, and send it to you.
"Thank you; you are very kind," and a tear sprang to
her eye at his thoughtfulness.
"When do you go ?" he asked, as he was about turning
away.
"As soon as I can pack my trunks and send for a cab."
"Can I help you in any way ?"
"If you will order the cab for me, it will save me a
little trouble," she answered, smiling wearily.
"Anything that I can do will be a pleasure," he replied,
though an expression of anguish swept over his handsome
face as he bowed and left her.
In two hours she was ready, her trunks strapped and
in the lower hall, waiting for the cab.
With a nearly breaking heart, Brownie sought Viola
and Alma to bid them farewell.
They were deeply distressed at the thought of parting
with her, protesting loudly against it.
Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel ignored her departure entirely,
and did not show themselves, much to Brownie's relief.
As Wilbur, with clouded brow, and white, compressed
lips, assisted her into the cab, he asked:
"Where to, Miss Douglas ?"
"To the 'Washington' for the present. It is a good
hotel and has a familiar sound, which seems quite home-

BROWNIE'S

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109

like," she answered, trying to smile, but he saw that her
lips quivered.
She felt inexpressibly desolate and forlorn.
"Then if I address a note to you there within a few
days or a week, you will get it," he said.
"Yes."

"May I call?"
"
No, Mr. Coolidge, I prefer you should not; it would
be wiser not to do so at present," Brownie answered,
gently, but firmly.
She knew if she gave him permission, it might lead
him to hope, and, besides, it might cause her further
trouble if his mother and sister should discover that he
was visiting her.
He colored, wrung her hand, and shut the door; then
giving her direction to the driver, she was whirled away.
Wilbur returned to the house very sore at heart. Life
seemed to him very dark just then; its brightness had all
vanished with Brownie.
He went back to the library. No one was there.
He passed on upstairs to his mother's rooms, and found
both her and Isabel within.
They had been watching his leave-taking of the despised
governess, and now turned upon him, with faces of scorn.
"Now that your inamorita has departed, I hope you will
show some common sense, Wilbur," his mother said,
sharply.
He took no notice of the remark, but handed her the
recommendation, with the money inclosed, in silence.
"What does this mean? Ah! she would take only what
was due her, and you did not give her the recommendation, after all," she said, in tones of satisfaction, as her
quick eye ran over it.
"I did not give it to her ?" cried her son, angrily. "Of
course I gave it to her; but the poor, insulted girl refused to take it; she refused to obtain another situation
upon your recommendation."
"The upstart ! I'd like to box her ears soundly for putting on such airs !" exclaimed Isabel, spitefully.
"Upstart, indeed! I'll warrant that there is better blood
now in her veins than ever flowed in ours. She has been

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born and bred a lady, which is more than I can say of you.
There is some mystery about her, I admit; but, mark my
words, the time will come when both of you will be glad
to cultivate her acquaintance, and when you will rue the
day that you, led on by your curiosity and covetousness,
ever meddled with her treasures, and drove her from
your house by your abuse."
Wilbur Coolidge spoke indignantly and at random, but
in after months he remembered his words, and wondered
at the truth of his prophecy.
Before he had concluded there came a rap upon the
door.

Isabel opened it.
A servant stood without bearing a silver salver, upon
which lay a card.
"A gentleman to see Miss Douglas," he said, bowing
respectfully.
"A gentleman to see Miss Douglas!" repeated Mrs.
Coolidge, contemptuously, while Isabel pounced upon the
card and read the name, "Adrian Dredmond."
The color flushed over her fair face in a scarlet flood.
"There is some mistake here," she said, sharply, to her
servant.
Then turning to her mother, she added:
"Mamma, it is Lord Dredmond."
She had persisted in giving him this title ever since she
had learned that he was the grandson of an earl, although
Wilbur had repeatedly told her that he did not care to
have it used until he came into his property. He was
very modest about it.
"Of course, there is a mistake," returned Mrs. Coolidge.
"You had better pay more attention. The gentleman
doubtless wishes to see Miss Isabel," she said, severely, to
the servant.
"Isabel, you must go down and receive him yourself.
Find out, if you can, what he wants of her, and make
yourself as agreeable as possible to him," Mrs. Coolidge
remarked, running her eye critically over her daughter, to
see that everything was all right.
"It is time that minx was out of the way; she seems
to have a strange faculty for bewitching the gentlemen,

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

11i

without appearing to do so," muttered Isabel, as she swept
from the room, smoothing out her distorted face, and
followed by her brother's contemptuous glances.
Wilbur himself soon after arose and left.
A jealous feeling was beginning to creep into his own
heart, and he wondered what Adrian Dredmond could
want of Brownie Douglas.

CHAPTER XVIII
AN UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH

WHEN Isabel entered the drawing-room, Mr. Dredmond
arose to salute her; but an expression of disappointment
swept over his fine face, when he saw Miss Coolidge instead of Miss Douglas.
Isabel approached him, holding out her white hand, and
saying, cordially:
"This is a pleasure, my lord."
He flushed at the title.
"You mistake, Miss Coolidge," he said, smiling, as he
shook hands with her, "I am not lord, or, at least, I
should say, that I prefer not to answer to that title at present. While my grandfather lives I prefer to be only plain
Mr. Dredmond."
"The title suits you, nevertheless," she answered, sweeping him an admiring glance, and then drooping her lashes
shyly.
"I hope to be worthy of it when it becomes mine," he
replied, gravely, and wondering why she did not explain
Miss Douglas' absence.
But it was no part of her plan to do so.
She intended to appropriate the call to herself, and
make the most of her opportunity.
Ever since she had learned that he was heir to an earldom she had resolved to exert all her powers to win him,
and become "my lady," and now she set herself to work
to charm him.
She began chatting in a lively manner, and possessing

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

much native tact, and a very pleasing address, she beguiled him out of half an hour before he was aware of it.
"I beg your pardon," he said, starting, when he heard
the hall clock strike, "but I wished to see Miss Douglas.
I have a little piece of property belonging to her, which
I desire to return."
Isabel longed to ask what it was, but dare not.
"Miss Douglas !" she said, with elevated eyebrows, and
well-assumed surprise.
"Yes; I inquired for her when I gave my card to the
servant."
"I am sorry there should have been any mistake, Mr.
Dredmond," replied Isabel, smiling sweetly, but inwardly
raging, "but the servant must have misunderstood, for he
brought your card to me; besides, Miss Douglas is not
with us now, she has left."
"Left! Indeed, I thought she came abroad with you,
and intended to return with you," he said, in great surprise, and beginning to think that all was not right.
"I know nothing as to her intentions, Mr. Dredmond,
but we have been pained to discover that Miss Douglas is
not trustworthy, and mamma was therefore obliged to dispense with her services."
The lie stung her tongue, but she remembered his evident admiration of Brownie the night of the opera, and
she resolved to disenchant him if possible.
"Not trustworthy !" he exclaimed, aghast.
He would have staked his own honor against hers.
"It is very painful, is it not, Mr. Dredmond, when she
appeared so innocent and was so beautiful?" asked Isabel,
with a sad smile.
He did not reply, and she went on:
"But we found that she had been taking that which did
not belong to her, and, of course, mamma could not longer
trust the girls under her influence."
The artful girl's tone and manner expressed the deepest
regret, but he was not deceived by it, although her statement of Brownie's dishonesty confounded him.
"Impossible !" he ejaculated, with a pained, startled look,
and his mind went back to that moment when her pure
face lay one moment upon his bosom, and when she had

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118

lifted her clear eyes, which were like shining pools of
purest water, so trustingly to his, and now he was told
that she was a thief!
"It does not seem possible, I admit," Isabel hastened to
say, fearing she had been unwise, and not liking the way
he had received her information. "Mamma and I were
infinitely shocked when we discovered it, but the proof was
too incontestable, even without her evident guilt, for us to
doubt."
"Was she-did she confess her-fault ?" he stammered.
"Oh, no ! such persons never do that, you know; they
always put on any amount of airs, and make a great show
of innocence. But, then, we had the proof right in our
own hands."
"Would you mind telling me what she has done-what
proof you have of her guilt? Perhaps there may be some
misunderstanding to which I could suggest an explanation," he said, inwardly writhing with pain at her words.
"Excuse me; but that would not be right, and I fear
that I have been very unwise to speak of it at all. The
girl is gone, and I have no wish to injure her; I only hope
she may repent of her folly, and try to do better in the
future. Please forget what I have said, Mr. Dredmond,
and do not remember it against her if you should ever
meet her again. I assure you it is a very painful topic
to me."

After a few moments more spent in general conversation
Adrian arose to go.
"Can you give me Miss Douglas' present address ?" he
asked. "I would really like to return what belongs to
her."
She would not have told him for a kingdom, had she
known, but she replied, with every appearance of kindness:

"How sorry I am, but really I do not know. Indeed, I
was so shocked and disappointed to discover one so young
and lovely so old in guilt, that it did not occur to me to ask
where she was going."
It nettled him exceedingly to have her talk thus; and
could she have read his heart, she would have seen at

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once that there was little chance of her becoming "my
lady."
"Should you discover where she is, will you kindly inform me ?" he asked.

"Oh, certainly, with great pleasure," smiled the fascinating hypocrite.
"I still think you will find there has been some mistake,
Miss Coolidge," he added gravely. "I knew something
of Miss Douglas before meeting her in this country, and
the statement you have made regarding her seems utterly
impossible."
"You!" exclaimed Isabel, her heart bounding wildly.
"Did you know Miss Douglas in America ?"
Perhaps, after all, here was the solution of the mystery
of those beautiful gems, and that card with the names of
counts and lords upon it. Had he had anything to do
with it ?
Her brain reeled at the thought.
She hung breathless on his reply.
"I knew of her, although I never made her acquaintance, until your brother introduced me at the opera the
other evening."
She breathed more freely now; he had not given
Brownie the gems, that was evident. He knew nothing
of the card.
"I have friends who know her intimately," he went on,
watching her keenly, to mark the effect of his words.
"She was a Philadelphian, and belonged to a very wealthy
and honorable family. About a month ago-perhaps a
little more-death and misfortune suddenly deprived her
of everything. She is very highly educated, as undoubtedly you have discovered, and before the trouble came
upon her, she moved in the very best circles. I speak of
this merely to show you why I believe it impossible for
Miss Douglas to be guilty of what you accuse her. I
trust, also, to hear ere long that you have been mistaken."
And with this thorn planted in Miss Isabel's conscience,
Adrian Dredmond bowed himself from her presence, leaving her astounded, confused, and with a heavy weight of
guilt upon her heart.
What had she done ?

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115

'Accused an innocent girl of theft, and stolen a fortune
from her; then driven her forth in disgrace into an uncharitable world to beg her bread or starve; for likely as
not it would come to that since she had no recommendation wherewith to gain another place.
She sat for an hour in anything but agreeable meditation.
She did not know what to do, or which way to turn in
the matter. Had she known Miss Douglas' address, she
would have hastened to send the casket to her, and considered herself lucky to be so well rid of it.
"If only Wilbur did not know about it, mamma and I
could hide the jewels, and deny all knowledge of them,"
she murmured, in deep perplexity.
She finally resolved that she would say nothing to any
one concerning what Adrian Dredmond had told her, but
keep the matter to herself for a few days at least; and if
the governess did come to demand the jewels again, she
would tell her mother, and persuade her to give them up
quietly and save further trouble.
"At all events," she added, with a sigh of relief, as she
went to her own room, "she is gone, and I've nothing
more to fear from her charms."
Adrian Dredmond left the Coolidge mansion in a fever
of impatience and indignation.
That any one should accuse Brownie Douglas of the
crime of theft was sufficient to drive him wild.
Did he not know that she had been reared with tenderest care? Had she not the blood of royalty in her veins ?
and had he not seen her in all the brightness and purity
of her young life, and been assured of her integrity by his
friend Gordon ?
How well he remembered that scene in the vestibule of
the Art Gallery, when she had appeared like some beautiful vision to him, with her bright, sweet face, and clad so
richly, yet simply, in her plain black silk, protected by the
linen ulster. How lovely she had looked, with not a jewel
to deck her, excepting that rich coral clasp at the throat
Her every look, tone and movement had betokened the
true lady, both then an4 recently, when he had met her
at the opera.

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That evening, as he sat in his own room, his valet
brought him a note.
It was signed by Wilbur Coolidge, and told him that
he would find Miss Douglas at the "Washington."
As early the following morning as it would do, Adrian
Dredmond presented himself at the "Washington" and
inquired for Miss Douglas.
The clerk turned to his book and looked over the names
,of the new arrivals.
Hers was not there!
Mr. Dredmond was in despair.
"Are you sure ?" he asked, anxiously.
For reply the clerk placed the book before him, and
pointed with his finger to the list of arrivals for the last
two days.
It was even as he had said; her name was not there!
For two days after he returned to the "Washington,"
making the same inquiries and receiving the same answer.
No, Brownie Douglas had not been there, and she never
came.
He sought her at every respectable hotel in London, but
not a trace of her could he find.
He haunted the streets where genteel lodgings were advertised, but without success.
On the Sabbath he walked the streets, peering into
every young face that he met, but those clear, brown eyes
never greeted his weary search, and that lovely face was
but a vision in his memory.
Monday he went to Wilbur and told him of Miss Douglas' strange disappearance, and his fruitless search for her;
and the young man was nearly distracted himself.
"They have driven her to death, curse them !" he muttered, fiercely, and he told Adrian the story of the jewels.
His father had returned unexpectedly, and he acquainted
him also with the facts of the case.
A scene ensued which was long remembered by both
Isabel and her mother, while Mr. Coolidge spared no
trouble or expense to find the unfortunate girl.
Wilbur had been so bound up in his own sorrow that he
had paid no attention to the number of the cab in which
Brownie had gone away, neither had he noticed the driver;

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

117

so that although he sought out and questioned every cabby
that he could find, he could gain no clew to the missing
girl.
Mr. Coolidge advertised and engaged a detective to
look her up, while Adrian Dredmond and Wilbur haunted
the streets day and night, but all to no purpose.
Beautiful Brownie Douglas-abused, insulted, friendless-seemed to have dropped out of existence as cornpletely as a star when it falls from its place in the heavens!.
CHAPTER XIX
A STARTLING RECOGNITION

MEANWHILE the day for Lady Peasewell's drawing-room

dawned.
Isabel Coolidge spared no pains or expense to make herself captivating for the occasion, and she succeeded admirably.
Her father's unexpected return, and his anger at her
own and her mother's treatment of Miss Douglas, had
threatened to upset all her plans, however.
He demanded that the jewels be brought to him, and
another exciting scene ensued over them.
It must be confessed that he was somewhat confounded
himself when he beheld them, and a feeling of doubt entered his mind regarding Brownie's honesty; but he would
not confess it to his family, and censured them in no light
terms for the dishonorable way in which they had become
possessed of the rare stones.
It all ended in angry tears on the mother's and daughter's part, and in his taking charge of those unfortunate,
trinkets which had caused so much trouble, and locking
them securely in his safe.
Isabel dawdled away the morning in a state of fretful
unhappiness, and declared to herself, over and over again,.
that her appearance would be ruined without the governess' jewels.
After dinner, however, her father complained of a raging headache; two hours later he was in a high fever, and

118

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

all thoughts of his attending the evening's festivities were
relinquished.
From that moment Isabel's spirits rose, the clouds vanished from her brow, and she was even heard humming a
gay opera air.
"Wilbur can act as our escort, mamma; so we shall be
all right," she said, when her mother complained of the
circumstance as spoiling all their pleasure.
"I have no heart for it, and would not go myself, were
it not on your account," she replied, wearily.
Her husband's displeasure, and the fate of the missing
governess, still weighed heavily on her conscience.
A few hours later she and Wilbur were waiting in the
drawing-room for Isabel to make her appearance.
"Does my amiable sister contemplate a brilliant conquest to-night, that she is so long making her toilet?"
sneered the young man, who had been pressed into the
service, and was impatient of the delay.
"Do speak a little more kindly of Isabel, my son," said
Mrs. Coolidge, adding, with a heavy sigh: "In all probability she will marry some day, and it is desirable that she
should make a good match."
"Certainly; only there may be a difference of opinion
as to what a 'good match' is," he returned, sarcastically.
"I consider any one who occupies a good position in
the world, and who has plenty of money, an eligible parti."
"Regardless of either heart, brain, or principles," interrupted Wilbur cynically.
"Why will you be so disagreeable, Wilbur? Of course,
I expect your sister will exercise good judgment in the
matter, and I have no fear of her letting herself down,
or losing her head by any silly nonsense," retorted Mrs.
Coolidge, pointedly.
Wilbur understood her insinuation perfectly, but would
not notice it enough to reply, and just then the rustle of
rich, trailing garments was heard upon the stairs.
A moment later the door opened, and Isabel entered.
There was an instant's silence as both mother and son
turned to contemplate her.
"Isabel!" exclaimed the former, in tones of gratified
pride.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

119

"Whew !" whistled her brother, under his breath.
There was cause, truly, for these ejaculations of pleasure and surprise, for the young girl certainly had the appearance of a queen, and, for the first time in her life, she
was handsome.
Her tall figure was clad in a rich white silk, with raised
figures of golden maize wrought upon it. It fitted her
elegantly, and swept out behind her in a graceful train.
It was very simply made, being trimmed only by a fall
of elegant lace from the low-cut corsage and sleeves. Its
very richness was enough in itself.
Her hair was arranged a la coronet, around which glistened Brownie's lovely tiara of pearls, opals, and diamonds; while upon her neck she wore the wonderful diamond necklace, from which was suspended the cross which
matched the tiara. Upon her white arms she wore her own
bracelets, which, although not so rich as the necklace, yet
went with it very well.

She was absolutely perfect and dazzling, from the crown
of her haughty head to the sole of her elegantly embroidered satin slipper.
"Will I do, mamma ?" she asked, enjoying their silent
admiration, and sweeping Mrs. Coolidge a profound courtesy.
"Where did you find those ornaments ?" her mother
asked, nervously, and unheeding her question, while Wilbur scowled his disapprobation savagely.
"Why, you know papa is sick, and it was a very easy
matter to get his keys, unlock his private desk, and get
them," she said, and laughed lightly, although secretly
she was anxious lest there should be another scene.
"He would be very angry, Isabel, if he knew it," returned her mother, trying to speak severely, yet, in her
heart, gloating over her daughter's magnificent appearance.
"I cannot help it, mamma. I had set my heart upon
wearing them; they set off my dress superbly; and I was
bound I would not be disappointed. He need never know
it, for I can return them just as soon as we get home
again, and no one will be harmed," she replied, wilfully.

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"Your sense of honor is extremely delicate, surely,
Isabel," said Wilbur, mockingly.
"No one asked your opinion, and you can just hold
your tongue. I shall go to Lady Peasewell's just as I
am, and he may help it who can !" she retorted, rudely,
and they knew it would be useless to say anything more
to her.
"Isabel, you do look magnificent !" whispered Mrs. Coolidge, when they had arrived at Lady Peasewell's, and
were in the dressing-room putting the last touches to their
toilet.
"Don't I? I tell you this was worth a little finesse,"
she replied, surveying herself admiringly in the double
swinging mirrors; and her mother, in her heart, was glad
that she had succeeded in getting the jewels, although she
feared the consequences should the fact be discovered.
"Who is that queenly girl?" asked a fine-looking young
man of another.
They were standing in the doorway leading from the
dancing-room to the conservatory, where they had been
watching the dancers for the last ten minutes.
Isabel had just swept by them in all her elegance, and
it was he who had called forth the above question.
"That is a Miss Coolidge. She is an American, and
belongs to a very wealthy family, who are spending a year
abroad."
"I should judge she did belong to a wealthy family
from her appearance. Why, she has at least a thousand
pounds in diamonds on her !" said the first speaker.
"She is a stunner, eh ?"
"She is that. She is the most striking woman present
this evening; and yet, aside from her jewels, her dress
is the most simple. Do you know her ?"
"Yes; I have met her several times."
"Will you introduce me?"
"Certainly, Sir Charles."
A few moments later, as Isabel was resting after her
dance, she saw two gentlemen approaching her.
"Miss Coolidge, allow me to present Sir Charles Randal, who requests the pleasure of an introduction to you."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

121

Sir Charles bowed low, and Miss Coolidge, rising, swept
him a graceful curtsy, and soon after was again circling
around the room, supported upon the arm of a baronet.
She had heard of Sir Charles Randal, but had never
seen him before. She knew he was reputed to be very
wealthy, being an only son, and there was a prospect of
more property to come in the future from a rich old aunt.
She had watched long for the appearance of Adrian
Dredmond, hoping to captivate him at once by her charms.
But when he did come, he only noticed her presence by
the haughtiest bow, and a scornful curl of his lips, as his
eyes fell upon the jewels she wore. He had never seen
them before, but instinct told him at once that they were
the ones which had caused so much trouble, and he despised her so heartily that she knew at once that all hope
of winning him was useless.
Therefore, after her introduction to Sir Charles, she
had said to herself that the next best thing to a lord was
a baronet, and being a very attractive, noble-looking man,
she exerted herself to charm him.
That night was one long to be remembered by Isabel
Coolidge!
She was, indeed, as Sir Charles had said, the most
striking-looking woman in the room. Admirers flocked
around her, introductions pressed upon her, men raved
about her, and women yielded the palm to her for the
time being; and for once 'she realized that she was being
borne upon the topmost wave of popularity.
Mrs. Coolidge was in her element, and deemed it the
proudest moment of her life, and the castles which she
reared for her daughter in imagination were of the grandest character.
Sir Charles was evidently very much interested in the
fair American, and certainly if she had only been as pure
and beautiful at heart as she seemed, she would have
been well worthy of all the admiration which she excited.
After his third dance with her he led her away to the
conservatory to rest.
As they were passing through the crowd they met a
white-haired, royal-looking gentleman, who, as his eyes
rested upon Isabel, suddenly paused, started on, then

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

turned back again and gave her a keen, searching glance,
and finally moved on, after bowing to her companion.
"Who was that ?" she asked, strangely interested, and
vainly attributing the man's queer actions to admiration of
herself.
"That was his lordship, the Earl of Dunforth," was the
reply.
Sir Charles led her to a seat beneath a spreading palm
tree, then excusing himself, he went to get her an ice.
She had danced a great deal, and was tired and heated.
With a sigh of content, she leaned back in her seat, and
drew off her gloves.
Upon the forefinger of her left hand there gleamed
Miss Mehetabel's engagement ring, its central pearl surrounded with its six pure brilliants.
She had been determined to make the most of her opportunity that evening, fearing she would never have another, and while putting on the other jewels, this had
caught her fancy, and she had slipped it upon her finger.
Sir Charles was detained longer than he had intended
to be gone, and while she sat there silently thinking, her
hand carelessly resting upon the back of the seat, she
was suddenly startled by having it seized by some one
behind her, in a grip of iron, while a voice, hoarse with
suppressed feeling, said:
"Where did you get this? Young woman, where did you
get this ring ?"
She started to her feet, and turning quickly, found herself face to face with that white-haired, stately looking
man whom but a few moments before she had inquired
about--Lord Dunforth!
To say that she was startled is to say the very least, for
the man's face was as white as his hair, his eyes dilated
and fixed upon the ring, his lips set and livid, while the
hand which grasped hers shook as if he had been stricken
with the palsy.
"Where did you get it ?" he demanded again, this time
somewhat impatiently.
Then, as she still continued silent from fear, and not
knowing how to answer him, he looked up in her face.
"And this !-and this ! oh, God! and this !" he cried,

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

as his eyes caught the gleam of the other jewels, his
voice rising in pain with each word, as he touched, first the
cross, then the necklace, and last the glittering tiara upon
her golden head.
She began to think him a lunatic, or else that the gems
were bewitched and were about to get her into deeper
trouble.
"They-they are heirlooms," she finally managed to
articulate, and speaking at random.
"Did she give them to you ?"
"Whom?"
"Meta-my Meta-Mehetabel Douglas !" he said, speaking incoherently, almost wildly.
"Yes, they used to be hers," Isabel said, thinking only
of the despised and injured governess, and inwardly quaking as she wondered what would come next.
"Used to be !" he cried, catching at her words, while
his face grew almost convulsed-"used to be! Then she
is dead! Ah, me !" and he caught his breath in a hard,
dry sob. "This was our engagement ring," he continued,
touching it again, tenderly. "How beautiful she was the
night I put this upon her finger! There is not a woman
here to-night as fair as she was then! And these other
gems were her bridal gifts, and I thought to see her wear
them when she should have been my wife. But the time
never came. That is long ago-ages ago, it seems to me!
I thought the memory of it had faded out into but a
shadow, but the sight of these things to-night is like the
keen edge of a knife in my heart."
His voice had grown infinitely sad. He appeared quite
unnerved; his lips quivered, and tears stood in his fine
eyes, while he gazed upon that ring, as if he were looking
his last upon his dearest friend who was dead.
"Was she your mother ?" he at length asked, breaking
the spell, and looking up at her.
"No, she was not my mother," Isabel answered, guiltily,
scarce knowing what to say, and yet strangely moved by
his wild, sad words.
"Your aunt, perhaps, then ?-she had a brother."
"But-but," he added, with sudden thought, "you are
not the one who wore the corals that night at the opera;

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

she was short, and darker than you. Those were my
gifts to Meta, and she wore them last on that dreadful
night. Ah! ah! I did not think the pain was so bitter
still! But my heart was broken then, and though I have
tried to live bravely, I find the wound is not healed even
now.,,

His lordship seemed to have lost all knowledge of
where he was, in living over the sad past, and there is no
knowing how long he might have gone on in his rambling
talk, had not Sir Charles now made his appearance, bearing a salver filled with dainties for his companion.
Isabel was infinitely relieved to see him, for she was
suffering torture under this forced inquisition.
The young man bowed to his lordship again as he drew
near, although his face expressed some surprise at finding
him conversing with Isabel.
"I beg your pardon for my seeming rudeness. There
are certain circumstances under which one will sometimes
forget one's self. I beg you to forgive and forget what
has just occurred."
He turned and left them almost as abruptly as he came,
while Isabel sank back into her seat, weak and frightened,
although considerably enlightened upon some points. Her
tongue had seemed glued to the roof of her mouth, and
she could not have answered his questions had he given
her the opportunity. She was immensely relieved, however, that it has not been required of her; for she feared
she should have committed herself, since it was evident
that he knew the history of the jewels which she wore.
She had wronged the governess; the property was hers
beyond a doubt, and what should she do about it ?
She was filled with dismay; she could not return the
jewels for the young girl was apparently lost to them forever, and she would have to carry about with her always
the unpleasant consciousness that she was, as Wilbur had
said, the thief.
But it would not do to indudge in such thoughts now,
and in explanation of what Sir Charles had just witnessed,
she said:
"His lordship thought from my appearance that I was

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

125-

the child of some one whom he knew, and he spoke to me
very abruptly."
"My lord is very eccentric about some things; he is
getting quite old, too, and people do not mind him," replied Sir Charles, giving the matter no further thought.

CHAPTER XX
THAT VOICE

ISABEL and her mother were jubilant over the result of
Lady Peasewell's drawing-room.
The occasion had been one of signal triumph for the
former, for she had been universally declared the belle of
the evening-the reigning star in all that brilliant company.
Not so much indeed on account of her superior beauty
-for she could lay no claim to beauty of features-as her
stately presence, fascinating address, and her rich and
elegant attire.
Sir Charles Randal had undoubtedly been deeply impressed, for after his introduction to her he had scarce left
her side during the remainder of the evening.
He called the next day, and the next he came to escort
her to Buckingham Palace, the queen and her retinue
being absent, and he having obtained passes to visit that
royal residence so fraught with historic interest.
These incidents led to a more intimate acquaintance,
until the young baronet became her almost constant attendant at the opera and other places of amusement, and
it soon grew to be common talk that the fair American
was likely to win him for a husband.
Isabel's heart often turned longingly toward Adrian
Dredmond, for she had been deeply touched by him. He
was her ideal of manly excellence and nobility, but she
knew how useless was that longing, for that look of scorn
which he had given her at Lady Peasewell's told her but too
plainly how heartily he despised her.
She had met him since at a number of places of amuse-

126

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

ment, but he never asked her to dance, or noticed her
presence save by a grave, cool bow, and the involuntary
curling of his handsome lips; so she turned the battery
of her charms upon the baronet, and with much better
success.
Sir Charles was accounted a very fine young man, and
a great catch, for he, too, was very rich; so that Mrs.
Coolidge spread her motherly wings, ruffled her most gorgeous plumage, and made much of him, feeling immensely
gratified at her daughter's evident conquest, although no
proposals had as yet been made.
Two months passed thus; the search for Brownie had
been given up by Mr. Coolidge, who could not gain the
vestige of a clew that, despairing of obtaining a situation
in exclusive and aristocratic old England, she had returned to her native land, hoping to be more successful
there.
What to do with her property was a puzzle to him, and
he was greatly troubled on account of it, but he could
only lock it carefully away, hoping some time in the future
to see her and return it.
Isabel had been successful in returning the gems she
had worn to the casket without his knowledge, and emboldened by her good luck, she continued, from time to
time, to abstract some of them to garnish her ravishing
toilets. At length her triumph was complete.
Sir Charles proposed and was accepted, and great was
the rejoicing thereof.
His mother at first was somewhat troubled at the idea
of his marrying out of his own country-she had hoped
he would choose some one from the nobility; but as she
was eager to multiply his worldly possessions, and she
had heard such accounts of Mr. Coolidge's fabulous wealth,
she consented as gracefully as possible, and the contract
was finally concluded to the satisfaction of all parties.
Mr. Coolidge, who could not fail to honor the young
man, told Isabel that she was getting a husband much
too good for her, unless she mended her ways in the
future, and it certainly seemed as if she had adopted his
advice, for she became so amiable, apparently, that she
excited the admiration of all for the time.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

127

Lady Randal was a widow.
At the death of her husband she had been left with two
sons, one fifteen, the other, which was Sir Charles, ten.
The elder died in just a year after his father, so that
the younger came into the title and property.
There had been a prospect two years after Sir Charles'
birth of another addition to the family, but Lady Randal
was traveling upon the Continent at the time of its birth,
and remained away a year after the event occurred; therefore it occasioned searce any remark when it was reported
that there was no child after all.
When, after her return to England, a friend ventured
to speak of her disappointment, Lady Randal had put her
black-bordered handkerchief to her eyes, and remarked that
"it was so hard to lose one's children," and there the matter
dropped.
Not more than a week after the engagement between
Sir Charles and Isabel was announced, Mr. Coolidge was
suddenly recalled to New York upon important and unforeseen business.
His partner telegraphed for his immediate return, and
he departed in great haste, having only a few hours in
which to make his preparation and catch the steamer.
And in his haste he forgot to take with him, as he had intended, Miss Douglas' casket of jewels.
As soon as Lady Randal knew of his departure, she sent
a polite note, containing an invitation, to Mrs. Coolidge
and her family, to spend a month with them at their
country seat, as they were about departing for a season
from town.
This was exceedingly flattering to the Coolidges, and
the last of February found them domiciled at "Vallingham
Hall," near the ancient and beautiful town of West Malling, Kent County; all but Wilbur, who, still heart-sore and
filled with anxiety upon Brownie's account, resolved to try
to lose himself in a trip to Switzerland and the Alps.
Lady Randal and her servants preceded her guests by
a week to the Hall, leaving Sir Charles behind to escort
their visitors, so that upon their arrival everything was in
readiness for them, and they received a most cordial
welcome.

128

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

Vallingham Hall was a handsome, though rather an
ancient-looking structure, built partly of brick and partly
of stone. The central portion seemed much older than
the rest, a couple of wings and other additions having
evidently been built on at different times. It had mullioned
windows, and wide, massive doors, which gave it a grand
and imposing appearance. The beautiful ivy, green and
luxuriant, which clambered upon its sides to the very top
of some of its turrets, gave it also a picturesqueness which
made it charming to every one, and more than one artist,
enamored of its beauty, had reproduced it upon canvas.
About a mile from the Hall, and standing within the
limits of its park, there was a charming little villa of
quite modern structure, and having such an air of comfort and cosiness about it that tempted the beholder to
seek an entrance and obtain a glimpse within, wondering
if the inside were as attractive as the outside.
Vallingham Hall was already gay with company when
the Coolidges arrived, and more was expected the following week.
Sir Charles' courtship seemed to be of the most blissful
nature, at least to two persons.
Isabel was brilliant from her conquest, and rendered
herself so fascinating to everybody that the young man
was nearly overwhelmed with congratulations at having
won so bonny and wealthy a bride, although among some
of the high-born damsels, who were husband-hunting for
themselves, there was now and then the curl of a red lip,
and murmur of scorn about "plebian blood."
Lady Randal, ignoring caste entirely, was always eulogizing Isabel's "elegant manners, and her exquisite taste
in dress," and promising herself "so much happiness with
a daughter, which she had always wanted, but never had."
Mrs. Coolidge spared neither labor nor expense for her
eldest, and her wardrobe was the most recherche of anything to be seen among all the visitors at the Hall, while
the jewels which she wore were a marvel to every one,
and helped to swell the reports of her vast wealth.
When she found that her father had departed without
taking them with him, she was delighted, and appropri-

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

?129

ated them without a scruple, and, as time wore away, she
began to look upon them as almost belonging to her.
It must be confessed that she stood a little bit in awe
of her high-born lover.
It did not take her long to discover that he was actuated
only by the loftiest sentiments.
His manner was as courteous to a servant or an inferior
as to an equal, and he never stopped to consider the position
of any one when granting a favor.
The beggar or the peer was befriended with equal kindness.

Open and frank himself, he could not tolerate deception
or hypocrisy in any one, and a deliberate wrong incurred
his deepest displeasure.
Of course, the haughty and selfish girl could feel no
sympathy with any such sentiments so foreign to her own
nature, but having once learned Sir Charles idiosyncracies,
and being extremely anxious to share his coronet and
plethoric purse, she exerted herself to the utmost to blind
his eyes, and, to all outward appearance, she became a most
earnest advocate of all his philanthropic schemes, much
to his satisfaction, and the secret contempt and amusement
of Viola and Alma, who neglected no opportunity when
alone with their sister to torment her about it.
One evening Sir Charles invited her to walk over a
portion of the estate with him, and unfolded to her his
plans for beautifying it, and of improving the condition
and comfort of his tenantry.
She strove to listen attentively, and appear interested
in it all, but it was hard work, and although she was exceedingly kind and gracious to all whom she met, and
won for herself high encomiums for her sweetness among
his people, yet her heart was not in it, and she was immensely relieved when they turned their steps homeward.
On their way they had to pass the villa before described.
Just before reaching it, Sir Charles had called her attention to a lovely view.
They stood silent for several minutes enjoying it, when
suddenly a few rich chords, struck upon a fine-toned piano,
saluted their ears, and then a voice of ravishing sweetness
and power burst forth into joyous song.

130

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

Isabel started at the sound as if a wasp had stung her.
"Who is that ?" she demanded, her face flushing with
a sudden thought and fear.
"It comes from yonder villa. Did it startle you ?" asked
Sir Charles, regarding her disturbed manner with some
surprise.
"A little-it was so quiet before."
"I think it very fine," he replied, stopping to listen
again to the clear, beautiful tones.
"Who lives there?" Isabel asked, an anxious expression
on her face.
"Lady Ruxley, an aged aunt of my mother's."
"Indeed! I thought she resided with you," she said,
wondering why a lady of such high degree should be living
in what appeared to her such limited quarters.
She had heard of Lady Ruxley before, and knew that
it was from her Sir Charles was to inherit a large amount
of his property.
She had never met her, although she was quite curious
about her, having heard much about her peculiarities.
"Lady Ruxley always makes her home with us while
we are in town, but when we come to Vallingham Hall
she prefers to be by herself, and a few years since she had
this villa built, so as to escape the gayety and confusion
which always reign there," Sir Charles explained.
"Does she live alone ?" Isabel queried, with a thoughtful
look.
"She has never had any one but her servants, until
within the past few years she has had a companion to
read to and amuse her. She is quite old."
"Ah, then it must be her companion who is singing
now," and she leaned eagerly forward to listen again.
"Who is she ?" she asked, somewhat sharply, when after
a moment the sweet singer suddenly ceased.
"I really do not remember the name-some unfortunate
individual, I believe, who met with an accident, enlisted
Aunt Ruxley's sympathies, and she insisted upon having
her as a companion. I have never seen her. Indeed," he
added, smiling, "my time has been so fully occupied in
another direction lately that I have not paid much attention to other people's affairs," and Sir Charles bestowed

BROWNIE'S

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131

a fond look upon his betrothed, which called the bright
color to her cheeks, and the smile to her lips again.
She asked no more questions, and they remained a few
moments longer gazing into the valley; then, as the sun
sank out of sight, and the air began to grow keener, they
turned their faces homeward.
As they passed the villa they caught a glimpse of an
old woman bent nearly double with age, hobbling into the
house from the vine-covered porch.
She was leaning upon the arm of a slender, graceful
figure, who seemed to be clad in deep mourning, the sight
of which made Isabel Coolidge's heart bound again with
a sudden fear, and she bent forward for a better view.
She could not distinguish the person clearly, for the
shadow of the vines about the door made it impossible,
but a nameless dread of something, she knew not what,
pursued her the entire evening, which neither the gay
company at the Hall nor her lover's fondest words could
make her forget.
CHAPTER XXI
"CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST

!"

THE next day cards were received at Vallingham Hall
for the family and all guests, soliciting their presence at a
grand state dinner, to be given by his lordship, the Earl
of Dunforth, at his country residence at East Malling,
about five miles from the west village.
A great deal of excitement prevailed in anticipation of
this event, for all recognized the honor conferred by this
invitation, as the earl occupied a high position in the
world, and owned almost the whole township of East Malling, where Dunforth Castle was situated.
"What shall I wear, mamma ?" Isabel asked, when they
were talking over the event in their own room.
"That light blue velvet, with the pipings of white satin,
and the stomacher of pearls, which came from Worth's
last week, will be the most suitable, I think," returned
Mrs. Coolidge, reflectively.

1832

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"That is the one I had in mind. It will be very becoming and with those coral ornaments, and a few flowers, it
will be a very lovely costume," assented the dutiful
daughter.
"I want you to look uncommonly well, Isabel, for I
heard to-day that any one who is received by the Earl of
Dunforth needs no better voucher in the first circles of
London. Besides, he is a relative of the family, and it
will be wise for you to secure their favor. By the way,
has Sir Charles asked you to name the day yet ?"
"No, and I've played my very prettiest to him this
week, hoping he would. I've visited all those dirty cottages and hovels, and helped him plan a hundred disagreeable things for suffering humanity around us; but, apparently, he is so bound up in the woes of others that he
cannot stop to consider things of such minor importance
as his own happiness," replied Isabel, with bitter scorn,
and with an ugly frown upon her brow.
"You must have patience, my dear. A great deal has
been accomplished in his proposing to you, and in your
acknowledged engagement."
"Patience! I feel as if I should go wild, at times, with
the constant restraint which I put upon myself."
"I know; you are behaving beautifully," said Mrs. Coolidge, soothingly, who lived in constant fear lest there
should be an outbreak. "Lady Randal," she went on,
"thinks you are just perfect; and even the servants are
all enthusiastic in your praise."
"If only the prize was secure," muttered Isabel, moodily.
"Only go on a little longer as you have begun and it will
be, I am sure," purred her mother.
The day of the dinner party arrived.
A half hour before the Vallingham company were to
start, Lady Randal knocked at Isabel's door.
"Excuse me, dear," she said, "but I wanted to see how
you look before we start. I am particularly anxious that
Lord and Lady Dunforth should be pleased with you.
You know he is a relative of the family," she concluded,
with an accent of pride.
"I heard something to that effect," responded Isabel;
"but how is he connected ?"

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"His lordship and I are own cousins," explained Lady
Randal, while her face clouded for a moment, as if from
some painful thought.
Then suddenly changing the subject, she exclaimed:
"But I need not have been anxious about your appearance, for you are just lovely. You have exquisite taste,
my love, and I shall feel quite proud when you are my
daughter. The blue velvet is charming, and your hair
is very becomingly arranged, while that stomacher of
pears is superb. But"-and she started suddenly, while
her face grew crimson-"but where did you get those
coral ornaments?" and her eyes were fixed in utter astonishment, and with something of terror in them, upon the
elegant coral and diamond cross, and butterfly hair ornament, which Isabel has just fastened in her hair, and
clasped about her neck.
Isabel colored violently at the question.
Could she never wear those things without some one's
remarking them particularly, and continually reminding
her that they were not her own ?
Lady Randal marked her confusion, and feeling it might
have appeared a rude question, hastened to add:
"Pardon me, but they are so like some that I once saw
a long time ago, that I could not help exclaiming at the
moment."
"Ah!" said Isabel, regaining her self-possession, and
striving to speak indifferently; "I did not suppose there
was another set like them in the world-they were made
to order," and the lie slipped off her tongue without a
quaver.
"It is a singular coincidence, surely," murmured Lady
Randal, absently. "Did you ever know-----" she began
again, then suddenly checking herself, she added: "But,
of course, you did not, for she must be over sixty if she is
living now. It is strange, though. I could have sworn
they are the same."
"What were you saying?" asked Isabel, who had not
distinctly understood what she said last.
"Never mind, dear; but a lady whom I used to know
had some ornaments very like these. Have you nothing
else which will do to go with this costume ?"

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

She seemed to dislike the idea of her wearing them.
"Oh, yes; I have plenty of others, but these look best
with this light blue--they give a dash of color which it
seems to need, and I prefer them."
"Well, never mind; you do look very nice, and," she
added, partly to herself, "perhaps he will not notice."
Isabel created quite a sensation upon entering the great
drawing-room at Dunforth, for there were many people
present whom she had never met before, and all were
quite anxious to see the bride Sir Charles had chosen.
His lordship was very gracious to her, and seemed desirous to atone for his rudeness on the night of Lady
Peasewell's drawing-room, though Isabel noticed that a
spasm of pain contracted his face when his eye first fell
upon her as she was presented.
He introduced her to Lady Dunforth, who completely
surprised her by turning to a gentleman at her side, and
saying:
"Miss Coolidge, allow me to present my grandson, Mr.
Dredmond."
She looked up astonished, and the color flamed into her
cheeks at his cold salutation and the well-remembered,
scornful curl of his lips, as his critical eye took in every
item of her costume from head to foot.
He, too, had recognized those lovely corals, with their
diamond garnishings, and he longed to wrest them from
her hair and bosom, and denounce her as the false-hearted
woman he knew she was.
He, then, was the grandson of the Earl of Dunforth.
Isabel had known all along that he was heir to an earldom, but supposing it to be a nobleman by the name of
Dredmond, she had never made any inquiries about the
matter.
A feeling of chagrin came over her that she had not
played her cards differently, for she knew the Dunforth
wealth far exceeded that of the Randals.
A sense of fear, too, arose in her heart lest he should
strive to influence Sir Charles against her.
Lady Randal had told her that she and Lord Dunforth
were cousins, consequently Sir Charles and Adrian were
connected, and might he not tell him what he knew ?

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

135

Later in the evening she was introduced to Lady Ruxley, whose acquaintance she had long desired to make, and
whose favor she was most anxious to secure.
The old lady had arrived at the castle that morning by
special invitation, and was to remain a few days to visit
Lady Dunforth, who was a favorite with her.
She was a very peculiar body, this old lady of eighty,
with her wrinkled, withered face, her scant, wiry, gray
hair, her restless black eyes keen and sharp as a briar.
She was bent nearly double, and walked with a cane, and
when she tried to talk to or look at anybody she twisted
her neck and shoulders into all manner of contortions.
She was little as well as old-she could not have weighed
over ninety pounds-and in her straight, old-fashioned
black satin gown she made Isabel think of some witch or
sprite of evil.
She felt anything but comfortable beneath those keen,
bright eyes, which seemed to read her through and through
at a glance, and her blunt way of asking questions disconcerted her not a little.
"False as fair; false as fair !" and "chickens always come
home to roost !" muttered the "old crone," as she watched
the handsome couple move away.
"What were you saying, aunt ?" asked Lady Randal,
sharply.
She had been standing near, and saw the distrustful
expression on her face, and heard the muttered tones.
"I said 'chickens always come home to roost,' " she
snapped in reply.
"What do you mean by it? I don't understand you."
"I mean that you are going to get your pay through
her for some of your own evil deeds in the past," she answered, pointing her shaking finger at Isabel.
"Don't be a fool, aunt," Lady Randal said, sharply, yet
growing a shade paler than usual. "What have I done
that is so very wicked ?"
"Ah, ha! your memory doesn't serve you as well as mine,
for all I am in my dotage," and the old, woman gave a
cracked, spiteful laugh.
"I haven't forgotten how, when you were yonder girl's
age, you played a game upon his lordship in my house

186

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

which nearly broke his heart, and without accomplishing
your purpose, too; and now I say you're going to get your
pay for it."
"That was years and years ago, and I'm sure I don't
see what it can have to do with Sir Charles or my affairs
to-day. Don't you like Miss Coolidge? I think her very
striking in appearance."
"She has a stately presence, truly; but mark my words,
Helen Capel, if you live long enough, you will find that
she can plot as cunningly as you did when you admitted
Count de Lussan to my parlors to ruin the happiness of
an innocent and beautiful girl."
"Pshaw! what has put those absurd fancies and memories into your head to-night ?" and Lady Randal tried to
laugh, though she shuddered at the same time.
"Laugh away, my lady, while you can," snapped the
old woman, viciously, "but you'll change your tune before
long. I never quite forgave you for that night's work,
Helen; it was the first time such a man ever disgraced my
house, to say nothing about her coming to such grief
there. But, ah! that was more than forty years ago. I
wonder whatever became of her! I am sorry for Charles,
though-he is a noble fellow, and ought to have a good
Wife," and Lady Ruxley heaved a sigh of regret.
"Then you don't approve of his choice, aunt; I'm sorry.
She is certainly fine looking, and then she belongs to a
very wealthy family."
"That's it; that's it, you were never satisfied with what
you had," was the impatient interruption. "You always
want to hear the jingle of gold. I'd rather the boy would
marry a girl like my companion, without a penny, than
forty such stately, false-hearted dames, with a million
apiece."
"You continue to like the girl as well as ever, then,"
said Lady Randal, glad to change the subject.
"Like her! There isn't her equal here to-night, for all
you were so sure I'd be taken in. I tell you, Helen, these
eyes of mine are good yet, if they have been well used for
eighty years."
"Where is she to-night ?"
"Upstairs, reading; she would not come down, though I

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

187

tried hard enough to make her. But go along to your
friends, an old woman like me is not worth minding, besides, I'm going to bed presently."
She waved her hand the same as she had to Isabel, and
Lady Randal moved away, feeling anxious and miserable,
despite her assumed indifference.
Unpleasant memories had been rudely aroused to-night,
and the sting of conscience, mingled with remorse, was
severe.
"Whatever could have made her rake up those old
times ?" she muttered, uneasily, as she glanced at her son,
who was hovering about Isabel like a moth about a candle.
"Can it be that she also noticed those jewels? It is lucky
for me that Lord Dunforth never discovered the part I
played in that tragedy--he never would have forgiven it.
I wonder what I did with that note-destroyed it, I suppose. Oh, dear, what a memory Aunt Ruxley has! It is
as keen as her tongue, and she has made me exceedingly
uncomfortable; but I would not offend her for anything,
on Charles' account. I do hope he will be happy, and
that he has chosen wisely; he is too good to be deceivedhe is like his father, poor man! Ah, me ! how many men
have been taken in by the girls they have married; however, it is too late to be helped now."
Such were Lady Randal's reflections after leaving her
aunt.
Doubtless she has been recognized before this as being
the girl of whom Miss Mehetabel Douglas had told Brownie
as having been the cause of her lifelong misery.
Yes, Lady Randal was that same Helen Capel. Finding,
after she had accomplished her foul purpose, that she
could not console her cousin, Lord Dunforth, for his loss,
she turned her charms in another direction, and at last
succeeded in winning a good and true man, Sir Ralph
Randal, for a husband.
She had not lived the pleasantest life in the world with
the baronet, or rather, it should be said, that he had discovered his mistake when it was too late.
She could not deceive him always, and after the irrevocable step had been taken he found that instead of a true,
loving, and domestic wife, he had been entrapped into

138

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TRIUMPH

marrying a vain, frivolous girl, who cared more for fashion
and society than she did for her family. His death had
not seemed to break her heart, for after the year of mourning expired, she returned to society with as much zest as
ever.
But when her eldest son was taken from her she felt
the blow more keenly, and it seemed to change her.
Charles, the younger son, had always been the favorite,
and she feared lest she should lose him, too, and from
that time she devoted herself to him, and during her later
years became apparently the self-sacrificing and loving
mother.
All her hopes now centered in him, and she bent all her
energies toward carving out a brilliant future for him.
And yet there were times when she seemed so troubled
and melancholy that for days, and even weeks, she would
be unlike herself, and as if brooding over some hidden
grief or sin.
She had long since banished the memories of those deeds
of her early life.
They were not pleasant to recall.
But to-night those homely old proverbs, "Chickens always come home to roost," "You'll get your pay," as
uttered by Lady Ruxley, seemed to possess a strange significance, and sounded like uncanny prophecies in her ears.

CHAPTER XXII
A LEAP FOR LIFE
ADRIAN

DREDMOND was indeed the grandson and heir

of Lord Dunforth, the former lover of Miss Mehetabel
Douglas.
He had married, as she told Brownie, five years after
the terrible disappointment which had well-nigh ruined
both their lives.
His wife was a sweet-tempered, gentle little body, and
she loved him with her whole heart.
He liked her well enough, and respected her thoroughly,

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

but the one love of his life had been that proud, fairhaired girl who had broken his heart. It had been a
deathless love, as could easily be seen by his rambling
talk the night he met Isabel at Lady Peasewell's.
When he finally married he had done so to please his
father, and in order to perpetuate the name.
But another disappointment awaited him, for only a
daughter blessed their union, and there was no heir to take
the title. At the age of sixteen she fell in love with a
colonel in the English army-a widower nearly twice her
age.
Her father, whose life had been such a failure, would
not doom her to a like fate, and so consented to the marriage, although he did not fully approve of it, both on
account of his daughter's youth and the profession of
Colonel Dredmond, since, in all probability, it would eventually separate him from his only child.
But the fair young girl bride only lived one short year,
and died soon after the birth of their only child-a fine
boy, whom his father named Adrian.
Colonel Dredmond was soon after ordered into active
service, and was killed fighting like the brave man he was.
Henceforth Adrian became his grandfather's sole joy
and comfort, and he lavished upon him all the love which
his bruised heart was capable of feeling.
The boy inherited all his father's bravery, together
with his grandfather's honor and nobility of character,
and bade fair to make the declining years of Lord and
Lady Dunforth the best and happiest of their lives.
During the last few weeks he had been very unhappy
and depressed.
His anxiety regarding Brownie, in whom he had at
last acknowledged he had more than an ordinary interest,
rendered him gloomy and absent-minded.
He did not enjoy company, it irritated and angered him
to look around and see others so gay, when, perhaps, the
one whom he now knew he loved more than his own life,
was friendless and maybe suffering.
He had come down to Dunforth Castle to be present
at the dinner party to please his grandmother, but he told
her, upon his arrival, that he must return to London

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upon the next day, as he had important business which
would not allow of his absence.
That business was his constant and almost hopeless
search for Brownie Douglas. His meeting with Isabel tonight made his trouble seem more bitter than ever, and
for the first time in his life he felt, as if he almost hated a
human being.
He regretted exceedingly her engagement to Sir Charles,
for he was warmly attached to the young man; but he felt
that he was powerless to save him from what he feared his
future would be with such a vain and selfish girl as he
knew Miss Coolidge to be.
As soon as dinner was over, feeling weary and gloomy,
he lighted a cigar, and went out by himself into the cool
night air.
The sky was somewhat overcast, but not dark, for there
was a full moon, which every now and then burst out
gloriously from behind the clouds, and he could distinguish objects quite plainly.
About a quarter of a mile from the castle the ground
arose very abruptly for a short distance, and suddenly
terminated in a high precipice, which shelved out over a
deep and swift-running river.
This was accounted a very dangerous spot by people
in that vicinity, for the continual dropping and caving
away of the rocks and earth had left the hill above but a
mere shell or shelf, hanging out over the river a hundred
feet below, and which, it was predicted, was liable to be
had appeared about twenty feet from the brink, and the
spot was shunned by every one, although it used to be
much frequented on account of the lovely view which it
commanded.
To any one unacquainted with the path which led up
this ascent, it was like tempting Providence to try to reach
the top, for there were pitfalls on every side, and the path
was winding and uneven.
But Adrian knew every step of the ground, for during
his boyhood he had explored every inch many a time, and
he clambered on now, still thinking gloomily of his own
affairs.
He had accomplished about two-thirds of the distance,

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141

and he could hear the restless surging of the river, as its
waters rushed over its rocky bed, when the moon came
sailing out from behind a white-edged cloud, and flooded
the whole landscape with its yellow light.
He looked up and swept his eye over the hill. He
started, and an exclamation of horror broke from him as
he did so.
He had seen some one standing on the very edge of the
dangerous precipice, and gazing down into the valley
beyond.
It was a woman, and the breeze made her dark, flowing
garments sweep out behind her in graceful folds, and now
she lifted her head, and he could faintly distinguish the
outline of her face as the moonlight fell upon it.
He dare not call out to her for fear the sound of his
voice would startle her, and she would be precipitated
into the boiling river below. For a moment the strength
all went out of his body, as he thought he should never be
able to reach and save her--that his extra weight upon
that frail shelf must bring death to them both.
Then, without a second thought of self, he sprang forward with swift, noiseless steps.
Surely, whoever she was, she could not realize the horrible danger of that moment, and the young man's heart
fairly ceased its beating, as with a few rapid strides he
was at her side, and laying a firm hand uon her arm, he
said, in tones thrilling with anxiety:
"Madam, do you know that you are tempting death?
This portion of the hill is liable to cave at any moment."
Then, without releasing his strong hold of her, he drew
her quickly back from the spot, farther and yet farther
from the sound of those roaring waters, which seemed hungering for their prey, until they reached the fatal seam,
which Adrian saw was now wider than ever before.
Just then a sudden shock seemed to strike him, then a
rattling, rolling, horrible sound reached his ears, and a
sensation of swaying and dizziness crept over him.
He knew what it meant-death!
Only one thought was in his heart now, and it rent his
soul with its silent agony.
"Brownie, my Brownie, I shall never see you again !"

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The next instant-he never knew how he did it--but he
caught the form at his side in his arms, and sprang forward, all his strength and energies gathered into that leap
for life.
Not an instant too soon, however, for the whole space
which they had just traversed was swept from their sight
as if by magic, and went crashing and tumbling down
into the fearful depths below, leaving that noble man
and trembling woman faint, dizzy, sick, with the thought
of the horrible death which they had so narrowly escaped
and clinging wildly to each other in horrified silence.
Then, keeping his hold upon her to support her, he led
her still farther away from the yawning chasm, saying,
gently:
"Sit down upon this rock under this tree for a few
moments until you regain your strength."
She obeyed, and he bent down to look into her face.
"Are you faint? Shall I go for some water ?" he asked;
then suddenly dropping upon his knees before her he exclaimed:
"Just Heaven! is it you that I have saved from that?
Oh! if I had not come!" burst from him in a startled,
almost anguished cry.
His voice shook like an old man's with horror, his face,
as the moonlight struck it, was ashen in its hue, and for
the moment he was more completely unnerved than the
girl whom he had rescued from such imminent danger.
Her hands lay white and limp in her lap.
He gathered them up in his strong clasp, and pressed
his lips again and again upon them, while his breast heaved
with the fierce, frightened throbbings of his heart.
Ah! only Heaven knew the horrible yet rapturous sensations of that moment, when he discovered that she whom
he had just saved from a terrible death, was none other
than Brownie Douglas whom he had sought so long sorrowing!
"Yes, it is I whom you have saved, Mr. Dredmond;
but for you I should now be lying crushed, and bruised,
and dead at the bottom of yonder stream," was the low
reply, in those sweet tones, which he would have recognized
at the ends of the earth.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

148

"I little thought to find you here. I learned something
of your trouble, and I have searched everywhere for you
in London, Miss Douglas, for the last two months, and
it was with reluctance that I relinquished my quest long
enough to obey a summons hither," he said, when he began
to recover himself a little.
He did not stop to think that she might deem it singular
that he, almost a stranger, should be searching so earnestly
for her.
"How strange," he went on, "that I should have come
hither to save you from even worse than what I feared
might have happened to you? It was dreadful for you to
be there, and my brain grows dizzy with the thought of
what must have been if I had not come! Did you know
of that perilous shelf ? Has no one told you ?"
"No, Mr. Dredmond, I only came to Dunforth Castle
to-day. I was sad and lonely to-night, and being freed
from my duties, I came out for a stroll in the moonlight.
I saw this hill, and heard the dashing of the stream, and
thinking a delightful view might be obtained from the
top, I clambered up. It was like being suddenly awakened from a beautiful dream, when you seized and bore
me from the place."
Adrian shuddered.
"I expected that both of us would be dashed in pieces
when I saw the earth giving way, and heard that dreadful
noise," she added, in trembling tones.
"Better that, than that I should not have come at all,"
he returned, passionately.
His tone seemed to recall her suddenly to herself, and
she tried to release her hands, which he still held tightly
clasped in his.
He was almost unconscious that he still held them, but
at the effort she made he looked up at her and saw that
her face had grown crimson with blushes, while her eyes
dropped shyly beneath his gaze.
"I beg your pardon," he said, releasing them at once,
and rising to his feet. "You will think me presuming, but
my gratitude that you were safe made me forget myself.
Did I understand you that you are staying at the castle?"

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he asked, changing the subject to relieve his embarrassment.
"I am there for a few days."
"Indeed! and so am I," he replied, much pleased, and
forgetting that he had told his grandmother he could not
possibly remain longer than over one night. "You are
cold," he added, as he saw her shiver; "shall I take you
back now to the castle ?"
"Thank you; yes."
Then, with a tenderness which thrilled her through and
through, yet with a courtly deference which made him
seem more grand and noble than ever before, he supported her faltering steps down the steep path, and led
her back to the castle.
"You have not yet told me, nor will I ask you to-night,
how you happened to leave London so suddenly. Wilbur
Coolidge told me that I should find you at the 'Washington,' " he said, as he drew near the door.
"Yes, I did tell him that I should be there for a few
days, but an accident prevented my ever going to the
hotel at all. I am now with Lady Ruxley, at her cottage
near Vallingham Hall."
"Zounds! She has got right back into that Coolidge
nest again, poor thing! I wonder if she knows it, or has
seen them yet ?" was Adrian's inward comment; then he
said, aloud: "If you remain here a few days I shall probably see you again."
Then, as he clasped her hand, he continued, with a
smile:
"Now, good-night; and, Miss Douglas, do not go wandering off by yourself again in the night to places you
know nothing of."
Again she thrilled at his touch, and the fire leaped into
her cheeks at his words.
"I will not," she promised, with a little answering smile,
though he saw that tears were dropping from her eyes, as
she added: "But, Mr. Desmond, I have not been able to
find words adequate to express my feelings for what you
have done for me to-night; but surely you will not deem
me ungrateful."
He nearly said it in spite of himself,
"No, no, dar-"

BROWNIE'S

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145

but quickly checking the word, he exclaimed: "Great
IHeaven ! how it unmans me even now to think of it; but
I pray you go to rest, and try to forget it if you can."
He led her up the steps to a side door, where she could
enter unseen, let her in, then wandered away by himself
again into the park, his soul stirred to its very depths by
the events of the last half hour.

CHAPTER XXIII
TAKEN BY STORI

ADRIAN had been obliged to exert the sternest self-control in order to keep back the wild words which were
burning upon his lips for utterance after saving Brownie.
He loved her, he knew he loved her, and he longed to
pour out the fullness of his heart to her.
But how could he presume to do so, when she was comparatively a stranger to him?
Only twice before had he met her, and he reasoned that
it could not be possible that she had any thought of love
for him, although he had worshiped her from afar for
the last six months.
He felt that he must tell her ere long. He had almost
betrayed it to-night, and the hot blood surged into his
face as he thought of it, and wondered how she regarded
him.
Would she not feel that he was presuming upon the
service which he had just rendered her if he should confess it ?
And yet, in his heart, he exulted over the event, even
while he trembled and grew faint as he realized how near
he had come to losing her forever.
The danger and the escape from it had brought them
nearer to each other than ever before. She had trusted
him, leaned upon him, and even allowed his arm to clasp
her unshrinkingly when she could not stand alone.
And now she was under the same roof with him, and
would remain several days, she said.

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It seemed too much happiness, after all his discouragements and disappointments in seeking her.
Of course, he would not return to London now; of
what use would it be, when the object of his search there
was found?
No, he would stay here and win her if he could; and
when she was his wife, how proud he would be to introduce her to Isabel Coolidge and her mother as the future
Lady of Dunforth!
And Brownie!
Who shall describe the tumult that was in her heart,
as she sought Lady Ruxley's apartments ?
She could not misinterpret Adrian's manner toward her.
Had not he almost called her darling? Had not his every
tone and look been fraught with that magnetic influence
which could not be mistaken?
Did not his horror, when he had found it was she who
had been in such peril, bespeak a deeper interest than that
of a mere friend ?
Ah, yes! and her hands burned with his passionate kisses
even now.
How precious-how doubly precious the boon of life
would seem to her hereafter, since it had been bestowed
upon her by him!
"I will know my fate this day," said Adrian, the next
morning, as he arose from his almost sleepless couch and
descended to the breakfast parlor.
For the past six months Brownie had been so continually in his thoughts that she had grown to seem almost a
part of himself, and now it seemed to him as if, in the
great horror of the night previous, when they had stood so
near to death, and together had caught a glimpse, so
to speak, of the darkness and gloom of mysterious eternity,
it seemed, I say, as if they had tacitly acknowledged and
fel that they belonged to each other.
"How now," said the grandfather, as he entered the
room; "you must be off to-day? I was hoping that you
would spend several weeks with us."
"I'm sure I cannot see what there is so important to

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147

call you back to London," put in Lady Dunforth, reproachfully.
"Do you take it so much to heart? Well, then suppose I compromise the matter, and say that I will remain
a few days," Adrian replied, laughingly, though he colored a conscious crimson as he altered his plans.
His lordship gave him a searching glance, as if he did
not exactly understand this change; he had been so positive last night about returning.
Lady Dunforth, however, was delighted, and other guests
entering at that moment, she imparted the good news, and
then all sat down to breakfast.
Adrian was on the watch all day for Brownie, but late
hours did not agree with Lady Ruxley, and she did not
rise until very late. Then, being in rather a more exacting
mood than usual, she kept her companion in constant attendance upon her all day.
It was not until late in the afternoon that Brownie was
free to take a stroll by herself; then, her ladyship having
fallen into a doze, she donned her hat and shawl and stole
out.
She had a strange desire to visit again the spot where
she had so nearly lost her life, and view by daylight the
havoc which had been wrought.
Walking rapidly, she soon gained the top of the hill,
and, turning from the narrow path, she ere long stood
upon the precipice where the great shelf of earth had crumbled away.
"Strange that he should be here! Strange that he
should have saved me a second time," she murmured to
herself, and the rosy color flashed over her beautiful face,
as she recalled that scene upon the boat in connection
with the events of the night previous.
She could not forget the clinging clasp of his arms;
she could not forget his upturned, anxious face, as he
dropped upon his knees, nor the burning, passionate kisses
which he had pressed upon her hands; the horror in his
voice when he realized that it was she who had been in
such danger; the intense thankfulness which quivered in
his tones at her deliverance, and the pathos with which
he had said it would have been better for them both to

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TRIUMPH

have perished beneath that falling mass than that he had
not come to save her.
He had told her, too, of his long and anxious search
for her in London; and now she lived over again, every
moment, and recalled it all, with that beautiful color deepening upon her cheek, and those lovely eyes glowing with
a deep tenderness and joy.
She knew it could only be accounted for in one way;
he loved her! Her whole being thrilled with the thought.
A strange, rapturous joy surged through her heart, for
she knew, despite the difference in their position---for she
had heard that he would one day inherit a title, although
she had no idea that he was connected with Lord Dunforth-that it was an honorable and deathless love which
he bore her.
She would as soon have doubted her own purity as his
manliness and truth. And she? Did she love him in
return ?
Before she had time to analyze her own feelings, she became conscious of a presence near her, though she had
heard no step, and looking up, she beheld the object of
her thoughts at her side, regarding her with grave, earnest
eyes.
"Are you fascinated by the horror of this place, Miss
Douglas ?" Adrian asked, holding out his hand to her.
"I came to see by daylight from what I had been saved,"
she replied, coloring vividly as she laid her own within it.
"It is even more dreadful than it seemed in the night,"
he said, shuddering, as he looked below and took in the
dizzy depth, while his clasp grew stronger over the little
hand, as if he feared to let it go.
"This place," he resumed after a moment, "has been
regarded with dread for years. I can remember when I
was a little boy of seeing the smallest crack in the earth
here, and I was told never to step near it. Every year,
as the trees and shrubs growing upon it have become
larger, the seam has widened and deepened, until the
crash has been expected for a long time. I suppose our
extra weight upon it last night was all that was needed
to complete the dreadful work. I am glad, though, that
it is over with, for everybody has been in suspense about

BROWNIE'S

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149

it for so long; but-but do you know, darling, that if it
had buried you beneath its cruel weight that the world
would have been a blank to me to-day ?"
He paused a moment, just glancing at her, his face
growing pale and anxious with his emotion; then he went
on, rapidly:
"You know now, dear, what I want to say to you. I
love you-I love you, my darling, and I want you for my
own, my cherished wife.
"I fear you will think me presuming," he hastened to
say, as he saw the rich color flash over cheek, neck, and
even to the tips of her delicate fingers, "for you have only
met me two or three times; but you cannot know how,
for the last six months, I have sought you continually,
this love growing in my heart all the while.
"Yes," he added, as she gave a slight start of surprise,
"I met you first last September, though you were not conscious of the fact, and I meant then to make your acquaintance. But your aunt died, and you went away somewhere,
and I, deeply disappointed, lost sight of you entirely. You
can judge of my surprise and pleasure when you came
aboard the steamer at New York, although you cannot
judge of my feelings when you stumbled, and I caught
and held you, just a moment, in my arms. I had been
thinking of you continually; your bright face dwelt in my
heart like a picture, but at that moment I became conscious that you, and you alone, could make life worth the
living to me.
"I resolved then that I would know you before the voyage was finished; but you were sick all the time, and I
only caught glimpses of you when they bore you from
your stateroom to the coach. Then I saw you in London
at the opera, and the long-desired introduction took place.
I resolved to cultivate the acquaintance, and called at Mr.
Coolidge's the day you you went away.
"They told me you had gone," he resumed, after a
pause, "though they could not or would not tell me where.
Afterward young Coolidge said that I would find you at the
'Washington.' I haunted the hotel for a week, and I
have searched the city over and over for you since. But,
dearest," he said, clasping the little hand closer, "I have

150

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found you now, and can you give me the one precious
boon I crave-your priceless love ?"
He bent eagerly toward her, his noble, handsome face
flushed and hopeful, for her attitude was one of sweet and
modest confusion, and she had not even sought to withdraw the hand he was holding.
"Will you, Brownie ?" he pleaded, softly.
She flashed one quick look at him from her beautiful
eyes as he called her that, and he saw in their clear depths
all that he wished or hoped.
She loved him! Her soul answered to his, and clasping
her close to his heart, he murmured:
"You are mine, darling-I have won you by the mighty
power of my silent, magnetic love, and you will be my
wife ?"
She lifted her head, which had been resting against his
bosom, quickly at these last words, and said, with drooping lashes and quivering lips:
"Mr. Dredmond, you have taken me by storm."
"Yes, and I mean to hold you," he interrupted, gayly,
as he noticed her excessive embarrassment; then added,
more earnestly: "Brownie, do you, can you love me ?"
She smiled faintly at his first words, then with modest
frankness gave him the honest answer which she knew
was his due.
"If I am truthful, I must confess that my heart does
respond to yours; but knowing so little of you, I should
have deemed it unmaidenly to have confessed it, even to
myself."
"But you do confess it now-you do love me?" he interrupted again, and impatient for a more definite reply.
"Yes," she whispered.
"And you will be my wife ?" he asked, as his lips met
hers.
"Yes, God willing," in tones of solemn sweetness.
"Darling, God has given you to me; I acknowledge
the giver as I take the gift. From that first moment when
I met you in the Art Gallery in Philadelphia until now
this mighty love has been growing within me."
"In the Art Gallery ?" questioned Brownie, with a puzzled look.

BROWNIE'S

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151

"Yes, when your friend, Miss Huntington, met with
such a series of accidents."
"Oh, was that you with Mr. Gordon ?" she demanded,
her face dimpling at the remembrance, and she eagerly
searched his face. "I remember now; it has haunted me
like a strange dream ever since I met you on the boat,
where I had seen you before. Now it all comes back to
me," she said.
"I found something that day which belongs to you, but
not in season to return it to you then," Adrian said.
He took from his pocket as he spoke the elegant sleeve
button, which he had always carried with him since.
Brownie exclaimed, joyously, as she saw it:
"Oh, how glad I am to get it-I never thought to see it
again; and you have had it all this time ?"
"Yes, darling-my Brownie-how I have longed to say
it-and I vowed then that I would only yield it up into
your own little hands."
"It belonged to auntie once," she explained, "and there
are associations connected with it which make it very
dear to me."
"And now come to yonder rock and sit down. I want
to know all that has happened to you since you left the
Coolidges; there has been some mystery connected with it
which I could never understand," Adrian said, leading
her to a sheltered seat, and sitting down beside her.
And Brownie, feeling that she was now no longer alone,
but that instead she had a host in him to battle for her,
poured forth all the story of her wrongs about the jewels,
and the abuse and insult which she had received from
Isabel and her mother.

CHAPTER XXIV
RETROSPECTIVE

WHEN Brownie, in her despair and desolation, bade
farewell to Wilbur and drove away from the Coolidge
mansion, it was her intention to go directly to the "Wash-

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TRIUMPH

ington," and there await, for a few days at least, whatever
destiny might send her.
But this plan was overruled in a way she had not
thought of.
The man who drove the cab was more than half intoxicated, and upon turning a corner, he ran into a heavily
loaded team. More by luck than by any good wit, he
turned quickly aside, and the cab was almost miraculously
disengaged from the other vehicle; but the animals had
now become unmanageable from excessive fright. They
gave a sudden leap into the air, then bounded forward
in a mad and furious race.
The cabby was thrown from his seat into the gutter, and
in turning another corner, the carriage was upset. Now,
wholly beside themselves, the horses kicked themselves
free from the debris, and plunged out of sight, leaving poor
Brownie in a state of insensibility, buried beneath the
ruins.
The accident had happened in a quiet, aristocratic
street of the city; consequently there were few to witness
it, and the young girl escaped the curious gaze of the
crowd which always gathers about any such event in the
more frequented portions.
The massive door of a grand house swung open, and
an old lady of over eighty, very peculiar in appearancefor she was bent nearly double, and walked with a caneappeared, attended by the gray-haired butler of the house.
"Go and bring her in instantly, James," she was saying,
when another woman came forward and seemed to protest
against the order in a very emphatic manner.
"I tell you it's inhuman, Helen, to let her lie there, to
be carried off to some hospital by the police," cried the old
woman, in shrill, almost angry tones.
"But, aunt, the house is full now; and if she is badly
injured it will not do to move her from here after she
has been once attended to."
"I don't care if there are five hundred in the house;
that girl shall not be left there to be carried off by the
police, I tell you. James, go bring her in this instant. Get
some one to help you, and take her up to my bedroom."
"But, aunt"

BROWNIE'S

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153

"Hold your tongue, Helen. You were always hardhearted as adamant. Go along, I say !" And she flourished her cane about the grave butler's ears in a way
to make him move more quickly to execute her orders
than was his wont.
He beckoned to two under-servants, and together they
proceeded to the overturned carriage, where Brownie could
be seen lying prone against the window, her white face
upturned and motionless.
They extricated her, and bore her into an upper room,
where, in the presence of the brusque and energetic old
woman, she was kindly ministered unto, while awaiting
the arrival of the family physician.
For three days she continued very ill, being feverish
and somewhat delirious, but after that she began to mend
rapidly, and at the end of a week she was able to sit up.
Evidently she could not have fallen into better hands,
for she was surrounded by every luxury imaginable, and
upon questioning the servant who attended her, she was
told that she was in the house of Lady Randal.
She wondered why her ladyship did not come in to see
her, and then sighed to think that she was only a poor,
friendless waif, who had been picked out of the streets
and ministered unto for charity's sake.
But one day, upon awaking from a long and refreshing
sleep, she found the queerest-looking old lady bending
over her and scrutinizing her closely. She was nearly bent
double, and held a cane in her hand. She uttered a low
grunt as Brownie opened her large brown eyes, giving her
a surprised look, and then asked, in a sharp, though not
unkindly, tone:
"Who are you? What's your name ?"
"My name is Douglas," replied Brownie, quietly, her
pale face flushing slightly at the blunt question.
"Eh? What? Oh! Dundas," returned the deformed
creature, twisting her neck to get a better view of the
delicate face. She was evidently hard of hearing, and
did not catch the name correctly; but she continued:
"And what's your other name ?"
"Mehetabel," the young girl said, with her usual quiet
smile whenever she pronounced the obnoxious cognomen.

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"Ahli! Mabel," replied the old woman, only seeing the
motion of her lips, and catching the last syllables. "Mabel
Dundas! That is a good-sounding name. Now, how old
are you ?"
Brownie was upon the point of correcting the mistake
regarding her name, when she checked herself.
"What matters it," she breathed, with a sad sigh,
"whether I am Mehetabel Douglas or Mabel Dundas?
It will be all the same to her, and perhaps help to shield
me from my enemies."
"I am nearly nineteen," she replied to the question.
"What? I'm not always so hard of hearing, but I've
got a cold to-day. How old did you say you are?"
"Nearly nineteen," Brownie repeated, speaking louder.
"Do you suffer much ?"
"Not very much."
"Where are your friends ?"
"I have none," and the sad, sweet eyes filled with tears.
"Humph! That's bad for a pretty face like yours.
What do you do for a living?"
"Teach."
"Teach what?"
"Almost anything, except the higher classics."
"Ah! indeed! and only nineteen! Perhaps you are one
of those reduced gentlewomen, who go out governessing,
and pretend to know everything !" snapped the old woman,
with a sneer.
Probably she had been taken in some time during her
life by some such person as she described, which accounted
for her scorn.
"No, madam; I pretend to nothing. I have a good education, therefore teach for a living, and am only a poor
girl without home or friends."
Brownie's cheeks were very red now, but her dignity
would have done credit to the highest lady in the land.
The strange woman chuckled audibly, nodded her head
two or three times, as if much amused, and then went on
with her catechising:
"Do you read French?"
"Yes, madam," replied the young girl, inwardly resent-

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155

ing the woman's brusque manner, yet feeling bound to reverence her gray head.
"And German."
"Yes, madam."
"Can you play the piano, and sing ?"
"I

can."

"Have you an engagement now?"
"No, madam."
"Are you desirous of obtaining a situation?"
"I

am."

"Can you produce the 'best of references ?'"
This question was also accompanied by a sneer.
"I cannot, madam. I have only my qualifications and
my own word to recommend me," Brownie answered, with
a good deal of spirit.
Again the old woman chuckled, and distorted her neck
to look at her, in a way which made Brownie fear she
would dislocate it.
"Where were you last ?" she demanded.
Evidently the old lady possessed authority in the house,
or she would not have assumed this manner toward her.
She was very richly dressed, too, and despite her deformity, had the appearance of nobility about her.
Brownie tried to hide her indignation at being so persistently questioned, for she had been kindly treated, having received every care and kindness, although as yet she
was unconscious how much of it was due her present tormentor.
"I taught in an American family," she at last replied.
"Ah! Came over with them, didn't you? And you are
an American, too, aren't you ?" she asked, with a searching
look.
Brownie nodded her head wearily; she was becoming
very nervous.
"What was the name of the family, and what did they
dismiss you for ?"
This was going a little too far, and assuming too much.
"Pardon me, madam," Brownie answered, with proud
dignity. "I do not understand your motive in interrogating me thus, and prefer not to reply to any more questions.
I will simply say, however, that I was not dismissed from

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my position, but being unkindly treated, I came away of
my own accord."
"Good! good! I like that ! Nobody can set their heel
upon your neck! You are not fond of the inquisition
either, nor afraid to say no. You've got pluck, and I like
it; but I'm an old woman, and always have my own way
wherever I am. I'll go now, though, for you look tired;
but I shall come to see you again." And the strange character, after twisting her neck to get another view of
Brownie's fair face, hobbled from the room, striking her
cane upon the floor with a vigorous thump at every step,
and nodding her head and muttering to herself all the
way out.
The next day Brownie was awakened from her nap the
same as on the previous day, and was greeted by that
same low grunt as she opened her eyes.
She had no idea how long the woman had been gazing
at her, nor how she had entered the room, for she had
heard neither the opening nor the shutting of a door, nor
the thumping of the cane across the floor.
She held in her left hand to-day a delicate vase of
fretted silver, in which there was a single stalk of hyacinths, with a few sprays of feathery heath.
"Better to-day ?" she questioned, briefly.
Brownie smiled a little, as she answered in the affirmative. She saw that the keen gray eyes had a softer, kinder
gleam in them than they had yesterday.
"Do you like flowers ?" asked the strange old lady, holding out a rose to her.
Brownie sat up, her lovely face flushing all over with
delight, and put her hand out to receive it.
"You are very kind. They seem like a ray of sunshine
after a cold and dismal storm," she said, bending over
them to inhale their fragrancy.
"Humph! it takes mighty little to make some people
chipper," the old woman returned bluntly; yet there was
a note of satisfaction in her shrill voice, as if Brownie's
appreciation pleased her.
Then she asked:
"Are you getting stronger? Are you able to walk about
the room?"

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157

"Oh, yes; I am quite strong to-day, and have been
thinking I must go away soon."
"What for? Aren't you comfortable ?" and the old lady
spoke more sharply than usual.
"Yes, indeed; too comfortable, I'm afraid. But, then,
I am depending on strangers, and I ought to be looking
out for myself," Brownie said, her cheeks crimsoning with
embarrassment.
"Ahem! you'd like me to think you are one of the industrious kind, wouldn't you ?" the old woman said, grimly.
Evidently she did not like anything which seemed like
self-praise.
"Oh, no," Brownie answered, with a mischievous smile;
"I assure you I do not love drudgery a bit better than
other people; but when one has not a penny excepting
what one earns, it is necessary to bestir one's self."
"Well, if you want to work, and can walk a few steps,
come with me. I'll take you at your word, and set you a
task right away," said the old creature.
Much amused, and wondering what was coming next,
Brownie arose with alacrity, for she had grown weary of
being shut up in one room, and longed for a change.
The old woman led the way half across the room, then
stopping short and turning suddenly around, she said:
"Perhaps you'd like to know who I am, since I've managed to find out so much about you and your affairs. I'm
Lady Ruxley, and I'm aunt to Lady Randal, in whose
house you are. She's a hard-hearted creature-Helen is,
but she can't come it over me; no, no, iot until I lose more
of my wits than I have yet," she concluded, with a triumphant chuckle.
Lady Ruxley! Lady Ruxley! Where had she heard
that name before, Brownie wondered.
It sounded familiar, and her thoughts went leaping back
into the past.
Then all at once it came to her with a force which made
her feel faint and sick, and she caught her breath with
almost a sob.
Lady Ruxley was that woman at whose ball in London,
more than forty years ago, that tragedy in her aunt's
life had occurred, and Lady Randal was, without a doubt,

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the hard-hearted Helen, and that same Helen Capel whose
cruel plotting and intrigue had ruined the life of Miss
Mehetabel Douglas.
And she had been receiving, and was still receiving, such
heavy obligations from the hands of that wicked woman!

CHAPTER XXV
A LITTLE MATTER OF BUSINESS

"WHAT'S the matter? You are not strong enough to
walk! Go back and sit down," commanded Lady Ruxley,
as she saw the young girl first flush a deep crimson, and
then grow white as a ghost.
But she quickly recovered herself.
"Thank you, but I am perfectly able to go; I was dizzy
for a moment, though it has passed now," she returned,
quietly, although a tumult of feelings was raging in her
bosom.

Giving her another searching glance, her ladyship passed
on, and instead of going out at the door, as Brownie expected she would do, she proceeded toward the opposite
side of the room, where a set of heavy satin damask curtains hung suspended from a richly gilded cornice.
Brownie supposed that they concealed a window, but
sweeping them aside, her guide conducted her through a
lofty archway into a small vestibule, lighted from above
through richly stained panels of glass to another archway
also concealed by curtains.
Passing through this she ushered her companion into
the sunniest, pleasantest, airiest room in the world.
It was a sort of parlor, library, and music-room combined, and contained every comfort and luxury which the
human heart could suggest.
Leading from this large room was a smaller one, in
which Brownie caught sight of a narrow bed, simply draped
in white.
She afterward learned that the strange old woman, out
of the abundant tenderness of her heart for her in her

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159

dangerous condition, had given up her own luxurious
chamber to her, and slept upon this small couch in an anteroom.

"Sit down," said Lady Ruxley, indicating by a motion
of her head a tempting chair standing near a marble table
covered with richly bound books.
Brownie obeyed, while her ladyship seated herself in
another opposite.
"There," she said, when, by an ingenious contrivance,
she had tipped the chair back so that she could look at her
without twisting her neck; "now I'll tell you what I want
of you. Three weeks ago I sent away my companion because she neglected me. I suppose it was dull staying
with such an old dry-bones as I am; and I've had no one
since to read to me, or do anything for my amusement.
Now, if you want something to do, won't you please read
me something from that 'English Review?'"
"With pleasure," Brownie replied, her pale face brightening again with the thought of contributing thus to the
poor lonely old woman's comfort.
It seemed almost like the old times with her own auntie,
only it would have appeared more real if Lady Ruxley had
not been so blunt and sharp, but a little more lovable, like
Miss Mehetabel.
She read an hour, in clear, distinct tones, which, although her ladyship was hard of hearing, she had no difficulty in catching every word.
"That was reading worth listening to," she said, heaving a sigh of appreciation. "Now put the book aside, and
rest a while."
"I am not weary; let me read you something else," she
answered.
"No, no; I'll not listen to any more now; but if you
do not mind, I'd like you to sit with me a while longer."
"Yes, certainly, if you wish."
"Nobody cares for an old mummy like me," (how
Brownie wished she would not call herself such horrid
names), "and I do get lonely staying by myself all the
time; though the time was when there were few who
were not glad to seek the society of Lady Ruxley. Minnett, my maid, is no company, and I've not been able to

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find any one who was willing to be companion to a deaf
old woman.
"They try to be polite," she went on garrulously, "to
me when I go down into the drawing-room, because they
know I'm rich, and they think it won't do to cross me; but
I know my room is better than my comp)any. Nobody but
Charles cares for his old aunt; he's Lady Randal's son,
and as good as gold. He's always civil, and would give
me his arm out to dinner as gallantly as to the handsomest
belle in the kingdom. He believes in the old proverb
about 'honoring the hoary head,' which is more than most
young people nowadays do. How is it, young womando you like old folks ?"
She had run on in a rambling sort of way, but as she
asked this question, she turned to Brownie, and eyed her
keenly.
"I had a dear aunt, who was all the friend I had in
the world since I was a little baby. She was both father
and mother to me, and I shall always feel tenderly toward
old people for her sake," Brownie replied, the quick tears
springing to her eyes.
"Is she dead?"
"Yes; she died the fifth of last September."
"Was she old and ugly and withered like me?"
Poor Brownie! it was a hard question, remembering so
vividly as she did Miss Mehetabel's fair, lovely face, set in
its framework of clustering, silvery curls.
The comparison was not favorable, to say the least, to
this antediluvian before her.
She flushed with embarrassment as she gently replied:
"All old people grow wrinkled, you know, and her hair
was much whiter than yours."
Lady Ruxley chuckled merrily over this non-committal
answer.
"Young woman, you are as 'wise as a serpent, and as
harmless as a dove,' and I'm of the opinion that your
aunt might have thought considerable of you. What was
her name?"
"I was named for her," the young girl replied, evasively.
"Mabel Dundas. It is a pretty name; I like it."

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161

And the queer old lady looked as if she liked the owner
of it, too.
The next morning, after the servant who waited upon
Brownie had attended to all her wants, and left her, there
came a rap upon her door. The next moment a handsome
woman of about fifty entered. Brownie arose, bowed
courteously, and remained standing till she was addressed.
"Miss Dundas," the lady said, "I must apologize to
you for any seeming neglect in not comining to see you before, but I have a house full of company; but I have
given orders that you should want for nothing. I am
Lady Randal, and I have come to have a few moments'
conversation with you."
She seated herself, and motioned for Brownie to do the
same, then resumed:
"You have had quite a serious accident, and I am glad to
see you are better. Are you quite comfortable, and do
the servants attend you properly ?" and she put up her eyeglasses to inspect the stranger.
"Thank you, I have been very kindly cared for, and am
very grateful for the good Samaritan's charity which has
provided for my necessities," Brownie answered, trying
to speak heartily, although she felt the greatest repugnance toward this woman, who she believed was guilty of
so much wrong.
She had a cold, false eye, and a cunning, cruel expression
about her handsome mouth.
She was just the kind of a woman to ruin the life of
any one who stood in her way, Brownie thought.
She laughed lightly but disagreeably at the young girl's
words.
"Oh, I do not claim any merit whatever regarding your
comfort or necessities. My house was full, and at first
I thought it would be impossible to take you in, but Lady
Ruxley, who is very eccentric and wilful, insisted upon it,
and gave up her own chamber for your accommodation,
she sleeping, meanwhile, in her maid's room."
Brownie's fair face grew scarlet, as she listened to this,
and was made to feel, by the indelicate explanation, that
Lady Randal, at least, had regarded her in the light of an
intruder.

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It explained to her, too, what she had at first considered
singular-that the rooms should be connected by archways
and curtains instead of doors.
"I regret exceedingly," she returned, with dignity, "that
I should have put an aged lady like Lady Ruxley to such
inconvenience. I laid my plans yesterday to go to some
hotel as soon as I should be able, and remain until I fully
recover. If you will allow one of your servants to order
a carriage for me, I will put my plan into execution at
once."

"No, no, Miss Dundas, that would never do at all, and
Aunt Ruxley would berate me soundly if she knew I had
told you this. She is a very queer woman, as doubtless
you discovered yesterday. She will not be crossed in anything, and when her mind is once made up, you can no
more move her than you could one of the seven hills of
Rome. But," continued the woman, who had never once
taken her eyes from the fair young face before her, and
had read every expression with a boldness which made
her odious, "I did not come to tell you this-I came upon
a little matter of business."
She paused a moment, and Brownie wondered what
business she could have with her.
"Aunt RuJfxley has taken a great shine to you, so to
speak," she resumed, and has commissioned me to ask
you if you would be willing to remain with her as her
companion? Wait, if you please, until I get through,
Miss Dundas, before you decide," she said, as Brownie
looked up in surprise, and then went on, as if she supposed
the young girl possessed of no feeling or delicacy: "I
do not approve of the plan myself; I never believed in engaging any one in this way, for she says you have no
recommendation or credentials beyond your own word. But
she has set her heart upon it, and seems to think you
will be willing to remain. It is very difficult to get any
one of the right sort who is willing to stay and do for
her what she requires, on account of her peculiarities.
We have tried several during the last two years. Now,
if you think you would like the place, and would exert
yourself to please her, we will overlook your lack of credentials, and I think we can arrange to give you the situ-

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

163

ation. Your salary would be fifty pounds a year. Of
course we do not expect," she hastened to add, "that you
can do very much until you get strong, and we will make
every allowance for that."
Brownie was disgusted with the woman's coarseness, and
felt more like refusing the offer than accepting it, but what
could she do ?
It seemed like flying in the face of Providence to reject
it.
She had no credentials, and no good family having children would engage her without, and she knew she was
likely to fare no better, if as well, if she returned to her
native land, unless she should acknowledge she had failed
in her great undertaking, and fall back upon Mr. Conrad's
offer to give her a home.
So, after thinking the matter over carefully, she decided
to accept Lady Randal's offer.
"Does Lady Ruxley remain in town most of the year ?"
she asked, before giving her answer.
"Oh, no. I ought to have mentioned that we all leave
town in a few weeks for our country seat in Kent County,
where Lady Ruxley has a house of her own, preferring to
live alone rather than endure the noise and confusion of
Vallingham Hall. Do you object to the country ?"
"Oh, no, I like it."
This intelligence relieved Brownie greatly, for she felt
as if she could scarcely endure to live in the same house
with this woman.
"It may be a little lonely for you at first," Lady Randal added, "but aunt frequently pays a visit at the Hall,
for she likes to know what is going on in the world, I assure you, if she does live alone with her servants most of
the time."
"I will accept this position, Lady Randal, and if I can
make Lady Ruxley's life more pleasant than it has been I
shall be very thankful," Brownie said, gravely, yet a little
proudly.
She did not fancy her visitor's patronizing, almost insolent manner, and inwardly resented her bold, fixed stare.
"Very well, then we will call the matter settled," Lady
Randal replied, rising, and infinitely relieved that she had

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been able to secure a companion for her troublesome aunt,
though she thought the girl a "proud minx."
She left her with a cool good-morning, and the young
girl seemed to breathe freer the moment the door closed
after her.
A month later they were settled in that gem of a villa,
near Vallingham Hall.
Brownie had fully recovered, and was getting stronger
every day.
She really grew quite attached to the old lady when
she became better acquainted with her, and found her,
with all her oddities, a much more congenial companion
than either Mrs. Coolidge or Isabel had been.
She read a great deal, and practiced several hours a day,
so that the time slipped by until Lady Randal and her
family came down to Vallingham Hall, the advent of
which was to open a new era in Brownie Douglas' life.

CHAPTER XXVI
"AND YOU WILL BE MY WIFE !"

THE events contained in the last two chapters Brownie
related in substance to Adrian, as they sat together upon
the rock where he had first discovered who she was the
night previous.
"I suppose you know Miss Isabel is engaged to Sir
Charles Randal," Adrian said, when she had concluded.
"Sir Charles Randal! No !" replied Brownie, growing
pale at the intelligence.
"What! you have been an inmate of their family so
long, and not know of this important circumstance."
"I saw but very little of the family while I was at their
house in London. I was with Lady Ruxley constantly,
and scarcely went out until we came down to West Mailing, which we did a month before the family at the Hall;
and we have not seen much of them since, but live very
quietly and pleasantly at the villa."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

165

"It is too bad, for Charles really deserves a better fate,"
said Adrian, with a clouded brow.
"By the way," and Brownie glanced up mischievously,
"do you know that that honor was intended for you?"
"I surmised as much from certain circumstances which
came to my knowledge," he replied, with a scornful curl of
his fine lips. "But," he added, a moment after, as he
gathered her close in his arms, "she will find that there
was one who could look beneath the surface. My darling
-my darling-my pure little pearl! what is she compared
with you ?"

"Lady Ruxley will be very much disappointed, Adrian."
"I presume so; I should be somewhat surprised if she
was not. But is Lady Ruxley of more consequence than
some one else whom you know?" the young man asked,
as, placing one finger beneath her chin, he raised the blushing face so that he could look into the lovely eyes.
"No; oh, no-but----" with a little smile.
"But what, dear ?" questioned her lover, tenderly, as
he saw the sensitive lips quivering.
"But, Adrian, I may as well say it first as last -I shrink
from the ordeal which I know must come."
"What ordeal?" he asked, very gravely.
"I have heard that you are allied to a noble housethat you are some time to inherit great possessions and a
title, though just what that title is I know not; and I fear
that your proud kinsmen will scorn the idea of a poor,
friendless waif like me becoming your wife !"
"Who informed you that I was heir to such 'great expectations,' " he asked, with a quiet smile.
"It was spoken of often by Mrs. Coolidge and her
daughter."
"And do you deem yourself unworthy to be my wife on
account of your poverty ?"
"No !" and the bright head was lifted proudly now, the
lovely eyes glowed with a fire which told that, despite her
lack of wealth and position, she considered herself the equal
of the proudest in the land.
"What then? Suppose you and I were suddenly to
change places, would you deem me to be unworthy to be
your husband because I had lost my wealth ?"

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"No! I should be proud
"
He stopped her lips with tender kisses.
"And I, my darling, should be proud to call you my
wife were you the lowliest-born in all England. But you
are not; you are my equal in birth and station, and it is
only an accident which has placed you where any one is
liable to be. A man often misses his expectations, and I
am only plain Adrian Dredmond as yet; surely you are not
afraid of me, if you are of those whom you choose to term
my high-born kinsmen."
Brownie nestled closer to him as she replied, with dignity:
"I am afraid of no one, yet one naturally shrinks from
bringing contempt upon one whom one loves, and you
know the ways of the world, Adrian."
"You never can bring contempt upon me. The world
may say what it pleases-and I warn you it will not dare
say very much, and since I am of age, and capable of
choosing my own wife, I think we will call no one else into
the consultation," he said, decisively.
Brownie laughed at his way of settling the matter.
"You have not answered me yet, darling," he added, a
moment after; "you have given yourself to me?"
"Yes, Adrian, I am proud to give myself to you."
"And you will be my wife ?" drawing her closer.
"Yes."
"Whenever I say?"
She lifted her eyes again to read his, but their light
dazzled her, and with her own lashes drooping shyly upon
her crimson cheeks, she murmured:
"Whenever you will, dear."
"Then, my Brownie, with your permission, I will see
Lady Ruxley immediately, after which I shall wish to introduce you to those high-born kinsmen of mine."
"Not to-day, Adrian, please. I cannot bear you to speak
to Lady Ruxley to-day. I have hardly got used to my own
happiness yet. Let it rest until we go back to the villa,
and then I will not say you nay," pleaded the young girl,
earnestly.
Her joy was something so new and sacred that she felt
unwilling to impart the knowledge of it yet to any one.

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167

"Very well, darling, let it be as you wish. That will
not be very long to wait, and meantime I shall call the
high and mighty ones into counsel," he replied, with a
sly laugh, which brought the ever-ready color into her
cheeks again.

CHAPTER XXVII
"SHE IS NOT BENEATH ME."

CONTRARY to her own and Brownie's expectations, and
somewhat to the disappointment of the latter, Lady Ruxley decided to return to West Malling the next afternoon.
She had taken cold the night previous, and was not so well
as usual, and thought she would feel better to be at home.
"I shall come soon, my darling," Adrian had managed
to whisper, as he handed Brownie into the carriage, and
then stood wistfully watching it until it was out of sight.
Lady Ruxley reached home about five, where she found
awaiting her a summons to Vallingham Hall.
Lady Randal was planning a musical soiree, to come off
the following week, and requested her aunt to lend her
Miss Dundas' services for the occasion. She also stated
that it would take three or four days' practice to prepare
for the occasion; meanwhile they were invited to make the
Hall their home, she promising that ,her ladyship should
have every comfort and attention, and be assigned rooms
in as quiet a portion of the house as possible.
"It will do the child good; she has perked up wonderfully in the last two days by just going over to Dunforth
Castle," mused the old lady, who continued to marvel at
the wondrous change in her usually sad companion.
Wholly unmindful of the aches and pains which had
hurried her home from Dunforth Castle, she rang the bell
a furious peal for her maid.
"Pack up a week's supply of clothing, and have it ready
by ten to-morrow. We go to Vallingham Hall for a seven
days' visit."
With which command, she left the astonished Minnett

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and hobbled away to find Brownie and impart the news
to her.
Brownie, as soon as she had removed her wrappings,
repaired to the conservatory, and was greatly surprised
when she heard Lady Ruxley's cane come clinking over
the tiled floor, supposing her to be snug in bed, and enjoying the delights of a rousing rum-sweat-her favorite
remedy for colds and rheumatics.
"I thought I should find you here," her ladyship said,
as Brownie arose quickly and came forward to lead her to
a chair. "You like birds and flowers, don't you ?" she
added, keenly regarding the lovely, smiling face and sparkling eyes.
"Yes, my lady, I am exceedingly fond of them. But are
you not imprudent to come here, where it is so damp, with
your cold ?" she asked, as she seated her and placed a hassock at her feet. She was ever tenderly mindful of her
comfort.
"No, no, child; I'm all right now I am home again. I
never feel well when I'm visiting-that is," she hastened
to add "in strange places. It did you good, though; you
have more color, and look brighter."
"Yes, I am much better than when I first came to West
Mailing," Brownie admitted, with a conscious blush.
"Yes, the trip to the castle did you much good, undoubtedly," persisted her ladyship, nodding and chuckling
knowingly.
"It was a change, you know."
"Yes, yes; that's it. Young folks need change. I was
a fool not to think of it before. I might have known that
a young, bright thing like you would droop and pine,
hived up with a croning old owl like me for company."
"Pray, dear Lady Ruxley, do not talk so!" Brownie
interrupted, eagerly, and much distressed at her words.
"Indeed, I have been very happy with you-much more
so than I was during the five months previous."
"I know-I know all about it. You're plucky, and you
will not own it to me. But you've been lonely and sad.
I've got eyes, and I can see for myself. You went away
from here pale, sad and quiet; you come back rosy, happy,
almost gay, and the life, music, and company up yonder

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169

was what you needed, and you shall have some more of it.
I like to see folks bright and chipper about me."
Brownie felt more and more guilty.
But her next words filled her with still deeper dismay.
"They've got a houseful of company, as usual, up at
the Hall, and we go there, too, to-morrow, to stop a few
days."
"Indeed, Lady Ruxley, I hope you are not going on my
account. I do not desire or need company, and I should
really prefer to remain quietly here," she said, in distress.
"Oh! I've got eyes-good ones, too, if they are old; besides, Lady Randal desires it. She is getting up a soiree,
and desires your services as musician. She sent a note
to-day, asking me."
"But-but you are not well. Really, I think it would
be best for neither of us to go."
"Oh, I'm all right, and I've given Minnett orders to
have everything in readiness by to-morrow at ten. You
will please be ready by that time, too," returned her ladyship, somewhat impatiently, who thought the young girl
hesitated about going only on her account.
That settled it, of course.
Brownie could not refuse point-blank to go, but her
heart grew faint within her at the thought of meeting the
Coolidges, and particularly under an assumed name.
Of course, she could not avoid meeting them, and doubtless they would reveal all the past to both Lady Randal
and Lady Ruxley.
They would tell their story about the jewels, and of that
scene with Wilbur, and the way she had left their employ.
Yet what need had she to fear Isabel Coolidge, or, indeed, any one, now that she had Adrian to lean upon and
protect her ?
With this brighter thought in her mind, she sought her
own room to prepare for her absence and the approaching
gayeties, which, after all, she began to anticipate with
something of pleasure and interest.
Meanwhile, a very different scene was being enacted at
Dunforth Castle.
As soon as Lady Ruxley's carriage was driven from

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sight, Adrian Dredmond turned to his grandfather, saying, gravely:
"Can I have a private interview with you, sir ?"
"Yes, yes, my boy, of course; come into my sanctum at
once."
He led the way to the luxuriously appointed library,
where a cheerful fire in the grate toned the chill air to just
the right temperature, and gave the lofty, beautiful room
an appearance of homelike comfort.
"Well, now, what is it, Ad ?" the old man asked, familiarly, as he threw himself into his easy-chair, and bent
a look of pride upon the young lover's handsome, animated face.
Adrian colored, but, coming to the point at once said:
"Sir, I desire your permission to marry."
"Bless my soul, my boy! What's this ?" and he sat up
and stared at his grandson for a moment, as if he had
never thought of such a thing before in connection with
him.
"Well, well," he added the next; "you took me rather
by surprise; that's a fact; but, after all, you couldn't
please me better. Aha! that accounts for your hurry to
get back to London, doesn't it ?"
"Yes--no," replied Adrian, somewhat confused, and yet
half-laughing at his grandfather's comical surprise and
ready acquiescence to his request.
"Yes---no," repeated his lordship, with a merry twinkle
in his eye; "that is rather a doubtful reply. But, seriously, Adrian, my boy, nothing would give me greater
satisfaction than to see you settled in life; and I have no
doubt but that the lady of your choice is in every way
desirable."
"She is, sir, a perfect lady, highly educated and accomplished, and there never was, in my opinion, a more beautiful Countess of Dunforth than she will make," returned
the ardent lover, who felt that everything was progressing
finely.
"Yes, yes; that is always so with lovers. I remem"
ber
What he remembered he did not say, but his face grew
wan and sad, as he suddenly checked himself.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

171

Then he resumed, more gravely:
"The lady is of good birth, of course ?"
"Yes, sir, excellent," Adrian returned, recalling what
his friend Gordon had said about Miss Mehetabel's "family tree." Then he added: "But misfortune of a very
serious nature has deprived her during the last six or
eight months of all her property, and death of her last
friend."
"That is bad, truly, my boy; but, then, you will have
enough, and to spare, and I would be the last one to put
anything in the way of your happiness for the lack of
filthy lucre. You love the lady, of course ?" and he
searched the noble face that he loved so well.
"As my own life !" Adrian said, earnestly.
"Ah! you have been a sly dog to get so far as this and
we never suspected it. Who is the fair inamorata ?"
"You would not deem it anything out of the way, I presume, sir, if a lady of good birth should be reduced to the
necessity of becoming a governess or a companion ?" Adrian
asked, ignoring the question, and determined to lay all the
facts before his grandfather before telling his darling's
name.
"Zounds, Adrian! Has it been so bad as that in the case
of your ladylove?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then the quicker you marry her, and relieve her dire
necessity the better," his lordship said, little thinking how
he was committing himself.
"Thank you. Yes, sir, it came to that, as I told you
some six or eight months ago."
"But-what is this? Why, you were in America at that
time," and he began to fidget uneasily.
"Yes, sir; I met the lady in America."
"Ah, ha!"
This time Lord Dunforth scowled disapprobation. He
had the English prejudice against English nobility intermarrying with American plebeianism, so-called.
Adrian noticed his look, and his heart sank.
"My lord," he said, "you have seen the lady, and acknowledged her loveliness. I heard you tell Sir Charles
that she was very beautiful, and too much of a lady for

179

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

the position which she occupies. I assure you, and I
speak advisedly, that she is of good birth, and fitted in
every way to be my wife. She is companion to Lady Ruxley. Have I still your permission to marry her ?"
His lordship stared at his grandson in dismay.
"Miss Dundas, Adrian !" he exclaimed, aghast, his fine
face flushing a deep crimson.
"Miss Douglas, my lord," corrected Adrian, somewhat
proudly.
His lordship did not notice the correction. His head
was bent in deep thought, his brow was knotted, his lips
compressed. At length, looking up, he said, with emotion:
"My boy, your happiness is of the greatest importance
to me, and has always been my first consideration. I know
what it is to love deeply, and the anguish which follows
the loss of a loved one"-his voice quivered painfully.
"But," he added, "it is better to give up an unworthy love
than to marry beneath you, and then repent of it when it
is too late."
"Sir, the lady is not unworthy, and I shall never repent
making her my wife," Adrian said, indignantly; then continued, speaking rapidly: "I told you that she descended
from a highly respectable family. They were English,
too, and removed to America many years ago. They were
very wealthy at that time, but a series of misfortunes deprived them of this. I learned this from my friend,
Gordon, whom, you remember, I met two years ago in
Germany. He vouched for her respectability, and told me
he had seen the 'family tree,' and that they traced back
their ancestry to the Scottish nobility."
"But it must be very remote. Besides, she was born
and reared in America, and has not a friend living, as you
say, to prove her respectability, and all this would be very
disagreeable to establish."
"The fact that I have chosen her for my wife would be
sufficient to establish her respectability without any questioning," replied Adrian, proudly.
"But I want you to have an English wife, Adrian-one
who will fill her position proudly and creditably."
"I am as eager for that, my lord, as you can possibly

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

173

be," said the young man, with a quiet smile, as he thought
how perfectly Brownie would reign in those grand old
halls.
"How came she to be in England if she was so reduced
in circumstances ?"

"She came over as governess with a family, in the same
steamer with myself."
"How does it happen that they did not retain her-that
she left them to be companion to a woman like Lady Ruxley ?" demanded his lordship, his face beginning to grow
stern and set.
Adrian colored vividly. He knew it did not sound well,
but he was truth itself, and replied:
"She was ill-treated and insulted-in fact, was accused
of taking that which did not belong to her."
"Enough, sir! No person with any such record can
ever become allied to my family !" burst forth Lord Dunforth, rising from his chair in wrath.
"But, sir, let me explain----"
"No, sir !" he thundered; "not another word ! I am astonished and disappointed in you, Adrian, that you could
so demean yourself as to desire to marry any one so far
beneath you !"

"She is not beneath me," began the indignant lover,
hotly.
"Not another word, Adrian, if you please, on the subject, unless you wish to incur my stern displeasure. You,
the future Earl of Dunforth, marry a person accused of
theft ! Never !" and he paced the floor, with angry strides.
Suddenly he wheeled upon his grandson, and demanded:
"May I ask, have you made proposals to this very estimable person ?"

"I have, my lord." The manly eyes blazed dangerously
at this almost insulting question, while his hands worked
nervously at the biting sarcasm of his grandfather's words.
"Fool !"
"Sir !"

"You're a fool, I say !"
The two men glared at each other furiously for a moment. Then Adrian, growing very pale, moved a step or
two back, and said, in a quiet, though concentrated voice:

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

174

"Then I am to understand that you refuse your consent
to my marrying ?"
"I do, most emphatically refuse to allow you to marry
any such doubtful person as Lady Ruxley's companion
appears to be. Shame upon you stooping so low !"
"Then, my Lord Dunforth, listen to me," Adrian said,
flushing angrily, and drawing his proud form to its fullest height. "I love this gentle girl with my whole heart;
I have told her so, and I have asked her to be my wife.
I am of age, and, sir, I shall marry her !"
Lord Dunforth suddenly wheeled about, and came forward with rapid strides.
The two proud men stook looking steadfastly into each
other's eyes for a moment, and each read there a determination never to yield.
"Then you are no longer a child of mine !" whispered
the irate lord, hoarsely, his whole frame shaking from
anger, disappointment, and mortification.
"Grandfather," returned Adrian, sadly, "you know I
love you, and would gladly do anything in reason to
please you; but the happiness of two lives is at stake, and
in this matter I must choose for myself."
There was a note of quiet determination in his voice,
albeit it was so sad, which told the other that he meant
every word he uttered.
"Then choose for yourself," he cried, almost beside
himself with grief and mortified pride, "and choose beggary with your wife, for not one shilling from the Dunforth coffers shall you ever touch !"
"But I am not a beggar quite yet, my lord; I have my
own income," returned Adrian, proudly, yet smiling, in
spite of himself, for his income was no mean one.
"Then leave me--begone !"
"Sir

"

"Not another word, unless you will yield to me !" shouted
the earl.
"I cannot !"
"Then go! Marry your plebian beggar, and never
darken Dunforth's doors again !"
"Is that your ultimatum? Have you no sympathy nor

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

175

mercy ?" asked Adrian, growing very white about the
mouth, though his eyes gleamed with a lurid light.
His lordship caught his breath hard at these questions.
Who should have sympathy if not he ? But he would not
yield.
"It is my ultimatum. I have no sympathy with anything like that," he said, yet the face of his own lost love
arose before him at that moment like a phantom.
With an inclination of his haughty head, Adrian turned
and left the room without another word.

CHAPTER XXVIII
"HOW

CAME

YOU

HERE ?"

LADY RUXLEY had said truly that Vallingham Hall was

full of company, and as Brownie, who sat reading to her
ladyship the next morning after their arrival, caught the
sound of fresh young voices and silvery laughter, as they
floated up through those lofty halls, she felt her own heart
grow warm and light, and she found herself longing to
mingle with the gay company. Lady Ruxley had tried
to prevail upon her to go down the evening previous and
enjoy the music and dancing, but the thought of meeting
the Coolidges was so repugnant to her that she preferred
remaining quietly in her own room, although it was quite
a trial, knowing that Viola and Alma were in the same
house, and yet not be able to see them.
Just before noon Lady Randal came bustling in in great
haste, bearing a great box in her hands.
"Auntie," she began, affably, "I want to borrow Miss
Dundas for a little while."
"What for ?" demanded the old lady, sharply, and eying
the box suspiciously.
She had no idea of having the young girl imposed upon,
or made to perform any disagreeable tasks for her exacting
niece.
"I can't find an operetta which I had set my heart upon
having performed at the soiree. I thought I could put

176

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my hand upon it at once, but I have mislaid it,and
thought it might be among these papers. Charles wants
me immediately to arrange the programme, so that I have
not time to look for it myself, and I thought perhaps Miss
Dundas might be willing to hunt it for me. Will you ?"
she demanded, turning to Brownie.
"Certainly, if Lady Ruxley has no objections," she answered, quietly.
"Well, well, child, you'd never refuse, no matter what
anybody asked of you. Put down the box, Helen, and
she shall look as soon as she has finished the article she is
reading," Lady RIuxley replied.
Lady Randal obeyed.
"While you see about it, you may as well arrange the
papers orderly; they have been turned over so many times
that they are all in a muss," she said, and then left the
room.

Half an hour after, her reading finished, she took the
box to a large table standing in the bay window, and began
her work.
It was no easy task to put that promiscuous assortment
in order.
There were bills of all kinds, letters and notes, and
memoranda, all mixed with loose papers and envelopes.
She at length succeeded in finding the operetta, and
then proceeded to arrange and tie up the letters, bills and
other documents so that they need not get mixed again.
She had nearly finished her task, and the bundles were
all neatly arranged in the box, when, taking up a small
package, the wrapper suddenly gave way, and several
little notes and papers fell scattering into her lap.
They were directed to different persons, and all in different handwriting, and Brownie could not help wondering
how they happened to be in Lady Randal's possession.
She began to gather them up, pondering upon the singular circumstance, yet too honorable to take advantage
of her opportunity and gratify her curiosity, when her eye
fell upon a note, the corner of which had been doubled
back, revealing the writing within.
The writing, though, irregular, as if a trembling hand

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
had traced it, had a strangely familiar look as she glanced
at it.
It had been written with a pencil, and was not very distinct. Bending closer, Brownie discovered the words, "repentant Meta."
A thrill of intense pain ran through every nerve, and,
without stopping to consider that she had no moral right
to do so, she unfolded the paper-it was yellow and old,
and only folded once-and began to read.
Scarce had her eye swept over the few words written
within, when every vestige of color faded from her cheeks
and lips, while her eyes burned with a fierce, vengeful
light.
She had heard of that little note before.
How well she remembered the pain in that dear old
face, the quivering of those sweet, pale lips, and the note
of mortal anguish in the loved voice which had told her
of this little message which had never accomplished its
mission.
In her mind she went back nearly fifty years, and saw a
beautiful young girl, lying pale and sick in a lofty room,
a deep scar upon her fair temple, but a deeper pain looking forth from the sad eyes, as she watched eagerly for
the sound of a footstep which never came.
Yes, it was the very note-that anguished, repentant
cry, which Miss Mehetabel had sent from the depths of
her soul to the man she had loved!
"Yes, come at once, if you can forgive your repentant
"META."

How well she remembered the words, and now she had
found them, as her aunt had told her, in the possession of
Helen Capel, now Lady Randal.
They had been kept back from the honest, faithful lover,
who was only waiting for this permission to fly to the
side of his betrothed and comfort her, by the hand of this
treacherous woman, who had thus ruthlessly wrecked a
human life, yea, two lives!
How strange, Brownie thought, that the note should
thus have fallen into her hands.

178

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

"Surely, there is Providence in it," she murmured, as,
with one swift glance to see that Lady Ruxley was not observing her, she hid it in her bosom, and then hurriedly
completed her task.
The operetta was sent to Lady Randal, and the box of
papers returned to their accustomed place; but all day
long Brownie felt as if a mountain was crushing her
heart, with that little paper lying in her bosom.
She felt she could not breathe in the same house and
under the same roof which sheltered the woman who had
deliberately planned to entrap a young and guileless girl
into disgracing both herself and her lover, that she might
separate them forever, hoping to win him for herself.
She wondered if Lady Ruxley knew of her share in the
event, or if Lord Dunforth had ever found it out.
Probably not, since they were still good friends, and
had he known of it he could not have forgiven so bitter a
wrong.
The more she thought of these things, the more her
heart rebelled against them, until she grew so restless and
nervous that she nearly cried out with pain whenever any
one spoke to her.
About four o'clock, finding that Lady Ruxley was sleeping, she stole out, thinking to get away into the sunshine
and calm herself, and perhaps Adrian would come ere long,
and she could share her burden with him; at all events,
he would comfort her.
She opened the door and passed noiselessly out into the
hall.
She had nearly traversed the long corridor leading to
the grand staircase, when she almost ran against some
one who suddenly came out of a room she was passing.
"I beg your pardon," Brownie murmured, and then
looked up to see who it was.
It was none other than Isabel Coolidge!
Instantly the two girls braced themselves for the encounter, and looked the surprise which neither of them for
the moment could speak.
"You here ?" Isabel exclaimed, at length, growing white,
while her eyes emitted a lurid light.
"Yes, Miss Coolidge," gently replied Brownie, yet with

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

179

lifted eyebrows and a calm, scornful look into her enemy's
face.

"How came you here ?"
"Pardon me, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to relate the train of circumstances which brought
me here," she said, coldly.
"Insolence! Then it was you whom I heard singing
down at Lady Ruxley's villa the other day !"
"Doubtless, since I sing to her ladyship every day."
"What an appreciative listener you must have in that
old, crooked back," sneered Isabel.
Brownie's eyes blazed, dangerously.
"I presume Sir Charles Randal would be much edified
with Miss Coolidge's remark regarding his aged aunt,"
she said.
Isabel looked frightened for a minute, then replied, with
a short laugh:
"He might be, if he should hear it, that's a fact. Then
you're her companion. I remember now hearing that she
took a sudden shine to a young woman who met with an
accident, and would have her stay with her. You're
mighty lucky about getting into fine places, it seems to
me."

A curl of those beautiful red lips was all the satisfaction
she received from this insulting speech, and then Brownie
made as if she would have passed on.
"Wait," commanded Isabel, peremptorily, and laying
her hand upon the young girl's shoulder.
She was inwardly boiling with rage that she could not
move or browbeat the haughty governess.
"Wait," she repeated; "I have not done with you yet."
"Please remove your hand from my shoulder, Miss
Coolidge," Brownie commanded, in tones that she dare
not disobey.
"Mr. Dredmond called upon you at our house the day
you left; he said he had something belonging to you which
he came to return," she went on, as her hand fell by her
side, and dropping her eyes before the other's indignant
gaze.
She was very curious about the object of that visit.
"I know it," replied Brownie, much amused, as she

180

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

saw that Isabel was almost afraid of her in her haughty
pride.
"You know it? How?"
"Yes, and I have my property back again," and she
deftly shifted her cuff, bringing the glittering button upon
the upper side of her sleeve.
Miss Coolidge started slightly on beholding the elegant
trifle.
"Ah, that was it, then? It is very elegant, isn't it? I
presume it belongs with the collection we have in our possession," she said, spitefully.
"It does, Miss Coolidge, and I will thank you to return
my property."
"When you prove it is yours, I will."
"These buttons are marked with my name on the back."
"That may be; you have had plenty of time, doubtless,
to get them marked," sneered Isabel.
"I shall compel you to return that casket to me," retorted Brownie, with flashing eyes.
"Ha, ha! Perhaps you will, and then again perhaps
you won't. But we have discussed that subject sufficiently
in the past. When did you see Mr. Dredmond ?" Isabel
asked, insolently, and noting how exquisitely lovely
Brownie had grown since she saw her last.
"Really, Miss Coolidge, if I remain here longer I shall
lose my walk, and that I cannot afford to do."
With which tantalizing remark, Brownie, her figure
proudly erect, moved down the corridor, leaving her interlocutor beautifully in the dark as to how or when she
had seen Mr. Dredmond.
"I suppose you thought by coming down here you'd
have a better chance to practice your wiles upon that
young gentleman; but, mark my words, you won't succeed, for I shall feel it my duty to inform Lady Randal of
the very suspicious character which she is harboring."
hissed the irate girl after her.
She might just as well have talked to the winds, for
Miss Douglas never gave a sign that she heard.
As Brownie passed Isabel's room again, a few hours
later, she saw that the door was open.
Her maid had gone out a few moments before, had

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

181

carelessly left it standing open, and was now in the servants' hall flirting with the butler's assistant.
Involuntarily, Brownie paused and glanced within, and
her heart stood still as her eyes almost instantly caught
sight of her own little ebony casket standing upon the elegant dressing-case, its tiny key in the lock, with the delicate chain attached.
Swift as light, the impulse came upon her to enter and
seize it, and bear it away to her own room.
She glided quickly and noiselessly forward.
There was no one in the corridor, there was no one in
the room.
She crossed the threshold, and, with a few fleet steps,
cleared the space between herself and her treasures.
She lifted the lid.
All were there, in their glittering beauty.
She closed the box again, turned the key in the lock, removed it, and fastened the chain about her neck, concealing it beneath the folds of her dress.
The next moment she had the precious casket in her
hands, and turned, to find herself face to face with Mrs.
Coolidge.
CHAPTER XXIX
ENTRAPPED

"THIEF !" hissed the woman, under her breath.

"How

dare you? Where did you come from ?"
She had not seen Isabel since her encounter with
Brownie, therefore did not know until that moment of her
proximity.
She had come out of her own room just as Miss Douglas
entered Isabel's, and, seeing the door open, glanced in
as Brownie had done.
She recognized Miss Douglas in an instant, and comprehended at once her object there.
She glided in noiselessly, hoping to come upon her unawares, and wrest the casket from her without much trouble, but the girl turned just in season to confront her.

18%

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

Brownie herself grew pale at this unexpected encounter,
but, clutching her recovered property firmly in her hands,
she held herself proudly at bay.
"You are the thief, madam--you and your daughter,"
she said, haughtily.
"Liar! Put down that box!"
"I shall not, madam !"
"Then I will ring and have you arrested. I know not
how you happen to be here; I devoutly hoped you would
never cross our path again; but fate seems to decree that
you turn up as a marplot wherever we go. Will you put
that box down, or shall I ring ?" and the angry woman
grasped the bell-pull vigorously.
Brownie never relaxed a muscle, except that the proud
lips curled into a scornful smile.
"You can ring the bell if you choose, Mrs. Coolidge."
"Have you no fear of the consequences?" her enemy
asked, eying her wonderingly, and her lips twitching with
wrath.
"None !"

"But you will have to face this whole household."
"Gather the whole household here, if you will, and have
the facts regarding this property brought to light; also the
way in which you became possessed of it. Methinks Sir
Charles Randal would not be pleased to know that his betrothed wife entered the room of another and purloined
such things as these."
Mrs. Coolidge winced at her words, and she could have
trampled her under foot for her scorn and fearlessness.
"You are insolent, Miss Douglas," she breathed, in suppressed, wrathful tones.
"Insolent or not, I only speak plain truth; and I shall
not yield up this casket unless personal violence is used to
wrest it from me," Brownie answered, with calm dignity.
"You are cool, truly," sneered the woman, exasperated
by her manner more than by her words, and as desirous
of creating no disturbance as Brownie herself could be.
"Yes, I am cool. This box is mine, I tell you, and this
much I will say, if you persist in disputing my right to it
and its contents, I have only to appeal to a certain nobleman of the realm to substantiate my claim and protect me

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

183

from your abuse," Brownie said, suddenly resolving to
appeal to Lord Dunforth, if Mrs. Coolidge persisted in her
abuse.
"A nobleman of the realm! You !"
Intense scorn was breathed in these few words.
"Yes, madam, I! I have but to tell my story of these
jewels to prove that they belong to me, and reveal your
wickedness to those whom you do not care to have know
it!"
"Pray, why did you not make this appeal in the first
place ?" queried Mrs. Coolidge, skeptically.
"Because I did not know then if he were living. I have
since discovered that he is. Now, as I have no desire to
prolong this interview further, I will wish you good-day."
Brownie took a step toward the door, but her enemy,
rendered desperate by her undaunted bearing, and the
fearful consequences which would result if Isabel should
thus suddenly be deprived of wearing the jewels, darted
before her, shut the door, locking it, and put the key in
her pocket.
"There! We will see who will win in this little game,
Miss Douglas," she said, between her teeth, while there
was a dangerous gleam in her eye. "You do not leave
this room," she added, "until you give up that casket.
How do you suppose Isabel will account for the disappearance of all her elegant jewels, which have been so
much admired ?"
"Madam, truth is a virtue which is safe always to cultivate," Brownie answered, with quiet sarcasm.
She utterly baffled her; while she was so cool, so haughty,
so beautiful standing so fearless there, with her jewels
closely clasped in her arms, that she became enraged beyond endurance.
"Will you give me that, once for all, I ask you ?" Mrs.
Coolidge whispered, hoarsely, with livid face and a deadly
light in her light blue eyes.
"I will not !" and the beautiful brown eyes met hers
fearlessly, defiantly.
Mrs. Coolidge took a few steps forward, as if impelled
by some hidden force, hesitated, bent her head a moment

1841

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

in thought, while an evil smile flitted over her hard features.
Then, assuming a more conciliatory tone, she said:
"Really, Miss Douglas, you are so persistent, and so
positive, that you almost persuade me into the belief that
the jewels are yours, after all."
Brownie made no reply to this concession, but stood
quietly regarding her enemy.
"Come into my room and let us talk the matter over
quietly," the wily woman added, flashing a cunning look
at the young girl from her half-closed eyes. "I think we
can come to a better understanding, and I have a proposition to make to you."
Brownie felt somewhat suspicious of this smooth talk,
and feared that the sudden change in Mrs. Coolidge's
manner was only assumed for some hidden purpose; yet
she thought it might be better to temporize with her, and
it would, perhaps, save publicity.
She could not leave the room, as things were, without
making a disturbance, for the door was locked, the key
in the woman's pocket, and she knew of no other means of
egress, although there were several arches in the spacious
apartment, hung with draperies, which she thought must
conceal entrances to some other portion of the house.
"I do not know what better understanding you may
wish for," she replied, coldly. "Your daughter took this
box from my room, and I have told you repeatedly that
it and its contents belong to me, and you know, as well as
I, Mrs. Coolidge, that any judge would decide in my favor
should the case be brought into court. But we can talk
it over here as well as anywhere."
"Then why did you come sneaking into this room, like
a thief, to get them? Why didn't you take the matter
into court, and let the judge decide in your favor ?"
sneered the exasperated woman, almost losing her selfcontrol again under Brownie's coolness and her refusal to
go with her.
"I did not sneak into the room like a thief, madam. I
was passing along the corridor, the door was open, and,
glancing in, I saw my casket upon the table, I entered and

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

185

took it, intending to inform Miss Coolidge of the fact as
soon as I had it beyond her reach."
"You say you can prove your claim. Who is this nobleman who knows so much about these jewels?" asked Mrs.
Coolidge, with sudden interest.
Brownie thought a moment before answering.
She disliked to implicate his lordship in the matter if
she could possibly help it; but she saw that Mrs. Coolidge
was desperate about the jewels, and perhaps the power of
his name might frighten her into letting them go, and the
matter would drop there, so she said:
"It is Lord Dunforth !"
"Lord Dunforth !" she exclaimed, with a violent start of
surprise.
Then she suddenly remembered, with a thrill that made
her feel faint, Isabel's account of her strange interview
with his lordship at Lady Peasewell's, and she began to
fear that she was getting beyond her depth in this matter;
and yet this very revelation made her more determined
than ever to keep the jewels, at least until after Isabel's
marriage; for their absence would occasion a great hue
and cry, and necessitate such awkward explanations that
Sir Charles would mistrust something wrong, and then
all their plans would be ruined, for he had only that day
named the wedding day. Yet, if she resorted to force to
keep them, Brownie, on the other hand, would instantly
take active measures to recover them, and if she could,
she said, prove through Lord Dunforth that they were
hers, they would immediately be brought into open disgrace. Whichever way she turned, it looked dark.
There was only one way of escape from this threatening
danger, and that was very hazardous; but she had resolved from the first, if worse came to worst, that she
would try it, and that was why she appeared so anxious
to get her into her rooms.
She stood measuring her strength against Brownie's,
while these thoughts passed through her mind, and that
same cunning gleam lurked in her eyes as before.
"Lord Dunforth !" she repeated. "Do you know him ?"
"No, madam; at least, not well enough to claim his acquaintance and protection, except in case of stern neces-

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sity; but he knows all about these jewels, and when I told
my story he would know that I spoke the truth."
"How would he know it? When did he ever see those
jewels before he saw Isabel wear them ?" the woman asked,
inquisitively, and burning with a desire to know more
about them herself.
"Madam," Brownie answered, haughtily, "I decline answering any more questions. I insist that you let me go
quietly; you can then make whatever explanation regarding the absence of these gems you may see fit. But, if
you persist in giving me further trouble, I shall immediately make the whole matter public, and doubtless you
know what the consequences will be."
Mrs. Coolidge's eyes flashed, and the young girl, catching their gleam at that instant, involuntarily shivered,
they looked so evil.
"My dear Miss Douglas," she began, politely, after a
moment, "can we not temporize in this matter? You
know if Isabel ceases suddenly to wear those jewels it is
going to make matters very awkward for her. Could you
not be persuaded, for a handsome consideration, to loan
them to her until after her marriage, which will be in a
little more than a month ?"
Brownie's lips curled with scorn at this proposition.
The woman who could make it under the existing circumstances seemed so little and small of soul to her.
"No, madam; I think I have loaned them long enough
already," was her quiet but scathing reply.
The angry woman's lips twitched nervously, and her
hands were clinched with passion that this poor, friendless
girl should dare to thwart her so-that she should dare
to stand so proudly, defiantly before her, and fling out so
coolly her scathing sarcasms. She grew white as the delicate lace at her throat, and her eyes burned with a lurid
light which boded mischief.
"Hark," she said, suddenly. "Somebody is coming. It
mnay be Isabel, and we shall have a scene. Come into my
room, and I will let you out through there."
She walked swiftly across the room, seemingly much
disturbed, although Brownie had caught no sound of any
one approaching.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

187

She pushed aside some hangings and revealed a narrow
door.
Brownie wondered that such a narrow, peculiar door
should connect two elegant rooms, but she reasoned that
this must be part of the original castle, and that all these
elegant hangings had been put up to conceal the awkward
doors.

Before opening it, Mrs. Coolidge shoved a heavy bolt
(another circumstance which struck Brownie as singular),
and, opening the door, revealed a small, square room or
passage, dimly lighted by a dormer window set high in the
stone wall.
The place was perfectly bare, and there was a damp,
uncanny feeling in the atmosphere, as if it had not been
opened before in a long while.
Brownie involuntarily drew back, as she reached the
door, and again glanced suspiciously at her companion.
Mrs. Coolidge, who was watching her prey with the
intentness of a cat watching a mouse, noticed her hesitation, and, with a light laugh, said:
"It isn't a very nice way to take you, Miss Douglas, but
it saves going through the corridor, and I would not have
Isabel meet you now, with that casket in your hands, for
the world. My room is at the end of this passage, and
we use it when we want to run back and forth. I do not
think it can have been used much of late years, for it is so
damp and full of cobwebs; but I discovered it while gratifying my Yankee curiosity to find out what was underneath all these hangings, and we have found it very convenient, I assure you. Come on; I'll go forward and open
the door at the other end of the passage, and then you will
see better."
She half-crossed the dimly lighted space, and Brownie
followed, considerably reassured by her fluent explanation,
although even then she thought it strange that the door
should have been bolted if the passage was "so convenient."
Suddenly Mrs. Coolidge stopped, with a startled look.
"Did you not hear some one at the door?" she whispered.
"No; I heard nothing," Brownie replied, yet bending
her head to listen.

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"There is surely some one there," persisted Mrs. Coolidge. "I forgot to unlock Isabel's door, and the key is in
my pocket. Wait just a moment while I go and unfasten
it."
She glided swiftly by the young girl, holding her breath
and watching her narrowly with her basilisk eyes, passed
through the narrow door, drew it hastily after her, and
shoved the bolt, leaving the astonished and dismayed girl
a close prisoner in that dismal cell.
All too late, Brownie saw how she had been fooled and
entrapped, and berated herself soundly for having trusted
the faithless woman for an instant.
After the first surprise was over, she looked about her
to measure the dimensions of her prison.
It could not have been more than eight feet by six, and
was lighted only by that one small window set so high in
the wall that it was impossible to look out. There was
no sign of any other door or mode of egress that she could
discover, only the bare, damp walls of solid stone.
There was not an article of furniture in the place, and
Brownie groped her way to the wall, leaning against it for
support, for she was excited and trembling at finding herself so cleverly entrapped and shut up from the light of
day.
"I suppose she thinks to frighten me into submission
by shutting me up like a naughty child," she said, with
curling lips and flashing eyes. "But she will find she has
'reckoned without her host,' for only one stronger than I
shall ever get these precious jewels away from me again.
Oh, auntie," she added, a moment after, "you little knew
what a troublesome legacy you were giving me; were they
not sacred to me on your account, they are not worth all
this trouble and contention. But they shall not have them
now."

She walked to the door and rapped upon it.
"Mrs. Coolidge," she said, in cold, stern tones, "if you
think to subdue me thus, and gain your end, you are very
much mistaken in my character, and I warn you that you
are only heaping up wrath for yourself."
There was no answer, and Brownie finally concluded

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

189

that the only thing she could do for the present was to exercise abundant patience and wait.
She had not a thought of fear, however, that the wicked
woman would dare to keep her there long; her whole soul
-all the Douglas blood in her veins rose up in rebellion
against this arbitrary act, and she resolved that the future
should hold for her jailer a reckoning full of retribution.
When Miss Coolidge had accomplished her piece of diabolical treachery, and the door was bolted upon her prisoner, she sank down upon a chair, nearly fainting.

CHAPTER XXX
"I WILL DARE DO ANYTHING"

NOT long after, the wicked woman heard Isabel's voice
in the hall.
Hastily rising, she went to the door, unlocked it, though
her hands trembled so that it was with difficulty that she
inserted the key in the lock.
"Good gracious, mamma! what is the matter? You
are as white as a ghost !" she exclaimed, as she entered.
"Hush! Come in quick, and lock the door again; then
I will tell you."
Isabel obeyed, and then Mrs. Coolidge related all that
had transpired during the last half hour.
"Confound the girl! I had a wrangle with her myself
just a little while before," Isabel exclaimed, angrily.
"Don't, dear, use such language; you will forget yourself to your sorrow some day. What if Sir Charles or
Lady Randal should hear you !"
"I can't help it, mamma; it does try my patience so to
have her turn up just now, when everything is going so
lovely."
"How do you suppose she happened to be here ?" asked
Mrs. Coolidge, to whom the matter was still a mystery.
"Oh, she is that Miss Dundas, who is companion to
Lady Ruxley. Since I met her, a couple of hours ago, I
have been making some judicious inquiries, and it seems

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TRIUMPH

that, instead of going to the Washington Hotel after leaving us, as she told Wilbur she intended to do, she got
tipped over in front of Lady Randal's town house, broke
her arm, and made such an impression upon Lady Ruxley
that she insisted upon taking care of her; and finally nothing would do but she must have her for a companion.
You know I told you that I saw some one at the villa
when we first came here who looked like Miss Douglas, and
I got quite a fright over it until Lady Randal told me her
name was Mabel Dundas, and that deceived me."
"It is very unfortunate just now, to say the least, when
we are so anxious to have everything go smooth," complained her mother, wearily.
"That is so," returned Isabel, with scowling brow. "You
say she still has the casket in there with her ?"
"Yes."
"Why under the sun didn't you take it away from her
by main force ?"
"Because she was so haughty and defiant I did not dare
touch her," Mrs. Coolidge admitted, with rather a crestfallen air. "Besides, she told me she should appeal to
Lord Dunforth if I did not let her go quietly; and I
knew, after what you had told me, that that would never
do."

"No, indeed; it is very evident that he knows too much
about the jewels, while we know too little. But how are
we going to get out of this abominable muss, anyhow ?"
and Isabel looked miserably anxious.
"Keep her in there until she gives up the box and promises secrecy," returned her mother, with a significant nod
at the veiled door.
"Well, suppose she will not yield at all ?"
"She must sleep, at all events; and, if we cannot catch
her in a natural sleep, there are things that will make her
unconscious, and then we can take the jewels away from.
her," was the whispered reply.
"But she will be missed, meanwhile."
"Well, we must wonder with the rest what has become
of her. I am confident no one saw her come in here, and
so no one will suspect us in the matter. I tell you, Isabel,
we have a desperate game to play now, or you will lose

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

191

Sir Charles. Those jewels we must have, for their absence
will occasion endless inquiry and remark. If she won't
yield, we must keep her shut up until after the wedding.
When that is over, and you are sure of your position, I do
not care what becomes of them or her," the proud woman
whispered, in concentrated tones, and with a desperate and
reckless air that almost frightened her daughter.
"Mamma, would you dare keep her in there so long ?"
"Yes, I will dare anything, rather than that all your
bright prospects should be sacrificed. Just so sure as we
let her out, she will reveal everything, and we shall be
ruined."
"But you know we are all to go to Paris next week to
be gone a fortnight, and attend to my trousseau."
"I know it was so arranged, but you and Lady Randal
will have to go-I shall be ill, and not able to go; then I
can easily look after our prisoner, and no one will be the
wiser for it."
"But is there no danger that she will be heard if she
should scream, or cry, or make a fuss ?"
"Not the least in the world. The place seems to be
made of solid masonry; it has no other door but this,
which is very thick, and, with those heavy curtains
dropped over it, no one could ever hear her. Besides, I
have no fear that she will make any disturbance-she is
too proud."
"What if she should die in there, mamma ?"
The two plotting women looked at each other with
whitening faces for a moment.
Mrs. Coolidge was the first to recover herself, however.
"Pshaw! what a folish notion, Isabel. She is strong
and well, and there is no danger. I will take her plenty
of good food every day, and we can make her up a comfortable bed from our own, and she will do well enough."
"But mamma, the bare possibility of the thing gives
me a dreadful feeling. I am as weak as if I had just recovered from a swoon," said Isabel, shuddering.
"Don't be a fool, child; only let us tide the next four or
five weeks over, and we shall be all right. However, if

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TRIUMPH

you say so, and are willing to run the risk, we will let her
out now," returned Mrs. Coolidge, impatiently.
"No, no; there is no other way as I see but to keep her
shut up. Sir Charles is so particular and conscientious
that he would never forgive the wrong we have done her;
and, mamma, I am really very fond of him. I believe it
would upset me entirely if anything should happen to separate us now, and I mean to try and be a better woman
after I am married," Isabel returned, nervously, and with
very crimson cheeks, as if ashamed of the confession.
An hour later Lady Ruxley's bell rang a furious peal.
It had been nearly three hours since Brownie left her.
Such a thing had never happened before, and she did not
know what to make of it. She was getting so attached to
her gentle and lovable companion that she missed her
sadly if she were absent an hour.
Presently Minnett came in.
"Minnett, find Miss Dundas, and ask her to please come
to me," she said, shortly.
Minnett retired, was gone another half hour, while the
old lady grew furious at the delay, then returned and said
Miss Dundas could not be found.
She forthwith angrily commanded to go and find Miss
Dundas, and not return until the did.
Minnett meekly withdrew again, and her ladyship sat
another hour, fuming and raging, first against her maid,
then at Lady Randal, whom she believed to be at the bottom of it all, to serve some purpose of her own, and lastly
her ire turned upon Brownie herself for allowing herself
to be detained so long.
Finally, her patience completely wearied out, she
marched down into the drawing-room, ready to berate the
first person she met.
Here she found everybody in a great state of excitement
over the non-appearance of Miss Dundas.
One, two, three hours more passed, and still no light
was thrown upon the mystery. Lady Ruxley became nearly
distracted, Lady Randal was very much disturbed, while
the guests, who had remarked Brownie's beauty and refinement, began to whisper of an elopement, or something
equally romantic.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

198

In the midst of the excitement, Viola and Alma appeared upon the scene , and, upon being told that Miss
Dundas was missing, the former asked what sort of a
looking person she was.
Sir Charles immediately gave a very accurate description of Brownie, whereupon both girls exxclaimed:
"Why, that is our Miss Douglas, and we met her only
a few hours ago, as she was going out !"
Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel were confounded at this speech.
They had not thought of such a thing as the girls meeting her, and had fondly hoped they should not be drawn
into the matter any more than to wonder, with the other
guests, what could have become of her.
Everybody gathered around the young girls at once,
eager to hear more.
"She was with us an hour or more," Viola further explained, "then she said she must return to the Hall, and
the last we saw of her she came this way."
"And who is 'our Miss Douglas,' and what connection
has she with Lady Ruxiey's companion ?" asked Sir Charles,
coming forward and looking very grave.
"She was our governess until about two months ago,
"
when-when
Viola stammered, and got very red in the face.
Her heart prompted her to stand up loyally for the
teacher whom she so dearly loved, but she stood somewhat in awe of her mother, who was regarding her with
sternest displeasure, and whose eye she had just caught.
Mrs. Coolidge hastened to the rescue.
"What is this you are saying about Miss Douglas,
Viola?" she asked, in well-assumed surprise, at the same
time giving her daughter a warning glance.
Viola repeated what she had already said, adding some
further account of what had transpired in the park.
When she had concluded, her mother turned to Sir
Charles, with a grave and sorrowful face.
"I really fear, Sir Charles, that your aunt has been
grossly imposed upon. This Miss Douglas, of whom Viola
speaks, came over with us from America as governess to
the girls. I began to suspect at the very first that she
was not just the person I could desire, but I put up with

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TRIUMPH

her until about two months ago, when her very unbecoming conduct made it necessary that I should dismiss her
immediately."
"What did she do," demanded Lady Ruxley, sharply,
"that was so dreadful?"
"Really, I am very sorry to be drawn into this very disagreeable matter thus. I dislike to say anything derogatory to any one, but, since you ask, I will say that she took
things which did not belong to her, and made herself offensively free with my son, who is now in Germany," replied Mrs. Coolidge, with every appearance of sorrow
that she was obliged to make the confession.
"You'll have to be older than you are now to make me
believe that," muttered the old lady, indignantly, in an
undertone, as she eyed Isabel, and her mother suspiciously, while Viola and Alma looked the daggers they dare
not use to defend their beloved Miss Douglas.
The date of her accident and advent into Lady Randal's
house was identical with that of her leaving Mrs. Coolidge, their description of her was the same, and Isabel recalled to Sir Charles the evening of their ramble, when
they had seen her at the villa, and she had questioned him
regarding the companion.
Every one was convinced now of Brownie's unworthiness, and believed that she had taken herself out of the way
because she feared an exposure on the part of Mrs. Coolidge, and dare not meet it; or that she had eloped, but
who with, was the question.
All but Lady Ruxley.
Her confidence was unshaken yet.
"I don't believe a word of it," she said to Lady Randal,
as she assisted her to her room.
"But, aunt, it must be so. Mrs. Coolidge's word is indisputable."
"Maybe you think so," retorted her ladyship, irritably.
"The evidence is so clear, too," resumed her niece, unheeding her remark. "I have feared from the first that
you were being imposed upon. That's always the way
with these girls who have no recommendation; they are
all adventuresses. I only hope you won't find that she
has helped herself from your belongings."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

195

"Shut up, Helen! You are always ready to believe the
worst of everybody. I tell you I believe that there has
been foul play in this matter, and, if the girl has gone
away, she has been driven away in some underhanded
manner. I can read the signs of the times, if I am a superannuated, and I shall not rest until I know more of this
matter," and the crusty old lady actually shed tears over
the absence of the patient, gentle girl, to whom she was becoming deeply attached.
"The very fact of her giving a false name goes against
her," persisted Lady Randal.
"That was not just the thing, of course," was the rather
subdued reply. Then she added, as if a new thought
struck her: "I believe that I was to blame for that, after
all. I had a bad cold at that time, and was as deaf as a
post. I am convinced now that she gave me her name
correctly, and I misunderstood her, and she, having had
trouble with those folks, let it go so."
"She had no business to do that," returned Lady Randal, with an expression of righteous indignation.
"If she never does anything worse than give an assumed
name, she'll be better than some folks whom I know. I
reckon you've some sins on your conscience, Helen, blacker
than any that poor girl ever thought of," said Lady Rux1ley,
spitefully.
Notwithstanding the general belief that Miss Douglas,
as she was now called, had absconded, Sir Charles gave
orders that the search should be kept up a while longer.
Something might have happened to her, he reasoned,
and he would give her the benefit of the doubt.
About eight o'clock Adrian Dredmond was announced.
He had been to Lady Ruxley's villa, but, upon being told
that she and her companion were at the Hall, he drove immediately thither.
Lady Randal met him in the hall on her return from
Lady Ruxley's apartments.
She greeted him cordially, and then, taking his arm, led
him into the drawing-room, where he was received with
loud acclamation, for he was a favorite wherever he went.
The conversation ran in a new channel for a few moments after his entrance, but the all-absorbing topic was

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soon resumed, and Brownie's character was most unmercifully picked to pieces again, while with a terrible sinking at his heart, Adrian soon learned something of what
had transpired, and it was with great difficulty that he
maintained his composure, hoping to learn more.
But he could not bear the aspersions cast upon his betrothed, and after a terribly scathing remark upon
Brownie's virtue from Isabel, followed by a bitter denunciation from Mrs. Coolidge, his indignation burst forth.
He arose, and, with a flushed face and blazing eyes, demanded of the latter:
"Of whom do I understand you to be speaking ?"
"Of Miss Douglas, Mr. Dredmond-the governess who
came to England with us, and who has turned out so
sadly," she replied, serenely, and all unconscious of the
terrible storm hovering over her head.
"Perhaps you know who is accountable for Miss Douglas' misfortunes since she came abroad ?" he returned,
meaningly, and with a look that made Isabel's heart quake,
for she knew he had seen Brownie lately, and it was possible he, too, knew all the story of their abuse.
But Mrs. Coolidge was, as usual, equal to the occasion.
"Really, no. She told me she knew no one in this country," she returned, with raised eyebrows, and in surprised
tones.
"I know something of Miss Douglas, and that she is
undeserving a word of the censure which you have heaped
upon her this evening; and I demand that you retract
every word you have said-all of you !" he said, in tones
which could not be mistaken.
There was a sudden hush among the company, while
all eyes were fixed upon the young man, towering so
proudly in his haughty strength before them.
Mrs. Coolidge felt by no means as easy as she appeared;
but hers was a desperate case, and it would not do to relax
in the least her vigilance. So she glowered disapprobation and surprise upon him, while Isabel tried to curl her
trembling lips in scorn.
"Really, Adrian," soothingly said Lady Randal, who
began to be afraid of a quarrel, "I am sorry to see you so
excited over this unfortunate affair. I know you are

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

.197

very philanthropic, but I am afraid you are allowing yourself to become quixotic regarding this very singular young
person."
His fine lips curled, and he turned and bowed slightly,
as he replied:
"If it is quixotic to defend a pure and lovely girl in her
absence from such abuse as you have heaped upon her
here to-night, then I plead guilty to the charge. I met
Miss Douglas several months ago in the United States.
I know that she is as well-born as most of you in this
room, and few possess the cultivation and accomplishments which she is mistress of. At the time of which I
speak she was believed to be the heiress of more than a
million, and moved in circles equal to our own, but sudden
misfortune reduced her to the necessity of becoming a
governess."
"Why, Adrian, I am astonished! I did not suppose that
you knew aught concerning Miss Douglas," replied Lady
Randal, beginning to regard the companion rather more
leniently.
"Nor I, that he was so interested in the poor but misguided girl," added Mrs. Coolidge, with sarcastic commiseration.
She had never forgiven Adrian's preference for the
beautiful governess that night at the opera, and could
not now conceal her spite.
He wheeled upon her in an instant.
"I am deeply interested in her, madam. Miss Douglas
is my betrothed wife; and I warn you to be very careful
how you speak of her in the future. I could say much
more, but"-with a glance from Isabel to Sir Charles--"existing circumstances compel me to be silent."

CHAPTER XXXI
BROWNIE'S STRANGE VISITOR

HAD an earthquake shaken the house at that moment
greater consternation could not have prevailed than at this
announcement.

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"Adrian, surely you are crazy !" almost shrieked Lady
Randal, at last. "You make such a misalliance as that !"
"Call it whatever you choose, madam, but please remember when you speak of Miss Douglas in the future, that
you are speaking of the future Lady of Dunforth," he
said, coldly, but proudly.
Surely a nobler specimen of manhood never braved the
world's scorn than Adrian Dredmond at that moment;
and poor Brownie, although in "durance vile" above them,
might well look hopefully into the future, which should be
passed by the side of such a noble defender as this.
Turning to Sir Charles, he made a signal for him to
follow him, and then, with a haughty bow to the assembled company, he withdrew.
"Charles," he exclaimed, seizing his friend's hand when
they were alone in the hall, "will you lend me your aid
in this trouble? Something is wrong," he went on speaking, in tones of anxiety; "she was expecting me to come
to her, and I know she would never have gone away of
her own accord."
"I am constrained to take that view of it now, after
what you have told me; although I must confess, before
you came, I was inclined to believe the very worst of her.
I hope," he added, with some uneasiness, "that you have
not been deceived in Miss Douglas."
Adrian's lips curled again.
He knew what he had reference to. Sir Charles believed that something must be wrong or Mrs. Coolidge
would not have spoken as she had done.
"The future will disclose whether I have or not," he replied, coldly.
"You may depend upon me, Adrian, to do all in my
power to unravel this mystery. Miss Douglas certainly
appeared like a very lovely person, and until to-night I
admired her very much, although I have rarely met her.
Believe me, you have my sympathy," and he meant it
in more senses than one.
"Thank you, but I am wild in trying to think what has
become of the poor child. I am almost tempted to believe-"
He checked himself suddenly.

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199

HIe was upon the point of saying he feared treachery
on the part of the Coolidges; but, remembering that it
would not do to speak of them thus in Sir Charles' presence, he stopped.
"What ?" Sir Charles demanded, with a curious look.
"I do not know what to believe," Adrian said; then
added, suddenly: "You may think what you choose concerning what I have told you to-night, and the
world may
say what it will, but Miss Douglas is of unexceptional
parentage, and I shall marry her just as soon as I am
fortunate enough to find her."
After a few more minutes spent in consultation as to
the best means of seeking for the lost one Adrian departed, his heart filled well-nigh to bursting with grief,
insulted affection, and anxiety.
"Mamma, did you ever hear anything like it ?" demanded Isabel of her mother as soon as they could excuse
themselves from the drawing-room and retire to their
own rooms.

"No; things are getting terribly mixed up, it seems to
me. How, when, where did he meet her again, I wonder?"
"I have it," said Isabel. "Lady Ruxley attended the
dinner at Dunforth Castle; of course, her companion accompanied her, and they met there. It must have been
quite recent, I judge."
"Well, he won't find her again for a while, that is
sure," returned Mrs. Coolidge, with a savage glitter in
her eyes.
"Oh, mamma, you look almost as though you would like
to kill her !" Isabel exclaimed, in a frightened whisper.
"I believe I wish she had died before she ever saw
Adrian Dredmond," she answered, vindictively. "To think
that she should win him, while you will only be a baronet's
wife !"
Isabel flushed angrily.
"Let us go and see how it fares with her now; methinks the proud beauty will be somewhat humbled by
this time. But, humbled or not, she will have to stay

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there until after your marriage, for if Mr. Dredmond
should find her now, there would be an end to all your
fine plans," said Mrs. Coolidge, moving toward the draped
door.
She shoved the heavy bolt, and the two women entered
Brownie's prison.
They found her sitting upon the floor, looking pale and
wan.
The light which they bore blinded her eyes at first so
that she could scarcely see, but she arose as they entered
and stood in haughty silence befor them, and, holding
the precious casket tightly clasped in her hands behind her.
"Well, how do you like your place of retirement? Quiet,
isn't it?" sneered Isabel, while she began to walk about
the place as if to examine it.
The insulted girl deigned her no reply.
"Miss Douglas, I have come to make one more appeal
to you. Are you willing to accede to my terms ?"
"No, madam !"

"Will nothing move you? Cannot I persuade you, under
any circumstances, to let Isabel retain those jewels a while
longer, and you keep silent about them ?"
"You cannot, madam; there is a limit to human endurance, I have reached that limit."
But scarce were the words spoken when she uttered a
cry of pain and dismay.
Isabel had glided stealthily around behind her, and with
one powerful blow had dashed the casket from her hands.
The next instant, and before Brownie could turn to
prevent her, she had captured it, and with a low, mocking
laugh, glided from the place.
With all her spirit roused to battle, Brownie sprang to
follow the artful girl, but Mrs. Coolidge barred the way.
"No, no, miss, you cannot leave this place to-night; you
are in too dangerous a mood," she said.
"What do you mean by detaining me here ?" Brownie
demanded, almost passionately.
"I mean just what I said, that you are too dangerous to be let loose to-night, unless you will solemnly promise not to make any trouble for us."
"You are very much mistaken if you think you can

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

201

make any such terms with me, Mrs. Coolidge. I do not
fear you in the least, and unless you restore my jewels,
and let me go at once, I shall make such trouble that you
will rue it until your dying day."
"You do not fear me, and I have power to keep you
here indefinitely ?" she retorted, flushing angrily.
"That may be, but there will come a day of reckoning
sooner or later," Brownie replied, dauntlessly. "You do
not suppose," she added, scornfully, "that in this nineteenth century you can keep me concealed for any length
of time. I shall be missed, if I am not already, and the
whole house searched for me."
"You have been missed by the whole house and
grounds have been thoroughly searched for you, but no
one has thought of looking here for you, Miss Douglas,"
Mrs. Coolidge replied, with a malicious gleam in her eyes.
Brownie's heart sank, and she grew whiter about the
mouth at these words, but she would give no outward
sign of the growing fear in her heart.
"May I ask how long you intend to keep me in solitary confinement? You are aware, perhaps, that people
cannot live very long shut up in a dark place like this,"
she said, thinking to frighten her into letting her go.
The woman started. She had not thought of its being
solitary confinement before, and it was a good while before
the grand wedding would come off.
She meditated a moment before replying, then she said:
"I will endeavor to see that you do not suffer, Miss
Douglas, but I must keep you here for the present. Undoubtedly you know that Isabel is to marry Sir Charles
Randal very shortly, and I am resolved that nothing shall
interfere with that match. If I should let you go now, you
would raise such a breeze for us that everything would
be upset. There is only one condition upon which I would
release you," she concluded, with a searching look into the
young girl's face, and really feeling anxious to let her
go, if she would only keep silence.
"What is that ?" demanded Brownie, quickly.
"That you would go quietly away from Vallingham Hall
and conceal yourself from everybody until after the wed-

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

ding; then, I promise you, we will return the jewels to
you.,

The delicate lips curled, and the lovely eyes flashed ominously.
"Will you ?" asked her enemy.
"No! I will not yield to you in a single point !" was
the haughty reply.
"Very well, there is nothing more to be said, then. I
will arrange a good bed for you, give you plenty of books
and papers to read, and bring you food three times a day.
You shall have plenty of candles, too, so that I imagine
you will manage to exist quite comfortably for a few
weeks," and she left the room as she spoke.
Mrs. Coolidge soon returned, and Isabel with her, bringing a mattress, bedclothes, and a tray containing a dainty
supper, the former having taken care to provide it, knowing that her prisoner had been long without food. They
also brought her a chair, and left her a candle, and then
retired, leaving her somewhat anxious for the future, but
by no means subdued.
Left to herself, Brownie's first work was to eat her
supper, for she was really very hungry, and the inner man
thus strengthened she felt somewhat more cheerful.
She arranged her bed for she was weary with sitting
for so many hours upon that stone
and then retired,
feeling rather lonely and sad, but confident that the Lord,
her shepherd, would care for her there as tenderly as in
her own room; and ere long she was sleeping soundly.
She never knew how long she had been sleeping, for her
rest had been unbroken and dreamless, but she was suddenly awakened by a cold clasp upon her hand!
In an instant every sense was unlocked, and she was
broad awake, with that instinctive consciousness of a horrible presence, which people sometimes have when danger
lurks near.
The candle still burned, and lighted the place with a
reddish glare, for she had not extinguished it, feeling that
the darkness would have been too horrible, and by its light
she could distinguish a strange-looking object kneeling by
her side.
With a cry of terror she started up to find herself face

floor,

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

208

to face with a form so misshapen, so frightful, so weird
and uncanny, that the sound suddenly died upon her lips,
and left her paralyzed with fear.
The creature immediately arose and moved away from
her a pace or two at seeing her so terrified.
"Have I frightened you? I am so sorry, and yet I
might have known. But, do not fear, I would be the last
person in the world to harm you," were the words which
greeted her ears, in tones so soft and gentle that Brownie
involuntarily raised her eyes, and was at once reassured,
though still so weak and trembling from her first fright
that she could not speak.
His head was very large for the rest of his body, and
rested forward upon his breast, while his shoulders came
up so high that he seemed to have no neck at all; one
hand hung limp, withered, and helpless by his side, while
one foot and leg were twisted entirely out of place, the
heel being where the toe should be.
Ah! he was a sad-looking object, but Brownie felt no
fear of him now.
He had a true, good face, full of intelligence and mental
power, and while she looked into it, a great pity came into
her eyes, and the tears involuntarily started.
He was quick to read her sympathy, for he said, with
his sad smile:
"Thank you; I see you don't fear me any longer,"
"Oh, no," she answered, gently; "but I did not think
any one could get in here, and I was startled at first."
"I ought to have been more careful, but I did not like to
speak loud enough to wake you, lest I should be heard,"
and he glanced toward the door.
Then he added:
"Can you trust me sufficiently to let me take you out of
this miserable place? I came to release you."
"Can you? will you ?" she exclaimed, eagerly. "Oh, yes,
I can trust you fully !"
"But how did you get in here ?" she asked, the next instant.
"I have been here many times, and yet I never entered
by that door," he answered, pointing to the door by which
Brownie had come in, and speaking somewhat bitterly.

20o4

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"But how did you know I was here ?" and she looked
perplexed, for she could not detect so much as a rathole
anywhere.
"I overheard all that passed between you and those
women," he answered, with a nod in the direction of Isabel's room.
She looked more astonished than ever.
"Come this way and I will explain it all to you," he said.
He stooped and picked up the candle, and then moved
with difficulty to the opposite end of the cell.
Holding the light close to the floor, he continued:
"Do you see that semi-circular block of stone about a
foot and a half in diameter ?"
"Yes."
"And what looks like a huge iron bolt set close to that
small round shaft of stone which runs clear to the ceiling?"
"Yes."

"If you will step upon that block, and press your foot
firmly upon that bolt, you will find that this stone pillar
will begin to slide slowly down. When you have descended about four feet you will see a short flight of stone
steps; step upon these and this shaft will return to its
place. Follow the stone steps and they will lead you to a
comfortable room; I left the door open, and there is a
light within, so that you will have no difficulty in finding
the way."
"But you-you will have to return here," Brownie said,
hesitatingly.
It all seemed so wonderful and mysterious to her, that
for a moment she could scarcely comprehend it.
"As soon as the shaft returns to its place, I will join
you; only one can go at a time, because the platform is so
narrow," he replied.
Brownie lifted her clear eyes once more and searched
his face.
It was a noble countenance, and full of marks of pain
and patient suffering, and while she looked it seemed
suddenly to grow strangely like some other face which she
had seen, but whose she could not at that moment recall.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

205

"Yes, I will go," she said, and stepped upon that semicircular block of stone.
"You will only be alone for a moment," he said, "for I
shall follow you immediately; now lean close against the
shaft. There! now plant your foot upon the bolt-so.
Now you are all right."
Brownie obeyed his directions without a fear, for she
saw that he was only intent upon serving her, and she
felt herself going slowly and smoothly downward.
A moment more and she found herself in another dark
closet, or passage, from which a short flight of stone steps
led up to an open door, through which a light shone, dimly
lighting the place.
She stepped from the platform upon the stairs, and the
shaft instantly began to ascend again.
Following the stairs, she soon found herself, as she had
been told, in a large, airy, and comfortable room.
The walls were hung with ancient and faded tapestry,
but the floor was carpeted with bright, warm colors, and
the room was quite tastefully furnished.
It was lighted by two tall wax candles in silver candlesticks, and a cheerful fire burned in the grate. There
were several bookcases well filled with nicely bound volumes, and a few fine engravings, with some beautiful
drawings, hung upon the walls.
She had not time for a more minute survey of the apartment, for she was rejoined by her strange companion.
He smiled at her look of wonder and curiosity, and
after shutting and locking the door, and dropping the
tapestry over it, said:
"No, I will explain how I happened to know that you
were in trouble and needed assistance."
He moved a few steps further up the room, thrust aside
another portion of the hangings, and Brownie saw the
same shaft or pillar of stone that she had seen in the cell.
At the right of it she also saw that a portion of the stone
wall had been hammered or chiseled away, until only a
very thin surface divided the two rooms, and this had
been punctured full of tiny holes, through which could be
seen the light of the candle which they had left behind;

206

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

and yet from the room they had just left nothing of this
could be detected.
"Ah! I see," Brownie said.
"Yes," the young man replied, while a look of infinite
pain swept over his features, "it is always very quiet here,
and to-night while reading I was startled by the sound of
voices and a low, mocking laugh coming from this direction. Much astonished, for nothing like it has ever happened before, I threw down my book, crept to this spot,
and listened. Although I could not see very distinctly,
I could hear, and soon discovered that some one had been
forced into yonder cell to cover up some dark deed or
other. I learned that your name was Miss Douglas, and
that you possess a very brave spirit, for you refused to
yield to your tormentors, when most young ladies would
have begged and prayed to be let out upon any terms."
He concluded with another glance of admiration.
Her lips curled in a little mischievous smile, as she wondered how Isabel and her mother would feel the next
time they unbolted that door, and found their bird flown!
"But I don't see how you got the shaft down those
stairs," she said, in perplexity. Her spirits were rising
every moment.
"It works in the same way from this room that it does
from the other; only when it got down, I moved around
to the opposite side without stepping off, and then, not
pressing upon the bolt, it arose to its place again. I
thought it best for you, however, to come up by the stairs,
fearing you might fall from the patform if you moved,"
the young man explained.
"How came these holes punctured here, and this stone
cut away so ?" she asked, feeling deeply interested in the
strange piece of machinery and that riddled wall.
"There is a sad story connected with that, Miss Douglas,
which I fear it would do no good to relate," was the pained
reply, while the white face flushed a sudden, vivid crimson.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

X07

CHAPTER XXXII
HERBERT RANDAL

"I BEG your pardon. I did not mean to be inquisitive,
or to arouse any unpleasant memories," Brownie hastened
to say, but she looked somewhat disappointed, as well as
embarrassed.
He saw it, and, after a moment's thought, continued,
speaking more to himself than to her:
"During the last few years of my life I have been led
to recognize a higher power as guiding my life, and I have
been praying that its bitterness might be removed. I
am not sure but what that prayer is beginning to be answered by the events of to-night, and your presence here.
So why should I not tell you ?"
Then, with sudden decision, he went on:
"Miss Douglas, this place has been my home all my
life. Yes," as he saw her look of surprise, and speaking
with great bitterness, "a galley slave is scarcely more of a
prisoner than I have been ever since my unfortunate
birth. I have never seen the outside of these buildings,
excepting four blank walls which inclose a small court; I
know not what my surroundings are, what my country is
like, and, beyond my own attendants, scarce have seen the
face of a human being. I think I must have been born
with a deformed disposition as well as a distorted body;
for, as a child, I was subject to fits of passion, so furious
and of such long duration, that those who had charge
of me deemed me insane and unsafe for the time, and
used to confine me in yonder cell until I came to my
senses. The bolt, you perceive, can be fastened on this
side, so that the shaft will not move, and I could not get
out until they released me. I used to grow frightened and
almost idiotic shut up in that dismal place, with its sepulchre-like stillness, and I really think that in those days
I was more brute than human. Forgive me for disturbing you with my sorrow-it will overcome me at times.
But, as I was saying, I used to think I should die shut up
in there away from every one; so, after my passion ex-

208

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

hausted itself and I was let out, I would busy myself,
when I was alone in this room, by cutting away this wall,
and puncturing these holes; and then when they put me in
there, I would creep close to this spot, and, with my ear
against these holes, I could hear what was said and done
here, and did not feel quite so lonely and wild."
A shudder seemed to shake his whole frame at the remembrance of those fearful days.
"No one but yourself," he continued, "knows to this
day that the wall has been mutilated thus."
The more she heard him talk, the more she wondered
who he could be-this sad young cripple, who was so
gentle, yet repulsive, so intelligent, yet to all appearance
scarcely human. She looked at her watch, and found it
was four o'clock. The young man, noting the act, suddenly said:
"How thoughtless of me, Miss Douglas, to keep you
standing all this time. I suppose you will be obliged to
remain here until daylight, as there is no way for you to
get back into the Hall except by going outside from here,
and, of course, it will be useless to attempt that until the
household are astir. If you can be comfortable here for
an hour longer, I will do my best to entertain you. I have
books, and all the latest periodicals, and there is an easychair by the fire, which I know you will enjoy."
He led her toward the fire, which really made the
somewhat dismal apartment very cheerful.
Her thoughts were filled with this young man; she
longed to know more of his sad history, and why his life
had been rendered such a blank.
It could not be that he was really insane, and that it was
necessary to confine him thus! Was she with a madman?
The thought for the moment startled her so that she
actually felt faint. But, no; one look into that calm,
patient face, with its deep, intelligent eyes, completely banished all fear, and left her more in the dark than ever.
"You are very weary," the young man remarked, seeing
her listless attitude.
"No," she answered, smiling; "but I am wondering
how my explanation regarding my absence and sudden reappearance will be received by Lady Ruxley."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

209

"Ah! I had not thought of that," he replied, with a
painful start, and a vivid flush crimsoning his white face.
"You are an inmate of the family, then ?" he asked,
thoughtfully.
"I am companion to Lady Ruxley, although before coming to her I was governess in the family of that woman
who entrapped me into yonder cell." She then related to
him something of her troubles with Mrs. Coolidge.
"And it is her daughter who is to marry m
Sir
Charles ?" the young man asked, deeply interested.
"Yes."

"Is she anything like her mother ?"
"Very much like here," Brownie said, dryly.
"A fine wife he will have, I fear !" he answered, with
curling lips.
"I am very sorry for him," the young girl replied, gently.
"He is very nice, I expect," said the cripple, his lips
quivering painfully, while he shaded his face with his
hand.
"He is indeed a very fine young man, I am told."
"Would you mind telling me what he is like ?" and
Brownie wondered why his tones were husky and tremulous.
She described him as well as she could, and concluded:
"To sum it all up, he is very handsome, and as goodthey say-and noble in proportion."
A heavy sigh was the only reply, and then he appeared
to be sunk in reverie.
After an awkward silence, he suddenly aroused himself,
and said:
"Miss Douglas, you and I are both placed in a very
trying position by the events of to-night. It did not
enter my mind that any explanation would have to be rendered as to your release from yonder cell, although I
should not have hesitated an instant about aiding you had
I thought of it. I see now that some account of it will
be necessary, but I must tell you frankly that it will bring
the direst confusion upon the inmates of Vallingham Hall,
when you return and make known the fact of your ilmprisonment and the manner of your release."
"I expected it would be somewhat embarrassing to Mrs.

210

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

Coolidge and her daughter, but how else will it bring confusion ?" Brownie asked, wonderingly.
"Because it will have to be known that I was instrumental in it, and there are but two or three people in the
world who know of my existence; consequently, it would
involve some very awkward explanations on the part of at
least one individual, and that is my own mother. Miss
Douglas, my name is Herbert Randal!"
"What! are you Lady lRandal's son ?" demanded
Brownie, in astonishment.
"Yes; and Sir Charles is my brother, although I have
never yet looked upon his face; neither do I remember
having seen my mother more than half a dozen times in
my life," he replied, with intense bitterness.
"Impossible! Why, it is too horrible !" ejaculated the
young girl, more and more astonished and shocked.
"It is even so. It does not seem possible that a mother
could so far forget her motherhood as to willingly condemn her own flesh and blood to what I have been doomed
ever since my birth; but it is true, nevertheless. I was
born abroad while my mother was traveling one summer, but I was such a misshapen mass of humanity that
she went into convulsions upon first beholding me, and
has seldom been able to bear the sight of me since. While
my father lived I was kept out of the country, and I do
not believe that even he knew of my existence; but after
his death my mother had me brought here, and hired an
old woman and her son to take care of me until I was
about fourteen years of age. They often abused and illtreated me, and I think perhaps it was owing to this that I
was so ungovernable at times. Since that time a brokendown professor has had the principal charge of me and
my education. He has been paid a high salary upon the
condition that he would never betray his trust. I think he
would be glad to see me in different circumstances, but
he has an invalid sister depending upon him, and he has
no other means of support. I am never allowed to go
out, except under circumstances of the utmost secrecy, and
then only into a little court hemmed in by the blank
walls of these buildings, and I live here in this secret

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

211

chamber, unknown to all but my mother, my tutor, and my
servants."
"Dreadful !" murmured Brownie, almost moved to tears
by the sad recital.
"You may well say that. It is dreadful to be shut up
from the beautiful world-for I read of its beauties, if
I cannot see them; but it is more dreadful to be shut away
from all affection and kindness. In my youth I could not
patiently bear it, and gave way to those fearful outbursts
of passion of which I have told you. If my father were
living, things might be different, for I have heard that he
was a good man. My brother I have never seen, and I
suppose he does not dream of such a thing as a relative
like me; and while my mother not only cannot bear the
sight of her crippled son, she is also ambitious that the
one who is a credit to her should profit by all the advantages possible. My first thought when I resolved to
release you to-night, was that perhaps the event might
open a way of escape for me also, and that I could go
away by myself and no one ever know who I am. But
your connection with Lady Ruxley, and your having been
an inmate of the family, will make it necessary that my
agency in the matter be explained. Of course, in order to
justify yourself, you will have to tell how you came to be
shut up, and the next inquiry will be, 'How did you get
out?' "

"I see," said Brownie, with curling lips; "and if I proclaim the fact that a young man by the name of Herbert
Randal, who has also been kept a close prisoner for over
twenty years by a heartless mother's decree, liberated me,
it is going to make it very uncomfortable for Lady Randal. Pardon me," she added, flushing a lovely color, and
dropping the scorn out of her voice, "but I honestly believe the time has come when it is right that the world
should know of your existence, and that you should know
something of your kindred and the world in which you
live," she concluded, indignantly.
"I sometimes go to a little old chapel, which incloses
one side of the little court of which I have spoken. I
found an entrance to it through the vaults, and I sometimes go there to read. I might have escaped long ago

212

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

in that way had it not been for my tutor, whom I knew
would be reduced to the most abject poverty if deprived
of his situation, and so pity has kept me here."
"But you might go out and assert your rights. Of
course, a portion of all this property would fall to you,
and then you could see that he did not suffer," interprosed
Brownie.
"Yes, I might do that, and perhaps thereby gain the
hatred of my brother. I want his love-oh, I crave the
love of some human being !" he cried, almost passionately.
"He has sent you a friend at all events, if you will allow
me to be such," Brownie said, impulsively, and reaching
out her hand to him, while two bright tears rolled over
her flushed cheeks and dropped upon her black dress.
"Ah! then this is the beginning of good things for me,
and I will accept it as a precious omen," he replied, clasping her hand warmly, and his eyes lighted with a deep,
and sudden joy. "I do not mean to complain," he added,
a moment after, "for I have many things to be thankful
for, and I thank my Maker every day that He gave me
this ugly body rather than a blunted intellect. I hav'e my
books, and moderately good health, though that would be
better, I think, if I could be more in the air. But I try
to feel that all my privations are sent to teach me some
great lesson in life, and fit me for better things."
Brownie sat in deep and perplexed thought for several
minutes. There were evidently only two things which
she could do; either leave the Hall altogether and hide, as
Mrs. Coolidge had proposed, letting her disappearance
still remain a mystery, or boldly face them all, and let the
guilty suffer for their own wrong-doing.
Herbert Randal read something of Brownie's thoughts
in her troubled face.
"I do not see that there is but one course for you to
pursue, Miss Douglas," he said, "and that is to explain
everything in a straightforward way. Perhaps if you
could conceal the fact from all but the immediate family
that it was Lady Randal's son who released you, it might
save some scandal.
"Do you not think it right and just that that fact be

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
made known ?" Brownie asked, gravely, adding: "I shall
never rest content until I know you are at liberty to go
and come at your own will and pleasure, and have your
rights."
"You are very kind. I shall leave it all to your own
judgment. If it is necessary, of course the secret will have
to come out. You can judge how much of an explanation
may be necessary as soon as you reach the Hall."
He took the candle, and sweeping aside a portion of
the tapestry hangings, revealed an iron door. He asked
her to draw back the bolt and push the door open.
She did so, and saw a flight of stone steps.
He limped down these, she following, and soon came to
what appeared a grated window.
He told her to slide back the grating, when she would
see another bolt which fastened the window.
She obeyed, and slipping the bolt, the window swung
open on hinges, when, descending two or three more steps,
they found themselves in what he had called a court, but
what was in reality a small, ancient burying ground, surrounded on three sides by the walls of the Hall, and on the
fourth by that of the old chapel.

CHAPTER XXXIII
BROWNIE LIBERATED

"You would not suppose that Yallingham Hall concealed such a spot in its very heart, would you ?" Herbert
Randal asked, as they stepped into the court.
"No; it is an enigma to me even now."
"Where you have been to-night is a portion of the original buildings. The chapel and the Hall have been built
around this square, and, as you perceive, there are no
windows overlooking the place, which was once used as a
burial ground, although nearly all evidences of that have
disappeared."
Brownie followed her guide bravely.
"Take care !"he cried, as she stumbled and nearly fell

214'

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

over a grave; "I did not think we were so near that. It
seems strange that it should remain when all the others
have disappeared."
He halted for her, for her sudden fall, the weird place,
together with the night of excitement, made her so weak
and trembling that she could scarcely walk.
"Are you hurt ?" he asked, pityingly.
She shook her head and tried to smile courageously,
but he saw that her lips were white and quivering.
It was beginning to be light overhead, but, hemmed in
by those towering walls, the place, with its deep-tangled
grass, and damp, moldy smell, was fearfully gloomy and
ghostly, while her guide, with his misshapen form, and
his white waving hair, his haggard face, rendered more
ghastly still in the flickering, uncertain light of the candle
which he bore, made it seem like some haunted spot in
which restless spirits roamed at will.
When they reached the chapel there was another grating
to be removed, another window, from which nearly every
pane of glass had disappeared, to be opened, and they
came to another flight of stone steps.
These they descended cautiously, for they were becoming
loosened from their place, and were falling to ruin, and
soon found themselves in a vaulted cavern, dismal and
gloomy enough for the dwelling-place of the dead.
The candle flickered and flared, giving an uncertain
light, but Brownie could see the numerous shelves which
were ranged along the side, each containing a silent occupant, in its moldy, worm-eaten coffin.
A gasp of fear told young Randal something of what his
companion was suffering.
He halted at the foot of the steps, and said, regretfully:
"Miss Douglas, nothing but necessity would ever compel me to bring a delicate lady into such a dreadful place;
and now, if I can only persuade you to put your hand upon
my arm, and close your eyes, I will guide you safely
through this vault, and you need never realize what is
in it."
She laid her hand lightly upon his arm, and he thrilled
at the touch.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

215

It was a new and strange experience for the lonely boy,
and one which he long lived upon in remembrance.
The abode of the dead was soon traversed, and they
came to still another flight of steps.
Herbert Randal, mounting them first, lifted a trapdoor,
and setting his candle down, reached his hand to Brownie,
and in another moment she was standing safe, but nearly
exhausted, within the altar of the chapel.
The young man made her sit down and rest, while he
talked cheerfully and interestingly of the place, hoping
thus to turn her mind from the horrors through which
they had just passed.
After a while he arose, crossed the channel, and led the
way to a small side door, whose key was in the lock.
This he turned and pushed the door open, letting in
the fresh breath of morning.
The relief which Brownie experienced was expressed
by a long-drawn sigh, and, looking up into her companion's
face, she smiled a wan, forced smile, as she said:
"I fear you will think me very cowardly, but indeed
my nerves were nearly unstrung by excitement and anxiety before this last experience."
"Do not speak of it; I am sure you have borne it
bravely. And now, if you will follow that path," he added,
pointing it out to her, "it will lead you directly through
this grove, around to the front of the Hall, where I think
you will find no difficulty now in entering."
"Thank you. And, Mr. Randal, I feel that I owe you
a great deal. I trust it will not be long before we shall
meet again under happier circumstances," Brownie said,
heartily, as she held out her little trembling hand to him.
He took it, while an expression of infinite sadness swept
over his face.
"I shall always remember you, and I believe we shall
meet again," Brownie said, with quivering lips, and eyes
which were swimming in tears.
He bent and touched her hand with his lips, then, with
a murmured farewell, he closed the door and went back
to his loneliness and desolation, leaving Brownie standing
alone in the gray dawn, a strange, deep tenderness in her

.f16

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

heart for this poor sufferer, whom God had stricken so
heavily.
She leaned wearily against the door and looked about
her. She had felt tenfold more dreary than when she
had been shut within the cell, for she was still in some
doubt as to what was best for her to do, and as to what
her reception would be if she should return to the Hall.
She was cold, and weak, and faint, and it was quite a
distance around to the front of the hall, but, after a
few moments spent in deliberation, she turned into the
path leading through the grove.
The morning was cloudy and misty, and within the
shadow of the trees, most of which were spruce and pine,
the gloom was most oppressive, while the keen air pierced
her scant clothing, chilling her through and through.
She had not gone many steps when the crackling of
twigs made her start nervously and look around her, and
her heart stood still with fear as she beheld the figure of
a man, enveloped in a long, dark cloak, coming toward
her with rapid strides.
She stopped, her heart beating like a trip-hammer, and
stepped behind a tree, hoping he had not observed her,
:and would pass on without noticing her.
Vain hope! The figure quickened his steps, coming directly toward the spot where she stood.
What to do she knew not.
If she attempted to fly he could easily overtake her. If
she remained where she was, and harm came to her, no
one could hear her cries and come to her aid.
She felt that her strength was failing, the strain had
been so great upon her nerves during the last twelve
hours that she knew she could not endure much more; but
she resolved to meet this new danger as bravely as possible, and, stepping forth from her hiding-place, she went
forward with dizzy brain and bated breath.
Another moment and she found herself face to face with
her lover, Adrian Dredmond!

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

217

CHAPTER XXXIV
CONSTERNATION OF THE COOLIDGES

DURING all those hours so full of adventure to Brownie,
Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel had been sleeping heavily, for
both had been well-nigh overcome with the excitement of
the evening previous, and a sense of their own guilt in the
matter of the young companion's disappearance.
They did not wake until quite late the next morning,
when Mrs. Coolidge's first act was to order a good hot
breakfast, telling the servant that she did not feel able to
go down to eat with the family.
As soon as the servant departed, and she was assured
that the guests were all assembled in the dining-room,
she crept into Isabel's room, and together they sought their
prisoner.
They drew the bolt, and pushed the door open cautiously.
All was silent and dark within, for the candle had burned
down to the socket, and then gone out.
They entered and called Brownie by name.
There was no reply, and with a nameless fear in her
heart, Isabel rushed back into her own room, lighted another candle, and returned to explore the cell.
One glance served to show that it was empty!
But with the vain hope that all guilty people have they
began turning over the mattress and bedclothes, as if
they expected to find her concealed underneath them.
"Where can she be ?" gasped Isabel, white as the wrapper which she wore, and shaking as with the ague.
Mrs. Coolidge shook her head, and looked up at the
small grated window above them.
She mounted upon the chair, and seizing one of the
heavy bars, shook it.
It did not so much as move, and even had it been possible to remove it, their captive could not possibly have
reached the window to escape, it was set so high in the
wall.
"Isabel, I firmly believe that girl is a witch, for none but
a spirit could have escaped from this dungeon !"

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"Mamma," exclaimed her daughter, suddenly, "I do not
believe you fastened the door last night, and she came
out when we were asleep !"
"How foolish you are," was the impatient reply. "I am
very sure that I shoved the bolt, and I do not believe it
possible that she could have worked upon the door in any
way to have slipped it back."
However, to satisfy themselves, they went out, shut and
boltedthe door, and then tried, by gentle working it back
and forth, to see if the bolt would slip.
No; it remained firm and tight, and the matter still
continued to be a mystery, and a terribly tantalizing one,
too.
They tried all the different doors leading from their
own rooms into the corridors, but all were locked, excepting the one by which the servant who had brought the
breakfast had entered, and Mrs. Coolidge had been obliged
to rise to admit her, so that they knew it could not have
been possible for Brownie to have escaped that way.
They knew well enough if Brownie had escaped and returned to her post, that the deepest shame and disgrace
awaited them.
They little thought, however, during their anxious and
almost ludicrous search in the cell, a pair of keen, bright
eyes had been earnestly regarding them, while it must
be confessed that Herbert Randal never enjoyed anything
in his life so much as their anxiety and discomfiture regarding the beautiful maiden whom he had so opportunely aided.
The two disappointed plotters were, however, somewhat reassured, upon descending to the drawing-room, to
find that Brownie's disappearance was still the theme of
conversation, together with the startling announcement
which Adrian Dredmond had made.
Lady Randal looked anxious and annoyed, and was
somewhat irritable.
Lady Ruxley was too ill to rise, being overcome with
solicitude as to the fate of her companion, a fact which
was received with the most cheerful resignation by most of
the company, since it relieved them from the sting of her
sharp tongue.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

219

Sir Charles was very grave and preoccupied, and while
he was not exactly cool, yet there was a certain dignity
about him which somewhat awed his betrothed. There
were some things which he could not understand, in particular, Adrian's stern words and manner to Mrs. Coolidge, which the more he thought about them the more
mysterious and inexplicable they became.
Altogether it was not the happiest company in Christendom that assembled in the Yallingham Hall drawingroom that morning.
Every door that opened made Isabel and her mother
quake with fear, and both would gladly have given up
every jewel in their possession to have been freed from
that horrible suspense.
Several days passed, and still there was no news. Their
anxiety began to abate, and with every passing hour they
breathed more freely, yet that puzzled, wearing question
was ever before them:
"Where is she?"
The drawing-room concert, or musical soiree, came off
according to appointment, but did not prove very satisfactory. It was not really a failure, but there was a lack
of inspiration which made everything drag, and it was
with a uniform sense of relief that at the end of the
week the gay company dispersed, while Sir Charles, Lady
Randal, Isabel, and her mother departed for Paris, intent
upon the all-important trousseau.
The two latter were only too eager to plunge into the
pleasures of the gay French metropolis, and busy themselves with the cares which the next few weeks would involve, hoping thus to drive more unpleasant thoughts out
of mind.
When Adrian Dredmond recognized his betrothed in the
dim light of that dismal morning, he sprang forward with
a cry of joy, mingled with dismay, and folded her close
within his arms, while Brownie, utterly overcome by the
reaction from excessive fright to a sense of security, and
that her troubles were all over, burst into nervous sobbing,
and clung to him with a grip so fierce that he was startled.

920

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"My darling, my darling, what does all this mean?" he
asked, soothingly.
But she could not tell him; the floodgates were open,
and the storm must spend itself ere the calm would come;
the restraint which she had imposed upon herself had been
so resolute and of such long duration that, now she had
once given the rein to her feelings, it was not easy to regain
her self-control.
"My precious one," Adrian continued, "I have been
searching for you all night long. I came hither to see
you last evening, and they told me you had disappeared
in the most mysterious manner. Not knowing which way
to turn to find you, I started for Dunforth again in despair, but something seemed to be holding me back, and
I have roamed over the park and the forest, the highways
and byways, all night. As daylight approached, I resolved
to return to the Hall and inquire if any clew had been
gained during the night, and then I saw you coming
through this grove. Dearest, how cold you are," he added,
tenderly, "and how you tremble. Did I frighten you?
Come back into the shadow of yonder chapel, and tell me
how it is that I find you thus alone and unprotected from
the cold night air."
He wrapped his cloak about her, for the mist was settling down into a fine rain, while the air grew more piercing and chill, and he almost bore her back to the door
of the old chapel, where they were screened from observation and protected somewhat from the wind.
He chafed the little icy, quivering hands, and kissed the
warmth and color back to her pale cheeks. But it was
long before she was herself again, for now that she realized that she was safe, her strength all forsook her, and
she lay almost lifeless in his arms. But at last she was
able to whisper something of the story of her fearful experience, and a mighty wrath arose in his heart against
the authors of it all."
"I mistrusted they might have had some hand in it last
night, but they shall pay dearly for this shameless insult
to you, my dearest," he muttered, between his set teeth.
Then he became suddenly silent and thoughtful, but still
holding her form in his loving embrace, until she grew

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

221

warm and strong again, while a sense of security and happiness began to steal over her, until she felt that she could
return to the Hall, if need be, and face them without a
tremor, with him by her side.
But he had been revolving other matters in his mind.
He had been greatly startled and surprised to learn that
Lady Randal had another son, and had been criminally
concealing it all these years, and he classed her with the
others as a false and heartless woman.
He knew that Lady Ruxley was very fond of her companion, but he knew her temperament, and was unwilling
that Brownie should remain longer with her in that capacity, while, after the events which had so recently transpired, he did not deem it wise to seek her as a protector
for the young girl, as he had planned to do, for any length
of time. He could not feel safe about her while the Coolidges were near.
Finally, he raised the beautiful face which was resting
against his bosom, and, with a look of infinite tenderness,
asked:
"Darling, it is settled, is it not, that you belong to me
now ?"

"Yes, Adrian, wholly."
"And you will trust me fully, from this time forth?"
"I trust you fully," and the little hands fluttered confidingly in his.
"Then, little one-my Brownie, will you come to me
now, and let me make you my own wife to-day-or at
least as soon as that is possible? I feel that I cannot
allow you to be exposed to such suffering and insult for
another hour."
He felt her heart leap against his own at his words,
but she did not reply.
"Darling," he questioned, "am I putting your love and
faith in me to too severe a test ?"
"To-day! so soon-oh, Adrian!" she whispered, and
he could see wave on wave of rich color surging up over
her lovely face.
"Will you love me better by waiting a week-a monthor a year ?" he asked, gravely.
"No, oh, no !" she said, quickly.

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"Can you bear for a moment to think of going back to
the old life ?"
She nestled closer to her lover, and he answered for her:
"No, dear, you cannot; and you have nowhere else on
earth to go but to the one who loves you best, Brownie,"
he continued, with tender authority, "you are mine-you
have freely given yourself to me, and now I am not willing
that you should go back to face those wolves until I have
an indisputable right to go with you to demand proper
respect for you, and the restitution of your property, without the possibility of a repetition of the insult and suffering to which you have heretofore been subjected. I know
all the objections you would raise," he went on. "I have
thought them all over carefully. Lady Ruxley's anxiety
upon your account; the misconstruction which will be put
upon your mysterious absence; the notoriety of a clandestine marriage, etc. But I think it will do them all good
to suffer a little upon your account, without it is Lady
Ruxley. And as to the other reasons, I do not care a straw
for them. In fact, our marriage will not be so very secret,
since I announced the fact of our engagement to the whole
company assembled in the drawing-room last evening, and
told Sir Charles I should marry you just as soon as possible."
"Adrian! did you do that ?" demanded Brownie, looking
up astonished.
"Certainly I did. You do not suppose I could sit tamely
by and listen to all their remarks and surmises without
making an effort to silence them, do you ?"
"But it was very brave and noble in you-few would
have braved public opinion like that," and she lifted her
red lips to give him a voluntary kiss of gratitude.
"What had I to brave, my darling? I shall be proud
to call you by that dearest name in the world-wife; and
since they all know now that I mean to make you such, they
cannot say that you have run away with me. We will go to
London to-day. I will get a special license, and you shall
be my wife to-morrow."
"But-but---" she began, with a troubled face.
"No, dear," he interrupted smiling, as he read her
thought, "you shall not go alone with me. My old nurse

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223

and her daughter shall go with us to make everything
proper. Nurse Clum will do anything in the world for
me, and keep any secret I intrust to her. Milly, her
daughter, has long been trying to get a situation as lady's
maid, and we will make one for her at once, thus doing a
charitable deed, as well as make ourselves happy. In a
week's time, less if you desire, we will return to Vallingham Hall, claim our property, and right that other wrong;
while with me by your side, you will be freed from the
possibility of insult from any one. Will you go with me,
dear ?"

"But you have relatives, I fear
"
"I am my own master, my darling, and no one can say
me nay upon this most vital point," he replied, gravely,
yet with decision.
"I will go with you, Adrian," she said, simply.
"Bless you, my own !" he exclaimed, joyfully, then
added, in tones of regret: "It is not a fitting way to wed
you, I know-not as I had fondly hoped it would be, when
I planned to lead you before my friends, and wed you
openly, as befits your station and mine; but," he added
lightly, "when once we are settled we will make a great
feast, and all shall do honor to my wife. But we must
not delay longer if we would escape observation. But,
first, I have something for you-I brought it last evening."
He then took the ring from his pocket and put it upon
her finger, saying as he did so: "There, that seals our
vows so far."
He then took his cloak from his own shoulders, and,
wrapping it closely around her, led her by an unfrequented path to the spot where he had left his carriage.
He drove directly to Nurse Clum's, where, giving his
betrothed into Milly's hands to be fed and cared for, he
secured a private interview with the former, told her his
plans, and what he thought necessary of the circumstances
which seemed to make them advisable.
The faithful old nurse shook her head when he told
her that he was braving his grandfather's displeasure; but
she saw he was determined upon the course he had marked
out, and she could not say him nay.
Milly was delighted at the prospect of being lady's

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
maid to a bride, and was charmed with the sweet lady
who was to be Master Adrian's wife.
They took as early a train as possible from West Mailing, in order to escape observation, and before noon they
were all comfortably settled in London, Brownie and
her two companions having an elegant suite of rooms at
the Langham Hotel, in Portland Place, the most fashionable quarter of the city, while Adrian returned to his own
private apartments in St. James Street.
Before sundown he had procured the special license, and
believed himself the happiest man alive, the only cloud
being the disapproval of his grandfather, and this, he
trusted, time would overcome.
Meantime, Brownie, in company with Milly, visited a
fashionable ladies' furnishing house, and procured the most
suitable outfit it was possible to procure at so short a notice, and gave orders for several other articles of apparel
which she would need in the future.
The next morning a quiet little wedding party alighted
at St. George's Church, Hanover Square, at eleven o'clock,
and, leading his beautiful betrothed proudly up the grand
aisle, Adrian Dredmond stopped before the gray-haired
rector, and the twain were made one.
It was a very sweet but solemn face which looked up
into Adrian's when he paused a moment in the vestibule
and whispered, tenderly:
"God bless my own wife !"
But her eyes, as he pressed that first kiss upon her lips,
were full of happiness and trust, and he knew that he
had it in his power to make her life very bright. It was
well for him, however, that he had not betrayed to her the
fact of his grandfather's disapproval, nor what he was
likely to forfeit by his alliance with her, else all the pride
of a royal race would have risen within her, and that fair
April day would not have seen Brownie Douglas, Adrian
I)redmond's bride!

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TRIUMPH

225

CHAPTER XXXV
LADY DUNFORTIH'S VISIT

ADRIAN DREDMOND, as he had stated to his grandfather
when he so wrathfully opposed his marrying, was not
quite a beggar; indeed, he was entirely independent of
Lord Dunforth as regarded pecuniary matters.
His mother's settlement had been the generous sum of
twenty thousand pounds, which, of course, after her death
became his.
His father also had accumulated quite a handsome property, so that, if he never received a pound from Dunforth's
coffers, he was able to surround his bride with every luxury, while nothing could prevent him from inheriting the
title and landed property upon the old gentleman's decease,
since they were entailed.
The day after his marriage Adrian read in the Times
that his lordship was in town for a few days, and he resolved to visit him, and acquaint him with the step which
he had taken, and have the worst over with at once.
He was received kindly, yet with some coolness.
"Have you gotten over your folly, my son ?" the old
man asked, regarding the bright, handsome face keenly.
"No, my lord; instead, I came to tell you that I have
only gotten deeper into it," was the grave yet quiet reply.
"What do you mean, sir ?" and Lord Dunforth got quite
red in the face at this answer.
"I mean, my lord, that I meant just what I said several
days ago. I told you that the happiness of two lives was
at stake, and that I should marry the lady I love. Sir, I
found that she was being shamefully abused and insulted
in her situation, and I made her my wife yesterday."
"And you dare come hither and tell me of it !" thundered the angry lord, starting to his feet.
"I could not endure to be at variance with you, sir, and
I know you would honor me for the course I have taken
if you would but consider the circumstances."
"Never !" he interrupted, white with passion; "you have
braved my displeasure, and now-begone! That a Dun-

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forth should have stolen forth like that to marry a beggar !" and he groaned aloud.

"But, grandfather, listen
"
"I will not, I tell you, and I command you to begone;
you are of age, and can henceforth manage your own concerns; but not one shilling of my property shall revert to
you more than I can help, and I would keep the title and
estate from you if I could. Go to your beggar-bride, and
be happy, if you can. You have ruined my life. Oh,
God! I thought I had suffered enough at the beginning
without this last blow to crush me," and he turned away
from him, with a gesture of despair.
The young man's heart bled for him, and he longed to
comfort him, but he saw that his presence only excited
him, and he withdrew, sad indeed, but without a single
regret for the step which he had taken. He knew he had
done right.
He was puzzled to know what his lordship had meant
by saying he thought he had suffered enough in the beginning. He had never heard the story of his early disappointment, so he could not know to what he referred.
He sought his grandmother, and related his adventures
and their termination to her.
He found her very kind and willing to listen to him,
and he told her all about Brownie from the time of his
first meeting with her; but she, too, deemed it a misalliance, and was deeply distressed on account of it, as well
as the rupture between him and his lordship.
But Adrian was her idol-the deed was done, and could
not now be undone-and he was so high in his praises of
his bride that she was half won over to his side before he
left her, and she promised to visit them, if she could do
so without incurring the displeasure of her husband.
Three days later the happy husband and wife might
have been seen sitting in their luxurious drawing-room in
the Langham Hotel, where everything which love could
suggest or money procure had been lavished upon the
lovely bride.
Adrian had insisted immediately following their marriage upon her procuring an extensive and elaborate wardrobe, "befitting a lady of rank," as he laughingly said, al-

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

227

though what that rank was he had not yet seen fit to tell
her, and she was too happy, as well as too delicate, to
question him upon such minor points.
Upon this particular morning, Brownie was exquisitely
lovely in a soft, trailing robe of white cashmere, trimmed
with rose-colored silk, and confined at the waist by a
heavy cord and tassels of the same color. Full ruchings
of costly lace surrounded her neck and wrists, and from
beneath the folds of her dress peeped the tiniest kid slipper, ornamented with bows of rose-colored satin. Her
hair was arranged simply, but very becomingly, for Milly
took the utmost delight in her new vocation, and spared
no pains to make her fair young mistress look beautiful;
and no one could say, as she sits listening while her husband reads to her from the morning paper, but that the
lovely bride was absolutely perfect, from the crown of her
pretty head to the sole of her dainty slipper.
Nurse Clum has returned to West Malling, since she is
no more needed for propriety's sake; but she did not go
empty-handed by any means, for Adrian crowded her poor
little purse to its fullest capacity, while Brownie bought
the very nicest black silk for a dress which she could find
as a testimonial of her appreciation of the kindness which
she had done her.
The little golden clock upon its bracket of carved marble chimed the hour of eleven, and scarcely had it ceased
when there came a knock upon the door.
Another instant it was swung open, and the waiter announced:
"Lady Dunforth !"
Brownie colored violently at the name, and glanced in
surprise at her husband, wondering how it happened that
she, of all others, should be the first to call upon her.
Much pleased, Adrian rose to greet her ladyship, and,
leading her to Brownie, said, to her increasing surprise:
"Grandmother, this is my darling. Will you love her
for my sake first, until you come to know her, when, I am
sure, you will love her for her own ?"
The old lady had hardly seen Brownie when she was at
the castle, she had been so much engaged with her company, and she would never have recognized her as the

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same being as she stood before her now in all her bright
loveliness.
She was charmed with her!
Her quick eye took in at a single glance every item of
her tasteful toilet, and even the narrow little foot, with
its arching instep; and she knew at once that she was in
the presence of a true and well-born lady.
Her heart, which had been filled with dread and distress ever since she had first known of her boy's marriage, instantly settled down into a state of restful satisfaction and delight.
She greeted the young bride with the utmost graciousness, and said, sweetly, as she kissed her:
"My dear, I do not think I shall even need Adrian's
recommendation to make me love you."
Brownie concealed her amazement at this new development as best she could.
She had never dreamed that Adrian was the grandson
of Lord Dunforth until that moment, and the knowledge
brought with it various conflicting emotions.
She gave him one quick, surprised look, and then devoted herself to the entertainment of her distinguished
guest.
As she kissed Brownie again at parting, Lady Dunforth
put into her hands a large velvet case.
"I do not know what you may have already, dear," she
said, "but I like a bride to wear pearls. Please accept
these, with my love."
Brownie touched the spring, and her lovely face flushed
with pleasure as the cover flew back.
Upon their blue velvet cushion there lay a most exquisite and complete set of pearls in the loveliest designnecklace, bracelets, earrings, with a beautiful spray for the
hair.
Adrian was very much gratified at this token of remembrance, and added his thanks to his wife's.
"I do not know how soon we shall return to Dunforth
Castle, but I wish you might come to West Malling before
very long," Lady Dunforth said, wistfully, when she went
away, but she did not invite them to call upon her while
she remained in town. She knew it would not do.

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229

Delicately as she had worded the sentence, Brownie felt
it with a sudden pain, and knew that no invitation was
conveyed in the words, and her brow grew troubled and
her face very grave when they were alone again.
Adrian at once divined the cause, and knew that he
must explain his position; he could not keep it from her
longer.
"My Brownie is looking troubled; were you not pleased
with Lady Dunforth ?" he asked, drawing her into his
arms.
"Oh, yes. I think she is very lovely; but, Adrian, I
never dreamed that you were anything to Lord Dunforth."
"You never asked me, did you?" he asked, with mock
gravity.
"Of course not; I did not like to be questioning you as
to your ancestry; I supposed you would tell me all in good
time of your own accord. I have heard that you were
connected with a titled family, but never supposed you
were a descendant of his, and would occupy such a high
position," she said, looking rather uneasy.
"Then it can never be said that you schemed for me on
that account," he replied, with twinkling eyes and an
amused smile, "while I, on the other hand, have had the
advantage of you all along. I have known ever since the
day I first saw you that you were a descendant of royalty."
Brownie lifted her head, and gave him a perplexed look.
"What do you mean ?" she asked.
"I mean," and he laughed, mischievously, "that I have
heard Miss Douglas was very proud of having descended
from Queen Margaret Tudor. Have you the genealogical
tree, Brownie ?"
"Poor auntie! But you are laughing at me, and who
told you all this ?"
"My friend Gordon, of course; so you see, I took care
to find out all about you before I made any advances."
She smiled at his pleasantry, but she was not to be diverted from the subject which occupied her thoughts.
"But-but, Adrian, why did Lady Dunforth speak in
just the way she did? And why did not his lordship call

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

with her? It would have been the right thing to do," and
she searched his face with her clear eyes.
He told her as gently as he could then that when he
went to seek his grandfather's consent, that, knowing
something regarding the circumstances of her leaving Mrs.
Coolidge, he had imbibed a sudden and unjust prejudice,
and had withheld his consent to their marriage.
"Did you know of this before you announced our engagement at Lady Randal's ?" she demanded, when he had
finished.
"Yes, darling; and, if the whole world had opposed, it
would have made no difference. I am not a slave, nor a
vacillating boy, that any one should choose my bride for
me; and you are the only woman I have ever seen whom
I would willingly make my wife. If my grandfather would
only have listened to me while I explained your position,
he would never have been so unreasonable."
"But I
" Brownie began, haughtily, but he stopped
her with a kiss.
"Yes, I know, my own, that the pride of that royal race
is so strong within you that you never would have wedded
me had you known of this opposition; therefore, I took
care that you should know nothing of it until it was too
late." Then he added, more seriously, as he saw that her
face was still overcast: "But, my darling, what is birth
or caste, compared with our future happiness, even if you
were not my equal, socially speaking, which I contend you
are? We love each other, and have no right to make ourselves miserable over what the world might think or say.
You and I are satisfied with each other, are we not ?" he
asked, fondly.
The look which she gave him told him that she, at least,
was content with him; but, still knowing all that she did
regarding Lord Dunforth, the knowledge that he was opposed to her marrying Adrian still rankled in her heart,
though she forgot to consider that he could not know
who she was, or that she had any connection with his
former love.
"But, Adrian," she said, some time after, and when he
had supposed the matter dropped entirely, "Lord Dunforth need not have been so very particular, for he himself

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281

was once betrothed to auntie, and would have married her
1if"
It was now the young husband's turn to look surprised
and puzzled, and he interrupted her in astonished tones:
"Dearest, what is this that you are saying ?"
"It is true," she answered, smiling at his incredulity,
"that he wanted to marry her, and would, but for some
treachery on the part of Miss Helen Capel, who is now
Lady Randal, I believe; and poor auntie loved him till the
last minute of her life."
"Who told you of this ?"
"Auntie herself, the very day she died, and the jewels
which Isabel Coolidge has were, most of them, given to
her in honor of her approaching marriage with his lordship."
More and more amazed, Adrian was now eager to hear
the whole story, and Brownie, nothing loth, went over the
whole ground, and then proved her position by reminding
him of Lord Dunforth's recognition of the jewels she wore
the night she attended the opera.
When she had concluded, he said, with a little touch of
triumph in his tone:
"I think, Mrs. Dredmond, that we are about to turn the
table upon my proud-spirited grandsire finely, and we will
prove to him that there is such a thing as being 'more nice
than wise.' "
With which trite quotation he immediately sat down
and wrote out a complete history of Miss Mehetabel Douglas
and Brownie, and dispatched it at once to Lord Dunforth,
feeling assured that this explanation would make everything all right, and bring his lordship to them in rather
a more humble frame of mind than when he last saw him.
His chagrin can be imagined when the epistle was returned to him unopened, and without a word, thus showing
that henceforth he wished no communication with him;
and while his indignation for the moment got the better
of him, he was still deeply grieved to be thus alienated from
his grandfather in his old age.
But Brownie, all her pride aroused to arms, vowed within herself that the haughty earl should yet sue for her
favor.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

CHAPTER XXXVI
BROWNIE'S

LITTLE

CHARGE

BROWNIE was exceedingly anxious that Lady huxley
should be informed of her happiness and safety, and would
have hastened at once to Vallingham Hall to relieve her
anxiety; but Adrian insisted that they would be constantly receiving callers, and after sending their cards
abroad as he had done, it would not do to run away; besides, he was desirous that she should see more of the
great metropolis, and mingle in its gayeties for a while,
But he suggested she should write.
So Brownie wrote her ladyship an affectionate letter,
telling her of her marriage, and that she would come to
see her just as soon as possible, and explain everything.
Meanwhile, she requested that she would keep her secret
from the Randals and Coolidges until she saw her.
This duty accomplished, she gave herself up heartily to
all the pleasures which Adrian planned for her.
One day, upon returning from a stroll in Regent's Park,
they had almost reached Portland Place when their attention was suddenly attracted by a shrill scream, and then
by the distressing cries of a child.
Turning quickly in the direction whence the sound proceeded, Adrian saw that a woman, who but a moment before had been standing on the river's brink, had disappeared from sight, while the child of whom she had had
charge was reaching out its hands toward the river, and
screaming at the top of its lungs.
The young husband and wife hastened to the spot, and
saw that the woman had fallen from the bank, and was
lying motionless at the bottom of the stream.
Whether she had fainted, or what had caused the fall,
they could not imagine, and Adrian hastened to rescue her,
while Brownie, taking the little one from its elegant carriage, tenderly strove to comfort it.
A crowd began to gather around, and Adrian was assisted in bringing his burden to a safe, dry place; but

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283

to all his inquiries as to who she was no one could give any
information.
She was evidently a nurse in some high family, as her
cap and apron denoted, while the child, a little boy of
about three years, was clothed with taste and elegance.
He kept crying for "Nannie, Nannie," at first, and his
little face wore a grieved, distressed look, as he saw her
lying so still upon the ground, but Brownie removed him
to a little distance, and soon succeeded in quieting him
with her fond, sweet words.
The woman continued insensible, and as they could gain
no clew to her identity, Adrian, fearing she had been seriously injured in falling, began to wonder what would be
best to do with her.
A policeman now appeared, and advised that she be
taken to some hospital, and deeming this the wisest course
to pursue, the young man gave directions that she be taken
to St. George's, it being the finest one in the city.
"But what will become of the child ?" he asked, in perplexity, as he saw it in Brownie's arms.
"Take him to the station-house until called for," some
one said, heartlessly.
"Oh, no !" exclaimed Brownie, with an appealing, terrified look at her husband; while the child, frightened at
being so curiously regarded, threw his little arms around
her neck and hid his face upon her shoulder.
She clasped him to her with a sudden thrill.
"Let us keep him until his parents come to claim him,"
she said, in a low tone, to her husband.
"But, dearest, it will never do for you to have the care
of him," he returned, disapprovingly.
"Ah! Adrian, he is such a darling, I should like it.
Milly will assist in the care of him, and, in all probability,
his parents will claim him by to-morrow."
"That is true," he said, hesitatingly.
"I know he will be content with me, and that I shall
treat him tenderly. Dear, I cannot let them take him to
the station-house," she pleaded, earnestly.
Adrian himself said that was not to be thought of for
a moment, and being strongly attracted toward the beautiful boy, it was finally arranged that it should be as

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Brownie desired, and they all returned to the Langham,
while the unfortunate nurse was borne away to the hospital.
The little fellow was soon as happy as a king, and, although he talked of Nannie, seemed perfectly contented
when in Brownie's presence.
She found, upon questioning him, that he was called
Eddie, but she tried in vain to make him repeat his last
name. Evidently he had not been taught it.
The next morning Adrian went early to the hospital,
hoping the nurse would be able to converse with him and
give him information regarding her little charge; but he
found her raving in delirium, and the doctors said she
had doubtless been seriously injured about the head in
falling, and they were fearful that the accident would
cost her her life.
Only one thing remained to be done now, and that was
to advertise the child in the papers, which Adrian immediately did, and then strove quietly to await the issue.
Since the little one would occupy her for a few days,
Brownie persuaded Adrian to run down to Vallingham
Hall to relieve Lady Ruxley's suspense, and consult with
her as the best method of securing her jewels, and of releasing Herbert Randal.
It was Saturday that the accident happened, and on
Monday he departed for West Malling, where he found
Lady Ruxley in her usual health, but feeling very lonely
without her companion. She still remained at the Hall,
where she said she should stay until the folks returned
from Paris, and then they might have their grand doings
to themselves and welcome.
She had received Brownie's note that day before their
departure for Paris, but she had carefully guarded her
secret, thoroughly believing in her, and inwardly triumphing in her good fortune.
"I knew they were humbugs from the beginning," she
said, wrathfully, when Adrian told her about the jewels;
"but," and she shook her head sadly, "it's too bad for
Charles to be taken in so."
"I sympathize with your ladyship," Adrian returned.
"But let us hope that he may have his eyes opened before
it is too late."

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

235

He then related Brownie's history from beginning to
end, and though the old lady felt some uncomfortable
twinges of conscience upon hearing that she was the grandniece of that same Mehetabel Douglas who came to such
grief in her own house, yet she rejoiced over the young
girl's triumph and good fortune. She sniffed contemptuously when Adrian spoke of his grandfather's opposition
to his marriage.
"She has just as good blood in her veins as Royal Dunforth himself, and when he gets his eyes open he'll be
ashamed of being so crotchety. Humph !" she went on,
with her irrepressible chuckle; "I told Helen she'd get
her pay yet; and I knew that girl was treacherous. What
a mongrel she is to appropriate the poor, abused thing's
jewels and wear them!-and they were Meta Douglas',
too! I thought I had seen them before, but I didn't say
a word, for Helen says I am always poking into other folks'
affairs. And they hid the poor child in that wretched cell,
did they ?"

"Yes; although I do not see how they dared do it,"
Adrian replied.
"Sir Charles shall know of this, or my tongue will be
palsied before I can tell him !" she muttered, angrily, and
then demanded: "Who did you say let her out ?"
Adrian really dreaded relating this portion of his story,
lest the shock should be too much for the old lady. He
had merely mentioned the fact of Brownie's being released
by some one upon the other side of the cell, but now he
broke to her as gently as he could the tale of Lady Randal's sin in concealing her deformed son.
"Has she dared do this cruel thing ?" she whispered
hoarsely; then added:
"I had given her credit during these later years for regretting and repenting of her former wickedness and intrigues, but it seems she is capable of almost anything
He-Herbert, did you say his name is ?"
"Yes; that was what he told my wife."
"Well, he must not remain there another hour-it is
too horrible !"
She insisted upon going immediately to the young man,
asking Adrian to accompany her.

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Lady Ruxley appeared to know the way perfectly; for,
passing through Isabel's room, she unbolted the door of
the cell, and groped her way to the opposite side.
As she stepped upon that semi-circular block of stone,
she explained the secret to Adrian, and bidding him follow her, she pressed her foot upon the bolt and disappeared. As soon as the shaft arose to its place, he followed
immediately, and soon found himself standing by her
side, in the room already described.
The young cripple was sleeping upon a couch, and had
not heard them enter; but as Lady Ruxley stumped toward him with her cane, he started up, and regarded his
strange visitors with amazement.
Lady Ruxley nearly shrieked aloud as she beheld his
terrible deformity, but quickly recovering herself, she
moved still nearer to him, and exclaimed, in her blunt way:
"Well, Herbert Randal, thank the Lord that you are at
last born into the world !"
"Madam, are you-who are you ?" he stammered, regarding her with nearly as much curiosity as she did him.
"I am a withered antediluvian, as you perceive, but the
heart within me is sound yet, and capable of feeling for
others' woes, if not for others' faults. I am Lady Ruxley,
your mother's aunt."
"I have heard of you, and Miss Douglas said you were
very kind," he said, gently, and regarding her bent form
with a pitying eye.
"Did she ?" said her ladyship, eagerly, while her thin
lips broke into a pleased smile. "Miss Douglas was a
jewel."
"Miss Douglas was," repeated the cripple, catching his
breath, and a look of pain crossing his face.
"Yes, was; for she is no longer Miss Douglas, but Mrs.
Dredmond, and this is her husband," returned Lady Ruxley, introducing Adrian.
The two young men clasped hands, but Herbert Randal
searched Adrian's face wistfully and eagerly.
And now there followed many questions and explanations, and a long conference, which resulted in Lady Ruxley deciding that young RIandal should return at once with
her to the villa, where he should remain until the return

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

of the family from Paris, "when there will be a serious
reckoning," she concluded, with a stern, bitter look.
Herbert demurred at first, but upon being assured by
Adrian that it would be best, he at last consented, upon
condition that he could induce his tutor to be party to the
plan.
The tutor was summoned, and although very much disturbed at this unexpected state of things, he was really
glad at heart that for the future his pupil would know the
comforts of life. Lady Ruxley assured him that his salary
should be continued to him during his own and his sister's
life, for the sake of the kindness which he had shown his
charge during the past.
So, as the matter was to be kept as quiet as possible
from the servants, it was decided they should wait until
evening before they made the change, when it was accomplished without exciting suspicion.
Adrian remained until the next morning, when, bidding
them a kind farewell, and feeling much pleased with the
result of his journey, he returned to London, taking with
him Brownie's trunks, a cordial invitation from Lady Ruxley to the bride to come and visit her, and also an elegant
piece of Irish point lace, that would have made the eyes
of half the London belles water with envy, as a bridal
present.
Lady Ruxley seemed to forget her own aches and pains
in ministering to the comfort of her unfortunate grandnephew; and she found him a most entertaining companion, for he had improved his time and was well read upon
almost every subject.
She was eager for the return of Lady Randal from
Paris, and yet she was somewhat anxious as to what the
result of this new development would be; while she could
not help feeling a little bit of triumph as she thought how
astonished and somewhat chagrined her amiable niece
would be when she should discover that Mehetabel Douglas
would be the Lady of Dunforth after all.
"And Charles, how will he receive his brother, I wonder ?" she often thought, with some anxiety. "If he is
noble and manly, as I hope he will be, my fortune shall

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

be divided between them; but if he should be unkind or
ungenerous, then Herbert shall have every farthing !"
Upon Adrian's return to London, his young wife met
him with the saddest face in the world, and threw herself
into his arms with a heart-broken cry.
The beautiful child, whom she had so tenderly taken
to her heart in its desolation, and whom she had begun to
love very dearly, was alarmingly ill-dying, she feared,
from what the physician said-with that dread disease,
membraneous croup !
He had been taken very suddenly, almost immediately
upon Adrian's departure, and, despite their tenderest care,
had rapidly grown worse, until now he was wholly unconscious, and seemed sinking fast.
Adrian was extremely shocked by this distressing intelligence, and together they returned to Eddie's bedside.
The doctor was there holding the little pulse and watching the ebbing life. He shook his head very gravely at
Adrian's look of inquiry, and one glance into the little
pale, distressed face, told more plainly still that there was
no hope.
An hour passed with scarce any change, and still those
kind watchers hovered around his bed.
But suddenly there came to them from the drawingroom sounds of confusion and eager questioning.
Adrian passes out to inquire the cause, and Brownie
hears a few hurried sentences, then a sharp cry of pain,
which is followed by the sudden rush of garments, and a
beautiful woman of about thirty rushes frantically to the
bedside, and bends, sobbing and moaning, over the dying
child.
She is immediately followed by a gentleman a few years
older, who with a groan of agony, seizes the little cold
hands and passionately presses kiss after kiss upon them.
Brownie comprehends at once that at last the parents
have found their missing child.
"It is Sir Edgar Douglas and his wife, who have just
returned from a journey into Wales," Adrian whispers,
drawing his wife a little aside, and then continued: "They
arrived only this morning, and were rendered nearly frantic at finding the nurse and their boy missing; but almost

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

39

immediately they saw my advertisement, and hastened
hither at once."
"How dreadful !" murmured Brownie, weeping with the
stricken ones.
Then she hastened to minister to the little one, who
seemed now to be struggling with the mighty foe; while
his mother was too much overcome by her violent grief
to be capable of any effort, and the father seemed like one
turned to stone.
Brownie closes the beautiful eyes, smooths the bright
curling locks back from the marble brow, and clasps the
tiny hands upon the still breast, then turns to comfort the
bereft mother.
It is a hopeless task, however, for she is borne fainting
to another apartment, whither her husband soon follows
her, having first, in reply to Adrian's offer of assistance,
requested that he would arrange for the last sad rites.
The mother wept, and would not be comforted; but the
father was like a block of marble, until he looked his last
upon his darling's face and they bore him from his sight.
Then, with one deep, heartrending groan, he sank lifeless
upon the floor, stricken down by a fatal attack of apoplexy.
It was his heir, his only treasure, and death had ruthlessly snatched him from his grasp; he had not thought
that his peerless boy could die, so young, so bright, so beau.tiful, and his own heart-strings were snapped asunder.
Three days later those who had borne his son away,
took him also, and laid him by his side, while the widow
returned to her home desolate.
The nurse was very ill for several weeks, but at length,
contrary to all expectation, she began to recover, and in
time returned to her sorrowing mistress.

CHAPTER XXXVII
ANOTHER REVELATION

THE following notice appeared a few days subsequent in
the London Daily Times:

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

"The nearest of kin to Sir Edgar Douglas, who was son
of Sir William Douglas, son of Sir Frederick Douglas,
formerly of Winship Towers, Winchester, will learn something to his or her advantage by applying to Capel & Armand, attorneys-at-law, No. 47 Gray's Inn."
"What was your father's name, Brownie ?" Adrian asked
lifting his eyes from the paper he had been reading.
"William Douglas."
"And what was his father's name ?"
"James. But why do you ask? Shall I bring forth the
genealogical tree ?" she asked, mischievously.
"Yes, bring it," he said, gravely, and with something
of surprise in her manner she obeyed.
"Now see if you can find the name of Sir Frederick
Douglas three generations back," he said, when he had
spread it out.
"Yes, here it is."
"Now who was his heir ?"
"Sir William E. Douglas."
"Does the table give the name of his son ?"
"No, the record of that family stops there."
"I thought likely; now what connection is, or was Sir
William E. Douglas to your branch of the family ?"
Brownie referred again to the chart.
"Sir William, James, my grandfather, and auntie, were
all the children of Sir Frederick Douglas; and I never
knew until his moment that auntie had more than one
brother," Brownie said, in surprise.
"That is strange; and he was the heir to the baronetcy,
too," returned Adrian; then he asked: "What is the date
of his death ?"
"1840. It is put here in auntie's own handwriting."
"That is thirty-six years ago. Then Sir William Douglas was your father's uncle, which makes him your granduncle, and just the same relation to you that Miss Mehetable Douglas was."
"Well, what does all this mean, Adrian."
"It means that Sir Edgar Douglas was Sir William
Douglas' heir, and he being deceased, also his son and only
child Eddie, there does not seem to be any immediate heir
to the property, which probably is entailed, or this adver-

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TRIUMPH

241

tisement would not have appeared," Adrian replied, as he
handed it to his wife to read.
She read it, and theu turned to the genealogical table
again with a flushed face. After a few minutes she looked
up with a puzzled expression, and said:
"I have an idea of what you are thinking, Adrian, but
I cannot quite make it out."
He took pencil and paper, and after a few moments
placed a diagram before her.
"According to that you are the only living relative and
heir of Sir Edgar Douglas," he said.
"Do you suppose it can be true ?" she asked, gravely.
"We will apply to Capel & Armand and see, dear."
Accordingly they ordered a carriage and drove to Gray's
Inn, taking Miss Mehetabel's precious family tree with
them.
Brownie used to have her patience severely tried in the
days when Miss Mehetabel would descant upon her illustrious birth and ancestry, and often wished this same family tree at the bottom of the ocean, little thinking of the
future good it was to bring her.
They were most kindly received by Messrs. Capel &
Armand, and after listening to Adrian's explanation, and
thoroughly examining the record, they fully agreed with
him that Brownie was the person whom they were seeking.
They congratulated her upon her good fortune, telling
her that there was a fine estate at Winchester, and also a
handsome town house, which would now become hers,
and that in her own right she possessed an independent
fortune.
"How strange!" Brownie exclaimed, tearfully, when
they were once more alone, and talking the matter over
again, "that the little darling should be of my own kin."
"It is, indeed, and I never thought of the coincidence
of names when Sir Edgar and his wife came," replied
Adrian.
"I am so glad that he fell into our hands, instead of
strangers; yet I grieve for the poor little fellow and his
father, who was just in the prime of life. It is sad that
my gain must come from poor Lady Douglas' misfortune."
"It is sad, dearest; and I was satisfied with my wife

24,9

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

just as she was; but, I suppose, that this will go to prove
to Mrs. Grundy that I have not made a misalliance after
all," Adrian returned, somewhat scornfully.
"It never rains but it pours," is the homely old adage,
and the next day brought a lengthy epistle from Mr. Conrad, of Philadelphia, stating that the concern in which he
had invested so much of Miss Mehetabel's property had
formed a new stock company, which had assumed all the
obligations of the old one, which they would cancel at
their earliest convenience.
It might be some time, he wrote, before they could make
over the whole amount to her, but meantime, they would
continue the interest on the whole, and make a yearly deposit in whatever bank she saw fit to designate, unless she
should prefer to let her shares remain as they had been.
And, the honest lawyer added, things were beginning
to look brighter to him, also, and he hoped to be able soon
to do something for her on his own account.
One day, not long after, it was necessary for Brownie
to go to Capel & Armand's to sign some papers regarding
her coming into possession of the estate at Winchester.
Adrian accompanied her as far as the door, where he
was obliged to leave her to transact some business of his
own.
She mounted the stairs to the office, swung open the
door, entered, and found herself face to face with Lord
Dunforth!
He did not recognize her, for he had only seen her once
while she was at the castle, and he could not associate this
elegantly clad, blooming woman, with the pale, blackrobed figure, who had been so attentive to Lady Ruxley's
wants.
At all events, he thought her wondrously beautiful now,
and wondered who she could be.
Brownie knew him instantly, and the rich color flew to
her cheek, but she did not lose an atom of her self-possession.
Her manner was perfect, her language, as she conversed
with the lawyers, was choice and fluent, while the little
hand with which she signed the documents they placed
before her, was white, and soft, and tapering-"a sure

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

243,

sign of a lady," his lordship, who was watching from behind his paper, said to himself.
"A remarkably lovely woman that," Mr. Capel said to
him, after Brownie's departure.
"She is, indeed. Who is she ?"
"She is heiress to the property of Sir Edgar Douglas,
who died so suddenly a couple of weeks since."
"Ah, yes! I heard that he left no heir. That was a
sad circumstance."
"It was, indeed, for his rent roll at Winchester is no
mean one, and his town house will compare favorably with
the best."
"So I have been told; but how does this young lady
happen to inherit them? Whose child is she ?"
"Sir Edgar's father, Sir William Douglas, and her
grandfather, James Douglas, were brothers, each of whom
had but one child, a son, and they in turn had only one
child, one a son, the other a daughter. Sir Edgar's son, as
you are aware, died only a few days previous to his father,
and that leaves this lady the sole surviving relative. Her
own parents died, one just before her birth, the other just
after, leaving her to the care of a maiden aunt, Miss Mehetabel Douglas, who left this country many years ago, and
settled in Philadelphia, United States."
"Sir! What !" demanded his lordship, to whom this
news was like a thunderbolt, which opened the old wound
afresh.
"Yes, her own name was Mehetabel Douglas until her
marriage; she was named for her aunt. My lord, you are
ill !" said the lawyer, startled to see him grow so white,
while his hand shook so that the paper he held rattled.
"No, no; go on. Then you say they are all dead, excepting this young lady ?" he cried, trying with a mighty
effort to steady his nerves.
"Yes, Miss Mehetabel, the elder, died less than a year
ago, the young woman tells me. They were supposed to
be very wealthy at her death, but a series of misfortunes
deprived them of everything, and this young lady obtained
a situation as governess in a family that was coming
abroad. Strange, isn't it, how things work around, and
that she should come here to walk right into this fortune ?"

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

It was passing strange, his lordship acknowledged; and
this beautiful young girl was the niece of his lost love,
and her adopted child, doubtless.
He wished he had known of this before she left; he
would have requested an introduction, and by that means
he would have learned all about his lost one's life. As it
was, he resolved to seek her out at his earliest convenience,
and learn more of her and her antecedents.
Then there suddenly arose a thought which troubled
him.
If this young lady was Miss Mehetabel's only living
relative, how came Miss Isabel Coolidge by those jewels?
Could it be that the poor child had been reduced to the
necessity of selling them? It did not yet occur to him
that she was the poor, discarded governess of whom Adrian
had told him.
But no, he could not believe that a Douglas would be
guilty of parting with precious heirlooms for filthy lucre
no matter how destitute she might become.
"You say the young lady is lately married," he said,
resuming his conversation with the lawyer, and determined
to learn all he could.
"Yes, I think it is not more than two or three weeks
since the event occurred."
Lord Dunforth did start now, remembering that that
was about the time of Adrian's marriage. Still the truth
did not enter his mind, as his next words proved.
"You say she was a governess previous. Whom did
she marry? I trust she has not made a misalliance; the
Douglases are remarkably good stock. I used to know
the family intimately," he concluded, with a troubled brow.
"You are right; they were always a fine family. I do
not think that the young lady has brought any disgrace
upon it, however, for her husband appears to be a very
fine man. His name is Dredmond-Adrian Dredmond."
His lordship's face turned ghastly pale at this, and he
looked up at the loquacious lawyer in a dazed sort of way.
"You are surely ill, my lord !" Mr. Capel said, alarmed
at his appearance, and pouring out a glass of wine, he
brought it to him, thinking it strange, too, that the story
should affect him so.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

245

"Thank you; it is merely a sudden dizziness, it will
pass soon," he said, as he drank the wine; then, after he
had regained his scattered senses somewhat, he arose, bade
the lawyer good-morning, and departed.
His first and only love was dead, and his heart told
him that she had been true to him to the last, from the
fact of her never having married.
But how could he meet her in the future and answer for
all the insult and abuse he had heaped upon the child of
her love.
He wondered if she had recognized him as she came
into Capel & Armand's office.
"If she did, the little witch displayed wonderful dignity
and self-possession. I don't blame the boy for falling in
love with her," he muttered.
Then he remembered how earnestly Adrian had begged
him to listen while he explained, and he would not; how
he had returned unopened his letter, which doubtless contained all the information and more than he had gained
to-day; and he sought his elegant home in Upper Grosvenor Street, in a remarkably humble frame of mind for
so proud a man.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
THE CYNOSURE OF ALL EYES

LORD DUNFORT , without acquainting his wife of the

change of his feelings, called the next day, as early as the
rules of etiquette would allow, at the Langham, and desired to be shown to Mr. Dredmond's apartments.
He was informed, much to his disappointment, that
Mr. Dredmond and his wife had left town for a few days.
Like all truly noble natures, when he found he was in
the wrong he was willing to acknowledge it, and anxious
to atone as far as lay in his power; but nothing remained
now but to wait with patience until the return of the young
couple.
Adrian and his wife had decided, upon talking the matter over, to wait until the return of the Coolidges from

246

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Paris before making their trip to West Malling, meantime
they would run down to Winchester to pay poor Lady
Douglas a visit and take a look at Winship Towers.
Upon their return to London they found numerous cards
and invitations from families in high life awaiting them,
requesting the pleasure of Mr. Dredmond and lady's presence, etc., etc. One for the evening called them to Manchester House, the residence of the Marquis of Hertford.
"The world is really waking up to the fact that you are
actually married, Adrian," Brownie said, mischievously,
as she turned over the dainty missives, but her cheeks were
glowing with indignation.
"Yes," her husband replied, laughingly, "and I wish to
show them that I have chosen a wife worth marrying!
I want you to look especially elegant to-night. Do you
need anything to embellish your toilet?"
Brownie laughed merrily at this question, and taking
him by the arm, led him to her dressing-room, where,
throwing open the door of one of the enormous wardrobes, she commanded him to look and choose for himself
what he would have her wear.
"My darling," exclaimed Adrian, as she swept into the
drawing-room a little later, "how beautiful you are, and
how proud I am of you !"and he held out his arms as if
about to clasp her to him; but drawing suddenly back, he
added: "But no; I will not crush a single bud, nor disarrange one of those perfect folds."
"Don't be foolish, dear," Brownie replied, nestling close
to him, and clasping her own arms around his neck; "the
dress is nothing to me except as it pleases you, and makes
me look more lovable in your eyes; besides, I do not wish
to look too new."
Adrian's marriage-or rather the news of it-had spread
like wildfire among the elite of London, and many were
the comments and sneers poured upon the unknown American behind her back for having been so successful in
"taking him in."
Comparatively little was really known of her, or their
marriage, excepting that it had been very sudden and
quiet, and without the sanctioning presence of Lord and
Lady Dunforth.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

247

Contrary to Brownie's surmise, the report of her sudden accession to wealth and position had not yet become
very generally known, and Mrs. Grundy was exceedingly
curious to behold this rara avis which had created such an
unexpected commotion in polite circles.
When at length "Mr. Dredmond and lady" were announced at Manchester House, there was a sudden hush, a
stretching of necks-yes, even in that noble crowd, for
human nature is the same the world over-and all eyes
were turned toward the door as they entered.
Brownie knew that she was the cynosure of all eyes,
and although her heart beat rather more quickly than
usual, not a muscle of her pure, patrician face quivered as
they threaded their way through the crowd.
It was a moment of triumph to her idolizing husband
when she was presented to the Marquis and Marchioness
of Hertford, and greeted them with graceful yet perfect
self-possession, while the manner of her salutation was
remarked by hundreds, and they were dumb with surprise
and admiration at both her exceeding beauty and grace.
Could this be a governess-a girl of questionable character and birth-a plebeian American?
Lord and Lady Dunforth were both present, and had
been gratified witnesses of the presentation, and both were
as proud of Adrian and his peerless bride as if they had
been first and foremost in sanctioning the marriage, instead of so bitterly opposing it.
Lord Dunforth inwardly cursed himself anew at having
been so precipitate in his denunciation of his grandson
and his "plebeian bride," if he had only waited until he
had seen her he never would have been so rash; and he
began to turn over in his mind the best way to get out of
a bad fix. He knew Adrian would wish to present his
wife to him, and he dreaded to meet her scorn; the sight
of her in her proud beauty carried him vividly back to
the time when he had so joyfully presented her aunt as
his betrothed, and he turned away with almost a groan,
as he remembered how that joy had been suddenly turned
into mourning.
Adrian's fond heart leaped with exultation at the homage which was being paid his darling, and the surprise

p248

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

which he saw expressed in every eye contributed not a little
to his amusement.
But a more signal and unexpected triumph awaited
them.
They were busy receiving and responding to congratulations, when all at once a familiar voice fell upon
Brownie's ears, giving her a violent inward start.
She pressed Adrian's arm without giving any other sign,
and he, glancing up, saw Lady Randal, Mrs. Coolidge, Sir
Charles and Isabel approaching them.
Another moment the crowd separated, and they stood
face to face.
Sir Charles and his party were evidently taken entirely
by surprise, for Mrs. Coolidge, as her eyes fell upon the
despised governess, became white as the fan of costly
feathers that she held in her hand.
Isabel grew crimson with anger and mortification, especially as she had on at that moment the young girl's diamonds, and she looked as if she longed for the earth to
open and devour her.
Sir Charles, however, hastened forward, with an expression of real pleasure upon his face, and grasping Adrian
warmly by the hand, offered his congratulations, and
begged to be presented to his bride.
Brownie received him gracefully and cordially, but
vouchsafed to Isabel only a haughty lifting of her beautifully arched brows. She bowed distantly to Lady Randal,
and, ignoring entirely the presence of Mrs. Coolidge, she
turned to speak to some one at her side.
Sir Charles flushed angrily at this marked slight of his
betrothed and her mother, and, with a haughty bow,
passed on.
"I am sorry on his account, darling; but it could not be
helped, and you treated them just as you ought," Adrian
whispered. "Now I perceive that a still greater trial
awaits you, but I know you are fully equal to it."
They both knew that many curious eyes were fastened
upon them, to see how these greetings would be exchanged.
Many and various had been the reports circulated regarding his lordship's sentiments concerning his grand-

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son's marriage; but if people were expecting any demonstration, they were deeply disappointed.
Lord Dunforth approached and shook his boy heartily
by the hand, and then turned, with a very pale but benignant face, to the young bride.
She could not take his hand, but swept him a charming
courtesy, with every appearance of marked respect; then,
with very bright eyes, and her slender form very erect,
she turned to greet her ladyship, and was soon chatting
upon the most friendly terms with her.
"By Jove !" muttered Lord Dunforth to himself, "she
understands herself perfectly. The most critical could find
no fault with her greeting; and yet to me it is very evident I shall be obliged to hoist a flag of truce before we
can come to any terms of peace. I'm glad of it," he added,
his eyes resting admiringly upon the bright face: "it just
suits me. My own Meta was not more regal."
Turning to Adrian, he said, with a suspicious tremble
in his voice:
"I heartily congratulate you, my boy. Shall there be
peace between us?"
"Certainly, my dear sir, if
"
"I understand you," he interrupted, "and I find no flaw
in her. Indeed, Adrian, I am as proud of your triumph
to-night as you can possibly be."
"Thank you. If you had read the letter I wrote you all
unpleasantness might have been avoided, for in it I explained that she is a niece of your-of a Miss Douglas
whom you used to know," Adrian returned.
"I know all about it, my boy," his lordship said, in a
husky voice. "I discovered all the other day when I met
your wife at Capel & Armand's."
"Yes, she told me you were there."
"What! did she recognize me ?" and the color flew to
his face, s he recalled Brownie's entire self-possession,
and how she had ignored his presence.
"Oh, yes; you know she was at Castle Dunforth several
weeks since, and it is not likely she would forget you so
soon, especially as she already knew so much about you."
"True," he muttered, with a troubled look, adding: "I

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BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

shall call upon you immediately, Adrian, and I hope to
persuade you to return to us-we are very lonely."
"Thank you; but we will talk further of that another
time. We shall be delighted to see you at the Langham,
and I have much more to tell you regarding the circumstances of the past three or four weeks," Adrian returned,
gravely.
Meanwhile Isabel and her mother were in anything but
a comfortable frame of mind.
They had been thunderstruck upon beholding Brownie,
in all her glory, leaning upon Adrian's arm.
There was no enjoyment for them after that uncomfortable encounter, and, pleading fatigue, they persuaded
Sir Charles to withdraw almost immediately, while they
racked their brains trying to solve the riddle of the young
girl's escape from that secret chamber.
They had returned from Paris rather earlier than they
had anticipated, their arrangements regarding the trousseau having been more easily effected than they had expected, so, as Sir Charles was anxious to be back at Vallingham Hall to superintend some alterations which he
desired completed before his marriage, they had hastened
home.
On reaching London they had found cards awaiting
them for the ball at Manchester House, and remained to
attend the festivities.
They had seen hardly any one since their arrival, consequently knew nothing of the nine days' wonder which was
agitating the minds of the Londoners.
Lady Randall professed to be horrified at the course
which Adrian had taken, and hoped his grandfather would
disown him forever for the disgrace he had brought upon
the family. She believed that he knew all the time where
Miss Douglas was that evening when he had so boldly announced his betrothal, and had only told them of the engagement to soften the scandal of the act he was even
then contemplating. Of course, not being cognizant of
the part the Coolidges had played in the little drame, this
was the only construction she 'would be likely to put upon
the matter.
Sir Charles was highly indignant at the treatment which

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251

his party had received, while at the same time he was secretly uneasy about the whole affair.
He could not understand it, and the more he pondered
upon it the more puzzled he grew, for he felt that there
must be something underneath it all which ought to be
accounted for and thoroughly sifted.
Yet after Mrs. Dredmond's reception of his betrothed,
which to him appeared almost like a public insult, he was
too proud and too deeply wounded to seek any explanation
from Adrian, between whom and himself until now the
firmest friendship had existed.

CHAPTER XXXIX
BURYING THE HATCHET

LORD AND LADY DUNFORTH called again at the Langham

the next morning, but found they had been forestalled by
numerous other callers, whom Brownie was entertaining in
the most charming manner.
She received his lordship with proud but respectful dignity, which, while it grieved him, yet it also excited his
admiration that she should thus resent the injury he had
done her.
One by one the other visitors departed, until at length
they were left alone with the young couple.
After a few moments spent in a pleasant chat, Lady
Dunforth whispered a few words in Brownie's ear.
She smiled and nodded compliance, then, turning with
inimitable tact to her husband, said:
"Adrian, Lady Dunforth is anxious to inspect the wedding wardrobe and gifts; will you attend her while I entertain his lordship? If you need any explanations Milly
can make them."
Adrian saw the point of all this, and rising he gave his
arm to his grandmother, and conducted her from the room.
Brownie knew that this moment must come, and was
grateful to the countess for so delicately opening the way
for those explanations which were needful.

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Lord Dunforth was glad to be left alone with her, yet
man of the world though he was, he felt a terrible awkwardness stealing over him, and he scarcely knew how to
break the ice.
It was a trying moment for the proud peer, but taking
advantage of a pause in the conversation, he bent toward
her, took one of her little soft hands in his, and asked, in
eager, trembling tones:
"Can the child of my Meta's care and love forgive an
old man's folly ?"
Brownie's lovely face crimsoned instantly, and the tears
sprang unbidden to her eyes.
She had not expected any such humble apology from
him. She thought he would be stately and dignified, and
would yield his haughty spirit only so far as he could do
so gracefully; and she had resolved to show him that a
Douglas could be as proud as he; so she was wholly unprepared for anything so subdued as this.
"I have wronged you, he went on, studying the beautiful face, "by judging you, without knowing you, and I
have wronged Adrian in thinking that, with him, caste
could ever outweigh love. He is a grand and noble boy-all my hopes are centered in him, and I could not endure
the thought that his heart and his sympathy for any one's
misfortune should have run away with his judgment. But
I should not have been so hasty-I should have allowed
him to bring you to us, that we might have been convinced
of the worthiness of his choice. And I cannot tell you,
dear, how proud and happy, how relieved I am to find his
selection a most fitting one after all."
Ah! then he was only satisfied with her now because
he had discovered that she was heiress to Sir Edgar
Douglas, and a descendant of the one whom he had loved
in his youth; not because of her own worthiness to be his
wife, and her ability to make him happy. It was the pride
of blood after all. Thus she interpreted his words.
She released her hand, and lifting her head proudly,
said, with hauteur:
"Pardon me, my lord, if I cannot agree with you in
thinking that I shall make Adrian any better wife for having noble blood in my veins. I have been brought up

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

under the shadow of democratic institutions, and I believe
that true worth should in every instance be considered
before birth or position. My being a Douglas does not
change in the least degree my character."
She looked like a little queen as she proudly faced him,
and fearlessly advanced her independent principles.
But the spirit was on him to try her still further, and
he asked:
"But, my dear, if you should live to see a son grow to
man's estate, would you be willing for him to seek out a
wife among the mechanics or peasantry ?"
It was a hard question, and Brownie thought a moment
before replying. Then she said:
"Sir, I believe that the worldly condition of a person
makes no difference with the heart or intellect, only so far
as it contributes advantages of education and culture. If
my son should choose a wife whose heart was pure and
true, whose mind had been cultivated, and whose nature
was refined, so that she was his equal morally and intellectually, for otherwise they could never be congenial, I
should never dare take the responsibility of destroying the
happiness of a lifetime, were she titled lady or peasant
born."
"What a noble-hearted little woman you are !" his lordship exclaimed, in admiration, and inspired with something of her own enthusiasm.
Then he added, with a little smile of amusement, while
there was an expression of earnest entreaty in his eyes:
"My dear, I think if I had another grandson I should
never dare judge his bride until I knew her personally. I
like and admire you just as you are, independent of your
being a Douglas. Now shall we shake hands and bury
the hatchet ?"
She looked up, and their eyes met.
She regarded him earnestly for a minute.
With a witching smile and gesture, she laid both her
hands in his outstretched palm, and said, archly:
"I had made up my mind to forgive you for Adrian's
sake, but I begin to think I shall have to for your own,
and," she added, in a lower tone, the tears springing to
her eyes, "because auntie loved you so well."

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"Did she ?" he said, eagerly; "tell me about her."
He led her to a seat, and Brownie, never weary of talking of her dear one who was gone, rehearsed all the sad
story which Miss Mehetabel had told her on that last day
of her life.
When she had told him about the note which Miss
Capel had undertaken to deliver his lordship became
greatly excited:
"Ah, the treacherous girl! I almost suspected it when
it was too late, and but for her I should never have known
the sorrow and bitterness I have suffered all these weary
years. Oh, Meta, Meta," he cried, with almost a sob, "it
was too hard when I loved you so! It has been a terrible
wound, and one that has never healed. I cannot even
hear her name spoken without its ringing forth from memory's chords notes of anguish. I would not wrong the
living," he hastened to say, "for I honor my wife as a
pure and noble woman, and she has ever been a kind and
gentle helpmeet, but that love was the love of a lifetime,
which nothing could kill. And she died, you say," he
continued, wiping the tears which he could not stay,
"only last September, true to the last. Oh, fool and blind
that I was, not to have crushed my pride and forced my
way into her presence! But," and he started fiercely to
his feet and began pacing the room, "I will have it out
even at this late day with that traitoress, Lady Randal.
I will know what was in that note yet, and she shall know
that her perfidy is discovered."
"My lord, I have the note," interrupted Brownie, and
she told him how she had gained possession of it, thinking
it no wrong to take it under the circumstances.
"It was perfectly justifiable, and will you give it to me ?"
he begged.
"Yes, I will get it for you before you go."
Then he asked her about the mystery of the jewels, and
how Isabel Coolidge happened to have them, and she had
to repeat all the circumstances regarding them.
"You shall have them again," he cried. "I can prove
that every one belongs to you. That girl shall give them
up, and I only hope that Sir Charles will have his eyes
opened before it is too late."

BROWNIE'S

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255

Brownie smiled as she thought how many had expressed
that wish, and just at that moment Adrian appeared with
Lady Dunforth.
"Have you two made it up ?" the former asked, laughing, as he saw how confidential they had become.
"Yes; and I've promised not to interfere with my next
grandson's matrimonial inclinations in any way," Lord
Dunforth replied, with a sly glance at Brownie, as he shook
the young man's hand.
He laughed, then asked:
"Did she tell you how they made her a prisoner down
at West Malling, and of her discoveries there ?"
"No."

So Adrian related that circumstance himself, and explained how, when he found her cold and desolate the
next morning, with not a friend to whom to flee, and feeling it impossible to return to Lady Ruxley, he had proposed on the spot to take her away in the only way in
which he could do so honorably-by making her his wife,
and so they had come immediately to London and were
married.
"Right, my boy, and I honor you for it. May Heaven
forgive me for seeking to destroy your happiness in the
way I did," returned his lordship, heartily, while his horror and indignation against Lady Randal for her conduct
regarding her younger son was boundless.
Harmony being fully restored, Lord and Lady Dunforth spent the day and dined with the young couple, and
parted from them in the evening upon the best of terms,
insisting that they must sojourn at least a part of every
year at Castle Dunforth.
"You know that it is your home, Adrian-yours andmay I call you Meta ?" his lordship asked, suddenly turning to Brownie, and speaking the name with infinite tenderness.
"Yes, do; I should like it," she replied, with a smile.
"Then, my children, you will come home soon," he
added.
"Yes, sir, we will," and Adrian shook his hand heartily.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

CHAPTER XL
THE IMPENDING STORM

Fon a week longer calls and invitations poured in upon
the newly wedded couple, and it seemed almost impossible
to tear themselves away from London.
But at the expiration of that time Adrian thought they
ought not to delay their visit to Vallingham Hall any
longer, lest the marriage of Sir Charles should take place,
and they be off upon the Continent before they could
secure Brownie's jewels.
Besides, he had it in his power to save his friend from
a lifetime of misery, and he felt that he would be doing
him a grievous wrong did he not warn him of the precipice
upon which he was standing.
Neither did he think it would be right to allow him to
go away without acquainting him of the fact that he had
a brother living, for, of course, that circumstance alone
would make a great difference in his future prospects, and
he ought to know of it before the settlements were completed.
Accordingly, on Monday preceding the wedding, which
was to occur upon Wednesday, the 11th of June, they went
down to West Malling, intending after their errand was
accomplished to make Lady Ruxley their promised visit,
and then repair to Dunforth Castle for a while.
Lord Dunforth had stipulated that he was to be one of
the party whenever they went to Vallingham Hall, consequently they stopped and took him up on their way.
"You will need me," he had said, "to help prove your
property; and since I purchased some of the jewels myself, and have seen them all, I can identify them in case
they should attempt to contest your right. Besides, we
may as well finish the whole business at once, and I'll call
Helen to account for her part in the drama of my life."
They arrived at Vallingham Hall about four o'clock, and
Lady Randal came to the drawing-room, all smiles, to receive them.
She had recently heard who Brownie was, and of the

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

sudden change in her prospects, so she adopted the role
of ignoring all the "scandalous circumstances" of their
marriage which had so shocked her, and was exceedingly
gracious to them.
It would be very unwise, she reasoned, to have any
falling out with the future Lord and Lady Dunforth.
"How kind of you," she exclaimed, "to come to us; we
ought to have called upon you when we were in London,
but we were so hurried with preparations for the wedding
that we had no time. And really we were tired out with
our trip. You received our cards for the ceremony on
Wednesday, I suppose ?" she concluded.
"Yes, we received them," Adrian replied, then added,
"but we called to-day to see Mrs. Coolidge and Miss Isabel
upon a little matter of business."
"I presume they will be delighted to see you. The
trousseau has just arrived, and we were examining it just
as you came. It is perfectly elegant, I assure you, Mrs.
Dredmond, and I presume Isabel will take you up to see
it; I only hope we shall have a fine day, and that everything will pass off well. How very romantic your marriage
was, my dear," she ran on, heedless of Lord Dunforth's
threatening looks; "we were very much distressed about
your sudden disappearance, and I must say, Adrian, you
played your part that evening exceedingly well," and she
laughed slyly.
"Played my part well! I do not understand you,
madam," Adrian returned, astonished at the accusation.
"You do not understand, indeed! when you knew all the
time where she was, and took her away the very next day
to marry her. Really, it is quite an unparalleled case."
"Lady Randal," the young man said, sternly, as he saw
Brownie's delicate face flush painfully at these insinuations, "at any other time I should deem your words an
unpardonable insult, for I knew no more than yourself
where Miss Douglas was at that time; but if you will have
the kindness to notify your guests that we wish to see
them, that matter, as well as some others, will soon be satisfactorily explained."
Lady Randal colored with displeasure at his words, but
she rang the bell, and sent the servant, who appeared, to

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tell Isabel and her mother that there were callers for them.
At Adrian's request she did not send their names, as he
feared they might refuse to see them.
The Coolidges soon presented themselves in the drawing-room, and Sir Charles came with them.
He greeted the guests somewhat coolly, for he could not
forget the slight his betrothed had received that evening
in London at Manchester House.
Isabel and her mother felt a sudden shock run through
all their frame when they saw who were present, but the
latter at once resolved to carry a high hand and fight the
battle out bravely to the end.
Lord Dunforth and Adrian arose and bowed coldly as
they entered, while Brownie inclined her head the merest
trifle in the world; but Isabel, ignoring her manner, began
gushingly, thinking to take their castle by storm:
"Really, Mrs. Dredmond, you have given us all a terrible fright, but I am rejoiced to find that nothing worse
than being married has happened to you. I little thought
I should have to tender my congratulations first," she concluded, turning with a simper to Adrian.
"Yes," put in her mother, before any one else could
speak, "I suppose we shall be obliged to pardon you for
causing us all so much terror, since your strange disappearance has terminated so happily."
Brownie could endure their insolence no longer.
"We will waive that topic, if you please," she said, icily,
"until we have settled a little matter of business. Mrs.
Coolidge, I desire to relieve you of a certain casket, with
its contents, which belongs to me, and which you have in
your possession."
Mrs. Coolidge was equal to the situation. Turning to
her daughter, she said:
"Oh, yes; Isabel, won't you go and get it? Of course,
she needs it now. If we had only known your address,"
she added, graciously, turning to Brownie, "we might
have forwarded them to you."
Isabel arose to do her mother's bidding, and she whispered to her as she did so:
"You must manage some way to get Sir Charles out of
the room, and keep him out."

BROWNIE'S

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?59

Isabel turned to go, and got as far as the door, when
she looked back at Adrian and his wife, and said, with a
slight blush:
"As long as this is a business call to mamma, may I
beg you to excuse Sir Charles and me ? I assure you we
are very busy at present."
They bowed coldly, and then turning to her lover, she
said:
"Sir Charles, may I speak with you privately ?"
He arose and followed her from the room with a perplexed brow. He did not exactly like being called from
guests in this way.
"What does all this mean?" he demanded, when they
were alone in the hall.
"It means that when Miss Douglas went away from us
she left a box containing some valuables with papa for
safe keeping," was the glib reply.
She had been expecting some such question, and had
the answer all ready.
"But I thought she was dismissed."
"So she was. She did not behave with propriety, and
mamma would not keep her longer. Papa did not like it
very well, for he was bewitched with her pretty face, and
they were good friends, so she left the box with him until
she should be settled somewhere else. You know what
happened after that, and we have never had an opportunity to return her property, which papa left in our keeping, until now."
"What did she do that was so very improper while she
was with you ?" he asked. "I have never heard."
"Really, Charles," Isabel replied, flushing and pouting
in a grieved way, "I do not like to enter into particulars
quite so minutely; but if you must know, why, you must,
I suppose. One day mamma and I were out on a shopping
expedition, when we were obliged to return much earlier
than we expected to. On entering the library, we found
Miss Douglas lying in Wilbur's arms, with apparently as
much composure as if she were reclining upon a couch."
"Is that so !" exclaimed Sir Charles, much shocked.
"She does not seem like such a person at all."
"Oh, no; and when mamma talked with her about it,

260

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TRIUMPH

she put on that haughty, queenly air which you noticed
the other evening in London, and again this morning, and
would listen to nothing."
"But did your father uphold her in this ?" Sir Charles
asked her, gravely.
"Oh, no, indeed; but she had so bewitched Wilbur that
he took all the blame upon himself, and told papa something so that he excused it, and she made him think she
was the injured one, after all."
Isabel was almost frightened at herself as she coined
these base falsehoods; but she felt that the truth must be
concealed from him for the next two days at all hazards.
If she could only bridge them over until the fatal vows
were spoken, and she was once mistress of Vallingham
Hall, all would be well.
"I never would have believed her to be guilty of such
indiscretions if you had not told me," Sir Charles said,
not yet wholly convinced, but greatly disturbed by the
account.
"No, you would not, nor any one else, she is so demure
and ladylike," Isabel hastened to say, with every appearance of fairness. "But she never met Mr. Dredmond, to
my knowledge, more than three or four times in her life;
and, to my mind, it does not look just right for her to run
away to be married to him upon so short an acquaintance."
"That is so. It does not seem just the thing, I must
confess. And I am surprised at Adrian, too. I thought
him a man of more depth," Sir Charles assented, gravely.
Then, with a fond glance into the face of his betrothed,
he asked: "But what did you wish of me? Can I do
anything for you ?"
"Yes, indeed; but you nearly made me forget, with all
your catechising," she laughed, and then went on: "I find
that my dress is altogether too loose, and I must have a
seamstress to fix it immediately; then I find I neglected to
get a pair of pearl-colored gloves to match my traveling
suit. Would you mind riding over to the village to attend
to it?"
She did not need either, but she must get rid of him.
"No, indeed; but will it not do as well a couple of hours

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261

hence ? Our callers in yonder might think me ungracious
to go away while they are here."
Isabel's heart sank; she must get him away at once if
possible; she knew that Adrian Dredmond would allow
no part of their meanness to be concealed, and there would
probably be a hot battle before they were through. But
she thought if she could only get her lover away from it
all, maybe they could come to some terms with Lady Randal to conceal the affair from him; for she knew she was
as anxious as any one for the marriage to come off. But
it would not do to let him mistrust how anxious she was,
so she replied, hesitatingly:
"It might do if it were not for the dress---that must be
attended to at once; and then if you do not succeed in
matching my dress in gloves, I shall have to send up to
town for them, and you know we have no time to spare."
"Would it not do to send a piece of the dress and let
Brown do the errand? I really do not like to seem uncourteous, notwithstanding their treatment of us the other
evening," he replied.
Isabel flushed angrily at the remembrance.
"No, indeed, I should not dare trust Brown; and then
you forget you have not given your instructions concerning
the bell, which was to be made at the village florists, as
there were not japonicas enough in the greenhouse here,"
Isabel said, catching at this device for getting him away.
"Besides," she added, "this is only a business call, you
know."

He began to notice her anxiety in spite of her forced
composure, and with a searching look into her face he
replied, as he turned away:
"True, I had almost forgotten about that. I will attend
to your commissions at once."
She told him to wait one moment while she procured a
piece of silk to match the gloves by; and he stood there
with bent head and contracted brow until she returned
with it, and then, without a word, he passed out toward
the stables.
The guilty girl then sped back again to her room as if
on wings to bring the casket, anxious to have everything

262

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

settled, and those wretched marplots out of the way before
his return.
As she re-entered the drawing-room she saw at a glance
that her mother was very much disconcerted about something, and she heard Adrian say, sternly:
"Then, madam, you still assert that you were very much
surprised, as well as distressed, at Miss Douglas' disappearance ?"

"Certainly; how could it be otherwise ?" she demanded,
haughtily, but very pale.
"Were you a man," he returned, with biting scorn in
his tones, "I should not thus privately bandy words with
you-you should answer publicly for what you have done;
and it is time your complicity in this matter be exposed."
"I beg your pardon," she interrupted, "but Isabel has
returned with the box for which you came, and as we are
extremely busy, you will kindly excuse us from a longer
interview."
She arose as if to leave the room, but Adrian advanced
a step or two, and said, firmly:
"Not so, madam; you have done my wife altogether too
much injury, and covered up your iniquity too long to
admit of my keeping silence now. You have sneered and
tried my patience beyond endurance to-day with your insinuations concerning a 'clandestine marriage,' and it is
but just and right that she should be exonerated in the
presence of Lady Randal from all blame for what you,
by your cruelty, drove her to."
"Good heavens! Adrian explain yourself. I am all in
a maze! What do you mean by all this talk about complicity, iniquity, and cruelty ?" demanded Lady Randal,
looking from one to another in perplexity.
Adrian, in the fewest words possible, told the story of
the jewels, and her ladyship knew before he had finished
that every word he uttered was truth.
She, too, began to grow pale and nervous, as she realized that his wife was the niece of the woman whom she
had so deeply injured, and conscience stung her sharply
as these memories of the past were revived.
"Mrs. Dredmond," said Lady Dunforth, who had

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

263

scarcely spoken yet, "will you please open that casket, and
allow me to look at its contents ?"
Brownie lifted the lid, for the lock had been forced
after she had taken the key, and it was only fastened by
the spring, and revealed the glittering treasures it contained.
Lady Randal uttered a cry, and gasped out:
"I might have known it in the first place. I thought I
had seen them before, especially those corals."
"Ah! you recognize the corals, then? Possibly you
remember the first and only time this lady's aunt wore
them. years and years ago ?" said his lordship, with bitter
irony, while his own face blanched and great drops of
perspiration stood upon his forehead. "Those jewels," he
went on, striving for composure, "were given to Miss Mehetable Douglas, the grandaunt of Mrs. Dredmond, more
than forty years ago. I myself presented those corals, also
that tiara, with one or two other pieces. The others were
given her in honor of her approaching marriage with myself."
Mrs. Coolidge nearly screamed at this announcement.
Yes, she saw it all now; the mystery was all explainedthe titled names upon the dancing-card, the faded flowers,
and everything which had so puzzled her.
But Brownie, thinking a little more explanation was
necessary, lifted the velvet bed, and taking up that dancing-list, passed it to him, and asked him to unlock the
secret of it, since it had greatly troubled Mrs. Coolidge and
her daughter.
He took it; but his hand shook as with the ague, as he
read the names upon it.
"This," he said, turning first to Mrs. Coolidge, then
to Lady Randal, with stern brow, "is the order of dances
as they occurred upon a certain occasion at the house of
your aunt, Lady Ruxley, more than forty years ago. Do
you remember, Helen ?"
"Yes, I remember," her lips articulated, while her eyes
seemed fastened, as if by fascination, upon him.
He referred to the card again, and though his face was
ghastly from the pain he was suffering, he went on:

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
"Do you remember a certain Count de Lussan who was
present that evening ?"
She bowed her head. She would not have spoken at
that moment to save her life, so great was the fear in her
heart, while all the events of that fatal night rose up
before her with a vividness which turned her sick and faint.
"Do you know how it happened that a man of his character was present among respectable people ?"
"Yes; he came at my brother's invitation, my lord," she
said, lifting her head, and speaking defiantly.
"True; but at your invitation, and to serve a vile purpose of your own. It was through your maneuvering that
he was introduced to Miss Douglas, and it was your taunts
which spurred her on to disgrace herself and dance with
him, in spite of her better judgment and my persuasions,
I mistrusted something of it when it was too late, and
you, by that last vile act, which I have only recently (tiscovered, had separated us forever."
"And pray what terrible deed have you discovered at
this late day?" her ladyship demanded, sarcastically, although she was colorless as a piece of marble, and her lips
twitched nervously.
"This! Do you remember ever seeing it before ?"
He took from his pocket a folded paper, yellow and
creased with age, and advancing, gave it into her hands.
For an instant she sat like one stunned, but she was
livid even to her lips, and a trembling seized her which
shook her like a reed.
"Where did you get this ?" she whispered, hoarsely,
after a moment.
"Accident threw it into my hands-how, it does not
matter now; but it reveals all your vile plot to separate
Meta and me, in which you succeeded only too well."
"But how do you know that I had anything to do with
this note? I do not see that you have proved what you
assert at all," she said, bridling.
"She gave that note to a servant to bring to me, you
met her on the stairs, said you would deliver it, and then
came and told me that Meta refused to see me then or at
any other time; have I proved my point now ?" he asked,
sternly.

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

265

She saw all was discovered, and made no reply, and he
went on:
"Mrs. Dredmond, as you know already, is my Meta's
grandniece. At her aunt's death she found herself very
unexpectedly reduced to the necessity of earning her own
living. She found a place as governess in Mrs. Coolidge's
family, and came abroad with them. One day when she
was out, she," pointing to Isabel, who sat pale and cowering, "entered her room, where she discovered this casket
of jewels. She took them to her mother, and they both
came to the conclusion that a poor governess had no business with such valuables-that she must have stolen them!
They accused her of it upon her return, and refused to
give up the jewels until she could prove them to be hers."
"Why didn't she demand them, and take the law to enforce her rights then ?" demanded Lady Randal, sharply.
"It does not sound like a very probable story to me. How
do you know she is Meta Douglas' niece? I believe you've
been taken in yourself."
She was determined not to believe anything against
her guests if she could help it. Matters had gone so far
now, that she could not have the match between Sir
Charles and Isabel broken off; the scandal of it would be
unbearable, to say nothing of the loss of Isabel's fortune,
which she believed to be enormous. They had been expecting Mr. Coolidge for a week, and thought surely he would
be there to-day, when the settlements were to be arranged,
and there must be no trouble now.
"We have indisputable proof, Lady Randal; and as for
Miss Douglas taking the law to enforce her rights, she
fully intended to do so when she left Mrs. Coolidge's
house; but you remember the accident which occurred,
and which threw her into your family; and then before she
was fully recovered Lady Ruxley brought her down here.
"The day when she so strangely disappeared she met
Miss Coolidge in the upper corridor, as she was going out
for her walk. She again demanded her property, and
was again refused. Upon returning to the hall, in passing Miss Isabel's room, she saw the casket upon the table,
she entered and took it, and was about leaving the room
when Mrs. Coolidge confronted her, demanding that she

266

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

put down the casket. She refused, when the woman
locked the door, putting the key in her pocket, saying she
could not leave the place until she relinquished it."
"Really, Lady Randal," interrupted Mrs. Coolidge, rising, apparently in great wrath, "I cannot remain to endure
further insult !"

"Please be seated," she returned, "we will hear this
whole story now. I must confess it does not sound very
plausible to me, but we will hear their side, and then your
own."

She little thought how the "whole story" would affect
her!
"Go on," she added, to Lord Dunforth; but Adrian now
took up the story.
"Miss Douglas utterly refused to give up her property
again, and the two had a stormy scene, until Mrs. Coolidge finally professed to be willing to temporize with her,
and pretending to take her into her own room, enticed
"
her into a secret chamber which she had discovered"What! the treasure chamber !" ejaculated Lady Randal, excitedly, and losing all her color again.
"I do not know what the place is called," Adrian replied,
"but she locked her within it, and kept her there without
food or light, or even a chair to sit upon until midnight,
when she and her daughter sought her again, and, by
stratagem and force combined, succeeded in getting possession of the jewels again. Then they brought her food
and bedding, telling her she was to remain there until
after the wedding, since they could not run the risk of her
making them trouble and interfering with their prospects."
"'Tis false !" shrieked Isabel, nearly beside herself.
"Be quiet, my daughter," said Mrs. Coolidge, soothingly.
Then turning to Lady Randal, she asked: "Can you believe such a tissue of falsehood? No one has seen the girl
from the time she parted with my children in the park
that day until after her marriage. It is a preposterous
story, and only fabricated to save the parties most interested from the scandal usually attending a clandestine
marriage. Besides, what is all this talk about a secret
chamber ?" she concluded, scornfully.

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

267

Lady Randal looked at her in a dazed kind of a way,
while a terrible fear was tugging at her heart.
"But how could she know there is a secret chamber
unless she had seen it ?-and it leads from Isabel's room.
Go on, Adrian, I must hear all now," she said, in a low,
concentrated tone.
He gave her a look of compassion, and resumed:
"Miss Douglas arranged her bed, striving to make the
best of her situation, and, being very weary, soon fell into
a sound slumber. She was not conscious of how long
she had slept, but she was suddenly awakened by a feeling that some one was in her room, and upon opening her
eyes saw the strangest being she ever beheld kneeling by
her side."
"Oh, heavens!" breathed Lady Randal, sinking back
in her chair, and covering her face with her trembling
hands.
CHAPTER XLI
"WHERE IS MY BROTHER

?"

ISABEL and her mother now forgot some of their own

fear when they saw Lady Randal so unnerved.
It had been a matter of great mystery to them how
their prisoner escaped, and it seemed that it was about
to be explained; and Mrs. Coolidge, with her ready wit,
began to think that the skeleton of the house was to be
revealed also.
"This person," Adrian resumed, "proved to be a young
"
man by the name of
"Oh, spare me!-in mercy, spare me, Adrian !" cried
the guilty woman, springing toward him, with outstretched
hands and agonizing face.
"Spare you? Have you spared your own flesh and
blood ?" demanded Adrian, sternly. "Have you ever felt
an atom of mercy for your own son, whom, for over
twenty years, you have doomed to almost solitary confinement, away from the sunlight and fresh air, depriving
him of the simplest rights which a human being craves-

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

liberty and his own place in the world? Oh, lheartless
mother that you are! it is but just and right that the world
should know that Herbert Randal, your third son, because
of a deformity with which God saw fit to afflict him, has
been loathed by the woman who bore him, and that, to
further the interests of your favorite child, you have kept
him secreted for years, hoping that, in his feeble state,
every year would be his last, and your guilty course never
become known. But God is merciful, and the time for
restitution is at hand; and, be it known to you, it was
through him Miss Douglas was released from her confinement."

He then went on and explained at length how it had
transpired; how he had found Brownie, cold and trembling, and exhausted from excitement and terror, in the
grove in the rear of the Hall, and had persuaded her to
give him the right to protect her at once.
He explained their journey to London, in company with
Nurse Clum and Milly, and concluded by saying:
"We intended returning hither immediately, but unforeseen circumstances prevented; and when at length I
was enabled to come, you were gone to the Continent.
We should not have intruded upon you to-day had we
not deemed it best to secure this casket before Sir Charles
and his wife should leave again."
When the young man concluded there was an awkward
silence for a few moments, except for Mrs. Coolidge's
whispering to Isabel, and then, lifting her haggard face,
Lady Randal asked:
"Well, what are you going to do about it ?"
"What are we going to do about it, madam ?"exclaimed
Lord Dunforth, in astonished tones. "I should ask, what
are you going to do about it? Of course, we all expect to
see justice done at once."
"You shall," she said, eagerly; adding: "Yes, it is all
true. We were traveling that summer when he was born;
we were stopping just at the time in a picturesque village
in Savoy, and my husband was called away to Paris on
business. He was absent a fortnight, during which time
Herbert was born. I can never tell you," she went on,
shuddering, "what a frightful object he was. His present

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

269

appearance is nothing to what he was as a baby, and I
prayed the nurse to take him from my sight, and never
let me look upon him again. My husband was detained
long beyond the time he had anticipated, so that at the
end of three weeks I was well and strong again. Then
it came to me that, as he had not been with me, and fully
believing that the child could not live long anywayboth the doctor and the nurse affirmed it-I deemed it
would be better to keep all knowledge of its existence
from him. I could not travel with it in its feeble state,
and it would be exceedingly painful to do so if I could,
so I made arrangements with the nurse to care for it as
long as it should live, and never let any one know whose
child it was.
"I wrote my husband that my child had been born,
telling him it was better it should die, since such a poor
little cripple could not live long at the most, and said I
would join him in Paris in a few days, as it was intolerable for me to remain longer where I had suffered such
a severe disappointment. When I met him he seemed
grieved and sorrowful, yet he never questioned me further,
and so I kept my secret until his death. After that I concluded to bring the child here, since the nurse wrote me
that he was getting unmanageable, and so I fitted up those
secret chambers as comfortable as I could, and have kept
him there. God knows that I could not wilfully have
wronged the child so, but after that first concealment it
seemed impossible to confess his existence, and so it has
gone on until now."
"Have you never considered the sufferings and feelings
of the poor boy ?" demanded his lordship, wrathfully.
"Oh, yes," she moaned; "but I saw no way out of it
without bringing disgrace upon Charles and all of us."
"Do you think he would uphold you in such a deed ?"
"No, no! Oh, how you torture me! But," she said,
looking up pitifully, "you will not take any public action
against me ?"

"Public action !" he repeated, contemptuously. "Could
any public action restore those twenty years of his lost
life to the poor boy? No; but I want justice now."
"He shall have it. I will strive as far as I can to repair

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BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

the injury I have done him, just as soon as we are through
with the wedding-that is, if Isabel is willing to go on
with it after this," she said, regarding the young girl
somewhat doubtfully.
Mrs. Coolidge's heart leaped at this; it was just the
condition of all others she most desired Lady Randal to
be in. Rising, she went over to her side, and holding out
her hand, said with an appearance of great magnanimity:
"I regret exceedingly that anything so very dreadful
should have occurred, but we have all done wrong. I am
ready to acknowledge my share regarding Mrs. Dredmond.
Shall we then overlook each other's faults, and still allow
our children, who are not to blame, to be happy ?"
"And you will not betray me to Charles just yet ?" she
gasped.
"Certainly not; you must confide in him yourself when
you think proper. I think myself it would be wiser not to
tell him until after his return from his tour, for it might
destroy all his pleasure: When once he is settled at home
again, then all these things can be explained," she said,
suavely.
Lord Dunforth, towering aloft in his indignation, advanced, and stood before the two women.
"No, madam," he said, firmly; "you may hide what else
you choose from him, but Sir Charles must be acquainted
this day-nay, this hour-with the fact that he has a
brother."
The attention of all was at this moment attracted by a
slight noise at the other end of the drawing-room.
Another instant and they were thunderstruck to behold
Sir Charles himself staggering toward them like a drunken
man. His face was haggard and drawn, as if he had but
just recovered from a convulsion; even his lips were white
and rigid, while his forehead shone with the clammy
moisture which a fierce agony had drawn forth.
Isabel sprang forward, with a sharp cry of pain, but he
warded her off by a motion of his hand.
His mother shrieked.
"Oh, Charles, have you heard ?" and Mrs. Coolidge
shrank back appalled at this unexpected turn of affairs.
"Yes," he said, in a hollow voice, and casting a look of

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

271

withering contempt upon Isabel. "I see now why you
were so anxious to get rid of me. I mistrusted something
was not right, and after sending Brown to the village to
execute your commission, I came in by the lawn window,
as it was nearer. I entered just as Mrs. Dredmond opened
the casket of jewels, and instantly a great deal was explained to me. I was so overcome by the discovery that I
dropped upon the divan behind the curtains, where I have
remained, a silent witness of all that has occurred in this
room."
Adrian, deepest sympathy in his face, went to him, and
taking his hand, said, with emotion:
"Believe me, Charles, God knows I would have saved
you from this if I could. You do not deserve it."
He groaned aloud at these words of sympathy; then
wringing his hand he dropped it, and advancing to his
mother, demanded, in cold, hard tones:
"Madam, where is my brother ?"
"Your brother-oh, my boy !" she began, between her
sobs.
"Yes, my brother. I demand him at your hands, and
may God forgive you for your iniquity-I am afraid I
never can."
The shriek which burst from her died suddenly upon
her lips, and the look of anguish in her eyes froze into one
of terror, as the drawing-room door slowly swung back,
revealing a strange picture within its frame-the little,
bent form of Lady Ruxley, her old and withered face full
of a stern resolve, one hand resting upon her cane, the
other upon the arm of Herbert Randal!

CHAPTER XLII
WOULD

HE

FORGIVE

HER?

LADY RUXLEY had arranged with one of the servants

that she was to be notified whenever Mr. Dredmond and
his wife should come. Consequently she had received the
intelligence of their arrival almost immediately.

27t2

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

She knew that Adrian would make a clean breast of
everything, and she reasoned that it would be the best
time now for Herbert to be introduced to his brother and
their friends, and have his future position in the family
established at once.
She had kept the young man with her until Lady Randal returned from Paris, when he insisted upon returning
to his old quarters until his existence should be made
known to his brother; and this meeting with Sir Charles
had caused him many sleepless nights and much anxious
thought. He had hesitated now with an undefinable dread
at his heart about making his appearance, but, after a
second thought, he had yielded to Lady Ruxley's command, feeling that it would be better for all parties to
have the matter settled for all time.
She had learned to love the quiet, gentle young man
during the short time he had been with her; he was so
attentive and entertaining that he made her forget her
bodily ailments, while he shamed her by his pwn patience
and submission into repressing her fretfulness and grumbling.
She seemed to have grown younger since she had had
this new object in life to interest her, and she now entered
the room in a brisk, decided manner, her wrinkled face all
alive, and her keen eyes on the alert to watch and read
every movement and expression.
Lady Randal started up wildly as they entered.
"How came you here-what right have you to come
here ?" she demanded, almost fiercely.
"The right of a free man, mother," was his quick but
firm reply.
"Ha !" exclaimed Lady Ruxley, bitterly. "I suppose
you did not fill up the measure of your wickedness in your
youth, Helen, and so you must needs hide this innocent
child, denying him all love and care, and his rightful place
in his own home."
"Spare me now, aunt-I suffer enough," groaned the
unhappy woman, who had sunk back trembling again at
her son's reply.
"Spare you? Whom have you ever spared, I should
like to know, if they happened to obstruct your path?

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
Look back over your past life, think of your victims, and
repent before it is too late. I only regret that I did not
know of this wrong earlier; it should have been righted
long ago, I promise you. Charles," and she turned suddenly upon him, searching his face eagerly with her keen
gray eyes, "this is your brother !"
The moment the door had opened, and his eyes had
fallen upon his crippled brother, Sir Charles had stood as
one transfixed.
The hideous deformity had been the first thing to attract
his attention, of course. That misplaced head, the misshapen shoulders, the withered, helpless hand, the twisted
leg and foot had struck a terrible feeling in his heart.
Then his eyes had sought the sad, pale face with an eager,
searching gaze, as if seeking to know something of the
soul within that distorted body.
At once he marked the grandly shaped head, with its
broad, square forehead, which looked almost majestic beneath the crown of snowy hair. He marked the delicate,
refined features, the deep, true, blue eyes, with their
dark, sweeping lashes, the sensitive, expressive mouth, and
the firm, decided chin.
It was a noble, attractive face, and as he looked, the
shock of repulsion which he had at first experienced passed,
and in its place came a tender pity and affection born of
sympathy and the knowledge that this was his kin-his
brother.
At Lady Ruxley's word he went eagerly toward him,
and clasping his hand in a strong, protecting clasp, exclaimed:
"My brother! How glad I am for the gift, even though
it comes so late. Shall we begin to love each other now,
Herbert ?"

The two men-one so strong, handsome, and self-reliant
in his glorious manhood, the other so weak and helpless
in his deformity-gazed into each other's eyes with a look
which seemed to read their very souls, and the tears
started unbidden to each.
"God bless you, my brother !" murmured Herbert Randal, with quivering lips, while a deep joy, such as he had

274

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

never known in all his life before, thrilled him through
and through.
Isabel Coolidge, looking on and beholding this scene,
saw herself in a new light. She was bowed with shame
and humiliation at the thought of her own selfish, wasted
life, while she realized the grandness of Sir Charles' nature
as she had never done before, and knew she was unfit to
mate with him.
She knew, also, although he had spoken no word to that
effect, that that hour would probably separate them forever.
"Charles ! Charles! my dear boy !" cried Lady Ruxley,
in trembling tones, while tears rained over her wrinkled
face, "I hoped you would stand this test of character nobly.
I have always been proud of you, but God knows that I
love you at this moment with a deeper love than ever
before."
"Dear aunt, surely you did not expect I should reject
my brother ?" he said, in surprise, then added, as he saw
how affected she was: "Come, let me take you to a seat."
He led her to a comfortable chair, and then, while Lord
Dunforth and his party exchanged greetings with his
brother, he went and stood once more before his mother.
"Mother," he began, in low but firm tones, "I will not
upbraid you for this cruel wrong, for I know that your
own conscience will reprove you more sharply than I have
the heart to do; but I wish it to be distinctly understood
that Herbert and I are henceforth to live upon terms of
equality. Whatever I have of this world's goods that he
can share, he shall share, and I bespeak for him in the
future your tenderest love and care, and the respect and
consideration of the entire household."
Lady Randal could only reply by cries and sobs; she
was utterly unnerved. The plottings of a lifetime had
been brought to naught in an hour.
He then turned his attention to Mrs. Coolidge, who was
sitting, sullen and crestfallen, near by.
"Madam," he said, haughtily, "the carriage will be at
your disposal at any hour you may see fit to name. I
will see," and a spasm of pain crossed his face, "that our
friends are all notified that their presence here on Wednes-

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

275

day will not be acceptable, since, after the cruelties and
deceptions brought to light to-day, I must decline the
honor of your daughter's hand and an alliance with your
family.
"And, oh, Isabel!" he said, suddenly facing the nearly
fainting girl, and almost unnerved himself, "may God forgive you for your part in this matter. I deemed you so
good and true that I had built my strongest hopes upon
spending a happy and useful life with you. The veil
has been rudely torn from my eyes, but it is better now
than later."
"Forgive me-oh, forgive me !" she cried, with an agonized look; "the loss of your love and respect is more than
I can bear."
"I feel less of anger than of sorrow," he returned; "but
there are others whose forgiveness you should seek also,"
and he glanced at Mrs. Dredmond.
Sir Charles saw her face harden and darken with passion, and, while he sighed over the wickedness of her heart,
he yet wondered how he ever could have been so blinded
and deceived by her.
"Shall I take you to Mrs. Dredmond ?" he pleaded,
longing for her own sake to have her acknowledge her
wrong-doing, and hating to lose all respect for her.
"No, I thank you, Sir Charles. Do you think, after
this day's doing, that I could ever bow down to her?" she
sneered, trying to brave it out, though her face looked
drawn and pinched from the torture she was suffering.
He half turned from her in disgust, and saw that
Brownie herself was approaching them.
She held out her hand to him, and he clasped it warmly
-every spark of the resentment which he had cherished
since they met in London gone from his heart.
She then turned to Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel, saying, in
sweet, low tones:
"I am sorry you think that I have the least feeling of
triumph, for I have not, and I believe there will come a
time in the future when you will both feel differently
toward me. Now I would like to tell you something, which
I once refused to do. Those initials, "E. H.," which you
discovered marked upon so many articles in my room, stand

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH
for Elinor Hungerford, which was my mother's maiden
name."

A half hour later, Lord Dunforth, Adrian, and his wife
left Vallingham Hall with Lady Ruxley, who insisted that
they should spend the day and dine with her.
Lady Randal went to her own room and to bed, too ill
and heart-broken to sit up. And for the first time in her
life the proud Helen Capel was humbled in the dust.
As Mrs. Coolidge and Isabel left the drawing-room to
seek their own, Sir Charles said to the former:
"At what hour shall I order the carriage for you,
madam ?"

"Really you are extremely hospitable, it seems to me.
You appear to be very anxious to get rid of us," she
retorted, sharply.
"Madam, I think it will be the kindest arrangement for
all of us for you to go as soon as possible," he replied,
sadly, but firmly.
At four o'clock that afternoon they were all en route for
London, where they purposed remaining until Mr. Coolidge should return from America, when they hoped to
leave for the Continent and join Wilbur on his travels.
But he did not return to them!
Instead, they shortly received a telegram bidding them
come home immediately, as he had found his affairs in such
a confused state upon reaching New York that a failure
seemed inevitable.
Accordingly, the first of July found them a sadder but
wiser family, once more domiciled in their home in New
York City.
CHAPTER XLIII
ASPASIA

COOLIDGE

SIx months later a cheerful group gathered in the breakfast-room of Lord Dunforth's house in London.
Brownie has taken the head of the table lately, as Lady
Dlunforth says she is getting too old to have the-responsibility of it, but in reality she loves to sit and watch the

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

lovely face beaming over the silver urns, and the dainty
little hands as they flutter like white doves about the rich
and glittering service.
And truly the beautiful young wife, although she makes
a lovely picture, presides with a gentle dignity all her own.
Lord Dunforth has also resigned his place to Adrian, and
he and his wife now sit side by side.
He seems to grow more tender of his gentle companion
of late, as if he experienced a sort of remorse for the secret
barrier which has stood between them all these long years,
and thus their lives are being filled with a blessed content, as, with their faces turned toward the setting sun,
they calmly await the evening rest.
They have several guests this morning at their table,
and one has a very familiar, as well as a decidedly American appearance. It is Mr. Conrad, who has lately arrived
in England to return a portion of that property which
was intrusted to his care so many years ago.
The other guests are his wife, and ward-Miss Emily
Eliot.
Brownie was delighted to receive a visit from themit seemed almost to link her to the old life once more, for
she still had a tender regard for her native land, although
she never expected to make it her home again.
Adrian had been giving him a dramatic account of his
so-called runaway marriage, and they had just concluded
a hearty laugh at his expense, when the butler entered
with the mail-bag.
"Now for the letters !" said the young man, and he
unlocked the bag and began distributing them.
"Aha!" he said, with a mischievous glance across the
table, as he took up a heavy missive directed, in a round,
bold hand, to his wife. "May I inquire, madam, what
gentleman correspondent you have in America ?"
"When you get through inspecting the envelope, I will
inspect the contents, and then, perhaps, I'll tell you," replied Brownie, saucily.
"You see, Mr. Conrad," said Adrian, turning to the
lawyer, with mock seriousness, "that although my wife is
getting quite English in some respects, yet the American
independence will crop out occasionally. I despair of

278

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

ever eradicating that !" he added, with a fond look at thie
bright face bent so earnestly over the closely written
pages she had unfolded.
Suddenly she looked up, with a little exclamation of
delight and surprise.
"Oh, Adrian !" she said, "I have such good news for
you! Aspasia is going to be married-and to whom do
you think ?"

"Get Mr. Conrad to guess-he knows more concerning
your acquaintances than I," Adrian replied.
"But it is no one whom Mr. Conrad knows at all, and
you are well acquainted with him. Besides, he is a New
Yorker."
"I am sure I know of no one in New York who is mar"
riageable, unless it be
"Well, whom ?" Brownie asked, with shining eyes, as
he hesitated.
"Wilbur Coolidge," he replied, with a peculiar expression.
"And why not ?" she demanded, mischievously; and he
laughed outright.
He had always been a trifle sensitive over that little
episode in her life. He could not bear the thought that
another should even have presumed to love her.
"Let me read you what she says," Brownie went on.
"Mr. Conrad knows all about her, and of course you are
all interested in my friends, and then Aspasia was so kind
when auntie died." The sweet voice always softened
tenderly when speaking of auntie. "She begins her news
by saying," she continued, referring to the letter:
"'And now, darling, I have some wonderful things to
tell you. In the first place, I have abandoned, as I promised you, my trains, except for evening wear, and I trust
I have lengthened my charities, and received much personal benefit thereby. I thought I would try short dresses
before the Paris Exposition, and get a little accustomed
to them, for another such experience as I went through
with the 5th of one September would finish me entirely.
Speaking of the Paris Exposition brings me to another
important point. I am making extensive preparations

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

279

for a European tour, and, if nothing happens, I intend
to run over to England and take a look at my Brownie
before I return. Now, the cream of my letter lies in
the fact that my contemplated tour is to be prefaced by
a brief ceremony, which will change Aspasia Huntington to Aspasia Coolidge! Yes, dear, I am going to marry
Wilbur Coolidge. He has told me all about his liking
for you, and I could not blame the dear boy in the least;
for I know if I had been a man I should have wanted
to marry you myself. I met Mr. Coolidge while in New
York some five months ago, and was at once attracted
toward him on account of his manly independence. His
father has met with business reverses, which have reduced the family from their former magnificence to almost
a state of poverty. Wilbur has proved himself a man
in the emergency, putting his shoulder to the wheel, devoting himself to his profession-that of the law-and
has done much toward the support of his mother and
sisters; consequently, I am very proud of him.
"'Now, I want to tell you a little about Isabel and the
rest of the family, but particularly about her, for I know
all that you have suffered from her unkindness in the past,
although you have never written me a word about it.
"'Mrs. Coolidge is a confirmed invalid, entirely broken
down by disappointment and their reduced circumstances;
but Isabel, instead of being the weak-minded, vain, and
selfish being every one thought her to be, has, like Wilbur,
risen nobly above their calamities, takes the whole charge
of the household affairs and of her mother, with whom
she is as patient as an angel. But she is the saddest
creature I ever saw, and I believe that the girl's heart is
really broken, for her brother tells me she did truly love
and esteem Sir Charles Randal, notwithstanding her inordinate desire to obtain a high position in the world. She
never speaks of herself or her sorrow, but devotes herself
to others. Whatever her past errors have been, she is
atoning nobly for them, and I believe will come out of this
furnace a pure, good woman.
"'The other girls, Viola and Alma, are charming, and
they can never say enough in praise of Lady Dredmond,
as they persist in calling you,

280

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

" 'Now, dearest, you may expect to see me about the
first of February, and don't I long to clasp you once again
in my arms, my Brownie, for, dear, it is to you I feel I owe
the higher and better views which I now have of life.
"'Ever your loving friend,
" 'ASPASIA

HUNTINGTON.' "

"I shall show this letter to Sir Charles," she said, when
she was alone with Adrian, and had read it a second time.
"But what have you there ?" she added, as she saw him
examining another letter with a puzzled expression.
"I am trying to make out whether this epistle is directed
to you or to me. The 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.,' whichever it is, is
very indistinct," he replied.
"I think it must be for me," Brownie said, smiling. "It
is a lady's hand, and the 'Mrs.' looks as if a tear had
dropped upon it."
"At all events, you may have the privilege of opening
it," said Adrian, giving it to her.
She did so, and all doubt was removed as she read:
"MY DEAR MRS. DREDMOND :-If
you will allow me to
address you thus, after all the trying events of the past.
Since misfortune has come upon us, and I now occupy an
humbler position than even you did when you were with
us, my eyes have been opened, and I now see my wickedness in all its enormity. I cannot rest until I tell you
how sincerely I repent of my unkindness to you, and ask
you to forgive me if you can. Your lovely spirit and example on that last dreadful day at Vallingham Hall
shamed while it maddened me, but the memory of it has
since conquered me. I grieve continually over my treatment of you, and the sinfulness which has ruined my own
life and wronged others; yet I can truthfully say that I
rejoice that the right triumphed, and that you are now
happy.
"I do wrong, perhaps, to say that my life is ruined,
for although much of it has been wasted, and the crowning joy of womanhood denied me, yet I can, God helping
me, improve the future by making myself useful to others,

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

281

and, in so far as I am able, atone for the past.
from you will greatly comfort me.
"Very truly, yours,
"ISABEL

A word

COOLIDGE.

"NEW YORK, December 15, 1877."

"Poor child! she was good at heart after all, only it was
so covered up by ambition and pride that no one was conscious of it," Brownie said, her tears falling fast.
"It is a very earnest, humble letter, and I honor her
more to-day than I did when she stood so high in society,"
Adrian replied, heartily.
"How submissively yet hopelessly she speaks of her love
for Sir Charles."
"Yes, poor fellow, this trouble has been a severe blow
to him, also," said her husband.
"I think I shall drive over to Lady Randal's to-day;
and, Adrian, do you think there would be any harm in my
showing him both these letters ?" the young wife asked,
with a wistful look in her dark eyes.
"What a forgiving little or great heart you have, my
darling," he said, as he read her thought.
"'Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors,' "
Brownie repeated with great earnestness.
Her husband stooped and kissed her.
"Do as you like, my own; I believe wherever you go you
always carry light and joy with you," he said, almost
reverently.
Accordingly, while Lord Dunforth took his guests to
visit several points of interest which he could best explain
to them, Adrian drove his wife over to call on Lady Ruxley, who, since she had lost her charming companion, had
taken a deep interest in her crippled nephew, and now
resided all the time with the family.
Brownie's visits were always like gleams of sunshine to
her, for Lady Randal, since the developments which had
resulted in such mortification to her, and in the destruction of so many hopes, had been very melancholy, and kept
her own room nearly all the time, seldom seeing visitors,
and scarcely ever going abroad.
Her sons were both yery kind to her, and exerted them-

28Q

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

selves to cheer and comfort her, but her spirit had been
crushed, and she could not rally from the blow.
As for the young men themselves, they were congenial
spirits-two noble sons of a noble father! The tenderest
ties of affection had united them from the moment of their
first meeting; their hopes, and aspirations, and sympathies
were the same, and wherever they went their aim was to
do good.
As soon as he felt he could do so, without offending
Herbert, Charles had proposed taking him to a noted surgeon in Paris to see if anything could be done to remedy
the deformity which was so wearisome to himself and so
unsightly to others.
The result had been beyond their expectations, although
the operation had involved infinite pain and patience. The
twisted foot and leg had been straightened, and that bowed
head lifted, until the young man could walk erect like
others. But the withered hand, of course, could not be
restored, though the great surgeon had said much more
could have been done for him had he been treated in his
early youth. This intelligence the brothers did not impart
to their mother, willing to save her an added pang while
she was suffering so much.
The cripple's health had improved greatly since he had
been able to have plenty of out-door exercise, and his face
lost much of that deep sadness which had so touched
Brownie's tender heart when she first saw him, but there
was always a wistful look about his eyes which told of a
life that had had but little of joy in it.
Adrian's wife Herbert Randal considered the essence
of perfection, and he spent many hours at her charming
home, and often accompanied her upon her errands of
mercy among the poor, while she valued him among her
choicest friends.
Sir Charles also had the most profound respect for her,
and to-day, as she drove up to their elegant residence, he
sprang to assist her to alight, a most cordial welcome on
his lips and shining in his eyes.
She lingered a moment in the hall with him, and putting
her two letters in his hands, said:
"Go away by yoursef and read these carefully, while

BROWNIE'S TRIUMPH

'288

I make my call upon your mother and Lady Ruxley, and
then come and tell me if you can forgive as I do."
He looked at her a moment in astonishment, then at
the address upon the back of each letter. In an instant
the color flamed into his face as he recognized the handwriting upon one; he lifted his head haughtily, his lip
curled just a trifle in scorn, then, turning without a word,
he conducted her to Lady Ruxley's apartments, dispatched
a servant to tell his mother that Mrs. Dredmond had
called, and quickly withdrew with a strange quickening of
his heart-pulses.
Herbert had already taken Adrian off to inspect a new
conservatory which was being built.
An hour passed, which Brownie made bright and cheerful for Lady Ruxley, Lady Randal having sent regrets
that she was not able to see visitors that morning. Then
the gentlemen all came in together.
Sir Charles appeared very thoughtful, but there was a
brighter and more hopeful gleam in his eye than there had
been for many a day.
He drew Mrs. Dredmond one side as soon as he could
do so without attracting too much notice.
"Thank you," he said, as he gave back her letters. "They
have comforted me greatly, for I had felt, as she says, as
if the crowning joy of life was to be denied me forever."
"And now ?" Brownie asked, eagerly.
"What! can you wish her happiness ?" he demanded,
more in reply to her eager look than her words.
"Ah, yes, poor child, her suffering has been worse than
mine. We do not any of us know our own weakness until
we have been tempted. You and I might fall even lower
than Isabel did under some peculiar temptation, and shall
we presume to judge one who trusted in her own weak
strength, and who, now sorrowing, has found, if I am not
mistaken, a stronger arm to lean upon?"
"What a peacemaker you are, Mrs. Dredmond-you
conquer us all. You take a very sweet way to be revenged
upon your enemies," Sir Charles exclaimed, with a suspicious moisture in his fine eyes.
"I do not believe in that element at all," she replied,

284

BROWNIE'S

TRIUMPH

gently, "but if I could win Isabel's love, and see you both
happy, I should ask for no greater triumph."
"What greater triumph could any one have than to
make a friend of an enemy ?" the young man asked, smiling; then he added, gravely: "I think by another year I
may visit the United States-it is always best to let patience have its perfect work, you know; then, if it shall have
accomplished its mission, there may be happiness for two
more human beings in this world."
Brownie's face fairly shone at his words, then, seeing
her husband approaching, she shook him heartily by the
hand, and bidding the others good-morning, went away,
leaving the house brighter for her coming.
The young man and wife rode in silence for several
minutes.
Then Adrian, suddenly bending forward,
scanned the fair, beautiful face eagerly.
"What is it, dear ?" she asked, with a fond, bright smile.
He bent and touched her forehead with his lips.
"God bless you, my own wife!" was his reverend benediction.
He had caught Sir Charles' last words, and knew that
Brownie had accomplished her mission.

THE END

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PAXTON HooD.

of

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HOLMES.

Cousin Maude. BY MARY J. HOLMES.
Cranford. BY MRS. GASKELL.
Crockett, David, Life of. AN AUTOBI-.
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Gilt Tops.

English Traits.
By R. W. EMERSON.
AND
Essays in Criticism. (FIRST
SECOND SERIES.) BY MATTHEW
ARNOLD.
Essays of Ella. By CHARLES LAMB.
Esther. BY ROSA N. CAREY.
Ethelyn's Mistake. BY MARY J.

BY D. P,
BY

THE

Poaular Tales. BY THE
BROTHERS GRIMM.
Gulliver's Travels. BY DEAN SWIFT.
Guy Mannering. BY SIR WALTER
SCOTT.

BURT'S HOME LIBRARY.
Hale, Nathan, the Martyr Spy.

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CHARLOTTE MOLYNEUX HOLLOWAY.

Handy Andy. BY SAMUEL LOVER.
Hans of Iceland. BY VICTOR HuGo.
Hannibal, the Carthaginian, Life of.
BY THOMAS ARNOLD, M.

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BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE.

of. BY
Life
Thomas,
M. SCHMUCKER, LL.D.
Life of. BY JULES

Joan of Arc,
MICHELET.

A.

Hardy Norseman, A. BY EDNA LYALL.
Harold. BY BULWER-LYTTON.
t-arry Lorrequer. BY CHARLES LEVER.
Ueart of Midlothian.
BY SIR WALTER
SCOTT.
Heir of Redclyffe.

BY CHARLETTE M.

YONGE.
~eans' Poems.

BY Mas. FELICIA

HEMANS.

Henry Esmond. BY WM. M. THACKERAY.
Henry, Patrick, Life of. BY WILLIAM
WIRT.
Her Dearest Foe. BY MRS. ALEXAN-

John Halifax, Gentleman.

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MULOCK.

Jones, John Paul, Life of.

BY JAMES

OTIS.

Joseph

Balsamo.

BY

ALEXANDRE

DUMAS.

Josephine, Empress of France, Life of.
BY FREDERICK

A.

OBER.

Keats' Poems. BY JOHN KEATS.
Kenilworth. BY SIR WALTER SCOTT.
Kidnapped.
BY R. L. STEVENSON.
King Arthur and His Noble Knights.
BY MARY MACLEOD,

Knickerbocker's History of New York.
BY WASHINGTON

DER.

IRVING.

Hereward. BY CHARLES KINGSLEY.
Heriot's Choice. BY RosA N. CAREY.
Heroes
and
Hero-Worship.
BY

Knight Errant. BY EDNA LYALL.
Koran. TRANSLATED
BY
GEORGE

THOMAS CARLYLE.
Hiawatha.
(WITH NOTES.)
LONGFELLOW.

Lady of the Lake.
BY H. W.

By

Hidden Hand, The. (COMPLETE.)
MRS. E. D. E. N. SOUTHWORTH.
History of a Crime.
BY VIcTOR
HuGo.
History of Civilization in Europe. BY
M. GUIZOT.
Holmes' Poems. (EARLY) BY OLIVER
WENDELL HOLMES.
Holy Roman Empire.
BY JAMES
BRYCE.
Homestead on the Hillside. BY MARY
J.

HOLMES.

Hood's

Poems. BY THOMAS HOOD.
House of the Seven Gables. By
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
Hunchback
of
Notre Dame. By
VICTOR HUGO.
Hypatia. BY CHARLES KINGSLEY.
Hyperion. BY HENRY WADSWORTH
LONGFELLOW.

Iceland Fisherman, BY PIERRE LOTI.
Idle Thoughts of an Idle Fellow. BY
JEROME K.

JEROME.

Iliad, POPE'S TRANSLATION.
Inez. BY AUGUSTA J. EVANS.
Ingelow's Poems.
BY JEAN INGELOW.
(niPials. BY THE BARONESS TAUTPHOEUS.
fntellectual Life. BY PHILIP G.
HAMERTON.

In the Counsellor's House.

BY E.

MARLITT.

In

the

Golden

Days.

BY

EDNA

LYALL,

In

the

Heart of

the Storm.

BY

MAXWELL GRAY.

In

the Schillingscourt.

BY E. MAR.-

LITT.

Islmael. (COMPLETE)
BY MRS. E.
D. E. N. SOUTHWORTH.

It Is Never Too Late to Mend.
CHARLES READ

,

BY

SALE.
SIR WALTER

(WITH NOTES.)

BY

SCOTT.

BY E. MAR-

Lady with the Rubies.
LITT.

Lafayette, Marquis de, Life of.

BY

P. C. HEADLEY.
Lalla Rookh. (WITH
NOTES.) BY
THOMAS MOORE.
Lamplighter. BY MARIA S. CUMMINS.

Last Days of Pompeii.
LYTTON.

Last of the Barons.

By BULWERBY BULWER*

LYTTON.

By

Last of the Mohicans.

JAMES

FENIMORE COOPER.

Lay of the

Last Minstrel.

(WITH
BY SIR WALTER SCO"T.

NOTES.)

Lee, General Robert E., Life of.
G.

MERCER ADAM.

Lena Rivers.

BY MARY

Life of Christ.

BY

J,

B3

HOLMES.

FREDERICK

W.

FARRAR.
Life of Jesus. BY ERNEST RENAN.
SIR
EDWIN
Light of Asia. BY
ARNOLD,

Light

That

Failed.

KIPLING.

Lincoln,

Abraham,

BY

RUDYARD

Life

of.

BY

HENRY KETCHAM.

Lincoln's Speeches.
EDITED BY G.

SELECTED
MERCER ADAM.

Literature and Dogma.
ARNOLD.

AND

BY MATTHEW

9.

Little Dorrit. BY CHARLES DICKENS.
BARRIE.
Little Minister. BY JAMES

Livingstone,

David,

Life

of.

BY

THOMAS HUGHES.

Longfellow's Poems.
(EARLY.)
HENRY
V LONGFELLOW,

BY

Lorna Doone. BY R. D BLACKMORE.
Louise de la Valliere. BY ALEXANDRE
DUMAS.

Love Me Little, Love Me Long.
CHARLES READS,

BY

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