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A n B??E ?!TH B!t!H - A RACE…

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A n B??E ?!TH B!t!H A RACE WITR RUn, By HEADON HILL, Author of "Guilty Gold," "The Queen of Night," cr By a Hair's Breadth," "The Peril of the Prince," &c., &c. CHAPTER XLII. After Much Tribulation. Three months have passed, and once again we are at Barfield-on-Tharnes, aiaid the peaceful stillness of a fiue afternoon. Summer tints have given place to autumn shades, and from the close-reaped brown stubbles the distant sound of guns among the partridges ocasionally breaks the silence, telling of the. walling year. On the tiny lawn of the cottage which Sir Charles Roylance had taken for the racing season, and which he still occupied, old Mr. Beauchamp sat in a garden chair, while radiant in her new-found peace Nance tended him with the devotion she had lavished on him since his discharge from hospital. Father and daughter had both been Sir Charles' guests since the old man had recovered sufficiently to be removed. He had nearly got over the dreadful blow which Hooligan had dealt him in an ecstasy of rage over the duplicate circular and Tanna- dyce's consequent displeasure. The story was an old one now-how the ungovemed petr had strode into the office and half killed his duped partner, after rifling the drawer for his share of the profits. And now, this afternoon, they were waiting for their host's return from London, where he had been to attend the trial of Tanna- dyce and his hired accomplices on the charge of conspiring to bring about Lord Hooligan's death at the hands of Tidmarsh. The charge of inveigling Nance to the Rook's Nest had not been proceeded with, lest unnecessary scandal should be raised, Croal having behaved like a brick in the matter, complet- ing his case in such a manner that she would not have to be called as a witness. The only too-willing- silence of the accused on that head had been purchased by the withdrawal of the minor count in the indict- ment, and to guard against future distortion of the story they had all been induced to sign affidavits that Nance had been hoodwinked into the brougham and afterwards detained against her will. There was, therefore, but one issue to be fought out between the Crown and the prisoners—namely, their plot against the reprobate nobleman, who had become as a thorn in the flesh to Tannadyce by reason of his imminent arrest for Bessie Beckford's murder. Presently the garden gate clicked, and Nance rose with a happy blush to greet her lover as he came quickly up the path. "All over, and without a whisper affecting us," he cried cheerily. "I was honoured by a seat on the bench. Tannadyce got five years' penal servitude, Mother Fury three, and the pugilists two years' imprisonment each. Skinner, as you know, had been allowed to tender himself as King's evidence; but the singular thing is that the case would pro- bably have broken down if it hadn't been for Moses Cohen. His testimony of what passed in the blouse, especially their making Hooligan drunk for the slaughter, turned the scale and told strongly against them." "I don't like that," said Nance gravely, as Sir Charles flung himself into a low chair at he, side. "It cannot have been an edifying spectacle to see a father so vindictive against his own son." "Frankly, it was not; though the old man had been most shamefully treated." Sir Charles replied "And he was debarred from showing himself up in the best light through not being able to mention the real reason for his presence in that horrible place-his devo- tion to you, dearest." "It is worse for a child to have to put up with a wicked father than for a father to be saddled with undutiful offspring," Mr. Beauchamp sighed huskily. The Qx-squire of The Grange attributed all his daughter's misfortunes to his own folly, and had been devoured by remorse ever since his generous reception by his future son-in-law. Both the young people had been doing their best to make him forget the past, and now Nance leaned over and stroked the wrinkled hand. "Wbat's the good of harping on painful epi- sodes, Dad?" 'Parker's Lightning Finals'were only a bad dream, and they are dead and buried for ever. Charley has forgiven us long ago, haven't you, Charley?" she murmured. Roylance gave her a look that did not need the interpretation of words. Something else besides Parker's Lightning Finals' is dead and buried," he said after a pause. A much larger affair, and one that has a good deal to do with our future happiness. My racing stud went to the hammer yester- day and fetched fairly good prices. I feel like a man who has been confined in a dungeon, and has suddenly had his shackles knocked off." Heaven be thanked for that!" Nance faltered. And another piece of news cropped up to-day in town. I looked in at the agent's and learned that I have let Roylance Abbey, now happily cleared of mortgage, for a long term of years to an American manufacturer." Oh, Charley, that is a real sacrifice!" "Yes; it will be a wrench to think of strangers in the dear old place, but it will be more honest than scraping on without the means to keep it up. We shall have to begin in quite a, small way, little woman, and make this cottage our home—unless you prefer to go back on your promise to make me a happy man next week." Don't hint such a thing, even in jest," said Nance, her eyes filling with tears. I would rather be a poor man's wife than try to bolster up a tottering fortune by the glittering sham of a life devoted to the Turf. That way ruin lies, Charley, as we both have learned very bitterly." Sir Charles gave her hand an affectionate squeeze and looked across at the old squire, who was moodily ruminitting on his own prospects. He was sorely perturbed by the consciousness that if he was unfit to be a Turf adviser he was unfit to be anything, and a future of dependency on his daughter and her husband, in their comparatively straitened circumstances, galled his pride. But it seemed that the kind-hearted young baronet had devised a way of letting him down easy. I've got a proposal to make to you, Mr. Beauchamp. if you can make up your mind to live with a humdrum couple," he began rather diffidently. I don't mean to be an idle man any more. I have arranged to go into business as a tea broker, and I am toid that I shall have to spend the best part of my time on 'Change. Now the question is. will you come to my assistance by helping Nance to boss the gardener and the groom here during my. daily absences in town? They would be raftier a handful for her alone, with all her indoor housekeeping to to." He winked at Nance half humorously, ha>ju sadly, as the blind man, with something o his old egotism, pompously to a proposal made for the sole purpose of providing him with a home. Nance's grateful smile for her lover was cut short by the opening of the garden gate and the entrance of L<'ldy Alice Mashiter- onarley's Aunt." as Nance irreverently called her behind her back. The grim spinster advanced with stately step and slow to the party under the mulberry tree, and suddenly ejaculated:- I have been grossly deceived!" Indeed, aunt-not so bad as that, I trust." said Sir Charles, offering her a chair, which she declined. Ignoring his remark, she snapped out: "You two are getting married next week?" "Well, the banns are up, and "Yes, yes, I know. I've no objection to your being ma-rried-now thait you're both reformed characters," interrupted the old lady. "It isn't that. It's the questaon, of the clergyman- llr. Quintree must not per- form the cereffl°ny- I should hardly regard you as legally married." "ny. how's that. Aunt Alice? I thought you swcre by Quintree." Sir Charles, exclaimed in genuine wonder. "I've found hid out," replied Lady Alice severely. "He's a (Bare and a delusion, and so is Mr. Cowper Bulstrode, the church- warden. Mr. Quintree sent me an anti-gamb- ling- tract of his coJIlposition, and inside it he had left, by mistake, a letter from a, turf accountant demanding payment of bete. All I know is that yon IIlUEt get another man to marry you." With which she turned and stumped out of the garden. Whether they would orD". Sir Charles and, Nance were compelled to fet another clergy- man to tie the nuptial kilo", But really it, mattered nothing to the young lovers, who now in the golden autumn redeemed the pledge entered into amid the fiery ordeal of summer. For were they not setting forth on a new life, humbled, but not humiliated, by the trizls of til e past' Dearly bought as was their experience, it was a small price to pay for the perfect peace of a home life unembittered by the carkirz cares of chronic debt, a:1d by the transient joys of "spotting a wiDDcr. Frank Bremner and Mr. Tidoarsh, too, flourish under the new regimen prescribed by the ex-bookmaker as the result of hIS narrow escape from crime. There is no need now to take lodgers at 40, Beaker-street. la their quiet, orderly home, his good wife sees more of the once shiftless clerk, and also of his salary, now that the betting market no longer has attractions for him. As for Mr. Tidmarsh. he has started as -3.. cab-proprietor in a small way. and perhaps it says more for the sterling heart that beats under his capacious waistcoat than we have been able to bring out in our description of him. that Alf. Skinner is one of his few carefully chosen drivers. "The lad has suffered a lot, and he's faith- ful to the hand that feeds him. Who affi I to cast stones at anybody?" Mr. Tidmarsh will say when tasod with employing a graduate from such a doubtful school. Wherefrom it will be seen that "the greatest of these, which is charity," blossoms most freelv in the most unexpected nooks. THE END.

ONE HUNDRED SOVS

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