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VOLUME XXXIX
ATLANTA, GA., WEEK ENDING MARCH 29, 1901
NUMBER 3
Tristram 0/ Blent * ^hoxyhop^
CHAPTER FIVE *
Tli* First Round
ITHIN the last fcw days
there were ominous ru
mors afloat as to the
Lady Tristram's health.
It was known that she
could see nobody and
kept her room; it was
reported that the doc
tors (a specialist had
been down from town)
were looking very
grave. It was agreed
that her constitution
had not the strength to
support a prolonged
strain. There was sym
pathy—the neighbor
hood was proud in its
way of Lady Tristram—and there was the
usual interest to which the prospect of a
death and a succession gives rise.
Harry Tristram was sorry that his
mother must die and that he must lose
her; the confederates had become close
friends, and nobody who knew her inti
mately could help feeling that his life
and even the world would he poorer by
the loss of a real, if pot striking, in
dividuality. But neither he nor she
thought of her death as the main thing;
it no more than ushered In the great
for which they had spent years pre
paring. And he waa downright glad that
slip could see no visitors; that fact saved
him added anxieties and spared her the
need of being told about Mina Zabriska
and warned to bear herself warily toward
the daughter of Madame de Kites. Harry
did not ask his mother whether she re
membered the name; the question was
unnecessary; nor did he tell his mother
thal one who had borne the name was at
Merrlon lodge. He waited, vaguely ex
pecting that trouble would come from
Merrlon. but entirely confident In his
ability to fight and worst the tricky
little woman whom he had not f gored to
snub; and in his heart he thought well
of her and believed she had as little In
clination to hurt Jjlm as she seemed to
have power. His only active step was to
pursue hl» attentions to Janie Iver.
A new vexation had come upon him, the
work of his pet aversions, the Gainsbor
oughs. He had seen Mr. Gainsborough
once aud retafnvtca of a '..mail,
ineffectual man with a ragged, tawney-
. brown beard and a big, soft felt hat, who
had an air of being very timid, rather
pressed for money, and endowed with a
kind heart. Now, it seemed, Mr. Gains
borough was again overflowing with fam
ily affection (a disposition not always wel
comed by its objects), and wanted to
shake poor Lady Tristram’s hand, and
wanted poor Lady Tristram to kiss his
daughter—wanted, in fact, a thorough go
ing burying of hatchets and a touching
reconciliation. With that Justice of judg
ment of which neither youth nor prejudice
quite deprived him. Harry liked the letter,
but he was certain that the writer would
be Immensely tiresome. And again—In the
end as In the beginning—he did not want
the Gainsboroughs at Blent; above all not
Just at the time when Blent was about to
pass into his hands.
“I hate hearsay people," grumbled Har
ry, as he threw the letter down. But the
Gainsboroughs were soon to be driven
out of Js head by something more im
mediate find threatening.
Blent pool is a round basin some fifty
or sixty feet, in diameter. The banks are
steep and the depth great. The scene is
gloomy except in sunshine, and the place
is little frequented. It was a favorite
hnunt of Harry Tristram's and he lay
on the grass one evening smoking and
looking down on the black water, for the
clouds were heavy above and rain threat
ened. His own mood was In harmony,
gloomy and dark, in rebellion against the
burden he carried, yet with no thought of
laying It down. He did not notice a man
who came up the road and took his stand
just behind him. waiting there for a mo
ment in silence and apparent Irresolution.
“Mr. Tristram."
Harry turned his head and saw Major
Duplay. The major was grave, almost
solemn, as he raised his hat a trifle in
formal salute.
_"Do I interrupt you?"
"You couldn’t have found a man more
at leisure." Harry did not rise, but gath
ered his knees up, clasping his hands
round them and looking up In Duplay's
face. ‘‘You waqt to speak to me?”
“Yes; on a difficult matter.” A visible
embarrassment hung about the major: he
seemed to have little liking for his task.
“I'm aware.” he went on. “that I may lay
myself open to some misunderstanding
in what I'm about to say. I shall beg you
to remember that I am In a difficult po
sition. and that I am a gentleman and a
soldier.”
Harry said nothing; he waited with un
moved face and no sign of perturbation.
"It's best to be plain,” Duplay pro
ceeded. It's best to be open with you.
I have taken the liberty of following you
here for that purpose.” He came a step
nearer and stood over Harry. "Certain
facts have come to my knowledge which
concern you very intimately."
A polite curiosity and a slight skepti
cism were expressed In Harry's “Indeed:”
"And not you only, or—I need hardly
say—I shouldn't feel It necessary to oc
cupy myself with the matter. A word
about my own position you will perhaps
forgive."
Harry frowned a little; certainly Du
play was Inclined to prolixity; be seemed
to be rolling the situation round his
tongue and making the most of its fla
vor.
"Since we' came here we have made
many acquaintances, your own among
the number; we are In a sense your
guests.”
"Not in a sense that puts you under
any obligation," observed Harry.
"I'm sincerely glad to hear you say
that; it relieves my position to some ex
tent. But we have made friends, too. In
ip! l-j?.
/ft an Instant Duplay closed with him In a struggle on which hung—an unpleasant and humiliating ducking
one house I myself (I may leave my niece
' out of the question) have been received
with a hearty, cordial, warm friendship
that seems already an old friendship. Now
that does put one under an obligation,
Mr. Tristram.”
"You refer to our friends, the Ivers?
Yes?"
“In my view, tinder a heavy obligation.
I am, J say, in my Judgment bound to
serve them In all ways In my power, and
to deal with them as I should wish and
expect them to deal with me in a similar
case.”
Harry nodded a careless assent, and
turned his eyes away toward the pool;
even already he seemed to know what
was coming, or something of it.
“Facts have come to my knowledge of
which It might be—Indeed, I must say
of which it is—of vital importance that
Mr. Iver should be informed.”
"I thought the facts concerned me?”
asked Harry, with brows a little raised.
“Yes, and as matters now stand they
concern him, too, for that reason,” Du
play had gathered confidence; his tone
was calm and assured as he came steo
by step nearer his mark, as he established
position after position in his attack.
"You are paying attentions to Miss
Iver—with a view to marriage, I pre
sume?”
Harry made no sign. Duplay proceed
ed slowly and with careful deliberation.
"Those attentions are offered and re
ceived as from Mr Tristram—as from the
future Lord Tristram, of Blent. I can't
believe that you're ignorant of what I'm
about to say. If you are. I must beg
forgiveness for the pain I shall inflict on
'•ou. You, sir. are not the future Lord
Tristram of Blent.”
A silence followed; a slight drizzle had
begun to fail, speckling the waters of the
pool; neither man heeded it.
"It would be Impertinent in me,” the
major resumed, "to offer you any sym
pathy on the score of that misfortune;
believe me, however, that my knowledge
—my full knowledge—of the circumstances
can Incline me to nothing but a deep re
gret. But facts are facts, however hardly
they may bear on individuals.” He paus
ed. "I have asserted what I know. You
are entitled to ask. me for proofs, Mr.
Tristram.”
Harry was silent a moment, thinking
very hard. Many modes of defense came
into his busy brain and were rejected.
Should he be tempestuous? No. Should
he be amazed? Again no. Even on his
own theory of the story Duplay’s asser
tion hardly entitled him to be amazed.
“As regards my part In this matter,”
he said at last, “I have only this to say.
The circumstances of my birth—with
Which I am. as you rightly suppose, quite
familiar—were such as to render the sort
of notion you have got hold of plausible
enough. I don’t want what you call
proofs—though you'll want them badly
if you mean to pursue yOur present line.
I have my own proofs—perfectly In order,
perfectly satisfactory. That's all I have
to say about my part in the matter.
About your part of it, I can. I think, be
almost equally brief. Are you merely Mr.
Iver’s friend, or are you also, as you put
it, paying attentions to Miss Iver?”
“That, sir. has nothing to do with it.”
Harry Tristram looked up at him; for
the first time he broke into a smile as
he studied Duplay’s _«*ee. “I shouldn't
in the least wonder,” he said almost
ehaffingly, "if you believe that to be
true. You get hold of a cock-and-bull
story about my being Illegitimate (O,
I’ve no objection to plainness either In
Its proper place), you come to me and
tell me almost in so many words that if
I don’t give up the lady you’ll go to her
father and show him your precious proofs.
Everybody knows that you're after Miss
Iver yourself, and yet you say that it has
nothing to do with it. That's the sort
of thing a man may manage to believe
about himself, it’s not the sort of thing
that other people believe about him,
Major Duplay.” He rose slowly to his
feet, and the men stood face to face on
the edge of the pool. The rain fell more
heavily; Duplay turned up his collar;
Harry took no notice of the downpour.
“I’m perfectly satisfied as to the hon
esty of my own motives.” said Duplay.
“That’s not true, and you know It. You
may try to shut your eyes, but you can't
succeed.”
Duplay was shaken. His enemy put
into words what his own conscience had
said to him. He was not above suspicion,
even to himself, though he clung eagerly
to his plea of honesty.
“You fail to put yourself in my place,”
he began.
“Absolutely, I assure you,” Harry In
terrupted with quiet Insolence.
"And I can’t put myself in yours, sir.
But I can tell you what I mean to do.
^ Synopfis of Preceding Chapters ^
F OR the benefit of the readers of The
Sunny South who did not begin An
thony Hope's brilliant story. "Tristram of
Blent.” with the first installment and for
those who have subscribed since that
time, a brief synopsis of the story is here
with given:
The story opens with the discovery by
Jenkinson Neeld of a scandal in the fam
ily of Sir Robert Edge, of Blent hall.
Lady Adelaide, wife of Sir Robert, eiooed
with Captain Fitzhubert a year and a
half after her marriage and no attempt
is made on her part or tne part of her
husband to secure a divorce. Sir Robert
dies in Russia and immediately on receipt
of the news of his death Lady Adelaide
and Fitzhubert are married in order that
on the birth of their child it will become
the legitimate heir to Sir Robert's estates.
By a peculiar difference ta the time as
calculated in Russia and England they
are married one day before Sir Robert’s
death and the fact is not discovered until
after the birth of the son. Harry. Conse
quently Harry Is not the rightful heir.
They keep the matter secret, and event
ually Harry comes into possession of the
estates and resides at Blent hall. Un
known to Lady Adelaide, a Madame
Zabrlska and Mr, Jenkinson Neeld are
also in possession of the secret and
Madame Babrisfia with her uncle. Major
Duplay, comes to reside at Merrlon
Lodge, near Blent hall, wnere they meet
the Bleats. _
Harry learns from his mother that he is
not rightful heir to Blent, hut they
determine to hold the title for him at
anv cost. To further his cause he de
cides to marry Janie Ivers, heiress of
Fairholme. but finds two rivals in Bob
Broadley and Major Duplay. The latter
learns of Harry’s unfortunate birth from
Mina Zabriska. who. after divulging her
secret, keenly regrets ft.
The story is taken up at this juncture
in this week’s installment and grows in
interest.
It is my most earnest wish to take no
steps in this matter at all; but that
rests with you, not with me. At least I
desire to take none during Lady Tris
tram’s illness, or during her life, should
she unhappily not recover.”
“My mother will not recover,” said Har
ry. “It’s a matter of a few weeks at
most.”
Duplay nodded. “At least wait, then,’’
he urged. "Do nothing more in regard
to the matter we have spoken of while
your mother lives.” He spoke with gen
uine feeling. Harry Tristram marked
it, and took account of It. It was a
point in the game to him.
“Iq turn I'll tell you what I mean to
do,” he said. “I mean to proceed exactly
as If you had never come to Merrlon
Lodge, had never got your proofs from
God knows where, and had never given
me the pleasure of this very peculiar in
terview. My mother would ask no con
sideration from you, and I ask none for
her any more than for myself. To be
plain, for the last time, sir, you're making
a fool of yourself at the best, and at the
worst a blackguard Into the bargain. He
paused and broke ifito a laugh. ‘‘Well,
then, where are the proofs? Show them
me. Or send them down to Blent. Or
I'll come up to Merrlon. We'll have a
look at them—for your sake, not for
mine.”
“I may have spoken inexactly, Mr.
Tristram. I know the facts; I could get,
but have not yet got proof or them.”
“Then don't waste your money. Major
Duplay” He waited an Instant before
he gave a deeper thrust. “Or Iver's—be
cause I don’t think your purse is long
enough to furnish the resources of war.
You'd get the money from him? I’m
beginning to wonder more and more at
the views people contrive to take of their
own actions.”
Harry had fought his fight well, but now
perhaps he went wrong even as he had
gone wrong with Mina Zabrlska at Fair-
holme. He was not content to defeat or
repel, he must triumph, he must taunt.
The insolence of his sieeeh and air drove
Duplay to fury.
“You're a young man—” he began.
“Tell me that when I'm beaten. It may
console me.” interrupted Harry.
"You’ll be beaten, sir, sooner than you
think,” said Duplay gravely. "But
though you refuse my offer, I shall con
sider Lady Tristram. I will not move
while she lives unless you force me to
It.”
“By marrying the heiress you want?'*
sneered Harry.
“By carrying out your swindling
plans.” Duplay’s temper began to fall
him. “Listen. As soon as your engage-
men is announced—If it ever is—I go to
Mr. Iver with what I know. If you
abandon the idea of that marriage you’re
safe from me. I have no other friends
here: the rest must look after themselves.
But you shall not delude my friends with
false pretences."
"And I shall not spoil your game with
Miss Iver?”
Duplay’s temper quite failed him. He
had not meant this happen; he had pic
tured himself calm, HarrY wild and unre
strained—either In fury or in supplication.
The young man had himself in hand,
firmly in hand; the elder lost self-con
trol.
“If you Insult me again, sir. PH throw
you In the river.”
Harry's slow smile broke across big
face. With all his wariness and calcu
lation he measured the major’s figure.
The attitude of mind was not heroic; It
was Harry’s, who having 10,000 men will
go against him that has 20,000! A fodl
or a hero, Harry would have said, and he
claimed either name. But In the end he
reckoned that he was a match for the
major. He smiled more broadly and
raised his brows, asking of sky and
earth as he glanced around;
“Since when have blackmailers grown
so sensitive?”
In an Instant Duplav closed with him
In a struggle on which hung not death
indeed, but an unpleasant and humiliat
ing ducking. The rain fell on both- the
water waited for one. The major was
taller and heavier; Harry was younger
and In better trim. Harry was cooler
too. It was rude hugging, nothing more;
neither of them had skill or knew more
tricks than the common dimly-remem
bered devices of urchlnhood The fight
was most picturesque, most unheroic, bug
It was tolerably grim for all that.
The varying wriggles (no more dignified
word Is appropriate) of the encounter
ended In a stern stiff grip which locked
the men one to the other, Duplay facing
down the valley. Harry looking up the
orlver. Harry could not see Over the
major’s shoulders, but he saw past it and
sighted a tall dogestt, driven quickly and
rnbrf '. ershly o-»wj. the Jl'.’L. i; was
raining hard now, and had not looked like
rain when the dogcarf started. Hats were
being ruined—there wag some excuse for
risking broken knees to the horse and
broken necks to the riders. In the middle
of his struggle Harry smiled; he put out
his strength, too; and he did not warn his
enemy of what he saw; yet he knew very
well who was In the dogcart. Duplay’s
anger had stirred him to seek a primitive
thbifgh effective, revenge. Harry was
hoping to Inflict a more subtle punish
ment. He needed only a bit of luck to
help him to It; he knew how to use the
chance when It came—Just as well as he
knew who was in the dogcart, as well as
he guessed whence the dogcart came.
The luck did not fall. Duplay’s right
foot slipped. In the effort to recover him
self he darted out his left over the edge
of the bank. Harry Impelled him. The
major loosed his hold and set to work to
save himself. None too soon. Both his
legs were over, his feet touched water, he
lay spread-eagled on the bank, half on,
half off. In a ludicrous attitude. Still he
slipped, and could not get a hold on the
short, slippery grass. At the moment the
dogcart was pulled up Just behind them.
"What are you doing?" cried Janie Iver,
leaning forward In amazement. Mina
Zabriska sat beside her, with wide-open
eyes. Harry stooped, caught the major
under the shoulders, and, with a great
effort, hauled him up on the bank, a sad
sight, draggled and dirty. Then, as Du
play slowly rose, he turned with a start,
as though he noticed the newcomers for
the first time. He laughed as he raised
his cap.
"We didn’t know we were to have spec
tators," said he. “And you nearly came
In for a tragedy. He was all but gone.
Weren’t you, major?”
“What are you doing?” cried Janie
again. Mina was silent, and still, scruti
nizing both men keenly.
“Why, we had been talking about
wrestling, and the major offered to show
me a trick which he bet a shilling would
floor me. Only the ground was too slip
pery, wasn’t it major? And the trick
didn't exactly come off. I wasn’t floored,
so I must trouble you tor a shilling,
major?”
Major Duplay did not look at Janie, still
less did he meet his niece’s eye. He spent
a few seconds In a futile effort to rub
the mud off his coat with muddy hands,
he glanced a moment at Harry.
"I must have another try some day,"
he said, but with no gTaat readiness.
“Meanwhile—the shilling!” demanded
Harry, good humoredly. a subtle mockery
In his eyes alone showing the imaginary
character of the bet which he claimed to
have won.
In the presence of those two inquisi
tive young women Major Duplay did not
deny the debt. He felt in his pocket,
found a shilling, and gave it to Harry
Tristram. That young man looked at it,
BDUD it in the air and pocketed it,
“Yes; a revenge whenever you like,”
said he. "And now we’d better get home,
because it's begun to rain.”
“Begun to! It's trained for half an
hour.” said Janie, crossly.
“Has it? I didn’t notice I was too busy
with the major’s tricks.”
As he spoke he looked full In Mina
Zabriska’s face. She bore his glance for
a moment, then cried to Janie. “O. please
drive on!” The dogcart started: the ma
jor. with a stiff touch of his hat. strode
along the road. Harry was left alone by
the pool. His gayety and defiance van
ished; he stood there scowling at the pool.
On the surface the honors of the en
counter were indeed his; the real peril
Contiauad on Sixth P»g*