she was sent to me from Cairo by a particular friend of guardy's-a Mr. Hawkstone, who has been a great wandérer, and who owns some island not far from the coast. Why, how you glare at me! You know Mr. Hawkstone, perhaps ?" He frowned, and dropped his ring into his pocket. "Yes," he answered, sulkily, "I am not ashamed of the woman I love. She is incomparable-the one treasure on earth for me! There goes the luncheon-bell. I suppose we shall be expected to appear before old Hypo Not any," answered Ravenal, savagely. "I have as usual." heard of him, however." "Of course! how stupid of me! Your sister is living at Tempest Island; you go there often of late." He colored to his eyes. "The girl of the period has strange tastes," he sneered. "One can overlook your dogs and horses, Doris, but this African simian is too much for ordinary forbearance." In a bantering tone she answered : She looked somewhat unnerved, but she answered, bravely: "Why not? The business of life goes on, whether engagements are broken or kept. Come! Mr. Sutton is quite savage when he is made to wait, and you seem to see the necessity of pleasing, rather than exasperating, him to-day." He followed her out of the drawing-room, and into an "If you loved me, Gabriel, you would not quarrel with other apartment where lunch was spread. my tastes." "Does that follow ?" he said, captionsly. "Bah! turn the vile caricature out, Doris? I call this an execrable jest quite unworthy of a lady. You had some particular person in mind when you put that toggery on the beast." "Whom could I have had in mind ?" asked Miss Rokewood, calmly caressing the monkey. "You are growing incoherent, are you not? Poor Juno! I am sure your hard names have lacerated her feelings, and she is so amiable, so intelligent, too!" Her manner changed suddenly-she turned and swept straight up to her lover. Her height was nearly equal to his own, and she looked like a daughter of the old seakings, with her resolute blue eyes, and crown of flaxcolored hair. A log fire blazed on the tiled hearth, in merry contrast to the storm outside, and before it stood a delicately molded man, as yellow as a Mongolian, holding a chronometer in his hand. "You have kept me waiting two and a half minutes," said George Sutton, sharply, as the young pair entered. "For Heaven's sale, shut the door, Ravenel !—I feel a draught across the back of my neck !" He was a confirmed dyspeptic, unreasonable, like all of his kind-slightly grizzled, with aquiline features and an air of ill health. Two or three of Miss Rokewood's dogs were stretched at his feet-they looked up into his thin, sour face, and wagged their tails affectionately. "Pardon our unconscionable delay, guardy," said Miss Rokewood, in a cheerful tone-her clear eyes and smiling lips gave no token of the pain that was gnawing her "Gabriel, I feel sure that you have something to say heart. "I am sorry that we have put you out. How is to me." Her engagement was a month old. The time had not been happy or satisfactory. From the first something intangible had stood, a separating force, betwixt herself and her lover. Ravenel gave a guilty start, then he braced himself for the crisis. "Give me back my freedom, Doris !" he said. She grew pale, but answered, steadily: "You love another woman ?" "Yes. It was all a-a-mistake from the first-our engagement, I mean." your liver to-day ?" "Barbarous !" growled Sutton. "If a man could manage to exist without that wretched organ, he might be fairly comfortable. My digestion is in a state of absolute ruin. Moreover, this room, I tell you, is full of draughts. I wish I had the architect here-I would punch some fresh ideas into his head." "I fear you might find the exertion too great for you," smiled Miss Rokewood. "Let me spread a tiger-skin across your lap. How heartless it seems for healthy people to seat themselves at table with a man who sighs She drew his ring from her finger, and put it in his for an extinguished liver! Here comes that naughty hand. "You are free, Gabriel !" Juno. Do you think she will annoy you, guardy ?" An odd mixture of relief and apprehension appeared in tress. his face. "Not in the least," answered Sutton, with resignation. "God knows I would have remained true to you, if I "The house is at your disposal, my dear. Transform it could, Doris, but" She interrupted, with cold diguity: It is not necessary to enter into explanations. You never cared for me in the least-you thought only of my fortune." He winced. "Don't be too hard upon me, Doris-let us remain friends, if we cannot be lovers. I now find myself in a very awkward position. Old Hypo will be furious-he has set his heart on our marriage. Try to soften his wrath against me-you have no end of influence with him, you know." into a menagerie-a circus, if you like. Heavens ! that It was a dull luncheon. Ravenel seemed gloomy and distrait. Miss Rokewood alone preserved the appearance of cheerfulness. Presently George Sutton passed a letter to his ward across the damask cloth. "Here is an invitation," he said, "for you and me to There was open contempt, not unmixed with bitter spend a few weeks at Tempest Island with my friend pain, in her large frank eyes, as she answered: "I decline to interfere betwixt you and Mr. Sutton. He has great good sense. He will not be angry because you have sought release from a bond that had become irksome. Why should he, or any other person, wish our engagement to be kept now? Surely you are willing to abide by the choice you have made ?" Hawkstone. It seems that he has abandoned the idea of going abroad again, and opened his house to guests. Fancy the flutter which this piece of news will create among managing mammas and marriageable danghters! Of course you remember Hawkstone, my dear?" She flung a bit of chicken to an English poodle-a favor which brought Juno, chattering angrily, from the cabinet. The monkey gave the canine a blow that sent him yelping under the mahogany. Some slight confusion ensued. When it was over, Miss Rokewood answered, sweetly: - "Yes, I remember him an Edgar Ravenswood, gloomy and grand, with whom the world had gone ill. He possessed, in a marked degree, that fatal gift of beauty which Byron wrote about." "Pooh! Do you recollect that he dined with us six years ago, just before setting out on his long exile ?" She nodded. "And he fascinated me so much that I could only stare at him. In return for my dumb adoration, he sent me Juno from Cairo. Without doubt, his return to the world—our world-will make a stir in society-everybody of any account knows the Hawkstones, of course. But there's a shadow hanging over Prince Lucifer, as I have heard him called-don't. you know ?" She spoke very steadily, ignoring the fact that Gabriel Ravenel had rapidly changed countenance at this turn of the conversation. "That does not signify," answered Sutton; "some people have scruples concerning divorce-others have none. The majority of women will consider the shadow of which you speak rather interesting than otherwise. Shall we accept Hawkstone's invitation ?" "By all means, guardy!" The invalid cast an irritated look toward Ravenel. "But here is your betrothed husband-Hawkstone has not asked him. What is he to do in your absence, my dear ?" "I could by no possibility accept Mr. Hawkstone's hospitality, sir," cried Ravenel, hotly. "And it is time, I perceive, to tell you that I am no longer Miss Rokewood's betrothed husband-our engagement is over." Sutton pushed away his plate. "Why choose the lunch-table for such an explosion as this, sir?" he demanded; "you ought to know that mental disturbance is peculiarly disastrous to the proper action of the liver! Very well. The mischief is done, and cannot be recalled. My dear Doris, leave me alone with Mr. Ravenel. The havoc of my internal economy may as well proceed-yes, take the menagerie with you, my dear." Then, as the door closed on Miss Rokewood and her pets, his angry eyes sought those of his secretary. "I am not in the least surprised, Gabriel," he said, sternly; "I only wonder that Doris has borne with you so long! Your silly infatuation for that circus-rider is in everybody's mouth-is talked of at the clubs, and in private drawing-rooms. Deny nothing! I know how you have followed her about from place to place, whenever it was possible for you to obtain leave of absence from me -I know how you have invited gossip, and ridicule, and notoriety-how you have disgraced us all, sir !" Ravenel pushed back from the table, white as a sheet. "It is not my intention to deny anything," he answered, defiantly. "I love the lady known as Mademoiselle Zephyr, and she has promised, upon certain conditions, to become my wife-there's the whole matter for you in a nutshell !" The invalid leaned, and laid a thin, delicate hand on the arm of his secretary. His voice grew gentle. "You are young, Gabriel-a mere boy, and much must be pardoned and overlooked in youthful blood. You are the last of my kindred-the sole heir to my possessions. I have made my will, and given you everything without reservation. I will not be unreasonable, lad—I will not ask you to marry a woman you cannot love-in fact, Doris Rokewood is far too good for you-vastly your superior in everything. It is an unequal bargain-she can do better. I shall not urge any renewal of your late relations-far from it; but one thing is imperative-you must give up Mademoiselle Zephyr, and at once!" Ravenel stood leaning on the table, colorless as ashes. "That I cannot, and will not do!" he answered. "Then you will leave my house this very hour, to enter it no more; and not a dollar of my fortune shall you ever see! Choose betwixt my money and that woman, for, by my soul, you cannot have both! If you wish to come the Marc Antony business of throwing the world away for love, that is your affair, but the will that I have made in your favor I will burn before you are an hour older. Think a moment, Gabriel-I would be glad to save you if I could. Is that creature of paint and spangles worth all that you must pay for her?" Ravenel staggered a little. Wealth-ease-positionthese were offered him by one of his own blood-offered eagerly, too, and with genuine feeling in eye and voice. And over against them was set a woman's fair, little face in a frame of yellow hair-a pair of blue eyes, full of delusive lights. "Love like mine cannot be bought !" he groaned; "to live without her would be a monstrous impossibility—it cannot be thought of for a moment !" "You will not give her up?" thundered Sutton. "No!" Under the The sword of Damocles had fallen at last! unwelcome stroke he bowed, but his dry lips refused to utter a word. "Go to my safe and take a quarter's salary," pursued Sutton. "You will need it, for women like Mademoiselle Zephyr have expensive tastes. I have given you without stint since you came to me, but I dare say you have spent everything upon that creature. Farewell, sir! There may be in the world a greater fool than you are, but I have never seen him." The It was over. He had made his choice--thrown away his great expectations-lost his world for love! blow was none the less bitter because he had expected it. He dashed out of the room. Juno, the monkey, was prancing about the hall in her scarlet jacket and spangled skirt. He gave the poor brute a tremendous kick, then darted into the library, closed the door, but forgot to lock it. The table was strewn with books and papers. He put these in order, and gathered up such documents as be The Mongolian yellow of Sutton's face turned to wrath- longed to himself. Empty-handed, disinherited, he ful copper-red. must go! He looked around the library. Across a recess near him a drapery of rich Eastern stuff was drawn; behind this was Sutton's safe, cunningly built into the paneled wall. Ravenel went forward and opened it. The rich invalid was careless about his valuables-his secretary was careless, also. Many things were in the safe which should have been at the banker's-a box crowded with bonds, great rolls of bank-notes-jewels brought from strange lands. And he was to take a quarter's salary and depart! As he stared in upon the treasures, a sharp, ringing suddenly filled Ravenel's ears -mist gathered under his eyelids. An awful temptation shaped itself before him. Instantly he was wrestling with Apollyon-he was overpowered! He snatched the bonds from the box, and thrust the jewels and rolls of money wildly into his pockets. As he did so he heard a noise at his shoulder, and turning, with all his guilt resting consciously upon him, he looked straight into the horrified eyes of George Sutton. "In God's name, what are you doing?" cried the invalid. "Is it possible that you can stoop to this, Ravenel ?" The two men were alone in the room. One was young and strong, the other sick and feeble. Guilt and fear make a merciless combination. Without a word Gabriel struck his benefactor down. Sutton fell to the floor by the rifled safe like one dead. Then Ravenel-madman, traitor, thief threw up a long window, and with one awful backward look at the pale, blood - stained face lying in the dust, leaped breathlessly out on the piazza, and fled from the house into the stormy, dwindling day -fled, to lay down his life, if need be, even as he had already sacrificed gratitude, honor and fair fame, at the tiny, twinkling feet of Mademoiselle Zephyr, the circusrider. CHAPTER XX. JETTA SPEAKS AGAIN. SEPTEMBER is reddening the island woods. Nearly three weeks have passed since the night of Hawkstone's return, and lo! a wonderful change has come to Tempest Island. An army of invaders is in full possession of everything here-stylish, well-dressed invaders, of the best possible manners. They came down upon us "like the wolf on the fold." Our quiet is gone, our peace broken. "There was never anything like it in my time," says Mrs. Otway. "I rejoice that Mr. Hawkstone can find it in his heart to gather these people about him-to look the world in the face again.” The long-closed guest-chambers are flung wide open. Yachts ride in the roadstead. Beautiful society belles and elegant gentlemen lounge in the stone porch and flirt on the terraces. There are gypsy teas and clambakes on the shore, long rides across the island moors on Hawkstone's blooded horses, hunting in the island woods, which abound in game, and dinners of great magnificence. Indeed, life has become one merry-go-round at Tempest Island. But not for Jetta Ravenel, the governess. I am in the midst of this grand company, but not of them. Bee and I keep mostly to the schoolroom. The child, timid by nature, and made more so by her infirmity, shuns her father's guests almost as much as I do. Vincent Hawkstone is here, thrusting himself upon my notice whenever the opportunity offers, which is not often, for I avoid him studiously. Vincent has brought friends with him from Whithaven - among them, a Colonel Latimer, who wears an eyeglass and diamond-pin, and has won glory in the tented field, and a blonde young man named Dudley, Vincent's partner in law. Yachtmen are here, and fashionable matrons with fair young charges, a governor, some traveled people, whom Hawkstone met on the Nile, a Whithaven judge with two stylish daughters, a dashing brunette widow from Gotham, named Mrs. Van Dorn, and I know not how many more. Daily Mrs. Otway tells me of new arrivals, but as these people are nothing to me, I Our schoolroom has old-fashioned windows with deep, cushioned seats. Yesterday, as I sat with my pupil in one of these comfortable nooks, watching the sun sinking behind a headland, the child said: "Miss Ravenel, a sick gentleman came over in a yacht from Newport last night, with a valet and a young lady. The servants brought him up to the house. He is a particular friend of papa's, and some dreadful thing has lately happened to him-I heard Mrs. Otway say so." 66 You should not listen to conversation that is not intended for your ears, Bee," I said. My pupil paid no heed to this oft repeated rebuke, but continued, unabashed: "The sick gentleman does not leave his room-he must be very bad; but I saw the young lady walking in the porch with papa this morning. She is tall and fair and she loves dogs. Her name is Doris Rokewood. She was telling papa something, and she was very pale, and she said: 'I felt sure it would be better for Mr. Sutton to come here at least, it will divert his thoughts from that dreadful matter. Oh, Mr. Hawkstone, he is determined to let justice take its course' Then papa saw that I was listening, and he sent me away." Before I could reply the schoolroom-door opened, and Basil Hawkstone entered. "You have turned hermitess since my guests came, Miss Ravenel," he said, towering grand and tall in the low room. "I am simply trying to keep out of the way of so many awe-inspiring people," I answered. He approached our window with an unwonted gentleness in his cold, stern face. "On close acquaintance you would probably find my guests anything but awe-inspiring. How depressed you look! Has anybody dared to annoy you ?" I felt the blood leap to my face. "No; I am anxious about my I mean a near relative-that is all." 66 And is Gabriel still secretary to Mr. Sutton ?" I faltered. "No," replied Hawkstone, very gravely. I leaned involuntarily against the window-seat. "It is even as I feared," I murmured. "My poor, foolish boy! Oh, Mr. Hawkstone, can you tell me where he now is ?" "I cannot !" he answered, in evident embarrassment. "You are no longer in direct communication with him, then ?" I shook my head in a forlorn way. "Oh, no! Gabriel has not written to me for a long time !" "My poor child, do not break your heart over him," he began, and then paused abruptly, and changed the |