"Lady Lancaster will be very angry with us, will she not?" asked
Leonora, lifting her head from his breast, where it had been resting a
few silent, happy moments.
"I have no doubt she will," he replied, with supreme indifference to
his aunt's wrath.
"She will not give you any of her money, I suppose?" pursued the girl.
"No, not a penny, I am sure. But we can do without it, can we not,
love?" he asked, fondly.
"But will you never regret that you chose me instead of Lady Adela and
your aunt's fortune? Can you bear poverty for my sake?"
"I shall never regret anything, and for the rest I shall never know
that I am poor. Having you, my darling, I shall always deem myself
rich," he answered, fondly caressing her.
"And you will never be ashamed of me?" anxiously.
"Never, my darling."
"Nor of poor Aunt West, who is only the housekeeper at Lancaster Park?"
Then indeed he winced, but only for a moment, and he answered bravely:
"She belongs to you, Leonora, and she is, besides, a good and worthy
woman. I shall not be ashamed of her, but she must not serve at the
Park any more; she shall be raised to a position befitting the aunt of
the future Lady Lancaster."
"She will leave the Park to-morrow. We are going to London for a week,
then we sail for New York," said Leonora.
"Is my bride going to leave me so soon?" he whispered, fondly.
"Yes; but she will come back when you come to New York for her,"
answered Leonora, with a blush and a smile.
"That will be in a very short while, then. But why go at all, darling?
Couldn't we be married right away?"
"Without my trousseau? No, sir, thank you. Besides, my aunt and I have
some business to attend to in New York, and I want her to see my native
land and appreciate it."
"When may I come after you, then, my darling? In September?"
"Oh, dear, no!"
"October?"
"No, indeed--that is, I will ask Aunt West," demurely.
"I shall not wait a day longer than October, miss. Do you hear
that?" he says, laughing, but in earnest, for he says to himself,
thoughtfully, "The darling has no one but Mrs. West to take care of
her, and the sooner she is married and settled, the better for her."
"You begin to play the tyrant soon," laughs the happy betrothed.
"In revenge for the way you have treated me all this while," he replies.
And then he adds, with a sterner light in his handsome blue eyes:
"I am going to take you home now, Leonora, and present you to Lady
Lancaster as my promised wife. Are you willing, my darling?"
"I have no objection," she answered, for Leonora, being but human,
thought she would rather enjoy this triumph over her enemy.
So they went back to the house, and Lancaster led his love to the
library, where one of the servants had told him Lady Lancaster was
sitting with Mrs. West, going over the housekeeping books of the latter.
They opened the door and entered. My lady stared at the pair in horror
for a moment, then she rose majestically to her feet and struck her
gold-headed cane upon the floor with a resounding thump.
"So you are come home at last!" she cried. "But what does this mean?
Why have you brought this impertinent minx into my presence?"
"Perhaps you will speak more respectfully of Miss West when I tell you
that she is my promised wife, and the future Lady of Lancaster," her
nephew answered sternly.
"The Lady of Lancaster! What! do you mean that you have sacrificed all
your future prospects for this low-born and penniless girl?" cried my
lady, growing purple in the face and actually foaming at the lips with
fury.
"I have sacrificed nothing, and I have secured my future happiness by
my betrothal," Lord Lancaster answered, proudly.
The old lady stared at him speechless with rage for a few seconds, then
she struck her cane violently upon the floor again, and burst out with
concentrated wrath:
"Then hear me, you blind, besotted fool! You think you have played me
a fine trick, but I'll have my revenge, be sure of that! Not a dollar
of my money shall ever go to you! I will leave it all to the next of
kin. And you, Clive Lancaster, may go on earning your beggarly pittance
in the army, and your wife may take in soldiers' washing, and your
children starve or beg, but I will never throw you a crust to keep you
from starving, nor a rag to keep you from freezing!"
An indignant retort rose to the young man's lips, but before he could
speak Leonora's sweet, clear voice rang out upon the silence:
"I hope, Lady Lancaster, that neither myself, my husband, nor my
children may be reduced to the dire necessity you anticipate. I shall
persuade Captain Lancaster to leave the army and live at Lancaster
Park. He can well afford to do so without your money, for I am as rich
as you are."
"Oh, Leonora!" cried her aunt, dismayed.
"Yes, dear aunt," cried the girl, dauntlessly, "I am not the poor,
dependent girl you and every one else thought me. My father made his
fortune in California. He was very wealthy, and he left me his whole
fortune, with the exception of a legacy to yourself that will keep you
in luxury all your life."
"But why did you let us think that you were poor, my dear?" exclaimed
the good soul.
Leonora laughed gayly, in spite of her enemy's angry, wondering face.
"I did not exactly let you," she said. "You see, you all took it for
granted, and I did not contradict it, for," with a shy glance into her
lover's face, "I wanted to see if any one would love me for myself
alone, and I am richly rewarded; for
"'He does not love me for my birth,
Nor for my lands so broad and fair;
He loves me for my own true worth,
And that is well--'"
Lady Lancaster could have killed her for her brilliant triumph, but she
was powerless to do anything but carry out her angry threats, so she
retired from the scene and went to her dower house, where she actually
adopted a scion of the house of Lancaster and made him the heir to her
wealth; but this lad was too young to marry the earl's daughter, so the
dowager never had that honor in the family.
But her spleen and venom passed harmlessly and unheeded over the heads
of Lord Lancaster and his fair Leonora, for, in the far-famed language
of the story-book, "they were married, and live happily ever afterward."
THE END.
THE MASTER CRIMINAL
THE LIFE STORY OF CHARLES PEACE
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7--The Sign of the Four A. Conan Doyle
9--The Surgeon of Gaster Fell A. Conan Doyle
10--Mill Street Mystery Adeline Sargeant
11--The Bag of Diamonds G. Manville Fenn
12--The Dynamiter Robert Louis Stevenson
13--The Temple of Death F. Du Boisgobey
14--The Coral Pin F. Du Boisgobey
16--The Red Lottery Ticket F. Du Boisgobey
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19--Joe Phoenix, The Police Spy Albert W. Aiken
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21--The Wolves of New York Albert W. Aiken
22--Chin Chin, Chinese Detective Albert W. Aiken
23--Mark Magic, The Detective Anthony P. Morris
24--Electro Pete, Man of Fire Anthony P. Morris
25--The Cipher Detective Anthony P. Morris
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27--The Pinkerton Ferret Charles Morris
28--Cop Colt, The Quaker Detective Charles Morris
29--Sarah Brown, Detective K. F. Hill
30--Fritz to the Front Edward L. Wheeler
32--The Heart of Oak Detective Edward L. Wheeler
33--The Nine of Hearts B. L. Farjeon
34--The Man Hunter Dick Donovan
35--The Never Fail Detective Captain Howard Holmes
36--The Mystery of a Hansom Cab Fergus Hume
37--The Mystery of St. James Park J. B. Burton
38--The Abbey Murder Joseph Patton
39--The Man Who Vanished Fergus Hume
40--The Piccadilly Puzzle Fergus Hume
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by A. Conan Doyle
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Caught in the Mormons' net beautiful Lucy Ferrier's death is avenged
by double murder. Jefferson Hope, her lover, with reckless abandon
for his own safety, has satisfied his thirst for revenge after a
world-wide chase. Death stops the wheels of Human Justice but not
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This story will fascinate you, as only Conan Doyle can. Other stories
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of Robert Louis Stevenson and Fergus Hume--the thrilling stories of
Parisian life by F. Du Boisgobey--the adventures of Old Sleuth and the
most popular of Albert W. Aiken.
The Dynamiter, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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Chin, Chin, Chinese Detective, by Albert W. Aiken.
Mark Magic, The Detective, by Anthony P. Morris.
The Cipher Detective, by Anthony P. Morris.
The Bag of Diamonds, by G. Manville Fenn.
The Pinkerton Ferret, by Charles Morris.
Cop Colt, The Quaker Detective, by Charles Morris.
The Nine of Hearts, by B. L. Farjeon.
The Man Hunter, by Dick Donovan.
The Never Fail Detective, by Captain Howard Holmes.
The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, by Fergus Hume.
The Mystery of St. James Park, by J. B. Burton.
The Abbey Murder, by Joseph Patton.
The Man Who Vanished, by Fergus Hume.
The Piccadilly Puzzle, by Fergus Hume.
Treasure Island, by Robt. Louis Stevenson.
Kidnaped, by Robt. Louis Stevenson.
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THE HART SERIES
Laura Jean Libbey Miss Caroline Hart
Mrs. E. Burke Collins Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller
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2--Gladiola's Two Lovers, Laura Jean Libbey.
3--Lil, the Dancing Girl, Caroline Hart.
5--The Woman Who Came Between, Caroline Hart.
6--Aleta's Terrible Secret, Laura Jean Libbey.
7--For Love or Honor, Caroline Hart.
8--The Romance of Enola, Laura Jean Libbey.
9--A Handsome Engineer's Flirtation, Laura J. Libbey.
10--A Little Princess, Caroline Hart.
11--Was She Sweetheart or Wife, Laura Jean Libbey.
12--Nameless Bess, Caroline Hart.
13--Della's Handsome Lover, Laura Jean Libbey.
14--That Awful Scar, Caroline Hart.
15--Flora Garland's Courtship, Laura Jean Libbey.
16--Love's Rugged Path, Caroline Hart.
17--My Sweetheart Idabell, Laura Jean Libbey.
18--Married at Sight, Caroline Hart.
19--Pretty Madcap Dorothy, Laura Jean Libbey.
20--Her Right to Love, Caroline Hart.
21--The Loan of a Lover, Laura Jean Libbey.
22--The Game of Love, Caroline Hart.
23--A Fatal Elopement, Laura Jean Libbey.
24--Vendetta, Marie Corelli.
25--The Girl He Forsook, Laura Jean Libbey.
26--Redeemed by Love, Caroline Hart.
28--A Wasted Love, Caroline Hart.
29--A Dangerous Flirtation, Laura Jean Libbey.
30--A Haunted Life, Caroline Hart.
31--Garnetta, the Silver King's Daughter, L. J. Libbey.
32--A Romance of Two Worlds, Marie Corelli.
34--Her Ransom, Charles Garvice.
36--A Hidden Terror, Caroline Hart.
37--Flora Temple, Laura Jean Libbey.
38--Claribel's Love Story, Charlotte M. Braeme.
39--Pretty Rose Hall, Laura Jean Libbey.
40--The Mystery of Suicide Place, Mrs. Alex. Miller.
41--Cora, the Pet of the Regiment, Laura Jean Libbey.
42--The Vengeance of Love, Caroline Hart.
43--Jolly Sally Pendleton, Laura Jean Libbey.
44--A Bitter Reckoning, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
45--Kathleen's Diamonds, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
46--Angela's Lover, Caroline Hart.
47--Lancaster's Choice, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
48--The Madness of Love, Caroline Hart.
49--Little Sweetheart, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
50--A Working Girl's Honor, Caroline Hart.
51--The Mystery of Colde Fell, Charlotte M. Braeme.
52--The Rival Heiresses, Caroline Hart.
53--Little Nobody, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
54--Her Husband's Ghost, Mary E. Bryan.
55--Sold for Gold, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
56--Her Husband's Secret, Lucy Randall Comfort.
57--A Passionate Love, Barbara Howard.
58--From Want to Wealth, Caroline Hart.
59--Loved You Better Than You Knew, Mrs. A. Miller.
60--Irene's Vow, Charlotte M. Braeme.
61--She Loved Not Wisely, Caroline Hart.
62--Molly's Treachery, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
63--Was It Wrong? Barbara Howard.
64--The Midnight Marriage, Mrs. Sumner Hayden.
65--Ailsa, Wenona Gilman.
66--Her Dark Inheritance, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
67--Viola's Vanity, Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller.
68--The Ghost of the Hurricane Hills, Mary E. Bryan.
69--A Woman Wronged, Caroline Hart.
70--Was She His Lawful Wife?, Barbara Howard.
71--Val, the Tomboy, Wenona Gilman.
72--The Richmond Secret, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
73--Edna's Vow, Charlotte M. Stanley.
74--Hearts of Fire, Caroline Hart.
75--St. Elmo, Augusta J. Evans.
76--Nobody's Wife, Caroline Hart.
77--Ishmael, Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth.
78--Self-Raised, Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth.
79--Pretty Little Rosebud, Barbara Howard.
80--Inez, Augusta J. Evans.
81--The Girl Wife, Mrs. Sumner Hayden.
82--Dora Thorne, Charlotte M. Braeme.
83--Followed by Fate, Lucy Randall Comfort.
84--India, or the Pearl of Pearl River, Southworth.
85--Mad Kingsley's Heir, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
86--The Missing Bride, Mrs. E. D. E. N. Southworth.
87--Wicked Sir Dare, Charles Garvice.
88--Daintie's Cruel Rivals, Mrs. Alex. McV. Miller.
89--Lillian's Vow, Caroline Hart.
90--Miss Estcourt, Charles Garvice.
91--Beulah, Augusta J. Evans.
92--Daphne's Fate, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
93--Wormwood, Marie Corelli.
94--Nellie, Charles Garvice.
95--His Legal Wife, Mary E. Bryan.
96--Macaria, Augusta J. Evans.
97--Lost and Found, Charlotte M. Stanley.
98--The Curse of Clifton, Mrs. Southworth.
99--That Strange Girl, Charles Garvice.
100--The Lovers at Storm Castle, Mrs. M. A. Collins.
101--Margerie's Mistake, Lucy Randall Comfort.
102--The Curse of Pocahontas, Wenona Gilman.
103--My Love Kitty, Charles Garvice.
104--His Fairy Queen, Elizabeth Stiles.
105--From Worse than Death, Caroline Hart.
106--Audrey Fane's Love, Mrs. E. Burke Collins.
107--Thorns and Orange Blossoms, Charlotte Braeme.
108--Ethel Dreeme, Frank Corey.
109--Three Girls, Mary E. Bryan.
110--A Strange Marriage, Caroline Hart.
111--Violet, Charles Garvice.
112--The Ghost of the Power, Mrs. Sumner Hayden.
113--Baptised with a Curse, Edith Stewart Drewry.
114--A Tragic Blunder, Mrs. H. Lovett Cameron.
115--The Secret of Her Life, Edward Jenkins.
116--My Guardian, Ada Cambridge.
117--A Last Love, Georges Ohnet.
118--His Angel, Henry Herman.
119--Pretty Miss Bellew, Theo. Gift.
120--Blind Love, Wilkie Collins.
121--A Life's Mistake, Mrs. H. Lovett Cameron.
122--Won By Waiting, Edna Lyall.
123--Passion's Slave, King.
124--Under Currents, Duchess.
125--False Vow, Braeme.
126--The Belle of Lynne, Braeme.
127--Lord Lynne's Choice, Braeme.
128--Blossom and Fruit, Braeme.
129--Weaker Than a Woman, Braeme.
130--Tempest and Sunshine, Mary J. Holmes.
131--Lady Muriel's Secret, Braeme.
132--A Mad Love, Braeme.
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THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
Transcriber's Notes:
Added table of contents.
Italics are represented with _underscores_.
Page 17, changed colon to period after "almost rudely."
Page 33, changed ? to ! after "Europe with me."
Page 61, removed duplicate single quote from start of poem (second
appearance of "Howe'er it be, it seems to me...").
Page 69, changed "himself" to "herself" in "settled herself to read."
Page 79, added missing "be" to "child may be like him."
Page 115, changed ? to ! in "you make me hate and despise you for those
words!"
Page 148, changed "minute" to "minutes" in "about fifteen minutes."
Page 167, changed "lover" to "love" in "cease to love her."
Great American Detective Series ad, changed "Humes'" to "Hume's" in
"Fergus Humes' writings." Also corrected "Farejon" to "Farjeon."
Back cover, changed "Barabara" to "Barbara"; changed "Heart's of
Fire" to "Hearts of Fire"; changed "Gorvice" to "Garvice."; changed
"Daphane's" to "Daphne's."; changed "Passions Slave" to "Passion's
Slave."
End of Project Gutenberg's Lancaster's Choice, by Mrs. Alex. McVeigh Miller