WS Th 5 ENTERED ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS IN THE YEAR 1872 BY STREET & SMITH, IN THE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS, WASHINGTON, D, C Se “ers = oor mre ane Vou. XXVUL. FRANCIS 8S. STREET, FRANCIS 8S. SMITH, t Proprietors, NEW etiaie ial srittnneeraca YORK, NOVEMBER 18, 1872. a ny; TERMS} Three Dollars Per Year. Two Copies Five Dallars. NO. 2. H TREMBLIN ea A a i Ni Hi Mi i @ HAND SHE INSERTED THE KEY, AND CAST A 4 YL, Us uy Ys Uy Wf Vig YU, Uf WY Yes es pS Vai 4 t WN Ks \ \ Ini ty Gy Tel”, Zs yf; Vy LY UY ty Lassie Ls Wy Yi ee LLL LLL Mis be Ly ys la Wij DET Yi) Le Uy Zo Chi ULLAL ae yy bp Wty Ly Wy LL. Uy UTZ, Wi, i i STEALTHY LOOK OVER HER RIN R NS) UN i ne OW SS jf ND i RNY y See S NIN! ie Un up HH Ht i i i i i L iI i i th / SHOULDER. ee The Beautiful Tempter; O R, CHARMED BY A By Mrs. M. V. VICTOR, _ Author of Who Owned the Jewels, Tho Wife’s Foe, The Forger’s Sister, ete. CHAPTER I. WHAT WAS SHE DOING THERE? Four ladies, with as many gentiemen, were playing o. quet on a sunny English lawn. The weather w sae tion, the skies biue as er tie it was in y; n England answets to ot r i bap ord the croquet-ground lay @ rose-garden, ee like a pink cloud dropped down on the place, 7 ul Mie it of flowers, whose perfume ie full in the 2 players by a light, warm wind. ’ % one side =e a large and picturesque wins bar Ss brick with stone trimmings, showing, in its ae fest chitecture, its bay-windows, its elegant veranc : Sep vestibules, its wide halls and spacious suites of apartm at all the conveniences and improved taste of a mode shling. ‘ rer front the immensity of some of the ae 5 western slope of the lawn, and the re at a ; 1 af portion of the rear of the house, W hich was en ae y Pes stone, a3 well as from the glorious ancient woods ee the left, it was evident at a glance that this had been a country-seat of some wealthy family lor more than a : « , ; serciad, indeed, been the home of the Race for hundreds of years, they having been enriched an Led nobled in the days of Queen Bess. It was the Late Earl of Bramblethorpe wlio had torn dow n saya 04 cayed and inconvenient portions of the original structu m substituting this beautiful villa for the old ee ve the beginning the estate may have been but a > aa brambles, and the first owners may have been a M “ cultured fellows. as prickly as the crops borne ne he r lands, as they were promoted on account of theil ae warlike deeds of valor; if so the wildness had Bee ee disappeared from both. Not. many estates in ee were under higher cultivation; nor was there oer - } to be found with the manners and breeding ol the Sea Its fortune was magnificent, and the beauty of its daughit- ers unquestioned, Ear! Bramblethorpe, story, wasa widower, at the time of the opening of our vetween fifty and sixty years of , ildy ‘ yo daughters. e, with three childven, a son and two daug j pm Harry, his son, although “a great match,” ad had been favorably consicrred by the nobie eho pepaent society ever since he cany of age, still was unmarried, and verging on thirty. ; sisters, the Ladies Augusta and Clare, were girls of : . dnty and eighteen, there be ing two children, who died in infancy, between them anc HUMAN SNAKE. e whole lawn. Lord Harry played as if he thought th Raton thing a bore, but willing to endure it for the ng the others. G eo a pleasant-looking young gentleman, nee handsome, but with a tail, stylish figure, and o wie oy good features. He had auburn hair, and &@ mus * 1 im the same color, of which he may have been @ be waae since all the young ladies who were sufficiently o . m with him to venture on the remark, avowed Kt e hdasl: tremely becoming to him. His eyes were lig 1 ; Poe? and if they were not very brilliant, neither were ore ' veel ed or lying eyes. Lord Harry had his faults, and Lis ner of self-conceit; but he was not a ‘fast man ae ps Indeed, he was rather provokingly indifferent to oa 4 sex. He iiked a fine horse in the country, his caraien town; his newspaper and book, and his cigar, in can Desperate attempts had been made to Seana weet, though thus far he was, or people thought ie eae a i free. Perhaps they did not Know so muc * abou ng heart-affairs as they supposed. He might have a mance and a secret! Lady Augusta, like about her beauty ait a, always admitted, at first sight. sut Solupiexton exquisitely fair, her eyes a deep, vag au She had the quiet, cold manners of a big ty c ell “ woman. Yet ste could laugh as merrily, ans ban ay 7 could flash as brightly as the gayest ees ba occasion. The fact that she was motheriess, and a P her devolved the dignity of the mistress of Bramb ae Bee had given her a serenity of air scarcely natura srament. eolare, the younger—-how describe her? Poets, er ae ing in the vicinity of Bramblethorpe, or eee a a father’s table, or stealing long glances at her as : ia BY their London opera-box; poets of noble Visor i, ‘anus privileged to waltz with her at London ae tae ony her ices in the conservatory—albeit, she had - > if but one season—there calied her ‘a fl ish of sunilg i a star’? “a jewel,” ‘a rose,’? “bewildering, ae a ng and everything bright and sweet their pens cou ( - te of. Yet they never exaggerated—for, to exagee rate, c a would be impossible. Clare was & Tearing an retty, and blooming, and spt * Oke tee acter. who had been an Italian ee oa was dark and petite. Her hair was black, her gt a Ls olive, shifting into red in her lips and uheeks, “a cast -~ were the darkest hazel in the light, black as ne ike the shade—giorious eyes! changing eek ie Stas with laughter, swimming in tears, pensive asa Mac a‘a, her brother, was tall and fair; but be no question. It was Her hair was sunny, her to curtain them at the instent when the observer was the most infatuated with whathesaw in them. She had a sweet mouth, with the she) upper lip so expressive of spirit and tenderness; an o@lface, and a form of delicious roundness and symmetry, though too small to fill some people’s ideas of womanly taulty. A perfect Italian in looks and temperament, shiwas a great contrast to her fair and stately sister. Thamay have been one reason why the two were so devoti to each other. Extremes meet. Although Clare wasassionate and impulsive, so that Augusta had frequentito restrain her, they never quarreled. Each was th other’s: fondest lover and eae young ladies we not so indifferent. to the game as their brother. Theplayed with plenty of spirit. Augusta's cheeks grew pins sea-shells with the exer- cise and excitement—anl ab with the consciousness that her particular partner JOke at her so mucit that he was continually blundering i th game. This young gentlemanwaa Mr. Arthur Douglass, of Scotland, at preseut on a@atto Lord Harry. The two had been chums in Oxferind had never outgrown the intimacy then formed. } Douglass had no title, beyond that of gentleman, tackecefore or after his name; but his family was ‘tas old ase Cheviot hills,’ and its pos- sessions immense as wel3 venerable. To aspire to a Brambiethorpe would be great flight of ambition in him. However, he had )wn Lady Augusta since she was a little girl, and he oy in jackets, without having, as yet, made any sign of an ambition on his part. He was received in the housid as ‘‘Harry’s friend,” and as such was always welee. If Lady Augusta's delicate cheek grew pinker for homing, no one had particularly noticed that trifling fact3ut we only design to introduce Mr. Dougiass on the crot-ground, leaving a farther ac- quaintance with him to1e cozy moment when there are not so many others ¢ing our attention. | Two other of the eightre Sir Howard Bolling and his pretty sister. Sir How Was quite an old bachelor, partial to little girls anery young ladies, and—for a wonder—addicted to cret. His estates joined those of was not half so careful about displaying her slender ankle and pretty feet in their ‘tightly-buttoned croquet-boots. During the play a great coil of her hair broke away from its pins and ribbons and fell about her shoulders. ‘She laughed and let it have ‘its way, declaring that she could not stop to arrange it until they went into the house to tea. it was evident that the curate was desperately in love with her. But this had been the case for so long that no one tooK much notice of the fact. “Why don’t. you marry him, Oousin Estelle, and put him out of his misery?’ her cousins had asked her dozens of times. ‘Marry my father’s curate? One of you had better marry him if you pity him so much,’? she wouid reply, half-angrily. Then Angusta would acknowledge with contrition: “He is no match for you, Estelle, thatis true. You de- serve to find a husband with plenty of money. I believe you like gayety as well as any of us, if you are the rector's daughter.” “Thanks, my lady cousin. I do indeed have a dreadful hankering after worldly pleasures, though I never expect to attain to any more than what falls upon me from your reflection. You are so kind and generous to your poor relation, dear Augusta.”? “Twant you to have all that Clare and I have,’ the young heiress would say, affectionately, “Ay, and IJ mean to have it,” Miss Estelle would think, dropping her lung eyelashes in mock humility to cover the flash of wicked triumph which shone in her eyes from the frank, loving gaze of the Lady Augusta. Estelle had her aspirations. She had also her pians to accomplish their fulfiiment—plans undreamed of by any other living creature; hopes, burning, conscienceless and strong as her life. *‘No more of this at present,” cried Lord Harry, as the seventh game came to a conclusion with Clare and the oid bachelor as winners. ‘I heard the tea-bell several minutes ago.” “And here comes John to summon us,’’ added Lady the Bramblethorpes, whade a pet of his sister Lillie. The remaining gentla Was the village curate, Mr. Jordan. The remaining lady’ the rector’s. daughter, Miss Styles, called by the la Augusta and Qiare ‘Cousin < » ” Pree introduced ‘asf, not on account of her Jack of rank or fortune, bvcause we desire to give her more attention than arher member of our little party. Somehow Estelle alvymanaged to receive attention. Without striking beavither of person, dress or man- ners, she was seldom hted by those who surrounded her. She knew how scinate the gentlemen and to interest the ladies, $as soft and sarcastic by turns. She satirized people bi their backs; sometimes, when they were very dull, tir faces. Yet she seldom made an enemy, since as so3 She saw she had given offense, she laid a flattering wn to the soulof the aggrieved wine was a sly, subdtBcinating Creature, deep as one of those bottomless IAvhich, when sounded, exhaust . rest lines. TS aInanTIE Rae wasbeautiful but that evening, en- gaged in animated © and conversation, she was, at least, very handsome Her somewhat thid sallow face had a fine color, her dark-gray eyes sied beneith their black lashes, her superb little whieth show?d like pearls when she laughed, and the me braids )f her coa>-biack hair listened in the lignthe settig sun beneath the co- quettish white hat ws scarieWeather.. Her dress an ‘ir brother. iowa whee three were in the set playing croquet on the archi as Ginevra’s! with hong, carving lashes ready always inch or two shorter! the dreses of her cousius; she Augusta. “Ah, what a delicious day this has been. Look at the roses, Mr. Douglass—did you ever see any thing so heavenly ?”? “Yes, Lady Augusta,” was the answer, with a smile into the fair, bright face raised to his. She would not understand the implied allusion to her- Self, but continued: ‘To-morrow I suppose we must forsake all this for the delights of the city. For my part I would prefer remain- ing at Brambiethorpe. I never could see why the God- dess of Fashion chooses to order her votaries into town at the very time when the country is most inviting.” “Why not remain here then, and get the Naugty god- dess at defiance ?’ “Oh, but the balls, you know,’? murmured the young lady, who loved roses and nightingales, but who also liked daucing and dressing. Her companion laughed: “To be sure,’’ he said, ‘the balis; they are irresistible. Yet could I choose my company, I would prefer: remain- ing in this enchanted spot to enjoying the best g@ayeties in London, including the opera, whioh is my special de- light. Ihave had a charming visit here this time, Lady Augusta, even more happy than the previous ones, and that is saying something extravagant. I do not like to go away,” Lady Augusta looked off at the flowers, near which they were passing. She could not keep the tell-tale color en- tively out. of her pate face, which betrayed to him that she understood him. “You are not going to leave us?’ she murmured. “I house in town. We are two weeks behind the rest of the world now, in our migration. Papa’s httle iliness has kept us at Bramblethorpe longer than we intended. Dear papa! J hope he will not fatigue himself going to.the city to-dlay.’? They passed on, Lady Augusta’s white dress perfuming itself with rose-petals as she glided along the waiks. Then came Sir Howard Bolling, audaciously petting little Lady Clare with rose-buds. In his eyes, she was only a beautiful child, with whom he could be mis- chievous to his heart's content. Lord Harry walked with pretty Misa Bolling, politely attentive, sedately indiferent to her shy glances of awe and admiration. Lastly, came pale, seedy-coated Mr. Jordan, vainly en- deavoring to linger in the background with Miss stelle, who would not linger. ‘So you are going away to-morrow ?’. he said, sadty. “Of course, since my cousins have been so good as to ask me. Iam only too happy to go,” was the Snappish reply. e ‘“‘{ understand all which your answer implies, Stella. You grow farther and farther away from me every day, every hour. I wish I had money and power, Stella. You are soambitious. I ought to have given you up long age, but Ieannot! I cannot! I am discontented and wicked— false to my profession, for your sake. Don’t waik so fast, Estelle! You are going away for weeks, and you wili searcely look at me in this Jast hour,” “The tea is getting cold, andI must put up my hair,’ she said coolly, walking faster than before; he had almost to run to keep up with her. When they came up to the others, in front of the house, she was laughing at his efforts to keep pace with her and to talk at the same time. “Please do not make me feel that Iam keeping the company waiting,” she said, shaking off her curate at the door. hmust run up to my room, Cousin Augusta, and arrange this disorderly hair of mine. I will be down be- fore the tea is in the cups. Please do not wait for me.) She darted up-stairs as she spoke, and the young mis- tress of Bramblethorpe led the way to the tea-room. Estelle did not keep. her promise. The first cups of tea were drank, and the company were chatting over their second, enjoying the delicious breeze which swept in at the open windows, while waiting for her, before Miss Styles made her appearance in the room. She had not been al! that time arranging her hair. She had just given that a careless twist, and herself one glance in the mirror, then she had stolen hurredly into the hall and listened a moment at the head of the stairs. Her friends were in the tea-room; no servants within sight or hearing, With asharp glance down the corti- dors opening out of the main hall, she stepped quickly to a door at her right, and tried it, to find if it were locked. It yielded to her hand, and she passed in. Softly turning the key she looked about. This was the Earl of Bramble- thorpe’s piivate sitting-room, communicating with his sleeping and @ressing-rouoms. She looked through the suile tu assure herself that no servants were in the apurt- ments. Then she went so directly to a certain small writing-desk, with drawers, that any observer, had there been one, would have at once inferred that this was pot her first visit—unlocked the middie drawer at the left, With asmall key which she took from her own porte- Monnaie, and began to famble amid the papers contained in it. There were several packages of letters, tied up with blue ribbon. She tossed these over with a sort of scorn, unheeding that the hand which had written them now moldered in the dust—careless of how precious and sacred they were to their receiver and owner —indifferent to everything but the particular object of her search. She understood brother that you would go with us to our found this, after a short examination, drawing it forth ot VHE NEW YORK ° —_— 5 —— — : = wn