Democratic Sentinel, Volume 22, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1898 — EVE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

EVE

By-S.BARING-GOULD.

CHAPTER VII. Midsummer day was come. Mr. Jordan was in suspense and agitation. His pale face was more livid and drawn than usual. The fears inspired by the surgeon had taken hold of him. As the sun declined Mr. Jordan became uneasy. He could not remain in bis study. He could not rest anywhere. The money had not been returned. He had taken out of his strong box Ezekiel Babb’s acknowledgment and promise of payment, but he knew that it was so much waste paper to him. Seventeen years ago, on Midsummer day, there had stood on the little folding oak table under the window a tumbler full of ehina roses, which were drooping, and had shed their leaves over the polished, almost black, table top. They had been picked some days before by his wife. Now in the same place stood a glass, and in it were roses from the same tree, not drooping, but fresh and glistening, placed that morning there by her daughter. At 5 o’clock, seventeen years ago, Ezekiel Babb had come into that hall through that doorway, and had borrowed his money. The clock told that the time was ten minutes to five. If Mr. Babb did not appear to the hour, he would abandon the expectation of seeing him. He thought of the pocketbook on the gravel. How came it there? Who could have brought it? -Mr. Jordan’s eyes were fixed on the clock. The works began to whir-r. At the last stroke the door of Jasper’s sick room opened, and the convalescent slowly entered the hall and confronted his host. The last week had wrought wonders in the man. He had rapidly recovered flesh and vigor after his wounds were healed. As he entered, and his eyes met those of. Mr. Jordan, the latter felt that a messenger from Ezekiel Babb stood before him, and that his money was not forthcoming. “Well, sir?” he said. “I am Jasper, the eldest son of Ezekiel Babb, of Owlaeombe in Buckfastleigh,” he said. “My father borrowed money of you this day seventeen years ago, and solemnly swore on this day to repay it.” “Well?” “It is not well. I have not got the money.” A moan of disappointment broke from the heart of Ignatius Jordan, then a spasm of rage, such as might seize on a madman, transformed his face; his eye blazed, and he sprang to his feet and ran toward Jasper. The latter, keeping his eye on him, said firmly, “Listen to me, Mr. Jordan, and I will explain to you why my father has not sent the money.” Mr. Jordan hesitated. His face quivered. With his raised hand he would have struck Jasper, but the composure of the latter awed him. “My father is a man of honor. He borrowed of large sum, and he laid it out in the purchase of some land. He has been fairly prosperous. He saved money enough to repay the debt, aAd perhaps more. As the time drew nigh for repayment he took the sum required from the bank in notes and locked them in his bureau. Others knew of this. One day he was at Totnes at a great cloth fair. He did not return till the following day. During his absence his bureau was broken and the money stolen.” “Was the thief not caught? Was the money not recovered?’ asked Mr. Jordan, trembling with excitement. “The money was in part recovered.” “Where is it?” “Listen to what follows. You asked if the—the person who took the money was caught. He was." “Is he in prison?” “The person who took the money was caught, tried and sent to jail. When taken. some of the money was found about him; he had not spent it all. What remained I was bringing you.” “Give it me.” “I have not got’ it. I have, lost it.” Again did Mr. Jordan start up in a fit of rage. He ground his teeth, and the sweat broke out in drops on his brow. “I had the money with me when the accident happened, and I was thrown from my horse, and became unconscious. It was lost or taken then.”, “Who was your companion? He must have robbed you.” “I charge no one. I alone am to blame. The money was intrusted to my keeping.” “Cursed be the day I lent the money,” moaned Ignatius Jordan. “The empty, worthless case returns; the precious contents are gone. What is the shell without the kernel? My Eve, my Eve!” He clasped his hands over his brow. “And now once more hearken to me,” pursued Jasper. “My father cannot immediately find the money that he owes you. He does not know of this second loss. However, as you say the money is for your daughter, will you allow it to lie where it is for a while ? I will undertake, should it come to me after my father’s death, to sell land or transfer it, so as to make up to Miss Eve at the rate of five per cent on the loan. I will do more. If you will consent to this, I will stay here and work for you. I will act as your foreman, overlooker or bailiff. I will put my hand to anything. Reckon what my wage would be. I will work for yon as long as my father lives; I will serve you now faithfully as no hired bailiff would serve you. My presence here will be a guarantee to you that I will be true to my undertaking to repay the whole sum with interest. I can see that this estate needs an active man on it; and you, sir, are, are too much given up to scientific pursuits; to cope with what is required.”

CHAPTER VIII. Those words, “scientific pursuits,” softened Mr. Jordan. Jasper spoke in good faith; he had no idea how worthless those pursuits were, how little true science entered into them. He knew that Mr. Jordan made mineralogical studies, and he supposed they were well directed. “Order me to do what you will,” said Jasper, “and I will do it, and will double your gains in the year.” “I accept,” said Ignatius Jordan. “There is no help for if, I must accept or be plundered of all.” “Let us join hands on the bargain.” At that moment Barbara and Eve entered from the court. “Eve! Eve!” cried the father excitedly, “come to me, my angel! My ill-treated child! My martyr!” He caught her to his heart, put his face on her shoulder, and sobbed. “My darling, you have had your money stolen, the money put away for you when you were in the cradle.” “Who has stolen it, papa?” asked Barbara. “Look there!” he cried; “Jasper Babb was bringing me the money, and when he fell from his horse it was stolen.” Neither Barbara nor Eve spoke. “Now,” continued Mr. Jordan, “he"has offered himself as my help to look after the farm for me, and promises, if I give him time ” “Father, you have refused!” interrupted Barbara, “On the contrary, I have accepted.” “It cannot, it must not be!” exclaimed Barbara vehemently. “Father, you do not know what you have done.” “This is strange language to be addressed by a child to a father,” said Mr. Jordan in a tone of irritation. "Was there, ever so unreasonable a girl before? This morning you pressed me to engage a bailiff, and now that Mr. Jasper Babb has

volunteered, and I have accepted him, you turn round and won’t have him.” Miss Jordan stood thinking; 'the color mounted to her forehead, then her brows contracted.. “Mr. Jasper,” she said at length, “I entreat you—go.” He was silent. “I have nursed you; I have given my nights and days to you. You confessed that I had saved your life. If you have any gratitude in your heart, if you have any respect for the house that has sheltered you—go F’ “Stuff and fiddlesticks’.” shouted Mr. Jordan. “He shall not go. I forbid him.” Jasper turnedl “Miss Barbara,” he said humbly, “you are laboring under a mistake which I must not explain. Forgive me. I stay.” She looked at him with moody anger, and muttered: “Knowing what you do—that I am not blind—that you should dare to settle here under this honorable roof. It is unjust! it is ungrateful! it is wicked! Heaven help us! I have done what I could.” Jasper was installed in Morwell as bailiff. Barbara had done what she could to prevent his becoming an inmate of the house. She might not tell her father her real reasons for objecting to the arrangement. She was rendered more uneasy a day or two after by receiving news that an aunt, a sister of her mother, who lived beyond Dartmoor, was dying, and she was summoned to receive her last sigh. When she received the summons to her aunt’s deathbed, knowing that she must go, she asked wherd Mr. Babb was, and, hearing that he was in the barn, went thither with the letter in her hand. Barbara had a curt, almost rough, manner at times. She was vexed now, so she spoke shortly. “I am summoned to Ashburton. That is close to Buckfastleigh, where, you say, you lived.” “Yes, Miss Jordan.” “If your story be false I shall break my promise to you, and tell my father everything.” “If you go to Buckfastleigh, Miss Jordan, I shall venture to send word by you to my father where I am, that the money is lost, and what I have undertaken.” Barbara tossed her head, and sashed an indignant glance at him out of her brown eyes. “I cannot be a porter of lies.” “What lies?” “You did not lose the money. Why decieve me? I know your object in lurking here, in the most out-of-the-way nook of England you could find. You think that here you are safe from pursuit. You made up the story to impose on my father, and induce him to engage you. O, you are very honorable! discharging a debt!—l hate crime, but I hate falsehood even more.” “You are mistaken, Miss Jordan.” “Then tell me all, that I may form a more equitable judgment.” “I cannot do that now. You shall be told—later.” “Then I must judge by what I know.” “Should you favor me so far as to visit my father,” said Jasper, “I beg of you one thing most earnestly. Do not mention the name of my companion—Martin.” “Why not?” “He may suspect him of having robbed me. My father is an energetic, resolute man. He might pursue him, and I alone am to blame. I lost the money.” “Who was that Martin?” “He told you—that I was nothing to him.” “Then why do you seek to screen him?” “Can I say that he took the money? If my father gets him arrested—l shall be found.” Barbara laughed bitterly. “Of course, the innocent must not be brought into suspicion because he has ridden an hour alongside of the guilty. No! I will say nothing of Martin.” CHAPTER IX. The air under the pines was balmy. Eve carried her straw hat on her arm, hung by its blue ribbons. She needed its shelter in the wood no more than in her father’s hall. She same to a brook, dribbling and tinkling on its way through moss and over stone. The path was fringed with blazing marigolds. Eve had already picked some, she now halted, and brimmed the extemporized basket with more of the golden flowers. Suddenly a flash of vivid golden light broke before her, the trees parted, and she stood on the Raven Rock, a precipice that shoots high above the Tamar and commands a wide prospect over Cornwall. As she stepped forth on the rock to enjoy the light and view and air, there rushed out of the oak and dog-wood bushes a weird boy, who capered and danced, brandished a fiddle, clapped it under his chin, and still dancing, played till his little arms went faster than Eve could see. The girl stood still, petrified with terror. “There, there,” said he, at length, lowering the violin and bow; “how I have scared you, Eye!” Eve trembled in every limb, and was too alarmed to speak. The scenery, the rock, the boy, swam in a blue haze before her eyes. a “There, Eve, don’t be frightened. I followed in your flowery traces. Don’t you know me?” Eve, shook her head. She could not speak. “You have seen me. You saw me that night when I came riding over your downs at the beck of Martin, when poor Jasper fell—you remember me. I smashed your rattle-trap gig. What a piece of good luck it was that Jasper’s horse went down and not ours. I might have broken my fiddle. I’d rather break a leg, especially that of another person.” “I remember," she said, “there was a boy.” “Myself. Watt is my name, or in fuH, Walter. If you doubt my humanity touch my hand; feel, it is warm.” He grasped Eve and drew her out on the rocky platform. “I am come from Martin. You remember Martin? Oh! there are not many men like Martin. He is a king of men. Imagine an old town, with ancient houses and a church tower behind, and the moon shining on it, and in the moonlight Martin in velvet, with a hat in which is a white feather, and his violin, under a window, thinking you are there, and singing.” Eve’s blue eyes opened wonderingly, this was all so strange and incomprehensible to her. “I must run home,” she began. “He stole something from you—wicked Martin.” “Yes; a ring.” “And you—you stole his heart away. Poor Martin has had no peace Of mind since he saw you. His conscience has stung him like a viper. So he has sent me back to you with the ring.” “Where is it?” “Shut your blue eyes, they dazzle me, and put out your finger. Next swear never, never to part with the ring I put on.” “I promise,” said the girl. “There, then, take the ring.” He thrust the circle on her finger. She opened her eyes again and looked at her hand. “Why, boy!” she exclaimed, “this is not my ring. It'is another.” “To be sure it. js, you little fool. Do you think that Martin would, return the ring you gave him? No, no. He sends you this in exchange for yours.: It is

prettier. Look at the blue MeWtt ea Of jufi" “I cannot keep thia. I want my own,* Baid Eve, pouting, and her eyes fillilng. "You mdat abide Martin’s time. MeanWhile retain this pledge.” "t cannot! I will not!” she stamped hes foot petulantly, tears of vexation brimming in her eyes. “You have not dealt fairly by me. You have eheated me.” “listen to me, Miss Eve,” said the boy in a coaxing tone. "You are a child, and have to be treated as such. Look at the beautiful stone, observe the sweet bine flower. You know what that nwana—-forget-me-not. Our poor Martin has to ramble through the world with a heartache, yearning for a pair of sparkling blue eyes, and for two wild roses blooming in the sweetest cheeks the sun ever I kissed, and for a head of hair like a beech tree touched by frost In a blazing autumn’s sun. Do you think he can forget these? He carries that face of yours ever about with him, and now he sends you this ring, and that means—‘Miss, you have made me very unhappy. I can never forget the little maid with eyes of blue, and so I send her this token to bid her forget me not, as I can never forget her.’ ” Eve could not make up her mind what to do. While she hesitated, the opportunity of returning the ring was gone. Watt had disappeared into the bushes. (To be continued.)