The Master of the Ceremonies

by George Manville Fenn

of the Ceremonies when they spoke, andcomplimented him upon the appearance of "his little girl."

  "You must bring her to one of my evenings, Denville."

  He would have said "Impossible" had he dared. As it was, he said heshould be charmed, and this set him thinking about how much money waswon and lost there, when fresh arrivals took up his attention, and soonafter Isaac announced:

  "Mr and Mrs Frank Burnett."

  Claire uttered a sigh of relief as she shook hands with her sister andbrother-in-law, the latter pairing off directly with one of theofficers.

  "Well," said May eagerly, "is all right?"

  "Yes, dear; but they want money, and I have none."

  "Oh, dear, money again! Well, I'll see."

  "But, May dear, you must do something more."

  "What do you mean?"

  "This task grows more difficult every day. You must really make somearrangements, or I shall be compromised."

  "Well, how shall I be? do you want me to be compromised? I declare youhave no more feeling than a stone."

  "May--dear May!"

  "It's quite true. I'm disgraced by my family at every turn. What withbrothers turning common soldiers, and horrors in the house, and--"

  "My dear Mrs Burnett, this is an unexpected pleasure," said Sir HarryPayne, coming up with Lord Carboro', who managed to cut in beforeRockley, who was approaching Claire.

  "Oh, what a wicked, wicked story-teller you are!" said May, withchildish playfulness, as Sir Harry remained by her side, while LordCarboro' led off Claire. "You knew I was coming."

  "I did, I did," he whispered passionately.

  "Hush! Don't go on like that. Everybody is watching us."

  "Then when will you give me a chance to see you alone?"

  "Oh, I couldn't think of such a thing."

  "May! dearest May."

  "Hush!"

  The conversation was carried on in a low tone, and then May exclaimed:

  "Oh, impossible!"

  "It is not," he said eagerly. "It is simplicity itself."

  He whispered again, and May Burnett shook her head.

  "I implore you," he whispered. "You know all I feel, but you are ashard and cold as you are beautiful. There, I swear if you do notconsent, I'll--"

  "Pistols, or off the pier?" said May, with a provoking smile.

  "Oh, you are maddening!" he exclaimed. "I believe you would like to seeme lying dead."

  "Oh, no; I don't like to see dead people," she said mockingly.

  "All these weary months, and not one short interview. You are playingwith me. Curse him!"

  "Curse whom?" said May coolly.

  "That husband of yours. I'll pick a quarrel with him next time we playcards and shoot him."

  "Ha--ha--ha--ha--ha!"

  It was a sweetly innocent sounding little trill of laughter as everpassed from a provoking pouting rosebud of a mouth; and Claire heard it,and turned paler than ordinary, as she saw in whose company her sisterwas.

  "You will excuse me now, Lord Carboro'," she said. "I have my duties ashostess to attend to."

  "One moment," he said, placing his back to the company, and gazing witha look of such reverence as he had not for long years felt for woman inthe sweet face before him.

  Claire looked up at him half wonderingly.

  "I am a very old friend of your father, Miss Denville."

  "Oh, yes, my lord. I remember you when I was quite a little child."

  "And now," he said, "I am getting to be an old man, and you have growninto a beautiful woman. Will you--do not be alarmed; no one can see--will you accept this little offering from so old a friend, and wear itfor his sake?"

  He held out the lustrous necklace as he spoke, believing that they werequite unseen; but it was not so, for Colonel Mellersh said softly toLinnell:

  "There, Dick, what did I tell you?"

  "Lord Carboro'," said Claire, with quiet dignity, "I could only take sovaluable a jewel from--from--"

  "A very dear friend, my child. Let me be that friend."

  She looked at him searchingly, and then dropped her eyes, sayingnothing, but drawing back with a slight gesture that was unmistakable,and glided away.

  "The mentor is not always right, Colonel Mellersh," said Richard Linnellquietly. "I feel as if I had been playing the spy, but I do not regretit, from the effect it must have on you."

  "Egad, she's a very queen," said Lord Carboro', as he quietly took outhis snuff-box, and dropped the necklet into his pocket. "By George,sir, I never thought there was such a woman in the world."

  The conversation was at its height, and Claire twice over managed tointercept Sir Harry when he was approaching her sister, but only to besnubbed for her pains by May. She was conscious that Rockley wasseeking an opportunity to approach her, but she gave him none, herposition as hostess giving her plenty of chances for avoiding those shedid not wish to meet, in attending and introducing others.

  "Hang the girl! she's a regular sorceress," said Colonel Mellersh tohimself. "She'll end by charming me. I want a game at cards, and if Ileave Dick, he'll be hanging on to her strings directly."

  "Well, mother, are you satisfied?" said Cora, as the evening went by.

  "Satisfied? Oh, I don't mind, my dear, so long as you get on. And youare, you know, sitting here among the big people, I say, Cory, I amproud of you."

  "That's right, mother."

  "But I say, what did Colonel Mellersh say to you as he went to thecard-table?"

  "Asked me, as any gentleman would, whether he should take me down tohave some refreshment."

  "Well, that was kind and neighbourly. I rather like him, but I do wishyou wouldn't encourage that young Linnell so."

  "Mother!"

  "There, I've done. I won't say another word. Don't fly out at me here.Now, that is a man to admire."

  "What, Mr Richard Linnell?"

  "No: stuff, Cory. You know who I mean--that Major Rockley. I couldn'thear a word he said to you. I wouldn't, for I don't like to stand inyour way. I say, Cory, he'll be a Colonel and a General some day. Whynot him?"

  "Would you like to know what he said to me, mother?"

  "Yes; he did quite make love to you, didn't he?"

  "Yes."

  "Hah, I thought so."

  Mrs Dean's rings crackled as she rubbed her hands, and metaphoricallyhugged herself.

  "That comes of getting into good society, Cora. Ladies drop intoengagements without having to look after the gentlemen. You see, theyare so brought together like. That Denville puts a sort of stamp on youlike, and then you're in society, and handsome Majors come and throwthemselves at your feet."

  "Yes," said Cora, speaking through her teeth, "and insult you, and dareto speak to you as if you were some beautiful toy brought and set up fortheir amusement."

  "Cory!"

  "I tell you that every word he spoke to me in his mocking gallant waywas an insult, and made my fingers tingle and my face burn. Mother,I've found out that there are two classes of men in the world."

  "Oh, my gracious! now she's off again," sighed Mrs Dean.

  "There are those who naturally honour and respect woman with all themanly chivalry of their nature, and those who look upon her as a beingseveral degrees lower than themselves. Mother, that man made me feelto-night as if I could kill him."

  "Oh dear; oh dear!" sighed Mrs Dean in a whisper to her daughter, "ifthis is coming into society, and you are going on talking in that savageway, we had better stop at home. I expect you snubbed the Major in thatorty way of yours, and he has gone after that chit of Denville's."

  "Where? Has he mother?" cried Cora, in an excited whisper.

  "Yes; he is bending over her and making big eyes at her. I say, he is ahandsome man, Cory, and if I know anything, he's regularly took withher."

  "Are you sure, mother?"

  "Sure? Just as if I couldn't tell in a moment. You might get him awayfrom her if you liked, I dare say. Look at that."

&nb
sp; She drew back a little that her child might see where Rockley wasspeaking in a markedly deferential manner to Claire; and Cora's colourwent and came, and her bosom heaved in unison.

  "Bless your 'art, Cory, I ain't lived to my age without picking up alittle. Why, since I've been sitting here to-night I've picked up noend, and if I was a scandalous old woman I could make any amount ofmischief."

  Cora did not