Army and Navy Weekly — page 37: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

a Al ~ hy ARMY AND NAVY 1091 ‘¢But your position at the music sclool!’’ exclaimed uy. OWhat if I can secure something better?’’ returned Mrs. Hammersley. ‘Oh, it does seem as if sometimes our misfortunes were blessings in disguise!?? Guy looked at his mother in utter astonishment. What did she mean? Surely she must be wandering in her mind, he thought. . ‘(Yes,’’? she went on, ‘Sif it hadn’t been for my being run over, Colonel Starr’’—Guy started at the mention of this name—‘‘wouldn’t have come here aud Miss Stanwix been able to tell me what she did.’’ ‘¢Mother, what do you mean?’’ exclaimed Guy, startled at he knew not exactly what, and all his prejudices against Colonel Starr reasserting them- selves in force. ‘‘What did Miss Stanwix tell you?"’ ‘‘Something that the colonel told her on the way downstairs this afternoon. You know they are ald friends and neighbors, and in mentioning to her that he had heard me sing. that morning in ehurch, he added that he was surprised I did not seek a larger public. and intimated, so Miss Stanwix tells me, that as soon as I recovered from the shock of the accident he would formally propose an engagement to me for a series of concerts.’’ ‘‘Oh, mother,’’ cried Guy, ‘‘surely you would not think of accepting! Lower yourself to go about the country like a combination show. It is preposter- ous.’’ ‘“‘Guy, you are absurdly prejudiced,’’ responded Mrs. Hammersley with considerable asperity. ‘‘ Does Patti lower herself? Was Jenny Lind preposterous? But wait till you hear more. It has nothing to do with a theatrical venture. Colonel Starr—who won his title by most honorable service in the war—is a member of a prominent firm of piano manufacturers, and is there- fore intensely interested in musical inatters. He is very anxious to form a company to travel with Miss Ruth Farleigh, an English girl who has just come over here, and who is a marvelous perfermer.on the violin. As I told you, he more than hinted he was going to ask me to join the company, and [ think should he do so I would accept. And JI dare say that he could find a posi- tion for you with the organization. Indeed, he must do so, or I will not consent.’’ It was months since Guy had seen his mother so animated. It was apparent that she was strongly in- terested in the idea Miss Stanwix’s talk had suggested to her. ; ‘*Of course it would be a sacrifice, in one sense,’’ she went on, ‘‘for me to give upa permanent abiding place} but who knows but what I may earn enough in a few seasons to purchase a little home for ourselves in some charming near-by place like Short Hills or Pelham?’? At this point the bell summoned them to dinner. Guy would gladly have stayed away. He did not know how many Eliza might have told of what she had over heard. But then, he reflected, he was innocent, and should not be ashamed of anything, so, though it cost “him an effort, he tired to summon all his usual buoy- ancy of spiirts, when he descended to the dining-room with his mother. They sat at a small side table, and thus did not come into direct communication with the other boarders, for which, on the present occasion, Guy was devoutly grateful. But all of the ladies came up to Mrs. Ham- mersley to inquire how she felt after her experience of the morning, and of course they all spoke to him. The accident, however, furnished the main topic of conversation, and at last the meal, for which Guy had but little appetite,“was over and they went upstairs. ‘*Then you do not want me to look for another posi- tion, mother?’’ began Guy, when they were once more seated in his room. ‘‘Not fora day ortwo at any rate,’’ was the an- swer, ‘‘The idea of their thinking you were a thief! I shouldn’t be a bit surprised if that man Inwood hid the money away himself, and tried to double it in this disgraceful way.’’ Guy could not believe a business man could bring himself to do such a despicable thing, and while they were discussing the matter Hliza knocked and announced that Colonel Starr was in the parlor and would like to know if Mrs. Hammersley could give him a brief inter- view, ‘Certainly, I will go down at once. Guy, you come with me. Who knows but a way will now be opened for both of us?’’ CHAPTER VII. COLONEL STARR. ‘*My dear madani, inexpressibly charmed, I am sure, to behold you so completely recovered from your shock of this morning.’’ Thus Colonel Starr, when Mrs. Hammersley and her son entered the parlor. All Guy’s dislike for, and dis- trust of, the man reasserted itself as he listened to the smooth, measured tones of the voice which had a sort of cloying sweetness about it that somehow reminded the boy of aserpent giftedwith the power of fascinating its victims, ‘*Ah, and your son,’’ went on the colonel, extending his hand to Guy. ‘‘How greatly he favors you in looks, Mrs. Hammersley. I am sure I could not pay the young man a greater compliment than to say this.?? ‘‘Why, I have never had that said of us before, Col- onel Starr,’’ and Guy, who was looking steadily at his nother, to see how she received the fulsome flattery of her caller, thought he detected a look almost of terror pass across her face. It was gone in an instant, how- ever, and the boy thought it must all have been his imagination. His nerves, pocr fellow, had been so tried that day! After a few more inquiries regarding what action, if any, Mrs. Hammersley intended to take regarding a suit for daniages against the express company, Col- onel Starr gave a preparatory cough and proceeded at ouce to business. ‘‘T trust, Mrs. Hammersley,’’ he began, ‘‘you will not think I am presuming on a short acquaintance, if I now broach a subject which is very near my heart.’ ‘*Great Scott!’’ thought Guy. ‘‘Is the man going to propose?’’ ‘*May I be permitted to inquire,’’ the colonel went on, ‘if you are irrevocably bound to the School of Music?’’ ‘No, vothing was said about a time limit,’’ replied Mis. Hammersley. ‘‘You know I had my reputation to make and I might not suit the patrous, so it was left so that either party could dissolve the contract, if I may call it so, at pleasure.’’ ‘Quite right, quite right,’’ broke out the colonel, looking immensely pleased. ‘‘Then I will not be con- sidered as ‘out of order’ if I ask your consideration of another engagement I should like to tender you.”’ He then went on to state that he had the refusal of the right to pilot the tour of the renowned English girl violinist, Miss Ruth Farleigh. He must close with her on the following day or fail to secure her, and all now depended on getting together a first-class company at the shortest possible notice. ‘*All that now remains, Mrs Hammersley,’’ the colouel concluded, ‘‘is for you to give your consent to becoming the leading soprano of the Starr Concert Company. I have heard you sing, and I assure you that a veritable triumph awaits you on the concert stage. Indeed, so high a value do I set on your services that I will make you the same offer that I did to Miss Farleigh, one-eighth of the gross receipts.’’ .**But—but, you are very good, Colonel Starr,’’ re- joined Mrs. Hammersley, ‘‘but I think, seeing that have no fortune to fall back on, it would be inadvis- able for me to throw up a salaried position.’’ Guy, sitting just behind his mother, felt like softly applauding. She was evidently not going to be deceived by the smooth spoken colonel after all. But the latter was ready with reinforcements. ‘*My dear madam,’’ he exclaimed, ‘‘you mistake me. I am offering you something much better than any salary could be. This is the way of it; the entire re- ceipts will be counted every night, and three fourths set aside for expenses of the hall, advertising, salaries of other artists and my own profits. Of the other fourth, one half goes to Miss Farleigh, and the other to your- self. As our expenses will necessarily be heavy, you will thus be assured of receiving as much, and some- times, a great deal more than myself. Could anything be more liberal, madam?’’ and Colonel Starr lay back in his chair with a sort of joyous sigh, as though ready to be martyred for his self-sacrifice in the cause of art. ‘Yes, Colonel Starr,’’? responded Mrs. Hammersley, ‘‘your proposition is indeed a most generotfs one, so far as it goes, and I appreciate most deeply the high, I fear me altogether too high value, you set upon my services, but whatif the receipts are not sufficient to——’ But here the colonel broke in with: ‘*‘ Your pardon, cCoOmiclbooks.Gonm