King of the Castle Part 37

He started and looked up, for, plainly heard, some one seemed to repeat his words, "Kill that man."

"Bah!" he cried impatiently, as he looked in the direction from which the sounds came, to find he was facing a huge wall of rock. "Frightened at echoes now!"

END OF VOLUME ONE.

Volume Two, Chapter I.

THE LOOMING OF A STORM.

"Well, my dear," said Gartram, as Claude entered the room; "want to see me?"

"Yes, papa; you sent for me."

"I sent for you? Oh, to be sure; I forgot."

He was seated in an easy-chair, leaning back as if half-asleep, and he raised himself slowly as Claude came to his side.

She looked at him keenly, and felt a curious sensation of sinking and dread, as it struck her that her father was suffering from the effects of the sedative in which he indulged.

"Well," he said smiling, "what are you looking at?"

"At you, dear; are you well?"

"Never better, my dear. Sit down; I want to talk to you."

Claude shrank inwardly as she took a chair, but he was not satisfied.

"Come a little nearer, my dear."

She obeyed, and the shrinking sensation increased as she felt that there was only one subject upon which her father was likely to speak.

"That's better," he said, taking her hand. "Mr Glyddyr has been here this morning?"

"No, father."

"Ha!" he exclaimed rather sharply. "Now, I don't quite like the tone in which you said that 'No, father,' my dear; and I think it is quite time that you and I came to an understanding. Claude, my dear, you have been thinking a good deal lately about what young people of your age do think of a great deal--I mean marriage."

"Oh, no, papa," said Claude emphatically.

"Don't contradict, my dear. I am not blind, and it is perfectly natural that you should think of such a thing now."

Claude was silent.

"You and Christopher Lisle were a good deal thrown together."

Claude's cheek began to deepen in colour.

"You were boy and girl together, and if not brother and sister in your intimacy, at least like cousins."

"Yes, papa."

"Well, presuming upon that, Master Christopher must suddenly forget he was a boy, and came to me with the most impudent proposals."

"Papa!"

"There, I am not going to say any more about him, only I have taken that as a preface to what will follow."

Claude drew a deep, long sigh.

"Now, of course, that was all boyish folly, and I bitterly regret that we should have had such a scene here; but the natural course of events was, that I should think very seriously of your future settlement in life."

"I am settled in life, father," said Claude firmly. "I do not intend to leave you."

"Thank you, my darling. Very good and filial of you," said Gartram, taking and holding her hand. "One moment, the room is very warm; I'll open the window."

"Let me open it, dear," said Claude; and she went and threw open the French window, returning directly to sit down, her countenance growing a little hard.

"Now, then, child, we may as well understand each other at once."

"Yes, papa, if you wish it."

"Well, my darling, I began life as a very poor man. I had a good name, but I was a pauper."

"Not so bad as that, papa?"

"Worse. The worst kind of pauper--a gentleman without an income, and with no means of making one. But there, you know what I have done; and I can say now that, thanks to my determined industry, I have honourably made a great fortune. Well, you don't look pleased."

"No, dear; I often think you would have been happier without the money."

"Silly child! You have had your every wish gratified, and do not know the value of a fortune. Some day you will. Well, my dear, I am growing old."

"No, not yet."

"Yes, yes, my dear, I am; and my health is getting completely wrecked."

"Then let's go away and travel."

"No; I have another project on hand, Claude. It has long been my wish to see you married."

"Papa!"

"To some good man who loves you."

"Oh!"

"A man of wealth and some position in the world, and that man I believe I have found in Parry Glyddyr."

"Papa, I--"