Sweet Violet

While Judge Camden dawdled over the newspapers in his elegant library that evening, Amber came in and drew a chair to his side.

He glanced around at the superb young beauty, with her glowing cheeks and flashing eyes, and inquired, sarcastically:

“Well, what is it? A big dry-goods bill for me to pay?”

“Not this time, dear grandpapa,” cooed Amber, sweetly.

“Then it’s a big check to buy jewelry or folderols. You never come wheedling around me like this for nothing,” retorted the crusty old judge in a tone of conviction.

“Oh, how cruelly I am misunderstood,” sighed the girl, and after a moment of profound silence for effect, she continued:

“I came to talk to you about Violet.”

“Umph!”

“Are you determined to make her marry Mr. Castello?”

“I have sworn it!” curtly.

“In spite of her love for Cecil?”

“Cecil be—hanged!” returned the old man, violently.

“Then you entirely ignore his claim on Violet?”

“I ignore it utterly! Now look here, my girl,” and he wheeled around on her, wrathfully, “if you come to me to wheedle me into consenting to the affair between Violet and that fortune-hunting Cecil Grant, you’re wasting words, let me tell you, and also making matters worse for yourself! I won’t be interfered with, I tell you squarely; and you will mind your own business if you know which side your bread is buttered on, miss!”

“Yes, sir,” meekly.

“So now, if you’re satisfied, you can go back and tell Violet what I said, and leave me in peace to read my papers!”

“I’m not satisfied yet, sir,” demurely.

“The mischief you are not? But I won’t hear another word, I tell you—not another word! And mind you, Amber, I may leave you out of my will if you persist in meddling with my business,” furiously.

Amber smiled slyly at his perturbation, and answered in a low, deep, and measured voice:

“Grandpapa, you are more hasty than wise. You have simply jumped at the conclusion that I came here to plead my cousin’s cause.”

He stared at her in amazement and exclaimed:

“Didn’t you ask me if I was determined to ignore that fellow’s claim on Violet?”

“Certainly.”

“And didn’t you mean to take his part?” dubiously.

“Certainly not!”

“Then, by gad, what did you mean, girl? Explain yourself!”

“Don’t speak so loud, grandpapa, please. If we are heard, everything is lost,” breathed Amber, glancing timorously at the door, with her taper finger at her lips.

He suppressed another growl and contented himself with glaring impatiently at her from the shade of his heavy, beetling white brows.

Secure of her victory, Amber smiled archly at him, and cried, gayly:

“Don’t look at me so angrily, like a great lion about to gobble me up; for though I am only a little mouse I am going to help you to your wish.”

“You,” contemptuously. “You can’t persuade Violet to marry Castello, I know, and you can’t lure Grant away from her, for I think you’ve already tried that game, and failed, eh?”

The burning crimson flooded Amber’s olive cheeks and brow to the edges of her beautiful hair at this coarse jeer, but, with an effort, she kept back a stinging retort, and answered, calmly:

“If you mean that Cecil Grant was my lover first, and that Violet stole him from me, you are right; and, in the face of that humiliation, do you think I would lower myself to plead their cause with you?”

“No, not if you inherit any of your grandfather’s spirit, Amber!” chuckled the wicked old judge, with returning good humor.

“Well, I have been told that I resemble you in many things, grandpapa,” returned Amber, smilingly, and indeed she did have the same sparkling hazel eyes and determined mouth as well as the fiery temper of the old man.

“Yes, yes, you are a chip off the old block, Amber, and Violet always favored her scape-grace father too much to please me. Not that she isn’t the prettiest girl in the world; but those dark-blue eyes of hers have the same look of the scamp’s that lured my Marie from me,” angrily. “But, Amber, you said you could help me. How?”

“I have a clever plan of my own to betray Violet into a marriage with Harold Castello. You know, grandpapa, in spite of all your bluster, that you cannot force Violet into this marriage against her will. The law is against you.”

“Violet isn’t eighteen yet, and I can command her obedience until she becomes of age,” he answered, frowningly.

But Amber laughed softly, and replied:

“She could appeal to the law against your authority if you asserted it in the arbitrary manner you propose. You are a lawyer, and you know well that your rights over Violet do not permit you to drive her into an unwilling marriage. And there are her father’s kin also to consider. Suppose she appeals to them, and they come forward to protect her from you.”

“I shall take care to keep her from communicating with them,” he replied, grimly.

“Very well. But in spite of your threats and your bluster, I do not believe that you will dare to push Violet into this unwilling marriage.”

“I dare anything,” he began, stormingly; but again she interrupted:

“You cannot make her marry him. She would appeal to the minister, and he would not perform the ceremony.”

“I might find a justice of the peace less scrupulous.”

“You might, but I am doubtful. The Virginians are very chivalrous, you know, toward women, and our Violet is worshiped in the whole county. I fear you would be mobbed if the truth of this matter transpired, and Cecil Grant, who is such a favorite, might lead the mob.”

“If you came here to taunt me, Amber——” he began, in furious displeasure.

“But I did not come to taunt you, only to show you the futility of your present plans. Dear grandpapa, you cannot risk the loss of your high standing in the county by these high-handed measures with Violet. But suppose I can arrange her marriage to Harold Castello in the light of an elopement, and make Cecil Grant himself believe her false to her vows, what then?”

“You could not do it!” he averred, hoarsely.

“I can, and will, if you trust me. But—I have my price!”

“Your price?”

“Of course. It will be a great undertaking, you know; and if I succeed in outwitting Cecil Grant, and making Violet the bride of Harold Castello, you ought not to begrudge me a handsome present.”

“I won’t, my dear. Now out with it. It’s that diamond necklace you’ve been badgering me about so long, no doubt.”

“It is not the diamond necklace. It’s a liberal check, grandpa. You know I never have any money of my own scarcely, and you do tear around so outrageously about paying my bills!”

“And no wonder, you extravagant creature, for you’d ruin me if you had full sway! Well, and how much is it—a thousand dollars?”

Amber snapped her fingers disdainfully.

“Do you think I’d betray poor dear Violet for so paltry a sum as a thousand dollars?” reproachfully.

He stared at her in surprise, and replied, curtly:

“I thought you were doing it for revenge because she cheated you out of your lover?”

“Yes, but I’m running a great risk, you know, and what if I get punished in my turn? ‘Revenge is a two-edged sword,’ you know, dear grandpapa, so I must have some pay besides the consolation of paying my debt to Cecil and Violet. I will take your check, please, for twenty-five thousand dollars the hour after my fair cousin marries Harold Castello!”

“Fiends and furies! Are you crazy, girl?”

“Why, grandpapa, certainly not. But you are a millionaire, and what is that small sum to you, when it relieves you of all anxieties, and makes sure the success of your darling wish? Besides, am I not your legal heir, and I should get the money later on, so why not a little sooner?”

“Don’t be too sure of that, you minx! I shall probably leave all my money to some charitable institution! Besides, I shall live to be a hundred years old!”

So he blustered and stormed, but Amber remained as cool as an iceberg, and would not abate one dollar of her demand, so that in the end he yielded, grumpily, and promised the check.

She thanked him with an ardor he could not understand.

“You must love money very much,” he said, curiously.

“I do,” she admitted, frankly, and added: “Oh, how happy you have made me, for that check shall buy for me the desire of my heart!”

“What is it?” he asked; but Amber evaded the question, and proceeded to unfold to him a portion of her plans. They were so clever and so wicked that he was chagrined because they had not occurred to his own mind, so fertile in inventing evil.