HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1926-2-3, Page 7.cereee
THE BROSS
S POST
WEDNESDAY, Feb., -1 02(1.
Love, The Tyrant
11.A elreVI. Upon Wninvil; ti
kt.
. than eatiteled."
lit• gathered the in, together, 'z '1
}Win 0 her Wilh that air of de
N ot ion, •whieli, i•eatierrated though
As jack was passing ih!.• ;aril
, Odge, Div .(loor opened mei Mee. Mei-
, 'lin vattio out
i "Is that you, Mr. Gordon?" ,ilie
it ;edited in a nervous feehion.
, "Yee," :aid Jack. nit,' h" stole""ii
keeping out of the moonlight, so that
c' see ht, not see his face; for he
laii•e. hove white and haggard it wile.
imethitee the matter? Martin •
'tNettie'?"
i
,le "Nit," tee replii-it; "they're mite
kli,;11,,p; buts-itet foolieh of zu.. to be
el •
- sP mirvow and timid --a man tenni,
tee
ei up to iho door a little while ;ego and
,ti. 41 ths way to 1. be f.l'ewers."
".% man?" 'mid Jade itheently.
"Yee. A stranger, of regret, e
tee nuin."
," A tramp?"
i "N -o; he was too well dreseed for
Looked something like a gen-
eman; and yet there was sowiethlng
the look of hine I didn't like, and
' was a bit afraid of him. s• But diens!
ell my fancy, I daresay."
,,... Jeek nodded.
tf "Only a commercial traveller or
e
. "photographer, or something of that
'ewe, I expect, Mrs. Martin," he said,
JI "1 zit be nervous. 1'11 take a look
reined before I turn in. Goodnight 1"
• CHAPTER XX.
Esther lay awake the whole night.
Only a Woman can understand the
complex emotions which made that
night a torture. She had given her
heart to a man not only a social in-
ferior, but a man who was either en-
gaged to another woman or who hart
been carrying on • an intrigue with
her.
Wounded love, outraged pride, and
bitter Avow of her own weakness,
as she railed it, rent and racked her
as the slow hours crawled along, each
one forming a record on her aching
...heart Which she felt no time could
eradicate.
But she fought hard, as the young-
est and least experienced of women
will do. No living person should
ever guess her secret; she would hid,
it, as the Spartan boy hid the stolen
fox in his bosom, and, though it tore
and lacerated her, she would make no
sign.
There wer dark shadows under
her eyes when she came down to
breakfast, but she was cheerful, ex-
traordinarily so, and she came into
the room singing blithely.
Who does not know that song, that
smile and laugh, with which one tries
to hide, even from oneself, the ach-
ing, pain,racked heart?
Miss Worcester and Selby Layton
were already at the 'table, and she
nodded to him and 'kissed her aunt
with an air of gaiety.
"Sorry I'm late," she said. "I've
had such a splendid night. and 1 over
slept myself. Did you have a good
time last night?"
Selby Layton looked at her re-
proachfully as he placed a chair for
her at the table. •
"It was a very pleasant evening.,
suppose," he said; "but it Was spoil-
ed for me by your absence, Miss Van -
court".
"How kind of you to say that!"
said Esther. "It is so nice to be miss-
ed!"
"I am sure everyone missed you,"
said Miss Worcester, in her prim way.
"Lord Bruce was quite cut up when
he heard you were net well enough:
to collie. It. was an extremely pleas-
ant little -party. -The Fanworths were
there; and Major Long, and the vicar
and his wife. The diner was ad-
mirably cooked, was it not, Mr. Ly -
ton?"
He looked up from the dieh from
which he was helping Esther., ,
"I—er—scarcely noticed," he said.
"I hadn'tmuch of an appetite." .
"How ungrateful of your' said Es-
ther, blithely, as she pretended to
make an onlsaright on her Omelette.
"Did you go straight to bed, Ese
the, after we had gone?" asked Mtss
Woreester.
Esther colored: the color had been
coming and going in a hectic ilush
since she had entered the room. Oh,
if she had gene :to bed. if she had not
yielded to temptation end gone to
that hateful hay-malding
"E -o; I got up and strolled about
Lor a time," she said. "It was so hot
in my. room. Didn't you think the
Bruce's e grund old place, Mr. Lay-
ton?"
"911, yes," he Said, indifferently,
"But it will not compare with the
Towers."
"There is no Place in the county
So large and ithportant as the Tow -
en's," embarked Miss Worcester, With
dignity. .
"That's of outlier" said Eether.
,"Well, gled you didn't find the
patty elpw,"
"It
was net at all slow," said Mise
Welted:et ' "Mt. l'iltytoti was kind
titietugh..tortsibg; and he tang 'bettati-
ftillyene Usual, Lady 'Mary aliellted
tie she had never heard tinythiug Ids
mit a th, mitira. It wait a ere.,"
isteetesi,"
10 Mite Wore•.•.,:ti.
,00 V011114.41 1.3y,no,
in hi:, with a .141al..•-
XIII bow 1 owitilk
"tlo you both coverei
'.1 (Il itaid D,ther, IthsW11.1;;.
,110 :,orey 1 wits 1101 there to kett-
vour triumph."
Laytoti olaneiel a hei coverd:...
31.• noth•ed the dark shadows 11
111' h.r eyes, the hectic flush, lin, pre•
oecupied, abe.nt manner, and he w9s
tt• king idinseif what hail irippened.
11%ery change of mood in Elither wa,
of lllpOi't1I,01'( 10 111. Hitherto eli
had alettaye hetet eelf-possesed
mistress of herself; hut this mornitv
111'8..en104 distraught and uneertaia,
Apparently absorbed ia his •breakfati
he watched her narrowly.
"What are we going to do te-day?"
ebe Asked, presently, as she put her
plate aside. "What would you like
to do, Mr. Layton?—ride"—Layton
winced inwardly, though his .,endle
;lid not waver—" or drive or walk?
Anythingwill suit me, so that WO get
into the air. I have a craving for
the air to -day, the consequence of
my headache last night."
"1 am going to spend the morning
in the library," said Miss Worcester:
she had imposed upon herelf the task
of making, a catalogue, and was :felt
a the importance of the undertak-
ing.
"Shell we take a walk suggested
Layton. "Only last night I learned
that there was a ruined abbey or cha-
pel or something of the sort on the
estate. Perhaps you would be so
kind as to act as cicerone, Miss Von -
court?"
Esther looked up as if awakened
from a dream.
"Is. there? Oh, yes! 'You mean
the Chapel of St. Cecilia. A very ap-
propriate saint for your devotions,
Mr. Layton. It is at Tilworthy Crow
about three miles from here. Let us
go, by all means. Well take Toby --
or would you prefer to drive a deg -
cart?"
"Oh, let us have. Toby!" said Sel-
by Layton, with an instant dread of
a fiery animal which would rear or
holt.
"All right," said Esther. "Will you
order Toby and the jingle, aunt?
And I'll get ready at once."
A strange lassitude fell upon her
as she went up to her rooina lassi-
tude caused by the feeling that
nothing could ever agin interest Or
amusdher, or seem of the least im-
portance; that the future was Tike a
blank before her—a future in which
she had only to live. exist like a mere
vegetable.
But she put on her hat tibd cine
down smiling and almost bilarioua.
"I warn you that if you expect
much you will be disappointed," she
said to Selby Layton, as he helped
her into the jingle. "I believe it is
only the poorest kind of ruin. • I've
not seen it --I haven't seen half the
estate yet --and I've a suspicion we
shall only find a heap of stones. My
idea of a ram, ti respectable ruin, is
O towering castle covered with ivy,
and I don't think St. Cocilia's Chapel
Is anything like so dignified."
"It Will not matter," he laid.
"Whateve eit may be, I shall be more
than satisfied."
"It will not matter," he- said.
"Whatever it may be I shall be more
0
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We recommend Waterman's
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J. B. Wendt
JEWELER WROXETER
Toby, after an inters:11 a VM.X:
etart. As tete deers
;dome Esther's thought; '19
fix,(1 tipoP itvk
:,11,• :141,04 torgol 11.1'
44npvnion. Why bad 11,. In'k,sorv,•:1
hteldlierdief ; why letil chum
' it, eeett lied about it, while he was
:engaged to Kate Trentioni? All the
, quesliene, the probleme, which lied
, rendered her night eleepless, reett
and tortured her. Sim ettaritely
heeded whither they were guiete,
end ehe did not know that her com-
e:mien was -watching her with covert
i utent nes
- "I think we turn to the lid't here,"
lie said, after a long silence. "And
thal looks lila' a ruin. I can cc.,
,:omething like a tower on the ebb,
of the hill."
Eethee awoki, from her -reverie,
"Yes; 1 suppose that is it," she
sett!, with simulated intereet. "Wit
pretty, isn't it? I'm glad I've got en
hietorie rein on :the premises."
- "Yes; you seem to have all that
the heart could desire, Mist; Velt-
man -1e" be said, softly. "What shall
we do with the pony?"
-"Oh, just tie him to these railituel;
if Toby has something to eat, and
we're not too long, he'll be quiet."
They got out and went up the grass
grown steps to the chapel, Esther
looked round abently, dreamily. It
was a romantic and delighful ieene.
The chapel had been built by pious
hands upon the brow of a hill over-
looking one of those valleys or
coombes Which make the county one
of the most beautiful and fascinat-
ing in England; and there was more
than a heap• of stones remaining of
the original edifice.
•Esther climbed to the top and seat-
ed herself under a runined window.
The place belonged to he.r, was part
of the Vancourt estate; but at that
moment she was thinking that she
would exchange the whole thing, ev-
ery inch of it, for Jack Gordon's un-
divided love.
"Very picturesque, isn't it?" said
Selby Layton. throwing himself down
beside her. "The modern parvenu,
the man who has made, his money he
eoap and candles would give all he
is worth to possess this. You arc
eery fortunate, Miss Vancourt."
"Am I?" said Esther, with a stifled
sigh.
"Yes," he said. He looked at her
with covert attention. She still
seemed sad and preoccupied. Lay-
ton had made e study of women; and
though he did not know so much a-
bout them as he thought he did, he
knew it breat deal. He knew, for in-
stance, that women are slaves to
moods, and that in some moods they
will do and say things at which they
would shy under ordinary circum-
stances. Was Esther in such a mood
that lie might venture to make this
grand coup? He would feel his way
carefu•fiy.
"What more can you desire?" he
said, in his soft voice and with a mus-
ical little laugh. "'You have youth
and beauty—forgive mei—but the
fact is so patent that one may ven-
ture to speak of it as one speaks of
the loveliness of the sky or the flow-
ers --you come of an historic. xace,
you are ;the mistress of Vancourt
'rowers and immense wealth."
Esther made a slight and impatient
movement of her hand.
"All of vhi-ch will not bring happi-
ness," she said, with a faint sigh, her
eyes fixed dreamily on the view be-
neath her—the view in which nearly
everything, land, houses, river and
lake, 'belonged to her. "Every Sun.!.
day the clergyman tells us th-at
wealth does not mean felicity—and
we hear it and smile to ourselves—
we don't believe it. I used to smile
a little bitterly when I was slaving
at musicdeseons, in the old days,
which seeimso far away, though they
are so recent. I used to think, 'It is
all 'very well for wealthy people to
talk about the vanity of riches; but
they don't know what it is to be poor;
to eat cold mutton., and be glad to
get it; to wear d shabby clothes, and
have to ride in 'buses, or very walk.'
But I understand now; one gets used
to dainty food, 'eumptuode apparel'
and a big house; and—and there is
something one wants above and be-
yond these things."
"I think I knowl" lie said, .softly.
"And I was going to add to the list
of your possessions: 'The love of all
around you.' You have won the
hearts of all your people, Miss Van -
court; I hear your praises wherever
I go."
"I am glad," said Esther.
But, the thought flashed through
her mied that there was one love for
which ehe Would willingly barter all
the rest.
"But I know so well what is leek-
ing," he said, Checking a sigh. "1
tan syrepathiee with you,"
She looked at him with a smile.
"You? I thotight.yon wero. ono or
the .Intppiest �f reen,". she said. "Yon
too, are young, and if you are -not
t
Find the
11 you f)uod 0 rue,- • r7,,,..7;..."1:
11,.!
6 wila10
Our r.;.• 30r.
,..oa hnee g.,
ya14':i07;1.;70
o
IF you wie11 to
utie tice. Blossql,.5
- ,y -
Nell I sUppmre yoli are rieh enough;
and your voire--What wint that 'ot1
were singing the other night? it
halllited Me for ,hours afterwards.
'Oh, led me walk in lowly ways!' or
auto,! lung like it, was the tithe!'
"Oh, you mean that ohl English
pastoral," he said; and he began to
sing it, very softly, very sweetly.
Selby Layton's voice was one of
the few that sound well in the open
air 1- and he put all the expression of
whIch he VMS capable into the sim-
ple words and melody.
Esther listened with rapt atten-
tion. Both mu -sic and words harmon-
ized with her inood.
"Not happy with such a voice!"
she said, with a faint laugh. "That
is downright ingratitude. What more
can you want?".
"A great deal! So much that T.
dare not think of it, much less speak
of it," he said. "And yet I was hap-
py enough until a—a few weeks ago,
I envied no men, I was contented
with my lot."
"And what has happened to make'
you dissatisfied?" asked Esther.
"The birth of a desire which I feel
can never be satisffed," he said after
it pause, and with beautifully feigned
reluctance.
"Why ' should it not?" she said,
helf-absently. "You are ambitious, I
suppose? Well, you are a man, and
it is easy, at any rate it is not im-
possible, for a man to gratify his
ambition. If -I were a man and want-
ed anything very badly I would not
rest content with simply wanting it;
I would strain every nerve, I would
never rest until I had it. Why, that's
the advantage you men have over us
poor women. We min only sigh and
Cultivate resignation."
"But if the thing one desires rests
upon another?" he said, glancing at
her. "If one felt utterly 11094;51,
unable -to even utter one's wish? Ale,
then one cannot help being unhappy
with the infinite longing of despair!
Miss Vanco:urt, not all the wealth in
the woeld, the highest rank, the
greatest honor, could count with me.
without the possession of this \one
thing I want. And yet it is because
I have neither wealth nor rank that I
cannot sneak of my heart's desire."
"I suppose WO ought to be going
back," she said.
He sighed.
"Yes, I suppose so. The happieet
-moments are always the most fleeting.
Will you give me five minutes long-
er? This may be the last time I shall
see •Vancourt for a long period, per-
haps for ever."
"Why?" she asked. "Are you go-
ing away—abroad? I hope we 911011
see you very often, Mr. Layton."
Re shook his head. She had apok-
en in a kindly fashion as if she meant;
it. Should he venture? His heart
beat fast, and his voice had a genuine
trainer in it, as he said:
"Yes; I think 1 Qin going abroad --
for •a long timet I may settle there.
It is better that I should go, that at
any rate I should not come to 'the
Towers again—better for nee. Alt!
Miss Vancourt,can you not guess the
reason? I know that it is madness
for me to speak, but—but I cannot
help it. Can you not guess the rea-
son? Has it never occurred to you
that I have a heart in iny bosom, and
that it wa.simpossible for me to see
so much -of you without—"
Esther half rose.
"Let us go now," she said, her face
groiving- suddenly paler, her brows
coming together; but he put out his
hand very gently and imploringly.
"Ah, but listen to me now, now
that I have been inad enough to be-
gin! Are you so surprised that r -.--
love you? No, surely not surprised,
though 1 can understand that you
should be °Vended at my speakieg
my love."
Esther plucked at the grass ner•
vonsly. No women is offended at a
man for telling her that he loves her •
'and there was no anger in her heart.
against Selby Layton, though she was,
surpirsed.
"I am not offended," she said, "but
I did not kdow—guess. Oho do not
say arty more, please!"
. "I will not., I -obey you. .It is the
legiat2 eat do to Atone for MY ova,.
stimption, - Yea, I tun not so foolish
1(4 ntit 0 !QUM' 1,11114 i,;uell presumption
Is almost .unpardonable. I, poor, of
no account, to speak uf love 'to yeur
His humility struck the dead le,
wanted.
"Poverty has nething to do witi)
it," she "If 1. wely a man Mid
•11e.1 eared for (1 Wonlap, 1 11,),4,.1
nut In. 0:th1011,gi to VII 110', hoW,Vite
emir I might be."
The eOlor 1,1 to hi., facie MA
,•11111 forward eagerly. .
"Then—Miss Vancourt
may I, dare I heee---"
v;, 111 oetelt to try ued
ink.: /me 1..nel; but b.. saw his 011-
1 )4 AI, ilitoW it not rivirp-
ly, hut eafely beyond his ro,neh.
"NO, 110, I did not sey, (11.1 lot
mettn--" with e eateh of
her breath.
"But ir 1 may preeume to 5Jl 31,
1.01 you of . my gr.m.t la,. 0,
will you cot give me an answer?" he
said, in hi:, ,;Wf•-tet, MA' enri-,;;;'/I:t
"I love you with. all my
aud soul; I hnVe loVed you elect! the
first hour 1 saw 0U111)11ev,e-
ferget it! --but all the time I have
told myself that my love, great as it
is, 'setts hopeless. Ah, if 1 mieht
eherieh the faintest hope that you ---"
cannot $4,y what
you wish nie to say," she sale,
Shit spoke very gently and with a
note of pity in her voice --a -danger-
ous note when a woman is saying
"No" to an avowal of love. But Es-
ther was inexperienced. This was
the firee man who had told her in so
ninny words that he loved her; and
her Own heart was so sore, so full of
aching pain that she could not help
but pity hini; for was he not suffer-
ing as she was suffering?
"I did notask, did not expect so
great a thing as that you should love
me," lie inurinured. "I know how
unworthy 1 am—unworthy in every
way; but let my love plead fo
If you do not dislike me, if you do
n.ot think it presurnptuous of me.
give me a little hope that in thin! 1
may Vin your love—at least let roe
try to do so."
He was terriby 111 earnest—Van-
court Towers, the Vancourt money,
and Esther, herself, were the prize
for which he was striving. Was he
going to win? His breath came fast,
and his eyes gleamed as he gazed al
her. Even .a more experienced girl
WANTS OFFICE ONCE MORI:
Medric Martio, 1,4yt,t.ett
n0 Mi' 01. ha', ;tar win:, .1
•!;Itididatiln•
mop....
. .
than E111..1. 4111411 hav,, been 41.a•At^,..1
coevieeml that i1 was byw.
didiiitc,rested ;eve, which he
Wa3 pleading.
Silo was greatly troubled. Ity leek
rather than judgment, he had eatiellt
her in the mood most favorable to
his purpose. While be hiol bee))
speaking Esther lid been thinking of
Jack Gordon. Had she by any chance
let him see last night that she cared
for him? Her face flushed with shame
at the thought. If so, if she had in-
trayed herself, then by marrying Sel-
by Layton she would soothe her own
pride. Many a girl has committed
the egregious folly of marrying from
pique, and it was pique that •inade EA.
ther hesitate In giving Selby Layton
a decisive "No."
Then, again. she was not insensible
to the undoubted charm of the man's
manner. His voice was like a strain
of music, and had never been sweet-
er, more impressive than now as it
spoke of his love for her.
She would have to marry someone
or other—the mistress of Vancourt
Towers could not remain single—az
well marry Selby Layton as another.
It did not matter whom she accept-
ed; she wonld never love anyone but
—The iltd shame rose to • her face
again, if she married Selby Lay-
ton she would be compelled to forget
the other man; it would be her duty
to do so; and sbe would do her duty
by her husband, whosoever Ile might
be. If otto Wyriotill a peer music
1.4arbee slit. might 1.(,1)181)1 a spinster
for the rest el her lif.---bow dieittee•
ti ta ti ,4,11.1e,ti to 11'1' at Dna mom -
!1,4 411e wits the owner or that
-t Already she liad felt the
eeed of n 11,1)1M -111,e, 11 partner and
'o Ile Continued).
itUflNESS DARDS
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ni,It run, othpr part,lot.hvg.
Tho Industrial ?Aorta:ago
and savings Company
pe.22,1G.4giv
:AGENT FOR
fire, Automobile and Wind his.
(COMPANIES
For Brussels and vicinity Phone 647
4. 1 A 41ES IVP FADZEAN
ligent owick Mutual Fire lamina Company
Also
Hartford Windstorm and Tornado Insurance
Phone 4(4 Box I Turnberry Street, Brussels
JNO. SUTHERLAND & SONS
LIMITED
INSUIL1Xeir
49 MACAW Owntatire
D. M. SCOTT
dEreVas.vimil
PRICES MODERATE
?or ruteretietimsonAllt any person whoa° sales
I have officiated at. Phone 2525
T. T. M' RAE
M. B., M. C. P.. S.- 0.
hi. 0. E., Village of Brussels.
Physiolan, Surgeon, Accoueheur
()face at residensrAilioappo.rig:01th.Celv ille Church,
DR. WARDI—AW
Honor graduate of the Ontario Veterinarg
College. Day and night calls. Ofike opposite
Flour Mill,Ethel.
Tr. H. SlarraDdIfi
BARRISTER, SOLICITOR,
CONVEYANCER, NOTARY PUBLIC
LECKIE BLOCK - BRUSSELS
11•1111•11111111.1m.
tvi) :WSW yaurytorMcrioll-Firr
C
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It takes years of effort to work up a news-
paper's subscription list and the advertiser gets:the
advantage every week. And whereas probably not
more than one bill out ol three is read, every 'paper
is read by three or four persons.
For reaching the people of Brussels and.Brus-
sels district, there is no medium to :compare with
THE BRUSSELS POST.
1. It covers the field.
2. It is a paper that is read through.
3. Its:readers belong to the purchasing-c[ass.
The Quality of a Paper is Reflected
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Stimulating try Advertising in st:24
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