HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1926-4-21, Page 7Love, The Tyrant
He thought for a moment or tw(
then he added:
"I think we'd bettor follow ill
advice of the Americae hninorie
who said: `V,Then in doubt, alwaY
tell the truth.' I'll try and break
gently to Moody Jane."
Both he and the woman spoke
the child as if she wore a woman an(
one to be conciliated at all coets.
As he went down next morning
Miss Woode opened her door slight
"She is very bad," she said, in (
-whisper; "quite unconscious; you't
better get a doctor."
jack nodded and went down to Ott
mixture of shop and parlor, where
he found Mordy Jane sweeping and
tidying up. As she still wore the
eidieulous bonnet, Jack felt assured
that she must sleep in it. She push-
ed it aside to look at him sharply as
he stood, if the truth must be told,
rather sheepishly and- nervously in
the doorway. .
"You'll be late, if you don't look
out!" she said.
"Oh, it's all right," said Jack.
"Mordy Jane, I met a friend of
mine—"
Her eyes glittered and she nodded
at him.
•"I know! 'I saw you come in last
night. I 'eard yer over the bannis-
ters. It's lucky for you and 'er tbait
you didn't go and try and deceree
MC, '005 1 wouldn't have stood it.
It's like the 'idden mys'try's cheek'
offering to pass off a perfect stran-
ger as 'er cousing! Tho hideal As
if I shouldn't hae seed through it!
.As for you, why you wouldn't take
in an hinfant in arms, leave alone a
gal like me."
"Well, we meant it for the best,
Moody Jane," said Jack, meekly.
"The poor girl's very ill—I knew her
in the country where I was staying
—and I am very anxious about her.
You'll do what you can for her,
won't you, Mordy Jane?"
Merely Jane sniffed, but gave a
little nod of assent which Jack knew
meant more than words.
"I'll send in a doctor as I go down
to the docks. Which is the best
man?"
"Well, there's Doctor Jones,
though I don't fancy him. 'E pokes
'is Mad in at the door and says,
'Well, 'ow are we to -day?' as if he
was ill hisself, which I call agger-
vating, and makes me right down
bad. Then there's Doctor Green;
'e's short and grumpy; and 'e'll abuse
you like a coster; but he cures you
all the time. 'E tried it on me, but
I give ithim back; and he says to
me: 'If I was to do my dooty by my
perfession I should give you some-
thing strong in the shape of poison
and put you in a bottle of spirits,
you freak!' I says to him: 'You
wouldn't have n� difficulty .finding
the spirits!"eos, yer see he does a
bit of drinking --but never when he's
at work. You'd better go to him."
Jack left word at -Doctor Green's,
and just got to the docks before the
gates closed. All that day, while he
worked he pondered over Kate Tran-
som's presence in London. She had
left Vancourt after he had done so
—he did not know how soon --and
he longed to ask her for some news
of Esther; though he told himself
that the lees he heard of the woman
he loved the better for his peace of
mind. .
When ho got home in the evening,
,Mordy Jane with her head on one
side and her eye cocked like a mag-
pie's, gave 'a Very serious report of
Kate's condition.
"She's been delirious and off her
nut all day," she said. "The 'idden
snyst'ry let me in when I went to
inquire, and 1 seed her. That car-
roty 'ead of 'ers looks queer 'gainst
'er white face. I suppose you think
it's beautiful?"
"Yes, she has beautiful hair," as-
sented .Tack, absently, and uncon-
scious of the sarcasm in Mordy
Jane's voice. "Delirious is eho? I
1, tun afraid ehe is very bad,"
I "Yes; she 'as been raving like 0
o lunatic, Miss Wood says," responded'
Mordy Jane, as ehe -pushed her lath-
s er intd a low chair •in front of the
t table, and took his skull -cap of? as
ho )vere a ehild or a Guy PawMe.
f "She tosses from side to side end
I jaws about you and ()thee rubbish,"
"About me?" said Jack, with sur.
, prise, too anxioue to smile,
about you, and about a
'Miss Vane:sure and a murder."
Horn Nerdy Jane nodded, and
sespended a plate of boiled mutton,
which she considered an appropriate
dish for a hot summer's evenings on
the way to Jack's place.
"Murder—a 'orrible murder! I
suppose it's all her fancy."
"Of course," said Jack. • "Poor
girl! I am afraid she has quarrelled
with her father, and that she must
have suffered terribly while she wee
wandering. here in London."
"P'eape, it's remorse," said Mor-
dy Jane. "P'eaps she's gone and
murdered 'er father, and 'id '1111 111
the copper, You do read of sich
things, you know."
jack smiled and shook his head
gravely.
"I wish I could send for het' fath-
er," he said, half to himself. "But
I can't break my promise, and I
might make things worse. Poor
Kate!"
, "Miss Woods keeps up her char-
acter," reinarked Moody ...lane, ae. a
later stage of the meal.
"As how?" asked Jack, absently.
"Well, I orfered to go an' nurse
that red-Maded gal while Miss Woods
went out as usual this evening; but
she said as 'ow she wasn't goin'. So
it's certain as 'ow she ain't a music -
hall arteeste. And. the question is:
"Wot is she?—Pather, you've gone
and let that mutton -fat get (Mid and
turn to candle. If you don't want
anymorepush yer plate away like a
proper -minded person, and 'ave your
puddin'..---`I shall remain at home
this evenin', Miss Jacob,' she says,
quite cool -like. The myst'ry's more
'iddener than ever. You mark my
words, Mr. Gordon—Sophie Meeria!"
—she broke off with a shrill scream
—"you're lookin' through that key-
hole again to see what we've got for
supper! Don't give me the lie, now,
for I can see the top of yer 'air over
the door! You go Mine and tell your
mother that we've got b'iled mutton,
'taters and turnips—an' turnips,
mind!"
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CHAPTER X.X.MI.
Kate Transom was down with
brain fever, and had got it badly.
For close upon a week she was not
only unconscious, but delirious; and
whenever he went up and downstairs
and paused at the bedroom door,
Jack could hear her voice pouring
out an incoherent string of words.
"It's wonderful 'ow she eau keep
on at it," Mordy Jane remirked.) "Most certainly and emphatically
"I've 'eard Sophie Meeria's mother I do not!" said Jack; "why, just re-
-that's the woman what come up member what a strong girl you were
and jawed me last night, Mr. Goo- before—before you were taken ill."
don—I've 'eard 'er talk for two "That is d long while ago, isn't
hours at a stretch; but then she'd it?" elle said, in a vague and confus-
'ad a drop, an' she's been practising od way. "I have been thinking it
it over since she was a kid. MY! would be bettor if I were to die, Mr,
how she can sling it! But this young- Gordon: there would be less den -
girl -from -the -country friend of yours ger," she added, almost to herself.
could give Sophie ilfeeria's mother Jack laughed quietly.
fifty yards in a hundrod and romp "Don't talk such nonsense," he
in easy. I set beside the bed last said. "I not only believe that you
night, an' 1 tell you some of 'or talk are out of danger, but that you are
made my 'air curl. It was all about going to get well very quickly. Did
woods an' guns, an' covered you want to see Inc about any -
with blood—ah, my!" Mordy Jane thing? They said that you had ask -
indulged in a shudder which nearly ed for me."
shook the bonnet off. her head. "I Be was hoping that she would say
says to Miss Weeds ,I see: 'If I was that she wished him to communicate
to sit 'ere long listening to this, 1 with her father; but she shook hes
should get the creeps or the hyster- head, and the faint flush deepened
1,es.' They've cut off nearly all her slightly on her face.
air—which I daresay you'll think a "No," she said, almost inaudibly,
drefful shame—an' she looks all wild with her eyes seeking his face for a
and strange -like; an' she keeps on moment, and then covered by their
mixing up your name, an' talks as lids. "I asked for you, I asked if
if she was trying to find you, as If you were here because I was not
you was. in some danger, Oh, it's sure that I had really seen you—not
horful to 'ear her! I suppose there eure that it was not all a dream."
a111.1 a ty truth in it? There's noth- Jack smiled.
tng in all this talk of hers about a "Well, you see, Kate, it's real
murder?" enough; there's not much of the
jack shook his head, dream about me; I'm too substantial.
"Nothing at all," he answered, I am living here in the same house;
"She may be raving in her delirium my room is just above. I am out at
of something she has read or heard. work all day, from quite early iti the t
She came from a most quiet and morning, but I am at home every t
peaceful place, in which no trend- evening; and I will always 00100 to 1
les or anything of the kind have hapL see you when you 'want me, after I v
pened. There is never any tiaeount- have come home." I
.ing for the language and behaviour She looked at him so gratefully, f
of persons who are delirious; !IVIordy with so infinite a wistfulness in her s
ability, in fact, most cartainhy, when all women and weak thhigs general-
,
Jane; there is not the least ounda- eyes, larger than ever new, in that t
tion for poor Kate Transom's vision- pale; wasted face, that Jack with that e
ary terror and dread. In ei I mob- dangerous tenderness of his toward i
she gets we/le—becomes co 61011S- ly, etretched out his hand and laid 1
she will forget everythin , know it on her hot forehead. It was in- g
nothing Indeed; of anythin she has deed a dangertme thing to do even t
said While she was in this eee &lien? lender the cirmensetancess though ho e
Steetevehat to dads's eerpribe, Milk( meant nothing kit $t and eteopas- in
Weeda proved herseht hot only An siert and the doneelatien With Which M
dricient, .buit a syMpathetia „Initso, ewe,* Wong inareg hottli ovotilows 110
THE BRUSSELS POST
Indeed, after the lirst few days •he
could not help notichig a change In
her. Kate's helplessneea and curious
illness had not only awakened the
sympathies of the midden Myst'ry,"
but bad called forth some late 'it
strength with whieh jack had not
credited Mr. The flickering mile,
half vain and half suspicious, grad-
ually disappeared, and a look of an-
xiety that was perfectly 1i:wolfish -
took its place.
Eviry evening she came out of
the room to tell him how Kate was
going on; and each evening Jack,.
helf unconseinuely, noticed the pro-
gress of the change in his fellow -lod-
ger. She had seareely left Kate, and
had nursed her with an attention and
devotion whieh had called forth the
approval and commendation of even
the doctor, who, like most men of
his profession, was sparing of his
praise.
Jack had told her, as delicately as
possible, that he would be responsible
for the (expenses; but at first, color-
ing confusedly, the woman had said
that she didn't wish him to pay :for
anything; but Jack had smilingly in-
sisted; and as ho spent very little on
himself, the additional -burden did
not crush him.
On the evening of the eighth day
Merely informed him that Kate had
recovered consciousness, and taken a
turn for the better, somewhat to the
doctor's surprise; and that, having
slept for several hours, she was now
awake and "in ber seveny senses,"
as Mordy Jane put it, and likely to
recover. As Jack went upstairs the
door of the sickroom opened, and
Mies Woods came out.
"She is much better," she said;
"she is awake now, and has been .ask-
ing for you, 11 you'd like to see her,
I don't think it would do her any.
harm; perhaps she'd worry more if
she doesn't see you. But you'll have
to keep. very quiet," she added with
a touch of nursely dignity and re_
sponsibility which amused and im-
pressed Jack.
He went in very softly and stood
beside the bed, looking down at the
girl. She was thinner even than
when he had met her on the bridpe
a week ago, her cheeks still more
hollow, but with the hectic flush
which fever paints with so delicate
a color and so fine a brush. Her eyes'
were closed, but she was not asleep
and presently she opened them and
saw him. For a moment or two they
dwelt upon his face with a dreamy
recognition, then a tender light stole
into them, her lips parted, and she
spoke his name inaudibly. Jack
knelt down beside the bed, so that
he might speak .very quietly.
"You're getting on famously,
Kate," he said. "That's right! Bin
afraid you've had a bad time—but
we won't think of that may, and you
Must make up your mind to get well
as quickly as possible. When you
are stronger we'll take you out into
the air— But there's plenty of time
to think about that; you just lie here
and say to yourself, "I'm .going to
get better every day.
"Do you think I'm going to dM,"
she asked,
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1920.
*IIMP4111.••••.••••.0,103ra.,,,de
You'll e
Completely In
the 0.)ark
MI the Mae V0411-0 IFeadUg
the Creat S231.0
THE
ED LAMP
By
WA a ry
berts
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Unless
You Are Rem
Enough
To Solve et
Yen Go
steruee is
"THE POST"
IN THE NEAR
FUTURE
•••••.61111erm
for a sfek girl—or a dog with a brok-
enBleugt'. his touch had a deep effect
upon poor Kate, who was weakened
by her illness, following her terrible
mental strein and days of privation.
Great tears welled up to her eyes,
her lips quivered, then moved as if
in speech. Jack bent lower so that
he might hear what she said, and he
caught the words:
"It woold be better 4 were to
die."
"Not a bit of it," he said, cheerful-
ly. "You wait a day or two until
you've had your first mutton chop;
and you'll find you've changed your
mind, Kate!'
He went in to see her every even-
ing, and sometimes found Mordy
Jane sitting beside the bed, and talk-
ing in her cute and precocious fash-
ion. Kate, propped up by pillows,
lay back and listened, her eyes fixed
wonderingly on the shrewd face of
the child -woman; but Jack found
that, unlike as they were, the two
seemed to like each other, and that
with an elfish cuteness Moody Jane
appeared to understand the country
girl; for Kate would talk more free-
ly—if the word may be used in
speaking of one so reserved—to Mor-
dy Jane than to Miss Woods.
"She ain't a bad sort, that girl -
from -the -country of yours," Mordy
Sane admitted to Jack. "Now I've
got used to her red 'air, I'm ad in-
clined to think as she ain't bad -look
ing. But lor', ain't she a Juggins!
She don't know nothing, exceptin'
about cows and sheep tine 'ay and
corn; an' she ain't been nowhere
'cept this fling up in London, which
she says she 'etas. Fancy 'ating Lon-
don! Which I tell 'er ain't proper
to slang the place the Queen of Eng-
land lives M. We're going to get 'er
out to -morrow!"
"The Queen?" said Jack, who had
got into the habit of dreaming of
Esther while he was supposed to be
listening to Mordy Jane.
"No, stoopid! Kate, of course.
If I was you I should go an' see a
doctor—and a good 'un. For you've
got a lit of absence of brain, which
might end serious. Blest if you ain't
nearly as had as father; and he's wus
than a hinfant in arms."
The next day, as Mordy Jane had
announced, Kate was taken out for
the first time. It had been arranged
that she should go as far as Victoria
Park in an open fly, and that Jack
should take an half -holiday so that
he could accompany them.
"Won't it be too many for one
horse?" he suggested to Moody Jane,
who was also to be one of the party;
but that young lady minted in the
negative with a mid? of scorn,
"Too many! Why, I've known
that fly hold ten—yes, I 'eve, and
Mrs. Jenkin's 'Arry a -sitting on the
step. Too man! Garn! Besides, if
you don't go,—well, I'm thinking tho
outin' won't do 'er much good," she
added to herself,
The fly drew up at the door at the
appointed hour, and Kate was helped
down the stairs by the two women,
jack appearing a moment or
we afterwards already "cleaned up"
hey started; Mordy Sane perched on
he box beside the driver, and sur -
eying the crowd—feom under a new
tat simply adoened with blue ostrich
anthers and crimson poppies—with
o, haughty and supercilious an air,
hat the small crowd which had gath-
red for ironical cheers was awed
nto silence,
Kate leant back, her folded halldS
yitig liertply in her lap, seemly
lancing. at the street and the people
hey passed; but every now and then
rdieted her eyes CO Itrieles late
—
titre often then not tarried fll
Ordy Jhee—and; Whenever Oho' did
,s eitpreeldeil Peace paned.
q,
over her white face, to be followe(
alinuet, instantly by one of trouble
and perplexity.
Victoria Park, though not exactly
"quite the country" iig Mordy June
declared it to be, is not the least im-
portant of London's "lungs;" and
Jack, for one, was glad enough to
:ees some trees and green grass
"al((. He He lifted Rate out of the
113,
(asked. He had got into the habit of
st,..,11fdw p g. r,ese shawl careful -
(falling her by her Christi:us name.
014
"Much stronger and more like your
one of unhappiness or discontent.
her with a sigh, sigh width was not
under a couple, of oaks, which would
hot have disgraci(d Vaneourt iteelf
Kate .leant back and looked round
ly round her, helped her to a seat
"Feeling pretty fit, Kato?" Jack
"Yes," she (mid, in bid' low voice,
which was habitual now, a voice
which was always -dreamy, and some-
times indicated the conditton ef
mind which ig &scribed vacent.
"Yes; I shall soon be quite strong
now, and—and well enough to go."
Jaek nodded. •
"That's it!" he said. "You want
to get out of this and back to Van -
court."
She started slightly and looked at
him, as if she were alarmed, and at
the same time was trying to remem-
ber the cause of her alarm.
"No, I shall never go back to Van -
court," she said, breathing quickly.
"Why not? Look here, Kate, you
asked me to promise that 1 would
not communicate with your father,
friends—"
"Yes! And you have not, you will
not?" she broke in. "It was a pro-
mise!"
"That's so, and I've still hung on
to the habit of keeping 'em," said
Jack, gravely, as there flashed across
his mind the promise he had given
to his dead chum, and all the keeping
of it had cost him and must still cost.
him. "I haven't written to Vaneourt
and I still can't, of course, if you in-
sist."
"Yes, yes; you must not!"
"All right. But then I've got to
ask what are you going to do? I'm
afraid this isn't the time, but—well,
I'm anxious about you."
"And you are not anxiocs about
—about yourself?" she said, in a low
voice and with a swift but timid
I glance at his grave fa',-,
Jaek shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, not much," he replied. "I
mean that it doesn't matter much
what becomes of me."
"Al,, (Me't eay so—don't say so
she said, w ith a faint shudder. "It
matters everything! Why—why d
yeti etey borc 111 Lei:done—England,
Silo Pill !lc :pe.qien iu almost, a
whisper, and leoked round ae if she
wets, a frnid of being overheard.
Jack colored.
"Wcli— 1 searcely know! It is
ether tooled], 1 :en:poem,"
• "Foeliehl!". she echoed. "Oh,. how
call you speak 0o --so lightly of it,
whoa you know so inteth depends."
Jsck was just a little puzzled by
her earnestness.
"Yes, I've thought of going Ebr011d
to Austrulia. I was out there, you
know."
She nodded, and unconsciouely
dr. w a little Hearer to him.
"Yes! Why do you not go, at
onee? Why do you wait?"
Jack bit his moustache.
"W(dI, re( I said before, I don't
quite know." But he did. To put
the ,e -a( between him and Eether—
the prospect was A hard and cruel
one. "But I must make up my mind
pretty sharp."
"Decide to go at once!" she said.
He laughed.
"You appear to be in a great hur-
ry to get rid of me, Kate," he said,
innocently enough.
The color flooded her face, and she
turned her eyes upon him ahnost re-
proachfully, but averted them before
he could look round and see their
expression.
"But before I go—if 1 go -1 must
see you comfortably settled. If I'm
not to write to your father, you must
still remain in my charge, so to
speak."
"I can get a situation; Miss Woods
will help me; Mordy Jane—" she
faltered.
"Well, perhaps they might; though
I've not the least notion how Miss
Woods gets her living."
"She has a situation," said Kate;
"she goes to it every evening—that
is, she did until I came. I don't
know what it is. I will ask her; per
haps she might get something of the
same kind for me to do. At any
rate, I—I must not be a burden to
you any longer, Mr. Gordon. I've
!RA
0
1 Forriferre?:Rltany p erello msa I eIlavom:t.gotfs
not thanked you yet; I've tried—oh,
so many tinies!---hut every time the
words eeem t0 rush together, and --
and I cannot speak."
"Don't try any more," said holt,
"I've only done what you would have
done for me if you had found me in
a tight Plaee; and, besides, we are
old friends, Kate, quite old friends
from the same plitee. Did you see
and hear anything of Mies Vancourt
after I left?" he asked, with an af-
fectation of merely easual interest.
(To 13e Continued).
. _
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'The industrial Mortgage,
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azzaav R. ka.rtexr
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fire, Automobile and Wind los.
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For Brussels and vicinity Phone 647
JAMES M' FADZEAN
Agent Howick Mutual Fire Insurance Company
Also
Hartford Windstorm and Tornado Insurance
Phone 92 13ox 1 Turnberry Street, Brusaels
JP16. SUTHERLAND & SOUS
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T. T. M' RAE
IC 0, H., Village of Brussels,
PhYsiclan, Surgeon, Acoeueheur
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DR. WARDLAW
Honor graduate of the Ontario Veterinary
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W. off. &Ara/haat
BARRISTER, SOLICITOR,
CONVEYANCER, NOTARY PUBLIC
LECKIE BLOCK - BRUSSELS
Can You a"
Visit them all?
Have you, Mr. usiness Man, the
time to get out and call on all of your
customers and prospective customers
each week ? If you could do so, it
would be a fine thing for you and for
your business.
The next best thing to a personal
call from you is to send out your
business message each week in THE
POST, which covers the local com-
munity and will carry your message
to old friends and new friends, alike.
Advertising in THE POST is an
economical, efficient way to reach the
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them know of the buying opportun-
ities offered in your business estab-
lishment.
weeeeels.
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