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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1926-4-28, Page 7„,) THE BRUSSELS POST " WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 1228, Love, T Tyrant 1 Kate shook her head, "No. She—she came and told no you had gone," She blushed as aho recalled the interview, "That is all." "A pleasant young lady!" said Jack, still in the same casual man- lier. Kate made a slight gesture of ae- sent. "Yes," she said, with a sigh. "She has everything, beauty and riches and Vancourt Towers; and every- body admires her and pays court to her, I suppose she will marry Mr. Selby Layton—they all say et)." "Oh, do they?" said Jack, grimly, his face suddenly growing dark and gloomy. "I think it's about time we got back. He's a pleasant sort of fellow, I believe." Kate's lips came together. "I don't know—I don't like him." "No? Why not?" "I—I don't know. Here is Miss Woods and Mordy Jane." , "You come and see the ducks, Kate," exclaimed Mordy Jane—she said "Kite." "There's a lot of little 'uns, just the very same as in the country. Here! you go with Miss Woods. Pm a bit tired and erocky on my pins." When the other two had gone, Mordy Janenodded her head at Jack and winked. "Well, 'afe you gorn and clone it?" she asked. Jack stared at her. "Gone and done it?—What, liforcly Jane?" he asked. She gave a snort of impatience and womanly contempt for a man's obtuseness. "Well, you beat everything!" she exclaimed under her breath. "Talk about father; why, you could give him seventy up! What do you think I'm talking about?" "Hang me if I know!" said Jack, laughing good-humoredly. "Why. you and Kite!" she retort- ed, impatiently. "Why don't you up and speak to her like eeenan: you're big enough." "Big enough not to make quite a fool of nlYself," said Zack, rather grimly. "Look here, Mordy Jane, you're not a bad sort and I rather like you, but you are talking of some thing you knew nothing about, mak- ing guesses that have no fonnda- Von." "Oh, garn with you!" she broke in:: "Why, if you wasn't one of the biggest juggins on earth you'd see that she's simply dying— Well, there! I'm not going to give one of my own sect away— But of all the blind, chuckle -headed you men! Here, they're coming back. Oh, don't stare at me as if I was a side- show or a freak, you stoopid !— Come on; here's the fly, Kite Are you tired?—Here, we can 'elp 'er in; don't you trouble. And you'd better sit on the box," she added, contemp- tuously. "Sit there and try and get your eyes open," she added, in a fierce undertone. Jack very meekly andobediently climbed on the box. It was not a pleasant drive home for him. If Moray Jane were right— oh, but she couldn't be! Her Coelcney cute- ness and readiness to discover a rom- ance where none existed, had misled her. But if it were true? A wave Of bitterness was passing over him. Esther, he had just been told, would marry Selby Layton: if Kate really —cared foe him, jack, why shouldn't he marry her and— The sweat stood out on his brow. Marry another woman while he was in love with Esther! It was just shnply hives - The fly turned into Chase Street, and he was roused from his gloomy reverie by a poke from Mordy Jane's sunshade: of the fashion of the early Victorian era. "Now, Mr. Gordon, if you'd make' a heffort to wake yourself." He looked round with a nod and a rather grave smile, the fly stopped at the door, and, as the sinall crowd titnI•egistelft•••119a, awasymommoll Letterheads Envelopes Billheads And all kinds of Business Stationery printed at The Post Pliblielting House, We will do a job that will do credit to your business. Look over your stock of Office Stationery and if it requires replenishing call us by telephone 31, The Post PUblisblog Noose of chillren pelted up to see the re- turn of the party, a hansom cab went slowly past. A N11160711 cab was so rare a veil- ' tele in that quarter that Jack, as he , olumed the flY door, looked after It. At that moment it stopped, turned !round, and rather slowly came hack. jack was busy with Kate, and just caught a glimpse of a gentleman leaning forward over the apron; but he was startled, as the cab passed the by a sharp and sudden cry front Miss Woods. She had sprung from her seat and was standing upright, clutching the side of the fly, and star- ing with white face and startled eyes after the hansom. "Wotever is the matter?" demand- ed Mordy Jane. "Are you taken queer, Miss Woods? You look as if you'd seen a hose." She seemed for a moment quite unconscious of their presence as she stood, still staring after the cab, her bosom heaving, her face white and red by turns, and then she sank into her seat, and, biting her lip, forced a smile, and sighed. , "It—it was a sudden shock," she said, with a vain attempt to speak in a tone of indifference. "It was a kind of spasm. I think my heart must be wrong; but I'm all right now," "Yer 'eart wrong!" retorted Mer- ely Jane. "Not hit! It's yer nerves; and mineill soon beas erocky as yours if you 'ave any more of them fits while I'm near yer!" CHAPTER XXXIII. "I really think, my dear Esther, that you need a change. I have not- iced for some daye past—indeed, for more than a week—that you have been pale, and seemed listless and out of sorts. .Do you feel ill?" The two ladies were on the terrace after breakfast, Miss Worcester was seated placidly knitting, but Esther had risen from her seat and was mov- ing up and down so slowly that it could scarcely be called walking.; her hands hung by 'her side, her head drooped, and her eyes were down- cast. She was pale but not with her usual healthy pallor, but with the paleness that indicates weakness or worry. A fine line had appeared be- tween her eyes, and there was a delicate droop to the lips which, while it meant that happiness had fled, lent a peculiar charm to them. All the old lightness had vanished, her girlish laugh, which had echoed not loudly but sweetly through the old place, had not been heard for some time, and she no longer found amusement in chaffing the old lady who loved her, and was always so easy to shock, so ready to rise to the fly. "You seem quite changed, my dear Esther," 'continued Miss Worcester, alter she had counted her stitches. "I really don't think you are a bit bettor. than you used to be in Isling- ton." She spoke the last words in a low voice for Miss Worcester in these days of their prosperity was rather reluctant to refer to their poorer clays, and always mentioned them With bated breath. "And in this beautiful air, with everything the heart could desire, you surely ought to be in the best of health and spir- its." Esther laughed mirthlessly, The old life had been hard enough in all conscience; but if she had not ex- perienced any keen joy in it she had not, at any rate, suffered such pain of infinite longing, infinite disappoint- ment, as she had endured during the last week. "Yes, I really think you should take a change, my clear. What would you say to—to Cromer, now?" "It all depends on what Cromer said to me," replied Esther, with a poor attempt at her old spontaneous gaiety. "I mean— Oh, Cromer? I don't know it, aunt. I don't care ,where we go; but—unless you want a change, I'd infinitely rather stay here. I can't think why you should suppose that I am unwell—" "My dear Esther, your appearance is sufficiently indicative—" "Not of ill -health, but of the dis- satisfaction which comes :from too much money, too many things to eat and drink—" "Really, Esther, to heat you talk one would think we were ancient Romans living in a state of gluttony. I am sure you do net eat enough'; I have net seen you eat a sufficient and proper meal foe some days, Yester- day you sent your plate away each time almost untouched; and Marie tells me that she hears you walking up and down in your room at night." "IVIsele should mind her ownii busi- ness," said Etsher, catering; slightly. "It is her busiaess, n1,r dear Es- ther—" "Pardon tee, aunt; Marie's bust.. hose et night is to o to sleep, ead to wait upon me, in the intervals in which she is not keeping company with Giles, in the daytime. Aunt, there is nothing the matter with me but the laziness which is caused by, having nothing to do. I am like Ham- let, waxing fat and short of breath—" "Pat! My dear Esther, Maria told ma that site had, to take in some of your skirts—" 'Nether bit her lip softly, and be- gan to look a little annoyed at the old lady's persistence; for she herself knew that she was thinner, that she had lost her appetite; and not only her appetite for food, but for the hundred and one innocent pleasures which had gone to make up ner gfe before—before Jack Gordon went. This was the trouble, and try as she would, she could not blind her- self to the fact that his absence, and the common belief that he had been joined by Kate Transom, were the ettl1506 of the change which had come over her. She fought hard, but her heart was too weak—or too strong— for her, and onljr now—and again could' she still the aching longing to see him—which filled all her days and nights. "No, I don't think we'll go to Gre- iner, or anywhere else just yet, aunt," she said, telling herself that she would not run away like a love- sick girl; that she'would go on in the usual tenor of her life as if nothing had happened, "I don't care about going just now, and, besides, I want to see the corn harvest got in. I am now going down te Martin to speak to him about it. Is there anything I can do for you in the village?" "No, thank you, my dear—oh, yes; if you would not mind calling at the shop and getting me a piece of tape, this width." "Certainly," said Esther, suppres- sing a smile, which rose at this in- stance of force of habit; for in the old clays of poverty and struggle, it was generally a piece of tape which her aunt required; and Esther used to wonder, as she wondered' this morning, what on earth her aunt wanted it for. She went into the hall for her hat, and crossing,the lawn went to the stable -yard and opening one of the stable doors, called "Bob!" He was chained up in the empty stall, and was lying asleep; but as he heard her voice he raised his head quickly, looked at her with his great solemn eyes, then beyond her as if he expected to see someone else. But as he saw that she was alone he dropped hie head and drew a long breath. Esthee knelt beside him and took his head in her -hands and kissed him on his long nose. "Would you like to come for a walk with me, Bob?" she whispered. "Will it cheer you up a little? Why can't you forget like some other dogs and eat and stuff and sleep and be merry like Rags arid Fanny and the rest. Why are you—and I—cursed with. such inconvenient memories, Bob? Never mind! Come with me, and we'll both try and forget him for a little while." She loosed him, but Bob did not jump up and rave and bark as the other dogs would have. done, but stretched himself and walked 'beside her with a slow and stately trot, and a grave and thoughtful expression in his eyes which he turned up to her every now and then as if he were asking: "Are you going to take me to him." All the way to the farm he glanced from right to left as if he expected to see his beloved' mas- ter, and he ran up to Nettie who was standing at the door of the lodge and who threw her arms round his neck and hugged him, burying her face lei the soft thick ruff of fur round his neck. "Oh, good-inerning, Mrs. Martin," said Esther. "Nettie, do you think you could spare one kin from Bob for me? I'm not usually moved to jealousy, but really—" "You see, it's Jack's dog: poor Bob!" said Nettie, simply, as she hold up her face to meet the sweet lips which Jack had s) wickedly kiss- ed. "How thin he has dot, hasn't lie Miss Vancourt? And so have 'do. Are you fretting after Sack? Ypu bettern't, or you'll be ill! Mother said that if I went on fretting I• should be, didn't you, mother?" Esther managed to keep the color from her face and the even smile on her lips. ' "Fretting is bad for anybody, Net - she said. "I came to ask, Mrs. Martin, it the harvest was going to begin soon; because Miss 'Worcester and I think of going away, and 1 de not want to do so until It is over." "Martin was speaking about it this morning," said Mrs. Martin, "and I think he means to eut next week. He's just gone up to the cottage. The new foreman's wife was over to look at it yesterday, and she wanted one or two things done, so Martin has gone to see about it. Of course, Mr. Gordon, being a bachelor and taking his meals here, didn't need*" "Alt, yes; just se," said Esther, breaking in gently. "I think go and Aral Mr. Martini then. Will you dome. Nettle?" !, "Oh, Yes," said Nettie, 4'1 often go DO YOU THINK You Could Do Better Than— THE PROFESSOR, THE YOUNG LAWYER, THE DETECTIVES— And All the Others Who Are Trying To Solve the lYlystery; THE ed La TRY IT AND SEE I By Mry Roberts Rinehart STUMM 115 "THE POST" IN THE NEAR FUTURE there; it was poor Jack's cottage, you know." "Why do you say `poor' Jack, Net- tie?" Esther asked, half sorry, yet half glad, that the child should talk of him. "Why, 'cos he's dorn away and father says the people are all against him, 'cos he's done something—I don't/ know sackly what, Do your "Not exactly; indeed, I'm not sure Mr. Gordon has clone anything to set the people against him—not sure, mind, Nettie." "Well, I shouldn't tare if he did," said the child, calmly. "I shouldn't tare what he did; 'cos you see, I love him." "I understand," said Esther; and, oh, did she not understand fully! It seemed to her that she could have echoed the child's humiliating confes- sion. The cottage door was open, and Esther looked in. "Your father is not there," she said. "No one seems to be there." • Nettie went in, and Esther follow- ed her. Soineone had been making some repairs; there was the usual pail of whitewash and brush, the usual splodge of mortar dabbed down on the floor. In the cracks be- tween the hearthstone and the boards was the point of a crowbar as if the workman had heard his lun- cheon hour strike at the moment of inserting the bar, and, true to the traditions of his class, had instantly droppedthe tool as if it were red hot. The place looked very desolate, and Esther, as she glanced round dreamily and sadly, thought of the evening she had entered it with Jack and waited to see if he would offer her any of the wild hyacinths. Net- tie, meanwhile, amused herself by sticking her toe in the mortar and handling the tools, but presently she came, in a course of whitewash, brush, and trowel, to the crowbar. "What's this, Miss Vancourt?" she asked. "It's like an iron stick, isn't it? What's it stuck in this crack tor?" "The man is going to lift the stone with it," replied Esther. Nettie looked at her solemnly. "When 'oo don't know the answer to a question, 'oo should say 'oo don't, not tell a story," she remark- ed, severely. "That's what the teach er told me last Sunday. You're very wicked, Miss Vancourt." "No, I'm. not—,not in this case," said Esther, laughingly. ."The stone can he lifted quite easily if you press on this bar. Why, 9 can do it, you see!" She put seine pressure on the crowbar, and presently the stone be- gan to vise. Nettie clapped her heeds, too delighted to be penitent. "Oh, let me—let me!" she cried; but Esther, was afeaid. • "No, no!" she said. "See, I'll lift the stone right up—here it comes!" "So it does. How clover 'oo are —least it's the bar, isn't it, not 'oo? Oh, look, Miss Vancourt, here's some- thing underneath; it's a tin." Esther bent down and saw the tin Jack had so carefully placed there. "Being me that brick, quickly, Net- tie!" the said. The child got the beick, and Es- ther pushed it with ha foot under the edge of the stone so as to sup- port it, then she took up the tin "What a funny place to keep it in," remarked Nettie. "What's in it, does 'oo tink, Miss Vaneourt?" "I shouldn't be surprised if there was money," replied 'Esther. "What I real moncy—pennies ?" cried Nettie, with eyes like saucers. tether nodded, hold the tin in her hand or a tionkoot or tie° looking tit it thoughtfully, thert opened it, With the child'e eyes upon her, it was dilliculi for her to conceal her agita- tion at the sight of the contents. A marriage certificate, and a bun- dle of banit-notes! She stood, flushing; girl -like, feel- ing half frightened by her discovery; and Nettle's exclamation of: "Is there many pennies; is it full of them?" aimed startled her. "No; there are no pennies, Net- tie," he said, "But never mind; I think I can find some in my pocket." As she walked homewards with the tin in her hand, she asked hereelf what she should do with it, whether, indeed, she had any right to take it from the cottage; and though she argued on the latter point that the cottage was her own property, and, prima facie, everything in it, the first question worried her. To whom could it belong, and why had the owner hidden it under the hearth- stone? When ehe got to•her room she examined the tin and the notes. The tin was still bright, and had recently been placed beneath the stone. Could it belong to Mr. Gor- don? The color rushed to her face, then left it whin. If it were his, the certificate— She rose, trembling in every limb, fearfully moved by the suspicion which swooped down upon her. Was this the certificate of her marriage? If not, Why Should he desire to hide it, why should he have considered it too valuable to carry about with hire? She flung her hands before her face and fought against the idea. After all, there was no evidence that the tin and its contents had been placed in their place of concealment by him, or that they belonged to him. Was she going to be as hard as those others who had been so ready to believe hint guilty of entic- ing Kate Transom to leave her home? What should she do with the tin? She looked at it with a repugnance which increased at each moment, then she picked it up with the tips of her fingers and locked it in the small safe in which she kept her jew- els.. "I'll give it to Mr. Floss and tell him where I found it," she said to herself. She bathed her face, and went downstairs and into the library, and was writing a note to Mr. Floss asking hen to come to the Towers, when the door opened and in walked Selby Layton. Esther started; the finding of the tin box and the questions it had call- ed up had, rather unnerved her, are you Wyk!" Then feel- ing that this was scarcely a sufficient- ly warm greeting to a—friend, she added: "How do you do?" "May I come in?" he maid. "9 heard you were here; and I know you aro anxious to hear the result of my mission." She nodded slightly, and the line between her eyes grew deeper. It seemed that every hour, every min- ute, she Was fated to be reminded of Jack Gordon. "Have you—have you been suc- cessful?" she said. "You have been very quick -1 mean"—as his face Id ll and he stole a tender, reproach- ful glance at her—"that I did not ex- pect that you would have discovered .anything so soon." "I have [men Very fortunate," he said. "Indeed, I owe my success to a sheer piece of luck. I had been hunting for days, in quite the amat- eur detective fashion, without any re- sults; but one day I chanced to go down to the docks, and while driv- ing through one of the streets --poor people! how one pities them this veeather!—I saw them." Esther sat, her head resting on her hancl, mechanically making formless figures on the paper. "Them?" she said in a low voice. "Yes," he said; then he chose the proper tone, one of grave regret. "I am very sorry to say that poor Tran- som's fears were only too web grounded. His daughter had gone to Mr. Gordon. I saw the fellow help- ing her out of a fly and into one of the houses—" Esther rose and went to one of the windows, so that he might not see the deathly pallor of her face, the quivering lips. "I saw them quite distinctly, and I am not sure that they did not see me. They were of a party, just re- turned from some outing, an outing of the usual loud and vulgar kind." Esther tapped softly with her fin- gers on the colored glass which sent its patches of color on her face. , "You saw them distinctly?" she said. "There—there is 110 mistake?" "Oh, quite; I am quite certain! It is not possible for me to have been mistaken. I made some inquiries afterwards and I found that they werc—I trust they are man and wife," he murmured, Esther started: the marriage cer- cate "Now the question is," he went on, approaching her slowly, "shall I tell her father—that hot-tempered young man, Dick Reeve? It is for you to decide." Esther frowned. "I—I don't know," she said. "I will think of it, Poor girl—poor girl!" (To Be Continued). BUSINESS CARUS .T.HE Industrial Niortgage and I Savings Company, ofSarnia Ontario, are prepared to advance money on Mortgages on good lands. Parties desiring mQn'Y 0nfnitg1"wiiLPieaPPIit:JainesCowSeao1,Ontwhr il1 n. uish rates and other partioulers. Tho Industrial Mortgage and Saving. Company azzax g.kaffenvir AGENT FOR Fire, Automobile and Wind los. COMPANIES For Brussels and vicinity Phone 647 JAMES M'PADZEAN Agent Howick Mutual Fire Insurance Company A190 Hartford Windstorm and Tornado Insurance Phone 45 Boxl Tarnberry StFeet, Brussels JNO. SUTHERLAND & SONS LIMITED ,ENSWIRA7C GENVA;PAF D. M. SCOTT AMENSfflia aVeriaiMagi PRICES MODERATE For references consult any person whose sales I have officiated at. Phone 2826 T. T. NI°RAE m. 0. H., Village of Brussels. Physician, Surgeon, AmotiMear Office at residence, opposite Bleb ille Church, William street. OR. WAIVOLAW Honor graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College. Day and night calls. Ofiloe opposite Flour Mill, Bthel. W.. ar. Szavezazit BARRISTER , SOLICITOR. CONVEYANCER, NOTARY PUBLIC LECKIE BLOCK - BRUSSELS 513tiKENtOW61)10, firA You ,ds imtt e 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 nextThest 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 people in Your trade territory and let them know of the buying opportun- ities offered in your business estab- lishment. to_ eAtAului tot .P THE 0110SOELS POST _MEM %ICC efe