HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1926-6-2, Page 7Love, The Tyrant
Esther's faee flamed.
"You talk like—as ill I were an
idiot," she said, indignantly. "Wee.
0110U1d 1 live on your theray, Sr
-John - Vancourt? Why ehould you
want me to do so?"
Jack took two turns up and down
the room„then he came beside Inc.
"Do you want to know?" be aek
ed. 'Mien, by George! I'll risk it and
tell you! I am not going to tell you
that I didn't feel the sacrifice I'd
made, especially when I first came
back from England and caught sieht
of the Towers; but when Pd met you,
when I'd seen more of you, I didn't
, feel it a little bit. I was perfectly
happy working there, at the farm,
and I should have stayed there, un-
til you sacked me, if I hadn't he-
leeteel to you like a bounder that
night—you remember?"
His face grew red and hers flamed,
and her eyes became suddenly leaavy:
"I suppose you've often wondered
why I — I played the madman anti
• kissed you that night? Well, I'll tell
you. It was for the same reason that
WaS so happy, so contented to go
en living just as your servant; it was
because—I loved you, Esther."
She did not start, she stood per-
fectly still, and she raised her eyes
slowly and tlooked at him.
"There, it's out now!" he said, "I
loved you, I think I *lust have loved
you the first time I saw you—well;
perhaps not the .first time, but prec-
ious soon afterwards. I'd never been
in love before, and I didn't quite
uderetand it at first; but though I
fought against it—for of course I
couldn't speak to you; that would
have been playing it too low down,
and getting the .estate back in a kind
a underhand way—my heart ached
to do so. I often wondered you
didn't see it. It seemed to me every
time I looked at you, you must have
seen 'I love you' staring out of my
eyes. Do you remember the day
you went with me to notch the trees?
I think that's the first day, the first
time I knew for dead certain that
you were the only woman I should
ever want. You dropped your hand-
kerchief. I've had it ever since; I
had it in the wood that night I lied
to you; it was not Nettie's but yours.
I wouldn't swop it for all Vancourt."
He took it out of his pocket now,
and showed it to her. b
Esther held out her hand: it
trembled. But Jack shook his head,
and calmly returned the pocket -
handkerchief to its old hiding -place.
"I couldn't speak then; but I can
now. Esther, I love you! Forgive
me for the trick I played on you, if
trick you can call it. Be my wife.
Of course, I don't expect you to care
for me—not yet, that -is; but, if
you'll let me, I'll try and win your
love. I love you very dearly; I'd
never have said a word if you hadn't
found out the truth and given the
show away; but I can speak now,
and—and— Won't you come to me,
Esther?"
He held out his arms, and Esthee
would have given several worlds to
have been able to creep into them;
but she stood and looked at bine with
a look of trouble and almost indigna-
tion in her lovely eyes. His arms
dropped to his side, and he sighed.
"I was afraid- that would be your
answer. I suppose you can't cara
for me, and never could." He paus-
ed a moment and looked at her.
"You're not, saying `No' because
y.ou've got some foolish notion that
I'm doing this so you can keep -the
estate?" •
"No," she said, in a low voice.
"The man who could be capable of
such sacrifice es you have made
would not be so—meare as to again
attempt to deceive a helpless girl.
No, Sir John Vancocrt, that is not
the reason; there is anoteer—oth-
ors."
"What are they?" he dem•anded.
"1 ant engaged to Mr. Selby Lay-
ton."
Jack's face went white.
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Envelopes
Billheads
And all kinds of Business
Stationery printed at The
Post Publishing House.
We will do a job that will
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Look over your stock of
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The Poet Puhliphing �ouie
, "011-4111—yee1" he gasped, try-
ing to look as If he were not badly
nt. "I—.I beg your pardon. I didn't
know. Ile's—Int's a decent shale
Engaged to---" He gnawed at his
moustache. "What was the other
. reasen ?—not that it matters; this
• one is good enough!"
Eether looked at him steadily, her
brows drawn streight across, - 1101'
breath coming painfully.
'Mat, if you are not already nen-
vied to Kate Transom it is right
'hat you should be," she saki, almost
inaudibly.
Jack started, and his face grew
erimson.
"Married to Kate---! What the—!
beg your pardon. What on earth
ere you talking about? Only right
T ebould be married to Kate Tran -
e0111 r
Esther turned away from him
slightly, looking at him under half -
lowered lids—the look that hurts
when it falls upon a man from the
eyes of the woman he loves. It stung
Jack and made him begin to get
wild.
-"The truth is known to me, Sir
.Tohn," she said. "I know—it le; well
known—that she left Vancourt the
same night you did; it is known -
1 know—that she is with you here
in London. 'I beg, I Implore you to
be good and true to her. She watt
it good, happy girl until. you came.
I am sure you could make her hap-
py; T trust that you will marry her."
By this time the Vancourt temper
was raging delightfully in Jack's
breast. To hear that she was en-
gaged to Selby Layton was bad
enough, but to be told by her own
lips, to marry Kate, was almost more
than he could stand. The anger
which was raging within him flamed
from his eyes.
"Do you believe this?" he asked.
"How can I do otherwise? Do you
deny it, Sir John?"
"No! he thundered. "So you .ad-
vise me to marry Kate Transom.
Thank you very much for your ad-
vice., I'll think it over. Good -night,
Miss Vancourt."
He snatched up his cap and burst
out of the room, and Esther— Well,
no woman need to be told what 0110
did; and it is wonderful how she
managed to remove the traces of
her tears before she went down to
d inner.
- CHAPTER XXXVIII.
• Jade didn't wait for the lift, but
went down the broad stairs and out
into the street like a whirlwind.
Practically, he had never fully re-
alized until that moment how 1110011
he loved Esther. It seemed to him
as if the world had come to an and,
as if nothing mattered, as if indeed
it were scarcely worth while living
any longer. He was about to call a
cab; • but he felt as if he could not
sit in it, however fast it were driven,
and he .strode away down. the Em-
bankment, his head burning hot, hitt
heart throbbing with a kind of mad
resentment against Fate, and a dull
despair. Every now and then, at in-
tervals, he Went over. the scene, and
eyery time he recalled Ether's
speech about Kate Transom and the
look that accompanied it, he drew a
long breath and ground his teeth
and took off his hat to cool his head.
That anyone 'should suspect him
of betraying an innocent girl, and
luring her from her home, was bad
enough; but that Esther should du
so, Esther, for whose opinion he car-
ed more than for- that of all the rest
of the world, was almost unendur-
able.
He was ,just in that eondition,
goaded by despair, when men do rash
things; and he felt almost driven to
go straight to Kate Transom end
finish the proposal which he had com-
menced when Esther's note had in-
terrepted him. After all, why
shouldn't he? Esther wee lost to
him forever; she would insist upon
handing the estate over to him, and
he would have to go and live.at the
Towers, where every object, animate
and inanimate, would remind him
of her. •
It was a.long walk from the Met-
ropole to Chase Street,• but Jack did
not notice its length, would have
been rather glad perhaps if it had
been twiee as long; he had walked
quickly, anl he was quite surprised,
so engrossed had he been by his mis-
erable reflections, when he turned
into the street.
• He was striding along, his hands
in his pockets, his head sunk deject-
edly, when he heard someone rune
ring behind him. He paid no at,
tention, though be noticed that the
step was 0 light one like a Woman's;
but .steddenly he heard another noise
eeening front vaned the comer, and
a ;cry of "Stop thief!" The zamo
Moment a Voiee sald eleeo bobind
hien: "Sated nee for Gods take, eaVe
Ine!"
THE BRUSSELS POST
A woman, drtetet•il tes a wide
darted past him anti up the alley
whieli he had seen her disappear t
ether night.. Something in the wet
en'e voice struck him as familia
4041 while he was asking. hints,
where he had heard it, a pollee=
followed by the usual small crow
-ante -tanning down the street. Jae
walked on, and before- lut had retie
"d the alleY, the polieeman In
caught him up.
"levee a woman, a woman thteseed
in black like a widow?" asked the
temstable, who was rather too eto
for sprinting.
replied Jack, calmly but
promptly. "She has just run down
t he street, straight ahead."
"Right!" exclaimed the policeman,
0nd he ran on followed by the crowd.
Jae!: slackened MT and presently
waited, and he saw Miss Woods come
out of the court,.
"Don't stop me," she whiepered,
huskily, as she passed him. "Let m
get . inside 4"
Jack was too astonished to stop
her or utter a word. Ho caught a
glimpse of her face and saw that it
was stone white. He followed her
cloeely, opened the door, entered
with her and clotted it, She leant
against the wall in the passage, her
hands pressed to her heart, her
hreath coming in labored gasps; and
Jack stood and stared at her in sil-
ence.
Suddenly they heard the crowd
coming back up the street, and Miss
Woods, with a subdued cry of ter-
ror, caught his ATM in both hands,
"Hush! Don't speak! Don't move
or they'll hear us!" As she speoke,
O bundle slipped from under her arm
and fell at his feet.. She was too
terrified to attempt to conceal it or
recover it, but she looked at it de-
spairingly and uttered a low cry of
fear; for the wrapper had come
open, and Jack saw something that
looked like a black dress andeape
ell in one, and a widow's bonnet.
The truth flashed upon him in an
inetant.
"You are the widow; it's you who
play. the 'picked -pocket' dodge! Good
Heavens! There don't faint; you're
quite safe; Pm not going to give you
up!,
She sank on the stairs and hid her
face in her hand, and her flaxen wig
got all awry and made her look
ghastly, like a waxen doll that had
lost the coloring in its cheeks. jack
leant against the wall and looked
down at her.
"I'm sorry," he said, gravely. "I
didn't suspect—youth been so good
to Kate— Good God! what made you
take to such a life?"
She looked at him, with her faded
face all lined and hollow,
"Starvation, misery, despair; such
misery and despair as you can't im-
agine, for you're a man and can nev-
er, never feel it. You can never un-
derstand how hard a woman is driv-
en when she has suffered as I have
done. Don't look at me like that,
turn your eyes away -4 can't bear
11; for you've been kind to me;
you've thought well of -me, well en-
ough to trust me and—and believe
in me. 1 meant to drop it; but I
couldn't bear the thought that you
.wero working so hard, that I was a
burden on 'you as well as her; and
I'd spent what money I'd had, and I
went out to-night—for the last time
I meant. If 'I couldn't get anything
to do—anything—anything honest,
I was going to throw myself into
the dock—and I will!"
"Oh, no, you won't!" said Jack,
calmly. "Go up to your room and
we'll talk matters over in the morn-
ing."
Site shook her head, as she listen-
ed intently, with terror in every
feature.
"I can't go—yet. I'm all of ft
tremble. Kate might be awake; she'd
see me in this state and ask ques-
tions—I should break down."'
Stayhere and rest for a little
while," said Jack. "I'll step out and
see if they're gone. Wait until I
come back."
He let himself out' -quietly, and,
Pausing to light a pipe, strolled in
leiserely way up the street.. The
pursuers had evidently completely
lost the scent, and no one was in
sight; and Jack walked on a little
Way pondering overthe discovery.
Now that he had made It, he was
not altogether mends -eel; and-, if the
teuth must be told, not so shocked
as he -ought to have, been. You See,
he had lived amongst some very
shady people; arid the predominant
feeling, in his mind at the moment
was pity for the woman who had
been driven to such straits. She
eouldn't be altogether bad, or shi.
would not have nursed Kato with
euch unselfish devotion. He stoml
et the top of the street smoking, in
e casual kind of way looking about
trim then he tu•rned and walked •slow-
ly back. As he did so a man turned
into the street, -caught sight ot him,
stopped dead short, thole slid into a
doorway. He atbod th4e watching
•Jack unt,i1 he enteted the louse, then
a'•etdelthee -way lee usea &WA
the streett, itepiting Itffi and te
• .
ut
You'll Se
Completely In
the Dark
1111 tho nue Votfte [teat -tag
the Groat SesiA
EI P
lily
Mary
Rob rts
Arlettart
UR1OSS
You Are Keen
tough
To Solve At
Ps You Go
Starting is
iff I
"THE POST"
IN THE NEAR
FUTURE
look back at the house. Presently
he walked back towards it and rais-
ed his hand as if to knock at the
door; but he hesitated, his hand fell
to his side, and muttering under hie
breath. he walked away again; but
when he had once more reached the
end of the street, he stopped as if
reluctant to leave it. However, a
policeman came tramping up, glanc-
ed at him with the calm, scrutinie-
ing eye of his calling, and the man
slunk away.
Jack found Miss Woods still seat-
ed on the stairs. She was still very
white, but had regained something
of her self-possession.
"They've gone," said Jack,
"You're all right now; you d better
go upstairs."
She rose,' assisting herself by the
bannister; then she hesitated and
looked at Jack.
"I want to tell you," she said, in
a low voice, and with her head avert-
ed. "I know nothing I can say
would make me seem any better to
you, Mr. Gordon; but—but it's true
what 1 said—that I've been near
starvation, that I only took to this
when everything else failed. I was
a respectable woman—and not so
long ago, though it seems a life-
time, looking back. I'm respectable
in a way now," she said, with a feeb-
le and pathetic touch of pride. ',Pm
a married woman, Mr. Gordon, and
—I've kept straight. I was deserted
by my husband. He got tired of me
soon after we were married, and he
left 2110. He said he Was obleged to
go on important business; he was
away some months, then I heard that
he was dead. I saw it in te paper."
A. faint bush of resentment passed
across her faded face and she breath-
ed quickly as if she found it difficult
to g0 Ofl.
"He left me without a penny, left
me to face the world, me who had
always been taken care of; for I
was the youngest in the family, Mr.
Gordon, and the pet. I'd a. brother
who would have helped me—for he
was fond of me in a way, though he
was wild and reckless. He went to
Australia; but he—he got into trou-
ble there; and though he's back in
England, he can't do anything for
me; for he's poor, and I'm afraid
he's done something out there, for
he's in hiding."
'"Yott have had a bad time of it,"
said Jack, gravely.
"That ain't the worse," she said
"My husband really deserted 111e; he
didn't really die, and the notice in
the paper was a sham and a fraud;
he is alive now."
Jack looked his surprise.
"How do you know that?" he aele
00.
WS. •
"I've ,seen hint," she said. "I saw
Win the other day; it was when we
came back from the drive; he went
by in a hansom cab; tt; stopped at ',be -
ton of the street and he leant for-
ward, and looked at us; at me, as
I thought at the time, but bsdon't
think he saw me; he seemed to be
staring at you and Kate."
"Why should he do that?" asked
Jack. "You t 0104 be mistaken, But
this is a very extraordinary story:—
Yes--yes; T believe you. But what
do you mean to do? Are you going
to try and find him? He must be a
bad lot and ought to be punished;
fOr he seems to. >go to have been the
cause of ahl yone trouble."
"Yes," she said; "he was the
cause. He •perstmded me 10 marry
him secretly, and T fennel out before
he left me :that he was right down
bad, :for el1.. his pleasant ways •and
-soft voice. I'd try to find him, but
how ettn I? Re is a gentleman and
looks tee if !he had money; and
have/et any: I-Might,go tothe pol-
lee but.1 -don't dam,. I must
put up with it old bear it!"
"I muet .see if I can't help you,"
add Jack. "1 tun sorry ler you;
you have been very kind to .1i4f
Traneom, and I'm sure you're more
-tinned against than sinning. I will
..ee what can 1),, ding,. Anyway, you
ineet ;gunge, te drop this eurt ol
,hhig onoo and for all.''
11t- glanteel at the bundle whieh
let had under her arm,
eter reddened _with Attune.
re'e wee! to promise,7
;aid, iipIy. "I shall noror do it
Igstin. 1 was drivon to 11---"
She brok,, IT with .,,,m.Ahing
and went opstairs slowly.
Jodk went up to his mem; bet he
souk! not sleep. Ilie• etrentee
eovery of Miss WoodS' mode or Jiy.,
irnr mid 11,1. extraorrEnary story had
'or a time driven his own affairs
front his- whet; but they came NIA
with a rush W114 ql 110 W:10 aionn; gad
SplAit. *Lb., Meld. 10 peeing up nad
down telehee to form .-.0111, definite
eouree or action. It Idol
that the beet thing, he could bo would
be to letethe Towere, to marry Kate
Transom and take her to Austrutia:
perhaps taking lelkes Woods with
them. He could luty a cattle ranch
and go in for farming* on a lerg,,
settle. But he sighed as he thou -ht
of it; for he knew that, do what he
would, his life was wrecked and that
he was doomed to unhappiness.
When he went down the -next morn
ing he was surprised to find Kate in
the little sitting -room; surprised and
somewhat ernbarrassed; he was also
Stlll'tbed when e3ici cante
up to him quickly, and seizing his
arm, stopped him on bus way to the
door. He saw that she was pale
and agitated; but before he could
speak she made a gesture of warn-
ing., and with her lips close to his
ear whispered:
"Hush! There is someone in the
street—someone who has been fol-
lowing you -1 saw him from the win-
dow when you eame in last nie.ht:
but I could not sue in the dim light
who it was, A man with his coat -
collar turned up has just passed on
the other side of the road, and he
looked at the house; he is waiting
at the end of the street!"
Jack was dumbfounded; and for
a moment he really thought that she
had gone out of her mind.
"Why should a man be following
me?" he asked. "If anyone wants
WEDNESDAY, 'JUNE 2, 11124.
to soft mo why doesn't h0 con
straight on here? I've no objection
She looked at him almost reproael
rt4:.1
113of
' l" grkv" at h
t07
"Don't go out; wait for a 111.1.1
while!" itlet whispered.
"But why not?" he-
oli,ketion to mooting this mat
whoever It ,t is."
"Ob, dan't let tee reekless!" eh
gaspod. • "It you'd only loft Feet: -
land; if you'd oily gone at, termer
Jriek, gr1 1.r.tchkrod by het- etrange
werde, and to hint, etrenger maimmr.
"I don't in tho lo0st know whet
you moan, Nate." le, said; "and
think you're waif, mi•taken in your
idea that sOrneon, watchlng' mo;
hut :•1" k k io
• do 40. As to leaving Englund, I'vo
till110,1: 111:11-b! up my Mind to go, and
'III t.,11 pat more when I eome home
I .t:11,‘:•11:':.11triii(lie.rt.n"te where y u are going,"
""I'e the docks," sold Jat-k, He
had- promieed the foreman to fetish
some work which he had entrueted
to him; and, notwithstanding that 11
had heq,n bowled out and his identity
diecorered by Esther, he intended
keeping his promise and. going down
to the docks. "Pm in Number 2, 10,
dock, and I shall be home earlier
than usual because - I'm on a job.
Don't look 00 frightened; I can't
imagine what you should be frighten-
ed about."
She turned away from him with
hisw:tnrioalgigiSergfe'vsitITano,f1 lh'e:Ighileaatrld°111uthr GrjeefLifrik7/12"Cli
sigh heavily as he left the house. amrasiro
There certainly did not appear to D. M. SCOTT
be any watcher in the street; but ee.
that was because Dick Reeve had "-461'7";5-!24 go6?"1.;rx.a
stepped into a shop, where he wait- PRICES MODERATE '
ed until Jack had got out of sight; "'''ellre,7relre=r,litt.0"Per1=1;.0;ev.e"rteRe4le'
• •
11
." nut coming to a reekoning with him?.
word, wiehoat following- you, Wiehe
1- Yon Lewitt io haw, known me het -
i '•
eter. When hoard you'd gone, T
ecore I'd follow yea and if it
e was to the end nf tho wet-bi--and
I'm here."
She had reeoveited frorn the shook
of sunuon nrosonvo, Ionk
inp- at him with a. inix!aro foar
c and watchfulness in hop oyos.
(To Ito Centieutele.
BUSINESS CARUS
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aril:alit' .1,,I.Z10.71er
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JW. SUTHERLAND & SONS
LIMITED
then he went up the street and, look- —
ing over the half doorway, saw. Kate T. T. M' RAE
Transom sitting in a low chair with , M. El., M. C. P.. & S. 0.
her bead in her hand. es. 0. H., Villago of BiuMe13.
"Kate!" he said, huskily. Physician, Burgeon, soccuchenr
She started and sprang to her fet ; offiee IC reiblenyviiifigo Ngelti.lelv ills Church,
with a low cry of fear; and he open- 1
ed the door and entered the room, 1 DR. WAR DI -A w
"Dick—Dick Reeve !" she exclaim- 1 'it(tE,V.e.grlit'aeute Zotilrt„(iiti.tar,!-.6°,:rizfgAZ
ed. ! Iflour 0111, Ethel. -
"Yes; it's me," he said, his fac T
working, his hands clenched at his ;
side, his eyes glowing like coals.W. Af. 61"%difil
"You didn't expect to see me, Did BARRISTER. SOLICITOR,
CONVEYANCER, NOTARY PUBLIC
you expect I'd let you go without a
— LECKIE BLOCK - BRUSSELS
'3'41.06 'Me ' ar AI 'ffe GrgriLrf '60)1•346141)*(414753tWaiMati
,
Can You
Visit t email?
Have you, Mr. Business 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 Elocal 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.
ere
s•
'to
4:1
THE lie 3E11 OST