Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1939-11-22, Page 2THE BRUSSELS POST �....._. joi NT1Tt, 4,:,o,ra,,44n.. e qt Path r By Anthony eariyHe Til a silence which it seemed they were both powerless to break, Jack Hamer stood rigid anti motionless, 1 treeing the ,irl before him indistinct - 1y, as through a mist. ace again --a beautiful, gaivering face that Reid a faint and deslierate tape still -"won't you believe 'any word—fny oath? I am innocent, In spite of circuuustancts—in spite of all the evidence against me—in. spite or everything, I am innocent Sar., on my knees I swear to You—" Her voice faltered and . died in her throat, only her eyes pleaded eagerly, passionately. ' And. looking into them for one 'instant Dames almost wavered. Ali .his soul, alt tai love cried out to him to believe—to take -ter word against all else—to blind hitnee:'t to what must be the truth—all Ills heart was clamouring to keep its old belief in her, its old love. For a =meat he was tempted to let th^se appealing eyes convince ham, even against his wetter judg- ment. Then instantly, insidiously, came the recollection of what she had been. Alarise Trevenna. In 'ottsis of fire the name waved between his face •and hers, to cry out mockingly at the lack of his brain, and he shuddered. .A moment longer he stood, then without a word he stooped, very gently unclasping the slender fingers. Turning, he went from her without one look behind. And, as his footsteps died away, Mavis swayed forward to lie face downwards on the. cow shone, very still, like some white flower tha has been broken anti bruised by the storm. And this was' the woman he had reverenced so greatly—this the wo- man he had worshiped for her pure- ness. Of soul, her goodne:s, Vaguely the rust line of Kipling's "Vampire" recurred to him -''A. fool there was, and he made his prover." He repeated: the line inwardly again and again is a detached fashion. Then he laughed shortly, breaking the silence and the laughter brought Mavis's hands, swiftly to her ears. For a minute their eyes met, then Darner turned. sharplyand moved away, The girl stood , watching him go, then with a low cry She ran after. rain, catching at his arm to stay him, 11 "Jack," she . panted', 'for God's i ,raite don't go like this. Oh, Jack, Jack won't you listen to me?" Da uer's voice broke harshly an: 1 s her words. Ile flung the clinging hands roughly away from stepping back. I "Don't touch me " he cried. "Oh, God, and I loved you so—I believed is ynu—I thought you good and true'!" "Jack! Ah, for pity's sake, bear 1nel I nm that woman, that most miserable woman, yes, But I have not deserved all that was said of me—all that was thought, Oh, my dear. won't you believe that I am innocent?" She had been e! rging to cis arm, i but at last, as if all the strength 1 had gone from her she slipped to her knees. and crouched against him. a white, huddled figure, "Jack," she 'went on, in a low, eager whisper, "the only wrong I have ever done you is that I have let you love me without telling you anything o: my past, that I would have let you marry me in ignorance of the shadow that lay over my life. I was afraid if you Im:ear it would make a difference. Oh, my dear, 1 love you so, I love you sol" "Love:" Darner repeated, slowly. "Love, I wonder if you have any conception of the meaning of the word? Does any woman know how to love? Is there any woman worthy of the trust and reverence Wren give them?" °Jaek! 011, won't you listen?" "Why should. I listen? What is there. you could sap I should wish to bear?" be went on. "Do you suppose I don't know the miserable, sordid story?" "Yet," she interr'up'ted, desperate- ly, "because of the love you gave me don't you have a little pity? Must You, too, condemn me?" "I condemned Marise Trevenna. bad no belief in her protestations of innenoence. And why should I think differently now?" Her face pressed. hard against the bands that clung to his arm Mavis moaned softly. "If only I could explain!" ohe cried, in a s:tified, choked whisper. "011, if I could only make you understand. Jack"—she raised her wore quite alone, Ste had felt it was impossible to stay beneath the same root as Jack Darner another night, so had lett silently, unseen, walking the distance to the station through the lonely; quiet lanes, Her train was not due for at least another ten minutes, and the soli- tary porter dozed comfortably out of (earshot, so they could epealt quite freely. 'What made you follow me?" she • asked, again, still dully. • "Because--" Trevenna 'paused, eau he had begltn to answer her, for he felt he could not spealt the fear Ile felt in his heart that .she had been about to take her life. But she guessed it, and . a faint smile. touched her pale lips, j "You need not ::e afraid," she re- marked quietly, "I have suffered too much already for more pain, • 11.,::vever bitter and hard, to make that sort of coward of me." Trevenna flushed, and made a little gesture of 'protest. I am sorry," he apologised, "But plan I wished to say something to you, Marise; he added, evenly. Where are yor going? What are you going to do?" She Stared at him with a faint bint of conteai>iptuousness dawning in her heavy eyes, and he shrugged his shoulder's. `0011, I know you are thinking it is no affair of mine, but I don't like t the idea, of you being quite alone, with perhaps nowhere to go!" "Alone!" Mavis laughed queerly, "Alone!" she repeated. "I have been alone for what has seemed to me the greater pant of my Brei As for having nowhere to go the world is very large, and I am free to choose. My destination cannot matter in the least to you." "All -tbe same," said Trevenna gently, "I want you to tell me where you are going, or if you have made any plans for the future. Marise" —he moved closer to her and there was something in his tone that brought her eyes to his face in dull wonder—"however bitterly I have felt towards you, I have never wish- ed you i11, and I should like to know where I might find you in case you ever needed any help, Have you money?" Mavis threw back her head with her old proud, gesture and the man Hushed darkly at the memories it recalled. 'A little," she answered, in a low, cold tone. "But however great my difficulty I should hardly allow you to help me, In my case, isn't it rather latae in the day for this. un- expected solicitude on your part for my welfare?" "I did not know you were alone," he said quickly, "I thought you were with—" "Have you forgotten that I was to have married your friend?" she asked, a flame leaping into her eyes. "You must be blind or mad indeed. to think that there was—or is—any- nne but Jack Darner." "I am sorry, You must forgive me, but I have been away from England --oft the beaten track—so CHAPTER V. The Flowers That Withered, "Marise." The girl pacing restlessly up and down the narrow, deserted platform cf the station, turned sharply at the sound of her name, and came face to face with Dering Trevenna. Sweeping over her, his keen eyes noted that she carried a small suit. case, and for the rest was dressed is a tweed coat and a small hat with a short veil that half hid her eyes. Yet, not without disarray and pity, the man was able to see the altera- tion the last fewhourshad made to her. ;She looked older by pears, worn and tired, and there was an inten- sity of suffering in her expression that hurt him. "You!" The word came listlessly from her lips, but her eyes questioned him. "Yes, it is I," he said. "I .saw you leave Darner, and followed you here," "Nils?" She spoke in the same dull, indif. ferent tone, as though she had ceased to land anything of interest in what hal:paned to her. A blessed numbness had settled down upon her, paralyzing all emo- tions. Only the drawn expression of her face, and the black shadows beneath her eyes, told of the stress and pain she had been through, It was past midnight, and they DISPLAY MERCURY 8 SEDAN FOR 1940 J.HE Mercury 8 Town -Sedan for 1940 is a big, roomy family ear with ample room for six. 'From the graceful lure of chromium grilles to the streamlined rear deck, it is a car bf striking beauty., A new finger-tip gearshift on the steer- ing column is easy to operate and contributes to the unusual quiet of the ride. Other improvements are the Sealed Beam headlamps, a torsion bat' "ride stabilizer:I con. trolled all-weather ventilation and brilliantly styled interiors in blue and silver tones. The straight-line speedometer and other instru- mento aro grouped in front of the two•spoke steering *heel, 'The purstl tom 1* which tobaccoeon be ,tacked" t:iat little or no. nelws ever reac11ed me." He regarded Iter with puzzled, ,:aestioning eyee, trying to read chat lay .behind that white Mask, tut her face betrayed nothing now t.rve that site was very tired, At that moment the distant rumble of the approaching train reached' their ears and Mavis sighed with relief, Taping up her suit- case she turned to the oncoming coaches, "You aro going to friends'?" asked the man, hurriedly, and she smiled her bitter little sande. She was too Weary to notice or to be puzzled by the eager note in Trevenna's voice, or even to wonder at his per- sistence. "I have no friends',' she returned, in the same emotionless voice, but there was a :pathos irn her words that sent a quiver across the man's face, .'Surely—' he broke out, check- ed himself, then addel--' There's Nancy ' .Mac s. drew a sharp breath, and wistfulness -came into her white face, "Nanny!" she said, 5n a sob that changed into yearning tenderness. Then she shook her head, "I have- n't seen Nancy since I left Amer - lea," she told' him, "She was. ill— serionsiy ill—for some time, and has been abroad a great deal, I believe, for her health's sake I went to say good-bye to Iter before I left New York, 'but her husband would not let her see me or write to me then or since." Trevenna smothered an exclama- tion, but Mavis did not heed. She was webclaing the train unin- terestedly as it pulled into the plat- form and finally casae to a noisy stop. Then she glanced' back at Tre- venne esu she moved forward in search air •a compartment. "I dom',t know why I have told you all this," she murmured, a =- snit later, as he ()Pellet a door for liar. "Goodbye." Without answering Trevenna stood watching her, the door swing- ing under his hand He watched her with compressed' lips as she ent- ered the carriage and placed her bag on the rack and; dropped into a earner seat, die leaned forward quickly as the doors began to slam, "You'll write to me," rte asked. entreatingly, "You'll let me know welter you are, Marisa," She returned his look with steady eye. "Why should I?' she asked, calm - 10. "I have. no wish to see you again. Even were I destitute I wouldn't accept help from you, You are nothing to me. Until to -night I had forgotten you existed'" Trevenna winced, and his fingers tightened over the hard wood be- neath them, until the knuckles Showed white, "Marine," he cried, "do you feel so bitterly towards me as that," "I don't quite know how, I do feel about you,' she said, levelly, "I only. know I hope 1 may Stever ,see 7011 again -that 1 might have been a happy woman, i,f you had not come into my life again." The train jerked' sharply and be- gan to slide slowly out o1 the station. Per a moment, Trevenna moved Mechanically keeping pace with it, then, the increasing speed pulled the door out of his hold, and he stood back. Long after the tail lights of the train Had ddsapeered into the hazy blue dusk he snood motionless', hear- ing nothing but that one passionate CJryl-! "1± you had not come into by life againt" And when he had roused himself,. and was tramping wearily back along the narrow lanes In the dime - lion o1 Hamer, the words seemed toecho adcushtgly in his heart, even asp the pale vision of a girl's, stricken race and hopeless eyes rise ever before him, ROUND TRIP BARGAiN FARES NOVEMBER 24-25 from BRUSSELS To TORONTO Also to Brantford, (lhcithanl. Goderieb, Guelph, Hamilton, London, Niagara Falls, Olven Sound, St, Catharines, St, Mary's, Sarnia Stratford, Strathroy, Wood1toolt. To Stations Oshawa aro Last to Cornwall inclusive, Uxbridge, Lindsay, Peterboro, rampbellford, Newmarket, Oolliugwood, Meat'ord, Midland, North Bay, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Ctioipt'eoi and west to Ilearamere. See handbills 1 o complete list of destinations, Tickets, T,niii Information, Return Limits from Agents, ASIC POR HANDBILL CANADIAN NATIONAL ALWAYS USE CANADIAN NATIONAL TELEGRAPHS '' 0 * * * Mavis lay back motionless in her corner, staring out into the darkness with straining oyes ay the train, gathering speed, thundered heavily on, While addle after mile slipped away, and the dusk began for fade. and this Stars, pale. The &ill grey den was 'etealtil• 11y oreaping over the world when she roused herself at leak and sat trip Pushing her hair back wearily from her face.. • Her 'head ached, her temples were hot and throbbing, and mechanically she reached for the siker-topped eau-deCologne bottle just inside her bag, As she unfastened it and felt for the bottle her fingers suddenly came In contact with a limp spray of drooping fiowere, and she pulled therm out into the grey light, staring down at them curiously, They lay In the palms of her hands; a few withered leaves and crumpled' yellowing white blossoms, At the sight of them .she drew a long, deep breath, then closed her pain -filled eyes as if to shut out the memories the poor dead flowers NOW Is THE TIME TO HAVE YOUR HARNESS REPAIRED N CHAPMAN } Brussels, Ont. brought to her. their.perftmne load gone, and they were crushed and bruised and brok-. en, `but with almost unbearable agony they reminded her of a Peace- ful garden, a vivid, glorious) sunset, and her onvn voice as it had whis- pered -- ',These are called mock -orange. blossoms', yen know; They ought to be in full bloom 011 0117 wedding - day." TO BE CONTINUED. AMER fl 8I1T R Barrister, Solicitor, Etc. Phone 20X - Brussels, Orth D A' LANN FURNITURE FUNERAL dt AMBULANCE SERVICE Licensed Fune1's,1 Direct , and Embalmer Phone 36, Brussels umommismarmennimunramr If you haven't .. . you are missing something ,• Your favourite dealer can get you a variety of Dried or Pickled Canadian Fish, the flavour of which is as tasty and as perfect as though youhad caught them yourself and promptly popped them into the p They can be served in various appetizing ways .: Dried Fish such as Cod, Haddock, Hake, Cusk and Pollock, and Pickled Fish such as Herring, Mackerel and Alewives can be brought to your table as new dishes ... that the family will like. Serve Canadian Fish more often, Make "Any Day A Fish Day". Your dealer can secure Dried or Pickled Fish for you no matter how far you live from open water . with every bit of its goodness retained for you. And, by the way ... you'll End it pleasingly economical, DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES, OTTAWA. 1 WRITE FOR FREE BOOKLET ANY Department of Fish rites Ottawa. Please send me your free 52, -page Booklet "100 Tempting Fish Recipes" consamng 100 delightful and economical Fish Recipes. Name. Addrers cw' I9 DAY A FISH DAY