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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Herald, 1910-06-03, Page 7gee ereemeterehieser t c s.0 eel. sa x, as •4,11,10, .^mI CHAPTER XIV. Nine o'clock. Falconer St. Maur pac ed to and fro his spacious apartment in a restless impatience that grew mor unbearable every minute. Wild warfare raged 'within mice more. She would be under his roof with hint as of old --years ago; and how how could he. let her go?—how could she leave him, or tear herself away ? She must yield to his persuasions—his pow- er over her now i Then he stopped at his secretaire, un- locked a drawer, took up the packet of notes his uncle had given him, and put it into his breast -pocket, then stood lis- tening, his heart beating almost pain- fully as a hand touched the door. It opened, and Eahmnee's voice said: "The sahib is hero ! !" as a graceful fig-. ur !e passed in, throwing off disguising mantle, veil, and cap the moment the door quietly closed again. St. Maur took two quick steps for- ward, and Christine was in his arms— brow, and cheek, and tender mouth cov- ered with his kisses. " .£y precious one, my darling, back to your right place under my roof, my home, your shelter !" He felt her tremble as he loosed his clasp and drew her to his side on th couch. "For an hour or two—yes!" she whis- pered. "And then," said Falconer, slowly, "darkness, blank desolation for both of us." "Yes—heart-breaking torture!" Her low, soft tone shook. "And only your Band can end it!" "Can it?" he said, with a kind of fierce despair that startled her. "It is just that question which L wanted you here to fully understand. The whole sum is wrong in the first figure; for the very first time I met you on the river and you told me your name, I knew who you were, and that I could not openly wed Leonora Berenger's child while my uncle lived. I ought never to have looked on your witching beauty again; but I could not—would not tear' my- self away. I yielded to my own will and passions, and married you secretly. I was a gambler—or something very near it— even then was indebted consider- ably. Well, you knew, learned all that in the first six months; and it's ten times worse now, in all these miserable, reckless years. I owe "Moriey, the money -lender, more than- -sands than I can tell you exactly—more than I know myself off -hand, at any time, because it varies, When I have a f ran oluck, I clear off sennet; when fortune is against me heavily, I go to .him again." "Of course at ruinous interest?" said the listener, her slender hands locked before her on her lap. "Nay; it would be unjust of me to say 'yes' to that. Very high interest, certainly; but then he has absolutely no security but an inheritance which de- pends entirely on my not offending my uncle, and on the faith of that under- standing only Morley has advanced his stoney. I may say that tacitly my honor is involved, if not so far as actually pledged, not to destroy his security by any deliberate act of my own. Against the chances of my death --and I've near getting it many a time —he holds a heavy policy of insurance, though that doesn't saver half my lia- bilities; but for my living he holds none, except by good faith and William Orde's 'will. If that one flimsy security, such as only a money -lender would take for the sake of high interest, is swept away, 'what then? He may even charge mewith dealing dishonorably with him; he. will certainly be exasperated at losing his thousands, and sue inc.' He got up, and began walking to and fro near his wife, passing and repassing her. •"Be has been very easy and kind, and has even a strange, unaccountable 'liking for his worthless client. But that wont snake a man lose so heavily for nothing, will it? It is not human'nature." "No—not human nature. Well?" "Well?" he repeated, desperately. "I tell you, Christine, that your terms of -reunion may mean ruin—black ruin! 'That sounds harsh, but it's plain truth. I have been brought up— spoiled, in- • duiged, if you will—in wealth and ex- travagance unchecked. It is too late -now, and nearly two -and -thirty, to revolutionize all nature and habit. I 'have no profession—never been made to work—e would to Heaven I had—and I .could never plod dad plod on day after day, just to earn a paltry pittance for daily bread—no, not even with you at my side! I should go mad—mad—break 'lease! The ready means of quick gains, with excitement for toil, would be ever '‘'in my sight. Hand of skill, the tempter, the passion for play, would master me again of I had abandoned it, and I should be a more desperate gambler than w • before—crushed, rneddened by the load of debts that nothing honest can now clear, And one of your conditions was to .give up play—as if there is much else e I live and spend by for years. I cannot giveit up, and fortune too. I could not make head against a poverty weighted with debt. It would drive me straight to perdition—faster even than I am going now, if that is possible. I wish I were ,dead—Heaven! I wish I were dead, for your sake-' "Hupsband 1" The passion of excitement and despair had reached a climax, and that one tremulous word, piercing the wounded heart like a knife, gave vent for the fevered blood. He flung himself on his knees beside Christine, wound his arms about her waist almost convulsively, and buried his face in her bosom, hot tears falling on her white bare throat. "I do! I do! I am only a misery to myself, and you, whom I Iove more than life a thousand times! It is all sin and shame to me and all I touch. Why wasn't I drowned last autumn in the gale? You would have been free then!" "Hu=h, Falconer! Husband, you break my heart!' she caid, bowing her own pure face to the stricken, sinful ]read, her clinging hand pressing it closer against her breast. "Dearer to me in sin and shame than when my girlish ignorance knew nothing of either. Don't talk of death for you. I cannot bear His clasp tightened around her, but he kept his face hidden in its restines- place for minutes, till he could master the passion of emotion that had shaken Bins to the centre, like a reed shaken by a strong wind. Then she felt his warm lips hiss the soft, bare throat, left un- covered by the pretty square -cut dress, and he lifted himself back to his former place at her side, still keeping her with- in his embrace, dropping the dark head on her shoulder like a sorrowful, tired - out child; only that here, for the child's innocence, there was the man's sin and hitter trouble, and the infinite pothae. of the man's silent appeal to the wo- mans love, and the woman's moral strength and help, so eloquent in its voiceless language, that when the loving woman, loyal to honor and him, could speak at all, she snswered it as if he had spoken itt word, "Yes, darling, I know how hard it is to make even the first slight break in such a mesh of iron chains. I fully understand now how you are involved, and at least for the present I will not urge you to yield to my terns, nor will I yield to yours for your sake. If I lived with you again as I did before, it would be—and you know it, dearest one—to veil honor for love, principle for passion, and so strike with my own hand the death -blow to the very core of your strong, deep love, that has hith- erto outlived all storms and tempta- tions, however sontetibes shadowed. You know well the absolute truth of Lovelace's noble sentiment, and that the key -note of your love for me, and its power in Heaven's mercy to save you, is the honor—the reverence, shall I dare say? -out of which ail its harmonies and melodies have gown," " Ciehieh nothing can touch," St. Maur said, hoarsely; "nothing can lessen my worshipping love, my deep reverence. You are my wife, whatever the outward seeming." Tenderly, caressingly putting back the dark, wavy locks front his brow with her free hand, he held the other fast, Chris- tine answering steadily: "Yes, and because 1 keep the honor of that name unstained by a breath, 1 hold your love in strength and purity undim- med. Bot if I now deliberately put the honor of my wifehood toiler yours and the world's feet—" "Christine----" "Hnslt! heat• me—and whether in re- tirement, or, as before, in the vortex of an equivocal society, live with you prac- tically as less than your wife, you would gradually, insensibly, but only too surely, change to lie; the reverence of your love would be dinemed, then both slowly, subtlely, lessen and change, till the first were well-nigh replaced by half -despising, and the latter almost sink to the charac- ter worthy only of what I seemed; for ,as I, the woman, sunk, so surely would you, the nian. In ;your heart you know 1 am right; but if I am stabbing you, it is with a two-edged sword that pierces my own breast, too." "I know it," he whispered, brokenly— "my worshipped wife, I know itl" Still the soft fingers toughed his brow as the mellow tones, deep with intense, suppressed feeling, went on: "Moreover, if I yield to you you would gain your object without striking a blow for it, get possesion without paying the price for it; and the one, the strongest incentive to warfare against your bitter enemy and mine, would be gone." "No, no I". Falconer broke in, eagerly, and flushing hotly, "With you by me I could, I would strive with double strength; the incentive would still be there to fight for your sake," She shook her head sadly. "I know you better than you do your- self, Falconer, and the hold the eruel vice has gained. You would have grasped the prize---myself—and, insensibly; you would give back in the battle, and, you will reeognize the truth of this when you can face it tniblinded by the pars= sionatte yearning to have me back et any price. .n,h, husbafdl it is quite es hard for me to refuse to return as for you to be refused; but yon will lay lanee in rest, however lightly at first, just for my take, if for nee higher atm yet," "Chriettee--eelhn' .:.:. -1.- - AN ORGAN FOR 25 GENTS A WEEK We have on hand thirty-five organs, taken an exchange on Heintvman & Co. tattos, whih we mregardless of sell regardleof lees, to make room in our store, Every Instrument has been thoroughly over- 'hauled, ve -'hauled, and is guaranteed for five years, and -full amount will be allowed on ex- change. The prieee run from $10 to $35, for sueh well-kreo'vn makes as '.Lhdkmas, Dominion, Aarn, Uxbridge, Goderieh ane Bell. This is your chi req to salve money, A pore card will bring fnlltparti'oulars.--•. Helnf aimai & Oo., 71 King street gest, Beet .ton, C S CU D lie24H4 Ies You can painlessly remove any corn, either hard, soft or bleeding, b applying . utuam's Corn Extractor. It never burns, leaves no sear, contains no acids; is barniless because conrposod ohly of healing gums and balm, Pew yeare in use. Cure guaranteed. Sold y all draggists etc. bottles. Refuse substitutes. PUTNAM'S PAINLESS CORN EXTRACTOR woman as you,love .me still? se utterly unworthy, so lost—a gambler, acid the demon is in nee, brain, and body, and soul, past casting out, I fear!" "Never! That were to doubt Heaven and the redemption," said Christine, strongly. "You are not utterly unwor- thy, not lest, not 'wholly given over to this demon of play, else I hard not loved you as I do, There is goldtinder all the dross, and It is that which I found out and loved you for. You can strive:, and you will, if it is but the smallest, most trifling step at first—a stake lowered in.. stead of raise, the tables deserted an hour sooner than usual, and with each slight victory the next grows less hard to win. You will be tempted and yield often, fall back a hundred times, mad- dened by loss or spurred en by succe.ss, the more because you say to yourself, I live by it, I must play -ay, in the gayest excitement that you despise even while you crave its, false glamor. You will forget your Christine, and then. be wild with remorse afterward that you have fallen back. You see; I see all and spare not the knife;. but then, in your darkest hours, husband, see me or write to me; but never—never fear for shame's sake to face me—a Tibormortal like yourself—a sinner like yourself before the perfect Creator!" "You a ""sinner!" exclaimed St. Maur, vehemently; and lifting his head quickly to gaze' upon her face with glowing eyes, half lover's, half devotee's, before a saint; "you --you are perfect to me, at least." "Oh, Falconer, Falconer!" "My Saint Ohristine!" he whispered, laying Itis cheek against hers with a kind of passionate tenderness, "for your dear sake I will strive, even at thie elev. enth hour, to be at least less reckless at play --I dare not promise more, my dear wi" tf"Afe.nd your wife asks no more," she answered, gently, For some nteuees neither spoke nor moved, till Falconer suddenly remember- ed the bank -notes. IIe`drew forth the packet and put it into Christine's hand. smiling now at her questioning Iook of surprise. "It is a roll of notes," he said, quietly —`two hundred pounds. levant yen to take it and nae it; it's far better fn your hands than mine." ' "But, Falconer, I don't understand," she said, a little hurriedly, -.her color xis- ing painfully. "1 don't want money!' "Whether you do or t,e 4eveetheart, you can take it foil e hued:mud; it is not moneyo n n at' -Seaming fable of the race coarse. It is r-presen�Uncle Will would give me when he carne up,. and I told. him it should be well spent;. so take it; it's what 1 meant 'when 1 spoke." n, no, Fele, take it back; indeed I don't want money. and --you may." Ile put her hand back, half smiling, but coloring as he said: "I do not—keep it, child; it mill onto go perhaps in that accursed' play if I have 'its keep it safe ---so," He took it from her hand end put it into the bosons of her dress. "Use it, dearest, if only to give me pleasure." "Ah, Dale. you have not forgotten your persuasive arts." "And you, sweetheart, never needed any at all," he said, smiling down on the beautiful face. "But tell moo now of yourself since we --since your Aunt Stanhope's death; tell me in detail, and especially how you came across these Cliffords?" ".Ah, thereby hangs a tale. Falconer; for to Dr, Clifford's skill and generous care I partly owe my life last Septem- ber—partly to him and partly -firstly, indeed, to the daring courage of a man I would give—ah, how much! --to discover and thank, for he flung away his own ONE WOMAN'S STA'EMENT Tells Her Suffering Sisters to Use Dodd's Kidney Pills. They Proved a Blessing to Her When Her Pains and Weakness Wore Al- most More Than She Could Bear. St. George, Man., May 30. ---(Special,) —Hoping to save her sister wonon in the West from pains and aches which come at the critical times in a woman's life, Mrs. Arsene Vinet, of this place, has given the following statement for publication: • "I have brought up a large fancily and have always enjoyed good health until the last two years. I am fifty-four years of age and at the critical time of life that conies to every woman, I had pains in my right hip and shoulder. I could not lie down two minutes at a time without suffering the greatest agony. Sometimes 1 awakened with a feeling as if some one had laid a piece of ice on my head. Another time it would be a burning pain ander the left shoulder. "I took many mediebies, but could get no relief, till reading of mires of similar eases to my own by Dodd's Kidney Pills, led me to try them. They did wonders for me, "I want ell women to know 'what Dedd's Kidney Pills did for me." Dodd's I£idney Pills cure the. Kiclneys. The woman who has sound hidheys safeguarded against nine -tenths of the ton,c;ne, "1)00 short half hour snore, life, so far as he .:new, to save thine, an unknown nobody, a stranger." "Christine, your pre e Sous lite in -peril! and I not there to save. it! Oh!' he snid, turning aside, "Ibis- is bitter punishment Indeed, deeply grateful though 1 must be to the mass who was see blessed. Go on; tell me how it was," I3is hand was gripping hers -with a force he was scarcely conscious Of; his other he kept half shading his eyeseHer very first words shade hits start ,anci eatolt his breath; but he controlled him- self instantly. with a strong effort. "I was shipwrecked in the last soul wildest of the September gales. 1 had been stranded in New York, and to get to England shipped aboard the Iced Star liner Undine, as stewardess; we had a terribly bad passage, and in the Chan- nel caught the gale—the worst 1 have ever been in; the fires were swamped out, the steering -gear damaged, and we drove helplessly on to a lee shore. The skipper and 1 and four sten were the last to leave the vessel in th gig, and she was capsized. I remember clutching a piece of wood. and striking out, and that is all, except those tern awful min- utes which only the drowned know. They told me afterward that this gentleman had already gone out in the lifeboat, and after that saw a woman drowning —that they tried to keep him back, cry- ing that it was certain death; bet he threw them fiercely back, saying, 'his life was worthless,' and filing himself in- to that raging sea. Ah, it is such noble deeds as that which—" "Hush! no mare!" And halconer dropped his hand to lock that too in hers, and faced Iter with passionate joy in his eyes. "It was I—oh! thank heaven! —it was I wito saved your priceless life --my wife—my love!" "Falconer!" She almost threw herself on his breast,• too deeply agitated for many moments for one word save that dear name. Nor was he less moved, but held her folded in his amts, each soul living over again that awful night of peril; he, per- haps. with the inward cry: . "Olt. if I had but known it then! I haelwon you back—all 'mine 1" Yet he spoke first, almost in a whis- per: "My heart sprung to the truth of this happiness the moment you spoke of the shipwreck in last September's gate; it was of that night 1 thought when 1 said they hacl better have let me drown. Heaven forgive me for the words; but if 1 had known— Oh! Christine—Chris- tine! if 1 could have my life to live over again! ---if I could only blot out the past!" How often has that vain cry of an- guish gone up to heaven, and who can undo that which is done? liven the fa- bled waters of a Teethe can only give a darkened obiivien •by destroying mem- or': they can not wash away the deeds that are graven hi stone! -"We can never Co that," she said, softly; "but we can atone. And you will try again. my heart's dearest, I knew!:' He stooped and kissed her lips rever- ently—a. worshipper at the shrine of his saint. "Now, tell me of your life, Christine," he said, presently; and listened in sil- ence—he could bare listened forever to the sweet music of that low, tender voice. "And so," sin' ended at length, with her present position, "that is how I came to the Ciiffords'. One thing more 1 must tell you; Falconer, cruel pain titmigh it is to tie. On her death -bed my aunt told me, without the name of the lover, the truth about my mother's treatment of Mr. Orde—" "Lot me snare you. dr.rling," inter- rmcpt.cd St. 3laur, quickly. "'Uncle Will told me early this morning as we drove home, I had not known before how cruelly she had deceived .him—how bad it bad all been—and .1 can scarcely wonder et bis implacability.. My dear, 1 feor -he will never relent unless by almost a miracle; the more that now, nithappily, he. has taken a fancy to Blanche Leroy as a prospective niece -in- law. T could laugh at the comedy of the idea—T, married so long --if it did not vex; the only use of the notion is, that I ran make use of it to see more of you under cover of a careless flirta- tine with -that little flirt." "No, Falconer, not that; Bin nolo needs no aid to make her flirt, for since she has been nut store, Mel admired and taught -••-•the 'pretty heiress' ---she has "shown to my watchful notice that, with- out being so overly a flirt as many girls, • she is exactly one who, if the likes, snakes sten flirt to the top of her bent. I saw her last night. You are handsome, attractive, heir to a rich man (she is not indifferent to teeet), and she flirted with yen as desperately as she dared. She is ynnng, vain, pretty, flat- tered, dazed and intoxicated with the frothing abampagne of her first season; but not heartless, though not d. ep- nattired--not like Mimic ---and you are too reeldess; you may go too far, and turn her head." "Faith, sweet wife, I'll try to keep off that shoal;' for I don't want Clifford to be asking too smelt about me; he rvouldnt hear enough to •my advantage. If I judge him right, I should not have one chance if I were free, and wooed either niece or slaughter—that is, if I asked hint first," he added, eharaeteris- tically. •"12 bliss Stanhope had opposed me when •I told her I meant to have you. I should have castled you oft," "Falconer! Falconer! how wicked you are," said Christine, obliged to laugh. the speech was exactly. like the reekleto dominant -willed lover site had always known, who hoe wooed and won her so inesterly eight metre ago. "But 1 sup- pose you would if I feel( said, 'No ---wait,' Thyaele. See how late it is; I trust go, dear Falconer." "No, no; not yet; Al, don't leave net: art t• is hard. so •ernol to .part -•--for both,"he pleaded, Itis beanl:iful eyes more eloquent even than his golden DIZZY SPELLS, HEADACHES A Sufferer of Twenty Years Cotes Forward With a Real Cure. • "I can't zem•ember any time during the past 20 years'when my head wasn't aching. If I bent over, dark specks would come before my eyes, and'it seem- ed as if all the blood in my body wanted to rush. to the head." Thus opens the let- ter of Mee. Enoch S. Spry, of Putnam P. 0„ and continuing her interesting statement she says: "Work or exertieu made my heart beat terrible, and go- ing up stairs caused such shortness of breath that it fairly frightened me. els' dootor told me that it was poisons in the blood and if that was the onuse Dr. Hamilton's Pills are the greatest blood renewer on earth. I tell you how I feel to -day and you can understand what a great cure Dr. Hamilton's Pills have made•. I feel strong enough now to work like a man, as for going upstairs on the run, it doesn't bother inc at all. I eat and sleep as any well person ought, and as for dizziness which used to frighten me so mueh, it has entirely disappeared. I)r. Hamilton's Pills are a wonderful woman's medicine. They helped me, in other ways too, and I know every wo- man that uses them will have comfort and good health." Refuse anything of- fered you instead of Dr. Hamilton's Pills of Mandrake and Butternut, 25o per box. Alll dealers or. The Cata,rrhozone Co., Kingston, Ont. What woman who loved could have; resisted him? She stayed the 'fish half hour, and then he took her info his arms and their lips met with one accord in that "sweet sorrow"—the close, parting embrace; the long, parting kiss. Then at last the man released her, and summoner] the Indian to escort her into a cab. How blank the room was when vas gone—the star of his night!, (To be continued.) She Coaeridge's Stick. Of walking sticks there is no end. Ws have heard of Mr. Haldane's cordite one and now we read of a stick in the Guest collection at Christie's which belonged to the very last 'Bond street watchman. For interesting sticks however the one which Coleridge was in the habit of los- ing during his tramping days must take first place. The philosopher was never happy till he had got it back. He sent the crier round. Here is the cry, as not- ed by Mr. Lucas in, one of his essays: "Missing, a curious walking stick. On one side it displays the head of an eagle, the eyes of which represent ris- ing suns, and the ears Turi;d& crescents; on the other side is the portrait of the owner in woodwork. Around the mace is a Queen Elizabeth's ruff in tin. All down it waves the line of beauty in vert ugly carving." And then came the appeal and warn. ing note "If any gentleman (or lady] has fallen in love with the above des cribed stip kand secretly carried off the tinuance of which must prove fatal to same he (or she) is hereby earnestly ad- monished to conquer a passion the con - his (or her) honesty. And if the said stick has slipped into such a gentleman's (or lady's) hand through inadvertence he (or she) is requested to rectify the mistake with all convenient speed. God sa re the Hing !" The stick came back — F• one the London Chronicle. vVO S OF WOMANHOOD ' eakness and Suffering Banishes! by Dr, Williams' Pink Pills, Dr. Williams' Pink Pills are good fax rues and women, and growing boys Anil girls, but they are good in a special way for woman. At special times a woman needs a medicine to enrich and regulate her blood 'supply, or her life will be one round of suffering. That is when Dr Williame' Pink Pills are worth their weight in gold, for they actually make n,•w blood. '''here !s not a month in lies life from fifteen to fifty that Dr. Wil. Mints' Pink Pills are not a boon to every vomttn. They help the growing girl • safely over the critical time when her blood is overtaxed by new demands. To the woman of middle ]ifs they bring re- lief and bring her strength for her time of change. And during the thirty odd years that Iie between, Dr. Williams' Pink Pills fill a woman's life with the ltappinses of health, giving iter strength and energy for every function. A wo- man's surest protection against all the ills that come. to her because of her sox, is to set her blood right at once by a course of Dr. Wiliianus' .Pink Pills --end then to keep the blood right by taking the Piiks oecasionally. Mrs. Eliza, Clou• Lhier, St. Jerome, Que., is one of the many unfortunate sufferers restoredto health by Dr. Williams' .fink fines. She says: "It would be difficult for me to say how mach I suffered. I was tor. merited by headaches and backaches, my appetite failed and I wasted away to senile an extent that 1 was unable to de house work. I was conettnt'iy taking medicine, but it did not help sue any. One day a friend urged :rte to try Dr. WiilianJt' Pink Pills, and 1 procured 0 coup:o of boxes. 13y the time these Were done 1 felt some improvement, ;and, I hus rncouraged, 1 cnntinueai the usai al the Pills, gaining strength slay by day, until after I had taken stir or sevel boxes, I was again well and strong, ;tnel T have since doontinued in the lasts at beeltlt. 1 can 'strongly r'eotnmeest these Pills to all weak and ailing women." Sold by all niedieine le eters or asp tna!1 . -.._ .