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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1919-01-03, Page 7BY RUFUS GILL310 E McLepd and Allen, Torontoe estenneteremeneemo "Another Let Bellmerer He (Continued froin Last Weele) He nodded. "The 13u/ices etrore to entertain the HoIlinses at dinner to- ed too astonishee,dez hold anY other night and I was invited • to fill in," thought. "Another Lord Bellmera," , ,heicyreepes.,ast,ed, stating* her. Ie began. i• ,tt. - "Late this afternoon I was be the "Another Lord BellMerein He Adams House when Mr. Bunce came seemed at last to pull hhaself togeth- hurrying out of the barber shop., The Hallinsea were unable to come. The dinner was off. He had telephoned his wife and daughter to remain at Weston, where they were visiting, as he had to leave town. He had attend- ed to everything except notifying his servants, and he had to catch a train, Would I telephone Simms, his butler, that the dinner was. off? Of course I agreed. He started away and then came hurrying back to reproach me • started, started eptibisnan,d seem- er. "But' what hag thate.g t to do with me?" he asked suahenlY. It was Hilda's turn to be antonidlied. "Why, you—I thought--you'Claim to be Lord Bellmere, don't yo " `But then how—" she pausY, her confusion taking on a look of pa her look of pain changing to one of dein. His eeys fel before it. "I regr t to -disappoint youes he murniured. for over having left his house. It's tBut .everyone has been led to be - yours. Use it just as if it were your lieve that you are Lord- Bellmere." "Led. to believe? By whiath?" own, and the sky's the limit,' he said before he ran away to make his train." Durant laughed, but whether at this er at what was to follow, one could not have told. "1 went upstairs it the hotel to telephone," he went on, tend I found I didn't have money en- ough. I went down to- the office to de it from there and the office was closed. Then I remembered that I could use the telephone at Miss Cobb's. I was se her hought ke Mr. :Bunce at his word, allow the dioner to be served, and invite yon to it. I did it on the spur of the _moment. I never dreamed it would end as it did. I've been thinking all this time that the bottom of the river is the only place for me." Rose held up her hand. "Don't say another word about that," she pro- tested. 'I am rather glad that every- thing happened just as it did." He looked at her wonderingly. "Did you Itnow that Miss Bunce nev- er telephoned denying that rumor; as she said she would?" Rose asked af- ter a moment. "What? No! You mean she nev- er sent Miss Cabot any word at all?" Durant's look was blank. "No." Rose studied him, indulging a warm impulse to remove at least one slur from his name. It grew as she thought of the emergency into whit"' she had forced him, the. manner in which he had conducted, lsimself, and the way he had asumed an the blame. She could withstand it no longer as she noted the . troubled silence into which her news had driven him. She stopped. Durant stopped, 'too, and he looked at her with amazement. .• They were in front of Hilda's house, "You—you are going to stop here?" he asked with excitement. “Yes. I have something to tell Miss , abot." **Oh!" He looked at her eagerly, :learned about to ask her to do some- thing, then to - brush the idea aside. "Shell I wait fee you?" ,he inquired after a moment. ‘' • "No-. Good night." Rose held out her hand. Then, actuated by another warm impulse, she bent toward him and whispered, "1 want to tell her." Durant asked no questions. He merely reached forward and took her hand in both of his. "Miss Sherwood, you're a trump!" was all he said. on my way down the hall to 'telephone when 1 met you and what a joke it would be to t "By the Bunees and the others whom they told." "The Bunces? They had no, author- ity, no reason, no excuse to make' any such claim for me. A nice position they have Put me into! Confound it, I could—" he appeared withi an effort to gain control of hirnself,, the flash in his eye died out, he gazed at her mournfully. "le it possible that our acquaintance is due only to the fact that you believed me to be Lori Bell - mere?" he asked gently. - She did not -answer; she . merely looked at leim. "American girls have an exalted re- gard for titles;". he kept on. "That's a libel On us 1 know dozens of girls that have married men istead of titles." - "And 'you? What if a- man came here as .1 have, his people. unkonwn, saying nothing about himself, begin- ning all over, intent only on making a place all .by himself in a new city? Could you like such a man—just for himself?" "I warned you. I like you well en- ough to do that," she faltered, blush- ing. His fact grew luminous. He took a step' tow -mi her. "Then what does all this matter ?” he exclaimed tri- umphantly. Her eyes widened. She retreated a step. "You mean—" "I mean let's not say anything more 'about it: -Let's--" "Oh!" . "You don't.seem quite, so sure now." "I—I—it has gone too far," She senk lielpessly into a chair. "I have aeranged for this other Lord Bellmere to meet you." "'Who?" "Cornwallis Brooke." "Brooke!" His eyes left hers nem vouelyecame back., 'Oh, so it was hit title you thought I Was usurping? That was why you warned me?" "Ile told thie--zio one but mem-that he was Lord Belhnere, hereincogpito. There couldn't be lord Bellmeres ----one must be .aseeiretkoster--and so KE.WOULD DIE "FRUIT-AdiriES" Conquered DYlltensim and Rearmed His Health., „ MR. ROBERT NEWTON. . - Little Bras d'Or, C. B. gq. was a terrible sufferer from \k( yeeefisia and ConsNiation for years. had pain aftermating, belching gas, donstant headaches, and. did not sleep well at night. 1 lost, so much weight --- g4rig from 1.85 poupds to 146 . . • potuirate—that I becanie alarmed and saw i seinral doe.tors who, however, dit me $4.0 good. Finally, m friend, told me to try.t.Fraii-a-tives' . ht a we4„,4-ere was improvemeni. The constipatteaa was corrected; and soon 'I wemineetof, pain; headaches and that miserable feeling that • 4e. "And so you .planned to bring us together to learn for Yourself which one of us was the impostor?" The hardness of his tone seemed at lest to touch her spirit. She rose and surveyed him with, her blue eyes grown cold, cold as the distant sky oat. a winter day "You seem strange - ]y to dread meeting Mr. Brooke," she accused him. ' • "No. I object only' to, having it ar- ranged for me. As O: matter of fact, I shall make it a point to see him, and at once: If you will: exucse me, I'll go and attned to that now," Durant moved hastily toward the door. • "Wait a moment ,if you please!" She rose ,and touched bell. There were a few moments of tense silence, during which neither Moved nor look- ed at the other. . Theo, instead of the butler, into "the roorm-eanntered Corn-. wallis Brooke. The two men noddid. Brooke took his stand. by the std of Hilda, as if called to her protationa he nodded to her reassurinqIy,. then turned slowly toward Durant as if ielisetant for the task he faced. He smiled affiably as if he would condonolgie his unpleasant duty in advance, He Waited, as if putting off until the last minute an ac- tion for which hethad no relish; he waited, as if prdermg that the xnatter Should be firet broached by Durant. And Durant, cold and frowning, seemed loath also to sPealc the open- ifik word. He stood by the door to- ward which he had itarted, moving not a step either awn e nearer, eyes fixed tvatehfully on .Brooke and Hilda, as if to miss not a sigh. or move. And his silence seemed to insist on it,' It was Brooke who ap,oke. first. "Dash it, Durantr, Brooke broke out at last affalte 'Ti, have avoided this if could." _ "Yes, 'imagink so" Durant's shalt emphasie 04 the "imagine" in- einuated things. Brooke Passed it can't go about using titles vrithout gettin strict - XVI Rose was almost ominously reticent with Durant the next morning. She told ,him nothing except, if he cared to call,' Hilda Cabot would • receive him. But this bare fact appeared to be enough. He thanked her profuse- ly, and the pace at which he flurried to the Cabot house 'showed how lanisk were his hopes. The butler wavered an instant be- fore ushering him into the front par- lor. The haste with which he bore Durant's card upstairs was rather un- butlerlike. And soon a door above was closed. If Durant recognized the fine, clear ring of that voice as Hil- da's he could no longer hear what she was demanding of someone whose wishes evidently crossed hers. It Was several minutes before Hilda came down ,and her face was flushed,, as from argument. She received Dur- ant with a new yet smiling serious- ness which he evidently regarded as auspicious after her. light, bantering, tantalizing treatment of the past. "I am deeply! humbly sorry for what credited against you," she said im- mediately, "so sorry that I' want you to realize fully how delighted I am that this matter has been cleared up." "Let's not say another woed about it, if you are willing," he repil.ed, "Of ceurse, it is something that can- not emelain without appearing to act like a cad tOward. another woman, but" ---he hesitated—dbut I do want you to know that I was neither en- gaged nor attentive to any other wo- man -ehile I— while I was saying what 1—" "Lets not say anything about that either," elle interrupted hastily. *Tut I—" . "Please. There is another story a- bout you that's troubling me," " froubling you! Another story a- bout roe!" He gazed at her in a- inaeement. - - "Yes." She blushed; her eyes left his before she went on. "Do you • remember that the first time I met you I warned you of a risk you were run- ning by remaining here?" He nodded, his eyes fixed on her lips, as if to read her meaning ahead of • her words. - "I acted hardly better than an anon- yinous correspondent then, but, unfor- tunately, I couldn't say more. I had been given infornietion, but only af- ter promising to hold it in the strict - to take this oplendi fruit medicine IteenniPahl'es Dysp‘sia, I continued. and now •I 'am wait strong and. vigorous". ROBER 3tItWTON. 50e. a box, 6 for $2.50,,trial size 25o. At all, dealers or sent postpaid on receipt of price by Fruitea-tivee Limited, Ottawa. XPORTO came angrily toward him at the tabl then appeared suddenly to change his mind. "None at you know, ex- cept • the right of Isirtli," he replied - with urbanity. "Birth—where?" "Where?" Brooke smiled. "In Surrey, to be sure. "What parents do you also claine?". • Brooke Ia,ughed. "Pater, the of Ashburton; mato, the Hon. Min- anna Westover" "This brother Richard, then you likewise claim, where is he now? "Bless me, let me see! It's May now, isn't it? In London probably. "How would yommecogonee him if you met -him?." • "The beggar would be likely to Imr- row a bit more money." Durant appeared- to repress his smile. "Who was the seventh Earl of Ashburton?" "Oh, now, I say," Brooke made a gesture of impatience. "I didn't come here to submit to an examination into my whole -family tree." "Your answers have been strangely correct so far." ' 'Snow in the duce would you know whether they were 'correct or not?" "I have certain means of knowing." , Brooke roared, Be seemed unable to control his laughter. "He has cer- tain means of knowing—Burke's peer- agel—I say, Miss Cabot, I have an athletic heart --please ask him not to make me' laugh like this." "Keep on. Yontve get a right to the first- laugh. Better makei it. a long one." Durant smiled. "What do you mean?" "You haven't answered my last question." "No—but -who's lin trial here—you or I? You've aelted me a belly lot of questions, young man, and now I Pro- pose to ask you one, Only one. How old are you?" "Twenty-five." • "Eh, twenty-five, are you ?".-Brooke bent on Hilda a lOok full of signifi- cance. "Something the matter. with your arithmetic, young man, or else you should atudY your Burke better. pose two men, both clahnirtg 1 9,L11111.1, To do your duty during these trying times your health should be your first considerati'on. - ,. These two *omen tell how thek totuld health. . . Ilellam, Pee—"i took Lydia E. Itinkleepres Veg- etable Compound for female irembles'eekd a dis- placement. X felt all rim dowst and was very weak. I had been treated by a ribysiolan. without results, so decided to give Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound a trial, and felt better right awny, I am keeping house sincb last April and. doing all my housework, -where befoee I was unablo to do any 'Iwork. Lydia E. Pintharnin Vege- table Oompoland is cer ly the best medicine a woman can tar take when in this conditi m. I glen you permissiento publish this Ietterdtte-•Mes. E. It Olt 1 .awts 0, R. No. 1, Helium Pa. 1 Lowell, Xich.—"I suffered from cranipmand dragging - , down pains, was irregular and had female weakness and displacement. I began to take Lydia E. Pinkhare's Vege- table Compound which gave me relief at once and restored I ray health. I should like to recommend Lydia E: Pinkhara's remedies bo all suffering women who are troubled in a stmil. box way." lira. Baum lInnelt.No. 6, Box 88,Lowell,Mich, If you'll take my advice, you'll cut . and run before Anertane -important dis- • crepancies in your information are e Bellmere called to the attention of the police. Brooke i -"The running is te be all yours," re- Brools i "But why—why? 'I thouuletm---" "Durant kno*s." Brooke looked eignificantly feom her to him. • "Perhaps you had better tell Miss Cabot. would like to hear just how much you 'do know." • "I like your nerve, Durant." • • "I can say as Much as that for you." "Prodigious! You insist?" Durant nodded: . "Oh, now, I don't like to rub it in, you know." Brooke waited for ane other nod before. turning -to Rilda. "I haven't told you," he stated, "because I felt.it would 1Se acting like -a rotten est confidence. • "I hay never claim d to be Lord I am only i claiming that hit. Nothing can prove that Lord Bellraer4e for he isn't." you are not, bow can you be e that he is not?" , s something that will settle ly—and with 'him." lity not with me, here and et looked at him imploringly,. ou as deeply interested as Ir. Cornwallis !Brooke?" eve no right t to ask me a like that." • perceive I haven't:" He her angrily. 'But I hoped ood inoniingdi morning." She bowed -cold- lowed him to peoceed to the e. It closed after him. For econds she stood gazing at its opaq e pane. Then suddeoly she started, d ran back into the parlor. She east one quick, hopeful glance at the cen. e table and then stood look- ine at it n hopeless (Henley. The em- eraldmiee ace was gone! . In a f enzy of haste she removed everythi g from the table, searched the floo in its neighborhood,. then stood stming vacantly at it. "One ef -them must have taken it. But whi4h one? Witch one? How em to now?" The pitch, le little break it -her ery rried- threugh the still hous'e as she- never knew. The soft -footed butler en ered, asked if she had called him, we rt eway—unneard. She re- Mained. tending motionless in, the centre o the room, still staring vac- antly at he table as if it alone could answer en question. After a long time she crept over -to the couch and throw he self face amen upon it. But if she w -re baffled, disn yea, heart- broken, s e did not stns. Not a sound came fro her. torted Durant" one give it a chahet to escape? . t ! so"pBotietiti "A rat cornered! Why should/1 Brooke approached Hilda, taking • con"eTihnastiv "Brooke, you' are'no more Lord Bell- I leave. • ' • "But mere than the cook in the kitchen is.",1 n°..%v21,"e a • "Rot." .. that in "I'd expose you in, a minute if it ...you were not for one thing." D"Rurotan"t m'oved iorward,:intercepted 1 (110110-kelli°'lla him on the way to the door. "I can 1 I had. find you at your rooms within -.salf an ...Good ho'll'BrIu"ff! Sheer ;bier -lean bleff!" is"? ara a 'door alo • Durant laughed. "I'll be there. See that you are. Well setide this matter several' • but Durant is ,Our family name: I have soon enough," he declared tonfidently. 1 a younger brother named Richard "It's settled already, all except—" Darent That same might have be- Brooke did not .flnish; he looked at I ' • d t this man too I gave him Hilda as if he relied upon her to ad-: onge o , ; credit for the possibility until I learn- ed that fie was claiming ray title, also until the two things together put the coincideoce beyond the range of chance. Yet, even then, I held off, because he was *,,a sort of protege of yours,. because-owell, pang it, some people did regard him as a sort of rival of mine. e.:411(1 then at last when . Itstorketo•taketWaralevemosetegaen this blowntout an/poster stands up to me, tries to fac4 me down. I'm glad I've seen it though. I'm gled I've settled the whole matter for you for once and. all. Iihave, haven't I?" . • Hilda's eyes . Silted dropped before Beooke's as if ihe herself were the real culprit. Ttitoughout his explana- tion, she. played nervously with the linked stones offthe emerald necklace 'about her neck.' At his question, she querulously freed the necklace from , her neck and. tossed it upon the centre table. • "You'oe settled much, but not every- thing," she exclaimed. She turned sul- lenly toward Durant. "Have you no- thing to say to all this?" she demand- ed. . "Much, if you are sure you care to hear it." "I do, that Her ember- massnient at his insinuation made her pause. "Yes, L do," she admitted steadfastly. "Though you 'only half care, still I have somethingto say." Durant mov- ed over to the center table, stood with one hand uPon like an attorney about to examine a witness, turned toward -Brooke. "You elaim to be Lord Bell - mere. What right have yeti to that title?" he inquieed sharply. "What right have I to that title'?" Br oke flushed at the sudden question, "Certain information? Ito you mean certain information against me?" "No—yes-1 .caut quite ,make up my mind." , "But," --he looked at her long and emarchingly--"but if you have heard anything against me, it seems to me I have a right to know it." z "I can tell you now.. I have been released from my promise. e am He took a long breath. "What with Sbght iS it? Why did you think it necessary este/II-heti at th to warn ene to leave Boston?" ground, without "Because I happened to know that the questions th another Lord Bellinere was here." It Vies Hilda who •y. "Sorry, but other • people's in hot water sooner or later. On i my word, you "I have small us.'e fl or any tItle of can't." yours,heBa yr or oke."on w to -cool to be ov- erlooked. ,Hilda awl, the look of an- gry astohishreet t spreading over Brooke'e face. SI hastily touched his arm. t1 ha''efi't 'ad a chance to tell you, Cornwallis,' S stated. quickly, "Mr. Durant say ' doesn't elaim, to be Lord Bellms de, that the Bunees started that. stor ithout authority, reason, or excuse." "So?" Brookes he smiled a monmn ed. "But that ham He turned abruptly ant. "Yen know, doesn't, let you out foown vanished; before it return- ly lete him out." from her to Dim- on% you, that this he demanded. "Don't lean to,ard on aiiy mis- taken notion that I feel responsible to you." Brooke waved the insult his tone.' "You know, don't you, ;that it is not enougn foe you to stop laying hands on my title that it is quite as much of an impo4ure, that it is even more offensiye to nie, to have you con- tinue to call yo self Richard. Dur- ant?" "Oh, so you propose to leave me no name at all?" Durant's lips' curled e. He seemed sudden change of intention of asking t would explain it. roke Out: Minister the coup de grace. Then, with the triumphant smile of d man who has acquitted himself creditably of an unpleasant task, he disappeared through the door. For a moment Hilda' hesitated, thee she ran after hints She caught him at the outer door. , "Cornwallis," she,, whispered, "you trtiata AndidiAllineliAd' Atte-Wee-41ot for a while? YoU'll leave it in my &nap' "The bounder 'treated me pretty shabbily," he objected: "Not yet—pleaie!" Brooke turned from her to look out through the open 'door. "He adinitted he was twenty-five, and you remember I showed you in Brake that the pres- ent Lord Belhnere must be thirty-three —you want rhorerd he asked, frown- ing. "Only a day or two Fiore." Hilda bent eagerly toward Brooke sighed, "Well, I suppose I've got to allow it because you ask it," he grudged, "but I'm sorry you're so interested in the beggar." "Thank you. You're a. dear, Corn- wallis!" Hilda bent affectionately for- ward, and rewarded him with a part- ing pat on. his shoulder. "I beg your pardon, Miss Cabot." Hilda timed to find Durant stand- ing, hat in hand, directly behind her in the hall. She blushed, wondering if he had overbead. • "This matter of a title seems to be of vast importance to you," he broke out severely before she could speak. "Mr. Durant! How can you think that of me?", she demanded, repress- ing her anger. "Then why all this?" "Put yourself in my place. SuP- • XVII The single gas jet in Rose's•, front hall room- dropped to a spindling flame. he two occupants looked at each other through the dim shadowy gloom. "Every nody stops in these -rainy itights, s• there isn't as enough to go around," 4 claimed evid. Rose n.. ded. "Did` Mr. Durant go ed up that re lair shop, told them to out? 114 isn't in lila room, is he?" send back his oney,, and to get after she asken "I kno *keit on hie door, but there was no nswer," replied David. He frowned .nd lgoked: Ut her furtively a numbe , of times before adding, "Seems me you're 'getting.more and more, in 'rested the goings and comings of our star boarder. ' "Not se much, David, that you have any cause to be silly and Jealous 41- keep him in his employ?" - David smiled. "Oh, only because gain," cautioned Rose. "Well, I'm from Missouri, the lad Darant is earning thirty to forty dol - of doubt and mules," rejoined Davol. lams a week for him more than the ten "I can't help it, Rose. You know thet he paying him. That' e what I can't I like you, and, liking you, I caret stand for. Bunce treats him like -a stand still and see you get mixed UP Lord to his face and then pulls this with a man who's. going under soots, on him." surer than death. I don't blame you There WAS a long thlence, then Rose's for looking at me' that way, but lies dm* eyes gleamed. "But, David!" she ten to this. Late last night I heard exclaimed. Durant stealing out of the house ao. "What?" he demanded. usual. I did- a' dirty thing. I follow- "You do like Mr. Durant, then. You -ed him. He had a bundle under hit wouldn't give up your position on his arm, and he -went to one of the -worsts account if you didn't." known 'fences' on Eliot street.. 1.14 I 'Well, he he isn't a piker like came eut with his bundle, and this 1 Bunco," grudged David. "I can't help morning, instead of hi:avowing. IPOritt him in. spite of everything. I've money from me, be paid me five dol; lent him money and I'll lend him more. bars on what he owed me. 41, gose.. If I were only out of Bunce's employ .I'm not assuming that this indicate* already, I'd tip him off in a minute to anntbiog more than that he's near The, what's up. They're liable to railroad end- of his Tope. ,That's all I want le him to jail, if that bill isn't paid. I preve to you. Mid; ITIOT, than thate wonder if I ought not to tell him any - did you ever know there were some: way." David's gaze dropped' to the men who had, eyes of different :floor. and one purple eye has been a the -tionately, until he looked up. Then colors? Well, a man with one Mack Rose regarded him proudly, affee--- office twice to -day trying to find Durr she blushed, looking hastily away °I ant. He was a little wharf rat of it don't think would. David,' she said man, shifting eyes and a sneakint softly. 'Probably it will all come out gait. He looked like .a crook, and right without your interference." She couldn't get a word out of him—rot, went on to talk about other things, even his name." ! but presently she grew absorbed: "David! I made a mistake in ever When he rose earlier than usual to go telling you anything about poor Mrle I to his room she did not attempt- to Diesanen' e ee ey a , tjengthqn, „45c12_ DATA, per - "Net No, you didn't." David met haps yotil go, 'he agreed. her eyes calmly. "I only want to "I've got to go downstairs to tele - prove to you that he idust be near the phone. It's too rainy to go out, isn't end of his rope. And listen to thiO: it?" she asked Inconsequently. I'm going to quit Bunce wit a few (Continued on Page Six) days." Rose regarded him with asto ment "Why, David! Whet will they do without you?" "That's his lookout. I've been spr- ing up, intend'. g to go on to New' York, and sta a trade paper a r own for some hire, and Bunce something imde hand today to Duront that simply enuldn't stand for," "To Mr,. DU -4/It?" "Yes. Some time ago Bunce had me pay an autonobile repair shop a bill of about t ws hundred dollars •for fixing up his mr after that accident Well, he must ave soured on Durant pretty strong -ince, though he never lets on to his iace, for to -day he call - Durant for it. Tn pay you agam if you don't get it from him,' I heard Bunce say, "b t I -want you to put it in your lawye 's hands, and. push Win hard for it jus as soon as you mi.' " "The conte ptible beast!" Rose's eyes flashed. "Of course, he Must konw that Ma Durant can't MI it. 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