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THE LANCASTER DAILY INTELLIGENCER SATURDAY, TONE 29 1880 - "tt - " T
CHEQUE NO. 9031.
A FASCINATING ROMANCE OF A LONDON
SUBURB.
By the Auther of- By Crooked Path," " Sheathed
in Velvet," Etc.
C&APTES L
MUST begin by
referring te a few
trifling exeats
which have no
direct connection
with my story,
otherwbe it will
hardly be under
stood why I be
haved as I did
when the crisis
arrived. I knew
that many of my
friends have ac
cused me of culp
a bio weakness,
and even of con cen
nlvlni? nt crime;
bul then they de net knew all the facta
of the case. ,
I am a colonial merchant, by name
Gerald Qulnten, and at the tlme lam
going te sjKjak of I was 03 years of age.
Sly father had been dead about fifteen
mentliH, ami I was still living with my
mother and ray ene unmarried sister in
the pleasant old gray stene heuse at
Clayhlll, which I had looked upon as my
home all my life long. I was my
mother's only son among five daughters;
and, If I was net as conceited a speci
men of humanity as ene could meet in n
day's march, the fact was due te my
father's wlse foresight in sending me
here, there, and everywhere for a year
or two's residence nt ene or another of
his distant branch houses, instead ei
keeping me at home te be spoilt by the
women.
New, howevcr, I had premised my
mother net te ream again unless under
the prcssure of nctual necessity, and had
taken my place ns the resident head of
the heuse of Qulnten, Hill, Craxhammcr
& Ce., of Hillitcr street, 12. C, Montreal,
Pert Elizabeth, Melbourne, Bombay, etc
Tills matter of self Introduction ever,
I coine te a mero difficult part of my
6tery the introduction of my hcroine.
She was the only daughter of the lead
ing Clayhlll doctor, and her name was
Cynthia Dcbenham. She had ene brother,
two years younger than herself. Cynthia
was 23 nnd Herace 21 when my story bo be
gina with the death of their father, Dr.
Delienhnm.
1 had geno down by my usual train,
the 4:23 from Liverpool street, and was
surprised, en leaving the carriage at
Clayhlll, te eceluy sister Jemima wait
ing by the deer of the station with a
worried, anxious leek en her face, wliich
was most unusual.
"Halle, Jem," 1 exclaimed she was
named Jemima after her godmother, a
rich maiden aunt; and her only consola
tion under the afllictien was that the ob
noxious uanie was capable of this tntinly
contraction "what are you doing down
herent this time? Isn't this the hour
usually dovetcd te tea and scandal,
served up het?"
She did net nnswer me; and, looking
at her mero closely, I made the astound
ing discovery that she had been crying.
I hurried her into the deg cart without
another word, and waited bofero asking
my next questien until we were clear of
the straggling stream of passengers.
"What is It, old lady? Don't break
down out here if you can possibly avoid
it. What has happened?"
"Dr. DcIenliam is dead."
"Dead? Geed heavens, hew shocking!
Why, he went up with me this morning,
Jem, nnd becmed in splendid spirits)
Wus it nu accident?"
"Ne; he came down by the 1:30, tcek
a fly, and went straight home. Cynthia
was surprised te bce him back se wien,
and wanted te get him home luncheon;
but he said lie didn't want te be both
ered, nnil almost shut the study deer in
her face. She bald she thought there
was something inther queer in his man
ner, and felt anxious, thinking the sun
had been tee much for him, or tome
thing of the kind. Se, Instead of going
away, she sat down in the hall te be
near him. She was tired, having been
in the garden all the morning, and, sit sit
tingtliere in the silent hall, was almost
asleep, wheif 6he was reused by the
sound of something heavy falling inside
her father's study. Without (.topping n
moment te think, she rushed in and
found hm lying face downwards upon
the fleer. They did everything they
could, but Mr. Jennings declares he was
dead when he fell."
"And what de they say it is?"
"Heart disease; but thcre is te be en
inquest."
"Peer Cynthia!"
"She is wonderfully calm," said Jem,
witli the tears running down her geed
naturcd brown face. "If she bad cried
nnd umde ever he little fuss, I should net
hae been te upset; but her patient,
mournful white face Is mero than I can
stand. She grieves terribly about Hor Her
ace. He and his father pai ted in anger
the last tlme they met, and she thinks
the memory of their quarrel will be se
terrihle for the KXr ley new."
"A geed for nothing young scapo scape scapo
grace!" I muttered, witli a cemplete nb nb
brnce of sympathy. "She need net wor
ry herself en that 6core, Jem; Ilorace
won't grioe much, unless his own Inter
ests are touched very nearly. Who is
with Cynthia new?"
"The mother. We want her te coine
home with us te-night."
"She'U net de that, I'm certain, Jem;
she won't ieave the heuse until after the
funeral. Cynthia is net the girl te spare
herself when thcre are duties te perform,
and she will think it her duty te stay at
the heuse in Park street until every
thing is ever. Then thcre's Herace,
tee, te leek after. Can he get here to
night?" "He can get up te town from Oxford;
but I'm afraid he'll miss the last train
down. Here's Park street. Will you
ceme nnd bce Cynthia?"
I shrank instinctively front this sug
gestion. I loved Cynthia very dearly;
and I believed she loved me in fact, bhe
hml almost admitted that her duty te her
father and brother was the only obstacle
when 1 had asked her six months be be be
foreeo be my wife. Anything I could
de ferher geed, I would; yet the thought
of going te Dr. Debenham'a houe just
new WB3 repugnant te mc.
"I'll ceme If I can be of any use," I
said, feeling seme self contempt nt my
own weakness; "but I don't suppese she
will see mc, Jem."
"Perhaps net; but it will leek kind:
and, even if you don't see her, you may
be of use."
Sowe get down, left the cart at the
top of the 6treet, and went in at the
smart chocolate colerod gates, nnd round
the neat drive te the slde deer of the
doctor's prosperous looking house. I
could scarcely rcalUe that he lay dead
within, cut down in the urirae of Ida
mautioed by this nwf ully sudden stroke!
The scarlet geraniums and the rose were
in full bloom en the front lawns vivid
patches of color In the July sunshine;
and, en the tennis lawn at the slde of the
house, the nets were still up.
Jem and I had been playing there the
night before, and I had picked a pebble
off the grass and put it en the top of the
summer house. I remembered seme re
mark the doctor had made about the
stene remaining thcre until I tcek it
down again I was reputed te be the
tallest man in ClayhilL As I turned into
the heuse I saw the pebble still where I
had put it, and the trifling incident
brought home te me a swift realization
of the words, "In the midst of life we
are in death." I had te wait a few min
utes in the little Blde passage te recover
my 6clf possession befere I risked meet
ing peer Cynthia. She sew me just for
a few moments.
"Your mother has been se geed, Ger
ald!" she said gratefully, raising her
patient hazel eyes te mine. "But I can't
ceme te you, aa she wishes. Thcre it
Ilorace te be thought of,-you see; he will
suffer ee terribly ever this! We shall
want te be nlone together until the first
wrench is ever. But you'll knew I'm
grateful nil the same, won't you?"
Jem was right! This calm, self con
tained grief was a thousand times mera
touching than erica and sobs would have
lieen. As she steed thcre, with the lean
quivering in her steadfast eyes and lici
lips set in the saddest curve I have ever
seen, but without a sound or movement
about her suggestive of the indulgence
of grief, I felt as if seme ene had sud
denly clutched my threat in a grip el
stecL I raised her hand te my lips in
passlonate sympathy, and left her with
my mother.
Befere that week was out Cynthia
Dcbenham had need of all the sympathy
we could give her. When the affairs of
the dead man were examined, they were
teunu te be in an almost hopeless state
of muddle. He had dabbled in financial
schemes; and en the day of Ills death he
had lest about twclve hundred pounds.
Tills discovery left no doubt in my own
mind that his money troubles had had n
large share in causing ids sudden death.
Herace, when he found hew things
were, wanted te offer the creditors a
composition; but Cynthia succeeded,
after days of patient persuasion, in
talking him out of this idea. The
brother and sister came te us the even
ing after the funeral, and discussed
their future plans in the twilight uftci
dinner.
"Ilorace wanted te tccure a few hun
dreds out of the estale nnd emigrate,"
Cynthia told me, as we sat a little re
moved from the ethers; "but I knew it
was n hopeless scheme. What de we
knew about farming or sheep raising!
We should certainly be swindled out of
our little capital, nnd ceme home at the
end of a year or se absolute paupers.
Besides, there is our father's geed name
te be thought of. Mr. Scdger tells me
that, if we are satisfied te leave every
thing for the creditors, we shall be able
te pay them in full."
"But," I remonstrated, "the creditors
themselves would net expect such self
denial as that. It would be preposterous
te leave yourselves without a penny in
the would l"
"We sha'n't quite de that," she un
swercd, with a certain quiet, gcntle do de do
cibien in her voice which I knew of old
te be absolutely without appeal. "We
bhall take furniture enough te make two
or three rooms comfortable the break
fast room chairs and couch nnd se en
and 6tait housekeeping en our own ac
count in n very humble way in town.
Ilorace has decided te accept your offer,
and te enter the oflice nt ence, Gerald."
"That's all right as far as it gees; and
I'm glad of it!" I said grumpily. "But
what about you, Cynthia? It does boys
geed te rough It a bit; but I don't like
the notion of your doing it. Yeu don't
knew what life is llke in a fourth or
fifth rate suburban lodging heuse, ospe
cially when yeu're cramped for money,
as you would be."
"New, don't be hard en my peer little
plan!" she whispered pleadingly. "Yeu
don't knew what treuble I've had te talk
Ilorace into it; nnd, if he ence gets n no
tion tliat you nre against it tee, I shall
have all my treuble ever ngaln. I assure
you, Gerald, it is the only honest course
openteusl As for being cramped fei
meney, that can hardly be pessible with
the hundred and fifty a year you have
eircicd Ilorace and the sixty or seventy
I shall earn!"
"Yeu earn? new?"
The tene of her veice was mero plead
lug than ever as she answered seftly:
"I mean te gctnn engagementas dally
governess in a family."
"It Is nil a pack of jomantle nonsense!"
I exclaimed, angrily. "Why can't you
make yourself contented heie with my
mother and Jem for a few months until
your first mourning for your father if
ever, and then ceme te the home I will
prepaid for you?"
"Yeu are be geed, Gerald! But Ilor Iler Ilor
aeo" "Why should your life be sacrificed te
Herace?" I cried again. "If lie can't
live alene en his salary, let him ceme
and make his home here and le a eon te
my mother when 1 am no longer witli
her."
Her face flushed vividly, but she Dup
presbed her emotion and answered quiet
ly eneugh:
"De you think we could consent te
live en your charity like that? Even
while you propose it you knew well
enough hew impossible it Is for Ilorace
te nccept such nu offer."
"Then let him lheen garcon in the60
lodgings you iieak of, and you ceme
here te my mother until Ah de, Cyn
thia!" I cried Imploringly, as I saw her
lips tightening resolutely. "Let me beg
of you net te expose yourself te the pet
ty wearing discomforts of such a life as
you propose. Yeu can form no idea of
what it is likeP
"It is nil very well for you te talk
about living en gaicen, with your knowl knewl knowl
eilge of the world nnd your extend
ed expeiicnce, net te speak or jour
thirty odd jeara of wisdom. But with
Ilorace a lonely life in Londen would le
a icry different thing. Think of the
peer boy he Is really net mero after a
long day's work In the oflice with noth
ing te go home te but empty rooms!
Would he go home te them? Yeu knew
he would net. I don't want you te think
I imagine that the mere kuowledge of
my presence will nlways keep him steady,
but I debelleteit must have a certain
influence for geed with him. It will
make him a little careful in cheesing the
men he brings te Ids home, for ene tiling,
nud that in itself Is wertli making some
6acriiice for. Mv coer mother alwuvw
recegnised Herace's ene rock ahead, hk
moral weakness; and his godfather. Capt
Sillicetes, used te say that he carried
plenty of canvas, but was short of bal
last. That's what I am going te be his
ball ut The day befere mother died I
premised her faithfully that I would take
tier plaee as far as I was able, and I muxt
keep my word."
I knew every sentence she had spoken
was distilled wisdom, and yet my very
heart and soul seemed te cry out against
this sacriflce of our two lives. Knewing
well enough that I was beaten, I yet put
forth ene last faint pica, but without any
hepe whatever for its success. ,
"Ahd what about me, Cynthia?" I ask
ed, still holding her hand in mine, se
that she should net escape and leave the
question unanswered. "Have I no place
at all among your unselfish schemes? Is
everybody's geed and comfort te be
thought of but mine? Am I the only
person for whom you have no considera
tion?" She flushed again, with evident 6lgna
of distress, and trled te withdraw her
hand, but I would net let her.
"Yeu cannot compare yourself te peer
Herace," she whispered, se low that I
had te bend my head te catch the an
swer. "I knew oil this is hard en you,
Gerald, and you will never knew hew
sorry I nm te be the causa of treuble te
you; but I've thought it all out very
carefully, and have ceme te the conclu
sion that my first ilutyat present is te
my brother. Loek at his position. Last
week he was at the university, with a dc
ccnt nlloivancefrom his father; today he
has a clerkship in prospect, and years of
drudgery befere he can hepe for any
measure of success. In this comparative
poverty he lias no ene in the world te
stand by him but ene well intontiencd
but inexperienced woman. In cheesing
between you hew can I refuse te stand
by him in his loneliness and disappoint
ment? Yeu have wealth, position, friends
and relations, w hile he"
"That is enough!" Iintcrposed, shamed
out of my selfishness for the moment by
her great hearted generosity. "Yeu nre
right, Cynthia, ns you always are. But,
If I could have my cheice, dear, I would
give your brother all the wealth and
position in cxcliange for you, and think
it the best bargain I had ever made."
Her pale face lighted up radiantly at this.
"Yeu've dene the best streke of business
In your power for the boy," I ndded
jemngiy. "xeua see at wiiat a sur
prising rate he'll climb te the tallest steel
in the counting heuse of Quinten, Hill,
Croxhammer & Ce. And then, as seen
as be's In receipt of a sufficiently large
6alary te support a wife, I shall
marry him off hand; and then"
The last word left my lips in a
tene of triumph which thcre was no
mistaking, and she smiled in a manner
that was as geed aa a spoken assent.
"Well," said Jem, as we jolned the
ether group, In which Heraco had been
holding forth te my mother and sister en
what he should have dene nt the Anti
podes if he had been allowed te fellow
his own inclinations "well, Gerald, have
you been able te talk that ebstinate girl
into a rcasonable framoefmlnd? Have
you converted licr from thisgevcrnesslng
mania?"
"Au centrairc, she has converted me.
Jcml"
"I should llke le hit you," Bald Jem,
shaking her little brown fist clese te
Cynthia's nese; and then, changing her
mind, she put her arms round my dar
ling's neck and squeezed her tightly.
"Yeu peer, pale, beautiful old thing,"
she said, with an odd little catch In her
veice "what an cxample you are te the
rest of usl"
CHAPTER II.
When I went te pay Cynthia my first
visit at her new home nt Kentish Town,
it seemed te me that of atl the vlle places
in Londen she had certainly chosen the
vilest. It was cheap, and convenient fei
Herace's jeurneys te Bil liter street, she
told me, and also for her daily appoint
ment ns governess te the two little
daughters of a very great man en the
Stock Exchange, who lived iu ene ettli2
largest houses near Regent's park.
The rooms themselves were light and
airy, and Cynthia's cunning fingers had
already given them a leek of home.
"Yeu will be able te put up with it for
an hour or se in the afternoon, ence or
twice n week," she said, in her most
downright style; "because I shall take
care te have everything always at iU
best by 4 o'clock, en the chance of you.
coming. But you would seen find the
difference if you were te spend the whela
evening here, nnd sleep and get up nnd
dress the next morning. Every day
since wo've been here the pcople down
stairs have had bloaters for breakfast; I
don't think you would care te make your
first meal off the odor of your neigh
bor's. Thdn the btrcet organs begin be
early here; I think most of the men's
daily rounds must cemmence at this end
of the town, for wee had two or three
ergnns every morning aj; breakfast."
"I think I could stand the ergnns bet
ter than the oderous'brcakfast," I said,
with a grimare; and she laughed and de
clared she had almost censed te netice it
new.
Things went en llke this for thrce
months. I, in my selfishness, ruuningever
le Kentish Town as often as I essibly
could for nn afternoon chat with Cynthia,
nnd never thinking te ask if it were con
venient for her te have me there se fre
quently, when Christmas time came and
brought with it a disquieting discevery.
Cynthia was looking worn and har
assed. I had net seen her in the clear
unmerciful glare of morning sunlight
bince she left Clayhlll, in September,
until she went back there te spend the
blessed icspite of her Chi 1st mas holidays
with us.
Wenll thrce went down together she,
Heraco and I by, the usual train en the
Christmas eve, and there was se much
mutual plcasure ever the meeting and
bucIi nn amount of news te be exchanged
among the ladies that even my mother,
ene of the most observant women in the
world where poeplo's leeks are concern
ed, was deceived by her visitor's anima
tion during the evening of her arrival.
But when Cynthia entered the breakfast
room en Christmas morning, with the
sunlight shining full upon her face, I
stepped half way as I went te meet her,
with the dear old greeting en my lips,
and steed looking nt her in sudden
speechless dUmny.
1 ttepiietl half uuyiu uent le unit her.
"What U itr" ehe asked, alarmed at
my manner. "Has anything happened?
la Heraco"
"He'a all right," I said, going en to
wards her and putting my arms round
her and embracing her tenderly.
Hew was it I had net seen this ch.inge
In her before? She had always been
pale, se I did net set much store by her
present pallor; but what had brought
that leek of distress te her face that
wild, anxious expression Inte her eyes,
that sadly pathetic droop about the cor
ners of her lips?
All through breakfast tlme I naked
myself these questions ever nnd ever
again, with ever increasing anger at my
own past blindness In net having noticed
the change before. My mother and Jem
saw it, tee, I knew, but they made no
remark en the alteration te Cynthia her
self; and I wondered why they were
thus silent.
I took Jem aslde after breakfast and
speke te her about it,
"Haven't I noticed the change?" she
cried, echoing my words ironically.
"Why, I went beck te the mother after I
had been te wish Cynthia a merry Christ
mas in my nightdress this morning, nnd
told her I didn't knew where your eyes
had been for the past three months net
te have 6een it coming en. Whatever
you de, don't say anything te her about
it! She was quite distressed because I
told her she didn't leek well, nnd she
forced bucIi high spirits all the rest of the
tlme I was in the room that I could have
cried ever her."
"Her unvarying cheerfulness bofero
me nil thia tlme must have been assumed,
Jem. Yeu knew I can't bce her until
after 4, because of this confounded gov
erness business. She doesn't leave Mel
ford's until half-past 0, except en Satur
days; and she asked me te leave her that
afternoon for Ilorace, 60 1 have net seen
her by daylight for months until this
morning. What's te be dene?"
Jem looked round cautiously befere
she nuswored.
"We have arranged it beautifully.
The mother is going te have symptoms
of sciatica te-morrow morning, and Dr.
Jennings is te be sent for te npply the
battery. Of ceurse, hearing Cynthia la
here, he will want te say 'Hew d'ye de?'
and befere he bees her I shall tell him
hew anxious we nre about her. He'll
manage te take her measure pretty cor
rectly, without letting her into the se
cret." That was net a very cheerful Christ
mas day for me. We had decided, en
account of Cynthia's mourning, te make
our jwrty a strictly family affair; but,
even if the great old heuse had been full
of guests, I should still have carried that
dead weight of care in my heart a
weight which increased with every glanca
at Cynthia's face throughout the day.
After dinner, vhen Ilorace and I were
alene, I tiled te sound him about his
sister's health; but he either would net
or could net give me uny information.
Being conscious of a hestile bias in my
judgment of all Ilorace Debenham'a say
ings and doings, I was always trying te
counterbalance It by giving him the bene
fit of the doubt, when there was room for
doubt nt all. Se, when he told me he
had net noticed nny change in Cynthia,
that she never complained, never seemed
III, nnd was always in geed spirits, I tried
hard te bollevo he sKku as he really
thought, and that iuery truth he had
net noticed the alteration that had be
scared us nlL
"Heis such a disgustingly beltlsh young
beggar," I told mj self "as long as the
peer girl's illness did net prevent hei
from attending te his little wants he
would let her dle befere his eyes, and
never netice it."
The next day, when Jennings came, I
contrived te be in the library with
Cynthia. As this was net te be nn
nckneu ledged professional visit, I felt
thcre could be no impropriety in my
being present. Jennings and Dr. Dcben
ham had been old friends, se there was
coiiBidcrable cordiality en both sides
when he nnd Cynthia met. I stepped
back a few paces, watching nnd listening;
and through all the medical mnn'n chat
tincss I could bee hew keenly observant
he was of Cynthia'e every movement.
"And hew de you like the gevcrness-
Ing?" he nsked presently. -De you find
it congenial work, or is it rather against
the grain eh? A little hitlikogelng back
te the treadmill every morning, I ox ex
poet." Cynthia opened hcreyes widely nt this
view of her occupation,
"Oh, nel" she cried. "I quite enjoy
It; I would net be without my work for
the world. My pupils ure two of the
most delightful little women you could
meet nny where, nnd I bollevo we nre a
constant source of pleasure te ene nn nn
ether. Mrs. Mel ford wanted me te siicud
Christmnn with them, but of ceurse"
"Quite se," Interposed Jennings jocu
larly "here was metal mero attractive
ch.Quinten?" He glanced nt me swift
ly, and then turned his eyes again te
Cynthia's face, baying abruptly: "Then
it certainly is net the teaching that
makes you se terribly wakeful at night."
At'these words a deep flush suffused
her cheeks and forehead, nnd thcre was
a sudden expression of nkirm in the
gkince she gjive Jennings. She nt ence
suppressed all signs of emotion, however,
and laughed rather nervously.
"Who told you I was wakeful?" she
nsked, with a playfully defiant air; and
then, without giving him time te answer
the question, she breku off into n whela
string of inquiries concerning this, that,
and the ether person, nnd completely
blocked the subject of her own health.
When Jennings went, I left the room
with him, meaning te ask hla opinion in
the hall; but Cynthia followed us with
seme forgotten qucbtieu remembered, I
beliove, en the spur of the moment, te
prevent Jennings from saying anj thing
te me. She eUdcntly did net biu,ect
the cxlstcnce of our plot, and wanted te
keep him from imparting his judgment
te any of us.
I wa3 tee anxious te wait until my
next meeting with the doctor, se I put
en my hat, and walked te the gate with
him.
"Well," I said, as seen as we were out
of earshot, "what de you think? Is thcre
anything really wrong with Cynthia's
health?"
HL answer, in the form of another
question, set me wondering.
"What is it that id worrying her?"
"Nothing that I knew of, or can guess
nt."
"And yet bhe lias a worry of bome
tort, Qulnten a worry that is ever pres
ent with her. Can't you get her te tell
j en what it is?"
"Hew can 1? Yeu Baw yourself hew
bhef.hicd the moment youppeloof her
health."
"Oh, her health, from a purely phys
leal jteint of view, is right enough! 1
mean bhe would be in perftet health but
for lids mental disturbance. She has one
of the beundest constitutions I have
known. I wish you could find out what
it is that is bothering her te "
"I'll try," I returned rather bepclcbsly,
"but I'm iifnild it will be of no uw. li
she had meant me te knew she vteuhl
have told mu voluntarily. But, if she
does net mean me te knew, it is net ei
much use my trying te find out."
"Well, something ought te be done,"
he said, with an emphasis which con
vinced me he thought lather berieusly el
the matter. 'She has evidently luul n
heavy etrain en her mrtcjfur bome time
1 iiaunnng troueie, 1 should fancy;
and the strongest mind cannot stand suc
cessfully against that sort of thing. I
don't llke that insomnia! Hew does she
leek the first thing in ihe morning?"
"Why, that is just what first opened
my eyes!" I cried, startled by the doctor's
words. "She looked terribly ill when
she came down te breakfast yesterday
morning; her face was quite haggard and
drawn."
"I see," he said thoughtfully "scarce
ly any sleep nt all, nnd what sleep she
docs get is se tormented nnd worried by
dre-tma that she had almost better be
awake. Well, you see, Qulnten, thi3 h
a matter beyond the reach of pills ei
draughts. I could certainly give her
something te send her te sleep, but it
would de her no real geed. What you
want and it is the only thing that will
be of any use is relief te the mind. Lei
me see this is Friday, and she is net
going up te town until Monday after after
neon, you say. I'll leek in again en Sun
day, but"
His li3 drooped expressively as he
shook hands, and I watched him march
away down t he snow covered read feeling
dcsierntcly wretched and helpless.
What was I te de or, rather, what
could I de if Cynthia still chese te main
tain this ebstinate reserve?
Howevcr, I determined te make an
effort te discover what really ailed her,
se after luncheon I ordered the deg cart,
and told Cynthia te get ready for n
drive. She tried te get out of it et first,
but I was determined, nnd at length she
gaveway. She had pleaded the cold aa
as au excuse, se, when she came down
ready dressed, I sent for my mother's f tu
lined carriage cloak and insisted en bet
wearing It overall her ether garments,
and saw myself that the feet tin wai
really het bofero we started.
We talked en every day matters until
we were fairly through Clayhlll and out
en the open read beyend, and then 1
worked round te my topic
"Dees the cold get in anywhere?" 1
nsked, turning round te see that tin
bearskin was well tucked In en her slde,
and noting gladly the increased bright
ucssef her eyes and the slight tingea
pink In her checks.
She smiled eloquently ns she answered
"Net anywhere; yeu've net left
chink for 'my Indy wind te Bet her feel
in.' It's delightful coming out witli
you, Gerald you take such care of one.'
"The drive is doingyeu geed already,'
I said, jcsultically.
"I can feel it is!" she cried, withnjoy withnjey withnjoy
eua laugh. "The air is se exhilarating
every breath I draw bcems te give nit
fresh strength. I feel that I want tc
shout with gladness."
"Yeu ought te have mero air than yoe
de, Cynthia. I don't beliove you would
have theso wakeful nights Jennings
6oke of If you spent mero time out of
doers."
She paused befere replying, and I
almost fancied she argued with hcrself
during theso few mementa whether it
would be wiser te tackle the subject
.boldly and finish with It for geed or te
let it drop. Whether she discussed the
matter or net, she adopted the former
ceurse.
"I'm glad you mentioned that," she
said, speaking slowly nt first, but mero
quickly afterwards, no I uttered an ox ex ox
clamatlen of Incredulity; "very glad,
because I can say te you what might
have offended Mr. Jennings If I had said
it then. Yeu knew that Is nil a myth
nlieut my net sleeping at least," she ex
plained, n? 1 turned te her with a re
proachful glance, "It la a myth in the
way he put It. He speke as if it were
quite a serious matter ea if I never get
nny sleep nt nil, while the truth is I have
merely lieen kept nwnke mero or less the
last fortnight by violent neuralgia."
"Then why didn't you tell Jennings
that?" I nsked, looking steadily nt her.
Fer a moment she faltered, and a sad
little tremor passed ever her face; it was
almost an admlbbien of untruth, nnd I
was going te overwhelm her with an
nvalancha of entreaties for her confi
dence, but she was tee quick for me,
"Can't you see for yourself why I did
net tell Mr. Jennings?" she said, with a
forced gayety that was very painful te
see, "He would have desed me unmer
cifully with iiatibceus mest.es, nnd I
wanted te have my little holiday down
here in peace,"
"Cynthia," I remonstrated, laying ene
hand upon hers, nnd, after glancing
ahead te 6ee that the read was clear, let
ting the uiare de pretty much as she
liked, "weu't you tell me nbeut this
treuble that has crept Inte your life,
dear? If the ferce of circumstances
keeps us apart, that is no reason why
we should net help each ether in every
way we possibly can. Let me help you
new."
Her lips quivered, but she kept her
self control wonderfully na she answered
me, with her cyeu fixed upon the hori
zon i
"Yeu have helped me, Gerald no
body could have helped me as you lune;
you have been the soul of generosity
nn foiljcamnce always. I don't need
any help from you new, dear."
"Net In thia new bother? Let me
share it witli you, Cynthia!"
"It fa nil nensense, you knew," she de
clared, shaking her head gently. "There
is no new bother that you can help me
In. New let ua forget all thia nonsenbe
and enjoy our drive. Wnke Nancy up,
Gerald; I like te meve quickly through
the air it's like drawing two breaths at
ence te feel the wind flying past ene."
I felt I could de no mero nftcr this.
Leeking back I often try te find out
where the mlstake began, and if it origi
nated with me; but I cannot see what
clse I could have said or dene. In spite
of all my leve for her it was evident that
Cynthia would net give me her confi
dence. CHAPTEU IIL
At the time these events were taking
place I waa a bhlning light in the Society
of Freemasons, nnd en the day Cynthia
left Clayhlll the Monday after Christ
mas day I had te ntteud my ledgo la
town. It was an important occasion, and
I was likely te be kept there very late,
ee I brought up my bag with me in order
that I might drcsa in Billitcr street and
go back thcre te sleep, 03 waa my usual
custom when unable te catch the last
train te Clayhlll.
In my new anxiety, !ern of the dis
tressing change iu Cynthia, I had de
termined te bee mero of Heraco than I
had hitherto dene. I thought he had
perliapj told his bibter hew little netice I
took of him during business hours, and I
blamed myself when I thought that my
neglect of the boy had possibly seme
share in her worry. I rated myself
beundly for my want of charity In letting
the memory of his past selfishness preju preju
diee me against him new, when he had
shown hw willingness te Ce his best te
keep his father's name untarnished befere
the world.
On thia particular Monday morning, as
he and I dioe together in a hansom
from the station te Billitcr btrcct,(I tried
tee)en the way towards a more'gciiiul
feeling.
"I'm going tOEtay at the oflice to
night," I Bald; "wo've get a heavy even
ing's work en at our ledgo, and I shall
net be nble te get away in tlme for the
11:U0."
"Get your dress, clothes thcre, I sup
jOi.t?" he answered, touching my bag
with his feet.
"Yes. By the by, we don't dlne un
til 7; I shall be having a pretty square
lunch at 3 o'clock. Will you have some
with me, Herace?"
"I shall be only tee glad if you will
mnkelt nil right with old Levcns; he's se
awfully down en us junior if wo're flv
minutes ever our time."
, "I'll see te that," I said, aa the cab
drew up. "I'll tell him I want you."
I remember we were very busy that
day, aa we alwaya were after a vacation
,of nearly a week. Indeed I myself was
se much pushed for tlme that, lmd it
net been for my appetntment with Hor Her
aco, I should have had seme feed sent
in from the nearest restaurant and eatcu
it In the pauses of my letter writing.
Howevcr, in the circumstances, ' that
arrangement was net te be thought of,
se I managed te get out for an hour
somehow, and made up for it by stick
iug te my work until the last minute.
At n little after 0 o'clock Heraco came
Inte my private oflice with seme letters
for me te sign, and immediately after
wards his special bogey, Levcns, came
came te ask me for a chcquel had prom prem
ised te seme charity.
I took my private cheque book out of
the tnble drawer in front of me, filled in
the cheque hurriedly, passed it te him,
and then went en signing Uorace's letters.
"I say, Herace," I said, when I had
nearly finished, "you might wait and
help me te get into my evening coat; I'm
se pushed for time, it's just as much aa
I shall de te save my character for
punctuality; and they nre be precious
particular."
"All right!" he answered. "I'll coma
back ns 6oen as I've given lUchards
these he's waiting te run up te the
general with them."
"Tell him te take a hansom, or he'll be
late," I called after him; "and he can
bring it back for me."
i Then I began te clear my tnble as
quickly as I could, and, while I waa
doing se, I heard the clocks chlme the
half hour after 0.
Without stepping te finish my task, I
dashed up stairs and began te dress as
fast as I could.
Heraco followed me in a few minutes,
unpacked my bag, and helped me Inte
my things.
Richards, who lived en the premises,
was back again by the tlme I was
jdrcssed, and was waiting In the hall,
with the keys in Ids hand, te lock up.
After oflice hours we went in and out by
a small slde deer, which led Inte the
Uwelllng part of the heuse, from which
the offices were separated by heavy doers
have way down the halL When these
doers were locked thcre waa no commu
nication between the business and the
private parts of the heuse. Se Richards
waited te let me out nt the front deer,
because the cab could net get up te
the narrow alley leading te the slde en
trance. "Will you ceme as far ns I go upon
your read, Heraco?" I asked, as I slipped
en my overcoat.
"Ne; I won't bother te step you te Bet
me down," he answored. "Besides, I
have te get my coat. Ta-tnl I hepe
you'll be in tlme."
As the cab moved off I saw him turn
back into the dark doorway of the outer
oflice again, and Richards behind him
reaching up te light his taper nt the lml
bracket, ovldently with the intention of
giving Heraco a light te find his coat. I
had hardly rcallrrd this te myself when
I suddenly icmcmbcred that I had left
my prl vste cheque book lying en my oflice
ttibje. I was certain of itt When I
Heard the half hour chlme I had waited
for nothing, and I knew I had net put it
away before. In fact I had left it en the
tnble en purpose, Intending te fill in an
other check te take with me ns ray do
nation te the Masonie school; but I had
forgotten all about it in my hurry.
However, thcre was no great harm
dene, I assured myself; no ene would go
into the room between new and te-morrow
morning except Richards and his
wife, and they were trusted servants of
many years' Btandlng. In spite of all my
efforts at feeling comfortable, howevcr,
thcre was n lurking boiise of uneasiness
in my mind as often as I recalled that
glimpse I had of Ilorace Dcbenham
plunging Inte the darkness of the outer
office which led through into mine
nnd slew, steady old Rlcharda stepping
te light his taper at the hall bracket bo be bo
fiire following him,
It waa iu vain that, as often as this
idea proHentcd itself te me, I brought
myself up eharply and anathematized
my narrow minded prejudices, and be
en. The thought would recur und I
could net get rid of it, bully myself na
much aa 1 liked.
It waa quite a relief when my solitary
drive was ever te And myself nmenff a
j number of friends and acquaintance;),
nnu te ue nnie te put tue ugly suspicion
out of my mind. Having ence get rid of
it, it did net recur until the next morn
ing, when, oddly enough, my first thought
wa3 of the cheque book.
I looked at my watch and found it waa
half past 8, be I rang my bell and asked
Richards if he had seen anything of the
book when he had shut my room up the
night before.
"I did net go into your room, sir," he
answered; "I locked the deer without
going inside. Mr, Dcbenham went in te
fetch his knlfe from your table, and I
locked the deer as seen as he came out."
' "Ilia knife?" I queried: and then I re
membered he had used it te crase a
wrong initial en ene of the letters he
had brought me te sign; but the romem remem romem
brance did net bring me much satisfac
tion. "Is Mrs. Rlcharda In the offices yet?"
I asked.
' "Yes, blr, this half hour past."
"Then just run down nnd bce If my
cheque book is en iny tnble there's a
geed fellow."
I lay In a Btate et unpleasant expecta
tion until his return nn expectation that
was fulfilled te the loiter. Thcre was
no cheque book there!
I get up and dressed, feeling much tee
worried te keep still, and was down in
the outer oflice when the first clerk Mr.
Lcvcns arrived. He looked very much
astonished when he saw mc; but, befere
he had tlme te say moretliau geed morn
ing, Heraco Dcbenham came following
en his hrela. He, tee, looked astonished
at my unusual carlincss and confused,
tee, I thought, when I told ldm I wanted
te speak te hlni for a few moments in my
room. As we passed in I waa conscious
of I a) en:t' keenly curious glance follow
ing us; ha was inclined te be "down en
Herace," I knew, and itessibly he hoped
tlmtthoyeuugbtcr was In fera reprimand.
As seen ua Ilorace had closed the deer
behind him, te my untold relief he took
my cheque book out of lita pedket and
put it upon the table,
"That waa what j ou wanted me for,
wasn't It?" he bald coolly, "I saw it
lying here when I camu in for my knife
lat night after you lmd geuu, be I thought
I had better take it home with me for
bafety. 1 expected te Jiave been here be be bo
eoro ou had time te mi&s It."
Nena but thevj who have geno through
a bimilar experience cuu understand hew
thankful I felt. It would have bcenbad
enough te have lest the book in any cir
cumstances, but te have lest it in such n
way that suspicion pointed teCyntlua'a
brother as the thief would have been in in
eupperninie. I thanked him for his forethought; and
was bill! btaudin( with the book In my
hand whii Ia ii -am iu with thuflrbt
hatch of letter, having just unlocked
tee letter itex.
He clanccd at the cheque book
rleualy, and, under the impula dMl'
moment, made mere commaaleatff 'Jtth '
the relief te my feelings, I told Ma witt ( i
bad happened. I never saw a ma ,'
affected out of all proportion te thecMM
of hla emotion as be was. -
"And Mr. Debanhem had it In kta MM '-'
all night!" he said, in a tragie tone.
"Well, I think yeu're lucky te have gel
it back- safe, Mr. Qulnten set thI
should llke te say a word against lb
lad himself; but he gees into such queer
company that it would net have sur
prised me in the least if his pocket m4
been picked of it."
"What de you mean by queer com
pany, Levcns?' I asked, with a auddea
idea that I had perhaps stumbled upon
Cynthia's secret worry by accident
"Why, betting men, and se en. X1
overhear the juniors talk sometimes,
and it seems te me that Mr. Dcbeabaa ,
mixes a geed deal with bookmakers and i
such rabble, for I often hear him give
what he calls a private 'tip' from So-aad-Se
te ene nnd another of thorn."
"That's bad business," I said, indiffer
ently, turning te my letters aa I spokes '
and he took the hint and went
I did net open my letters for soma
minutes, but sat thinking ever thia newi
of Herace's associates.
T , ,-
"27it teaj what veu u-anttd .mt for,
tvam't itr
This was werse than almost anything,
tlili rtcnvn en lnlilHf T IawiB T lJ
Set.
I ME!?4HlLLaV&3
I M til 'WeWeOttwf
J JgJf. Hh7
tutu witM.li iui UVlllIlgi 1 JkllUtVj IUJT M 1IBU vv
gonetnrougn tue oxpenence myself. I
urnulil n1mnt tfiHtrti htrn tiAfml thA
ITnrnrVl liml fnltnn lntfttnvrihrtnrms0
vlce tliaa UiU particular ene of backing
homes net bccau&a it Is Iu Itself met
heinous, but because IU held en IU rle-
fltt Id an tanartUua nml lvrwniaA ve? lim
.i7i"j",T.' ,"".-"' $
viuu BirunuuiK biuu issues.
increwas no ueuui ten inmymma -v-.
new en the subject of Cynthia's trouble &
site Knew or tins weakness or her ';
urevue-rs. .
T -tl.l 4 . 1- TT I M. w i. &
i uiu uut Bpuuit tu uuraw, out i get i
away from the oflice as coon aa I could
that afternoon and went te her te tell
her I had found out' her secret and te
arrange seme plan for reclaiming the -young
idiet.4 when I was announced ',
euu m:uuicu icas sen pesscssca inaa x,
usual, I thought, and her agitation in-. t
creased when she heard my story, ' V
"Vaii nrnwrvinffnn nn, tittnt flAt-al.! I J'
u. . i.avuQW.. W..W VM.,WV1., -?,
she said, when she had heard all I had i'
te tell her; "I knew Heraco waa In dllB- Z
culties, but I did net knew hew he get' ,
Inte thorn. I never had a suspicion of 'l
tne cause I only knew he waa In dee- xs
pcrateiy low spirits nnu ewcu mere mon
ey than he could possibly pay; but be
never told me it waa bettinE that kad t'3
caused his troubles." hi
"uui, an tue same, ue nas reanagea M a3
mnlsn mil tit a inn r9 ttiiwttif I 4sejMfr fTa
SaW J WU IIIV UIIU VI fVeVfrl4 tVIUIVUI tTJ
of the worry the yeunir rascal had been. U.J
te her. "I knew all about it, my dear, Jj
gin j you necu net try te ncicnu mm. i4 vg
can quite unucrsiauu new no nea come .a
Immrt ulit lifii liApeji lin.1 Iuiam !...- '"&
wherc,' hew he lias cried out against
fate, and snorted ami fumed and paced
llin rctcim. nml nwnni tin wnt n mlrifvl
tn.in. nml flnnlnril thorn u-iu nntv nna n;
way out of his misery te put an end te
himself and all the rest of the cheap
tti-nd.lln Kiw tttfrtia in ma f.rll.l.
that van have raised mnnnv tar him v',
mero than encer" "',
.V PJIU PUIU lJU,f.-,.J, tVW IH3
eyes ana loeicmg asnaraeu or ncrseuv
M. VUUIU I4UII li' I1IU4 uu du tvuitivu. Hum
I had the means te help him." A
"Andl8uppoiie you have parted with J
seme of your mother's Jewelry?" ,
"I did net want it new, you see," she fe.
unswi-ruu. '
"new much have veu lest?" I naked. "
fccllner rnv rnc-n increasing within ma at l
every reply Bhe made. "De and fetch
me all you have left, Cynthia; I will
keep it for you he shall have no mere."
"I have nene left. Qerald." i -
It wan quite as much as I could de te
kcep back the exclamation that rose te tgi
... tin- It... Y .11.1 131. ,. .I.K.M..1 -. f. fti
iuy nfia, uui a uu. euu Butuumj wu law
caimness. wnai rigut nau i 10 atoms a-:
ana rave wuen tue cmui suucrerwaa v
patienu
i toeic a iew rapiu turns up ana aewn
the room, and, when I had thoroughly
regained my self control I speke again.
"Ia he in debt new?" "Yes."
The word was scarcely mero than a
BiyiJ, UU 1 lillUIV WIUlli Ik tUSIr 11CI MJ
say It. 4
"Hew much de you knew? $;
due loeucu nt me wuueuc speaiung. :
anu ncr lips quivereu.
'IVin'l h fnn!tli fVnMil.il" t until.
going ever te her. "What fa a little B'
money te me compared with your com- i
fort nnd bnnniness? Yeu eucht net te 'rj
fnnl If cr.
She tried te sneak, but her face worked -,
4 . ., ... , ,
aa.. ....I ft! .nl .. i..il ..liii in .m lin. I.M..J 4:
niiil .... ivn'1 K)r ni-ita Pni- n nn- fiinmitnt. ,'
I smoothed her pretty hair gently; and, $;
when I heard a sob ceme from behind Z,
the sheltering hand, I felt I wanted se -
murder seme ene Heraco for choice.
By and by, when she took hoc hand
from Imr evra. nnd murmured semcthlnc vt
about being silly , I druw forward a chair 4',
and sat down in front of her.
"New I am going te talk business," I
eald verv eolemnlv. "This bcttinir isa .i;
Bcrieua matter, and I don't knew 'hear Q
best te set about curing Herace. If I ,
WUUIU fclVU uu t ima fcwie ,b." J n'
might pcrhapa have Bome effect ou huij ji
hnrari Ami if veu will leave ua ti
win veu let me wait ucreumu no cettiea
gethcr, I will go at him hammer and -
...nn r..l iti(.AtlAn liln virlili Incinnf til.- I
.UilfcO, UIU, ..l..V... ...U ...... II1.M.H.UU- 3
honor net te steep te thia felly.again! '
When I've given him a geed shaking up ;
i ii iiiiibu vy Eeiumg ius prsacui uewut, -,
What is the ameuntr" ' A
I took my cheque book from my pocket &
ns I speke, nud began te fill iu, se that '
Cynthia might have tlme te recover her f ,
self. When I had written in 'Tay te Mr. 4? 4?
Heraco Dcbenham ," and Blgned my namev A:
I turned back the last tally te leek at tha -,'
"ate" Cnttiuat next Aiturdupi ( J f
Hanliu.1 PrsUe l-wt -r.-
Thi. c... iv-nelcs. Phrnn(aii la onietvid ail V.'.
giving an Interview with Baake, fee,
i.i...,in ciiil..,. at th world, iii which k ia jt
VIIIIIIII'IVU WHHVI T - -mr --- -- j. ,
full of pratsoef the young AuVralUin, Scat la "J ;
i. m mut nYYinner for k ckaiBDiOB. .1 "
thlpef thawerlJ tldi autumn ia Kugmad. H "jS
Ilanlau declares tua rer jerui, pect,
....!., .,.-.u... I.I. .W-.1.1.I nl ftfc V
he for outclasses uch tueu aa Baacb eatH
Wme. lumevei- reed thaw two BUV b.ft "-J .:'
aa;
c-
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