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JOHN WINTHROP'S DEFEAT.

/'• ; By JEAN KATIT, LUDLfIM? &Hbhor of «Under a Cloud,' s Under Oftth,, \Jl_Att, Girl's Mercy/ ' of ■' % 'Johnson's,' •' Etc.,' Etc.

CHAPTER VII. UNDER LIGHT "WORDS. And in that we have nobly striven atle»st, .Deal with us nobly, women though w PC And honour ns with truth if not withptaise. The world's male chivalry has perished out, -'But woman are knight-errant to tho last. —Aurora W«gh. Miss Catherwood was crying! Not in wild grief, but very softly, as though it were a flower she had lost, or some p«i bird, liko tho fond thoughtless child-woman sho was. She sab upon tho sands, justab the bend ia the beach that shut her of from tho hotel and pavilion and the batters in tho serf. Her small hands — veritable child's hands they looked with their soft flesh and dimples — clasped aboob her kneos, her feet patting restlessly ths glittering particles under foot. She waslookiii2 over tho water, but ib was little she saw, for those brimming tears upon her lashes blurred and dimmed tho ships and tho ocean and the delicate summer.clouda upon tha heavens. Her red lips were quivering with grief, bub very kissabls still, and, al-hough weeping had somewhat flushed the delicate face, she was more fair than Aphrodite or Ariadne—said Lane Laland, discovering her, standing on the sandhill above her. £ Sweetheart! he said, going softly down to her, and kneeling upon one knee at her side —they were alone— 'what has, happened that you are here like this, md so sad 1 Let me share your sorrow, whatever ib maybe, and so lighton ib for you !' Like a startled child her black eyes were raised to hisfac9, and then the handa were unclasped from around her knees and covered bar face, and in the firsb moment of companionship she sobbed very pitifully, her head upon his shoulder where he had drawn it. Then, the woman conquering Mo child, she withdrew herself from his j«|_brace, winking very hard and fast to ' shako the trace of tears from her lashea and smoothing her rumpled hair. 'It is so very, very hard, this blow upon Mrs Graham, Lane! She is so sweei and so brave! I loved her—l jusb could nob help ib, when she was here; and I think, I think she liked vie— a little ! I want to go to her, Lane, and comfort her, and let her know that I do care for her friendship ! She seemed to think that I would not care for it after that day.' ' Why nob write to her ?' suggested. Lane, gently, never quite certain of pleasing this small tyrant of his. * Then you can go bo her when it is possible, Bess, dear !' Bub Miss Bess did not see it in that light. 'That wouldn't do at all, Lane!' she protested, poking the sand busily into a tiny heap with the toe of one boob, ' I shall go tocher this very day. The morning steamer has gone," I know, bub Mr Priestly will take me across in the Banjo—thab was her favourite boat too, Lane—and I shall remain with Aunt YV right; over night in tho ciby. She will be glad to have me, in her loneliness. Poor, beautiful Mrs Graham!' ■ ' And who will go with you to tho city, Bess V The great eyes turned upon him ware the old saucy 'black eyes now. •'» 'Aa though lam incapable of travelling alone,' she said, scornfully. 'In the nineteenth century, too ! I scarcely think any bears will eat me, Sir Galahad !' I ' Well,' said her lover, wibh a lover's foolish fondness, 'you are sweeb enougif, to eat, Miss Independence, and I will not allow you bo travel alone. Pray, whore is your chaperon V 'Mrs Ellis? She will remain h«re, of course, to welcome me upon my return, like bhe prodigal daughter, Blue Bearii. I am going in at once to dress. I only;came out here to have my little mourn before I started, and you musb follow me even here. Think of bhe whole long day of nay absence and be very nice to me while I am here, Mr Lane.' 'I shall think of nothing of the sorb,' he retorted, coolly. 'I am going to the city myself this morning to see Graham. There is room enough in bhe Banjo for an oxtra- passenger, and. Mrs Ellis will give you into my charge until I hand you over to Mrs GraharA. This blow upon them is very heavy. Wjho would have thought it of such a man ? ( " Solid aa a brick, everybody said. Bub hi- wife has a fortune in her own right, you know. Thab is better than total loss,' lb was Alecia's wish that no one except those obliged to know should learn of her los 3of fortune; and her husband, seeing thab ib was a hearb wish, yielded to her. So even their mosb intimate friends did not know the extent of their reverses. Miss Cabherwood was inbrusted with many messages of sympathy from those at the Surf Hotel who had known the Grahams even so slightly as to be upon only speaking acquaintance. Every one liked tho man and admired the woman—-bhe two who had mado many a happy day for them wibh their lavish money and kindly courbesv.

The magnificent house on the Avenue was closed and the shades drawn down, no sign of life about it, as Miss Catherwood and Leland ascended the steps, not even ab firsb receiving an answer bo their ring. ' Perhaps bhey have gone away,' said Bess, a pucker of perplexity bebwe-ti her brows. 'If they havo lost everything, Lane, of course this lovely house must go. tqp. It jusb makes me wish to cry, it is so wicked.'

Her lover would not allow oven tbe ghost of a smile to afcir his lips, though he was inwardly pondering tho strange freaks of women—especially this woman—who could toe ab once so childish and so womanly; variable, in truth, aa the winds of heaven. He was als_ thinking of the ' lovely dresses and bonnets' which she had so protested she envied, and her openly expressed vexation thab thia man, now a bankrupt, had nob fallen in love with her small self instead of Alecia Field. Bub he was' growing wise, this lover of hers, and made no reply to her charming speech; and presently they were' admitted into the silent house, and Alecia came down to greet them, pale exceedingly, but very beautiful. She was gowned in a sofb grey cashmere, thab fell aboub her in bewildering folds, as though ib loved her, the pale-blue' silk trimmings and delicate lace setting, off her sweetly proud face and waves of bair. • You are so beautiful always and, so brave, dear, dear Mrs Graham!' murmured spoiled Miss Bess, and her two hands holding the slender hand extended to her in welcome, while the violet eyes met the black eyes tenderly. < I could not stay away. And we are so sorry, all of us about this. And the girls sent their love,'and. thoy eried —some of them ; and I dori'b know how to tell you that I am so sorry, sorry, sorry ! What are you, any way, Mrs Graham, thab nobbing spoils you or make ß you cross ?' Alecia smiled kindly down into the black eyes of this little warm-hearted friend. She drew hor with hor down upon a sofa near Lane Leland, that he Bhould be i Q " eluded ab once in the conversation, «Ib is wonderfully kind of you all,' she said, _' to think of my husband and me ab this time. Ib is an anxious time of course. You would scarcely recognise my husband ; ho is so worried aboub nob feeing able to meefj his liabilitiea that) he

e"sbbw!_ al £ ayß ' she added, swiftly, «andl th T„l hould wron « him -* instant ■SufiS ffiore of 7 comforb . fchan oi pab on S 8 , Bea S' e ?P with a soft fie™ J? u and she held - 'I d °nt -beEarn.' 0 a *' ot,ld bite you> dear Mrs htmiT™'! 1 ? 01 * ls nofc in ' M " Grawh__. f quene ? Lela «d, scarcely knowing wSL *r y t0 fchiß P roud > self-contained hßfn-i-T - Would like so much t0 see him before I return to Fire Island.' «T _™ _ Harold is > oub,' said Alecia, sofbly. now M eV T r , Cß _ fcain of hia h °«re ab home fnJ'vJl' L r and - Ho wiU re S re * "ot seenf_/u 0U huve time'bo come in ifn* i-l? ay have "burned. One would nob wish bo miss a f riend ab thia time of nnnM y °r U k . How brilliantly she X""!? stl » I' He has placed his affairs witn.Mr Clavermg and given up everything to Ins creditors. Surely, they can expect no more of him.' \ 'And, afber all,' said Bess, comfortingly, there is your own fortune, Mrs Graham, v., "T as thou £h you had nothing lefb. you have more money bhan I even now.' «ob a muscle of Alecia's face changed bo oetrayher. Her hands were steady under the soft fingers upon them, and her voice even when she spoke. 'It is sweefc of you to be so thoughtful,' she said. 'If only it all were over! I aread this time more than later. We will leave bhe house ab once. Ib is no longer ours, and we could nob remain longer than necessary to make other arrangements. Afterward I think we shall leave the ciby. It will be besb to go away, you know. My. husband has been under such severe trial that ho will need the change.' 'And you?' queried Miss Cabherwood, softly. * You' must think of yourself sometimes, Mrs Graham.' A slow colour deepened in Mrs Graham's face. c 'As everyone thinks of me,' she said, and for me, what need is there for me to think of myself, Miss Catherwood . And among those friends who do think of us is Mr Benßonhurst. He is untiring in his efforts to cheer Harold and to keep from him any unpleasantness in his power. I will frankly acknowledge my failing, and say that I did not believe there was so much good in him, Mr Leland.' ' A fellow couldn't help being the best he knew how for you and your husband, you know !' said Leland, impulsively. ' Still, there is more in Gregory Bensonhursb bhan one would believe unbil one knows him. I know him. He is solid righb through, if he is somewhat given to baking lifo easy, Mrs Graham.'

' Yes,' said Alecia, gravely. 'We have found him true indeed, Mr Leland.' Then she asked after Mr Earle's recovery from the effects of the wreck as quietly and interestedly as though he were their warmest friend, and turned the conversation to general topics, and was her bright calm, beautiful self as though, Miss Catherwood thought wonderingly —as though nothing wrong had come upon them. And by-and-by Lane Leland took his leave; but Miss Catherwood remained with her friend at her request. So the days went by, some of them dragging heavily, some .all top swifb, through the remainder of the summer ; and ib was aubumn weather before the'affkirs of Harold Graham were settled enough to admibqf his leaving the city to open a new life in a new field. *

After Alecia's vain attempt bo bring, about some adjustment of the affair, the case was tried, and she was closely examined, bo discover, if possible, whebher'or not there remained some means whereby bhe creditor, Palmer Earle, should receive his due. For four weary horns she was held in the witness' stand. For four interminable hours these men argued to prove that Harold Graham had not given up all that he could and should to meet tho demand against him. And whab did they prove? Thab her fortune was gone wibh her husband's ; thab nothing was withheld save ber diamonds, and bhose her exclusive property ; and, besides thia, nothing did they prove save how true and noble was Alecia, Harold Graham's wife, though nob a shadow of sofbness or yielding was granted her by John Winthrop, counsel for Palmer Earle, not a shadow of turning, even when he discovered thab there remained no fortune of hers to be yielded to her husband's creditors ; even though he knew that the handsome house upon the Avenue belonging to her was given up to meeb, so far as it might, bhesa heavy demands. . Nothing moved him, for down in his heart he was struggling to yield, and his will would nob; for he believed ib weakness because of a woman's face, and would be injustice to his client. Alecia's mother and sisters were upon the Continent ab the time of her husband's failure, and learned the startling news through the columns of .the papers only, for Alecia kept any menbion of ib from her letters; and they started for home as soon as arrangements could be hurried ; for in her home she was the sunshine as well as in the world, and bhose nearesb and dearest would save her unpleasanbness or harm, so far as lay in human power. She hiad wished them bo remain away until the worst was over, for she knew thab their presence would increase her proud husband's humiliation ; but, being a woman and loving and.craving sympathy, brave as she tried to be, she could nob fail to feel a sense of rest and strength in the circle of home love that came with them. No word of reproach was spoken of her husband's carelessness in this unfortunate investment that had lo ,t a princely fortune; ho word was uttered among them save perfect love and regret and encouragemenb. Harold Graham had too long been to them an ideal honourable man for them to question his integrity. Mrs Field insisted upon their remaining, at her house, and admitted ho denial when Harold urged objections ; and from the mother to Beatrice, the youngest of the family, they allMarion and Cora and Frances—gave only good cheer to this favourite sister and her busband. «I hate thab lawyer of Mr Earle's I' cried Beatrice, with flushing cheeks and sparkling eyes. «He'is the only one who is so hard upon Harold. The others are" willing to give him time to retrieve himself, but this John Winthrop—l've gob his name by heart, I assure you, for I'll not forgeb him if the time comes to remember—is like adamant, and urges Mr Earle bo bhe very lasb exbromity, and is so generally hateful thab I wish I could tell him whab I think of him ! Maybe he isn't used to hearing the bruth, bub he'd hear ib then !' «Which would utterly crush him, of course .' said Marion, ironically. «Even if ib hasn'b done so yeb, for I meb him just now and he still trod the street like a veritablo Prince of the Stony Hearts, Miss Bee.' said a laughing voice ab the door, as bhe foobman announced— • Mr Gregory Bcnsonbursb.' (To he Continued.)

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18911017.2.48

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 247, 17 October 1891, Page 6

Word Count
2,502

JOHN WINTHROP'S DEFEAT. Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 247, 17 October 1891, Page 6

JOHN WINTHROP'S DEFEAT. Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 247, 17 October 1891, Page 6

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