A MODERN JULIET.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 253, 23 October 1909, Page 16

A MODERN JULIET.

BY CHARLES GARVICE L J

* ' - ' "Vγ D"-.-!cus Ways." "The ,r. il-* .---'" :..rr:-\ ,-r Hollow Gold," : --:.•: Lcved Run.-' P — I: ■ :i.wi er IX. ! - ■ ■..-■ ■ ::-■ :..- L' >;l people V . .. r y,'-'.: :-:.'"l..;;V a if"£Sr ] c:> - ... •:••■■ i- a horse or ! ' ' - :i Th-y talk *;; - : A ."i"'t.-hm...,r man j •; -■ ■■y.r : '-' : ::]c :i : X"-^ : ; ' . : in Dev.-n-hire," and [ '■- "■!_'•• i- in -"lv m.i !e ::. i '.:: :.'.- e\-i ■ •: London—j, ■ ■--' ■ The twenty-second j 1 ■k •= - -• : ■■■-. :;•■.-: all Thau-hraoor cr -. ■.::•.:■: •-. ,:.... Ir ,, :l , lo .„ at tho b.i.:. : T ■• I.irk: for Mr. Stetcombe ! tui .- ■ - ;.:., i l;v ;_ted o,- public to wit-; r."»_- ■ ' .a .-J' , •Ahith hU son had, f•- :•:■■ p'H.lio aw[,i fl | spon-! , t:ir.' -';.. ■' ■ ._-': i Mr. S-.e:onmbp was i ' ;>■>: ■. \ . : .'..ir— :i'.iny a farmer had!, -.»-■:. . .-. ..r Mr. S;,."tc.-.mb*-'« thumb, , f" L ' ■' '. few ii.il b»en "sold up" by t.t : v.' ::■! :■- ":;irr:n part-." It w.is : ' '"■'■■ ' .--■ ■■ ■i in ;h.—■■ parts rhao the n!R'■ . ■ -orro.veil moi:.-y from Mr. ' V .;• ". ;. i -up with the devil you want a v. .•. 1 :_■ ~pi win iniie^il. B- : \'.r. -t-:>-0 : .,;,... or. rather. Mr. Ash y. ~ i- going ;■■ do the ;hm; hand- i , §■■?.•;- "'i " ;!- ■■Ki-.i-ion. TJi--r.' «■ to' bi- a cTar. i -:.ir. i .1.1 i :i lunohfon for the ] . pHn:ry, ai, i ,i ;eni and for the Tiier.i was to b<? a band— eh-:- L:it.? ::". ri \"«ii;inieer Band, which : rr i ;•■ ■■:. \ i>. r >•'. if it didn't discourse' cv. •■■:■.; ::.i:.-:.-—.mi Thatehmoor was e:i :•:••. T::i: day. a: mv rate. Mr. Sietconxb? an: .':- -on .ver-e almost popular. Aγ.-; r->.t!ly. Mr. Ashby had taken a! f••:-.;. ''•.'.; ■ 1 trouble. The course had b— ~ plann" i ■ v* by a kind of committee j o: -— • :]'.*.-< r- ~-:" ih* 303 rd, .-tatianed at E-i ;" n ri, •.'."•_> had set- up some stiifish . ii"'" 1 *-. .'.".■ 1 cons tructeu a lornnda.b!e W'.i-r ]■■:■■; a s:r..i!l buc- pretty grand b: r.i : ii b-'T. erected, ai:d a lavish j lrT-.-be.-n proTii : -dMr. ~:---.-.-i•".":- hud rather hummed er. : ha '■■■ i a.-m: the expense, but Ashbv 1 h...i t.i '---I him down.. ' " ! -What* it matter?" he said, in the' e'lrt v.'.iv in which he was wont to ad-' c!--- i.:- T'-V'.r-'i parent. "If you're' g :: - to •: 1 thU kind of thing, you! vr.-.n: ;■■ .':■• i: «el!." " 1- :; wiirtn doinc at all. 117 boy?" ilr. -.■.::!■•- asked, doubtfully. Bu'. Ashhy. with a sneer, had rt-torted: '■<'■ 1 ■;:--.■ is i-. Here you've built tl is imrrui-k of .1 place in the hope t,:uxt i f«"ir»l —iii'iiplf wurth knowing—would' cail n μ-iii. And they h.ivt-n't:"' j " < ur-e :'i-:i: for a >tuck-upset!" | gr-.v!- i Mr. MftcomSn*. growing red uno, r :'.:■■ 'a:\n~. " 1 built it fur my own. —n:- own -'ornfori and amusement." , ■■<'■~. Ji-I you-;" retorted Ashby. Then, | ii th.il .v.i- t':i" only rtason. it- was a; -A.151- .-f ::i •!• v. P,ut you didn't. Of: c r--. ; i want tin , county peopie. and }■ ; :: _•:." :■ v- _- iif on wanting them to ; v.. ■ 1 ::-. . .:■):>■. •• i>—-1 ::■■■ i-mntt- people!" 1 said Mr. f---- - ■--.-.- fuilfuiy, "1 could buy iuo?t or «::•-" "I dar -,-iy." absented Mr. Ashby, with j 3. .-■;:-.:!■■!■ -■..:!■-. '"you i-ouKl buy them, lir :; r*itf ; ■•'!? y.m <-an t, buy their ae-j q.:..:: --:.. . 1: :r favour. A\ h:-n I wa= "1 >h onfotin.l Oxford!" growled Mr. St.-; ■••- ':» . ->::• w.i, ratlier tire-1 of hayLr_- : a .-.acicac *»-al of fearniag flung i n i h.- :• -a. }'..- -on n j:ir>l«-d him with covert scorn. "" i .'..1- _ .::_' to .-.n' that when I was a: ' x;or.i i. iea: -, .: a great " •• So vi ouiht; it enough,' , grnnu-d f.^rh-r. " And you'd :ittti-T leave mc to manage thinu;-.'' >.-oHtiiH!«i Mr. Ashby. lighting tv .iiiif -i.- whicb «viw.".y- annoyed his «f....:i-: 1 i.-viiu who himself always hani-v'.Ti-d a:-.-r a !ong clay. "I've got So::.-- vi ihv best people ill tho "County I fjMiim;. NctiTiy ait the goini; I tv ride, and tilt- Kerndales and the Loam-i

" Are any .■:' the Wrayfordes coming?"' a-k«-i Mr. >teteornbe —"the Wiayfordes or ::i.> L-ijiis*- lhoy're the by. ::,y b-v." A- ,:■>■ s.niloj hU superior smile again. "Yes. t'..-v ..re. thanks to mc. 1 WPT- an I a-kovl Y:iem. 1 asked Miss Lci_':i .it ".■•■ in!'. An-i Mr. Harry Wrayiur-:.- i* cuing: t i ride." Mr. Mr-rfniu'w nodded with complacent -;i:_-:.ii:U"n. -Really; Xlui-l'.-s good. They're the poor ■:-. . Ajhhy—the Wravfordes "and Ihu U-ighs. They're worth all the rest. J?r>ntv £ir.». tine sixl. JlU= Leigh: eh, Asl::>-■; _i*i! I saw you making up to her at the bail, ijiute rigiu—•quite rkrht. A.-iiby." A-J/i-y frowned, but his lather was noD " L''<.ik here. Ar-hhy. mv boy: you keep c:. .:i chat l.ne. You're on the right t.i %. a iinc girL a beautiful girl, c. r _■ K.ir -:;:r.ii>-r: Now. that'stti c kind o: J r! I *:i"ij!.l like to see you " A.-hby broke in, with undutiful imp it;, nee: " 1 know. Dttler not interfere, father. Ab-uii the ebamfagnt —tne stuff you ordn i »...:i": Jo afall." "I;"- v- r v L r O'">d wine." sail Mr. Stetcoai!-/. " fifty »':,i:Unsr» a dozen, lhafs Quit, cii' to pay, i ahotiKl think. a win.- 1 never did take to. an ; i :.r,nk it"* all non»easu the price •'lv. IVmmerv, ISSO," saM A-. ■.. '.:> ■aturuilly. *" l>ail ciiuinpagne "~ Mr. -■,':■:!!:.■ -todnv I. " And a j.-ti:v priLt you'll have to pay •■ \V!:.i: ■:■-- it maticr:"' retorted Mr. A-. v. "W.a. i- t:ie use of duiiy the t:..:,_" i.y .liii' l.i>ok iifre, f:itrnr: we ■bj:.: ; ■ a—.r: n'.ir-elvi -. and ii »<■ give lii- ■ . : .-li-.ap we should ?po.l .'.7. ■*: : com bo saw; but he groaned. &. : -;..•■. ■- '. ■.. got t'" l n:_'h and Wty n>> - v .. /.-'.I, v. :rv 1)0} !" he -aid. :. - iar.Kteri-:i.-" , took -■:- ■ ■■t. ;.ie c the race: but ', ■_ ..ii:;:n2 iif the great event, when ;.; -. - - :. ::.'..■> s;;rveved tne occupants oi : .. j:.::: 1 stand, he :>it that bis son ■. -j :. He ':u.ri~-.i. clever man a= he '••i.l :".-.■: ha\e got together such a i;. ' :;_' '.■: "the noriliiv and gentry" .:■..•■ As he \\a:kc,l a.' .i rvuowli-djriiig the hal-to'icking c: ; ..- ;.ir:i,t-r= and labourers, an 1 greei::.j tae aristocnits as. they made t::rir way to "':•• stand, his he.ir: swelled v-i-a ;.rii,—and his h-ad, too. HU forebears hai drapers in Latehford. and here was he —thanks to his ?on— enterthe principal p«ople in the cour.ty. Ec had never got in-ioss. a Jiorse in nis

life: but tliis Tv.orn;nir be had put on o, ri- : suit, and carried a hunting-crop in his hand, and ho puffed out his cheeks, 1 .ifij tried to imitate Lord Loamshire, who had a habit of standing with his legs apjrt. Mr. Ashby had attired himself in a prey morning suit, and this suit was coxspicuouily all over the ground, a= he wtnt from point to point, speaking to one and the other, and welcoming the great of the land with what he errone--o'isly considered the proper manner. "I don't see the \Vravfordes or the L-;i!;hs. Ashby," whispered Mr. S.te r - ( cumlw, anxiou^lv. "Oh, they'll be here presently," said! A-hby. with his superior air; and al- j :..'--; as he spoke, the Thatehborough . Hal! ;-h;ieton. with its superb pair, drove j up. Mr. Ashby hurried forward to 1 nn-et it. and his face flushed as he raised his hat and held out his hand. I ''So good of you to come!" he murmured.

Diana., who was driving, dropped, the rr-in- t.. Masters, and alighted' like a fria-iher fro:n the cart. Shs wore a i tailor-made dress which showed—aecen- i tuated —her slim and graceful figure to p*-rf.T:i'->n. and she looked like some . exquisite flower, with her red-gold hair : nn-1 violet eyes. '"Of courfp we have come!" she said.! '•How crowded it is! Will there be j room for us?" "I havp reserred seats for you in j front." said Mr. Ashby. with an air : of importance. ''Please let mc take] yon to them. Good-morning, Sir Edward." Sir Edward shook hands and looked | towards the grand-stand. smilingly, j The Loamshire3 and the Ferndales and ' the other county prople were already' there. \ "This way!" said Mr. Ashby; and he j led them to their places, and handed them the inartistic card of the races. "P.eallr thi~ is very excellent!" said Sir E-in-urd. Jr.; Diana looked round shyly as she exchanged greetings with the Loamshires and the Ferndales. Harry Wrayforde was nowhere to be seen. "Oh. we've done our best." murmured Mr. Ashby. "I hope it will be a good race. The favourite—there is always a favourit". Miss Leigh—is Colonel! Swayte's horse. It is a good horse, and sure- to win. Xo. G on the card, Miss Leigh." Diana looked down the card. Rut the only number and name she noticed was—"Xo 6 ; Bobby—Mr. Harry j Wrayforde." He was going to ride. | Her heart beat quickly: she could only. see that line—'"No. 6, Bobby—Mr. Harry j Wrayforde." She dropped her card in her lap. and looked straight before her. '"You are not going to ride, Mr. i Ashby V asked Sir Edward in his thin, high-bred voice. "Xo-o." drawled Ashby. '"So much j to do. you know. Sir Edward. Are you inclined to bet, Miss Leigh?"' Dinna glanced at him: she had been looking over the course and at the crowd absently. "I don't know." she said. "But if—if I were going to bet I should like to back—what is it? —Bobby?" Mr. Ashby bit his thin under lip. ""Ah!" he drawled. "Mr. Harry Wrayforde's horse. Don't know anything al>out him. Hasn't much chance. I should think. Some of tho officers have some good animals. I should ad- , vise you to change your favourite." "Yes, Di," said Sir Edward, pleasant- ■ ly. ""Take Mr. Steteombe's advice if you -want to win some gloves." Di looked down with an affectation of I hesitation. A girl in her teens can give J a man of fifty points in this game. "I am obstinate, father," she said, '"and Til back Bobby!" "And I will take you. in a dozen of gloves. Mi=s Leigh,"' said Mr. Ashby. "And I h<~pe you will win." he said, leaning on the rail he-side her, talking las long as he could. Mr. Ashby was not quite comfortable, surrounded by the Lonmshires and the Ferndales, who. though they were as civil as only your well-bred people can be, did not take him into the conversations which they were carrying on imonj", themselves: and presently he found that Miss Leigh was scarcely attending to him. Iso with a murmured excuse he left her. f "Does anyone know this horse of j Harry Wrayforde'??" asked Lord Ferni dale, from where he stood below the

stand. Lord Loam?hire shook hi? head, "Xone of us. I think. But it's sure to be a good one. Young Harry is a fir~t-rate judge of a horse; and he rides like—like a Mexican. Has anyone seen him. by the Tray? He ought to be here." As he spoke, Harry and Chantry Payne drove up in a dog-cart. "What a splendid young man it is!" said Lady Loamshire. with a smile. i **\\ ho says the Anglo-Saxon race is 1 played out?" "Ah! who said it?" retorted Lord Fernd.ile. Harry and Chantry got down and stood talking to Ashby Stetcombe. Harry wore a very long Newmarket, with the collar turned up to hide his silk riding-jacket, and carried his cap in his pocket. He looked wonderfully i tall and erect in the long grey coat, and Lord Ferndale shook his head. '■Too much length and weight!" he said. "What a contrast to the colonel!" He nodded to Colonel Swayte, whose small, spare form looked ridiculously diminutive beside Harry's. Diana kept her eyes fixed on the trees opposite her; her heart was beating strangely; a warm glow was creeping over her. Was he ever going to look toward the stand? He turned presently, and his eyes swept the lines of gaily dressed women, then they met hers, and he raised his hat. Diana felt the blood rushing to her face, but she fought hard to keep it ilown. and—made no acknowledgment of his salute. Harry's brows came down, and he turn.-d ~n his heel and walked towards tin , dre—iiur-u-nt. Chantry Payne glanced at him with a covert smile." "My prince has forgotten his humble servant." lie said to himself. But Harry remembered him suddenly. "Oh. Chantry. I'll go up to the st;>nd ami find a place fur you; and I'll introduce you to suine of 'em. Come on!" As they approached the stand. Diana's heart seemed to heat like a drum: but she s-tudiou»ly avoided looking in their direction, and talked hurriedly and eagerly to her father_. who looked straight before him. Harry met with a warm reception: and he bowed and shook hands in his. boyish, light-hearted way. "Are you going to win. Mr. Wrayrorde?" asked Lady Ferndale. "Don't know; but we're going to try, Lady Ferndale." he said. As he spoke, he drew a little nearer to Diana's chair. "It's a stiffish course, and that gives mc a chance. My horse is rather heavy, but he can stay." "I don't like that water-jump." remarked a young lady, with a pretty shud-

dor. ■'I'm sure there will be some accidents there. -.

"Not at all unlikely." said Harry, cheerfully. "By the way, you can't see it very well from here." A3 if to ascertain how well th.-y could see it, he drew still nearer to liiana, so that he was nearly touching her. For a moment the colour flooded her face. Was he going to speak to her? But he only looked down on her for a moment with a kind of appeal and reproach in his eyes. Then !;•• introduced Chantry Payne to one and another, and with a "I'd better go and get ready." leapt down from the stand and strode across to the dressing-tent. Chantry Payne's chair was immediately behind Diana's, and she could hear every word he said, for his voi.-e, though low. and slow, was extraordinarily distinct, and he intended her to hear. "Do you really think there is any danger, Mr. Payne?" asked Lady Loamshire. "Yes, I fancy there Is," he replied. "My cousin makes Hglit of it; but to tell you the truth. I am rather anxious about him. He does not know what fear is, and he is always reckless, especially with horses. But don't let 7ne create any alarm: I am a nervous and tirm, -1 individual." There was a laugh of incredulity, but he looked round gravely. "It is a melancholy truth." he said. - 'l wouldn't ride in this race, or any other, if my life depended upon it. I always say that my cousin has monopolised all the courage of the family: and I know I shall have a bad quarter of an hour, or whatever time it may take them to get round, for he is sure to rush his fei • <*s ! and force his horse." "Well, if he does that he may break his neck, but he won't win," remarked a , man. with an air of conviction. "He would rattier break his neck than lose." said (,'hantry Payne, quietly. Diana's face grew pale, and she lean* back and apeared to be studying the card minutely. "Ah, here they come! How pretty they look!" exclaimed Lady Lo.imshire, as the horses went to the starting-place. It was a pretty picture; the handsome horses groomed to perfection, their coats shining like satin; the gay jackets of the riders gleaming, bright jiatches of vivid colour in the sunlight. Diana raised her field glasses ami looked at them, at one, rather, for her eye* were fixed on Harry Wrayforde. whose colours were dark scarlet bound with black. "That's a good horse of Wravforde's, anyhow," said :i man. "The best here, I think, excepting the colonel's Polly. I Polly's the horse for my money." i "I must stand by our stables," said Uhantry Payne, with a drawl. "Will someone kindly give mc a chance of losing one of my few nv"-pound notes?" '"I'll take "you, sir." said Mr. Ashby. from just below the stand. Chantry Payne nodded, and Ashby. with n Hushed face, hurried across to see the start. There \va< :i moment's silence, then, as the flag fell, the crowd broke into a cheer, and cries of "They're olT! they're off!" (To be continued, daily.)