A HERITAGE OF HATE BY CHARLES GARVICE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 66, 18 March 1910, Page 8

A HERITAGE OF HATE BY CHARLES GARVICE.

'Author of "The Marquis," "Lorrie," "A Modern Juliet," "By Devious Ways," etc!

11 CHAPTER SsXV.—Continued. 1 His lips quivered as he said this, his 1 Voice shook, and his head drooped for a moment."-'-Too sudden a. joy has its pains ] and penalties as- well as too sudden a..] grief. . " ~ ~ " ~ T ~_" 1 1 She knew, and her heart throbbed in sympathy with.- every _§wj|t_ emotion _of his, and her hand slid towards his; but , suddenly she drew it: back and shuddered. She was forgetting for-a- moment that she was going to slay this joy of his with a , sudden stroke which -would be all the — z worse, ."more acute and - terrible for its ■ -ybeing".dealt~by her hand. "" A .'*..-' He became conscious of her silence, and looked up at her. "Speak to mc, Mary,-dearest! Just tellme thatthat you are glad.- Of-course I know; but I want "to hear you say it." "I—am glad," she said, hoarsely. He laughed. - - - A P "When I've taken you home I'll go back for your father, and we'll come back tor theyTlatorgive -mc at home when •they know "where I've been, whom I've mat. Rayne will tell them. Mary, dearest, I can scarcely believe that I'm sit- . ting near you, that I can touch you with "- mv hand. Put your hand in mine, dear-, : est!- I cannot "kiss you—the. —but J if yyou. will take off your glove for a j Sioment- " Her pale face went whiter, and her eyes closed. "I— cannot!" she said, in a hoarse whisper. "It—it is not my own—now." He looked at her, not understanding in the least, looked at her with a faint, questioning smile. "Mot your own?" He laughed softly. "No, it's mine now, mine—mine! And - can't a man do what" he like's with "his own?" He looked at her, looked wistfully at -the sweet lips, as a man gazes who has been waiting many weary months for the kiss that shall repay him for . his waiting. Then they were passing through the Hatherley gates at the moment; and the light" from "the lodge window ' fell "-"" upon Mary's face—die was startled by its pallor, but more by the agony in every line of it. ''Mary." he said, in a low voice. "What' is the "matter? Are you ill? Tell mc, dearest?" •As he spoke, he put his left" arm round" her; but she drew away" from him, shrinking as far into the Corner of the" phaeton as possible.. "Mary," he asked, amazed and startled, and with just the shadow of a terrible fear and doubt' crossing his mind, "what is it? Have I —done anything?" _ ."Sono!" she responded, with a sob ' catching her voice, -and almost choking her. "Oh, how can I tell you, how can I? It is —cruel—cruel! Edward" -.^he-faced- with sudden - resolution, -the resolution of one driven to -bay and facing the death which he has brought on himself"Edward, it— is too date." "Too late?" he echoed, dully. "What. is too late? F-donT. understand. For God's sake, -ISlarjv ddn'£=?doiL?tPkeep mc in suspense. - ExpTaST! ""It—is "torture —■ what has happened, why do you look - ~ mc 1 like-that—speak to jue in this 7 way?" M 1 _." -7 ' " 1_- " . . TdCaiCyon -not guess?!'.she said, almost inaudibly, with her hand at her throat, as if she were suffocating. "Oh! must I speak —can't you spare mc? Oh, God! have pity on me —and him!" _ The sprayer was only-breathed, as such -- prayers are, but he caught it. His hand — gripped her arm, and his face, white as — her own now, was near hers, his eyes -- bent-on hers as-if-he would wring the -'• tputhlr-om her-. -"-" _—" :; - A "What doP-y-ou mean?— Speak! "Mary, A" —you have notS^ "Ah, no! I had A your prpmised-and ybii arePtoo true— ~ fjge!" AM —A-.iPAP-. "All _ ™ — "My promise!"""she"" wailed:" .1 "Yes," he said, sternly. "You have IP kept it, Mary? Come to mc!" The ~ groom had got down, and was-walking ~ up the gentle rise jnJbeTavenue-;;walking — in fear andy trembling. -"Come-;to -mc 1" ;y' He dropped-they reinsy and -held- out his ;- arms. 'f£dtt---are mine—you belong to ™ mc!" "71\o, no!" she gasped. " "Sip! What—what do you say? If — not to mc, then to whom? Wait! hold - on!" he cried, hoarsely, for he read her answer in her face. "Give — mc time!" he fought for 'breath, and stared - before him, his- -teeth" -set., hard. _ "How, 77 .thenA-quick! Tut mc out of the misery of suspense. You say that you are not mine." Is it true? My God! it can't be true that you have been false to mc!" Her head fell, and she covered her face with her hands. y - "Yes!" he stammered, dully— false to mc! —you! Oh! I must be mad! I must be dreaming! Who"— he could scarcely go on—who is it?" he - asked at last, hoarsely. - "Lord Ration!" '■ - He started, and turned "on her. • ; "Your promise! You have. broken it!" Her lips formed the "No,". but it did not leave them. Of what use to remind Mm that she had promised not to marry Lord Ration "if she could help it"? Bet- . ter to let him think her wantonly false to him—better to let his scorn and contempt for her kill his love—better, far better for both. "And— you have done this damy nable thing of your own free will?" he dey manded, his voice thick -and almost' in- ■_* articulate.' For an instant she hesitated. Her ■heart, racked with love, cried out to her: "Tell -him'- the-truth! Throw your- - self -0n.,.,--., -his ' breast, and, cling-. - ing there, find refuge and" safety!" But honour, though its voice was but a - whisper, made iteelf heard, and silenced " that of love, so t&at he caught the word: " "Yes." IP * He shook as if Tinder a heavy blow, as 7. the ox shakes in..She .shambles. m . ".My God!" i brake from the white lijs. "Poise— —you I Oh, Mary, may -7 God forgive yo*—as —as I—no, I canA. not!" 3 __"- ; - :;.... Z The horse, left to itself, hadywalked up IPP to the bottom of the steps and stopped. - The groom, full of trouble at the trouble ~ of his mistress, afid' " Master Edward," ry whom he had played with as a boy, stood '~ sorrowfully waittßg. Edward seemed to ~ awake with a staSt. a. " You are homs/'-yhe said in a dazea, '- confused fashioa. "]7l!_—l'll go. Let A mc, help you dean."" 3"*"7 7. ,-; .'. She held .ouft her arms;- then shrank ■•v.. bock ;;■ and.-snrittcn. with- sudden agony -' at ths-.sig'nifitaiflt -gesture,- he-drew- away •from her, adj. she. i-dowae unaided. ,-■ d?i'7" He lookedjSown at-her, •with the agony -- in'his-eyfcs'-Which one sees in those of —t ft dumb tp.nrmaTPwfcpso "anguish' is intensiA. fied 'by. its itmto dieTpassnessM..;, -. . 3 " Yos, IT! go,' ho "enid, and ho-itnSietl A uncertainly and 7 with staggering gait, ~ Tfimfbov turned atewk... again and-.ap- ~ preached her. "I— apoko harshly to tre^^uiilß^j'^^

I beg your pardon. wish you every happiness. Oh, my God! Mary, it's hard to believebard to believe! You false!" She stood motionless, white to the lips, her eyes fixed on him -in despairing imjeploration, and: all unconsciously she put "her hand on his arm. - He looked down on it in a dull fashion; then he took it from his arm, held it a moment, then let it fall. "Not mine—not mine any longer!" he said, almost mechanically, and turned and left her standing there. ■Some hours later he entered the hall at the- Court weary, mud-stained man who might have been walking for miles. At the cry which the butler gave at the sight of him, Lady Bryan rushed out of the drawing-room with his name on her lips. • - ■ ' "Edward!" she cried. "Edward!" He caught her as she fell forward, and after a moment or two she fought against the faintness, and, with the tears running 'down her face, drew his head down to her and.kissed him.. " Oh. Edward —you know see yon know. " "Yes. mother," he replied hoarsely. "I have seen ber have heard from her i own lips " ! "A cruel— girl!" she sobbed. "Hush! No, no! We won't say a word— couldn't bear it, mother! Let mc go to your room for a minute or two —just a minute or two." With his arm round her they went upstairs. We shall not follow them. There are some scenes too sacred for even the modern novelist. At last Edward remembered Rath, and started guiltily. "My friend, mother! God forgive mc, I had forgotten him! I'll go down to him." His mother looked at him with sudden fear in her streaming eyes. Had the blow driven him mad? "What—what friend, Edward?" she asked soothingly. '*' IP." 7 " " Rath—Rath Rayne. He came on here. Why do you look at mc .-like that, mother? He is here, is he not? He has told you that we are rich -" He broke off with a sigh. The gold was of no use to "either of them now. Was there a curse upon it?" . ".Edward; I—T don't know what you are "talking: about. There—there is no one here," she faltered. CHAPTER XXXVL That day Ralph the earl did not leave the Had. 'He said that he was ill; and the excuse was not an empty one; foi what with the excessive drinking and the terror and emotion of the preceding night he was in a condition approaching mental and physical collapse. He had not been able to sleep a*; night, he could not sit still during the day, and he paced tip and down his "den," drinking glass after glass of brandy and soda, and smoking the black strong cigar which his soul loved. . He had got over the terror which. TNita'E sudden appearance .had caused him, and in its place was a hatred of her, whicfc grew more intense with every hour. 11 seemed to.him the mere spite of fate that he, so young, so populaer, so rich anc highly placed, should have .his life sacri ficed because of his early and imprudent . marriage. 11 he had only been single if he had not committed the fatal foil] of marrying the low-born music-had I singer, he could mate with Lady Mary . whom be persuaded himself that h< , loved; for whom he bad indeed tha , gross passion which answers -with men o - Ralph's nature. As the day war. -; on and he realised all that he vra L going to —not only the most beauti , fill and charming of girls, but the socda - -success which he bad attained with si much trouble -and tact, self-denial an. > watchfulness —his rage grew more bittei . and bis loathing of the unfortunate wo r man who was tied to ■"*"> became deepe r and snore fierce. ' He thought of afl kinds of expedient* ; of "ways of getting rid of her; but ix ) knew of none which would.be successful He would willingly have given her an; sum, to the extent erf half bis fortune I to remain -in the background, but h l knew "fbat-PNital was" not to .be bough : off; indeed", he might" consider himsel ■ fortunate if he could persuade her t< I fall in with his plans, and go off wit! , him . quietly,. . concealing the marriage • and pretending that they had only re : cently met. It was the only way t. ; save his name in (the county, to render 1- ' possible for him to continue living at th - HalL " ; . He had some dinner sent into his den , but he could not endure even Parkin ; near him, and he sent the man awaj - He could eat nothing, but be nearly fin ; ished—the bottle of champagne wbicb h bad ordered; and after drinking*it, h threw-himself dull the sofa and fell int "an uneasy doze. ' Ho "dfeamtiTthafc he was living in th I wretched room* in the London slum I thatPNita, worn and haggard, was cook ' ing a bloater, the scent from which wa - stifling him. He woke with a start, t ' find thai the lamp was smoking-. He go - up and turned down the wick, drari ■ some soda water, and looked at hi watch. With a start he saw that it wa - time to set out if he meant to .keep th - appointment he bad made with Nits - And what else could he do? He cursed her fluently as he put som r bank-notes in his pocket and opened th : French window. Then he paused sue - denly, and, after a moment's considei - -ation, took off his soft hat, concealed i 6 behind the sofa, and rang the bell. 1 Parkins answered it— brought 1 fresh bottle of -whiskey— as the wae : ter at a German hotel brings a glass "c beer When you ring; the chances are a 3 in favour of its toeing the thing you Tan . .for. . ... .1 "I feel sleepy, and think I'll 'go t 7 .bed," said Ralph, yawning. <c You needn' - trouble to come up until I ring; p3rhap .. I ishallahave . a doze ..before... I. undrca ? And don't let anyone disturb mc. mind 1. I fancy I've got a touch of this beastl 3 influenza." ...... ~ '■' He went up the stairs yawning, an 1 Parkins, looking in at the pantry on hi "> way to the servants' hall, remarked cor fidently to the butler: i, "Strikes -mc that bis lordship will hay t to put the brake on. Seems to mc tha he's -heft very far off an attack 'of D.l c He lias just the look my old.-gtrv'nor.ba C ■when it was coming on. And his lore C ship mixes 'so! It was' whiskey Tin' th <- morning, ..brandy- and soda in ■ the aftei f noon, ""and" -champagne at dinner; -.and f suppose he'll wind' up with Whiskey i - his bedroom. He's -not to be "disturbed a. I know what" that means." P y "3; Si' 1 PATHS" old btrtler"shook bis bead. Tih ;. Rattens whom he had served for s .- many years' had not been eonspiarcro 0 for ifcheir virtues, but they bad none .c * them" teen, drunkards, ifchcugnptsome "i

them had drunk deeply •on festive occasions. "It isa% our way to take to liquor an this common style, Mr. Parkins," he said, sadly, and with an ominous shake of the. head. (To be continues dally.)'