A Husband by Proxy

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 142, 17 June 1910, Page 8

A Husband by Proxy

By JACK STEELE

CHAPTER 111. — (Continued.) [ Almost immediately the dark hall was j lighted by the switching en of lights, j 'JLhen the door was opened, and Garrison i beheld a squint-eyed,- thin-lipped old] man,- who scowled upon him and-re-j mained there, barring his way. -—- "Good evening—is my wife at "home— Sirs. Fairfax?" said Garrison, stepping in. "I wired her " "Jeroldl" cried a voice, as the girl in the house of the party nad done. But this was Dorothy, half-way down the stairs, running toward him eagerly, and dressed in most exquisite taste. Brisklv stepping forward, ready with the role "he had rehearsed, he caught heiin his arms as she came to the bottom of the stairs, and she kissed him like a j sweet young wile, obeying the impulse oi her nature. "Oh, Jerold, I'm so glad!" she said. "I don't see why you have to go away at nine!" She was radiant with blushes. He recognised a cue. '•'And hows the dearest little girl in all the world?" he said, handing her the box of chocolates. "I didn't think I'd be able to get here, till I wired. While this bit of important business lasts we must do the best we can." He had thrown his arm about her carelesslv. She moved away with a natural gesture towards the man who had opened the door. "Oh, Jerold, this is my Uncle William —Sir Robinson," she said. "He and Aunt Jill have come to pay me a visit. We must all go upstairs to the drawingroom." She was pale with excitement, but ler acting was perfect. Garrison turned to the narrow-eyed old man, who was scowling darkly upon •him. -Tm delighted to meet you," he said, extending his hand. >TJm! "Xharikyou," said Robinson, refusing his hand. "Extraordinary honeymoon you're giving my niece, Mr Fair-

fax." His manner nettled Garrison, who could not possibly have gauged the depth of the old man's dislike, even ■haired, conceived against him simply as Dorothy's husband. A greeting so utterly uncordial made unlooked-for demands upon his wits. — "The jr&entr arrangement -scill not endure Tery'long," he said significantly. "In the meantime, if Dorothy is satisfled there seems to be no occasion for anyone else to feel distressed." "If that's intended as a fling at mc '' started Robinson, but Dorothy interrupted. "Please come upstairs," she said, laying her hand for a moment on Garrison's shoulder; and then she ran up lightly, looking imck -with all the smiles of perfect art. Garrison read it as an invitation to a private confidence, much needed to put h\m properly on guard. He bounded up as if in hot pursuit, leaving her uncle down at "the door. She fled to the end of the upper hall, near a door that was closed. Garrison bad lost no spa«e behind 3ier. She turned a -white, tense face as she came to a ifaalt. "Be careful, please," she "whispered. "Some of my relatives appeared here unexpectedly this afternoon. I had to telegraph, on that account. Get atvay as soon as can. You are merely passing through the city. You must —-'write mc- daily- letters Tvhile they are Jxere— forget you. are supposed to be!" She Tras radiant again Trith blushes. Garrison was almost dazzled by her beauty. A'Vnat reply lie might have made ivas interrupted. Dorothy caught "Em by the hand, like a fond young bride.

~as~Eer -uncle came - rapidly up the stairs..

The door was opened at his elbow by a white-haired, almost "bearded" woman, large, sharp-sighted, and "ugly, with many signs of bofih'inqtusitiveness and acquisitiveness upon her. "So, that's your Mr Fairfax," she said to Dorothy. "Come in here till I see what you're likae." Dorothy had again taken Garrison's arm. She led him forward. "This is Aunt Jill,- 3 ' she said, iby way of introduction and explanation. "Aunty, this is my -husband. Jerold."Aunt Jill had bacSed away from the door to let them en±ex. Garrison realised at once that Dorothy's marriage had excited much antagonism in the breasts of both these relatives. A sudden accession- of boldness came upon him, in

his plan to protect the girl. He entered the room and faced the woman calmly. 'Tm glad to meet you," ihe said, this •time without extending his hand. "I

- ibeg to impress upon ■both you and Mr Hobinscn that, such as I am, -Dorothy chose me of ier own free-will to occupy my present position." Jtrs Uobinson was Momentarily speechless. Her husband now stood in tie door. , Dorothy shot Garrison a look oi gratitude, but her immediate'desire was ■for peace. "Let us all sit down, and "try to get better acquainted,"' she said. "I'm sure we shall all be friends." "No doubt," said her uncle sometrhat offensirely. Garrison felt ■himself decidedly uncertain, of Jiis ground. There "was nothing to do, however, but await developments. He looked aboat the room, in a quick, comprehensive manner. It was a large apartment, furnished •handsomely, perhaps even xioMy, but in a style no longer modern, sa-ve for the installation of electric lights. It conitained a piano, a fireplace, a cabinet, writing-desk, two settees and the customary complement of chairs. Tie pictures on -the walls were rather above the average, even, in the tomes of the wealthy. The objects of art. disposed in suitable places, were all in good iaste and expensive. Quite at a loss to meet these peopleto advantage, uninformed as he nvas of anything vital concerning Dorothy and the <rame she might be playing, GaTristm •was rendered particularly alert 'by the feeling of constraint in the air. He had instantly conceived a high appreciation .forJDorothy's art in her difficult position, and he "rose to a "comprehension of ". "the role assigned: to Mmseli. __He. had_earlier determined, to..appear affectionate; he now saw the need of enacting tfie part of protector. In the full illuminaiion of the room, the giory of Dorothy's beauty was startlins. His eyes sought her face with no need of acting, sud -the admiration Mazing in Ms gaze was more than genuine; it was thoroughly spontaneous and involuntary. The moment -was a-wkward and fraught .•with, .suspense for Garrison, as -he found ; idmself. subjected to the flagrantly m- " "friendly appraisement of his newly-ac-quired relations.

Aunt Jill had been snubbed for a. moment only. She looked Their visitor over . with undisguised contempt. "Well, say you look respectable and healthy," she said, as if conceding a point with no- little reluctance, "but appearances are-very deceiving." ... •-Thank you,"' said .Garrison. Hesat down near" Dorothy, occupying a smaJi settee. If Mrs Robinson "was personally pugnacious, her husband harboured far more vicious emotions. Garrison felt this in. ■his manner. The man was looking at him narrowly. "How much of your time have you spent with yoiir wife since your marriage?" he demanded, without the slightest°preliminary introduction to the subject. Garrison realised at once that Dorothy might have prepared a harmless fiction with which 'his answers might not ■correspond. He assumed a calm and deliberation he was far from feeling, as he said: — "I was not aware that I should oe obliged to account to anyone save Dorothy for my goings and comings. Up to the present I believe she has been quite well satisfied with my deportment; haven't you, Dorothy?" '■Perfectly," said Dorothy, whose utterance was perhaps a trifle faint. '"Cant we all be friends —and talk about ?" "I prefer to talk about this for a moment," interrupted 'her uncle, still regarding Garrison with the closest scrutiny. What's vour business, anyway, Mr Fairiax?" Garrison, adhering to a policy of telling the truth with the greatest possible frequency, and aware that evasion would : avail them nothing, waited the fraction of a minute for Dorothy to speak. She • was silent. He felt she had not committed herself or 'him upon the subject. "I am engaged at present in some insurance business," he said. "It will take me out of town to-night, and keep me away for a somewhat indefinite period." "H'm!" said Mr Robinson. "I suppose you'll quit your present employment

pretty soon.?" "With, no possible chance of comprehending the drift of inquiry. Garrison responded: — "Possibly." "I thought so!" exclaimed the old" man, with unconcealed asperity. "Marrying for money is much more remunerative. What?" '•Oh, uncle!" said Dorothy. . Her pain and surprise were quite genuine. Garrison coloured instantly. He might have been hopelessly floundering in a moment had not a natural indignation risen in his blood. "Please remember that np to this evenbg you and I have been absolute strangers," he said, -with some heat. "I am not the kind to many for money. Had I done so I should not continue in my present calling for a very modest "wage." He felt that Dorothy might misunderstand or even doubt his resolution to go on with her requirements. He added pointedly: "I have undertaken certain commissions for my present employers -which I mean to execute to the end, and no one aware of my motives could charge me with anything sordid." Dorothy rose, crossed the space between her chair and the small settee •where Garrison was seated,. took the place at his side, and shyly laid her hand upon his own. It was a natural, ■wifely i thing to do. Garrison recognised her perfect acting. A tingle of strange, lawless joy ran through his veins; neverthe-' less, he still faced. "Robinson, for his anger had been no pretence. There was something in his bearing, ■when aroused, that invited caution. He ■was not a man -with -whom to trifle. Mrs. Robinson, having felt it before, undeT- , went the experience anew. "Don't let us start off with a tow," , she said. "Xo one means to offend you, • Mr. Fairfax." '•What do you think hell do?" demanded her husband. "Order us out of ! the house? It isn't his yet, and he : knows it."

Garrison knew nothing concerning the ownership of the house. Mr. Robinson's observation gave him a hint, however, that Dorothy's husband, or Dorothy herself, would presumably own it soon, but that something had occurred to delay the actual possession. "I came to see Dorothy, and for no other purpose," he said. "I haven't the slightest desire or intention to offend her relatives." If Robinson and his wife understood

the hint that he would be pleased to see Dorothy alone, they failed to act upon it. . "Well take your future conduct as

our guide," said Mr. Robinson significantly. "Protestations cost nothing." 3llrs. Robinson, far more shrewd than her husband, in her way, had ■begun, to realise that Garrison was not a man either to be frightened or bullied. "I'm sure we shall all be friends," she said. "What's the use of fighting? If, as Mr. Fairfax says, he did not marry Dorothy for money " Her husband interrupted. "I dont believe it! Will you , tell me, Mr. Fairfax, that when you married my niece you were not arware -of her prospects!" "I knew absolutely nothing of her prospects," said Garrison, who thought lie foresaw some money struggle impending. "She can tell you that up to the present moment I have never asked her a word concerning her financial affairs or future expectations.'" , "Why don't you tell us you never knew slie had an uncle V demanded Robinson, "with no abatement of acidity. "As a matter of fact," replied Garrison, '1 have never known the name of any of Dorothy's relations till to-night." "This is a&surd!" cried the aggravated ilr. Robinson. "Do you mean to teU me ?" Garrison interrupted him with genuine -warmth. He was fencing blindly in Dorothy's behalf, and instinct was guiding bam with remarkable precision. "I should think you might understand," he said, "that once in a while a young woman, with a natural desire to be esteemed for herself alone, might purposely avoid all mention both of her relatives and prospects." "We've all heaTd about these marriages for love," sneered Dorothy's uncle. "Where did yousuppose she got this house?" Garrison grew bolder as he felt a certain confidence that so far he had made no particular blunders. His knowledge of the value of half a truth, or even the truth entire, was intuitive. '"T have never been in this louse before to-nigiit," he said. "Our 'honeymoon,' as you called it earlier, has, as you know, been brief, and none of it was spent beneath, ibis, roof." "Then.' how did' you know come V demanded Mr, -Robinson.

supplied me the address," answered Garrison. "It is not uncommon, I believe, for husband- and wife to correspond." "Well, here we are, and here well stay," said Mr. Robinson, "till the will and* all the business is settled. Perhaps you'll say you didn't even know, there was a will."

Garrison was beginning to see light, dimly. What it was that "lay behind Dorothy's intentions and her scheme he could not know; he was only aware that •to-night, stealing a glance at her sweet but worried face, and realising, faintly that she was greatly beset with, troubles, his whole heart entered the conflict, -willingly, to help her through to the end.

"You are right for once," he answered his inquisitor. "I have known absolutely nothing of any win affecting Dorothy, and I know nothing now. I only know you can rely upon me to fight her •battles to the full extent of my ability and strength." "'■'What nonsense! You don't know!" exclaimed Mr. Robinson. "Why "

"It's the truth," interrupted Dorothy. "I have told him nothing about it."

"I don't believe it!" said her uncle. "But whatever he knows, I'll tell him this, that I propose to fight that will, day and night, before my brother's property shall go to any scheming stranger!" Garrison felt the need for enlightenment. It was hardly fair to expect him to struggle in the dark. He looked at hie watch ostentatiously.

"I did not come here expecting this sort of reception," ha said truthfully. "I hoped at least for a few minutes' time with Dorothy, alone." "To concoct further stories, I presume," said Mr. Robinson, who made no move to depart. Garrison rose and approached Mr. Robinson precisely as he might have done had his right been more than a fiction. '"Do you require Dorothy to go down in the hall, in her own house, to obtain a moment of privacy?" he demanded. '•"We might as well understand the situation first as last." i It -was a half-frightened look, full of craft and hatred, that Robinson cast upward to his face. He fidgeted, then rose from his seat. <: Come, my dear," he said to his wife, ti fhe persecutions have commenced." He led the way from -the room to another apartment," his wife obediently following at his heels. The door they left ajar. (To be continued daily.)