A FOOL OF FATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 145, 19 June 1915, Page 19

A FOOL OF FATE.

The Story of a Great Conspiracy. By T. ARTHUR PLUMMER, Author of 'Cod's Parasite ".I Woman nf the Mage." -The DerilS Dupe,'' ".. C.irl in Tinsel," "Marcs of the Limelight," "The Siren of the Halls," etc. Part I: The Fool Leaves England nUPTRR XXVI. A WOMAN'S sol IThere vv.is tragedy lio\oruig in the •lit. ami llic two it totii.pi] must deeply .liiin't dream «.! it. A week slipped by. ricvrtall lm.l gone into (inland fur letters. When he re turned the Roer girl ooul.l sec that something serious had happened. She hail a foreboding <.f it. for a little distance from the farmstea.l -he wiw a cloud of dust; she knew that in ihe centre of that cloud there, was a S-lkiping horse—more, that it wa* ri.l ■ lon hy the Englishman, an.l he war, using his whip. I His whip! was the reason she fell that all was not well. lie sprang from the .ml,lie. flinging 'the reins into a Kaffir hoy's hand?, or i.linanly Anna vvonl.l have run down to stiiep. waiting, -t.-p. waiting. The Englishman seemed to he walking i.s though he were not ouit" sure ..! ihimsolf. His face vva.s horribly white, j also the muscles of it were •,. c.'ing. lie I hurried past the gn: vvnlioiil a word and into the farm. lie vvenl rigilt into the kitc'ien. Anna wa- just I.l'iiiud liiin. lin lingers | t.i'iched the sleeve of ins Coat. It was ! :!iI." tli.it brought him mini.l. i ' Where v your lather'" he said. alii Hptl.v .' I want tn sc dm." 'lie Ls away at the D-i-V-l.' farm." lie was. like a man ul.>«c wits wcrr •v.i;iderin-_. lie pushed her roughly aside ii *.!e hi* way through the house and into the little parlour. lie droppe 1 heavily into a, low armchair und -at staring straight ahead. On the thros hold, of the open door (lie _*.r girl st.od. The despair, Wank, hope]c.«. romplclo in the Englishman's ?\cs held her theic motionless. "What is it" What has harnsnoJV lie looked so strange he frig'.ileue 1 her ' It's Mr. Shiibcrl I waul ; , -c " Tito Doer g.rl vva.-n't ~.me certain if the man knew whom it was ho v. a- talk

ii'_- I j Sullenly he bur,,'! his face in l:i« iiati Is. "Oh. Heaven:" iie moaned. "Won't you t. 11 mc: ' so- ask" : .M-.u-t you .ait for nil lather' ' lie slowly iaL-e.l In. 'held an 1 lookat her with dry. aini'«*t expression.'.v. eves, l-tant'.v '-!:., , r .ye Ito him and laid her hand upon his shoulder "All .i-f.i! :'u:i.' ii.is aa,,; en- •!. Anna,' lie sail. • Whi'ie'" ■In llngiaii I." lie d, In't see the si I dell still- mil.' of the ful !i;w upon iie; t. "tu. the subl. ii t vv 'i. hni_ '~f •„... - 11l Kllgl 1-" she .p.leri".!. Th gentle i ,::. hi.l .'on,, from l."r ~,,-• She hated I'.ngl.lll 1. " \nnii. I shall have to h-ne tiie farm." ■ W iiv ?'' ' I shall have to return to Kngland ■ home." ■ Leave the farm? Wlien?" "immediate!,'; 1 must catch the first The significance of what lie had sa I hegan to enter her mind. He was going — this Knglislinian •■•. going:

lie li.dn't itn-.vtr. There w.wonlv one t:im;t.'.°it in din mind: it erii_.he,| ever-. thing rise out—tha' th" sea. rolled !*■ t'Ucen him and Ihighuid, and lie warned to gel there- in t i.nc ' Nimi-on. is ill*" she repealed. "Vi s, .- un.".nie is Li," he said, at length. '1- it a letter:'' Tin qiie-tion jarre.. upon him. A letter would take three weeks. Hue co il 1 l.c ill. dead, and l.uried in a third of that time. "A letter? Don': he a fool!" He beld. tightly gripped between his linger-. a thiiiM .heel oi" paper. It w„s a cable gram. 'J he ccihi brutality of his words cut her more deeply :ian the lash of her father's whip had ever done. Mic wined and dicv away from him. Tien she r-pokc ajrain—-ouiethina deep .'./»_ iv her heart impelled the word?, i "Is it a woman who's ill?''rhe gulped. "Your wile:" Tor Ihe tir.-t tune he looked at her. ".My wife V— i-mpidly. "Ye?. Tiie woman whose name you mentioned, on-c in your deliriumTelia' ?" lie had risen to hi- feet. "1 have no wife." he -aid. abruptly. "No wife!" A sob of hysterical

laughter wa- on licr !ipf=: she tried tv keep it Itack, bin (.hi 1 couldn't. He was pacing t.lic lloor; lip halted in >.i« stride, f..r Anna .hubert was .-tanding in hi- way. "And-an.l there in no woman in England yon love?" she asked. Hi, face was not ipiite so white now, but lie didn't reply. "No woman':" she insisted. "Tell mc th it:" Middonlv she moved to him. pripped a l.ipd of '.lis rough coat ill each hand. lii.l looked into his face. 'I- ihe'c a woman in Kngland? I.i -he ill dying?" There wiv almost a llote of eagerness in her voice. ll.' -I k hi- lii'ii'l- ."-he tlimiß.it he mcml it a.- an answer to l.otii her ques' u.,n-. Now he looked down into li.-r ! I'aie, into her eves- looked deep. Tin' '-.ul., were gone; at last he knew the !truth. "I.c heaven 1 Anna —yon love mc!" Iler hands dropped from his coat! ' -lowly her head went f.-rward until it rested njioii her breast: slowly sh-nim-.l backward* til! she felt a chair licli i,l iier. so.- sank into il. After a while she raised her head again. "V.-- [ love vuiil" .-'lie said, in a voice — o low ilia; hi-'scarcely heard it. "Does "I, it mv fail!:' Tell mc that:" "\... iiniriilvV fault I.ill my own—ex- ',■,;,| ill,it \oii «ere kind, taught mc thai i th- !•- lere some men who didn't think it ■ ih.'.r right to u.-e a -lii|> u|"»n their tt-otliei, folk." 1 He had dropped Into that armchair again. "I'm son v. because I "fie: uu-c you don't love me—is thai if And you are going away:" 1 Slie io,c to her feet and came right ov.r to him. "You are froing to Kng.and —you must "I must.' "Then it is a woman, out there'" HiL»h:" ; "."hern is a woman you love, and you 1 are going to her!'

"Anna !" Hut, now he knew what it. meant when the Hood-gates of a primitive woman's soul were opened, lie flinched before it; he hadn't dreamed of il. %-he had sunk to her knees in front of 'his chair: she had taken his hand between her oiwii; she was kissing it again and again. "Don't go to her-slouT! stay here! I want v..;:: •!'n t leave mc. fill you eanie I hadn't lived. I don't want your iove: 1 don't ask for 11. 1 only want to know v oti're here- that you haven't gone to her. Stay here -Lay 1" she had crossed her arms upon his knees, her face wa.s hidden, her shoulder-- heaved. Her grief was awful. ■■Anna: book up. child:" lie tried to raise her head. Al length he did so. and what lie sa X in her eyes frightened him. "There is n woman in England." he said, .piu'tlv. "I f, el a brute as though I were to blame. Hut I think it best, that you should know." "Why have you deceived Us all this time?" "Deceived you'" "Ye<. You made us believe " "What?" She was silent. After all. what had he made (hem believe' 1 "I left England under a cloud—it was something I didn't o.re to discuss, even wVh you thou_h we've been jolly good pals. ' I should have ..rone long 'before this had 1 dreamed you were beginning to care, \nna. You believe that*" "Yon love tin- Knglii-lt girl very mil,,.':" He nodded. " \n,l rhe love, you -very much?" \_ain be nodded. "1 wonder if she loves you as much ns f do"" liercelv. "No! ' She couldn't' If you were lo' tell mc I ■ ,b. it. I would g,, straight ..ut on to the plains and never relnrn'" 11,- di.ln'l Ao-c.s,- bim-elf -he knew right en -,i;-h vvliat -iie ni.-lit. "Would your Kn.-l.sh gill do that? 1 Would ~" your -lave, wait on you fr.en mo,n till ni.hl. and would be sati-h 1 with iu.-t a .-nub. Would your Kngli-h .-•;,: :-e -Ht'.-rt.-.i « th that?' 1 love. ..., I . xj.e.-t i:o;h.n_ in return. e\rept t. he allowed to he by v.uir side. Would voir " .-he broke on* and turned ■ \iin.i!" ■It's n.it your fault; I'm not blaming voi in i'; l"a-t 1 ''uc had mv taste of heaven, -o I'm sati-l'iel —and ready for

"II - w .n't t i.,eh vo'i isain." "Won't he? W.i:t 'ill your hack is H'.rtie.l. He'll ram the Ho-p.d down my tl:..it and t'ara-li •C" till he can hold the whip n • longer lie's a lot to make up for. yo-i know I" " \r.d v ou'll let him. Anna?" "I'v.. h .■•■ obedient so 1 ng that I{ •I'eit- .tV jr-ii'. V'-u mu.-tn't 1-t h : m . lo it." |. !1 mc it V w run.' ' she -ud "'I lien let I him r.i'-e the vv h •■ jsiiii.' r.\e. let hi'n •ant I • mc n'> nl ,1 V : ng the ,v ..l: I':: - ■•• vt |, ;., ;, '! ! m that that. . !.„.. i- the 1.-.r In -Mi:" ! •V.e.i „, i.tn't t .Ik >o fooU.-hiy." he -aid. I -he threw ;,. 'k her ': -i \ defiantly : ■Why ' I s.|pp..-e t iiev' I I'.ang mc. U, 1! -.j.,'. vv •.;' 1.1 mitt'T* There'- ,,., one ~, a 1 Ihe world who card .vh,-ti,er I !ne or .1 .'"' i Piat'- ii ■! true, .t kin I. \nn.l I -:,,. l.vu-h.-! hittertv "I nipper yon v mid lie . ),,\ -■ ■:■ v ul :ii.-t.' hut voii'd ~ „ fei-.-t. wh, ii ...u were in Kngland , md vvil , lici!' -he vv l- vv ilkill. a l ' ".it the room. He -• iI- il :; tlie arm , h it, looking at h. r. "When a:e yii _ 'in.:'" a-ke.l Anna. • I ,-an': _i> l.if.'ie Monday nicht" i it I eat.'h the mail Uaal at < ape Town which have, on We.llie-.lily. Sin- a-1..d anet'iier .jiiestion; she knew it wa- . (lipid :i.i -he put ,i. "When shall you return*" lie fell him-elf roll nil :ll_ ; lie didn't ~ ply. ' Shall you return at all" ' ' I .hui't' kn-.w. Anna." "Don't; r I'ldv makes it worse. You know veil . i,Mii.ii. V..ii won't come hack -that's it. isn't i' "" lie opened hi- nioutii. •Don't speak: then 'no need. Don't I "link too li.-i.lly of mc. will you. for—f..r acting like tins" Only I- I h iven'l quite L'i-.i-p.'d it vol, v. hat ii will mean I" mc when you are _~ne I never thought of you ever leaving us; I'd almost begun to look on ynu as part of mc, sn let n;e try and think of it. the future without you.''

lb- was -Mil sealed Suddenly, as though it had swept over her in one over--lu'lini-I! mass, sic turned upon liiin. She Hun. herself .it hi- feet: she rlut.hed wilillv at Ins coal; she drew herself up and clasped hei arm- s!_.ut I.is neck. "D..UI gnl—don't! I shall die—die' If y.ni go, then take mc wild yuu! I tell you I .ant lnc out here in these plains without you:" He tried t" stop her, hill "die went on. She wa« d.nunted f..r the moment; ihe awful blow that had fallen upon her had unbalanced her brain. Suddenly she broke clow 11.

The tears had come at last; not the wild, passionate abandonment that might have been cxpcsti.l. She had exhausted herself, had drained lier strength; so she sobbed quietly, huddled in a heap at bis feel.

Soon she raised her head, and he looked at her. She was strausely lwautifill; the long, moist lushes touched t lie warm olive skin, now ii nille pale; the dark, mournful eyes, still glistening, smiled at him.

At that, moment Silas Shubert returned. The man and woman hadn't heard the sound of the Kaflirs chattering, so he entered the parlour suddenly, to find his daughter an.l the Knglishman together. Anna was still heaped upon the floor at I'le.vdall's feet; the latter still sat.

The lloer slared at them in astonishment. 'Ihe man llushed a deep crimson; the girl rose without ihe slightest show of embarrassment. She just glanced ai her father, then went hy him and out of the room. "I am leaving the farm, Mr. Shubert." Pleyd.il! liepan, uncomfortably. "Something liap|ienei|':" "Yes. S.,in. thin-' that will lake mc to England."' "And when do you return-" I'lev.hill looked the old man straight in the eves now. ".Not at all,'' he said. UUiellV. "Hut ——" the liner began, when his companion .ut him short. 'A.ni want an explanation of-_of what you saw! There is no explanation. The money I have iniested in your farm is I'ley.lall made as ihough to leave the room, luil Silas Shuheil stood in front of him. "Mine! - ' the Rocr said, his nostrils dilated. ''Mine! My daughter loves you — is that the price joll've paid for " "For nothing!" fiercely. "I'liderstan. that, Mr. Shubert nothing!" The old Iloer I'll b.i k. .md the Knglish man went "lit \ monienl or two later I'.'eyd.ill wa- galloping a.mlc.-.)- about the plain. l'r-om the stoep tiie old Koe.r witched "vm; then he wen-t in 6earch of his

daughter. He found her in her bedroom; lie closed and locked the door. "Why have you done lhat':" she asked.' There was no trace of fear on her face, not even when she saw that he held a heavy whip in hi- hand. "The -iiglishman i.s leaving for Kngland," he whispered, caressingly. "He goes on Monday, in tune to catch the mail-boat at I apetovvn." "He's not coming hack -del on know that ':" "1 knew it. lie (old a few niiliule. ng.,." She raised her Head till her eves were Pixel .vi 1.'.,- whip, wh.se lash he wan uncoiling from its .-tuck. "lias he asked you to marry him." "N..." ■Doe,- he love you?" "Nn." There wa.- a momentary break in her voice. " \nd v ou, Anna ?" "I love hnn" (pnetly. "Do you know what mine phe t.reat Ih.ok has for such a one as y..u?" "I don't want to lx-teii lo your cant, father." "Your mother's dead." lie saw her flinch. "Your brothers, too; so it rests upon mc to " "To what:'' still no fear. He even thought he saw entit o.mpt. "The money I have had from l.his Englishman is mine." •'Well, aren't you satisfied?" - defiantly. "sit'islied: fin.t Heaven: It'r, a price lie ha. paid, tiie price of- --" "-top!'' She was no longer calm: there was lire in her eves. "You think that." Then slle slowly'nodded her hen 1. "Yon hvpocrde' You prate uf vnur Lord an I His will, and you in.nk thai. We I. lli.nk it. I love hin: he doe. n't love lie's lining to Kngland. There is somebody ill lie's going home to a woman he loves. Now Joave mc alone lake v<«ur vv up with ■on. V • Hible's in your bedro nn." "And mv gun. too. Have you f'.rg.'tteti that?" "No; I remember it. T remember fome thing els,., too. stick :.. voiir ll.b'.e and your whip. ~:• the gun iiii.'ht he for v ,-. " "W hat do you mean?" "lii.-t tin.-- that it v "ii lav that whip m mc, now or in t'ae future. 1 shall shout that's all." ■ The ..I : a. ni bft the bedroom. The |.i-h of the whip was f.\ ,ct" ! n_ain ar.-uti I it--tf.'k. 'lliere wa- a smile uf tr.iinipll on 1 his laughter's face. Tii" next morning e.nlv a xoith r-ih up to the farm-tea I. A linn . nveb | " was ,n )n« hand lie iv is a -pc -ial n.e"cngcr fr, in ll i!_n.l. 11" walile 110 so Mr, I'l. .'.dad. 1..c latti r was iv: mi tv farm kr.ia'i. He'd -■ n lie ri«- — •ii_:.--arr.ve. vv t:...:i: J.-. im.n_ it v iglit !■■• iian'iii;,' f.r liiin, Then like a lla-li it . -a:i:r to ha: il" tore '"it ■ f Ihe kraal ' ::nl on lo the el ep. The me--. n_er ••■ i- ; trotlin. e:i-.:.v 'j. ov, r the pla.ii. ll ' wa., Anna .t'a.i lianlel tiie enveiiie ii .'i.m. - :,■ saw h.s tinned fi.e ;a!e. I "Di idi" she he.n 1 him muxlde. "Ilea I ivli,,-" "Mv father." The first though, that entcre I the i Hoer gin.., nun In is :'„ ,* .c w ml In': '_~ now. Held -Ihe'l he . Oil In't do all'

licfore he e.'.iM n.Ti'.c ll- li.nl ' k- 1 in- pa-age: he had !.,„. that .'hen the fir-' cahU.r.im lia 1 . ~■•;. lie in.! ' ■'. ! her of it the previ .i- nigl'.l II r :!i.i: woiil ln'l mailer miieh; he vvoir ! earn.-' It. It wa- kite ll'.lt evenill.' l.'fole -he s.rv him. All d.iv long he hud l.t-'el no food. II" look.-! like .-. --h-i. "Then v vi are going to ..ng an P" she n-t,'l. '•'i "1. You don't understand, mid l can': very vv.-'l ■•x;>l.iin. lml vvh.u !,..- -n'v that I sliollid •■ .." ■ You loved v..ur filher?" she queried. "\ cry dearly." "It's awful, i-n't it. fo hr-e so-ieon.' ■you love'" ll- it. I-led. He was thinking of th, "Was lhat a sloi-ev interTi.-.v vvnh mv f.i'he:- ve-lerd,i v :" she s.i.l, at tiie end of i:. ■It wa-" grimly. Tie wanted lo foi get th.,' tr.i.'edy in F.n.si md f'-r lh ■ moment. II" want. Ito roige; thai iie vv.is now Sir Stephen Orme. "I though' i, mils: he. What e\ plan.itl vi did you give of- ,f what hi .-aw':" "None. What could 1 say? An 1 you *" "As soon as you rod.- on "o Ihe plait he came to nic in my v k >om. He came to thrash nie." "An i — " "Oh. ii". iie didn't ' T t.reitcne 1 • , shoot hill. lie |~ye- what he call- prill eip'e. hut he love s hi- life hetter. I'm .piite safe now. so when — when you are in Kncland you neeln'l bother uhout that."

I' was midnight—of the Monday During the e.iiiy afternoon he had let tiie farm in the bug,'. He drovn Inn

-el,', taking a Kallir to hring the lehi'-ie hack from (inland. There he would cat ']i a train in time to land him a: Johannesburg, thence to Capetown and K.iglan.l.

Anna Shilberl looked out over the plain from her bedroom window. Sin marked the spot where -he had last M -<-u him. just against the ridge of low limit hills lliis side Kland"i'p's farm. .nr quite a long while she stayed there.

a han l-.la-p. lb.il was all. as he had said goodbye lo her mi the stoep. She had been quite calm, almo-t cold. She wa- tlie lloer girl again, a daughter of the veldt.

See left her bedroom, and crept silently away from tae farm. She walked on and oil. -lill keeping her eye. fastened on lhat sp..: she had marked.

l-'.ir almost an hour she s;,„„l looking until her eye ached. Down below her she could faint Iv see tile township of Oiil.md.

Then she slowly .lr.ppe.l to her knee.s. the musses of her hroWll black hair upon anus. "The Lord's will he done," she whispered. Again Alan I'l.y.lall pa. c.l the promenade deck nf a great liner. This time he was homeward bound. In Ihree IIHV- hi- feet Would "llee more Ile.nl Kiigli.-h .-oil. At this moment hith.itl.rhU strayed ba.-k lo Africa, to .1 lonely farm on the loiu-lv ]>i:iill. where there lived ;. lonely woman.

A great pity surged up into his heart for her. ll fasted just n moment—llo more; then his thoughts went into the future. He wa- still under the shadow of that card nlTiiir. Hut from the moment lie sieppod on Knglish soil he was St Stephen (lune, so he would hale to clear himself at any cost.

The first step would be to find and interview llesetcl Hauler: if any man breathing .ould help him it was llanlev. By one of those .-trail-" pranks that Kate plays upon her poor fools, tlie vessel that bore ("ii mc to England al-o bore a letter to the man in his thought*, ; n,,| from .1 man whose very existence be had for gotten—Mark Vcrulcm, the escaped convict. .

Ornie .dosed hi- eyes. Since that attack of sunstroke, slight though it ltad li.ru. lie had wiNVrnl n great deal with his head. 'I'hele were da.VS VV hell for 1111 hour at n .-ti'lch he was nol. himself. \l-,. the le.'l.tion of the .shock of bis lathe:'-- loath wa- on him. There was so ii, ii.-Ii | hat was slili.u led in in.vi-ter.y. lie ,vas e.r'a'ui he bad never learnt, the whole itilth regarding the '■accident" that (he 1 il" -ir -lolni "line bad referred t„. -:,::, II u-ii.lrt ihat at lime- himind vv i, a I tilb- ittihilaiice.l. lie had he, ~ sleeping very hadlv of lale. and had I'.nned til. 1...1.11 "f pacing th" p ■iv.de deck ..I night. Tin- ,vas what 1.-ought him beneath l|„. ~, ~,„ and .-tars al this moment, lie o.lldll'l sleep, mi lit tta.s ie-: Till out !u re. II" stood loaning far out over the promenade rail. There was something ..■ir.llv fa-cnnting in l!i.«-e water.- a-Ui.-y r .lb"I away fr un the gnat vessel. • ouiet.l. ng lb il se.'iiied to mulch appeal to him l-'iu-lher -till lie leaiu'l. Tn thr lavs he w ml Ihe t n Kngland. f'elia would i.c ~, 1, < arm.-. ..-r lips to his. lie w.-nld turn in. II" dareii'l look at Ihose waters any long.■-. There was something almost 'in:'.-IVli-'. like a nymph with anus out- • tret. led. w ul.tig (o fold ll 111 in her bo-run. si ill farther In leaned. (To be continue,l daily.)