AT CUPID'S GALL.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 290, 6 December 1921, Page 10

AT CUPID'S GALL.

A THRILLING NEW SERIAL. t MAY CHRISTIE'S LATEST. COMMENCES SATURDAY, Dec. 10 YOU MUST NOT MISS THIS !

He sighed, and went into the hall for his hat and stick. If an unpleasant dut} - has to 'be performed, it is far better to get through with it at once. The Colonel walked with him as far as the gate of Rose Cottage. There he left him with a final admonition to be firm. Half an hour later Canon Mervyn came out of the door of Rose Cottage again, and walked elowly towards the village. . could see that he was perplexed and troubled. Father O'Brien was at the gate of his presbytery. The Colonel wee standing beside him, talking to him. Mrs. Mervyn emerged suddenly from the door of Evans' shop, the principal chop in the village. She joined the Colonel and Father O'Brien. They were ail three ready to pounce on Canon Mervyn as he passed. "WeH?" sa id Colonel Challoner. "I hope you've told that woman what you think of her," said Mrs. Mervyn. "In a plain matter of morality," said Father O'Brien, "there can be no room for compromise." "It's a puzzling case," eai'd Canon Mervyn, "a very puzzling case. I hardly know what to cay about it." "There'e only one thing to say," 3aid Mre. Mervyn. '"I agree with you there, ma'am," said Father O'Brien. "I don't say they're behaving quite rightly," said Canon Mervyn—"in fact, there can be no doubt that they're doing wrong. But—what I'm going to tell you must he kept etrictly secret. Of course, I asked permission to explain the position to you, Father O'Brien." "It will take a good deal of explaining," said the priest. "'And to you, Colonel." aaid the Canon. "And I'm sure they won't mind my telling you, my dear/ he said to his wile; "in fact, I am sure Mrs. Jed- 1 borough-Price -would like you to know."; 'Mre. Jedborough-Price indeed! She; call* herself Mies Smithson/' "Yes, yes, /, u ite so," eaid Canon Mer-' vyn. "But when you've heard the explanation—You see she happens to be fairly well ofl-. I understand she ha* £000 or £600 a year of her own. And he h a 9 about the sasue—private means. He doesn t seem to have any profession. ' ' liv'in 1 ' th * more sh »™c for them io be Zh* fk y are '" SaW Fatl,er O'Brien, be*wS' c Vlite well enou e b ° ff t0 "But" said Canon Mervyn, "they are marn«L That', the wh ol / poiltt . he mamage certificate. They showed it to mc qmte willingly. I saw the •baptismal certiQcate of the child I M.W several other papers. There.not the W doubt that they're married. They couldn't be any more married than they are it you performed the ceremony yoursalf Fathe* O'Brien, or if I'd done lt, ( of if we'd -botk done it." 'Then why on earth don't tliev sa* so, said Father O'Brien, "instead of causing all thi? seancJ ' " ■

"Thafs what I'm trying to explain." I said Canon Mervyn. "You see—in thoii financial position—if they admit that they're married her income is reckoned ;as 'his for income tax purposes, and ■they have to pay—l forget lioiv much, ■ though they told mc. But it's something very large. Whereas, if they conceal the fact of their marriage their incomes arc treated separately, and they get oft' with £150 a year lc=s income tax. 1 don't say that what they're doing is right, but " "It's perfectly right." said the Colonel. "Anyone who can get the better of income tax collectors in any way ought to do so. It's a public duty." "ft seems to mc," saiJ Canon Mervyn, "to be—cr—l don't want to be too ,My«rd on 'them, but isn't it slightly fraudulent since they really are married, I mean ?" ■'I don't see that a little fraud mat- ' tere," said Father O'Brien, "so long as they are married." ""That poor girl:" said Mervyn. 1 "What she must have suffered! And that dear little child, too! I'll go and call on her at once." The secret of the Jedborough's marriage wag not well kept. 1 think everyone in the village knew it next day. Rut nobody would give them away. And we are most particular to addrcfid Mrs. Jed'borough-l'riee as Mies Smithson. The inland'revenue collectors have not the remotest chance of getting that extra £150 a year out of that young couple.