THE MONEY MAID

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 134, 9 June 1925, Page 14

THE MONEY MAID

By WINIFRE Author of the successful novel, "Lass and many othi CHAPTER IV. Joan met Jim and they went to buy the ring. An unconspuuous little ring it was, but it was. her choice, a circle of pearls and one deep blue sapphire in the centre. When Jim put it on that fourth linger of her lefl hand, he felt a fugitive desire to press his lips tliere, almost did in spite of the man looking on, and somehow his eyes told her tiiat he' too was thrilled. But that hour paused like n dream to Joan. They lunched together in a quiet little cafe, where nn hand played. It looked out over a green, where birds took joyous baths in puddles left by a gracious overnight shower. Every now and again she took surreptitious peeps at her ring and lie smiled indulgently. quite aware of her perfect happiness. She blossomed hourly. Nor yet had the least fear of such happiness lasting touched her roseate dreams with a shadow. She dropped him at the office again, and went off to fetch Mrs. Doyle. .Mrs. Doyle admired the ring, but stared at Joan, quite amazed at the inexpensiveness of it. She was almost amused at Joan. There wits something very nppanling about the child, she admitted, and Jim was a lucky boy to have won such an ardent, whole-souled adorer. Then they shopped and shopped! They went to tea at the Bucal, the latest "haunt of fashion for smart society folks; Joan was exhausted and rather quiet; Mrs. Doyle ordered tea. Joan didn't care what she ate, Everything was lovely to her to-day, though she felt languid now. Presently a party came in, a girl, vaguely familiar to Joan, the centre of attention. Joan leaned over. '•Do look Mrs. Doyle! Purely that girl is the same as the photograph that used to bo in your drawiug room. I meant to ask you about her, it was such a picture, but she's more beaut if til than the photograph. I don't think l ever saw anything quite so exquisite as Mrs. Doyle turned and looked and her face grew" almost frightened, and just then, as though she was aware of ber.i;: scrutinised, the girl, dropping into a seat and flinging off her expensive wrap looked round. Instantly she was up and had crossed impetuously to Mrs. Doyle. "Angela darling!" she said in a soft, delicious, husky voice, that chilled Joan curiously all the same. Perhaps it was because she was so perfect from head to toe. '"I thought you were on the Continent, Sheila. What a surprise it is to see you!" "I only landed in England last night." said Sheila t'arruthers in that slow, exquisite voice of hers. "Of course 1 meant to pop in to see you the first moment. Do tell mc how everyone is going on. Is Jim well V " Her voice changed subtly. Mrs. Doyle nodded hastily. "In the" pink! Sheila, this is Miss Peterson, Miss C'arrutliers, an old friend of ours." Joan looked at her, smiling gravely. She felt a very brown little mouse b'nside this radiant, matchless creature. It seemed to her as though Mrs. Doyle had been reluctant to introduce her." Joan, the least suspicious person in the world, could not help momentarily wondering at it. Xow .Sheila Carruthers with many adieilX, got tip and went back to her escort, and for a moment Mrs. Doyle, whose chatter was rarely stilled, was quite silent. But Jonii was deeply interested. in spite of Mrs. Doyle's evident reluctance to talk. Perhaps it was only to bo expected that Joan should be interested, for Sheila Carruthers was so beautiful in the way Joan had always longed to bo beautiful, yet it wasn't because of that either. It was a sort of intuition that, somehow, Sheila Carruthers was to be mixed up in her affairs, and not for good either. "Do tell mc about her." Joan said persuasively. " I've never seen anyone so beautiful as she is." "Oh. Sheila Carruthers is beautiful enough," said Mrs. Doyle, shrugging her shoulders. "Frankly* Joan. I'm not anxious for you to be friends. Sheila has been out of England for two years, and I'm dubious about her. and I'dou't care for the man she is with, Lord Allerton is far from a suitable friend for her. I'm surprised at Sheila -oin" about with him." Joan looked across half wistful!*-. The party was lively: Lord AHertcm. "a strikingly handsome man. was plainly intrigued with the lovely girl he was with, and in his cynical, witty, way amused her. for Sheila's husky/attractive laugh kept breaking out." Perhaps it was a little gay for a public place, but for one ns lovely as Sheila, allowances should surely he made, that was Joan's opinion. Then she stared at the man. A closer scrutiny told her lie was considerably older than appeared at first. A network of fine lines round his eyes showed he had lived rapidly. But it was to Sheila that Joan's gaze returned. So lovely the girl was, so attractive in every way. Questions pounded in her mind. Did Jim know her' well? Had he admired that exquisite face in all its dazzling beauty. "■Were you great friends?" she asked. "Oh yes!" There was an edge on Mrs. Doyle's voice. "Rather a fair weather friend, though. She was quite a favourite with mc before our money took wings, and now Joan dear, if you arc quite ready—." , Angela Doyle got up and trailed out. not going near the other table, and it was sometime before the cloud departed. She did not want Jim and Sheila to meet, at least, not till after the marriage. It Was so near, that she did wish Sheila, who had been away two years, could have stayed a little longer. They returned in silence. "Master Jim has come in and is dressing, and Mr. Stephen Doyle rang you up." said the maid. A new look of irritation came to Angela Doyle's face. Two people who were a bone of contention to her in one afternoon! It was most vexing. Joan lifted her head as Mrs. Doyle rang up the office. She caught the angry light that glowed in Mrs. Doyle's eyes." She was sorry Jim's mother hated Stephen Doyle. Little Joan loved everyone just then. "This is Angela speaking! Oh yes, I knew Sheila was in town. By tho way, I expect Jim has told you lie is engaged to be married!" She rang off. her bad temper gone. Evidently Stephen Doyle's rage at her news pleased her. "A man I could never Joan."' she said. "A grudging, grumbling, stupid man. old before his time, and making Jim as grumpy. I'm g].id Jim's going to be married. Xow darling, time to dress for dinner."

I LD CARTER, ; o Laughter.' "The ilarrx-age Tangle," \ er serial stories. •loan (dipped away upstairs Shfl felt she wanted to look especially nice to-; niglit, ami so she. chose froia among her now purchnses a confection of delioate lieige i-hilTim, with lOiiilics of olii gold and ora.ige. Duinty lit , .!.' "nnwile shoes and silk st'.okings -:w- her a feeling of pleasure, am! she we., , , l/j (he glass and loo'---.-,! at herself. Agairst ■ that dazzling creature of the afternoon, | i sin- knew sin- was very ordinary. Son:.' girls always .-cemed to put oc'icrs in i ;thp sliadc." she nrised. and She il-i CarnithiTS was horn to he one of them. Yet. looking at hcrs-plf. Joan s-enr-elj did justice to her own distinctive charm. 1 llpr short hnir, quaint and boyish, ln-auli- ; lied the little pointed fare." When you looked nt her eyes, they were very lioautiful. and the "radiance of assuVed love tinted her with a faint, far-away luminosity which was nmre moving than, more beauty. . i ' ■■Vou'i-o simply perfect to-night, Joan." i ■'said Angela Doyle contentedly, looking' '■ smart and attractive in an pliant evening frock which Junll had paid for. Tile I hell ran- and .Mrs. Diiylo looked [anxiously at the door. She thoroughly 'disliked people dropping in to dinner uninvited. ll "It's not Jim, In-'a dressing."' she ■ muttered. - J Then mo door opened. There vvns a • ' (lush and a glorious gulden frock, cut. ■ low. revealing da/./.ling white arms and i neck. There was a tint tor of a gorgeous ; cloak of royal blue chilTun velvet, with • an enormoi'is collar of curled 0.-trieli ' feathers. Joan blinked and stared in , spellbound wonder. Then a littlo pain I came lo her heart, it was Sheila larI ruthers. k i "I simply had to pop in straight away ' and see Jim," she said archly. -Dear Mrs. Doyle, do forgive mo for beinpr so nnoerc--1 nionious. and ask mc to dinner." I And then the door opened—and Jim entered. Joan saw Jim's face—saw —■ 3 and the stabbing pain grew till it tilled her breast —and made her shrink into [ herself—fearing she knew not what. For ' Sheilla flung out her hand and caught 1 Jim's, and her face was da/.zling, and 1 she laughed tenderly. I "I wanted you Jim! Heavens'. How I've warned you!" she .-aid. and it seemed to Joan, to Joan who saw every emotion ,' that chased each other over -Tim's face, t that those two loved each other—and j that she was (lung outside her Paradise — .and the door shut in her face. s ( IIAITKK A - . .. ! During that afternoon .Mm had been queerly happy. Being uith Joan was I the most restful thing. She had that . inestimable quality in a woman, the faculty of being able lo calm jagged jllprVPß. So little she asked of him, ! being content just to love him. so long 'as she knew, in spite of his apparent , 'quietness, that he loved her. j Jim smiled as lie realised what he was thinking. Perhaps it did , not seem . "to bo a very enlightened sphere for a. woman. Hut Jim knew that there wore t women like that, who wore willing just 1 to be a man's helpmate, and ho thanked ~ Cod that -loan was one of them. I, ! He found himself anticipating with 't pleasure the thought of the girl's shy ' I welcome, as he hurried in to dress for v- ; dinner. r i Vet, when he came down he heard the. -. chatter of voices, and one Voice that s seemed aehingly familiar. His coming v downstairs was always the signal for a the dinner gontr to sound, and it sounded s now with soft musical notps. . .lie ii scarcely heard it. lie was listening for - that maddening, husky voice. \' I lie opened the door and came face to I. face with Sheila Carruthers. lor a t moment the two looked at each other. '. lie was astounded at her being there. P He had not dreamed of it. did not know '■ that site had returned to England. The • years that the locusts had eaten were c no more, lie was hack ill the old lotus I days when his father was alive, and ' life so easy to be lived, so joyous, so ' carefree. Then he became aware, as 1 Shuila thrust out her hands and caught 1 his, of Joan's face—so starkly tragic. !, lie took a firm grip of himself. j "Why Sheila!" lie said: his face was white, and a little strained, Joan saw. "What a stranger you are!" »; "Yes. aren't ]!"' said Sheila gaily. "I ; only rottirned from the Continent last night. I've had a gorgeous time! Oh Jim! Do you remember planning tours —Italy—Switzerland, Holland in . tulip time! Well, it's good to be back iin Kngland again. Old England's the whole world really. I've been a little ■ fool to stay away so long." i She looked at Jim, looked in a way , that set men's pulses thrill ing. Jim's hand went out suddenly and closed on , Joan's wrist, and for the first time j Sheila looked at her, then dismissed her 1 from her mind. This little brown mouse of a girl had nothing to compare with -, her own magical beauty. Sheila had o no doubt about her own good looks. s Jim said: ,• "Ever been abroad. Joan?" r ' "I've never been away from Kngland." '/ said Joan wistfully. "Thai's an ;. experience, awaiting mc." ;. , Ills. Doyle plunged recklessly. rj ■•Why!" "she said in that light way of ii hers, by which she could carry most k awkward situations off with an appeare ance of innocence. "You can go abroad for your honeymoon, -loan. Xow Jim, . wouldn't that be an excellent suggestion! t Wouldn't you like to take Joan to Italy 1. or France for a honeymoon! It would o be such new ground for the dear child, •- and she's so amusing because she's so Ii enthusiastic. I wish I could come as ~ well!" There was a sudden tension in tho room. Joan looking up, caught the flash ;- of Sheila's eyes as they wont from her ii face to Jim's: then she watched tho I girl stiffen: her eyes narrowed, tho o colour receded, then came back to her 0 face with a sudden glow. c "Honeymoon!" .-he said slowly. "I don't quite understand. Is Jim engaged c : by any chance ?" c "Why 4iow silly of mc!" said Mrs. S Doyle, shrugging I.e.- plump shoulder?. d "I "thought I had told you. Jim and --Joan are engaged. This if Joan l'eterson !" 1 "Joan Peterson!" Slid Sheila, her •, eyes veiled. ''I see. Yes, the name is d familiar. Quite a romar.ee I believe. A charming old lover of her mother's ■. left her heaps of money, and Miss Peterr son has got it all. Am I right:" ! Jim frowned uncomfortably. ". "In the papers wasn't it? Quite a r, nine days wonder." drawled on Sheila, d "So you are the fortunate girl to be d engaged to Jim!" r, ' "I am fortunate," said Joaa almost j defiant.

Sheila crossed and took liolil of Joan's j liaiul, and looked at her, a strange look, ; half calculating, half scornful. .loan . became conscious of iior own appearance. Queer, lmt what ever good looks sno had, seemed suddenly to lie squashed , right out of being. Her colour seemed to fade, to become dull, and uninteresting. before this gorgeous, tantalisingly ; beautiful creature. .loan hated herseli with :i sudden, passionate, unreasoning Jhntred. : ■•I'm afraid you'll find matrimony with ! Jim not a voyage of adventure, but quite ' dull. He's so steady Jim is! Didn't' I hear the dinner gong! I'm just starv- . ! They strolled into that charming little j !dining room with its quaint rosy globes, land Japanese gardens on tlie table. Per-j ! fi-ot in its i very way was, that little dinner, but it was nut exactly a success. .Mrs. Doyle and Sheila kept'the ball of j conversation rolling through dinner, j Joan was like a limp rap, not yet able i to hide her feelings as the other two i women did. She. was afraid suddenly;! i something told her that between this; beautiful' girl and Jim was an understanding of sonic sort. Bewildered at the heartache which had started in her own breast, she could not fathom the mystery, yet know that there was something that threatened her new-found happiness. Iliul they once loved? Would it be any wonder if Jim had loved this exipiisite creature, with the dark blue, lustrous eyes, and the spun-silk golden hair, and a mouth with its red, red lips, like a too vivid scarlet, flower! The wonder was that Jim loved her. . . I .Mrs. Doyle was not exactly easy either. What if Jim should be drawn away from Joan! JJother Sheila. At. last tliut nightmare dinner was over. Sheila turned. I -Dear .Mrs. Doyle, is there anywhere where Jim and I.'can have a little talk? There's something 1 must Bs k his advice about." j With a shrug of her shoulders, Mrs. Doyle jMit to her feet. Better got it , over with her. It had got to bo done, so she might as well take it philosophically. j ■•(•ome alonfr. Joan." said Mrs. Doyle. i "Let's leave them in hero, while you and I look over our purchases." ! She wouldn't hold Jim to anything that wasn't for his happiness! That she knew! Better for her own heart to ho la.orated than Jim should have one pang. Vet Jim loved her. Loved her. Had he not said so! Had he not asked i her to be his wife? A wild tumult of [exultation and triumphant love surged lover her. and she dropped to a chair and [covered her face with her hands. ; "Oli. doubting Thomas!" she whispered to herself. '-When you have everything how can you be so silly as to doubt Jim's i love!"' Hut down in the tiny hall. Sheila, her face dark with passion, caught Jim's hand. "1 will see you Jim! Cot rid of your Joan some day and have a talk with mc." • lint drew back shaking his head. Sheila burst out fiercely. "Mrs. Babhington's giving a. dance. I'm staying with her. It's next Friday, tome, and if you must—bring the others. But see you alone I will—or I'll ! tell that simple sweetheart of yours—• what there was between you and mc" She was gone., banging the door behind I (To be continued daily.) j A GENIAL SPORTING COMPANION. | At this time of the. year, the. wise sportsman is accompanied by " The Hoclor." The warming, olicerlni? olTect of a " tot " or Doctors' Special Reliable Old Protrii whisky is well known amonp sportsmen. When you come In from a round of srolf, or as you wait under cover I for mc ducks to come over—that's the time, you appreciate " The Doctor.' , •■ Doctors' Special " is a real old liqueur whiffcy, matured to a ripe old age In wood, and smooth as velvet. Ask Tor I " Doctors' Special " at any good hotel or j boltle store.— (Ad.)