GRACE HARDINGE; OR, SHADOW AND SUNSHINE.

Bruce Herald, Volume XII, Issue 1137, 5 September 1879, Page 33 (Supplement)

GRACE HARDINGE; OR, SHADOW AND SUNSHINE.

BY MABCfABST WIGHTMAK. (Author of "The Heir of Marleigh," "Agnes Glen, or the Flower of the Factory," &c.) CHAPTER 11. A FRUITLESS ERBA3D — WEARINESS AND DESPAIR — A" FRIEND IJf NEED. " Yes, it's rather' stiange. It's a pity you missed him. He left bub a few minutes since and won't be back this evening." " I'm so sorry. I wish 1 had seen him, for there must have been some , mistake. He told me in his note he had returned it, and it's now five days since then and it hasn't come. Something must have happened it," and Grace Hardinge, trembling •with emotion and fatigue, sank half-faint-ing into the chair offered her by the gentlemanly-looking young clerk to whom she had addresied herself on entering the office of the ' Harbinger.' " Yes there must have beeu some mistake," replied the gentleman, "and yet I can hardly think it possible, Mr St John is generally so correct in matters of that kind. He doesn't often make mistakes with manuscripts. But then he has so much to do, so many of them to look over, that if he did it need not be wondered at. 1 cannot understand how it is you haven't got it, for I'm certain I heard him giving orders it should be returned to you. However, the person whose duty it is to attend to these things is not iv the office at present. When he returns I'll enquire about it, and if found it will be sent to you at once." " When do you expect him back ?" :n---quired Grace, in faint broken tones. "At six or thereabouts. Could you call a little after six ? asked the clerk as he gazed with a look of admiring interest on the sad fair face of his visitor. " I fear not " replied G race. " But may I trust yon will enquire about it when he comes, and if found direct it to be sent to meat o:ce?" Promising he would do so faithfully, she thanked him, and bidding him good-bye, set out on her weary way with a heavy aching heart. And so her lorg toilsome walk to the office had only ended in disappointment. It was bitterness enough to have met her false cruel lover on the way with a handsome, gaily dressed young lady as his companion, and to have to return his bland smile and bow of i % ecognition with one as seemingly careless as hi.s own without this new trial' Bitter enough for the time to have seen and felt that another was already receiving from him the homage that had so lately been hers. Bitter, ay bitter enough indeed, without her last hope of all, being dashed to the ground in. finding that the story she had written with such care had either been lost, mislaid, or worse than all, perhaps consigned to the waste biaket, that tomb of so many earnest hopes and proud aspirations. And then, through all, she had been tortured, by anxious fears about her mother — her poor suffering mother — lying untended and alone iv her poor cheerless home. Alone, without a friendly hand to amootlie her pillow or give her a morsel of food or a drink of water. Her poor half famished mother ! what mi"hb she not be suffering now. S*he might be dyins» or dead, for aught she knew. And even if she were not, she might soon be, if a merciful Heaven did not work a miracle to save her. It was the thought of her sufferings and the necessity of procuring immediate nourishment for her that impelled Grace, sad and toilworn as she was, to go at once from the office to the Ei woods and ask Mrs El wood for the money due her, Nothing but the misery of her position would have driven her to make such an attempt, for to do so would entail a walk of at least two miles to the long weary one between her and her home. But then she reflected that if she got 'he money she opuld purcha.se food, wine and other necessaries at once, and ride home ; so thankful that the lady's account chanced to be in the reticule she carried, she tinned with gomriiliing like hope in the direction of her residence. J Long and weary seemed the way to the heartsick and footsore girl, faiiit as much from want as from fatigue. Oh! how often and longingly she glanced towards the crowded cabs, hansoms and omnibuses that flew past her on the dusty roads laden with passengers, all looking so com fortable and happy, just, as if the world had been madw for their pleasure and enjoymer.t, and there wasn't such a he.tt tcrushed, we suy-limbed, hopeh ss creature in it as poor Grace Hardinge But resisting the temptation of taking a ride to rest l.er achinj? tcet, or even purchasing a biscuit to i\ emit her failing strength, ?hn accomplished lipi- task — accomplished it only to meet another bitter disappointment, (or Mrs Ehrood, — easy-minded, pleasnre seeking, thoughtless Mrs >.lwood — we s not disposed at all to settle the account of her poor acquaintance on that particular day. •f.Oh ! low tiresome," she remarked to the smartly dressed maid servaut who presented it to her. " How very tiresome she should have come on this day of all days. It would take all the money I have to settle my jeweller* account and that other onj for the bonnets, lace*, and floweis I got from Madame Mazarine. Jt will, iudeed," she said, as, lifting a cheque for a hundred pounds which had been given her by her indulgent husband but ■9. few minutes before, she folded and refolded it with her white jewelled fingers. " Yep, Martiu, it will take every penny, so you" must just say I'm ill or something of that kind ; and tell her to come back next Thursday and I'll pay her then and give her more work," and this said, she

threw herself back on the cushion of her luxurious couch, little dreaming of the missry her selfishness would cause two tender, suffering human hearts. Grace turned from the door with a stifled moan of despair ' as the cruel message fell on her ear. Weak, giddy, over- heated, and heartsick, she felt utterly unable to proceed further on foot, yet fearful of parting with the few pence that were all Bbc had in tke world, and with which she meant to buy some food for her mother, she tottered on — on through the dunty streets, till feeling a sickening faintness coming over her, she at length stood still with only consciousness enough left to be able to signal the guard of an omnibus bound for the station nearest to her home, pay him his fare, and assisted by his strong arm, get into it and sink down on the seat oblivious in her suffering of all around her. There were some seven of eiffht pas« sengers in the vehicle, none of whom — save one — seemed to notice the drooping, over-heated, sorrowful looking girl in her mourning attire of faded black, and with | the large sweat drops of pain on her fair | brow, vho reclined in a c jrner of ib. This one, however, seemed to know thats she suffered, for from the moment of her entrance he gazed on her with a look more of pityiog interest than curiosity. He was a tali handsome man of forty, or so, with a grave earnest face, well dressed and gentlemanly looking in appearance, and hada copy of the ' Times ' in his hand, between which and Grace he divided his attention ; now glancing keenly at some of the pai'agraphs, now turning to gaze with a pitying look at the drooping figure of the poor girl, as she leant back in the corner into which she had sunk — heart-sick, almost unconscious, a death -like pallor slowly creeping over her lately flushed face. Suddenly, with a murmured exclamation, he sprang to his feet and crossed to where she sat, catching her iv his arms just as she was falling to the floor in a deathlike swoon, " Stop — stop. This poor girl is ill, perhaps dying. She must be got out at once." He cal ed to the guard, as he bore his unconscious burden to the door of the omnibus. The man obeyed, stopping by good chance opposite the door^of a respectable chemist, where the kindly stranger alighted, and bearing the slight figure ia his arms as easily as if it had. been that of a child, made his way across the street, foX lowed by a crowd and the wondering looks of the people in the omnibus, and soon had the satisfaction of placing his charge on a comfortable sola in the consulting room. "■ You are better now. Don't be alarmed, dear child. You only fainted through fatigue or the heat," were tho kindly expressions of her protector, when after ihe application of tho usual restoratives, she opened her eyes, with a heavy sigh, and gazed wonderingly around her. " Oh ! my mother, my mother — suffering, dying. The manuscript. Oh ! the manuscript," she moaned, faintly, a look of unutterable sorrow passing over her bewildeied eyes as his voice fell on her ear. Surely it had been her soul that spoke, for never at that time, nor afterwards, could she remember having uttered the words which, broken and simple as they were, touched so strangely and deeply the heart of her unknown friend. '• Poor girl, poor girl. She 4 s some amateur authoress that has had her work cut up or rejected. Don't you think so, Mr Hedge wick," he remarked, in subdued tones, to the proprietor of the establishment. " Likely enough. But you'll soon know. iShes coming rouud," replied that gentleman, not a little tired of a scene which was depriving him of customers by keeping a motley crowd around his door. " Yes, yes, she is. She must be takes home, but must, have a glass of wine and something to eat first," said her protector, as he drew out his purse and handed some silver to Ihe chemist. The wine and cake being produced, the kindly stranger held the glass to her lips, and after drinking a little of it she revived, ar. d tried to thank him and apologise for the trouble she had caused him. " I'm so sorry, sir," s!ie murmured. " I was out on urgent burners. I walked too fa»-, and the heat, and the fatigue, and anxiety " "Overcame you, th.it was all Never mind, dear child. Take a little more of the wine and a piesft of cake, and you'll soon be better. —l'll see you to your home, wherever it is," he remarked, in cheering tones, ys iiis eyes rusted with admiring interest on the pale sweet face, which h^r brief illness had invested for the time being with a strange spiritual b'.-auty. '■ Oh .' I cannot think of troubling you further,, sir I've troubled you enough already," sl.e filtered, apologetically, when after having taken a little more of the wine and a morsel of cake, she rose to her feet, anxiety for her mother overcoming her sense of person -i 1 weakness. " There now, you SBe how unfit you are to go alone," he said, with a grave smile, when a moment after sh« sat down again, the sight exertion calling back the feeling of faint ness. " No, no • I'm not able yet, but my di other, my poor mother, what will she think — what will she suffer," she moamtd despairingly, as again the sinking feeling which generally precedes a swoon pissed over her heart. "Pleas?, gentlemen, to attend to this young lady while 1 cull or send someone for a cab. She must be taken home at once. I fear she is taking some serious illness," remarked her benefactor, in subdued tunes, to Mr Hedgewick and his assistants, after he m irked her fast piling face. Hurrying to the door he despatched a messenger for a conveyance, and a cab

being procured, lifted her gently in his arms, aud seating her in it took a seat by her side. >. *' Don't be alarmed, my poor child," he said, with a grave smile, seeing that a flush came to her pale face at this new proof of his interest, " You are perfectly safe with inc. You couldn't go alone you know, and as I happen to have a leisure hour to-day I'll devote it to you. Please give me your address, and I'll set you down at the door of your home wherever it is." Unable to speak, Grace glanced timidly lip for » moment into the dark handsome face of her companion, then, as if satisfied with 'her scrutiny, handed him Mrs Elwood's account, on which her address was written,- and which she had retained in her grasp since it had been returned with the false cruel message. Glancing at the address, a shade of surprise passed over his face, and he turned as if to look at her more attentively. Once or twice he seemed about to speak, but checking himself took out his note-book I and transferred it to its pages. Then carefully folding the account, he laid it beside him on the seat and turned to address her. " We've a good drive before us, but we won't be long." he said, as beckoning to the cab.driver, who had been waiting impatiently, he gave him bis orders, and they were soon whaling away through the busy streets in the direction of her home. (To be continued.)