THE SINS OF THE FATHERS

Evening Star, Issue 8118, 18 January 1890, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE SINS OF THE FATHERS

A TALE OF OLD CORNWALL AND NEW ZEALAND.

[Written expressly for the Evening Stak.

By Wm. Freeman, Author of 'He Who Digged a Pit.'

(The author reserves all rights of republication.)

ACT I. DEAR OLD CORNWALL,

SCENE !.-(Continued.J THE ACCIDENT.

Crash ! Smash ! Ri-r-r-r-ip ! Bump » Bump ! Bump ! Several ringing screams, a few exclamations, and a muttered oath or two 1 Six horses kicking and plunging as if possessed ! Two horses belonged to Mr Bennett's carriage and four to Lord Falmouth's coach. In an instant Hugh was down, and had seized the two leading horses by their bridles. Lord Pendarves and Captain George were almost as quick. With the help of Mr Bennett's coachman and Lord Falmouth's servants, they soon had the horses disentangled and quieted, though the poor animals stood tremblingstarting at every sound, twitching their ears back and forth, blowing long, quick puffs of steam out into the clear night air, casting nervoua looks from side to side, looking half ashamed of their recent mad pranks, and more than half prepared to misbehave again upon the slightest provocation. The carriage coming towards the south from Gwennip Pit and the coach coming north from Pengersick Castle had each turned abruptly at the same instant into a side road leading to Falmouth without expecting the other to do the same.

At the speed they were going, each in turning the corner had swerved too far across the road. The result had been a collision, and the weaker vessel, of course, had suffered. The coach had odlv lost a lamp, a pane of glass, a panel broken, and a few feet of paint scraped offj but, as Lord Falmouth looked at the damage he inwardly resolved never, no never, to yield again to any solicitation, however urgent, to use his coach on any other.day but race-day. The carriage, however, came off the worst. One wheel had been shaved neatly off; something had tickled one of the horses in the ribs so hard that some of the skin covering that region had dissolved partnership with the flesh. The side of the carriage showed what a surgeon would term "an extensive fracture "; both windows had been shivered to pieces, the harness considerably damaged, and the coachman had been, as he expressed it afterwards, " pitched into the middle of next week." "Next week" iu his case meant a good large manure heap just outside Farmer Bevan's gate, ready to be distributed over his land on the morrow, 'ioc from that delectable bed was the worthy " coachy " seen to arise and charge at his Worses' heads with many a " Whoa, now," and "Way, then." Harold's big form would have been moved more quickly only there was a little indecision as to whether he or Lord Falmouth should remain on the box. When this was settled in Lord Felmouth's favor the horses were pretty well quiet again, and Harold ran round to the other side of the carriage to see if his assistance was required there. He turned the corner just in time to see his brother George help out an elderly gentleman, stiff and white, more with intense wrath than the pain of a raiher severe glass cut on the upper part of his left arm. Harold had next handed to him by another gentleman the inanimate form of a light fra2*ile girl. He took her easily in his powerful arms, and lifted her towards the hedge, going a little forward of the carriage as he did so.

" She has fainted," said the voice of the gentleman who had handed her out. " Lay her down by the hedge. Take care !" The advice was needed. For as Harold carried the slender form past the carriage lamp—which had not been extinguished by the collision—he had caught sight of a face, pale now, but so beautiful that he actually held his breath to gaze and gaze again. The ruddy lips were parted, showing the little even white teeth; the eyes were closed, but the face was lovely without them, and the pressure of that face an<? its softyielding form againsc his breast intoxicated Harold almost like strong wine. He could have held her for horn b and done nothing but look and look again. He wa3 actually walking straight on to the horses' heels when Mr Polgully's warning voice reached him. Then he awoke to the sense of her danger. Laying her tenderly down on the grass, he charged frantically back to the carriage for a cushion, returned, and propped her head upon it. What next? Oh, water, of course! How stupid not to think of it before 1 And Harold Trelawney went off towards the farmhouse like a rocket. Meeting farmer Bevan unexpectedly at the gate—coming out to see what the noise was about —he promptly collided with him, knocking the worthy man " all abroad" among his prize cabbages. Harold picked him up hastily, shook him soundly to restore his wind, and still keeping hold of his collar, exclaimed :

" Water !" (shake). "Hear me? Water!" (shake). " Youug lady fainted !" (shake). " Water !" (shake). " Accident! Where'll I get some water ?'' (shake, shake, shake). Fortunately for her half-strangled spouse, good Mistress Bevan had come out also, and advanced to the rescue with :

" Here be some water, mais.ter roun' here to the butt 1" And Harold darted off after her before the ill-used'farmer could get out more than :

" Here, I zay, young vellow !" Meanwhile Sir Robert Yyvyan, after seeing that no one was hurt on the f&l----mout;h coach, had also come round to the other Bide of the carriage, just as a rather tall youug lady, white to the very lips, stepped down from the shattered vehiole without accepting the offered hand of Captain George Trelawney. But as she Etepped backward after reaohing terra firma she reeled and put her hand to her head. Sir Robert thought she was going to fall, and quickly extended his arm to support her. Almost instantly she recovered herself with an effort, and stepped towards her sister, leaving Sir Robert with a quiet '' Thank you !" Sir Robert looked after her admiringly ; but then he had not seen Clara. When she reached Clara's side, Margaret found Mr Bennett there, holding Clara's hand in one of his. His other arm hung limp by_ his aide with the blood running down it in a little stream. He did not seem to notice this or even to be aware of it. All his attention seemed absorbed in contemplating the pale figure On theground. Gently Margaret loosened the fastenings at the neck of Clara's dress, and chafed her temples aud hands.

"Do you think she is hurt?" murmured Mr Bennett, hoarsely. "I trust not, father," answered Margaret.

"I think it is only a fainting fit," said Mr Polgully, who had sprung from the carriage after Margaret. " I can see no sign of a wound or bruise."

"Would one of you gentlemen kindly fetch some water," came next in Margaret's clear voice.

At this moment Harold returned with the water in a shallow milkpanrrr-the first \ft« n S n 'e 00u5a olap his hands od. This waß not caloulated to carry water at a rapid rate without spilling, and Harold's track might easily have been traced by the wet splashes. Indeed, at the very moment of his arrival at the spot where Clara was lying he managed to throw out about half the water that re. gained, and it fell over Mr Bennett's iron grey hair and down his back, completely taking all stiffness from that immaculate collar and shirt; but this waß counterbalanced by the inereased dignity the incident gave to their owner. Stiffly ming upright, he glanced angrily at Harold, but said nothing! Clara soon opened her eyes after the application of the oold water, before Harold had finished his apologies to Mr Bennett for his clumsiness. "If Miss Clara could be got to the farmhouse," said Polgnlly, "it might be advisable. She could rest awhile ther'e before goiDg on."

"It would be the beet thing, but I really do not see how we are to get her there. She cannot walk yet," replied Margaret.

" If yon will, permit me, I will carry the young lady," said Harold quickly. " I have carried her once, you know," Polgully suggested that he should help, but Harold thought he could manage better alone. And he certainly managed very well; carrying her was a pleasure to him, and his heart bounded and throbbed vigorously as he again felt her figure pressed against him. He was transported to Paradise itself when in the uncertain light he thought he saw her smile up into his face. The rough, rude settle of the farmhouse had been transformed into a soft conch with cushions and wraps from the coach and carriage.

"Thank you so much,"said Clara faintly, as Harold laid her down. "This is nice—though you have carried me very gently." Harold reluctantly left her to the care of her sister and Miss Borlase, and as he turned he caught sight of the blood still running fast down Mr Bennett's arm. With a hasty cry he drew him out of sight of the couch. Hugh just then came up, and, seeing the blood also, said : "I am afraid your arm is hurt, sir. Will you _allow me to look at it? I have a trifling knowledge of surgery." Mr Bennett allowed them to strip off his coat and bind up his arm. The wound was not serious, though bleeding freely, and it was soon bound up temporarily with pocket handkerchiefs. As they finished he asked, without a word of thanks for their kind offices:

" Who is responsible for this outrage ?" ';I assure you, Mr Bennett, it was an entire accident. No one regrets it more than I do myself," answered Hugh. "Oh! You are young Mr Trelawney? Well, oblige me by telling me who was driving that lumbering coach," demanded Mr Bennett.

"The coach is Lord Falmouth's." _ "Then Lord Falmouth shall pay dearly for his stupidity," snapped the wounded man. " What business has he to ride over a private carriage in that high-handed way ? Does he think he can do that kind of thing with impunity because he is a lord?" '' I have already assured you, Mr Bennett, that the affair was a pure accident. Moreover, I may point out that you were fairly on the crown of the road, not on the left side, when the collision took place. Nevertheless I feel quite sure that, whether Lord Falmouth has the legal right on his side or not, he will be only too willing to apologise, and to make you any suitable recompense for the damage you have sustained, if you will afford him the opportunity ;" and Hugh turned and left the farmhouse, slightly disgusted with Mr Bennett's temper. Just previously Margaret, feeling the faintness returning, left Clara now nearly well to the care of Miss Borlase, and went to the outer door thinking the fresh air would revive her. She heard the conversation between her father and Hugh in passing, and, calling the latter back as he was going down to the coach, said with a little natural hesitancy:

"Mr Trelawney, we are neighbors, though we have never spoken before. I suppose," she added with a smile, "the circumstances that have brought about our meeting will excuse our speaking without a formal introduction. I wished to tell >ou that lam quite aware the collision was a pure accident, and that our coachman was as much, if not more, to blame than Lord Falmouth. My father will think the same after he has got over the excitement of the moment."

"Oh ! Miss Bennett, you are exceedingly kind. I was in great trouble about the matter. I was afraid you would think us to blame. So we were, but not entirely. It is very good of you to say this." And Hugh looked as if he meant it.

"Not at all. It is only the simple truth. I saw you were troubled", and I thought I would _ relieve your mind at once. Would you kindly convey the same assurance to Lord Falmouth ? Thank you." Margaret Bennett went in again then, and held a short conversation with her father in a low voice.

' Self-possessed yourglady that," thought Hugh, looking after her. " Not that I like her any the less for it. She is worthy a father a hundred times better tempered than that old bear.' And Hugh ran down to the coach to tell Lord Falmouth all that had passed.

Of course, as the carriage was completely broken down, Lord Falmouth could do no less than offer to convey the Bennetts home to Weylands. The offer was acepted, and at nearly midnight Lord Falmouth's couch drove up to the front door of Weylands. As he pulled up, Lord Falmouth, without looking, banded the reins towards where Harold was seated, saying " Hold the reins, Harold, I must see Mr Bennett myself." But Harold was not there; he had sprung down even sooner than Lord Falmouth, and it was Hugh's quick eye that saw the mistake, and Hugh's ready hand that checked the horses as they started forward again. Not the first time on this eventful evening that quiet Hugh had shown himself practically useful. * J

_ Harold had opened the coach door before either of the sleepy servants had rolled off their perch, and after handing Margaret out was about to lift Clara down bodily. "No, no ! " she exclaimed hastily, "vou have carried me often eno.igh to-night." I can walk to the door if you will give me your arm. And now who am Ito thank, for no one has been kind enough to introduce us ? "

"I am Harold Trelawney, of Leighton, Devonshire, at your service," said Harold with a bow.

"And I am Clara Bennett, of Weylands, Cornwall, and I thank you. very much for your services," said the little gipsy, with a profound courtesy. Then, changing her manner, to earnest, she said : " Indeed, I am very, very grateful to you for your kindness to a stranger." What Harold would have answered will never be known, because at this moment Mr Bennett (who maintained his dignity despite his feeling sick and weak from loss of blood, and under the serious disadvantage of having his linen in an utterly unpresentable stated in consequence of Harold's misapplication of water) came up the stops and took both the girls inside, passing Harold with a short " Good night." Lord Falmouth had found Mr Bennett (after having first addressed Mr Polgully in mistake), and had commenced a long and somewhat labored apology for his share of the accident, when Mr Bennett had cut him short with:

" Pray do not mention i*\ I deeply regret that your lordship should be so troubled over such a mere trifle as to feel it necessary to apologise! It must be exceedingly annoying to a person of your lordship's character to have mere commoners such as ourselves get in your waj wtien' your lordship has chosen to drive at full speed along the centre of a public road ! Good evening!" And before Lord Falmouth had fairly realised that Mr Bennett was Bpeaking ironically, that gentleman had disappeared from sight through the hall door with his two daughters. " The fellow is a bear," said Lord Falmouth, climbing up to the box seat, " A perfect bear," echoed Lord PendarveE. And away rumbled the coach to drop the remainder of its load at their various homes, each and all thankful that the had been no wone, and at least two pi ijhem not at all disposed to g¥qm,bje at an accident which had extended their circle of acquaintance ip tb,o way it had. (To be eonlimied.) ■ ■ ' . .1