NEVER PLAYED OUT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1097, 2 November 1869, Page 3

NEVER PLAYED OUT.

IN FIVE GHAPTEBS. CHAPTER I.—CUBATE OF MAEL HILL BCEIBIT. No; I am not in the fens, old Mend, though you may smell them when the wind blows from the sea, and though a considerable portion of the largest estate in the parish is certainly marsh-land; as yet unreclaimed. Marl Hill proper is really not called so in satire ; it is on rising ground, the first wave of the wolds: the house I live in is at least eighty feet above the sea-level. The land all about is thoroughly drained and highly cultivated; and if you will come to see me, I will insure you against ague, unless, of course, you get it by voluntarily going into its strongholds to shoot wild-fowl. It is a trifle dull, I must confess; so that you must expect to get long-winded old-fashioned letters in exchange for your occasional penny-post notes. One cannot read all the long evenings and all the mornings too ; and sermon-writing is not a difficult style of composition here, for it is impossible to be too simple ; you must talk rather than preach if you want to catch the attention of the people. These are scattered about, living in disgraceful cottages, upon the different estates. There are one or two small farmers, but the greater part of the land about here is let out and cultivated in a wholesale way, and one farm of a thousand acres pretty well takes up a parish. That is why the vicar has two, I suppose. He is one of the old school, and took things pretty easy : had morning service in the one church, and evening service in the other, every Sunday ; married, buried, and christened I when obliged to do so, and bothered himself no further. He has been ordered off to Madeira for his health, by a homcepathist, one would say, and on the principle that like cures like, if, as scandal reports, his ailments are traceable to his fondness for that too seductive wine. At anyrate, he required a curate to take his place, and here 1 am. After the fashionof new brooms, I want to perform some sweeping, but it is very difficult to do anything. The people are more heathenish than I hadany idea was possible in this Christian country ; but the job is to get at them. The women and children are but at work almost as much as the men,; and district-visiting is impossible when the cottages are locked and empty, or in the charge of a young girl, who also has to look after her small brothers and sisters. Drunkenness is not very prevalent, because the beer-shops are few and far between ; but the devil does not lose much, for opium-eating is a common habit. It is a fact, I assure you. When you come here, you shall be taken to the chemist's in the nearest village on Saturday evening, and see the piles of opium piUs he sell to the labouring classes. I tried tracts, but found that very few could read them. However, I have managed to double my congregations, and have established a Sunday school, which is a beginning. I hope to get up an infant school for week-days, next. You asked me what sort of life I led, you know, so if these matters bore you, I am not responsible. I should like a little more civilised society, I confess, for, not being able to afford a horse, I am well nigh neighbourless. The property about here belongs nominally — for I believe it is mortgaged as heavily as it will bear — to a Major Holcombe, who lives with his only child, a daughter, at the Marl, which must have been a nice place once, but now— —l do not know how to describe it to you , think of Hood's Haunted House. The stables are in ruins : the garden is a wilderness ; there is good feed on the drive up to the front door, which is never opened, the people going in and out by the back ways. As for the master, he has just recovered from an attack of D. T., but is dying. He has something on his mind, I think, or I doubt whether he would care so much for my company, or listen so patiently to all I have to say on religious matters, especially as I must seem a mere boy to him. I was rather stumped at first, but he soon began to talk scepticism, and arguing set me all right. And then I do look ten years over my age ; that is one of the advantages of being ugly. He is constantly on the point of telling me some secret, only I do not encourage him, and he often says that he will write something down, and leave directions for the paper to be given me after his death. What is my duty, I wonder P If one were a Eoman, I suppose it would be clear ; but you see lam not yet even in priest's orders yet, and altogether I had rather be without his secret. But probably it is all nonsense. A man just out of D.T. is never right in his head ; and yet, I daresay, his conscience is bad enough, for he has led a queer life, by all accounts. He has run through three fortunes, they say, two of his own, and one of his wife s, whose heart he almost broke, they say ; but ' they ' always do say that of a spendthrift. When his wife died, he disappeared for a while ; went yachting, to dodge his creditors, and placed his daughter, who was but ten, at school. He was away for eight years, and then he returned here, and brought his girl with him. And a strange life that poor young lady must have led, considering that she is not aDi Vernon. Only men came to the Marl, and those of the fastest. Major Holcombe wanted her to marry one of them, the son of an attorney and landagent who had made his fortune, named Naisley ; but Miss Lucy would not have him. Perhaps, however, she would have been bullied into it, only Naisley got a fall out hunting which injured his spine. I can see you grinning, but you are quite out. Ido not believe that I should ever fall in love with her. She is good looking, no doubt, and friendly enough ; but she has got some great sorrow weighing upon her. Her father's state would of course account for a certain melancholy^ ; but there is more than that; there is mystery, suspense, expectation of something which never happens, and which yet may happen, in the expression of her face. I have not made my meaning olear, but no matter: I could not if I tried for a twelvemonth. Miss Holcombe is my only ally in the small reforms which are being attempted; without her aid, I doubt whether the Sunday school would ever have become a fact. I close this in haste, for a messenger has come to say that this same Major Holcombe is in extremist and calls for me. CHAPTEB II. — THE UNFINISHED BUBBEB. The strangest thing has happened. Brown : Major Holcombe is dead. The paper he talked about leaving me to read is lying before me, and it affords a clue to our mystery — I mean about poor Godwin. Do you remember the minute details of that evening ? I think I do, and propose to jot them down here. If I am incorrect in any particular, perhaps you may be able to set me right : then, please send this letter on to Thorpe, and ask him to supplement our memories still further. I want to have the account very accurate, because legal proceedings may follow upon the steps which I shall feel bound to take. : ■ Our happy Cambridge life was drawing to a close ; indeed,! had taken my degree, and only remained up because I had a scholarship to run out. You others were still undergraduates, but were^pingii^foif your final examinations inthe winteftiiand it wftilate wtiti October terau ";mJ^!^-

eiue, irwiis on the 4th of MMmtii 18m, exactlyMefe fMi&Mgal v^off came up to the B.A. table mhal^touphed me on the shoulder, and said '': 3ii Oomo id my rooms fskss&&stm&b*?Q ;*jraJ*«f ,!!•» .: t .-.. w-. oe^M ifePj, i?r,y,oja had^rought. some verj>k<?euen'i' pbrfc-.^inaMm r fepme with To^.an.4 we?e w,er^*|9^.b,o.Ulef stulleffc. ga|ge^^nayb } v invited %§^M% : WMS% .'P^P/P?e r f'j so,,:before"giving a'ldecided ansyrer, he asjced ymo the. fourth ,was. • ; f\ Hylas Godwin, you repUedV \"'AU. xigiiti" said Thorpe ; •/Mcoipe." TOoifrgt | pallet Godwin, B^mS r Jt,|fas!a capital'niclaiamc?, for it }$$M of %^ty)e o| "beauty. ]%&& a, good-l()pking^ fellow A lie lyras, certainly $xc handsomest sijiatt of om time. Bather' conceited, .peyHaps, as youngsterswjio are adn^edfe women^^'are wont ,',Jfcq jb^, and ; ; t^6^gH,"iaay be, not such a genius as, w.9iesteemed him; and I do not tnihk that X'jitLjf'.fiYev' xn^.^tK a inbre jagre^able. companion. , Gerrafd said better; things, bp,t(Ui Ko, confused a way tliat^they, los^i t^eir'pun^eycv'in^he^uttering : he always Tfept^hy , in. me middle' of , a ; joke. . But, w^i^,^atj|ed but any. alisuriiiftjr that; ca]mp.3^to head in a manner which was irreaisiibje. And he, was in particularly gooli cj;e at,th^ ( wWst-^»bie7r-not3^at! hei ey ; spQke[during jfcheplay, : heVwas far.too lover of ,jbh§; game; ib^t^at,, but bet^^eh.'the4eals!he made amends for pre^ (^'ijence, v and gener aliy kep.tjhis threp, cbjinpanipns on the grin till . the hands thj^- fijfs|t ; card le^., „ .. ._ y . ; , He.wasriE'his usukl spirits that evening, 1 wbricouldrwejafteijwards recall a word or look iWhich seemed tor shew that "■- he had anything? on ; his mind, or any presentiment of evil. , . "Wesa^fpr alittle while'round the fire, drinking a glass or two of your portj and then" opened' the 'card-table, "and 'cut; for t»aifcfifersi ■It ; was you and Thorpe against (^dw^fmd'myself.'' The^ cards feßi;vi6iy eyeMyV^fid' the fi*st ; rubber; which ybu won> Was very prottacted/ so that We had hardly finished;^ the • 'first 'game of' the sec&id L when! ; we heard the ! chapel bell g6vks and^.Thtti^pe' cried Hhafc hei wasshorfc o^Mitf^hapels for the week, and must keep thatbneV •';'":"■"" '~" \ ' '. '" "" ' ' '. * '" J l;haVe l had a notice from the dean top," sfeii : Obdwin; " but I'll cvt 1 chapel' and fiii&h the rubber'for all that, if Thorpe w^ll^c ' ! .» : > '.■> ••■-.'•• ' ; ' 'Brffc' Thprpie wa^ firm. Wp abuSeid him for'ht^'Ja^n^ in not 'gettnig up for^ morning feirvi'ce, '^ttd j sb securing eveniiigs of u^rbienfcoriifort ';' "but" he prided himself oil^his^ felbtK, and took our sarcasms for oompjiMents. " *»When he actually rose and thfew^his gpira| ; 6ni it became evident thajb owTU^erWa f STeally,to he interrupted, s6 T|e; all'a^eed to : Vipe a : chapel off our score,; leaving the i. cards on /the table, , and retuiriang to finish the gaihe' directly serTißewwi oVeir. "'...."'■' -P(i !i y"pu /wonder: at my writing down these details P; I ,am, purposely aUdwiag! fey r inihd to dwell 'on ey^ry little; partieuTa?. .because,' |;b tell the : truth, I can think of ndthmg el^ejust npw,'';and I find xny memory very! vivid/ I t can;, see the eHjjMjs&l M& just stuck un^er a candle- . staple io'mdrk] a .dbufel e\ ; the patterns on tHte '\>^pkqf pur jpack 'and of yours. I can Bfee' i 'G<>d^in ) k iace i as he said to me: *fl|oW; don't you" go rushing bfi to your ropriis'; fbr., l^ r pipe after chapel, ias you are '*sb fond of . doing. Cbihe straight b^bfc's J8 "B^wn's, and don't keep us Waiting.', I'wUl give >y6u a cigar if you ha^e'fp;rg]ptten ypiir jbaccy.' And then in slMa aside to Tlibrpe, as we. ran across the $burfc : ic lie nevier can resist smoking another fellow's, cigars. . Oh, I know wMpC^o have him 'I . '•■ !^e \were jiist in time to get in before the .chapel doors were closed, and as we w^jwa^ing up the iaisle, he whispered iam^, ew.:''"'u. you do admit a secular tnoughjb pouring the next, half^ hour, partner, $$$ J)|> % a i , meditation' upon ! the propriety of leading truiops when you hold -%?• '/.,•; 7';' '.--' ■'•■',,' ' ■ ; .^b^t , three, years have elapsed, I t^^%'l^po\iSldJsYfea,v to those being his e^act;jfbrasr Sow little I thought at the mpi^entthaj; they. were the last I should e £jg£h<sar him utter,. „ : '-. : missed each other in the crowd oi]cpming aut; and Vhen you, /Thorpe, apdmyself^me^agam^^ door a few, secpjadiJf^erwards,^'iGbdwiii was not there. Vfsji'sfe)a,t ,111 and lit the candles, and laughed at tis being the last, after the fass he had , made about the punctuality of others': ;, You said ttat the porter had ittetyoujjin'brpssing .the court, and had giy^hypu a)ej:ter; so we concluded that the, same had happened to Godwin, and'itUat he had gone to his. own rooms, tpjSee.whAt it .wfts, about before joining, us. We. speculated upon its being a billetdmx,i anb), jpke^tj about Hylas and the nymphs, speaking finally rather harshly, of -$ie supposed lady, whose letter we assum,ed to, have caused this delay in resuming, our rubber. :It is j: euripus to note how the first thought of , suspicion or alarm comes into t^e mind ; w;it.ii a flash— by instinct apparently. No, doubt, soine reasoning process has been going on with such subtlety as ; tp b'exmfelt, and that which we often call a presentiment, is merely a logical conclusion, For some time on that evening 1 , y?A never doubted but that itheabsent manjwould come in from minute to minute. T/he^pen with its ; two lighted : candles, ,th;e cards, and the counters upon itr/stpodras.it^had .beenrleiffc. 3?he epfa W/is,jdrawn;uti in jErpntpf.tlie fire, and you lay .QjL it } ; 3? feprpe, and I sat in two . easychftirs on either side ; and so we remained, siripking and chatting, for upwards of an hour, c} „ .- . •'. -, .'! • And, then I perfectly remember experiencing a sudden, uneasiness, which eausedmeto look jaerpss at Thorpe, and J read a similar feeling in. his eyes. We both turned. Ip ; you, and the expression on our faces =mußt. have feeen yery ; plain, for ; yjQuafeoh.ee said: "Jxhat! you do not expect that there is anything the matter withhimsß"; , „ ' t. t( -O£\ course , | not," .^replied: Thorpe. "^BatrrthereLwouJidLbe no harm in going; tpfhis zoom to See." -, ■'■>W.e> went,, aud.. found the outer door sported V and.while we, were hammering and shouting, the; gyp. came up and told us that Mr. Grodwin^ $ad,;gone out of cplleg«i ,1101 wearing ]bis, academical dress, ajad carrying a carpet-bag, t Qn going to the lodge, we heard this story .confirmed by the porter, who . also said that there MsMiti%ti&ev left for him) T^eleariied £m, day' ifcHat £ he had left a note fbr" his tsvs, sayA£g^that ! urgent; family ittatte^ 1 Qwfc% : Ws% Msf. V?taeaikteiy; 'but' tl»t r W'wpujq returner ■'write ' ai 'sdoi as' MhoM^ Md l tftak fyti'tUe last of hirni ' pretty well : Mie M;^; Wp^Jd. " W % k\ relatives' ,wpre ,p6iic6riiea.r He had "entered himiM)mfijpMie:, Snd 'tnfe tutor kne^ no one f'cpJfiiiupicate!With. ; Of jpourbe a iban wd^6t^sappeWlike ithatwitnbutcau'^aqiiijaes H ifiuitle^, ; and* the maJ'iij ' '$ 'his ■ acijuttintances Iboni fbrgofc' a^ The mystery of flic affair struck vis Bk sM? elf; 'kjMss Wi t ' bSsicles fe r %awaflf 'the i n|ostiwjx'?b ; üB. Id learn : BlM'tiecim of : Mfc u W P^MkUitiimie^^^WMMi^

fromit, and agreed that, if ever we could rtfeet' witK G&dwiii ¥galh, we^ would play it out. Thatoatineverbe. For here, on the borders of the Lincolnshire fens, I have unexpectedly Pome,, upon ,tfop- traces of our.old fnonH, and the cause of his dw-. i^t^He:' <l i?^'<lS|iS f -<)ut > "M«gtfr Hol ; coinbe'S-^bnfession I s suppdse I must call it, though I hate the word, and will send it you, but yoji must not show it to any one! at/all events, at present,