“ NOW OR NEVER!”

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 11, 23 December 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

“ NOW OR NEVER!”

The Romartce ofc* New Year’s Eve. i CroyrroUy ''•■■'wd A: - it; nt•>

(«, QAY. mum! " rattle yororg T■ b 1 v' st - .1 -r.-t.' ho-.’ y. ’■ It. n.t too startlin'’. •' Yet, Ur" >/:.!.• liitril 11<T 1i •' and #M on« Euvl ;>cr.« the b.'.l-erovro-Jrt quiveringly, as if, kniwlrotg there so lon’ in sthw’, slro had Wron in danger of forgetting him a Its 'got h>'f. ” What dearie —what i "

•• Nothin’ nth—it’* i*- : l right.” he •aid. offhan-l. " I v..ro only th.r.king—what** it to t.'? Are "e g-’ing to !>•'- gia a New ¥• ar without him? Yon Itrw!" In tiro niiro-year-<>!>! brain of late, i»» be by there, qji ndiiU acumen Lad iwuncl to ” ¥ i 'i n t i'po» I mini! ; I was only llcnko-.g ”i how you**.! brovr it. Think wo coui-l start another year- without dad—our dad?**

He winrrol a* her hand closed upon bi* so sutiibn?.* uni hor faro* dipped out of sight again ; but lie had been rjuite prepun. l to-night.

” I’m nil r•gl. f ; don’t you worry, ho »bi>ed, »t utly “ We*re kept going w fir; onb, 'when it comes to now «r never ’’ Ho coughed a little guiltily and sank ills voice. ** I mean it** a I.'ng tune mw - nearly five months, mum! And, when yon think that you or I <■■>•>!<! get to him to-night inside an hour., nid just say one word—- • Dad* — wouldn't he break down and be glad to como back an,,l begin all over again? Yon fcn-»w . When I’m a man, and my wifo and. me •piarrelh*!. orw srit’ rr*n • i- -■ ' ». I t- , 1 ■' ■ ' ' it f ' -t’ . ’. e.iu' ■- a . . l—.b ; — unless you want to be»!* your mother’* heart.” ■• Ha! ” Ho gave an intuitive lit lie roll of bi* head »n the pillow ml drew bis smalt 'white sticks of finger* along her arm in a soothing tnauncr. *" That’s d'in-.' a'ready. \:;I you’d l-’t it break •*onor than sp,nk. But” —stultifying himro-lf iti a s robing breath— " n >*r he's s»> near us again, yon Blight think of ■ tn«! ” A swift w,* :r ‘■Kt. and the had drawn away into Uie •lusk shroiicing thro rnam. Th ■’■-> wr? small, vague atrtnd'« through it that held him to i lifcrie a m-iment. i Another man’s letter! i Ajo ; i- lij f h >n .he I >”!.''<l dr ro 'r | •till, in f i- .ro rs.'c ‘ - ?.•••■ whole months I ha. 1i... • ’ . 1 - 'll ’ s< Itobe | looking ba;’; >r; ■ n .«. t-.r 1 !' drones— ■ Ker,-, i- » Th.i mg's Mark, her ;ae ,h - ,r!. i.< 1 '■ . • us: > t'.-- > ro j ’ ’. • I < - r !■ ’ d«-r. I,■ ■ i I : I”-'. F ! -» h.: ! " ■ ;,< ' :: u. . ’ ’ it t > shr.’l -. . - . . iy 1 ’ 1 as i .1.1. her rc-ko sn.»u-?:«> • g : L« • •’/ * us»a— : ■ . - . with front, nt dread. Tr»..t t» >» all. A* her arm ; wavered tip t> bt> n ho ha.i <1 .a »n > La.A ,w \ I I! • v. ,dk"J to tho J>u- rn: kin-.l !.! ero, his fwc bar! as 1 . ’ ■ -. ’’ T ■ .'re fr> ■, Kitty,” !'• ■: ' >'•’•. !.-■ !!■• nt he was golf* H ■ ' " t‘ m <! -v, in wh:A sb. b’ I per. I a!! 1.. r -ioman** h. . .1 ■■■.*. ’■ ■ --a r. ‘ .irn>-l -ui i,» r. 1 . *. : ’n*. t' it ful'ii. j . ‘ ‘ a ■>'. n-r r. of Li.* ’. . * • .” -- - " ! - I . ' •■>. . ; n. f ..i’. st-cn i• ~ • t • 1 at!■ ■ ■ n '■ *■ 1 heard Mr . !’*•> ■•’•■*. tell yon in the night; I s'»..v k.w white you went; I ; w-vs-i't re-'.- W . , . n the gro.it b 1 - • ' ’err.— tbev’ro ’■ I. ■ ’lt’.; .'■ t C. • ■ ! ’ ’i lib.* a two ’» W- ' - ■ ’ ."."O -li T>.. !._.,!!• M i . • ’ Don 1 ' w*it v>' ’' ' ■ .*- 1 me-if; tt-jar or nro-r ' ■" An 1 i v->-: '■ iv.» y.Mi nil -hut turn ni. i r' 1 " - ” Uro roro-hed. a* in a ire. Sho wo-:!! no .'...f l rrot think; but th* b‘r»’..< < ry Iro 1 ’s'rororht Iror si'.'.Ting I. -t..» tiro ’■ !■< tfroill-’I th ;roi: z !i and t!rr.*.-.g'i • •' ■ ■n. i .-■■si.'i -a’dloro .v,.l 'i 1 L.rok Iro; tromHi.ro Iron I W >*" ■ ■ ’ ' ’•* -'I •• < ' ’ - .v :ro P-.-VV- ' • ■ ir -a; ' M d:- :■ • • 1 . ’ ■ ’ • . h - 1 rot Then !’.* I - ■ • be a ' ’ t i’ -v In v ’ th-* on - : !’ rg V'v Y.roJt -I t-n* - -My b: ro ■ ' .’ ’ • - 1. •*• s . <vi--tly ' M >'.-■« • ■t' I'.*': - 'wnoi-' * ■ ■ it.' “ R«es - rvi-t" Iro m-itterwl ’■ ’ Sroro - ., t » hrorr ■;! y* i «•. Don’t hurry.” She wn* c>.ro ■ 1 n the sd-'nee let’ upstairs tj —tv.- mwemrats kg.::i. Gra-

, >iroroiy. !,:s chest rattling, the bny worked the Iro* robes retro.-I him iiito a i 1: . stealthy, pant in,;, h.j nr.ro grep.ng h.i way acru-i» to ; . roiu m the oppo: ito trorner. So ro-.ro t > :!>■ w indoir, frora which lin had * rrot rerolly looked for weeks, ho allowed i lilnroi If row stare out —just one. ! The vague hum if many voices came ' up out of what seemed to him to-night a mystic, magical, wailing ilttsh — the * spell oi New Year’s Eve. To-night was the opening night at the (yranvitle! A queer little figure, with a throntthickneros ho crept away. A moment nioro and lie had found the key, opened the locked drawer, and drawn it out — the envelope in which were preserved as sarr-d the fragments • i that fatal kttcr. ilis heart thumping, ho listened hard a moment —then groped across to the table. The bed-clothes fell away f.vtrn him as he sat, but he hardly knew that. He was writing as nicely as his weak little grip upon a poor pen would allow.

Dear Dad, —I am sending this line to you all Slone. Mother has gone out, and will be gone a long while. I hoard you were the hero on the bill,;. I thought perhaps you c nd I manage to rush hero quickly and slip in and just nio before she gets back. We are living in the top room just now, and the brolger is our landlady now. Mother d-*esn’t know, but I heard the doctor tell Mrs. Piashet that at one time he thought I should never get up again. But 1 got up to write this. Do come. I’m listening all the while. P.S.—I love you still as much, and so doea mother. ( am putting in the bits of that letter that drove you away from home. I’m not afraid, because mother isn’t. I haven’t looked, but I know there’s nothing in it that’s bad. If you should see mother’s face in the crowd anywhere, could you just speak to her? Bo quick! — Your loving boy, Teddy.

fi ■ f.ro't n-d ami nddr. K-ed the envelope with great care, climbed feebly back into the bed, lay exhausted for a rr.inutv, and t'.cn h-am-d out and thumped a shoe upon the floor.

'* What’s the time? ” shot his dry • whi’-per across, as the door opened a lit- | • ’o sis! n yw head * r ’Mi n-w’ding curls * " - /’ ; ■ ro W' • roll •, o ■ I — a ■ aid y i, u ’ > ■ t. rot r * l*i- nse do. I've got t”. npen'-c, an! I’!' give him all my foreign stamp*. Oh. ; if you’d !• •_ him run with it at once! ■ ■' Don't tell her!” came the faint t.-eath. ,-«ft<-r a pause. “It’s only from • mi- —*t:y Neur Year's message— -to dad!” “ K - Kitty! Mrs. Shannon?” ' Ezra Bernstein, acting-manager of j ” The Last Hope” touring company,; stroking a masterful way along the : crowded pavements, was within a f-w ; strides of the Granville stage-door. Tho ■ cigar dropped from Ills fingers, scatter- ■ irog a trail <*f sparks. Hi* ultrti-dar!:. b'l-’ton-’rc d r’-in t- >’•- a r.-.e, momenta rv flush. ; •• M- 1 u'.lrond —Mr. Mark Shannon! »Voa!-| you eou'd I hope to roe him f»»s- ' wn in '■ni’ni without his knowledge > “ See 1 ini? ’’ B<-rn te n repeated, j i- th a • roidi’-l, Ironsi/.- irony, i At .' »,i-, anr-e, like—r.-> speaking t '-i ' Ah ye,; I’<l h*ard something; ot -t >rrv I’m - ire! Stall tic’iot do? To > !•••.'( « 1 '- *'• -p inside! Y i don’t ro ia‘. a •"ir , .t-n,„'ht crowd staring at you i •’«• -ro..’ W.-Tl - Ard still hi' ' n I. in.’, clutching at and yet shunkirg ftorn the straw of h >;»e li-dd <■ it. .he t rind ber.-i If folio -, ing linn into the bin’hng. down c. I mg p.i- ■’re, ",i d into >i room he had opened with a v ‘ Nn.i or never—now or never!” 1 <• •» ♦'* a orris b--at ino -hanical’y .•'.hb - 'r.iin. 1 V‘U . th. ii'” He had turned «•» a I'g!’* and fared her with ir.tero-l. "Ten -i- t M-wn y. -. [ r.-n snr.ro > ururo nt or "o. So we acre fated to i > • 1 . .i. .' : a. > .- ” ! lii -> hroroh cigar, watching t : " cahn, refined ”■ • '. • i.... -. '.-owing I'ecnnero ■ g’ t’ vi.,..’.., tak-ng in every ho--roil r.trv • of 1... - cud pi--. " Ilin! Fatr.’s t!;<* v.-o d, X,,t p K) ; r: >w, vo:i know—er—Kitty. You’re’ y rong m l a’t ra'-t ire as ro-er, with just i the light terror- t >’i"h mttur> I! Yes. ! yro-j I England wi.'i me in :1 !'. • n ing for -. .-..-it of a ■ ' I ' .'g> ’y '!• i’ v.'■ ■ iiii bTI * -: ’ :: <■ I’ - . - ’’-■.'it given iro lro->o (1 f j-. ! That’-; ■ f t : ro ' v. • it * h i > y-ro v. t. rog'iin a few months Imco.” *1 ' K . . • ’ . :• ••':-• '.:is •row Irog v gh. cla'yr 1 b-in Is. end that <■!.!. f .rr-.T’ ro- .ro-in-. in I • er. Yes. ; - : • - . i - • ter that parted I - > too. ” I iro" I' * ■ that. Ord inner ; r--o <-f i-i’o-g off.’ I understood- a * d-frorn ;hro bro! srorviv. d n !>■;!•■ longer <1 V.'hnt did 1 > N write it- - perhaps with vs v.-ro had wrrttroi «;l:,'rs the* j > ■ - • Pro: -- - . nro n - - I " The ourot. h rd ro; noon serous '■-•'• h.v s." Y>n rr-t.‘ .i--’hront’i I trod orv-o e:>.-r.trnge ! r-'-'ir at- f tent’ ro , ■ end «,ror>’dr cn-o;ir;’g<*d them • s •'. - ..-:h of blackmail ” ■ ’ I I » :’*t eats into th" i I •* - iv l •» — ves, it will be f v ro t,, r j n i-.-, j v ~j V( , n hints ! t ' ler—.in" b.;< t r-ist in r-o —your gradual revenge! But. oh. if ho had *

. w;:i;rol »iie mt ment, to know how I lov- ’■ i him, and in my very 1 .vc tried to i shield him from even a suspicion I Mark ; — Mark ■ " She stretched out h< r arms : | t. ! ;o hrodittl voice broke a lit;le, as I ll;i Jlir., e.r.i’.i hear and know. “1 < ould not think-- your look frightened ! me! 1 tore the vile letter to pieros — . I would r it have yu doubt me for an ) instant. And you turned from in<.- for ever! ” i " And you call t’rot aff<ction- on his ; part- Beinitc-.n leaned towards her. j r.upi r< -eg his sudden eagerm-ss. In ! that ; e le had held his breath. | ” Come, he ! «-n>ib!e—look fads in the | far.-,, [j, alter ten yro". . he hit you ‘ t > fctarve, in one petty flare i.f pas-

; JUOn~~“ — — " II . ' —I. ! ’’ she said, the full, film- ! c-1 e e. Io king steadily into Ds now. ; " I i i i f :r you to nnderstand---to I pidgr bn» The fault was mine in my i silence. I knew—l only had time to j know that if he read that letter he | would ha.vu pone straight to find the writer. It might have ended in a blow j in death. It would mean at least > that his threc-ycar engagement with j you terminated there and then, and | that his career would be ruined and . my.-’-lf penniless, maybe. And you knew t.'-.nt - work--1 for t’- it! ’’ i “ AH right, have it your own way, j Kitty. ’’ Bern 1< in Mow out a great j cloud of smoke. His teeth had bared { iwilit-ioiisly, luit he could hold himself 1 iu cheek. S!:o was beautiful still —a p-.t-.ntial queen of tragedy—and des-

pi-rate to-night, bo !■<!.■■•<<’.. “ A lit-, tie f ro- fol. in that case, that ho shou’d bi* playing the h'-ro to my vil!inn every i-venitig, ••’■. ? .List tliis.” He took a .-tride. ” I di 1 happen to <• ire f-.ro you ve-ir ; ago, and you might have la-i n my ■vife—a la.lv. Hi’ <ut m«’ although I di-1 net discover for a long time that *•>;! had (li.-.i'ip nred in order to marry i’-m man. Ami that fart, hy all th.’ unwrirt n laws of love, entitle me to ■ uno revenge—if I want ! out", r. . you -s’. 1.. iglit yet. He is making n ■n in his r ■!•■—s i much so that 1 --o :!d hardly afl rd to los - him; but lon crush him — iisiiihs him —work t > a; to leave Lira • t . NVhy n -; ? ” H-. luirl-’d down the <■ i•_•.nr- 11::« ,v off tl;-> honeyed rertr.-iitii of a sadden, .rod < ironed toward b< r with l.rirniiig. *'V‘i eyes. Why A'f'vcr Uiuul T'i; l p , -* -■ v-«u ran have the rrvi-nge n<iv.', n* y.-u ro’l it. Ye;. yon! 11- bat ro : ■i-rotted yon. Lt yon suffer; now dro' him what a ro--.r-.-d v 'ro- •! •- 1;.,-.veeer l.ib- in t’-.e d.ty. Crush hini1 r ” The In ■ v 1 e thieken- ■■ ] ■ i; is ! ‘loud-swoil- n 11,1-1-1-, iu e< I < -n f h—.d. ” C.'iiao back t h* "• ’ Laugh v'th tiro world out tluri— make money -. i.-o ro.it a* I- ■ '- :’ Tart *r<‘ him that way! Kitty. 111 mount v<>’i ■--. • r..-w piny; I'll pay y-..ir own • O-: -O ; you ' hall have nil you want. I rot-* him —I di<i work to get even with l. : m in tho dark — yet! Kitty! — one word to-night does it. Yon will—yon rni-st —you're alone in hfrt One word! —say it now. . . Confound it! Silence! —not a sound ! ”

She had not moved —had not flinched from him. At every word he had wenied to be creeping closer to his exquisite, long-deferred triumph—it had appeared all but within his grasp. And then, of a sudden, the rigid, oval face had turned. A great tremour ran through her. From the corridor outside sho had caught the note of a deep, never-forgotten voice. “ Mark! ’’ All else was blotted out. Her hands strained together, she gave that thrilling muffled cry. “My husband —it's Mark! I love him—l love him! Oh, Mark, come to me — hear me! Oh, my husband —my dear one —!” “ Silence! '' Maddened momentarily by tho chagrin of it, Bernstein dared to fling his thick hand over her lips. The deep voice outside was dying away —dying away. •• You hear? Another word, another sound, and I’ll open the door and let him know that his wife is hero privately—to see me! Then what, will ho think of her ‘loving silence’ that day? ’’ A hng, nameless patt«o. As still as if the heart were growing cold within her' Shannon’s wife had stood. And th n —she was swaying, r.s in the faintness that had been so long kept at bay. No—no!” In a fever of mingled misgiving and exultation, b.c reached 1 out f<;r a chair. “ There, it’s passing — it’s gone! Kitty, if you’ll listen to sense for only one moment What's that? ” He stumbled across in annoyance to answer a sharp tap at the door. There was a hurried muttering there.

He sprang back. ” I’m wanted. Keep a”, you :.;*■■ -pt.ro still, quite culm. Ive ! something vital to say to you something different—to-night or never. Diam aids — fume — revenge-! Only a minute I ” IL> h;-st:-ik-l out. The stage-manager <• -IhW ! v.iih him at tiro- turn and t-a;lg!it ;-t !;is arm. Qtii.k! \Vhat-?v<,-r's to lie done? ‘waiuwn's gone off—gone queer —and with that crowd hammering at the “.Shannon —gone?” hr- echoed, groylippe.l, daz<-l for once. ” Where — ” Heaven knows. Someone gave him an envelope. He rattled out something, staggered out of the place, waved like a madman for a. taxi, and was off. It s ruin - lii i-t night! Hark nt them!” I If. pth in out ! Keep evirything ; Ik. ok! Not a word l> a soil!” He ; s-t.roT--.rol at 1:i; wat-h. " C-mfound him! ; He shall pay for this bit of spite. ; !.- ■:> everything bar!;!'’ j l!<- r ; ’i- ! I:irro-’.-r to his ream. Evon i '.it s-m-h a e’.motia moment, the thought J «.i' Kittv Shannon, acting powers—--1 and his r-; n.■ f ;r all—u as uppermost,

j and he i'laggorc.l back, his ux-tTi chck- . irr.t u> >:i '■cur.'' •'."■•■n word. , Tii.‘ r■•> >:n v.-.is empty. That bubble of ; hi-, crii hones had b'.'.rst. He had made i th« mistake of hij life. Kitty had jf'ine. . . . I " I knew you’d come—l know it.’" | came again the bov's small voice—weak. 1 but -■•.•■r r'.-'jv contented. He had waiti rd whole hours, it seemed, before that unsteady rush upon the stair had ST.tndr-1, and a haggard. twitching face j looked in at him. “ Daddy!" he ha 1

sen amed, Ins hands put out. And. with a series of chokes, the man was down on his knees by the bed. And now the little, hot arms were clamped tightly about his neck. He could uot break away yet if he tried! ” Knew you’d come —just this once—New Year's Eve!” tho boy repeated, dreamily ecstatic. “ Couldn't you really seo her anywhere? I did hope, just ■* little you might, although I wanted to get you hero most of all. I sent you that letter in bits, so’s you could read what it says before she comes back. You did understand! . . . Daddy! We—we haven’t quite paid Mrs. I’lasliot tho rent. Put a shilling in mother's purse there before, yon go! 1 won’t' tell anyone how it got there! ” With another dry choke, as of suffocation, the mtn freed liis neck and stumbled to liis feet. And in that moment, when all his bitterness balanced in the scales against an intolerable longing and misery, the door over there opened. The scene changed, in essence and in reality. The sinister, lemonfaeed, fur-coated figure stood there — Bernstein. Bernstein! He took in the situation ---and his cue —at one’glance. His hard breathing broke off.

■' Ah’ hero wc are! ” he said, with merely a quiet derision. ” Ready? You’ve had your seasonable joke—at our* expense. Now, then —quick! Tho taxi will get us there only five minutes late. Lucky thing I found out what address you shouted to your driver. Ee-

cord house waiting you —first London triumph. Como on ! ” “ I —I —can’t! ” Shannon, his breast ■ seeming strained •to bursting-point, made a mighty effort to answer him sanely. ” It's iny boy, lying ill here —- ho sent for me. Look! God help us, 1 couldn't, whatever happens — not tonight ! ” “ Then, you’ro ruined ” Bernstein sent across, in a hirodng whisper. “You never enter that house again. You can i.-.-g from manager to manager?for another chance—and I’ll let them all know beforehand what to expect. 111 sue you for breach of contract and damages.” “ Dadi” camo the boy’s whimper. *‘ Don’t go ! M ait Jflß mother! And that word ch am to a head al! th<* f ir ; | las H--ro! th !l

f; incredulity. His utterly reckless laugh had begun on his lips. All over! And then —then little Teddy had struggled up with that husky shout. Ho won’t—he sha’n’t! Mother!” Bernstein, suddenly livid, swerwd like a man struck from belli nd. The door "had opened ; tho doorway framed Shannon’s wife, pallid still, but with a new light in her eyes. Sho closed the door, took cut the key, and stood erect. Y~es, she was queen to-night of tragedy at its supremest height—a woman fighting fee her love plus her honour.

“ No; he will not go —nor will you,” she said, without a tremor. “ I heard. It was to be that I should be back in time to face you just once again in life before him. . . You do not leave this room until you have replaced that lie with the Jiving truth. If my husband will not stand in your way, I do!” Her steady hand pointed at him as he crouched like some cornered wolf. “Speak! You have lost your five-hundred-pound house —but I have gain-

ed something dearer to me than life itself ! ” Tho foam tinged his lips; his swollen hands straineef; but there was something in her stillness this time that he knew was to be feared. Mark, spellbound, had not moved. Even the boy knelt mute. All around them there seemed the breathless hush of a world waiting for light to dnw-n out of darkness that New Year’s Eve. And, presently, a sense as of strangulation—a rush of blood to his head—wrung the