THE SQUIRE'S NEW WIG.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume L, Issue 9000, 24 January 1906, Page 6

THE SQUIRE'S NEW WIG.

Shaw, the detective, came down again from town when he heard from Inspector Williams that Brooke, tlie supposed coiner, had at one time been a tenant of Mr Selby's at North Hall. The squire's evidence became of value, and the squire liked to be important. He had various interviews with the detective, and was able to give an exact personal description of Brooke, armed with which, Shaw start ed for the Continent, while the squire, Mrs Cnvzan. and Jack remained at Yethame.

Little by little the violence of Jack's illness passed away, and about ten days after he was first attacked he knew his father and Mrs Curzan. and seemed to begin to understand that lie had struggled through a severe illness.

But "his first conscious thought was evidently on the same subject as his fevered dreams. Mis Curzan saw and understood the mute enquiry in his anxious eyes.

"No, Jack," she said, gently, just as if he had spoken, "nothing new has been discovered. Yet I don't think we. should give up hope. My opinion is, Isabel is far away from Yethame."

She said this partly because the squire was most anxious that as soon us ever it was possible Jack should leave Yethame.

"He'l! never get „ well in this horrid hole,, my dear madam," he told Mrs Curzan ; '"the place is haunted for him, as it were, and his mind will just prey on itself if he remains. He must go; we must get him to town, and try to cheer him up a bit as soon as he is there."

At first Jack would not hear about bein^ moved. But he was very weak and feeble, and conscious, perhaps, that he could now do no good by remaining. And then his father represented to him that it was asking such a sacrifice from Mrs Curzaai to stay on at Yethame, and Jack felt he would fare badly without her motherly care.

"She's a splendid woman, ifack!" said the squire, speaking with absolute enthusiasm of Mrs Ourzan. "My dear lad, there's mind there, and hearf. I shall never forget- her kindness to you, her devotion, in fact. And she's a fine woman too — stout and comely. Yes, I admire Mrs Curzan — and you, my dear fellow, ought to be grateful to her to your dying day."

"I am most grateful to her, father," said Jack, in a low tone.

And finally Mrs Curzan persuaded Jack to' 1 leave Yethame for a time, and go, to her house in Mortimer road.

"I am not going to lose sight "of you, you know. Jack," she . said, with her kind smile, "and have you put in an unaired room, perhaps at an hotel, and have all my nursing thrown away. lam going to take you home, in fact, and I shall bevery pleased if Mr Selby will come, too."-

The squire "seemed delighted to accept this invitation, and was eager to be off at once. Though he was of "frugal mind," he handsomely rewarded all the people that had been employed about Yethame in Jack's service.

Jack had a long interview with Inspector Williams before he went- away, impressing on that officer to spare no expense or exertion to still continue the search for Isabel.

Then, at last, one fine April morning, Jack was half carried to the carriage which was to convey him away from the lonely house by the sea, where he had been fated to endure such bitter pain.

■ He did not bear the journey to London well, and was in a half fainting -condition when they reached Mrs Curzan's house in Mortimer road.

Mrs Curzan had written to Lydia Jones to kindly have everything ready for them, and ihe good-hearted girl was waiting at Mrs Gurzan's to receive them, when they drove up, and Jack, with a very deathlike face, was lifted out of the carriage and carried into the house and kid on a couch in the dining-room.

Lydia, quick and handy, ran about getting restoratives and refreshments for the tired and (as regards the squire and Mrs Curzan) anxious travellers. Jack , was weaker than they expected, and Mrs Curzan, at least, had been extremely uneasy about him on the journey.

But he revived after he got to Mrs Curvan's comfortable house," and Lydia had procured all sorts. of luxuries in expectation, of -their arrival.

Then, when they w«re a moment alone, <he had a word to whisper in Mrs Cuwan's ear.

''I'm so glad you've come back," she said. "The wedding has to be next Thursday — to-day week. I liad a .letter from Frederick this morning, and he says he won't wait any longer, and I am so pleased you, and, I hope, Major Selby and the old gentleman, will be able to be there."

Lydia Jones was so bright and pleasant during the little supp'rff which followed the arrival of the travellers at Mrs Curzan's that the squire ,was quite charmed -with the kind young heiress.

Jack, of course, had retired to bed, but Lydia, smiled and joked with, tlhe old man, while Mrs Curzan looked after the comforts of 'the young one. The squire, indeed, got quite complimentary and jocular as supper proceeded, and when Lydia gayly asked him to be present at her wedding -breakfast he promised to go with the greatest alacrity.

"I only wish my poor Jack had been the happy man, tEough," he said, looking admiringly at Lydia's blooming face.

"But your poor Jack did not see it," she answered, with, a laugh and a blush.

"I assure you I admired Major Selby extremely, but he didn't return the compliment." "More fool he, then, that's all I can

say !" an&weved Mr Selby. "Whoever you marry I am certain wUI be a truly happy man — and I'm a bit of a judge of your sex. I flatter myself, young lady !"

Thus the squire's first evening under MitJ Curzan's hospitable roof was spent in. a very pleasant fashion. And the next morning brought so good an accci.nt of Jack that the squire felt himself justified in going down into the town, just to look about him a little. t

In New Bond street he was attracted by the curly juvenility of some very good wigs, exhibited in one of the windows. The squire paused, looked at ftiem, hesitated, and finally decided as he was going to Lydia's wedding, and naturally wished to look his best on the occasion, that he might as well have a new wig.

He accordingly went into the sKop, and, with some shamefacedness, was forced to exhibit his ostrich-egg-like Eead for the inspection of the polite assistant who speedily fitted on. a wig of such rare becomingness that the squire could not help looking at himself in the glass with some inward satisfaction.

"Nothing could look better than that 'ead> of 'air, sir," said the assistant, also looking with great satisfaction at the youthful and Beautiful locks that crowned Mr Selby's simpering features. "But you'll excuse me, sir — don't you think it would be a great improvement if your whiskers were restored?"

"Restored, eh? How restored?" enquired the squire, pulling uneasily at the white hirsute appendage on his cheeks.

"Why, you see, sir, they're a little faded," said tfie assistant, considerately; "and as the 'cad of 'air is a very fine color, with our permission I would like to make the whiskers to match. It can be done, sir, in ten minutes, and the effect would be very good. Many gentlemen regularly have their whiskens restored, and I feel sure yours would be a great success."

The squire listened to the .beguiling voice, and the assistant was as good as his word. Ten minutes later Mr Selby was. gazing at himself, feeling indeed he was another and a younger nian.

His whiskers were no longer white, but brown and curly, and the assistant declared the effect was "very fine," and Mr Selby conscientiously agreed with him. . Then he treated himself to a new and fashionable hat, and when he drove Borne to Mrs Curzan'e he was really in a flutter of delighted vanity, and again and again looked at himself as he went up Maida Vale, in the small looking-glass panes at one side of his hansom cab.

Mrs Curzan was out, so he went up to Jack's room, and found fri™ still keeping fairly well. Suddenly Jack's eyes were attracted by his father's changed appearance, and for a few moments he gazed at him, unable to make out wliat had caused the difference.

By this time the squire had almost unconsciously made his- way to the mirror on the dressing-table, and while simpering and turning his .head from side to side to see the full effect of the new wig and tha Brown whiskers he was startled by a somewhat hollow laugh from his son.

"What is the matter, Jack?" he asked, turning sharply round. It was painful'to poor Jack to laugh, yet he could not help doing it; and presently the squire also gave xather an uneasy gfegk.

"You see a change in one, don't you?" he said. "A fellow down in New Bond sfireet insisted upon restoring my whiskers, which had got a little faded, you know, to their original color. How do yon think they look?"

''You look ten years younger, father."

"I think so, too, Jack," said the squire, again, regarding himself with great complacency, in the looking-glass. "Yes, 'poamy word, I think the" fellow's done them /remarkably well.". .

Tlie little man was indeed quite delighted with "himself. And when Mrs Curzan came down to dinner it was all she could do to restrain her 6miles ; but she was a well-bred woman, and accustomed to little exhibitions of human vanity, fiut Lydia Jones had promised to "go across during t\w ovexdng, and before she entered the drawing-room, _fra Curzan thought it but wisa to give Her a little hint of the squire's changed appearance before she saw him.

She, therefore, went out, and met Lydia in the hall when she heard her arrive.

"My deaT," she said, smiling, "I just want one word in private with" you. Don't laugh, and look surprised when you see him; but Mr Selby has changed the color of his whiskers,' and it makes him "look* so droll. "

"Nonsense! The silly old boy!" answered Lydia, highly amused.-

Ancf when she entered the drawingroom, sue aofcualy would not have known the squire again if she had not been warned. What Ead made him 6o reniarkablei looking, always, was his bright brown wig, and • snowy-white- whiskers. Now, he really looked quite an ordinary mortal. And his v gratification at the change ia his own appearance knew no bounds.

Lydia went and" sat down beside him, •and smiled upon him, and Mr Selby thought she was the finest girl fie had seen for many a day; "Why are you going Jtv run away from : old( England V . he said, . ' when . she told him that after her marriage Mr Barrett wished ; fo live principally abroad. "Well, you know the truth is, Mr Selby, n answered Lydaa, in her frank way, "I think Mr Barrett doesn't lake poor pa's business connections. You see my pa made his money in business, and Mr Barrett inherited his,' and, that makes all the difference" "

"li wouldn't nuke any difference to me. if such a 'fine gixl as you "were in question," said the squire, gallantly. "I inherited my property; but 'good money is good money wherever it comes from,

in my opinion, and I think you ouglit to make Mr BaTrett buy a place in your own country — you are too good for us to lose."

"Oh, he's no need to buy a place, you know," said Lydia; "he's got a place of his own down in the North somewhere."

"In the North?" said Mr Seiby, sharply. "Do you know the name of his property?"

But Lydia did not know the name ; and when the squire went up to have a chat with Jack in his bedroom, after she was gone, he said to his son he thought it a pity such a fine girl ac Miss Lydia Jones was going to marry a man whom she appeared not to know veTy much about.

"It's just for the money, Jack," said the squire, almost sentimentally ; "not that money isn't an excellent thing — a necessary thing; but still there are- other considerations 1 when a man thinks seriously of marriage. But it's a leap in fclie dark, Jack — at best a leap in the daxk :'' And Mr Selby's face assumed a very serious expression.

Nevertheless the next morning he was off betimes down into the town to buy a wedding present for Lydia Jones. Jack commissioned i»«.m to buy one also, and gave him ten guineas for the purpose. The squire had a saving disposition; therefore Lydia's attractions must have made a very deep impression on his (so far) susceptible heart to induce him to determine to lay out five pounds on some pretty t rifle to offer her.

And lie actually did this. It was characteristic of the man, however, that he bought a pretfty showy second-hand) bracelet, and returned quite delighted to Mortimer road with his- present in his pocket.

For Jack he had bought (by Mrs Curzan'& advice) a. very beautiful fan, and accordingly in the afternoon the old gentleman went across himself to Western Lodge to present their joint gifts to the bride-elect.

Lydia was much pleased to see him. She took him from basement to tower, all over Her gorgeously furnished mansion, and the whole time. Mr Selby was regretting, as he admired Ly3ia's possessions, that his Jack had not been the lucky man to win this charming girl and her many belongings.

"It's not a bad little place, is it?" said Lydia.. "Poor pa was very fond of it; but I suppose" (and she laughed amd blushed) "after I have been in the marble palaces abroad my Frederic talks of, that I'll think nothing of it."

"All nonsense, my dear- young lady! Marble palaces ate fine things in> their way, no doubt; but solid English comforts are better. You must make your Mr Barrett bring you Sack to your old home, and I am sure you have everything here to make you happy."

They parted on very friendly terms, the squire renewing his promise to be present at the wedding breakfast.

"I expect fifty," " said Lydia; "there were some of pa's old friends I couldn''t leave out. Of course I've been obliged to weed a good deal, but I think I've got; some very nice people together at lasl."

(To be continued.)