A SCARLET SIN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 179, 5 August 1909, Page 3

A SCARLET SIN.

(At.T, Hi';il r ■ i : -; - >

A P(.)\Yi;lM'L'L STORY. .

By ALICi: .ir.l Cl.vt [>f. ASKKW, Authors of "The J-'htjlauute." "An* na of the Plains." it . &c.

TW KXTY-FIHST IXST A LSI KXT. "I shall Ao neither the one nor the other." said Hani I. sturdily. "I am not going to give you up. Pamela, nor allow you to be married to any one against your will . My j»oor darling. I we quite plainly what has happened. I couldn't have lielieved that you had promised to marry Mr. IVrrint of your own accord, pvmi if you had sworn to me that it wan so. Hut he hasn't attempted to conceal that your constant was won hy coercion. He couldn't have the fan* to say that you were going to marry him liecause you love him—that would be such a palpable nl»surdity." He held her hand tightly in his. and though she had struggled at first to withdraw it. presently she allowed It to remain. Rob IVrrint watching him a little distance off. imagined that this was the leavestaking of the lovers, and had the grace not to interfere. "I shall not go to I*iiidon." Ilnsil went on with mnrked emphasis, "but I shall return to the inn at Stoneport where I left my liag. and later on in the day I shall find my way to Orgndnle and ask to see your falh-r They cannot deny me admission. Your father is* my uncle. Pamr-ln. and he must have loved my mother in the |mst. For her .sake he will *.•»• me. t cannot believe ihnt with hii full senses about him he has consented to sacrifice you in this UuwiuiinMe way. It must not Is-. Pamela—it shall not lie ? To think i>i j on. my Pamela, married to such a man. Xo It must not lie. The ver> idea sickens me. "Xo "as Pamela was about to speak, to interrupt him—"no. don't say anything now. me to light this battle for you. I understand just what has happened since you have tome to Orgadale. This fellow IVrrint known whnl your father did in the past—knows that he slew Clinton I Vole and buried the body in the Met her ly field. He has threatened to reveal everything if you do not marry him. Isn't that the case?" Pamela was silent, but it was the ulteme of acr*viiescenre. •■The mean hound." Ilnsil niurmuriil. "the cur ! Hut I'll llnd some means of circumventing him. He shall not harm you—no. nor your lather either. And as for marrying him. Pamela. I'd sootier see you in vour grave." At I hat moment Kob Perrint. losing patience called to Pamela, and ltn-»iS, phasing her hand, allowed her to go. "Have no fear." he whis|vr«nl, gaZt Ing lovingly into her eyes. "All will l*> well. Pamela, in the end. A little hour or so anil I shall lie with you once more. Now. dear, go " he fprc»fl a smile—'"for your ogre is growing impatient. Hut don't forget that yon have a true knight whom vou have ratted to your rescue, and who would give his very life in vmir defence."

Pamela could make no reply, for her heart was full, and words would have choked her. She hnd meant to way "tJooil-bye." to repeat that nothing could I*' done to save her—milling. Instead she turned away. f i.rms: her fare from her lover, anil

--.f.-fipi-d quickly to Hob IVrrint's side lUj*>f stood ga/ing after her. hoping i"'-t a |>nrtli»g look fropi h-r eyes but m ibis he was disappointed. Ifu wrttrhvl till Pamela and her companion; riisnppiand at the bend of the path in the direction of Motherly. Th*n he took hi«» lonely way back to Ihe inn. bnl his young face Iwjre the lines of a steady determination, anil his step over the heather was firm and i. solute For some half-mile Pamela and Hob Perrint walked side by side, without a word from either lo break Ihe silence. Pamela was agitated, and walked wilh uncertain inail, for she was trembling in every limb, and her brain was a fhaos of wild I hough t. Hob IVrrint mppearvd l» l>e lost in his own reflection*. His slick was giip|fd tightly in one hand, and with tho oihi-r he tugged at his red moustrtih- Ho towered a full head and shoulders aliove the girl, and it was .firtVull for her to keep pace with hr< long strides.

The path across the moor abutted ,nr last upon the high road, close tn the Motherly Holds. It was not till I hey hnd nearly reached that spot that Hob Perrint spoke. His voice was harsh, but he was evidently trying to mollify it. to restrain himself in the girl's presence from an outburst of anger. Glancing at him timidly and knowing something of the man's nature. Pamela could realize how great was the struggle (n Rob IVrrint "a breqst : how strong fh.» wjl| put out to restrain and keip In check the »urgo of a wild, witramelled spirit. Ye angered me." he said, "an" ye hue na dealt fairly wi' mo. Ye dinna tell mo yesterday that ye were to inm>l (his lover o" yours in Si oneport to*dny. V« StP't-' <> ul °* lm -' hoosc without a word to me ur to your fallhcr because ye kenned line that it was na a richt thing that ye had in your mind." "I came lo bid farewell to Basil" Pamela murmured—"to tell him all must be over between us. I did. indeed Mr. rcrrfnt. 1 could not prevent him coming to Stoncport because he *m on hj» way there liefore there was any agreement lietween yourself and me. 1 had other reasons for deciding to part from him. not alone my promise to you. I told you yesterday, you remember, that I could never be his wife. But now " her voice was very faint and plaintive—••thcro ia nothing now t«> keep ux apart."- ' -XoMi but me." Interrupted Perrint. niih fMime bitterness. He was -.ilenf tor a moment, his coarse lips f,v; tihing 'Ye love th' mon ? he ,i. .!*.■'<!. after ii. moment. I i..v-- lutti -.nth all my heart." i\i:;:.-:;i .ir.;-v,-•;■ ■■'. : 'l r-haSl r.ev.T

;.,-.■• .'.'.. <>:.•• i.u* him " I'll •'■ was ~=, " m li i- thio.ii. .-.::'! e\.-n Rob '• :;n'. roiij;h ar.d |>i :;i.!t ive a-* 11" s.-It Mir.i- reflection <>( the pain •, h'-r words. "Hut for my fath-.-r's .•.:-.■■." she went on. "I shall keep my word to you. Nothing of what v.hi have seen this morning is of import as far as you are concerned. You need have no fear." She raised her eyes and looked him steadily in the face. "Unless you release me yourself," she went on decisively. "I shall hold to my promise."

Hob IVrrint made no reply. Pamela was not behaving as he had expected. He had anticipated a flood of tears, protestations, entreaties. Against these he would have steeled his heart. His jealousy would have mastered him : now, before this wonderful self-abnegation he felt himself nonplussed and speechless.

I nless you release me yourself

The whole onus was upon him. It was for him. Hoi* IVrrint. to make or mar. He might gratify his own passionate longings if he so wished, but at what a cost • He had lived roughly, this man : he had denied himself nothing that he had desired, lie had never before lieen called upon to give up anything that his selfishness demanded. The position was new to him ; he felt at fault. He made no direct answer to Pamela's appeal, but presently he began to question her about Hasil. The name of Farraday. of course, was familiar to him. ami he had associated it at once with the history of the Marlindales.

Pamela told Perrint everything without reserve, from her lirst meeting wilh Hasil nl the roup to her parting wilh him in London on the day when she had been summoned to Scotland. Sh- had lieen absolutely Ignorant I«.-:». so she explained, of Basil's identity, though her suspicions had In-en nrous. d by the similarity between a picture that had been in her father's' possession and the miniature of his mother which Basil carried with him. She went r»n to explain how. at Hob IVrrint's suggestion, she had learned the whole story from old I.iddy. the nurse, and how. knowing it. she had decided that no marriage could ever take place lietween herself and Hasil.

"I was fully convinc«il of this yesterday afternoon." sin- went on. her eyes lowered, some colour stealing into her white cheeks ; "and I thought then that since I roiild not he Basil's wife, it mattered little what happened to me in the future. Xever b> any action of mine should hi** mother's secret have- been lietra.'ed to Basil: but now"—her voice gained strength as she proceed- .,|_ -it js din -ivni for ihere is no-

thing to fietray. He knows as much as I do.i He knows the worst." Pamela went on to explain how the truth had been revealed to her lover.

Hob IVrrint li-tened. but made no .-omiu-nt. Pamela could not tell if she had made a favourable impression upon him or the reverse. Xow .tnd again hj»» swung his stick viciously and sometimes he half interrupted her by a mulleri'd exclamation but it uas in broad (Jaelic and she dill not understand the purport of it. It was, indeed, always wilh a certain dllSiculiy that she follow,! Hob Perrint's speech. They were skirling the Motherly fields and were about to turn off into the little-used rmtd Ihnt led to Orgadale when suddenly Kob Perrint paused and laid a heavy hand in Pamela's shoulder.

"I>ook yonder." he said, gruffly, pointing in Ihe direction of the halfruined farmhouse that stood upon the Molhoriy estate. Pamela looked, and saw that three or four men had just emerged from th.* house. anil were standing together in a small group apparcnily taking careful slock of Ihe surrounding fields. "Jt'ye ken what that means?" ask* eel Hob. abruptly. Pamela shook li»t head, for tho truth hnd not dawned upon her. "Il means." the' mnn went on.

"Ihnt if there's digging lo lie done i" th' field il maun be done without delay. Yon's the n«-w agent o' Melh'.-rly. an' I mi.-douht me that afore long there'll be workmen i' th' fields, and shafts sunk i' the spot where He th' bones o' Clinton IVele. I'm thinkin' Pamela." he rcjiealed. impressively, "it's to-night we maun do our work—to-night, lassie, or never." CHAPTKR XXVII. A HKVKLATION". Basil Farraday had some difficulty in finding his way to Orgadale that afternoon. The house lay off the high road, and the lane that led to it was but little used. Ho hnd reached the village of Motherly without difficulty fallowing llio same path across the moors which hnd Ix-en taken • that morning by Pamela and Rob Perrint, and here he had judged it wise to pause and nsk his way. Save for a few children and small boys, whose jargon was incomprehensible to him, the village street was He entered the small shop of a general dealer : but here, too, he met with little success, failing to understand the directions which were given to him by a stout and well-meaning (aily a ho bustled in from the back parlour. All he could do was to smile politely and try his luck elsewhere. A little further on a sign hanging outside an inn attracted his attention, and suddenly ft had occurred to him that he had set out from Sloneport without eating, and the •walk across the moors had given him a keen appetite. He had been 100 eager to reach Orgadale to give any thought to food ; but now, remembering that he could hardly expect a warm reception, he had decided that this opportunity must not be thrown away. lie entered the parlour of the inn, and sat hjiuse|f dpwn on a bench by Ihe side of a long table covered With a dirty and much stained cloth On closer acquaintance the inn was not prepossessing, nor, indeed, was its host, who presently put in an appearance and took Basil's order wilh surly mein, as though the presence of a stranger was both unusual and undesircd. He was a heavily-built man. and his eyes were nnplensHiiil.v rlosi: together. H'.i had more th- a;>s>--«:-u:v. •• of a tiiiii--k-e(-r 'h;ir. <>; ■:-.■■ !:i:.«!!"!•<! ■■:>. ;ui inn. iJr- mo ■■■:.i ■ '■■ ■-■'■• ■:'•■ "■'• ■':.'- liO-

thing to he had but that, awl with that Basil had accordingly to !>■• content. Ho made no attempt to enter into conversation with t lie man. reserving his questions till ho should have finished his frugal meal. The atmosphere of the room was close and offensive, and there was no temptation to prolong his stay. He had nearly finished, and had risen from his place to search for a bell," when he became conscious of the sound of voices in an adjoining room. He noticed then for the first lime that the small apartment in which ho was had been merely partitioned off from a larger room, and that the partition wall barely reached to the ceiling. The voices of those talking on the other side were plainly audible to him. Not finding a bell Basil returned (o his seat. The landlord was hound to come back in few minutes : he hnd said so much on leaving the room. Hasil lit a cigarette, and idly scanned the pages of an antiquated magazine which he found lying of a side table.

Suddenly the sound of a name, •.poken loudly and somewhat imperiously, attracted his intention. He had paid no heed to the voices in the next room, though, had he wished to do so he could have heard every word that was spoken. "Pinna ye forget that ye hac mo to reckon with Rob Perrint." Such were the words that had attracted Basil's attention, and listening now. he was convinced that the answer, given,in a lower tone, was the voice of Hob Perrint himself. Basil rose to his feet once more, lie had no wish to play the eavesdropper, even where such a man as Hob Perrint was concerned. But it occurred to hint that he might wait within the inn until such lime as Perrint might emerge : he hail hoped, indeed, to talk with the master of Orgndalo before seeing Pamela again Apparently chance favoured him. and gave him the opportunity he sought.

lie had reached the door, and was about to call for the landlord when almosj against his will, he found himself compelled to listen to the voices behind tho partition. The first man was speaking again, and his voice was angry and threatening. "She's yc wife, Rob Perrint ; by all the laws o' Scotland, ye hae made Jess yc wife. Ye'll nae bo gettin.' awa' fra that." Uasil stepped back into the room. If a weapon such as this was to bo placed in his hand it would be folly to throw it away. His heart, bounded within him. Rob Perrint married I Could it be possible ? "It's a lie I'\ It was Rob Per-

rint who was shaking, and liis voice, too, was charged with m"!i:i<-i: "Whatever sho may be, Jess is nae ma wife." "I'll hae the law o' ye," came the voice of the other man, "for I'll nae let ma sister be takken up an' cast awa' at your pleasure, Rob Perrint. N'a, tia. Ye'll bitterly repent th' day ye turned her fra your hoosc, Rob Perrint—her an' auld Elspeth, a guid servant f ye. if ever there was ain. Ye war in luck yestcrnicht that I ilidna find ye when th' pasHion was on me, for I'd hae done that that would have brocht me to gaol an' a' i' th' village would hae gi'en mc richt, for ye're nae loved, Rob Perrint. though ther'll be nae need for met' tell ye that." There was a pause for a few minimis, broken only by a swishing sound, as of a stick being swung iinpatient ly against ft heavy boot. Th"n Basil again heard Rob Perrint *s Vfiil'-rt.

"Whnt I've done, I've done, an' I will abide by it. I'm not afeard o" you. Dugald M'Laren: an' if i«"s a ficht—a fair ficht—ye're askin' for I'm a letter man than you any day o* the week. An' if you're talkin* o" war I can hac my say aliout the law. too- " There was rising contempt In his voice. "You'll be forget tin* *hat I can put yc awa' if ye anger me—you an' your sister and auld Klspeth as well. I'll be advisin' yc not to throw stones fra your ain glass-hoose." Here the voices were lowered. Itob IVrrint—with occasional interruptions front the- other man—continuing his harangue in an impressive undertone.

Basil Farraday leaning back against the thin partition wall, felt himself justified in listening and in gathering what information he could Was not Pamela's happiness at stake? Hob Perrint, by foul means, had cqerped her into a promise ; he must then he fought with his own weapons. And supposing there should be truth in the statement that Perrint was already married. from what a future would Pamela be saved !

Though he could not hear- anything that was said, Basil was able to put together- a fairly-connected story This Bugald M'Laren was the landlord of the inn, and the inn was Permit's own property. He could i-jkct his tenants any day he chose : he could ruin them utterly. Moreover M'Laren ap|>earcd to ht> a man of bad character—.a poacher and a thief and an assoclaU* of poachers and thieves. There were dark spots in his life, too, remorselessly recalled by Perrint, which would mean penul servitude for him—perhaps worse—if revealed. Who shot the gamekeeper Wetlborough ? Accidental homicide ? Pshaw ! It was not even manslaughter. Let Dugald M'Laren iK'warc lest he put a halter about his own neck. But Rqh Iferrint had not come to the inn to threaten ; he had coin•• to make terms. Basil understood now why he was so unwelcome a guest. The landlord was expecting his visitor, and did not wish for interruption. Probably in the heat of the argument which had begun as soon as Perrint arrived he had absolutely forgotten the presence of a stranger in the adjoining room It was well for Basil tht»t inis was so.

Jt was strange that Rob Pcrrim, a man of sonic position, should be on familiar terms with such a type as this innkeeper, but Basil, of course, knew nothing of Perrint's history. He did not know that the master of Orgadale belonged to no class, that he hod been rejected- by the: gentry, and forced into association with more humble folk, who, none the less looked askance at him. Rob I'fi-rint was. outcast of all, a pariah, and In- ni'-tcd out the measure that In' ri'i'i'iwd. But of aU this Ba'-il was iirnorant. To 1." ''onli.'i'j'.'d.