Time, The Avenger

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 392, 2 September 1911, Page 2

Time, The Avenger

By HEDLEY RICHARDS, Author of "The Haighs of Hillcrest," "From Mill to Mansion," "Diana's Inheritance," Etc., Etc.

THE UNRAVELLING OF A STRANGE WILL MYSTERY, ————— Q

THIRD INSTALMENT. " Perhaps you would rather she had loved Hugh Hudspith ! He adnires her." " God forbid ! I would rather bury Mona than let her marry that felow," said Mr. Dalrymple. " Yet you have allowed her to associate with him and Gar Hatton," said his wife, with some indignation in her tone. " I didn't realize that she was a woman till a little time ago. She's only nineteen and I never thought of ler caring for either of these fellows; and now, Mildred, I want you to jnderstand that I shall never consent to her marriage with young Hatton, and you must prevent him making ler an offer. Moreover, I do not wish you to tell her that I dislike Lord Hatton."

" Why do you dislike him, Richard ? " •" He is a narrow-minded man. I should hate to be connected with him and I won't allow my daughter to marry his grandson, so remember, Mildred, there must be no nonsense;" and with these words Mr. Dalrymple left the room, while his wife sat quietly thinking over his words, and wondering what was the meaning of them.

" I knew he didn't particularly care for Lord Hatton, but I had no idea ie disliked him. He must have some very strong reason for standing between Mona and her happiness," she reflected.

" A penny for your thoughts, mother," and as Lady Dalrymple raised her head she saw her daughter standing in the doorway, and the sight made her eyes brighten. Mona Dalrymple was a daughter of whom any mother might justly feel proud. She was a tall, slender girl, with a willowy grace, features that were considered perfect, a clear, creamy complexion just tinged with colour, and a mass of lovely chestnut hair. But above all, she had an expression so infinitely sweet that it would have made a plain face appear charming. Her dark green cloth ha3it and snug riding cap set off both face and figure to the best advantage.

" A penny for your thoughts," she repeated as she advanced and seated herself near to her mother. "You never heard the door open and you looked so grave I wondered if anything was troubling you," added the girl.

" How happy you look, Mona ! " her mother involuntarily replied, speaking her thought instead of replying to the girl's question ; then a sudden fear struck her, and she said : " Did you meet anyone while you were out riding ? " The colour deepened in Mona's face as she answered with downcast eyes : " Only Gar Hatton. He overtook me when I was coming down Bentlane, and he rode as far as the lodge gate with me. I asked him to come In to luncheon, but he had an engagement."

" I am glad he did not come," her toother said, gravely. Mona raised her eyes and looked at her mother evidently surprised at the Words. " Your father does not wish him to come so much," said Lady Dalrymple. Mona looked both astonished and grieved. Then she said ; " I thought you both liked Gar." " I do' like him, but your father does not care for him. Of course, he would not object to his coming here as a friend, but his visits have been very frequent, and Mona, he cares for you." Her face flushed and her lovely blue eyes drooped beneath her mother's look of inquiry. " Has he spoken ? " asked the latter anxiously. "He has said something ; but we met Nina Hudspith and she turned back and rode with us as far aB the gates, and when he aaid good-bye he told me he should see me to-morrow at Ovingham Castle." " I am thankful he has not asked you to be his wife."

" Oh, mother ! ,s exclaimed the girl, reproachfully. " Mona, I would gladly see you the wife of Gar Hatton, but your father will never consent to it, and I think it will be better not to let Gar Hatton finish what was half-said. You must not give him the opportunity. You don't know how sorry I am to say this, because I believe you love him. You needn't be vexed that I have found out your secret. A mother's eyes are keen." " But, mother, I am afraid he will make an opportunity if not to-mor-row," said Mona, with a vivid blush. " Then, Mona, you must tell him that your father will never sanction an engagement. Child, I hardly know what to say. I am afraid 1 have encouraged Gar. I saw what he wanted, and it seemed to me so suitable I never dreamed your father would, pbject, as he will if the matter is named now."

"Why does he object ?" asked Mona " I, don't know his reason ; that he has reason, I am certain. But time alters many things. Perhaps if Gar and you remain friends for the present it might come right in the future. Tell him this." " But lie will want to know father's objection." Lady Dalrymple sighed, but did not reply, and for a few moments there was silence. Then M iiia said : " Yours was match. It you

were to tell father that —that w< cared."

Mona paused, looking rosy red. " I will try, but I am afraid it will not do any good, Mona. I have been married twenty years and this is the first time I have not understood your father ; but he is so good I cannot help thinking he has good reason. You are right, ours was a love match. I met your father soon after he arrived in England. You know he was. brought up in Australia, and when his father died he advised him to settle in the old country and buy an estate. Your father was about forty then and I was scarcely twenty; but the difference in our ages seemed nothing. I believe with both of us it was a case of love at first sight. But now, my dear, it is nearly time for luncheon. Don't yon think you had better remove your habit ? " And without a word Mona went slowly upstairs feeling that the brightness of her life had become suddenly shadowed and Lady Dalrymple felt tempted to think that for once in her life her husband was not acting justly. " What right has he to put his personal likings before. Mona's happiness ? " was the question she asked herself. He was usually so unselfish. There must be some reason he had not told her, and she tried to remember all she had ever heard of the Hattons ; but her reminiscences were cut short by the luncheon bell.

CHAPTER 11. THE HUDSPITHS OF GELDER HALL. The June sun was shining into the breakfast room at Gelder Hall. It gleamed on the old mahogany and showed up the quaint oak panelling of the room, it danceil on the snowy damask and silver, and rested tenderly on the dark coils of Nina Hudspith 's hair, as she stood near the window waiting for the rest of the family to appear. She was not a beautiful girl, hut there was a grave sweetness in her face, and there was strength in the firm, not too small mouth. A good face, earnest and true, with the loveliness that comes from a noble nature.

Presently the door opened and a tall, slender man, with grey hair, regular features, and a drooping grey moustache that partially hid a cynical mouth, entered.

" Is mother coming down to breakfast ? " inquired his daughter. " N.o. She is worse this morningmuch worse. I have sent for Dr. Powers," he said ; and Nina noticed an anxious ring in his voice. ' "She seemed so much better last night." " What a pity the doctor was not sent for earlier ! " remarked Nina, who saw from her father's manner that he considered her mother very ill.

" Yes ; but sh|! didn't like to disturb anyone—just like your mother." At that moment a young man entered the room.

"What's like the mater?" he asked, carelessly. " Unselfishness. I don't think it's a virtue that is ever likely to trouble you," replied his father, cynically, as Nina took her mother's place and began pouring out coffee. " No ; I favour you," said his son with an almost imperceptible sneer. Marcus Hudspith gave his son a dark look, but he did not reply and the breakfast was eaten in silence. As soon as it was finished Nina hastened to her mother's room.

Mrs. Hudspith lay back in bed, evidently in great pain. " Oh, mother, you should have had a doctor sooner," said the girl anxiously.

"It has been a sudden change. I thought I was getting better, but I was mistaken," she said, with a faint smile.

Just then the doctor entered, and after asking a few questions and examining his patient, he went down stairs and was met by Mr. Hudspith in the hall.

" Mrs. Hudspith is considerably worse. When I . saw her yesterday I thought she was almost well. She must have taken a chill, and I am sorry to say influenza has set in. Can you send a groom for the medicine ? I shall go home and make it at once, and I will see Mrs. Hudspith this evening." Marcus Hudspith accompanied the doctor to the door, then he went upstairs to his wife's bedroom, where Nina was seated by the bedside. " Go down stairs, my dear ; I want to talk to your father;" and as her daughter left the room Mrs. Hudspith said : " Marcus."

Her husband took a seat near the bed, and she laid her hand in his, saying :

" Do you remember the Gelder prophecy ? " There was a sudden change in Marcus Hudspith's face. It was quite evident that he did remember the prophecy and that the memory was not a pleasant one. And seeing this she went on :

"It may- be that as I've Welsh blood in my veins I'm inclined to be superstitious, but I have always had a feeling that there was truth in it, and there have been times when I've wished you had gone before you reached the three-score years. Sometimes when you have gone out in the morning I've wonelered whether you would be brought home on a stretcher as your grandfather was. I lon't say I have always felt thus, but the dread has never entirely left me. I tell you this, dear husband, because I am going." " No, no. Cvvea,. you will be better in a day or two,' lie cried, in a tone of passionate rebellion, strangely in contrast r.o his v-ual stern, cynical voice.

" No, Marcus ; I am going—going at forty-seven—so in my case the prophecy will be fulfilled. We haven't been unhappy, but for the uncertainty that has troubled you, but I wanted to speak to you about your cousin." " What about him ? " he. said, almost gruffly. ■

•' 1 have the 'lmpression—it ha. grown on me lately—that, he will rc appear, and prove his innocence." For a moment, there was silence. " You would like him to be provei an innocent man ? " she said, clasp ing her husband's hand. " It is impossible I tell you, (Jwen quite impossible." Again there was that passional ring in his voice. " Dear, I believe he is innocent and that God frill make his inno cence plain ; and Marcus, when tha day comes, don't feel bitter at hav ing to yield him his own. Let your; be the hand to welcome him." " That day will not come, and I would rather you did not talk aboil my cousin," he answered in a ban tone.

" Very well, it shall he as vol wish ; but there is another matter must name to you, so that when am gone you will look after him." *' I tell you, Gwen, this is « men fancy of yours. Before to-morrov you will be nearly well again," saic lier husband.

" You are mistaken. Last, nighthere came a change and something told me that for me time was nearlended ; and as I lay awake in the small hours of the night I made u[

my mind to warn you of a dangei that besets Hugh." Here she paused exhausted, and he handed her a drink as he exclaimed " Hugh ! "

She nodded, and for a few minutes lay quiet ; then when she had gainec a little strength she said : " I should have told you, but I was afraid you would be very angry, so I spoke to him. You know the Gelder Inn ? "

"Yes ;" and a look of sharp anxiety came into her husband's eyes. It was easy to see she had aroused his fears now.

"Hayes has a granddaughter—Gertie Hayes she is called—a pretty girl, and Hugh is a great deal with her. I have met them in the woods, and he goes to the house. I think the grandmother encourages him." " You spoke to Hugh about it ? " said her husband, in a strangely cold calm voice.

" Yes, and he promised me not to see any more of the girl. But he did not keep his word, so I went to the inn and spoke to Mrs. Hayes. I told her she ought not to allow him to be so much with her granddaughter, that it was impossible he could marry her, and to have him paying her attention would injure the girl's reputation and do them both harm." " And . she agreed with you, ol course ? "

There was something so peculiar in j her husband's voice that Mrs. Hud- J spith looked at him in surprise. i "No. She said stranger things j had happened than a gentleman | marrying a girl beneath him, and she j wasn't going to interfere—that if wc i didn't want our son to go with Gertie, we must stop him ; but she guessed he'd go his own way—the Hudspiths always did. Of course, after that I left her, and made up my mind to tell you. Then I took cold and didn't feel inclined to talk about it ; but last night I felt that I must i not put it off. You won't be very J hard on Hugh ? I think the girl's > grandmother is most to blame," said Mrs. Hudspith, the last words com- j ing faintly. !

Her husband gave her a drink as he ! said : !

"Gwen, I shall talk plainly to him, but I shall not forget that he is my son, and being more like me than you, I think I know how to manage

him. And now, my dear, you have talked long enough. I shall send Nina to sit with you. Try to sleep; you will wake ever so much better, and get rid of your dismal fancies."

Going downstairs he sent Nina, to j her mother. Then he went into the I library, and stood gazing out of the ' window, thinking of what his wife ! had said about the Gelder prophecy, j He always scoffed at it, but in his | heart he believed it. j Gelder Hall, and the great: estate ! around, including the Gelder woods, j had formerlj r belonged to Viscount j Gelder. For generations the Geldcrs !

had been an extravagant lot and as the Hudspiths grew rich they became poorer. The founder of the Hudspith family had begun life by working in a pit. When he died he owned it. He had bought it cheap. It; was considered exhausted, but Hudspith knew better, and in a few years it was acknowledged to have the largest and best output of any pit in Cumberland.

Gradually, bit by hit —it took three generations to bring it about—the whole of the vast Gelder estate wan mortgaged to the Hudspiths. Then the mortgage fell into arrears, and finally Randolph Hudspith's father foreclosed the mortgage and took possession of Gelder Hall. Viscount Gelder and his son moved to a. tum-

ble-down old house, not far from the Hall, which was the only scrap of j property that had not been mortgag- I

Whether Mr. Hudspith had been sharp in his dealings or not, Viscount Gelder thought he had, and hated him accordingly. The loss of his old home was a fatal blow to the cild nobleman, and when death drew near lie bade them draw back thei curtains and wind (lie blind to the top that he might hav a last look at Gelder Hall ; and as he lay in his lied and faced the window, he said :

" Never shall a master or mistress of Gelder Hall die in their bed at

three-score years or more. A prom a- ( ture grave or «. violent death shall | be their portion, and trouble shall | overshadow thesv., iill the heir of the j Gelders comes hack to the Hal]." ' Those who had heard the old man j speak said that, his eyes had a far i away look, and believed that what ho i had said would come to pass ; hut as J time passed, the prophecy, as it was | called, had been almost forgotten. ] Now and again a death in the Hud- ( spit.!) family revived tiso memory, and ! it was talked about. | To be iSiSjilUnuedi .. j