ALL RIGHTS IN A SCARLE SIN. A POWERFUL STORY,

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 394, 23 April 1908, Page 2

ALL RIGHTS IN A SCARLE SIN. A POWERFUL STORY,

By ALICE a I'll 'LA (IDE ASivEW, Authors of "Thhulainite," "Am na of the I": ~-'4 , &c s - 9

"IJcproach you Jor wliat 7 " interrupled Basil, sharply ; then he threw his arms about her, for his mother had suddenly turned a livid grey. "Oh, 1 feel so l'aint—so deadly faint ! " she gasped. "The whole room seems reeling round." She closed her eyes as she spoke and tfould have fallen in a heap on the floor had not Basil supported ner. With some difficulty he managed to place her on a sofa, and then, to ais infinite concern, she quietly fainted away, and it was some time before Basil and her maid could restore her to consciousness again and jet her up to her own room. Elsie Farroday had fainting fits during the rest of the day, and the doctor, hastily summoned, decided that is would he absolutely impossible for her to journey north that night. She was not actually ill, but in a weak and enfeebled condition — at least, such was Dr. Grey's opinion. "lias your mother had any mental shock lately '? " he asked. "No." returned Basil, "not as far as I know ; but she has been very anxious over some private matters. [ know that she broods a' great deal over past sorrows." "Ah, worry worry, that's the :atal illness that no physican can prescribe for or hope to contend a§;ainst successfully, ; that's the disease that kills." He shook his shrewd grey head as tie spoke. "You must look after this mother of yours, young man, and not let her fret. Now as to journeying up north to-night, she simply cannot do it. She has borne up in the curious way women can for some long time, then suddenly is broken under the strain ; gone to pieces." 1 "She's not seeiously ill ?" asked Basil, anxiously. "Physically, your mother has not much the matter with her, but the mind has a queer way of avenging itself upefti the body,. But cheer up, as soon as Mrs. Farraday gets over her present fit of depression she will be herself again." "As soon as she gets her spirits back ! " Basil repeated the doctor's words to himself when the door had closed on the brisk little man, then he sighed heavily. For an uneasy presentiment was upon him that heavy trouble would soon be facing both himself and his mother. He began to suspect the truth ; the hideous word "murder" ran red before his eyes, and he felt sick at heart, for he guessed that Pamela's father had become implicated in some dreadful crime, and through the instrumentality of his mother. The thought yvas a hateful one, yet he could not put it from him. He went to hie mother's room to bid her good-bye a few moments before it was time to call a cab. He had already wired to Pamela to announce his coming. She had called him to her and he must answer her call. Yet he was loth to leave his mother in her present, mood —a man between two fires. Mrs. Farraday was resting on the sofa, dressed in a long, trailing teaRAILWAY Till K-T ABLE , Trains Leave PAi,Mr.Kt;aoN N. fob: D annevirke, Masterton, Woodville Daily, 8.15,12 noon, 510 p.m. Foxton : Mondays only, 9 a m., Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 12 noon; daily, except Saturdays, 5.35 p,m. i Saturdays Only, 8.5 p.in. Taihape: Daily, 7.10,11.49 a.m., 4.50 p.m. New Plymouth : Daily, 11.49 a.m. Wanganui: 7.10, 11.49 a.m., 12.35, 4.50 ' p.m. Napier and Waipukurau: Daily, 8.15, 12 noon. Wellington (Company's): Daily, 6.55, 11.40 a.m., 3.37, 5.5 p.m. Wellington (Government): Daily, 12 noon. Trains Abbive Palmers-ton N. Dannevirke : Daily, 10.50 a.m., 2.45, 3.45: 8 p.m. Foxton: Moudays only, 8.30 a.m.; daily, except Mondays, 10.29 a.m.; Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays only, 4.40 p.m. Mangaweka and Taihape : Daily, 11.15 a.m., 3.22, 8.50 p.m. Mast&ton : Daily, 10.50 a.m., 2.45 p.m 3.45 p.m., 8 p.m. Napier: Daily, 2.45, 8 p.m. New Plymouth: Daily, 3.22, 8.50 p.m. Wanganui: Daily, 11.16 a.m., 2.50,3.22 8.50 p.m. Woodville: Daily, 10.50 a.m., 2.45.3.45, 8 p.m. Wellington (Company's): Daily, 11.34 a.m., 4.10, 9.13 p.m. Wellington (Government). Daily, 3.45 p.m. Paekakariki (Company's): Daily, 10.45 a.m.