The Girl at the Gables

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 5581, 20 February 1931, Page 5

The Girl at the Gables

By Herbert Galway and Ann Ncvern.

SYNOPSIS. Philomel Sutton, who lives with her Aunt , Amelia, sees an advertisement tor \ lady chauffeur wanted by Mr. Marlin Dreever, The Gables, Marshfleld. Ir J a mental hospital,'in the West of England are two men who are great friends, and have periodical attacks of insanity, but ouriphsly enough never at the same time. One is Reu-* hen .Dreever, who has been placed there hy his brother Martin; the other h James Bantry. These two make their escape' together./ . Reuben’s one idea is to have his revenge on his brother, Martin, who is a money-lender apd miser. He is known all over for his meanness and merciless treatment of; his .yictirns.' The/two men make their way to The Gables, ■ and taking Martin prisoner, lock him up in a room on the fourth storey. Reuben then impersonates his, brother, taking his name, and lives at The Gables with; Bantry., They idvertise, for a lady chauffeur. Philomel arrives at The Gables. While driving her employer’s car, Phil collides with the. car of Jack Preston, son and heir, of Sir James Preston. The incident causes a ■‘breeze” between the young people, sut really is the commencement of a :harming love affair. Reuben and Bantrj’i by their acts of charity and benevolence, completely liter the opinion formerly held of Martin Dreever, and they help each stlier during 1 attacks of insanity, but ilways hanging over them is the thought of what would happen should, they both have an attack at the same time!

CHAPTER XII.— (Continued.) ■“I find that this poor deluded vic;im,” went on Rueben in a relentless monotone, “originally borrowed fifty pounds. She appears to have paid in interest already sixty-one pounds—;hree —and —” he laughed scornfully —“ninepence. Why ninepence, I don’t snow. Perhaps to make it look as filough the thing-were worked out to ;he last’ penny, I suppose, and to show aow. just you are. Some moneylender's would have oharged a shilling ’or that ninepence, but not Mister Marlin Dreever. Oh, nol It >vould never do I Not of hand alone—pah! Tell lim what we’re going to' do in this »ase, Jimmy': It gives me a nasty ;aste in my mouth to speak to him!” Bantry glanced in the direction of ;he figure by the wall, and allowed a jjleam of amusement to flash in his soft, brown eyes as be proceeded to ipply the screw still tighter. “We shall send this poor creature ;wo hundred pounds and wipe off the iebt.'-Even then I question whether a e shall be in time to redress the ivrong you have done to honest, trustiul people.’’ He. paused to regard the effect of lis words but the "moneylender was 1 ;azing moodily at the bare floor of the •oom apparently indifferent to .the I fitter'scorn. “We are, of course,” went on Ban.ry smoothly, “not sending these poor jeople cheques. Such.things in their josition would be a great embarrass- - nent. We are sending Treasury and sank notes that can be negotiated immediately. There’s a whole heap of ,’eady cash in the seat of an easy jhair, and —” With a howl of animal rage, Marlin Dreever sprang from his- corner like i tiger and flung himself upon James Bantry. So sudden was the attack ihat the latter went down like a skittle with the usurer’s bony fingers Hasping his throat in a deadly grip. Reuben also taken completely off his ?uard, stood for a moment horrorstruck and helpless. 'The rapidly darkening face of his friend,. however, urged him to act juickly. Seizing the wooden chair, he swung it round and brought it down with'all his strength on the head of lis brother.

Martin Dreever rolled, over in a heap ind lay still. When Bantry had recovered his Dfeath; the two men rapidly bound the moneylender once more and flung him nto a corner until he recovered—or tied. • y . ;

, CHAPTER XIII.. Phil Sutton had had a glorious day’s holiday; and she had spent it in a long walk across country to beautiful spots of which; the car, had only accorded her fleeting glimpses.- Her employer had given her entire freedom for the day, but she had been instructed to have the car out early the following morning in preparation for a rather longer journey than usual. Walking slowly across the heath, hack to Marshfield, she reflected on the occasion of her meeting with Jack Preston, and blushed hotly at the recollection of his ardent caress when he left her' at the gate of The Gables. “You’re a bit of a hussey, Phil Sutton,” she .told herself half aloud, “and I don’t ■ know i what Aunt Amelia would, think of„you, I’m Sure.”. But she smiled happily at her thoughts all the same, for the bees were buzzing about the! heather and wild thyme which perfumed, her progress; rabbits popped out of their burrows to peep at her,- then popped back again With a flash Of their White tails; and the warm south'wind played gently with a stray curl that refused to bs;restrained. ;Down the springy turf of the gentle slope to the road she thanked God for. being-alive, lit and well,. and glowing in the bloom of her young- womanhood; and if only someone else .were there also—her reflections w'ere interrupted by the sound of- a- motorcar which was screened by a clump of trees. r - : ;- ... :/

She-stood on?the edge of,the. road fOr a moment, and as it came into view, she felt suddenly' sick'-and cold. It was a two-seater, Jack Preston was driving, and sitting by his; side'in animated. conversation was :a‘pretty, girl in a riding habit. • : . Tliey did not see Phil,; and as she' watched it become rapidly , smaller- in ; the.; distance, leaving a thin trail 'of dust; her heart seemed weighted with lead. Why it should, she told!herself scornfully, she did not know. - The mail Was nothing to .bier. If 'he, liked to, go'motoring with-another girl ‘it was nobody else’s conoei’h. " • ; . All;-the same, that dreadful, sick; hurt, feeling, insisted on staying there.

Instalment 14.

and it was a very sad and, it is to be feared, jealous Phil who arrived hack not long afterwards at The Gables.. Immediately after breakfast the next morning Reuben Dreever and James Bantry asked if she were ready for a long journey. * "Yes, anywhere," smiled Phil. "Where to?” “London.” “I shall be delighted. It will not take. us. long, really, you know.” “But we have some, business to do in different parts of the town,” said Bantry, “and we shall be away the whole of the day and perhaps well into the evening.” : ... Phil was glad to ; get . away from Marshfleld and its associations for a time. She blamed herself for her unreasoning jealousy,’and. felt'that on a fairly long journey she might be too busy to think of her own troubles, or else find a-way to dispel-them. It was a bright, fresh morning, and the throb of ihe engine was svyeetest music to her as the road, unrolled before them . like a shining ribbon. When they reached the fringe of London at Cheam and Sutton she slackened speed, and from Mitcham and Tooting onwards, up the ancient road to the , Metropolis,. where Roman legions had once marched, but which is now, monopolised by noisy tramcars and odoriferous buses, she could spare no time for introspection. Dreaming is out of place-to a motordriver who- wishes to avoid accidents among, the stream of traffic. At London Bridge Bantry directed her to turn to the right down Tooley Street, and in a few' minutes the oar was picking its way through a maze of carts and lorries: At Tower Bridge Road - the two men seemed uncertain of their direction. “Turn along here to the right, Miss Sutton,'” suggested Bantry, “and we’lL sec where we are.”

“We might have saved a long detour by coming this way direct from the Elephant,” remarked Phil. • “Y’es; I did not think of that.' Have you the address, old man?” Reuben Dreever drew a sheet of paper from an inner pocket and unfolded it.

“Yes; we’re right, I believe,” he said. “Vesper Grove, Tower Bridge Road. This is the road, so If we drive slowly -we ought to find the other soon.” • '

Vesper Grove, as its name implies, formed in mediaeval times, part of the extensive grounds of • . Bermondsey Abbey; but all traces of tbe monastic establishment have long "since disappeared. ' What was once fair meadowland bordered by the noble river is now a network of mean streets, and the quiet.sweetness of. the Angelus bell is succeeded by the -intermittent clangour of the trams.

The street contained several small shops dealing in a variety of ,commodities,- but chiefly eatables. Separated from the others by half, a dozen cottages stood a milliner’s shop. The sign bore no name, simply- the word "Milliner," and the window. - was almost hidden under a layer of. slip bills announcing “End of Lease” and “Retirement'Sale." ...

"This is it, j think,"" said' Reuben Dreever, as he signed to Phil to stop.

As the two men left ■ the car and entered the little - shop curtains -.fluttered in the windows of the-adjacent houses; then someone, boldly opened a door and stood watching. Others followed the example, and in a few. moments neighbours were watching the. proceedings with a sympathetic interest. . ,;■...:••■■

“It’s a shime” remarked the. milliner’s next-door friend, the Way she’s struggled, poor dear, an’ now the bumballys ’s come down on ’er, an’ she’ll ’ave. to shut up the .shop I" “I don’t think it’s quite so bad as that,” ventured Phil, who 'had overheard the remark. “From what I can see of her she doesn’t look very miserable.” •

"Oh, she’d never tell , yer if she was,” chimed in another woman. “She’s that independent!” “Not ’arf!” commented a young woman with a baby in her arms. “She’s a proper sort, she is; She let me ’ave. all the clo’es for my larst one ’ere, an’ wouldn’t let me pay for ’em. Said she was sure I couldn’t afford it, with my young fam’ly.”

While listening to tlie neighbours Phil had kept her eyes fixed on the interior of the shop. She saw Reuben Dreever hand the milliner a package over the counter, which she regarded with evident distrust and alarm.

Without any hesitation James Bantry smiled and cut' the string, shewing something which caused-the old lady to exclaim in. astonished delight. A young, woman, presumably her daughter; came quickly from ,an inner room, "and together they appeared to be thanking the two men.

Waving his hands deprecatingly, bui smiling happily,. Reuben Dreever left the shop, followed by Bantry. “Start her up 1” he said; but Phil purposely found a little difficulty in obeying the order. She haid. an overwhelming desire to know more. “Wait a moment!” cried Bantry. “I’ve forgotten something.” 1 He had no need to re-enter the shop. The.- milliner, and her daughter had come out.

“This; Is a receipt for everything you owed to Mr. Dreever,” -he said quietly, “in case .it should -ever be disputed.” ;

As the old seamstress' took the slip of paper she burst into tears.' “You are too kind,” she sobbed. “You gentlemen have saved me from;—from —You’ve- saved my life 1 . I can-never repay .you!” • : : <

“No need, madam;, no .need,” interrupted Reuben brusquely, alarmed at the attention of the little group that had' gathered. . "

. Phil thought it was lirqe to.get away now; but before she -could' safely, slip in the clutch the milliner's daughter had reached, over and put'both her arms round her ,neck. • •• ; , “I must kiss somebody 1" she laughed, half hysterically, her. eyesfull of: tears. “You darling 1 You' must -have must have-.-come from heaven'!” ‘ - . Phll gently disengaged the-' girl’s impulsive embrace, kissed her in re-turn,-;and gaily denied all share- in the benefaction. ' (To be continued)..!;-