NOW FIRST PUBLISHED. BETRAYAL OF JOIN FORDHAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10046, 5 February 1896, Page 3

NOW FIRST PUBLISHED. BETRAYAL OF JOIN FORDHAM.

BY B. I/. FARJKON, Author of" No. 110, Great Porter Square," " Grif," "The March of Fato," "For the Defence,"" Aaron tho Jew," etc, fc (All Rights reserved,] SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CItAPTKUS I. AND ll.—John (■'ordham, at an early ago, is left an orphan; his stopmother, who acts as his guardian, has a son, Louis, two years younger than John. She maintains a deadly hate for J®" 1 ), perhaps owing to tho division of his fathers property. Louis grows up with the same dislike. After many years of domestic linhappinesa, lie becomes of age and leaves home. At the age of 21 lie falls in lovo Willi Barbara Maxwell. Her brother pesters John for money, which is given him. He marries Barbara without learning her true character. Maxwell jeeringly tells John that sue 13 all his own now. . . Chapter IV.-On the day of their marriage Jotin and Barbara go to Paris Arriving at tile hotel John loaves his wife to unpack, while he goes round the city. He returns to the hotel to find that Ins wife has locked him out. By the aid of the manager ho is able to get through the window. Ho Buds tho room in a deplorable state, and his wife drnnk on the bed. CHAPTER V. The first thing I did was to securely bolt and lock evory door, to darken overy window that gavo access to our rooms. I must bo alone with my shamo and my priof. No one must know—the secret of this vile, this uuutternblo disgrace must not escape, must not bo whispered, must) not be suspoctod. From tho friends who had boon present at the wedding cororaony I could nob expect sympathy after the way in which thoy had been treated ; from strangers I could hope for none ; by friends and strangers alike I should be pointed at and derided. I must woar a false faco to all the world—as false as the faco my wife had worn to me during our courtship. For in tho first flush of tho frightful discovery I did not stop to palter with myself, I did not attempt to disguiao the truth, to delude myself with the hope that this was a now experience in Barbara's character. Tho fatal truth fastened itself in my hoart. Signs which had borne no baleful significance in the past were now suddenly and rightly interpreted. I understood Maxwell's mocking words and laughter. "You want hardening,my boy, and you'll gob it," ho had said. Again, "Barbara is not in a condition to soo anybody. When sho is in that state, best leave her, old fellow. Tboro's a hint for you in your matrimonial campaign." And then his last derisive exclamation, " What a jolly wedding day !" The moaning of the looks he and Barbara had exchanged on that day when wo throe were together after the ceremony was now clear to me, as clear and withering as a blasting lightning stroke. She was a drunkard, and lie was keeping the joke from me. His look convoyed tho threat, " Bo careful, or I will botray you." Aye, botray her before sho betrayed herself ! Tho momentary defiance in her eyes died away, and sho trembled in his presence. " I will botray you !" Good God, how I had beon betrayed ! Barbara was mine for evor; as Maxwell had said, sho was all my own. Wo were linked together; our fates were united. Thoro were no separate path? which each could tread apart from tho other. Hand in hand wo must take our way and death alone could tear us asunder. On my honour a? a man, thoro died within mo during those few moments of torturing reflection all tho lovo I had borne for Barbara. I awoke to tho fact that it was not true lovo, but animal passion for hor beauty, that had led 1110 into this pit of shame and despair. Somo men arrive, by Blow and devious roads, at a belief that shakes their faith to its foundations. Not so I. As surely as I know that 1 livod and moved did I know that I was wedded to a drunkard, and that there was no civilised law that could divorce mo from her. I was Barbara's shield and protector, her lord, her master, her victim. Her claim upon mo was not to bo evaded ; evon to dispute ib would cover 1110 with ignominy, would mako my name a byoword. I could not break the fcttors of tho law which bound us together and mado us one. Had Barbara not been a confirmed drunkard, sho could never havo drank, afull bottle of brandy in so short a time. Threo or four glasses would have overcomo her, and alio could not have continued to tipple. Think what you will of mo, I declare that I had no compassion for the woman I had married. No pity for her stirred my boart. Perfect in its dovilish cunning was tho duplicity sho had practised. " You do not like wine," I had said to her. " I dotest it," sho had answered; and novor in my presenco had sho drank anything except water. Most artfully had sho concealed from mo a socrot which was to wreck all my hopes of happiness, which was to shut out from mo all the puro and innocent pleasures which a man at my time of life might naturally look forward to. What pity could I have for one who had done this evil? It was an additional torturo that I could not pace the room, that I was debarred from finding in mechanical action somo relief from my distracting self cunning. I had already placed myself in a sufficiently false light in tho hotel; I had already disturbed tho inmates, and probably tiiero were people in the rooms beneath who were seeking repoec. I had no doubt that I was regarded by the manager and his staff as a madman (notan unreasonable interpretation of his word " ccconbric") whoso presence in tho hotel was an intolerable nuisanco. So I was compellod to sit and muse upon my fate, deprived of the comfort which physical movement brings to tho tortured heart. It was fully an hour boforo I entered the bedroom again. Barbara had not stirred, -and as I gazed upon her all tho boauty doparted from her face. The fair outside had lost its power over mo; I saw only what was revolting in hor. She had thrown off portions of hor attiro, and she lay a dishevelled heap upon tho bed, a picture of disgraceful untidiness. Deconcy and modesty wore outraged by such an exhibition, and I felt that a being who had so debased herself scarcely deserved tho narao of woman. Writing now with a full sense of the sufferings my marriage brought upon me, I do not hesitate to record my opinion that mortals should be distinguished thus— man, woman, beast, under which last head habitual drunkards of both sexes should be classed. I made 110 attempt to rouse my wife, not bccauso I foared I should not succeed, but because I had no desire to restore her _ to consciousness and to hold converso with hor. I needed timo to review more calmly tho position in which I was placed, and to decide upon my course of action in the future. Meanwhile I applied myself to an examination of the bedroom. Ono of Barbara's trunks was unlocked; the lid was down, but a litter of feminine apparel on the floor denoted that it had been hurriedly opened and tho articles of clothing as hurriedly snatched from tho top, with no intention, as Barbara had indicated, of putting her things in order, but rather of getting quickly at something which lay bonoath. Had I the right to search this trunk? wiu tho question I mentally put to myself. I did nob, however, stop to discuss it. Right or wrong, I raisod the lid, and taking out the garmonts which first met my eyes I found beneath thorn damning proofs of Barbara's , degradation, Fivo bottles of brandy were brought to light— one sho had emptied made the sixth. She had provided herself liberally, sufficient for six days at the rate sho had commenced. My first impulse was to throw them out of the window, but I checked myself in time. Tho noise of tho broken glass would have brought tho manager and his staff buzzing about me. What should I do with tho cursod things ? Leave them in her trunk ? No, for that would bo inviting a sorics of disgraceful exhibitions such as that which lay within my view. From me she would receive no assistance to reach a lower depth than that into which she had fallen. I could at least mako it difficult for her to obtain her next supply of liquor without my knowledge, so I carried the bottles to the outer room and secreted them in ono of my own trunks, determining to get rid of them by somo means in the course of tho noxt few hours. Then I huddled Barbara's clothes into hor trunk, and closed the lid. Without casting anothor glance at ray wifo, who was now beginning to breathe more heavily, I returned to the sitting-room, and sinking into a chair, burst into a passionate fit of weoping. | Thus did I-pasa roy bridal nigbb. H

CHAPTER VI. ! At seven in the morning I heard my wife shifting restlessly and moaning in her bedroom. I had nob had a moment's sleep ducrng the : night. My eyes closed occasionally from weariness, bub sleep did nob come to me; nor did I woo it, for I felt the necessity of keeping awake, lest Barbara should create a disturbance. Her condition was a new and bitter experience to me, and I did nob know what form ib might take. In whatever form it presented itself I must be prepared to cope with it; and it behoved me, therefore, to keep on tho watch. I paid no attention to Barbara's moans, but went to my dressing-room and bathed my face with cold water, which refreshed and strengthened me. In the front courtyard the birds were singing and a fountain was playing. I threw the window open; the air - was sweet and fresh, and I was grateful for tho relief it afforded me. My wife continued to groan and toss about, and still I did not go to hor. At length she called my name in a fretful voico. " Well?" I said, standing by tho bedsido. " Why did you not come to me before ?" she asked, querulously. "Did you nob hear me ?" " Yes, I hoard you." " And you kept away! How could you, lore, how could you, when I am suffering so ?" . She paused for a sympathetic word from mo, which she did not receivo. "I am so ill, dear John, so vory, very ill! My head is on fire. Give me your hand." I made 110 responsivo movement, and she looked at me from beneath her balf-closod lids. " You are nob looking well yourself, John. Have you had a bad night?" "A most horrible night." "lam so sorry, dear. Watching by my side for so many hours has tired you." "I havo nob been watching by your sido." " You bad boy—what could you have beon doing ; and why do you speak to me so unfeelingly ? I am sure I have done nothing to deserve it. 0, my poor head ! You did not know I was accustomed to these headaches." "No, I did not know." " I ought to havo told you, dear." " Yes, you oughb to have told me. It would have been better for both of us." "I don't see that; unless you havo deceived me, ib could have made no difference in your feelings, and I believed evory word you said-yes, I did, John, dear.'" Sho shuddered and moaned, as though seized with an aguo. "Get me something, or I shall go mad with pain 1" " What will you havo ? A cup of tea?" An expression of disgust spread over her foatures. " Tea ! It is tho worst thing I could take. You do not understand—of course you do nob understand. Put your arm round me, dear; lot mo lean my head on your shoulder; it will relieve me." I did not stir. "What do you mean by treating 1110 so cruelly? I am your wife, and you promised to love and cherish mo. Have you forgottou so soon, so soon ?" I did not roply, and hor voico grew more imploring. " Wlion women suffer as I do, John, thoy nood something to keep up their strength. 0, this frightful sinking ! lam sure a littlo brandy would do me good. Don't be shocked ; I wouldn't ask for it if I wasn't certain it would remove this horrible pain." " Otherwise," I said, with sad and bitter omphasis, " you would nob touch it, you havo such an abhorrence of it." " Why, of courso I have. I take ib only as a medicine." I picked up tho empty brandy bottlo, and placed it on the dressing table. "0, that!" alio oxclaiined. "Ib was filled with lomonade, and I drank it overy drop while you were away last niglib. What kept you 60 long ? 0, my head is racked ! I hope no pretty Frenchwoman—" "Bo silent 1" I cried, sternly. "Of what use is this subterfuge ? You cannot deceive mo." "I never tried to; I would nob be so wicked. It is cruel of you to pick a quarrel with me the moment wo are married. People wouldn't believe ib if they wore told. For God's sako gob mo a little brandy 1" " From me, Barbara, not one drop I" " You won't?" " No, I will not." "Brute! Loavo my room I" I was glad to obey her, feeling how idle it was to pursue tho conversation. The moment I was gono I heard her scramble from the bod and loqk the door. Then I heard tho sound of things boing violently tossed about, and presently tho door was unlocked, and Bho stood before me with a flaming face. " You are a thief I" sho screamed. " You are a sneak and a spy—" "Hush, Barbara! The people in the hotel will hoar you." " Lot them hear! What do I care? You are my husband, and you are a thief. How daroyou rob mo How dare you sneak, and pry, and search my boxes while I am asleep? You'll bo picking my pocket next, I suppose. But I'll show you that a married woman has rights. You men can'b grind poor weak women into tho dust any longer. I'll show you!" she rang the boll violently. " Tho servants must not boo you in that stato, Barbara," I said, with my back against the door. " Thoy shall see mo in any stato I pleaao, and I will let thom know— will lot all the world know—that wo have been married hardly a day, and that this is the way you uro treating me. Igivoyou fair warning. If you don't got mo tho brandy I will scream bho house down!" What could I do? A waiter rapped at tho door, and asked what monsieur required. I gavo him the order, and when the brandy was brought I took it from him without allowing him to ontor. Bofore I had timo to turn round Barbara snatched the decanter from my hand, and ran with it into tho bodroom. In a few minutes she roturued, looking, to my astonishment, bright and well. "Seo what good ib has done me/' sho said, in a blithe tone. " When lam suffering nothing has such an effect upon mo as a small glass of brandy. It pulls mo together in a moment almost. Tho doctor ordered it especially for mo, and whon I can't got ib at once I foel as if I should go mad. I don't know what I say or do, so I am nob accountable, you know. Ask tho doctor. I'll let you into my secret, my dear. All women take it, from the highest to the lowest. Fact, upon my word. You aro a goose. Now, we will not quarrel any more, will wo ? Kiss mo, and make it up." I kissed her to keop her quiet, and indeed I felt that I was helpless in the hands of this brazen and cunning woman. " I shall writo to Maxwell this morning," she continued, " and toll him how happy we are. Ho will be disappointed for—quite between ourselves, love— hasn't a very high opinion of you, and would bo glad to hear that wo wero loading a cab and dog life. He shall not have tho gratification. 'In less than a week,' ho said,' you'll bo scratching each other's oyos out.' Wasn't it unkind of him? Bub we'll show him how wrong he was, and we'll keep our little troubles all to ourselves— to ourselves." She had seated herself on my knee, and was smoothing the hair from my hob forehead while she was speaking. "All married people quarrel a littlo, John, and wo can't expect to bo different from the others. Do you know what every one of ray friends told me ? That the first year of married life was always tho unhappiest, and that it wasn't until wo got into each other's ways that wo should really begin to enjoy tho swoots of matrimony. It's hard, lovo, but if it is so we've gob to bear ib; and may friends must have known, for they are all married women, and have gone through tho mill. Perhaps wo shan't like ib hair so much in a year's timo as wo do now, for is there anything sweoter than to quarrel and make it up again ? Now lam going to kiss my dear husband on his lips, and I hopo ho won't think me bold." The fumes of brandy in her breath as she pressed her lips to mino filled me with disgust. _ And my dear John musb kiss his poor littlo wifo, is never, novor going to bo naughty again," (To be continued on Saturday next.) 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