BETRAYAL OF JOHN FORDHAM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10094, 1 April 1896, Page 3

BETRAYAL OF JOHN FORDHAM.

NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.

BY 1!. L. FARJKON', Author of " No. tl'J, Orea'. Purler Square," " Grif," "The March of Fate," "For the Defence," " Aaron the Jew," eic.

[All Rights Ukseuvkd.)

CHAPTER XX. -(Continued.)

I had now plenty to occupy mo. My first visit was to a solicitor, to ontrusb him with the execution of the plan I had laid down with respect to my wife—before doing which I had devoted somo time to a careful survoy of my pecuniary position. Tiioro had been much wasto and extravafranco on Barbara's part, and my little fortune had dwindled. I decided to allow hor £300 a year, quite sufficient for her to livo upon in comfort. That I should have to encroach upon my capital for thopaymont of this sum and tor my own oxpenses did not cause mo anxiety. I did not go beyond tlio next few years in my calculations; meanwhile I might bo ablo to earn money. Whatever was my income, Barbara should have an equal share of ib; she could nob reasonably ask for more, having only herself to support. If a court of law were called upon bo decide tho matter she would probably have less. Upon £300 a year the house in Kensington could not be kept up, and I determined that it should bo sold. All household debts contracted to dato wore to be discharged, and so much of tlio furniture as Barbara would not neod in her now quartors was to bo disposed of by auction. The solicitor undertook the management of this troublesome business, and I bound him down to absolute secrecy. Upon no consideration whatever was the slightest cluo to my movements, and to the name I had assumed, to be givon to inquirers. I left him to prepare the necessary documents, and proceoded to my house, armed with written discharges of the servants in my employ. A cab I had engaged stood at tho door, and a porter accompanied me into the house. All the evil crow woro thore —Maxwell, ray stepmother, Louis, and Barbara. Her bloated face tilled mo with loathing. She gave me a sullen look. " Tho prodif-nl son has returned," said Maxwell. "Whore's the voal?" I rang the boll, and the parlourmaid entered the room. " Send all tho servants up," I said to the girl; "and tell thab woman Annette I wish to see hor." "Whatdo you wanb tho servants for?" demandod Barbara.

You will seo." I heard them in the passago, and I oponed the door for them, Annotto coming in last. "You sent for mo, madamo," sho said in hor smooth voico, gliding with cat-liko motion to Barbara's chair.

" I sent for you," I said. " At your sorvico, monsiour." "It is like a scone in a drama," said Maxwell, with an attompt at jocularity. "Got to the action, John." I handed tho women their written notices of discharge, and gave them to understand that after tho expiration of their month I would bo no longer responsible for their wages. „ " Take no notice of him,' said Barbara, flushing up, "Ho is out of his sonsos. With a nod she dismissed thorn, and they trooped out. I turned to Annette and hold out tho discharge. Sho refused to take ib, and ib fluttered to the ground. _ _ n " I am in madamo's service, monsieur. "Thatis hor affair and yours. You are not in mine. I discharge you. Your noxb month's wages will bo paid, after which you will not receive another shilling fiom mo. "Upon what grounds am I discharged, monsieur?" LL „ " You aro nob discharged, Annatte, exclaimed Barbara. "I know, inadame. I takoit) only from you. I asked monsieur a question.' " Upon tho grounds of treachery and unfaithfulness," I said, calmly. 41 You hear," sho said, appoalingr to tho others. " Ibis slander. You aro witnesses. It is not the first time-no, ib is nob the first tifuo.", .

" Our law courts are open to you," I said. 1 " Try them, and see what an English judge I will say to you." , _ I "Madame is perhaps right," she remarked, with a sly glance ab the decanter of brandy on the table. " Monsieur is nob in his senses.'' Her voice was as smooth as if she were paying me compliments, and her manner was entirely unruffled. Ab this point Barbara started up in a fib of passion. "You monster!" she screamed, and would have thrown herself upon me had nob Maxwell held her back. "Hold hard, Barbara," he said. "Lot us see the end ot it. Don't spoil the drama. It is really a very good drama, John." I went up to my bedroom, and rapidly packing my bag, called to tho porter to take it to the cab. Then I re entered the parlour. "One.last word," I said to Barbara. " In the presence of your friends I tako my leave of you. This house will be sold soon, and you will have bo reside elsewhere. My solicitor will write to you presently, and will make you acquainted with tho arrangements I have decided upon. It is my fervent hope that wo shall never meeo again !" " By God, he is in earnest 1" cried Maxwell.

As I left the room I saw Barbara staring at me with parted lips, and Maxwell, my stepmother, and Louis looking blankly at each other. Annette was smiling quietly, and playing with her cap strings. CHAPTER XXI. On the following day I received a letter from Miss Cameron. They were very com fortable, the place was beautiful, tho air delightful, her mother seemed to be better already. She signed herself Ellen Cameron, and hereafter I thought of her only as Ellen. It was nob such a lotter as an ordinary needlewoman would havo written. Tho writing was that of a lady, and the wording appropriate and well-chosen. Tho signs of fair culture in it were very pleasing to me. I did not reply to it immediately, thinking it unbecoming to show haste. In a day or two I wrote, expressing satisfaction at the report., and bidding her take advantage of every hour of fine weathor. Acting upon the doctor's suggestion, I despatched a hamper of fruit, wino, and jelly, and continued to do so at regular intervals. Ellen's thanks for these gifts were extravagant, and rather humiliated me. If thanks were duo to either of us, it was she who should have been the recipient. The task I had entrusted to my solicitor was one of extreme difficulty, but fortunately for me he was a man of inflexible resolution and perfect self-possession, qualities which made him more than a match for Maxwell, who undertook the management of Barbara's affairs. Every resistance was made to the carrying out of my plans, and a solicitor of doubtful reputation was employod by Maxwell to threaten and bluster. My own solicitor mado light of this.

" It will do them no good to go to law," ho said to mo. " Tha only satisfaction they would yet would be tho bringing up of your name bofuro the public. The fact of their employing a lawyer of such a character shows that they are aware of the weakness of their caie. In no cvont would they benefit to a greater extent than you propose."

Of course they wrote to me. Not a day passed without letters arriving from ono or other of them, addressed to tho care of my solicitor. First camo letters from Maxwell, these were followed by letters from Barbara; and finally my stepmother wrote. Maxwell threatened ; Barbara implored and made promises; my stepmother was bitter and exultant, and I doubted whether sho really desired to bring about a reconciliation. "Everything has turned out as I expected," she said. "The promiso of your youth is fulfilled. You have ruined a beautiful life, and your wife's condition is j fatal evidence against, you. But. the worst has yet to come." Failing a reply to these letters, Maxwell paid a visit to my solicitor, and went away battled and furious. Thon came advertisements in the newspapers, to the effect that if J.F. would return home to his broken-hearted wife all would be forgiven. "I pointed out to them," said my solicitor, " that they were only wasting their money." Through him 1 learned that my wife was drinking harder than over, that Annette was with her, but appeared very restless, and that tho old servants bad left tho house, lie had fixed a day for Barbara's removal from the house, giving her ample time to settle herself elsewhere, but by Maxwell's advice she had refused to leave.

Ib was a wearisome and distressing businoss, and it is needless to say that I took no pleasure in it. I was animated by no sense of triumph, and was only uphold by my stern determination nob to be turned from iny purpose. Finally, Maxwell adopted other tactics. " The incomo you offer my poor sister," ho wrote, "is utterly inadequate for her support. Through your misconduct she is now in such a do plorable state of health that the utmost care is needed. Make it jC'iOO a year, and a public exposure of your brutality will be avoided. Within a few days of your marriage Barbara discovered that you had a mistress, and as a man of the wo rid 1 know that there has been all through another woman in the case. It will bo worth your while to make it £500. lam not at the oiul of my resources, and if you refuse to act in a*sensible way I will make it warm for you. You shall not have a moment's peaco."

Finally, nftcr tho lapw of several weeks, | tlio distressing affair was brought tn a conclusion. The liouso was sold, and Barbara removed from it, taking with her tho whole of the furniture, to which, for the sake of poace, 1 offered no objection. The worry and anxioty had affected my health. Living alone, with no friend to cheer me, I should have felt myself a complete outcast from the world had it not been for the regular correspondonco I kept up with Ellen. Her letters were my only comfort, and I may truly say that they preserved tho balance of my mind. Confident as I was in the justice of ray causo it may havo been that, but for tho consolation I drew fro%\ them, I should have again given way to despair. Tlio natural reserve which distinguished her lotters when she first began to write to me had melted away, and she wrote now as to a friond of long standing. (To be conttnuod 011 Saturday noxfc.