HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12570, 11 May 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER.

Jv. " <Jiu, old chap, *' • want you to do me a favIf*'Jm,,old chap, I want you,to" do me a fay-, i our. I know you'd do thing for your v< ne'er-do-weel'young brother, but what I am I asking you now is something altogether; out of the ordinary. ; Since Fate— cruel Fate! —ordains that my next throe years must be spent out of the Old Country,' I want you to help me over the most difficult part of .leaving that aforesaid country. Will you. Jim?'' And the speaker laid a' ; caressing hand on his companion's knee. '-O" ' 4 Such a contrast between tWo : brothers was surely never seen. One—the speaker—was tail and broad-shouldered, with a laughing, handsome face surmounted by refractory crop of sunny curls; the other equally tall, though the apparent 1 breadth of his shoulders was marred by their slight stoop; and the dark, 1 strong face" bore the outward and visible Signs of hard thinking and deep reserve, which the man's character in no, way belied. Reserved even to the verge of tile seclusion which marks a hermit's life, Jim Hartford, Professor of -Classics,' seemed to shrink a natural aversion from the. society of his fellow men and women—with one exception, i that is, and only one, the young lad now before him. But for him'he would gladly have walked right up to the mouths of a battery of ' hostile guns, would; have laid down his life with a smile, and deemed himself lucky to have had tho opportunity. v, '- From the time when'his dying mother had committed her youngest-born to his elder brothers charge ho had exercised a constant care over him. And now, with ft smile which lit up his face and made it almost beautiful, the professor answered' a3 his- brother knew ho would:— ■ "A favour, Jack? Aye, a? hundred,'; and that before they're asked. What is it this i time— scrapes? .Only don't say you've I been getting into debt again. Remember; that , last • time, and don't, don't go. to the usurers 1" : 'y y - [ ;"Once bitten— . know the rest 1 You don't catch me lumping willingly into the shark mouth' after once feeling his teeth, big brother mine! No, this is something far more serious; it is, in fact, a matter of the heart!" And here Jack paused -to heave a mighty sigh. v In what way can I be of assistance to you?" . r., . r '' Well, it's this way, old man. When I start to-mcrrow there's a girl coming to see me off at the station, and I'm afraid she'll be awfully cut up. I? Oh, of -course I shall be too; but then it's the man's part to bear up—the woman's to grieve. Here's the task Ivo set you Jim. It want you to'do all that you can— 1 -nil that lies in your powerto lessen the pain of the parting "for her. Tell her that three years will pass like a lightning flash; that hearts can beat as true across Six thousand miles of sea as ever they did in England; tell her—oh, you know what to tell her! Cheer her up; and don't make it any harder for me than you can help." • "But how can I help you, Jack, when I'm going to Southampton with you? -I promised to see you aboard the steamer and watch you off On your voyage; so how can I comfort the girl? Imagine me comforting a girl!" And Hartford senior's voice took on a note of despair. "That's just where • your goodness will come in. I want you to see me off at the station aild then devote yourself to the girl. I'll manage all right at Southampton—never fear for —but you'll do mo this last favoUr, won't you?" #" Did I over rofuso you anything you asked me? But one thing.l must know.now—who is the girl?" , "Oh, yes, you'd better knbw that, I suppose. It's little Molly Charteris; you know her, recluse though you are— little one With lips likeer—ripe tomatoes, .'and eyes the colour of—of the deep blue sea !" he concluded, .enthusiastically.v " Who? ' asked the brother. "Utile Miss Charteris, the vicar's daughter? Do you mean to tell me that you've fallen in love with her? Why, I—" and here he stopped suddenly and gazed into the fire with thoughtful eyes. " Do you love her, really?" he queried, after a few moments had passed in silenceand, deep thought on the part of one at least. ' / .'. , ,- ■. ' , "Love her? Why, man, I love that girl more than any I've ever loved yet, and I've had a good deal of experience in that line! Love her? Yes, I should rather ( think so! Jim, if that girl were to ask me to eat stories fOr her special edification I'd do it, ahd smile* as 'I ate —until she was out of sight, at any rate I'm sure it's final this time. I feel queer all over when I think of her I" ' * ' ■ Then for a while silence > came over the pair, for the professor's mind was conjuring up a vision of the newly-done summer. ' f: '. A quaint old garden thronged with merry J laughing guests? white gossamer gowns flit- j ting hither and thither through the dark background of the midsummer foliage; a spirited tennis tournament; but apart from all there stood Out one form—one face—a golden-haired child .with eyes as, blue* as heaven itself— a child, and yet a Woman. Molly Charteris! The only woman Who had ever brought & flutter to his Heady, dispassionate pulse. She had listened to him with interestso lib thought ; her answers, her queries, ail showed that she entered Into the spirit ot his discourse, and for ofacc! he had thawed— himself go, ■ as his brother expressed it—Until hb had hitjolleeted.thht she was a merry girl and lib a prosy bid." fdgby.' Then his mantle of reserve descended. again and he had led her back to the cl-oWded lawns, and nothing remained but the remembrance of the expression, Of pain in her eyed at being thus sumiAafily dismissed., 1 •< t , And Jack had Won ( her love. All, well, it was only just; their temperaments vtc-te alike, both sunny And cheerful, and he—he Was no mate for Mfllljr. ■ •' i'l 5 With a start he aroused hilfiimf ted locked fohcilV at Jkbk. ' , , , .. 1 ; "lie stood to her, lad, for she's a peatfl of price. And I'll do all I ean to lessen r her pain when you afe gdrtfe. Po3r little woman, ib will he hard for Iter. Do yoii tliilik she cares?'' I+'t "I wish I knew (or certain. Perhaps the actual fact of parting will bring her to khow her oWn mind—thlt—you'll help- hbt, Jim, for ihy sake?" .V-f "Yes., you can rely oh ihe{ Slid rtoW, gbod-lh !iT ht. No, I'm hot going ta bed yet awhile: I hftvb rather a knotty pollit to "settle. Good night." -

:k ■ r ♦ ,» I A Uttle nervous, constrained conversutioh; a bustling, officious porter; a hiss of .escaping steam and the time for parting had Come. Just a long, flrrti elasp of the hand; and then the prOfessbl 1 disbreetly ttii'tlod llis back and became ihteht on a lurid poster; The guard wftved his .flag, tlie engine shrieked . and panted, a carriage-door slamtried, and Jack was off! The last view Of.his brother htat the professor got was a gesticulating figure leaning dangerously out of a window, and waving a hat, oft-repeated " good-byes" gi'bwifig fainter and fainter, and then the train vanished round a curve, and the tWo spectators were loft alone. Few words Were spoken as the pair climbed the hill towards the town. Once the girl shivered and drew her furs more; closely around her, but the professor was unable to tell whether it was the cold or her deep feeling that prompted the movement. From the occasional glances which ho cast at her hallaverted face he gathered that she,was bearing up remarkably \vell ulidet the shofek of parting, but lib had heard that these restrained natures ofteh heeded biife.the; Slightest reference to the present trouble _ to form the prelude to a bitter burst of grief. ' ' Above all things he dreaded ft scene, and the mental picture that he drew of Molly in tears led him to avoid all mention of the parting. They reached the gates of the vicarage, and Molly turned to say " good-bye." As he hold her little hand for a blissful moment the professor, recollecting how badly he was fulj filling his trust, Ventured oh a few Words of consolation. ' ' . . '' Cheer up, Miss Charteris. After clh three years is but a brief span as compared with the many years of a lifetime. And Jack, ill Spite of his gaiety, has a warm, true heart. I . know — better?— fund of love which he hides Under a careless ex-

" Ail, yes, I know, Mr, Hartfordl feel sui-d that lie will be loyal." Molly Was speaking tib'iv With ft braVe effort fo thancain her calm, the elder brother thought. "And yoti— you will not gt'jeve? 1 know he loves you with ail the strength of his heart, i'oi* he lias often told me that he had only one liei'o, and. that oiie his brother. She .was able, even in the midst of her own grief, to firid tVofdfi to comfort him. " What a sweet, true spirit the child possesses thought he; " she sinks herself and htriis to console me!" Oil, Molly, Molly, if only he had not loved you But aloud he- said: " Ytrii will permit m p to call and tell you of .Tack's doings, Miss Charteris? We call sit and shdd our teails together and call back to femembrauce the days when he was with us," he continued, with a fol'ble attelflpt at mirth. "Oh, I wish you would. Come as often as you wish; for there will always be a warm Welcome awaiting you." V ! ■ ■■" A HVek'dltib for Jack's brother, but not for James Hartford!'* Ilitftmatfiti that individual as he plodded homeward. But .the tempol - at? f©6lliiaf cj feitterhess Was swallowed up in joy aft the good fortUiiS which had befallen Jack ; and, besides, how could lie feel bitter agairist Molly, of all the people in the world?" . . „ 5 ......... . •, One month passed, then two, 'fetid Still no word came from 1110, aliseiftt'c. . O&easionaliy the pi'ofefeSdr paid a. brief visit td Ike Vicar-

; ■ . ago in fulfilment of his promise, but whether it ; was that Molly was losing her ; affection for the absent one, for some reason his name was scarcely ©vet mentioned between them. And 1 Hartford," try as lie would,; to fight against his nature^fouttd^himself, growing'. deeply in loyo than eve*. In vain : ho; remonstrated with himself, in vain lie Vowed, by all the-ties of brotherly affection, that ho would kill his love. It would bic<k_ Ao obstacle, ■ but went on in a remorseless' stream ' until • each visit grew fraught With agony lest ho should utter words that might turn the /nrl's friendly affection into loathing. j Sometimes, when he saw her cast a wistful glance in his direction, Hartford would think that she was longing to talk of the younger one, but at last all uncertainly and doubt were brought to a. head by the arrival of the expected letter. , ■':■ _ • ' f With fingers that trembled with very eagnerness Jim opened the letter and devoured it contents. After a racy description ■«! the voyage Jack went on :— ' : "V.v "By the way, about Molly Charteris. I suppose she will have forgotten me by now, held I - rather hope she has. Now, don't accuse me of fickleness, old chap, but the fact of the matter is, I'm madly in love with the Sweetest little girl you ever saw. I met her On the steamer, helped hor through her seasickness, proposed, and was accepted within three weeks, Which, you must admit, Was quick work 1 Her father favours my. Suit, has offered me a partnership in his ,'es- : tancia.' and wo are bo be married in six months. I'm afraid I shall have to leave. the, task of breaking, the news to Miss Molly to you, for, in spite of all my check, I haven't the pluck to do- that. Will you, like the dear, good fellow that you are, tell her that I was never worthy of her, that my one wish is for her future happiness, that a man's afSections can t> be placed to . order, and generally smooth matters over? She isso?, young that she Will easily get over the shock, if any shock there be, and you will act diplomatically," I know" and bo on. «- • ' i The first feeling that invaded the professor's 'breast was one of consternation; the second, disgust; and the third— although he tried to laugh it aside with a shamefaced airwas. undoubtedly relief. Now the field was open; and. when once the girl had recovered from her pain he could plead his own cause. And yet, what a cad the youngster had proved ! In spite of his earnest protestations he had fallen in love with the first pretty face he met, and shifting all responsibility on to the shoulders of his long-suffer-ing brother, had left him to make his excuse. : It was .too bad; and the professor's bosom glowed with righteous indignation. On the (spur of the moment he sat down to indite a soathing letter of rebuke to the erring yohth, but his brotherly love was too strong and he found himself wandering off into mild remonstrance.

"I will go and break the' news to Molly," he thought, " and the flrod by the sight of her anguish, I shall be able to forget everything, save that ho is a dishonourable scoundrel. Then I will writ© a letter that will make him Writhe;" and, acting on,this new impulse, he took his hat and coat and started for the vicarage. ■ His heart was very near his boot as, arrived at the house, ho asked the dapper maid if Miss Charteris were at home. " In the drawing-room, sir," and ho was in the slighted one's presence. ." ■""" r. She looked so winning, so free from care, as she rose to greet him, that he found himself inwardly reviling his brother for having given him the task of quenching the light of those glorious eyes. After the first few commonplaces had been spoken there ensued an awful pause. Ncith ther one seemed disposed to speak first, but Hartford, finding the silence intolerable, summoned all his courage and drew the fateful letter from his pocket,- : "I regret to be the bearer of bad news; Miss. Chai'tefis, i but that is my unpleasant task ,' -day: Jack—my s brother—l";—" but the girl, glancing at the enovelope he held, broke in: —. " Not dead l-'oh, sfty he is hot dead !*' ; v; V "It would have been better had he died; but no, he is'not, deadonly dishonoured. Forgive mo If I boom harsh, but I cannot attempt to shield him in ally way. Jack isto bo married in six—no, five months," and. there was Jft tone of tragic intensity in his, voice. . •' - The girl's head was bowed, her face half hidden by her hand, and til® man tried in vain to read her inscrutable expression. ' No sound, no motion came from her, and the professor thought that the. depth df her ffiw had stricken her dumb. '. ;1 "Forgive me if I have been too abrupt," no said, "but the consciousness of his infamy compelled me to blurt out the truth. If I can in any way a tone for the Wrong my brother has done, you have but to command me. I will gladly serve you by all means in toy power, but, oh, Miss Molly, do not grieve tOO much." "

The bowed head was lifted and Molly looked across with a somewhat ptteiled air. "Has the shook driven her mad?" the man asked himself, With a sudden, tightening fear at his heart. Her first WOfds reassured him, however, for she asked: " But why should I gHeve, Mr. Hart-ford ? Jack has but followed the impulse of his nature, and I for one wish him joy. As for the dishonour you upeak of, I fail to see where that comes in. He was not engaged to any other girl, was he—any girl here in England?" For a moment the professor sat there astounded. Words, failed him }? he Was lost in admiration of a spirit that could bear a blow so calmly. Of course they:were not engaged—he knew that) but this heroic calm was beyond him, and h6 rose as though to take his leave. "You need not hesitate to confide in me, MisS Molly, I knOw the shock must be great, for even tb rhb, his brother,' not his sweetheart. the Hews came as a thunderclap. I would gladly help you if you will but .allow too tot but perhaps, at a later time, you will feel more able to make use of me. Now I ■ will go." . V:-' 1 -r• "Stay just a moment, Mr. Hartford, said, Molly; "you seen}. to be. labouring under a misapprehension. Either Jack lias been deluding you or himself, for I never cared for him in the way you mean. I always loved him as a brother but. as aa—oh, no, I could nover have loved liinl!''. , ' - ; v: And She raised her eyes and gave JftWSs Hartford a look which set his heart beating madly. ' Down dropped his hat, liis- stick clattered to the floor, as he took a forward stride, " Miss Charter—Molly* do yOtj mean to say that- you never loved Jack? It must bo so, for the light of your, eyes is the light of a present love. Can it be "that it is ; love for me? Molly, Molly, darling, have .1 read you aright? Tell me if there is hope— for me, for I have loved you with nil the strength of my heart eVer since; first: 1- root' you." His arms were around her slender form by now. and he strove tb raise the bended head. Suddenly she lifted it of her own free will, and James Hartford, whilom recluse, read his answer in her deep blue eyes. Ahd as ho bent his head to take the first hiss that had proceed his lips, since the day his mother died, Molly, her very soul aglow with happiness, heard "his murmur, " Thank heaven !" 'f, Copy of a letter received ' two months ; later: — , ■. "My Dear Old Spartan,— pass aside your outburst of indignation as being uhworthy of comment. To proceed to other matters, what did you think of my scheme? I knew perfectly well that, if you were left to your own initiative, you would never have found out that Mdlly cared for you, for your natural modesty Was a^ilist t fetich a result taking place. Therefore I did tlie best I could to Show you how things stood. I foUnd out Molly's secret nuite by chance, " and was . bound by a solemn oath not to divulge it. Forgive my necessity litis, ' and look only at the result. If you should ask me how I managed to lure Molly down to the fetation the day I left, the answer is simple. I told her that you would feel the parting keenly, arid asked her to oohdolo With you: Poor, blind fools! best of friends! May you both be as happy as you deserve to be —as happy as I intend to be. —Always your fraternally, Jack."