A BITTER HARVEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 3 (Supplement)

A BITTER HARVEST.

By CAROLINE HASTINGS, Author of the "Cross of Circumstances," ■■ for the Sake of One \\ oman, " Eva's Dilemma," etc., etc. chapter xxxv L " MY secret is discovered. I hap not told Mrs. MacAlistcr of my intended visit to London; indeed. Iho summon- had been so hurried and the. notice .so shoifc that 1 had very little time to do more than pack up. the necessary equipment for a short outing and do -Mr. Bolls bell0 I knew thut 1 should get to iiiv old rooms almost as .oon as a letter, aud i knew, too, tint my deai old friend was alive and well, ■md I resolved to give her a smpiise. It seemed odd to be jolting my way through the dingy streets m a cab to BullIS Terrace, knowing that there was a Some for me at the end of my journey, and 1 could not help contrasting this tin - with the last, when 1 had gone without any certainty that I should find even a roof to cover me there, solely dependent on the word of. a stranger for my recommendation to the mistress of the. house. I had travelled through the night from Edinburgh, and 1 might well have found a place nearer at hand where 1 might hayrefreshed myself and gone on to the lawyei s ollice without driving all the way to Camberwell; but I knew how glad they would be to see me and how comfortable Ishould be made, and 1 was not disappointed. 'Minnie, the maid, was on her knees cleaning the doorstep as the cab drove up, and she looked up with wide-open eyes, doubtless expecting some new lodgers and thin ing that they were very early in their arrival. She gave a shout of delight as she saw who had come and flew back into the house with her cap hanging down her back to tell her mistress. That cap was a sad thorn in the flesh to poor Minnie. Mrs. Mac-. Allister insisted on it with a persistence that was amusing. "No decent servant lassie ever went bareheaded,' was her maxim, and she would have the child, for she was little more, do up her hair in a closely coiled knot and hide it under the cap. ■ . Dear old soul! it was one of her fancies, and a very harmless one, and Mamie wore a cap, mostly hanging down, as it was this morning, and incurring her mistress' displeasure a dozen times a day from the style and situation of her headgear. 1 could hear liei upstairs before 1 had dismissed my cabman, who must have thought the funny little servant girl somewhat crazy from the way in which she rushed about in search of her mistress. " Come down, missis," I. heard her say; "It's Miss Patterson in a cab." "Eh, lassie, ye're dreaming." How the kindly, familiar tones went to my heart! Whatever happened to me here was home, a haven of rest when the world was cold and hard; a place where I could come and hide myself if ev'er misfortune fell upon me. "I'm not!"' indignantly retorted Minnie. "It's just herself, missis; come down and sec."

"Missis" came down with all speed, and folded mo in lier arms as if 1 had been her own child.

"My bairn, my bairn!" she said, with a break in her dear old voice. " An' is it really you?" "Really me in the Hcsb," I replied. " What do you think of mc?"

"I think you are just as bouuie as ever," she replied, with another hug; "but what brings ye here, my lassie? There's nothing amiss up yonder?" " Nothing. They are all well, and send all sorts of kind messages to you—that is, her ladyship and Lady Beryl. But I will tell you all about it over a cup of tea, if you will give me one. I have to go out again directly I have brushed myself up a bit." "Go out! and after a journey like that! But come, we'll have a cup of tea, as ye suggest." Over a hearty breakfast in her cosy room t told her all about my coming to town, and what for, as far as I knew. 'Mr. Bolt had sent for me, that was all I knew at present. She had a hundred questions to ask about Wolf's Craig and all the people there, and was delighted when I told her that I wasvery comfortable and had no wish to.leave the castle at present. Mr. Bolt, she fold me, had been at her house asking questions, but without giving any reason or hinting that he wanted to see me. He had inquired most closely as to her knowledge of me, and whether she knew anything whatever of my antecedents; and she had told him all there was to tell him, which was not much—all the intelligence that she could give him she had had from me—l was an orphan, and .my father had not long been dead. She knew that much, and that was all. He had asked to look at everything that I had left behind me, and had taken away a little blotting book that 1 had given to Minnie—a, common, cheap thing I had bought while I. was at Mrs. FitzOsmoHd's. Minnie had beeu inconsolable at the loss of it, and ho had given her money sufficient to buy another six times its 'worth, at least in its present dilapidated state. It was all very puzzling, but I should soon know now; and when I had spent a little while, with Mi's. MacAllister I felt ready to start for the well-remembered office. 1 laughed quietly to myself as I walked across, Lincoln's Inn as I remembered my former visit there and the unfortunate applicants who had come after the situation which had fallen to me. I don't think any of them would have been willing to stay, at Wolfs Craig if they had been chosen, but I daresay they were full of bitterness toward the fortunate candidate. "Our Mr. Bromley" was in the outer office when I presented myself and received me with great respect., not to say cordiality. . , " You have been very speedy. Miss—a— -—Patterson," he said. "Mr." Bolt will see you in a minute." He stumbled over my name, but I thought it wonderful that ho should have recollected it at all, and sat down to await Mr. Bolt's pleasure, feeling very much as if I were in a dream— hurried journey and my peep at my old friend seemed something too unreal to be true. I was tired, doubtless, and should not be better till I hail had a night's rest. Presently Mr. Bolt's door opened and he nut. his head out.

"H.'us anyone railed?" he asked, and then, catching sight of me: "Ah! you are punctual, Miss Patterson. Come in! And, Childs, I am engaged till 1 ring, remember that and can see no one." " Very good, sir!" I followed him into his room and sat. down on me very chair on which I had waited his pleasure nearly a year ago; it seemed only yesterday, as 1 looked round on the familiar objects in his comfortable office. ."You are wondering what on earth I want with you, my dear?" lie said, eyeing me up and down with his keen glance. "Yes, indeed; I cannot possib'lv think," I replied. "You are wanted." " Wanted!" "Yes." " By whom?" For answer he put a newspaper in my hand, folded 60 as to show an advertisement. The room seemed to go round with me. lor a moment, and everything in if to reel and dance in a curious sort of fashion; I saw the- wards and read them once or twice before I could gather their meaning. There was an advertisement addressed to Florence Van Arsdafc, and staling that something to her advantage was waiting for her on application to Messrs. Tucker ami Cudlip, 10, Fountain Court, Temple. I put down the paper and stared feeblv at Mi. Bolt. " hat has that to do with me?" 1 asked. "My dear child, you don't suppose I .sent for you from the wilds of Scotland without being sure of what I was doing?" he said, with a curious smile. "I have known you for the missing-Florence Van Arsdale'for the last six months. Don't be afraid 1 of me, my dear. I have hunted up all the proof I want of your identity, and you furnished me with the most conclusive of all, yourself." "I did?" "Just so." He opened the lid of a desk oil his table and took from it the drawing he had bogged i of TOP,.

'• Look here," lie said, "people don't scrawl names that don't belong to them on the edges of their drawings. When you wrote ° Florence Van Arsdale' with your brush on the edge of this paper you were talking to me and had no sort- of idea what you were doing; you did the same thing at Mrs. MacAllisters, only it never occurred to her servant, of whom I bought the evidence, to say anything about it; I don't suppose she noticed it: and, moreover, I have heard all about what happened at Kilrood after and before your father's death, and I managed to pick up * clue very soon." "But you have not betrayed me?" I said, terrified" lest Claire Dokvrte should discover what had become, of me.

1 dreaded him as much as ever, married though he was. It seemed to me, from what 1 had heard, that lie would not scruple to do me any mischief he possibly could, and, besides, I did not feci that I could bear any more p slander to my dear, dead father, who had loved and trusted him.

I would lather do anything than meet the man again. "It was none of my business to betray you, child," Mr Bolt said, kindly "I have not done so, be sure of that; and, more than that, 1 have made it my business to inquire into things a little before taking the step of bringing you to London. There is some money coming to you through this advertisement. J cannot tell how much, and I think we shall lie able to prove to the satisfaction of everybody concerned.that a good many of the reports set. about at the time of your father's death which were so grievous and detrimental had' no foundation whatever.'' "Oh, if you can do that!" i cried, feeling its though 1 could have gone on my knees a.nd thanked him for his words. " I don't care for any money or anything, if his dear memory can'be cleared"; they were such cruel lies; he was deceived and ruined by the man he trusted, and then it was made to look ae if lie. were the originator of the frauds. It was wicked, wicked, and 1 could not speak.''' . "Of course not, my dear; how could you? But it shall all be made. right and you shall have the money, too. Mr. Claire Delsarte will not have it all his own way for the future." . . "Ho is married, is he not'.'" I asked. "I have heard ,so little since—" "Since you ran. away. Yea, he is married, and I should say he knows it. His wife is a lady with a little money in her own right, and his mother and sister don't benefit quite as much as they expected by the wealth that he shares with her." He laughed as he spoke, .and I could not help smiling as I pictured to myself the disappointment of the two women who had formed Uelsarte's household before his marriage. -I was 100 bewildered vet to thin.c calmly about anything. ' • CHAPTER XXXVII. Ml" INHERITANCE. 1 was not, destined to go back to Wolfs Craig as soon as ] expected when .1 left for London. Mi: Bolt went with me to Messrs. Tucker and Cucilip and offered proof of my identity with Iho Florence Van Arsdale they were advertising for, and I found, to .my amazement, that it was a fortune that was awaiting inc. ■ ;

A distant cousin of my father's had died in India suddenly, and I came in as.next-of-kin.

It was like a fairy talc, and 1 could not believe for a long time in my good fortune. There were no relations to stand in the way; the old gentleman had been very eccentric, and had doubtless intended some other disposition of his -wealth; but, like many people, had put oft' making his will till very late in 'life, and then had insisted on doing it himself, thereby nullifying whatever he intended to do, and actually dying, as the lawyers said, intestate. There was nothing I might not claim with ai clear conscience.

In taking the properly which of right belonged to the neatest relation of the dead man I defrauded no one; with the exception of bequests to one or two old servants there were no legacies to persons; odd bestowals of money. lor queer purposes and eccentric donations to almost obsolete charities were the principal arrangements, and' these my advisers had no scruple in overlooking altogether. • "You will not object to carry out the intention of the deceased as far as his servants are concerned, I suppose," Miss Van Arsdalc?" Mr. Tucker said, smiling at the stare I gave at the sound ot my own name; so much had happened to me since I had been Florence Van Arsdalc that it soundedstrange to me. " Oh, no," I replied ; " pray do what you think best about them. I do" not know* of course; but I should like to do what is rightand just." "It is not everyone who would say asmuch as thai," the lawyer said. "A' great many people would only be too ready to take everything that the law would 'give them, and everything that Mr. Fellowes left is legally yours, to do as you.please with." " I don't please to do anything unjust." I replied, with some spirit. '"These poor people doubtless served the gentleman honestly and faithfully! and are expecting their reward. If I have anything to do with, it I should like them paid as soon as. possible." ' "It shall be attended to," was the grave reply; and then Mr. Tucker went into'an elaborate discussion of my new possessions, and told me of shares, and bank stock, and investments of all sorts till my ..head grew giddy with the contemplation of what was coming to me. And through it all there came the remembrance of how lonely I was and how there was no one in the world to whom 1 could say, ''Come, share it with me." Oh, if it had only come sooner—two years, ago, and it would have saved.my father for me, my dear father who had died with such a stigma on his name. Could 1 buy Kilrood back with it, I won- : dered, and have my dear old home again? Or, if I could, should I like to go there alone, with nothing but the memories of the happy past to be my companions? Messrs. Tucker and Cudlip intimated "that they should be very glad to act as my legal advisers, but I turned to Mi'. Bolt.

He had been such a friend, to me, and I begged him to take the conduct' of my affairs.

He shook his head, and said he had given up the idea of taking any fresh business of that sort; he had as much as he could manage on his hands already, and the lawyers who had advertised for me were younger and fresher men than he was, and were far more up to date in all matters of investment than he.

"The world lias slipped by nic a little, my dear,'' lie said. " I am getting old, and I mean to retire shortly. Younger and more active' heads are wanted for business like, yours. You could not be in better hands." 80 if. was settled, and I stayed on at Mrs. McAllister's till my affairs were arranged. I felt so dazed and bewildered by what had happened that I was glad of the quiet of the little house in Camberwell, though the good hostess was always urging me to lake a more stylish lodging in some better part of London, and keep up something like the state befitting my alter*:! fortunes. In my letters to Wolfs Craig 1 said aot.h■ing for the present of what was happening to me.

J told the countess thai it had been to receive a little money that 1 had comedo town, and that I should be detained longer than I had expected, but that 1 should certainly return, and that shortly—] wanted so much to do something •to benefit her and Lady Beryl, and 1 did not see mv wax just yet. * J J I had loving and affectionate letters both from my pupil and her mother, showing that 1 was held in affectionate remembrance, and missed every hour in the day. It is' nice To be missed*—it shows that there- is a place, in the world for everyone; certainly there was one for me in that remote Scottish castle, and in the hearts of those who dwelt there. (To be continued daily.)