THE BARRIER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15268, 4 April 1913, Page 4

THE BARRIER.

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■■ , I. I -r. & sipby, .0? SOCIETY SINS AND . . .'SINNERS. BY E. alsiaz STOUT, p ■•-' cqbybxgbh.] ■ ; : v: - ; - ; ,' '•■' ■;.'; - CHAPTER ' XLIV. SBIULKINa DOWN THE BARRtEn. V Osttt an hour after T*rd had returned alone to break hig daughter's heart with the news that her husband had gone away without one, word? tor her, the fwwrtaian brought her a letter in a handwriting which made her, atari up ; with a low «ry. It was months and months since die had seen it, : but it was Dick's, her fciMbiwd's writing. ;.p '..;',■■■)[.■-''■■ '■■.'...'■ Feverishly she tore the • envelope open «ad tread the letter. :It was very brief . wid very cold. "."/'', "I cannot tell yon; how deeply I;regret tile shame and pain that.l haye,;qaite inxolußitariiy, brought on you all ;.&e*e:!pfist terrible months.: I ; feel that the last tiling you will want will be to see me, so ,-I am going away for two or throe months to America, to lot things blow over.•■■; By the time I come hdmeuhope 'everyone will cave forgotten my very name. I fear I ahau cause my mother and father pain by leaving without: seeing them, but they wiiU put up with the few weeks' delay in '«» reunion for my sake, I know. "Of course, I know that snore than -error yon will desire your freedom, about :which, there will be no difficulty. I, have #Jlmtiiy communicated with Solicitors, %.t t«aliag them ; ■■'. give you ©very';help and fiMcOity in their power. , I trust that by *m «nd of a few months at most you will S?» •hie, forget the unhappy and shame- : sued time you passed as my;' wife, and iJaat you will soon only remember it as fax evil dream.Yours, ' ; , ~ "RiciuaD Faai«»roN; "As; the paper fluttered from her fingers ■■■•: : •Jbw inban oroko from Glory. So it was :■ »u her v dreams of reconciliation, of love, and happiness. He could never ; F r PV > * ***** . forgijt all the .insults she had heaped on him, especially the final one, when she had hit him be led away from, her the day : ho was arrested. with :':■■;.; : ; <hat>;]ook^o{;;i > epioach;and" doubt in her f^/ieye*;';f';'/>:; v ; r . v :4C: ■■^:.\-: r \::y, '.'f ; .-- : :''''.->:. --,». . % buried her.,- :'her hands v . .; Crfirtrude Bennett entered the room, and ; ; without a word went up to;her and took! ; ■ t ■■;. :rp«r-j»ntO; her -'strong,-tender,'arms. »■• ;.-,■ P.■.'.; ' .-.■" my dear/ my dear,lfam ; ;Pp : ah* whispered. <\We are all bitterly dis- ■■■■-. h# " ;-v ragM nMib have- done it. IBut it -may:'bo : far the best, afterall; and it only means ;. : fcj : a little." %; •■'. >. "• •-",; .^**sß*!:fw:' : , iWdtfc&t:** She pointed io BicVs letter. •■ aj,; .; Gertrude read it. "But of course yon : ; ,i«ca'«" accept what h* offers ♦ You do not I .. ,if»nt y<«ur freedom ?" ::; : "I.must take it—what else can I do! '• :'Bm% yOu.vis*:" he, want* to bo rid of,me?" :..'.: i&fayj he had ■ never i jß*wed'l»% He said he would.undo oar- .■ Be- could; ,' : £~oh, :j 'you don't " : know how badly I have treated him, '■, ■ 3l3«rtie.»*> "7 " ,; ■.. ,'.. •" '■; "And you don't know how ha loves ; ■•. ?i wgl*.r\T ; \v &>.;:'; v:, ; : : : H : .:': <■:':.:'■■■■< -.: '■ - r eioty. «tte£edL>fohr 'S»<» ! flaming' Iwrf ; sho- ' : :;■ ishook:"lM».Jihead.-- . "No, he doesn't; he > fiatea ma. I think- I might have won him ' , • but I threw ,; my -chance aws r>ad ■ |aow '3t ahaU )fM»v«r have" it again/* - *'GloTjrt Oertrudr": aeusffd he* by both .'..-■ tarma,.ana looked straight fnto the glorim* blns-gHSyeyes. 1 ,-*Vfett me, on your *oe!;-,do you love Mm new,*! Do you love ■ ':Jiim^aa::*-^iiiK»a^ ? he»,'huß■. i 4 *-'<» - ?^»« * V r *<•-»' , ' /.ifofc s»ne j insfewifc <jiaoqr, met ' her : ■ - : "' ; ■.:':is|sfir^^?#ye»i' c six® «(*enched herself- . >•"■■-' r<W«^i,^^.VlV,-.:'.'.-.•;;•: :,■■ ;! ''.: ; '-• ::-!f . ; ;V'" - ■, ■/.. "Heaveii'Lalp ais»,l feye Hst with all '■ my heart and tJOul!" il. ] ;■ ■ " go and-fetch fcsci: bask! Listen, ■": filory; he has not started yet. 1 left the 1 , ; jprisoo chaplain with Xlr. and Mrs. Framp- . tai&t 4&s, «ia**% I> heard Bide l had' not \ ■-.;: come 1 : cima straight .to you/ I guessed ; whai.it woeid mt»n to y»w, Bat the | '■'■'... ■ *oj* «i ; I whic&-pick, is siding has been . ;..-'-n4»la^id:;«^.Bo|ii&amptcm, ; owing to troublo? ] , • •amongst r crew. ,She has not yet left ) :• the liarixmr« ,G& liow at once, and tell < -:ir,^|iii!aj#ha*;yi^::|»yo-;ioH ; mei before it :is i *Jool*4a/ 1 ' •- -•..'** Oh, Gertie." Glory was hiding , to boUi her : hands,, her. breath coming and < 4fiaf. fa;couldn't! Suppose he repulsed fm', I-I couldn't bear it!" , j **3>oa*J>wu dessrve to r?ia soma risk? itils|i^..,Glor^ : j^ Biek perhaps, bet- ■, «*r tian anyone else on ew-th—hotter even ) than you do as yet; and I believe he loves < . you with all his hpart £«d soul, only after tk» way you have »jmlsed him', again and 'i ma pnde will him tell yon ] ; . m. Think how badly he must ; ftwling a ■:.;:..-..:v'*o !,l^e chosen to-go away,. alone',-.. after i all the terrible time he has gone through. 1 Oof io Mai, tell him the truth,, and ask' i - 'iiam, to stay, for your sake!" ♦*Oh, <3<?rib, if I only dared;" 3 ■.::]■ .smih! en Gertrude's face made >!&'; :; jalmosfe beactiful ."' ' "•-- ; "If.yOß-only ?07f,d eaorrgh yoa could; ] Siare enough!" .-'■i*jTtm I will go. ißut only if you win 1 come with me.*' v ; -■ > ", >v - . •. i . ? *,'Of'.course*,,,l should not let you go : i alone. Now go,,guwkly, and put your < -'■',■, tiiiiitt ;oo^.whOe^.look.out th^,trains. 1 'We have only.'to-day,, for 'the vessel ,will fMrobably sail at daybreak to-morrow." i - 4 Glory flew to Ml hey father what aha intended doings and -he held her tight in .1 Jiis arms a* lie said: . ] * 4 My; good, wise littlo daughter! It is what you ought to do. I would have i - ■ it myself, if'l, had-known his ship :-- had been.delayed. ', &» to him with that ' :,' etanoch, loyal;friend:; of ;his and yours. I ' Go'- and:find, your happiness; ', And God ;■' ;. Uess my beloved daughter in her quest I" * -~lt ; was with her - father's •.words ringing ] - in her ears that Glory drove off with ' .''.''--f.Ctertrnde^at' her aide, on her way to tWaterloo Station. ' '''■ ~,; Just.va«.: ; they' starting a pile -of < i ■'. letter*, yearly all of them' full of con- , ..:. j., jpratnlatSons," -arrived for,. Glory; by post^ ' ;■;.; and she stuffed-them into her bag to read ( /v : Dock/ i 7 -'- : ,,-As ;ih«' read them one by one she . : ) -;' ■''-'v-jpaiijed j 'them -on. to ; Gertrude,"and her , with pride to see how high .:■ Dickatood in the esteem and affection of 'j ! :jra«tt : and%omen of every,grade, from the :rA-^^MB»^lßa^/Urylomu^~- , tti the '■ humble ; ; : employed on his father's estate. - ■ Only one she -kept to herself; and hav- "' ing xe-read it, folded ■it hp arid, put it .. fcack : in. her bag. It was from prince - Krepoff. ■■..". . ' j 3; '** 'cannot tell yon," the.letter ended, ' : :=. -*' how thankful -I am to hear; that air your ";" «ffort« have elided so successfully, nor * . bow.i ; : thankful' I; am ihat- mine was the fiand -to-aet you On. the right track. I ; feel 1 'the debt I owe you, for my misconception of-your can: never be wiped out, / 4>ut you -have y given me a ! new idea of Woman. :•'■> ;You have taught me that'-M- - a society butterfly to >••;,, tail outward /seeming, and yet bo as sweet ' «nd good and innocent'a woman as the '. t^y-athonw ,; ,hau)B-frau". I aril' goiug to I *■' Russia "week,:but before I gol hopa ' I may. have the' happiness of seeing you ; •'. aunt;your husband: together, and'of wish- , ing you all the; good -wishes and all the . \^''r^jp^ i in-y.our own j .{- v hopev.and .happiness and love sur- i founding you." ■-. ] A - sob roe* to Glory's throat and a mist ,- •; to her eyes. - Ah, if he only could ! : ';" . Now her courage . was almost failing! :i 1 ■ ,-Jher again, a& every minute drew her ' tseaa^i 1 to her goaL Supposing Dick re- \ gtulsefd her! "Sappbsing no lowed at,her , coldly 4*ad iridiJierent3y. Supposing he javes xwfuaed to see her? ' \ ■:•' ■■/■■'.'■'■*. -'begia! to know every change « «f * yoar ' face, Gertrude said gently, i , alipplog iwr hand in here. "You are 1 I'^' Ueumwg to be afraid. .Don't! Keep ■ :;S:S:vbai »sd; your; pluck.. You] $ps%jua have a. Jew difficult minntes with ■; 7 >p»Mti n! ia t your -hand?. r I 4, when the-train .i +mmti into Soothampton, and the two < in m*kix»s|]

J,ii.irr«n>.ii»in.iv».i»,ri».-ji,..i m ■ n ■ «««»—,.«iii Hi im»tin»ai«—»■»—« r I their: way to the vessel they sought. ••■• But ! at, last, they, crossed the gangway and were standing on : the vessels deck. -■',;;. i Gertrude a steward, and, slipping a coin into his hand,, spoke to him in a low voice. • -"Right you are, my lady. I saw him go to ; his own , cabin myself riot five minuter ago. . This way,, please; my lady."'-' Gertrude gripped Glory's hand. " Go, dear, I wilt wait here. Be as long as ybu like. Arid don't be afraid to tell him all the truth." Now that itho moment had come, Glory's knees trembled ; under her, so that she could hardly walk. But she had come all this way to bog for forgiveness, to plead .for- her own life's happiness, and she,' her father's daughter, must; not turn coward ..h0w,.7, ;.; \;0->'.v-; ■.'' ■'■■■': So, holding her head high, though her face was as white as the laces round her throat, and though; her heart was beating so that it. threatened..-to: choke her, Glory Frampton went to face her husband. A knock at. tho cabin door, a wellknown voice answering, " Come in," tho steward's cheery, "A; lady to see you; sir," and a moment later Glory and' Dick were face to face., > "•'.;■;■■"■.•■',;•' For a long instant. they, stood and looked at each other; arid then the miracle happened.' Instead 'of the long- explanations, the elaborate plea for forgiveness and understanding, Glory gave one littlo cry as sho took in the ravages the .hist' few, months, had worked in that . strong, upright fraine, in that quiet, dark face. "Ob, Dick, Dick!" A moment later, pride and fear and dread were oil cast aside. Only love, tho love that combines the wife and mother, remained supreme, and she .had hurled herself into his arras, folding her own about his neck, pressing her cheek to his. Suddenly his . arras: relaxed their hold, and he staggered bock and sank on to the,white-covered-bunk behind him. " I beg your pardon, Glory. : Seeing I you so suduenlvj when I ; believed you j miles away, made me forget myself, forget everything."' ;:> : ; .»:■.•. ; :■'•;..■■ "Forget jit again/*, she whispered softly, as she knelt by his side. "You can never deceive .■■: me again—now. Only say t it, Dick. Say what I have been hungerling to hear? , ?< Say-r-what?" ■ | "Oh, don't tell mo it is all a mistake! ! See, how 1 have lowered' my■ pride to ! come, : unasked, '■'■■. when you were running ! away ;i from me* I come to beg you to i try, to ; forgave.. me,;; to ; try to—to—oh, j Dick,: can't yon;say : something!" :;-.;;; [. Sho turned her'vburnihg; blushing face j away, brit ;ho seized it and held it beI tween both his hands, rough 'and ruined i with prison work as they were. ~"Glory, is it, really true! Am I not still .dreaming?,.- ;in that lawful; place I dreamed night after night that you came to me, that you; were m my arms;':.- but every timer I awoke and it was only a dream, : and I was utterly alono." ;; • i' : :';• " It. is only a. dream if you want it, Dick.; In ■; 'a' 1 way even then l it;. was : true, and it was really I, for all my snirit { all my ; : thoughts were v with you au the time. ! If-bh,'Dicky : howl have wanted you!'' ; ; vWiwi; a little cry that was half rapture, half unendurable -pain, Dick caught and : held her so i&oscly to his heart that she could stear<iely breathe. But she, loved thafsel of tha strongs straining arms; she revelled -in:;her own utter surrender. ; ; ; ** Listeria Glory,- do -you* realise what it means? v I; can't go back; to where wo were- if the 'dream i 3 a reality, if your i beautiful eyes are telling roe the truth, .if I;corae;- backi, it; must -all be; changed. Gh;"beldv«d;"" how -Iy love • every hair of your beautiful head! '■■'.- But 'I«am only:•. a man of ffeish and blood. I love you with all my heart and soul, but.-l cannot keep the bargain that I I want—l need ..wife."' . •-■•. : ;;' ;: .-:- : '.'. -'..; • ";.:.;"Oh,--.Biick"—3ier voice was ; such a ; whisper-he; could hardly hear it—" don't you;see,;.don't 'you understand? I have been breaking' my ' heart ■ because ..\ I thought you iWouldnever love me; because; I— have 'Waited so long for—my -hus- : band." <;,.-, ' :"-;•;•-•. *■.&■ ■■- ; r¥« And in the silence that followed, as the ; barrier which had bo long separated these I two proud, hearts was broken down for •'®mr f they' vtouched the most perfect, the most exquisite moment of all their lives. • V When , a!t;last f they .returned ' • to .earth, Glory, saidr with :as .swift pang of selfreproach: "Gertrudel- She is waiting for me on;dec|t all-this time. It was she who made rite ■come; : she who gave ,m© courage to come. She said -she, thought that you ; -:meaaMihaifc''it; wasn't /■orily,.-I-~"-V- : . •■■/.. I, Dick smiled; at her addrablo confusion as' ha premised both her hands over his heart. .y^Gmverji,clear-sighted ! Gertrude., She has:alwayji been my best friend. ; I "> must tell you Everything beloved.: ; ';.T once.askedi her: to marry'me, telling her I had ;no love for her. :'; She: treated me as I deserved, and declined my insult,: I only hope'some : day 'some; '• good man vwctfthy of ,her 'will- realise' : her : worth;-' ':;•'"Some man ha&~your election/ agent, Mr. Eieyton;; ■ Be; is quite a dear, and • 1 think; will make; Gertrude chappy. ■-. - - -Wo : ought to go to, her, and, to your father mother.' •-.'-It was a. bitter blow to. them to . hilar , you wore not coming home." ' " I wanted to get rid of the tamt of the prison—look at !my hands!—and I felt as If I had i'orgotten how, to eat or behave as : a gentleman, and would have to learn again. : - Glory, you fmean fit, you truly, trulv love;me>' with all there is, against i me?" : -r : . ; She nestled her face against his, .croon* inner happiness. "- i - •;'. - ': ■-'• 'i'* .Oh,- wiy dear, if you imew! Do you- kiiow there is only one: little sad point in a]l my Eleanor." p..- -; " Poor-,;, Eleanor, '■' indeed.': It was a broken,; wasted life." But, dear heart, the end she ■. chose was the easiest ' for her, if j it was not tho-»brayest. And hers was a nature which would, never-havb -■■ allowed her to be really happy." come -a. light discreet knock at the door,:ahd;Gertrude!s: voice called out: V,' "Are yon nearly ready? It is almost 'time to ,go 'ashore if we fare to catch the last train back." They sliarted to their feet, and Dick flung open the door. X 'V Come'in,, Gertrude. •■' It is good to see you agaitf." And .he kissed: her heartily before Glory's delighted eyes. -'■ Gertrude looked at them half-quizzically through." her misty eyes, for' she had no need to be told how Glory's pleading had .fared;::' •■-;.-.. ;;V >'-'-:- :,;">.-'' :rv : * ';'■'■ ■'■-'■":' • "And lio yon two foolish, people understand each other at last?" :: "I hope so," Dick answered gravely. *? Though I'm ' still expecting to wake up and find it alia dream." Once again there came a knock and the steward's voice rang out. "Sorry to disturb y° > but all ladies and; gentlemen; for the shore ; must go ■now.".-,-':;.-' ' . i Then Dick ■ turned ' to Glory, his eyes fixed on her glowing face. "May I come with you, my wife May I home?"; - - - . . [the. end.] '-~-.. To-mbriroW, (Saturday), we commence publication in : these columns of another new and : interesting story. The serial is entitled "The Wastrel;" ■'■! rem the pen of Harold- ipindloss, and instalments will bo given daily. .;P ;P-. :