THE LORD OF THE MANOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16823, 13 April 1918, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE LORD OF THE MANOR.

. «. BY EDEN PHILLPOTTS, Author of "The Secret Woman." "The Mother." etc (COPYRIGHT.)

CHAPTER VI.-(Continued.) "Nature don't trouble about whether a girl's engaged or not, my c'.d dear, Dolly said. " A man can't help falling in love. Why, there's nothing to prevent a man from falling in love with a married woman, let alone another man's sweetheart. Sir Moran couldn't help that much. So far it's oily misfortune, not their fault; but farther it won't go, be cause her word's her bund, and she'd rather die a thousand deaths than jilt Nat, or do anything like that." " Then whole's the trouble, Doll) ?" " The trouble is in the thing having happened," said Dolly. " It's simple bad luck fur Julitia. She couldn't help it, j and we must help her to get over it; and , that's why I say you might fairly and I reasonably put it to Sir Moran and ask I him to go away fur a bit. lie's young : and inexperienced, and 1 doubt not he s ■ unhappy too, if he's really in love." j But Retalla. k had a larger knowledge; of life, and saw deeper into the situa- i tion. " There's a lot more to it than you un | del-stand," he told Dolly. " Fur" if this . has really happened, what dues it mean? I We know that Sir M"ran is not engaged to be married, and. therefore, if by evil ' chance he's fallen in l"\e with our girl. I it's a fair and honest th.:g on his side. j I grant he couldn't help it. Mine Nature's' no respecter of persons. But in Julitta's j case it's very different. She's engaged ' to another man. She took him. and I i won't say that love for me wasn't one of j the reasons: but not the fir=t and chief; reason. She took him. because she felt she could be a good wife to him and a i good mother foe his children. In a word she loved him, as I thought and as Nat thought. But can a woman love two men ? This is a very serious business, Dolly, and Hod knows [ don't see the end I of it. For if Julitta loves Sir Moran Treearrow, then it's certain, as day follows ! night, that she don't love Nathan. And j what does that mean?" Dullv grew a shade paler. What had j seemed a simple matter now became juldenlv complex. " If she gave Nathan up. what would he do?" asked the old man, and answered his own question. "He'd feel the firm i ground fallen from under his feet and everything gone to wreck and ruin. He lives for her; he plans his present and his j future for her. She's his life, under God j He's a fanatical sort of man in every- | thing— in work, in love, in religion. Nothing more terrible on this earth could I happen to him, or us, than that Julitta should find that she didn't love him now." Dolly strove to allay her father's j alarm.

I " Don't dream of anv such thins." she said. " With some folks it might be as bad as that; but not with Joe. She doesn't guess that anybody know 9 anything about this. It's the way of people to think, because they want their troubles hid, they are hid." But Retallack sought an early opportunity to speak with Julitta. She was his favourite and the apple of his eye. That she could have any troubles unshared by her father, he could hardly believe. Though he quickly gave her the opportunity to do so, Julitta could tell him nothing, and when he protested at her looks, and declared that her laugh was a thing of the past, she assured him that he was dreaming. He was hurt that she could not confide in him, and on a night when Nathan Lobb supped with them, he spoke of Julitta again. " You're right: she's not herself," he said. " A father's eyes were deceived; but not a lover's. We must do something about it." It seemed, however, that Nathan, too, was not in the best of spirits. He appeared self-absorbed—a common thing with him. for he spoke a good deal at the little Methodist chapel wherein he worshipped, and constantly buried himself in the thoughts cf future addresses. " I've marked nothing farther," he said. " She tells me she's happy enough, yet I'm doubtful if it's true. I wish you could get her to name the day. Nat." " That's for her to do— she wants to."At supper, as if to give the lie to Nathan's gloom and to her father's fears, Julitta was in her brightest mood, and her spirits infected William Retallack, and cheered him in spite of himself. None could dream this laughing, bright-eyed girl was unhappy, and Dolly rejoiced at the change and hoped it meant that Julitta's tribulations were over. For a time she felt suspicious, and it was to bo noticed that Julitta's high spirits by no means charmed her brother, John, into a better temper. He had been glum as a bear for a month, and it was known that he and his sister had quarrelled and were not on speaking terms. But whatever John might think, and whatever grievance he might entertain against Julitta, Dolly felt happier this evening than she had done for many weeks. For Julitta's atti-1 tude to her betrothed disarmed suspicion. She had never been more affectionate, or cheerful in Nathan's company. He, however, continued to be absent-minded, it seemed, and said but littleeither to his sweetheart or anybody else. A student ot character had observed that some great secret emotions were struggling both in Julitta and Nathan \ Lobb ; but while the one was prompted by he>r feelings to unusual gaiety and spirits, as the suffering bird will express its grief in singing, the other continued abstracted and cloudy and mentally unable to fling himself into Julitta's humour. His quiet demeanour made no impression on the party, because it was familiar and often apparent; but Julitta, who knew him best, understood that something far more tremendous than thoughts of a future sermon kept Nathan silent. She tried in vain to rouse him, and presently, when he rose to leave them, declared that she would walk part of his way back with him. They went out together at nine o'clock, and it was some hours before Julitta re-

turned. Her family had retired ere she

came home and her father was asleep; but Dolly hastened to her room. Julitta, however, would not see her. Much indeed had happened during those hours—much more than Julitta herself knew.

She had walked with Nathan and striven ' to cheer him. but she had not succeeded. ; It seemed again and again that he had I something to say to her. and if he had j said it, the course of many lives must have I been changed; but he was himself and | could only act within the ambit of his own i nature and its limitations. What another j man might have blurted out, this man found it impossible to say, and that despite : the fact that Julitta cave him ample op-1 portunitv to do so. But he was dumb on ! the vital matter, let her run on and pre- ; served a measure of silence very unusual ' ill her company. She tried repeatedlv to ' rouse him from his sombre mood. and. at ' a cost to herself lie could not guess, strove j with all her might to charm him. I "Father's been at me to wed, Nathan," \ she told him presently, as thev reached a 1 stile upon the way to Higher Bartons. ! 'He says it's time; and von ?a v it's time. And what you both think must be ' right. So I'll fix a day, dear heart, i After the corn's cut will be the time to! suit you best, won'? it'" | He heard dully, but even now hi* mind I seemed to be immersed in Ins own ! thoughts, and not until Julitta had said ' "good night," kissed him and left bun. : i (In! lie realise the immensity of the pro. ' I mise she had made It seemed to break j j in upon his dreary spirit, like an echo "f I her, after she had gone; and it went far! I to banish the matter that had darkened I his day for himself and for others. J Remorse overcame him. The nicht air i I brushed coldly on his forehead: a peace-' I fill star shining over the darkened earth j sp"ke a message to him and seemed t-> j I twinkle again the Jiecious words that. j Julitta had last uttered. A great wave j of shame and regret swept nivr the man : His nature was prone to respond to the , last influence, and now he stood still, turned in bis tracks and began burning back with speedy strides to catch Julitta before she returned home. He made such i feaate that ha must have easily overtakes

her, but he did not do so, and wag ..„, zled at his failure. For a whila he t faA in doubt with his face to the stars-'all then he suddenly saw her outlined on th? west, where the nicy was still pale. ]?~4 the hill slope,] abruptly, and not fau hundred yards from him Julitta" »° walking quickly upwards, away from h** h .me. over waste land that rose to th! heath failed Raven Down.

It was she, indeed, and little guessini? at the change in her bethrotheds mind after she had left him, Jnlitta went E way through the night— to faco" a' fiercest trial her young life had been ' called upon t/> endure. She climbed up through the last of &. light to the lonely region of scrub and thorn that extended ab"\e; and there at a familiar 'tryst, Sir Moran Trecar'row awaited her. In the midst of the waste stood an old lime kiln, long disused. Th oven beneath opened in a little hollo r carved from the undulation of the land and it was surrounded i,y a thicket of j sloe and hazel that concealed it from anv passerby. ' " I've kept you waiting," she said He took h"r hand and held it . moment. -I can't believe this is the last tim | we .-hall ever meet and pour out our ■ hearts to each other." he answered, "ft i seems an out age on love somehow. T n ! think we found each other, only to loj. j each other again, little Julitta! Natm. I will never forgive us fur throwing aw „ j her gifts.'' ' j '■ We've fuiight it out." she said I " Duty's higher than Nature, and it can I help us to rise above Nature. And it I _ "Vet I shall always believe that i Nature oughi to have guided us." I " N'n, ri<>. We won't go back over thai j again. We've fought and we've conI f|iiered. We've helped each other to b« ' strong." | "I haven't helped viu much "he told , her, "but jou've fill?d me with yom ,stiength and olurk. G A kn"ws what life j will be like without jou. I've come to ; the gate and glimpsed paradise, and then the door was shut in my fate. And I don't Deserve it. More do you. Fate'j plaved us a hard trick.' "We're stronger than Fate. We make our own. Ana you have helped me though you say you have not. You've shown me a glimpse '\ what men and women can riso to. And we can do what others have done; we can ascend above love to 3 passionless friendship— friendship Dante reached for his Beatrix." " Perhaps it's easier for a woman than a man. I only know that I shall never ascend above mv love for you, and never try to. I shall love you and worship vou and say my prayers to you till the end of my life, Julitta. And that's no crime in me. It's a necessity. I must love you as long as I live. I'm not asking you any more to follow Nature and throw Nathan over. That can never be, I know. But I shal'. always believe vou were wrong not to take the plunge now you feel what lov>; means. However, you put it on the plane of duty and say your soul would never be happy again— so I can onlv yield to you. It s a choic between soul and body, life and death

,nd you think your soul will be happy with your betrothed. Then who am Ito hurt your soul, little Julitta " You will find I am right, and you? soul will find I'm right, too," she assured him. " Our friendship has been unutterably precious to me, and if it had brought twice the sorrow to me, yet would I have welcomed it. The pain was a small price to pay for the jay of loving you and knowing you loved me." " You can say that and yet leave me, Julitta!" " I can. I know how I hurt you; yet I know in time to come the hurt and agony will die out of you, and you will look back not unhappily, and feel it was better for us both to have loved each other and lost each other than never to have loved at all. You see how frank I am. We must both suffer bitter wounds to-night, kind friend; but they shall bs clean wounds. We know where ffe stand." "It's an awful sacrifice— a needless sacrifice, Julitta." •. ■ Not needless—vital. I have f oremised, and such a promise is greater tian all else sacred tring." ' " You are bo strong because you are so ignorant," he said. " A time may come, when it is too late, that will bring you nothing but unavailing tears, because yoa listened to your conscience instead of your heart." She put har hand in his before ski answered. " Do not tempt me to think that You know what I Delieve and in Whom I trust. We are Christians— servile creed, they sa(y —yet perhaps the greatest women who have trod this earth abided by it. You know that we are doing right and honouring all that is highest in us by on? renunciation. We have lived blessed hours together, and the measure of oar happiness in each other must be the measure of o.ur pain at parting. But the past was worth the pain. I shall never forget that. You have made me wise as wull as happy, and sorrow is a fair price to pay for wisdom." They talked together till the distant church clock of Combe Martin tolled eleven. Then they parted, and it was understood between them that the secret friendship, against the making of which their hearts j had not been proof, must now cease. They would meet no more clandestinely, for "julitta was staunch to her plighted troth, and the man's arguments against it availed nothing. Perhaps in his heart he only loved he! the better for her devotion to justice and high honour. So they came to the last " goodbye," and ea-.'h understood that henceforth they would see each other only in the company of the world, that their secret companionship and romance was ended for ever. The man's lips had never touched J ilitta, but they did now. " The first and the last, and with it all that makes my life worth living!" he ciied, and caught her passionately to his heart. Thrice he kissed her and held her close; but she could not speak: indeed, she nearly fainted. The night whirled round her and the stars left thei? places. For a fev moments she was unconscious, and when she returned to hell senses he had left her.

CHAPTER VII.

! " HOTTING TITE EARL OF ROVE." Only the lovers knew all that went to their great surrender. Henceforth they I were to be acquaintances!and no more—a ! counsel of perfection that owed ; ts inspiration to Julitta alone, for the man did not pretend to view their situation c.s she did, ' and for a long time urged her to thro* ! over Nathan Lobb, seeing that now sh« j knew she had never loved him. But I reason weighed lightly with Julitta against la mother-taught conscience and the sura ; conviction that to break her word in SO l grave a matter must darken all the future and stain it for ever. She faced a life- ; time of frustiatod love with steady deter I initiation, and she did so largely in tha ! conviction that, whatever might be her j sufferings, the man. who worshipped and ! desired her, would suffer far '.ess tnan she, ; and presently come to know that she- had j helped him to do right. She erred from ignorance of what thj I married stite must mean, hut she erred , nobly in the highest tradition of selfI sacrifice and self-effacement. She kne* 1 now that it was no sin to have loved , Sir Moran, but conscience none the If 53 ' spoke in tones th.it hurt her sensitive ' spirit. She fared the future with simple I courage and the will to do right, and sba ' forced her view upon her '.ever until h» ! accepted it, albeit to the last he rebelled, ; For intuition to'd him that to marry » man you do not love can only end in grief ; for the woman and bitterness for tha 1 husband, when the cruel truth reaches 1 him. She prevailed, however, and the i lovers made an end of their innocent I friendship, each knowing that, with it, I must end the supreme experience and ! greatest happiness that life had brought Ito them. Then i rief romance had been ' conducted, as they believed, in secrecy, I and Lowing we'll enough that perfect re--1 strairt had marked it. save only in the moment of their parting, neither felt anything to mourn in the manner of their meeting. Life went its way and Sif M .ran stayed only for the. great business of the " hunting" to be over before he set out on lengthy wanderings, while Julitta turned her thoughts to her betrothed, ami promised to wed in the autumn. • ffa b* continued. «» Satuxdsj emU