LOVE, THE CONQUEROR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19012, 8 May 1925, Page 5

LOVE, THE CONQUEROR.

BY CARLTON DAWE,

Author of " Tho Temptation of Selma," " Euryale in Londpn," " Virginia," " A Tangled Marriage," Stranger than Fic.tion," etc. (Copyright.) CHAPTER XlX.—(continued.) Clarp was not informed of Glegg's last movo.. This, at any rate, he would spare her ibr the present. She must learn soon ewiugh. Besides, he knew that she was already suffering. She did not complain, \'/us perhaps more gentle and considerate 'ihan she had ever been, but he knew that £>he carried a heavy burden of disappoint- , nont.. There was a lassitude about her, a lack of interest in life, which definitely pointed to disillusionment and proclaimed hope apathetic, wearied. He ieared that she had been seriously fond of Darling, and that tho break with him was, and would long be, a poignant memory. She never spoke of him, never made known her thoughts. A cyjriosiy self-contained girl eating out her heart in secret. She would see it through, of course; all the Mallastons were like that. Whatever their feelings no parade was ever made of thein. They were rather a close, steady race; no bubbling insincerity, no lamentable effervescence, no whining appeal for sympathy,, entertaining success or failure with equal fortitude.

So he thought. It pleased him, rather flattered him thus to think of the stolid immobility of his race. Yet probably he was never farther from the truth. if he could have, looked into his daughter's heart, coun'/ed its palpitations, and understood thevri, he might have received a strange a/vakening. There was no superhuman 'drain in this child of his, no godlike attribute of aloofness from the common,places of mortals, but a very human detiira to live. And for a moment life had /blossomed with promise, which, pride, no - // mocking her,, had'£blighted. Pride, tlyat curious, yet estimable, quality, prot/enitor of catastrophe from Lucifer to the Jlast man.

But of all this he knew nothing, and probably thought little in the stress and strain of the moment. Other ideas were crowding his brain; confused suggestions of ways and means. Ho was still the head of the family, tho reins of government were in his hands, and that blessed word " compromise " rose ur> in the ocean of his troubles; something of a barren and lorbiddmg iock, lu k-e suie, yet one whose jagged edges offered a momentary respite from the waves. *So he swallowed the family pride, or stowed it away for the time being, and bearded the red-maned lion in his City den. At first Jamie was very cold, very punctilious, politely distant: but as such an attitude was not natural to him ho soon relapsed into his proper self. Beside, it would have been something more than human to ignore such a triumph. Memory stirred bitter thoughts, reproduced an ignominous scene or two which did not conduce to universal love.

" But, of course, Glegg, you don't mean it; you really wouldn't go so far?" " What other alternative is left, me?" "But think, man; damn it! a little time." " How much?"

This was a poser. " It's like this, Glegg," he said. "At present,l frankly confess to being in a tight corner, but with a little timo to look round, to beat up my friends. . . ." He stumbled, poor man, flushed, and looked horribly confused.

" As a matter of fact," the other answered suavely, " this affair is now in the hands of my solicitors. Perhaps it would bo bettor if you were to consult them." Ho took up a paper and began to read it.

" They receive their instructions from you. It means just everything to us, Glegg." " Also a great deal to rac, I assure.you. You see, money is tight at present, so tight that even I cannot afford to burn it. . Personally, I should only be too happy to fall "in with your wishes, but circumstances over which I have no con trol force my hand." " I will sell my holdings." " At such a loss as to make the result negligible." Certain words camo tripping to Sir Derek's tongue, but with an effort- he held them in check. After all, he was • being treated with a consideration he had not anticipated. This man might easily have been spiteful, vindictive. It waif not to be expected that certain happenings conld so soon be forgotten. Undoubtedly there wero points about the man. " Those friends of yours." he asked suddenly, " is Darling one ?" "That was a very sad business, C.legg." " You have discovered his worthiness?" " I'm afraid so." " And Clare?" " That's all over." " Why ?" "Her secret; we never discuss him." Ho expected, "What did I tell you ?" but in this ho was disappointed. Glegg betrayed no sign of triumph; he carried his victory with the modesty of a true hero. Sir Derek, overwhelmed by the unexpected, had a sudden, confused sense of Jamie's magnanimity. " Look here, Mallaston," ho said, "you can't deny that you treated me rather shabbily, and I frankly admit I felt it keenly. But Jamie Glegg is not one of those men who bears animosity. I knew you would realise your mistake, and that you would be generous enough to admit it. lam really one to whom friendship is a sacred thing, and where I give my friendship I give all that is best in me. Believe me, I am not a weathercock to turn with every changing wind. To you and Clare I gave of my best, and it is still yours for the asking. At- the same time- I am human, and. not ashamed of it either, and I expect Royalty for loyalty." " Yes," said Sir .Derek, not knowing what else to say. " And where I my loyalty I give my love," Jamie continued impressively, " and having once given my love it is not a thing lightly to, be taken back." " Naturally." " I am one ©£ those men who believes in the sincerity of affection, in what many might call a. sentimental attachment to devotion. I have never wavered, Mallaston, it is not :my nature. Your daughter is still precicws in my eyes, there is nothing on earth I wouldn't do to regain her esteem." The tr<ytble was that he had never had it, only f.iis he could not lie told. So this was, the way the wind still blew! Sir Dev/.'k felt a strange sinking round his he Art, and then a sudden sickening glow af hope. " A will be made, Glegg, even with, the best intentions." "My point of view exactly. It s just likes this, Mallaston: close as we were we. never really understood each other. Which was a great pity; it would have feared us so many misunderstandings. Clare, instead of regarding me as a bitter f.'tiemy might have realised the true value /of inv friendship. Does she. still think harshly of me now that she knows I had only her interest at. hoprt?" " My girl is a sensible woman," Sir Derek answered evasively. " I was always sure of it, and now I am more than certain. Look here, Mallaston, why shou'dn't she and I make it up ? lam prepared to let bygones be bygones. She is very dear to me;, in spite of all that has happened I bear no •mimosity. When a man loves a woman he can afford to be generous. No one ever hinted of parsimony and Jamie Glegg being even on bowing terms. He has lived big, with big ideas; it's in the skin, the blood of him. Tell her this: tell her my marriage gift shall bo freedom from your present embarrassment." He paused, watching the effects of his words. Here was an attack for which his visitor was wholly unprepared. Anything but this he might h;tve met with some show of strength, of. dignity: but this undermined the walls, set the citadel tottering. Glegg's little eyes narrowed, a very singular smile played round the corners of his mouth, and was lost amid the. bristles which shaded it. " It's awfully good of you Glegg: most generous; just, what 1 expected of you." He lost much dignity in the admission, almost choked over itl "But the fact is.

I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that my girl will never marry." "Why?" "How can one explain? She just happens to bo one of that sort." Glegg's smile deepened. " Don't you think it mighty generous of me?" "I do, I do," he was assured. " Especially after what happened to her in Australia. It's not every man who would willingly forget that sort of thing." "What sort of thing ? What are you talking about?" " D'you mean to say you don't know?" " On my honour, I've not the remotest notion of what you're talkirig about." " They seein to have kept the secret pretty well." "Secret, what secret?" " The secret of her escapade with one of the station hands at Darragong." " Glegg!" thundered the old man, dignified but impotent. "It was common talk out there. Naturally I thought you knsw all about it." - "That my daughter. . . ." ,But he could not frame the words. Incredulity, stupefaction, spread over his face. His lips whitened and trembled; the hand grasping his cane shook painfully. ' " It's a lie, a damned lie!" " I appreciate your distress, Mallaston, and much as I should like to agree with you I'm afraid I can't. To me she admitted the truth." " That she intrigue with somalow fellow?" he gasped. " A disreputable drunkard called Stevens. Ask her." , , " I wouldn't insult my' daughter by asking such a question." " A very worthy standpoint, Mallaston, one which commands my utmost admiration. Such loyalty is worthy of tho warmest appreciation. Yet there is also a great folly in the attitude; for wilfully to blind oneself is against all reason, • even though love prompts the action." " I am her father, Glegg. . Do you grasp what this means to me ?" Clare, his Clare, his perfect one! Again he longed for twenty years of vanished youth, for the giant's strength, that he might take this man in his hands and choke the lie in his throat. "I know and I appreciate," the other > answered, "and all my sympathy is for you and her." "Her!" "Is love so light a thing that a breath of air may dispel it ? Not with you, I am sure; certainly not with Jamie Glegg. An indiscretion of youth, remorse and full atonement. Since heaven expects no more, how can man? This is our secret and hers. ' As my wife no one will dare" impugn her honour." -f He was very fine just then, magnanimous, and rose to great heights. He looked as though he thought he had added many cubits to his stature. "Your wife!" "Why not? Think over it, tell her to • think over it. Jamie Glegg can be gen- ' erous as well as just. But I see the news distresses you; had I known of your ignorance in this matter wild horses would not havo dragged it from me. I'm sorry I spoke; try to think no more of it. After all, the story may have been exaggerated, probably was. For myself, I don't lay so much stress on what men or women,-were, but what they are. We ali have our temptations; true love can always find explanation and forgiveness. And think no more of this other matter either. We'll put everything right, Mallaston. Trust Jamie Glegg." Perfunctorily Sir Derek shook hands; like one in a dream, he tapped his way down the stairs. Clare, his Clare! CHAPTER XX. .ANOTHER SIDE OF LIFE. An ashen-grey, much-shrunken old man faced his daughter in tho library that night. All the way down Glegg's awful accusation had clanged ominously in his ears. Other worries, even the thought of them, vanished in the glpom of this. His Clare! This was tho'ikst, tho final catastrophe; fate had done her worst. And yet it was a lie, it must bo; one for which someone would surely bo called ' to account. Old, weak, impoverished as he was, he was not so cruelly alone in the world as to be denied help and sympathy in such an extremity. Looking in his daughter's face imagination played sad tricks; he now saw in her that which he had never seen before. Her lassitude, preoccupied air, general demeanour, all suggested inconceivabilities. And then he wavered. Was it possible; could it be I possible ? In a curiously unnatural voice he began to tell her of his visit to Glegg, of his appeal for mercy;,nor, hardening himself for the task in hand, did he make light of the ordeal. She grow hot and cold by turns; indignation and shame fought an inglorious battle. This seemed the end of all things: appealing for mercy to Jaxnio Glegg! The House of Mallaston had indeed fallen upon evil times; across its doorway Ichabod was writ large in flaming letters. Then, amid much obvious confusion, he told her of that other thing, and waited with an eager questioning glance for her response. She turned very white, her lip momentarily trembling; then fearlessly sha spoke. Nothing was hidden, though/ perhaps unconsciously, she may have' softened the story. . / Nor did he doubt her. though there was still much confusion of thought, much that remained unexplained. He tried to steady his nerve, to get a grsp of the thing. His daughter, submitted; 10 such an outrage! ; "Why did yon not denounce the scoundrel ?" But this was just the one thing she could not tell him, because at_ the time she could not have explained it to herself. Only now did she really know why she had not. "As nothing happened, _ perhaps I thought it might only complicate matters. As you see I was right, since after all these years even my father can doubt me." "But it was your duty to protect society against such a ruffian. With that wound on his forehead he would have been easily traced."' Then he paused, and a singular look of horror sprang to his face, his eyes grew fierce, desperate, penetrating. Clearly she saw the thought forming itself in words. "You have not told me all ?" "All that was neccss'ary. "No!" he thundered. "You are. deceiving me. That wound on the, forehead' which would leave a permanent scar? The man was Darling ?" "Yes." "Good God! And you know it all the time ?" "No!" "Never suspected ?" "Sometimes I wondered, though I did not see how it. could be. He is so different." But she, realised that the world, ever uncharitable, wo;ild be little likely to give credence to such a story. "Do you think anyone would believe that ?" "Not. since mv father can doubt it.'' "Well V' _ "It is immaterial," answered wearily. "On the contrary, I consider "it most material." "I am sorry." "Do you think the mere expression of sorrow sufficient?" , "I don't think there is anything mora '. to bo done or said." "I fail to understand you. Knowing .'this man to be what he is, vou were willing to place your future in his keeping?" "Yes." "Have you lost all sense of pride, of decency?" "Perhaps." "You don't mean to tell mo you—love him ?" He could scarcely jret the words across his lips; they seemed to burn, to choke him. "I think so, or I must have thought so. But all this is over; Mr. Darling ami I will never see each other again. (To bo continued <3aily.)