THE RUNAWAY WIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19940, 8 May 1928, Page 16

THE RUNAWAY WIFE.

BY ELIZABETH YORK MILLER.

CHAPTER XL 'A soft evening light filtered in through Hie rose-netted windows. Across the sertred rows of roofs and chimney pots ono taught a glimpse of waving tree tops and the campanile of Westminster Cathedral, tt was very still up here, the roar of Piccadilly reduced to a surf-like murmur. Jane Storm had made what might be termed an effective stage entrance. She Stood very quietly—if her nerves were bpset there was no indication of it—a fclender slip of a woman, excessively mondaine, from the crown of her sleek fair head, to her wonderful hands, rosy-tipped, end the slim gossamer clad ankles- As a finished product of the dressmakers and beauty specialists of this gay and expensive corner of a great world, she was supreme. Derek, who knew less than nothing of such tilings, sensed the perfection of artificiality at once. She gave an airy gesture. "Do you [Want your mascot back?" she asked. He shook his head. " No. I'd like you to keep it. I'm sure it has brought you a great deal of luck.' " That's very generous of you, Derek. iPleaso sit down." He realised now that he. was talking to &. woman who was an utter stranger to him. Jane Storm was not the the Janetta he had known. She was the same woman, of course; the body of her was Janetta s, but the soul of Janetta had taken unto itself wings and left a changeling in possession. Awkwardly he took out his case and extracted the old letter Nilda had found in the pocket of Janetta's riding-coat, Bnd handed it to her.

She looked at it, crushed it in her bands, and looked at him. " Well ?"• she said. "This explains a Jit tie doesn't it?"

" What does it explain ?" " I had to come back, Derek, that's all. It was very jolly with you while it lasted —" "My God—are you referring to our marriage ? Have you overlooked the small detail t£at we were married ? Is it the sort of thing you do whenever you feel like taking a little holiday ?" Her hands clenched on the arm of her chair. " I don't have many holidays," she replied. " Perhaps it's just as well," Derek said bluntly.* " I understand there's some idea that you're taking your next with Paul Ellison." He indicated the diamond ribbon on' her wrist. " I was with him yesterday when he bought that costly trifle. He believes you're going to marry him." Jane Storm smiled as though amused. I" A lot of men have thought that," she said. "Of course I'm not going to do anything so stupid." "Then you'll tell him so," Derek said. "You won't leave him in doubt about the matter any longer. That's a beginning, at least-r-where you and I are concerned—although there are lots of other things to Settle." • ■

" If you settle them as easily as you have Paul, they won't give you much trouble," the woman said drily. "Why not take it as read, Derek, that I'm thoroughly worthless and beneath your consideration ? The facts ought to be clear eneugh. I met you, as you've said, when I was on a holiday. I—well, I was rather attracted by you. You were so — so different from most men who'd come my waV. To put it brutally, you were a novelty to m.e. Perhaps I fell in love with you. Otherwise, it would be difficult to account for what I did, wouldn't it? When I'realised my mistake, I let you down as kindly as I could. I thought you'd be happier believing me dead." Throughout this cruel speech, Derek sat tense. If he had dared to move a muscle he felt that he must have flown at her throat and throttled her. To make such a mockery of the golden hours they had spent together! He had to realise that the Janetta he loved had never existed. She had always been Jane Storm. He answered her calmly, although she could not possibly realise what an effort it cost him.

" Putting all that aside, you heard what Paul said last night. I expect to be married shortly. The girl is staying with his. mother."

A bright flush penetrated the delicately scientific make-up of Jane Storm's face. " That's awkward. What shall we do about it ? Somehow, I don't think we can do anything. Because, I believe you still care for me." There was a little crash in Derek's brain. Was the woman trying to "vamp" him?

" Still care for you ?" He laughed savagely.- " What an utter worm you must take me for. Do you merely have to look at a man to make him fall at your feet ?" She lowered her eyelashes and he fcouldn't help but notice how thick and cilhy they were, deep bronze, like the arched brows.

" Sometimes I have to lock twice," she murmured. Yes, he decided, she certainly was trying to "vamp" him; Stirred by anger and possibly something else, his pulse throbbed madly. Janetta was right about, one thing; he Still cared for her, but his pride was up in arms and he had no intention of pandering to her vanity. It . was like a knife through his heart to discover how much he did care; a sickening, devasting revelation. If he didn't get away quickly he'd be sure to betray himself. " Tell me about this girl you—you want to marry," she said in a low voice. "Is she anything like me?"

" God forbid," Derek said thickly. "May I smoke? Is it allowed in this delightful room ?"

"Oh, certainly!" She jumped up and leached for a crystal box to offer him, but Derek waved it aside. He had his own case—thank you very much, Jane Storm! But as she, herself, took a cigarette he was obliged to offer her a light, and their hands touched brieflv.

" So your little Nilda Murray is not like me, and you're very glad of it," Janetta said, blowing out a puff of smoke. *• Paul says she is charming. .A real child Of nature, and very young. Well, that certainly doesn't sound much like me. Perhaps I was mistaken just now. Peryou are in love with her." Derek had not reseated himself. Ho moved about restlessly, as though interested in the many costly trifles with which the room was strewn, and finally came to a standstill by one of the windows. He ■wasn't going to discuss Nilda Murray with Janetta. The very thought of the girl caused him an anguished pang of yeproachInstead, he said: "Just before I left my station I was favoured by a brief visit, from a gentleman—two, in fact, whom I've some reason to believe are friends of yours. One of them, who called himself Major Kran, helped himself to your photograph. Possibly you remember that you had one taken in Funchal as a wedding gift to me." Jape Storm gave a violent start nnd half-closed her eyes, but Derek had his back to her. She stiffened herself and put a hand to her throat as she had done last pight when Paul mentioned Nilda. " Major Kran ?" she repeated, her voice Bull and cold. " Yes, I know him." Derek turned and faced her. "Is he the man referred to in that letter as ' Coggers' ?" " Yes—lots of people call him Goggers. It's juso a silly nickname, I suppose. " Silly ? I think it fits him rather neatly. May I ask, if it isn't indiscreet, what this Kran is to vou ?"

" Nothing!" Her reply was almost violent. " Nothing at all. 1 dislike him intensely, I " "Then what hold had he over yo't ? Because, from that letter, it's quite obvious he did have a hold over you. You left me because of that letter, written, I assume, by your friend, Miss Moffett. Granted, you may have been tired of jne and of 'the dullness of life out then! f-bat. the letter speaks for itself. When foil came to ma, <vhen you gave me

CHARMING STORY OF LOVE AND TRAVEL.

(COPYRIGHT.)

your lovo and became my wife, I didn't ask you questions about your past. I believed what you told me. I was perfectly content to do so. It was enough for me that you loved me, and I wasn't at all curious about what your life might have been before we met. That would have been selfish and unreasonable."

Jane Storm also got up and tossed her cigarette into the grate. She looked pale and defiant, and her lips were curved in an icy smile. " Geoffrey Kran is my husband," she said. "My first husband —the one I told you was dead." Derek stared at her in blank amazement, in which quite a lot of horror mingled, and the woman covered her eyes for a brief instant. Then she dropped her hands and the cold smile was still on her lips. " Yes, now you know exactly what sort of a woman I am. Oh, no—l mustn't pretend that I even thought he was dead when I married you. I committed bigamy with my eyes wide open. It was, as you say, a holiday—only carried rathe? to an extreme. Now go —go! You're free to marry your Nilda Murray. I wish you all happiness." Derek strode across to her and clasped ner wrists in an iron grip. " There's something behind this wild tale," he said fiercely. " Look at me. Do you swear that you're telling me tlie truth ? That man is your legal husband ?" " Yes—it's the truth," she panted. "Does he know about me?" " I'm not sure that he knows everything. You see, when I went to Madeira for that—that ' holiday,' I took another name. Please let me go Derek. \ou're hurting." "My God, hurting you! Have you any idea what you've done to me ? You've kiiled everything in me that was fit to live." "Derek—let me go!" "I wonder how many men yon have destroyed, Jane Storm ? Have you ever counted them ?" *" Let me go, I say!" So intent were they both, so tragically occupied, that neither heard the door bpll ring, nor noticed the appearance and hasfy withdrawal of the maid, followed by "a short altercation in the passage, but Paul Ellison's voice brought them back to earth with a vengeance." "Take your hands off that woman!" With a final effort Jane wrenched herself free. Her wrists were reddened, and the clasp of the diamond ribbon, Paul's gift of yesterday, broke. The glittering bauble fell to the floor with a tinkling crash. " Now, then, perhaps you'll kindly tell me what this means," Paul said, in a shaking voice. Janetta dropped into a chair and bent her head upon her arms. The two young men glared at each other as though they were deadly enemies. " I've been trying to persuade Miss Storm that she's not exactly playing the game by you." Derek renlied. " And I think I've succeeded." He picked up the flashing ribbon. " Put that in your pocket, Paul." Paul pushed away the extended hand. " It seems to me you're taking a lot on your shoulders," he said, between his teeth. " I suppose you've an idea of cutting in yourself. Well, let mo tell you—" "Oh, Paul!" The woman raised her head and spoke wearily. " It's true enough. Derek Humphreys knows me for what I am. I have no intention of marrying .you. I never did have the slightest intention of doing so." Paul' seyes were wild. " Jane, you don't know what you're saying. It's this—this man who's put crazy ideas into your head. My mother's at the bottom of it. I know all she's been telling you. They're lies—everybody has lied about you. I won't believe—" Janetta frowned an I made an imperious little gesture. "I don't know what your mother has said—but it couldn't be harsh enough. The truth is, Paul, you were beginning to bore me. You might as well have it now—the straight truth. It's lucky for you, perhaps, that Derek turned up when he did. or I might have led you on a little longer. You were such an easy mark, my lad." Paul reeled back as though she had struck him, but once more he turned accusingly upon Derek. " You lied to me, anyway. You said you didn't know her—didn't remember having met her. And all the time—" " And all the time I was planning to double-cross you, Paul," Derek _ said quietly. He could not help throwing a glance of admiration at Janetta. After all. she hadn't shirked .he truth, and she'd done it without putting up any whining excuses for herself. That had taken some courage. He went across to her, and, bending down, said more gently than he realised: "Thank you, Janetta. Do you want rne to go now ?" She raised her eyes, in which there were sudden tears. " Don't leave Paul here," she whispered. Derek .put a hand on Paul's shoulder, ignoring the angry shrug which his friend gave to dislodge it. " I think she -wants us both to go," he said. "You—l never want to see you again!" Paul cried, turning upon him furiously. " Perhaps we could discuss that more quietly elsewhere." " I wish to heaven you'd stayed in Africa, where you belong." "So do I," Derek said grimly. "I'm going back just as soon as I possibly can." Janetta looked at him, holding his eyes with her own. " The sooner the better," snapped Paul. " And so long as you remain under my roof—" " Oh. I shan't embarrass you by doing that," Derek assured him. Janetta went toward them. "..Paul, don't be a fool. Derek had every right to say what lie has said to me. I am an adventuress, and he has reason to know it. Five years ago I became his wife, under false pretences. 'Now will you believe I am what I say I am ?" Paul backed away from her, his jaw dropping ludicrously "You were his—?" '"I called myself his wife," Janetta said firmly. "I fooled him just as l—as I thought of fooling you. But I could never have married you, Paid. I wasn't free to do so, anv more than I was free to marry Derek." "It was—money, then ?" Paul quavered. "Yes—l wanted your money," she said. Her voice was so hard and cold that both men were taken wholly by surprise, when suddenly, without the least, warning, she crumpled to her knees and toppled over in a dead faint. Derek swept her up in his arms and carried her to a sofa, while Paul dashed madly into the corridor calling for the maid. Against Derek's cheek the breeze from the open window fanned a loose tendril of Jane Storm's soft hair: ho was filled with a choking sense of her nearness, the delicate scent she used which seemed less a distillation of flowers than fragrance of Janetta herself. Derek's trembling lips touched her forehead, and he crouched on his knees beside her, with her head pillowed in his arm until the maid hurried in, followed by the firm, old-fashioned figure of Miss Moffett. " She'll be all right presently," said the latter, giving Derek a long look up and down, and appearing not to like him very much " She has these fainting fits sometimes after the show." The maid was applying smelling salts and cold water and Paul Ellison rushed in with a bottle of sal volatile, which he had fetched on his own initiative from the chemist's shop downstairs. " I think," said Miss Moffett, " that you gentlemen had better leave us now. Miss Storm has to be at the theatre at eight sharp, and she ought to have a little rest." r - • (To W continued daily.)