Fiction.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1159, 18 May 1894, Page 8

Fiction.

By MRS BASELEY (« Mignon ").

HER FATHER'S IDOL,

(copyright.) CHAPTER XV. Fire minutes later Nelly slipped outunseen, she fondly hoped—down a gravel drive, bordered each side by evergreens, on —on till she reached a large, empty house, " To let" stuck in its bare, curtainless windows, went she. It was the first time during her twelvemonths' residence at Hendon that she had taken that way. On the rare previous occasions when her footsteps had roamed she had gone in the other direction (the road). A guilty feeling of a stolen march ; a pleasurable sensation, not only of freedom, but of fresh air and enjoyment, all struggled together in her breast. She would do as she liked ; she would be free if alone. Sho lifted her hat as she stood and drank in the pure sweet air. The front door of the mansion opened, two workmen and a gentleman descended the flight of steps. Nelly's first intention was to bolt. So long had she stayed in the house that the very sight of her follow beings unhinged her, added as it was to the constraint and fe*>r of doing aught that might anger Mark. Her second resolution, however, nerved ami strengthened her. She should not do anything wrong ; why should she run away ? Blushes rose on her fair delicate cheeks—far thinner and more delicate than of yore was she, though none the less lovely for it—as she caught the expression of astonishment in the three men's eyes at her appearanco there. 14 I'll see who she is, Mr Somerset," said the smaller of the two workpeople, advancing. "There's no neeJ," interposed the other, in an audible whisper. " It's on'y Mr Quin. ton's sister, I expecs. She lives at the lodge, and is a bit crazy, they says, sir—harmless, you know, but incompetent!" "If I taUe this house I will have no legacies, crazy or sound,' spoke up the gentleman whom they had called Somerset. li Of course not, sir. Here, young lady, you march back, please. You—— '* Nelly listened in spellbound attention, breathless, amazed so far. The mystery was thickening. " What does this all mean ?' she demanded, excitedly ; "it is not the first time I have been spoken of as Mr Quinton's sister. Who is he ? I know no such man. You call me crazy. lam as sane as any of yon, a mar — oh "

The exclamation broke from her as Mrs Smith’s coarse face appeared before her. “'Take her back quietly missus ; don’t harm her,” said tho smaller workmau sympathetically. “ But I am not going 1” declared Nelly resolutely, her gentle nature goaded to strong resistance. I have heard things spoken that asperse myself, my intellect, my character. Mrs Smith, daro* you assert before my face that I am crazy a sister to Mr Quinton ? I —a married woman, Mrs ’’ Pantomimic gestures were going on between the three men, which were not lost on Nelly, She was determined to clear the mystery, whatever it was. Mrs Smith stooped and whispered a few words in Nelly’s ear.

“ Your husband has arrived ; lie will be wild if he finds you here 1” Nelly caught but a few words. Her husband there. She would get him to emphasise her sanity, tell them what a horrible libel it was. She ran off to fetch him. “She’s as mad as a March hare/ announced Mrs Smith hurriedly. “No, she don’t seem it. But they are so deep, they never do, folka tell me. '’

She sped after her prisoner. Nelly was searching through the octagonal shaped building, in which her life was spent. Nowhere could she see Mark It flashed on her that Mrs Smith must have hoodwinked her; the reflection was bitter. She hastened to go out but was too late. She bumped against Mrs Smith.

“ Now, go and knock mi doawn 1” Nelly, like a stag brought to bay, turned and faced the insolent wretch. “ How' dare you behave in this abominable way ? Your conduct is actionable. You and I must part. I will speak to you on my return/

She went towards the door, neither waiting for an answer nor desiring it. She intended to settle that on her return. Her immediate action must be to undeceive Mr Somerset and the workmen. Strangers though they were to her she felt that her reputation depended on it. The report, she knew', from her previous encounter in Palatine Road, was widespread. Ah. she must check it. To her utter amazement nhe found the dour locked—the key gone. “ Unfasten this immediately. At your peril you detain me here against my will.” Her attitude was new ; her dignity, command, startling. Mrs Smith, like all cowards, for the first time felt afraid.

“ It aint my faurt, I on’y obeys orders —” “ Give me the key I Unlock the door instantly 1” Mrs Smith turned tail and walked towards her kitchen. Obey Nelly, she dared not, yet to disobey her, in her new resolute character without betraying herself and her work she could not.

“ I see,” said Nelly, as she followed her gaoler, “ that there is some inexplicable reason in all this mysterious work. You are but obeying orders. I must not altogether, therefore, blame you. My work now must be to unravel the clue. I ” “ There's no mistery and no clue as I knows ote on,” declared Mrs Smith, sullenly. “ Mr Barry, he telled me as he telled yo that yo worn’t to go out till his father had become agreeable. I does but fetch on yer to save his tantrums. They's fair frightfu’ when hin’s gives way to une.” That was undeniable. “ It strikes me that you would do better to

leave mo to bo a judge of how to spare my husband’s anger/’said Nelly, “and not venture to such unjustifiable lengths to obov him. However, I do not feel prepared to argue any point with 3011. I must got my satisfaction from your master.” Nelly spoke quietly. To even get oHtside would bo useless now, even if continued peremptoriness could effect it, which she doubted. The men were gone, she felt assured. Justice must proceed from a higher source than Mrs Smith, and Nelly had the sense to know it. “ I expees as master will arrieve ony minute,” declared the gaoler suavely, whether with a wish to propitiate or annoy, Nelly could not decide. “ It’ll surprise rue if he aint here afore d.*»rk.” “ Rather a different announcement to that you gave mo not an hour ago,” said Nelly, quietly, though a bitter pain was at her heart, not only at what had recently occurred, but that Mark’s comings and goiugs should bo better known to Mrs Smith than to herself. But her marriage had been an utter failure altogether. “ Well, I doan’t know for sure as he’ll come, its on’y my thowts. If I wur yo I d look for that receipted bill of Brookses as there wur all that row aboot last time he wur down. Yo’ve nowt to dew, that's what’s the matter wi’ yo.” “ You know that I have searched everywhere for it,” said Nelly, walking towards the door. < “ Everywhere ’ccpt in master s desk.” “ You know 1 dare not search there. Moreover, his desk is locked, else per-haps I might take a peep.” “ It's theer as it'll be, I knows, so why not lake ? He'd be jest as angry if the bill aint fund as he’d be if yo searched theer fork. Besides, who is agoing to tell him as *0 did luke. I shan’t. A sileut touguo is iver my motto ; it shows a wise yed.” “ I tell you your master’s desk is locked.” “But hiu’s keys is oopstairs in the glass drawer. “ Then I may search,” admitted Nelly, “ but you are quite welcome to tell him that I have done so. I shall. I make no secret of mv actions.” “ Yo’ll happen tell another tale before long.” The words did not reach Nelly. It was not intended that they should. Had she even caught them, she would not have com* prehen led their import. That knowledge was to dawn on her shortly. Filled with one object--that of finding, if possible, a receipted bill whose loss had caused great upset in the houso Nelly fitted one key after another iu her husband 8 desk until she found the right one. Mrs Smith's argument as to causing no more irritation by this act than by leaving it undone and the bill unfound, was solid, and had effect on Nelly. She felt she was justified in leaving no effort uutried : besides if a wife could not go without wrong to her husband’s desk, who could ? Perhaps a deopor reason than this actuated her movements, caused by the discovery of certain events of the morning, but she would not acknowledge even to herself that this could be the case. She was solely trving to avoid unreasonable cause for violent auger from Mark. The desk was crowded with letters and documents—some labelled and put tidy, others neglected and lying helterskelter, which surprised her —Mark, with all his fault*, being remarkably orderly. It promised to be a lengthy tusk. Nelly* however, was not daunted. Anything that afforded her an object to occupy her time was welcome. Time was a commodity ot which she had too much and to spare. Her days hung drearily on her hands. It wa9 perhaps but natural that she should sort through the untidy mass before her as a start. Her quick instincts told her that if the lost receipt had been placed straight and under tape, that Mark’s hand, Mark s cognizance, would know it was there. She had yet to learn that Mark’s unbridled temper in its fury and injustice frequently croated the cauße —independently of reason —on which to wreak his wrath. His knowing of the safety of the receipt had nothing to"do with the attack. Her ignorance was more than sufficient for him. It was cold in the little upstairs chamber. Nelly 8 lingers grew numb and stiff. The hetrogeneous litter before her had changed under her orderly care and tidiness. Still she had not come upon the lost receipt. Not one letter had her eyes lingered upon longer than was compatible with discovering whether the heading was Brookes, Grocers, See. A pardonable pride of praise deserved thrilled through her when Mark should, see what her tidy fingers had done. Beginning to feel chilled to the bone she—had she consulted her inclination — would have descended, warmed herself, and returned to her occupation. The intimation that Mark might perhaps come checked the desire for a halt, much more crushed any thought of carrying his old, well-worn desk downstairs. It was one of the few belongings ho possessed that he had brought to Hendon. Nelly did not deem it a liberty, under the circumstances, to inspect her husband’s treasures necessity knows no law—but she w r ould have considered it unwarrantably rude of her to have ventured to have carried the desk that he had placed in his bedroom downstairs. So she hurriedly continued her search. Suddenly her eyes were caught, arrested and dilated by seeing her name inscribed on one bundle: “ Nelly s letters to her father!” She stared at them——her head swam, her heart beat. She felt dizzy. She knew she was on the eve of a great discovery, and for one moment the temptation came to her to put the lot back unread. Dare she attempt to read? Was she brave enough to endure the knowledge that was coming on her ? Stay! knew already. An inward conviction was hers, perhaps, unconsciously to herself, had been hers before, that her letters to her father had assuredly been intercepted and m Mark’s possession. One second, and she knew beyond a doubt how greatly she had been imposed on. Every letter, fondly, anxiously, piteously penne<L just as she had written it, in its directed, but torn open envelope, lay before her. Each message that she had ponciHed down to bo t telegraphed oil was there, Mark had

done it all, or been cognisant of it. The very label that had bound them together proved that much. Nelly’s heart felt that ho, aud 110 alone, was guilty; others might have helped him. Dagmnr Votoski, for instance, when she seemed to post the letter, but this was the vile stratagem that had placed her wholly in his power. With a wail of anguish, Nelly slipped on to the floor. The thoughts the discovery openod out to her wero too great to enduro. Why, oh, why had 110 done it ? (To be continued.)