SPORTS OF FATE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

SPORTS OF FATE.

(By Madge Barloiv.) They were a happy quartet. What matter if the happiness sprang only from illusions, and was no more substantial than a puff of smoke, or the mxst that wreathes the mountain tops »t i/nito dawn ? We all have illusions sometimes. They are the little bits of gold in ..life's dull grey. . Each one of the four hod his and her future planned out as it should be, as it bid-fair to be, judging from present c'rcumstances. Very beautiful airy, castles -were, built of the flimsiest materia], and the., builders smiled and dreamt, and recked not of the ,unseen Fate lurking in the background, ready to stretch forth a.'hand and send the gorgeous edifices crashing into a heap of’rhms, when the right-time came. !

Given two men and two'women thrown into' constant "'companionship .in the quiet of a' Welsh village (dr any other village,-for the'matter of thaf)( and a love aifair on an extensive scale will be thd n’atufal result'., • While.a spice of' the "old Adam” remains in iis we 'are bound to ’be jiervdrse, and a bit" too fond of going-the way we should not go-—often for -Che mere pleasure derived, from the exercise-of-a rehelliouftinstinct .that.will hot. let iis- acedpt th'A £b'od assigned Id ns because something else beyond our reach seems .more desirable, Julian Weyman was the bright, particular star of the little party; a man close on 40, of-'distinguished presence, and gifted with a rare charm of manner hidden under an upper crust of cynicism so well'worn that one hardly knew whether it was real Or assumed. He pos- ' shStdd-hiohey: in • abundance,s and - had gained some, faine as a traveller.and ox ■ -plor»!of out-of-±herwny icomere of.vJWm globe where* the white, mania inq ufsiiivenesshad neverdbqforei.penew'atecl. Hjs friends were .few,, .and his enemies still -fewer,-.! On the wholeconsidered foJtunata-.inilxyidu?l> i.anci.his society .wa3.'muoh sough't>after, ,especially by the gutter .sexy'tbQUgh he,.was. anything bur. a “squire.of dames.” ' . •... . ' ■'* Godfrey Tsennett formed a strong con-‘trirst-in" external appearance and internal qualities: He Was-blear-skinned, rtita fair "hair' and blneWyes that generally ao • cbmjtany it ;' while dark, haughty Julian Ibbked like- the personification 1 of-one' of • *l# donld- not boast' of the'latter’-s splendid-physique and briHiant reputation,-hut he was numbered with those cheery. Smiling; .uerryheafted people who - are : in very- trutn the salt of the earth. This • poor old work-arday world'might manage to get along tolerably well without its geniuses, 'hrfif'ffc c&iPti affdrd ’tedose - a scrap of itH’sufishine, : “The'commodify in tpo scirc'ev : ; 1 : \ :Vi

“ tfoafrey'‘telci the post of sec,-«-tarj to a' Parliamhhtary iiigwig; through whom he had made ‘Weyman’s- acquaintance. They,took a fancy to each other in the 'sudden, fashion supposed to be characteristic only'of schoolgirls -*J,d lin ; iU HIVO w6inen; jbtit which is really-an attribute of both sexes'the -sole difference being that- man’s friendship at first sight -is deeper rooted; ahd more -lasting. Together they came to- this sleepy, piruirosqfie, tillage "on pleasure bent-when Godfrey 1 got ‘a ‘generous- vacation, and tha chaices are-that'they would have bundled their kits and'departed next Horning for livelier Scenes ’.f Ihey h*d not irtot ! noth ‘Edna; Russell-and Kathleen Joynt. ■ ' ■:' -■ These'Were young; fad’es of-indepen-dent character; whir; travelled without the usual elderly chips 'on- ’ll.'ej i ccvinied'thp. best rooms the inn could boast of, lint. Cheerfully,gave <ne up »o the mala 1 invaders; arid extended thei hand of ’fellowship 'when .intcodioid by ihe landlord’s buxom wif j. - Miss Bussell was an heiress, a petted 1 little beauty dh'a,.state'tSf partial invalidism, and'therefura under ihe fostering care of Miss'Jby.itV, whose garb denoted that she belonged.«p thc L imrsing profession. A tali; graceful creature was Kathleen, with rather senuus grey-eyes, and- the -softest; -prettiest, touch of . the brogue-in her clear accentjs.. .The severe simplicity of, the hospital iiniform,beoaine 'her admirably, andhhe,knew.it, andwps not 'insensible to ■ Gpdf*oy. - Bemiett a adnrringblanoefh - In-fact,, she took a keen interest'in; alb appertaining to, Turn, -and T 'may i: -tell. ! yon.riri ccdnfidejice, that ;; on so far .as to pluck a •higj. white idaisynund tea,r oil its petals bit.by .hit whiles solemnly repeating the words. “He loves me j he loves me not,”:- Audi bra,cle> wound up with, i-tha dormer ij.assertnm,, -Kattlma lace ahowqd satisfaction. ‘. It .whs a slight: thing to pm -faith upon, but ; life; inin.ua, a dash, of smtiffent would he -wrofullv humdrum. aha she Jaad se ©n so much.’of itsjpraclical: side, that a little sweet.foolishness ..did.her; good. ■As.for Godfrey,® was like a moth hovering round a dazzling light, regardless- of-danger.and singed,wings. .:-That -light -should i.-havd! .been sKathleen,. j - for they-Were eminently: suited to each" OtheT y- 1 but truth - compels .mO to admit that-Edna was:■ the .attraction, ,'ancl.lier,' vivacious - <hatterx'ahd.childishi-winning* ways worked a. Burprisingambimt of, mischief, .She won. and kept hiin. by...the 1 fascination dainty petite women -general-- . ly.i exercise.' over -big, brawny. men, •„ with susceptible;hearts;.- .Meanwhile,. , poor,-self-deluded Kathleen .put.a.-wrong interpretation upon his isSniles and-proffered c&urtesjes, not-, knowing ;thab they, were ; merely .the overflow, jpf a- cup brimming over, and; as such* scarcely worth the gratitude with whichi, she' repaid him, - Julian acted the pait of .amused spectator,. ; He had never, hankered after-the domestic. ( virtuea, i tmng .the.wandering . life pf a nomad, had. unsettled him, and .caused.him, to desp.ise the,peaceful, sober ”joys to be found at a man’s, own'hearthstone, r The .very idea of. .turning ,benewas, enough to bring/nontemptuoW srieer tb, his lips,. and an audible thanksgiving/thatho was hot as other men were. ' ■ .

. Yet there was. a weak;spot in his armour; He discovered it on a balmy eve, in- ah side by < side', with h figure., in : a dress .- A, purple haze 'shrouded the landscape, ; thee air. t was, ! fnll of the demoralising odour of,:sweet wild honeysuckle, .and; Kathleen’s eyes, were bourne. .’.He. felt; vaguely pleaded,, and thought that -tiny / rings ■ of; dark hair r curling; .oh,; a .white negk. were, quite.- the .prettiest sight, he , over, beheld* . That:; was..' the first downward step* andfhe .liked it,'but .the rest • of the descent; was: gradual and painful. ■ A>. sense ,>of; unfaithfulriess-,tQ -his. print ciplea; irritated him, and filled, him with alarnLso that habit and inclinaticor pul- , led diff erent’ways,: and between the two forces he was:in a sony, state. - Edna‘had Her share''ln f this' game of , cross - purposes. - She wts-' foiid of Godfrey, np doubt. He amused herandgratifipp her whiifis. ;' 'His. sunny disposition appealed.to her,gay,, butterflyimtu rehut she .was far. frbm being content with one chvalier- cJnlian’a well-bred -indifference piqued >;heri . She?.stood drt awe of him, and.f6is that very reason longed to add i to.hep list of conquests; :Ie re-. !.fused;to he shared, and the spoiled little lady, grew resentful and kid schemes to accomplish hia. overthrow. If he had evinced tho least . desire to ■ usurp. God.; trey's place that individual would have foundhimself in; a hopeless -minority. It was odd that Kathleen did not guess tho truth. She made Edna’s invalidism - the. excuse for, allrinexplicable things. Bennett’s constant doyotion was the pity of the strong for the weak; Everybody petted Eflna and fussed over her; why

not ha among the rest. It only showed his sublime unselfishness when he spent whole days beside her chair without murmuring or, looking Jiored. S. said this blindly trustful woman in the depths ot her, innocent heart.

They lingered long at the quiet inn, filling inth© uneventful weeks as pleased them best • charmed with the freshness of an idyllic life, in which they four made a world of their own and persuaded themselves that they were happy. Perhaps they were. We are easily exalted to the-seventh heaven when the blood runs ‘‘like summer in the veins,” and it was an opportunity they did well to grasp. But all experiences,, delightful and otherwise, have a natural limit. At the end of two months they regretfully acknowledged i-thafc it was high time' to disperse, and the last evening was spent in exchanging-vows of friendship and making arrangements- for future - meet-, ings. Before that atiige of the jiroceedings was -reached, Godfrey and Edna announced their-engagements, with much blushing-on : jfche -lady’s part, and a commingling of-diffidence and manly pride on the gentleman’s. - They were duly congratulated. .Julian’s- sarcasm passed • unheeded ; 1 so did Kathleen’s incoher-i • ence. - She was always pale, and a doath-i her shade of whiteness that settled on cheek and lip was hidden from them by the merciful dusk. But one pair of eyes challenged hers boldly, and in answer tci their-questioning -got -back a calm inscrutable glance that baffled curiosity. 1

“What a Spartan she is!’’ mused Julian. _ “Or can I have made a huge misj take in thinking she cared for Bennett ?, It is hard to say. I wish I knew, and the rest would be plain sailing. If you would deign to be. gracious to me, Kath 4 lecn mavourneen—even a little gracious —there is no, height of idiocy to which yea. could hot lift me-at your will.”

He'mth'dfew his gaze and sighed, ref membering'Wasted 'opportunities. - It was, top late to .seek to Win her oonfi4 donee now, unless chance threw them , together ' for a brief tete-a-tete. Already time was Hipping fast' away, and Edna still kept them , round her chair listens ing to talcs 'of what .she and Godfrey meant to .'do' in the' near future , and blissfully unconscious that two of hef patiaht auditors were suffering martyrdom.

So the lost opportunity never returned. He said . gbod-byd'iri the early morning, Ond; Stammered but something about seeing her ..agdin; ' but; .though polite and, friendly;; Kathleen offered him no encouragement. Her mind .was taken up' with the dread of a journey to London under Godfrey’s .protection. He was going: to i interview , Miss Russell’s sole surviving relative-,; an -octogenarian uncle,; supposed to- be. her -guardian, whereas die, was. ‘Simply ; a tool in -her small, but clever hands.; Kathleen soon returned to the .routine of hospital work. ; One day. she readthe'account of Godfrey’s marriage in a fashionable journal,', and ‘ grimly plodded ‘through a dysoriptidn of; Edna’s trousseau, and’ wedding' presents, and the dastinguiahed. guests -who graced the function'in- Portman Square.! It was a-.self-imposed -penance for -a quick heart-throb of which' slie- felt ■ ashamed. ■- But as the months "Went.; by * she was not -altogether unhappy. 1 In the -faithful - performance’ of duty there 1 is healing for many smarts, and she had "no leisure for unhealthy brooding, over past misfortunes. ,

- After a silence j so lengthy,, that, itbid fair to be etcrnal, Julian.called, at. the hospital, and was .allowed at few utes’; conversation, with Nurse Kathleen; .Why ho. did not- then and there speak out and tell her all that- was- in his heart- iVai mystory-T cannot profess to- explain; • ■ The, -moment • was favourable; She Tofiked- 'tired .and’ l worn;’-Her voice had. lost‘its .firm ring; and was weakly-'irresolute; - Julian-took ’ mental note of thebe ’things,'; and y et, held hack in timorous schoolboy'fashion until she was' summoned to her wSrcl, .ana stood up td ' say ■ 'fKrewtfll. ' J ‘’Then" lib' consoled himself .with the thought that when the next “convenient season” .arrived he-would, not be'so Alas, for suoh feeble resolutions. ’ The wandering spirit, seized'him, and. another week saw him start .oil a tour mid-Europe; A letter from Edna told -of: his. arrival in Switzerland,, and of Godfrey’s delight at their -chance meeting. . They werq staying at the same hotel, and Julian had promised to remain and make ohb ascent of some of -the mountains, with Godfrey. It- was her husband’s ; first -attempt, but Mr Weyhiau knew.; every peak and pass as well as he knew his birthplace/- and was a • most daring climber.. She had always had a horror of accidents,' but'’ since -he came her mind was' quite at rest.' Then followed an account of gay doings'," end a re-quest-that I‘dearest Kathleen” would nay them’ a long-visit'- immediately . on their return to-London. • ••■-

’ The "contrast' ‘between Edna’s lot and hbrs whs brought forcibly- home by- this bright, chatty "epistle, -It-raised afeel'lng 'fbt ' di^ccffiterit; :i tor b«/ 'effaced -in a "bfief'period, by-'tHe*- stronger < emotions of - horror'and “intense -mental- angtush. ■Weymair, Bennett; and a-party 1 of English ‘toiifists’were'ascending the Matterhorn when Godfrey “met with a fatal accident for which his own -carelessness Was responsible; -.Though repeatedly warned bb 'had veifttrred’too -near-Jhe euge of' a frightful-chtism; and -it MV happened/in a ; jnbmenfeii-tlie foot,"the'terrified cry; - and -the -swift deatii. ■ iSTo oiio* was, to blame; The uufortunate 'geiitl'emah'disappoarecLbofore the others wero aware of-his= clangor.- ; j Two doctors, once perWn'al’fnehds of iis,' Tplct :the tale, to Ja friend’who Was mildly curious. ' And 'Nurse - ;.Joyiit passing‘through the ward heard."' “Wondef .why she' fainted?” said _t.he youngest,, as' lib raised,her from “the flooi‘. “Overwork, ..likely,’’. ' . . i

• “Perhaps, apd perhaps,, not,’’. replied the sen Tor-physician,; dryly. !‘lt’s a.fom-. inine habit. She isn’t as;robust as she looks, any way.’’.. . ; .- T -... : Four years of exile made Julian VVpyman yeanifor h sight of English shore?. During his sojourn under;tropioal skies he' had’ been ■ tormented' - ' by; uneasy thoughts, ■ tho source of which'might he traded to an uhanswered-'letter received from 1 Kathleen soon - after Godfrey'Bennett’s tragic death. It was a-passion-ate compound, of ’ bitter' reproaches and wildj unfounded accusations that would have roused him to-anger if jie had not seen the-sorrow-interlined, and pardoned her. ' . •

“Why had he gone o^t- with Godfrey on that dreadfuL day? 1 Why had he not shielded him'from .harm-?’’- These queries, and; others equally -absurd, had added a few extra-lines to his forehead. At last-he decided- that - aa‘ explanation was necessary. to his peace of mind; so .ho landed again • on English, soil with a double purpose in view—to dear himself in Kathleen’s eyes and, if possible, to reinstate himself in her favour,., The .old .hope was still green'and fresh. He had given her time to forget 'that previous misplaced 'affection: and who. knew what the; coming. A good Wash, a change of clothes j and a;wellTServcd luncheon.helpedto. cheer his drooping/spirits.-. .An hour or - two later he,-sauntered out along the fami-. liar thoroughfares, wondering whether he oughtVio .cal l-upon Kathleen at once. or postpone, tho task until to-morrow. Ho dreaded a scene, hut it would _ be preferable to a cold, formal reception,

f In any case he meant to have the imI portant question settled definitely before another day passed over his head.

In perturbation of mind, therefore, ho strolled leisurely down the sunny side of Regent Street. It was a clear afternoon in early October, with a crisp wind blowing ; and in the parks the trees had put on vivid tints, and the robins wore awing. There was an exhilarating influence in the air that roused him from lethargy and awakened some degree of interest in his surroundings. Ho shook off the burden of care and began to walk faster, and then all at once stopped short, for ho had come face to face with the woman he longed to meet. It was Kathleen, but not the Kathleen of his imagination, clad in hospital garb, and with the impress of. her life’s tragedy stamped upon her fine features. This ■was a self-possessed lady wearing a dainty Parisian bonnet, and a costume that was decidedly chic. Her face glowed with health and animation, and her grey eyes smiled as'she extended a perfectly gloved hand, and'uttered an exclamation of surprise. ‘•Mr Weyman! What ! an unexpected encounter! I thought you were at the Antipodes.” His reply was brief, and his expression eloquent. . The “maiden all forlorn” was a myth, a fancy, a non-exis-tent tiling born, of his own imagination. He felt inclined to laugh when he remembered his gloomy forebodings of the morning.

“I am indeed glad to see you,” Kathleen was saying- dashing a little under his-grave scrutiny, • but not avoiding it. “The pleasure is mutual,”- murmured Julian. “Linteiid to call at St. Luke's and”-— with a glance at her elegant apparel—“l think I should not have found you there.”- ■ “No. two years since I gave up the profession. The work was iujv;i :ng my health.” - “You were- too- diligent. You never could learn to* take life easily.” “I was not wise in those days. If you have nothing better to do, come home with me/’ she said, impulsively. "We shall be able to talk more comfortably than in the street.” '

Ho acquiesced, and they.went along, side by side ; he silently listening to the ’ choice scraps of society gossip with which she-regaled him; and inly puzzled, to account for many things, her changed circumstances among the rest. She seemed to be acquaintedyvith the smartest people about town, and was evidently a person of importance; but she did 1 not choose to enlighten him as to, the why and wherefore, not even when they were seated in her pretty drawing-room, which was- a dream of artistic loveliness and warmth and sweet odours. Left alone for ten minutes, he fretted himself into a-fever of impatience over the problem of-whether he ought to introduce the subject of the letter at once, or wait for her to make the first move. She joined him before he could decide, and matters Were, allowed to take their own course. Tt- was pleasant to lie back in a cosy chair, shut away from the noisy world, and watch Kathleen preside at her tea-table; a household divinity in a gown of palest primrose hue, relieved by touches of faint green, the colour of a cowslip’s calyx. And when she handed him his cup, and the lace ruffles fell away from the round white arm., and her eyes smiled at him across a bowl of hothouse blooms,-the picture should have chased the frown from his brow instead of fixing it ' there permanently. He was beginning to see a flaw in bis idol. Incon-. stancytoa memory, while clearing his path of difficulties, detracted from his high estimate of her character. With strange perversity,, he blamed her for being everything he had hoped she would ■be. -■ v ■■. ■ ■ - ‘

“A penny for. your thoughts,’’ she said, playfully. They were carrying on a desultary conversation, but he was not glib-tongued, and his lapses into profound meditation grew irksome. . She had stifled .several yawns already. . “I was thinking”—he paused a while, half ashamed of his bluntness:—“egat you .are.a woman easily solaced and quick to forget.”.: 1 '....' . , . ■ ; .“What flo youi.meanshe asked, ‘n a , tofifl/pf light biintei - , though her face’.vas apprehen/iye. . ' “Exactly what I say.” ■ “You pro capable of saying harsh things, Mr /Weyman.” : : ■Julian .drew his chair closer. .-“Do you recollect a letter you sent mo fouryears ago?” he : said gently.. ,“I have it in by pocket now.' It may not echo your prei Sent feelings; but it caihe straight from your heart—-at the time. You loaded me with unmerited reproaches, but I understood, and pitied, and desired to help you. I thought of you continually as a woman alone and friendlegs, with whom life had dealt hardly. I find you prosperous. happy, and content; and I can scarcely'realise that you and the writer of that letter are identical.”

“I .was both glad and sorry to see you thus,” he continued. ‘‘Glad from a purely selfish; motive.; Sorry because my ideal, disappointed, me. The Kathleen enshrined in. my memory, was not. a creature of whims.” i .: j :

“He never cared for me,’’she replied, leaning 1 one elbow on the table and shading -her fade with her hand. “He never gave me a . passing thought; and I had no lawful‘right to mourn openly for him; so I took-the tardy gifts the gods bestowed; and refused to immolate myself any longer-'oh„altars-of sacrifice. Our emotions wear us out, and after all we can live -without them if- wo try hard enough;’’. ■ i

She spoke defiantly,' cynically, but the weary mouth had a pathos beyond words. He looked’at her compassionately, and ‘every’.trace of vexation died, to be replaced by”a deep tenderness. . .“There !’■ Don’t worry’about it." he said.' “Try to forget. Lot mo help you. The fUture-is ours,: Kathleen, and— ” '.“No, no.” She pushed his hand away, and'rose': from her,chair ; then sat clown again, bewiidered’and a little dazed, like one who-has received ■ an unexpected shook. ’ “Please wait a moment,’’ she implored. . “I forgot to tell you that 1 ant •'married, How unpardbnably stupid of mo! ■ My husband, Sir Harry Whitworth, was a widower with three grownup children. .1 nursed him through a dangerous illness,, and when- he recover-’ ed he. begged me, to make his declining’ years happy ;by becoming his wife. That I should; bo essential’to, anybody’s happiness was quite a novel idea. It gave me a new interest in life,’ and new aims, il accepted'him; and T have no occasion'to regret, doing so. He is very good , to me;’’ ' ' "' 1 ’ ;

“Poor girl,” groaned Julian. w, That is'sheer waste of pity,’’ she said, with proud emphasis. “I don't feel the need; of it.” - ' • “You shduld have, waited,” he blurted out. “There were others more worthy of yon than he, a selfish old man ifto had his own interests in view, and who gained his- ends by appealing to your sympathy. If -you say you are liappy, you are the chief among hypocrites. Oh, Kathleen;, my darling, what a hideous mess wo have-blundered into, you and Tl”

■ Lady Whitworth stood up. Her face had'-regained its serenity and her manner • was; distinctly • friendly, but the steady grey eyes checked his impetuosity. 'Ho pulled himself together in the nick of . time; and .choked back words which were better left unsaid. . Those eyes reminded, him, that they were a self-respecting, man and woman, past the follies- of, youth,.to-..whom life meant something higher than sickly sentiment. If her heart echoed his despairing cry.

she was completely mistress of herself, and did not show it. Her quiet dignity stung his pride and rebuked his weakness.

“Say you forgive me for writing that letter/'she pleaded, as they took leave of each other, “it has been a continual thorn in my side.” “What is there 1 would not forgive you?” replied he. “And you will call to see my husband —bye-aud-bye?” ‘T ain afraid not.” Ho was gazing into the deserted square and trying to speak in a matter-of-fact way. “I leave London to-morrow, en route for Western Africa, and years may elapse before I revisit England. Won’t you wish me God-speed, Kathleen.” "I do,” she said earnestly. “May good fortune go with yon and accompany you homo again. I wish you peace and prosperity.” .... So they parted -and. went their separate paths, to meet, no more on this side of the grave. She stood at the window and watched his receding figure until the evening dusk swallowed it, smiling the while through gathering tears that were not all of sadness.,