DRIVEN BY FATE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8738, 21 May 1914, Page 8

DRIVEN BY FATE

[Published bt Special A ream cement.]

By FLORENCE HOPE,

‘Author of “The Trials of Madge Moherley,” “Tangled Threads,” “The Brown Rosary,” etc., etc. (Copyright.) CHAPTER XVII.—BROKEN PROMISES. Three months’ travelling from one place to another, and Phyllis was ut!iorly weary of the change upon i.hange, and sickening to bo back in ‘liOtido-n., or, better still, at Vciimor, •near Jack. Sho had made the terrible discovery that her husband's will was law, tor although ho was supposed to be madly in love with his wife, her wishes tvero seldom given in to, but his dels res, even though they were distasteful to Phyllis, were always to be gratified.

Hard and unyielding, he was like a Stone wall that no amount of pressure would break down. She had told Jack that she was marrying for all the things that money coldd give her. iWell, she had them now, hut hated’, them —the diamonds were just as hard,’ cold glitter that she loathed, the dirty Coloured lace so costly, that adorned iher gowns, seemed a filthy rag; the : silken rustle of her ’petticoats got on’ her nerves j her smart hats were too heavy wixilf feathers and flowers to suit [her ; the long dinners in the expensive 'ffostaurants bored lier; the 'Sboatrcs •ceased to amuse her. She pined for; '.the little flat, tbo one sitting-room,j [the simple meals, and the cosy quiet.! levellings with Jack and Agatha. Gra-’ titude had nob led to lov© or evenj 'liking, and worse. than all else shel lived in fear of Haro Grimshaw. Shel 'obeyed him because sho was afraid of! him, yielded to him through that ter-i rible fear that wrapped her round, enveloping her body, her nerves, her soul.

Sho made no friends, for he told; her ho wanted none. She was afl sufficient for him, so they were always, together, morning, noon, and night.' A passion of possession on one side,: fear and loathing on tho other, for it had got to that with Phyllis. She never heard from Jack; there had been ouo fetter after they had 1 loft Ventnor, but no more, and she' wrote and wrote, but received no re-i plies. Dare told her there were rules' ■and regulations, and that probably tho doctor was giving him a rest cure, ■when no letters were allowed to disturb tbe peace of tho mind.

' “Then I will write to the doctor,” /declared Phyllis, and did so, DaVe contriving to communicate with Dr Bransicombc first, so that a formal reply came to the girl’s anxious letter tell;ing her that there was no need for (anxiety, hut that her brother must •be kept absolutely quiet. This, of course, was true,- for Jack had been dangerously ill, and kept in. tho infirmary, and Dr Branscombe had feared ;the case was hopeless, but this was never told to Phyllis, and for a purpose of his own Dare Grimshaw kept them apart. One morning he told her he had received news of the Joffersons.

‘‘Julie is supposed to bo cured, and Marcus has taken her away from Paris; they are in town for the present, have taken a house in Green street, and are going about a bit. 1 wonder if they would care to let Marshlands. I have rather a fancy to lake the house, and go down there for six months. How would you like it? X begin to think I’ve had enough of trotting about,” said Dare. “I should hate it! ' cried Phyllis. In a Hash she saw herself -in that great house alone with her husband. No society, no change of scene, just the creeping waters, the stretches of mud, the low skies, weird sunsets, flat country. Fishing, shooting, motoring with Dare, always with Dare. No I not Marshlands, for heaven’s sake, not Marshlands, besides—and this was tho strongest reason of all for declining to go there, the place would not suit Jack. It would be far too cold and bleak, and the spring, too, of course, they could not take him to such a place. “Then you don’t want to go? I don’t know- that that matters. If I wish to take the place, you’ll go where I choose to take you,” said Grimshaw, coldly. “ But, surely ” She hesitated, then went on bravely, “ Surely I may have my wishes gratified sometimes, and, at any rate, have my say in where we are to live.”

“ You accepted me for your husband, your lord and master, will you remember that, please, Phyllis. If the Jeffersons will let .Marshlands, I shall take it for six months, and w© shall live there,” was JDare’s reply.

“But what about Jack. I—l don’t mind for myself, but the cast winds are so bitter there, you forget Jack,” she pleaded, her lip trembling. “ Confound your brother ! IV© had enough of him; he's not going to share our home, don’t you think that. He'll have to shift for himself as soon as he leaves the hospital; other fellows have to, and he must work. You don’t suppose I’m going to keep him, do you said Hare, turning on his wif© savagely. “ But you promised—you promised to do all 1 wanted for Jack. Y 7 ou know that; you know I manned you for that, and that alone. You can’t tail me now, you can’t break your promises,” cried i’hyllis, passionately, a cold dread gripping her with agony. ■•. Promises! Bangui What are they to tlio woman a man means to marry? I never said that brother of yours was to live with us, and I’ll not have it, so understand that, and let’s drop the subject, please; not another word. Go and change that dress; the colour doesn’t suit you, and don’t put it on again. You have plenty of others, and you have to clothe yourself to please mj taste, not your own.” Dare carefully selected a cigar fron his case, and slowly lit it, taking no more notice of his wife. This was the particular manner that roused Phyllis to passionate revolt. She went out of their sitting-room at the hotel, and into her own room, or rather hers and his, locking the door behind her. •T hate him! I hate him!” she whispered through her clenched teeth ‘T want to go to Jack. I must go to Jack. 1 feel that he wants me. What can I do? What can 1 do?”

She was so helpless, for though he bought her clothes and jewels and costly knick-knacks, ho gave her no money she could call her own, and she never had so much as a franc in her dainty gold purse that hung as an empty ornament from her waistbelt.

She suddenly came to the resolu Lon of writing again to Hr. Branscombc, and asking him if ho would give her permission to come and visit her brother, whom she was yearning to see. Yes, she would do that. So she wrote the letter, and was on her way to post it in the box in the hall of the hotel, ivhen sho met her husband on the stairs. “So you have not changed that most unbecoming gown yet? Obligcme bv returning to your room immediately,” said Hare; then he caught *’ght of"the letter in her hand. “Ah, you were going to post that, I see. Allow me, and I will do it for you. Put on a walking dress, as we are going out to lunch, and be quick. 1 will, give you a quarter of an hour.” Ho held out his hand for the letter, and Phyllis gave it him. As ho descended the stairs, she looked back, loaning over the balustrade at the top. Y’es, it was all right, he was going at once to the letter-box, and had not even asked her why she was writing to Hr. Branscombe. Poor Phyllis 1 That pitiful little letter never reached its destination, but was quietly slipped into her husband’s pocket, and read in the smoking-room, whilst .she was , dressing to gp out. Three days passed, and no reply had come; then five, six, seven, and on the eighth Hare informed her that thev were starting at onco for London', to go on to Marshsea, as Sir Marcus had agreed to the proposal made him for them to take Marshlands for six months. , The news fell like a knell on Phyllis s heart. She was haunted by forebodings. a vague and terrible dread of returning to that lonely desolate spot, and witlf Haro Grimshaw as her sole companion, the idea gripped her with horror. , „ , , Then the thought flashed through her mind that for the journey Hare would give her some money apart from her ticket, which, of course, he would get with his own. AVould it be enough to take her to Ventnor when she reached L/ondoii? If so, she would make her escape. Yes, she would do that, and at all risks would, go to Jack. She would see him, the doctor who had not even answered her appeal, could not refuse her admittance. No .she was certain of getting to Jack if once she could reach Ventnor.

“You had better have some money in your purse, Phyllis,” said Dare, as they were starting, and gave her a couple of sovereigns. Sho thanked him almost effusively, so thankful was she to feel that here was enough money to take her to her brother. It became her one thought throughout the journey, and as they were approaching Loudon her anxiety became almost apparent. Would she bo able to escape her husband’s vigilance at the station? She had found out there would be a train for Portsmouth leaving Waterloo station ten minutes after their arrival. Would she daro to go P , What would he do when h© found her gone? She did not care, once in the train for Ventnor, and she would be safe. It was Jack, Jack. Jack, only Jack she wanted. As to future punishment for her fault, she did not care, did not think, her resolve to seek her brother at all costs, had seized hold of her, and go she must. Arrived at Waterloo, Dare hurried to tho luggage van to see about their boxes and bags, believing she was following after him, but in a moment the girl, quick as lightning, W'as rushing tho other way, her heart thumping, her knees trembling, fearing every instant that Dare would bo pursuing her. Accustomed as she was to shift for herself in tbe old days, she flew to the ticket office, snatched her ticket, and just at the moment that her husband missed her, was leaping breathless into tho train that was. on the verge of starting for Portsmouth. It was a fast train, and flew along at full speed. Now came the-short crossing, then tho slow lagging little journey from Hyde, and now at last, ah! at last from the black tunnel the train came out into Ventnor railway station. A cab to the hospital I Thank heaven she had enough money. She dismissed it at the gates, and as she pulled the bell of the big door a gentleman came out and looked sharply at her. “ I’ve come to see my brother, Dr Branscombe. You must let me see him at once, I could bear the anxiety no longer,” said Phyllis, lifting anxious eyes to the doctor’s astonished gaze. ‘“Mrs Grimshaw! But surely you knew that your brother left here more than a month ago by your husbands’ orders?” “Gone! Jack gone!' The girl swayed, and the doctor put out his arm to catch her as she was about to fall. She had fainted for the first time in her life.

(To be continued.)