ADAM WEIR'S WIFE

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 334, 4 March 1915, Page 2

ADAM WEIR'S WIFE

[COPYRIGHT.]

BY BLANCHE EARDLEY Author of "*/l 'Bid for a 'Bride"Mrs. Maxwell's Silence "In the Wake of the Hound," eta.

CHAPTER XXV.—(Continued.) • TEMPTATION. He turned now to Nigel, and looked At him quietly. "Yes, the little chap is not mine, though it is not his fault. And though you have no right to him, since yo\i deserted the little man's mother, the law entitles you to claim him." "You have given me in charge for ■what I have done," Nigel said in a blustering tone, "but you forget that your wife is not out of the wood yet! I can very easily give her in charge for Laving exchanged her dead child for my living one, and making a misrepresentation the death certificate."

Hetty went up to her father and touched him on the arm. She hardly knew" this big, grave man with the clean-shaven face and stern eyes. "Father," she whispered, "won't you, for Ruth's sake, for all our sakes, hush this miserable affair up? Surely, it need not be made a public scandal, dear! Think how we have all suffered, and' how Ruth has been punished already ! "

Adam Weir glanced at his daughter gratefully. "Thank you, dear; your suggestion is a good one." Then he looked at Nigel Last, whose jface had cleared as lie had listened to | Hcttv.

j, "You are free to go away on the condition that j'ou never attempt to see ; any ; member of my family again. If ( you ilo I sliall.thrash yon within an inch iol 1 your life! " - ' "Thanks," Nigel drawled indolently; ''then Ave will cry quits. Only," he j added, "of course, I take my son with 'me!"

' ] Adam Weir's face paled; then he put ikis hand on . the bell, and turning to 'Ruth said quietly: .

" "Will you send for him or fetch him 'yourself ?"

;• She flashed. a quick glance of gratitude at him. After all, he wanted to spare her the shame of a servant seeing ■her humiliation. In spite of his protection, and the arm with which he had jicld her to him, when she had run forward to him, she knew; that he had not forgiven i her years | oft; jciyes Avero kind but c jfijecmed to hold them apart in spite or ;liis return. The old Adhm i Who ha (J •adored lier so foolishly and madly was .dead, and in his place was a judge who would never forget her sin> . ..

Yes,'' she saiql, '' i will -fetelk Mm myself. I think he is somewhere in the garden." She left the room and went out into the garden: Now that the time had come that she must publicly acknow-. ledge her .sip Oiver her sis-? ter'a child to his legal owner she felt a sudden upheaval of motherly love for the child to' whom she had been as a mother from the day he had been taken from his dead parent's arms. Boy was nowhere to be found in Jus usual haunts, and presently she "syandered into the farmyard, following a path past the i>igsties and stack yard, where one of the larger meadow's were. Presently she caught her breath. In the distance, by a pond in which the sheep were sometimes washed, and •where the cows drank from, she saw the flutter of a white overall. "Boy," she cried; "I want you. iear!" , But the child did not hear, and as she hurried after him, her feet in their tigh-heeled shoes sinking, into the soft ground, she felt a sudden panic come over her. The boy by this timjj.- was standing- close to the pond, the moment his small figure swayed like a lily in the breeze. *- The next moment the thing she had dreaded happened. The child suddenly disappeared, and Ruth heard a cry of fear and then a splash! .She hurried up to the pond and saw fhe golden head floating towards a place "inhere there were weeds/and then a sudden., awful temptation came over lier. If Boy were drowned Nigel Last could libt claim him —no one need know that, t-be child was not. her's and Adam 's, - -.For a' moment only the madness gripped her, and then, with a cry of horror, she jumped into the pond and struck out to where the golden head ejiowed above the weeds. CI T APT ICR, XXVI.—HUSBAND AND WIFE AGAIN.

Ruth opened her eyes again to a ■world where shadows grey and opalescent seemed to commingle and then grow suddenly dark and .separate above puzzling blue splashes of light. Por a Jong time she lay there watching the different shades that floated above her head, and content to-let go even tlie train of thought. But one morning there were' no lights, no beautiful mystic' Colours, only a dull drab ..daylight, arid the sound that brought her back to earth was the chuivh bell that i-hinied live dismal notes and then stopped. Ruth frowned and wondered. It could not. We ;"> in Ihe . afternoon, because it had. so recently been morn jug. Then, just as I!(; lay 1 limiting, tho door opened and Hetty stole into the room and crept softly up to the )ji<id'. Butli opened her eyes and looked at her, and saw that she had-tears on lier' face.

i 'Hetty, s ' she said faintly, "what is jtfte matter? Why am I in bed?" . Hetty knelt down, by tho bed and took her hand in hers.

"Oh, Ruth," she "whispered, "I am so glad you are better, dear. At first we wero afraid that—that you would not get better. It has been an awful time, dear." "But I don't understand," Ruth went ou. "What has happened? I don't remember being ill or anything." "You have been very ill," Hetty said softly. "You were nearly drowned, dear. You jumped into the pond after little Boy, and were saved just in time." Ruth gave a low exclamation. "I remember now. I went to find him, to give him to Nigel Last, and saw him fall into the pond. Tell me, Hetty," she went on, "is ho ill . too? Poor little darling.'' Hetty was silent, and Ruth, looking at her, cried out with pain:— "Not that, Hetty," she said, "don't tell me that he is dead, that poor darling- little Boy is dead." Then, as Hetty still kept silent, she went on: — "I know now—the bells—they tolled five tinies. Boy is five years old. Today is his funeral."

. Hetty put her arms round her, and tried to hush her sobs.

"Don't cry, dear Ruth. You tried to save him. You nearly gave your life for his. You have nothing to reproach yourself with —nothing. Think how awful it would have been had you been drowned too.

"I almost wish I had,;" Ruth said bitterly. . "I have disappointed Adairi —deceived liim and disgraced him. Ilojvy ean he ever respect or love me again? And now the house; will be empty without the child, .and we shall have no interest to bring; us together.':' Hetty was silent. She did not tell Ruth that while she had been unconscious Adam had been nearly frantic with grief and had stayed at her side until dragged away by Dr Brompton to rest. But the mOnicnt he knew that she was out of danger, he had kept away, almost as though he had feared her return to consciousness. As Ruth came back fro,m the Land of Shadows she heard from Mrs Breiit T nail and Hetty of many things thsit were happening. The threatened sea 4: dal had''not broken out, for, with the •return of Adam Weir, alive and well, gossips could no longer accuse Ruth of liis murder, and Nigel Last ha'd written a letter to be shown if neces-i sary in which he admitted that Mrs Weir was his sister-in-law and that his wife had not told him of the relationship, which he found out quite casii-i ally.

"You need not fear the neighbours, dear," Mrs Bioutnall said soothingly.; '' They are just as ready to make a fuss over you as they w'ere to run you down,; and since you tried to save the dear; little boy you have become a heroine; to everyone." " : Ruth did not answer except by. a curl of her red lips. What did the neighbours matter to her, what did anything matter, when Adam treated her with such considerate, yet cold, kindness? He never reproached her, nor said a word that reminded her of her deception, but it cut her far more than harsh words would have done. She would have fought them, but this icy courtesy and attention she had no weapon for. One day, a fortnight after the burial of little 'Boy,'' Adam Weir went ir.to his wife's room. The brown beard that had made him seem so much older and dignified had begun to grow again, and except for the sad expression of his dark eyes he was more like tho old Adam who had loved her.

He paused aw r kwardly by her side, and said slowly:— "I hope you are bettor now."

'I am getting better every day," Ruth replied softly. She was longing, waiting witi» an intensity that surprised even herself, for him to kiss lu r, to bend down and take her in his n nil's and crush her to him as he. used to do.

But Adam stood stiffly beside her couch, and went on slowly:—■ "As you .seem ho much better, what do you say to a little change of air to pick you. up?" Ruth's eyes brightened. "Can you get away from the farm, Adam?" who said quickly. "I am afraid I could not," he answered, "but there is no reason -yvdiy you should not go with Hetty, and stay away a couple of months."

"Yoxi—you would J ike me to go}" Ruth said, in a low voice. • "Yes, why not/ A holiday before the winter sets in will build you up for the whole time.''

; Bhe looked at him .swiftly. Why was he sending her away? Was he tired of her, or had his aversion come to such a pitch that it got on his nerves to see her about the place?

The idea stung her pride, and she said quietly:—■

"Very well, I will go vvhpn you wish, Adam. Make the arrangements, and I will carry them out."

Adam turned to leave the room. He had hoped that she would say something else. That she would refuse to leave him, thai, she would break down lhe barrier that had risen so mysteriously between thein. Hut her beautiful white face had expressed nothing except quiet acquiescence with his suggestion. The warm, loving woman who had loved him in the old days had vanished, leaving a sorrowful, obedient -yyife iu her plac?.

As lie walked to the door, Ruth watched him with hungry eyes, and there was something so dejected and forlorn in his attitude as lie moved that a sudden impulse made her say, sharply: "Adam —I—l want to tell you something—to—to ask you something." lie turned and came back to her side, looking down on her with grave, bitter eyes.

"This is an honour!" he laughed

"Well, what is it, Ruth? Is there anything you want? You know you have only to say the word and you will have it. I will deny you nothing.'' A sob rose to her lip. ".No, you deny me nothing, Adam," she said, "but the one thing I want from you—you keep away—your love, Adam. The old, tender love that used to wrap me about as a mantle of warmth —you have taken it away from me, and I feel so cold.''

"I've come on business," she retorted, as soon as the door was closed, and they Avere alone. "I w r ent up to the Dower House, and the servant gave 1110 your address here; I said it was important! '' "Well," Nigel said, "what on earth do .you want to see me about, Miss Keeling? Not my 'wife' again, I hope?" The woman 's ugly face flushed.

"I was a fool about that," she said. "How was I to know it was Ruth Weir's sister you had married! She had her own reasons for passing as her when she first saw that dressmaker friend of. mine, and was paying your wife 'a bill for her! ''

'' I know,'' he said, huskily; '' but I am not a hypocrite, Ruth. I can't play at things, and you have struck deep down at the things that are i)art of niy religion. You have robbed me of my confidence, of my pride in my land, my love of my work. Oh, don't think I don't forgive you your folly in bringing your dead sister's child to me as my own," he went on, hastily, "I do forgive that. I even recognise the immense tragedy of sisterly love you had for her to want to find a shelter for the child, but in spite of everything you have wounded the man in me, made me feel that that cur, Nigel Last, was the man who scored! "

Nigel was silent. He knew that Miss Keeling did not know the truth about the child that Ruth had taken to Meadows as her own, and some sense of decency kept him silent about it. " What do you want?" he said again.

Ruth .struggled to her feet, and stood facing him "with dilated nostrils, and shining eyes. She was glad that she had roused him to anger, even though it was the anger of sorrow. Better anything than that awful apathy that had fallen upon him. > "Adam," she said, "wait, I—l want to tell you something. When I brought that poor, darling little child to you,,and let you think he was your son, I did it for your sake alone, dear. I had never seen Nigel Last till that day 'wheti some cruel fate sent him across my path here. I knew how you longed for a son, for an heir to inherit the land of his father, and I knew how dreadfully bitter your disappointment would be, how lonely your days after the weeks of anticipation, and dearest, my love made me a coward, a coward for your sake, darling,'' she went on, tenderly; "because I loved you more than any one on earth, and I wanted you to be happy." '' I was happy on a lie,'' Adam answered, bitterly. '' For five years I lived in a fool's paradise, and my awakening was all the worse, because of the perfect; dream it had been. I loved that little chap," he went on softly; "his awful, death stirred me to my heart. He hqd : become part and parcel of myself, and I could not tear him oiit of my heart just because I knew lie belonged to that blackguard instead of to myself. But now that; everything is over I feel that things have changed. When I once looked over the ; property and the farms, I used to say, ' It's all his one day,' and now I can't say. that. Oh, I wish you had never let me be deceived, or that Fate had prevented my being undeceived." , . : .1

Miss Keeling leant forward. "Do you still want to be revenged ou Roger Brentnall?" she said.

Nigel's eyes flashed. "I hate the man, but I can't cut him out now! " "I hate him, too," Miss Keeling said in a tone that would have opened the eyes of her school children, "and I can help you to get Hetty away from him if you like!" she went on; "it will make them all mad, and pay that woman Ruth Weir, out! " "llow. can you do .it?" Nigel said lazilj'. "By telling you this. I know that she, Hetty, is coming to Wingfield to do some shopping with Mrs Brentnall, and they are to meet at a certain draper's, and they arrive by different trains, as Hetty' lias mudi iiiore 'to do than Mrs Brentnall;. but they lunch together at the White Hart." . . • :

Ruth held out her hands to him. Iler eyes were wet with unshed tears, i "Adain," she said, softly, "won't you forget the past? Now that Nigel Last, my poor sister's wretched husband, has ran with them, not in the trench (there gone out of our lives, and poor little Boy has gone, too, won't you forget my mad folly and trust me again; take me back into your heart?" Adam looked at her with.a great love hunger in his heart. He had never seen her look so lovely or more desirable than she did at that moment, while she was pleading with him to take her back.

'' Well,'' Nigel said, '' where do ; I come in! "

"You motored ; here, didn't you?'' Miss Keeling s-aidi ; '

He nodded. "Yes."

"Well, a boy can go up in your motor to the draper's. Hetty does not .know your ear by sight, and you can be driving in your goggle's and big coat, while the boy, can tell her. that Mrs Brentnall has been taken ill at the. White Ilart. She will get into the car, the boy get out —and you Hetiy on your way to London! " she finished triumphantly. Nigel - laughed aloud.; For a simple village spinster, Miss Keeling took the breath out of his body.

He knew the secret that had come between them all these months. He had jealously thought it meant a past love affair between herself and Nigel Last, the man's wish to marry Hetty being brought forward as a "blind." But that all belonged to the past; there was a future in wlii_ch they might find a new happiness and forget the sad present. He turned to her and held out his hands.

"She would not marry me though," he said, when i. hia laughter had died, awav. ; ;

"I wiil come with'you if you like," Miss Keeling sai'd, "aiid talk at her'till she thinks she must —to save more gossip." . . . ; " .• ••

"By jove! " Nigel murmured, "it's;! not half a bad plan. But will you! come, really?" he asked". The old maid nodded. "Yes. I hate the Weirs, and I.can't wish Hetty anything worse than you a husband. Besides, <it, will v niakie :|hatj lovesick fool, Adam and. his .wife feel pretty small." "You flatter me," said Nigel, dryly, "All right then, Miss Keeling," he! went '' I will accept your services as an accomplice. You come to London with Hetty and me, and sec us mar-~ ried."

A couple of hours later, ITetty, "unconscious of the plot against her happiness, came out of the. draper's, in the High Street at Winfield and looked at her watch.

"Ruth, my wife, let us wipe out these memories," he said, huskily. "I was to blame, too. My love of my land made me selfish, and you were frightened at my possible disappointment.;'' "Adam," she murmured, "my dear husband, I am so glad-, so glad. You won't send me away from the farm now, will you? " she went ; " because I couldn't go. I —l want our child to be born, on his father's land!" Adam-'s face flushed. " What do you mean?" he said, hoarsely. "Is it true?" She buried her face in his coat. "Yes, dear," she murmured. Adam bent and kissed her on her lips.

She had to meet Roger and Mrs Brentnall. at the White Mart, and tlicir train was just due to Swadlinggate. Should she meet it or go on to the hotel?

At that moment a ear stopped Ivy the curb, and a boy sprang out and said, quickly: "Are you Miss Weir? Oh, Miss, you are wanted at the White 'Art —a lady took ill."

'' Thank God! " lie said. "The past is indeed buried in the future."

CH APTER -XXVi r. ; THE END. •Nigel Last had left the Dower House. He knew that it would be made impossible for him to stay there after his share in the tragedy of Adam Weir's family. And besides, now that.the child.was dead, Ire had 110 longer any hold over Ruth, no possible ghost of a chance with Hetty; He did not pretend to' regret, the death of the child that was really his; but he did regret the loss of Hie girl who would now many the farm vokrd, Roger Brent null." " ' '''

Hetty looked at the car doubtfully. The chauffeur sat immovable. She eouldn 't see his face. , Perhaps the boy had come from■ the hotel in someone's oar that had been lent.

She got in, however. If Mrs Brentiiall was ill and alone she .must get to her quickly. They must have changed their minds - and driven the distance in Roger's dogcart. But why had Roger not come for liCr?

A few seconds, later she was be jug driven in the car, along the High Street. The boy had left itj but it stopped' at the corner to take up-.a passenger,.and' Hetty exclaimed, at the .sight of Miss feeling's familiar face:'' """Are you here, too, Miss Keeling?" she said.

"Yet, Hetty, going with you!" the spinster laughed, 'and tlie girl looked at her nervously. It was all so' strange, and, worse still, the motor car was not going in the direction of the White Hart, but along the London Road that ran parallel with the railway above. She rose to her foot in the car.

lie had gone by motor to a.place some 20 miles from Swadliuggate, and was putting up at an hotel, wondering what lie could do—hating to leave the locality without making one effort to spoil Ruth Weir's happiness.

'" Stop at once," she cried to the j chauffeur.' = 'Who .• ar.e■•you, and whore arc you tftkingiVie io'J"' j

~/Tlio.chauffeur .took, off )»is cap, and turned to. her. '' "I am Nigel L:ist, and am taking,you to London to marry you," he said, ".and Miss 'Keeling will be your bridesmaid, Hetty!"' ; "

Having thought his whereabouts unknown to everybody, lie was amazed when a waiter informed him that a latiy wished io see him.

The terrified, girl , gave one cry,' of J horror, as she realised ..the traj> into s which she had falleli, v and the preKetico i of Miss Keeling drily niade her more mis- j erable.. • ■', ': j

But, his amazement was all the greater when he saw who the lady was, as there appeared in tho doorway tho sallow, malignant face of Miss Keeling.

"Please stop,", she cried, "you can-j not marry me ; against my will. You j will be puuished for this! Roger will j follow us —and ——" |

But ; the words died on her lips.. In front of thorn she saw the white gates of tlie railway'crossing over which' they

had to go ho continue in a straight course. A train was coming along, and tho gates wore closing! Nigel Last tried to apply tlie brake, but he eould not, and then Hetty heard Miss Keeling cry out with fear as she realised the fate before her, brought on by lier own venomous inspiration.

A man and woman in the train were looking at a motor car that seemed to be racing to get over the crossing before the gate closed. "They must be mad," Roger laughed; "they 'll never do it, mother." Then he gave an exclamation of hor-

"Why, Hetty's one of the passengers, and Nigel Last is driving. Good heavens, what does it mean? What has happened? Oh, my poor darling, what devilish plot has robbed mo of you!"

It seems hours before ho could leave tho train and reach the scene of the motor smash by the crossing. "Anyone killed?" ho said hoarsely.

"Yes, Mr Brentnall, "a lady and a gentleman, stone dead, and " Roger reeled with faintuess. me see her," he muttered. "I was to have married her."

The man made way for him respect fully.

"Very sorry, indeed, sir. This way, sir. The doctor is bringing round tlie young lady. She's had a wonderful escape."

'' r "he young lady,'' lie gasped, '' Miss —NEiss Weir."

"Yes, sir, she is coming round. She

Roger waited to hear no more, he forced his way through the crowds and flung himself by the side of the girl whom a kindly Fate had spared to liim.

The clock in the church tower chirned two strokes, and a, littJe hush settled over the people'.inside. It was the first wcddiiig there for ages; and tho bride and bridegroom were both popular.

As thev came down the aisle the bride's father, Adam Weir, turned to the beautiful woman at his side.

"It will be our silver wedding* one day, Ruth. We 'll have to have these bells ringing for us, dear." "Yes," Ruth murmured happily, "but they are always ringing in 1113heart, Adam." When the bride and her groom were on. their'way to'the station Roger, took her hand.

"Darling—wife—you see the old clock in the church, tower has kept her promise, she .lias..chimed .the hour that made you miqe, after all." . Hetty raised her face to, his. ."After sorrow a. golden jov," she murmured. [the end.] • »