Taken Unawares

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 880, 5 December 1916, Page 12

Taken Unawares

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CHAPTER XL—(Continued.) He had resumed his old ways, motoring up to his chambers each morning, and returning at night; only now instead of late hours he kept early ones, and Mrs Steer no longer had reason to complain of spoilt dinners or groan over the solitary hours he spent shut up by himself in the library. Even though she disapproved of Terry, she was forced to acknowledge that Humphrey was brighter. "Then two young things have jest woke him up proper," was her comment; and the dull Brixton house became a different place. Nevertheless, for some reason, perhaps because for years he had been a man so utterly aloof from others, he did not mention his marriage—even to his confidential clerk. In the past ten years Humphrey had grown, if not secretive, at least uncommunicative and reticent. Because he had been so alone he had grown out of the habit of speech, and it was a habit difficult to break through, even though the thought of Terry and his love of her throbbed and burnt at his heart like a fire, brightening the glowing autumn days, altering all things. Terry! Sometimes clients found linn curiously absent-minded. Sometimes he ■ caught a lawyer's puzzled stare, and blushed. Terry!

Andshe stood, eagerly looking at the fthne by a dainty bracelet watch that he had given her. and putting a few last touches to her dress. "Now shall I do?" she said, breathlessly at' last, "and for goodness sake, don't look so melancholy, Mini; anyibodv'd think I was going to a funeral to look at you; and I'm certain your will drop out one of these days if you open them like that, and then you'll ihave to have glass ones, and then you'll look like a mummy in the British Museum, the one that "brings a curse to you if you look at it, you know. Mini, -where's my muff and fur?'' She danced about the room, picking up odd things, gloves, handkerchiefs, purse, and giving more little •pats to her perfectly-fitting costume, and - twisting to admire, as she had done a hundred times before, the set of furs Humphrey had given her, and which enhanced the brilliancy of her complexion as she declared nothing had • ever done before.

She opened her purse, and saw that there were one or two sovereigns ill it, a'od clicked it to again. "I don't suppose they'll play for anything but prizes this afternoon,'' she said, lightly, '' but I'd better take some money, in case. Now, I'm off. I shall be home before six, but if anything should happen, and Humphrey gets here first, tell him I've gone for a walk —say you had a headache, and couldn't come with me." Mimmie flinched. "Oh, but do come in early," she 'Cried. "I should never dare to tell him a lie." "Bosh," said Terry. "He'd find it out at once. Oh, but io be early, Terry." "Haven't I said I would?" Mimmie was silent and a little pale, And a few minutes she watched Terry ■walk a short distance along the pavement and hail a taxi, with a sense of

CHAPTER XII. The drawing-room was lighted, ami the blinds drawn, even iu the middle of the early autumn afternoon. Terry had never been in such a room before, and she stared round a little bewildered as a maid ushered her in. Someone rose to meet her ■ —Vi, in a yellow dress of some soft, clinging stuff which made Terry feel »lmost shabby, in spite of her rich furs md her new costume.

"Oh, you brick!" cried Mrs StevenIsh, kissing her on both cheeks. "How did you get round him? How did you make him let you come? You must be a witch—unless he has altered since I knew him. He hated cards then. Take off your furs, dear, and I'll introduce you." The colour had heightened iu Terry's cheeks.

"I haven't said a word to Humphrey about coming," she said, "or about meeting you yesterday, or anything. He doesn't know, and 1 don't think I shall tell him."

Mrs Stevenish gave a little tinkling laugh. "All right, I understand," she said, w and you're quite right. You are wise In your generation, it doesn't do to tell husbands everything. But you must let them think you do,'' she added. ' ; That's the heart of marriage." She laughed again, and then turning Introduced Terry to the handful of women gathered about the room.

They were all women different to any Terry had met before. Ono and all had faces more or less painted, and hair more or less artificial; some of it astounded Terry, it was so puffed and curled, and twisted and piled, she wondered how they did it. And they were all apparently extremely rich women. Their conversation awed her. It was so full of money, of the cost of furs and dresses and jewellery, of bargains of different kinds ■which would cost what seemed to Terry a fortune; and of racing, and debts, and gains, and losses. And a few minutes later Terry saw, to her bewilderment and dismay, loose heaps of gold turned carelessly out of reticules and handbags, lying upon the two green baize tables round which they gathered. After that Terry had only a bewildered idea of what went on. Carr'la were shuffled and dealt, pattering down upon the green cloth; money changed hands and clinked and rattled, and a little p'le of gold mounted suddenly at her side. She began to laugh shrilly, f-ihe was winning—winning with ease. Her confidence rose. She grew bold and reckless. Mrs Stevenish shook a warning linger at her and arched her eyebrows. "Terry! You little gambler!" she said. '' Take care or you 'll go too far.'' "Oh, no I shan't. I—l love it. I Tike playing high—no trumps " An hour later she rose with a start as

By ANNIE 0. TIBBITS " The Thread* of Destiny," " Li!e'i Revenge," etc

the little gilded clock on the mantelpiece struck six. "I must go," she said hurriedly. A fat old woman, with thick ringladen fingers slowly scraped together a big heap of yellow coins, and Terry with trembling hands pushed towards her the last of hers. "That is all I have," she said, "aud I owe you something, don't I? I don't know what to do.''

"Oh, that's all right," said Mrs Steveuish easily. "Don't fret, Terry; you can have your revenge another day, "and I'll lend you a poind or two now if you want it, how much?" "Six —eight pounds," Terry said. "Eight pounds!" she held her breath, and only with an effort steadied her voice and made it sound light. Yi seemed to think nothing- of eight pounds and carelessly tossed the sovereigns over.

""Oh, thank you, Vi," Terry said. "I'll bring it back to-morrow, and I'm so much obliged to you.'' Vi laughed —a little unpleasantly it seemed to Terry at that moment, and a vague cold shook her. "Well, you'd better not tell Humphrey what you want it for," Yi said. "You'd better say it's a new hat —eh?" Terry nodded helplessly. There was a feeling' of rage and annoyance in her heart. She ought not to have lost —-it was only through a stupid accident that she had done so, she thought. If only they could have gone on five minutes longer she would have got it all back — she said so.

"It is a nuisance that I have to go," she said, "in a few minutes I should have been winning again. It's too bad.'' Mrs Steveuish's tawny eyes seemed to hold curious lights as they looked at her.

'' Well, you can have your revenge when you like," she said. A woman, pale and languid, rose from her seat at the table.

"Why not have another meet to-mor-row!" she asked in a drawling voice. "Will you come over to me, Vi, and you —will you join us, Mrs Hin don'? I should be so pleased.'' • The flush of excitement deepened on Terry's cheeks. She drew her breath a little quickly. The loss of eight pounds was serious to her. She had not yet grown used to having money, and she jumped feverishly at the chance of getting it back. "Oh, I'll be delighted to come," she said. "Where —what time? To-morrow? At three? Yes, thank you, I'll come, with pleasure. I'll call for you, shall I, Vi?" "Yes, do, dear," said Vi, "and we'll have our revenge and leave Mrs Caley a wreck. Have plenty of cash for us, dear," she turned and laughed, "we want your blood." Mrs Caley bent her head languidly, and again a sense of helplessness gripped Terry, as if she was swimming out of her depth. These women were so different to anything she had ever known before, and for just an instant she lost her feeling of security and confidence in her self and was at a loss.

But Terry was never at a loss for long, and with her head up and with an air of bravado and light-heartedness which she did not feel, she sailed from the room room before them all.

"Good-bye," she said gaily, "Goodbye till to-morrow. I shall come iu my best form, Mrs Caley, so*beware.'' "Ah, yes; I'll beware," came Agnes Caley's languid, careless voice, and Terry stepped out into the hall where a waiting maid was ready with her umbrella. Voices and laughter rose and followed her as she closed the drawing-room door behind her, and the sound of it sent a rush of heat to her heart. Wore they laughing at her 1 ? But what nonsense. Why should she suppose anything of the sort? She could hold her own. She knew what she was doing. How silly she was. Why should they laugh at her? The maid glanced at her curiously as she stood on the step lifting her skirts, and shrugged her shoulders. "She's the one that's lost this afternoon," was her mental comment, then she ran down the steps and helped Terry into a cab.

"To Brixton Station," Terry saio, then hurriedly altered it to the Post Office. It was just possible that Humphrey might come down by train, and she did not want to run the risk of meeting him. She did not want him to see her in a taxi, of course, and she did not want him to see her at all until she was dressed for dinner, and steadier. She felt oddly shaky as she sat back in the cab. Her hands were trembling, and the flush on her cheeks had given way to pallor. Lost! Eight pounds! How had she come to lose all that? And how could she get it from Humphrey—eight pounds! What could she say it was for? And she wanted more than that, too —double that to play with to-mor-row. How could she get it? What should she say? And what a long time it seemed until to-morrow. The cab reached Brixton before she had made any decision, and then she roused with a shock. A cry broke from her lips. She hadn't a penny in her purse to pay with. For an instant she sat stone still; then, snatching at the speaking tube, told him to drive on. She would have to risk meeting Humphrey—to risk his seeing the cab and asking her questions, and what should she do? What should she say? For, perhaps, the first time in her life Terry was unnerved. She glanced at her face in the mirror iu front of her and tried to collect her ideas; but it was only as the cab drew up in front of the house that the way out occurred to her. She rang the boll anc 1 waited impatiently for the housemaid to open it, reI hearsing over and over again what she was going to say. (To bo continued.)