“Judy Says No”

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1931, Page 14

“Judy Says No”

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Winifred Carter.

CHAPTER X.—(Continued.)

“Look here, Kenway,” said Nick

challenglngly, “let me get this right. , J know quite well that you and everyone else believed what grandfather said. I don’t blame you. After all, If eny grandfather could think I was such a cad, if he could accept the proof that he had got that I was a scoundrel and a blackguard, why shouldn’t you?"

• “I know. That’s what I did think, but I have changed my tune,” said Lord Kenway. Then he smiled at Nick ingratiatingly. “Forgive me." • Nicholas sat down on the little Wooden seat and thought this out. It Was rather marvellous that Lord KenWay should actually come without proof and aSk for forgiveness. Kenjway dropped beside him. “It’s- that little girl up there who - has made me change my mind. Do you know that Judy Warrender, your 'cousin believes in you,? She doesn’t know you, but she is quite convinced that you’re much maligned, and she is {fighting for you. She has actually taken it on her own shoulders to clear you.'.’.. ■ 'He recoiled at that. Had he not 'only-a few days ago deliberately cut her in the market sqaure? i “She’s no friend of mine,” he said •• impetuously. “She has come to take my. place! How could she be my friend? j\. .“You are as quick to jump to conclusions as I was,” said Lord Kenway (ruefully. “Judy.may have come here 'tit her grandfather's Invitation, but, though it looks as though she has ’istepped into your shoes, she’ll step jout quickly enough the moment she has got everything ship-shape. She is going to get proofs before she tjoes lanything. She won’t even confide in me, but I shouldn’t be at all surprised if she brings this thing through and clears you. She's the staunchest little pal that ever a man could have. [You’re lucky, Nick." There was something about Lord Kenway’s face that opened Nicholas’s .eyes. - “Do you mean that you care for my ’cousin Judy?" he .said. “I love her I The old bachelor is (caught at last." Strange, but into Nicholas’s heart Came a very tumult of emotion. Judy, With her purple-blue eyes, and her soft, smiling fade, going to belong to Herbert Kenway! Not that 'he’d a thing against him. He was a decent fellow; probably ten years older than ftudy, but what was that nowadays? ■ ’ And yet the oddest sensation flooded him. He didn’t want it. There Was no gainsaying that. . •“She does not know I care for her fret," went on Herbert Kenway softly. *‘J think your grandfather guesses. I haver thought there, was a girl who Would win my hard, tough old heart, tout right from the start it was all up’ Wjth me.' I am giving a carnival next Friday. She wants you to come.” “Wants me to come to your carnival? The idea! Certainly not," said frflck. . , „ “Why not? She told me to tell you that you would be masked and so no -tone would know.” Herbert Kenway laughed at this. “I said you had too much pride to come that way, but she Beemed to think I was particularly fetupld.- She said: “Don’t you see he’ll be able to dance with Enid," She has got your welfare at heart, old man, She is sure Enid cares for you and that she will regret quite soon and Come back to you. She is giving you both your cirance." ■".\‘He sat quite still for a moment, looking into , space. To go to the Carnlvkl/-to dance with Enid, to hold that slim," siippLe figure in his arms, to look down at her fascinating, exquisite . face, to see the blue eyes, perhaps to kiss once again the upturned, pouting lips! i Strangely /enough, ft did not stir pirn as It might have done.

■ “Thanks very much, Kenway," he feald, curtly, “but I must refuse."

| Befora the Carnival. ' It was the day of the carnival at ' Kenway Court. Nick was aware of she preparations going on on the other eide of the hedge. ‘Men had been putting up strings of coloured lights In the grounds, and Lord Kenway had even had a temporary cable laid down so that each would be lit by electricity. Go to all that trouble for Ct girl I • And yet she was worth it I He regretted that he had been so lunkind to Judy. After all, what had (she done to earn that disdain? He was beginning to think that he had inisjudged her. •' > All the day of the carnival he hated his lot. Nothing pleased him; not the fact that the Alderney’s milk yield had increased, nor the fact that, though eggs were beginning to be scarce, his fowls were laying exceptionally well. It did not please him that two orders * -for fields to be tractor-ploughed had come his way. He could only think Of the evening and Enid dancing in the arms of other men. Enid, who had * been the. star on which he had set his heart. . Half-way through the morning he Was astonished to see Judy come •cautiously through the wicket-gate, carrying a brown paper parcel. She put it on the bench and was about to depart when he called her. : “Good morning, Miss - Warrender," he said, swiftly. Judy jumped so violently that he burst out laughing. “I am sorry for startling you, but If you will come like a thief you must expect to be treated like one. What’s that you haye had brought?" . “Well,” said Judy, “Rapson sent it.” Curiously he clipped the string and undid it. Then he drew out a Harlequin suit, and a little black velvet mask. “Well, I’m blest," said Nicholas. •'But I said I wasn’t coming." “I know," said Judy artlessly. “But / you see I thought perhaps when you heard the music you might change your -mind, and then it would be too late if you hadn't a costume. And I was telling Rapson ever so disappointedly and she is frightfully keen to help you. She suggested that she should send the costume down. And thjsn I thought I would like to bring It myself. Aren't you cross with me any longer, Nick?" “Lord Kenway made me ashamed of that." he admitted. _ “He is a dear," said Judy heartily. *‘l like him ever so much. He is one of the nicest men I have ever come ’ across. I knew if he really understood he would not go on disliking you. . The odd thing about all this, Nick, is that I thought friends stuck to each other through thick and thin. ’ What’s the good of being _a friend in

the fair weather? It’s when storms come that friends are valuable. Do wou know I. think money must spoil a great many things." “How do you mean?” said Nick thoughtfully. “Well, back at the .Vicarage, it would not have mattered what anyone had said about Gilbert, I would not have believed It, because I know him. Then Gilbert’s not rich, he’s just nicely off, of course, but he’s not got piles like grandfather has. You know the poor have compensations, that’s what I’m beginning to see ’’ She sat down on the bench and stared out into the illimitable blue.

“I suppose If we knew everything we should see that God gave the poor faith and understanding. The > rich lose it in making a God of mammon. I have never seen it half so clearly as I have done since I came here.”

“Y’ou are a quaint little soul, Judy," said Nick, beginning to smile. Judy tossed off her serious mood instandly. “I am thrilled about to-night. I have got a lovely frock. I won’t tell you what It is, and then you can,,try and find me. I promise you a dance. Shall I tell you what Enid is going to wear?"

“No, don’t," said Nick in a stifled voice, “I’d rather not know." “You won’t be able to miss her," said Judy. “She is miserable, Nick. She is so restless, irritable. Some day she will see."

“ghe will probably find out when it is too late," said Nick sullenly. “How do you mean?” said Judy, anxiously. “You can’t be too late where love Is concerned. Love lasts, it goes on for ever." “Oh, does it?” said Nicholas. “I am not so sure."

“Do you know, Judy, but I am not so sure that it can live through everything.” He got up and began to pace up and down, his hands thrust into his pockets. “I have always thought that nothing could change my love, and yet, if she marries Roger Bourne, I shall root her right out of my heart. If she can do such a thing I shall know that I am glad and thankful that all this happened." “I should hate to think that love could die," said Judy, clasping her hands in her agitation. “I think love of the body can be killed, Judy, but not love when it includes the mind. There’s a bit of difference." “Is there? Oh dear, it all makes me so miserable. I do pray every night that Enid will find out in time that she is starting on the broad road."

“Why do you bother so much about it?" said Nick, with a shrug of his shoulders. “We are nothing to you, any .of us." “You are my cousin, almost like a brother to me, Nick. And Enid is so beautiful. I can’t say I love her," But I make allowances for that. If I were in her position I should be so miserable that perhaps I should make everyone else miserable too." “I don’t believe that of you, Judy," said Nicholas, firmly. The gamekeeper came in tne other night and told me about you facing grandfather over the traps. It gave him the shock of his life."

. Judy dimpled, and her blue eyes laughed. ’ ••You have made a conquest of your grandfather’s heart. Even in the days when I was in favour I should never have dared do anything like that. You are a plucky little souj, Judy. I am rather glad you are my cousin." He put out his hand in an engaging fashion and Judy took it. “I tell you I am glad of one thing, and that Is that you are friends with, me again," said Judy. “I have been so miserable while you have been cross with me. That day in the market square, you have no idea, I nearly broke down and wept then and there. You’d be surprised how often I have cried since I have come to Harmer House," she added confidentially. “I never used to cry like, that at home." “Things have been pretty hard for you, I suppose? I did not realise it." “Well they are hot so bad now," said Judy, philosophically. '“And the six months is nearly up." “■But don't you see, if grandfather likes you so much you'll have to stay on?" Judy's face clouded.

“Oh dear," she said, ruefully. “I was imagining I was going back at the end of six months." And then something else flashed into her mind and she smiled. “I am not at all sure that I shan't go back," she said mysteriously. “ I say Nick, don’t go up in the air again, but I want you to tel) me something. You know that day in the market square, when you ran out of petrol, and the ducks were quacking?" She smiled, unable to resist it, indeed it had ben rather funny. “■Go on, laugh," said Nick ruefully. “I know I looked an utter fool." “Nothing of the kind, but it was rather fun; you looked so crestfallen. But I am not thinking about that. There was a girl walking past, and she turned and stared at you deliberately. Do you remember her?" “I can’t say that I do," said Nick.

“You must have seen her. There was no'one else just there at the time. She was very smartly dressed, and pretty, in'a'dark, Spanish way." “Now you mention it, I do remember her. What about 'it, though?" he said curiously. “Do you know who she was?" “ No," said Nick.

“That girl Marion Jackson, who said you had been making love to her. Her father went up to Harmer House and made the trouble with grandfather. Don't you see that proves you are guiltless? That some other man was using your name? Oh, Nick, I believe the whole trouble has been that some man has been using your name and doing all these abominable things.” Nicholas stared at her in astonishment. The idea had never struck him before. “But who?" he said, after a moment’s stunned silence. “I haven’t the slightest 'idea, but that’s what I am going to find out. And I will find out, I promise you that." t (To be