THE INTERLOPER, OR A DIVIDED HOUSEHOLD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12198, 17 January 1903, Page 7

THE INTERLOPER, OR A DIVIDED HOUSEHOLD.

By E#HEf ADELAIDE BC^WLAH^Jluto^^^^ikeii'T^*: "Brave Barbara," "A Girls •" -A^lendiivMan,* ' ,; „* ~. "A Kinsman's Sin," « A Wq^m'^ij^^W^'^rf' '[,'*"''

CHAPTER. XXXYL .„ CONCLUSION,

« He was & fool,- as you sail, and he. bored me!' Then, 1 with a shrug of her 'shoulders,' 'theie bad been sbme-misJa'kp; the money was not his, tut. his father's. 1 tried to shake him off., impossible! I told him in plain words that 1 wanted nothing mtnre to do him, but Jie stuck like a ' "l^ecfi. v Hefollowed me everywhere. 1 escaped abroad ; hia iii & small Normandy village. There- were other reasous why, I did cot , wish to remain in Lcndou. ? - * I can imagine them/ said Markley, ; • with'his ioecruca We smile, •fiaon!'. - *He found ihe in this village. lam not a patient, wattmn^ and when I saw that he' was foUrfwmg uire like 1 a dog, I whipped, Jiujr, as dogs are whipned; 1 l)ne nigbt "—her/: defiance ,weat o & ' Jitfle-~ 'we had* scene... . It\was,-outJbn the. cliffs, tm§y wearied-by his .reproaches, I tbrdst'bim aSvay'fromme; A He fell T— ' her, voice wa8 t .niiarse- ncw^-'the cliff was^^sWp. isoh> a'ju*4.h-^ ; ~ ; s plough 1 searched mjself, uotHng was seen of him. £So' — aboianghed'ahar^l laugh — * if you (Want Angus Joslyni you will know l wh6re f .to fincl him. ' He'belqngs to the- |ea j' '-' .".. .- t ' * David* turned and went 'oat of the room ;- he conld not breathe in her pre■ence. This was tbe woman with whom Anne had lived* his fair, sweet, beautiful girl love. This was the woman who had desecrated Anne's horne — his brother's murderess I—an1 — an adTentnresa ! a woman without a hearfc, perhaps without a soul I He went down the stairs, ana he passed- out into the street. How long he was pacing n\, and, down he n^evei 1 knew, bqt *fter some time he saw the "door feptn ; and Markley * came toward

him.-- . - -. There;, waa a look of anguish in Mark-ley's face. ■" lie drew a deep breath, i and took tiff tils hat. «Couie/ be said in his' abrupt way, • we' must get fcack to your father. My j dear chap, I have run up against lots of queer peopje* but that woman is about the worst I have ever encountered. There iacanlj,. one thing . to; be said for her ; she must be mad I' . j 'What if she going to do ?y 'asked David, in a low voice. v- . Martleylßhiugged bia shoulderg. *Hb«ven 'knows ! She baa cut "herself adrift from^Sir Arthur Lombard She is living for' Lance Ardale to* come back to her-;? It is, a curious ...thing, hot a woman, however bold, reckUn^Kea-rQesß.j knd.gtrcßgj. has taljeaya. one .wiait^sppt^ From her -own confession she, treated Ardale like dirt j ;tiow she Uvc3 only for him. * And %b«t other brother ?„ * Cirdelia, J)el fcrigo ? The very, | mention of.' him' brings poison to her lips.; ', Th|£ are not- brother and siater-r-jnst two adventurers,, who* have worked together, worked and failed. She confessed that you were followed for a long time before Erigo spoke to you that sight., ' Your marvellous, _ resemblance to the man who fell oier ihe cliffs struck : them as being: useful. They- knew that jour brother was supposed to be only , missing, and a^ your father was pre-j pared' to spend, money like water, they \ thoughftba^U would be a good bosi«' nessf if you could be utilized to draw { that money. The rooms to which : yquj were taken that night were rooms, wuicn,] hacr,heen occupied by your brother ; the 4 ; clothes that 5 were given you bad been j his. It was s home that he, poor fellow, ; : had prepared for his wife, hoping to in-., stall' her there, and then break- the newslj of bis marriage to your father.* - . ; •All "this is nothing,' said David in aj low voice ; 'the onlyVact. that lean re j member i» that my brother ia dead.f Markley, bow are wer going to tell this; to my; father?' , j

A s tbe, hours' passed, and hex fathW mad£ no sign, , showed no longing' forj knowledge of -his. , wife, Anne'a heart! grew more tranquil, - , j After Mrs Darter had gone eh'e wan-. dered about, thinking. overall, the good soul had 'told her. It pained her veryji mnch to heir that Lance Arda'le was- , suffering, and the knowledge- that he* craved for, some kmd word from ber^i touched Her. She felt that she under-, stood now what mast have really passed between him and Brigida. , Though she knew that h-s had not been what tW world calls a good man/stiil he appealtd to her 'then, as was only natural, her thoughts drifted to tbtffc other man — ' the man she loved. As she t walked restlessly to and fro in the, old ball, she painted to herself a picture of her^love story, and ,she confessed to.betseJfthatherheflrt'had been drawn from her bythe very first notes, that had esbrfped^aVi'd's .throat that bygone summer evening. ' it Was such ' a strange story, with none ol the conventional points about it ».(yet,jAnne's love was, ii«posribiey*ftlMhergreater on

this accoonn \ - ■ A r -f It n&k growing late, and. David bad genfc no-.tnesßage ; t sjie d# not know, whether he would come, as be bad said be wonld. She. almost feared that jibQ .wonS/'tfdji «[^e him till tbe ; morroir She remembered with tenderpe|s' "«|H tb»t,wt/B passing, with him, the,>caow^ . ledge that he was her eqaalfilled bee • ' with vjftide^; not that her tore would have been touched, bat becante she knew it .made thd; easier to buddeoly, as she was mounting the stairs to go back 16 her father's room, she heard the sound of wheels, and she

knew.tbat herlovei*- waß/draw,ing<near.. ,In h?t : whiteViobe, ''ojie of her o!d gow4S4'sbVwen^t6 §tftnq jn the!entrance, and as tie : ,ca^ \ stopp,f J: lani* • David aiitrbfed .from, it i'shs. hifld .oot, both , her hands to-him^ l i- » ■--* ..-»'*» '-•• !w •■'

"'* V?clcom& t^parest^ she said..' She drew him m k'sl. pj^etl. \the door, and there alosje thejr; ■st^s^for, a i^cjftient, resting in a' qujfit «mbr^c|; V \\ M "- v < Lcanaat .ro^aVUng/ said David, ' but I have so. imock toUfrll •yon:-1 could not rest tit^lbadcanae.' r ' T«U ras'al.V Said A'nnV Boe led him tuXo' , tlje .^inn'e'r , htll'-iind 1 * ' put j himMji^ ; h§^/f*t^er;*^fiiirpqnt6 chair. :He cQnj^nof spe^^or ja.ttme; he ;coold only. loatoai^ft l i^;,; 1 ; ,]■*. * ; , 'AN mj^. princess,' i ',he- said,}. half fsadjyV 'Vthis' is what^-I-ffiave-valwaya ; pidtored you ! TBis^iidme belongs to i you . ; , J«j,.js i youp % . bat- ft* k^eiais to (divide !u3. '.. 1^ '^''1 •'/•,-■ V- " : 1 : Qms rt?^asied r An\iel ..'; She stood bfside bim'aocfc etretohed onth^n-hand. ' she sSifl,,* then : I will gte&y B&yftf6&siysho> i*± 'You ; must nptqv^n thinJ^ thing*!," she | 1 wefit^i./quicki^^^^^e^love^ j ! thajT- is snvigh'in 3?*%.' #*| a ,W - tliat I you bave?to telfcuje^V i: , * ( »,.^ :^U is a 4 fii*y stof^f * said, .David,;. arms Hoked,j (th«y paced to and whH^ h* the'«tory of the dnj {' bt lEftrafig©' yk s.iiiple wfj'm.w / ttidn' i .; l .hi^fith.eV BW'fotirid bis brother,, \&xi(f of "thj9 { gr^a^ gre^t'nappiness .that fiiled hi^^iher's.heari, marred only by : the foatr.t^atJbngus, though restored when'-alaiosfc on- the iTerge of tbe'graVe, wbn?ls riev^ bsianythittgr but a VvrVchr.of'niS J srait>r'"»e\t $ and ; 'tben' he ; s^ Q f $$m? f :'\ *;'["'"* {'§&& bas,gohff h 9U^ "<jfjsP*F {%& ev^r,' -Mmfri- it-gro%ja«iat'4rijf *jo& forget her.* MxA t ?f-t? f -t ? •»!' ;• ■ , *A r s^i3fe^ r^^^rfAnu&^vdTace: x .-*! ar^aot^mkint-'df'myserf^ she sat^l 4 >'«' W^ath*er 1 he r sh^-ifeW foirfyf .; r ; J . ; : •Then & Vffi^vtf J # b/^thja .trofttt*,f<B^y tPvfei^.f i^r*^"^?^ 1 - 1 ? ; that •tha^womahi'.bft mar tied ti^inpt hisi wrfe*' s hrit?'lthS'-^lfei^ myi;urrfortonate'< brbfcher": 1 "'- •" "'.*«. f , ,-io^nnffji*. l r'. • •You artf W b !<fcrrg*to leav^ni3 so! sqpiv/; *A,niie. sai(l|j«s^e turaed,^o s lo.ok ' ati they clocks a:d^»»w. V> ■Hrn-vzuAj'^ . * I am going' back to Westpor£? >%p.-\ m^m^ I he^aa^ded^isertr. £jM«teley ; and I^* feJtfotfveiy far &w*y frpm. you, ;rWSeaf'?6he;nMnd Anne Bhiverecu___^ • Wh> ddT^tlnawrani:^ find him :*; ahe asked. - ~~" — v / Ohjolfit D|mogo,*G«aia»^ne ; am : B*fti.iKMT. i lietihiaai,gQ;f B*ej£ji*> mv oWhM},"ytiltft yo« l/tfudSmyi4adi»l-^-L-can o te4'-4H "I no and tben^he |?t t te«Sbooi: Th f e^tA? ouW . meet again on the morrqw^a^d »atter t^a't? kWWsaty (tnitifa\BK-~ /Ulieraj^wpuld. be-bWerat to "dlaifii'hiba-Tih'is.fataer would n^-jluf l^.bU .%&t\%mifo& -I*rother w^4^eg; f h)mr%f A'^ie waS^tent,; fPS sKe, t^owihat^^'r.C. always be with'her. " ' '/tf«tf . a '' 7^ V>'- ' •'' '•Jtixl/UM yAOo^«— -asi V ' „ Watper l %^rk l '^o^\Q'pi'Uys at •^4l^r^>#*f^ '^ibental one.rgie'^ A ti> fe«p' t ftl!?fe|Ho' B AOM* bas gtv.en!fhißKthe. i^fprmai^njtjjat^Ji© man had rritecded'ta cVoas Itojthe, Continent from< / We%tpirtJ bat Us i the- bo^ts .only ran ihfe? ; times i a r! 'w^9ic, .they^bttfc been They trafi^ctt, %s>,&*s*»* ; H« h»d ! fiistibeen U[r)gida &. jewels into^mrme:yA. |tayed/ at cine of tf.e ti>stdp, but rtLatloha the) Ids^tfac^-'df^iifr-^he feid^faqte-left by t&aW^^ 7o^rß«V^rf9Bd to ha^e-police assistance,, ' fiP Vifn^ed to d^li^%-tlve mfajr% Jf / •/,, ■ j I iSYoflj sh^giT^T hig%j%.gdod : hurseHe snidfiWisßavid^, fam then wi&'feU bUn'^-hira 6Ver. to jtheipalic©.' • I D^id r ohW^mirea;rr/-Now>that Anne all Ufa fcwltiptw Ufrjtiß.jmhtfß coudAtiouj.ani^osriy h'adno; deeper! roots i»'his heart ftl&nvVtorferK Bat ' Pau! i Marklef w'asa*^agett tp>bat.chtthe or.an as a cat is to catch a*ffiittM o''Bb bad bkloWWs eyeß : >thd ; ifa««r>.f»fo poora Angja JdslVh^a* 'hfe had^secfa Mvaxmvried; to th« traio, accompanied by his fattier 'and brbone^ ffi^m^ r ; . ill? ,remerabgred,4Qo,. J hqw jyayi^Lwte.r &&h}po\iQ&]lbh)4rs}Bs & '{$& W same ■ town,- vrben^ tbtpughj ;Gardella'6 itffawiy; the young feiidw^ihad beeuieduccd almodt •^ ; &{arvftUoh',!r.aiid b&ihad bw pa^^npa r/; \ ., f (V;..,( V ; . ., ♦1 am' gomg'ba^c^o/^dwOi':ijo annoUilced .abrtip^yt'On iheceveriiing.pf tt»e second day ; *-wil^ yba coma with me V VutiH shopk'Ms >head,', \\ / 5 \ $ y . ' No : I must* be- near L arching ton. AthknwMmW BS fatfeer-is s better, bot-fiheh^ one great-grief,, .is in itself, 100, a.Ua!pp|n^BV<j^ l |bugli lie will live, Sir Arthjac'a m\n^^ blightei; be d»y,5, ... He m&ji*mwm}*%mk j ho^ only. wafttsjWft giflr^hf^mnv^P-' I'aferee- with the ..rectc*|V »dd«Ji-Dayid ; •* thai this ■» the(4«6^t hlbg, fp Vthtip »y that co%ld h»ve happen<fl«j' r /be*' Anno 5 16V«8 nVui so mach,;she S&im ftjmt.BVs^ our eyes. Markley nodded his head. ♦ Well you go your way, which is loveV way, and I will go mine. Truth

I to^l^oslyn^thajb^omsn'a^co haunts .passing witli her. ,„... l < \ < ivr.iilot. •■:» ) • ",'H i-'.J). '«"? V* P'.(V/ > Tl^waa nofc"untiL.long> afterward, that u leameft the'^totyF4>MiNgida?s.^nd It was her husband who told itf J td! her as they sat one snmme^efpiibfe i ,on :^Kai6' 1 portion of tbe beach_wW«b^be{ouff6V as 1 privato proriesy^) ~^c> f 'jli^ro^ng|op.'' j Dttjiid told it to hfr vejy«^er/t)v vi £oj(l:j her?!how;-o Wheu^ JPaulf Mauley '. b#d I ' reached those lodgings ' thsrtiT riigh't/ he ' had found Biigida sitting by '"Ihdi^atblb as though asleep, "while '; beside* her ; was ! an op>n telegrara,,^|iVh^iii^!arJ(3jady'of tbe boose bad receive^ irpm the co t ttdgo. hospital, statmg^hat ; Lan2e- Ardale^wus dead. - -*- -„-<! f ' in I-: *~ jGreijtly aa he phfr-iVfft was! inot/posV •»ilje for Anne to bea^bflifctmVwoni&n< wli'a had bep'nr so alf*irb3 n r>jP hfr "lather/ sJiHfild 1 bav^^Ssafed -aWay ' Tro'iiU'life in such &'s*%s i£kh(Mj jfe&ifc&iil not surprise- her,'" r fo i r r °eyil' r aS ?sße*^iiew 'B'n-, «>ida to be, ,sbe .fen r e«;.afao.Mi«t . she^as n. woman vUe"" . such a woman found r would be preferable;^ lif^'aiid f&a «be wonld essily-de'Str-by.'het'Self.-f' 1 ' ' •'■''■ ' H^fe young. htisband aad/iWifeididtnoV dwell too lon^ f i6ii ! tbis''Bad matter, bnt tliey talked 1 : ma,hy 'cfthei' 4 thibgsas they 'wendea^hejr^a^^bac^; § &£*s£. iogto^f Thejfe tWioaf^n'cs of Angus^fa^^^ta^j||^ ( »er, lv Qt ? ,t^, wQnderfarch«a^2apKht < feiQq|p9fß^Q 7 t^r t« Mci by those >sim pie :jNxsjßßi*ni«Jy«fi6h^ - ir>z?, ipe.aple; t 'bf ? hifttmajyejlous ;rescu^ >and *if his strange ye&rmng *to; cross the seas hack to bia homo, ~ : l^ i ; ii * l i 1 - i::r 5 > ' And ,tc^ thiuk -that' 1 * jbo* [40^46 should have tfeen to^tTfapf iftaJC^iglrft;; how strange life is 'sbm'e|Tu^f«; )~-.v%< i i . Then David laughe^ Vi \\^f { *Anne/ he said Y thiip >ya«^fla%^ A h^f^ye ,h^al lep/nj r %e*-\ j :-|: -| Yf * I saw it a longtime ago,' said Aune, Jeruarely. * Lncy?s;«quietvlittA'Ki.'iVßays have eompletelT-fa-Al»Mt^d> ! bfnbi r h am *o glad 1 I fihouL-hiileiisll^lie^wo'fld'td bxf «a happy !: "Dear'fS,^ l ltliiak I will run on now j s«i hj-d, and \sill vraj^Via«t.'tV, ;d -/ ■ "^-' ■*, .Qlq£ *sajd Dayi^ v . -, v , - . rV%o|roti^^int /v|tii tUe #wifto«a3 pi^il^i'ioud^ije'.^irojied on iv the niooniigb ti, <derfp.iins Ihoug^htt N^4veu"|fetha^^e'^owniacai^yfiied t-Ae w^H3*^ J c%ng|^Jbisr^ ! t^n ! c) 9; 1 Barely •A-'v?^* '«^q, "']&^'wA' > to : fiTOi st'lf, ' I<jvjt&].bkmslQ3s friendless, penntles^^'aW^'dw I baye^ a father, brother j i t *Hrttngf rtbatrAOjM^jme^j ii x . doubfe j^hia all f -;?'*> ,v/ftl'>f"^ .x>oO7/Joyl f 'l •. \:"--iW. He^paused^in, Bis "walk closetb "the incline down which was tho path to tho caves. '•-;'• . ' . .■: \ t : * It was ( here that "she came to me fitst, like the angelsoi is. Shall I ever ; forged roy first feeling as I looked vcsward jiiid i sa^'liei?Tfe6e?'^ or f «A4moß^t aaccbaniciaUy'/ David turned K : rw^yjtl|rj>u;g[h the ; ui«lef growth down toWplJjMve. Italfway he paueed at.d st ruck a ligbt. ' ' l '' "• •'' 1 Aserjaioly f pur. 'love ,was cralled' in rj.ovi^de,' jite .mase^, r ,an^ then £? rjent| fcrjivaird, and a -strange ex pfeasion swept' a r jss his face.. Hastily striking an6tl er; mai^bV lie^'descendtid still further andi v&'fdd mi& the cave; A huddle/l figure l*y;< t ajtbQ ground. „r . ( Wish'j'a' bearc that bea;tiii<srv,oris]y, DaVfd advanced, bent over th|a %n>e,j aud then. recoiled. Uwasa dead^nfiran he wasipbkirig at, and wastcfd aud.a-wliil aa tiki dead .ace looker^ he recognized it jri^fi glance' as f that of tte miu-^for' whoya and 4 he, badiSpught, and; f ou'giit in vain. —^^ „ There muslb have been, :so!n<v terrible «}.'&titution, some;' terrible experience writtenin those few months ; he sha before him a ragged and forlorn "crerture. WJjfit had passed! with CardeUa. wcnld never bje'/kniowh*.;'' lie'niri3t 'h'ay'ff been rednced,tQthe f iowßijt^cpt]is before, death had' cogqo to him. Ann^sJl^sKfth^l/^rned, and moved' npward^with a faat-beating heart. There w«re^ tears in. hfs eyes. Ho was so !\tt|ipy himself, lie conld not look upon ytieb a sight and, bad as the man, had- been, and richly, as be had ♦Jwerfed. punishment, there tUing s pathetic' in the thought ibat he had' 'toogbt a last haven in this old ♦i shall not tell her ?Dt,'' David said to tiinHeif i 'sbe,J>aJ gone, through so jnuch, anli sffe^ HM. r* so iftueh abont h'»r father— bravely as she bears it — ihßJjrl nius6 tell her this,; To-oiorrpw she leaves v»*ith her father for our viaifc /o 'PrUde A.bbey. I will ui&\tb J sam<i' r eWbse to'r«main behind. ftjid, with- Mr MoUille's help, give that p of fallow all the care ho now needs.' ' Wneri ik reached tho 'housed Anne was waiting for hint, '* ' £ ( Hoksl6wly you hav^' walVed T 'she mix), , as ' jshe nested' cfose to him, ' D*d is, asleep,, and t the. rector is here fwra game of whijafr.*, , , • .The night was so beautiful, I did not o«r& to- leave ft,' ' David arruwerod,' as-he '.(^hV'her lo.him ; • bnt we must go in; Uoiiie dearest !' ' ' .