FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16680, 1 March 1920, Page 8

FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.

BY MADAME ALBAN ESI. (Author of “Susannah and One Other,” “The Young Man from the Country, “The Glad Heart,” “Capricious Caroline,” etc.)

CHAPTER XyiL It would ho impossible to set down in adequate fashion tho condition ot Nesta’s mind and heart after that interview with Jerome Arnold. She felt humiliated in a, manner that was almost unbearable; but worse even than the humiliation was the pain. For almost unconsciously she had grown, to care for John Lessingham. Listening as she had listened day after day, hour after hour, to her old dead friend’.s loving remembrance of this young man, becoming acquainted with him through the medium of his letters (which Sirs. Leith always read out to he,r), it was so natural that a sympathy should have sprung to life in this girl’s heart, a sympathy which had token on a deeper, a newer significance when she and John had met.

Though the woman’s pride had rebelled 1 against the suddenness of their marriage, against' the mere suggestion that she should havq been made John’s wile, perhaps against the man’s sense of what was riglit, yet it would have been impossible ror any young creature placed as- she had been placed not to have responded to the note of romance which this unconventional marriage hud conveyed. And in these lateri days, when she had been waiting in the old farmhouse, there iiad been many times when her heart had thrilled at the thought of John’s coming and of their future together. The advent, therefore, of this stranger, this third person coming into their life in such a cold, matter-of-fact way, was a dreadful blow to tho girl. vSho never doubted that Arnold had been sent by John. How could she? Ho was too well versed in tho situation. He spoke like one who knew everything, and had beep confided in. There had been a ■ note in his manner which Nesta had quickly caught and as quickly resented. Miriam had hovered round tho girl, hardly able to repress her curiosity, alter Jerome Arnold had gone away. She was devoted to Nesta, yob she symbolised to the girl in this mpment the attitude of the world; and Nesta shrank almost with physical pain from tho mere suggestion that her nasty mairiage might be discussed and judged—her position in John’s life he made a subject of gossip and comment. “I must get away,” she said to ; herself. fiercely. “I can’t stay, here.” •• Miriam waited a long time, and then at last could contain herself no longer. “And when’s the master coming?” she asked. “What’ll you he doing, my dear?”

Nesta paused only an instant, and then she said, deliberately; “I have to go to London. I want you, Miriam, to travel with me, then you will go as we arranged to your cousin’s, in Shropshire ; ■ hut I' want to got away from here quietly, Miriam. I don’t want anybody to know that wo arc going. Oh! can you manage this for me, manage, it so—so that’ivo just disappear and leave no trace?” If there was one thing that Miriam loved better than another it was the idea of. a mystery. “You leave it to me,” sho said, eagerly—“l’ll do it all. I’m glad you are going to your husband, my dear, though I do think he might have come up to have fetched you. And who was yon fine gentleman who turned up to-day—a lawyer I’ll ho thinking? And did ho tell you what had happened to blaster John—what the something was that has changed everything for him?” “Yes,” said Nesta, very quietly. “He told mo, but I—but I can’t toll you', Miriam—l can’t tell anyone.” “Oh, I’m asking no questions,” Miriam answered, lightly, though, of course, she was very much disappointed : but the mere suggpstion that she had to use’ her woman’s wirs and arrange a departure in secret was so

attractive that for onco she lot hor curiosity go unsatisfied. ’ The journey to London was a source of the greatest excitement to old Miriam, who had never been south in hor life. She plied Nesta with questions, which the girl answered evasively for the most part, but Miriam quickly gathered that though her young lady was going to London there was no immediate plan of her joining her husband; in fact, as they drew) nearer and nearer the terminus the old woman began to bo greatly troubled. “I’ll not be leaving you, my dear. I thought that you were goiny to join the master, but if you are going to be by your lona self, what will yon do?” “You shall stay with mo a day or two,” Xosta answered, “but after that I think it will be better for mo to bo alone.” Then she opened her heart to Miriam a little bit. “You know that])r. Cuthbert has always been very anxious that I should have expert advice about my eyes. Just before wo lost hor—poor darling!—he was urging me to come to London and put myself into the care of a great oculist. Ho arranged everything, and gave mo the address of rooms’; but when the time came to go I couldn’t leave Mrs. Leith. She wasn’t lit to come with me, so I remained as I was; but now, Miriam, I must try and get my silght. I can’t he helpless all my life. I—l want to bo quite sure that there is a chance for mo before—-before I join my husband.” “I’ll stay with you as long as you like, Miss Nesta,” Miriam said, “though Heaven knows it’ll ho a strange thing to he shut up in this kind of place. Why, how do the people live, and breathe? Oh! look at the fog over the tops of the houses. It doesn’t seem as if the sun would ever shine here, Miss Nosta.” “1 will let you stay just two or three days, but after that 1 must hi; alone. Oh! don’t be afraid; 1 shall be quite all right. I daresay I shall have to go into some home or institution for a time, and I couldn’t possibly leave you to live in London lodgings by yourself."

Miriam-agreed to this at once. 'ln fact, when they finally readied London, and wex-e standing on the crowded platform, tlie old servant found herself clinging to her young mistress, and al--1 though she led Nesta along it was really tho young woman who supported her. When they were, in a cab driving through tho streets Miriam began to cry. “Oh, deary me!” she said, “hut this is a dreadful place. Where is Master John? He should have been here to take care of you. My heart misgives me, Miss Nesta; it seems to mo we’ve done a foolish thing.” The old woman's trouble and weakness called up all Nesta’s courage, and though her a>vn heart was* sad and sorrowful enough she exerted herself to be cheerful and give all-encouragement to ono who loved her so dearly. She had remembered the address of. the lodginys which Dr. Cnthbort had spoken to her about, and after a long drive they found themselves at last in a very quiet square. Good luck, was with them, for some rooms wore to be had at tho address, and in a little while Nesta was lying on a sofa, and Miriam was fussing about making tea and giving vent to. exclamations of surprise and disapproval at every turn. After a long, sleepless niglxt Nesta rose with tho, intention of at once apprcmching the oculist. The sale of the farm had given her a little money, so that she would be able to pay for her treatment, unless, of course, it should be terribly expensive. Hut she felt convinced that Dr. Cuthbert must have fully explained her position and her case to this celebrated man; anyhow, she was resolved to make every effort to got back her sight. Though all was so grey and so hal’d-for her to bear, she felt that she might pluck up spirit again if only she could lose the sense of. being a burden-on others. Miriam was too exhausted to accompany her to tho oculist; but the landlady of the rooms—a very nice woman —expressed herself as ready and more than willing to accompany Miss Gilmore; Sho was an old acquaintance of Dr. : Cnthbort’s, and that constituted' a link to Nesta.

The oculist only kept them waiting a very little while. Apparently Dr. Cuthbcrt must have aroused his inter-

est in Nesta’s case, for he seemed to be fully aware of all the circumstances attached to it, and at once expressed his desire to take her in hand. When the question of money was approached ho put this on one -side. ■ ‘‘The matter will go through Dr. Cuthbcrt,” ho said; ‘‘and 1 have.no doubt we shall arrange things very satisfactorily. In the meantime, yours is such an unusual case that I am disposed to take it up purely on that ground.” , Ho then dictated the arrangements. Nosta was to go at once to a homo which was under Ids supervision, and the treatment would probably bo a. very lengthy one. ■ Part of the time, in all probability, the girl would be sent out •of London. •. Without hesitation Ncsta accepted all the conditions imposed upon her; and as she drove homo she felt her heart thrill with a sense of hope and joy in the thought that the darkness which veiled all the world from her might at last be lifted. Her next task was to get Miriam away from London. She received the greatest help and kindness from the woman in whoso house sho was living, and by the middle of the next day poor old Miriam, weeping a very Hood of tears, wits driven to the station and put into a train and live out the rest of her life with some of her relations who had offered her a home. So in the simplest way, and yot in the surest, Nesta. had taken herself out of all chance of being traced, although each timo she trembled lost she should be found and he. called upon to bear what now would bo to her the greatest mental suffering—-a meeting with tho man sho had married. The cold burden which lay on her heart would have been lifted from her. no doubt, if sbo could have realised that in those hours ill which sho thought so easily to hide horsolf John Lessingham was searching eagerly in every direction for some duo to her whereabouts. (To be continued.)