ROAN BARBARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12900, 10 February 1906, Page 2

ROAN BARBARY.

(Continued.)

Paysant sat at the desk in the office when Cicely threw open the -door and quickly entered. "Back so soon?" he said, looking up. "I didn't expect you for hours." " Y«s," she answered, listlessly. "I hope you had a pleasant time!" he continued.

" I had a wretched, awful, horrible time," she replied, "and I only wish that I had never gone." " I am very sorry," he said, gently. " I am dreadfully unhappy," she continued, seating herself on the edge of the table; "I .anay even bs heart-broken. I don't know: . But -wliy are you ■up ? You know .'I should nevef. iaye allowed you to- wait for- me." . • . ; -' " I have not 1 stayed tip for that reasotn—wholly." he replied.. She remembered what Johnstone had told her, and now she blamed herself that in the excitement of her departure for .the ball she had given so little heed to what he had said. " It- was business, then ?" she said, anxiously. " Ther6 is something important?" " Yes," he replied; " there is something new." "And it is bad?" 6he demanded quickly. " Isn't, it always ?" "Yes." she said, desperately. "But what is it this time ? Is it very bad ? 'II am afraid it is very bad indeed," he said, _ almost with a groan. "I am afraid it is the worst—the end." " "What do you mean " she asked, breathlessly. " The mortgage—" he be^an. " Oh, the mortgage!" she sighed, desperately. ''Yes." he said. "You know what, trouble Crofton has always mode about it ever since it came into his hands, and now he is foreclosing." "Oh, why did you let m? go to that ball?" sbe cried. " I should have been here with you." "You know what a foreclosure means?" he asked, wearily. "That the place will be sold, and that Milnes Avinger will buy it, and—and it will be destroyed forever." " I did iiot tell you sooner." he said, "for I hoped that something could be done. It. is no use—"

" But the place can't be sold—shan't be sold !"' she cried. " Where should we go?. What should we do?"

""I don't know," .answered Paysant,. helplessly, turning this handsome, sorvonr-' ful eyes upon-her. : " hard;" he sighed. "I kave lived here s6lofag." " And I have been iereraft-xoy iife," she | said. -"Can't we do something"?" ' "I am"afraid not," he replied. "I have tried ip. every way I could to the money: 'We are perfectly powerless. There is only one person who could possibly have aided us. Treloar—" " Oh, : don't speak of- himshe commanded.

'"He might have let us have some money." ' t '■■ . "I am so thankful that you.never asked. If you had, I should have, dibd of shame n9w. ,! She 1 sank on the floor, and, lean-., ing her arms on a chair,-let her head fall upon tlieinV ■ ;-

• said Paysimt,' in a startled tone. " '"I shall never see him again. I never want-to hear his name again. -He is bad, and cruel, and—yes—l am broken-hearted;" "What has happened?" r He doesn't care anything about. me, and he never-did;' -He has just been amusing himself—flirting— and he i 6 eiio**S®d to Pauline Musgrave, and' the^r' are going ft}; ,]je married-^-an'd-^-and—" , ' i-. Gifeely ; did not finish the sentence, but sobbed /ontriglit. ■ ' j. " "You imekn to say,"' said \Paysant, rising, that he has been triflinir with youtiat he.ls'false?" " j .

jT; . cried. .Cicelyj " r J'.or I wish I' himbut I" can't—l- canft, and that's . the worst pf- 'it.": . ] " : j straightened 'himsplf ) I. don t know what world may J be now," hesafcl, .with his grandest air, "Jjiit was.,a time wEen a man would iiave. jbeeh. obliged to answer very directly, for such conduct." -. • \ .

h e tramped upand ipem ia. violent v- -IT; bo. Sone—there's nufunfg "iao w a v .g«iie .. witty <!he .petite &asibeeii v Wcustoojed to-Jjve^.;'.didn't- knW' the rates."- ''■ •" - jf • • Aiid she looked up for a moineßt, smil&ur j sadly.., *! 5, He- should be made to remember," threatened Paysaut. i ; Ea idi» c aml-springing-up. and going 6® him, she ptit h?r ann through his, causing, him t& pause m his walk.''You must never tbinfr of this again," and 1 wilt forget it—as soon as I can." Her vpice sank and broke a little with the last words, but in an instant she went on, biavdy. " Now we must talk about business/" she resumed', briskly. "You thfnk there is no hops ?" " ■ i " ivene," lie replied. " Even if we had the money it irvigto be too late now. The sale is at Bellanw.ut at nine to-niorrok." Glancing at the clock, where the hands pointed to a quarter jjftQr. four, '• At tjiqo this morning," he corrected' himself.- ■; J "At Eell;u:iont ?" she murmured. evi : • dently without ranch thought of irhat feUe was saying. : (' . way^'lleld v af ctrahtyfHofcn.l and itfhe

auction will begin at th* court-housei; at ItelkinfVat ja a few hours. We shall Have to leave . ] "liur." she ?aicl, . throwing- her ahns about his neck, " we still have each other."' Neither of them noticed, Mjonis,., jcvho had 'Entered quietly, 'and now couched [discreetly. ; " If you please he be^an, ""Morris," exchuined Cicely, U _whut i me you doing- here?"' Tf you please, miss" Morris continued. " he's much w.:rst, and getting weaker i verv minute/' "VThn';" nslcatl Cicely. "Oh. 1 f hnd fo? 'j-'ittvn. T'-f ? litis been «■> nvu-U. • It's Miel-nel Than*." f-ho exphuncd "> her f::'her. ,'"1 wcr.t f> .<••»? i "'n ht?c:'".se f bwd 1.e., whk W:r>. hrJ 1 hU M.airs to t:ike t'si'e of I him." '»■" " l - 1 .

"Michael Tharp!" said Paysant, frowning. "If it had not been for him—" *' Yes," interruptpd Cicely. " but we must not think of that now."

"I think he'll not last much longer,' continued Morris.

"Then why did you come —why did you leave him?" demanded Cicely. " I wouldn't at first." responded Morris. " I argued the matter out with liim, but he couldn't see reason. He was weak, but he was obstinate, an* I had to give in. I didn't think you'd want me to go against his last wish an' desire." "He wanted something?" said Cicely/ " Nothing will do him," said Morris. " but he must see some of the family. He won't die fiasy untH he does, and lie sent ane to bring you." - j "I ' _go," exclaimed Cicely. - " Wo; can't xfefuse a man who is dying." J " Cicely,,*aid .Paysant. u this as ;-almost too preposterous." ~ ' j " What 1 think," said Morris. "is just this, that he's, got something o» his mind. It would be a Christian act. miss, to ease his conscience, an' it would send, him off more comfortable like." " I will come at once," said Cicely. u But at this hour!" urged Paysant. " I must surely accompany you—" " I'll be all right with Morris," said Cicely, " but I must dress—" "There's no time to loss-, miss," Morris remonstrated. "He was sinkin' fast when I came away, and if you're to see him alive you must come now." " It's ruined already," paid Cicely, glancing down at her ball-dress, "and I don't care what becomes of it Yes, I will go just as I am."

" Cicely—" cried Paysant. " Papa," she said, " i can't listen to you. It's only kindness. If we are in trouble we must not forget everyone else." "Then I will go too," he said. "No," she answered, hastening out of the room. " I must hurry, and you never could be quick enough. Please," she said, pausing at the door, "I know. I am right." By daylight Tharp'a cabin was squalid; at night, lit. only by one candle,, it appeared a sinister place. Long shadows lay on the floor, stealthily creeping along, j or climbing up the walls,- seemed to i bend ominously over. And everywhere in the black corners, there were possibilities of things unseen, threatening, imminent; while over all lay the horror or some unapprehended- change, unavoidable and - resistless". , • . t -

; eicely. foliowing' Morris, softly entered the room:

" ■ " He's living still;" the groom whispered, | as he-approached the bed and beat orer.i tlie dying man. | Cicely drew her wrap more closely about her and slightly shuddered. He old woman, who had been asleep, was awakened by their 6ctrauce, and now. gazed at her with momentary terror, but, quickly satisfied, nodded her head towards the bed, and then shook it slowly and with gloomy significance. ""He's failing fast," said Morris in a hoarse", low voice.

lliarp stirred uneasily, and weakly opened his eyes. "I've done it," said Morris to him. Tharp looked at him questioning]?. "I've brought her—she's come," said Morris, pointing to Cicely. Tharp's eyes' languidly" strayed in the direction indicated ; then seeing Cicely, his strength seemed suddenly -to come back. "Yes, yes," he. muttered. "I remember; I sent for you, and you have come."

~."Is there, anything I can-do for you?" asked "Cicely.'. .. "Yes," lie "yes; but we miust.be alone. Go," he said to Morris, and then to the old woman,' " Go." Morris: did not stir, iand the old wommr did not appear to hear. ' "Go, I say," he commanded with sudden violence.

Morris locked at; Cicciy, who bowed Jber hea>d assentingly. / "I don't- half like it, Miss Cicely,", he grumbled,- -.as ; he moved away; " but."2*ll stand close to the door. "Come, old ladyy" lis continued, " just wake up for a minute." i - Tharp,". with;, jealous eyes,. watched; the > doied-'Tieidnd! 'them. ; s .y

i - uGJcely- tookapie >atod tbw; paused: - Ths ;)Caa3le,, bqnung; lowv Sad been, left- with a long, '.cttsfog- trick;; abfeT* xvhichimouQted' , a gteat flaring, flickeringended in «. swaying spiral of liJack, £po£e~ ; By; Tth'e" fellow-. glare ah? saw lliarp raiseliimself tin "his elbow. X ou »" wid—" to jnnj too cine ixere^wlietfl : wza. lying." - •* '' *•'< ■' s

»* —s* He .patted for a moment. "I nefer thought to bring myself to it," be went .on, weakly; " bat- if .it must be, I'd rather it was'you than another. Yon, didn't forget me, ond l haTeat' forgotten you; not that it would seem that my rememb'iunce* 'would' bo itforth the having. But who knows—who knows? They called me a beggar, but there was another name would have suited -Qie better. ' I borrowed money from your faihfer,- and I never paid Ixim back. There"was Teasoo for you to hate me. but you came. The money didn't keep you. Not that I would have blamed you if it li;ul—f-cr money's o good thing* a very good Jthirig. ■ C'ome- doner." he . wgnt ;>n, beck fill ing* t(i J her,; " Do; you see that board?" and "the that had signet! ,hev to apprrfich* indicated a' 1 «pot in the wo*-d ilcor. /"Tako it tip —take it up." . t As C'u-ely hesitated. tiemlJing She cloak slipped from her -shoulders, and she stood in her bail splendour, a strange figure in that strange place. "'.What' do yon fear?" he asked, imj> : '' tiently. "What can harm you "Take it up. I say. You can do it <ensUy." Cicely moved, towards the coiner t«i which he had directed her. and di pped on her knees beside the plank to which he had parricidal iy pointed. " 'that's it—that's it," lift' exclaimed, hr.s-1 kiiy. " Xniv lift ir- up." Tnsfrting her finders in the wide '-nick., Cioely • g'-asned Ihe board, and with an efl'orr vai>o.l it fiom its position. There--!" t:'.e left." Vi": ! !i a C i' -'ly ln<;.iiy p">u j : hn»;:i iu!!>. iiie.. dj-vk, an !V* [atosg tho beam. ;.Jn.a inomeat, she touched .M£ok.- . jjea ••••

the paper wrapping of a p.ucd. "V«u've found H," lie exctaimod. his eye* brightening. "Bring it hcje." Cicely <liit as .she was bui. and deposited oil the htd the bundle she luii ju>-" drawn from liic hole. Uurp *-ct2crl it eagerly, .and wilh IremV ling iiiigcis undid tlie -Mrirg that tied nfce package.

| " Here they arc," lie .Niid. " -foilß" ] And drawing back the paptr. ht showed j her various piles neatly banded. " 1 didn't I pay your father—no. He thought 1 hadn't the muncy—they linught* 1 todr/t ticmoney ; but I had—l bad. on3y 1 couldn't let it go from me. He never tried U> get what was his, because he believed that il was a beggar and that it waw no cue. I But he-was mistaken. ,iad tou *hi3J i<ave it now-, since itV no use to ia any Jitnjtr. t See ijonr many at them there are—aJj I owed him. " and lie stcjiticrej ujc mi wi j dirty bundlts over the bed; and :h*a' again gathering them together. he held l-ietn ; out to Cicely. "Take them." he | " they are yours. I couM n<»i give tbesn up before—they were u*> much *<> tnv: ; they were my life; and now—" H;s arms trembled, and his hosd* 3o.*inc their foroe. the mosey fell in a heap cp :: :be floor. "It's all.*' he tnuuend. weekly.! "They were my life." * ; And as if. indeed, there had "jeen 1 connection between the tnnscy and that, life, and the' I<j*k of one had implied ""it loejt of the other, the a;iser .t&ak supinely: upon the bed. "Morris! Morris"" .shrieked Ciceiy. ■ starting back as >he saw- the .awful that transformed the face - f the man he fore her. ■

In an iastant. Muni* w.« -nt s-er a;<3«.; but a glance at She rigid cje?3s*«l! tic question which cv.deatiy he w.i* sb'iil to ask. " It's the end. miss," he said, j solemnly. Hi* foot struck ag3uii»}< one| of the package*. and be looked dawn. " Money I" he exclaimed, in awed juMoaisii- j me«t. •• Yes," breathed Cice«y. trembling with excitement. " Poor man *. it's. the move* he owed papi. and that be ha# kept hlddea all tiiese years." "The bloomin* miser." muttered Morris. " Hush!" said Cicely. AUthoriUti*eiy. "He was sorry, and he gave it to me—and—l hope there is enough." Morris began to count, but in a mcmcat j he stopped. " It's thousands and thousantjs, Miss Cicely 1" be exclaimed, kit amazement. ] " You are sure!'' she cried. " 1 mcst; go. Amt " _ ; " Never'mind —it,"' say Morri*. gianclag ot thebed and spewing hurriedly. "The otild -srosnaa - can stay. "You cm do no good bene.*' Cicely paused for a ok meat, irresolute. u I must go." she cried. " The place may be saved. Oh. I hope that it is cot too late."

(To ba coatinueiJ