FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12904, 15 February 1906, Page 2

FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

(By Bertha M. Clay.)

CHAP CER 'I - Continued.

■ The -widow was roused from x.er reverie by the approach of l)r Rassieaux, and started to her feet.

" Oh, doctor!" she began breathlessly. He raised his hand.

"Don't alarm yourself, madanie; Capt. Stewart has revived"—she clasped her hands fervently' together—" but lie is very weak, and must not be disturbed at present. Ma}. Langdale begged me to apologise to you for " " Oh, dootor, doctor!" she cried, " I cannot hear apologies. lam only thankful that lam able toibe of any service. Yon think he will recover?" ~-. -

■' "'I hop* so','* said the doctor; and he went out to' the kitchen to certain orders to Toinette. Maj. Langdale had explained to him. that there was no lack of means; whatever was ordered or needed should be got at once. Late the following night, which was' as fast as boat and express train could bring him, came lan Mac-lan, the faithful servant of the wounded officer; and bitter though his grief was, he controlled it, and proved himself a very jewel of a nursesoldiers, indeed, are often the best of nurses ; and Celts have, in addition, that tact and "fineness" of nature which is more generally the province of women only. They were: anxious days that followed, though even when the fever was at its height, the doctor always said:

"He will pull through. He has a superb constitution—l would stake my life on his recovery!" '.' - Often Esric Stewart saw, as in a dream,, the face of a ministering angel, passing fair, bending over him; felt the touch of a soft hand, and believed himself in Paradise.

"'Alas, for him! how should he know that the "ministering angel" did nothing : for him but the " romance" of nursing ? Tolook on him with compassionate eyes, to murmur gentle words, to pass her rosy fingers through the dark curls—that was Pauline's part in the drama of the sick, room—the part the lapdog played in pulling down the hare. All the real, stem work of nursing was done by Maj. Langdale and lan Marian; and sometimes Tc-inette would help. Before the major had to leave, Capt. Stewart was pronounced out of danger, and his senses had come to him, and he knew those around him, and was able to feebly thank his lovely hostess, more with those eloquent dark -eyes of his than, with his tongue, for her goodness to him. Then followed the days of convalesence, and these brought Pauline her opportunity. Maj. Langdale had gone; the patient was just in the state to be easily influenced by a lovely woman, who adroitly and most ] delicately endeavoured to make him understand that pity had followed its usual course in the heart of. his gentle " nurse"; he ; was'bodily weak, his mind in a halfdreamy state; iron will he had, if there is anything in-physiognomy; but bodily prostration relaxes all the mental as well as the physicaKfibers: besides, why should lie want to exVrt his will against "the spell of this entrancing loveliness? > It was sweetlto look on her beautv. to have her soft hkEd in his; and yet somehow, Pauline never ; stirred the strong passions that had slumbered in the man's soul; the surface of his nature was touched; that yas all; he was deeply grateful, he believed be had cause to be so, and gratitude assumes ' ; exaggerated proportions in the heart of a sick man, especially when a charming.woman is the debtor;!: :

It crossed him sometimes, with a feeling which had in.it more pain than pleasure,that Pauline gave him mere of her thoughts than he desired. He was anything but a vain man; but he was too attractive In everjmy3y; :even without extraneous advantages, not:;to have'ihad it.forced upon him that women were ready to yield him affection.;i -Pauline,; so far as. lie was aware, did not know he was a-wealthy man. • Andi then; bee -, day, came the crisis. Capt.. Stewart had reached the point of being able to sit out in the garden in the sunshine, and Pauline would* sit. beside the low chair in which-he reclined, and -they would talk together, or be silent, as the young officer.pfeasedi Mrs Arnold had the tact of: guile: if ; not of good feeling, and never tried :to talk; if .she. perceived that he was tired. r=--. .•;:- .

i-On this morning conversation had flagged. Stewart-, seemed preoccupied, and' Pauline's lair head drooped, and now and then her lips trembled, and she made pretence to gather, a daisy from the grass, or, by some other excuse, contrived to turn jaway.hev face f'.om her companion. rvr.Sot one of those signs, was lost upon ,hhn,.though his eyes looked dreamy and half asleep, behind "the veil of their long lashes:- Few things ever did escape those dark eyes; "Pauline had discovered that long ago. Presently he broke the silence; with his soft, sympathetic voice, but Pau<line's soul was deaf to that last charm. •

..:"Do you know what Dr. Rassezrax told me this .morning?" he said. "3vTo." She turned eagerly. "T feared—that is"—her eyes fell confusedly—" I did not like to ask."

Stewart looked at her. His heart beat faster. He had all the innate chivalry of the Highlander, and perhaps too, something of the weakness regarding women, as he had also the special charm of the strangelygifted race to which he belonged. It seemed so cold and heartless to talk to this pretty creature, to whom he was under lifelong obligation, of leaving her. Was it not his fault if she had learned to give him her heart?

And yet he was cot in love with her; he knew that even while his pulse quietened, and his heart swelled within him; it was tenderest pity, deep gratitude, the sense of having done an unwitting wrong, not love.

He laid his hand lightly on hers. She slightly started under the" touch, but did uot try to free herself.

"I have been too long a burden upon you." Ssrie Stewart began, after a pause. " No, no!" she half sobbed, her head beat low.

A quick spasm of pain crossed the man's handsome features. He drew in his breath, then he went on :

"'The doctor tells me that in a few days I ihxV. hi iiji-3 So !;>v?l. Yir.i 1:::ve marie

this time of suffering very sweet to me." But here Pauline broke quite down; sobbing bitterly, though -trying to check the out burst which so entirely betrayed her to her companion. The crimson rushed to the soldier's cheek. In an impulse born of his very manhood he threw his arm round the quivering form, and drew it close to him.

" Pauline," he said, hurriedly—but even now there was no passion in his voice—"don't weep such tears for me. I owe you, dear, more than my life can repay. If I can make yours happy " And in those rash worda, forced from his chivalry, his sense of honour, not his heart, he flung away his life for a worthless woman.

Heaven knows if, even in the first five minutes that followed that fatal. pledge, Esrie Stewart repented it. Heaven knows if it .flashed across him while her lovely face, half smiles, half tears, lay on his breast, that a woman should have had more reticence, more self-control than Pauline had displayed. If such a thought rose unbedden, it was banished as unworthy. It was his fault, though not his wilful "fault, she loved him: "his fault this humiliation of self-betrayaL She had a claim upon him which, for honour's sake, he was bound to satEsfv.

And she seemed perfectly happy, though he did not speak of love ; in fact, "he spoke hardly. In his gentle-caresses, even in the kiss he laid on her lips, there was no passion. Was she sensible of this

Ay, truly, and in her heart angry. Her vanity was hurt that she had not been able to win this man even to a slavery of tha srnses. She knew perfectly well to what she owed it that she was the betrothed wife of Capt. Stewart, of Lochmohr. She had played her part and won, the man she had to deal with being what he was; and if she felt resentment against him because she failed to win him to a. real surrender of himself, it was not that she desired his love, but that she coveted it as a proof of her power..

And when a few hours later Esric Stewart was alone, he covered his face, and the passionate cry rose up in his heart r "My Ood ! What have I doner What have I done?"'

He told lan Trfac-lan that night. "Ask no questions. Lan," he said grasping the other-s hand. " and make no" comment. It is too laie to draw back." " But it* isn't too late!" cried the other. "Captain Stewart, listen to me.- Ah! forgive me "' "lan, spare me! She* loves u», and I shall learn, perhaps " ! He stopped, and walked abruptly through No 4 . lie could never learn to lore Pauline Arnold, not as he understood the word; but he: might in time be able to give her all she needed ; it was not mock. Alas! it wa6 less even than he supposed ; but. fuller knowledge was yet to come. "It was an evil day that brought you here!" said lan, through his teeth. "" A curse on the woman!" he added to himself, as he went out. " For all her pretty ways, and pretty, fnoe, she's-, just a fraud. He thinks she nursed him sometimes! Oh! Iknew the tales she has t«ld him. She nurse him! She'd smile and coo. and get in the way—that's ail. Oh! captain, captain !'" and the fnitliful fellow broke down in passionate grief, " you're silly aud rash!" . *

Pauline would hav* liked a speedy marriage, but Gapt. Stewart, so far from nigiug this, was in no mood to hurry matters. He had business and private engagements j in Paris, he said, and it was, therefore! arranged that Pauline was, in a week or two, to set out for London, where he would jpin her, and they would be married in the autumn. CHAPTER 111. AN. ENTRANCING MAIDEN. " Capt. Stewart, delighted to' see you !" exclaimed a loud and deep bass voice" aud the speaker held out his handL They were face to face on the Boulevard Haussiuann—two men as dissimilar aa could well be imagined ; tae one tall, slight soldierly in bearing,, handsome, and in every way distinct from the ordinary crowd; the other fifty, and, perhaps, more, rather stout, with an everyday face which no one would look at a second* time—a gentleman, and well dressed, that was all. A keen observer would .take exception to', the thin lips, and the close set eyes of the insincere greenish-gray; "but the majority would probably vote- this, geutleowtn. a frank, hearty, pleasant fellow—no better than his neighbours, and certainly no worse. Capt. Stewart took.the proffered hand, though he was uot especially pleased to meet its owner. He had come across Mr jDavtnaut two years ago in London, and far keener perceptions than the un- ■ thinking majority, and the sensitive, sympathetic temperament which is in itself a 'touchstone for testing character, he had not indorsed the general verdict on "Chris" |reason for giving the man the cold shoulder, and so. shook hands with him. and said smiling :

" Why. Mr LWemtnt, where did you spring from?" " Oli! we've been living in Pa;ls the la<t four mouths, my wile and my ward, and 1. 1 am married since 1 met you—turned quite respectable, eh?" laughing merrily.

"You must come and see us; heie's the address," drawing out a card, "and if you've got nothing better to do this evening, Join us Sn our box at the Ainhigu to see the new piece." '"Thanks. I shaii he much pleased." said Stewart, -who. having no engagement for that evening, thought he might as well kill time in the Daveuant box as anywbete else.

"First circle." said Dwenant. "Number " I shall rememb:r." "They chatted a little longer, and then bade each other au revoir. and went their sever;i! ways.

" I wonder who goes to moke up the 'we'?" mused Stewart, with a shrug. "Very likely not Mrs. Davcnant : Chris is rather gay. Ward? H'm! 1 shouldn't like any girl 1 tared for to lie an inmate of that house; if she lias money. I make no d< übfc Chris will have his share of it." But it was no concern of bis. and so. with another shiug. lie dismissed the matter.

When lie reached his hotel he found ;» letter from Pauline awaiting him. He did not take it up ;md kiss it as a lover should. as Eerie Stewart certainly would. «rp-e he :i \r\-cr. for :i'l t.';a r-.:m r ;!>« cf I'.-. Irei.-^

ran strongly: but he dtcw bin straight, brows together, and set his teeth: ,-uod it was some minutes before he ,»t last took Hie letter, opening it half impatientlv.. half carelessly. His b:«nv darkened *on iio rc^d.

i "Infernal gush!" he muttered. " What - d<>cs she expect! She kcows well *nough I don't love her. and she wants me to write !to her every day. 1 wonder," with a short | laugh, "what I should find Jo say? It is no easy task to write at all." He tore up the letter, and thicw the! fragments into a waste-paper basket. He dined with a friend, M. 1e C<im!e de j Vergias, at -the- Cafe Anglais, and the Frenchman asked him to come afterward to a fashionable party where card playing was a .special attraction: but., .Stewart, who cared little for cards, pleaded a previous er-jrajjement. " Thete's a new p«ce at the Ambigu," he said, "and I am due*there. ** "To meet a fair friend!" said De Vergias laughing. '"Alas! no—a mm honour blight." "How slow—au revnir then. Perhaps you will come to-nwrrw nieiil?" " I shall inform you here* Oct." (To be" continued.)