FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12905, 17 February 1906, Page 2

FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

(By Bertha M. Clay.)

CHAPTER Hl.—Continued.

Claude sat down again; in truth she found the society of . this handsome softvoiced soldier very delightful, and infinitely preferred being here with him, where they could talk unrestrainedly, to pushing about among a lot of people; but there "was a vague vexation in her mind at Davenant's prolonged absence.

She did not, for an instant, suppose it was designed; but it was careless, she thought, not "good form," to leave her so long alone -with a man only introduced to her that evening. Captain Stewart must, think it strange, and were he like some of the men she had met at her guardian's house, he would have taken advantage of the situation. But Esric Stewart soon made her forget these perplexities, as he himself' forgot time and everything else in the enchantment of this girl's presence.

At last Davenant returned to the box, apologising, in his hearty -way. for having been detained, he had got talking with, first one. then another—excuses which probably Claude believed; and which Stewart, of course, regarded as if he believed them. When the play was over, and Stewart was folding the girl's cloak carefully about her—how tall was, by the way, when 6he stood up!—Davenant" asked him when he was coming to the Pare Monceau, in which locality the Davenant apartments were situated.

Now Esric Stewart ought to have answered that he could make no promise,! that he must leave Paris; any excuse to repel the temptation that lured him on; but his pulses were throbbing, the blood was fire in his veins. Claude stood before Mm, her soft breath almost- funned his cheek, as he bent down to fasten the clasp of her cloak with fingers as deft to the task as her own; he was gazing into the sweetest face his eyes had ever looked on, and his was no equable temperament. He had the passionate Highland blood in his veins; his whole being had been stirred that night as never before; and now, but a moment to choose between the right and the wrong, the temptation that made his senses reel, the "still, small voice" that whispered " Kesist, resist!"

How could he resist ? Could man that is born of woman fight against such odds? He was scarcely conscious of the inner voice, scarcely conscious of a pause, before he answered:

' "*' I hope to have the pleasure of calling in a few days," and he saw the smile that gave him welcome in advance flash up into Claude's violet eyes, and part the curved lips. ':;..; ' •: : "Pray do," said Davenant. ."Come in to dinner, seven, o'clock, and spend the, evening." " ' "I*shall be very happy/'

He led Claude but to the coupe, and when she gave him her hand, he bent over it, and just touched his lips to it. "An revoir," he said, softly; and, stepping back, the carriage drove away. Esric Stewart walked back to his hotel, and when he reached his room, turned up the light. His face ueemed strangely white, his ey«s seemed to burn. There were some letters awaiting him, and two or three newspapers-*-one a London daily, addressed in Pauline's hand. With a kind of dread foreboding he tore it open. [ Yes, there was the paragraph—marked ; out in blue pencil. '"'"''•... "We understand that a marriage will take place, early in *he autumn, between Captain. Stewart, of Lochmohr. and Pauline Alice, widow of the late Richard Arnold, of Langford, Warwickshire." Stewart, flung himself down in a seat by the table, and bowed his head on bis crossed .arms; and when the dawn crept

in through the half-closed blinds, he sat there still; and when the broad'sunlight put out the lamplight, he had not stirred. Was that long agony ~ a etrife, hand to hand, of right against- wrong, of honour against the passion which had sprung into .the man's heart, and burned with such fierce strength?—or vhis it only the dumb protest of intolerable pain, the; anguish of useless, hopeless regret?'. ; Why*had love come to him- in all the fullness of. its strength, -when it could- only come as. a curse? Was there" no way to break.the cruel chain that bound him?— no way that should leave his honour unblemished? ; Av, there was one—one only'; but could he, in honour, choose that "■waj? -And ,if 'it should fail,, what then ? •; ..' He lifted his haggard face to thfe mocking sunlisht. :" "Would to "heaven." he said, p the bullet that laid rue low had don*! its work more thoroughly, and stilled this heart of mine forever'." •

CHAPTER IV-—IHE PERILS OF LOVE. "M. le Capitaine Stewart!" [announced tlie servant. ojVening "the - door' of Chris DavenantV. parlour, and our hero found himself in a fair-sized and well-furnished room, containing, as he at once noticed, a grand piano: but the individual who probably niade most use of the'piano Tips, not present. A handsome, styEsh-Iookmg! woman of forty or thereabouts,! wearing a. Wteful dinner 's|afed onfM couch, and Chris Davenant Jame forwsrfi to meet his guest.. 1 ~„„_^. "So pleaeed-to see'you;" he pid, shaking hands in his hearty, cordial »js "Pulia, my dear, ,Captain Stewart; '* *>f Lochmohr —my -wife." '- ; j Mrs Davenant held out her Hand. "I know your name quitd well, of course, Captain Stewart," said she. smiling, alluding to his conspicuous bravery ..w«t. splendid qualities as a soldier, "and I am delighted to have the opportunity of meeting you." Stewart mad,e some graceful : answer—be had the courtier's readiness of tongue—and, seating himself beside , ah hostess, entered into conversation with: her. But this Scotchman had exceedingly keen instincts, and that sympathetic meutal touch which is not s<> uncommon among women but is rare with men. and that sense found something antipathetic in Juliai Davenant as in her >hnsband ;• neither the blunt heartiness of the one nor the" more conventional courtesy of the other conveyed an impression of sincerity. As a man of the world, too, he found something about'

Mrs Davenant that set him conjecturing.

This, however, did not at once strike bim; it grew upon bim in the course of* tha evening. She was a lady by training—obviously accustomed to good society. There were no social or caste deficiencies about her, but eomething there was that set him thinking. Many men, perhaps, would not have noticed anything amiss; but .Esric Stewart, as has been said, haul, in addition to his worldly experience, the fineness of perception that belongs rather to a woman. Mrs Davenant was not a mere vapid woman of the world. She wan clever, and she talked well, and Stewart listened,

and talked too. and no one could bavo

supposed how impatiently his pulses were throbbing while he watched and waited for Claude Verner to appear. Presently the door opened and the girl came in. How exquisite she looked in the picturesque cream and terra-cotta gown she wore!

A sickening sense of his own desperate folly in so courting temptation rushed into] Stewart's heart as be rose to greet the; newcomer; but when be took ber band and bent over it she ocly accepted the greeting—how could she do otherwise?—! at its overt value; one to which she, wi'h ber continental experience, was accustomed, j She could hare no idea of the passionate homage the simple action veiled—of the longing in the man's heart to clasp sot only ber hand in his, but herself to bis breast, and kiss the lips tbat smiled so pleasantly in bis face. "Well, Miss Verner," he said, "have you been to any more harrowing melodramas since I bad the pleasure of seeing jyou?"

There have been only two bights to go in," Teplied »Claude, shaking her curly head. " and I haven't been to a melodrama on either of them. The night before last I went to the Francois, and last night t was at home."

"I -wish I had been -with you at tho Francaßs," said the soldier, gallantly. "So do I," xeturned Claude, frankly; " for I was with two Tcry stupid people ■who were English, and made me translate the speeches for them, so that I bad nothing else to do." "Ah,," said he, taking the vacant chair beside her as she sat down, "i am afraid 1 cannot lay any flattering unction to my soul. You only wanted me as preferable to particularly tiresome companions." Claude laughed merrily. "That means, you know," she ausweicd, " that you are fishing for a compliment." "Well, it looks like it, 1 confess." " Then I will take pity on you, and allow that I didn't mean to impiythat you w*r© only preferable &> stupid and tiresome com pan ions."

" Thanks; that is generous.** J Just then " Monsieur and Madame Bel-1 fort" were announced, and proved to be an elderly couple, well-bred and pleasant people; and these,'besides Captain Stewart, were the only guests. That astute soldier was not siov to sec the design in this arrangement, which left him practically in sole possession of Claude. A fogy like Monsieur Belfort could not be supposed to dangle after a young girl, and, if he did, would have no chance against a hasdeoaie, dashing fellow like Esric Stewart. There was Mrs Davcn.int for Monsieur Belfort, and Madame Belfort for Mr Daveuant, and Claude for the young ofuccr. Well, he had no objection. The girl herself was no party to the intrigue; if he were willing to play into her guardian's hands, who was injured? Who? Why, he himself—his own honour, surely. And, perhaps, if he did not pull up in time, Claude. She was but a girl, impassioned, impressionable. What right had he to endanger her peace Oh, but to-night there was no danger! And if there were, he could not draw back now. He took Claude in to dinner, and, though conversation was, as a rule, genera], still they two could talk apart a great deal, especially when the two elder gentlemen drifted on some money question, and the two elder ladies on the dresses at a recent ball. Then Stewart had an undisturbed Elysium, • talking softly to his lovely companion and "drawing her out" with the skill of a man of the world and the instinct of a nature in sympathy with her own; , divining, therefore, just what points to touch'" upon to show the nature of her ' thoughts. They spoke of music* ini,.which both were enthusiasts, and they could compare notes. Claude both played *and £ is»ng ? and Stewart • told her he should certainly claim her complaisance in both capacities. Ah, how different was this girl from ' Pauline Arnold! He could not recall that Pauline had ever alluded to music; ! and, soulless as she had always been to r him, once he was freed from tJe weakness of a sick brain and the glamour of gratitude, she seemed but a pretty automaton beside Claude, who was like some flashing '. gem, full of varying light and glorious 1 tints, and yet ever the deep-abiding glow ' that marks" the geauine stone from its ~ counterfeit. 1 Davenant followed French fashions, ant » so the gentlemen speedily followed th« 1 ladies to the parlour. ?i & snw at the piano, looking ovei S- m>oß&s«&«iStewart, after exchanging.a iew % - words—with Mrs Davenant and, Madami 5 crossed to the girl's side. , * you selecting some pieces, and ~_ for_my delectation?" be asked,- lean ■■ ing on the "pfanbrana looking down on thi v-. with, a world, of sup *'' p'reiwßd'pS»6on''ln*his dirkeye*. "NoSS/i#fanswered ; "I was searchinj for that little rhapsody of Delibes tha »f 1 was speaking of. It's really vcr "• pretty." d ; " But you don't think I ant going to b n. satisfied "with one thing, and that only < t- popular melody? Besides, the eongs." " Don't ask for too much until you ie tested the quality," said Claude, with arc - gravity. " You sec, you are a musician 5? and might find yourself disappointed." " Oh, I am sure of my ground,"* rcplie n he. coolly; and. taking up a piece c *1 music, saw that it was inscribed. " C. D g M. Verner." "What does the center ini «tj tial stand for?" he added. "*M..* I sur ia pose is Marie." ie '.'Y €s ,* and *T>' >» Dieudonee. AH m re Legit im'ste." id ''' ThY fSn~# r r»fv'her voice, the fiwiif^of t h« r>f ardent eyes, delighted him. True, he wa

remember thai be wa.« not free t© Sod this ghl " Mwic *w©ei of all sweet thing* that gladden God's dear earth." j She took her seat at lie piaao. and • played a. *«!crikn in a *ly3e which at once I salisticd her listener* critical Jjwtfc £&e ! posse-wed, beddes calJore an<S ejrprewsiwj. j I hat initial charm of an ex*jojjjfl« touch which no training can impart, ao4 wita- ! out which, indeed, a perfect cxprcsiooti J* ■ unattainable.

While she played »ad be listened io delight, Madame Bellfart a»itcd of feer who the handsome officer *«.

** He belong*, «f coutxe. to the {fame t»f Stewart. Bat he hi* property, t&Y' " Very large estate* ia Scotiacd aad in England," «ud Mr* Davenant; "» mwl fascinating man, t« be thAT" " Ah. ye*. And he #&cm* atlratljed fey madtmgi*elle,"' *aid she Freacbwottwa.

" -And *he— she woold turn say tsasV bead.! my dear; bat it would be a 'me. thing far her to turn hi*," " Indeed it would! Aad why a<*i. T Clandc ha* no money. b«t *ae i* ©f igealfo birth—of old Irbb family, on the faHherV side; on the mother*, if 9be host Ww«l of Provence. A»d he dm:* col ow<3 money." **A~b, no'—only beauty and 3 we. X%. well. I trout be will foJal ywar «i*hc*.\ Madeasoi**}le w worthy of a cfrfPfieL" 1 And "Chris" Davcaani. talkies; 5o M*s»sicur Belfort in the adjoining twwn, wa* saying to himself: "Good! good! Oar foJtwoe s* n>»Ac ;<* .a tttrokc if Moawear le CipjUise camca off Claade,"

And jH«r Claw<se was *o bsffy, asd *<*[ traeoiwcjfm* of all thi* tshi\ had fc**n *adi a *h*«M. Jjjne with ibe Dav«»naJ3S*: by iia<S by. w«al4 *3«s »«t i inevilabSy dirotrtrer thai »Jic *« Jcga?id*4 by them in she Sight «f a tramp caj'4* And Kvric Stewart, al**! was 4iinstJnp, intoxicating draegbt* *T oector, Jettieg 3l*c inevitable fatute drill—drifs. <To be coßii»a«d4