FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12909, 24 February 1906, Page 2

FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

(By Bertha M. Clay.)

CHAPTER Xl.—Continued.

"That's marriage a. la mode vrith a vengeance," laughed Chris, while Claude listened -vrith such an aching nt her heart that she was glad there -was no need for her to speak. "The husband home from six months' existence in a beastly hole in India, and the very next night my lady goes alone to a ball, and my lord only goes to bring her home!" Claude felt choking. She turned away, moving some ornament on 'the mantel to hide the blinding tears in her eyes. What a bitter home-coming for a man who needed so much love! How could anything in the form of woman, be so brutally cruel, so absolutely heartless? "She must be made of adamant," the girl managed to say, quietly, after a moment's pause. " Were you introduced to her, Uncle Chris?" He was no relation, but one cannot call one's guardian " Mr." " No. I saw her. A lovely woman, blue eyes, yellow hair, rosebud lips. Not a patch on you, though, my'dear." " Never mind that. You spoke to Captain Stewart?"

" Rather. So did Julia. Asked him to call, and of course he said he would. \I suppose his wife will too; but I am not eager for her company."

Claude did not feel that she wanted Pauline, either, but she said:

"I doubt her caring much for us or our manner of living; it's rather too Bohemians"

Davenant laughed. "So much the better. She'll come once; that will be enough, and Stewart can come as often as he pleases. I'll warrant he doesn't let my lady interfere with him in any way." ' That speech jarred upon Claude's fine sense, but it was nothing new of its kind, only it wounded her more because it was uttered in connection with Esric Stewart. Two years ago she would hardly have divined that she herself had any share in Davenant's remarks; she would have understood clearly the reference to the benefit to bs derived generally from a man so> well known and so great a favourite being a friend of the house. But she was wiser now, and quite understood that Davenant reckoned upon hex as a factor in attracting the desirable guest. Yet she scarcely even changed colour; self-com-mand was one of the lessons she had learned under the fostering care of her guardians. "I suppose he goes his way, and his wife hers," she said, carelessly. " Did you see anyone else you. knew?"

"A few, Basil Tollemache for on*. He's coming here to-morrow evening." "Is he?"

"You don't seem to take to him," said Davenant, jokingly, but watching her covertly out qf those close-set, green-grey eyes of his. Claude, leaning back in a low chair, clasped her hands -above her curly head, and drew her straight brows together. "Count Zarolyl was much nicer," she remarked.

" And you refused hinV' " I .said he was nicer than Tollemache," returned Claude, oracularly. " Oh! I can't follow your quirks and turns. You're so fond of subtleties, Claude. What's against Tollemache?" She laughed.

" Fathers, uncles, and/ guardians always put it in that negative way," she said. "Fancy marrying-a man on the negative principle of there being nothing against sort of non-proven character. I must hive something- positive." " I'm no match for your Irish wit, my dear," said Davenant; "but I should say there's- -a good deal positively in Tollemache's favour."

" You and I look at things from utterly different standpoints, you see," returned Claude, ceolly. " You'look at the wealtu, and the wealth only " ■ " Come! come !"

"Yon do; and lat the man. From the wealth point of view there's nothing against Tollemache : from the man's, everything."

" Everything is sufficiently comprehensive, my dear. Give me some items."

" Like Launce in the play," said Claude, begbning to couat on her pretty,, slender fi:.gers. "First, he is countryi'.tiged, and shows it; second, his head. and£siis eyes .■-how that the animal largely preponderates in him ; third, he and I have not "a common standing ground on any one subject; fourth, he is dissolute. Do you want any more?"

"I should thbk. not!" said Davenant, impatiently; " how on earth can you have discovered all that in a man you nave only seen four iiaics?—you, a girl of twenty, too."

It Sashed across Claude'how much she had discovered, oa the favourable side of the picUtre. and when she was less able to form opinions, of a man she had only seen twice. She said, quietly: " Girls of twenty know, in these days, more than their grandmothers knew; and I haven't been brought up in Arcadia, have ..? I don't need to see a man a dozen times to discover as much as I have told you, and a great deal more. As to his character, I have heard something about him." ■-■-■■

"Indeed, you must have'made' particular inquiries,' seeing that you have been onlj a-fortnight in London, and-' wuen you were last here you didn't know "so much as the name of Basil Tollemache."

"Have it your own way," said Claude; " bat I am not g'uu.j t;> *f 11 ?n love with Squire Tollemacht." Davenant shrugged his shoulders as he rose.

" As you say, my dear." he remarked, "you weren't brought -up in Arcadia, so I suppose you are aware that you won't find a Prince Charming in real life." '" Perfectly. Now shall we change the subject? or; not talk at all—just as you pleas-c." " Upon ray word," exclaimed Davenant, breaking into a jovial laugh. " there's no being angry with you, Claude, though you have such ridiculously romantic ideas." But ::either the laugh nor the words deceived Claude fcr nn instant, and she imde ro response. She knew that Dave-. ■■•ant did not worry Tier about Tollemache, because he dareavnolA ; He hoped'to-gain

his end by diplomatic means; as if. she— Claude—would not be equal to meeting him at any point. But the entrance of a servant solved the question of conversation or silence in 'a summary manner. " Please sir," said she, " there's a gentleman asking for you. Mr Fancourt-" "Fancourt!" said Davenant, starting and frowning heavily, adding, half to himself, " what on earth can he want with, me? How did he Bnd out? Very well, Lucy," to the servant, " show Mr Fancourt into the morning room. I will be with him in a minute."

"Who is he?" asked Claude, when the door closed again. j "A fellow I met in America, a brokendown gentleman, who gambles and drinks— '■ the kind of man to sponge on me. Ccnfound him!" added Davenant, as he went ; quickly out of the room. Claude bent her face down in her clasped ; hands. Oh! she was so heartsick of it all! She wondered bitterly whether, when j Esric Stewart came, he would find her changed, deteriorated from what he had known her? It would be strange if he did not. j > CHAPTER XII.—AN UNWELCOME INTRUDER. A shabby-genteel man rose to meet Chris , Davenant as the latter entered the morning . room. Despite the iron-grey of bis hair and thick moustache and beard, the man did not look more than fifty, and might once have been good-looking, but a life of dissipation had written its record so heavily on his features that only a keen observer would detect any remains of comeliness. Despite these drawbacks, however, his stooping shoulders, and shabby attire, there was that about the visitor which proclaimed .him, by right of birth and education, a gentleman; even his manner of rising indicated gentility which no moral or physical degradation can utterly obliterate ; even in maniacs, all specialists tell us, when almost all other human characteristics may be blotted out, the traditions of gentle breeding are never entirely lost. " Well, Fancourt," said Davenport, holding out his hand, but not in his usual cordial way, "what has brought you to England " Fancourt's smile was not a pleasant one. " The fact is," said he, dropping the hand he had scarcely touched, and composedly seating himself again, "I was awfully hard up—my normal state—and hearing you were in London, I came also, and—here I am." " My deai- fellow," said Davenant, who remained standing, to intimate that he had no intention of prolonging the interview, "I've only been in London a fortnighh" "I know that. I didn't say I heard of it in the Suites. I've been in Paris for the last six weeks —you passed through; I followed; quite by a chance 1 found out where you wereliviug/" "You tracked me down, in fact. But, you know, Fancourt, things are different from what they were in New York!"— Fancourt's glance round the apartment and nod said, " I should think they were'."— "I have a good position, and'mix in the society to which my birth entitles nic; but, of course, that sort of thing is very expensive; there is my ward, too " " Oh, yes! I've heard of her—a beautiful girl. Go on." " Well, I was going to say," continued Davenant, not at all liking* his visitor's manner, " that If you want a five-pound note, I can let you have it; but I can't do more." "That's a pity," said Fancourt, smiling, " because I want more." The eyes of the two men nwt. Davenant laughed. " You really dou't imagine,!' he said. " that you can blackmail me on the strength of our New York camaraderie. To lead a jolly life for a few moaths hk.:s no man, socially." " Of course not. I'm not a fool, Davenant. Sit down, and I'll tell you a little stoiy, and, when I've finished ft, you may consent to give me a home under your' roof. I shan't be intrusive; I don't want your society, only board and lodging, and j a trifle of pocket money." " Cool, by Heaven—" b~gan Davenant. Fancourt raised his hand. '" My story," he began. " I've a turn for narrative—wrote once for a New York magazine. That's right," as Davenant sat down, feeling a N kind of inward trembliug. What did this man know? Fancourt, clasped his thin hands round his knees,, and began: "I won't, be. prolix,- and I'll mention no nanres. You can fill-them in ior yourself. There was a man, well bom.* but in character rather dodgy, who was, as we say in the States, ' on the make.' He came to New York. There he lived by his wits—honestly, as things go. By and by, he met his* fate in the shape "of a lady, not young, but handsome and showy —the sort of woman to get on. She was an English lady, not an American, but, alas! she had a past. You follow me?" Davenant, who had turned his face aside/ a little, made an involuntary movement; a curious grey shadow, had come over bis rosy face. Fancourt smiled again, and went on; ' "She had been the wife of an English chaplain in South America; she left the chaplain, in the company of a good-looking Spaniard, and.came to America^-there she married Tier friend,.. before a justice-of the peace,, in California. She afterwards divorced'"him according to. the easy-laws .-of the,_ State,, and went to New York, where shej flourished as the widow of an American gentleman. The j-hero oj; .niy -BtoVy r-inafT ried thiß : ddbibus f personage" 'being made fully aware by the Spaniard aforesaid, who came across him by chance.' of 'the historv of Mrs Three Stars. But the Spaniard*. whoSiad married again, was content to k*ep dark; and my hero married the lady with a past, and came to Europe, finally establishing himself in London, where he reckons to get on in society, marry his ward—T omitted-to mention"her before—to a rich swell, etc. Now, if the truth about my hero's—wife, shall I call her—were to leak out. it would be a little awkward for all concerned—wouldn't it?" Davenant sprang up, livid and trembling. "How did you learn all this?" he cried, hoirscly. "What proof have you?" "Ah! I thought my .story, would inte- • rest vni."- Fancourt. 'perfectly'" -nriI movtd by tire other's agitation. " How

did I learn it all? Well, that is a longer and more prosaic story than what I have just told Vv.u. Isn't it enough- that Ido know it! As for proofs—well, since wo have dropped parables, I may mention thai the Rev. Robert Kyrle is now in South Africa, in charge of a church at Natal, and can" be produced if required, that the Spaniard, Jose Miguelas, is at Los Angeles, and can also be produced. Shall we * stop the case' at this point, or do you wast anv mo're?"

" No," said Davenant, dropping into t'uo chair again. There was a moment's pau?e. Davenant sat with his head b-tnt. Fancourt regarded him with a quiet, sinister smile. At length Chris looked up, and said, slowly: "Of course, I have no choice; but I might as well throw up everything as have you in the family circle. My ward would :<ot stand it at any price.'" Fancouit did not at all resent the cruel bluntness of this speech. He replied, 'composedly: " i told you I shoulda't obtrude myscif. and I'll keep my word. 1 don't want to see any of your swell friends. Just give uie a room to inystlf, and you wont ©llea se2 me. I*ll take all my meals by mysfflf, and you can give out that I'm ane'erdowcll relation or friend, on whom you have taken pity. That will look charitable, and do you credit. Even when I'm drunk

I'm not noisy; I ust lie down atd gtl to sleep, and. probably, I shan't trouble you long. I'm a iter* wreck." Davenant scanned the degraded speaker with an eye to his own future release Yes, Fancourt did r.ot look as if he would last long. His sometime boon cctnpan: a rose:

" Very well." he said; " your term?, so long as you b/Jd tongue." "Of course; if I blab, the game's up. and you may as well kick nic out at t-ncc That being settled," said Fancourt. rising, "I won't keep you any longer at present. Expect me tomonow morning: meanwhile you can explaiu matters any way you choose to your ward and your wife. Au tevoir."

Davenant made no response, and Fancourt walked to the door, bowed politely, and went out.

To his wife Chris told the truth; to his ward, a story of a ne'er-do-well "old friend and distant relation "down on his lu£k." Claude asked no question*, but didn't even pretend to believe the story. Chris wasn't the person to do a kindness, even to a man who had saved his life. Of course, this Fancourt had been able to put the screws on in some way: but it could not matter much to her whether Fancourt were in the boui-e or out of it. Would it not? How little we cm forecast the future. ITO be continued.)