FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12912, 1 March 1906, Page 2

FOR HONOUR'S SAKE

(By Bertha H. Clay.)

CHAPTER XVl.—Continued.

Claude hit the truth —though she could not know its exact phase—in privately deciding that Fancourt ha'd Davenant in his power, and furnished food, shelter, and drink in payment for his silence. It was not at all unlikely, thought the keenwitted, girl, that Julia Davenant had a " past" ; women are so niuch, quicker in these things than men, their instincts finer, their sense of proportion in morals clearer, their perception of shades of expression, of intonation, sensitive, olten to a degree quite bewildering to the coarser brain of tiie male half of creation; and living with Julia daily, seeing her, hearing her, in all moods and phases, Claude saw what the society world never saw; was led sometimes to that involuntary conjecture which is own sister td suspicion, " I wonder what her life was once?"

But Mrs Davenant was cunning enough never to express any dislike of Arthur Fancourt, apart from any woman's dislike to a man so degraded. She applauded her husband's " kindness."

"After all,*' she would eay ,"he isn't much trouble, and you couldn't leave him to starve, Chris; he won't trouble us long—the man has simply shattered his constitution—there isn't a year's life in him." This, of course, .was before Claude. When husband and wife were alone, there was no disguise. Why should there be 7 For the intruder, Claude had the pity which a noble aature feels for one utterly lost and degraded. She eaw at ones that he was a gentleman ,and it seemed horrible that he should lead this wretched life, caring for nothing but brandy and cards, though the last taste was very subordinate. He had been once, Chris said, a terrible gambler; but the love of drink had gradually pushed the other vice into a corner, and though he vw.s always ready to play, he seemed content without it.

Claude alone, in the household, treated this unfortunate creature with gentleness and courtesy. Davenanr and his wife, knowing he would accept rudeness so long as ie had plenty of brandy, treated him in such offhand fashion that one could almost have believed the story of his being a poor relation true.

The servants, following suit, wasted no deference upon him. But Claude, bowever much she despised the drunkard, could not be unkind to the man.

*' The pity on't, tae pity o'nt," was always in her heart. it was not often she came across him, but when she did she treated him as if he were what he was once years ago, though only its poor wreck now-—a gentleman. He scarcely seemed to notice, though" one day he said to Davenant, with a laugh, and a far from distinct utterance—he had been drinking a good deal that day: "Mademoiselle Claude treats me like a gentleman—how did she find it out, eh!— and gives me such a sorrowful look. What's good of it, eh? Say, though, Chris, she is as beautiful as a dream, a poet's dream, eh? Not mine, not mine," with a shudder.

let perhaps somewhere in the depths c.f ms abandoned and shattered nature lav some remnant of ihe good which fe in tsaigs fevil; and he was not quite insensible to the gentleness Claude showed him. It was hits, and Chris, who cared nothing for cards with nominal stakes, was tired; but he dared not be too independent oi Pancourt's whims. The latter, in some drunken fit, might turn "nasty." Fanccurt, however, was anything but sober now, and would be helpless. For some time the game had gone on with hardly a word spoken on either" side. Suddenly Fancourt said, with that abrupt plunge at a subject characteristic of all unhinged minds: " Say, Chris, that girl's beautiful as a dream He had got hold of that simile, and chuckled over it as if it were his own ° l£ . n n? n - , .7, Wl,:i ' s cin g to do with her?" ■ - Uh, shell marry of course." ucid Chris throwing down, a card.

"les. but who to? Look here," said Fanctniit.-. leaning forward on the r.ble who s tnat nandsome chap came here last night? Military chap, howling ■•»well unrly, Vaok hrn'r * You know him ; that's the chap for her.'.'

But that man's married already," said Cans—the description would onlv apply tcone. among .last evening's guests. "'-You mean Captain Stewart, of Locbmohr." • " C;>p • Fancourt let the" cards drop •i-.ivi h:~_:;t;.,o!n;g fingers on to the table. -viurrieu.- he repeated..''after a pause. •TVell,-now, U:u s pity, isn't it* Who's his v.Ue.' '" She was a Mrs Arnold, a very lovelv -.v:.imui. Your play, Faucourt." "IJlow my play:"how do they get on."' Clivi.s shuig-ed his shoulders. '"Xo scandal, no open quarrelling; Cap am Stev.\.rt k far 100 pioud for that; but there's no love lost, that's a certainly." >:.c,\;\ :iia's pity, isn't it?" S ai:l £ ancJV.it, reletting a phraise already ut-tered-as me:; in the st:ite he was now a:c wont to do.

"I suppose it's a pity." said Chris, impatiently. "Your play." " Bother the play ! "Well, if he comes here he'll fall in lore with the girl, eh?" : "I can't help it if he does," was the cynical reply "It will be .useless, since he can't marry her; and' Claude is not exactly of the class, nor is she the ghl, for any left-handed homage.?' ,: Course not!"' said Fancourt. " But s'pose she fell in love with him?" " What can it matter to you!" asked Chris, roughly. He was annoyed by the man's continual harping on one key. " Oh, nothing. I do' know the man; rever saw him before." muttered Fanconrt. He drank some more brandy, set down the glass, and rose, but staggered. "All right." he s-> :i with an unsteady wave of his" baud t> . now. Goo ■ When lie wTalc »Mie dr.-uik some more brandy.' he hinv-elf on the spfa : but his mind cbmg to the subject he had bajti talkimr .ibout with the silly perHs'rnrr of drunkenness. "Handsome felW," he muMeied. "Tt's a pity—Warned r>--ty. Never snw him be f ore! Why should T cave. J don't! Blamed pity; yes it is—a pity!" And 60 he fell aslesp.

CHAPTER XVII.—A CANDID HUSBAND.

"So glnd to see you, Mrs Wc :;:u.ie," said Pauline, holding out her wLi;» i.,,ud, as Maida cauie in. She was a round of calls, and included Garlic: ii- -m.c Terrace; besides, though she did ::.-■ :ike Captain Stewarts' wife, she liked ;■!• immensely, and also the set usuaifv *..*» at his house; so she kept on good teiir.- with tho mistress, for ,of course, to i;= •!.•- an enemy of her was to close the dow- • the maiisisn against herself. Maida Westmore did not cxper. i Captain Stewart on this or any < <.--«j.i. : He was very rarely at home, unles.-- ;. j«iesence was required as host; no on. .* .aid expect to Sua him in the draviu ; , -vm. tete-a-tete with hit wife. " If she is glad," thought Mrs Wt> *sorc, "she has something to tell or to .<.-k inc. She isn't, really glad to see a«y«i=- hat her own imige'in the plass." But Maida responded, in her bright, cordial v..<<-, u. the greeting, and took a scat m... her hostess. I'auliueVs tea gown \r,« ;; <>ucm, for whic'a the taste of an " art" rlawmaker was more to be thanked th-- iij.it of tho owner, who did not forget, i. - ever, to take all the credit you could wiic* M.dda duly admired the garment. " Fancy," said Mrs Westmore, "nr rinding you alone! 1 expected to ;■■.< you surrounded by a court." „ PauJine's vanity would swallow ;i.\ -hing. She smiled complacently. " I get awfully bored, thocgh. .-ometimes," she said," proceeding to p. .i out some tta for her visitor. "It is ;<:ite a treat to have a chat with you. Pray tell me all the news." "WhatYs in the wind!" thought shrewd Mrs Westmore. She said: " 1 h;»\ o only one item—though probably it is no news to you. Major Langdale is on his way Lome from India," " Indeed," said Pauline, "it is news! Oh, you thought I should hear it from my husband. My dear Mrs Westmore. I have not seen him since yesterday numiing, and hj never tells me anything." We ate quitea fashionable couple*, you fee.' "Yes?" said Maida, with a smile that meant nothing in particuar, but iawardlv iutensely disgusted with her hostess, whife her heart ached for Esric Stewart. ' Men are all alike, I suppose," continued Pauline, changing the laugh to a fcigh, as if her husband had loved her once and had proved 'tickle. " One must not expect much of them." This was more than Maida could stand. "There are men and men," she observed, dryly* " as there are women and women." The shaft, however .only grazed; it did not pierce. Pauline had a singular capacity for discovering other people's sewitive points. She had none of her own. She saw that Mrs Westmore was aunoved, but decided that it was solely on account of Captain Stewart, and only with herself—Pauline—indirectly, because she spoke against him."

"Forgive me," she said, with the quiet malice of heartless women. " Esric is such a_ universal favourite that a word against him raises an army of champions. Tb© woman always is in the wrong, isn't she Never mind. Pray tell me who are going to Mrs Millingtcn's ball!" "All iha world and his wife." -.aid Maida, only too willing to «iop a subject which she felt would presently. lead to hostilities her part. ' " " I have an exquisite gown for it." said Pauline. "I want you'to see it and'tell me what you think o'f it; it's quite a utw idea. 1 don'r suppose there will be ocv in the rooms like it."

"You see," said Maida, "'you pav the penalty of being a belle in "haviug" your gowns copied "it obliges you to have a new design for every function." "It really does," said Pauline, quite oblivious of her visitor's sarcasm, and taking the speech seriously. "I flatter myself, however, that this gown won't be eisily copied." "You quite excite my curiosity. But there won't be time to copy it before Thursday, this being Tuesday,* so you ate safe from me for thi* ball." Pauline laughed. "The style requires a tall figure," she "so I don't suppose vou would care jor it, anyhow. What a demand there has for card*. Poor Lady DasUoa tried every scarce. She has ihice daughter to marry. It would be a fine opportunity for Jlic ecw beauty, but no chance for her."

"I heard to-day she was invited," said M;uda—"she and"Mis Daveuant." " Oh, it must have been a rumour:" exclaimed Pauline. "Thev don't know Mrs; Millington." "Some one may hr.ve got theai card?:, li s always an advantage to Lave a beaut i* lul girl to the foie," said Maida. revenging iinxelf with keen dclijjht in :hc process, " =ad Miss Yerner is *>imply exquisite." "So everyone says," remarked Pauline, :in:s!::t:g her jealous anger and smiling seie.:ely. "I should like to know her, and if she. is at the ball 1 shall make Esrio introduce her; but I hardly think she can

"My informant spoke positively," said .uatda; " but time will prove." Almost as the words left her lip.*, and before Pauline could reply, the dror opened j'li-.I Captain Stewart tasne into ihe r«««ii. A flash of pleasure came into bis dark eyes <ia he saw Mrs \Ve*Unorc. who turned, with a radiant smile, to greet bim. "The unexpected is always a delight," .he said, clasping her hand "in his. "You have a vast command of pretlr speeches," said. Maida, courtesviug, and suppressing the reply that wa's on her tongue—•" I may return the compliment" ~ lest it should seem too like irony; for certainly she did not expect to meet Captain Stewart in his own house.

"The occasion was inspiring," he anewered, thinking bitterly of the retort Maida might have given him —and didn't. His own keen perceptions gave him manv a baek-handed stab. •" H « ve you . w,( * turning to his wife, "been discussing vour gowns for the private view?" "Yon think women talk about nothing but dress," said Pauline carelessly. "They generally do, don't they?" returned Stewart, more to .Maida than to bk wjfe, and he seated himself bv the former's side. "I thought yon were above rejwating w.'ro-out libels," said Maidr., gravely. " One for me! Rut I don't assert that, nun's talk is an*- ir.ore edifvir.c vou know." * "You lad beticr not," exclaimed Maids, i u«Hantly. : ..,. , # ... .., ... i

j "Wo were taking about jac bail <::.. • Thursday," ?>j<! PauHne, ' - "And the :..<»•*•«*, r»f cou:«e 1" sjti.i Si**"art. ,«<:tto vote, with a knowing U*>h , Maida. " Way didn't you ©wr. t-.' . frankly V k t " I had nothir.g to own. Bir." | "Then Paulifc; alone was guiity. J b , : your pardon," courteously to his wik, , lie saw that she was about to sped*, ij "Mrs Wcstmor? tdls me," *.ai<3 fash . j"ihst Mrs Davcnant and Miss Verier ,m , j invited. Do they know Mr* Millington' !Poor Pauline! Ur.dcrss.-ujs'litg tie m, sljc had to deal with as much as a xweep might uuicrwtand * »ympu«&y Zi Hcc: hr.ven ; alway* inmgiaing * «isc«sln,it wberc none was intended, and laying traps for self-betrayal, which trap* wooy have been perfectly useless Lid wiEcci-ilißefit been intended. Ksric Stewart's mu*clc* were far too w»3 under control, bis braia j>&.-> «jsj<ii subtle to be startled ifcto j«vc?jiifii«r.*<.. Be could have fnr.lvj a ; the. ukk wire 51 not nil no pitiful. #0 incS-iy* me.ra atui ccntemphblc. "They will know bcr on Tmsrsrlay even-j ing." he replied, in ti,e i»r#i matter-«M*c: way. "and I shall be able to rtt;<eJsc« j them to yon." This was carryin|r the war itlo itic enemy's country with s \V,r. Pauline, ttw. h'ad plcoty of :>e3f.«*i«t»:»svi3. i So sbe jt3id. ftniling ; *Oh. I shall be deli?btc4; I;m »v-\ folly curious to see Mi*.* Vtracr. y«,« ] are ctrtain. then, that Jr*" *it c^ingT"'"' " Quite certain," ».aid i.c* hvgafag, ">mm I had the pleasure of lukin? ibem jli© c,«ds oa Fntlay. Ate y<*n Y" " V«," she replied, taking the cue. tout inwardly bcwiMtred by the frank admiwroß where she bad cxpetted .4'slful He had been to the Kerns then. «n Friday, b* well on Wcdacsdav. nv.d made t»o Secret of it. Stewart accompanied Maida Jo ber carriage, and did nnt reiom lo the drawiaj*rn.ni. Xol tint Pauline would have w»id .auyliiiag about Claude; he knew the game she uuant to play as well a* if »hc bad told lnm, am! she thought »be trat hidins tt s*> cusningly! <To be continued.)