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Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14284, 27 August 1910, Page 1 (Supplement)

Ce'rald'e ; L re P lied ' I had thought" of +Ti;i.t-,* replied Mr 'hilt tin- question of expense I"' ronsKleriiblo. Still I am glad I,r i,'' • v »° u takui ° all interest in tlie ' mill! r.f expeneuee who lias travel- | <1 »>ut a bit—a man -with a London ' -v.J-jni'in'f', continued Gerald, disreIns lathei-'s Last remark. .'..1 -Meiistrie v,:is pleased at the ;uk , til ~( i tlmt lf a K(Sllt .,„ lnail poss : lu llie neeessary (nullifications were I ' 1 : I ;V | ]l " <1 prepared to v 1 I'Votira hly. i ' '! IS (irrakl appear.Ht'""™ : u itv°7 l '+ l * I>roßl - ,,fc ib<> 1-1 I r ' r <-1 ro?». ■' i. ! ! y anw his lather into hnn " -then Jiailed J., ' 'I""' » ns driv,,, to hi* rooms to frive inslructertai n men t of his inends Swintun and Leonard. C'HAI'TKR V, J'L'ST IN 'rrMK—M.HS GEORGE iH/.VSMOJU'J. A second longer and it would havo II too late, but a strong fj;i'asp was :-al'on Izba's shoulder in time to .stay S\. m 'n '* »• voice, rose •'bril.r the sound of the storm. Rneh '-"i'" I ''- V " U s, " e ' c i lorfi in yV u " ll,c voic:e----,i,., i . s '"V < ' tunc a strung liand elifl' i' U ii <J f the sli'll"rrfl (' " \ ,Vl "' * extent l/ir ti. I',"'", u,<; {wco " f wild. "'(una» wean'r'" a^n"'chufl I J» if il.riv'T sl ""»- ..» I In: vallef "V"'' «t Jlai'moutil Vo-V.U I".'.'® I ' '1 Siw V';'"" 1 " IIS oeiuiv jnsane. kiicw 'il '' '! U! - v " ,|r liiiiise. and f J - 1 " u '<• "'as nol, j i,., + , 1 .seehjiit Wliv A. " '-n.it joii were •<S" i„!:i'v !«"<•« <. < <■ * towards the cottar '' lk(!<l ii.mv Mi' Sir J " U> i tT,,> the wet elothi, it loohiii' v(, '' | ~ "t " U "' ''"'"a, V '7 -V ; y h,r , piission ],ad worked jLsell out and left her lim,, ilIK | \'-e.iK. \\ itn. a. .seared, expression on her ieatures she >vatahed Simrn .soothing th,> ijjin nL. Siiuni. was a. roii'j'fj avojujiii I'oarsely drcs>(:(.l. Jiad hands' I'j'ou n woallior-ljL'iitt'ii icalurPs and tntmhd mav-ps <»l' black liair. Despite tli'-jc was of rough t<• m'.litii<.'>>> in t]ic; way t;h(; foiidled the child. ' Poor ituioccni lamb.' .she kopt muttfririL',, (/ainMM«j; up at izba .she said iiloud--4 Hi'inj.'; hoi water and dry clothes.' Al. chaiiically I'/Jia • »lcjfl. for she had iiu "-•iTvant, it I.ei'VL" one oi : her ;c-. Lo (inarrel witji and tr<at. I»ad!y any one whom she had uuthori ty over. ronMHjiiently none would stusi boyond a ver.i' brief time.

Soon the dry chillies were brought, and t.he chilil hiy peacefully m • I .v nil, •,'vn- viui no{. Htaykful thai- f jii ini;" >i''y your hand." r-'-iid Shu.ra. - r e;'rs fixed on the tiro. 'iVkc-re is "our husband; Izba shuddered as she- answered—- ' T have no husband —lie —dec ?iv -d in*'' -.villi ■' false marriage.' ' AV>- iill have trouble.' returned Slmra. 'I bad. a husband, a.s good a a.- ,-ver nulled a rone, and tin or hue manlv sons, the most daring lisher-nu-ii on the coast. Ono day when a lieree nak> way sweeping the channel and driving the « .ar< lnto mountains hi-h. standing on lUrn.oith quav ! paw both husband and drowned before my eyes, i i th, ■":" , ZlJiiiT an<l HO.KI and Min ', ... ..••■•II i vouim man. a I renieiid.ii •> . . Barmouth, si ranker, eame y ." > , ~ | t i.L'lncared to be rsfh. as " h.d', smooth tons-lie si I ill w iiiume; ways. v ehild listened to liis suit speeeho-;. : '! o 'e niiiht, in an c-vil hour, late m he autumn, jusv as the -,'ev lim its 01 winlw were .sc-tiinu mi she tied «itli him („ London? A year after 1 -ot a eUei ~,i m her but belore 1 readied lu. bside she had passed awav. T » U | UM - hodv home, and it is buried m .he Churchyard in the vallev. lour*- ; s not the only sorrow in the world. .1 .x people of Barmouth say I am mad, and perhaps I am. God knows 1 might well 1 The re was silence for a few minuter-, then the old woman rose to go. • stay with me to-night, pleaded Izba . Stay and nurse my elnld. It took some persuasion to induce her, but -it- length she yielded. In the morning izba, had a long conversation with Slmra, and finally an arrangement was made regarding the child, bliura agreeing to take charge of the boy. while IV,ha. went out to face the world and earn a hying. Thus relieved of all encumbrance. Izba, quickly derided oil her course of action.

The' furniture; <>f the cottage was •sold off and tlie proceeds of "tlit? sale, added to the money lialpli had K*it her. appeared to Izba a large sum. I" he did not trouble about hoi; child, but having decided on a course of action determined to lose no time in carrying it out. One small matter troubled her considerably. She had determined to foist herself on to London Society, and lor a time it puzzled izba to know in what character .she would be most favourably received. After mature deliberation she resolved to assume the role of a young widow, for, as Izba reasoned, a widow is usually interesting, more especially if she is goodlooking. Besides, a widow is allowed a great deal of liberty hy society, and her actions are not so liable to he called in question as those of an unmarried girl. From this it will lie seen that Izba knew something of the ways of the world. So, one dull, wet morning, Izba took the train from Barmouth to Winlcigli Junction, and from thpure to Southhampton. At Southampton she stayed for tho night, resolving to travel to London on tho following day. She had buried her past, and resolutely feet forth in her .new career as a young wirlow who had recently lost her husband. The only other occupant oF the, compartment. in which Izba took her .seat was a lady, and, like herself, dre.-sed in deep mourning. She was a. very delicate, nervous-look-ing woman, and from her dross and appearance belonged to tll"e upper ten. llzha was not slow to notice this, and the I rain had not proceeded far when she began to show an inclination totalis; and some few remarks on that never-1 ailing .subject, tile weather, passed between them. The .stranger expressed Jier horror of railway travelling, as she always dreaded a collision. Becoming more communicative, she remarked that she iiad just returned from India, where her husband had died quite recently. Izba expressed her sympathy, and informed her companion that she, too, was a widow, and managing to .squeeze a. lew tears I rom her reluctant eyes, •stilted that her husband, Mr Sutherland. a lawyer, to whom she was deeply attached, had been dead for about a month. The discovery that they Wero both victims of the same fell cause led to mutual confidence and a bond of union Was struck up between them. The stranger explained that she was a Mrs Dunsmore, iliat she had just rutui ned trom India, her husband having been a. captain in the army, and met his death m a. i'ronrier skirmish mi the borders oi. Afghanistan. At the thought ol her loss the readv tears welled up in her eyes: and it was some minutes lioion* shy could proceed. She stated that she was on her uav to 'London, where she intended to reside wirh an old lady who was her husband's aunt. Izba listened to the recital with apparent interest, showing also a becoming amount of sympathy, garnished with u lew tears. Mrs Dunsmoro said she had never been n, England before, nor had she ever seen Lady Dunsmore, with whom she was to make her home in the .uture Also that she had dismissed all lior Indian servants, and was travelling alone, even without, a maid.

' \voiii<i .Miii u.,t jj;uv preferred to Ine «iili your own relations.' asked izba. ' But I have none,' replied Mrs DunsJ!«.re with a somewhat sieklv smile '-Nor have f ever seen any of" my husl uid s re a tains .which you may'think .-.trance ; but you see my father was a medical oihcer m the Indian Government service, where he died short!v betore. my marr.a-e, I was on my" way to En-land when I met Captain Dunsmore, and wo were married at Calcutta/ ' You must have felt his loss very much, my dear Mrs Dunsmore, and you have my heartfelt sympathy. Yvith'mv own loss iresh iu my mind anil unable to proceed further, Izba burst into tears and sobbed audibly. She was not a had actress, and for a few minutes the two widows minted their tears for their departed huihaifds. On the .whole Izba was getting lather wearied o1 he." soft-hearted eon[! p.'unou and had .Mrs Dunsmore not been the neiec of a titled lady, she would have ielt inclined to ridicule her sori-ow. Of course the neiec of Ladv l/iinsinore was a. person of con.::ef]uenee l»eiore they had got: half-wav to London Izba had learned a great deaf re«ardiuc her companion 's j)ast life and her husband, Captain Dunsmore, to whom she had been deeply attached. Meanwhile the train ivit.li its livi'mj; iH'ifilit \\as on tov.'ards its destination, tJiroiijclf tho bleak, wintry landsi-ape, which was cold and chililooking; as the sky above. Izba, noticed Jiow nervous Mrs Ounsniore was ; the least jolt caused Jici to start and the jarring of the when the train stopped at a. station acted on her nerves like the .sljoc'kf? ot an electric batterv. ' How different it would' hare been Ah■ 'n' V ' G<i , or - 6 been alive!' said Dunsmore, drying her tears. am/' her V tears e ' Uly her s - vm I )aih y Dunsmore° SS eeli "S afraid of Lady • • I know she is pz'oud and of her . , -sa d Mis Dunsmore, after r i h d .she nun-he dry her tears, or if lonVwuiow S wnse from a ro-iror,.ou lnt . d I"', " Ht eX,,eofc me ««til . , ' 'V Ks so unpleasant to " t . a Y" 1 / 1 "'ben yon are not ex- ' ted, fretted Airs Dunsmore. issJa was carefully preparing a reply.

( • u(■ 1u• 1.1 m ihe proper manner, when sudden!y there- was a J'rhrhiful crash. a v':1 1 ' ironi A.lrs Ounsinore. :i ierriMo .H'li . j(> uii«l Hm. rsppj ,sii c sir!p. .if 'bo <-«fnj--, r tmenr. There -15- a .-rar'-- • "■ tearing sound, the bi'sakjns of l crd. mingled vith thg cries and shn?ks of the passengers. The carnage appeared to rise up on end, then camo do*" n with a crash into its ordin al7 i'osi.Mon, but) slitrhtlv toppled err on one s.ide. collision had occurred. Izba picked herself up. She had >( i iirown about in the carriage, but apart from a tew bruises was otherwise unhurt. Her first thought was of i ell-preservation. S.he saw that the carriage was thrown over, and that one •SKlo rented on some wagnons. She tiled the door on the other side, but it v. as locked, and ail her .strength could not open it. She also saw that There was no immediate danger, and was sure relief would come soon. • :d:a was not nervous, and the cries "I the passengers ,n the carriages on e-ther side did not di<urb lier/Satis- { '' w,,ul<l '*• released before b-iig, she turned her aitrntion to Mrs who „ iis l yill . ; ql!lte . , IIU tne tto(M- Ol the lau ;e. r • l-erhaps she has laioled." thought ..-'ei. su.opmj, d„w ; , and taking hold'of 'tZd'T r '-- h u aS cnki - *'•» ' . ' Mr-J Uu/ji:?ijore into *t V,',!?'- 1 Ulosl had killed her." TWh 'V d'l "" nlltc ' s la 1'" Wiss terrified. the whif;,, ' ir^ w'thdr'vy r ,:, ' r ° rin,,ic ' eould 'i'ot tbe de.'.d woman"" lmm t!,e features tlie'rielTfn "° tißed lin.r cloak and "X ' ,!,Winu . ,r;( ' 3 trnrel- <}> tbe r>'n«£s ~n i!e r (if,?"' le.ding of envv e-r f .;geis. and :l •ss th * iSs ;;.0'" r '/' p. an,l to sin. evou'v ii ; "' th ■""Kgestions, unlikelv - ; ' avr> - «"d na.se •suggest:on, I ''bri I 'di" ! ' a bgiinii, ig"» ti-N-:, n' , ' SW,U . ;i< '> !" its nature that for -i '•"' ' S ° almost ai)D"l < W 1 ' '" er ," lu two "users cf \t P"\ ' K lf thev burned lie,- v"' v ' <,hlilil a ' S I,i,le,iUi th " co of th<; ' frim'tlil' 1 "nnufe and she was lookinrr inn he carriage window. .Men were at lyoTk releasing the passr-rn/ers and w ung away the debris, but she sawthat some minutes must elapse before, they could reach her, as a number of ?,!!' wagons blocked the wav. Ilieie was no time to hesitate, and in an instant she was bending uv e;- the body of Ai.rs Dunsniore. Quickly she drew off the fur cloak and replaced it with her own less expensive jacket- exchanging bonnets, took possession of the dead woman's watch and chain, .stripped the rings off her fingers and put her own less valuable jewellery in their place. -V search in the dead woman's porkers discovered seven:! letters addres.>ed to Mrs Duusniore. along with the keys or her trunks. In a lew minutes Tzha was arraycu in }lrs l)unsninre'> cloak, and had a—sinned her jowls, mud. and bag. By this time the colour had returned to her cheeks, and her eyes were flashing with excitement. Ono morn plnnco at the dead bccly, and Izl«a drew the fur cloak closely round her. ' Izba Sutherland is doad !' she exclaimed, 'and Mrs Pnm-niore lives. There lies Tzha Sutherland; thenceforth I am Mrs Duusniore.* (To he Continued.)