PEGGY THE REBEL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14360, 4 February 1911, Page 2 (Supplement)

PEGGY THE REBEL.

(By Kthol -\i. lxiri-e;, Author oi "Tho Spirit of a Man, ' "Tho Bearing of It," "Tho idealist," "A J.'erfeot Gentleman," oio. Peggy was twcniy-thrce, and a hot revolutionist ; and as her : = i'. eoL-facrd hut somewhat ins-igmricani mother -sat opposite her, and realised that tact, her thoughts travelled hack eighteen years to v.iuu she holicvcd to bo the iirsfc sign of Peggy's rebellion. .She was mistaken, however. Revolutionists aro born, not made, and Peggy's future, attituds was declared at a much earlier ago ihau five, though her tactics were not thou rightly decipliercd. At live there was open light.

Peggy had been censured by her nurse— a staid woman, who ruled tho elder sisters with a rod of iron—for her callousness as to the requirements of tho child's numerous doll family. She had apparently shown remorse, and tho worthy nurso was therefore thunderstruck when, on entering tho nursery an hour later, sho found -her youngest charge lying full length on the sofa, beneath each of the four castors of which lay tho naked bodv of a doll.

Sho didn't look up as tho woman came in, but hummed loudly to herself, and appeared to be engrossed in a pictino-boulc.

"Mis; Peggy," Jenny said, angrily, "take them poor dolls out nt once, vou muightv, cruel little girl!" So.-' Peggy said, slowlv, not, attempting to move,, "I won't. 1 tried to get their best clothes on, and Agnes washed them too tight—the dolls is too fat, .so I'm squashin' 'em down. P'raps if you was to got on the Sofa too," she suggested, with a kindly critical glance at her guardian's ample proportions, "they mightn't have to staydown so long; hut p'raps you'd better not —you might burst 'em." "Wc-IH" retorted Nurse, with a snort, as, she dragged the child down from her position and rescued tho unfortunate and now deeply-dented dolls. Peggy, spent tile next live minutes in the corner, and on coming out sat down in a low chair and crossed her "Nursol" she said, surveying the woman's carefully-saddened face. No answer. "Nursel" .she said, again. And as there was still no reply, sho went on: "What's a-'bloko'?" The woman's face was a study. " Whoro've you been. Miss Peggy 'i" she demanded, sternly. . "Out in the gardens, yesterday," Peggy went on, calmly. "Ainger's nurso told Agnes she'd 'copped a bloke.' What's a bloko?" With an inward vow of vengeance upon Agnes, Nurse- turned a severe faco to Peggy, whose wide grey eyes were full of curiosity. "Uncross your legs this instant, Miss Fcgljy!" she commanded. "That's very unladylike I" And Peggy, - in her eagerness for an answer, did so. "Now—what's a bloke?" she asked, insistently. "A bloke," Nurse said, shooting her words like stones from a catapult—"bloke is a word no lady uses, and " "Don't want to be a lady I" Peggy retorted, and beings as a" matter of course, confined to the corner for another ten minutes she repeated that determination many times. , Now, at twenty-three, she was propounding theories to her mother and two sisters. They were stitching dainties for Peggy's trousseau, and that young lady' was sitting on tho table surveying them. She was charming—from the top of her bright, proud littlo head to the tips of her well-shod' feet, and her voice, iu the music of its tones, was as bewitching as her face. " Mothers-in-law, as an institution, are a mistake," she was - saying, when her mother interrupted. "You forget, Pegcty, sho pleaded, "I shall be Basil's mother-in-law." " You're the one exception that just proves the rule," Peggy avowed, and, having descended and kissed her mother, she sat on the table once more. " Basil is a man —a real live man," she said, emphatically, "and his worst fault isn't as big as my little one, even if he is quiet and absent-minded, and " "Ugly," Elizabeth put in, without raising her eyes. "Ugly, then," Peggy said, as she might have granted an extra virtue; "but that doesn't excuse the fact that his mother's a fussy old molly-coddle." '' Reggy I'' the mother .remonstrated feebly. . " Y,es * er day," Peggy said, savagely, "she took me out for a drive specially to tell me that I must' always be careful to set that his flannel shirts were well aired—indecent old thin"! I told her politely that I didn't" even know he wore flannel shirts, and that if at his age he hadn't enough sense to look after his .own shirts it was hopeless for me to try and teach him." "Oh! Peggy, you shouldn't have done that," her mother said, gently. "Then, last night at the theatre." Peggy went on, "my new evening shoes pinched so horribly that I asked Basil to take them off for me, and when he did his mother glared at me as if I'd committed an unpardonable sin. She's simply too ridiculous for words."

" But she's so very land and generous." Mrs., Meredith, urged: "and I really do think she's very fond of you, Peggy."

"Sho is kind," Peggy sa ; d. reluctantly. "And when I remember all her generosities I feel as if I ought to nail myself on a tree and get someone to pelt stones at me for even thinking badly of her. But there, nothing will alter the fact that she's a mollvccodle, and however I'm goinr» to manager her always I don't know.lsiio actually asked me the day if I were a good cook."

What did you say?" the mother asked, amusedly, with vivid memories of Peggy s gallant attemnts at cookery, for the future edification of Basil and the present martyrdom of her own family.

"I said," Peggy replied, "that he asked me to be his wife and not his cook, and I also said that I thought I knew the marriage service pretty well; but I d read it u», and if there was any hint of cookery among mv vows I d change my mind and be married in a registry-office; and she was so shocked that she couldn't even laugh. She told me that men with wonderful brains like Basil's had to have c;iro-fuU-prepared food, and when I asked her about my wonderful brain she diun t answer!"

Peggys brother had sauntered into the room, and, resting his back against the mantel-pieee, ho spoke. "You're jolly clever at firing off v„„ r smart little squibs at peo P r e , Peg," ] lO sa id, j y *Y, l '™ a ton «" e l"ko a needle, and you li give someone a prottv severe wound one of thes edays." And" Pemry who had a remarkable respect forTei' stalv.art brother's opinions, changed her

But it's only Mrs. Hastings. Jim." she said. '•! don't . earo "" if other people are ridiculous—it doesn't concern me, you see."

said l S6t ° n aH T ' Sht *' ith 3leHr '" Jim

„J ut - f w ,su * E""15 to be rour mother-in- aw- and that makes all the difference m the world"' ..^ G / ai 1 lte< !'" Ji "' continueTf, ' coollv' that she is a. mollv-eodd'e von Invito recognise the fact that'von ',re ma ,f>" »' }°™ "'ith her onlv son—'' lLsfh" 2al " hvt Jlm lrent or ' merei-

' v Il There Wils not more than s ; x J, 0 „,., >. between, j-our mutual 'l-mJuavaiU'^^L

said; "anJ for two people who prido ih.-nisolv,* on l-!i«ii- common sense tint's pr&Uv quick goal-, 1 mould an .v. You can't <l-!v- ill.-, fact—or, H you did \ou know i wouldn't boliovo you ---hut ih-ro isn't a single thing in tin) whole wido world Basil miikl ask yon ihut you'd rclu.ve." - ■•ln reason," Peggy '»*"> again. ■•Or .nit of reason," .Inn asserted. "If In. were to Miy lo yon, • I'oggy, wn'ro going to live nt tin. North I'olo after wo're married,' you'd say "

''l'd say," IVgg.v said, firmly, 'my (rood moni wo'ro not married, and if that's where you're going to live wo never shall be!"' And Peggy swung her fnst with studied indifference. •'Now, that's jusl. what you wouldn't do " her brother said, knocking tho ashes out of his pipe, " You'd probably look at him for about threo minutes, and then you'd go to tiio door and sitv, 'Very well, Basil, I can bo ready in—three "hours. Dues one go by boat or by train?' You see, I know tho two of you, and when you spout all that shallow nonsense about your ' theories ' there's one person in the world who i-ounls it so much smoke. Anything to say?" he asked. "Only," Peggy declared, with a disdainful toss of her curly head, "that for a grow u man you talk the mest arrant rubbish!" Arid then there came an unmistakable ring at the boll, and, after a. hurried survey of herself in a mirror, sho ran towards the drawingroom.

"Don't you think," Mrs. Meredith asked, pleadingly, "that you'ro a littlo hard —a little severe —towards Peggy?"

"Not for a. moment," Jim said, cheerfully. "Sho lets fly at people so frankly herself that sho deserves the same treatment now and again; and, for another thing, she's too sonsiblo not to know that all I said was true." llu relit his pipe, and buried himself in a newspaper. After reading for half an hour he looked at his watch. "Peg's been away a long time," he observed. "It's strange she didn't bring Basil in here as usual." Then, almost as he spoke, the front dcor banged and steps came slowly towards tho morning-room. Peggy'.s every movement .was so sprightly nnd full of decision that the eyes of all three turned towards her as she entered tho room. Her face was white ajid dull-looking, its expression sturtled as that of one who is recovering from a shock. She stood for a, moment at the door without speaking; then her words came with difficulty. "The most ' dreadful thing has happened," she faltered, taking no notice of the chair Jim proffered. "Basil's mother received a cable this morning to say that therehas been an explosion in the mine in which, all her mouey is invested, aild of which her or.]'- brother is manager. Her brother has been very seriously injured, and the list of tho wounded is enormous. Mrs..Hastings wished Basil to go out at once to the mine, and-r----ho—is—going to-morrow," she concluded, wretchedly. "It will take him threo weeks to reach tho place. I am going round to his mother, and I've promised not to leave her till ho cornea back." And, with no further explanation, she went slowly lo her own room. "By Jove! poor little Peg," Jim said, and ho followed dhor. "I say. Peggums," he called at the door of her room, "may I come in?" And being answered in the affirmative, he entered. Peggy was standing at the open I'reuch window, .her face and attitude the very embodiment of despair. Her brother walked quietly over to her. "Nothing's ever so"bad as it looks at first, old girlie," lie said, in the tone he only used when they were alone, and she, turning, buried" her miserable face against the arm he put round her "But this looks so horribly black," sho shuddered. t'le same," Jim said, cheerily, it might; have been much worse, you know. For instance, Basil " "Oh, don't!" She shuddered again, then she raised her 1 terrified eves to him. "If it had been Basil I should have gone mad," she whisner.ed. J'Well, then," went on" the strong voice, "you see ho# much worse things might have been. Yon don't even know that Mrs. Hastings' brother is done for yet, and, anvhow, I don't see that you'll help anyone by looking liko a funeral. Why don't you pretend things are going to be all right? Thought that was one of your 'theories,'" he said, brightly. She threw back her shoulders with a characteristic little jerk. Her- sniilo was a pathetic attemot. "So it is, and you're an old dear," she said; then she mopped her eyes impatiently. 'D you think anyone would know l''d been crying. ?•' she asked somewhat shamefacedly. ".No I" Jim asserted. " You'd better give your cheeks a bit of a rub up, though, and do something to your hair. "What do you want me to do come round as far as Burke Street with 3-ou?" "Oh" said Peggy, gratefully, "if you only would!" ''Eight 01 I'll wait for you downstairs, then," Jim answered", leaving tho room. Peggy walked to the dressing-table, and as she brushed her unruly locks into something like neatness she" talked aloud to herself, as she often did when excited. "Now, that's going to be the last of it," she decided. "Fancy sitting down and howling, as if that'd do any good." She ran the hairpins into her hair as if they .had been daggers, and she her own "enemv, put on her most becoming hat and daintiest gloves, and ran downstairs to her brother. "I expect I look as if my sniilo is screwed on," she said to herself, "but I'm determined to see this through without any whiniug on impart. lU's no use thinking about tomorrow." and then, because her lower I:p would tremble, she bit it bravely. "I'm ready, Jim," she said, quietly; and the two set out without speaking. At the Hastings' house a scene of the utmost confusion reigned—the luxuri-ously-furnished hall looked like a pack-ing-room, so full of travelling trunks and passenger paraphernalia was it—chairs, lounges, and every available piece of furniture was loaded with shirts, socks, books, rifles, coats, and pipes hugging each other in helpless muddle.

The Irish housemaid let tlie girl in— Jim promising to call later—and for the moment Peggy stood on the great Persian carpet surveying her surroundings. The sight gave her t-ho inclination to laugh and CTy at the sanio moment, so significant was its rjathos. Sho laughed helplessly. " Whatever is all this for, Norah?" she asked. Tie girl shrugged her great shoulders. " Sure, miss, 'tis only the mistress knows, I soosuoct: for mcself, Oim surprised she isn't lend in' half 'er own v.ardday and thinkin' 'or buoy's goin' to hr- drownded at least." •'Oh, that's rubbish!" Peggy said, with nvuch vigour. -"Where is Mrs. Hastings P" Just them that lady entered, beeves .swollen with crying, her dainty little cap awry, and her arms filled with clothes tbat oertainlv had never fitted Basil since lie left school. Peggy took the collection from her, kissedlier unhappy face, then, unceremoniously pushing a dress coat, a c-ouplo of nair of pyjamas, and a pair of gum hoots .111 co the floor, put her future mother-in-law in nn easy chair. " Xmv, my dear." she .said, with "turtle decision, 'Must sit hero aiuV superintend, and -I'll work. First of all. let's have some tea or s ! .ime wine, Norah." And the- housemaid departed. "Oh, my dear," whined the little woman, pathetically, "it's too dreadful —it reallv is!" Then she broke off. "I'm putting iu all Basil's socks " " .So T should have thought," reflectcd Peggy, sotto voce. "-And borrowed from all the neighbours aa well to get this accumulation I"

"One never knows what discomfort men luivc, to endure out in thos.o terrible places, ' Mrs. Hastings went on. "And these pyjamas"—sho .»'<-'>""l "1» .some gaudy leiuin-isconecs oi boardingschool tin&o. ~ . " Yes dear, yes," the distressed voice wont on. "But one never knows. I think ho should have all his warm things with him." blie rose with a Midden remeiubranre. "Why. dear me, there wore so mo flannel shirts 1 made him two years ago, and put away in some drawer. I must go and get them." She rose, and suddenly Hung her arms round the girl's neck. •■Sweet little Peggy." she said, soMuugly, 'it is so splendid to have you!" And tiio suddenness of the unwonted burst of affection so astoundod Peggy that tears rained down her face, and sho clung- to Basil's mother in an agony of grief for a moment. „„ . Then Bhe recollected herself. "This will never do," she said, with a miserable attempt at brightness. " Sec, dear, von go and get what you want, and Norah and i will start packing." And, still sobbing, Mrs Hastings went. No sooner had she reached the door than Peggy rang the bell violently, and on No'rah's appearance, in answor to tho summons, she pointed breathlessly to tine largest trunk. 'Quick, Norah!" she commanded, taking one handle. "Let's get half of theso absurd things out of the way. MiBasil would only have them put in tho sea if we did pack them." "Knight you air, miss," Norah acquiesced, cheerfully. "A quarter of this noomber's enough for two bhoys loiko Masther Basil, ,but 'tain't no use tellin' tho misthress so." The appearance of a pile of flannel shirts surmounted by a hat-box in the doorway, and followed by Mrs. Hastings, was the signal for Peggy and tho Irish woman to put down the third trunk they hod prepared to carry off, and Peggy immediately fell to packing with much seeming energy. In reality, her young heart was aching bitterly, and sho hated every moment that kept her from Basil, who had gone to try to get the latest news of the disasters. Tho list of tilings Mrs. Hastings considered absolutely necessary increased every moment, and it took tho girl as much time unpacking perfectly useless trails as it d:d to put in ordinary clothing. She was hot and weary, and utterly depressed, .when the door ooened and her lover entered the hall. Ho did not see her at first . bending over a great cabin trunk, but he suddenly heard a most untomboyish and wholly pathptio attempt at. a whistle,, and in two strides'he was across tho ball and hud gathered tho littlo packer into his anus. ' '...': "Oh, boy—boy 1" was all she oould find to say, but her arms weT& round his neck, her curly head was pressed passionately aga:nyt lua face. She held him off from her,'and her sad eyes tried to smile into Iris bravely as she took in, as if to photograph it on her memory for ever, every feature of that dearly-loved face. "Oh, my dear," she .shivered—"how do women let their lovers go to waf? I can't—l can't let you go from nic." Basil was smoothing her shinv hair with his big gentle hand, and when he spoke at last it was very slowly, as if dreading the answer. "He could not keep a certain joyous tone of expectancy out of his voice, however, and Peggy looked into his eyes with a sudden hope at her heart. . It fell at lu's first words. "1 have to go, littlo love," he said. "But another wire has come through to say that my uncle's accident is not reallv very serious, except that he has to lay up wdefinitelv." "Indefinitely!" Peggy said, breathlessly. "Look, dearest, I don't know what you re going to say to me. but old Jim and I laid our heads together, and " He stopped, unable to go on. Peggy slowly took his arm from round her shoulder and stood off. Her ■eyes '"'ere wide, with astonishment. "What have you done, bov?" she demanded, hardly above a whisper. Basil's face, half doubting, half triumphant, made her heart leap madly in her breast. What was he about to tell her? Slowly ho unbuttoned his coat and took out his pocket-book, feeling her burning eyes on him all the time. Then he handed her two long printed sheets of paper and stood watching her intently as she took them in. His face had gone suddenly white, and his hands, dei£i in his pockets, were twitching nervously. Bewildered, Peggy looked over the covered with dates and figures. "What is it?"-sho asked, piteously; and Basil laid a finger on the top lines where names were written. "This is what I want you to look at, little girl," ho said, softly. And Peggy read on one "Mr Basil Hastings, passenger for Johannes, burg"; on the other "Mrs. Basil Hastings, passenger for Johannesburg." Her head swam, a mist was before her eyes, but in her excitement one hand closed over Basil's arm. "When " sho whispered. "When " "Next week —Friday week," Basil faltered. "Oh! Peggy, my little, little queen—say you'll do it! I knowit seems sudden; but it isn't, really. You see, it would only have been "a couple of months- off," anyhow. And think of the trio, think of the days we'll have together, and think of how it would be with us if wo had to be parted!" Once more his strong arm was round her shoulder, and her face was pressed against his cheek. "Speak,, dear one. I don't know what, you are going to say. Does it seem dreadfful to vou?"

"No—no—no—out——" Peggy beLTan, then lest he should see the rosy pmk tli.it flushed her cheeks, her ears' even her neck, she buried her face once more.

t "•nw'"i Ko ' 1,0 - y co,lrse > of course i will, she stammered, and could say no more.

And then, to las eternal shame be it said, Jim parted the hall curtains and sa:<l. heartlessly, to Peggy: "Well, if it's the North Pole, does one go by train or by boat?"