"STAR" TALES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7587, 22 December 1902, Page 4

"STAR" TALES.

». LADY ROSENDALE'S VISITOR. (By FITZGERALD MOLLOY.) On this evening Lady Rosendale had dressed a little earlier than usual, as she was to take her step-daughter to the opera. Just as the last touches were given to her toilette, a- tap sounded at the door, and a note was brought her, together with a message that the person who had sent it up was waiting for an answer in the hall. She took ib with surprise, glanced at the envelope, which was crumpled and somewhat soiled, and at the writing that seemed familiar, though she was unable to remember whose it was. Glancing into the mirror to see that her maid was not looking over her shoulder, she tore open the envelope, when at the Bight of the signature the blood left "her face and her hands shook so much that she was obliged to put the letter on her knees before -she could read the following words : "I have been back in England a few weeks, but could not make up my mind ,to call until now. Will you see me for fi^e minutes? I must have a word with — Arthur Branscombe." • She read the note a second time, considered a moment, and then turning to her maid said, " Tell Peters to show the gentlemau into the library and say I will see him 'presently." 1 Whilst the maid delivered the message jto the footman waiting outside, Lady 'Rosendale, under the pretence of rearranging the folds of old Spanish lace round her thoulders, and straightening the pendants of her diamond necklace, gained time to tecover her composure, and to prepare for an interview which she dreaded. When, five minutes later she entered the library, heir visitor rose with an effort such as a man double his age might make, and they. stood facing each other in silence. Had she not expected to find him there, she .would hardly have recognised huri, so sadly altered was he. The big loose frame had lost flesh and though there was still something, military in his bearing, his chest was hollow and his shoulders rounded. But his face, even more than his figure, showed signs of the life he had led, for his skin had an unhealthy look, his cheekbones were unduly prominent, his eyes had a bleared expression, and the lines round them were .such as are seldom seen there at thirty-four. • ; After a second's hesitation, during which he appeared either greatly embarrassed or dightly under the influence of drink, he straightened himself and advanced with outstretched hand towards where she stood, looking at him with a pity that was intolerable to the man. "I suppose you're surprised at my calling," he began in a voice that was far from being self-assured. " I didn't expect you. Why did you return?" " Well, I thought I had been long enough out there, roughing it like a navvy half the time, and hobnobbing it with a herd of half-savages, when I had money," he replied contemptuously. "You still gamble?" she said quickly. "Every mother's son gambles out there, where there's nothing else to do when you're not. working like a nigger." " But do' you think it was safe for you to come back?" " Pooh, that affair is forgotten long ago. The world had too many scandals to amuse it without raking up ancient (history like mine. And then Wiltshire has (had time to cool down in five years, you know. He was always a hot-headed chap, and I dare »ay would fc&ve kept ihia wor,d and tent me to penal (servitude if I hadn't cleared cut pretty quick, but will not do it now." " Ah ! how could volt " ' "Well, what'B ai couple of thousand pounds to a man with a rent roll of fifty. And I swear I'd have told him all about it and returned ihixn the money if I had pulled eft that little event. But it was nil my luck— or the want of it, for I've never bod any since you threw me over, *nd that's the blessed truth of it," he said, ) with bitter ■ regret. "There's no use in referring to that," •aid she, .gently. "Of course not," he answered with a laugh that was a mockery of 7 joy. She turned from him wearily and sat down, but !he still kept standing, looking woTshipfully at her slight, graceful figure, the beautiful lines of her neck and: shoulders, the sweet face with its serious air, and those divine eyes, dark blue, like the deles at night. 1 The sight W her loveliness, the sound of her gentle voice, the faint fragrance of her rich brown hair, brought back the memory of old days and filled him with that regret and reproach that had so often driven him to despair. "If I could only have a fair 6tart and begin' life again," he muttered, as he Clenched his hands. "It's not too la,te to begin." "What, with a record Eke mine — ai gambler, a forger and God knows what else!" he replied, with self-contempt. " Turn your back upon it all ; you are clever in mamy ways, and could; always " " It's no use ; I've never ihad any •trength of will, that's been my curse. If I had only kept straight when we were engaged, if I had only kept my word of honour to your father that I'd never gamble again; but I've never been able to resist temptation — I wasn't built that way." ; " Don't let us go back to the past," she rentreated. V "But I can't help thinking of it," he 'itold her, his face 'growing woeful in' its < desperation, " and it's been a whip of fire that's driven me to what I aan. And be«foi£ God I've never loved any woman as loved you, and — and I think you cared ior me." \ " Captain Branscombe !" she called out. .' " Forgive me, I didn't intendi to talk 4 like this; but as I've said so much. I'll tell you this, Mabel: I'm often %lad you * escaped me and married Rosendale. He always a good-natured fellow, as I've .xeason to know, though a bit of a fogey^ and I've always ddne you the justice to think it wasn't altogether for his money <vr his title you married him." v "I don't wish to hear my husband dis-

cursed," she said, now feeling sure that her visitor was not quite sober, and beginning to think she had been unwise in seeing him. " You are right, you were always light." he muttered. " But let me ask you one thing, for it's haunted me night and day for years — are you happj-V" She could not immediately answer him, so dry was her throat, so wild the throbbing . of her, heart. "I've been content, perfectly content," she said on finding her voice. " Ah ! I've always heard a woman forgets quicker than; a man ; the wound cuts deeper on him, and " "What have you come here for?" she asked, unable to tolerate the words. The question brought him hack to the present; he turned his eyes from her, a dull glow tinged the yellowish hue of his face, and he stammered " I'm terribly down on my luck. Grimston, who was always a sanctimonious noodle, has shut his door on me, the .duchess has refused to answer my letters — there's a pretty brother and sister for you. And my brother offiet?s have turned their backs on mo to a man, Look h,ere, Mabel, it goes against the grain to ask you', but I'm desperately hard Bet. Lend me twenty pounds. I'm as certain as I stand here that it will bring me a thousand or more by this time to-morrow evening. I've got a straight tip from an old pal, and I swear I'll not let a drop of brandy cross my lips until I've put the coin bade in your hands." "I cannot lend you the money," she ' answered, calmly. i *' For God's sake don't say that j for it's a matter of life and death" to me, and get it I must," he said,- his eyes shining with excitement, the veins in his forehead swelling. " You make it hard for me to refuse, but I am unable to give it you !" "Unwilling," he said, "harshly. " You wrong me there," she replied, patiently. " Whe.n a year "after your disappearance you wrote to me- from the Cape for money, I handed' your letter to my husband, and he, the most generous of men, gave what you asked for on condition that ' I would, never give you a shilling without tolling him. I readily promised, for as you know I haven't a penny of my own; but yau see I cannot break my word." "Ifc -ydll not bo giving, it will only be leading." "That's a mere evasion." "Where's Rosendale, I will ask him mjpelf." " He's gone out of town for a few days ; but even if he were here I'm sure ho wouldn't give you the money." 11 Then it's all up with' me," he said, desperately, and he struck the table beside h}m, ' ': " What has gambling and racing brought y&u but ruin?" she asked. " Witty not turn yeur- baok on at? You are yet young and ■" " Itfa toe> Jfl/fcfly' he Aniwered, shaking his head, " I'm an Incorrigible, ruffian at heart, and I knew I'll never reform. It's a. goad thing Fm, j»t Jn Orlmston's place,-, or I'd ihave made fiueks asd drake? pf .the preperfcy- $a, I did with my P°o? mother's fer= fujie. There's no -eae to Mama but my"And. ne. ©ne pan help j?eu bfli v-e-sf-eejf. Jikl if $o\\ weu.ld epl^— ~»-f»u> pha e©ul-4 ?aet gft^ mov& without breaking dewn, sq pitiful did it §§em to @es this Iramaa WPafik drif^ng \e> s&sfcrueiign, ga turned his. ifrejid t^S-fc fre migiife r.gfc the t-f^rg vhfch jn^e§B?ibaWy tmen-. ed all that w^as lef fc in ijfcft <af jßanliness spri gBQ^, tf Jafgjve- aae feu treubiing fw," he "Yeu \rafierstjaa4 tJiai || I ps^iti— — " "■ Yes, j undsrstaiidy ' lie reglied in, $ \gvt. broken Veice. «I fea? % h,a?& alvpajs been a. bjfc.ef a. biigji|er ? aad th^ii; j'fe Beyer braughjj jrpu anything bufe saifigr^. It Tfeuld be better for you if je% had never seen me-^bu^ per&aps,' y ea ne'^ec agaia. Tell me, do y-#u fargiy-e me?" 15 Yes, yesj I ferg^s f &&\" *?|8 flnsw^ed |n a phekmif YBice: "gad if I have 4»gyou— if un^iliingiy I ha?e a^age "You IhaVe nothing \& fi|agia yenrfgif far j I didn't value y#u uatil it. -H^as,. too J late } aas I my -^ard pa yqw fathfir. 1 1 hay-Q pffcen tiiankgd Qo<) pu didn'fc raamr m&, far if you had have only fjrougiif you to ibeggary a»d disgrace, foe' I*d ''mv« hav« strength 1 to keep "sir.'aight~ Q^ood-r bye." -■•'■ oiis gaujd a§t. tfiyft acESfiif ty speajjj bat sup gsfs g;aj }i&s ? he ijajf rais^ fe ||§ lip^, gfl4 i| gfaQ^ ■ff e wfe mil ef $he seaaj. ••• • i . P§?^?B Ui )\ e v ~P GS . a$ the epers. jeaking sugre^aeiy hftn4so^s } her beautiful neck anl 6UQU."ifle|!^ Juaaing- diamgadE, siie enyie4 jay jnaaj^gme^ yhg ijfctJe s^speete4 liQW heavy wan her heart, ]\ovf dis^ tractod her thoughts were, hew foi? ever she saw before her the thin figure, haggard face and despairing eyes of the only man she had ever loved, and whom she was powerless to save from destruction. So ' that throughout the evening the figures on the stage moved like phantoms before her, and the tender pathos and passionate fervour of the music were like the voice of her own emotions. She would not have been present but that she did not wish to disappoint her step-daughter of hearing the opera, that seemed interminable. When at last the curtain fell, she hurried to the vestibule to wait for her carriage. . There was some difficulty in finding it, for the crush was greater than usual, but when safely seated in it she flung open her

cloak, the June night being oppressivelyclose, ami leaned towards the open window for air. As the carriage reached the corner of Long Acre it was suddenly pulled up, blocked by a tangle of broughams and cabs, and, as she stretched forward to see the cause of the stoppage, a face she recognised as Arthur Branscombe's appeared at the window, a hand was instantly thrust forward and the necklace snatched from her throat. She was too stunned to call out, but her step-daughter screamed. Then as in a confused dream she saw the footman jump from the box, saw figures dart forward in headlong speed, heard the tramp of horses' hoofs on the stones, the roar of wheels and a shout from the crowd. The frightened horses of her carriage had rushed forward, but were now brought to a dead stop, and the voice of a man, on the pathway said, " Someone has been run over.' 1 Afc the same time the throng which she could see hustling round something at a little distance, was thrust aside, and the footman and a policeman came to the window, the latter handing her the necklace that blazed in the rays of the electric light. " It's all right, my lady, nothing broken, but the clasp," he said, hurriedly. "The footman has given me your name and address." ," But the man," she found voice to say, " the man who took it ?" "Oh, it's all up with him, my lady. There's no doubt he was drunk. He got knocked down by- a brougham and the wheels went over his neck. Right you are, coachman," he said, as with a wave of his hand he let loose the tide of traffic he had momentarily stopped.