THE DREAM SONG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10683, 1 February 1913, Page 3

THE DREAM SONG.

(By Si AllT IN J. SI'THTGH.) Author of " Dr Smilax," "The House by the Reefs/" etc. [Ai.i, Rights Reserved.] Cecil Brown was hoartily glad when tho train stopped at the little station, lie was tlu> only passenger to alight. "Doctor Brown?" A chauffeur came forward with tho query, touching his hat deferentially. "Yes." " Then this way. sir, if you please." Brown, giving his portmanteau to the man, and himself carrying a small handbag, followed him ,out of tho station, having surrendered his ticket to the solitary official. A motor-car was in 'waiting. The re flection from the acetylene headlights showed it to be a stylish car. It Was with a feeling of surprise that .Brown got in. when it immediately set off at a sharp pace. V Why. Neville gave mo to understand that he wa-s a. quiet country squire, of the simplest habits,'' he said to himself. " But if this is his idea of simplicity it is a great deal in advance of mine."

The surprise of having been met hv a fine motor-car instead of by the expected commonplace trap was, however, a pleasant one. It put Brown into a good humour, and made him glad after all that he had come. He had accepted Neville's invitation conditionally on his being in the humour to leave- town when Christmas came. On its advent he had felt too indolent to leave his chambers, even with the recollectiou haunting him of solitary 'past Yuletides there. In the end he had set out on impulse, to be very sorry for it before much of a slow and cold train journey had been got through. It was now colder than ever, but he no longer grumbled at that. The motor-car went fast, and by the light of an almost full moon that shone in tlio clear, frosty sky he tried to get some idea of the unfamiliar-country. The journey lengthened beyond his expectations. Despite the good pace, quite twenty minutes had gone by when the car slowed up at a large pair of entrance gates. They were shut, and the chauffeur sounded his hooter several times, yet nobody came to open them. " Christmas times, sir,"' he said, with an impatient laugh. If the lodgekeeper isn't there his wife should be." " You 7 11 have to get down and open the gates yourself," said Brown, drily, wondering why the chauffeur. 4 had not shown any inclination to do so. "They're locked sir," said the man. " This is net the entrance that's generally used for the car, but the road to the other gate is narrow, and not in the best state just now.' Blow them!— they knew I would bring the car this way." After some further waiting they saw a man with a lantern come running to the gates, which he opened. "You've hustled yourself a lot, Sims, I don't think!" said the chauffeur, sarcastically. " Couldn't you have waited a little longer before getting a move on? I've been waiting here with Dr Brown only ten minutes." "Well, that wasn't my fault," returned the man. " I was called np to the house, and my missis was wanted there to help before me. So there couldn't be nobody here. But I liurried down as soon as I heard your blooming hooter." The chauffeur muttered some inaudible rejoinder. Then ho made for the gateway, but, having turned short, had to back the car. ' He advanced again with almost a leap, and struck the right pier so violently as nearly to overturn the car, which swerved into the lawn. "Short-tempered men shouldn't be let drive motor-cars no more than drunkards—that's my opinion," said the man Sims, as he coolly relocked the gates. " I hope you're not hurt, sir, or that nothing in your bag is broken, sir?" said the chauffeur to Brown, with marked anxiety. "Oh, no—l've escaped'all right, and there's nothing in either my portmanteau or bag to smash," returned Brown, feeling somewhat shaken, but thankful not to have been thrown out. He then dismounted and watched the chauffeur, who was examining the wheel that had collided with the pier, the lodge-keeper holding down his lantern. "This wheel will have to be taken off, Sims—it's badly strained, at any rate," said the chauffeur, in a low voice. " A bit of a row for you, Mason," returned the other. " Oh, they're too much occupied now to trouble about this," said the chauffeur, in a still lower voice. "I'll mention the mishap, of course—we can afterwards explain it away, if necessary."

The two men shoved the car aside, and then the chauffeur, taking the portmanteau out, shouldered it ana said: "We'll have to walk up the avenue now, sir. That mishap could have been

worse—and, at- any rate, accidents can't always be helped, can tliev, tir?" Brown was amused at the man's coolness, though strongly to give his opinion on the cause of the accident. But lie kept silence, for such criticism would hardly have become a guest. They advanced up the avenue, and, although few of the windows'were lighted up, Brown saw that the house they approached was a very large one. The door was opened by a smart maid, with whom the chauffeur exchanged a i'ow words about the accident, and then, having left the portmanteau down in the hall, went out again, presumably hack to the disabled motor-car. The maid then showed Brown into a drawing-room. " Neville is tremendously formal. He brings'me her© in a tip-top motor-car. and then I have to wait before he ceremoniously- presents himself to me!" laughed tho guest to, himself. "But, by Jove! ho certainly has a fine- house." The room in which he found himself was largo and very handsomely furnished. A grand piano, open, occupied a corner near one of tho three windows. "We should have go-od music, if there's any talent in the house," he soliloquised, when, having glanced at the instrument, lie went and stood before the cheerful Jire, the warmth of which was welcome after his motor spin. "I wonder who plays that 'cello. Not Neville, unless he " Ho broke off as the door opened and a young lady entered the room. " Oh| doctor, we've been expecting you for the past two hours, and had begun to believe that you would not come tonight after all," she said, advancing towards him. " The train was very late." said Brown. "But was not my wire received ? J ' "Yes, yes," she answered, quickly ' But then, we were uncertain." Brown, who had started with surprise on unexpectedly seeing a lady instead of Neville, had contributed his part of the brief dialogue almost mechanically. He now mads no rejoinder to the ladvV last remark, but in tho pause scanned her with mingled curiosity and interest. Neville's sister, he presumed. Yet he could trace, 110 resemblance to his friend in tho girl who stood before him. She was very beautiful, with rich brown hair, brown eyes, and a mouth that was perfect. She was tall. too. and' her ( figure, though slender, was most graceful. While he stood making this silent scrutiny, she, on her part, looked at him with an expression which could not conceal some surprise. If he had been a vainer man he would also have read admiration into her glance, for v he was a man to meet favour in the eyes of women. Tall and well made, his features had the twofold attraction of refinement and intellectual force. -■" Will you not take some refreshment; doctor, before you go upstairs," she_ at length broke the "silence with. "You must be both tired and'cold after your journey." "Thank you—thank you,"- he answered rather confusedly. "But is not Mr Neville in? I can wait until I see him." The girl's eyes opened to their fullest extent. "Mr Neville 1 There is 310 Mr Neville here," she returned, in the utmost surprise, and then she added, almost in a gasp, "Are you not Dr Brown?" "Yes, that is my name," he said, equally surprised. " And I have come to spend Christmas here at Mr Neville's invitation." "You are really Dr Brown, and yet you have not come to see my father she exclaimed, with increased astonishment. "I'do not understand at all. When you were telegraphed for to see my father, and yon wired back " ' " Your father!" interrupted the young man, astounded. "Then J must have actually come to the wrong house!" "But you are Br Brown, yon say?" she persisted in a, bewildered manner. Dr Brown, the London nerve specialist, and- —-' " Oh!" .he exclaimed, electrified. "So there has been an incomprehensible mistake. I am not a medical .doctor—l never said I was. I am a doctor of music." The girl's astonishment at his announcement was so great that she could only stare blankly at him. And then, into her perception of the. situation as into his, there doubtless came a full sense of its farcicality. The young man felt sure that, but for other , circumstances which he could conjecture, hearty laughter would then have come readily to her lips and eyes. But there was to be no laughter for them at that- moment. Some degree of self-possession came first to her. Then, with some murmured words which Brown did not catch, she left the room. Left alone, Brown was too overcome with dismay and bewilderment to think coherently. He was trying hard to get, his thoughts into order when the door opened again, and an elderly lady came in. Ho pulled himself together wiih a great effort, bowed, and said: "I find that I must- apologise for my intrusion here. I was invited to spend Christmas _ with an old Oxford friend, a Mr Neville, who lives in this locality, and who was to send to the railway station for me. There I was met by your chauffeur, who asked me if I was Dr Brown, and, that being so, drove me here—as 1 thought to Mr Neville's house." "Indeed, you need not apologise, for you have altogether the victim rti circumstances," returned the ladv, with a gentle smile. " This is Landon 'Hall, and my husband, Mr Landon. having been seized with illness, Dr Brown, the nerve specialist, was telegraphed for, and he replied that he would come down from London this evening or to-morrow.'' " I must make my way to Mr , Neville's place now," said Brown, after a few further words of explanation. "Is it far from here?" Oh, yes, several miles," answered • Mrs Landon, quickly. "But you must not think of going there to-night. You must- stay here and bo our guest—until to-morrow, at all events. We owe you at least this hospitality, since our servant brought you here in error. And then there is no way of getting to MiNeville's at this late hour, for the motor-car has been disabled by an accident, at you know, and it may take some time to repair it. We keep only one horse now, and the man who drives tor us is away to-night. So, you .see, there is no choice for you but to stay here for the present.*' There was a constraint in her tone which was very noticeable when she mentioned Mr Neville's name. So Brown, feeling that he must put the best lace on the matter, accepted the situation without further protest.

Not very much later Cecil Brown, j having bade the ladies good-night, j found himself in tho bedroom assigned to him. While taking his dinner Mrs Landon and her daughter, who were present, exerted themselves to banish the embarrassment under which their gut-si laboured. Feeling that some account of himself was due to them, he had then tolcl them hew, possessed of small means, he had adopted tho hard tocotion of a musical composer with high aims. They had sympathetically elicited something of his hopes ancl ambitions. In return he had learnt little from them save, incidentally, that Sir Landou was an estated gentleman. Their reticence, it struck him., was not so much due to intention as to eomc pre-occupying anxiety. The adventure had ended more agreeably than it might. But tho young man retired to bed in an irritated state of mind. The blunder of the evening, with the ridiculous position in which it had placed him, had jarred him and set every nerve on edge. • ! For long he could net sleep, chronic wakefulness having of late 'been the sequel cf overstrain. He kept the lamp burning on the table by his bedside, as it was his wont to do these fdoephvs ; nights, when he had sometimes passed ; the hours in rending. Now. a!th< ugh ; ihere tvere books in tho room, and he had put a lew of vhem beside the lamp, I he could not reaii j A f>'"U'ul louiri"£ seized liiiu «>*; l

up and go to a piano and soothe his

nerves with music. That had some- j' times been his and no v the desire to fly, to,music for solace bef-et him with all the force of an irri .sistiblu temptation. The piano in tho dtiv, ingrown seemed to call to him. Dwelling persistently on that whimsical fancy, its very reiteration-at length put. him asleep. . But his was not a peaceful- and dreamless sleep. On tho "contrary, hifi " slumbers were weighted v. ith the* most fantastic and changeful of vision l --. The-.: ended in one more clear j-.ii.j Js-v.i than the rest, in which he found h!'/?L < ■ self seated at the piano in the draw-ing-room of Landon Hall. Ho was singing to his own accompaniment n. song he had lately composed. "Forgive, Forget, this Christmastide." In his dream the room was bright' and warm, as he had found it that evening. But, unlike that time, it was not empty. It was filled with a brilliant and joyous company, among whom, most brilliant .- and joyous of all, Maud Landon gazed at him with parted lips and shining eyes. ■ , , _ ■ The (3rerun ended with the triumphal crash of chords that made the finale of, the song. The sound lingered in. hit ears, loud and sustained, when thai • company had vanished like tho spectre, they were and the lights had suddenly . . turned to darkness. „ ' The> sound war, in his ears—and on i each finger-tip was the chilly touch .-oi . the piano's ivory key®. And then, jsb lie was vaguely thinking that it, was but a pleasant dream that had turned. to nightmare, all sense of unrealityabruptly passed away, and his normal ; physical tenses resumed their balance. The last mtirmur of the chords r?allr sounded in his ears, and the chill' of " ivory was sensibly on his fingers,. Hit c-v?s saw no detail of tlie drawing-room*!, , but they saw the windows through which tke cold moonlight shone, dis- ' playing hi 3 surroundings in shadowy cut lill-34. > , * He sat spellbound, frozen with something like utter horror, unable even to think. A suddeTi irradiation '■ of yellow light eervod to lift, the, spell. Hv; turned lound on the musie-stooLto, seo Mrs Landon, clad in a .dressinggown, standing in tlie doorway, candio ' ■ in hand. ■ ■ " Mr BrownI" ' He rose and went to the door.- JWrs Landon, her face very white,--drew baylc as he came out of the roojih "I have been singing and playing mmy sleep, it seems,'' he said,, leoling' ' l as though he were a madman trying io convince- his hearer that he was sane. | "1 havi: never walked in my sleep hc- | fore, but this seems a night of new' i mishaps for me. 1 must have caused. > fright or worse in your household. Hue / 1 can only say that I am deeply grieved for that." • ■ . : ' v , .Mrs Landon, following him. up' tha stairs, made no reply. Brown had found himself fully dress- '* [ed at the piano. On returning to,hisroom he had sat,up for some time," in- -v; j tending to slip away at dawn from th,o house whose hospitality ho had-unctyi- | sciously abused. But excet-siYe sweariI ness overcoming him he liact - again and>gone to bed. » lie rose in good time 1 when, morning came, but kept to his room, awaiting,an l->i opportunity to say a word-of apology and then get away quietly. ■ r A knock at his door was immediately ■ followed by the very unexpected ~ pearance of Charley Neville -and,.a'n liu-. - f Known elderlv gentleman. - ' " Well, you've been carrying tricks, and no mistake!" said- NeVilfii, r with a laugh. ■ ~ • "-j- " . " Hello! 1 didn't expect to see,.you here!" exclaimed Brown. - ' .... 1 " Neither did i expect to see uiyself," returned Neville. '' But that will come into tho story later. Nou, Dr Brown, I allow me to present to >ou the gentleman who lias been impersonating ,»ou. Pler.be find out what is wrong wisb hhn. Not much, I hope." 1 , When Dr Brown had had- a little conversation wi:K his namesake, in Whit'li lis had once or f..ioe to hide a"snii}e.>m ' his grey beard, he had nothing' very serious to say. * i " The slwvwolking is not lively vc happen again it lie gives his riervos n chance of complete recovery," was his verdicu " But he must have a spell oJ "perieet rest. ' ■ ■ ■;. Jiut how is Mr Landon.-' anxiously asked Brown of Neville a row niomeiiti later, when the doctor liad gor.e.'--C suppose I've nearly killed him. ' " No. you've nearly cured him-—aqd accomplished some other wopacsful things besides. But before 1 tell yor anything you must come down to break-. _ fast." , - Very shortly ,aftenvaras NeviHe -ushered Brown into the brealaast-roonj.,?, , There, besides Mrs Landon and her daughter, were a strange lady and gen- - ■ tlernan- „/, '•* ;<i "Hello! Brown —don't you j ber Jack Landon of your college/" cried tho strange gentleman. " iou did me many a good turn in those days. Now you've done irie another, and th;> best of all, old fellow !" After breakfast-, at which l3ro'.\;r, found himself the hero of the hour, t._ha( ; perplexetl individual buttcnlioled Neville, imperatively demanding an explanation. - . " Well, here's all the story iti a para-: ■ graph." said his friend. " Tnere liad existed for a couple of generations ( a feud between 'the Landon* and tnc Nevilles. Jack Landou, you will re-jpl-lect, was sent down from Oxford a , couple of times for iusubordiuahou. and, his college days over, he was no more submissive under the parental roof. When he fell in love, it insist, be with my sister, and, being i'orhimicn to marry her, Jack straightway uig jo in spite' of his father. Thereupon lie - was disinherited and forbidden -tho house." , ,

" How long ago was that?."' . ' "Two years. Well, Jack. who i< an . affectionate fellow and really diuiiul at heart, paid a Christmas visij hero last year, but did not sec his father. Yesterday lie paid another visit. and, meting liis father, there was a violent scene. The old man. who had been in weak health, suffered a isevc-ro sliockSo I>i* Brown was sent for." ' •; And I came along." _ •'Your own fault. You would not wait lor my trap, which was only. a. few minutes late for the train—l.xtas never as punctual as a clock- TVoil. you came here as the medico. and there was a bit of farce. Then, on the top of that, you jrot- up in the. middle of the night, and sang a song about forgiving and forgetting this blessed Christmas tide—or something of the sort." "I'm thankful 1 didn't kill . 'M:' . Latidon," said Brown. "When you awoke the old man cut of au uneasy sleep it was to thu belief, that he heard an angel's , voice admonishing him. You have a decent tenor, Brown —but now it's an angel's voice! The old man melted,, repented and sent for Jack and his \\;i;e, who were visiting at niy place. And sso, I coming nVaug too, w-j were- . aU forgiven and reconciled in a bunch, and Jack has come «n for his o.wp again." "So I'm a hero after all," laughed . Brown. ... " ■ ; . "T believe you, my boyresponded - Neville. " Why. there';/ nothing .Mrs Landon wouldn't do for you now. Even ' if you took to Maud's society you, cculd . both play duets and siny; love' scivgs for over without anybody interfering. That may happen, as van havo. to .ifay., on a visit here. Now, p;i;. : o the ladies a hand 'with the decorations, which are overdue, this being Christmas Eve.";.. At the Christmas dinarwith a sly twinkle in his eye. proposed the health of "A Christmas name unknown!" Thereupon Brawn, grown quite brazen in his hanniuesi, whispered to Maud, " I in:;'- h<■name, at all events!" For made excellent use of his time.