Girls at the Cottage

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16820, 24 August 1922, Page 11

Girls at the Cottage

THE “STAR” SERIAL STORY

Florence Warden

CHAPTER. XlX.—Continued. Why had those two. her mother an 1 her cousin, not been oper with her and with Cl an dme* P Why had they not ‘>o.oll told, that there was a black mystery hanging; over then. which cut. them off from those of their kind with whom thev ought bv rights to have associated ? If they had only been told that there was a barrier between them and the rest of the world they could have adapted themselves to "bo sit-aarifon. Ars ,\j was, it had been left to a hideous accident to reveal to them just this : that they were pariahs, and not by their own act, but by an act of one of their kindred. \ But what was the act which had such terrible consequences? She felt that she must know. She would seek cut Trotter and make her speak. Trottor. who could supply the key, not only to the mystery of the past, but to that nearer, deadlier one which concerned the present. Trotter had been present when Mrs King died. She must be made to tell what had happened to make her run away. It was important, Judith felt, that the woman should confess to the famih before she was made to tell wlint she knew to the police. Hr Cone had told her that the police were looking for Trotter, hut. that, by his influence, they should not he. able to find her. What did he mean by tlii.sP Should she ask him ? And if she were to do so. would he teH her? Although she had promised to marry the doctor, and although she had strung herself up to the point of believing that she would keep her word. Judith was by no means ready to believe that she would he able to induce him to tell her what she wanted to know. If she had loved him, she would have felt confident of he*- powers with him ; but being not only not in love with him, but being: also a modest and inexperienced girl with little guile or cunning, she was mistrustful of her own powers. She walked back the whole way in the gathering gloom to the Cottage, where Claudine let her in, and asked her where she had been. “ You know. 1’ re left a note telling Lady Thorncomb.” she said brieflv. As Cousin Kesiah still kept out of the way, the two girls sat together while Judith ate the dinner which had been kept hot for her, and deliberately persisted in discussing the toughness of the mutton and the soppiness of the Brussel sprouts. instead of entering into another discussion with her sister. She had finished this alluring meal, and was .sitting with her sister by the piano, which they had just thrown open, when they heard a ring and a knock. They stared at each other with startled eyes It was not Dr Cone’s knock. Neither was it Basil’s. It was lighter, longer, more self-assertive. “ Lady Thorncomb!” suggested Claudine, when she heard a woman’s voice. Judith nodded. Sh© had already made up her mind that it was Basil’s mother. “ Perhaps she is sorry? Perhaps ©ho has com© to tell you so. to ” began Claudine with excitement in her eyes. Judith shook her head.

“ Oh, no.” she said bitterly. “If she has come to say anything to me it will he to make sure that T intend to keep my word ” They waited, holding their breath, expecting that they would hear the opening of the drawing-room door. But all they heard was the closing of the front-door steps that moved rapidly along the flagged path from the cottage to the gate, and then the slow creaking turn of the wheels of a taxi-cab. Then Hawkins came in with a note. “ A lady brought it herself, miss. ’ ‘'Thank you. Hawkins.” Judith schooled herself to open the •note with dry eyes and with a steady hand. Claudine was crouching in her chair, watching with eager eyes. Judith read the note and laughed harshly. “Isn’t, she—even kind?” whispered Claudine, disappointed and depressed. Judith laughed again. “She is most kind ” said she bitterly. “ She congratulates nit*, says she thinks Dr Cone, from what she has heard of me, is a very lucky man, and —she asks me to Keep the engagement secret for a few clay a.” Judith put down the note with a quick movement and glared across at her sister. “You know what that means? Basil is not to he told yet. He is to he got out of the wav.” “ But how? He isn’t a child !” “ Lady Thorncomb,” replied Judith very deliberately, “ knows exactly what to do. She will most certainlv not let Basil remain here ex nosed to the chance of meetings and explanations. Although I have refused to see him. or to answer his letters, chance might throw Basil in my way any day. so that T would happen to speak to him. Tf once that were to happen ” She did not finish her sentence. But it was easy to gues« that the girl, knowing just how far her self-control would go. realised that she dared not trust herself with Basil, -hat., if sbe were to inept him. she won Id undo all her good work, and would throw herself into liis arms and let parents and guardians, doctors and fiances do their worst. In the meantime Lady Thorncomb was little better satisfied with the. situation of affairs than was Judith herself. Although she had made up her mind that Basil should not marry Judith, and although she knew that this engagement to the doctor put a welcome obstacle in the way of such a union, she could not but feel that the means whereby the breach between her son and Judith was being brought about was not only unworthy but dangerous. If once Basil were to hear if it, at the present stag© of affairs, she knew’ that ©he could not depend upon him to accept the situation with gentlemanly resignation. Basil was an only son, something of a spoilt child, and at all times was very strong of will and bent on having bis own way. When to these things was added the fact that he was really veTy much in love with Judith, cud- that the obstacles in the way of bis marriage with her had increased his infatuation. Lady Thorncomb felt that she was in a difficult position TO BE CONTINUED.