Girls at the Cottage

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16833, 8 September 1922, Page 4

Girls at the Cottage

THE "STAR” SERIAL STORY

Sts

Florance Warden

C HAPTER XXI. (Continued). They bn do ench other good-bye haslily; and Claudine kept her promise ; nd wired to Judith a request tor permission to giro her address to Basil. But Judith did not leceivc the tele- - f 'v-*?*> She and her uncle had raft the * K'jtjon lodging and had arrived at ... itttfe Suffolk village where Dorothy rotter’s father and mother lived. They kept a general shop on the outskirts of the village, and .when .1 udit-i mk! her uncle reached it they held a council as to what they should do. J t was decided that Judith should enter by herself, prim, acid, sanctimonious as of old, in the dim light behind the little counter. ‘‘Trotter!’'" exclaimed Judith. “Are you here then?*’ The countenance of the old servant underwent a sudden change as she looked at the daughter of her old mis-t-ess without speaking. ‘ Don't- you know me, Trotter?” ’ “Oh, yes. Miss Judith. I know you,” answered the woman. But before : lie could say more there was a heavy tread upon the doorstep, and King ran into the shop and presented himself before the pallid woman behind the counter. To Judith’s horror, Trotter threw up her hands, and with a loud, frightened scream rushed into the bark of the building, crying in accents of deadliest terror. •That man! Oh. that man!” Judith’s heart sank within her. C HAPTER XXII. It was about five o’clock when ( lau dine, in fulfilment of her promise to Basil, despatched a telegram from tlio Downseliffe town station to her sister .«• the address where their uncle was staying in Ix>ndon. Having done this, she hastened to catch the motor-’bus and to return Id the cottage. She had derived some comfort from her meeting with Basil, feeling that in him they had a friend although a , iriend who was ar the moment power- ; less to do much for them. But. when j .-he had left him and was alone with ' nor own thoughts, she could not but j acknowledge that there was little real consolation in what lie had said to j her. I He was much in love with Judith \ as ever, but he had lost his own confidence in himself on hearing of Tu- ] flith’s engagement to Dr Cone, and j iis anxiety seemed to be as great as! her own. She wondered whether Basil did not secretly share her own growing dreu.l i f Dr Cone. The doctor was so quiet, he watched and listened always so much more than no talked, that he had contrived to invest himself with an overpoweringly terrible personality. Claudine felt that he was a. bitter enemy of uJI those who would have stood in the way of his marriage with Judith, and -lie felt that his love was even a greater calamity than his hatred. Poor Judith! ‘"'he had gone up to town in a fever •»f dread of the doctor, and Claudine wondered whether she would get from her uncle the help she needed, but did not hope much from that quarter By all accounts. King was in greater danger than anyone else from Dr t one s animosity; the poor ex-convict stood in slippery places himself, and Claudine dared not hope that ho would he able to save them from Dr Cone. AVhat then would happen:' Juditn v ould certainly never keep her promise to marry the doctor: her horror at the thought ba.d made a profound impresion upon her sister, while Basil vould never allow the wedding to take ace. Of that Claudine felt sure. Basil might not 1m? able to persuade Judith to mmry him. but he woubi certainly give her all the help possibl ? to escape from the doctor. But in that case Dr Cone would take his revenge upon the person who •was easiest to injure, and Claudine felt the tears rise to her eyes at the

thought- ol the danger that hung over her unfortunate uncle. She had scarcely reached home, noting with alarm that there was a man loitering near the Cottage, when there came a knock and i ring at the door. Claudine, who was halt-way up the stairs, stepped short as Hawkins ap peared from tin* tiny apartment which their* uncle liked them to call “ the spirants’ hall.” The maid came up to the young girl. ■ I expect it’s the man who cams* just now, miss,” she said in a whisper. ” What man r” asked Claudino tharply. “ T don’t know who lie was, miss, hut he asked for Mr King; he sail he wanted to see him most particularly. I told him hi r King was away, but he looked as if lie didn’t believe me. He went away, miss, when MisIvesinh fame out of the dining-room ! r,nd told him what 1 had said was true, and that Mr King was not here.” At that moment the bell was rung again with force, and at the came time there came a clattering knock at the door. Hawkins nodded mysteriously. •• That’s him. miss; he's back again.” i she said. “ Answer the floor. " said Claudine. - and she waited at the foot of the. stairs : while Hawkins ran to obey the sum mons. Claudine could not distinguish the j man's words as lie said something rap i idly to Hawkins. But the maid came j across the hall to her and whispered. “ Yes, it’s the same man, miss. He ; -saw you come in. and he says he must | j see the young lady that’s just come. That’s you, miss. Will you see him?” Claudine, summoning her courage. : and trying to steady her nerves, was ; already on her way to the door. The man on the doorstep saluted her | respectfully. She took heart, for this was not the sort of man she had feared ii might j be. •• I’m sorry to have to disturb you i so much, ma’am, but it’s serious. You are one of the Miss Kings. Mr King’s ' nieces, aren’t you, miss?” “Yes,” said' Claudine. once more j alarmed. Well, it’s Mr King as I was sent lor. inies. He is wanted most particularly. But 1 was told, if he wasn’t at home, I was to ask if one of the , young ladies would come instead of j him.'' ‘‘Comp where?” I p the hill, to the big house on ■ the top—Mr .Johnson’s, miss.” At once Claudine's began to disappear. “Oh, yes. I’Ll come.' she said briskly. “Who is it wants me?” “It's Mr Johnson himself, miss. He ' was away, when he was taken very hud. and lie’s just been brought home. But the doctor says it’s serious, miss, ! and he s very ill. and Mrs Johnson is | very much upset.” ■r'ft come at once.” said Claudine. j “ I've got a taxi waiting up the j road. miss. I’ll bring it up,” said the man. as Claudine was stepping out without delay through the doorway into the little garden. Five minutes later the taxi-cab. with Claudine inside and the manservant from Montressor on the box beside the chauffeur, was half wav up the hill oif the way to Downscliffe. In the hall she found Mrs Clarence i Johnson, trembling and in tears. The draper's wife seized her by the hand and drew her towards the staircase with an incoherent whisper of thankfulness. It was not until they had reached the door of the room where her husband lay ill that she mastered her emu tion sufficiently to say: “It was your uncle that my husband wanted to see. But 1 suppose he is not at home, and so you have come for him?” “ Yes. My uncle is in town.’’ said Claudine. TO BE CONTINUED.