“UNDYING MUSIC.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17014, 12 April 1923, Page 11

“UNDYING MUSIC.”

NEW SERIAL.

(By L. G. MOBERLY.) CH APTEIt IX.—Continued. “ 1 suppose you' xVere abroad?” ]■* Chic which, "to the unobservant would have seemed of IViendiy iuteiest. hut to Gladys still held an echo of some antagonism, •-om.e hidden dislike. " 1 believe die would like to dig her claws into the grey lady.’’ the girl reflected, instinctively giving to Hester the name which her grey gown :■i i d the big hat with Us soft grey leathers made appropriate. But why docs she want to chrv anybody m, levUut and -o sweet? And they :ro strangers', too.” Whilst her brain was busy with these reflections, the conversation between ihe other two women went on uninterruptedlv, Mci.de asking deft little questions,‘and Hester answering them with a certain ouiet dignity, which whilst it dicl not refuse the information asked for. nevertheless / seemed to wrap the speaker in a cloak oiS reticence. “It will be such a pleasure to renew mv old friendship with your husband.” Oladyawoke from her train < ‘ reflection to hear thi- remark m Maisie’s voice. “ ! ” she hesitated lor a second and then linked into Herder's face with a. deprecating smile and a very telling flicker of her evelids, " 1 treated him verv badly once, as von of course know, but 1 believe he will forgive me now.” ‘•Perhaps we Lad better let the past remain buried.” The laintest flush showed on Hester’s face. "It always seems a pitv i.o hark back to old troubles.” “ 1 daresay you are right,” Maisie answered with her rather high-pitched laugh. “And, it is all such ancient history,” site added lightly.. ” And I am .sure burying it is best, as you say. I came back to settle in this peaceful little place because ! felt I should have at least one friend here, and I thought the old associations would help me to find some sort of happiness again-—as much happiness a> I can ever 1 ope to' find now,” she ended, dropping her voice over the last words with a little sigh implying that real happiness would never again be hers. But Hester evident!'- had no intention of prolonging the conversation, nor of making her vi-it more lengthy than could possibly he avoided. At the earliest moment allowed by conventonality for ending a first call, slip lose and took her leave with a quiet dignity, which, as Gladys mentally observed, never failed in courtesy and yet seenmd in sonic indefinable fashion to keep her hostess at arm’s length: and—as Gladys also noticed—she gave no invitation to Mrs Chalmers to repeat her visit to tit - Manor House, an omission which that astute little lady likewise observed and resented, though in uttering her fareveils she was graciousness itself. But when. Mrs Martindale—escorted by Philip—had disappeared into the house, she turned with a shrug of the shoulders to Gladys. ‘‘ Poor Air Martindale! I wonder »f ho is already beginning to repent in sackcloth and ashes.” “Why?” Gladys asked, more bluntlv than was her wont, for she was still under the influence of those serene eyes, that restful smile. ” Oh. because lie was so hopelessly at the mercy of the lady who was his secretary and is now his wife. Brian--1 can’t quite get out of the way of call ing him by his Christian name—lie an 1 .1 were such old, old friends —is just the dear-, chivalrous sort of soul who would not have the ghost ot an idea how to resist a woman if she were one of the persistent kind. And 1 should imagine the lady who has just called here is very tenacious—quietly tenacious.” ‘‘Should you?’* Gladys's tone was still abrupt—Mrs Maitindale's eyes haunted her. “I should think she was a most lovable woman.”

" Lovable?” Maisie laughed a little sln-i!l laugh and shrugged her slioul ders. “ Well, you are very clever *if you can discover lovable qualities be hind that very ordinary face. She certainly is not attractive or good-looking —not in the least what anybody • n their w ildest dreams could call a man’s woman.” Maisie uttered the words with a contempt which seemed to imply that failure to be a man’s woman re It* gated the unfortunate person to the nethermost depths of impossibility, and Gladys answered with sudden warmth. “Mrs Martindale is not beautiful, but I should think no one would ever call her ordinary looking. Her eyes and smile are so charming, and she makes you feel rested. Perhaps she might not attract the silly sort of men who only care for pretty faces and sur lace charms, but she would appeal vo a man who saw deeper than'xfhe mere veneer of prettiness. Perhaps Mr Martindale cares for her because of her restful quality.” ‘‘Cares for her?” Maisie’s words were almost a sneer. She sprang from the garden chair into which she had flung herself, and moving toi a rose bush near by began to jerk off the dead flowers with impatient fingers. ‘‘ You surely don't suppose it was a lovg match. My dear Gladys, you are too romantic for a commonplace world. Why, when the marriage was announced, they had only known each other a few weeks. She had been Brian’s secretary, and, as we all know, there are infinite possibilities for a man’s secretary.” ‘ Mrs Martindale doesn’t look that sort,” Gladys said thoughtfully. “ Still waters run deep.” Maisie laughed a malicious laugh. “It is exactly that sort which is the cleverest where a man is concerned, as more experience of the world will teach you. The woman who poses as lonely and helpless is just the woman to appeal to a chivalrous creature like Brian Martindale. I know him so well—l ought to understand him.” And the speaker sighed and looked into Gladys’s face with eyes grown suddenly wistful aud soft. She ought to be able to understand other people’s posing, she poses so weil herself.” The little cynical thought ran through Gladys's mind, but she said no more about the Mart indales, having perception enough to see that her hostess had some strong personal feeling in the matter, and the small cynical voice in her , own heart mad > itself heard again, murmuring: ‘‘She probably tried herself to appeal to Mr Martindale’s chivalry—without sueMeanwhile Brian Martindale’s wife walked slowly home along the lanes her mind dwelling upon the woman she hail just left, a little sense of fret and disturbance ruffling her usual serenity. She makes one feel restless.” was Hester’s reflection. “ Restless and fid gety inside. I wonder why she called on me. If she treated Brian badly, as I gather she did. whv not have left well alone and ignored us both? I wonder ” (To be continued).