“UNDYING MUSIC”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17032, 4 May 1923, Page 10

“UNDYING MUSIC”

(By L. G. MOBERLY.)

NEW SERIAL.

OHAPTEIt XIV. (Continued). “ Some people would say I ought to be too proud to let myself care so much,” she- said aloud, as if addressing a companion. “But Philip and 1 were friends for such a. long time, and though I didn t want to marry him just Avhen he asked me he knew anl 3 knew that I—cared. And I think 1 always shall carp, pride or no pride,” she ended with a sort of defiance. And alter all love is bigger than pride.” It was a very quiet Gladys with a very aching heart who arrived at Danehester just as the setting sun was streaming upon the west front of the Cathedral, and making the grass in Ihe Close gleam like vividly green voi vet. A man who shared with her the queer ramshackle omnibus which conveyed her to Mrs Chalmers’ house, found himself wondering what had brought that pathetic droop to her lips, that haunting sadness into her eyes. He was a man of nearer forty than thirty, with a gentle scholarly face, a shrewd glance that seemed oddly at variance with the scholarly gen tie ness of his features: but a whimsical twist of his mouth gave an assurance that he possesed a keen sense of humour as well as a keen power of observation. Her first sight of the Cathedral in the mellow glow of sunset drew from Gladys an eager exclamation of pleasure. and the man opposite to her. of whose presence she had scarcely been aware, leant forward and said quietly: “Yon have never seen Manchester before ?” No. never.” The girl looked at ! him eagerly. Shyness and self-con- 1 sciousness were entirely alien to her, and she was at all times a friendly soul. “ I had no idee, that it would be ns beautiful as this.” And her eyes turned down from the sunlit west front to the gabled red brick house towards which they were driving. “ There were builders in those days.” tho stranger answered with a little whimsical smile. “ And they were master builders who piled up the stones of Manchester. You are going to stay with Mrs Chalmers ?” he added as the vehicle drew up at the front door of the red brickhcuse. ‘‘ She is a friend of mine—l hope I may meet you there and perhaps show you something of our old town. I know it inside out and upside down.” Gladys could do litle more than smile her thanks as she alighted at the front door, which was almost immediately opened by a. pleasant looking elderly maid, past whose staid, form a small person pushed her way and flung herself upon the newcomer. “I’m as glad as glad to see you!” Dorothy exclaimed, throwing her arm round Gladys’s neck. “Grandmother and me wanted you. and now you'll tell me heaps more stories.” “ Dorothy seems to have taken complete possession of you,” were the first words that greeted the girl as the child rushed her into a peaceful drawingroom. the how window of which looked out across, the smooth expanse of grass bordered by lime trees to the grey stateliness of tho Cathedral. “It is very good of you to come and take pity on us both.” Gladys’s first impression of her hostess was of a little old lady whose brilliant dark eyes and snow-white hair crowned with filmy black lace made her look like some marquise of long ago. Mrs Chalmers was considerable older than she had imagined Dorothy’s grandmother would but the darkeyes were full of fire and intelligence, there was plenty of vigour in voice and gesture, and not the most distant hint of any decay or senility. “ You are Dorothy’s special friend,” the old lady continued. “ She has told me endless things about you. and 1 hope you will be happy with us.” Those shrewd eyes had not failed to notice what the stranger in the omnibus had also noticed—the shadow on the girlish face, the sadness in Gladys’s eyes, and she talked on briskly about the journey from town, and about Manchester itself, whilst pouring out tea. for her guest. “• I met a very kind person on my way from the station.” Gladys smiled at her recollection of the stranger’s whimsical smile. “He was in. the ’bus with me and said he would show me the place, and that he knew it inside out and upside down.” “ Only one person could have talked like that to a perfect stranger,” Mrs Chalmers laughed. “ Maurice Allerton is the tamest of cats. He is a very dear, very unusual person -quite original and quite unlike anybody else. He will show you Manchester as nobody else could show it you, from his own unique and delightful point of view.” That night the girl slept as she had not slept for weeks —dreamlessly and quietly, the last sound in her ears tho peaceful chiming of the Cathedral clock, the last sight before her eyes the lime trees outlined darkly against a sky set thick with stars, and beyond the limes the great dim pile of the Cathedral. “This place ought to help me back to peace of mind,” was her last drowsy thought. “So many peoplo have lived here and had troubles here, and learnt to face them and get above, them ; I think I can learn here too. It is such a place of peace.” (To be continued).