THE BRIAR BUSH MAID

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17729, 26 December 1925, Page 9

THE BRIAR BUSH MAID

“ STAR ” SERIAL.

By

KATHARINE TYNAN.

CHAPTER IX. (continued). " I want to leave all that behind me, Miss Elizabeth,'’ said Bridget determinedly. “It was no marriage in the marriage sense. Someone ought to have got up in the chapel the day I was married and forbidden it in the name of God. There was my poor baby. That was all I got out of it except shame and sin.” “ I wouldn’t think of it that way,” said Elizabeth, as though she pleaded for herself. “ You are young, my dear, and very attractive. There are men who would love and pity you even if that young man in Ireland is going to be so hard and virtuous about it as you think.” “I’d never look at any man to bring disgrace on him an’ the childher we might have. I’ve got me own baby.” She smiled in a way that Elizabeth found heartbreaking. “ There’s plenty never had a child. I don’t believe God will let old Matt Kenny have any share in the child he murdered. He'll be mine through all eternity, an’ only mine.” Elizabeth had an inspiration. “For the child's sake, Bridget. I wouldn’t go on thinking myself a criminal, if I were you. That judge didn’t think you one — I don’t think you one. The child in heaven lifting \ip its little hands for you would never think of Jiis mother but as a saint. I’d put it all behind me, Bridget—l would indeed.” Suddenly she stooped and kissed Bridget’s dark cheek making it wet with her tears, and Bridget was suddenly a . red, red rose. “You shouldn’t have done it. Miss Elizabeth,” she kept saying. “I’m not fit for it. But I’ll try to remember what you said. The child in heaven w’ill never know anything about his mother’s shame. Sure, if my own tears didn’t wash me clean yours would. An’ now’ I won’t be keepin’ you out of your bed any longer. The talk has done me a power of good, Miss Elizabeth; I’ll sleep to-night.” “You’ve made confession to me,” said Elizabeth. “Now', leave it to me; and when you want to talk, come and pour it out to me. I shall always be ready to listen.” “God bless you, Miss Elizabeth,” said Bridget, and went half-way to the door, where she paused, with hanging head; then turned and came back. “I’ve been lyin’ to ye, Miss Elizabeth,” she saiel. “When you’ve got somethin’ to hide, lyin’ comes easy. But, tired as I am I couldn’t sleep without tellin’ you. I said I didn’t see Willie only from the window. I lied. I saw him another time, and I begged . an’ prayed him on me knees to take me away from old Matt. It was just before the baby was born, and 1 heard he w T as at home and I went out and lay in wait for him. It was in the Bride’s Glen, just behind his mother’s house, an’ it was a place ■we used to meet before ever Matt Keeny cast his crooked shadow upon me. It was autumn, and the leaves were drivin’ down the road before the wind, like the runnin’ feet of little dead childher. I hid till I saw him cornin’ and’ he lookin’ so sad and downcast, an’ I went to meet him. Miss Elizabeth. I begged and prayed him to take me away from that old man; I was mad, and he was holdin’ me in his arms, an’ I felt his tears on my cheek. I can’t bear the sound of runnin’ water since, for the little river was goin’ by makin’ a noise over its stones in the sad November light. He tried to put me away, and then he took me again, and at last I came to me senses an’ I put him away for ever and went off down the road. lie went on a long voyage after that, and he was away when I came out of gaol. I hear nothing from Limerick now; an’ sure I only want people to forget me.” She looked down, plucking at her dress nervously. “ Now there’s no more to tell. Miss Elizabeth,” she said. “You know the worst of me.” “And the best,” said Elizabeth. “I have no condemnation for anything, my poor Bridget. If a man loved you he might not think there was anything to forgive.” “Oh, love! said Bridget. “I’ve done with love. That man Watson does be looking at me sideways. He’s a nice man an’ a kind man, but sure me heart’s dead. It’s a quare thing that a woman with that behind her could lay the comethcr on the likes of him. He’d drop in his stannin’ if he was to know 7 about me.” Mentally Elizabeth was asking herself how Willie O’Neill could be found, and if he was the man to rise to it. The oddity of it was that Watson should be looking at Bridget, Watson, the fine, soldierly-looking fellow who had done so well in the war, and had a reputation of being a hardened bachelor ! Again Bridget turned back from the door before opening it. “ Goodness forgive me, look at your fire, Miss Elizabeth! an’ I keepin’ you out of your warm bed. I’ll make it up lovely in a minute.” Bridget was on her knees building the dying fire with little bits of coal when the clock in the stableyard began to strike. “ Twelve o’clock,” said Bridget, “ an’ a new da;y beginning An’ now I’m goin’ at last, lavin’ me troubles behind me. May God bless you, Miss Elizabeth, an’ give you your heart’s desire, for all your goodness to poor Bridget! ” She was really gone at last, and Mr Higgins with ar sigh of relief returned to his basket, which had a set of bedclothes in it made by Clare in her moments of leisure. All Clare’s dogs had their bedclothes, blanket, sheet and pillow, all monogrammed. It was one of Clare’s delicious follies. Mr Higgins did not sleep less sweetly because his bedclothes were of coarser quality than Sandy’s, Sandy being a thoroughbred. (To be continued.)