“Judy Says No!”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 147, 24 June 1931, Page 10

“Judy Says No!”

SERIAL STORY

(BY

WINIFRED CARTER.)

CHAPTER XL—(Continued.) She could hardly understand her own unrest. She saw Clive en.‘ himself in spile of her refusal ic saw Bnid, and knew that the fa., chubby, little man as Julius Caesar must be Roger Bourne. Would Nick ever turn up she wondered. “Mr Ventris has accepted,” said Lord Kenway. “We shan’t know who he Is until the finish, when everyone unmasks for supper.” Queer, but in spite of it being: such i wonderful dance she could not get up a thrill. Something was lacking. She tried to enjoy It for Lord Kenway’s sake, but it was as though she had a lump of lead for a heart. “Let me take you out into the grounds and show you how pretty the lake looks with the lights strung across.” Innocent of his real purpose she went. And there by the lake he told her how he cared. And Judy's eyes filled with tears. He had been such a friend, yet here, too, love was coming in to spoil everything. Looking at her he saw a tear splash from her eyes, and Instantly knew the truth. “You don't care enough, dear,” he said. “Don’t let that worry you. I can bear disappointment. Is it because I am so much older than you are?” "Age does not matter when you love,” said Judy forlornly, “but I have never been in love; 1 don t think I ever shall.” n "You are only nineteen, Judy, he said gravely. “Some day you will fall in love, head over heels.” "How do you know when you are in love?” said Judy in a low voice. "It’s heaven and it’s hell,” said Lord Kenway. ‘‘lt’s bitter and It’s sweet, it’s ecstasy and pain; it’s happiness and then doubt. You will know when it comes, Judy. No one can ever mistake it!” "I thought it was nice to be m love." , . . "If It is returned, my dear, but not otherwise.” “I have made you suffer, said Judy. "You gave this lovely dance for my sake and I’m repaying you like this You have made things so much easier for me, helped so tremendously, and I have only hurt you." "You are not to worry about me. If nothing else In my life has been worth while, to know you has been lifted her hand and kissed it, then took her back to the ballroom. Facing her, she saw Nicholas in bls harlequin drees. Judy Gets a Shock. "May I have this dance, Judy?” be whispered. ‘T knew you, you see ” Into Judy’s heart came something warm and glowing, a strange new eonUsy that she had not Known before His arms were round her, and he moved her Into the swaying crowd. She forgot Enid, forgot everyone; she only knew the strangest sensationstrange ay«, but It was bliss, too her ache seemed to be drowned In sheer “You dance beautifully, Judy, he SiU Bhe oould not answer him. Her heart was throbbing wildly, 1, was a ma “s«e S I came? but only because you asked me. K hundred times I rinilhtflll." ■'l am glad you came,” she WMsPe A d swooning sensation swept her. She yielded herself so that ibe had no will but his, as they moved through the gay and iaughing crowd. Streamers were thrown from the balconies, balloons floated overhead. . 11 was as though she saw nothing but lust his face, and his eyes behind the mask. And then she remembered He loved Enid, and Enid was engaged to someone else. He guldedjier through an opening and into an alcove. “There's the conservatory. bets cool down," he said. There s a crush in there." Gently he lowered her into a. cane lounge chair. Huge palms hid them from anyone else. And then someone spoke at the other side. "Enid, you’re enchanting to-mgbtl Give me another kiss." Roger Bourne, and then Enid s voice, low, languid. "Why, of course, Roger darling. Then the sound of a kiss. . . . She closed her eyes. Panic caught her, i pain that was well nigh unbearable stormed through her being. Nick to suffer thlsl It was almost as though she herself had dealt him the blow, and ahe could not bear it, it hurt hef even as it hurt him. She saw him tense, saw his hands clench until the knuckles stood out white. "You promise that you are not going to keep me waiting? It’s a special licence now I’ve got your promise. I have wanted you all these months, ever since that young scoundrel of a Nicholas Harmer was first In the field. I am not a patient man, Enid. Now I have got you I mean to carry the thing through." “Whenever you like, impatient lover,” said Enid. It made Judy shudder. The next moment Nicholas had caught her hand, and they were tip-toeing out of the conservatory on the other side. "So that’s the finish,” said Nick fiercely. “I only knew to-night. I did not know what to do,” said Judy sobbingly. “I would have done anything to save you that." “D. was better that I should h?ar it like that, better that 1 should know So she is going to marry him! It’s finished with a vengeance/’ He looked down at her, at the troubled, agitated little face. "Don't suffer too much for me Judy, I'll clear out now, go back to my farm. You can forget things fighting with nature. Y r ou have been a good little pal, Judj, you did your best. Perhaps later on you and I will sec something of each other, but just now I’d rather see no one who had anything to do with that. Don't fret for me. It’s a bi-t rough at first, but I was never too hopeful after the first shock.” She saw him vanish In the crowd. Everything was spoiled. She who had meant to have such a happy night, who had planned that things should be so different, she who had mean!

for him to meet Enirt, and for Enid to realise she could not let him go, had dealt him that cruel blow! And now there was that other affair. She had meant to confront Mr Ventris with him, she had meant to say: “This is Nicholas Harmer, the man who gave you a cheque for fifteen hundred pounds a few months ago when you had that card party at Ventris Hall." Arid Ventris would say: “You have made a mistake, my dear ladv. This Is not Mr Nicholas Harmer." And then she would know the truth, even as she did know it, that It had never been Nicholas, but someone else. And now that little plan was smashed too; sho had blundered all along the line. All she had done wa‘ to give Nicholas a stab in the back, and she could prove nothing because he had gone. “1 have been looking for you everywhere, Judy," said Clive's suave voice. "It is our dance. What de you mean by dodging me like this?" “I wasn't dodging you," said Judy tremulously. She had no strengl.ii to resist. Although she fell as though she could not dance, yet she had to dance. And presently the band stopped. “Let’s go and see the decorations. They are topping,” said Clive. He took his mask off when they got outside. “Those IJtings make one too hot," he grumbled. "Foolish idea, I think." "Hlillo, Harmer,” said a jovial voice. "I haven’t seen /ou for weeks. When are you going to take your revenge, winning some of that fifteen hundred back again?” Judy saw Clive Crawford’s face, deathly pale, saw his eyes, furtive, afraid, as the man strolled up from behind. And Instantly she knew . . . This was Mr Ventris . . . The whole appalling truth was out ... It was Clive Crawford who had pretended to be Nicholas 1 It was Clive Who bad blackened Nicholas's name In the hope of becoming Henry Harmer’s heir! Judy realised the truth in a flash. It was a solution that had never presented Itself to her. Oh, she had known someone must have impersonated Nicholas’s name, but it had never entered her head to connect Clive with It, but that was the appalling, the horrifying truth! Clive whom she had trusted! Clive, with whom she had made the compact to clear Nicholas! What treachery! He had taken Nicholas's name, trusting to luck that It would never be discovered. That girl Marion 1 Judy saw it all now. It was Clive whom she loved! Clive who had proposed to marry her when he was made tieirl Oh, the treachery, the Iles. She turned away, suoh a feeling of nausea flooding her that she almost fainted. Clive looking furtively round, saw that she had moved away, and he began to breathe more normally. What an escape! He stayed chat’dng for a few minutes to Ventris, then slipped away Into the crowd. He would make himself scarce until Ventris had gone. It was the nearest shave of his life. How on earth had Ventria got an Invitation? He lived so many miles away, and Clive knew quite well that Lord Kenway did not know him. What a stroke of 111-luck. He would leave word that, Judy was to go back to Harmer House with Enid. He felt too thoroughly shaken to go on with the mockery of the dance; besides, 11 wasn’t «afa. He found Enid and told her that he was feeling seedy and was about to clear off. “Give an eye to Judy," he requested. "I’ll tell her you have gone,” said Enid, a trifle ungraciously. Sho was none too pleased with Clive, and her own engagement to Roger Bourne was already galling her. To be made love to constantly when one did not care In the leae’l was an experience that one had to endure before one knew how it grated. She wished Roger had cared for her less. Altogether the night was falling considerably flat as far es she was concerned. . . , And Roger had appeared again. . . . Now if II had only bean Nicholas that was coming towards her, Instead of Roger I He wasn't a good dancer, though he believed he was, and their steps did not suit particularly well, whereas Nicholas and she had danced as one mind. Ono might get some tilings when one marlred for money, but there wero other things one lost Irrevocably. And she was beginning to wonder If the things one lost balanced the things one gained. "I have to find Judy to give her a message." she said hastily as Roger swaggered up to her. “1 have not had a dance with Judy yet. She looks stunning to-night." “Yes, she does look quite attractive. Her grandmother has not spared money on her. Money can cover t multitude of sins.’’ "In Judy’s ease sho has no sins to cover, for she Is so remarkably pretty, my dear. I shan't mind having her for a ooueln." “Judy and I are not related," said Enid coldly. She must certainly see that Roger stopped talking In that fulsome way about Judy. They went out into the grounds, and presently came across Judy sitting by the fountain. In the many-hued fairy lights the water looked like Jewels spraying out. “You are a queer girl, Judy," said Enid. “Why don't you dance?" “1 am quite happy here, thank you. ’ said Judy In a stilled voire. “Well, Clive is feeling seedy. You'll have to come back with me." "Don't worry about me,” said Judy “I’ll get someone else io take n>), back—-Lord Kenway.” “Oh, he’ll be eager enough to," said | Enid sulkily. “Come on, Roger." “Don’t forget, I have not. had my' dance yet," said Roger boisterously. "1 won’t forget," said Judy. They left her then, and presently tears came In a hot flood. Sho felt shamed, bitterly, cruelly humiliated. Clive had made love to her, and she had believed that it was ’ genuine. What If she had returned it; what It she had given him her maiden heart What a dreadful situation It would be for her to discover now that all the time It was for love of gold and not love that had even touched Cbv« Crawford's false heart! its be •uuUnwt'd..) i