A Wasted Love

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1234, 26 January 1905, Page 4

A Wasted Love

CHAPTER XXV. Continued "And you ain't married again, and you liye all alone here ? Why—" he langhod ah unpleasant la;i<_-b, "blest if 1 wasn't forgetting! ffbere'a the boy?" ' Martha Hooper's face bcoarnc whiter, if that was possible, and her lips trembled, 'o' and at last came out the word; IS ' ' " Dead 1" •< " Dead, eh I" he sail " Well, whom . the gods love die young. So the kid's ■ dead, is he? Well, he was off your hands anyhow; you hadn't got to keep bini as f;-i wall as yourself, And h'ow are you living ? ■£ '; What made you choose tfcis dead and aliyespot?" He looked round. "It's a wbnder you haven't been murdered in yj)ur old woman." '■ I .Martha Hooper shuddered. ' ' " Perhaps it would haye been better," Ihe murmured. . "Eh?" ho paid, "What are you muttering at? Why don't you answer my question ?" " I—l've saved a little money, and—and J. do a little needlework," she said faintly. > v He looked at her for a moment through his half-closed. eyes—a look of savugo amusement, "My dear," he Said," you were always a'poor hand at lying; and if anything, your worse now. Thero, I know all about it, You've got a friend among the nobs, : Martha; a friend who's put you in this i snug little cottage, and made }ou comfortable for the rest of your life,' She opened her lips as if to contradict him. but no word oame; and watdhing her • with the same sinister smile, he went on: "And very nice it was to have such a friend—very nice. I wish I'd one like it, and'such a nob, too. A real countess!" Martha Hooper sank into the ohair, her pale eyes fixed on as if waiting for some blow. ■ He laughed. "Yon see, I know a little about it' Bat don't it strike you as ourious, considering tm i* m JIH •fr # * that her ladyship' shonld take you, Martha ■ Hooper, in hand?" She looked from' right to left, like a ; driven animal, seekjiig soma'outtet for es- . cape from' his persistency, then hung her . head, "I—l was an oliserv'ant," she falterad. He laughed and mocked the ashes out of his pipe on the dean floor, "Stuff and humbugl The Counfess of Landon doesn't pensionM all her old servants. Why should sho you?" " Martha Hooper started as he pronounc-' ed the title, and he,nodded and leered at hep . > , " Surprised that I know who it is, eh ?".. he said. " What do you take me for? I've been here two days, my dear, and I've ;. - learned a great deal, For instance, I've : learned that the oonntoss not only'finds you in grub and beef, my dear, but that : she sneaks out at night to pay you visits," • Martha Hooper half rose, and then Bank down again. " Don't you deny it, because it isn't any use," be said knowingly. " I followed her here last night." ' ■ " Last night I" Bhe eoboed faintly. He nodded, ; f "Give me a light." She got .up with . florae difficulty, and lit a screw of paper at f at the fire. " Hold it," he said, and thrust bis head forward with the pipe in his lips. * tried to obey, but theflij£*" " . his nose, and he paper from . her trembli^and. " YahfisMgrowled! "You haven't the plulfPof a mouse; you never \ had, Martjta. There you sit, shivering like an underdone jelly, and' that's how how you shiver and shako when she . $ comes to see 'you. I suppose. You haven't antounce'of pluok, or you'd get up and order me out, It's your oottage, you know; why don't you do it ?" «; Thd wretched woman looked ' at him, earfully, and he laughed with keen enjoyment of her helplessness. " I'll tell you why *you don't, my dear," he said, puffing out the smoke defiantly, insolently, •' Beoause you're afraid. You'vo got a bad conscience, Martha I g That's what it is 1 Conscience makes * oowards of us all'—Hamlet, yon know. You've been up to some tricks, Martha I Come, give an account of yourself to your iaithlul husband I What . have you been doing Bince you bolted with f the kid—desrtted the best husband that ever a woman bad?" . She leaned her bead on her band. a- " When you struck me—" " Which, you deserved, my dear," he put m blandly. "And I left yod, I went to Australia, Then the child died—" She put her band to her throat as if unable to speak for a moment. "Then 1 1 camebaokto England, and madam took i ' pity on me and kept me out of charity." I He folded his arms ion the . table and fixed biß eyes on her, " Ont of charity 1" be said with a 'sneer. , " I never heard of such charity. Why she * - ought to have hated you more than any , other woman on earth, And you know wHy I" " She—she did not hate me," she said. " She pitied me," " Pitied you eh P Why, my dear ?" • • " Because I was yoartoife 1" she said in a low voice of wrought up indignation and • loathing. " BeciiUßD she hiow that you | were—a ruffimi and a bully, a scoundrel and a coward I Kuowr-as I came to know / '-that under your fine clothes and playacting airs you were the vilest wretch thai evfcr deceived and ill-treated woman— 11 She stopped for lack of . breath, anil (tuned agaiast the table panting heavilv. Jake did not move, but sat puffing at ( his pipe and leering up at her keenly. " Bravo, old woman 1" he said. '' You have plaekcd up a bit of spirit at it ( "Yes, M sho breathed, "At last I.You —you asked me why I did not turn you out of the bouse. Idol Go 1" She tried to point to the door, but her hand fell ' feebify, "You can g6t nothing by staying here. lam poor, The pittance Bhe silowa meout y ofthe goodness of her heart she would uot let me share with you, even if I would—and I won't I" . ."She wouldn't, eh?" he said, aa.if considering deeply. " She'd stop your allowTHE SPEE4D OF CONSUMPTION It may be open lo doubt whether OON SUMPTIOtr is curable, but there oan be ' no question thai the progress of this terrible disease can be arrested if people * noi delay in applying a remedy in its er.rly. stages. The premonitory symptoms Are' so easily discerned that there is no excuse f for not realising the danger whiob iu»y the neglect of a bad eold/pr imrai s•ijng cough. What,is required iB a medicine which will soothe, the irritation of the • Throat, Lungs and' Bronchisl Tubes. Ard ,'fofthis purpose iio preparation can equal ' Tussicnra. The numerous, Testimonials received by ihe inventor of this mixture ■ prove thai its efficiency ut beyond doubt, arid for this reafon,every household should j* noßßtsaa supply, .so as to bo able meot aliy / . / |®n)erg ncy thut m"y urine, ii shoiild'b.e jemtmberad that noo'her mcdwe fins so high a refutation as TUSS'.CDUA, which can* bo obtained from"alh Stores and

. . BY CHARLES GARVICE, | *' f |

ance, eh, Martha? Tnmyou out of the cottage ?" "Yes I" she panted, " and I should deserve it if I harboured you, Me Hooper." He sprang to his feet and strode toward her, " I don't think she would I" he laid with aii evil smilo oil his lips, " No, I don't think so. Shall I tell you why, dear She looked at him fearfully and shrunk biek. " Shall I tell you ?" hB repeated, He caught her by ihe arm aud dragged her to > him, and whispered huskily in her ear, ' She uttered a terrible ory, and dragging ' herself away from hiui, shrank back agaif3t the wall, her hands pressed over her heart, her eyes dilating and fixed upon hitn. To be continued,