A Wasted Love

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1254, 18 February 1905, Page 4

A Wasted Love

CHAPTER XXXIV.

(Continued

She spoke with iho awful calmness of

resignation and despair, AVhy should she

not tell Iho woman tho truth? All the oounty knew it—were probably discussing

it at this moment. jS 1 Shame, disgrace 1" echoed Martha Hooper.

"Yes," said Madge. "You knowperhaps you do no'; but it will be known before daylight that I am a gypsy.' 1 "A gypsy I" the woman looked at Madge's brown dress and red shawl. " \ gypsy 11 thought you were play ac-injj. Yes, you look like ft gypsy iu those clothes," ■' I am a gypsy," said Madge sadly, " It' was a gypsy camp that Jack—that my husband first saw me—and I '—her voice broke—" loved me. I—l did not know the harm I was doing in letting him marry me. How could I have known? ' tilie was not so much speaking to the pale, frightened womau before her as communing with herself, " Then I came to. tho Towers and—and 1 tried to be like the otheis, to bo a lady mid—and worthy , of him; and to-night"—; hot voice broke—"to-nighs I thought I had done so, that he would be proud of me. Then jusii when I had forgotten what I had been, a man catuo into the midst of theja nil, and told tjiem nil what I was!" Her eyes wcro dry and hot, and yet as if the unshed tears were burning in them, " Poor Jake!" sho breathed with a heavy sigh. •' Ho did not know the harm he was doiug—'' Martha Hoopor brolto in with a low cry. "Jaso" she breathed. "Yes, that is his name," sho, said faintly. "Ho is ony of our tribe, and ho

followed me, I suppose to get money. It is all wer now; everybody knows, everybody looks down upon me and lioyce with scorn," she pat her bands to her (ace and sighed. Martha Hooper looked straight over Madge's head with a strange expression on her face.

" Did he-Jake—come only to tell tho grand people all he know about you P" she asked in a dry voice.

Madge shook her head. 11 1 suppose so. Ido not know. It does not mattor; it is nil over; All I There is only one tbing for me to do; to hide myself away from—from Jaok till I die.- I feust go back to my own people," She paused a moment, tbn ruised her eyes to the white face infroi.t of her. " Will you help mo ? You have known sorrow and troublo, havo you not ?'' " Ay I" camo from Martha's dry lips. :" And you will help me who am in such hitter need?" pleaded Madge, "I only want to rest until the evening If you will bide me somewhere and' keep mo hidden from any one who may comet Will you do that?" She put out her hand and touohed Martha Hooper's arm, for .the .. womaojseemed to have become' lost iu a reverie.

Martha started slightly, ■vies," she said,'."l will help you 1"

Madge raieed her eyes gratefully and with a dim surprise, for a change seemed 'to have com.o'over Martha Hooper's fuoe ; 'and voico; it was as if Madge's appeal / has aroused a touch of resolution and an i, indication of strength in the nervous, fearburdened woman. ;

" Come 'upstairs with rue," aho said in the new and fumw tone. " Ton will.be lil .if you*,'do not 1 get rest, Do not be afraid, ma'am, you >vill be quite safe here. I will protect you." : Madge looked at her with increased gratitude, . ' "if you will hide me till night," she said. v •

Mrs. Hooper put her arm round i the slight girlish figure and helped Madge up the narrow stairs to a small room. It was scrupulously neat and olean, like Martha Hooper herself, and Madge looked round with a weary sigh of reliof. MarthaHoopor helped her to undress;

and suoh help was necessary, for poor Madgo was almost incapable of lifiingier hand. And whtc Madge hed tired aching head on the pillow, Martha sat beside her and held her hand," "You havoHeen very good tome," Madge murmured, with her eyes clewed. " You will notgWe me up-to any ono ?" " No," said Martha Hooper. " You are safe here. No one will take yoti away, You said I had known sorrow aud trouble; you spoke the truth. But I have deserved them, whereas you have not, poor lady I" Madge smiled biltorly, " Don't call mo' lady,'" sho said, " I .am only a gypsy. Only a gypsy 1"

The sweet, sad voice continued to murrip—somotimes broken with a sob—for ar hour or mere, until sleep foil like a blessed balui upon tho weary Epirit; and .and all that timo Martha Hooper sat Reside tho bed and hold the hand that burnt like Qre ono minute and then struck like ice the next. And the look of resolution which Madge had noticed grew stronger in the cldrr won"'face a3 the dawn broke; and the thin hps, usually so weak and tremulous, grew firm and determined.

Eoyce loft the countess' room and mechanically wont towards his own, but he stopped at the door. He would not go in and let Madge see the trouble in his face, for he knew that it would only add to her suffering. He listened a moment, expecting to hear her crying, but all was still, and hoping that she might have fallen asleep, he went downstairs, The library door was open, and he went in to sit down ani think over bis future courso, for he had resolved that be would take Madge away from the Towers that day. Thero was no light in the room, aud he attuok a matoh. As ho did so ho saw that he was not alone, Seymour was sitting on a cbair by the table, his head on his atms. The room was redolent of brandy, and a decanter of that fascinating but destructive ipirit tad been overturned by tbo sleeping man's elbow.

Royco looked at him with infinite disguss Ho had always doubted Seymour'B elaborstoly-paraded'and loudly-proolainiod virtne, but to-night Royce knew that the mask had been torn from the archhypoorite'a face. He went up to tho motionless lignro and shook it by the shoulder. •' Wake up I" ho siiid sternly, " >Vako up, and get to bed." Seymour roused slowly, and looked up at tho stern face with the slaro of drunken stupor. " Et —is that you Royce?" lioßaid. "I have been busy with my Blue-books and reports as usual, and dozed off," " Get up!" said Royce with increased loathing, "and ppwe yourself any lies! I know-you quite wdl now, beyniaur," Seyoionr struggled to liis foot. *. "Ah, )i's yuu, is it?" ho snarled " You dars coine and tilk to me after tonight's business, do yon ? You order me ibout 1 I should have ibought you would have folt too mnc'i Iko a beaiwi eur, JJui you don't know whai shnine is, do you?' , " Ybb I do—when I look a' you." said Boyeo grimly. " But I know wha you mean, mid IH id' yo»" if iou have sense to nnderstfind —what lam going io do." , ■ ''i—l can understand," said Soywour

fere's only one thing you can do. A'-l . he ooontry's laughing at ns. At us, % you hear-not you alone? You've

BY CHARLES GAIiVICE

brought rain and tliogracs on our name, Yon and your gypsy—" J iioyco caught him by the arm,

"Stop 1" lie said, his face white, his eyes blazing ominously. Thou ho remeiubc'rod that ho was i: ;ling with a drunken mau mid flung hi:. 'rom him. "Theto, go to bed, Wait!"' he said, as Seymour, scowling at liiiii under his swollen lids, jnoved to the door. "You will not see mo apain; try and remember f ,hese, my Inst words to you: You aro n fraud, Seymonr! You talk of the shame and disgrace I have brought upon the old name 1 Yon forget that the people who have just gone have somoibing elsa to t ilk about as thai )ioor wretch's presence hero to-night. You forgot your performance in tho card-room and the man's assertion that ho had seen you in a gambling den in London,

" It—it was a lie. Ho was drunk I" stammered Seymour, '•No, it was tho truth. I Imotv it, feel it," responded Royce, grimly. " Tako my word of warning, Seymour. You aro on the road to ruin. Draw back while thore's tin):', or you will bring -x deeper shame and disgrace upon the houso that any I—or my dear \Vife—liavo done I Don't speak I It is useless to lie to nie about it. I—wo aro going from the Towors in an lnnr or two, and forever 1"

■Soymour's pain eyes glowod, "It was time,' 1 ho snarled.

" Yes, 1 ' said lioyoe sadly. "We should never have come, But onongh of that, 1 want to speak about yourself, My mothor and Irene will be left in your care,"

Seymour smiled a sinister smilo. "My future wife," ließaid, "What—what has your highness to say about her, pray ?" Royeo bit his lip till the blood canw.

"God savo her from tint," he said. "No Irene will never bo your wifo, Soyincur."

Seymour laughed. "We shall 5e0," ho said, nodding defiantly, "And now you've finished your sermon, my immaculate brother, I'll go to bod, If you can manage to leave tholiouse beforo lam up, I shall bo grateful for my own sako and for my tuiure wife's, I Goo—good night 1" He got out of the room, and Bojcs heard hiiu stumble up tho stairs, Royce opened tho window to purify tho room, and steppnd out on to tho terraoo, tie stood thero, thinking of Madge and their future, ior perhaps au hour; then, calmed by tho stillness, and fioloinnitv of the dawn, ho ro-ontsred the houso and went upstairs.

A light was burning in tho bedroom, and ho executed lo find Mudgo still sitting up, but the room was empty. He wont quickly into her dressing-room and into her boudoir. The ball-dress lying on the chair, tho open drawer will) tho things tumbled out oti the floor told him, as pliinly us her absence, what had happened. "Mailgel" ho called out in agony, "Whero are yon, Madge?"

Then ho strode from table to table to see if she had loft a.noto for him, some word that might help him to find her. But there was no note.

He leaned against the mantel, his head upon his arm for a moment or two, trying to think. That she had flown ho felt as surely as if sbo had loft word that sho hud done so, and a great pity and love welled up in his heart, "My poor darling," he cried. "My poor, beautiful Madgo 1" lhen he roused himself, and hurriedly ohanging his coat, and snatohing up his hat, wont out. As ho passed along the corridor a door opened and Irene called to him.

He looked round in a dozed way, Sho was dressed, and her fair face was full of anxiety, ' "Oh, what is it? Whore are you going, she eaid in a frightened whisper, \ ■ ■ . " Madge has gone I" he sUmmorod. " Gone I Madge ? Oh, no, no, Eoyco I Not that P % 'V. _ ' "Yes!" he said hoarsely. "She has gone." Ireuo put her hands over hor eyos, "Let me think, Koyc'el I iuuld not sleep for thinking of her I L. woujd havo gone to her, but I thought you w&o with her I Oh, poor Madge, poor Madgtf" " She cannot have gone far," he said hoarsely. " I shall find her! Say nothing Bemol Oh God! whoro shall I go first?" She laid her hand on his arm, Let mo think, Eoyco 1 Yes I Don't you see ? She has gone back to her own peoplo! You must find them." " God bless yriu, licniel" he murmurod, '.'You always understood—lovod her IMy

poor Madge!" Ee touched the sloevo of her dress with his lips in miserable gratitude, and sprang down the ataics. The sight of tbo open door—for Madge lwd not closed it—struck a chill to his heart; but Irone's words buoyed him up with,hope, for in tho caouicnt of his diacovoTy of her flight an awful dreaded amiledhim, a dread of worse tlno flight—death. \ He wont to and woke tho coachmau, and'belpedViim saddle a horse, " Is it aylady who's ill),Mastor Eoyce ? Can't I go for the doctor?/' rsked tho man.

"No I" said Eoyco hoarsely, " I wi'l go. Say no hing," He sprang into tho saddle and went out of the gate at a gallop. Ho gained the road, and was toaring along town, looking from right to loft with anxious, straining eyes, when suddenly ho saw threo men or. the pathway. They were walking alums-, and the two outside had hold of the man in tho middle.

As he rode up to them they stopped, and he saw that thoy were two policemen, and that the central figure was Jake. Ho pulled rln horse upon his haunches and stared: at them, Ono of tne policoman touohud his hat, " Wo'vo got him, sir," he Baid, Jake peered up ut lioyco and oponod hia mouth aa if to speak, but the policoman on tho other sido of him shook him roughly, " Hold your tongue 1" ho said, Royce bont down,

"Havo you seou a lady?" he began, as if they and their business were no eon. corn of his, as indoed in that raomont they wore not, for all thoughts were of Madge, "A lady-tall—"he stopped. Tho policeman shook his head and stared at him with surpriso, " No, sir, We've passed no one on the road. Ab I was saying, sir. we've go. him, We had a hard tussle for it—" But Royco waitod for no more, and with a groan ho urged tho horso on again, taking tho road to tho loft.

To be continued.