THE FEUD AT ST. FABIAN’S.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19457, 22 December 1934, Page 16 (Supplement)

THE FEUD AT ST. FABIAN’S.

Something was seriously wrong at St. Faibian’s.' Hermione Brown had known it for weeks. Lazily conscience began to stir: next term she was to be made a prefect. It would be her business then to see that the school ran smoothly.

Anl then too Hermlone was games captain and the games were beginning to suffer; that she could not stand.' Her, pleasant, rather plain face, redeemed from dullness 'by extraordinarily bright brown eyes, and a.halo of pretty: goldy-brown hair, was frowning in thought as she reviewed the situation. She suspected that her chum-r Lettice —pretty Lettice Fay, reckless, lovable —-was at the bottom of the trouble.

She was 'fighting again with her cousin Belle Feather. ■ Hermione never conoerned herself with Lattice's many 'quarrels,-but this one had been taken up by the school until the whole establishment had become divided into two sides. It was said that although their people owned farms next door to each other, they never spoke to each other; something to do with ancestors and a feud, 1 but Hermione, -until now, had not bothered about it. She had ignored the paper fays out out and worn by Lettice’s side, and the feathers worn by her enemies, but when the school lost a hockey match to another school, owing to a -Featherite refusing to pass to a Fayite,- she arose in her wrath. 'Belle, a sullen handsome girl, whose looks were spoilt by an ugly down- , ward turn to her mouth, only laughsd at Hermione’s anger. “You can’t stop it, my dear; its two hundred years old." A plan formed in 'Hermlone’s mind. She was going to stay with Lettice for half-term week-end, as Lettice would be alone at home. 'She would sift this thing to the bottom, then. It was absurd that dncestors should upset a school like this 1 When she Anally found herselfalighting at Deep Dell Farm she was still in the dark as to the real story. The motor-bus which had brought J the two girls puffed off into the distance, and Hermione forgot the feud in the delight of what lay before her. Lettice opened a little white wooden gale, and they went up a flagged path, bordered with wallflowers and forgetmernots. Deep Dell -Farm lay before them, long, low, whitewashed, and very old; a bit ramshackle perhaps, in its declining years, but delightful. Hermione said nothing of hei schemes that night, but _ the next morning she engineered Lettice up to the attics. ~ “I expect you’ve crowds of old stun up here," she said, surveying the scene of ancient disorder. '“'Show me some of the things belonging to your great-great-great-aunt Letitla, tne lady who is at present disturbing the peace of St. Fabian’s." Something dim began dancing in Lcttice’s memory. Surely there had been a thing, sweet and blue, seen up there as a child? Presently she came to it as she rummaged in an old box; a faded blue dress. It misty colour appealed to them both as Lettice stood holding it up. “Put it on," suggested Hermione. So Lettice slipped it on and presently her head emerged, bobbed hair tousled, cheeks pink with exertion. For Great-great-great-aunt 'Lclttia had evidently been a very small little lady, and the waist was for too tight tot Lettice. slender though she was. “I bclieVc I’m rather like her. “Well, look here, 'Great-aunt Letitla you’ve come back and disturbed our peaceful school, and I’m jolly well going to clear up all this if I can before next term. 1 want a peaceful lazy time then.” “illcrmy One, you don t understand.” * There was a serious note in Lettice's voice. “This is the reason wc can never patch up the q uin . Relic’s ancestor, Abraham Feather, is said to have murdered by little -Great-creat-great-aunt 'Letitia.” “ -was it proved?" asked Hermione. «vor prßclicd^t “N-no ’’ admitted Lettice. He wa> tried for it but acquitted They say ho walled her up somewhere In this

(By Beryl Irving.)

ho'use.” “■What for?” "He was angry because she wouldn’t marry him. He hoped also to get the farm which was hers. Letltia was an orphan. We are descended from her twin sister, Patience, who was In India, married." She was silent a minute, then added:

“She was a dear, brave little soul, I’ve always heard. 'She must have been small to wear this, . We have always been brought up Mo love -her. Look I There’s a large tear here. I wonder how she did it. A piece of the stuff is quite gone.” “Never mind the tear,” put in Hermione briskly, "‘I want to get the facts quite clear. I’ve .got a scheme; I’ll tell you presently.” “Well, she lived all alone at Deep Dell, Lettia did, and then one day she just disappeared. Abraham only just escaped 'being hanged for It. But we're sure he did It." Hermlone said nothing. Until this thing could be cleared up there would be no peace at St. -Fabian’s. There and then she vowed to herself that she would not rest 'until she had unearthed the truth, dragged it out of the mists of the past. 'That Lettice might be unwilling she realised. Therefore somehow she had got to get Lettice keen on the investigation too.

'Lettice was speaking again. “They say she walks. When the wind blows In a real gale, once or twice they have heard -her high heels clacking about the house, and she is accompanied by a sort of weird music. They say 100 that she can be heard, trying to get out, sort of pleading for proper burial.” “Honestly, Letty, you don’t believe in that sort of stuff, do you?” “I- was brought up in her shadow, my dear,” replied Lettice. And -just as she said that, her Angers, Adgeting in the folds of her faded Anery, strayed into a gap in one of the seams. “Hi i what’s this?" she exclaimed. “It’s a pocket, I believe, Wouldn’t it be strange if there were anything in it?” It was a long, deep pocket. And there was something at the bottom, which crackled faintly when Lettice’s Angers closed over it. She drew It gently forth, feeling as she did so that it was paper, xerj frail and old. A letter! It was covered with delicate -crabbed writing, very difficult to read. (To be continued next week.)