A Modern Knight

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 01, Issue 9, 1 June 1900, Page 45

A Modern Knight

By H. G. Fodor

Illustrated by Frances Hodr/kins. y~^-sHl J J song of a //// came through the If\ open window, and the hum of bees was in the air. The windows of the house were open to let in the soft winds and sounds from without. In the kitchen Annie, the maid, was singing at the top of her voice, not unmelodiously. Annie liked the sound of her own voice, and she did not like silence. At an open window sat an exceedingly pretty girl. She had a stocking drawn over her hand, and she was supposed to be mending it. At present, however, she was merely peking a large darning-needle in and out of the apron on her lap, and listening, not to the tui, nor to Annie's song, but to the chatter of her girl friend, who was sitting on the bed and swinging her feet backwards

and forwards with the energy of one who recognises that she is on a holiday visit, and has not a single thing to do except enjoy herself. Elsa Macdonald was a lively little creature, who gave those who did not know her well the impression that there was not much in her beyond what was seen on the surface. But Phyllis Bourne, her friend, knew better. Phyllis was sweet-faced and serious — particularly at the present moment,

Something in Blsa's apparently disjointed chatter had set her thinking. She was usually so lonoly that sho felt inclinod to make confidences. Elsa rambled on, appearing to taku no notice of her friend's serious face, or of tho idleneedle, which no longer pi ied industriously in and out of the stockings. " And tho crowd on Jubilee Day, and tho mass of people in the Agricultural Hall in the eyoning — you can't say that did notcorno up to your expectations, Phyl ? " " Oh, no, that was wonderful ! I know you think mo a very dissatisfied person, Elsa, but it is not that kind of thing that disappoints mo. It is tho aspirations and ideas I used to have. Tho older I. grow, tho moro I seem to lose. I used to dream of great things. I wished to do somothing in tho world. But it came to this : father and tho boys wanted me, and here T stay." " And Tom Hartley wants you " " Oh, don't, Elsa, don't talk so frivolously about what is very serious ! " " Well," said Elsa soberly, " \ wish I had a father and brothers, and a sweetheart! " "That is just whero the trouble comes in," replied Phyllis, with a sigh. " There's poor, dear Tom, now ! Ho's so different from what I thought. I mean I. always pictured to myself what my lover would be like. In tho books I read, they were always so different." "Yes, you expected some fine gentleman to come, like a knight of old, and rescuo you from tho clutches of some terrible monster who was waiting to devour you. Or, pcrchanco, some titled person would come hero, see, and fall in love with Miss Phyllis Bourno's brown eyes and auburu hair, and take her away to England, where she would bo the centre of admiration for all tho world." " Now Elsa, you are laughing at mo. I shall tell you no more." "I beg your pardon, Phyl, I'm nofc. Only I can't understand why you don't like euch a very devoted lover as Tom Harfcloy. Ho just worships the ground you tread on ; ho is faithfulness itself,"

" I do like Tom," said Phyllis quickly. "I'm sure no one can say that I don't — because I do — very much indeed."

Elsa turned her head away to hide a comic little grimace; and then she jumped off the bed, danced up to Phyllis, settled herself comfortably on a little stool by her side, and dived her hands into the stocking basket.

" Tell me all about it then," she said, soothingly. " Well, you see, I think Tom a dear fellow, and all that. But I've known him all my life, and he seems just like a brother. And yet I've never seen anyone to compare to him." " No," replied Blsa, " and you never will, You only need some trouble, or to he near losing him, or something, and then you'd End out,"

" Near losing him— Elsa ! " "Yes. Suppose he fell in love with me, for instance j 3 " Phyllis gave an incredulous little laugh. " On the contrary, you seem to me to be always doing your utmost to bring us together. You are quite on his side." " Well, it's because he is so good and true, and I know there are not many of his kind. You had better take care." Just then the very person of whom they were talking passed the window on the way to the front door. Elsa jumped up and ran out to greet him, while Phyllis followed more leisurely. The two girls seated themselves on snug hammock chairs in the verandah, while Tom Hartley stood against a post and talked to them. He had a fine, strong face, though he was not good-looking. He had ridden over, as he always did, every day to see Phyllis, and he made no excuse for coming. He had but one reason, and he intended her to know it. He loved her, and to him that was an all sufficient reason. They h:id come to no understanding as yet, and sometimes he was a little afraid of what the result would be if he asked Phyllis to become his wife. He knew full well that she did not care for him as he did for her. Perhaps, had he been in Phyllis's confidence, as Elsa was, and known that she was longing for some romantic episode to happen, for some knight to come and carry her away, he might have taken some more determined steps to win his lady's affection. As the three were talking on the verandah, Annie's tones were heard in the kitchen raised in angry expostulation with someone at the back door. Her song had ceased, and an ominous clattering of milk pails accompanied her angry voice, as she trod over the back kitchen floor with no fairy footsteps. "I do wish Annie would not speak so freely to the men," said Phyllis, the flush with which she had greeted Tom's arrival deepening for another cause. "I must go and see what is the matter." So saying, she rose and ran into the kitchen. Tom looked concerned. "That girl is a nuisance," said Elsa,

"Phyllis keeps her because they liked her mother, but her behaviour is anything but nice with the men, she is always joking with them, and Phyllis is worried oat of her life. Besides, she can't hold her tongue about anything." " Phyllis should not have to put up with a givl of that sort," said Tom decidedly, " especially as there is no older lady in the house to manage her. 1 shall speak to Mr. Bourne about it." Aiter a few minutes Phyllis came on to the verandah, looking troubled, and a little frightened. " It wasn't one of our men," she said, her voico trembling a little. "It was that horrid looking swagger who has been here so often, you know, Torn. Father said we were not to give him anything if lie came again, and Annie has just been saying all sorts of things to make him go aw;iy." "Where is he?" said Tom, starting forward. "Oh, he's gone now, Tom. He went oil in tlie direction of the Korrests'. What worries me is that he seems to have been threatening Annie, though she can't exactly tell me what he said. He seemed to have been drinking, but when 1 went to the door he was civil enough, though he gave that nasty leer that frightens me so." Elsa looked more scared than her friend. "Oh, Phyl, why didn't Annie give him something? I'm really frightened of that man." " Well, you know Elsa, if we gave him something every time he called, we should soon be keeping him for the rest of his natural life. He goes away for a while, but always turns up again like a bad penny. And the Forrests say there are several of them, and they go about in a gang." " He's a thoroughly bad lot, I know," said Tom. " What did he threaten to do to Annie ? " "He didn't exactly threaten. Annie says lie was talking a lot of nonsense, and said something about the stacks, that we should soon have none left, and that they would make a grand blaze. Oh, there's father," as a heavy

tvead was heard at the back of the house " Come into the kitchen, and wo can toll him, aud hear what Annio has to say." They all three adjourned to tho kitchen, where thoy found Annio sitting sobbing on the colonial sofa, and trying incoherently to tell Mr. Bourne what she had said to tho swagger. " Never mind what you said to him," said Tom impatiently. " Tull us what he said to you ; that is more important." After many sobs and attempts to speak, they gathered that after being refused tho tea, sugar and Hour which ho had demanded, the swagger had complained that ho and his mates had been refused food all round tho country. He hinted that Mr. Bourne was the chief cause of this, and as he was trying to starve them, they would bo oven willi him ; and (hut " old Bourne and young Hartley and tho whole blooiniu' lot of 'em would be wild when they saw what would happen to the two gulls before another night was over." " You have been saying too much, Annie, as usual," said Elsa impetuously. " You must have told him all that Mr, Bourne said." " Yes, if he means what ho said," interposed Tom, "you have got Mr. Bourne and the young ladies into serious trouble, Annie." Annie rocked herself backwards and forwards and wailed. Then l'hyllis's two brothers came in from the run. They brought news that tho swaggors had been refused food by all tho neighbours, and had taken it very quietly. But when they heard about Annie's encounter, thoy looked grave. v The man has evidently been drinking, or he wouldn't have been such a fool as to lot it all out," said one of them. "Wo shall have some trouble to-night over oar hay stacks, father." "Then we must all turn out and watch," fumed Mr. Bourne. " Theso swaggers are the curse of the country-side. I'm not going to keep a dozen idle loafers all my life, for fear they will burn my stacks. It's the Reign of Terror over again. Yon boys will have to turu oat, and watch all night, I'll leave two men up at the house to look after

the girls, and the rest of us will keep a sharp look out round the paddocks.'.' Torn offered to help, but his offer was refused. Mr. Bourne was a bit of a martinet in his way. ''No, my boy, they don't love you, and you'll have to look after your own placeWe can manage all right for ourselves." They discovered at tea-time that their suspicions were only too well founded. As Annie was passing through the passage she found h dirty note pushed under the front door. It contained the words : " Look after your stacks to-night." This everybody except the two girls took to be a threat that the stacks would be fired. Elsa and Phyllis grew uneasy as evening camo on, especially as, since the finding of the note, one mau was considered sufficient to remain in the house with them. "I wish Mr. Hartley knew about this note," Elsa whispered to Phyllis. " Couldn't someone ride up to his house, and tell him ?" "No, please, Elsa," said Phyllis. "It would only worry Tom, and he has his own place to protect." " His own place ! " said Elsa scornfully. "Do you think he would worry about his stacks when we are concerned ? You don't appreciate that young man, Phyl, and that's a fuct! If you don't take care you will try his pationce too much." There was something in Blsa's words that made Phyllis give a little start of dread. It had not occurred to her before that Tom might tire of his devotion. She had taken it so much as a matter of course all her life. Yet why should he go on caring for her? Would she mind if he did not ? There was not much time for thinking, until the men had crept away under cover of darkness, armed with their guusi to protect their property, if need should arise. Then, the house was very lonely. The shepherd, who had been left with the girls,. was sitting in the kitchen reading the Witness, and Elsa and Phyllis retired to the latter's bedroom v^i|ns, and wondering what would be the re&uit. One of the windows of Phyllis's

room looked out across the paddocks to where, in the distance, Tom Hartley's house was standing — the house where he hoped so fervently, some day, to take Phyllis as his bride. Elsa ran to this window at frequent intervals to look out, but for a time all was still. Suddenly, however, she exclaimed : " Oh, Phyllis, Phyllis, Mr. Hartley's house is on fire ! " Phyllis started up in alarm. " I was afraid that note was only a ruse, only I didn't like

to say so. Morris must go at once and help him." She tapped at the wall which divided her room from the kitchen. " Morris, go and help Mr. Hartley at once. Don't lose a moment ! His house is on fire ! We are all right here." The man immediately obeyed. " Oh, poor, poor Tom, what will he do ? " she wailed. "I do hope he is safe — oh, Ido hope he is safe ! If I were only a man I could go and help ! "

They stood looking anxiously at the conflagration, which was gaining every moment upon the building, and lighting up the whole country. "There's someone returning," said Elsa, hearing the outer door of the kitchen open, and footsteps coining across the floor. " Who can it be ? " The footsteps came nearer, and the girls involuntarily drew closer to one another. Then, to their horror, the bedroom door burst open, and the evil face of the swagger appeared on the threshold. Other footsteps were heard in the dining-room. " Come, my beauties," he exclaimed "no screams, and you'll be treated all right. Scream, and you'll be gagged. My mate's gettin' the plate, while I got you. We won't harm you. We only mean to make your old screw of a father fork out, Miss Phyllis." As he approached, Elsa shuddered and hid her face in her hands in the utter col lapse of fear. But to Phyllis's astonishment, she felt her own coui'age rise. She looked the man full in the face. " I won't come," she said calmly. " And you had better mind what you are doing. You will have to answer for this to my father and brothers, and Mr. Hartley as well." The man laughed. " We've planned our revenge all right for them," he said leering. "This'll teach 'em to refuse a meal to an honest swagger. Your father and brothers are over at the burnin' house,- and so's your sweetheart. Have you got the swag, Jim ? " Another footstep had been heard approach-

ing, aud tho door behind the man was thrown wide open. Thon a voico called out: " No, but I've got you ! " as tho owner of tho voico lifted the butt-end of a rifle, and felled tho swagger to the ground. It was Tom Hartley. Phyllis gave one cry, and bounded towards him, and Elsa sank half-faiutitig on n chair. "My darling, my darling ! '' he exclaimed, as he put his arms round hor — those arum th,at had been so long wearying to hold her. " Don't fear any more, tho other bruto decamped when he saw mo coining. You arc quite safe, my dear love ! When I saw the wretches had tired my house, I thought of you, and guessed it was done to put us off the scent while they oamo here to rob, and so I rushed off hero as fast as I could. Nothing matters so long as yon are safe. Don't bo afraid, my darling !" She did not answer immediately. Wan she only clinging to him because of her fear, he wondered, or could it be that she really loved him enough to nestle her head on his shoulder as she was now doing? He was not left long in doubt. "Tom," she whispered, "Tom, dear, I. think there is only one thing I. have been afraid of all tho evening." " And what was that ? " " I was afraid you might not love me, after all." Then — well then the man on tho floor was quito forgotten until ho groaned, and ho was Elsa — poor Elsa, who sat looking at tho burning house, which troubled its owner not a whit, and wondering in what guitto her knight would appear to her when her time should come.