Novel

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 376, 23 July 1903, Page 2

Novel

n/fSttj//vfkr4 [PUBLISHED BT SPECI4L ABBANGEMENT] J I*Jb hj Cons< sienee of Gilbert Pollard ,-' By Adeline Sargeant. copybight,

CHAPTER Xll.—(Continued.) And Ven he fame to a strange and alarming pause His face was pale and he swayed a little as he stood 'Lock out V the uECOtventicnal lecturer was he* rd to EBy, * Look cut, Oil I' And he cacght his fainting brother in-his arms. Effie sat client in her place, forgetting tbat it was her duty to follow ber cousibb to the waitiag-rocm, end see whether Gilbert was not seriously ill. But for a moment the tco cas a'moet cvarcome. Ice icena btfere ber gre-r dim, the figures and lights were lent in a sort of inextricable confusion. Then the mist clean d, and her brain grew calm again. So this was Htdwoith'e great revenge P There l was not a wcrd that cculd reflect upon Gilbert in his speech; but had the shock, the stiffens?, the subsequent relief not proved too much for Gilbert's tired heart and brain ?

Effie. I wrote a couple of sentences for him to copy and sign, teling him that I insisted on beisg allowed to use tbem when and where I pleased; end the poor old chap agreed—adding certain expressions of regret and repentance which I struck cut as irrelevant The bit abou the money I put in of my own accord. I think that when he bsw me on the platform, he thought I was going to show him up, and was desperately frightened.' 'Of course he would ba Aid then the relief was too great. It was a vary theatrical and un-English way cf endine a quarreL'

•P<irhap3Bo; but I ain't very English, you see. I thought he deserved that I should have a rise out of fcim, any way. I didn t mean to make him ill, you knew that well enough ; he had bowled me over completely with his letter, poor old man, and I wbb convinced that he was sincere We re all pretty good friend 3 now, that' ft bleßßing,' said Hedworth in a tone of heartfelt satisfaction. ' I've been putting the business on its legs for fcim. Fm going to ba a Bleeping partner, with a lot of money invested in the business: how does that Btrike your ladyship ?' • How grateful they ought to be to you, Hedworth I'

'I thought he was not well beftrewe came,' she found herself saying by-and-by to a friendly old doctor who was reassuring her; 'he has not been strong latily, and the excitement Las been too much for him.'

' Ab, yes, and the joy of Beeiag his brother,' slid the dector, with anther incredulous smile. 'However, all's well that ends well, and he is coming round splendidly, and the brothers are as geod friends as ever I taw them. Hiss Effi j, which id saying a gcod deal.' lE* lerself was amestd to see Gilbert leaning on Hedworth'B arm, as they paesed from the hall to the carriage, and to note how carefully Hedworth supported him and what a tender note had crept into his voice. More than ever was she surprised when Hedworth followed his brother into the carriage itself, and-eaid in ft matter-of-fact way—'lf you and Effie don't mind, I'll go home with you, GiL'

' Oh, nonsense! that is what Doris has been crying about this morning. I've been giving her a brotherly lecture, Effie Such a limp, useless, good-for-nothing creature I never Baw in all my born days. Thank heaven Bhe's not my wife!' Euphrasia smiled.

But the children are bonny little duc-kp, said Hedworth musingly. '1 sometimes think I should like to settle down and have a home of my own, Ef&V "fake the Bed Houßa, and let Mrs Legge houaekeep for you,' said Effie briskly.

What did it all mean ? £Si a had asked that question so often th*t she almost despaired of getting an answer to it new, And indeed Bc-me days elapsed before aha fully unJerstood how the curious httle ■ene in the Cm Exchange had been' brought about. Hedworth stayed on at <he Fin.' Djn'fc go, H.dd/,* Gilbert bad murmured when they lad put lim to b-.d on his return home He was lalf unconscious, and probably did not know what he was Esyicg; but Hed worth stayed. And it was fortunate that he did; for Gibert's fainting fit w;s the precursor of a serioua nervous iilnria, which utterly incapacitated him for tome time. So Hedworth transacted all his business for him—rushing eff bow and then to lecture in the province in tha cbanscttr of Mr John Sigersoß, the celebrated traveller, and returning periodically to nurse his brother, to console and amuse Mrs Gilbert, aad to become the idol et all the young Pollards and especially if Jiciy, who announced with glee that nurse said he was' the image of bis TJnclc H-cdj,' and that he also meant to kill tigers when he was grown up. Asd Euphrasia? She seemed to cee less of Htdworth than any one else, and she was inclined to be a little sore at h#air, until she met bim cne autumn day in the ehady garden beside the old Red House, and heard from Lis own lips nhst all the story' meant.' ' For it was a coup de theatre, neither more or lees,' said Effie, pretending to pout. *Yeu must have arranged the whola scene beforehand, and knew what was to happen from the first!' 'Well, to tell the truth. I did,' 63id Hedwortb, twinkling with laughter. ' Pior old Gil discoicerted me by fainting, I must acknowledge Otherwise we might hare had a threitricsl staki-liands upon the stage— tte plitform, I mean.' * I think it was hardly fair. How much was planned, and how mush unpremeditated—exactly ?' ■ Let us ice. I'll tell ycu what was real enough, Effij; the things I eaidtojou that night at the Bed House, and the threatening meesage I Eeat to bim. I was bitterly angry with him then. 'Then what mid2 you change your purpose in forty-eight boors r* 'Not eras your pleadings entirely, dear; although I own that they sank into my heart. No, Gil cert did it himself, poor c 1 ap. Ha wrote to me, giving the letter to William L- gge, who knew well enough where I was staying. He told me the whole story, and threw himself on my mercy. At the same time be managed to raise fire thousand found-, at a great ices to himself, I find; and he paid it in II my account without waiting for any further communication.'

. ' H 'n» 1 not gocd enough. I bave a fair income now, you know, though I daresay I shall go off to the ends of the earth now »nd again I say, Effie * '' x"eß,Hedworth?'

• ' Where would you like to live, if you had the choics?' said Hed worth, cutting Tigorpualy away at a long spray of late roses, and stripping it of the thorns, an employment which seemed to engross him so entirely that he could not look at Effi i'a face.

•Oh, London in the season.'eaid Effie airily; «and Paris now and then; and I should rather like a villa on tbo Besphorus, and a cottage in the Riviera, and a country house in Surrey ' •Fire away!' said Heifforth. 'Anything else P Well, I could give ycu the house in town, Effie, and perhaps the country house in Surrey, and the Bosphoru3 is not entirely out of the question if you wculd come and choose the villa forjourself.' 'Oj, Hedworthl'

*Am I too old (or you, dear ? His my little friend deserted me ? Effie, you bave been my guiding angel for longer than you dream; you saved me from more evils than you know. Won't you love me a little and let me try to make you happy ?' ' I have loved you all my life,' Faid Effi j, and the statement was truer than such statements ueually are But now she maintains that she is not quite aure whether ehe married" for love or fame; and that although she is well content in private life to be Mrs Hedworth Pollard, she ia equally delighted ti figure before the public eye as ' the wife of that celebrated traveller, Mr Sigerson!' [Thk End]

'I am glad of that. Br.t how could he afford ft V

•Well, he limply sold eff every acre of land t" at he ted a right to sell, aad give etoarl ..-a for part cf the money—ruinous had 'king fcr himself, I know it was, though I have not yet got ail the detail* ■cut of him. It was a good deal for Giib^r. to do.- 1 e was fond of his money onse'

■ Yea,' said Effie quietly. 'lcaa't ahow you lb} letter he wrote b», it wouldn't be fair. At fi at I called it abjact; but I think he w&a pimply in tie depths. Anything lee* penitent would have seemed unreal to him just then* Wafi, I didn't altogether yield, even then,