NOVEL

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 387, 8 October 1903, Page 2

NOVEL

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. LADY HOPECASTLE, 3Y K ' Reld " Matheßoß ' AJC \*N£ COPTBIQHT

CHAPTER Xlll.—(Continued.)

The suppressed irritation of his tone tamed the scale of Hebe's mood 'Accident? Oh dear noj why should there be P' She spoke coldly, as she gave her wraps to a footman. ' Well, I've been in an awfnl Btate of mind. I was on the point of starting to look for yon.' Hebegavo a disagreeable little laugh. «In those clothes ?'

A chnbby pick-faced man disinterred himself from behind Eoma hay trusses, and came forward in awkward haste, grabbing at his cap. '' Ware ferrets!, came is a scream from mis better half, and the chubby man trounced back to avoid a eqt irn iag canvas bag at nis feet ' Powers! what a spectacle you are!' cried hia wife, adit filtering sounding ■laps to his fat shoulders and back, to disperco the accumulation of husks and hay-stalks. ' Ton mightn't think it, Lviy Hopecastle, but he really has a few decent clothes somewhere.'

Hopecaatle glanced at her sharply; he did not understand his wife in thiß mood. Sa after all she had been vexed. When Hebe went into the drawingroom is evening dress she found herself awaited by her husband and his mother, atandisg. Dinner had been announced two whole minutes. Nothing was said, but silence may be eloquent; and the apology which had been on Hebe's lips died unspoken, as she followed the pair to the dining-room with risen colour and her Dretty head tilted back mutinously. At dinner, Hopecaatle, a faint sense of discomfort upon him, tried to make general conversation out of news of the day. But Hebe would not be included ; she left the others to settle things to their own minds, .to deplore or praise as they would.

' Ah, but 1 never get a chance to wear 'urn,' retorted Constantino Schuyler, ' she keeps me at these dirty jobs—you can't wear a top hat and frock coat for ratting, now can you, Lady Hopecaetle ?' ' The real fact being,' eaid Lady S- phie, ' that Con never knew the dear delight of of ratting till I taught him; and now he'a not to be torn from it.'

1 Please don't let me Btop you,' laughed Hebe.

' Oh, he's had quite enough for tc-dayj b«aides, if thtre is one thing Con likes better thin rate it'a pretty ladies. Isn't it, Con?'

Later in the evening the ladies sat alone; the dowager, as usual, at Spartan distance from the great firepfcca, bolt upright and knitting in austere calm, mysterious garments for the deep sea fishermen.

Schuyler v. addling at his wife's Bide sailed at Hebe a smile of ineffable content, as though to say ' Hear her! Isn't she a wonder?' For Con Schuyler, who had made his money in Africa diamond fields, was as proud aa a dog with two toils of Lis blue-blooded spouse, and had never quite got over Li 3 earpiha at her acceptlag Lien.

How Hebe detested these tireless pins. Time upon time she had watched their play, till the glint and the faint click of them got upon her nerves, and she could have prayed to see a stitch drop. It never did; the slim bony hands guidiHg the pins knew their business too well for that, and the deep sea fishermen's garments advanced unerringly towards completion.

■ Come and Bee my Dexter Kerry s,' said Lady Sopiie. 'I hope you like that sort of thing, L&dj Hopecastle,' said Schuyler; ' everyone who comes to Bee Sopiie has to put up with it, I find.' 'Do you tl ink it's too high a pi ice to pay for the privilege of my fiiendship, Hebe ?' asked lis wife, piain; ively. Then she laughed, 'I beg your pardon, the nance slipped out unawares—do you mind? Ifs so awfully appropiiite, isn't it, Cm P*

•The last thing I Bhould desire is to interfere, Hebe—' the girl's spirit leaped metaphorically to the fray—' but you will excuse me saying that Lady Sophie Schuyler is—er—hardly a desirable friend for my son's wife,' 'Oh!' Hebe felt her lips (urn dry. Perhaps the elder lady would have preferred an answer of active opposition; at least it would have made things Bimpler. • The fact is—l deplore having to mention it—Lady Sophie Schuyler is not a lady.

Hebe blushed like a schoolgirl. 'l'd much rather jou called me Hebe,' she ■aid.

'Gvod! Well, I will; but mind, there n.uat be reciprocity. Con, I perceive that sle aid I shall become cronies. I want a f.ieni badly—l female one, I mean; the other tort I have galore.' She laughed —a rm.;isg mischievous laugh. 'You daren't Eay that sore of thing at Boughton, 1 know, Lady—l mean Hebe.' Bj tee tims the Dtzters had been exhaustively inspected—Lady Sophie was nothing i? not thorough in her hobble:— it was dusking fast, and Hebe said the on?ht to go. ' Withont tea ? A likely story!' cried btr Eelf-elected friend.

The Dowager paused to allow her werdß due effect. Hebe sat immovable, clasping one knee with fingers interlocked. * You will doubtlees be surprised at my saving this, because she is the daughter of an earl—'

* I ara not in the least surprised.' Hebe had set her pretty teeth into her lower lip ; her eyes were on the ground, but her head was high and her check burned. ' I am not in the least surprised.' The elder lady threw a quick glance of suspicion, and her next wordß came with increased asperity. ' The present Lord Mentmore is as poor as a church mouse, and no doubt his daughter was brought up to look out for money. As you see, she has eiided by marrying a wealthy vulgarian, who has thought to buy himself into society.' 'Perhaps they happoned to be in love with each other,' suggested Hebe, in a queer little quiet voice. In fiddlesticks,' 6aid her ladyship, sharply ; then conscious of a lapse from dignity, added with calm austerity, «No, I make excuseß for Lady Sophia, but I cannot approve of her.' Hebe felt like saying «Poor Lady Sophia!' But from such open defiance there could be iu> retreat, so instead she enquired, stijl in the little quiet voice, what it was of which Lady Fopecastle disapproved. Now it is annoying to be asked to particularise prfjudiooß, and to make tut tucaee we axe bound to over-state.

' Better give in giacefuUy, Lady Hopecastle,' *aid Con SchuyUr, 'for give in you are bound to in the end.' • SLe who must be obeyed,' quoted his wife; ' that's what Con calls me. He vows Rider Haggard must have known me in a former existence; besides,' Lady B<phie weßt iff at a tangent as usual, ' jou ve got to see my eon and heir.' ' She has ssen him,' caid Schuyler. 'Then he'll btar seeing tw.<ia, let me t«ll you,' cried bis mamma. 'Just ring that bell, Con.'

So baby Schuyler came in, a fat Blonde solemn-faced babe of one summer, was duly admixed and worshipped, finally subsiding on the carpet with Hebe's gold cud case, on which be proceeded to test his brand new teeth in tranquil enjoyment

Well,' cried Baby'a mamma, ' and how do you hit it cff with the old lady ? Don't frown Con, one doesn't swear to love, honour, and oboy one's mother-in-law, you know.' Hebe laughed, but looked a little un- '<. rn for! able. ' She's rather a caution to live with, I should fancy,' proceeded Lady Sjphie, nowise abashed -, ' between ourselves, I once cast a matrimonial eye on liopecastle—don't mind, he never did on me—but the idt aof mamma-in-law put me iff, They tell mo I'vo thrown myself away; but I try to bear up, as you see,' She threw an aich glance over hor i-h. uVJer at her husband, who sat listening t; her rattle with a sort of fatuous delight upon his tiuooth pink face. Obviously be thought her tim wittiest and moat esgagiag ot women. 'No, but really, Htbe,' she finished more seriously,' take my advico and don't bo eat on—jou must put your foot down frtm the first or not at all.'

•Lady Sophia Schuyler is fast and Blangy; a person of essentially bad style. I wish to say no more; you must take it from ma that she is not a suitable friend for you.'

Hebe's heart boat fast. ' I'm sorry you don't like her, Lady Hopecastlo; I'm afraid Ido very much; and her husband, too—and I'm afraid'—Hebe was frightoaed »t herself, but she remembered about ' putting her foot down V J'm afraid I'm not going—l can't givo up their acquaintance.*

The ceiling did not fall nor the walls topple about Hebe's ears, but those ears eang with the shock of their owner's daring. The French clock on the great chimney-piece ticked on in a scandalised manner; ailence else bat for the eternal click, click, on bohalf of the deep-sea nsbermen. If only Hopecaatle would Eay something—anything. ' I don't wißh to displease you,' faltered Hebe at last, 'only ' The Dowager made a superb gesture of deprecation.

The Sctuylers went ou* to watch Hebe •tart.

•Come again next Thursday!' cried Lady Sophie, *Con junior is going to have a birthday, and he's to have fireworks and a bonfire.. Come over and bring Hopecastle, if He condescends to auch frivolities.'

•Spare me, Hebe, if you ploase. I could not perhaps expect a nice discrimination in social matters, but a Jitele deference to tho opinion of your—er elders might, I should have thought, be possible. The eubject is now at an end.' Hebe, twisting her fingers into knots in an agony of wrath and discomfort, wondered inanely why those last words sounded familiar. Oh, it was what newspaper editors put when they want to close disems'ons in their columns. Next she began to count the ticka of the ilock aa though her life depended on it. Unless she did something she would cry; and that would be ignominious. Hopecastle came in at last, undei mollifjing influences of dinner and cigar He went up to his young wife and stooping stroked the side of her fair head with one finger, softly. How pretty she was, and hew he loved her !

' I should like to very much,' said Hebe, hut ratherdouttfully, as she nestled into her furs. Stevens had assumed the reins without question.

CHAPTEE XIV. Hebe arrived home with her mind n'cely balanced between two mocds, u timate preponderance of which rested with the god of circumstance. He was not propiticua. Hopecastle had gone into the hall at the sound of the wheels; hia face told of disturbed equanimity, and bis evening dress was in itself reproach of Hebe's lateneee--1 Hew late you are darling ! I began to i&isk ttere must have been an accident.'

1 Your ladyship site there very demurely; won't she give us some music f' 'l'd rather not to-night, if you don't mind.' ' A game of draughts perhaps—or MalmaP' ' Well—l'm reading, thanks.' •An absorbing book it seems. What i 3 it?' 'One of Crockett's,' So Hopec&stle, with a final carets to his wife's pretty hair, subsided into perusal of his papers with a pleasant sense of duty done. He detested games. But Hebe, with eyes on her book and hot anger in her heart, sat ccuating the moments to ten o'clock, when she could go to bed without remark.

Two hours later Hopecastle cr*p% softly into bis bedroom, and stooped to eeo if bis wife etill slept. 1 What, are those eyes open still ?' 1 I'm not asleep,' coldly. ' if you mean that?'

* How's tbat, then ? Busy thinking ?' A wrathful golden head popped op from the pillows.

'Of all snobs upon this earth, commend me to the aristocracy.' Of which stricture, having delivered herself with passion, Hebe subsided into the pillows, her eyes tight shut in a defiant finality.

That absurd little outburst of Hebe's (of which if he wanted the why and wherefore Hopecastle had to discover them for himself) was not simply the bubbling over of one vexed mood, it was the out coma of accumulative grievances, Hebe was not, never had been, under present conditions never ciuld be mistress of her own houso.

The Dowager Lady Hopeoastle's abdication had begun fitly enough with relinquishment of her son's table head; unfostunately, with that formal act it had ended. It was Bhe who with her son had draughted out the list of guest?, for the autum house-party; and the reins of menage had remained in her hand, 'for the present to save Hebe trouble.' she said, and her Bon quite thought with her. At the first blush Hebe had thought so too; it suited her very well to have no duty but to be charming to her husband's guests, no responsibility more onorous than that of deciding each evening upon her dinner gown, or planning with her maid new styles for her lovely hair. But when Bougfcton bad subsided into its normal decorous dulness, and etill the dowager remained at the domestic helm, that consideration for Hebe's youth and inexperieice began to reveal itself under a galling no-compulsion-only-you-must aspect, ominous for domestic unity. And Hebe knew instinctively tbat she need not look to her hu&band for redrras. If he were Conservative in politic?, in domestic matters he was a Tory of Toriee; and so long as things appeared to go on in the household ae usual, the anrrnloua position of his womankind were not Lkelj to strike him.

It was all very well so long as tne house was fnll of guests nnd Hwbe'p position and title were new toys, but, to q. ciiy do we take personal prosperity for granted, very soon those things ceased to ciuntj and in growing discontent Hebe compared tbeße limes with honeymoon days. Then Hopecastle had no thought but of her, and grudged each moment that she was out of hj s sight; but now he was constantly away the greater .part of the day, hunting or lookirg after his farms and estate affairs generally. If she offered to walx or ride with him on his rounds, he was always pleased, but he seldom suggested it; and Hebe, sore and angry, and misconceiving the omission, determined that the proposals should come from her side no more. The fact was, it never cccnrred to Hopecastle but that his wife would go with him if she wanted to, without any asking; or that she would a hundred times rather be out with him than paying conventional visits or entertaining callers. And so occurred a deadlock such as belongs to the smaller ttagedies of married life; for Hopecastle, devoted husband as he was, had jet to learn that the most subtle compliment a man caa pay his wife is to admit her to share in his outBide interests, the prosaic realities of his life. Also, being much out and not observant, he did not realise the silent struggle for supremacy which day by day went on beside his hearth; an unequal struggle enough, fertile in incidents too trivial to set down, yet big with presage of coming trouble.

Hebe, galled by an abiding Fense of impotence, took revenge in as absolute a reticence towards her mother-in-law as to her outgeiags and incoaings as could be maintained without open breach of the peace. For instance, though it was not without;qualms that she attended the festival of Baby Schuyler, go she did, and alone; to say truth Hepeoastle wpb never so much as told of Lady Sophie's message. For an indefinable sense of friction had of late marked tee relations of Hebe and himself. In Hebe's isiml he was to a certain extent implicated in Li* mother's line of conduct; asd so the mortifications she suffered, and the opposition she dared not openly offer, to find vent in irritability and coldness towards bim To himself and to his mother Hopecastle made a hundred excuses for Llebo; she was such a child, and everything was new to her. Perhaps she wa3 over-tired from the strain of entortainiug a large hcuse-paity; perhaps she was not quite well. (In Hopecastle's conception women were beings very frail and delicate) l>ut to fcv.iiy tender inquiry Hebe answered th«»t ehe was perfectly woll; nor did it tally with her husband's brief experience that she should Buffer in s : lence. A: d, besides, her looks belied the notion.

It troubled llopecaßtle a little that his mother did not seem in the least concerned for Hebe. ' Temper !' she said; ' that is all. You spoil hor, Arthur.* WoniGF, ha supposed, must understand women, and having offered himself every cite itable explanation of the change in II be except the right, he came slowly to the conclusion that it must be temper, and reluctantly left her to 'come round.' Meantime he hunted several days n week, and absorbed himself i<i state affairs; discussing improvement projects with hi° mother on uich evenings as there were not guests at the Towers the while H-iba yawned ever her book by the great logfire, anger burning at her foolish heart. (To be continued.)

Salt and vinegar will remove stains from discoloured teacups. . If a candle will not fit the stick it is rt <i aired for, put tbe end in hot water, and this will soon melt it to the r< quired size. Paii t may \e removed from cletbing by saturating the spot with turpentine, and, when softened, wasting out with soap and water. A quarter of a yard of black velveteen makes the most satisfactory brush for Bilk that can be had. It removes the dust peiftcly, and will not inuira the fabric. Cabbages, gieins, caujifiower, watercresp, lettuce, and all kinds of salads and vegettbles of this class. ic<inire to ba steeped iu salt and water before being put on the fire to cook, as this will bring out any insects that are between the leaves. Onions should lie in cold water for half an hour before bang cooked. Should flavouring be forgotten m a pudding or cake, the fault may be remedied by rubbing the desired extract over the outside as soon as it is taken i from the oven.