THE BETTER MAN

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 410, 17 March 1904, Page 8

THE BETTER MAN

I .* It CDfcrt nqfe "'. 1 asseuajssr •' * ft WAS a perfect aooattght might. J[ aad two people werm slowly pacing • secluded path in the grounds of the twwnwW Cliff hoteL The mm wm fMbt 35 jeers of age. powerfully built, PHT» ateong, good-looking foe* and ■ hrenaed complexion. His companion •tt a*y*ua gud r adiaatly»pretty gir *, eUMiora aaa 11. I *ha» •trolled for rase aeaeata Sa afleaco The man, with Uc hands Umt deep ia the pocket* of hfa Jack* J* wm thinking hard, thinking of the «•# that had happened to hia. p t«m ia lore la love with the girt •rhe was walking ao calmly bj hia ■Ha. •»• impossible! , I *A«y had came tee teal aa the eliff, •ad the girt touched Ida lightly as bha am. He aweka fraa hia reveris ariths start. !i man we stt dawa far aaaaaatt" Ita sold. "You haven't tela aa half it what I waat to haow, yell** t aa dropped into the seat by her Uta. Below then wee the sea, iiaripftiag ajrrfeee gUtteriag uader the hght ifthe moon. ) -Tea can't think," aha eaatfaraed. MBtaf at hia fraakly, "how dreedtaHj aervous I wae whea Cyril told pa yen were oomiag to Eagiaadl" | fOalyeU forced a smile. f ta ßad he drawa each a lailttil ft> leVa at ao, thear |i *Wk»aot He to eery pwauiaf yaw fraud of what yon have dene. Boil thought that, perhepe—" aha. hesihated, aad her eyee fell oa bar eagsge* aaeat tfag, "that perhepe yea would Brt afprore of hia choke.** Bav hj " I «IHa cad! half laataf Mat* faa •Mad, eagerly- "He la ao good —eo haver, as handsomer Ska paused. you pleased, after all these fears, to dad Ua aa he ie I" f sUr faee, eparkliag with eatbuaV ■aa, waa turned eppealiagly to him. at looked at her far a second, then ' amHed himself together aad Had • a* glad to ml" ha said, ia » rotes Shad eeeaad strange to hia. r the did not notice K. however. Her fsleaka ware teased, aad aha Uughed to*** *■ n, iidnH kmew the world held sue* atffiaaeal** aba said, ia a lew tone, : "dawhatr Be oeald aet resist the ■nestloa. •TheioyofbeiaglewßlbFCyrle.aad •he prospcet ed being hia wHel" aba •aid, proudly. I He turned hia faaa away, that aba adghtaot see the bitter look that bad great to it. Tears ago, wham hardly Mora than a boy, he had gone abroad. aa bad worked hard, waa elaver, aad, test at ale, lucky. Ia a faw years hia iaaaa wore considerable, aad, hia fathdw dying, he had made aa allowance bi some hundreds a year to hia auat tat the purpose of educating his youngae> brother. With these funds ha waa prat a* college, but hia career there aaa aea particularly brilliant. Tbea W aaa eaeavertd that be had a erar* faff av art, aad be wae given the best aajpsifiisllise SalyeD, to whoa tsaaajr waa saw bat a secondary ob» fact, goed-aaturedly continued the afr lawaaee. Occasionally Cyril wrote eatbasiastic letters about his progress, fMd they always contained a request far aara money, aad Daly ell, sitting ilaaa in his bungalow some thousand! it alias away, would smile eontemptu•msly aad sign a eheek. v , • temediately oa landiag, Cyril tad laaaad am dragging Ua down to aaraceabe, where Madge Escott, to shaea b» bad lately become engaged, bmd bar aaat were eteying. They had beam together • da f or two, then Cyril bad ffoma to London to execute a eomaJeefonfffapertrarUeaviafthimbe. iead, aad far tea days he bad praeaieally been alone with her. She felt •has Cyril bad left him in her care. a bad devoted all bar time to him; VaJi had beea the result—ha had fallen madly ia love with her! ("May I ten you a secret?" Sa gave a slight start as her geatte faiss fall aa his care. Ha turned his ■bad, aad saw a shy sails bad crept bWet bar para young face. i Hkl" he said, with as effort. » last week, , *ehe want aa. •that be is making so mueh money it bis painting that ha wante the mar9Mtm to be next snoath! 1 * He felt a slight shiver rua through faa. His brother was lying evea te fbar. He bmew very well that hie earn. lags from hia brush formed but the . aflahteit part of hia income. Fortbe Best he was dependent upon him. . ***eem win. of course, be his beat aaa," she cried, gsyly. "Aad you*i have to come aad atay with aa-vary tary eftea!" : Daly ell made up his mind. "I am very sorry," he began, haltingly. "But—Fm afraid I shall not he able he stop far the marriage!" Her eyes opeaed ia amazemeat. "Hot stopfer the marriage?" ahf repeated. "Whyf Ha hesitated for • mesnene, ther teeed her resolutely. "I iad X shall have to go back tt fhjffa," he said, between his teeth Save are a lot of important tbingr te be seen to, aad—well, I have decide* to leave aaat week!" he dniahed abruptly. fstatauat, "I hed beea hoping eo-l" aba ha gaa, them aba broke off with a ery o Wgjpfc* jn*i> •*••• curat" •*< •**** ■iaa i ■ - ■ - in

She rose from her seat and rsn long the path to meet him. Dal veil aw her link her arm affectionately vithin his, and together them came jwanl him. "Hello, Dick, eld chap!" he cried, oyishly. "I got through with the job irlier than I expected, and so ran lawn to-night. Has Hadge been looki*S after you well?" he added, with -. smile at the girl on his arm. "She has been .very kind!" answered laljeil. quietly. The younger man shot a keen glance it him. - . r' "Oh, Cyril, what do you think?" Madge. "He eaye he must go ->ark to India next week—not etop (or our marriage!" "Why, what's this. Wok?" he ssked. There wae a curious light in the founger DalyeU's eyee as he glanced -.cross at his brother. Dalyell pulled a cigar out af hie "I'll teU you about it later," he aid. He left them end made his way out >f the grounds and down to the beach, 'or a full hour he strode up end dowa, eep in thought. He had done right. : t was better to leave Englend for ,ood. Perhaps he had been unjust te "yril. If he loved Madge, perhaps ha -"nild do his best to make her happy. tt any rate, he, Dick Dalyell, would io his best. Hs would double Cyril's illowance. At length he made his way hack to the hotel. Presently he found himself spi in on the eliff, tide time alone . ?th cyrii. The two paeed the path ia alienee t a few moments. Cyril, who was -inking, now and again shot a glsnce t bis brother from under his eyeids. "Why are you going hack to India?" he asked, suddenly. Dalyell looked out to aaa. "Oh. there are a lot of things I nust attend to," he said, rather "•j-nely. "It's a lie!" said Cyril, very quietly. Dick Dalyell swung round on aim in astonishment. "What do you he asked, sharply. "Simply this," his brother answered, ralraly. "That you are going back to Tndia because you have fallen desperitely in love with Madge!-? Then hi* toae changed. "Did you think yop could deceive me?" he cried, triumphantly. "I've seen it ia every look ruu've given her—every word you've spoken. You're going back because you're afraid of yourself—it's right. '«n't it?" He caught his brother's nn and peered into bis face. "Quite !?ht. eh?" Dick Dalyell shook himself free of ihe grasp; there was a gleam in his eve. "Yes, it'e right," ha cried, passionifely. "I lovs her—love her as I nought no woman could be loved!" His voice dropped, and he continued: "Hut there is no harm done. She does not know—will never know—and in a week I shall ha oa my way hack to India." The younger aaa waa leaking searchingly at hfan. "Ton need not—unless you particularly want to," be said, ia a meaning tone. "What! 1 * cried Dieb, looking at him quickly. A look of fataaa aaamJnff crept over Cyril's face. "I mean that If you'll agree to my terms, ril retire, and leave the field clear for you," he said. Dalyell looked at him stonily. His brother took.it for encouragement. "It was her face—bar simplicity, that took my fancy!" he went on, frankly. "But Fm tired of her—l eould never hsve really loved her. How, there is another —the woman whose portrait I have been painting. She is rich, in love with me, ready to marry me and go abroad." He approached nearer to hie brother. "Make it £9,000," he said. Dalyell clenched hie hande. - "My God—you blackguardl" be said, hoarsely. Young Cyril Dalyell smiled. "Yes," he admitted, impudently. "And utterly undeserving of Madge Escott. You are the reverse—so, why not accept my offer, and remain on here. Give her a few months, snd you will succeed." A feeling' of mad passion suddenly overcame Diek Dalyell. With a sudden movement he stopped forward and caught his brother by the throat. "You think I would do this thin?!" he said, thickly. They were standing at the corner of the path, ia front o some bushes. There wss a quick rustling noise, snd the next mom en: some one laid a hand on Dick Dalyeir? arm. He gave one glance, then sin: dealy let go his grip. Before them stood Madge Escott, white to. the lips her eyea wet with tears. 1 was coming to call you in," shsaid, tremblingly. "T had nearly reached you when some words caugh; say ears. I had to listen—l have heard aBl" Then aba turned to the younger man. who stood cowering a few yards away. She drew herself up, and her eyes flashed. "I can only thank Heaven that I have found you out in time!" she eaid. "1 shall never eee you again!" -She moved her head and her eyes met Dick DalyeU's. He wss gazing at her intently. For a second the} remained thus, then she took a stef forward and held out her hand. "Good-by!" she said, with s sob. "1 sm sorry!" She turned snd vanished down the path. Laoswiitr. wQpaa—l saw a nice, kind lady givr a poor little boy a nickel this tuom hag. Mrs. Gilpin—Dear, swe <r"->.• "Yes; the poor kif! cm :.. r satchels a mile In the r;i ..." —- v oii.. bus (0.) State Journal.