Heart of Gold.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 235, 4 October 1928, Page 23

Heart of Gold.

By C. M. MATHESON

CHAPTER Xkv. How he ever got her down the ladder S!» his narrow bed he never knew. She M not know him or look at him. She lay there perfectly still. She was not pale, but flushed. Tom rushed from the room into the garage; like a madman he tore to the house, burst in on Mrs. Gregg. "Mrs. Gregg! I've got Doreen! I've got my girl! I've got her." "08, my dear life i" cried the housekeeper. "Where! Where!" "In the pigeon loft! In the pigeon loft! Right over my head. Do come Mrs. Gregg, and help me with her." "My dear life! My dear life! Who- j ever would have thought of it! Wait, my dear man! Wait! Let me take some milk along for her. How is she?" "Queer. Don't know me. But I've got her. I've got my girl."', Mrs. G re gg went with him to the garage, mounted with difficulty the narrow stair to his room, bent over Doreen. "Dear! Dear!" she said. "You go and tell my lady, Mr. Mallory. I'll stay here with. Doreen." "What's the matter with her, do yon think?" he asked, getting up to obey her request. "She must be starved." "Starved! What, my girl! Do you Teally think she's been up there all this time, while we've been searching for her?" else could she have been? Look at her. You can see for yourself the time she's had." "Up there with me down here half the time. I heard her cry while I was having my dinner. I thought it was the old cat. Whatever did she get up there for?" "Go along and tell my lady. Go along now. There's a lot to do, for Doreen before she'll be fit to tell us how and why she got up there." It was indeed a night and a day before Doreen faltered her story. Sitting, up in the bed, very pale, very weak, she whispered to her father and Lady Edith. . "You see, my lady, no one would let toe be. Wherever I went I was talked About, livery post there were letters. People I never knew and never heard of wrote to me. I couldn't get away frpm it—and then Mr. Adeane—" The* shy, low voice hesitated. Lady Edith laid encouragingly;

Author of "NUT IN THE HUSK," etc. etc.

■■■■■I "Yes. He told me." "He wanted me to go away with him. He wanted v me to marry him—" "Who did?" Tom interrupted. "Mr. Adeane." "He wanted to marry you?" "Yes." "That's all right, Mallory," said her ladyship. "He told me about it." "Well, I never—" "Go on, Doreen."

"He was kind," she said. "What he told me was good. I thought I might go with Mm. I felt like that. And then I knew I couldn't. It couldn't be right. He never ought to marry me. And I was loving Jim all the time." She hesitated. "All the time," she said again. "And at last I couldn't bear it any more. I wanted to go home to mother. I got up early and went out to tell you, daddy, that I wanted to go home. And you were asleep and I thought it was a shame to wake you. And I went away again, out in the park, and I walked on a bit and rested and walked on. I don't know why I did that. 1 was very miserable. I meant to get back by the time my lady wanted me. "I picked some blackberries. And clien I fell. While I was picking the blackberries I fell into the old quarry. I don't know how long I stayed there, but it was dark and the stars were shining when I woke. I was frightened to be out there by myself so late. I went out by the road where the carts go in and out of the .quarry, and I came back here. And by the stable clock striking I found it was three o'clock. "Three o'clock in the morning! I was frightened. I thought my lady would be angry and you would be angry with me, daddy. I thought there would be such a fuss. And I thought I couldn't bear it if you were angry again and if there was a fuss again. And I was afraid to be out all by myself in the night. I was sore with falling down the quarry. "First I thought I'd get into one of the cars and stay there till morning, but when I opened the door a little mouse or something ran out; Then I thought I'd go up to daddy's room. And I crept up the stairs, I crept up the stairs so i quietly—and daddy was there, sleeping." Tom uttered violent exclamation, Checked himself *t a gesture from his mistress, and Doreen continued:

"I sat down and thought what should I do? Then I thought if daddy wakes up he'll be angry seeing me here like this in the middle of the night. And I was very hungry. I crept about and found some bread and cheese, and I ate it " "I never missed anything," Tom inter-

jected. "That quarry, too. We searched it the next day. The very next day! When we were sure she hadn't gone up to London." "And when I'd eaten it," Doreen said, "I felt better. And I thought I'd go up in the loft and sleep. I'd often been there. And I went up, and I slept in the hay. When I woke up it Was morning. The stable clock struck eleven and I was afraid again. I thought there would be qh awful fuss because I had been away so long. I crept down and daddy was gone. I got some food and went back and hid and wondered what I should do. It's so easy to let yourself get lost," said Doreen, "and so hard to find yourself again, especially when you are afraid, and especially when you know what it is to have a fuss made over you. I thought everything would be worse than ever now —everything. It might get into the papers that I had run away. Perhaps the police would look for me. I couldn't bear it. I stayed there all day. In the evening, after daddy had been in and gone out again, I looked down and there was a paper on the table—a newspaper— and somehow I thought, there will be something about me in that paper, and I went down and looked at it, and it was there, just as I thought, in big letters:— 'DOREEN MALLORY MISSING. FAMOUS TRIAL RECALLED.' And after that I ran up to the loft and I didn't dare move, I was so frightened. I never went down again. I stayed up there. I thought perhaps I should die, and if I did I couldn't help it." "Up there in the loft? Up there in the pigeon loft? Right over my head? And we were dragging the lakes for her —dragging the lakes!" Tom Mallory repeated the sentence over and ever. "Up there in the loft all the time. I never thought to look there—never." Lady Edith got him away at last. Outside the door she said to him: "Mrs. Mallory is coming down. She will look after Doreen. And, Mallory, attend to me! You are to say nothing to Doreen about Jim. You understand. Nothing about Jim to Doreen." "No, my lady." Lady Edith sent for the housekeeper. "How is Lacy " she asked. "All right, my lady. He heard Mrs. Dunkerley say Doreen was found, and he came in as quiet as a lamb. He never gave any trouble. Asked me if it was true and was she all right, and when I said 'Yes,' my lady, he did what I told him without another word, as though he was satisfied just to know she is all right. He had his supper and slept the clock round. He's up now and in my sitting room. Very quiet and agreeable, he is, my lady." i "Mrs. Mallory will arrive at seven to take care of her daughter. Do not say

anything to Doreen about Lacy being here. We cannot be too careful. And send Jim to the library when you hear the bell." "Very good, my lady." Edith went in search of her brother. "Dainton," she said, "come to the library. I want to hear Lacy's story. You come too, Malcolm." The three awaited Jim. He came in answer to the summons. Lady Edith thought,

"A very fine-looking young fellow—or he would be if he were happy." Aloud she said, "Jim, will you tell us your story t" "There's little to tell," he said. "We should like to hear it. Not out o? curiosity, you understand. His lordship possibly, he can help you to buildup your life again. In that new life perhaps Doreen is concerned.

We have her welfare very much at heart." "Do you think she'd ever look at me again after the way I treated her !" "Do you think she would not, after your, heroism in the fire ?" she replied. "Cut that out, my lady. I would have had to go in, once'l knew there was a girl in a burning house, even if she was not Doreen. But I thought it was i Doreen, for all that." "Lacy," said Lord Scotley, "why did you neglect the girl after you got off on the charge ?" I "I can't explain that, my lord. I went mad, I think. I thought Doreen had I done it all right. I hated, anyway, to : think of her being mauled about by a | young cad." i "He happened to be *. friend of mine, Lacy " "He was a young cad, my lord. You never knew him. J. don't doubt lie had his points." "About Doreen " "Yes, my lady?" "Do you love her still?" "My lady, I tried to tear her out of my thoughts. I tried to put her away from me. But even when I felt blackest I couldn't be rid of her. She—Doreen is a part of me, same as my blood or my sinews. No time, nor distance can part her from me. If I never see her again it would be the same." °

There was a silence. Then Jim said: 'But she would never look at mo anv more." As to that," said "Lady Edith, "von shall see her yourself and ask her." * "When ?" "To-morrow morning, if all is well." Jim said nothing. His face lighted. After a moment he turned to Lord Scotley. / "My lord," he said, "there's another story to tell. Not an easy one. About the murder. If I could tell it to you alone and you would swear not to give it away " "It a]l depends, Lacy. I've no intention of 'helping a murderer escape justice." "The murderer of that man Murray is a friend of yours, my lord, and the whitest chap you'll meet anywhere in England—or in the world.' And what he did to Murray was justice to my way of thinking. Murray asked for what he got." "Tell the story, Jim." "Not unless your lordship gives me your word." The young Earl pondered. Jim said: "What I want to do, my lord, is help the chap. He's all Tight. He's straight as a die. My lord, Ml trust you; you'll never give him away when you hear the story." "Do you want us to go, Jim?" asked lady Edith. He looked queerly at her. What briliiant eyes the man had! she thought. She felt that he was probing her. He said. 'Til tell the story to yon and his lo4lehip and to you, too, air, if Iter ladyship

wills. After all. I don't know the name of the man who killed Murray, but, my iord, he was at Oxford with yon." "Go ahead, Jim." Jim Jacy told his story. The three sat silent, listening to every word. From time to time Edith looked at her brother. Her face flushed, her eyes shone with tears, but before the three men she held fast to her rigid pride. "Lacy," said Lord Scotlev, "I know who this man is. Do you think I could find him if I went up to London V' "You might, my iord." "By heaven, 1 will!" "You'll consider my Jord, what I said?" "I'll never give you away, Lacy. Nor him either. I'll find him and bring him here. Poor devil! Like everyone elee I believe he was abroad •" Lady Edith cried^out. "Dainton! Dam ton! Find aim. Bring him here." The Earl of Seotley looked at his sister. "IH find him for you, Edith, if I have to comb London." Doreen sat in the big chair by the window. In her face was a look so joyous, so radiant that her beauty was intensified. She waited, so weak, so trembling, that die could not stand. IBs. Mallory had raids _ _

"Now you sit quiet and I'll let Jim come and see you." The door opened. Very slowly, as though afraid, Jim came in. Ife closed the door. Doreen looked at him with love and longing in her gaze. She could not speak. He came to her, knelt by her, put his head down on her knees. Her fingers touched his head. "Oh, Jim! Oh, Jim! My darling! My darling!" " * "Can you ever forgive me?" 'Oh, what have Ito forgive? My darling, I do love you, I love you." "After all I've done?" "You've never done anything but love me. Never. I knew—always— when you didn't come to me it was because vou loved me so dear you couldn't bear to tome to me. I knew. I understood." She tried to lift his from her knee. Presently she succeeded, held his face between her hands. "Oh, Jim, you're crying! Jim! Jim! Tears. I will kiss them away. Don't cry. Hold me. Love me." He put his arms about her, his against her neck. She held him, crooned over him. They b?* 1 .. words. He lifted his head, set to her lips. .» ».n »▼ "All my life," life for you. All - \ ever." /

"Lacy," Lord Scotlev said two days later. "We've found our friend. He and her ladyship are going to Canada with Adeane. Later oxi there will be changes here. Her ladyship will make Scotley her home. The place wants doing up. , and we'll have it wired for electric light • and I want to make other improvements. I have a scheme under consideration for making use of the water power in the park, not only for Scotley but for two villages and perhaps even more than that. I can offer you a post in connec- ' tion with the scheme, and a temporary post till we are ready. Scotley will j*a >e to be made to pay. I can let you J® ; the cottage Mai lory had in the oM flays • where Doreen was brought up. 1 vou sav to that, L*cy - ' ■ "There's *£ You know what it 5 D "Whatf" Voreen cried when Jim told . . a "Live here? Live in her STthe country? Oh, Jim, r'm W i don>t know wbMt 10 do "