A SCARLET SIN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 164, 14 June 1909, Page 4

A SCARLET SIN.

(all iiw.n :s ur.M.nvr.n.)

A POWERFUL STORY,

By ALICi; nn.l C I.\t LU-: ASKEW, Authors* of "Tin* Shutamitc." "An* DO of the Plains." Ac., <tc.

sixtii i .\s ralm i:nt. "Tail I his afternoon, when I wn" heie,"" interrupted Ibisil. hurriedly "there «a» no idea of this journey. Wlinl ha* lfti|>|H-(i<'«l to induce Miss Mart indole In rush off like this ? " 1lis» voirr» «n« lull of anxious questioning : he looked terribly ngiiated j.nd distressed. "It »»s nil liecnUse of a second telegrtrm that came." the old woman nnMVtT.fl—"n telegram saving ,K"t how the master was worse nnd u«>uld she hurry to him as qtiirkly as possible. "Poor Miss Pamela she turned n* while as death when she rend it." continued Sornli. wax-

ing garrulous: "hut she was as brave nnd self-composed a* might Ik parking u|> her hand-hag anil seeing as to what train she rould catch lint jnii look faint, ma'am."" added Sarah. turning lo Mrs. Fnrradny. "Can I get >ou a glass of wine or anvthing ? " Klsie shook her hen«l : then shr turned to her M«n with im|>loring eves * Take m>- home. Ikisil. as quicki.v ,IS possible." she muttered. ' 'Pamela has gone. What is there to wart »or ? litis»l nodded a de«|«n»d.-ul assent A i'T'ling Mi intense depression ami drsmn* had n> upon him. A leriril>[ • f>-iir bad risen in his heart —a fear thn* he might never seen Pamela again—.l dread of the unknown future. lie tVH for a iit-'iii.-ni that he and the etrl he loved wer.- connected with so dark terrible mvstery. the ittll storv of which they would learn in tiiti'*: 'hat the same dark clout! shadowed them both, and that it was more than likely in the long years ahead that their teeth would "be s -t on edge by the sour grape.s of whith th-tr parents hud partaken in the past. The rah whieh hail driven him to «as still waiting outside in the roadwav Unsil hailed it again. The drive home w,i- a .silent one Mother and son said nothing lo one another : ihe> were each oecupii-d with their own thoughts. Hut Mnsil tan* ted he heard the slow dripping of Klsif I'tirr.idnv's tears, and when he press.-d hi- mother's hand in his own «t was «-old as i<--. '■J)»:ii-r." he muttered, at last. 'tell tie- ihe trouble J A .| n,.- Shan; j i«ir s;nef with von." The pate woman made no answer. ll I APT I 111 IX. Till: AHHIVAL.

Ar»l !t.»/"«l ;»»■'«!« li>t h'-l|>lessly. Tiit" *-.u- lit- ?....>x<l ti«M<- >!«•• ho«J v: ,** nv >Hr«ns;»' nwl «ui(rtiniliwr l«» fur »i». t'V.T. A l«Mlc Si-Mtrh >ln«i«m »«»' «•(«[''h ?-!»•" !•'»•••,» nothing, h |»tao- • >r' -.* :>.•»-..• ».>r« «•..»:.»•• >lw hn«l l<f>'» igiifr.tivt till n <•*»■ iln> •* (IS" j-«Mrit»>.i . i»f'l .*•!»■• **»> |»»l»" Ci'mih ti •.frt»ps;" t<.r.tl |>.iti»i'*«l «»«••.

Ulli'r. 1 >«*>• klt'W fill Mile. ID See IVI I; llrtltk.-!. who i«»ij;I«i If «l\ ing <«»r all | that ••h«- »«- awaie. ami arm ing in ,vtv»«»[nf" »i»>u»»».«!»«.• of all thai had J !. .r» h»i»|*-»f«i: during Ihe la>» few- j l«.»"k»-. or v.lt.ilht her father was a j lit*-i».I .»»•■ stranger !•• the |*-o|de who W r • >lte|trri»g him. I

Tf». •::■•• was hardly a soul '•• •*!* ,v.-» «.» Hi"- d'-sni.t»e lilt••- |»hilfnrm. fri t r a- Pamela caused, irresolutely , fnf.Sufim: her small hand-hag with (.«.ri*ii najjei-. i» JJMtng grmim rniiu hum■ dty into tin- station «Mil Utilking m» t" her. toutluil his hat. "Are >»»« i Ihe >oitng leddie (or Orgadale I.odge?"' he nsk.il in broad S>.»r.h ; fiml when Pamela nnswer«fl "Yes."* he look |m>s» , ssion of her bag. and informed her thai Mr. P»-r----rinl bail -•■n: down the dog-cart for "»•>. and that the carriage was waitIHJJ »»«ll side.

\* one in a dream Pamela made U'-r -.my on! of lli> ! Malion. ami «-br»U'd into the biyh dog-cart. I ni« li» ll'll >oii. miss." the i;rni>iii Weill OH. OS lie look. Up Ihe t-i.-in- ami started iho hands-oiii. riHMiiini mnre. "thai Mr. Mnrlindnle i:a«. tak.'n a (air turn for the good." 11.- giant ed somewhat curiously at Pam-la a.* he spoke, hut the girl mriieil to him with n iN'nining smile. * «»b. ihank heaven?*." she murmur-,-rl. "that my d«nr father is holler. lt;r» he- been very ill?" she went on. ■"Ami inn jmi tell me Ihe nature of his illness, for I—l know nothing '-' "" {he groom .-.hook his head slowly.

"There's nne gossip giHfi out o' Prgadale." he remarket! drily. "Ile->-oml the message I hail to gie 1 ken ii«e mnir. for the master's n dour man ami will hae no talking* n>>ooi his doings, or the linings a' anyone ni the house. Hut they were having tie- doctor ii|i twice yesterday ami sh«r hae got a nursing woman, auld l.iiiilv Jlu< Pherson.*' Ah " "' muttered Pamela.

She realized from Ihe way th«k -..»f.i.i >|Mikr that he could Ml her no m«»re til>uiit her father. s»o ?»he derided ."-hi- imiM possess her -soul in put it me I ill Orgadolc Lodge wo.rctirhftl. She wondered how far it Iny from • In- Mai sou. and hn|>ed it would mil l*. too long n drive, for she was lieginning to feel strangely wrary and overwrought. It wan «i rolil. grey morning, nnd the distant hill* were .Mill hung ir lni»l. Hut the hedges* presented a hrave ap|»earance. in nil the glory' ol their autumn colouring ami the rich, moist smell of the earth was refreshing. Also every now and again Pamela caught a whiff of the moor?' and the fresh scent of heather. "Are we far from Orgadal* I,«idge ? " »ho asked at last, after ,rih'> had driven a cpuplc of miles in ii fence.

They were on the road which lea toward* the M«-iherly properly, and «h.« dreaded having to pass the farm hrm*e where fh- r>»up had lieen held, and the lidd** about wlikh she hue

!<o pninrul a vision—lh<: field of blood. £ •j ( will be another three miles [ before we rearh the Lodge." answer--d the taciturn groom, flicking his l whip lis he sp-ke. " 'Deed, an' I'm •orry that it is such a bitter, cold morning." he added. "and thai there was nothing but the dogcart lo fetch you in : but there are no 1.-ddres up at the I.odge. and ii is oiilv menfolk that go there." Again he glam-ed at Pamela, and this time with even sharper scrutiny

I than liefore. j "Only men ?" rep-nl<>d the girl. I nervously. then n feeling of intense sh« iiess ' overcame her. She had ' never realized the possibility of I there being no hostess to receive hei at Orgndule. anil she wondered with n feeling of chill dismay what sort of an individual Uob Perrint would prove to be. She did not like [ to ipi-stion the groom on the subject, l.nt her longing to reach her r d.-stination intensified for she want- | -d to get over the scene that lay aI h nd. , , I She gn/ed about her restlessly. | -taring at the long. sleep brae which climlied from a shallow- burn, and then letting her eves roam over

the vast stretch of distant moorland. The mist was lifting a little, and the countryside \vns visible Mutinies, nnd there was no denying its wild lieautv and splendid isolation. A turn in ihe road brought the

dog-enrt past Meiherly. Here the groom deigm-d lo wax communicative. He pointed his whip nt ih«» dilapidated broken-down farmhouse, and whispered in a l«»w. cautious nhis|ier :

■ .Mel»l»- ... wouldn't think puir Iniul an' a i-am like thai vvorih lliuckle siller. but the same's I II -.old for a gran' price. Oh. we shall 1m- hearing 'more of the matter pre--eni|\. | wouldmi be surprised u then- was gran' doings up at Meiherlv soon. I woulilna be surprised a t * - "Koitcv '. " murmured I'unnia. l-"or 111.- life of her sin* coulil not say more, nnd she ki-pt h. r head turned ns the ran drove past the Motherly liehls. shuddering a< she renieinhoreil her dream.

Ai last, after what seemed a long and interminable drive, the dog-cart pulled up outside two rusty-looking iron gates, through which Pamela could cotch sight of n stiff avenue of poplar trees. "Von's Orgadale," ■•\claimed the groom. Then he surrendered the reins io Pamela and opened the creaky gales. M > that the cart might puss through. Pamela's heart liegan to beat with painful rapidity and she stated si might ahead. At the end of the drive she could now ralch sight of a white hou-ve wliieh stretched out to some considerable length and gave the ap|M-orance of having l»een built a good many generations back. It was mil a cheerful looking place and Pamela's heart sank as she gazed upon it. She also noticed the bad condition of the carriage drive. The road was covered wth grass and weeds, and loos»» stones lay about in heaps:. An air of wildness prevailed, nnd ih«« terrace directly In front of the hou-e was bare of any attempt nt flower lieds : also the turf was ver> rough, and did not appear to have b«t-n mown fur a long time.. Pamela thought of Hasil. How she longed for his presence, and what a comfort it would have been to have had him with her or to have heard his voire, and gny«*l for a second on In- clear, blue !•>•.«, ; She had been thinking of him during the long anil iv.ari hour- of her journey, feeling thankful for the wonderful gift of a mau'o deep love. For Pamela had no doubt cit the subject-of Hasil and |n> d-voiion. Sit- accepted love with I lie frank simplicity t ,f another -luliei of Verona. H seemed inevitable that >he ntnl Hasil should care for ~;,,|, ~ih.-r. She iM-tieved thai the uhole thins had been appointed from the beginning, for she felt as ii'she hail known the voting man all tier We and hail just ln-cn waiting for his coming.

Th- dog-«-jiri polled up in front of Orj;;».lsil.- l-»»dti'\ and th- groom got do-.vn iiml pulled at a stiff, old-fash-pmril Ih-11. A iurious burking seemed to break out nil nt once, then the sound of a man's voice could lie heard, and the sharp crack of a whip, then thero was silence.

raiiieln by this time had climbed miii of the cart and was now standing, a pale and shivering figure, on th.; ivniiu s.t«'j»s. a girl lighting hard for s-lf-contr«»l. All at once the door o|>oned slowly and cautiously, and a woman (■••••nil out, a cui-iou*. shrivelled old woman, who wore a black stuff dress, tmd n ipiaint. old-fashioned while mutih on lei hair. She Hiirvi'>eil Pamela with sharp, unfriendly e\es.

•Yell Ih- Miss Marlindalo- 111 bo thinking." she exclaimed. Pnuii-la nodded. "Conn- in iheii"

The old woman threw iln* door wide open, and with trembling Set-t Pamela crosx-d th<- threshold of Urgwlnle I*odg>\ 'o lind herself in a square, dark hall, panelled in oak, and hung round with trophies of the chase anil great heads v( nattered deer.

The smell oi rank tobacco «a< ever.*, where, and the skin rugs that lay about were worn and iu holes. Two deorhotmds. stretched in front of the lire growled as Pamela enterid. "You'll l>c in need of food."

Old Klspeth—for that was the woman's nam** —wnlki-d across the hull as she spoke, in front of Pamela, and ojivned the door of one of the rooms leading out of it. into which she ushered the girl—a room which presented a great contrast from the bare hall, for it was furnished not only comfortably, but luxuriously. A splendid lire blazed in the grate, and the Turkey car***! w *»- s "oft under foot.

Pamela noticed two big saddlebacked armchairs and a l*eauiifullyrarved oak sideboard, and a small oak dining-tuble, and a lon*.' row of chairs upholstered in crimson leather "You'd better Ik* silling down by the fire." Klspeth drew forward one of the saddle-backed chairs as she spoke. "I'll tic sending one of the lassie* in with Ihe breakfast, (or. 'deed, but ye look while." SStict wn* moving towards the door, when Pamela suddenly sprang up from the armchair and ran after her. '•Oh. don't leave me." the girl entreated, "uiihoui telling !!»•• how my falh'T is! I'<h pi«>'s '-ak.' give miuaii' nv«s <>f li.'.m !-- '■.■■ t,.';-.-r. ;\u<X

what has boon the matter with him? Please tell me."

.She poured the words out brokenly, her large eyes full of inquiry, her pale fan' flushing with .sudden colour. Klspeth looked the girl up and down.

" "J'is thi' master himself who'll be in in a moment." she muttered, "and he'll In- answering all your questions :" and even as the old woman spoke the dining-room door opened roughly, and a man strode in—a big red-haired giant, with huge shoulders and great, sturdy limbs, a man whose grey eyes had always a curious I winkle in tin-in, as if he nursed some quaint joke in bis heart, some gihe against destin>. Pamela noticed the determined chin the cheeks stained a rude red l>y sun and wind, the bristling, yellow moustache, the rough beard, and .she felt that she stood in the presence of a man who looked as Hothwell might have looked—that daring Hothwell who kidnaped a queen. For there was nothing modern abot:t the individual who now confronted her. He difl not lo«»k as if he In-longed to the overcultured. overrefmed twentieth century. There was something very lierce ami primitive about him, something virile, masculine, and strong.

He wore the kilt, and the dress suited him better than any other might, ami he smiled as he looked at Pamela, a strange, almost inscrutable smile.

••You'll l>e Miss Martindale," he said slowly, "ami I—J am Hob Permit."

He held out his hand and took Pamela's cold fingers in his rough clasp. He gripped the girl's hand so close and light thai she could have screamed, then he gazed with overfree admiration at her small, sensitive face.

•You're like \oiir photograph—the photograph I funnel in your father's p<><-kei-book." he said, quietly ; then he smiled again.

'.My fat ht-r '.'" began Pamela, imploringly. She clasped her little hands tightly together. Ituli Permit laughed hoarsely.

T- Pinna fash yourself overmuch alioiit your father." he refilled. "He's getting his strength back finely—his bodily strength, that is to say." "His bodily strength," repeated Pamela. What she had feared had come upon her. "Is he—is he" She paused, words failing her—the words she sought. Hob I'errint nodded his rough, red head. ••He's clean daft, if that's what <on mean," he answered, "clean -Jaft."

CHAPTEK X. now avouch: maiitixdale CAME TO OHGADALE LODGE. "Clean daft '." Pamela repeated Hob l'eirint's words as if she could hardly realize their meaning ; then -he suddenly raised her blue eyes and looked him steadily in the face, her lips parted a little.

•'You mean that my father doesn't understand things, don't you ?" she muttered, nervously—"that for a while his senses have deserted him?" "That's it," the man nodded, curtly.

He gazed devouringly at Pamela, and there was a look in his eyes which would have told any casual observer how strangely the girl attracted him. Hut Paiivla did not notice this. She was too troubled on her father's account to think about herself or to take any notice of her strange host.

"My father has l»een very ill," she said, slowly, •and he rose from his bed to take this sudden journey to Scotland. I don't wonder that he is light-headed : but of course he will lie better soon."

She spoke with more confidence than she fell, and she looked at H"l> Perrint as though begging him to confirm his words.

•TiidoulKedly : ye* re perfectly richl," he replied. " 'Tis getting up from a bed of sickness has brought this trouble on yer father, an' now that ye'v«' come to look alter him, he'll soon be himself again." "I hope so—l hope so." murmured Pamela. "Anil now let me go to him at once," she continued. "Softly, softly '." smiled Rob Perrint. "Ye'll be fair starving, I'll tak" it. an' l>e wanting food badly. Ah, here comes auld Klspeth with some breakfast."

As Rob Perrint spoke the door o|>ened, and Elsjieth made her appearance. She carried a steaming cup of tea in her hand, and a sturdy. Scotch lass followed her with a dish of eggs und bacon on a tray. The sight of the food made Pamela realize how hungry she really was, ami she sank down on a chair. It would 1m? refreshing, she thought, to take a long drink of the steaming tea : and how lovely the little scones looked, and the pat of pure country butter !

'•■ You' can ieave us. Elspeth," said Hob Perrint. He looked at the old woman who seemed in no hurry to take her departure from the room, and Klspeth had to obey. The Scotch lassie had already hustled out. The man sat down as soon as the door had closed upon Elspeth, and watched Pamela intently as she ate and drank. Some colour was beginning to creep back into her pale face, and her eyes had lost their frightened and dismayed expression.

"Oh. how good food is !" she murmured, with a little smile. "It must Ik* dreadlul to have to go hungry for long." "Mcny ha' to." Rob Perrint replied very slowly. "This is a hard world, when ye ken its rough ways as I do."

He pauseil abruptly, then pressed more food upon Pamela. ••Won't you tell me how it hap>|K*ned that you came across my father 7" she asked, at last. "Are you a friend of his. for. you aee. I never even heard your name before you wired to me, and I feel now that I ought to thank you from the very depths of my heart for the kindness vou have shown him.."-

-"Toots—toots '.'■' interrupted Rob Perrint. He laughed awkwardly behind his big, rough hand. "That's a' rioht. an* ye can be keeping yer thanks to yerself, I'll be thinking. Kot that yer father was a friend oi mine, or an acquaintance even, except that I ken him through his books. Yes. mony a £Ui<i hour oi hon'-st book-learni»g h«»'s given m<?. if Iv's tin.- au'hor man I let' him i^r.'J",, }.■• C"ii' iu'i'-i M. S. Laurie, tc Awamutu.