THE PRIDE OF THE MORAYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 211, 25 November 1909, Page 4

THE PRIDE OF THE MORAYS.

•Af.r. l::'; : i :■* r.v.

p.;, >rai p.i' i: •>i r. ? h'.'v t;i "1 h- Mar; of the Broad Arfp*. etc. etc.

rA UT 3

"There is no ba-l n"w.s. I trust?

vvnturvd Mr. Bertram. evidently inttncly carious. and disappo'ntec that tha |>roi'w*or had pocketed Uk note, and tr«,<t already busying himtwlf in tacking up the implements ol his profession, while his wife stood roartcou*!) h,wd(' the door, ready tc close it ns mwd a* this too-interest-«d and often tiresome visitor should relieve th'rn of his presence. "I* th're any way in which 1 can he ol service." continued the o'd man—

"nnv errand of mercy in which I can I anticipate? Charity, I regret to M»y—os\ ralh-T its active service," —is dtnicd to me by circumstance over which I have no control; but tl>s Intention "

"I'm equally obliged to you. I'm Mire, Mr. Bertram/' said Hermann, "but this is an act 1 can mly work tinglc-hamlnl. and a 9 I'm in a bit ol • hurry—that Is more than usually in a hufry at the present min>ite. I guess I must ask you to excute m«-" "Not for a kingdom would I inlrudi or delay the bestowal of marital c« n fidmces." replied Mr. Bertram. with a metodramatic gesture. "CJoodmorning. my young friends—goo I morning!" And patting a brave front on hi?baffled curiosity, he gathered hi* old dressing gown around him with the air of a Koman senator and a*cenced the crazy stoirrase lending to the attic with more dignity than might have been expected under the conditions.

Selina closed the door and thee famed to her husband, with a pale face —apprehension on every feature.

"What is it. ifermie?" she asked

"Nothing for you personally to bf frightened- about. Selina." he saic. kindly. ?*You'vc heard me speak of my little cousin 'Alison, whom 1 haven't sees site* we were boy and girl together?" "V'es Hermie."- Selina's heart seemed to sink, she wondered why. 80 frequently do women cherish thoughts ami sentiments, unspoken, unadmitted to themselves. ."What about her?'*

• Thi.i note tells Die that she was -.nocked down in Parliament-square ri'tnnsr the dense fog that prevailed v afternoon, and is now lymc in St. Thomas's Hospital in a pr. < ariotis. ond at present tinconicin'js condition." "Hermie! When did she come over ? r>i.i you know she was in England.'" "So. indeed. Selina. or you would nave known it too. You forget that, i'oor little Alison! Whatever can have brought her to the old country?"-

"Ilow did they—the hospital peoplr— know about you, if she is un conscious?" asked the wife, now torturing herself because of the tenderness in her husband's voice, as h■ipoko name of his "little cousin.'' of whom she had heard so much, but had never seen.

• From a letter addressed to mo. found in her pocket together with oth-T papers—so says the note." replied Hermann. "But I must go to sr. Thomas's at once. Sclina. At pr-s-nr I'm as much in the dark a* von. remember. So. dear; I guess ti ri better not come with me. There's no catch in being out oi ,!•>..[-5 in this bitter weather, unless Don't be uneasy. I'll •nke a tab there and back, and 1 r!..n'r wp|KKi« I'll be allowed to stay !■ nc s.-luia helped him on with his great :-t-iin.fl coat, and then clun« to him ,i!mn»i tearfully, kissing him again :i ! again, t flo" know why," she cried, "un- !■ ;, tr'H all that talk about the :-nive?i act.' but X feci as if some•h ue: was comin' between us. llerr.v—as if we should never be all to .< hot her—as we have been—again" Silly child!" he said, returning h>T enresae*. "Let me go now. Seljna I'm the last remaining Stanmt'orih. nn l it's my business to sec .ir'ttT Alison, you know." l-rft alone, poor Selina—unjustly stigmatized as a "hard-as nails little Yankee " by the frivolous fellowartistes with whom hor stricter New Kngland hringing-up rendered her thary of associat ion—sat by the fire nnrl indulged in the tears she had (ought hard to keep back. Vet why did she cry? She loved h r husband to adoration; he loved h"r. was uniformly kind and gentle toward* her. They were fairly prosperoiiH in their profession, and until Hermann, in studying th« methods o» Chinese jugglers had evolved the daring "knives act," tlwrc bad not I»vd a cloud on their horizon. Even then, though in her own heart Sclina knew that her courage was unequal to the orikal. that though she had mastered every, other trick in which Hermann required an assistant, in this, the one thing on which ho had sot his heart, she must fail him—even then ho evinced no anger—not as much as impatience. Hut Selina. though of a nature, and keeping very much "to h.Tsdi behind the scem-s of the various places of entertainment at which they were employe! 1 , was keen of observation, and had seen more i han one instonco where a husband's affections had I>een almost n!H>nnud from the wife by the intm-luc-tiwc of a third person to share th-ir performances. Bho tried to thint; she had every confidence in "Henuie." and that she wasn t a jealous woman yet the mere of a "third " hung like a lead* weight nt her heart.

And now—now though the 'knives act " had rover h*«--n c«>nt<-m----platod—hero was th.> ' 'hird " in the person of thf t. nd'-riy-rrm-mb-n d Cousin Alison, of whom Hcrni!-' had of f »n talked with such affect innate mnotnbrnn-.-^.

The muni?' 1 * flrajrcj-'d liV»c h>"iif At one »h<? drvaci<-(l hit return, .v nn oth'T sh>' lon sr-d to kriow what l,i'. N<for>> t hi'-.n Uhv had Alts..;i - an nifor'h to th« oM r<y;n' : •

fiisfur!> >piinn « uncioiKi»fi sky? Wivi'ii linn Vv.T rruirn' 1 'l'ii- f'-je, ii room «':i- :r \., tjs.r m going lo th" \v: ji'l* f.v:-; '- !>• was bio'ted 111 • ■!; • h< nr<l the street door ham;, an'i •i w '-iconic step on th" urv ai -'air.-i. "I hiic to walk." said. wiping fit" dampness from Lis fn r <-. nnl jmering. "The cabby couldn't find hj:« way. H'h taken mc some time." As he drew n-ar the fire. Selina's »)'« nskid the question she darc<J not trust her lips to speak. "Yes." hn anttt-ercd. "I saw her. Shou'dn't have known hT—though -vi«h her head all swathrc in band•ges that's not surprising. Also I in ven "t n*t n h-r since she was a girl )f twelvf." "Is Mie ladly hurt?" "Ho?h-r: but th- doctors say that A-iih «are hlip will recover." "!* In* d dn'l know you. Hermlc?' 'So. she knows no one; *h<i is miitrr'n; in d*lirium. But. any way h • wouldn't be likely to remember ne. I was just a youuker thj last int" she saw mc." "l»o you know what brought her jver?"' "So." he said, gravely—"trouble, i'm afraid Selina, she came in the Peerage." "In the steerage!** Th- little nomas was soft-hearted, ind h*r ton* bespoke her feelings. "Ay. poor girl, in tin* steeragt* A vtuin ticket was found in her pocket ml ao-o.ding to-that she could >n'y ha\<• ls:itdid at Tilbury yester—■u\. | titi.'s.H >Jie lost her way and ot d»-.\n to \Wsim»n<ter without hoam'C vh r.' .-h- was." "Ho jini th'n\ »1»* wiii comini "To in**. Yes. Si'lln.i. I tlo. Here •* a letter from h-r sister—my «ou"n Mnipca—telling me Alison had .-i-n soiii** trouble in th* last few ~ais. and asking me to help her all I ran while she's in th-* old country. \nd what we're bound to do. "Seliifa." "Ye-es. of course. I)'yv think if—l iis-r.n wh-n sh" gets better. s-h''U «ay 1« ii.; over h«*re. Herinie?"' "I h-i'.«n't th* fn : n'est notion. Sc-'i-.a: iul l«ng or short. win n she's - .-II . n .u< h 10 Ik* movid fr.jin «h----nispital. s-he must find a home with |V. " "Willi- UH?" "My i! a** S-I:nn, Alison is my first -ou>in. Her lather and my own were in; it -r.-f. Von rou'd not suggest"— no, no!" cried his wife, trysr i«» tin , »i"l* m h-r fears." "You »i.- n l-r.«is:i.d me. llermie. I—l—l .i-aii fo'ks outside our work might i.>t th'nk muih of Lisle-street. and — nd il souiuh d so—"O odd. because .ve've « ; n!y po« the two rooms."

"Ali-oil's hat nn?l jacket doesn't •iig-st Park-lnne. Selir.a. But I in t St ih • landndy nl>out securing 1110 h -i* b d room." .said Hermann, •\ i«S i) ly satislird with his wife's ■xp'itnatu n. and quite unsuspicious »f It -r r.-luclcnce lo receive an addii«.n to their .small household, .hole*hearted and contented a-s he vn*. Sri inn'a opprch n ;ions would me n-i*irn'.-.h'd and distressed him •;rr d'nclv.

"J!n:ln"t wc a<* well wait a bit till h •'» som-' b-tter?" tiigg sled Selnn. v.i"h the sinking of a criminil ' arl'r.S for slav of execution. "I •i- r.ii an long an sbo's where she is. h re's no immediate hurry, is then*" •-Maybe not: but I'll speak about t. nnyvay." he said. go : n.< in .search ■>{ ih* landlady. And th*n the tears -oii!d no longer be kept hack, ami Sel'na gave way to thi feminine conolntion of "crying her heart out." •h" ilr «fI d "third" loomed largoy on h»r horizon. With this ch:*rvhed '"Cousin Alison" under th-ir .-ry roof. Ilermie would be "her ,rry own " no longer. Poor little s«rra!

CHAPTER V.

BARDARA'S "COt'SIX."

And meenwhile lh<? cause of the !» arthrrnU Inv. un<*on*ctous of it. in (!i.» p-n*--*iul. *|H»il«»wi hospital ward, >n u!iii!i white-capped nurses flitted «ti!»n:lv in nncl fro. onn dortors. bolh ymii.j; . nd old. If-nrinji grave, ear-n-?l fee*. lingeii d wiih |terh»ps nn r.dd -e in'ri-i-M Ot b d-dde of ths»irl who bad so narrowly escaped •Iv; great • r.*-my of mankind, and hose big grey cyivi held an nppealn; pathos a-s i hey wandered from to side, as if in search of sonn ,»iv. or of fortfthin?. the nature 01 uh'eh hi wan unable to.explain. For from the moment th- pole of ;;n (iir-n'liiis had j»trii'-k h'*r rmvn ii''.tiding h- - r h-ad Into violent ton •avt with the roadway, everything un-cicd with llarbara Moray had fiii|.<l from the niin'l of 'h • wosnan »ho *had Imrne that nam". 1h- in iiiries to her head kept man> d.iys in pain aod fever, and during <li«:e days she knew nothing. Only a ••i.nfiiM-d Jumble of even's ru.-h'np :h:ough and through the agonised (•rnin. but nothing tangible, nothing thai remained in her memory.

And while all that was possible to ameliorate her condition, to alleviate her suffering, was done, no questions were A&ked. no attempts made to answer the mute inquiries so constantly visible in the big grey eyes. This was adjudged by th- doetors to be the wisest course. Th-y knew her name, her cousin had avowed himself responsible for h<-r main li nance while in the hospital, and expressed his wife's feadin *ss to receive the patient whenever slvwould be fit for removal, so that Ihpre was no need to disturb h-r on nny point. Let her recover gradually at:d her memory would probably return with the loss of fever and increasing strength. 'lTlis was the opinion of some. Others with equally good ground < Uy tjvir conclusions, .shook th« : r ! a n ed heads and thought it extr« n>. ly probable thcro might bo a io"«ul lapse of memory in the case —temporarily, at least, And so it would In time 'h< fever abated, th~ pain b ani" ; presently to <"ca_,u n'.' i>f''h temperature, aft or nmity tluc'a' ions remain'-rl iiurina!, a:.'l 'h'-a ; h- 'li--figurine liar,'!;!:<■•", wr- d. •! th' l KH'V Icok-d ;-ull-.n ' -1: large in the I>n!". Wil •-'.•••! f;f-. f'-fl t ' "•: ><i ha: r r.,v. :! • ■ n* ■ • i• : ■ i: r,

>ri r> pa" *s "n'aa. An<i naruara ia> •.♦ill — v. h'-n 11 n -''io'i-n -ss ramc back ■. j iii-i' —w j. l' what }il brought h■ • r t her' —in 1 «••<'•, in .'-oh a lung r. .n::), v:h-r- ' )>•<•<•. w«-r<> "" h-r b"d: Could i.":: is ■ r v. hat } .-id previously };; : -1 ■■-r. ■■: ' h • -' h-«v< ; iilmu-i t ran-i'«i!'vr.' . <i a* S(: that to lift on.* a great -•(Tort. "('oiiif, mr.v," snii - ! a ivir.se. wli". <vhil<* (1 <•f tly raising th" pa'i'-iit ui'li >ne arm. administered ni'-di<;in" v. it I) ihe other. "you're getting on famously. You couldn't have done that I week ago."

"Couldn't I'.'" return* d Barbara, "aintly. yet wond**ringly. Kven tlv women'.ary a'Hen of her h"ad b"ii_' iftrd from the pillow made the b d <pin rovni ar.d rovk viol' n' ly.

"Have — have. I been h -re a 'whole week?"

"A good many 'whole weeks.' laugh-d th" n'trse, straightening tly sedclothes. "Hut now you mustn't Valk. Keep perfectly quiet, and w( .vill soon have better n.»ws for thos< jood cousins of yours, who are sc inxiotfs about you."

"Cousins!" Barbara trhd hard tc "hink.

"Cousins!" Kven tin; word slink ipon her ear as one to which she hun lot previously been aecusi on. d. But the nurse wwS resolute in not jermitting her to talk. an<l ev. n the •lTort to think seemed b\v< n 1 h i <tringth. She lay fjuite patently, istming to th..- river tries a; ih*v loafed in n' the oP n w'ndows. •vatching nil that look place in til ward—wh-re oilier women a'.*■"<» lay n various stages of illness cud c.-n .•alescc-ncc.

Anil then, one- day. while thus gv/.r.g in a state of apath-tio inter st on all thai went on around h«.-r, slv lotici-d one of the doctors, wi'h *"hosc appearance she had grown amiliar, coming towards her b d n company with a Strang r— a Jtranger. yet one who looked at lierwlf with kindly inti-i-est —almost iffection—in his clear blue eyes. Looking at him wonderin_r!y. sin- renarked what a contrast existed bl- - himself and th" yourc sui-'_-'-<jri The visitor, lithe ( ,f lii::)., i-vi<! iviii'-r lexibility in every tnus<-!e. dressed n light -colo'irod flu'hi: n•• .vi'hitanding 'he time of ;• ■■■i-.r. nr.fl tarrying a gi'e.v. v.-ide-av. ha': ' h--loctor, with his |.!a--:. pr..ie>>-;or!o! rock-coat. a:.'' hi eh s- iff eoijar. jointing the ri!>? :ir ' n very lofijlv. 'As the;.- r."ai'erl j- s .-r l."-d.«!d-, the iurgeon's word- f.-l! on ie-r • nr.

'•'No exist ii.e r■■ r; ~ . v. by t i't: • - ent should n ■' !••• i..< >v-d. ::.d • ••!. S possible lh" ■-Im:'.Ji' b- a--listed bv faniil:.-t:- -'; r-r■; n':: '•'Thai is an adva:.-*,- I r I im unable i,, l--.- m;. ■■■' prsent, doctor." r- j >'.<:• d 'h- s« rantr-r. 'The surround:: g.- 1 o v. h ;, )i I proJose to ri-Jii'-.v.; h-r a: - -- distinctly jnfamiliar. nr.'l I :•<; b"ss» »ss aiay not a'lini' <>; my <u-0.-.-duL- the \tlantic for some con-ki-rabie period" Hy this time th- doctor had rea-h----•d Barbara's si'!", and ri•"< 'i<i»,-cl his inger.s lightly on Ivr pul:--. "How arc you, 'o-day'.'" h- said. "Ready and willing to 1-ave us, eh?" "You have all b:en -o kkri to r:i<? —so very kind." i-"l 'h- yir I's :ow, sweet. voice. "I \v >n d" r—i'OU —could VoU " "What is 1 Ji.•>-(■ thed I can d" for fOU?" he v. i' h a lII' i it the strong-i' who stood by. "Could JO'I tell ii)'.- hv-.v 1 i:uni\ ler e?""You were carrb-d h:t h-r <.•-•> ar ambulance st retcher. Y<ci <>:■■■:> crocked flown on" drcadd; night, your had badly in : <i a ' ire have been Irving in g-- . ■ • again. In that we hav- raltogether succeeded, but. at l-asi. yov, are on a fair way to recovery." "Knocked down —a fogey ntirht. 1 don't seem to remember very clearly rhen this place is " "St. Thomas's Hospital, on th f Embar-kmi-nt —th" Thames Kmbankoient, you know." " 'The Thames Embankment.' Barbara tl:- words as it ivere meehanieally. -''Hut —but be"ore that —beforo I was V:r.o.-k«-'~ ! ;lown? Cotilfl you *'ll rr.'' '.'. -re ] ranw from —wh--r" I li'.'d b'-.on* ih accident which bn-'ich* iiv h-r-.-' For I can't reni'-rnb'-r '-v.-n iis> name. My mind seems —and !.• — i blank. " "Don't feel worri'-i tha' n-plied tlu. surgeon kindij.. "Thai '• merelv ihe result of the a ;d- r. : I' will all •■onie back to you in time. Hut h'-re is one who can .-up' ply a part of the information yo'i n-v-d.'' Ilarhara looked wi - h in r-akrc ivoiiderm.il! a' the st ranee ti.an. whr now t«)o!i of.e <if her both his oi\n slender, nervv-is one.-, and gazed at h-r with a su = ni< ion; moisture in his clear sym;>a' ay vs. "Alison, ti-ar," he said, Kufnly—"little Cousin Alison! I <an't e;... pect \'ou to remember me r.ow, lei! \'ou soon will, maybe." liarboi'ft let h-r band remain i h in his, and looked earnes'-h o h:i face. "Albon?" she .said. skj v.ky. a'.k with jmi7./.l<*<' blow '' Al'.son? Irthat my nam-' ' "That ks your ;-:a:r.", sure enough, ne replied, yood-'numouri'dly. "Vi'h;/. Ally, I've guess y ( ,ti've Jos' th- but:.!. Df furiosi;;.- iha' 1 i;—d ' o '-a- • y.»-J about, ulv-n you ha v.-n't •■'■■ ii at this inscrij.'ion over your b- <ihead." Following ih- dsr—:*'i> :t- d ■• d Marl •nra's en ;« <■ ; d lllocntt <1 it! a f! ' »:.• 'ii • a • rt'as writt-n in larg-. d;s' ir- *. acters, -"Alison if' a:.nifor' h. Ae-«j oo." "Alison S'a:.:.;:or<.h - A'c-oc Siannifot't h'' ■" -ir- r- p a.i-d. (,ue-. lioniiy-!.'.'. ''l s'.-'.-n i>, lmv» heard that naiii-." "I rue-,- you have —mor- than o:ic< too," .a .ie 1 ■fi th» Ameriear:. "Ti:u::J; I don't feel as though I'd t-vef i, . ;i e t ,;< f " slv eor:-.inue<j "Are o-i sui-e that is my nam-?'-"I-'aii-iy s'ir.-, little cousin." "Co-;- Th-n you are " "l|.Ti:'i-R!i St a nn: fort h. Alison. I nui 'o,r oiP-..- relative, almost your f e d. ■ ;hb- sb!" of th" At--la■ ': e uwi> t ha! hardly via ; •■•ir ii to my care, won't To he Continued.