THE PRIDE OF THE MORAYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 215, 9 December 1909, Page 4

THE PRIDE OF THE MORAYS.

am. r.t';u !•' nr<r<-\ i:r*

r>v M M Kii'i: ->'< 'IT. Au'h■•! " I h • Mar; of <hc Broad Arrow, etc. etc.

I'M T 7. CHAPTER X. Tlti; HKTI HN OF MEMORY. N'n wrimM injury." van Keilh llerinr* grove pronouncement, "althonli it was „ narrow *hav<». H(an•.>fnr;h; nrtri ii» nrruiwice mils for i4pr«inii b* to Ih* advisability of o'iil»i<iiig ix-rformanont atU-ncfod by •«i miH h ilanc>T "

"If Alison hail not moved " —began th* juggler. "I g""«int von thai; but it is* n-*ces-*ory to n-memlier that «bii> has we* occurred may happen again" "How? t don't quite understand ,wi. Hid ?h>- telt you what caused vr to swerve like that?" "N«»: I jiw» not even assured that .Si... 5. now*, though once or twice n 't!»h »'n»*l look in her eyes made me h nk «h- ruiK-mnrird more thnn she '"h •! to discuss. I understand the »►•••;«• up passed without notice in thh at re?" " Abcolutely without notice. Urnlor.," "Allvl none of the Stage emptor- .-s •n wo* suspected what had aciunll/ .tcrurr d.»" '•?.o? i.(i«." replied Hermann. "If *a* rom-hid'-il that the heat eau««-d vr to faint.'*

"A perfectly natural snp|M»sit:on. •A>ll. th-n. if 1 give y»,u a c*-rtitMMt« jnl'-rinj; my patient re?»t anil fr»ii!o;n ra'it rxcitenwnl for a few da>s. th.jt f* all that will be required b\ th»»n«tSFiiirnt." "*V«ti cniv>itler it n'*cesj»ory shv «hou*d *"—

"I consider it quite ess«'ntial your •ousin •hotild not be subjected to the jroVnl of faring the knives until we ire nssund the brain has not be»n »n««te«l or injured by the undoubted 'h «rk j-he received last night." re>fi« *l Heriut decisively- "You look Tti itnil. Stanniforth. "Will her il»*n-r affect you very seriously?" "Well." replied the juggler, "the jo** won't like it: It'll affect the >*•» ipts. And then to earn a reputa:i» n (or being unreliable " • " rnreliable." Surely the certifi-

rate " "Ah. doctor." broke in Hermann, 'many a performer could be certified »«* unfit for work while racking l.rain tnd body in th* public service: and. ♦nowin; this, managers are inclined ;o entertain a poor opinion of the irtist «ho shelters himself Ixhind a ii« dual opinion to escape his work. sniv»* utterly inrapacilateil—or dead tint n «( win ilinn it advisable " I c»"birth*r than that. 1 am con- . m d .«'•'» h a m.-asun* is imperative" Su- mi nuire th»>n. doctor. Write yi' rh- «-»rtiterate, anil I'll take it . .n.I to the ollire without loss of tun* Th-y may he dispos.il to lo.»k jp«»n it as an advertiwment wh'eh may result in a hlgger boom «"-•'» Ih- I»«»or girl is able to reappear."

"V»hi intend she should reap|*-nr. Stanniforth?" a«-keil the yourg d.Htor. gravely. "I see no reason sir—unless by Alis.m's o«n wish and reipiest—wh> ;h' '' niveau act ' should not Ik* re oini'd "

"Aiwffljs sup|N»**»ng her health. h*r i-rvnu* organisation, does not suffer oy th- »«n*«or to whieh *b- is aghtlt %u!ijeetrd." proposed Keith "Atv. «>« supposing thnt. sir."" rediil._Her:u«nn. seriously. "And Iknt a-*stn**»«La.Mrh is the rase. d.»tor. h-re *■-> no h-oson aga»n>t th- eir■uni.4* 11.11 e of my cousin's id>-nt if\ ine 'l-r.elf with my entertainment, any :tvor>- th.in exists in the rase of m*> ,tiiv. Walt. ».ir. pleas**. I nm not intii n bid of lh« honour >ou former's |«rop«>srtl to confer w n Alison but oe-olering my occupation, onl the ■l'luiivr position of our families, it .t .mUt to- afHisiblc for you to Imnish h • th »»is;hP "

■.-*-o*'-n»forth/* interrupted Heriot. ■* n sili. *"! cannot: you ask of me h.it is impos-st'ole. "And f am turn--IF* *f to stand idly by and watch. hu> -.oil. by this accursed juggling. • .n. 1 angering the vcr>* life of the o'n .1% I love, and putting a still .1 -It i- ttarrler betwerß*"

: iff ocie you must accept, doc- .» " was thj grave reply. "I'm ;-►■*»' sorry to wound you. or to ap-;«.-.»r heartless in a matter which ,o*l lake so seriously: but I wrote jut to Mrnlcn—that's Alison's sister, who loves Alison as dearly ns ever a.mh-r loved child. I detailed the •Srctmistanct-w. asked was there any .-.vist n • reason why Alison should not t«» allowed to take part in my ilterin r.sn«nt. at the same time tel!ui«r Men>n Of your feelings toward- her sister, and asking; her advice as to what I ought to do." Monica—Miss Stanniforth—*hit was her reply?"

• That she apt»rovcd of Alison as-ii*»b-e un- as loog as such assistin •>' was mi leivd spontaccously: but th,i» tlu* suggestion of a possible in s m l«*lween you and 'Alison, doctor, cotdd not be considered for one niouuni."

"On th* grounds of " "Differ* nee of position, to start with. An nll-sufrkient reason In Menica's mind.*'

"I»'jl sh* give you no other?" "In U-tail, no. doctor." respbnd-d Ibntunn. anxious to divert a shadow of suspicion from the mini ol the .toiing: lover, whose seemingly h.>j»-t>ss love he pitied so sincerely. ■ jh-re was no hesitancy about M.-niea. to judge by her letter: the h 11; cori'dn't be. and having .-aid 1. much sh • guessed she'd .-aid imrisfh. Hut now I'll trouble \«»u 11 the" certificate, doctor. Husin*ss is business, »ou know, sir. ev»-n in >low-goii>g old England: and thParthenon people are that slick, they would lie a creoit l-j New York." Heriot wrote out the certificate, lift hand Hvtuluoig with an ill-con-cealed emotion. None but h- could know how had suffered at wntthing night after night, from the back of the dress circle—himself unsetn—that role, fragile figure standing fearlessly, silhouetted against the' purple board, calmly facing those (lashing. flying knives—an ordeal from wht«h the strongest man might 1,.- p n >don--d for desiring t«> escap-. And nen apart from the per*,,,tat

d.-insr--, «-» h;s darling— n his mind \i: ■> . S'ansiirortl. »vn> ever hi.s • :.u lim,- is-- lf.nl ground hi- teeth in ..n-i:i>!]. asking himself how he .-(■•ilii pu-isiblv n*-k his sister, a nota!.'v proud woman, even among a i.e.: ably proud race, to accept as a ..jster-jn-luw this girl who thus ruchtly exposed herself in public who must l>e classed as a mere musichall |«erformer. or perhaps only as ih.,- ossistunt of one. The situation had appeared hopeless, yet Keilh hoped on. Surely some way out. of 'he tangle would prestnt itself, though he hnd to con-f«-ss he was unable to tell from what direction it could possibly emanate. He had not be. n present on the •v.n:ful night of in- slight accident. •he s'.oek of feeling she had moved J ~o«*«obly have detected what the iug-■il-r. hi.s whole, attention con.vn- • rat-d o:i his work, failed to j«-r----•eive. Momentarily he "tad ho-ied. i> hearing what hod occ'irr.-d. rliat Iv shock of feeling she had ncved. i<iil realizing the possible ense-pi.-ne«-s to hi-rself. have 'o.'nuil a key to unlock tbe tied-up memory. Hut it would a|«P"nr not: at any rale she. gave no sign. Th -re was a frightened express-ion in li-r gtoiiou* eye*. Hut might »n:. that route from the sudd -n r.-eogiiit : «/h of a very real danger hitherto on'y imperfectly realized.' And were siieh the «•«**, the n'sk of a tragedy would be increased a hundredfold. Sh- mhjhuhave D,vn in ,nc position of a »-hilu\ who. knowing no danger, feared none? Hut now. now Stnnniforth mu-l lie iitnnV to understand what apparni'ly seemed l»e----voiid bi.H i-ompreli- r-ion. Th" elemi nt of f« nr, »»•■' s.«t up -*-he 'ould not l> r.-liiil mi to hold h-«r n -rvous «>rgniii/aii«»: umler -'■»>« h absolute r.-ntrol as l»ef«»re. and a mere im'ol.intary shrinking , n hs-r part might nu-nn instant d-n«h—n d-aih 100 horrible to contemplate, even by a medical man accustomed to face the Jread visitant in all his fearsome aspects.

And nienr.tthile. what of "Cousin Alison " herxdf • The girl, by Keith lleriot's orders—no less than her own inclination—-Iny quietly in the little bed-room on lb- top floor of th" obi house- in 1-isle-street —a room in which the ceiling shelved downwards, until it Joined the walls, but which had. under Selina's neat orderly. New Knglnnd method*, been transform'd into quite a dainty retreat, redolent of cleanliness and -omfort. \Vh« n first shown -one of th" attie-s as th» only possible a--•artm.nt to In* plac« d n« his disposal Hermann had rej.-«teil it as "totally jnsatisfiictory " an.l decided they nust we-k etth-rs ipurters capable of jffering the necessary e'.xtra accommodation. Then it was that Selina—who had a<ciliinatiz.d b-rself ecnially to the convinieiices ns to the inconveniences of Lisle-street —turned to with a will..colouring the attic walls nhitenir.g the sloping ceiling, painting the window-frames, an d filling the window-box with swect-smclling blossoms; after which a few articles uf simple furniture, daintily upholstered in new shining chintz —breathing in its gr«*i n leaves and delicatetinteil rosi-s. of the country from which I .isle-street was the antithesis—transformed the room reji*cted by Hermann into a cosy nest of which Cousin Alison was delighted to look upon ns "her very own." Hut the girl who now lay white and still, belwevn the lavendersceiit.d sheets—for S.-b'na. though a public perfnrm.-r. was a notable little housewife —whs no longer Cousin Alison. She had submitted patiently thankfully to Sclinn's kindly ministration-*, to Hermann's earnest soli.dtude. to Keith lleriot's careful examination of her head, his masterful insistence ..n a f"w tlays of complete n*st. Sh.» could have bb-ssed him for the suggestion. f«-eling rest and isolation to Is* imperative, in i-onsidcrntion of th-« problem facing her.

Selina. in her goodm-ss of heart ronsiilerably starth-d too. hy the "narrow shave" v. hi-h w-im-d to iustify h--r own former tremors—wanl'd to remain b\ Alison's lo tend her look, to Ik* "on hand." should an> thing Is- ni-i*ded. Hut th-- girl pruned to •"• left alono, to sleep, she said—to rest and doze aw-A>* the hours in sleep or semiconsciousness, ns the eas.- might be. And at last h--r request had been complied with. Ever*, thing she was likely to im-iI was placed ready to her hand: ami ih*ii sh • was alone, listening tu the |ium of the censcU-ss IrftOlc in Ix-iceKtcr-squnre, the inspiriting strains' of Sousa's "ragtime " dances, groin-d out by the iono-organs—the owners of which, to judge by th« frequency of their visits, must have reaped a plentiful narvest in Lisle-street: and the sonorous monotone of lhe old actor, Bertram, as. in the adjoining attic, he declaimed loud speeches from the classic drama, fighting anew his battles, in order, as he sometimes ?xplaincd. to keep his voice and memory in condition fur (he "important London engagement/' in the hope of gaining, while he sultsisted on the merest pittance from slay to day.

But she who had lieen Cousin Alison heard none of these things, mentally. Her mind was occupied yithi other and more important complications, revolving round and round, round and round, round and round. until it seemed as though the overtaxed brain woiild give way, undei the strain placed upon it. . For now Barbara Moray knew herself lo be Barbara Moray, and in (he eyes of the law, she supposed, thwife of Sir Talbot Hester. An I sh. —she had been on the stage of a music-hall—a music-hall performer—she. one of the Morays with whom pride was a religion! Hut—and now her thoughts went back to her wedding-day—it seemed onl*- yesterday, and yet so much had happened since. A woman had asked to speak with La<l. v Hester, ami thmaid had insinuated— How it all n-curird to her memory! Then th girl came up to her boudoir, Barbara still being in her wedding-dress. Sh«. remembered feeling sorry for her; the woman proved beyond doubt she had been treated badly by Barbara's husband! And now she rememliered how. on hearing lh«j story, the pride of all the Morays had surged within her: how she had inwardly vowed never to Ik* the wife of the mnn who pad done so dastardly a deed. How without reflection as to what might or must follow', she had changed ;lothes with Alison Stanniforth and sending th,- American girl away in the carrinire K-sUm Talbot, h.id

nTself v.alkid in? o the street wear ing Alison Si anniforth's cloth-'S. ant thus wearing them, was knockec down in the fog. and identified fron the papers found in h<?r possession. That was quite easy of comprehen sion ; but now—now, what had be come of thi* real Alison Stanniforth whose plaee I3aii<ara Mora. 1 " was s< unwarrantably assuming ? Had SiTalbot Hester done her justice, ma*i< her his wile ? Hut how could He do so, unless the law had first set him free from hi.' contract with herself—Barbara Mo ray ? Vet. lor all she 1-n w, lhe la« might ha\e ibme so. She had no' r. ad the newspapers assiduously aiK evcti ih It she not sure that th ■tight of a i:iK«"*-familiar name vroulc have si art lid her dormant memory as had <h- sound of his voice, th< -ith- «»f his face. lb- had no bidy with him in thi Uttx. And th<n Itarbaia's che<;kf flaiM-d with humiliation. II- had sinii h-r. his wife, the d-s .■••tidt.nl of si house second only if lloyaliy in its antecedents —he hac *e> n h-r stan iing there, expos: d t< th.* fir<- of a thousand solved lo th- mo*«« rriticol survey and un :lisgui«-«d criticisms of litn-i ••. iiu-s li k. himself! <ih. the .'ham.-. th> agony o ill Hut. ihank (!od. that was over he should see her so no more! Wait' Ili-re was Hermann —good, kind anc haid-workimr. Hermann, who had s< loyally a<«e|it"d her a" his cousin supported end protected h-*r throtigr >ut ih" I'n-i twi-lvf months with th levotion of a broth-.T. Ib-r m •r.:o:> sor events hapiM-uing since' th* a«iI. Nt in thi' fog wa* cohe:-i\e a'id '! :> '- iinct. Sh • recalled hi.s gn-a' an\:e«\ lis k<i n disappointment at Seliea'j 'ailure. and his joy when '"iittb Vlison " stepp«Hl into th'.* br< a h Was t-h • to fail him now? Was it 11 it ! u-r fluty to stand by him in serious difficulty in which, after ih Irick hail lieeii proved with th- rar.g-. 3f successful possibilities, her owe Jefalcalion would place him? Hut in that row she must onlinut Vlison Stanniforth, though the rca' Alison Stanniforth might one da> :omc and claim her rightful place it Hermann's affections. What, also, o' ner duty to the race from which she nad sprung? What of her duty tc aer doting tenderly-loved father?

Had she not better send for Hernami. explain the situation? No, nc lot yet—not yet. Find out first •.-hat happened on her wedding-day. \n explanation might now evoke a icandal. a newspaper sensation. It jcould be-reported broadcast that one jf the Morays had descended to th? Music-halls, and it would break her 'ather's heart.

What of Dr. Heriot? And Haraara's h art beat quicker. She was lis equal now—the Morays and Hk lleriots ranked equally among Scot and's best and first. She might a.*k is advice: Should she? Should ;he?

Xo; she must forget for the present that she was HarLara Moray inlil sh.' had discovered what had lappmed since Barbara's wedding Jay. And until traces of the real Alisor Stanniforth were forthcoming Haroara Moray must keep the fals< .dentity so strangely thrust upoi her. So it would appear the godi had decreed. CHAPTER XI. A DECISION" OF IMPORTANCE. But a few days of "complete rest'' sti'Hilatcd for by Dr. Heriot failec lo restore Cousin Alison to that .'ondilion of unfaltering nerve which had prececded the accident. I"oi while her body rested, her mind uevc-t for an instant ceased revolving round the strange chapter of events »ncouipassing her history. And if on her wedding day she hac turned with loathing from the mat to whom she had, in her youthful ingorance allowed herself to be united, how e\€ n greater now—now that .she knew th- meaning of love —now that she knew that the dark e\es ol Keith Heriot held a deep unspukcr passion for h-r within their depthswas the dread that should Sir Talbot Hester discover her, that he possessed the right to enforce her obedience to hi.s will, to claim h-r as his wife.

And surely, even as in a flash she had recognized her husband, so must the recognition have come to him. that th'-re. on the stage, was standing the wife who had eluded him, on his wedding day. By inquiring for Hermann at the stage door h< could soon reach her, and at first she lay there, white and still, professedly "resting"- while her brair was tortured with the fear lest anv moment Hermann would bring the intelligence that Sir Talbot Hester hnd claimed her as his property an'J that the juggler realized he had no right to detain her under his roof. And then she laughed bitterly, though in silence. Was it likely that Sir Talbot would of his own free will brills himself in contact with a IC_ lative of the poor little Alison, the little American girl, whom he had so foully wronged?

i Th-n had she not better elect to remain with Hermann and Selina to th- end of her days? Hermann would alwavs sland ln-twecn her and this man whom sh- loathed and despised for his treachery towards the rea, Alisoii Stanniforth. And \et. Sir Talbot was rich and powerful. Hermann but a poor juggler. The sins of the wealthy were looked upon with leniency by their ompeers, and Hermann probably knew lit 11.- or nothing of the circumstances surrounding his cousin's sup posed marriage. Hut how to find out what had happened.' V»lial il the husband she had s,j dreaded ha<taken her at her word, hud divorcee her, and obtained an annuliin-r.i ol their marriage? Could u woman lK divorced for running away from hit husband on tle-ir wedding day? "You are worrying about sunn.'thing." declared Uv. Heriot, on finding after several day- of est his puiienl showed «0 indi'-a'ion of returning io the r.ertnal. a'.d "«hat her pulse v. as i 1 regular—a' rimes eveu feverish.

And fe;tri"ui <,i Ivi- secret Barbara Couid no' ne-.-t the earnest . r; : -s----tioning <-\,-s ~f tlie nian \OI.I i.,v.-d

hc»\ and t«»(ik n-fng.- in a hail : r<t'h. "I—l am anxious about If.Tinar.n—about tfic pt'i foriiiari'-' S." sh<• >a;'d. I—l wh.it Ciin 1 do? I u«.<i!d n<)\ :'a:i him iu" worlds, ; " (T't i.is i>■ i' '1 i