Time, The Avenger

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 428, 6 January 1912, Page 2

Time, The Avenger

(All Rights -Reserved.-)

THE UNRAVELLING OF A STRANGE WILL MYSTERY.

By HEDLEY RICHARDS,

Author of "The Haighs of Hillcrest," "From Mill to Mansion.," "Diana's Inheritance," Etc., Etc. THIRTY-EIGHTH INSTALMENT. Half an hour after their departun the footman announced Lord Ovingham, and Nina's face flushed slightlj as she shook hands. " I know it is rather soon to call but I was anxious to see you," hj« said as he n jticed how pale anc worn she looked, and the expressior of suffering about her mouth told a tale.

" I am glad to see you before I go away," she said, forcing herself to speak calmly, lest she should break down. '

" I suppose you must leave here, but I hope you are not going far,'' said Lord Ovingham.

"I am going into Carnarvonshire to my aunt, and I am rather glad it is a long way off," she said, sadly.

What about your friends ? Don't you care about leaving them ? And—and Nina you must not go away. Stay for my sake. I love jou with all my heart," he said, speaking quickly as he rose and stood before her, watching the emotions depicted on her face. "Do you love me, Nina ? " he asked, taking her hands In his.

•She raised her face, which had grown red beneath his gaze and answered with straightforward candour; "I do love you, but I can never be either yours or any man's wife. It would not be ri e ht to let an honourable man ally himself to one whosf name is stained as mine is," she said.

" But Nina, it is wrong to dream even of making your life miserable because of your father's sin. Why should you be lonely and miserable?" he asked, earnestly. " The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation ; it is always so. But I sliall not be either lonely 01 miserable. I intend training for a hospital nurse, then I can help those who suffer. It seems to me in that way I can make some atonement foi the wrong that has been done," replied Nina. " You a hospital nurse ! " he exclaimed angrily. " Nina, the best way you can serve, humanity is by becoming my wife."'

" The Ovinghams Have ' always borne an honoured name, one-that has never been tarnished, and it would be wrong of me to consent tc marry you." " Nina, my dearest, I will be plain with you. If your father had not done these things I should have been oetter pleased, on your account, and my own, leaving him out of the question ; but he has sinned. Still I hold that only foolish people will count you one iota the worse for hie sin, and if all the world thought otherwise I would seek you for mj wife, because I love you with my whole heart, and I know you are the woman God created for me just as surely as he created Eve for Adam. Knowing that I feel thus, you will not say nay, and ruin my happiness, will you ? " he asked, tryihg to draw her closer.

For an instant she drew back; then he whispered :

" Dearest, don't let any mistaken sense of right ruin our two lives, because you do love me." " I love you with all my heart;" and as Lord Ovingham drew her close to him she put her arms round his neck* whispering, " I do love you but it is weak of me to give way. Perhaps some day you will regret having married my father's child." ■ " You had a mother ; she was one of the good women of this world, and you are like her," he said, kissing her again and drawing her towards the couch. " I shall not wait long. How soon ;an you be ready ? " he asked after a time. "Not yet ;" and she glanced at her black dress. "It must be soon. We can have a 3uiet wedding. But I shall come ind talk the matter over with your aunt," he said. An hour passed quickly ; then Lord Ovingham rosfe, declining her invitation to stay to dinner, and, saying he would see Hugh in the morning, as a matter of form, though whether he approved or not would not make iny difference, he bade Nina a tender ;ood-bye, and rode back to Ovingham Castle. On the way he overtook Gar Hatton, and', after a little conversation, tie said : c "Gar, boy, congratulate me. I'm one of the happiest men alive. Nina Hudspith has promised to be mj wife."

Gar, who was also on horseback, reached out his hand and shook Lord Ovingham's heartily as he said : "You're a lucky fellow. Miss Hud3pith is a splendid girl, true as steel and as good as gold." "I think she's the best woman in the world ; but, of course, I cannot expect you to agree with me." That evening, directly after dinner, Nina-told Hugh that she had promised to become Lord Ovingham's wife, and he was going to call the next morning.

"Mon Dieu ! to think of you beinrr one comtesse ! " said Louise who had entered the drawing room unobserved.

Before Nina could reply the butler entered. Baying that a man named

shown him into the morning room, and Nina proceeded there. As she entered, Jim Dutton rose and came towards her carrying a bag.

-In an instant she recognized him as the man she had seen in the lane near Housesteads, and whom she had afterwards taken for his dead brother, and the recollection that her father was guilty of the latter's death made her turn white and ghastly-looking. " There now, I've given vou a fright, and no wonder after ail the pranks I've played on you. But, miss, I've come to say I'm real sorry for the letters I sent you, and to bring you these jewels back, because I hear on all hands how good you are. Take 'em, miss," he said, putting the bag into her hand. "All I ask is that you don't tell any one I was the thief. Just say you found the jewels. I ask it, miss, because I've turned over a new leaf, and I'm going to marry and settle dow,n respectable. Mr. Lionel Hudspith has pensioned me. You won't tell that I took them, miss ? " " No ; and I'm glad you are going to try and be a good man and I'm sorry for —for what " Then Nina s voice broke —she- couldn't say for what her father had done to that man's brother, but he understood

"Don't you trouble, miss. You're, a good sort whatever he was, and I wish you good evening, miss. You ;nn just chuck the bag away when you've got the jewels out." When he was gone, Nina went up stairs and replaced her own jewels in ,he case. The others she locked in a place of safety till morning, when she told Hugh she had got her mother's jewels and was ready to divide them; but neither then nor at any other time did she tell them how they same into her possession. XL. A LAST GOOD-BYE. Madame's headache developed into influenza, and Mrs. Hayes, hearing that the shop had been closed, and that madame was ill in bed, came and begged to be allowed to nurse her, saying she owed her a debt of gratitude for her kindness to Gertie which she could never repay. So Jane Hayes was installed as nurse, and when Lady Dalrymple called to see the invalid, poor Mrs. Hayes felt wretched ; but her ladyship did her utmost to set her at her ease, praising the care she took of her patient, &c.

Miss Holmes and Miss Penman were frequent visitors, and they, too praised the nurse's skill. Even Miss Holmes forgot something of her anger against„ the woman who had helped to ruin Mr. Lionel's life ; but neither of them were satisfied with the progress madame made t.owards recovery, or, rather, lack of progress. The influenza had run its course and left madame fearfully weak, and from this weakness she did not seem able to rally.

" I am glad it is a fine morning," said madame, as, sitting in bed, propped with pillows, she gazed out of the opposite window at the blue sky.

" Yes, it's like a summer's morning though it is the - last day of September," said Mrs. Hayes as she drew back the curtains and glanced at the small clock on the mantelpiece. " Nine o'clock, and the people arc coming in from the country already. It's going to be a grand day foi Wittonbury," said Mrs. Hayes with a half-sighl "Won't you go ? Lady Dalryraplf said you were not to let the past keep you away," said madame, looking at Mrs. Hayes. / " No. I should feel awful, and the folks would point the finger of scorn at me. Besides, my heart's not in tune with such gay goings-on. I'm happier here." Madame did not reply. She was irery happy. That day Lionel Hudspith was to take possession of Gel* ier Hall.

He had ajrranged to drive from Housesteads, arriving at the Hall about half-past two ; then the park ;atcs would be thrown open and every one would be welcome to enter. Tea was to be provided in several tents. The tradespeople and farmers had tents set apart for them and preparations on a large scale had been made for the working people. About one o'clock crowds of people Tbcgan gathering near the gates of Gelder Park, and it required the utmost efforts of the police to keep a passage for the carriage which arrived punctuallj to the time. Over the great gates there was an archway of green and the words, " The King will come into his own." They were the words Randolph Hudspith used on his death-bed and Miss Holmes having told her nephew they were now blazoned forth. As the gates were flung open, a ringing ;hecr burst from the assembled ;rowd, and before those in the carriage knew what was being done, the horses were unharnessed, and a couple of dozen stalwart fellows drew the carriage, containing Lord and Lady Gelder, and Lady Mona Hudspith—as she was now called—and Gar Hatton, ' to the Hall. In the carriage that followed were Lord Hatton, his sister, Lord Ovingham, and his aunt ; then two carriages containing one or two clergymen, the local doctors, and several lawyers brought up the rear. It was a wonderful home-coming, and as Viscount Gelder thought of the misery and shame that had been his when he left it years ago, he felt that God had indeed been good to him. The people who had now found their way into the park cheered when he appeared on the steps and his voice thrilled with emotion as he said : "i " My friends, I am very glad to see

foi me —the clay when I return to th« home of my forefathers. As you know I am a Gelder on my mother's side, and some of you may remember the old prophecy. lam uot a superstitious man, but it almost seems as one looks back, that there was truth in it. If so the trouble has passed ; the heir of the Gelders has come into his own, and I say thank God for it! Before I give jou a cordial invitation to go into the tents where tea is provided, I will Just say that somt time in the spring I hope to see you all again on the occasion of mj daughter's marriage to Mr. Hatton, grandson of Lord Hatton." "He means old Judge Hatton—him as sent him to prison," said one man to another. *' Look here, Ellen, that's the viscount's daughter who's to marry young Hatton. Isn't she a beauty?'' said Jim Dutton to his wife. " That she is, and her ladyship looks sweet. As for the viscount, he's a noble-looking gentleman and to think they thought he'd steal ! " "Well, my dear, there's many e man reforms as you know ; but I always did think Judge Hatton made a fool of himself for once, and that was when he sent No. 649 to quod. And to think that after all his grandson is to marry the young lady who is heiress td all this ! If I d been his lordship I'd never have allowed it," said Jim.

" It's heaping coals of Are on tht old judge's head," replied his wife. " I quite agree with you, madam, and your husband is quite right when he says I made a fool of myself thirty-eight years ago. No one can regret it more sincerely than 1 do," said a rather thin, but very decided voice just behind them ; and, turning round they saw Lord Hatton. " Well, I'm jiggered ! V said Jim, looking at him. "My good man, I should say you were blessed. I see you have a good wife, and I hear you are settling down into a steady honest man. Lord Gelder was talking about you yesterday," said his lordship. " Yes, he won't forget an old pal ; but, you see, I was doing time because I deserved it, but he was what you may call a victim, and that makes a difference. Why, if I became a real saint I could not forget as I'd been Jim the cracksman. ] used to look on it with pride ; but she puts it so different like," he said pointing to his wife. " I understand. There's a fly in the ointment for both you and me and it comes from the mistakes w( made in the past. God forgive us both."

" Come now, judge, you needn't put yourself in the same box with me," said Jim deprecatingly.

" My friend, I wasn't a thief, but I might have been accountable for s ruined life. Thank Heaven, Lione! Hudspith was too noble a man tc let injustice ruin him ; but I, whe pride myself on not making mistakes marred his life, and for the short time that remains to me I shall walk humbly;" and with these words he turned away.

"He's a good man, Jim," saic Mrs. Dutton.

"That he is. But I say, let's gc and have some tea;" and the coupl< entered a tent, where a substantia; tea was being served. ( To be Continued.