UNKNOWN
Uy ihe Author of ■•A Bitter r.ontlage," "Two Keys," p "Stella." "The Unknown jL* Bridegroom," &c., Hi PART 3G. Hpl as he stood that night iu the ■Ft streets there was no irresoluHpn. no weakness ; the very name of pis lonu-lost wife seemed to burn hi* lijis :is l;c uttered it, to thrill his heart. He awoke suddenly, as he had never done before, to a proper sense of the enormity of his conduct.
"What a weak, cowardly fool I was !" he cried. "I could curse myself for my folly." If it should be Evelyn—if he did find her—would she ever forgive him? What was the message that accursed attorney brought back? "Her heart was broken !" nothing but that — "her heart was broken !" Could she forgive him his falsity, his meanness, his cruelty—the crowning insult by which he sought to buy and sell her love, as though it were so much dross ?
"I have been a villain," he said, "a contemptible villain ; but I will never rest now, so help me, Heaven, until I have found her and won her pardon." He hailed a passing cab. It was then Ion? after eleven. "Drive me to Euston-square," he said ; "and if you get there in time for the mail train I will give you a
"I should like a few more of that sort," thought the driver to himself. "A sovereign for ten minutes' drive ; not a bad night's work." He was in time. He gave one hasty look at Bradshaw. "Carsbrook ;" the rail did not reach there. The nearest station was Witheram. Yes, 'the mail train did stop at Witheram ; it was an important station. 1175.
He knew no rest until the train was in motion. Good heavens, could it be possible ? Yesterday morning he had shunned the thought of Evelyn-Mi was so full o£ unpleasant memories for him ; now his heart was on fire, and he was in eager pursuit of her. Other passengers slept, not He. He watched the moon and stars fade out of the evening sky and th« rosy flush of dawn take their place. Could it be possible that before the same sun set he shouM have seen Evelyn, his wife ? People looked at the eager, handsome face—the eager, longing eyes. • Thank God, they had reached Witheram at last. He cowld not have borne the suspense much longer. It A"as the early dawn of a bright summer's day ; the dew was shining on ieaf and tree, the birds were singing, • the iiowers so fair ; for of all ;he beauties God has lavished on ?arth there is nothing like the early dawn in the heart of the lamd.
He went to the Queen's Arms, the ;hief hotel at Witheram, to hire a ;arria£re. He could Hot walk to L'arsbrook, for he did not know the road. 'Then it struck him bow useess it would be to reach there so ;arly in the morning ; at lea6t it should be nine or ten. So be orlered an expensive breakfast, that le was utterly unabie to touch ; and ilmost drove the landlord wild by lis impatience to be gone. Carsbrook at last ! There, on the proud height of the hill stood Creedjioor ; the little place seemed still isleep in the morning sunshine.
"Where shall I stop, my lord?" asked the driver ; and Lord Gothwic was puzzled for half a moment. "Drive to the best hotel in the idace," ho replied ; and the man took
him to the Hampton Arms, where the "whole household was thrown into a panic by the intelligence that a real lord—an carl—was to be accommodated there. He did -not like to ask questions, ior, after all, it might be a wildsroose ch:if.e. Discretion was necessary. To please the landlord he oriered dinner and wine, then went to iook round him. The general impression was,that he was a visitor, :ither to or from Creedmoor, and was halting by the way. What would an earl want at Carsbrook ? He w..nt out through the pretty, quaint streets where Gertie's feet had so often trod. He saw the bank where Alice's fortune had been made, the church, the rectory ; but he was at a less how to discover where Mrs. Morton lived. CHAPTER LIX. Mrs. Morton—could it be that he should find his wife, beautiful, gifteci Evelyn, under that name ? A happy though occurred to him ; he saw the postman in the distance, just returning from his long morning round. He went up to him anti aske* if be knew where Mrs. Morton lived. "Mrs. Morton, a widow lady ? Yes, sir, at Beechgrove ; turn down b> the left, and you will come to thf house." ,
A widow lady ! Was it Evelyn, 01 was it all a mistake ? Perhaps shs called herself a widow to account for appearances. He went some little distance down the high road, anc then saw a long row of beech trees superb in size and colour. "That must be the place." hi thought, and then his h?earl neat u: it had never done ho had trrs' asked i'j'.'elyn in be hi:- wife, an<'
waited . f '">r !><-r aa.jTfer. He opened the cato the .H burnums drooped—-where Gertie hac stood with Leonard —he wrJked across the smooth, yr-.-en lawn, mid. a.ecus turned a.'.: ho vva.-.'. to aiaauilrcf nee h<' eoidd /lui" iudp .dnii'k v,n!. the beard y uf the dowers and tree: around him. The wmii.oS?s -were at
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KCC19130924.2.28
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 605, 24 September 1913, Page 6
Word count
Tapeke kupu
903UNKNOWN King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 605, 24 September 1913, Page 6
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Waitomo Investments is the copyright owner for the King Country Chronicle. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Waitomo Investments. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.