THE GAME OF LIFE; OR THE MASTER OF MILLWOOD HALL.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXII, Issue 2789, 12 May 1911, Page 4

THE GAME OF LIFE; OR THE MASTER OF MILLWOOD HALL.

COPYRIGHT.

By Hedley Richards, Author of "Time, The Avenger," "The Mine Master's Heir," etc., ©to.

PART 15

" Did Mr. Cathcart know th'« truth before ?" aeked Miles. "Yes, there was a storm the verj day we arrived here and the bureau was shattered, revealing certain papers that disclosed the story. 01 course, Lady Annette had known from the time of the late Mr. Cathcart's death."

"Ah!" And Miles thought of Jack Cathcart bright and happy the day he took shelter in the hut on the moor, then of .the change the next time,he saw him and his words to him—that he had come to a milestone, and his heart went out in sympathy to thie man who had been so bitterly tried and tempted. He had fallen, but the temptation had been/ great. Was he to' judge him ? Nay, rather it was his duty, in so far as it was right, to spare him. Suddenly it flashed across Miles that they were half-brothers and a great.tenderness filled his heart.

" Well, what are you going to do?" asked Swift abruptly.

" I will give you my answer in a

week."

"All right. ' Stella is going to Doyle Court to-morrow." " I shall writ* to her," reglied

Miles

" Very well; but a final warning. If you refuse this estate which is yours, and Stella becomes your wife in defiance of your wishes, she will never have a penny of my money; you condemn her to poverty."

" We understand each other and I shall do what I believe to be my fluty in spite of threats. You will know that in a week," replied Miles.

With a curt "Good Day" Swift left the room and ran lightly down the stairs, followed by Miles who watched him turn in the direction of the "Golden Fleece"; then, closing the door, he went back to his sitting room.

Swift had almost reached the hotel when he met Miss Julie Ray who shopped, saying : <

" I am glad I have met you, Mr. Swift; I was going to write to you."

He looked admiringly at her pretty face as he said :

" I hope you will still send th« letter ; it is a pleasure to receive a communication from a pretty girl."

The cross, dissatisfied look, 1 gave place to a brighter one. Julie loved compliments and her tone was pleasant as she said :

," But it was a business letter."

"Did you want me to help you to make a fortune ?" he asked in a bantering tone.

She shrugged her shoulders. "■■■Not 1 ; there are things of more importance than money, and you will think so when I tell you that your daughter and Mr. Ford are lovers. I saw him kiss her. They were on the moor this morning and forgot that other people use it besides themselves. I am certain he had been asking her to marry hkn. But you won't allow it," she said, looking up at him.

"That depends upon circumstances," he said, lightly, as he switched his boot with his riding whip. Julie looked aghast.

" You don't mean to say you would let your daughter marry a Dissenting minister ?" she exclaimed.

"I might. Suppose a great fortune was to be left him, then 7 shouldn't oppose a marriage."

She laughed discordantly.

" Oh, if it depends on that they will never marry. His mother keeps a little shop and he hasn't a farthing beyond his salary. Seriously, you will stop this love-making ."

"So that the parson can make love to you? Well, I don't know ; you see he doesn't show any inclination, which I grant is bad taste, and if he was a rich man, then it would be a pity to spoil two lives," said Swift in careless tones.

" I tell you he has no chance of becoming rich."

"Don't you know that it is the unexpected that happens ?"

Her face grew black with anger.

"You are trying to torment me; you know you won't let Miss Swift marry Mr, Ford." Then her tone changed suddenly and became imploring.

" Oh, do take your daughter away ! She would soon forget him if you took her to London and let her see other men in her own position."

"Well, I'll think about it. should like to oblige you, thougn what on earth a girl can see in that sober-faced parson puzzles me. Good afternoon," and Swift passed on.

** What does he mean? Surely he won't let his daughter marry a poor man? He must have been teasing me," thought Julie as she turned in fib© direction of her home.

Swift rode leisurely back to the Halt, thinking over his conversation with Miles Ford and the burden of Ms thoughts was, "What will he decide ?"

CHAPTER XXV.

**' Man carries under his hat" & private theatre wherein a greater drama is acted than is ever performed on the mimic stage, beginning and ending in eternity."—Oarlyle.

'"I don't understand Stella leaving us now," said Lady Annette as the sound of the carriage wheels drew fainter.

They were standing in the hall after saying good-fcjre to Stella, who had seemed constrained In her manner and it had made the mistress of the Hall decidedly uncomfortable as she could not help wondering if the girl's departure meant that she was going to refuse to marry Jack.

"I don't understand it," she repeated, looking at Swift.

" It isn't difficult to comprehend ; v/e only came here for a brief visit, and but for certain circumstances you would be no doubt tired of the way in which it has been prolonged. Now the Doyles have returned home and Grace wants her friend, a very natural explanation," he replied.

"Is it a true one, or does she want to be away from here before she gives Jack her answer?"

"Lady Annette, you are of a sceptical turn of mind ; I don't think your son*4g half as uneasy."

' -Jfart^flwhed ;!sthe whole affair was

'iatoful to him ; everyl time he saw itclla had told himself it was unfair o let her marry him in ignorance of he truth, knowing only the garbled \ccount her father had given her.

"I don't think your daughter is neing fairly treated and I expect I shall tell her the truth if she decides to become my wife," he said.

"You would never be such a fool !' exclaimed his mother.

Swift smiled

"It's astonishing how lacking in worldly wisdom Rupert Cathcart's sons are. But suppose we go into the drawing room, then I may be able to throw some light on Stella's departure," he said.

Lady Annette looked alarmed.

"So my surmise was correct and she has an ulterior motive in going ?" she replied, as they went towards the drawing room. Then seating herself near an open window, she said :

"Well, what is it?' 1

Swift shut the window.

"It is always better to discuss such things as I have got to say without the probability of being overheard."

Jack, who had been standing lounging against the mantelpiece, turned and looked keenly at him ; then 1 he came forward and seated tiimself near his mother. Somehow he felt convinced that Swift had something of vital importance to say. The latter looked full at him as he said :

"I am sorry—really sorry—to tell you that Stella has decided she will not marry you, her reason being that 3he loves' another man and intends to become his wile.**

" I hope she will be happy. She has chosen wisely ; she is too good to be wasted on a man who has absolutely nothing to offer her," said Jack, who in spite of all it might mean, felt relieved that she had so decided. He was- still angry with Grace, but he had already realised that she was the only woman he :ould ever love."

" Jack, you are- mad ! Who is this man she prefers to marry? Is he an American V* said Lady Annette excitedly.

" Oh, no ! she never saw him till she came to England. It is rather a singular story the way she met him, If I believed in Providence—"

" But you don't, and I want to know the man's name," interrupted Lady Annette forgetting politeness in her excitement.

" Miles Ford," said Swift laconically.

If a bomb had exploded it could cot have caused more surprise, and for a moment there was silence, then Lady Annette said in accents of scorn :

"Miles Ford, the Dissenting minis-

ter."

11 He's a fine fellow," said Jack

"Of course, you will never consent to ■ such a marriage," said her ladyship but there .was anxiety in her tone ; she could not fathom her guest and never felt sure what he would do.

" There are circumstances under which I might agree to it. For instance, if he were master of this place."

" What do you mean ?" she demanded, something in his tone alarming her, while Jack's face suddenly became alive, with interest.

" Suppose Miles Ford was in reality Miles Cathcart, the legitimate son of Rupert Cathcart, in fact, Cathcart of Millwood, I should agree to Stella becoming his wife," said Swift, speaking every word in a clear incisive tone.

Jack leaned forward. "Are you telling us ' facts?" ht asked,. s

Swift nodded

"Have you known this all along, when you wanted your dfaughter tc marry me ?" x " Yes, I would infinitely »have preferred Stella becoming your wife, and you remaining Cathcart of Millwood. I don't want a ranting par son here ; moreover, I am not disposed to do his mother a good turn.; she was something of a saint from what I have heard and I'm not fond of them."

" You don't mean to*say you are going to help this manVto establish his claim to the estate 7!" exclaimed Lads Annette, in a bitter\ tone.

" Yes, I must if he becomes Stella's husband, or rather > before he marries her. I wouldt have chosen your son to remain here, but Stella loves this other man. Who can account for a woman's vagaries ?"

" I would like to kill her," said Lady Annette in a tone* that conveyed that Stella would (fare tbadly i! the was ever in her latJ^yship'svpower.

Before Swift could : answer her, Jack exclaimed :

"Mother, don't be floolish, Stella las chosen the bettur man and we < iuldn't expect her to marry me

; ist for my benefit wJicn she loved a f How like Miles PordL fly the way (id you know that tie* was the real ( wner of this place whrai\you told m< 1 ie heir would be a man Vof the peo- ] le, a Socialist who< wcwld cut up the estate into small holdings and turn the Hall into a vchildren's Lome ?" he said, looking at} Swift.

" Yes, but I should buy*this estate from him and settle it km Stella ; then he can spend the money a£ he likes ;it would be a pity \to parcol out the estate."

"He won't get-the chance^of doing it, or you of, buying it, /for wt shall fight the matter out even if the estate is swallowed up in law costs—anything would be better than yielding it to him," said Datdy Annette bitterly.

" Mother, I shall do no such t thing. If I am satisfied that Miles I tord is the son of my father I shall give up everything to him and know that a better man than myself is r. oastei here. My God ! it will be a reliel to have done with the deception \ and go out into the world to earn £my living. I Bhall feel an honest [man again," said Jack.

" You will be a, fool. Have *you forgotten you are nameless ?" !said his mother.

"I shall go abiroad, and it ' won't matter there. If am quite snre Mile* Ford will deal 'liberally with j ou."

"I wouldn't touch a halfpenny ol his money, but thank goodness 'I've provided for ai rainy day. No.yypi Deedn't ask me what I meanwyoui father treated me shamefully, ai? (ft I've done my best for myself." Tb en her tone changed* as she said :" I suppose you're going to tell thisi man that you irrtagine he has a cla Jm oc the Millwootf. estate ?"

"I have told him that he is ' Rupert Oathcart's only legitimate son. 1 rode into Millwood yesterday 1 afternoon on purpose."

Jack winced* at his words, /but h<

"What did he say to your news V

"At first he was inclined to disbelieve me, then when I convinced hin: he expressed great sorrow that yoi and Lady Annette had been bo badl? treated. In fact, he didn't receive my news with rapture.

"Hypocrite ! A Dissenting humbug He'd gloat over the news when you had gone," exclaimed Lady Annette. Swift smiled. "No, he's a decent sort of fellow. In fact, he said he wouldn't take the estate from your son, but—" "He said that?" exclaimed Lady Annette, interrupting Swift, and her tone had a ring of hope in it. "He win have to take it," said Jack. Swift spoke quietly, as though Lady Annette had not interrupted him. "I toM him unless he claimed it he should not marry my daughter, but he had the impudence to tell me that whether he claimed the estate or not they would marry, so I pointed out to him that if he kept things as they are it would probably mean the question being fought out in a generation or two. I think that influenced him ; he is not a man to shirk responsibility."

"You said that, yet you call yourself our friend," said Lady Annette, bitterly.

"I call myself your son's friend, but you and I have each been fighting for our own hand. That circumstances have compelled me to fight against your ladyship I deplore. I hope to help your son, if he sees his way to go to America when he leaves here."

"What did Ford fcnalb' decide ?" asked Jack.

"He said he must have a week to consider the matter, and he should do what he believed to be his duty," replied Swift.

"And I shall do mine. I shall leave here, then he will have to come, but I shall see him first."

Swift smiled as he said

"Rupert Cathcart has two quixotic 30ns. But I think we have discussed the subject enough, and as I intend to walk, to the Court I will get away now. I'm sure Lady Annette will be glad to get rid of me."

"Did Stella know who the man Ford professed to be, when she consented to marry him ?" asked Lady Annette.

"She doesn't know now, and that is one of the things I have to tell her. Good day," and he shook hands with her, Jack walking with him through the park, and as far as the little gate that led on to the moor.

"Good-bye. Tell Stella she is wise to marry the man she loves, and she has chosen a better man than I am," said Jack as they parted.

Walking slowly back he thought over the strange news he had heard, and he told himself that Miles Ford would make a better use of the money than he would have done. It was singular that from the day they first met he had been strongly attracted by the other man.

"Well, at any rate, I have done with shams, and I'm not sorry. All the same, it's hard to part with all this," he thought, as he gazed at the things around him. "But it cannot be helped, and there's no one to blame ; my father believed he was a widower," he reflected, as he entered the house.

Meanwhile Swift as he crossed the moor vaguely wondered if he had found his match with Miles Ford. What if he should refuse to assert his claim ? It would be the deuce of a mess if he did, because Stella would marry him, in spite of anyone, and it would end in Grace Doyle becoming Jack's wife. "I wonder if I played my cards badly. I'd a full hand of trumps, but I don't seem to have made much of it. That man has an iron will, and he'll only do what he thinks his dutj. I don't believe the estate and position are a great temptation. If they are he took care not to let me see it. What advice will his mother give him, I wonder ?" And a strange smile flitted across Swift's face, then as he entered the grounds of Doyle Court he looked round and nodded in a careless but pleasant manner to the woman at the lodge, and walking quickly up the drive, he came upon the Major and the two girls sitting on the lawn in front of the house.

"Helloa, Swift, glad to see you," shouted the Major. Then as the former drew nearer, he said :

"Stella tells me she is glad to get back to the Gourt. And lam sure we I are >glad to have her." "Yes, it's nice to be with old friends, though Jack Cathcart is a fine fellow, and Lady Annette is a wonderful woman. Do you know, I think she would have made a fine general." ' "By Jove! I shouldn^t like to have served under her. She's an iron hand beneath the velvet glove," said the Major, with a chuckle. (To be continued.)