THE TRAVELLER FROM LONDON.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 167, 20 April 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE TRAVELLER FROM LONDON.

COMPLETE SHORT STORY

By HON. MRS. ARTHUR HENNIKER, ■in the "Glasgow Weesly Herald." Author of "In Scarlet a.'.l Grey," " Contrasts," " Second Fiddle," etc. The coffee-room of a '.veil-known commercial hotel in i. southern ccrner of England was looking its gayett on an August evening some ten years ago. A table, decorated with old-fashioned flowers, larkspur and hv'iyhocks, stretched right cown the room almost to the open door of another through which could be seen a glimpse of a'billiard table. Mr. Jessop, host of "The Rising Sun," his face smiling ai.d crim, son as the sign that hung outside, watched the pretty barmaia who was putting the last touches to the tables. She looked refreshingly coo! in herwhite muslin dress, and he was of an age and figure to be by the heat. However there was no help for it. He had felt bouna to keep his silver wedding this week between the horse show and the cricke. match. Later on a piano and two viclins outside by the bar would strike up 1 a selection of pleasant English metodies; the windows would be opened wideband the perfume of wine and roses would float out into the street, together with laughter and old-world music. " Well, I must say the table does you credit, Miss Roberts." " Thank you, Mr. Jessop. We've all done our best —I hope." : The girl stepped back, ann .turned her raidant face towards him. "It'll be a nice cheerful party—if onlv " Mr. Jessop hesitateu. "If only?" " Well, if Mr. Sergeant keeps quiet. He's invited himself, Miss Roberts." "You expect him then? Isn't it rather coon? Only six months since that horrible time I" " Well, yes —it does seem a bit early to want to come to a party like this—and my friends aren't really his sort, 1 know that, of course." "I suppose he finds that end house awfully ghostly and lonely.' Miss Roberts gave a uttle stiver—as the vision of a red-brick Georgian building backed by its unkeoipt wfl'.ed garden rose before her. " I expect he does, Mi*s Rol a ts. Sergeant is too fond of stiff whisi-'ies at all hours since the melancholy affair. He s always sulking and taking offence." "How he stops on alone in that gloomy place beats me, Mr. Jessop!" "And now, what about this gentleman from London, Miss Robe-is? Will he be disposed to join as. to f >, on th:s festive occasion?"

The girl bent down to ste?dy a refractory larkspur in its jdass. "He doesn't look like a dan.-ng man, »t any rate!" "With your powers of persuasion, Miss Roberts, there's no sayT-g!" Jes6op's smile broadened. "3.tu might show him how nicely you'?* aranged our card room for the dance." Miss Roberts remarked tl at she should think Mr. Pierce was cf rather too serious turn of mind to care for dances or cares. " Pra !ps so. I can't quite p'ace him, mvself. Travels for some very big firm, perhaps, Miss Roberts, Jo you think ? "Idaresav. He's out akr all day. "And he writes a good bit indoors. How about his being on one of these big papers?" Mr Pierce, serious-minded as he presumably was, had a deeded smile on his face as the last words readed' him. He was half-way towards the table before Mr. Jessop turned and saw him. Miss Roberts had become fished by former exertions, and her coicur deepened when the gentleman from London expressed his admiration at ike result of her efforts. "All those colours on the ttble are wonderful," said he, "ana yet not a bit gaudy. They show a lot oi taste!' He was a pleasant-looking u an—tall and heavily-built, with bronn beard and moustache, and grave ejes that looked kindly at the girl, suddenly the violins and the piano struck up, as a hint that practical enterta.nment of some kind ought to begin. There was a sound of voices in the hair early arrivals, and greetings and congratulations. Then the noises grew fainter as tiie guests passed on -,nto the cardroom. But the violins contiuied. " Since first I saw your face,' ; was the favourite old air that they pihyed. Mr. Jessop hurried out to greet ihe newcomers, while the pretty barmaid lingered a moment. "I hope you'll enjoy yourself to your heart's content. Miss Roberts!" said Mr. Pierce kindly. •'Oh! of course I sin 11! T wonder be disposed to join us, rould you, Mr. Pierce? There's plenty ol room for another chair here!" "Thank you. I'm afraid I don t feci very festively inclined this evening." He sat down in an arm chair in the far corner, by the fireplace—and Mary Roberts's sympathetic brown eyes restedl upon him. Behind her wai the table with its line of brilliant bicoms. Bevond again a vivid August surset that smote the panes an dthe blue and crimgon flowers, turning her brewn hair to gold and her white dress to a rosy pink. •'l'm sorry to hear you say that, 31r. Pierce!" "Thank you, you are very k:nd. It s five years to-day since I lost my poor mother—and one has all sort-; of sad memories, you know."

"Yes, I'm sure." "But I'm not going to depress you, M : ss Rol)erts. Besides, I'm sure you want to be going to help Mrs Jessop? ' "Yes in one minute. lerehester isn't a very lively place, in an ordinary wav, Mr. Pierce." "I suppose it's very like other olcfashioned country towns " "Yes, bust six months ago people talked a lot about Fen;hesVr, didn't they?" "Did they? Ar "Surelv, you recollect Mr Pierce! All the London papers put in no end of pictures of poor Mrs. Servant, who was murdered!" "Yes. yet, of course. 1 do remember now! She was found shot, in the warden of her own lurso?" "Yes," that's it. Tt was toe awful. People 'said it was a tr„mp wno hac done •*• a workman vhom Mr. Servant i i-l di-T.:« 'I If ' w,e; distraetHw h :-.H-ry. P" •>' f ' ,li( >*' " . t . '••j ..,,.. • <, i l.ev •* :• a very devotee pair' \ .... ' « T ; ~■ ~ FT- -i-H tt f'''.ow her

"Been married long?" "I don't know. 'Jhey nevei mixed much with the Fcnchester people. Mr. Sergeant tried to start a lace factory here; but it didn't do muci good." "And he lives here still? "All alone in that gloomy iect house down by the bridge." "Ah, "yes, now 1 recollect Mr. Jessop saying something about Lis co.rrng here this evening." "Yes. we do expect him —later on. But he : s not much catch. Ul course, he's quite a gentleman, but he never has much to say at any time.'' To judge by Mr. Pierce's expression, the subject did not profoundly interest him. But he did just ask if the unfortunate Mrs. Sergeant had been pretty ? " Oh, yes. a lovely creature ! Like one of those pictures in a fashion book." " It's curious he should stop on in the same house." "Perhaps it's just because he loved her so? All the rooms seem to belong to her still, I expect." The girl's sympathetic brown eyes met his. "Mr. Pierce, I beg your pardon—have you any sisters at home?" Somehow or other she hesitated' to ask if there were someone nearer still in his life. "No, Miss Roberts. Im a lonely man—l lost my two sisters when I was quite a boy. Then there was only my little brother and me left." "Oh, surely you haven't lost him, too!" . . .. She sat down on a low cna'.r beside him. "Yes, Miss Roberts', I have ' "Oh, I do feel so for /ml" she cried. "One has to live things down," said the man slowlv. He paused. "Now really I mustn't keep you any longer from your party." "Nof-your're not keeping me. lell me about your poor little brother." "He was mv mother's favourite —and he used to be afraid of me, because 1 said she spoilt him. Well. V.iss Roberts, it's an old story now, b-:t when he was only a schoolboy he took some money of hers. I thrashed' 1:m for it, and he ran away—such a little chap he was, but he got clean off—disappeared. We never heard of him again. It broke mv poor mother up completely. "I'm sura you never mer.n- to be unkind." "I don't know. When my motnei died almost her last words were—'lf Charley comes back, I know you 11 bo the first to help him, Jack, whatever he's done!" Mary Roberts brushed her handkerchief across her eyes. Tha- and her silence were more eloquent than worcs. The sound of laughter and voices drawing near made her spring to her feet. Two gentlemen, wear.ne: black coats and gold watch chair.- followed Mr. .lessop into the coffee ram. "Let me introduce my fr <nd, Mr. Lamb." said the host. "M Pierce, from London. Mr. Lamb—ar.d Councillor Hanks—Mr. Pierce. Mr. Lamb remarked to the gentleman from Lotfton that Fenchester was t qujet place now—not it all what t was; and this gave Councillor Hanks his opportunity. He was an authority on politics, finance, and agriculture. Once started on any of these topics he spoke in loud, monotonous tones till he became breathless. Than, a series of grunts and gasps served to deaden the utterance of any arguments it answer. "There never will be anj thing doing, Mr. Pierce, with such a Government in power. I often sa>—how do such people, such nonentities, get to the top? You might, it is true, apply that remark to all branches of the public service. Look at our so-caliec experts in the detective line. What do they go for their salaries? Here's a lady murdered in this very town six maths ago, and we're not a step further, sir."

Mr. Lamb cut in, to an accompaniment of loud gasps from the councillor. "Yes, sir. You might as well consult the infants in the sclool over there!" Mr. Tierce agreed that the police had been a long time over tirs particular joh. "Gentlemen, be careful, 0" careful, piease!" This from Mr. Jestop. Outside a voice was heard :aying; "Oh, they're in ther?, are theyP followed by the reply : "Yes, sir. Mr. Jessop s in the coffee room." A handsome, enssipated • looking young man of some twenty-eight years flung open the door and walked in. His dress and general appearance showed him to be of a somewhat different social position from th/ 1 other guests. "You're all at and sevens here, Jessop, this evening, I see. No — I don't want to join the pr.ity, after all, thanks. I've got ~ toi.ih of the 'flue.' A pint of champagne and a biscuit'll do m eall right." " Very good, Mr. Sergeant " Mr. Jessop hesitateu a moment. ' Perhaps, sir, you'd rather take it in the cardroom ?"

" Oh ! it don't matter. Bring it here." He glanced at the motionless figure of Mr. Pierce sitting by the chimney corner; and gave a curt nod ti. the two townsmen. A waiter with 'rair much oiled for the occasion, and wearing an enormous white tie, brought in a bottle of champagne, while Mr. Hanks observed tnat it was strange that no doctor seemed to understand influenza — but there —it seemed 1 as if no one ever understood their business in these days. Mr. Pierce in the shadow of the high clymney corner smiled, and .Mr. Lamb ventured to wonder why Mr. Sergeant didn't go away for a change to the Continent in this oppressive weather? "I suppose there's nothing to prevent me, if I choose to go!" growled Mr. Sergeant, whoso hand s! ook as ne poured ont the champagne. "Of course, of course, M it's no affair of anyone else's." "But Fenchester is a hole, anrj no mistake," said Sergeant, looking moodily across at the gentleman from London. Pierce, visibly bored and indifferent, was gazing into the grate, and not until Sergeant had called for another pint of champagne did he raise his eves, and look just once, attentively, at the haggard face nnc' trembling band of the young man, who was growing more querulous from the effects or the wine.

The violins and piano ha 1 , begun nc:iin rather jauntily, altho igh the t\)r was an old song of sad momriy: „ "'0 bear mv heart to my mistress dear Wh.->n in r>ath I shall calm recline." "Kb ! that's a very favour*' thing of Mr<" Hanks' " cried the roun-illor. "How about a chorus or two now m the care room till dinner's served?" snifffested Mr. Jessop— woried by the

continued presence of Sergeant—as a kill-joy to the prospective feast. "1 say ditto to that!" exclaimed Mi. Lamb, and casting reproving looks at the man sitting with a fast emptying bottle before him, the gueste trooped out, leaving only the silent visitor from London in his armchair by tha fireplace. The sight of his motionless figure seemed to get on Sergeant' l - nerves, for he turned his head sharply towards Pierce.

"Why don't you join the glad throng?" "I don't feel in the vein for music this evening." His steady brown eyes met Sergeant's shifty blue ones. "Neither do I," said the latter rising. "I'm for home and to bed."

Swaying just a little as he got on his feet, Sergeant turned towards the entrance. Pierce rose sharply a; he did so, stroce towards the door and shut it. Standing with his back against it, he faced the man preparing to leave. "I'm afraid not, Mr. Sergeant."

"What the devil do you mean?" Sobered by the frigid tone of this stranger, Sergeant for the rromen'i spoke in almost as unimpassionod toneas he. i

" Only that vou cannot go home now, Mr. Sergeant.'" "Curse your insolence! Do you know who you are speaking to? AYhcre are you from, you d—d fool?" One swift step towards him, and

" Well, then, l'H cell you who I am. My name's Cuarles—Charley. There was once a bad boy namej Charley —years and years ago. And Charley Gray who stole some money, and whose virtuous and noble brother licked him, ran away!"

Pierce's face had grown livid. He felt as if this man, weak, scarcely sober, altogether contemptible, had got him by the throat. "Charley!" And the voice was cjuite unlike his

own. •'Yes. brother Jack, I'm Charleyl" said Sergeant of the mocking smile. Pierce stood as if transfixed to stone, but not for an instant relaxing his grasp. Then he answered. "It's a horrible business. But there's nothing to be done!" He pu. the revolver back into his pocket. "Nothing—curse you? You aren't going to murder me?" "Charles, you were always - cur and a coward—even as a small bey. Why did you never write to mother? It broke her' up completely. She died never knowing what became ol you!" "That's so like you!" sneered the other. "The same old Jack—always condemning everybody. I didn't want to go back home. It's too long a story to tell, but people weren't al' as callous as you. I got out to America, and fell on my feet there at last, ir spite of you.

pliant. To be false to the one trust ivas to obey the last behest of the mother who had gone, broken-hearted, to her grave. After all, what were professional dishonour in comparison with the safety of this son whom she had loved far more than her own life r 1 Possibly a change that swept over Pierce's face was not misunderstood bv Charles.

"You'll lot me go for the sake of our mother!" he whispered. A shiver of disgust shook Pierce as he answered quietly :

"There are two constables at the front door." He pointed as he spoke to the other entrance into the billiardroom. "Go out through there," said he. "You'll find a side door leading into the garden. The gate's open. . But for God's sake don't thank me!" "I shan't forget, Jack —and after all I don't understand why you should ~eproacb yourself 1" "No —no, you wouldn't understand!" The other cast one fleeting glance !>t his brother's face as he sTOw towards the door. It looked like that of a very old and tired man. Then Pierce waited until the sound of steps had passe•• away, through the billiard-room, mlo tho garden. There was the click, verv faint, of a closing gate. He lingered for it might have been half an hou- - , then, rousing himself, he walked wi'.'i quick steps into the billiard-room. «a'<ing the revolver again from his pocHl, ho examined it and saw that all 'he 'hambers were loaded. In the gb.jjs