WHOSE FAULT?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 183, 16 June 1916, Page 3 (Supplement)

WHOSE FAULT?

COMPLETE SHORT STORY. By PAULINE MONTAGUE. Guy Hamilton leaned against the bronze Ceres on the balustrade at the foot of Mrs. Yere's staircase, and looked in the open doors of the rooms, straight through the group of admirers that, as usual, thronged about .Mabel Cressy —looked straight at Mabel herself, with a curious, half-interc: -d, half-snuling defiance on his face. He was handsome, and naturally rated himself accordingly. All his life he had been the pet and darling of women; and it was little wonder, with his fair, smiling beauty —his gracious caressing devotion—his refinement ot style and manner. He had gone scathless all the years of his life—that is, although he had been desperate in his ardent attentions to ma'Jy a fair woman, and had broken many a heart in teaching it the exquisite sweetness of loving him. He went on his way, admired, petted, adored, until Mabel Cressy and he crossed paths, and, for the first time in history, Guy Hamilton met a woman who did not fall dowij and worship him; for the first time a new sensation was afforded him, somewhat of surprise and pique and delight, that he had met one who was different from others. And when a woman con cause a man a new sensation that enhances his interest in her, her ultimate success is (uiifco fairly assured.

To-night Hamilton stood watching Mabel Crossy. The gas-flame inside the pink porcelain globe, that sprang from a bunch of pink harvest-wheat th/> goJdess Cores carried over one shapely .shoulder, made a rosy-golden glow on his fair, handsome face, with its bold, smiling blue eyes, that were watching the girl with such interest — with its tender-hued blonde hair swept back, in careless, artistic grace, off his forehead with his grmly-closed, ha'f-sarcastic, wholly exquisite mouth. He could look directly at Mabel, standing beside a magnificent azalea tree, whose velvety pink blooms were such a glorious foil for her eroamy-fair complexion, and intensely dark and shining eyes and lustrous hair. After a moment he sauntered n among the group, and joined the conversation with his usual adaptability, and shortly afterwards carried Mabel off to the dancing-saloon. That was the beginning of it, when Guy Hamilton made up his mind that Mabel Cressy should be taught the same lesson .*-0 many of her sisters had learned; when, in the teaching, he came to learn that there was that about the girl that bewitched him as he had never before been bewitched — that her wondrously lovely brown eyes bad a charm that enthralled him until his veins were all a-fire with love ot her love such as had never before come to him in all his life. That he should win her he never for one moment doubted. That her sweetness, and beauty, and grace had been reserved for him by a royal decree of fate was as sure as fate itself; and so he dal'ied oil in the enchanted ground, only biding his own good time. Mabel bad heard from all sides what a flirt Guy Hamilton had always been; she saw with her own eyes how women worshipped him, and she had also heard, and seen, and understood that she was envied, pitied, censured, because she was the reigning favourite. They were strange experiences through which she passed, those days, when she revelled in the light of the eyes, in the warmth of the smile, of this man she loved; because she had not beori slow in learning her lesson — because she had learned to do as all women did. And because she loved him with a strength, and an entirety, and a passion that with such a woman as .she meant for once and for ever, she was all the more in arms against herself lest sho should be committing the same mistake those other reigning favourites had cimmittcd.

And so Mahel very deliberate!/ made up her mind that she would not manifest by the slightest word or sign That Guy Hamilton was all the world to her —that she was right, and just, and true to herself in never permitting a word of love from him; because, although her heart hungered so for it, of course it would be but a pleasant pastime to him, as often before. That was the condition of affairs when, one day, Guy went to Mabel ana poured out all the passion that had conquered him, heau and heart—all the great, exceeding love that had mastered liini so that there was no doubt it was at last the grand passion. And tin l girl listened, with great thrills of ecstasy, that was equally as much of awful pain-—listened to words that burned fiercely through her heart ; that sent her pulses all a-thrill; that she stubbornly set her heart against believing, localise she honestly did not believe it possible that Guy Hamilton meant what he said —because she did honestly think that in a day, or a week, or a month, he would forget what lie bad said, or, worse yet, wish it unsaid.

That was the reason why Guy Hamilton stood before her, his face white, his blue eyes blazing with mingled pain of astonishment and indignation, and disappointments; her face so effectually masking her feelings—her face so calm, so passionless, so positive.

" And I took you t> he a woman whose love was deep, and wide, and <va<cl»s<: as the sea ! What a mistake I have made 1 You don't love me—you don't love me!" Mabel never yielded a plance; his very passionate compla.int seemed to her to add new proof that ht> was supremely selfish. Before he went, away he made her lift her eyes perforce, to his own.

"Mabel, I swear I believe you love inn, and yet you have scorned mc —the lir-1 woman who ever did—and I go away lrom you, utterly unable to un-dor-tand you. I go away, leaving just the?' iv,o truths v.'ith you-1 love y

ii ever you want me, send for me." People -111 iU 11 and wagged tlirir luad-, and declared it could not have be»n otherwise—that Mr. Hamilton w;h not tn blame il aI! the wumeu loved hitn. and that they always knew, lrom the tirst, that it was on'v one of his delightful flirtations with .Mis* Cressy. Only poor Maliel who bad i-o courageously attempted what no other woman ever did or ever will a< complis'i

—to cry do'a n her heart's longing, to stifle her heart's yearning! At Hie Very first she imagined 'he had gained s/iiiie wcnd'T'lul victory, and the flush of the conquest stood her instead oi the lonely, horribly lonely, pain of later day-;, when she discovered her mistake. For Mabel discovered her mistake, but not for a time—not until sovereign love had successfully waylaid and routed pride, and shame, and judgment not until sovereign love had conquered, and Mabel's whole heart, and brain, and soul, and strength cried out for Cuy and his love that sh" had scorned. She learned that site had, indeed, been guilty of a terriTile mistake when she had refused the happfhess that had bePii laid at her feet: and, after weeks and months of mental and physical mis.Tv, she came fullv to the con-

elusion that, if she set any value on her earthly happiness, she would near in mind Guy Hamilton's parting words: "If you ever want m,e, send for ma."

And then, her mind once made lip, her decision once accomplished, it> seemed a blessedly sweet tiling to sit down and write two or three wordsearnest, intense words—that entirely told Guy Hamilton how she loved him, how she wanted him, how she was bidding him to come m obedience to his farewell command.

So the dainty little messenger, perfumed with violets, went speeding on its way to summon nor lover to her, and Mabel waited, with a great ecstasy of pain and joy in the heart that, because it had been true to itself, at last found its reward m its duty. She had calculated very closely tli? hours she must spend in that supremely blessed patience of waiting, and she knew the third day would bring her lover, if he could possibly get to her, or, at lea>t, a letter which should serve her nutil it suited Ins pleasure and convenience to conic to Ucr.

So the third day came —such a glorious October day, with a fresh west wind stirring among the royal beauties of the fallen leaves —a day that was like a benison, like a silent, strengfiiful blessing of peace, and Mabel arose from the blissful dreams ot her love with glad thanksgivings for what that fateful day should bring her. That fateful day! and what it should bring her! For, prompt at the hour when Mabel knew the postman would ring the bell, the letter came, addressed in Guy Hamilton's well-known Tiand, free, bold, elegant, and Mabel kissed it over and over, between smiles and tears, in anticipation of the content's. Then, her heart all aflame,_ all nthrill, she opened it, with quivering, expectant touch, and read : "I cannot come, now or ever. Tomorrow I am to be married. You cannot blame; it is not my fault. —From "Spare Moments."