Flotsam

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 99, 18 July 1927, Page 3

Flotsam

LAj/ u-luz Kjuinujn ana Heath Hosken.

T° have Flotsam, i.e., goods floating on the water; Jetsam, i.e., goods east out of a ship during a storm, and W llsam. i.e., goods driven ashore when ships are wrecked. These wrecks were called by the vulgar. Goods of God’s mercy. (Ancient Charter of Dover.) SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS CHAPTERS 111 and IV.—Lady Maud wanders round the gardens and' comes upon Jacqueline. She gets into conversation and tries to win the girl, apparently succeeding. Maud discovers that Jacqueline is well educated. John Bolton arrives about five o'clock. He is pleased that the two women are friends. Lady Maud goes back to her hotel, where John dines with her that evening. When they are taking coffee the subject of Jacqueline is introduced. His fiancee refuses to be dragged into mothering her. When John asks her to do this she says, “Not on your life!” She leaves the ultimatum with him that he loses her if he keeps Jacqueline. CHAPTER V. “I,” he said, “fail to see that what I have been saying or not saying to Miss Croft can be any earthly concern of yours.” “Then you can take it from me,” retorted Bolton, “that it is a concern of mine. And you’ll find that out sooner than you expect.” And Bolton swung on his heel and, without another word, stalked away like an angry Jove in the direction of the house. Stone slowly lighted a cigarette, and wondered whether it were possible to catch a train to London that night. It was palpably impossible for him to remain longer than was absolutely necessary at Saye Castle. The whole business was exceedingly annoying and disturbing. A further scene must be avoided at all costs. Then he walked back to the house wondering what was going to happen. It all seemed so ineffably trivial, and yet it held great potentialities. If he had not cared one way or the other for the mysterious “Miss Jack” it would have been quite another matter. But there it was.

On the terrace he met Maud. “Hullo!” she greeted him, “What’s all this about?”

And he told her frankly, told her everything without reserve; and she listened to him, every now and then breaking out into little ripples of musical laughter. “Do you know Lady Maud,” he declared, “I really believe I’m head over heels in love with that girl. I’ve never in all my life—saving your own presence—ever thought seriously of any woman before. She’s the most entrancing and fascinating little bag of tricks that has ever come in my way. And, Bolton, or no Bolton, I’m going to see some more of her. But how the deuco is it ot be done?” “Leave it to me,” said Maud. “To you?” “Yes. You’ve evidently got in wrong with John, and no good purpose can be served by kicking up an undignified row over the silly business. Lunch with me at Druets on Thursday—one or thereabouts.” “I shall be delighted.” “I’ll see that Miss Jack is there, too,” said Maud. CHAPTER VII. Bolton’s one idea was to see Jacquelin and find out what it all meant. But Jacqueline was nowhere to be found. He searched for her high and low in vain, and at last found out from a servant that she had gone to bed with a bad headache. Then he realised that he must find Maud and enlist her services to make inquiries. But Maud was also nowhere to be found. The guests were settling down to bridge and billiards. Someone was clamouring for him to make a fourth. He excused himself on the plea that he had a trunk call on the telephone to attend to. And they were about to start a hue and cry for Lady Maud and Mr. Stone when those two individuals appeared. “Can I speak to you a moment, Maud?” said Bolton, drawing her aside. "I’m afraid little Miss Jack has been a bit upset. She’s gone to her room. Do you mind running along and seeing what’s the matter?” “Certainly, dear,” Maud answered and sped away. Stone was being commandeered for bridge when he went across the room to his host. “Bolton,” he said very quietly, “would you prefer me to leave Saye at once or have I your permission to stay overnight and leave as I have already arranged?” “You can do just as you like,” said Bolton brusquely. “In that case, then, I prefer to stick to my original arrangements.” “As you will.” “And, if you don’t mind, Bolton, I’d like to have a word or two with you when you can spare the time.” “No time like the present. Come into the library.” There Bolton and Stone stood face to face alone. “Well?” said Bolton, “what is it?”

“I feel I owe you some sort of apology,” said Stone. “I resented your manner just now; but I realise that perhaps it was justified since I gather that you are practically the guardian

Authors of “ The Real Mrs. Dare, ” The Men She Never Married,” *' Sword and Plough,” &c., £rc. of Miss. Croft. lam exceedingly sorry that anything I said or did to Miss Croft has caused her any pain. I have since learnt that she has been ill and that her nerves are all on edge, so to speak—” “Who told you that?” “Lady Maud —a few moments ago. But I can assure you, my dear Bolton, that nothing I said or did to Mis's Croft can possibly explain her excitable behaviour; and, had I known then as I know now, that she was a convalescent, my actions would have been precisely the same.” “What are you trying to say? Get to the point.” “The point, as you put it, is this,” Stone went on in his sauve manner, complete master of himself and conscious that for some inexplicable reason John Bolton was in a towering rage with him, “the point is just that I have fallen deeply in love with Miss Croft and I was anxious to see her again.” “You told her this?” “In a way, yes, though I spoke more of the latter than the former. What I mean to say is that I made no proposal of marriage to her. Our acquaintance has been too short to justify that; but I wanted to have the opportunity of seeing her again and getting to know her better. My intentions if I may say so, are transparently honourable. Now that 1 learn that you a.re Miss Croft’s guardian, I wish, with every respect, to ask you to give permission to ask her to be my wife.” Bolton was staggered. Stone rather enjoyed the situation. He folded his arms and remained silent. At last Bolton spoke. “May I ask,” he said, “if you are in a position to marry?” (To be continued.)