The Man who Paid

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 311, 23 March 1928, Page 5

The Man who Paid

by

Pierre Costello

Author of *• A Smner in Israel •• Tainted Lives,” The Money Master,” Etc.. Etc

CHAPTER XI. —TYRANNY. But the next day came again the clash of their wills, and the atmosphere et the encampment was charged With storm. It came about in a way that humiliated Grace with its foolishness. -he had gone to watch the workmen among the ruins. It was just before umcheon. She had prepared and arranged the meal, but Rivett had gone ov er to the wood early and had not yet returned. Shf found the men had come back jrom their dinner. The foreman came up to her. He was better-looking than most of his race, taller and more upending. He had a swarthy face and tp ?k laugll * n £ dark eyes, and splendid He was one of the very few ini : ' p ? ke English, but with a curious on. tion and all sorts of picturesque -'Pressions that Grace found most Bering. , W ' lile she talked to him Kivett arrh 6< * ° n Hie scene, having descended oun * a * n sld© by a bridle path just b «hind the ruins. afS e < L ame U P to them, and immedi*y began to give the foreman a ring; of instructions, expressed with ri® u mos t peremptoriness, at the same im * CUl *tly admonishing his wife to lunch *° tJle ftrn * as H was time for His attitude stung her like a whip !h» o^. her faoe - lle had spoken to hoi as it she were a servant or j: d. She did not obey him, but '"gfcred purposely, asked the torea Pertinent question, and then wuif' 1 at in friendly farewell. p, n S uw ay slowly, and looking back. u ett ove *'took her before she nj the burn. His face was set. . 1 'lon’t think you understood me,” , *t aid ' 1 110 n °t wish you to talk nian - I forbid you to speak to u *ni again.” nm-* 1 !! ®ta.red at him, genuinely an*one bis voice. “wr* can you mean?” she cried, to »k. * * say. I forbid you to speak that man. 1 forbid you to speak any of the workmen.” tloJi°. U — for bid me?” She spoke determined not to lose her temI forbid you.” And—why?” d.v *ier© are various reasons. You not iT Un derstand these men. You do to J Cnow type. They are not used to h cmen bke you. Ido not wish you »» ave anything to do with them.” e >es were flashing. wif e <U »r Cannot b© serious. I am your h llilt ' is your house that is being into- ° Ur bouse. Am I to take no in Am I not to go and ok h° w it is getting on?” t>j ’i u ca P borne there with me,” answered. - Vom- d , on t think you have explained ,0 “ r * e « sufficiently.” Hot Jv 1 ?* m ©an to. it is enough—l do wish you to talk to the workmen.” n, J are preposterous.”

‘ The remedy is in your hands. 3Tou can go away. If you’stay, please do not talk to the men.” She was boiling with rage. She could not speak. She passed into the barn beside him, her head held high. The flowers that he had brought yesterday made the place gay. The table had been appetisingly set by Herself. There was a cold collation laid on a side table. For a moment she felt that she simply could not wait on him, but her pride came to her aid, and she fetched the dishes and laid them on the table, and went into the little kitchen for the potatoes, cooked to a turn, and savoury with butter and chopped parsley, as he liked them. It was a different meal to that of the night before. Grace could not eat. Food would have choked her. She played with what she took on her plate, and fed on her rebellious misery. Rivett did not talk, but looked quite contented and made a hearty meal. Immediately afterwards he disappeared, and she deliberately went back to the ruins and talked to the men. The foreman with the bold eyes showed her everything. He smiled the whole time, and kept very close to her, while he addressed the men who were working as if they were inferior beings, and, as she was going away, he smiled more familiarly than before and nudged her with his elbow, saying something in Welsh that she did not understand. • She walked away in high dudgeon. Rivett met her not many hundred yards away. He smiled at her, and it made her blood run cold. There was something absolutely brutal in his face. “You do not understand English, Grace,” he said. “You did not understand what I said this morning.” “Yes. I did.” “Then you deliberately disobeyed me?” “To-morrow morning you can go away. You can go wherever you like.” „ ~ ~T •*I am not going. she said. l have nowhere to go to.”