Island’s Thorne

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 553, 4 January 1929, Page 5

Island’s Thorne

(Serial Story)

(Published bp Special Arrangement)

—*• BY

FRANCIS VIPOND

CHAPTER IX.—(Continued.) “No, indeed,” returned the girl. “1 began work before the war, and was trained as a clerk. I was given a post in the office where father was employed. He thought it was bettei for me to remain there, as it was a permanency. We had a lot to do with big Army contracts, clothing, and T myself felt it would be rather unwise to rush into some fresh job that would end as soon as peace came. So I remained where I w T as, and then when father died I was very glad that I had remained with Mr Levi, for he was kind in his own way, and we were neither paid nor treated badly as things go. It was he who saw Mr. Thorne’s advertisement in The Times’ and told me about it. Really it is entirely owing to him that I am “I see,” said Lacly Greenthwaite. "We have been wondering how Mr. Thorne managed to get in touch with you after the lapse of so many years. X told mother it would be through advertisement/’ “I am afraid it must have been rather a blow to grandfather to find that, father had no son,” said Sydney. •He thought that my name being Sydney 1 was a man till I anived. Hugh was very much taken aback when he met me at the station. 1 think somehow, though, he was rather

glad.” “He would be,” said Lady Greenthwaite grimly. She had all a strong woman’s contempt for the weakness in Hugh’s character, and the fact of his not having served in the Army had made him very unpopular in his own neighbourhood. It was strongly felt that he had sacrified duty for convenience. “Master Hugh knows very well on which side his bread is buttered. He is a good land agent.” She added this last remark with palpable effort to be fair. “But personally I do not think he is a strong enough man to be really good in the position he holds. He is wrapped up m Island’s Thorne, and has managed to ~et right out of touch with the world bevond. It is partly Mr. Thorne’s fault for keeping him here all these years tied to his side. No man of spirit would have stood it. You must try and shake Hugh up a bit. Sydney. He badly wants it.” Sydney laughed. , . , „ •f think he wants to be kind to me. she said. “He was very stiff at first, but he is thawing by degrees. I can quite understand that he does not want me here, you knoM. •It is a curious and not altogethei

comfortable position for either of you,” said Lady Greenthwaite. “Mr. Thorne is such a very unusual person —thank Heaven —that no one knows what he may have in mind or what unexpected surprise he may spring upon us all next. Well, in the words of a celebrated statesman, we must ‘Wait, and see.’ I fancy we shall have a good many fireworks of one kind or another. This is one of the best views of Island’s Thorne, Sydney.”

They halted at the summit of a steep hill, and looked over a gate at the valley stretched below them. The shadows were lengthening, and the mountains were wrapped in a thin, shimmering haze which softened the grimness of the rugged, grey crags. In its upland basin lay the wide sheet of the lake, its unruffled surface reflecting the mountains as in a mirror of steel. On its promontory Island’s Thorne brooded over the j quiet water, the squat tower grim and i suggestive of the turmoils of long j past days of Border warfare. Near at hand a wide moor swept in rolling waves of young green bracken and stunted, fragrant bog-myrtle. Peewits and curlews called to one another j with their mournful cries, and a woodcock whistled and grunted as it wheeled in long curves overhead. Lady Greenthwaite turned to the j girl beside her, who was gazing out j in a rapt silence over the panorama, spread beneath them. “As far as you can see is your in-! heritance,” she said softly. “It is ! all Island’s Thorne, and in all justice it should be yours some day.” “Oh! How I wish I were a man!”) sighed Sydney. “Thorne of Island’s Thorne! Oh, Lady Greenthwaite, I never realised till this moment quite what that meant.” Her companion smiled. “I hope you will be Thorne of Island’s Thorne, though you are a woman,” she said. “Great possessions mean great responsibilities, hut I do not think you would shrink from that. And then you will marry ” “Oh, no! at least not yet,” said Sydney. “I do not want to get married, Lady Greenthwaite; I value my freedom too much.” “You will think differently all in good time,” said Lady Greenthwaite. They parted here, Sydney going back the way they had come, and the other woman proceeding across a field path. “She will be made to marry Hugh,” ! she told herself shrewdly as she ; tramped steadily on. “Hugh would :

marry anyone to keep Island’s Thorne and I am sure it will come to that in the end. Island's Thorne will take hold of her, too; I can see it beginning already. It is few Thornes who can resist its call, and we have seen the disaster that comes to them. Well, I suppose it is the best thing for them both, and they will not resist.”

CHAPTER X.—THE OLD MAN’S WISH. John Thorne sat, as usual, crouched by the fire, waiting with restless impatience for the coming of his granddaughter the following afternoon. He looked ill and sunken, and as Sydney walked across the* big room to his side it appeared to her that he had aged even since the day before. Pie looked up with a pinched smile as she kissed him. “It is good to see something so fresh and young as you about,” lie said. “And how do you like Island’s Thorne, Sydney?”

“It is all too lovely for words,” answered the girl -with a sincerity there was no mistaking. There was a faint tinge of colour in her pale cheeks; she looked altogether more robust and better, promising soon to be a very different creature to the delicate, town-bred woman who had been with the old, man the previous day. “I have been fishing on the lake this morning with Hugh,” she went on gaily. “And—think of it —I caught a trout! ” A slow smile twisted the old man’s thin lips. There was a gleam af satisfaction in his eyes. “I am glad you and Hugh are making friends,” he said. “I want you two to like each other. I do not think I have much time left to be here with you. I wish you had come before.” “You must get better now that I am here,” said Sydney gently. “I cannot tell you how I love the whole place, grandfather. It seems like some wonderful dream to find myself here; much too good to be reality. Hugh took me to see the Dower House, too. It is a quaint old place, but I think it will be very charming. We looked at a lot of wallpapers that were there, and I have chosen some, so you see we have been very busy. He tells me that you are going to have the whole place done up for us. It is very good of you.”

“Choose whatever you like, my dear,” said Mr. Theme, with most unwonted graciousness. “I want you to be happy and contented. Arrange things as you like, and tell Hugh to buy you any furniture you think would be an improvement. Remember, that as long as I live it is to he your home.” “I have written to mother,” Sydney told him. “Hugh says the Dower House ought to be ready in about six weeks’ time. When it is all in order it will be exciting moving in. I think I had better go up to London and bring mother down. I cannot leave her alone for so long. She is not very strong, you know, and it is a long time; besides, I shall have to go in any case, for she could not. manage the journey alone.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” returned Mr. Thorne. “But you w-ill not stay in London, will you, Sydney? Promise me that. YYra will come back at once?” “Yes, that is my intention,” she assured him. “I will come back as soon as I can get our things packed. We have not much in the way of household goods. That is one of the advantages of living in lodgings. It ought not to take me long.” "That is good hearing,” said the old man, with a sigh of relief. “Till you go Hugh can show you the neighbourhood, take you to see Lady Susan Croft and other friends! In the old days we were quite a gay corner of the world, but we have dropped out of things.” “Lady Susan has asked me to dine with her to-morrow,” said Sydney, wondering how he would receive this piece of information. “Lady Green-

tliwaite is coming to fetch me with her motor, and I am to stay the night at Underbank. You do not mmd. do you?” ~ ‘‘l am very glad for you to go, was the unexpected reply, and Sydney felt a vague sensation of relief at his acquiescence in the arrangement, for when she had told Hugh of her plans he had expressed doubts as to whether her grandfather would approve of her course or not. ‘‘Lady Susan is one of my oldest friends,’; went on the old man. “And though it is 20 years and more since I have seen her I still have the greatest respect for her. Her husband, Lord Francis Croft, used to be a good fellow. I remember he was a splendid shot in the old days; many a woodcock have I seen him bring down at Island’s Thorne. I wonder if he still shoots?” “Hugh says he does,” said Sydney. “And he fishes tpo. Hugh and I are going out on the lake again after tea; he says the evening is the best time. The May-fly is up, so even a novice like I am ought to be able to catch something.” “Your father was a first-rate fisherman,” said Mr. Thorne. “I am glad to find you seem likely to care for the sport. It shows you have many Thorne traits. Hugh has this one, too, and you will find him an excellent instructor. I taught him to fish myself when he was quite a boy.” “He is very patient,” said Sydney, with a laugh. “My first effort was to get the flies all mixed up together, then I caught his cap and -whisked it off into the wqter, but he did not mind a bit, he really took it awfully well. Fly-fishing is not as easy as it looks. I have got so far you see.”

“It wants practice,” said Mr. Thorne. “You will be able to give it plenty if this weather lasts, as it looks like doing. Hugh is an excellent boatman for you; he knows every inch of the lake and where the fish lie. lie spends many hours on and by the lake in summer, then in winter he skates or shoots wild duck.” “He is going to teach me to skate in the winter.” Sydney's eyes glowed with anticipation. “He has been telling me how delightful it is when the lake is frozen. I am locking forward to it immensely. Then he is going to teach me to ride as soon as I can | get a habit made. This dear place is full of delights, grandfather.'' “I am glad you find it so,” he said, simply. “I am so thankful you do not fiud it dull.” “I shall never do that,” Sydney spoke earnestly. She looked anxiously into the drawn face. “Now I am going to find Hugh and tea; I am afraid I have tired you out with my chatter.” He took her hands as she kissed him. “Come and see me to-morrow,” he said. “I cannot tell you what a comfort it is to me to have you here. Nowgo and look for Hugh.” He sat quite still staring into the fire for some time after she had gone. Long after Sydney had gone the old man sat gazing into the fire thinking, planning. After a long interval he went to his writing table and took out a long sealed env elope. He turned it over thoughtfully in his hand, then at last hesitatingly broke the seal and extracted a lengthy document. He sat down at the table and read it over more than once with a frown on his face. Then, pushing it aside, he took a blank sheet of paper and began to

write, carefully and with much thought, rewriting and correcting as he proceeded with his task. “It is the only way and the best way,” he muttered as he went once more through what he had written. “I must send for Wroule and have it put into order soon; it will not do to put it off.” He slipped the paper with the other document back into the envelope, which he endorsed before replacing once more in the drawer from which he had taken it. Then, as if it was a great trial to him, he dragged his weary limbs back to his chair by tht* fire. As he took up “The Times” Hugh came into the room. He looked more alive than usual; and his uncle i glanced at him and noted this fact with a grim, cynical smile. “Well. Hugh, and how are you get ting on with Sydney?” he asked. “I hope you and she are making friends.” (To be continued.)