THE STORY-TELLER. A FATAL MISTAKE.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 15, 15 September 1883, Page 4

THE STORY-T ELLER. A FATAL MISTAKE.

(Concluded./ In courje of time a still m >re ser n*. misgiving dawned upon Mr Cli.cwoster' mind. Month succeeded nu>n(h, m\ and the widow continued to procrastiiut- 1 in the matter of their wedding, and showed symptoms of temper when he ventured to remonstrate with her. Her off-hand manner suggested that she had been trifling with him all along by way of revenge for his former treatment of her. Tne idea was at first so starting that it seamed preposterous, but >t length he could not help arriving at tii» conclusion that he wad the victim of a deliberate conspiracy. The proof w.ts that when the news came tuat his prolonged stay in England had resultel in appointment in India to which he had looked forward for years, the widow did not evince the least concern, but, on the contrary, exhibited the most unbecoming levity. This discovery naturally gave Mr. Cliiehester an unpleasant s iock, and filled him with virtuous indignation, but it did not exactly reduce him to despair. He was by no means disposed to fall iv with the la !y's wishes by terminating the engagement, having long ayo made tip his mind t.iat if he could not become master of the widow's fortune, he would at least secure a substantial slice of it by way of damages for his dismissal He was not a delicate-minded m in, and did not shrink from occupying the anomalous position of male plaintiff in an action for Ueach of promise of marriage. Having had this contingency iv view for a long time, he had suecssfully manoeuvred to obtain froui the widow a letter ivterriug to their engagement, so that if, after all, she jilted him he would have the consolation of revenge. \ It being, therefore, now pretty evident j that all hope of gaining tlie holy's Inn 1 was at an enu, it only remained for him ■ to be patient and long-suffering. Tuat! he would triumph ultimate y he entertamed no doubt, thougn unfortunately he had, in an unguarded moment, dropped an expression which had apparently put the widow on the defensive, since she seemed equally determined not to spt'a i the momentous words. Mr Chichester entered into the new phase of his courtship with mingled feelings, though he was consious th it he held the frumph card. He foresaw that the lady, bein_c bent upon annoying him, would easily - aeceed in rendering hilite a burden 10 him. He had ahead} bad bitter exp n'ience of her ingenuity in putting him to expense, and he hud too goo i re.ison to fear siie woul 1 continue this \Cj\ effectual persecution. All the^e liomal forebodings were realiz-d even ;u .0 fully than he had anticipate!. Tin* v, idow threw off the mask, an ' nearly succeeded in driving hi 1. to de^ deration. Mr Chic, tester l;iy aw. ike night after night, and moaned <-t the indignities which were, heaped upon him and the ruinous expenditure he uas forced to incur. The worst of ni? position was that he ha 1 to maintain au outward semblance of devotion, w.iile his soul writhed with anger aiui in iignation. The latent spark of nianim^s* within him was on the point of bl iziny into a fierce flame more than once, w <en shrewd and sordid caution would intervene, and by whispering that every day's delay and every fresh item of expense increased his claim for damages, reconciled him to his miserable existence This singular warfare lasted nearly uix months, and Mr Cuichester reached a state of mind which boardered on dis traction. He could neither eat nor sleep, and his determination not to give way became a sort of manomania. Mi> Lucas showed symptoms of an intense longing for freedom, and became tnmv reckless than ever in her treatment of the unfortunate gentleman. JBut ai length the inevitable crisis arrived, and he received a short note from the lady, which ran thus :—: — "Mrs Lucas presents her compliment to Mr Marshall Chichester, and in returning the presents he has been kin 1 enough to give her, begs to inform him that all question of marriage between them is at an end." Mr Chichester drew a long breath ol heartfelt relief and satisfaction upon reading this missive. He was ratnei surprised at the curtness of the communication, and wondered that the widow had been able to refrain from firing a parting shaft at him. Huwever, the omission naturally did not disappoint him, and the torm^ of tin note could not have been bettor suite 1 to his purpose. His case was now complete, and he at once put it into tic hands of a solicitor, with instructions to commence an action without a moment's delay. The amount of damages he claimed astonished the legal gemlomim to whom he confided his troubles, but there was no doubt he had suffered su!>stantial losses owing to the widow's perfidy, not to mention his disappointed hopes with regard to her fortune. Il was, he thought, quite evident that he could not fail to obtain a verdict for a large amount, so he awaited the result of hi 3 action with confidence. But a few days later, jusfc as he was beginning to recover from his state of prostration, he received a \isit from his lawyer, Mr Binks, whose ominous expression denoted evil tidings. * What is the matter V inquired Mr Chiche^ter anxiously. ' I issued a writ in your action, and I've jusc received a communication from the solicitors on the other side,' said Mr l>iuk» in a despondent tone.

* Well V inquired Mr Uhichester eagerly. * I'm afraid there has been an awkward mistake about the business/ returned 'he l"\vvor. ' You said you were sure tlte Indv is a widow ' '13 o s.'>' is,' said Mr Chichester, O] eiiiiu ijis <'jcs. ' Who t iOUi;i't so; but unfortunately that (urns out not to be the ease Colonel Lucas was not killed, as every oho supposed, but returned home unexpectedly a few days ago.' ' The dciico !' exclaimed Mr Chichester, w.th surprise. k Yes,' said Mr Binks, shaking hi? hea 1 , sorrow f illy, 'there is no doubl. about it. I iu\v Mrs Luoas' solicitor, and it appears sue was as much taken aback as any one. Tluv accounts for her breaking off the engagement, and there is an end of your action.' 'An end of— eh ! What do you mean V cried Mr Chichester, with a sudden foreboding. 4lt would he madness to proceed. Ti.e contract was fouude 1 upon a mistake — a complete misapprehension 01 the lady's position. JHUd sue known her husband was living, and concealed tin 1 fact, you might possibly have recoyere 1 damages from her private fortune, even though she had never been in a position to perform her promi c; but there is no pretence for saying s .c had the least suspicion that C<»lunei Lucas was alive. On the contrary, s'ie had cvavy reason to believe he was deid. You were equally under a misapprehension, and, tnerefore, there is no don 1 1 your acti >n wounl "ne defeated by a plea o* inista iv," expl un>- '< the i iwyer. glibly. ' T .en, ilo you v? ' trasuol Mr Cbichester. * Excuse me. Perhaps you liad better take a glass of water,' interposed the lawyer, justly ahrmo 1 by tne expression of his client's face. Mr C licnester smiiv into a chair an ' gn'ped down half a tumbler of sherry He seeme I perfectly (I az j lan I crushed by his m'sform i"<, an 1 Mr Binks !i id greivt d'flif'iliy in .n.i.Jn-r him un 'cist uid tli it ln x m '^f pu up wit. 1 , iiilos.^e^. an I ti ,t ie c./iJ . n>i i\> o v ■, compen^afi >n tvom my on - \V .• . he realise I th= Wi »• tr*: 1 i, 'h> un ..jp.> gen'lv j nii'i 'Oit his s.e.f-c) f i rol nvei like a mania;, Hnr'l\ ,vur c himsalf into aiicli a stite or c'r.'ii/y in i he had an apopletie fit. T m.s i\'>\>.^ to divert his tiiou_; its horn his .Us appointment hy u-i^ if.vi n;- hi n !r i i '- fuilv about "ii& lie i!;li. fl > e'"i-r>! i> Indui sliort.'y nft« j r'i,v, J s, .» \ »u!i .n bie 'eior <uui va! 'tn M i inau ; i,n n. a^-ed rtnl nhe.vl appeu'.i-ice ;\; \ shocked Ids friends.