CHAPTER IX. THE RUNAWAY WIFE.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 122, 3 October 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER IX. THE RUNAWAY WIFE.

Candicb, as she rode through the cold and darkness, thought only of her young husband, and sobbed behind her widow's veil until the fountains of her tears were dried. When morning dawned, cheerless and grey, with feathery snowflakes falling rapidly, she gazed out on the " Queen City " they were just entering with dry feverish eyes. Here was her destination ; here she must alight, and then what would become of her ? She threw her veil aside that tho cool air might fan her feverish cheeks, and the depot officials and waiting passengers gazed in wonder at the face before them. The brown eye's were wild and anguished, her pale visage shone forth white and colourless as any fine-cut cameo, and her long auburn curls were tossed and tumbled by the wind. Many kind-hearted women looked after her with tears in their eyes as she passed by. " Poor thing !" they murmured, softly ; ** so young to be a widow J" A crowd of busy hackmen swarmed about her,- confusing her by their rapid utterances. "Hack, Miss? Step right this way!" One brawny fellow opened the door of hi 3 vehicle as' if to induce her to enter. "No ! no !" She wanted no hack j she must walk, for she knew well the value of money.and had but little to spare. Hurrying on to escape their importunities, she found herself on one of the crowded thoroughfares. As she realised she had nothing in common with this throng of laughing, gayly-dressed women, she hastened up the first side street to which she came, thinkIn t fco escape from the gaze oi ao many wondering eyes. She passed along the boulevards, and hsr brown eyes widened with awe as she looked upon the magnifitcent dwellings before her. Rude men passed her and stared at her openly, but, too innocent to notice them, she wandered on and on. " Katie, I must find Katie," was her constant thought, and once or twice she accosted passers-by, asking if they could tell her aught of Katie Maguire, but they laughed in her face or answered pityingly, thinking she was crazed and knew not what she asked. One young man tamed and followed" her, wishing to attract her attention, but she was blind to his presence, and at last he turned away discouraged. She was hungry and weary, and stopped at a little bake-shop to buy a few cakes, asking permission to rest while she ate them ; then again she hurried away. On, on she went,' but Katie's cheery face did not greet her view, and considering how worse than useless it was to search for her, Candice, worn-out and heartsick, entered the first boarding-house she came to, just as the evening shadows were falling over the noiay, bustling city. The landlady glanced at her suspiciously, but was touched by the look of sorrow on the fair young face, and kindly made room for her amoßg her already numerous boarders. A tiny apartment was given her, poor and mean, but Candice was not used to better, and accepted it gratefully ; the room was heated by a drum fed from the base burner beneath, and the pleasant warmth was very acceptable to the cold, shivering girl. Throwing herself on the bed, Candice closed her weary eyes. An hour or more she lay there utterly exhausted, without a flutter of the eyelids or a motion of the toilworn though shapely hands, folded co tightly over her heart. Mrs Harris, more troubled than she cared to admit over her new boarder's appearance, stole noiselessly up to her room and knocked softly, but receiving no answer, opened the door and entered. She noticed the girl's position, and was about to withdraw as quickly as possible, when the eyes of the sleeper opened and gazed wonderingly about her. Noticing the waiting landlady regarding her curidusly, she struggled to her feet. "Iwasso weary, Madam," she said, in apology; "the warmth after being out in the cold made me sleepy, and I did not hear you enteT." " Can I do anything for you?" Mrs Harris said, kindly; "you look utterly fatigued." ■ "No, thanks," Candice said, gratefully ; " I am quite comfortable, and you are very kind." "My dear," Mrs Harris said in reply, "will you tell me your name? You are very young to be a widow, and yet you are dressed in a widow's garb." "My name V Candice said, wearily. "Ah! yes, 1 had forgotton I had not already told you. My name is Mrs Mayne." "I am not mistaken and you are a widow then, poor child?'' " Yes .' yes !" Candice moaned, plaintively. "I am widowed. Mark! oh 3 my husband !" The rounded arms were thrown up wildly, and the wine-brown eyes were dry and tearless. " Poor child ! poor dear !" Mrs Harris said, tears moistening her own eyes, and she did the greatest kindness she could have done to the friendless girl ; she went straight up to the fair young stranger with the passionate, anguish face, and drawing her head covered with a mass of red-gold hair down on her motherly shoulder, talked in kind, sympathetic tones until the little hands unclenched their passionate grip and the hard, tense look left the girlish face, and she was sobbing freely. The kindhearted •woman then went down to the kitchen below, and with her own hands brewed a tiup df strong tea, and with some warm muffins and rich preserves again sought the girl'e room and pressed her to eat. • ' The fitst morsel nearly choked her, but after she had drunk the tea and eaten a few mouthfuls, she felt better, and the kind woman left her, after tucking her warmly in bed and imprinting a motherly kiss on her brow. Mrs Harris did not realise the full extent of the kindness she had done ; poor Candice was on the verge of madness, and the kind, motherly treatment, so unlooked for, had started the tears once more, and eased the throbbing brain. Would there were more women like Mrs Harris ; many a poor girl would be savedif this were ao ; kind words in pity spoken will melt the heart, but bitter ones will drive the erring one further and further in the downward course.