CHAPTER XV. AN ALLIANCE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER XV. AN ALLIANCE.

One morning, Sabina and Janie were engaged on an errand in Richmond Road, Old Bromplon, when a handsome cab that had come rattling along behind them was pulled up, and the occupant stepped out. Sabina happened to turn her head. " Mr Foster !" And, indeed, ifc was Mr Foster - brisk, smiling complaisant ; very smartly dressed And gloved, too, though the tall hat made him look a little bit unfamiliar. " This is a stroke of luck," said he. " I was driving down to the sports at Lillis Bridge— little expecting to have this pleasure." "Oh, but you can't tell how glad I am to see you able to get about again," she said, with great earnestness. "Indeed, indeed, I am very glad !" " There is not much to boast ot yet," he eaid, hghfcly. "I don't think I should like to back myself to run the Opeu Quarter Mile in forty-eight seconds. That -was done on Saturday at this very place. But we are getting on. And at any rate a hansom is more comfortable than a Bathchair. lam just making the fortunes of the London cabbies at present. Well, now, I won't detain you, for I saw you were walking quickly, but I want you to toll me if 1 may call at Kensington-square to make your acquaintance, you know." "To make my acquaintance?' 1 she repeated ; she did not understand. "Why, yes," he continued, cheerfully. «• You've only known me as a cripple— in a Bath-chair and a pot hat. I want to introduce myself in a new character. May I come to see you— and Mrs Wygram ?" "I am sure we shall be very pleased indeed, ' Sabina answered, with evident sincerity. " Why, you don't understand — it is like getting well ones-self to see you as you are now. Don't you feel very happy about it? I do." Her sympathy was exceedingly frank, and her pleasure on witnessing this transformation, obvious enough. Indeed, in her surprise and gratification over this sudden eucounter, she had entirely forgotten the little tentative embassy that Mr Foster's mother had undertaken, and when he asked her to say on which day he might call at Kensington-square, she instantly named the following afternoon. "Sabie," her companion remonstrated, " You will be at the Charity Organisation 1" ••I shall be home by half past five," was the answer, " and very glad of a cup of tea — because sometimes the proceedings are not quite unanimous.'' "What?" Mr Foster struck in. "You don't mean to say that those good people have an occasional bickering? Well, I Rhould like to be there— to lend you a helping hand." Sabina laughed. " What is the matter ?" he asked, innocently. " I think you would make a strange figure at a meeting of the Charity Organisation Society, 1 ' she remarked. " I've got an English tongue in my head —I could speak my mind," he said, bluntly. " However, I see you want to be off. Tomorrow at half-past five, then." And he got into the hansom again and drove away, while they turned out of this thoroughfare and made for the Fulhanv road. As they were going through the Bolton?, Sabina said :—: — "I am so glad we met him. I feel quite happy about ifc." " I don't see why his recovering from an Accident should be of so much importance to you," Janie said, rather coldly. ' ' You forget that I was mainly the cause of the ii( oulent," Sabina answered, but in liergentle way. " \Yp will not discuss that, for we are not- likely to agree." And then Janie added Bharply : " And look at the way he occupies his time, now that he can get about again —driving in hansoms to places of amusement—his only thought for himself. Why, Sabie, I can't understand the interest you take in that man. There never were two human beings so entirely dissimilar in everything. When I think of the life he loads — s ports and pleasures and pastimes from week's ci.d to week's end ; and the life that you lead — working bard, and all foe other people " "Janie, Janie,'' Sabina said, with a laugh, " why will you be so violently prejudiced ? Haven't I told you a hundred times that what ia right for one person is not necessarily right for everyone? Different people have different hobbies, and I happen to have mine. Do you think, if I could ride like Mr Foster, and play cricket, and so on, I should not be intensely interested in those things ?" " Oh, yes," said Janie, with cutting irony. " I can quite imagine Sabina Zembra a champion slayer of pigeons. Two to one, bar one. That's just like you, Sabie !" When Mr Fred Foster called at Kensing-ton-Square the following afternoon, he was even more scrupulously neat in his attire ; and the slight lameness from which he efcill buffered served as an excuse for the display of a walking-stick, the head of which was of olaborately carved jade. There was no embarrassment about him over this his first visit to the house ; he was more pleasant to Mrs Wyerram (Janie liad gone out) ; he was anxious to hear from Sabina of the proceedings at the Charitable Organisation Society; and he facetion-iy remarked that, although he had intended to introduce himself as a new acquaintance, it was impossible to keep up the pretence— he preferred to acknowledge that he had fallen among old friends, " Well, you know," he said, "the memory of a holiday-place and the time you spent there is always far finer than the thiug itself, and fortunately so. Don't you over think of those mornings. at Brighton, Miss Zembra— out at the end of the Pier," you know ; the fresh wind, and clear skies, and the music ; the young people about ; and you beginning to think that when lunch- time comes along you will be quite ready? Very jolly mornings they were, weren't they ? And when .you lopk back at them, they seem very, bright somehp\v-raj poetical halo, I. suppose?. Arid; that," he continued, warming to his stfbjcct, for he was evidently bent on making a good impression, in bis self-complacent way, " that is what I should like to have in my .composition—just enough poetry to make things, lookalittlebetterthanthey are. It's no great harm to go on thinking , all your geese are swans, so long as you don't j!n<A it out. Of. coum,, I shouldn't tfant to have as muoh. rtoetry as would drive One into publishing it, and running the racket of the critics, ans becoming miserable if the public woulant

look at you. Oh, no ; I should like to bo abletb take a fairly roseate view of things,' but for my own use" ; I shouldn't care a rap what other people thought of them. As for writing real poetry, now, well, I don't know— lsupposo it maybe interesting to be a famous person— in your own life-time, I mean— people stare at you, if that ia any good to you— but beyond that what is there m fame ? I don't see that it would be of any advantage to me that people should remember my name two hundred years after my death." His apologia pro vita sua would sometimo3 come in thus in the mosb unexpected fashion ; but indeed it was unnecessary, for Sabina had a wide experience of diverse modes of life, and she was tolerant to a degree. If ho seemed to spand a good deal of his time up ab Lord's and ab the Oval, why should he not, on those pleasant summer afternoons ? He was harming no one, [ as far as she knew. ; Ho did not ovorstay his welcome ; and it was clear that on this first visit he had ! managed to somewhat mibigato Mrs Wy- ! gram's prejudice against him ; for it was with no groat asperity that she said, when ho had gone :— "Sabie, don't you think it just a little awkward that Mr Foster should come here ?" " Why, then !" said the girl, with some surprise. f • Why, you know it is not such a long time since he asked you to be his wife—indirectly, at least. And a refusal is supposed to mean something. I should not wonder, now, if you encourage him to call, and receive him in that frank way you have with everybody, he may begin to imagine that you would not be sorry if ho repeated his .offer." Sabina reddened a little, but she said :— •'Dear Mrs Wygram, you must not put such fancies into innocent people's heads. I am sure he is thinking of no such thing. He is as busy in his own way as I am in mine ; especially now that he can get about again." Busy as he wa3, however, Mr^ Foster found time to pay several visits to Kensing-ton-square; and he was very straightforward in asking Sabina when she was likely to be found at home. Ho seemed exceedingly desirous of establishing affectionate relations between Sabina and the old lady in Buckinghamshire. *«*<One day he brought with him a magnificent basket of stiawberries. "This is a little present from my mother, Miss Zembra," ho said, "and she wants you to know that they are her own growing —-of course she is rather proud of them." " That is very kind, I am sure," Sabina said. " Will you give her my best thanks, and say how good it was of her to think of me?" "If you wouldn't mind sending her a note yourself, Miss Zembra ?" he suggested. " It would please her so much." "Oh, yes, I will," Sabina said at ciue; "give me the address." And so the brief note was written and despatched to Buckinghamshire. Of course it needed no reply, out all the same the reply came, in the shape of a very long and affectionate letter, in which the old lady ventured to hope that she had done no harm by a certain indiscreet disclosure made atßrighton. Moreover, enclosed intheletter was a photograph of the garden where the strawberries were grown ; with Mrs Foster seated in an arm chair, and the old gentleman, scissors in hand, standing at the doo'of tho vine-houseß. It was a pretty and peaceful- looking picture ; and Sabina, in acknowledging the receipt, said bo. What, ', then, should arrive— even by return of post —but an invitation, a general invitation, to Sabina to come down to this peaceful retreat whenever she felt tired, or ill, or depressed, with abundant assurances that she would be treated with the moeb considerate care. A more than friendly letter, nicely worded ; and Mr Fred Foster was good enough to endorse that invitation eagerly, and to say the old lady's heart would just be filled with joy if Miss Zembra would take her at her word, and go down to see her when the opportunity arose. Another point that he went back upon again and again, was the necessity of Miss Zembra introducing a little more amusement into her life. He had nothing to say against the solf-appointed labours that she had devoted herself to ; only that she was too assiduous. All work and no play, he in* sisted, was the right thing for no one ; and he appealed to Mrs Wygram. Why should not Miss Zembra have gone, up to see the Eton v. Harrow match at Lord's— for indeed he had been desirous of escorting the waole party thither ! " But X find my amusement in my work, such as ife is*," Sabina said," good-naturedly. 11 1 don't know that I should care to sit and look on ab a number of boys knocking a ball about. Perhaps I might, though. Young English lads, healthy and well-built and active, are always nice to look at. And that reminds me I am going down to see my boys on the Arethusa and Chicester next Wednesday ; it is the annual inspection. Now, is nob that a sufficient holiday, Mr Foster ? .And lam going with a clear conscience ; t shall not have to drag either Mrs Wygram or Janie with me ; Mrs Tremenheero is going, and I have merely to pick her up at Charing Cross Pier. Now, is not that enough of a holiday ? A pleasant sail down the river, luncheon on board tho Arethusa, watching the boys go through their drill, presenting the prizes, , and then back to town ?" And nob only did Mr Fred Foster express approval, but also he was curious to learn further and minute details about this projected excursion. What was the institution? Who were the managers? Who were likely to be there on Wednesday? How were invitations come at '! "You know," said he, "if my little arrangement about the Leicestershire Cup comes off I shall" become a subscriber." "I think we'd rather have the money now," Sabina said, " and then you won't risk losing it." "But it's out of the profits — if any — that the subscription would come," he then explained. Soon, however, he was to be of assistance to her in a more immediate way. One evening, about half-past six, ho strolled along to Kensington Square, on the off chance that she had returned home somewhat before dinner-time : a message from the old lady in Buckinghamshire was the ostensible excuse for his calling. He had scarcely entered the Square wnen he perceived her at the further corner of it, coming north ; so he leisurely went on to meet her. " Oh, Mr Foster, I am s glad to see you," j she said,* in her frank way, " I want to see if you can give me some help." "You may be sure I ■\yill if I can," he said, cheerfully. "It. is rather 9 sad story/she said, plunging into -the, matter {at once. "A poor widow.l ,k,now hop an. o.nly son,, a l*d a^out fifteen, arid he., has »gott 'into trouble. It isn't merely" ,the loss of his .wages for the momentrr-fchougli, thafc is .sonjetjung to her —it is jh\s |utu,rej v and tho difficulty of getting, anptheß situation for him, , that is wonying tb.o. pqor <woman. -, ' This, is how it happened, j jRo h employed » in a liyerystaple keepers pjaoe>idqwn \n ISarVs Court. , , He ijacf to < take, a , whip into * the. , clerk's afißco to leay,f> it there.; , Well, <a< customer Jyid t beeri-pjiying a bill, and the change was two shillings; but he had. neglected to

pick up the change ; and he and the clerk oame to the, door of the office, for they were talking together. The boy goes past v them into the office to leave the whip ; he sees the florin lying on the counter ; the temptation is too great, he slips it into his pocket. Then the man remembers he has. not picked up his change ; turns and finds it is gone j the boy is challenged, and at once gives up the florin. Well, of course, there is no excuse ; but of course most people have done things they are sorry for ; and lam certain this boy has nothing of the inborn thief in htm -it was a suaden temptation, and he gave way. There was a talk of prosecution : I went to his master I and he consented to slop that ; only he insisted on dismissing the lad ; so that ho is now without a situation and withont a character or reference. Can you get some kind -hearted man to overlook this one slip and give the boy another trial ?" She had an admirably business-like way of putting a case ; perhaps she was used to it. As for Fred Foster, he paused ; had he not always been telling her that she needed a man's shrewdness and firmness to assist her— that she was always running the risk of being imposed upon ? "If I could see the lad,"said he,* 'l think T could tell by the look of him whobher his story will wash." "Oh, but he confesses !" " Well, I could tell whether I should cartto ask somebody to give him a fresh start." " Would you mind coming and seeing him now?" she said promptly. "His mother lives not ten minutes' walk from here, and he is at home just now I know." " But if j'ou are kept late for dinner ?" " Oh, that is nothing !" she said cheerfully. "They never wait for me; that's all right." So they set out — she walking at a studiously moderate pace, and he seemed a little proud and pleased to have so fair a companion. And how did he entertain her? Well, there had been a smoking concert at Mildenhall, in Suffolk, given by certain "bookies" to their friends who were at tho Newmarket race meeting ; and he had boon present on this particularly festive occasion ; and he gave her a fairly vivid and humorous account of the evening. He was very honest ; he never sought to conceal anything about himself or his companions, and they seemed to have been pretty gay at the White Hart Hotel. In the middle of the story, Sabina bowed to some one passing, and Mr Foster, raising his hat, as in duty bound, merely glanced at the stranger. "That is Mr Lindsay, the artist, whom I have spoken to you about," sajd Sabina. " Oh, indeed," he said, indifferently. "An odd-looking creature— gaunt, whitofaced, and black-haired— seems to have come out of Byron's poems — those artists always do like to look singular." , "But you must not say anything like that about Mr Lindsay," said Sabina, gently, "for ho is a peculiar friend of mino— • of ours." When they reached the widow woman's scantily-furnished lodgings, the peccant yjuth seemed almost paralysed with fear : he imagined that this appearance of a stranger could only mean prosecution, with its unknown horrora. But Fred Foster, speedily reassured him. After a sharp scanning of the boy's face :-— •' Look here, my lad, you've had a narrow escape, and I hope it will be a warning to you all your life. This lady has told me the whole story ; and I think I can get you a situation, where you will have a fair trialonly it will be out of town " " Oh, he will not mind that, sir," the mother interposed, quickly, "if only he can get another chance. Poor lad, he feels it awful, sir." " Well, if you mean to keep on the square," he said, still addressing the boy, " I'll see what I can do. Get your kit together, and meet me at Victoria Station to-morrow at ten-forty. Will you remember ?" "Yes, sir." "I will take you down to Epsom, and get you a place there, where nothing will be known of what has happened. The rest is for yourself ; >ou will have a fair chance of gutting on." " Yes, sir, thank you, sir." The boy was too frightened to say more. " Well, now, that; is very kind of you to take so much trouble," Sabina said, when they were come out again. "To go away down to Epsom " •' Don't give me unnecessary credit, Miss Zembra." he said, at once. " Going down to Epsom never comes amiss td me — I can always put in a day in that quarter, sometimes to my om n advantage. And I will get your stable-boy a place easily enough ; poor young devil, he seems frightened out of his wits. I suppose his mother has been nagging at him. What a fearful thing it would be if everything was to be treasured up against us, and no forgiveness possible. I don't mean you," he added, nastily, " I was talking about men. And — i and— 4id I tell you how we wound up the evening at Middenhall ?*' I Sabina thought he had not ; and so — he discoursing the while on these pretty goings-on— they walked equably back to Kensington Square. It was only a day or two after this, occurrence thab Walter Lindsay happened ' to meet Janie Wygrara, who with' her mother had gone to pay an afternoon call at an artists house. Wandering about the big studio, as all of them did, he had Uttle difficulty in getting the chance of saying a few words to Janie by herself. "I suppose,'' he said, rather diffidently, "that it was the Mr Foster you told me of whom I saw walking with Miss Zembra the other day ?" Janie instantly turned her sympathetic and troubled eyes towards him, and then lowered thorn. "I did nob know you had seen them," she said. "But no doubt it was Mr Foster. Sabie told me he had gone with her to see some people she's interested in. Well, what do you think of him ?" She hoped he would say something bitter and savage. "I only caught a moment's glimpse of him, he said evasively. "He goes a good deal to Kensington Square ?" He endeavoured to spoak in an indiffer- j ent way ; but Janie was not deceived. " Yes he has been there several times of late ;" and there was a little touch of indignation in her tone as she added : " And do you know how he has acquired such an influence over Sabie? Well, I'll toll you — ib his impudence — puro impudence. Sabie has never been treated in that free and easy way before ; and she doesn't understand it, and gets bewildered; and thinks there must be something in him because he is cool and complacent and masterful towards her* And to- $tyk '^afcSabie~a girl like Sabie— should be imposed upon by pure impudence i" Blut Jariie Wygram could scarcely be regarded sxd a dispassionato judge.