CHAPTER IX. HERBERT ESCOMBE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 268, 30 May 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER IX. HERBERT ESCOMBE.

Astlky wen I to his room and shut himself in, feeling, tor a time, all the bitterness ihat he had felt/ ab home after the trial. I'oci follow! He blamed himself £or leaving England, where he had friends who had never doubted him. He thought angrily of Mr Turnerand theothcrswho had soinsulted 'iim. But he was not the man to yink under trouble, however great. His Mrs o thoughts were bitter, very bitter ; presently, however, hit! brow resumed its a/c?.ustomed smoothness, as his thoughts took a new and happier turn. ' After all,' thought Ik'» ' what can J expect? It must appear very bad to people, and I can produce/ no proof of my '

I innocence Bub it is a fearful cloud to b | always under. I wish I had lot those con foundod letters of introduction alone, will deliver no more, though I run the ml of offending my friends. They would for givo me if 1 told thorn the reception 1 havi met with ; which 1 don't think J will do Well, I must make the best of it. I have at least, a clear conscience. (*od gian that time may clear us. 1 His thoughts having reached this point glided off into another groove, and Mn Ashford'ri position coming into his mine caused him to take a brighter view ot his own prospects. ' What a coward 1 am,' he reflected 'My troubles are as nothing comparcc with hers. Henceforth [ will think as little about them as possible, and wil endeavour to enjoy what the gods gi\e. it ivas a wise resolution. Could lie carry il out '! Among the few gentlemanly fellows ai that time staving at the hotel, Astley h;« made the acquaintance of one, apparently about his own age, named Herbert Escunbe, JJe has been casually mentioned at an eailj stage in this story, but as he will play ; prominent part hereafter, he is worthy of t more particular introduction. Jle was v tall, well-built, athletic fellow, with iaii hair and moustache and laughing blue eyes Thcie was a resemblance betwee u him am Astley, both being fair, though t 1 cii leatun s were dissimilar. It would be hani to )-'iy in what they resembled earl 1 othoi, but the fact was noticed by e\eiyoiu who «aw them. Was it that then ehaiaciei ' wore alike, and so called foith thu saint e\pies«ion, or what? None could say themschos least ot all. Some insfmcl dicw them together the first nig it A-fle\ -•pent in W . They had met many wineMince, and though this was only the tomtf day of theii acquaintance, they seemed lik( old friends. And friends they weie. Ii Eseombc, A-tley found a tint- iiiend. V>\\ of that hereafter. To-day, n-> A-tley was going downstairs, he met Escombe cominj up, who "aid : ' You aie the very fellow I want. Lan fining to -ec some people, great fi iends o mine, to-night, and if you ha\e nothing better to do I want you to cmiii with ny They aic iir.st-ralo people, no pui.-e-pnd< about them. What do you say, will yoi come ?' ' Thanks manj , my dear lellow, but \oi l colly must excuse mo,' saiM Astley ' 1 have no engagement, but -' ' Hut — gammon !' said Escombe good natuicdly; ' not shy, btuely v "No, ;-e.uccly shy, E-combc, but -" l oh, come along, man,' said hi-tiiond • >. ou ically shall not buiy \om-elf in llk way ) ou do 'JNlydcai Escombc, you ie illy niiht c v cu'-e me. 1 am in no humour tor M-iting people,' said Astlcy, gloomily ' Korgi\e me, Berwick, nothing winng i.there?' ictuiucd Escombe, seeing hiliiend 1 - gloomy look- and noting his last .somewhat peeuliai remark. 'Indeed, es, theie /- something wiong. E-combe, something very wiong which, unhu tuna(el>, cannot be lighted, <<u<\ A-tlev with a -igh. ' Aly deai tellow, 1 am snrr\ to hear tin.-, truly \orr\. Can I help >ou ' lam piolt-> well-know n here, and if it l- an.\ thiiigw Inch m\ fucndship can alter, commaiul me "i^combe -o e\identl> meant what he -aid that Berwick telt how gre.it the lehef would be to tell tin-, kind heat ted tellow hi-tiouble. But if he should ckmhl lum ' -aw a,v with the thought ! The> weie now alone in a private -itting loom, and, il being a u - ood opportunity, lieiuick, aft ei thanking E-cumbe for liiniricndl\ oveituie-, plunged in m*'/i(f> /•'•>, and t lie lattei wa--oon pei foctly acquainted with the altaii During the recital he had tiequentlyox pu-N-ed hi- sMnp.ithv. and. h.iuti^ luaid it to the end, (^claimed - fc JSIy deal old fellow, 1 am \. is «il,i<l you have placed conJidence in me 'Thank \ou, E-eombe But do you belie\e me Do >ou bcli«-\ • that I am innocent v ' 'A-tley lV'rwick,' e\cl.umed lv>cnmbe, hiinkh extiMuhtig his hand whuh Berwick took and held in his own, ' I beb^c e\ei \ \\v)id you have told me — mind ym, c\ery w oul, and 1 shall ne\er doubt >ou. You could not tell a lie. A-tley.' 'M) deal E-combe," said A-fcle\ . tho teaiN 'standing in his e>c% 'I cannot say how- 1 \ .-due your esteem. Mclicvc me Ido \ due it greatl> : >ou ha\e bv your trust, and gr.U'ious hiend-lnp, taken a he.-ny load oft m,\ heart, but, E-combe, my dear iellow, v ill not our friendship coinpimnL-e you with othei- who^cannot teel towards me a- you do '' ' Coni])iomise me ! Let ir if it can, but it won't- it can't. My dcai tellow , you have found a champion who '-hall be uoitln of the name, and if e\er this unpleasant, nay, damnable busine-s crops up m my hearing to your preiudicc— then, look out ' l'fa\ing thus deliveicd himself, our friend aro-e and rang the bell. ' Biing u bottle ot tho\et> best champagne,' said he to the waiter. There are di\er- ways of expressing sMupath) ! Thu- thc-e two -warm-heart eel \oung tellow- became fiieni^ — and -ueh fi lends ' Later on Escombe went to keep his- engagement, and, being on a cry intimate terms with hi* host and hostess, spoke of Astloy in a way that enlisted the sympathy ot his listeners, he feeling, tor his friend's sake, that it weie best he should be the lir.-t to tell his antecedents, actualh vouching for his innocence, saying that he knew it. He knew all about the matter from the most icliable information. The whole thing was a plot which, unfortunately, could not at present be exnosed, but e\cntually would be. This resulted in his entertainers begging him to bring Astley on cr soon, saying That they would be always- ulad to see him as his fiicnd.