LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7740, 16 February 1905, Page 4

L ITERATURE.

i- A THIEF IN*THE NIGHT. W.r "Do I lo ve cousin Gerald ? " ft Madge Hargraves was looking at Efc.W reflection in the ntirror during Battle delicate process of sotting that KJainty hat on the well-poised head E&rith its luxuriant growth of dark Elttrown ha«r. when t,,is t ho,l « ht flaah - B&ed through ber mind. A nch crim--Braon wa»e swept quickly over the BL'tovely toce ; it seemed like a wave I f£ol Are passing over it, s«j hot was mFz it, and she rttiented involuntarily Wk, from too mirror. &.-• '• Do I love cousin Gerald ? " |gv She sank into a chair and pro»<ed ».' ber 000 l hands on her buruling face, fe- trying to hide herself from herself. * The fleeting vision of her crimson j; face had imprinted itself on her brain s- w ! th marvellous vlvidity and she ' J - could not shut it out. Gradually her face became cooler and the rapid beating of her heart «■ gradually steadied into the regular pulsation. She uncovered her face and stood once more hefore tin- inir-

ror, surveying her reflection with a . fixed gaze. i, " Yes, I do love Cousin Gerald !" | ( , she murmured determinedly. " But does he love me?" This last inquiry brought a troubled expression to the lovely countenance. For the last fortnight Ger- - aid Hargraves had been in the old country "house commonly designated , " home " toy three persons—Madge Hargraves;. her cousin, and his father Robert Hargravds. Madge had been X- left an orphan at an early age, and y " the custody of the child, .with the care, of the large estate to which she '. was heiress, was left to her father's brother, Robert Hargraves. The latter, with his son, had taken up his : quarters in the old house and had ruled %s master. - It bad been a good tiring for Robert Hargraves, for he was comparatively poor and had not had the feme " luck " (as he termed it) as his elder brdifcer. t , I*o two children had grown up t0•85=7 •85=7 gether for a few years, but as Gerald was five yeart older than Madgo (her father having married later in

We), the lad went away to school while aha was still a small girl, and afterwards he went into the world to make his own way. From one cause and another the cousins had ntft seen each other for .- fire years, and that meeting had been ■- as events were proving, a fato'ul . one. Madge had looked oagerlv for Geralds coming this time, but his fc* TioUr had m J' sti fied and vexed aer. At one time he would be all attention, as if—yes, she could sav Jt now !-as if he !oved her. and then he-would change suddenly, it was through pondering over' this tact while adjusting her toal that Madge had unconsciously asked herself the all-important question and had received her answer. A " important question ? Was it "> Was It not equally important, per- ?"* , groW cold * s « »ad become hot a few minutes- earlier nn ,i

«w lips trembled. ' an " and « h 0 fe,t i«" awm • off ** hat and P»««« a headache ln order to avoid the promised waK with Gerald. 1 WOuld **> cowardly," s. h e I T*.?, H»««raves are not towards'! i Thfir history js full of hf , loic d j J andsacrifices; they have foughTTr ture and death rather than betrav a £ - t , Thre ? m ''n«t«s later she was on the ~ Wa L. to wait for »*r. He was «w "**■ a PP e arod. but she :' Saw him _* . .

walk hZ t?* r ?? C '" Dg at a f l ul 'ck I ijoV Z- he ?! ber end ° f thc """>- }£ argraVeS 'J" S Bjrlß jrl »» a'l ' the ancestors , w whom she had been thinking. and reprew the delight which his coming aroused wßhin her. '■How I envy a man, whose privilege ,t is to show his affection Willie a woman must remain without eaioUon, though her heart be breaking, tin the man she loves makes Jus , .waUil*. Madgv," cried the young »»»- I fear that lam not the most punctual of mortate " fcm'™ tJf T ' a,,lt ' GnM - r ""'« ,OTger thanu stial in putting my halt on." ' ***'. bowin «f Kal'aiitlv. His ml«if ,0n ! 1 . W SUch a ""«** »f «<»- S^ WBS forced t» think_it in > i«,„i.. j

?™£ r " uraea »«dgrm^n g a \° Wdß her P'«asureat •WJ be lighted to see the old ™^ r,eS *' aal other wellknown personages! Let us go at S? W "P tor lost time," Bh *^* d 'rit" ft faugh. UP. he remarked, his eyes, twinkling. •■• Hell, I am willing to do anything for j-ou." Madge's heart beat violently - against her side but she was presented from shjing: any reply by the arrival of a telegram, brought to him at that psychological moment by a footman. Gerald opened the envelope hastily and read the contents ; he looked perplexed for a second,, and then said abruptly: -v There is no reply." •"lis there any bad news, Gerald?" she asked him anxiously, as tho footman retired, . _ ••'• No, Madge, not that li can unilerstAnd," he replied somewhat absently. " I don't comprehend the message exactly, and I fancy it has reference to a letter which was sent to roe but which I have not lective*. Pferhapg {the letter will arrive by the evening-post—got delayed somehow. Now, of! we go ! "- Hodge perceived that her cousin ~%»»• a little worried in spite of his attempt to appear gay, but the exhilaration ot thc walk and toe companionship of a lovely, vivacious girl had their effect in time,, and he chatted freely. Madge Margraves was delighted ; it teemed that the old, vacillating behaviour of her cousin hod disappeared and her pufee quickened as the thought came to her that Gerald might take the advantage of muk shaded nook tp declare his love. She had beard and read how these critical moments come to some women, and she was as romantic as the most of her sex ; she longed for H with that curious, timid shrinßiag from the possibility of the realisation of that blissful moment for which she was, with human inconsistency, ardently awaiting. She had ascended a low hank in order to obtain a view of the lower country that atrelched away on the other side. " Oh, it is a splendid view, Gerald ! " she called out, as the turned to look at ftim. To her surorise, he was gazing, at the telegram with a white face and an anxious expression. At the sound of her voice he folded the paper and made as if to spring up thc bank in order to stand by her side. It all happened in an instant : in half turning, her foot slipped and she staggered and fell. Madge uttered a Httle cry as she felt herself Boinff. hot a second later she fell full into 'the open arms of Gerald, who clasped those arms around her. SHe felt there was a stronger pres-. sure than even the exigencies' of the case warranted, and her eyes lifted swiftly in order to look into his. Their faces were close ; he bent slightly and kissed her passionately. " Madge, Madge <" he cried hotly. "Oh,.MadKc! Ybu are safe in my arms, and [ wish I could always have the right to hoCd you thus !" Madge hftf her face against his shoulder. All her doubts and fears had! vanished : he loved her. and she >wa» passing through, that ecstatio tlaw when woman hears; the declarar.tlon of love from him whom she lov.tes awl admires as the best and noforlest of men. _ And then came the 'bitterness of wsappoin'tuient ; in the midst of her ecstasy she was driven to the oi»posrte emotion. Surely, but few wi>Menpass through such an experi-

OeraW stood her carefuHy on her . fefet and released her. His laco „•„« • - folly evidence of his agony * *ZZ?2J°Z *?*• ' ° , " rht not dr t n o° to « ™* -I il|2? ""S shame mantled hor BffiS«'y» * a « tortured by the reHHHG££|g£|||:-?! )e bail sbotra Jjer

sentiments to Gerald, who was now disclaiming her, as it were. " What do you mean ? " she gasped, with trembling lips. | " Forgive me, Madgo." he begged ' brokenly. •• I have plated you iti I a false position, and I am to blame, but my love gained the mastery, and 1 forgot myself ! " ' *' Ido not understand it," she said dully,, passing Her hand over her eyes as if to clear awav the obscuring mist. - That yon "love me and yet "- | •' I love you but I cannot ask you to be my wife." he cried. '• I have no right to do so. Nav, by eve.'v other right 1 ought to "go awav and never see you again. Yes, 1 ' love ! you-how can I help it? n„t vou must forget that and try to act as taough I had never lived." ; • •••Wow can 1 do that ? " s he burst 1 folt »P ass;ona tely. • You have won , my heart and now you reject it Oh Gerald, to think that vou, vou P s.iould have brought this huiihl.a- • t tion upon me." r ] uii i*"' .""L" h 0 sh °uted, raiding t . his hand with the action of one who - ia »-«>-ding off a !,low. ■• j have

been wrong : 1 cannot ask vou to be my wife. I cannot explain : vou ,n™« lorg.ve me. Oh, if I natl us Lh" ~Wt l haVe bWn ,wUcr f °>- bitten *: - lm ° St 8S SO °» ■» the gretted them. •■ Xo , ( ; ( . rald j a glad she added, placing her hand XI "'J? ~a nd sa - vin S th « «-oi-ds with ineffable sweetness. " You know that I love you, and a woman gives her low, only once. Whatever happens, I shall iove vou. If V ou "m ,n v l ™' b,c . Ut ««" " L ''P J""", (lernis head to hide bis cmalion. ■• Wt me help you, Gerald, for the old times, and-and the present." Ho <hd not answer, and she continued : "What is if, Gera.ld ? It is " she spoke fiercely as the thought came to her—" is it my money ! Are you placing that as a barrier between us? You must not do it • 1 will give it all away rather than'let it be an obstacle. "- ' " That mignt have presented itself as an obstacle, Madge, had there not 1 been olhot.vr v« , i

oeen others. No, 1 have not given myself to another woman. 1 am free and I love you, but that must he the end of it. I cannot tell vou more." "Is it thai telegram ? " s he persisted, with the tenacity of one who sees happiness just b'cyond her reach and is .striving to grasp it. " Partly," he said briefly. " I cannot tell y ou . You must think what you will of me." "Let us go back now," she requested wearily. •• The sun has gone; m; it is going to rain." Yet the sun was still shining brilliantly, a fact which she noticed as they retraced their steps, but which she did not realise, so deep was the sorrow that filled her soul They parted in the wide hall • Madge went to her own room, and Gerald made his way to his father\s study. The girl flung herself on a couch, and, burying her face in her bands as she lay flat on the piece of

furniture sobbed bitterly, her one thought being : •• What parts Gor«'d irom me?" J f she could have witnessed the interview between fatherand S on. which was taking „i at , whne she wept, she would have hud oarli™ „'a " 0t ,War tbc f«ther-» parting words : v That is the iasc chance, and it is thai or ruin tha H° USln f S d;<l not lu <*t agai» that day, for Madge keot i„ IZ room on the plea of a severe ache. Heartache would have been a" better description. On the following dav they met just as Gerald was eomg out, and a formal » Good ■ morning" w „<, „i, „, ' uooa ™ *"*■ mured, a-s she B ioto n .;.av Ua< ?o C "X ( a strange fascination over her > ,ot late " The tenants are coming .to-night for the annn.il ■•,.„» ,u „

;and as I nhall' be mistiv'ss on the next occasion when they pav their .rent, I ought to be with them tonight." I She went to the gallon- and spent an hour .-ftudying the pictures of | former Hai-graves. There was one ;Upon which her eyes i<osted longer than upon any other ; it was the portrait of a young Hargreaves who had taken the side of the Lancastrians aga,inst the Yorkists in the I wars of the Hoses, and the record of .him was that he preferred death to the betrayal of his father. "•' It is like Gerald." she mused Irfaspinr* her hands. ■■• ir c looks brave and noiblc, and would be incapable of .aaiy mean or wicked action. So it iwould be with Gerald. Yes, I i„„.,i ,trust him, and this mysterv wilt be •leared one day." She felt comforted, and she left (the gallery with a somewhat lighter r-art than when she entered t. (To be continued.) -