LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7763, 15 March 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

■ ■ A DOUBLE KLIUTATION. '■What! Going to. leave a week before your time ? What is ihe moaning of' this hasty departure, Dick ? llcrt is coming this owning, you Enow, and I thought you were both looking forward to The pleasure 01 having a week together. I nm perplexed, and I can't' imagine what be will say < " '• l)on't be offended, uncle ! " cried Pick Athcrton penitently. " I'm very sorrv to go, Uut—well, I simply can not'stund it ! " he blurted forth hotly. Mr John Athcrton 'looked at his brother's son with a seuriifinj! ga/.e: bis tacc hardened, and he placed his hand on the young fellow's shoulder with an affectionate pressure. " I see what it is now, Pick ! " he said gravely. " What an idiot 1 was not to forsee the danger. It's Uo- • ro.thy Haldanc. That girl is a hoartfe«a " "Don't call hor flint, Uncle Jack," pleaded his nephew. " I suppose it .was my fault. She didn't ask mo to fall" in love with, her. awl I could not help* doing so, and if 1 have burnt my wings in, the flame,, it is my fault, or the fault of human nature I " " Fiddlesticks !. " retorted John Athcrton angrily. " That girl—that woman I ought to say '. —is n coquette ; she lures the men and plays with their hearts. You are not the first who has Ween so dealt with, tint it never occurred to me that you would fall under the spell. I was blind ! Well, my boy, I urn sorry for you, and I blame myself : but Sou will go away and forget ! Ilon'l .do anything rash, mind ! It wears oft\ Dick ! " » The young fellow lauglv.-tl mirthlessly, and left the room in order to sec about packing hi!, things. ~, John Atherton seated himself in a chair placed sideways to the table. so that he could lie'back and rest ■Ws .elbow on the-table in. order to support his head'. His face resumed an expression of painful reflection. John Atherton was the youngest son of a larbe family, all of whom were dead exeep! the two eldest, a brother and a sister. Thus if ~ came about that this comuaratncly youbg man of thirty-one had nepli- " ews only nine or ten years his junior. It .was rather curious to hear . - broad-shouldered Dick Atherton call ' {bis man "uncle." John Athcrton had been living in Wycknam for three and a half, jears; "this was. really the fourth summer be had passed in the place, and each year his two nephews had spent a week or two with him. All had gone well till this particular summer. * v Tlfe ordinary aspect of Wyckliam had been changed during the preceding autumn, when Mr Ilaklane had rented a fine house 3n the little town: " his daughter' Dorothy, hod played a great part in the life of the place, and balls, parties,, and amusements o»' all description had greatly increased. The young men of Wyckham had

raved about Dorothy Haldane. Soan of them had suffered in the flirtations while others had played with lire and receiv«\l no more injury than Dorothy herself. John Athe'rlon ha; never mixed iniich in VYyckham society, so most of this information ha.> i;oiue to him through othets. He \v,i. reserved, and shunned the compam of other peojiio to a ii extent which Kaiiiiil for Fiiin the epithet of ■■ peculiar," yet all those who came in contact with him spoke his.-li!.\ 01 him. lie was ciiltur, d. good-look'ing. ami of a generous nature. John Atherton had invited tiis •• iio.is " to sinj with him as usual, and it was- not utitil Hick amioimce.l his inteiiiioii of going at once that ho awoke to th- real position. •" 1 don't think ihat liick will take \ it vet\ much lo heart : " lie mttr \ iinil'iil, after several minutes of deep , : lellection. '■ His nature is not so ' de-p. lint Iteit. ! If that uirl fasrin■<ies hi.,,. It «:q serve him as it dill me ten years ago I His mother and ■ I resemble each other in'disposition, and llort takes after her. Heavens ! What would ho the result, and what would Sis think? What shall Ido V lie rose abruptly and paced the room in agitation that seemed strange in one usually so calm and self-contained, l'resently he re-seate.ly hinisWf with an expression of weariness. it would he foolish to wire him not to come : heskles, he is probably lon his way here now. If 1 warn him that may have just the reverse effect. t.\ that which I desire to obtain. 1 must watch and " The sentence remained unlinished, hut there was an odd light tn the da'k brown eyes,, and an expression of determination gradually overspread his grave countenance. Same fixed purpose had formed itself in his mind, and those who u'ldersic. ■ I John Atherton knew that if he made up his mind lo do a thing lie woilii do it. A few hours later he vas shaking hands heartily with Bert Allison, and answering his iniuitie.-; coiu-erning' the iion-al'puuranee of Dick at the railway station. •' No, Bert, he is not ill. The fact is he went away this morning : Oh. yes, I daresay you are surprised, but —well, perhaps I was wrong- to say that he isn't ill ; he is ill in a way! But jump in, and 1 will toll you as I drive you home ! John Atherton was brief in his explanation ; he told Bert that his cousin had fallen in love with a joung lady 'of the neighbourhood, whom some people regarded as a dirt, and that Dick had fancied himself rather hard hit. "■ I hope and believe that he will soon get over it, Bert ! It is lucky for him. in this instance, that he does not feel quite so profoundly as you ami I'. Such an experience would be a calamity to us. and we should be; careful how we let ourselves go I " This was a n indirect warning ; he would not press it further, but turned the conversation. Alas I John Atherton perceived, three dajs later, that he had miscalculal<"d the powers of Miss Dorothy HaJdane. and Ids heart felt chilled with concern for his' second nephew. His lists clenched involuntarily, and he muttered : ••' 1 must stop ill'' On the following day John Atherton surprised Bert by saying that he intended to accompany him on the excursion organised 'by Mr Haldane, uird take part in the picnic. " I have not been invited formally" he remarked easily, " but that is probably because Mr Haldane has grown tired of sending me invitations which I have declined. 1 fancy that 1 shall not be in the way ! " " T am sure v;u v.ill not ! " declared Bert warmly. '• Why. Mo'r Miss Haldane was saying only yes-