LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7797, 13 April 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

£ AN AFFECTION DJ" IB* HBAKT. . (Continued).

v Hiss Charlton has a great deaj of & ' few Iriena's" "wonderful abilities ; ; ■> i' most unconsciously be in. her .*■' thoughts 'a good deal,' and'she meni> 'telly iraises Win - t6'-« stawiiiigT '"'- point *r tayo«l hfe fellows. At Sr every dinner-party, on every possible C occasion, "BBnnann has singled her t" out from aH others. She is proud ff to be his confidante, and this morns'' fa*' Mf matiir ,*ifcgests!i that he i'. hopes she 'will -become' sonietbiingl f£ wore. Gladys can scaroely veil the why* hut she feels that it S is so,"and grows shyly glad at the ' , i h The same evening an exquisite

!, bunch «• white flowers is left at Dr. £ CharKon.s door, with Dr. Sternberg's &*--" kind regards." There is a smaill l-jwte attached, which is evidently U, gratlfying"jto'"lße lady doctor, -for,

g after reading tt she leans back in fjfcr chair aid looks but IfltttOsybtßdJ Something softens her sCeyes, and a gentle expression comes f'ojwr her face- Cupid smiled and jjwfcl '■" Ah, it may . have taken -/.months of my skill; but I have sureSj|y aimed aright." jfcgkSome folks think that women d*cpSSort art., minus feeling ; just a bundle Jupof/'nervq and learning—let them dtsfinsisa "the idea. Gladys Charlton ne'tadopted man-like airs, strode n*r smoked. She had board"ed with girls who did all three, but '-" her life and bearing remained free "*from anything* approaching the mas- ' ctduie style."

w » • • • ft- When «r.. Charlton returns • to V town she' i» very? <ju»y, and does not f-,.see Hermann Sternberg for three or W four |>, meeting him, she makes inquiries gV!concerning the little patient in Back jt- -'Court; but he evades a direct res' "ply* . - -i ~ i'But, tell mi,?' , insists . Gladys, |L -howyou really think she is {going Sf sal'.'- ■.. • ■ y .

'»' "Why, to tell you the truth, Miss ik Charlbon—you ><know.;.t wasn't pro-

' ; . perly her doctor—it isn't a monetary K/.-ease; and Kve/been;B o \very busy Sfthat I've reaJUy had no time to go.' |- -Bo you know that Lady Maybor-, ough has called Vic in to attend her &, children ? They're down with scartet

v*e»er.'-i ... But only scorn meets) this informa- | tidn. Gladyß looks white and angry; .•she treats* Hermann with, contempt, £'as she exclaims : K-- '' Thanks for.. your candour, LV. pSterMierg ; I will never ask you to

one moment.from your mone-Kf-Wrx PfttiyMs; agaW; I. i&jroughly mf. Despise such meanness. >'or the fuBfc'JW*..' l ieg that you will • kindly Bg-jleave tbait poor.child to ihe tender ■KTanercies of a. woman t Pray do iiot Mp- Sjtaad a minute longer. - Lady MayBMJjhDroiigfe's children may °>>e requiring y«fnable services. Good niurnEji; -It Cost Gladys a good ileal to,say jj|£:tfcls; to the one. person. {or. whosft Krltodd opinion she had Wrnt incur

igyw, vfiufjn pms nao learM "t,<j w Upmosti and there wa^~a, Wlj*' - e temMa anhing! end: disappojo* jr.of for many, daya ..ment pwrf co}ns>rt" when 'pf>Qi*' l is «gi& ttmesj, ' >i say at Mbout; and "you jrUv troubling yoo'vq, ma*}, the f feel thankful , J&pd ytia maj * iscovery In time." JfaV;' foi; whfir ue thankful in one «#&• 'joury. - ; t yaw Wends di« sud§daett tha» my express your thankMPWtt iu»" i they wcr# spared a lo»g SOU V '.d lingering death : but it s _ r ' y.t make your grief grow: less; W-'~&? jxpericpee sorrow just thasamc jp-j,'. * the" shock is even greater, ; j»„ . Dr. Charlton hides her trouble'from «£ ' the curious^ gaze of the world and !R '" expends 'her spare energy in an iuf- , crease ot wprfc. K '■' *" . * • * flattie .Lin*, is dying; her face - grows imee and wan, in spite of §2 ;j ita unusuui loveliness, and when &t:-«f :iGladys asks what she would like, S-- J*e only reply is : s■• ' " * wants him ;I fink ho could Pt*.— make *nc belter ; I wants him to 3? r: ; 'tell Una more 'bout icMe lambs." is> . •" To .whom does she refer ? " ouer- „,,-, ; iea Dr. Charlton. ;j fr f She means our Sam's master, Jh, •■ mim," interposed Mrs Hemming; %..• , jheV sent, her lots o' fruit and ;.; : . .things.; Jta'-s bin, here hiwseli, too ; j.\ - • Ac's altera a-caM(n' lor him ; ' he's *- RUfth idlHkv_«Wflvn vt' rhilrirpn "

Boor.

Surely Gladys has heard that voice >W fcefore—but what nonsense! -Yes, it must be he, and Rpyland . Rivers comes into the room, t, He sUrtsa little on seeing who s ;• _ there ; T>ii£ soon calins and says .very quicUy.v,.

" Good-evening- Kiss Charlton ; bow is your * patient ?"■ and then turns tp the sick, child, who brightens at his approach. Can this t a ll, Uignintd man, wrSh firm and resolute face, be the Hoy of long ,ago ? •> 'And, if so,' why has Gladys never „_ met .him until now.? But . this is '-. no time foil such woniflerings. "Together they watch beside the - -Ijttle one., as daylight fadew . and evening shadows fall across the old city. The small face is full of pain at first, but gradually it wears away ( - awl aU.M still* save for the distant 1 munma* of the multitudes who throng tha outer street, little hceding that angels are hovering in the f air. , Jq7 " She is conscious of Someone aj|. Hoyland,, to the weeping mother". «<- "'Do not (ear; there is no dark ks' r \ river for children—only a brook, s- 1 , 1 with" easy sopping-stones. Lina j r •' .will soon be.in,the Homeland." 2, And as he spoke the frail spirit pastiod away.

Sjp-- <; *■' THjy did you never write to any of us, Hoy?" asks Oiadvs, as they e? oralh along Highbury J-Jaci', an hour V: later.

_ jgffaero was the use? Besides, ■- . " SfiS?' l . d ' lln ' t rio altogether as vcu ? , . WlsfTed. I came to London, after bc- <■ iag on the Continent for a few V ,W *<* continued my studies." f £it t"u Js° ; JOU eann °t '"can ~ # IK I should h#v 9;i seen vour name £>■ . somewhere. - € < TrlS^ ,ly '"^r e,oins B ov ; "Uncle *' : -T Wished l md *o take his nan.e .With the proj*»rty.v----t rf 'l* ha ' !r A «: y»u th» clever barK HS?'' K^ Det *. "horn everyone is £• - talking about ? " t % *W; I'M won't J disc uss §, *^, s * ' deßSe dividual a , Blvys,'. Hiss ehorlton feels uncomfortable &" a.Br.S' * S somcth - n B I heard toft _tafe?" JOU and Br - Sternberg * She thinks he refi-r* i„ iu,-. tf **, Bnd answ °* ™ trs l <> Ukv qua.- •> '' Yes." j»po« ficr |4oj o s Bto Y t e roa l

"The gold Has worn 081 with nearer acquaintance, the basis was dross. Surely this was not the case with! Rbyland Kenneth... His life has only become truer, .and-better with the "iwear and • tear "of the world. Gladys knows that he inspires her with o slight feeling, of awe. His power is the greator now. He can stand a test. As the weeks pass on, Mr Kenneth, and Br. Charlton meet very seldom, and he grows more distant each time. Gladys asks him the moaning of it ■ .once, and says she thinks That he Weans to retaliate and make fun ai be&, bacause she used to be ' thoughtless and conceited in her younger days. |, "Cannot we ever bo friends?" | she pleads, as they part one evening at-tfoe house of a mutual friend.

But the answer is cold enough. " Our jives are too widely separated now, Gladys. Besides, I am really so ' intensely provoking,' you know. 11 wonder that you care to ask such { a .question."

And then Roy turns away to assist a pretty girl, with whom the " peoHle " says he is greatly taken. Poor Gladys ! It is very hard. Why do things always g n contrary? Why are the '•' tables turned," so to speak ? Once Roy loved her, now he does not ; but she cares for him. Oh,. dreary suspense ! Why, if he l»ves this pretty Gwendoline Maynawf, docs ho not marry her ? And why is she, Gladys, doomed to see her friends grow faithless ?

Another Spring comes round, and Dr. Charlton is at home. She looks weary and worn ; but restlessly seeks [all the Dissipation which a country life affords. Thefe is a picnic to Marazion. Roylatnd Kenneth is present, anh' tries.to get near Gladys in the wagonette, but she avoids him : and when ihe rest all clrmg to the castle, intending 'to mount as high as " Arthur's, Seat," she finds a cosy corner, halfway up St. Michael's,. and, resting amongst the grass-cov-ered rocks, considers herself free from imtrusion.

Below her lies the little jetty, and a few cottages ; then comes a stretch of blue-green water between the Mount and the Marazion, while tiny steamers sail to and from Penzance.

1 Gladys is pondering over Hermann Sternberg's marriage. She has Feen .it announced the day before, and Ithc bride was Gwendoline Maynard! J She feels quite sorry for Hoy, and yc6—• "Mr Kenneth" bimscSf disturbs the reverie, as he had done some six or seven years previously, all amongst the appje-bloifeom. He refers to Hermann's marriage, and gently expresses his sorrow and sympathy. "Why?" is the reply; "unless losing Gwendoline has made you more feeling for others ?

" I lose Gwen i What do you mean ? "

" That I never really cared for Hermann," says Gladys. •'■' But you told is, when I asked you "■ * • • •

Onco more they stand together by the brimming river, once more the dews fall and the mists rise over the sea; but this time two foolish folK havo learnt to undcrtnnd each, oUicr, and this time also the little birds peep over their nests and whisFMW • See, those are happy lovers !

But they must" have found themselves in a practical world, after all, for, as their voices die awa y in the distance, wc hear Gladys say • »«L A "? r a - M ' Il °y- vou m "st have «en terriMy dense ' not t Q have understood this before.*What was '•' this •> ". * • .

pDr, Charlton sold her practice to | another lady, and became Mrs Kennethf

They live in London, Jmt go to Cornwal every other year to " seafamentahsc". for a month, as R o y