The Fifth Clause.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8010, 22 December 1905, Page 4

The Fifth Clause.

Little Mm. Burton, a widow, fair, slender, am aome twenty-seven years of age, gracefully inclined her head. " Peggy," she said, '-Jet me presont Mr. Mannering—an old friend of »»uue—Misu Burton, Mr. Mannering." Mannering was a fellow vn'll on in the thirties—probably thirty-live—bat he did not look it. He had arlear-cut faeo and a good P* Burton wa.s just of age, and with the kind of blown eyes and wavy .brown hair that meet the appro\al of nil mankind. Mannering, at any rate, looked upon her—and found her good. And voting Mrs. Barton, she looked at Mannering, and dreasied dreams of the good old times, •ome seven yean b»fore—before she had married. James T. Burton, of the BurtonFletcher Company, iron founders and steel carters.

was a sensible young woman, and James \T. Burton, who had been a hard headed old chap, had married her because •he was sensible. But little Mrs. Burton had always been; something more than sensible -nhe had evfer been tentiuiental. PW JM* a bit of a fly-away; the unua-ftoarunt chaps, who were handsome and d#Til*may J care had always been attractive to het, and' Burton was fearful of her future choice.

44 If you hadn't a cent, in the world, Peggy, as-your mother hadn't when I married her," he used to «ay, *;you could be srfre they loted you, but yofl must remember that there's something abont you besides your* wU that hai some attraction, too, and that's your money, Peggy, girl—your money. Don't forget it"

44 My money," whispered Peggy, wideeyed. " 1 never thought of that." Whether Peggy's father practiced what he preached it another question. Whether young Mrs. Burton, his second wife, had married him for himself or for his money is a question tbat no one but young Mrs. Burton can ever answer. So far she has never ■aid.

Bui having married her, and seeing mainly the practical, prudent side <?f her nature, Jamei T. had had such confidence in his young wife that in his last will and testament he lud inserted the following significant clause: Fifth. Unto my beloved daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Burton, 1 giv<s devise and bequeath the other two-thirds of all my etUte, real and personal, wheresoever situate, to her and to her heirs forever; upon theeipress condition, however, that if my •aid daughter, Margaret Elizabeth Burton ihali marry without the consent of her stepmother, my beloved wife Kale Gordon Burton, then the said two-thirds of mr said estate shall immediately vest in my said wife and her heirs forever.

Now young Mis. Burton, voting though she now w:is f :it one time wns n girl, like I'i-jkj. Ami at IVgjy's aj;c she l;*d met n man, aii'l [tic liLin's nauie was Joli'n UAnnering. Jolm Mnnnering wna a fine mixture ol a man's man ami u woman's man, but he h;ul been brouulit up in a b:- lmns« witli an olil uncie, anil lie li;ul an oilii nil' of eurnt'stnesa tliat at times hail causeii him in he nii-iitken byotlifis. He had .ulinin-il Katheriuc Onrdon Jlnrton when she was in-relr K uiny ine Gordon, and lie had in his uncinventionat war made*this Kdniiratinn apparent. And jonni; Catherine tiuiilou hi ilie lime had naturally believed Ihis lionesi ;idminition to he—well, something uioie, ;U ;iny rate. And jbe lieliered it yet. And she had never iorgotten.

Bit John MamiAring, somewhat of bis o%n aecnal ami by \irtue of controlling cirCuaisUt«c*r*, had mov<-d ensilv. and gradually out of htr life. That wasall —all, except that now, two jcara after the death of James T. Burton, hud moved easily aud gradually into it once inure. And «me had invited him to dine, and had introduced lifm to her stepdaughter, Miss P»i;j.'y Bmton. Aad flic hopsl that John MiMiuprii:- Miijrht sty what at a former time be bad U li un-viiil.

"Jf lh«-re is a:iv)xxly in this world that I lot*." said Mhs liuriou to Mr. Joint Uamwim;." it i« Kiuy Cat. I do lovelier and no mistake."

Mr. Maimering was somewhat puzzled. ( prefer dogs iie replied, M uow a Gordon setter, witfi " But Mh-* smita wa< too broad not to check hint. "Inuan Kate,"sheauswered. "Kate?" Mid Mr. Mannerm*.

" My stepmother," returned Miss Peggy, with emphasis. " Oh. yes, yes. to'be sure," returned Barton, 44 I'm jusS about as stupid as they make 'em. Yoa love her. Yes, yes, so did J, so did I, to be sure. 1 '

" What —love her," asked Miss with wide open eyes, but with a suiile just rea«ly at a second's notice. "Miss said Mannerinj*. with a frotrn which he turne<l into a are taking advantage of my stupidity. But I warn you that I am not so stupid as I seem. I have always liked Mrs. Burton, and I like her now, and always shall like hrr." Mi.-s l* t€r i niwh a eontident of Mrs. Burtou. "Mr. she announced to that lady, 44 says tlMt he lo\ed yow nnca. What do you think of that."

Mrs. Barton blushed. "Pessy," she exclaimed, " he never said that."

" I swear/ 1 said Peggy, truthfully, " that he Slid that and nothing else." Mrs. Burton lunched lightly. "Impudence," sheexclaimed, speaking in mild reproof of Mannering. Mannering came quit* often. Hescenied glad to come. He had been away for s«»nic years, and what friendships he had had were broken asunder by time, awl he wa.-i glad to see and be seen by these two women of the Burton household.

He divided his attentions carefully between the two. To Miss Burton he w:is a ni-Te stranger, and he bad been introduced by her young stepmother. It was to herself that she was di/Temit. Manncring's presence had taken her luck ■ome seven yean to the time when she had thought that perhaps it was on the night before the Pariamon reception that she felt qnite sure- Mannering had been so embirrassed on that evening—so apparently distraught. He bad answered both her and Peggy in monosyllables. Aud once, she wag quite sure, he had looked at her as he ought to look, if—

" John Mannering has come back to me—to me," she whispered to herseU that night. It was the middle of the evening at (he Pariamon reception. The crowd were rushing towards the dining-room. Mrs. Burton found herself in tow of a gallant old beau who ww a general favorite, and she permitted him to bike ber out. There was one among the crowd whodid not rash. Thisohe was a young woman. She stepped unnoticed into * small and desert&l conservatory and -Oast waited until— Until a tall, broad-shouldered young fellow Strode to the door, looked in, saw her and then rushed forward.

" I—l came,*'said the girl in trembling tones, •' I promised yon I would." " Yon—you," began the man. And then be stopped, for she was looking at him. " Peggy, Peggy," he cried, clasping her in his amis. •• t lore you, love you, love you!*' She hid her face upon his shoulder, bat he kissed her wavy hair. " I—l love you, Peggy girl," be cried. Once more the girl looked intr; his eyes. " I love you, too, John Mannering," sbft aud. _

The next morning Peggy spoke to her stepmother, Mrs. Burton. "John Mannering proposed to me last night/' Bhe said simply, but desperately, too. The young widow suddenly turned white. " Proposed to you," she murmured. " Impossible !" PeKCy laughed. 41 It seems so, doesn't it ? " she answered. " I can hardly realise it all." She stepped to her stepmother's side. "You introduced me to him, Kitty Cat," she said. ,4 I want to thank you, and I want to kiss you." "No no," answered Mrs. Burton, 14 don't kiss me—not yet. Not until I think about it. Not until I think whether it is a—a good tiling for—for you." Pegwy was puzzled. " A good thing—for me," .-he repeated. "Why shouldn't it be a good thiiiK for inc ?" "I—l feel responsible, Kitty," went on Mrs. Burton. "I want to be sure that everything is right. As you say, I introduced you and I—l feel responsible." laughed. "I'll take the responsibility, Kirfy Cat," she answered. "I shall absolve you. We'll take it, John and I." The last three words—" Johu and I" made uclmnge in Mrs. Burton. No visible chunge ; but a change which was perfectly and purposely obvious to herself and to herself alone.

She \r.is filled with a groat self-pity. Sho had been Imposed upon, ho she believed. She believed Dint John Mannering had deceived her seven years before; and that he had come back to her only to deceive her Rgiiin. And Peggy— hud been forward —presumptuous ; anything that was unconventional anil inconsiderate. Mannering was hers, Kate Gordon's, ainUVggy had delioerately robbed her of him. '• She had no right." she kept exclaiming, 11 she haa no right." And hi»r heart harden ed towards Peggy and towards Mannering. If she could only prevent it I And then suddenly a cry escaped her—•» cry that she was afraid had been braid oitfside her room. "The will 1" she rxdainmd ; "the Willi' 1 She hurriedly t«»o!< it frout her desk and scanned it. There it was-the fifth clause; there was no doubt about it. With tbat fifth Clause as a weapon she eonld do one of threo things. She could make J.ihu Mannering falter—and withdraw. This she confessed to heraelf, might be impossible. Or she could falteraiid withdraw. This, she assured bur*lf, judging by hef love of good living and lu-r app;-«:ciiitiou of luxury, wa.i quile possible. Or third she could consign them bolh to poverty —for Mannering was fur otherwise than rich ; and she felt tbat Peggy after il e glamour had' worn oIT would miss keenly tint which sho had never lacked—the use of mow»y. Peggy could not stand it. and Peggy ami John Mannering would suffer and if wuunl serve them right. And. accordingly, she rcfu*" I bereoiiient to the wedding of iVggy l»";iou and Joint Mannering. She told IVggy ahmit it, and gave Peggy an abundance <»( tvasMm. Peggy, who never oneo d»Mi'n.cd Mannering, asked him one day whcilH'ivhe \\>re not attracted by her money winn- rlia n ber&rlf. "Vour miiii'-v/' iitisw. ; n-l Mitmu'rititf reproachfully. Ihun )»e .sn»ih»l. '•] jjjiglit be," he went on, "if you had any. But ycu haven't got any." 14 Haven't got any? " she said in a puzzled aort of way, "Exactly," he replied, "at least that's What Bobby Siu'ih I old meal the club. He said old Bur—yntir fai.h«r, 1 mean, Peggy had left the wh"le thing to his wife, Mrs. Burton. I—l didn't ask about it, you understand "

44 I'll bet you did," daid Pej^y. "No, I didn't," proi,Mannerinj,' e nesdy, 44 but the fallows i:ilk about every-tl-iiij' that, foot's on down liters, jmd thut's how I picked it up. I assum d he wis But have >ou any money? That's the question." 1 Pejjijy reported this conversation to her The latter merely smiled. "I know John Mauneiiiijj, she explained. <4 l know him and *nu do not." "I know Siitn wrll rmniyh,'' said Pepjjy. Then P»'«j:y told Manuel about the edict which had tf'tie forti-ihe withholding of th"• consent '»{ Mrs. Burton. M uincrihg m his turn w.is puzzled but not trr;■;!,i«:.|. -Woen w.j .vady, Pe r ';:v, gik\'' he said gently, "invite your—your lji'.lin'r to tiie wvddinjj. an.l we will be niarl*!" I in a quirt sort ul wav. When you are re.idv,'' he r» j pealed. Tijcti he thouglit of tlio eiause in the will .md of Pity's future. '■ H you are ever ready he added. Mhe looked him in th«* iai:e. "lainnlways ready," John «-ho said, knotting that he f"aifd that, the withheld consent iiad some to her. Tliey told her, when s!iey were ready. Mrs. Burton stafi-d tha: sii« could not well attend, because llcr pre>enee wtxild be an as.-eut In itself This she irdd to On the l»e(ove the wedding. Mrs, Burton crept, downstairs and erouehod low near th'» enlranee t«» the room where sat John Mannerin% r and normal ecndiiious Mrs. J3uri.'»i would not have don«-'ihi*—she did not know why she did it uow. She crouched and listened. She was there to hear what was said, and she heard it. Finally she er< pi aw;ivnnd sought, her own room, * * Jit; lovfs her." s.he whispered to herself, "he lovs her as I—as I loved him. •And he never hm d me. J know it now. He never I'»ved me, ami he never pretended that he loved me. But he loves Iter, just as I love him hini, John Mannennif." It was a wirte iiij»ht for Mrs. Kate Gordon Burton—a sl»'«'pli»s.« But white nights and sleepb-is Hjinelimes are pood things. Anil Mrs. Button found that night 80, at any rate.

The next, day .John Mannering and Fvggy Burton stepped nut, enleiH a carriage together. dmvii to i.li*! parsonage, and were married. It was simple enough.

"Yon are cut loose from the estate of James T. Burton," said Mannering to her, after the ceremony.

" I am hound to ynti for life," said Peggy. " I gucs-i it's a fair exchange." "Not more thai; that?" a.-lied Mannering. "Not ko much," said indulging Bow in airy persillsige. "Weshall go," said Mannering gravely, M to pay our respects to " "Your mother-in law," interposed Peggy, "My mother-m-law," said Mannering; " that is only right. And then well start—" "On our honeymoon," said Peggy, the ir repressive. They went bnclc to the Burton mansion. Mrs. Burton met them at the, door. She was dressed in her very In test frock and her face was wreathed in smiles.

She grasped Mannering by the hand and clasped Peggy about the nee!;, "Peggy, Peggy," she exclaimed. "I—l was only fooling. I—l never meant it. I only want* d to be fltire—very, very sure—that you two people meant—meant " " Business" said Peggy.

"Business," said Mrs. Burton, "is the word. I wanted to be sure andlsouldn't be sure until—until to day. Now I ir.vjy—l know for sure."

She handed over a tiny bit of paper. It read as follows; "Twelve o'clock; the night before the wedding. The undersigned, wid«« j( James T. Burton, hereby gives her expre« »9wnt to the marriage of Margaret Elizabeth Bur* ton and John Mannering, as provided for by the Fifth Clause of the will of said James T. Burton. God bless you. Kate G. Burton." By W. H. Osborne in American Exchange,