COUSINS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 20 May 1907, Page 4

COUSINS.

■lonn Moyrii'l; was listlessly turning over the UfUsp;i|ipr. She lived with [ Kcrmtmlo, an island in the Carrilwnn liev mtele ill a cirmning house in Sra ! and li" h:id besides large coeoa estat.'s iup country.

Joan had been her for five years, ever since she had left school, and she was ■ tired of it—tired of the black population, tired rf the cloudless sky, and tired more than anything of the English community, lonned us is was of mediocre people who had not an idea in the world above their own importance. The only excitement in San Fernando was the arrival of visitors and tourists, lint these ,loan had very little to do with, tor .Mr Meyrick wars an autocrat and a bull. lie had his owu theories about women, and insisted on carrying them into practice in regard to his niece. Women ought to stay at home and look after the household, he averred. So .loan's relaxations consisted of formal calls and now and then an entertainment at (Jovernment House, or an official dinner, for Mr Meyrick was an important member of the Legislative Council, and his idea was that the whole island would go to pieces but for him. The newspaper was not very interesting this morning, and .loan's eyes, having swept the English telegrams, turned to where was inserted a list of the latest arrivals at the Queen's Hotel. There were not many, for the tourist season had only just begun. "Mr and "Mrs Wigram from London, Mr Lewis P. Potter from New York, and"—loan paused, and a little animation came into her face as she read further—"Mr Richard Tliorne from Blankshire."

"Uncle Robert," she said eagerly. "Richard Thorne —my cousin Dick Tliorne—arrived by the Lima yesterday.'' Mr Meyrick looked up with a frown. He was reading a report of his own speech at yesterday's council, and he did not like to be interrupted. "Thome? Who is Richard Thorne?" he said testily. "lie is the son of mother's brother/' explained .Joan, her ardor a little damped. "J thought you met his father in Blankshire when you were last home." "Ah, I remember—l rather liked Thorne—a sensible fellow, with no newfangled ideas about him. Thorne senior was a member of the Blankshire County Council, and he had flattered Meyrick by asking his advice about some trifling matter—a fact which remained in the latter* mind. "Oughtn't we ?" began Joan nervously. "Don't you think we ought to ask him here?" J She remembered the many happy times she had had with Dick as a child. "There you are," said Meyrick crossly, "always some kind of diversion or a change—never content with a simple home life. Why in the world should we ask the fellow here?"

"I only thought," said Joan timidly, "that as'he is my cousin and"—judicially—"you are one of the chief men in San Fernando, that—that perhaps he might think it strange if we took no notice of him." Her uncle's brow relaxed, his vanity was tickled "Well," he said, "as lie is your cousin, perhaps it is as well to "invite him. Besides. I should like to show some civility for his father's sake. Ask him to dinner to-night." And Joan lost no time in sending off the invitation, in case her uncle should change his mind.

She was alone in the drawing-room that evening when Thorne was announced. She sprang up to receive him, and then as her eyes rested on him she stripped abruptly. "Dick!" she stammered. He came forward at once. "I am afraid there must be some mistake/' he said. "I have been away all day and so have just received your letter. As I could not understand it, and there was no time to answer it. I thought I had hotter come round. Bid you think 1 was someone else?'"' He watched her petty confusion with enjoyment. What a lovely child she was! "You—l thought you were Richard Tiiorne. - ' she sajd. "So I am." She wrinkled her fair brows. "Hut not Richard Thome from Blankshire?" He nodded his head. "That is where I live." he answered. She gave a despairing little gesture. "But " she said, "Dick Thome is my cousin, and he lives in Blankshire." He smiled. "Blankshire is a large county," he said, "and Thorne is not an uncommon name, and I should think there is a Richard in every family in Kngland." "lint," she cried, "what shall T do?" There was real fear in the great grey eyes she raised to his. "I will go back to the hotel," he said reassuringly. "Of course, [ quite understand."

At this her hospitable instincts were aroused. "Oh no—llo " she cried. "Von mustn't do that. Of course, you must dine with us—only—would you miud ■ mind very much pretending to lie mv cousin—just for to-night ? It is 011 my uncle's account—he would be so angryhe would think it was all my thought. He only allowed me to ask vim because f said you were my cousin."

Thome was quick to jump at conclusions. Mevriek was evidently a martinet. ''Of course T will," he answered promptly. 'I will do whatever you like—you may trust me " He stopped abruptly, for the door opened and Mevriek came in. ''Ah. Thome," lie said. "How -do you do 1 ( ilad to sec you. J low did you leave your father?" "My father is very well, thank you," he replied, taking the prolforod hand, and hoped he spoke tile truth. The author of his being had been dead twenty years. Dinner was announced, and they went into the dining-room. on are a great deal older than 1 should have expected Thome's son to be," said the host as lie sat down to the table. .loan threw a frightened look across at the guest. She was no diplomatist. and feared that all was over at the least breath of suspicion. lint Thome only laughed. ''My father married early," he explained, "and 1 am not so old as I look. Members of my family always go prematurely grey." There ivas a little pause in the conv.T-

sation. .loan was never a good hostess, and now her fright made hor worse. It was Thorne who broke the silence.

"I was reading the account of your speech at the council tho other day," he said, turning to Meyric-k. "I was most interested. Viu did not leave them a leg to stand upon." "So, indeed! 5 cried Meyrick, becoming all at once amazingly gonial. Hero, for a wonder, was a really intelligent man. "And yet do yon think they will prolit by it? Xot a bit of it. They are all self-seeking, and as long as they'got high positions they do not care what becomes of the colony. Did you see"'—with a fatuous smile—"how I slated tho Home

Government? That will make Ihem sit up a hit, 1 think." He wa* fairly well Parted on his favorite subject—himself- and Thorne lis tened attentively, and drew him out :o such an extent that the old man became in a marvellously good temper. "How long are you staying here?" he a«ked his gnest at last. "Well. Tam not really sure. T may go by the next mail or wait until the one after. I want Joan to tell me of all the places I ought to see." turning with !a smile to his hostess. The warm color Hooded her cheeks a* her naine fell so glibly from his lips. To l>e called Joan by a stranger! And yet. what else could he do? She tried to recovered her self-possession, and answer his calmly. "1 am afraid there are lew sights worth seeing in San Fernando." she said shvlv.

-Oh, 1 daresay we can find plenty for yon to do to fill up the time," broke in the old man. If he found what he eon sidered a congenial spirit his hospitality became aggressive. "We are going over to Lotus Vale —my cocoa estate —the day after to-morrow. You had better come with lis and stay a few days. The ride there is the loveliest on the island/'

•loan raised her head quickly, and she threw an imploring glance at the guest across the table. Surely he would not accept? She could not bear the strain of such a time over again. I'iiit Thorne apparently did not see. "There is nothing I should like belter," lie said heartily. "Thank you very much. I will fonie with pleasure." Joan's heart was very heavy as she stood alone on the verandah after dinner. Iler fraud was certain to come out now. and would her uncle ever forgive her? Thorne joined her in a little time, lbhad left Meyrick in the dining-room, smoking his second cigar. •loan turned to him reproachfully, j "Oh why did you say you would come to Lotus Vale?" she cried wringing her hands. "Ijecause F had a great desire to see more of my new cousin," he replied, taking advantage of the dim light to look at her more closely. "But." she wailed, "he will lind out. j "iff»AV.,can we keep the farce lip for four ; | whole [ *1 do't think it will be ditlicult/' ho

answered quietly. "The worst part is over--lie won't ask me any more about my family. You dou't mind my luting your cousin lor a little time, do y.iu?'' She came forward and looked at him wistfully. The light from tle> lamp inside the room fell on her small piquante "L feel a little," she said quaintly, "as if you were a policeman and 1 were a cook. They are always supposed to be cousins, are they not?"' It was iu the early morning ju*l after daybreak that the three started for Lotus Yale. There was a beautiful fresh feeling about the air, very different from the oppressive heat later in the day. Meyrick led the way, and Thorne and •loan rode side by side behind. "What a wonderful skv!'' said Tliorne looking up into the fathomless blue above him. "You. have been in San Fernando only a few days." answered .loan slowly. "If you had been here as long as I haw, you would not admire thai glaring sky. Do you know, there are times when 1 ac'tually sigh for a London fog?" | Tliorne looked down on her fresh : young face. "You are not happy here?" , he said.

She rode oil for a few minutes wiihout speaking. "I am not ungrateful to my uncle for giving me a home,'' she said at last. "Rut if you only knew the narrowness of the life! The people round about are so uninteresting. The women are all married—l am the only girl in tlu? place." "The (lovenior is not married, is he?" "No. lie is a little old man, and we see him very seldom, lie and my uncle * don't get on very well." -Thorne was not surprised. It would have amazed him much more to hear that anyone did get on with Mr. Meyrick. They came to a narrow path where it was impossible to ride abreast, so conversation became dillicudt. The thickly wooded cliff rose up on one side, while on the other was a deep valley. As far as eye could see the landscape was dotted with patches of rich orange—the foliage of the "immortelle"—the shade and protection of the cocoa plant. Thorne was thinking deeply as lie rode along, his eyes oil the slim ligure in front of him, and the result of his cogitations was revealed when the path grew wider and he could ride by Miss Meyriek's side again. "Joan," lie said, and she turned at once, her cheeks a little pinker than usual. "We are not cousins now," she said. "Uncle Robert is out of earshot." "But," blandly, "T must keep in practice or 1 shall make a mistake. Do you know that you have called me "Mr. Thorne, twice already this morning? Mr. Meyrick must thiuk it very strange." "Rut," in desperation, "what you won't find it very difficult. Say 'Dick,' now, in order to give you confidence later on." She shook her head and turned away laughing. T can't," she said. "Remember, it is not only yourself you have to think of now," he urged, "I am a eonsipirator, too, and shall get most of the blame if we are found out." She turned round, her lovely grey eyes looking at him penitently. "I did not think of that," she said. ■ "There is nothing to regret as long as we are not discovered. Just say \Dick* this once." She hesitated a moment, and then obeyed* and the name issued softly from her pretty lips. The sun was high in the heavens when they at last reached Lotus Yale. There was only a small bungalow to stay in, but it was very pretty and comfortable, and Joan was a better hostess than she had been the first the first evening they met. Meyrick was dissatisfied with Ins

overseer, and it gave him plenty to <;,> to hunt out bis misdeeds, so Thorne and Joan had their time praetieaHy to themselves and would take long rides together; and the davs Hew, and .ill Joan's shyness left her and—gradually something else went out of her keeping too. They stayed at Lotus Vale a we-k, and then Mevriek's municipal duties called him back, and they all returned to town once more. Jt was late in the afternoon when tliey set out. and by the time they neared home the sun was setting with tropical splendour, and the western, sky was flooded with crim-

son and gold. The two had been very silent for the last quarter of an hour,' and til" pause was growing awkward. 1!v- mutual consent, they both went nt 'a walking pace. Jleyrlck. was a long way in front. The tall spire of the cathodril came in sigh;. Joan heaved a sigh. "Ah," she said almost involuntarily, "it is nearly over. 1 ' Thorne pressed a little nearer. "Wluf is nearly over'/'' he asked. Khe laughed nervously with her head averftl. "Tliis week," >he said. ".I have enjoyed it so."

"it has iiiTii the happiest xv:' k ol ;>iy lil'e, too.' 1 ho answered simply. '-(.'an i \w perpetuate if;'' In; urged. "V.'liy should it (')U hero? I love you, .'oaii —will you loiu'o this vale of sunshine and come to tho lmd of fogs ivitli mo?'-' glanced at him fur a Yioment with hor great starry eyes. "I would go anywhere with you," she an-wered at last. Jleyrick had to attend the council the next morning, and as he was able to shower plenty of abuse oil his fel-; low legislators he was feeling in-a hotter temper. He called in at the club on his way home, and what ho board there upset him :i little. When ho arrived at liis house lie found Tliorne silting in the wramlah with his nieec, lie went up to the former at onee.

<l l have just mot your friend whom you came over with on the hinia." ho said abruptly, without any attempt a a greeting, "lie says that your father has been dead twenty years, that von are a large landed proprietor and a -Member of Parliament as well. Xow„ Tom Thome was halo and hearty six years ago when I saw him, and lie did not possess an acre of land. How do you manage to he his son?" "T am not his son." explained Thorne quietly. "The mistake arose because my name is the same. It is my fault for not contradicting it." Meyrick fastened his ovfis on |,; s niece. "Then ho is not your cousin:" lie said with a sneer.

Thorne stretched on! his hand, and drew the girl nearer. '-She is not. my cousin." he said, "but slie is going to be a relation nearer and dearer liiui that, .loan has promised to be my wife."

Meyrick blinked bi> little eyes. For once in his life he was -dumbfounded, ami did not know what to say. Hut tile f:u-t of Thome's being an M.l\ turned the scales in Joan's favor. "f nm very glad," lie said. ''Whv didn't- you toll me before tlint you were in Parliament? 1 slnll he aid- to give you ;i few wrinkles. Wail till you read rhe account of my speech to-dnv. Ha! I >ilitnc;'d 'em ill!. Ttiey could not alitor me a word. There is nothing likes s-iying wh;!t one 1 hiitlcs:

And hr -vent away e'mckiing, and Joan look'il up :it Thorne wii?i hiu-rh-ter ill her ,mvs. '"ls'that how von behave in vonr UouSo of Legislation?" she said.

lie shook his head with a Smile. "I Jim afraid J" have done very Utile so fir except to vote. But J "shall have n incentive to speak in tile future wlie" I shall know that my wife will be likening to me from the "Ladies Gallery.'' —Mabel IT. Robins in M.A.P.