FICTION IN BRIEF.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2465, 16 February 1893, Page 4

FICTION IN BRIEF.

MEG TIIREGOLD.

[By Florence Wauden.]

( Continued.)

and I think by showing it to someone I know, I can get you a good friend."

The little lad assented at once. " You are a good friend, I think," he said, simply. Leaving my lantern with the boy, and telling him not to mention my visit to the Duckers yet, I hurried away, while Ruff watched me with a disappointed bark as I ran down the wooden steps.

I think the collie had had dimly in his faithful dog's mind that I should take his little master away somewhere where it was warm and bright. '

" All right, Ruff, I'll come bacK and look after him," I said. And my encouraging tone set his bushy tail wagging. CHAPTER 111. I made straight for Zech Thredgold's cottage. I had two missions to fulfil; one with Meg, and the other withSebert Corringham. Not much to my surprise I found that I could make one journey do for both ; tor when 1 knocked at the door it was opened by Meg, and I could hear the voice of her elderly admirer, who was sitting at the teatable.

The house was built in such primitive fashion that the front door opened into the family sitting-room ; but a wooden screen had been built to keep the draught out, so that no one saw me but Meg when the door was opened. The girl looked startled and rather confused. But I hastened to reassure her.

" I haven't come to tease you, don't be afraid," I said, in a most matter-of-fact tone. "1 start for London to-monow morning. But as I have just learnt something it may be to your advantage to know, I thought I'd better run over here and tell you." Meg twisted the door-handle rather nervously and seemed to wish to say something. But I would not give her time. I could not trust myself not to do something idiotic if once we came to parley. So I rushed on with my speech. "Your admirer in there—Mr. Corringham," —Meg looked uneasy and blushed, " you can marry him without any fear of his first wife turning up. She's dead. I thought it only fair to let you know this as soon as I knew it myself, since I threw the doubt in your face this morning." " Thank you," answered Meg, in a trembling voice. " And now I should like to speak to Mr. Corringham. Would you ask him to see me ? I won't detain him more than a few moments."

Meg was spared the trouble of making this announcement; for her elderly lover, with a most portentous scowl on his face, now made his appearance at the door, with hands planted deeply in his pockets. He had heard my voice, and believed that I had come to make another attempt to supplant him with Meg. " Can I have a few words with you, Mr. Corringham, on a private matter of importance?" I asked coldly, before he had time to speak. "That's just what I want," he answered, with lowering and ferocious sullenness, which seemed to frighten Meg, for she uttered a cry and glanced from him to me in terror.

I was in no way alarmed by his tone. But Meg knew the brute better than I, He seized his hat, and pulling the door shut it roughly, took me by the arm with a strong grip, and turned up with me across the die moor to the left. As he led me rapidly away, a woman appeared at the window. It was too dark for me to be able to see more thnn this, that it was Meg and that she was making me gestures of warning. I felt far too secure in my power of taking care of myself to take much heed of these, but I was glad to find that my safety was not altogether a matter of indifference to her. Meanwhile Corringham was hurrying forward, directing our steps over a rough and broken part ot the moor, where I had never been. It was some minutes before he spoke, in a savage, dogged tone, which made me wonder whether the poor little son I had discovered for him would not be better even where he was than in the eare of such a father.

" Now then," said he at last, " what do you mean by slinking up here after that lass when you had your orders ' Hands off ?' " " I take no orders from you," I said very quietly, knowing what a sure position my errand gave me. " But, as it happens, the business that brought me here had nothing, or next to nothing, to do with Miss Thredgold." " That's a cursed lie, yon " I felt myself suddenly seized by both arms, turned and forced backwards over the rough ground. I shouted "Help!" I struggled, but I had been taken too much by surprise. I could neither free nor stop myself. Quicker and quicker we went, over ground which sloped down, until suddenly stopping with a jerk, my assailant flung me from him, tripping me up. A moment later I was lying many feet below, at the bottom oi a pit which had been dug for quarrying purposes, but since abandoned. I had fallen with my right arm under me, and the stab of pain I felt in it as I touched the earth told me it was broken. At the same time I had sense enough to be thankful that I had not fallen on my back, for assuredly if I had, Sebert Corringham need have feared my rivalry no longer. I think that, having given this pleasant little vent to his passion, Corringham had a moment of compunction. I saw his burly figure looking down into the pit, as he said gruffly, yet, 1 thought, not without anxiety : "You'd better not have interfered, you

My head was beginning to swim and my limbs to feel numb. I knew that I must make the most of my time. "Come down here," Isaid; " yon hav&l't heard what I had to say." After a little hesitation, Corringham walked round the edge of the pit and came down by an easier way than he had given me.

"Put your hand in my left hand pocket here," I said; "My arm is broken, or I would not trouble you. Take out a book you will find there." Sebert gave a growl like an angry bear; it was his way of showing a pang of remorse. He complied without a word, and drew out the volume of poef''v he had given to the girl he married. I'saw Nm shake like a leaf; I heard a hoarse exclamation. " Who gave you this ?" he asked, in a low, shaking voice. " Your son."

was a moment of absolute silence. Then ti'.'* rou fth. surly man fell on his knees beside me be S an blubbering like a baby, incoherently me < blessing me, imploring my pardon", begging' me to tell him more. Was his wife alive ? "No." said I. " you are quite free to marry Meg Thredgold." "Oh, I don't know about that," said Corringham, slowly, " She likes you best, you know."

I struggled, in spite of the pain in my arm, to turn and look into his face.

"Do you mean that?" I asked, abruptly. " Certainly I do. That's what made me so savage. I think I'll just go and tell her what—what I've done. It'll do me good to make a clean breast of it ; and Meg won't spare me, if I know the lass." He hurried off, heartily ashamed of himself, penitent, humble. I lost consciousness as soon as he was out of sight; and before I {lo he continued.)