A TERRIBLE MISTAKES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10049, 21 May 1910, Page 2

A TERRIBLE MISTAKES

CHAPTER XL -^r.tinued. Clifford opene< tii,.-.■mou door arri walked in. His ■:■■.*•. flushed, and his eyes shoiv br ; >..■ ;.., He did r.o?' notice a man who a-:- ■,■Hii-g :u»ain.-:..: . the counter—a hip., young fin low, who looked a >-..-,>v:..>.y<. from Ua crown of his peak n i;.; • ap 1.3 vi,.. soles of his h. av> ;aqa. C 1: ft"*' i>; walked through >!;<• s.Va <o the lit* ■ sitting room beyiA'•, ;:a.i tapped a. the door, the upper . : .-ai-]- /if which «;■>- glass. The maii k:/:;A<~ against lA. counter scowled at.a a savagely. 'Whom do you *;.-A':'' he asked. Clifford turned i;nd eyed h/j questioner in sun ,rist\ 'ihe men w ;■;>■•; a perfect stra'j.;<;r h./.i;n. He d] dained to make auy ■■ -.•piy, but tuned the knob cf the door, to find thr.t it was locked. 'The old man is ■ ■lit for a litfh while,' continued tbti seaman; 'and I'm minding shop. I ;*m Bob Winters, at your service, sir; and, now that we are introduced, perhaps k would be as well it we settle our reckoning. I know win you are— or what you call yourself—and I've wanted to meet ynu fur a long time, Mr Percy Clifford' The seaman straightened himself, and stared ferociously at Clifford, who regarded him in haughty amazement. 'Oh, you can put on your fine airs, if you like—but see here, sir, I thinkthat it will be wise of you if you take my advice and get out of this! There's been quite enough or your philandering about Miss Dudley's-: skirts, and trying to ruin the character of a poor girl who had r.o one to protect her but an imbecile old grandfather. Let n.e tell you that Misii Dudley is my sweetheart, and has been my promised wife for a twelvemonth. If I hadn't been away with my ship the girl's silly head would never have been turned to your curls and pretty speeches!' The man's insolent face, his insolent tone stung Percy to the quick. Ht looked the sailor over irom head to foot; he was big, evil looking, and blustering. 'Mr Dudley is here,' he s:.id coldly. 'Now let us rave an understanding. The old gardener shuffled into the shop. His footsteps were faltering, his "figure was bent, and he appeared to have aged yes-rs in a few days. He glanced apprehensively from one to the other of ;he two men, and seemed to be in fear of Robert Winters 'Mr Dudley/ Pel } : respectfully, 'I am red—l am your gut fellow?' 'A friend of mine—a frien grand-daughter's, sir,' the g stammered. Then, under the uerc2 gaze of Winters, he added boldly: 'And, Mr Clifford, I shall esteem it a kindness if you will never come again.'

CHAPTER XIII

'Go on/ said Percy, calmly. The aged gardener plucked up courage.

'Kobert Winters/he went on, 'is really engaged to my granddaughter. I promised her to him long since, long since. Until you came here she had no thought of anybody else. And he has come back 10 claim her. The village is full of gossip, and my chila is wretched —unhappy. We know nothing of you—only that your name is Percy Clifford. You are a gentleman, and you may mean well for the moment, but the end is sure to be misery. I ought to have stopped this business long ago; but I hoped for the best, and put off the evil day until it was almost too late,"

Ferey listened with pale face and flashing eyes.

'ls that all you have to say, Mr Dudlej?', he demanded, "lhat is all, sir.'

'Then listen to my reply. I love your grand-daughter, and am here to marry her. Nothing shall send me away unless she bids me go. I do net believe in this man's claim, because Hildred has made no promise to any living man but myself. You see how great my faith is; and my love is equally as strong. As to who and what 1 am, the whole world can bear witness that I am an honorable gentleman. Let Hildred decide.' 'Hildrerl?' mimicked Winters savagely. He took a step forward, and shook one of his great horny fists in Percy Clifford's face, 'Hildred? She shall not decide! Do you hear that? I am master here. This old man owes me two hundred pounds, and I can turn him homeless into the street at a few hours' notice. This business is a mere sham, and every stick is mortgaged to me. Are you aware, Mr Percy Clifford—or whatever your infernal name may be—that you are trespassing upon my prporety? Now, oblige ne by leaving my premises, and never you venture to set foot in them again.' Clifford stared haughtily, contemptuously at the flushed and angiy sailor. Outwardly he was unruffled. 'Two hundred pounds/ he quietly observed. 'Do you owe that money, Mr Dudley. 'Yes, yes!' was the distressful rejoinder. 'Every word that Mr Winters has said is true. 1 have borrowed small sums from time to time without my granddaughter's knowledge,

| BY hj: h. PA CUE. § I 1 *» Author "(.-•'• :o Doctor's >''.':e>,, .J. 'Jtv-t; iov the Court, (j § . . , „ ... * 1 ° 1 / I.'roE'holiiiO'--'- iSi:.!.. /A.; ! , / 6 C

I *y the money some \ nat >3 impossible.' He to the other of the '' i -h escaping his lips. .i j old man, aged beyond t-ret cares?. 'I shall o, u...., 'II I lose my garden JI /lowers!' uiriiii and his flowers '.'rand child!' thought ir gaiden is safe from Dudtey,' he calmly ,' the debt you owe to i. myself happy in doing '* -"v :..o»ey with me now; it art of that which I > f >' i r our cottage.' He counted the notes from -.' ' o >k, and demanded a re- ■• . f e furious sailor. 'I will ■. '• . .v'Hi are to write,' Cliff- ' • '•' "d, and with a sense of r ' ■■ ■r j. J • •>• take it—l refuse your " I ' Hi not give up my claim!' . <>i help yourself, my good "■ ' i \ our lawyer make a forj. Now, go, if you please !' Ji \iriad to the door, his 1 "' ii.nio quivering, his blue i'g 'Go, please! My pati":o .• u-arJy exhausted; but I have ' •" -•"'■ , tu coil my hands by touch- '•\ .! ' nllv and a coward! y v i.u x \\ face darkened with rage i 'lt\ • '", i'ii Dudley,' he cried, 'I am i -j il:likea worn-out glove by * Ji' ■■ ■I \ ur granddaughter, in fav- • >■ - >{ . fc fia- dy? But I will never '~v ■)• foiget! Matk my words! I it'w 1 'oval Hildied Dudley since .» .. » a ii.tie child! I have sworn : a. -!>_ t-hall be my wife, ai:d J ' ii 1 muiry no other woman while a c livey! Old man, you shall soon r cl tne weight of my hatred!' He tirir.ri to Clifford,* and his venom increased. 'As for you, Mr Gentleman —all i can say is—beware! You have robbed me of my wife, and Bob Winters knows how to repay a wrong !' And, with one bitter glance at the cowering, frightened gardener, he rushed out of the shop and reeled along the street. 'I can almost find it in my heart (o pity that man,' Percy said. 'He is maddened by his disappointment. Come, Mr Dudley, where is Hildred?' The sitting room door opened, and, with a wild, happy cry, Hildred Dudley ran into his arms.

'LET NOT THE GLAMOUR OF YOUR LOVE BLIND YOU!'

'Hildred, my darling, you are trembling like a frightened child! What is it, sweetheart?'

Percy Clifford clasped the girl's tender form closely to him, and showered kisses upon the lovely upturned face. The glorious golden hair wa3 dishevelled, the peach-bloom cheeks were stained with tears.

'Hold me tighter, my dear love!' she half sobbed. 'Oh, I have been so afraid! Robert Winters threatened me—threatened grand-father, and also you. I hid myself from him—l was terrified—l did rot know his power or my lover's strength. l'hen I heard your dear voice, and I became brave again. I crept to the door, and I saw you smile at his fury. I could have screamed with gladness, Percy. Then he went away like a whipped cur, and I knew that you were his master.' She was almost hysterical in her joy, and Clifford let her sut of the shop and into the room beyond, whispering words of love into her ears. 'lt appears that I arrived in the very nick of time,' he said. 'What was the fellow doing here? What were his intentions? Hildred's head was resting upon Clifford's shoulder, and her grandreplied feebly and hesitatingly: 'I owed him money, you see—the twa hundred pounds—and he vowed that he would not leave until he had seen my grand-daughter. He raved about the village gossip; people have been telling him of you, sir, and he is a jealous, desperate man.' 'But he has no claim upon your grand-daughter?' Clifford sternly ii> terrupted. 'I hate and loathe him!' the cried. 'I have been civil to him in the past merely because 1 believed him to be my grandfather's friend.' 'He has always spoken of my granddaughter as his future wife,' the florist went on in tremulous tones, 'and he has lent me money. I dared not say him nay; and I did not want to lose my garden and my beautiful tiowers. If I have ever been doubtful of you, Mr Clifford, you will forgive me, I hope?' TO BE CONTINUED