NEIL MALLOW'S SIN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10139, 9 November 1910, Page 2

NEIL MALLOW'S SIN.

(OUR SERIAL/*

BY JOHN A. PETERS. Author of at Midnight," "Two Odd Girl?," etc., <.:<:., oh

CIiAPTisR. i !L—Continued, •V s-'us-iiib !iii-l, f:lio d ; d not scream; that, she kne*, wordd but increase her p.■:•;!. i'ndouiriedly lie came to ulundor not to kill. B]'.- !;a!f lii'tsd herself from the couch, ho- loos-;.' hair, in which the ,v;.,n., .-;ill giUiemd, tumbling in V ,;■,:. ,-,--.J owr her shoulders. Somehow, she did i'.ot fee! afraid of this masked intruder, who, in "the dead v.v.sio aad middle of the night" appeared r.iiio her. He did md.'offer to touch her —to (Ire from her presence. As one charmed, v-oled f>> 'lie spot, there ho remained. Christine broke the silence. "YV'iiv are yon liere-, .sir, at this untimely hour of night, or morning rather—in a room where no one hut myself ha-; a right to enter? For what imlavd'ui purpose have you come hither? Speak! Are you a thief? Are you here to plunder—to steal?" Yv'as it simpiy imagination on her part, or did jio really winee under her plain talk? He certainly was prompt in his reply. "Lady, for the purpose you mention i am here. I meant to rob you of your diamonds." Although lie had partially disguised his voice, she recognized it as Neil Mallow's. All fear iled. He would not lay hands on her, and it was in her power to save him. How thankful she was that he had come to her ana not gone elsewhere! But perhaps lie had visited others and failed. Oh! why had he fallen so low? A thief? Surely from her he deserved no pity. "Well, what prevents you from taking the diamonds," she ask"d. "I am only a frail girl, and you have the strength of a athlete. Do yon hesitate because yon have come to your right senses, and realize the enormity of the sin you meditate? You need not be afraid 1 shall resist. You came for the diamond.'-'. You shall have them; only stand hack and allow me to take them off myself. You must bo in Dressing need of money that you re:ort to this illegitimate way of getting it."

From her white, arms she unclasped the heavy bracelets ; from her neck s;ie tore the shining necklace; then she unfastened her brooch, and took from her dishevelled hair the stones that glistened like human eye;:. She held them out. ''Here, take them," she said, "they are yours." He shook his head; then he clasped his hands over his breast, and said in a low voice: "I cannot touch them. Hide them from my sight, lest they tempt me beyond the power of resisteuce, while I .spoak. I have neon in a had dream. I awoke from it when I looked upon your face. In extenuation of my premeditated crime I have, nothing to say. Temptation has vanished; all weakness has fled, and strength has come. Lady, forget, if you enn, my intru-ion. 1 shall always he anrry that 1 disturbed you to-night." He turned to an open window where h.' had effected an entrance by clambering up the tone,]), flexible creeper that shaded it. Christine started to her feet Jotting the diamonds fall "unheeded to the floor. lie must not depart thus. At her hands lie mnst accept the amount needed to set his mind at rest. ''.Stay!" she cried, "do not go just yet. 1 wan to help you, oh! so much. I want to thrust temptation entirely from your path. Despite your masked face, the wicked purpose for which you came—l have. faith in you. I kn"w that you are not all bad, that much good dwells in you, or you would not, at the last moment, ,unclasp from your grasp the riches you covet. From the purest of motives 1' spoak—l act. Let me Jielp you." The sv.')ducd light of the lamp fell upon hrr earnest, beautiful face; it lent to it an almost saintly look. In her sumptuous raiment, with her wealth of night-black hair creeping over her .shoulders and down her waste, t!"> dark (yes lifted imploring to {lie mask ihat concealed his features, she v.-as the fairest sight the man had tvor looked upon.

He r'i;U. L-.imljk'd to the dust; in :i more bideons lirdit in which ho had yot seen it, lie saw his sin; ho shuddered—he was terribly ashamed. Jf. his face I:"/J not boon hitJdcn, ho felt that ho must have thrown himself from the window- to «seepe that pure, >iiivii<<v .^'/anew. In a tiny heap on the floor where thoir owner had dropped Lbon-, nay mmotioed tho (hifd.in;.!; .stone:--. At the foot of tho sympathetic v.nooi.i flie mi.sorable man knoll. "I thank yon for your offer, lady, hut i' am not so shameless to aeeept it. Lot me go. So sinful a wretch has no n'dit to breath' tho same air that yon breathe. Lot mo pv, ere you unman me with your kindness and sympathy. I promise yon to do noilnnp; dosp< rate ; never, so long; as I walk this earth ,to sin a<i;ain in a .similar way. Indeed, lady,

J was mad!" "I know it; I {'vol sure of it." a;i(f h'-> hand dropped soothiredy on his sh-.iihlor, and'h-.T voice -as'full of compassion—'''nnul with despair. .No, ].'.', you cannot go until J have relieved you of your wants. Words of ciu ■:• are otttimes consoling and satisfying, but in your case 1 hoy arc mook< 'i y. M oney— som o times to oneu'.h the desire v, itliiu yon that may bo slumbering, and not d.au asyou believe—that will set your mind at case and give you the rest necessary to keep you from going mad in reality—is what you want, what you must have. 1 do not want to he inquisitive or pry into your affairs, but, in order to be of use you must name the sum you are obliged to raise. Peace of mind must be ensured to you. You have an eminently practical woman to deal with, you .see," and her lips slowly blossomed into a smile. Xeii Mallow's head, bent low, lower still: ho dared not look upon the face, which, to him, was an angel's; the touch of hc-r tender hand was more than lie eoidd bear, lie moved away from it. "Do not touch me,"' he said; "my very presence is contaminating to one like you. Do not hinder mo; let me go." "Not unless you wish me to have hard thoughts of you. Why won't you let me be kind? It will make me so happy to know X have cased the pain of a fellow-creature. Do let me help you," she pleaded. It as useless to try and dissuade her from her purpose, He succumbed ; "Let me briefly tell my story first. Perhaps then you will withdraw your companion. My name, if you will permit me, I will for the present withhold." She bowed. "Tell mo as little, of your story as you please; none of it if it distresses you to do so. Your name i accord you the privilege to suppress." She wondered whether, if; lie had been unacquainted with it, she could have framed such a reply. Ho would not rise from the floor, as she begged him to clo so.

"Ifc is meet that I should tell it at your feet, and keep my face in the meantime protected by a mask. The way I fell into temptation is this : When my father died—three years ago—lie was supposed to be immensely rich. When his debts wore attended to there was nothing left. He had speculated rashly and lost all ho had. His widow and only child were unprovided for. I wont bravely to work to support myself and my mother. Instead of prospering, I failed in all I undertook, in trying to provide my mother with the necessary comforts of life, .1 ran hopelessly into debt; she, unused to privations, .sickened and died. Our possessions all went; into deeper debt 1 fell, hut could not raise sufficient funds to have my parent decern'y interred, and I would not bo dependent on the. charity of the people for her burial. I committed theft! Think of it, and shrink from ma. appalled. To bury my mother, a pure and saintly woman, I stolebecame a thief! The wonder is that she can lie in her grave—that she does not emerge therefrom and shame me for my unnatural act! For any other purpose it would not seem quite so bad ; but to rob to bury the; dead is sacriligious in he extreme. Oh, God have mercy upon me." There Avere tears in his voice; his massive frame shook as if convulsed with sobs. Oh. how the girl pitied him! She iva.o on .her knees ;;•;. his side, she was breathing words of comfort in his car ere she. was av>ar?. of it. "Hush! Do not yield thus to your feelings," she pleaded. "An allmerciful God sees and hears and understands far better than man can do. 'Too much sorrow and anxiety had driven you mad. In very desperation yon did what in calmer moments—in possession of your rnvht senses—you would scorn to do. eV •' I do not shrink from you.. 1 i '!;.•- do not despise you. Proceed! Time (lies; the. morning will soon, dawn and you must not bo caught hero." "! forget. I injure you by remaining. Let me go." Again she checked him. "(-(> <h\ with your story. You shall not depart fill you are supplied with monev to cancel vour debts. TTurrv, do!"' (To be Continued. 1 )