AFTER RELEASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10586, 18 March 1912, Page 2

AFTER RELEASE.

OUR SERIAL.

By VIOLET M. FLINN,

Author of "The Master Passion. "What Shall It Profit?" "Verenu."

"By Devious Paths," Etc,

CHAPTER IV—Continued

"I can hardly expect l.ady Flora 1 ( :> l-emenibcr me. She was the baby oi : the family when I visited the eastle." Fluflie accpted the compliment wil:h alacrity. She smiled and giggled delightedly. "7 do remember you though—a little only. My husband tells me that you and he are old business friends." "Scarcely that, but wo have haa

dealings together for some time. 1 had no idea that ho was your husband, though!" It was a very gay meal. Sir Thomas was frankly material in his ta.-stes ard enjoyed the pleasures of the table. "Fluflie and I have a lot of leev/ay to

make up,' ho said frankly. "I have been too busy making money to have time, to spend it up to now, and Fluffio was in a dragon's clutches. But I have got my money, and have rescued my little girl. Now wo are makii.g up for lost time." Tresidder looked at the painted faded, overdressed little woman, and saw no longer the absurdity out tho pathos. If she felt young, why should she not be young? was FlufHe's unformulated argument, as shown in her affectation of girlish airs and graces, her continual laughter and foolish chatter. Ludworth had grown familiar with the sight; Sir Thomas saw not tiio Flora of actuality, but the Flora of his boyish dreams. It was only the stranger, the man with his heart filled with tender memories of an unforgettable ideal, to whom tho sight was grotesque and painful. For all unconscious, Flora reproduced f->r liim in caricature, the air and graces, tho pretfty coquetry, and all the dainty pretty ways of her sister Alicia. She was Alicia, but Alicia in (burlesque until he-could have-cried out for the pity of it. Honora had always been quiet, grave and reserved, living in herself, sufficient for herself, but Alicia, ah! what had Alicia not been ? A thing of air and light, of soft happiness and laughter, of April smiles and tears. In a South African forest he had watched the humming birds flashing hither and (thither, little balls of life

made only for warmth and happiness, and they reminded him of Alicia Marcham, so that lie had loved the glowing little things for her sake. She ad been so sweet, so happy, so exultant in her girlish beauty and triumph, and the end had been His brow contracted ; his face grew pale. It had all been as nothing; she had gone, and her place had not been filled. She was a memory only in his faithful heart. Like a falling star she had flashed for a moment from the known into the unknown, but in one man's life she had left a trail of glory that time only deponed rather than dimmed. He longed to talk of her, to he.ir of the sudden death that had snapped the young life like a broken reed, but he looked at Flora and sighed. Sho was not the woman to whom one would confide his deepest sorrows and te iderest memories. If he depended on her ho would never know more than he klhew; there was aio one who could-tell him except (that man who lay unconscious and deliriously ill in the precincts of the Albany. As if some magnetic current hud passed betwen them, Ludworth suddenly looked at him. They ha i {Lashed luncheon. Lady Flora was buttoning her gloves and discussing her ai- . ternoon engagemnts with her husband preparatory to saying good-bye. "How's the fellow to whom you played the good Samaritan?" Ludworth asked. "I don't believe that I have seen you since that night.!'' "No, I think no. He ds very ill; his life still tremblos on a thro-id, but I think he'll soon pull through. I hope SO-" , • . -,1 "Well, I only hope that virtue will not be your only reward; ho looked a very unsavoury wretch. - I say Mult, do you know that tho other night, a wee*k or two ago, Mr Tresidder picked up a dying man on your doorstep and actually had ham taken to his own rooms?" , , . Fluff shivered. She hated to be reminded of life's afflictions. "How cxccciinislv dreadful!" she lisped. "Ho.v hor.sd of him to choose my doorstep! 1 wondeivwhy. Aou should 'not have told me, Ludworth. 1 shall Irate to go in and out now. "Oh, it won't happen again,- • he 1111- ' swerod laugliingly- Ho knocked the ash off his cigarette. "Ho is in no condition yet to tell his companions that it was a 'good lay.' By the way, Mr Tresidder, you recognised him, didn't you? You seemed to thmk 1 knew his name, but I did rot. 1 had not heard the name before. W -ho was Stanton Neal?" . Tresidder had no opportunity ot answering the question, for Fluff gave a curious, gurgling cry, and clutched ut her husband. "Oh, Tom!' sho gasped. 1 tee' so ill " She looked ghastly; all the nat ami colour had deserted her face; hor eyes were filled with terror; sho shook Horn : head to foot as her small body sw-pyed in her husband's arms. rii •Instantlv all was confusion, lor 1011: was beside" himself at the sudden misadventure. His ruddy face was as blanched as licr own. His big, tremto her white lips. "It's this confounded room—the beastly atmosphere!'He fumed in his agitation, and raged at the officials Who flew to his assistance. "There—there—littlo woman, you are f<ehng better now?' ho asked. His voice was shaking, his lips trembling, as he chafed her small cold hands. Slies such a frail litle thing. Sho cant stand anything. Jack ring Mather up

CHAPTER V.

and tell him to come here immediati-'-ly." Fluff moaned feebly. >he ' urned her face against the big, encircling arm.

"Let me go home, Tom,* she gasped "I'd rather go home."

To desire was to have. In a very short time sho was 'borne through the curious crowd and put tenderly in tho waiting carriage. ludworth thought that it was only a great fuss about nothing.

"Was there ever such a devoted husband,' he said as tho carriage r>!led away. It left behind a vision of Fluff lying back wih closed eyes while Tommy fanned her assiduously. "She'll be alright, but she docs too much. She isn't yovng you know, but she won't acknowledge it." He broke off abruptly, the colour rising in his fresh, boyish face. .As Tresidder and he still stood in the open doorway, "The Voice" as Ludworth still called her, walked past. She did not even notice the passersby, and it was certain t-hao she would collide wifi.someone. She rcpovured herself a once, but the small portfolio that she was carrying was knocked out of her hands and the contents were scattered on the pavement. It was Ludworth's opportunity. He sprang forward and helped her gather them up. -They were sketches lor the most part, but some appeared to be handbills. A name caught his eye, and when he handed her the lot, he kept one unperceived. ~"I am very much obliged Thank vou." ~ ■ > . The phrase acquired a new meaning when she spoke. He could forgive, her that she did not* recognise him when the words sounded so sweetly in his ears. - • Tho handbill proclaimed a performance of the 'Messiah' in St. Clement's Institute on the following Saturday. Miss Eldyth Grainger would be the contralto singer, and tho dhair would be taken by the vicar of the partan, the Rev. Vivian Courtice/' , "Vivian Courtdce!"' Ludworth mused "Why, it's old V.C. It must be.' He folded the paper carefully. "At any rate, there'll be no harm in tin-ling out if it is."

The crowd that had been waiting for some time round the closed entrance to St. Clement's Institue hailed tho arrival of Ludworth's motor a-s h welcome relief to the .monotony. A itozf n voices volunteered information. "If you want tho vicar, tho parsonage is next door." The parsonage proclaimed so loudly that in its unregenerate days it had been a public 'house that the change might easily have been doubted had not a tall, thin man weariag a cassock emerged boween the swinging doors of what had formerly been the b?r. '•My dear fellow, you -ire very welcome. I. was delighted to got your note." He shook hands hearaly. He took Ludworth out of tho .notor and impelled him into the parsonage with the isanie movement. "I knew it was you as soon as I heard the motor. Mind tho step! I'm going to make youcliairman to-night. It will please the audience immensely. We don't run to dukes as.a rule. And how are you, my dear boy "-"".' Ludworth had becoem acquainted with "Courtice at Oxford, where h° had gone on behalf of a. settlement, witih which ho was connected. The elder man's energy and optimism, his cheerfulness in the midst of all his ing difficulties, his sanguine hopefulness and resource, had all appealed to the young undergraduates. "V.C." was a. general foA*ourite. His own self-sacrificing efforts shamed others into following his example. Ludworth had only been one of the score that had given money to second his efforts. Ludworth had once dreamed dreams under V.C.'s influence; but when lie had "gone down" the old familiar intercourse had insensibly weakened, and with no definite action tho younger had drifted away from the strenuous life of service and brotherhood in. the gay streets oif Hoxton to tho life of ease and indulgence that had been his so long. But, if he felt that V.C. might justly reproach him for having taken his hand from the plow, V.C. clearly held another opinion. When ho had conveyed him safely into the. former snugnery that was now his office and snughe put his hands on Ludworth's shoulders and gave him a little shako that was wholly affectionate. "You dear fellow; you bring back some of hiy happiest memories. How well you look! To think that you here rtdian there. We are too respecthave gone to tho trouble of looking me up! Till is isn't Hoxton, you know, table here, too uniform, too conventional. You bring what wo most need —individaiility;" 1 If Ludworth had .some idea of concealing the real object of his visit, 1 Cottrtico gave him no opportunity. ! Ho had so much to say that thero was i nothing left for anyone but to listen !to him. Ho was so interested in Jus ! work that it never occurred to him | that others might not be. He talked happily from the midst of a cloul of smoke, describing the former public house ivhere ho and his three curates dreamed in tho attic and gave over tho house proper for gymnasiums, free lodgings, coffee rooms and classes. (To he continued.)