Fotheringay's Son.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 30 December 1912, Page 2

Fotheringay's Son.

'fIUP SERIAL)

OHAFTEB XIV. (Oontiivutfd.) The wedding day arrived. Lavender did not seem to object to anything except the way in which the vicar looked at him. The vicar ; was a scholar and a- recluse, but he recognised a gentleman when he saw -one. Curiously enough, none of the party noticed that the register was signed by the bridegroom, in a different name from the one they had known him by. They had, .however, always thought that Lavender was an assumed name. | Adelaide had stolen a look at Lavender while he was giving his assent and repeating the solemn words which were to make t'hem man arid wite. He had called 'himself "Anthony | it was not a name that could be rom- ! manly used. Of course he was Jack instead. The party ret urned to the I a nil after tho marriage ceremony Honeymoons were not known in the ullage. It was a very cold day, and only one or two of the villager^had had the curiositv to Adelaide S.vmonds married to the "gentleman who had lived at tho farm so long. At the end of the festive faunlj uatlieving at the farm Adelaide's fn+he- kissed her and shook Lavend,er';£i hand. . "T shall come and with you to-morrow evening," he sr,:<i to his son-in-law. - ' "Mind you do, sir!" replied -lack Heartily. , . " And then the couple -set oft to tneir cottage. As she turned rmnul .to look at the farm, where she would r'-ver again reign as mistress, Adelaide s heart suddenly failed her. J? -or the moment she felt alone—Lavender seemed-outside her range., ap if We had nothing in common with her. She stood and looked at the only home she had known, lying there;so snug and comfortable under its thatch , ;<gain.s*- th° hilb'ide. with the ,smoke from the ohimnev rising in spiral' j pcainst the clear, ccld,. winter skv. I Sho heird the far-off beat of the sea that had brought Lavender to her; her own cottage lay farther inland. <sh e - s-.hivercd f.'< she stood there, but it was not from cold' alone; _ Lavender waited without showing the slightese sign of impatience, he did not trouble to understand her. Women 'had always one quality Which "o man could nndertand, and ne supposed Adelaide was no exception. Adelaide gazed and gazed until liev pyes hills withl tears; then, leaning, on her hhsband\s arm, she said: ' "I am ready. Jack." "It is verv cold." said Jack, as his i contribution to . the conversation »s | thev walked on. • i | "We' shall soon be there, sai'. I Addie. Not- another word was sooken un.i. thev had crossed tho threshold rrf ih» j cottaee. Jack Lavender stooped. mm ■kissed 'lw« wife which sent -a thrill through her. He hbd. done it in r... absent war, but he had clone it. 1 ha., mipht thev sal by their fireside and I talked of mn.nv commonplace topics; j thev might hnvo been married -> r 1 twenty years. Adelaide ooultl not 'have told u.n it- was that her heart was.so heavy. Jack was uniformly kind, but as tho davs passed bv he seemed farther i.nrl fnrfcJjh* away from her. Aflams "> the little household' went wonderhiuv well, however. Jack gave his v>'.to ei'irhteen .shillings-a week, John Syinonds furnishir<r the young couple wan n,U ttey ne?decl in tli e way of food. She never appeared to he working, vet the work was always done. Every iiicrH the farmer came over and | his ripe, or Lavender went to tno fa.rnl. It st>em°d that the farmer p.'e- ! ferred the cottage. ' j John Symonds, -the younger, w--pected to be imnrnp'V snon. He was I .verv an"tv with lavender i i<u j Adeliide for steadfastly refusma to promi^ o to come to the wedding. I Lavender hod • refused,.from the. outset. nnd Adelaide did not care to go .without her .husband-,.'. So the wedding /took.- place withon 4 -- either of them fxeing'present, and vounir wife from - "over hill ' took., Adelaide's nine* at the farm. Meanwhile Adelaide knew all. too well thjit - W husband, from her: How die "knew that *hf was drifting —that lie had not lint affection for her lie . had formerly shown—she couM not.telf, but sao knew it nevertheless. V A's the spring came on and old John Symonds was full ~«f suggestions. That' field at the back of the cottag'r, surely Jack meant to do something i with it? ! . . •. ■

"Yes, if you like, said Lavender; but even- the old farmer could see that Jack's heart. wa\s rot in it. "You want a change." he said, fixing his eyes on*his scn-in-law. ' Come down to Plymouth with me ne>rc week. I want to look at some, new machinery, and we can see what hivd best'bo done with that field." "Very well," replied Jack._ It d'd not seem to make the least difference to him <wl\at lie did; only one thing he knew, and that was that ' he O'd life was tugging at him. It became increasingly difficult to liv; on from day to day. It was not thatlife with Addie l was more irksome to lnni than it had been without her. It was only that old habits and thoughts were asserting their claims. He conk!, not put the whole of his past life aside as he Iliad done at first his misfortunes had iseemed to st-in him. Now, in this beautiful springtime, he felt the longing for the life of London, for its old regiment, frr

BY ALAN ADAIR Author af "An Island Princes*," "A Marriage of FCilloity" Eto.

the gay crowds of the parks, and above and bejyond all, for the sight of the one, the loss of whom had Turned hi?- life. He longed for a sight of her, yet prayed that lie might never look upon her face again. "Well, we will have a. jaunt together, then," said old. Symonds. Adelaide looked up'from her work and smiled. "I should like to see you together in Plymouth !" she «aid. s "We sha'n't be together all the time," said the old farmer. "Jack there will want to go on the Hoe and see all the fine folk, but we will go off together, and maybe he will give me his advice about some cattle that I have a mind to sec, for he is a tine judge of beasts. When shall we g>. Jack?"

"To-morrow, if you like," answered the.other indifferently.

"Well, so 1)0 it. To-morrow, if it i'i line, and niiml you put on your wedding clothes. Jack, and make yourself look smart. We will bring something bade from Plymouth lor Adelaide. What do you say to a iv;\\ hat, my maid?"

"I don't want one, father.'' -mid Adelaide, hi her mind's eve she could see her father in a shop choosing tho most impossible headgear.

I "Well, we will see," said her rather. "We will go by the. olevon-o : clock train, and we can come back when we like." j He attempted a roguish expression I which made his face look quaint ni the extreme. Adelaide did not smile, however. Sho had seen behind her father's kindly offer. He must have noticed Jack's restlessness and his indifference to everything around him. The old man had thought that a "change" might be good for "-he young,man whom he loved. By tho next morning Lavender seemed to have forgotten tho iv.tended visit to Plymouth. Adelaide i<minded him of it, and he changed his clot-lies, and made himself look smart for the sake of the kind, old man. He looked into the glass before lie went away. The reflection was tli.it of a. man still very 'handsome, }■!- though there were lines in tne face that had only recently come there. The dark, curly hair wa.s plentifully streaked with gray; two years aro there had not boon a gray hair in it; two years ago he had been one of the handsomest men in London, a l/ati wlrm every worn nil admired. /Spw lie was going for a jaunt o»i market day with an old farmer! There had been only one man in the world wh" had loved him as tho 'old farmer did. The other man—-Ar-thur Damian —had understood him, and because he understood him :vna loved him had condoned all! his fel-. lies. This old man knew nothing of him, not even big real name. Lsut the wonderful fascination lie had lor ■ oth men was the same.

Lavender left the cottage without even calling out a "good-bye" to Adelaide. Ho had. forgotten these little amenities. She saw him go; she was standing by the window, watching him. His graceful carriage had always a fascination for .t he girl, who had an instinct fnr what • v <"3 beautiful. She saw him greet iicr father who, arrayed in- a most ejaborate neckcloth, was .smiling and looking very pleased with himself as he aporoached tho cottage. "There is Addie," lie said, looking up at the window, hut Jack d d not turn and wave 'his hand. Adelaide had a Midden apprehension that she tried to combat. Ae stood watching until they were out of siulit. "Hw foolish 1 am!" she mutter»i:. as she wt down and covered her face with hor hands. "Tf onlv he would not look like that! If only I could <rrt closer to him, nearer tn his heart! He does not hate me, .1. know. It only 1 could help him to fight against those black moodf that come upon 'him so often! Tf only he would let me be one with him!" When she rose her .face brightened. <£ He may be happy yet,'' she "aid. "Heaven grant it may he so! t have heard that the hands of a little chi'O. often carry balm, to a man's, heart! (To be Continued.)