"Mrs Lorrimer's Folly."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 20 May 1913, Page 2

"Mrs Lorrimer's Folly."

(OUR SfcRIAL

By Charlotte M. Stanley. Author of "Edna's Vow," "His Country Cousin," "How an Oath Was Kept," "A Wo man Wronged."

CHAPTER, IX.—Continued

John ft 1 linger was very deeply moved. TJio remorseful feeling that he had H:id his share in t.lio mischief done made him anxious to have some share in remedying it. ( "I will leave !her some comfort," was his .secret resolve. "And, moreover, isho shall 'get nothing efse irom me 'until T hear that 'she is strong enough to hear it." So he answered- with forced cheerfulness :

"1 bring lier nothing hut good news, my dear young lady. You may tell her, first of all, that her child is safe, and nlaeed in the care of an excellent woman, who will be very good to it. Tell her, also, that I aim sure poor Frexl is as unlia.ppy in their unlucky misunderstanding as she herself is, and that Vhen she is better and ihe returns to town, I will engige to bring him back to Iher. Had I known wihat I know now he never should have gone away!" lie added earnestly. "Tell her, also, tlwt he !lias gone away on business that will detain him but a short time, and pay ,hirn well, and that he has left in my hands for her a hundred dollars, of whidh I will leave you twenty-five dollars for her present needs, and linnd tire remainder to herself when I oome again. Fred has also left a letter, but that must be given into her ihands alone. As for myself, lan going out of town for a few days. When I return I will call upon iher again, and that I ant positive when , Fred returns -ill urill be well again. I I start to-nisht for 'Washington. This card will inform you of my New York address, to which I slia.ll retuirn in a week from now." He laid his card and the twenty-five dollars upon the table near them, and then, taking up Ihfiis hat and approaching the tloor, asked eagerly: "Will this intelligence, do you think, bring comfort and help to Mrs Lorrimer?"

Rose looked at him with.-a happy, 1 grateful smile. "It will give hejF new life," she said. "Her child Siafe, her husband soon to be her own again. Oh, 1 almost long for her waking now, instead of dreading it, as I did until this good news caime! G-od bless you," she added earnestly, "for bringing it." She might have said, "for inventing it," had she known the truth ; but John Ellinger was not going to tell her so. Nay, he scarcely thought so himself. He firmly believed that the infant was ".safe and well cared for," and as for the future reconciliation between its parents—who oould doubt t! at?

He remembered Fred's wild, sad eye and haggard face, the heavy sorrow and hopelessness that had been so conspicuous in hlis whole demeanour as t,o set him —John El linger—secretly wondering 'uneasily whether it 'was quite rig.lit to let him. go. He seemed to' henr again the low, dismayed tono of that cry: "I shall ha.ve no chance to see her. I never meant to go without a word—without- goodbyP'and his whole heart swelled'w'th pitiv for the pair, hut felt no* shadow of doubt as to their reunion.

"Of course it i!! all come Jiipht," he. said to himself, dveerfully and hopefully, as he strode ,a,v.'"iy home to his hotel. "They have had a -sillv quarrel, and, both lieing young and hasty-tempered, this parti 117 is the .result, Silly vonnrj illn'ngs! That poor little mother looks liko a. girl of sixteen. Well, it may teaoli t-hem wisdom in the future, perhaps. Meantime, they love oac\h other and are willing to forgive, and if only all goes well with tihe pooir baby. there'll he no great harm done. All will be well when. Fred come® home, of course" — witih an air and tone of comfortable security—"when Fred coimes home."

CHAPTER X

"WAITING FOR HER I>OOM."

Lillian'.graving sleep lasted through that afternoon and nig]it. and until the next day was well advanced toward noon on Wednesday. Tlien ©he awoke; pale, exhausted, weak as a little ibabe, but sensible. Whore was it? Was it here? Was .it safe? Why did they no*- bring' it to -her? Gh, how thankfiul Rose was, watching the heightening colour, the sparkling eves, and quivering form, for the power John El linger had given her to still the rising storm, to whisper gently as -she clasped the sufferer to her breast. "He is -safe! 'He is well! Bo calm, dearest Lillian, be calm. There has bt-en news frofn Fred. He will corne back—only keep quiet, darling, and get strong-and well, and you sha'i have them, ihusband and child, both ' back ag?in!" The doctor said those words were worth far more than all his medicines. Under the influence of the jov, the relief tliey gave, Lillian allowed herself to be persuaded into taking nourishment and medicine before asking further questions. The medicine was another opiate—for the doctor dreaded excitement and conversation for her —and soothed her off to healing sleep again before she could learn anything that might dim or blight the sweet hope and joy of that ble.ssed promise: "You shall have them —husband and oliild—both back again." She slept through the afternoon, and awoke at sunset, refreshed and strengthened, much better fitted thin she had been some hours before to sustain the pang of disappointment, and the sickening suspense and fear which the time recital of John El li tiger's words must needs bring to her. She was cruelly disappointed, indeed. So cruelly that «lie wept both bitterly and abundantly, and protest- ■ ed 'witih anguish, that he had "got up the story out of pity to quiet and de- ,

ceivo her," an*], that she "should never see her darling baby more." The .assurance, however, that Rose had actually seen Fred's letter in Mr Elliuiger's "hand, and recognised the hand-writing, seemed to have comforted iher. She became wildly impatient to have the letter at once, and urged Hose to go to Mr Ellinger's hotel and implore him to oome to her.

To learn that, tli.isi could not be was disappointment'the second. What? Did this cruel, unfeeling man intend to keep her a whole week in suspense ? She conceived a violent aversion for John Ellinger.

"He iiy at the bottom of Fred's departure." she s:i!d. "See if my words do not come true. How dare he keep my husband's letter from me? How dare he keep me in ignorance of where my husband is? T don't care," answering Rose's gentle excuses. "No business can excuse such a delay. If he promised Fred to take a message to me he is bound to fulfil his promise first of all. Do you suppose Fred would have countenanced such cruelty?" Then bursting into tears: "Why do I isk that? Do I not know that Fred has no pity for me, no feeling, no ircrcy, else would he have robbed me of n,v child ? And given it to another woman's bosom!" she went on, in a passion of jealousy and despair. "Given the mother's holiest rights to a stranger. It will learn to think of her' a,s its mother. She will wean it from me, my life! my precious pet! It will soon forget me! Even if I ever get it Iwiek I shall seem to my own son as a stranger! I shall never have my own sweet ba.by more!"

And thus she wont and mourned until her strength was quite exhausted. But for all that, when the violence of her grief had liad its sway, and calm reflection eirne, the assurance of her child's safety and the hope oif ,a reconciliation with Iher .husband asserted their natural power to soothe and comfort her. She "took, hold of hope again," and her health began to mend, and strength came slowly back to her day by day. At last, when the week was over, and the day appointed for John Elltnger's second visit came, she dressed i.n the best she had, poor child! — a blue silk —and sat, hour after hour, with liver large, wistful, brown eyes fixed upon the door, waiting to receive iher visitor—.waiting to learn her dioom. It was so pitifid to see this, as the honm went on, that at last Rose could bear it no longe-. She ar.»s» and put on her bonnet. It was now full three o'clock in the afternoon. " lam going to the Ihotel to ascertain if Mr El linger has returned," she said, in answer to Lillian's ques. i ttoning eyes. "I can't bear to see you watching so, pcnliaps for a disapipointment. I can at least ascertain whether he lis in town or not." ! And she set out to do so. i (To be Continued.)