CHAPTER XVI. A NEW FRIEND.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2140, 27 March 1886, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XVI. A NEW FRIEND.

* I SHALt never «co her again !' said George*, in the bitterness of his heart, as he walked on after leaving Sir Hugh, scarcely' knowing Whither he went. C I •hall nevfer speak to'her more !' •'George, my dear fellow— George,' cr^ed a voice from liehind him ; and when he atopped^and looked back he saw the ioptJy *orm of h\f; father hurryipg to, Overtake him. ■ i : *My dear- George,' said the Vicar, br&thlesily, pausing, and wiping -his red face, aa aoon aa he cam© up, ' I'm bo glad I saw yon. I was just dff for the doctor as fast as I could go, for that fool James wa* out of the way a* usual when ' he was wanted, confound him !' ' 'For the doctor?' • ' Yes, indeed. That poor girl Mm jVilliams, has just been brought home in a terrible state,' * What P' saidi George, and his face grew, s^ pale that the Vicar oharitaWy added quickly enough— 1 Yes, yes— only a fainting fit,' though I nothing of, consequence, I hooe. But it seems aomo poor creaturo in the village, whom she was in the habit of visiting, broke a blaodvease,l about an hour ago, and died— Mteralljr died in* her arms. Poor Miss Williams w<*s in such a state, for there was no one else in the house at the tinfe— and I was quite shocked, realty '-'quite shocked, when I saw her brought home by j;wo women all covered' with btocjd— but, 1 luckily, it wasn't her ; own. i ' j 'Is she better now?' said George, quickly. , ' „ - ' She was coming round, I hope, when I left 1 her,' said the Vicar ; • but we had better have Kuthyen. It will be more satisfactory to have Ruthyen, for the servants are frightened, and are running about doing nothing, as women always do, if there is anything to be done ; and as .your mother cannot be disturbed, we'd best have the doctor ; and, George, my dear fellow, your legs are younger than mine, would you mind going for him ?' ' No, I will go at once,' *aid George ; and with a hasty nod to his father he immediately commenced walking towards Dr. Ruthyen's house. He scarcely thought of Sir Hugh again as he went. Fear, anxiety, and a dull sense of pain was now all that he felt ; and when at last almost breathless with hurrying, he arrived at the doctor's residence, which stood perched in a small, neat garden close to the highway, he had to rap and ring furiously for at least five minutes before the door was opened by a fair, freckled, red-haired young Scotchwoman, who was the dootor's wife. 4 Lor, Mr George, is that you?' she said. ',Why, wbat's the matter?' •Is the doctor' in ? said George, touching his" hat even impatiently. .'Well, then,, he's just not. He's gone to Layvyiohe, poor man, for he wanted some clothes. I've been telling him ever so long he must ; but then he was always waiting for Mrs Banska w. However, he's got to-day. But who's ill at the Vicarage? Not Mrs Manners, poor woman, any worse, I hope ?' •No, no— my mother I daresay is pretty Well. It's Miss Williams.' 'Dear mel has she taken the fever. Thomas said he wouldn't wonder if she did — and she doesn't look a strong con* stitotion. I wish it mayn't go very hard with her.' ',i •Wfcen will Dr. Ruthyen be baok?' said George, in a fury. ♦ Why, nW, that's just what I can't tell you. You see he had a vast o' things to get— hosiery and the like. His stpeking were quite worn out, that's the truth ; and Mien the drugs, and his bit of din* ner. 1 ,shout<&xjfc wonder if it was night, befom lie got home- There's a trsia from thflf. North at nine; he'll be oraingby tbst I daresay, But there's the young man. Mr George, in the fcurgery,'ybu. know— a' -very clever young man, and a cousin of my own ; and the doctor often sends him to visit the patients.' • Is he in ?' ' $v*hy, no, not now ; but he'll be baok to his tea. He's going the rounds for the doctor, but as soon as ever he comes in I'll eend him.' , * Very well', answered Goorge. ' Good morning, Mrs Ruthyen ;' and he walked very quickly out of the dootor's little garden. He had! made up his mind to go to the Vicarage, and if he found Miss Williams no better to telegraph at once , to Oldcas tlfi for a doctor. When he reached home he could see no /one ,in the lower story, so he went, upstairs, and found the whole household ■ standing' in Miss William's bedroom, and ; at least fire women crowding round her bed. tGSdQ. h#avens !' what are you all doing.' here?' he cried at the open door. ♦ Oh ! iPS MFGeorge? said Mrs Morrison, the old man-servant's wife, turning roujid. 'Have you got the doctor, sir,?-. The Vicar, said you had gone for him.* t You see, James is away at Lilbournp, after some spring cabbages ; that's how J he wasn't handy, to go. Ay, she's mortal bad, poor thing,' ( »he continued, stepping, aside so as to allow George to see Miss, William's head, which was lying on , the cook's fat, red arm, who ,was bending, completely over her. , , ' Do you know it is enough to kill her, you holding her like that ?' said George, now entering the room, the atmosphere, of whioh was strongly impregnated with a smell of burnt feathers- and pepper^ mint waters. 'Elian, take away, your arm, and don't lean over the bed, and Mrs Morrison, and you too,' turning to, the other women, ' better leave the room. It is suffocating here — how can she gejb amy air ? „ And,, J«ne, open the windows and bring me some water.' , The women looked at each other and smiled, and then obeyed ' Mr George's ' orders. It was. well known in the household, and frequently discussed, that the governess and Mr George were ' sweethearts' and so the cook and Mrs Morrison, after exchanging glances, withdrew, and the other two women followed their example. ' Jane, you come back with the water,' said George to the housemaid, for he had seen thin little by -play of the eyes. Then, when they were gone, he went up and stood beside the bed where Amy Williams, with closed eyes and a white and violet-tinted face, lay insensible and cold, only showing she was alive by a faint convulsive shivering, whioh at times, ran through her frame. * Amy,' saj4 George, 'Amy!' and he took her hand, all his jealousy and anger swept away at the sight of her white face. 1 Amy, my dear, don't you know me ?' Bat eho mate no aign, «o4 with * kind

of shuddering horror George glanced at her dress, which was stained, and positively wet in parts, with the poor girl's blond. 1 Jane can't you 1 change this !' he asked of the hou-'O-miiid when Bhe returned, pointing to the outer jacket. •Oh yes, Mr George,' she answered, and she was a neat-handed, srailinz girl. 'But they all came üboot and flustered one so, I didn't know what I was doing ; but if you'll hold her up I'll soon put it all right.' George bent down and lifted Amy np in bis arms laying her head against his breast, while Jane pulled of the stained white jacket and skirt which she wore. 'There, that will do,' ho said ; 'now giro me the water,' and her held it to her ' lip*, and made Jane chafe heroold himd» and aprinkled her face ; and in ■ minute i or twoiAmy Williams gave a deep-drawn sigh. < 'She's coming to,' said Jane, and in- ■ voluntarily George- drew her closer to him M the girl spoke. •I think (if her head were down it would be better/' .went on Jtne ; and < with a> siglr George acknowledged the troth of what she«aid, and laid it gently down upon the bed —feeling as if part of himself were being torn if rom him as he did so. '.i ' *■ j In another second Amy opened her l eyes, and seeing George- near her*' made : a feeble. effort to put her hand in his. >' • You are better now ?' he aaid, 'Yea.' And she gave another- long shuddering stghv ana closed her eyes, and tears gathered Under the' lids and Wet the brown ' eyelashes, and then slowly rolled — on» after the other — down her pale cheeks. • •'• 1 Do not agitate Jrourself,' said George, holding her ''hand tightly in his own trembling one. < 'No,' and she moved his hand, so that it lay against her wet face 1 ; 'no, George,' ' anduane, the Jhdusemaid, being young, and having a lover of ' her own, felt at this moment that perhaps she might be' in the way. « • I'll just go down and heat the jtoker, Mr George, for the fire;' she said brisklV. 'I think the 'room's damp.' And catching up a stray glass and a cop and saucer as ahe- spoke, 'she went out of the ro,om, closing the* door 1 behind her 1 , and left Gedrge standing by Miss 'Williams, with her face resting against his hapd. 1 ' Heh*d swdrn' that afternoon he would never ; speak to" her agfein — sworn' '^fie vria utterly false and unworthy — yet when he saw her lying -there, so fair', 1 so loving, and so ill, he knelt down and kissed her —passionately kissed Her 1 ; thodgh even as he did so the memory of Hugh Manners returned with hateful'distinctncss to his mind. " • Why dd you make such a fool of me,' he said, rising abruptly and speaking' under his breath-; why do you mako me j mad ?' ' 1 Oh, George,' she answered, and she covered her face with his hand which she still held as she ! spoke. ' Oh' ! George, you should not— you must not— we must not love each other any more.' ' 4 What is the matter !r! r •It is wrong,' cried Amy Williams, 1 wrong— wrong of me. Oh ! George, you don't know— and poor Katie's death ; oh ! George, I dare not die— l dare not die, if I let you love me like this.' ' What do you mean ?' said George, sternly. 'Oh ! Oh ! lam so unhappy— so miserable, she sobbed. Oh f Georgej 1 love you far, far too well. What shall we do. What shall I do ?' ' Hush, hush,' said George Manners, for he saw she wa3 becoming violently hysterical. • Hush, Amy.* • But you won't leave me — yon won't leave me, whatever I tell you ? Oh ! George, why did we ever mcct — why did I ever see yon ?' 1 Why, indeed !' said George, almost with a groan. 1 But you will always love me now,' said Amy, • always — always ?' 'Hush, I you to hush,' said George, opening the door and calling for Jane, • Jane, stay with her,' he said, as the housemaid re-appeared, 'It seems to agitate her me being here? And then just as George' 'Was, walking, downstairs the doctor's, young ! maa ( came, walkjpg up,, and' George,' felt |ialf angry h,e f ; passed the young u 3cotcb.mau. because, b.^,w l as going to, have the prfvjfege of Joelcjng fii her face and fleling her' puteo/ '' ', , The Vicar went to sneak to" the doctor's assistant after he had" seen the patienteibdlvi^lpdttid^lliShaatf&'pre[paratory to his depaisure-in the hall. „' w <4}»7 V*p how.jia^,^ M4y.r ho 'said. „ „„ „. ...... , > .■' , 'She, aty— she.- TrTTT -' and., the .Sfootch youfh brushed, up tojhe roofs q£ hii red, haj'rj'she— ab.^, „>, - M ' .Well* dofjtor,?' said' the V\car» mildly,. She, ah— nervous— hysterical, must ibe kept'porfectly quiet.— on np, account disturbed,' stammered, ouj; the poor lad, blushing more violently than ever,, and; the Vicaij ha vjng delivered this medical opinion to his son,. George decided \fy were n best t that , ; he, should not see her again." ' 1 , ' , i ... He went up and sat by. Messrs Manners, who was better, ,but anxious about Miss Williams, of, .whom, she spoke*, with t^e greatept|aff:eotipn ; evidently regarding jWa*. hjs future wife, and George gpaoejl in, spirit as he Jistened* „, , t ,• 1 A, note oame from Adelaide' i before 'be left hotne^urging him toodme npmnd see them at ti the- Hall; and • prai4ng <Sitj Hugh's Mndnesaitaad' hospitality, iin-'o^o i meaaured tttcms. >> •vi > ci ' •'"•■W ''- ■ u «<Ybtt'» realty 'outfht tb'ebme'up^ and' thantf hittti dear GWrge;'^he wnit^"; 'yolf cMiiio^tbitilc'Hbw'gdod'he i"» to ,ua all." : And soWhbir ' this note ' AYe 1 , George ' a" ' certain relief; as he Telt Adelaide' would' sc*Fcely haivo'written it if she Had' been afegry frith- her- cbustn|. " ?¥e( J jthf Hid \At&f>sp<Ae6n as she'ha'd'doiid 'WHjhad, 'hepcdnsciohoe- hppar^frtry 1 ' awakened"by the sigfht of the poor fished gitl's ' sudden death ? But^she-was n6t heilself; he^consoled himself' ' with > thihking. She scarcely knew''whrttijhe wasf'saying ;' yet — yet — oh'! horrible dbubt-^-the same did (joidbt, evet? haunting Mni alld tornientihg him-+4or is * there any suffering ' worse than to suspect' ; otte l 'that wii trnly low? «"»• «" ' ' ' ' >'' > - <iGe6£g»gV>t into tho train at, Naifbrohgh' station, on his w.ay ba'rifcrtb OldcUstle^ with- these 1 thoughts for his company I , 'and' they travelled with Lira we may be 'sure to the'next «tafcion,'wheri the door of the carriage -whiih he ooctipiod was opened by the guard, and a^yonog lady got in beside him. ' ' . ' ' - ' " At this apparition' (though her appear* anee was rery 'agreeable) George immediately plunged into >bin top-coat pocket and brought out a Maily'paper, which he had bought before starting to amuse himself during Im""j6urney, buTT which till this moment he had nevor thought /of opening. But the young lady only looked at him very quietly, and tJegan arranging her parcel*, qf, which she had about a, dozen, on the seat opposite her. . i There was, one, a child's leather painted ball, which would rpll out of its paper with tho motion of the train, and finally rolled on the floor of the carriage and under the feet of Mr George Manners,, who was still attentively studying his; newspaper. When this, , accident happened George had little choice left; him.. A gentlenUn cannot go hunting 4or, a ball, and present it baolf to a ywy pretty j smiling, young lady, without, some sort, of agreeable acknowledgment of her presence. And; Georgj, though, ho w,aj w?«edi|jgly uh.

happy, jealous and anxious, found it impossible to do so ; and the young lady rcpliod so simply, )et so pleasantly, tliit ho put his piper on the vacmt seal; by his side, and began talking 1 to her — a proceeding to which she had apparently no objection. * I aeu you do not romomber mo,' she Raid with a smile, after a few minutei' conversation on the weather, and the time the train would take to reach Oldcastlo. • No, certainly I do not,' said George. ' I was introduced to you onee — List year, at the races— by my brother-in-law, Mr Mounsey,' said the young lwjy. 'I know Mr Monnsey very well,' replied George, 'i frequently inert him in business ; and — yes, ah ! now I do remember, he was with two ladies. Your oariiage w<ts near the stand, but % am asbaraed to say I' had forgotten- tho circumstance until you reminded' mo of it/ ' I remember you through the dtut,'flaid the young lady, laughing; 'and through your not being ahlo to tnke off your hat for 'the wiud. "JJnt you need not npologise for not knowing me again, for I should' not have known you if I had never aeen-you before then. But I knew you by sight, for M«" Mounsoy had pointed 'youout to m« in the streett when we .were drjviugi' '' ■ u. ' < '•I<am rery happy, I am snre, to renew! your «cqu!iint«nce,' said Gaorpn, bowing ' politely, >' but you still bare* the advantage of me, as-*- 1 - 1 < ' ' - ; ' You mean you do not know my name. lam Miss Clayton— flf iss/Laura Clayton ; and I live with my sinter, Mrs Mounsey, in Windsor-street.' George bowed -again, ' I hope Mr and Mrs Mouarey are well ?' he said. • '•- ' Oh yes,' answered Miss Clayton, with a little laugh. And' than 1 the began in her pleasant, cheerful voile, to talk about the different objects of interest in the' town } and so agreeable was her 'manner,' that when ' they ' arrived at Oldcastle' George' wm astonished to have found* the journey so short. ■• "*'■ 'I will see After your luggage, 1 he said; • as they entered the station ; < * and shall I get you a cab P' • m ' Oh, Mr Montjsey will be waiting for J me-, I expect,' tftid Miss Clayton. < ' Ah,therehe is.' And' aha put l her bead out of the carriage, and nodded to a atouk> highnosed man of fifty, who was standing on the platform j apparently looking 'out for' hen " ■ " •'• ' " ' 1 Ah!> Laura, '<Baid he, in a lively -tone, as soon as he «aw hdrj coming fortvardyJ and holding oat two fat fingers for her 'to shake; 'and so you've arrived-r-add Mr Manners, I see.- Mr • Manners, howl are you, sir ? It is some time since I have had the pleasure of seeing you — I hope you're well.' ; 'Thanks, pretty well,' said George. • And Laura — of course you' know my sisteiMn-law, Miss Laura Clayton, Mr Manners? I hope, Ltgufa, you left our gpod friends— the Gibsons— well ? The Gibsons, of Mountwell, Mr Manners -a most excellent and 1 worthy man ; made his own fortune, sir— built himself, I may say ; ha ! ha !ha ! for he was originally a builder — do you tako? Your father will know him well, 1 Mr Manners. How is the worthy Vicar?' And Mr Mounsey waved his hand, and then assisted his sister-in-law out of the carriage 1 . lAs I leave you in suoh good hands I shall say good evening,' said, George, t taking off fris hat, with a, smile to Miis' Clayton, f'* ( Good-bye,' said she, frankly holding out her hand. ' I hope, Mr Manners, we shall meet again.' . • I shall be most happy, 1 replied Gaorge. ' I am snre mamma will be flighted to see Mr Manners, if he will call at Wind-sor-street any time,' eaid Mr Mounsey, with another wave of his fat hand. 'No 15, Windsor-street, Mr Manners; plea-santly-situated houses, sir ; the pleasantes>t in the north end of the town, I think ; and the north end is the end now — ha ! ha! ha!' , , ■ • 'Thank you very much,' said,Goorge, and bowing once more to his new acquaintance he walked out of the station .md went straight to his quiet lodgings, in thp north part of the town, also. Here he spent a restless and, unhappy night ; only falling jmto a fitfuL sleep as. the dim palo morning light began to break through the smoke and haze of the sleeping, to wp. „ , , t . . All the 'next' day he swas busily immersed in btuiness. It happened^to be a time of peculiar depression in trade, and George found plenty of . other causes for aiutiety '^besides the private ones whidhh were weighiug on bis mind. 1 , Bat this did Aim' good. It -roused . hia energiet, • and- braced , his,. nenves, and die was notsorry, to find that it would almost be impossible for him to, pay another visit to' Narbrough, on the Saturday night, as he had originally ' intended. He 'Wrote, therefore, to inform TVlrs Manners of this, and added—' Tell Miss Williams I trustshe will take core of herself, and that she will be quite .well when I come down, which, however, may not be until the endof next week.' < In the meantime, at'Narbrough, Mi.« Williams Was slowly recovering fiiom the shook which poor Katie's sudden and awful death had given her. ' . • ■ She had gone down to the village, as she' had very often' done lately^ on' the Friday afternoon, intending to sit with tho poor' invalid' while her grandmother waVout, and had found her apparently mu6h as usual, when suddenly she cried— 'Raise in© up, miss,' 'raise me up j' and. as' Miss' Williams put' her arms, round' her to Comply with £hi« request^ she was <teluj?e<| with the, poor" girfs l|fe-bloo'd ? whb ? afpf a few brief struggles, or rather sighs, died, in lier arms, though' "for. .many minutps arterwards Miss Willionis unWare that' she was' gone. , 'Naturally had been a 'very 'great shock to her. and w'tien. Or. "Ruthyen saw her in , the evening hk confirmed hik ' young man's ,'advlce, c and ; ne' went into the study hinaself to imprQ43 ou[ (.he Vicar that 'she must ,be kept- perfectly quiet. ' 'She has a delicate constitution, -sir,' s!aid the doctor^ ' and it has 'been greatly tried, or I'm xnuoh mistaken, and I won't aln'swer for the consequences if she is dist'urbect.' ' ' ' "fßut" f But who ia K9|ing to disturb 'her, doctor?' s^id tho Vicar rather sharply. , ' She's altered since, she came here, said Dr.. Rutnyeri. ' Look after her I ,' sir— she's a dfeiicate girl— jdst"a girl to go off in a oftnsutnptiop, with ojiy nonsense or othcr^* and after giving hia hint the doctor went' away. ,- ' "'" ' Is thero anything redl ?' I dent "mean folly. '/you know, bnt Anything serious Nelly, between Georgfe and Mis,s Williams ?' ' asked tile Vicar of hid wife an hour late^r. ' ' : 'Well, yes, dear, I think there is, she answered. 'M'rd Manners J Wa9 sitting up fgr the ■ fitkt, time' that night— looking very pale ar& w'dtn, "tiiit a woman still, and the Vicar' wats standing beside her when he made his inqmry^eelingjeally glad to see her better,-for"he had greatly missed her good management and attentions during her illness. 1 What is it, then ; are thOy engaged ?' he went oc. 'That ass, Ruthyen, has been hinting down ntairs as if ho thought she -had something on her mind. George isn't trifling with the poor, girl, I hope ?' '•No, Arthur 4ear, no; but they quarrel sometimes— l don't knqw — but I hope it'd ajl righjt now.' , - , , 'It's a, .fine -match,, I must aaj,' grumbled the Vicar ; 'a , peq»iless girl wa knpw.no^hing a.bqut.' ( ,• ' You married me, dear, 1 £§id Mrs

Manners, meekly bat fondly; and s the Vicar actually bent doWn and gate her a 'kiss.' • . . • • You are a good woman, Nelly, though you're a little goose,' he said. ' You havo mado a fine market for your paragon, jat any rato. Well, George must look ta Tiimself. The girls wdn't see much of their money now, I fear.' ' Oh ! Arthur, you don't know George. He wouldn't touch that money for all the ilove in the world. He'e going to pay you 'another thousand this next week — he 'told mo so to-day, and they don't talk of .being married for years, I believe.' 'Sj much the wiser— so much the 'wiser. Well, then, does Adelaide know ,of th?s precious engagement ?' • I don't know that they are qnite engaged; but George want* her— l' know .'that— yes, lam wire of that.' ' ' [ And isn't nhe satisfied with George t Perhaps she's after Hugh.' ■ • ! 'By Jove ! I shouldn't 'Wonder ; women are capable of anything.' •- > 1 Don't say that;' said Mrs Manners, .with- a certain uneasiness in he* tone. 'By Jove ! that would be tb& gooff;' laughed 1 the Vicar \ * too good. I'd" better give Adelaide a hint. ' I wonder What she jWillsay.' • • . ' h • ! ' ' {To be cbnlihued). > •' " "