Novelist. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] TWICE TRIED,
BY ANNIE S. SWAN, Author of " .-Vlcliirsvild," " C:irl<nvriii,'' " Across Her l\itli,"'" Ssuud.;ro.| Hearts,"
CHAPTER Vl.—Dkyo.w the Bounds. Ixstkad of going straight homo, Ltobert Angus walked out the Strathblane-road as far as the Earl's gates. Ho had no intention of going the Thorn; Amy Burnett would see no more of liiiu for a few days to come, lie simply wanted a quiet hour to himself to ponder over certain things, and to shape the course he intended to pursue. His talk with Joan Laurence had done him good. There was no nonsense about her, no beating about the bush; she said what she had to say in plain, pointed language which could not be misunderstood. Then she never flattered nor spared when she thought blame was due; when she did praise, however, it was in no stinted measure—she did nothing by halves. Curiously enough, Robert Angus thought, she had
never given him a word of approbation ; on rare occasions when they met now she was invariably taking him to task honestly and fearlessly about something, The strangest thing of all was that he enjoyed it, perhaps because it was different food from that to which he was accustomed. The women folk of Auchengray had done their best to spoil Robert Angus and they had very nearly succeeded.
Erom Joan Laurence his thoughts wandered presently to Amy Burnett, with whom ho felt, justly indig-
nant. The very soul of honour himself, true not only in word and deed, but in thought, to his promised wife, it hurt him bitterly to find that she had swerved in her faith to him. There might be nothing in taking a stroll with Rolfe Ransome ; still, as the be-
trothed of another she had no right to do it. Therefore she deserved to be punished, and ho would go no more to the Thorn till she penitently sent for him and begged to bo forgiven. Grimly satisfied with this resolution he bethought himself that he had better be going home, as it was past nine o'clock. Just as he turned to go, someone came striding through tho Earl's gates, and presently the mingled odour of perfume and tobacco convinced him that Rolfe Ransome was coming up behind. Not at all desirous of having his company home, Robert quickened his steps ; so did Rolfe, and in in a few minutes was alongside.
" rlulloa, Angus, it's you 1 Out for a stroll, oh ?" he asked, in his cool, impertinent manner. No answer. " It's rather late to go to the Thorn; besides, Mrs Burnett had a headache, and had gone to bed. That's why I left so early. Going home, eli )" " Yes ; but be good enough to go in front, or else keep behind," said Robert, quietly. " I prefer my own company to yours." " Dear me, how grumpy you are ! Governor homo, eh V Was lie waxed at me for taking a holiday J" " I expect you will hear about itMr Angus is much displeased. It is probable you will receive your dismissal. - ' " JS T ot a bit of it," said Rolfe, serenely. "He won't, for Isabel's sake. You bet he won't; but there I'm letting the cat out. You wonder I tun —•—" " The fact that Mr Angus is about to marry your sister will not make him overlook all your offences," said Robert, significantly. " Several of your doings of late will require an explanation shortly." Rolfo gave vent to a long, low whistle, indicative of his extreme surprise. "So you know all about it do you 1 Well, you know, yon may as well keep civil, for you won't have much to say when there's two of us in the house." Robert Angus bit his lip till it bled. Only himself knew what a mighty effort it cost him to keep his hand off Ransome. i " You've treated me worse than a dog since I came to this vile place," said Ransome, presently, carefully knocking the ashes from his pipe. " But I'll be revenged on you. Say, how did you feel when you saw the divine Amy and your humble servant in the avenue tonight 1 Very small, eh V I thought you would, Here 1 say you keep off. Do you mean to kill me V
Robert Angus throw his prudence to the winds. Catching his tormentor by the collar of tho coat, lie shook him as a dog would shake a rat; shook lain till his teeth chattered in his head, and lie howled for mercy. Then taking up the dainty cane which had fallen from llansome's nerveless fingers, he snapped it across his back and tossed it and its owner in the gutter. Thou strode on in front, leaving Rolfe to pick himself: up gingerly, swearing and vowing vengeance in no measured terms. When it came to a trial of strength, ho had not a ghost of a chance against Robert Angus ; so his revenge would need
to take soma other form than that of personal chastisement. After tho heat of his passion wore off, Robert felt annoyed at and ashamed
of himself. It would have ben much more dignified, certainly, to have passed by Ransome's impudence with silent contempt, only there were men upon whom contempt was utterly lost, and, whom nothing short of corporc il punishment would touch; and Rolfe Ransomo was certainly one of these. He seemed utterly devoid of any of the finer feelings ; as for honour, the word was to him only an unknown sound.
As he neared homo Robert's thoughts reverted again to his father. He felt sorry now that he had been so short with him.
After all, he had a right to please himself without consulting anybody. When he remembered the anxious nervousness with which he had approached the subject, and the evident dread he had of there reception he (Itobert) would give his news, he smiled a compassionate smile, ami again regretted that he had not been kinder. As Joan had said, kind deeds would be the plcasnntest to rellect upon at that period of life when memory is all we hare to live upon ; that time which conies upon us silently and swiftly, convincing us that the highest ambitions and proudest aims of humanity are as nothing when weighed with love.
It was exactly half-past nine by the Town Mall clock when ho passed up tho High-street, which was now quite deserted. The only creature he saw was the doctor's housemaid, running to the Post Office with her master's letters. He bade her good evening as he passed, forshe had been two years in the Bank House, and it never oceured to Robert to pass even a servant-girl without recognition. It was that perfect frank courtesy which r: . !.• hi;:: so much beloved in Auchengray.
" Is the master in, Christina ?" ho asked tho girl who opened the door to him, for he had forgotten his key. " Yes, sir. Ho is in the study. Is Mr. Ransomo with you. Mr. Robert 1 The master has been asking for him. He seems anxious about him,"
" Oh, he is all right. He will be here shortly," Robert answered carelessly, and, hanging up his hat andeoat, went straight to the library. His father was writing at the table, and merely glanced up at his entrance, but made no remark.
Robert stood against the mantle with his hands in his pocket, listen ing to the stratehiug of the pen onthe paper.
i; You did not sod Mr. Ransome, I suppose V hi.-i father said presently, as lie addressed uiid sealed his letter. Robert could read the address from where he stood— " Miss Ransome, cure of Mrs. Colquoun, Mount Rosa, StrathUlan 0." " Yes, I saw him. He will be in shortly." " Where has lie been ; do you know 1" " Spending the evening at the Thorn,''' responded Robert, briefly. " Ah, I'm glad to hear he was in so safe a place. You surely don't go so much to the Thorn as you did, Bob ?" " One wooer at a time is sufficient, I fancy, even for Miss Burnett,'' Robert answered, with a bitterness which surprised both his father and himself. Cut the old man made no comment. " Father, I'm sorry I was so rude to you this evening," said Robert, presently, turning liis tine eyes fully and frankly on his father's fact;. " I was taken by surprise and forgot myself. Believe me, I wish you every happiness, and I shall not lack in courtesy, I assure you, to your wife, whenever you please to bring her home."
It was half-comical, half-pathetic, to see the change wnich came upon tho banker's face as he listened to tiiese words.
" Thank you Bob. I hoped this wouldn't make any difference between us," he said, somewhat huskily, and extending his hand to his son as ho spoke. " I won't forget this, I promise you ; and I am sure; Isabel will appreciate your goodwill even more deeply than I do. She has been very anxious about you, and I have just been writing to her to-night with a heavy heart." Robert nodded.
" You might reopen the letter, and convey rny good wishes to her in a postscript," he suggested, with a slight twinkle in his eye, which brought a smile to his father's lips. So Joan'ssermon wasalready bearing fruit. " I say, father, do you know what I've been about to-night '!" " ISTo. Ilavi n't you been at the Thorn f " No, I looked in to sec Joan Laurence for an hour ; then I went out the Strathblane-road, and gave Rausome a thrashing." " Bless me, boy !"
Mr. Angus started, not being able to discern the analogy between paying a visit to Miss Laurence and chastising Ransonic.
" He was impertinent to me, and that was the only "way I could punish him ; so J did it," said Mr Angus. " I hope you didn't hurt him." " Not I; only spoiled a cane and a pair of kid gloves for him ; that's all. He'll weigh his words next time he speaks to me, I'll warrant you."
" Dear me, it is most extraordinary ! I had no idea there was so much fire in you, Rob. Lut if you didn't hurt him, I daresay it won't do him any harm."
" [t'll do him good. There he is, coming in. lie won't show face here, I promise you."
Mr Ransome admitted himself with his own key, and wont straight up to his room. As may be imagined, he was not in a particularly amiable mood. Nor were the remarks he made in a savage undertone while he brushed the mud from his new tweed suit of a very elegant or complimentary kind. Robert was right. The thrashing, richly merited as it was, did Ransome good, in so far as it put an end to all impertinence directed against the individual who had inflicted it. He now kept a respectable distance from Robert, and, though living under the same roof tree, they seldom exchanged words. Mr Angus, senior, began to keep a more strict and vigilant surveillance over his junior clerk, and did not mince matters when lie chanced to oll'end ; so that the young gentleman had but an indifferent time of it in the house of Angus.
But he found consolation ever awaiting him at the Thorn. Robert Angus absented himself from the factor's house for a week, and intended still further to absent himself until Amy should send for him and make some explanation of ihe scene which she knew very well he had witnessed. He was somewhat astonished at his own coolness in the matter ; in fact, he felt no extreme distress at the separation from his hdy-love, and as the days went by he felt less and less inclination to return to his old allegiance.
He was standing at the bank door one afternoon just at closing time, waiting on the oltico boy bringing up the- mail-bag from the post oilier, when Mr Burnett came up. " Hulloa, Robert ; how are you 1" he said, cheerily. " I was in the town, and came up specially to see vou. What's come over you this age, eh ?"
" Nothing particular. Won't you come in 1 It is just three, and my father will be going into the house presently."
" No, thank you. Come tell me J why you have stayed away so long. Amy not behaving, eh ?" ■' Amy knows what has kept me, Mr Burnett," Robert said. '•She pretends not to—the monkey —for I asked her this very clay, and she tossed her head, and said you must have another sweetheart. Is that so?" "It is Amy who is fickle. She does not miss me, cvid ntly ; she has got so good a substitute," said Robert, diily.
"Tell' you what; that young Ransome's not worth his salt, and he comes a deal too much to the Thorn. If I thought he was making love to my girl I'd show him the door precious quickly, I assure you," said Mr Burnett, with asperity. " That's just what he is doing, Mr Burnett; and it is scarcely to be expected that I should brook his rivalry." " Bless me! I wish my family had been all boys ; they are so much less trouble. That Amy is beginning to annoy me with her lovers already, and four young ones coming up to follow her example. It'll make mo an old man before my time," said Mr Burnett, comically. " Well, Itobert, Amy or no Amy, don't desert us. Mamma misses you of an evening—so do we all."
"Thank you. Tell Mrs Burnett I'll be up some evening soon. You've heard of my father's approaching marriage with Miss Ransome 1"
" Yes, and I didn't know what to think of it. I thought your father too sensible a man to have done it," said Mr Burnett, shaking his head. " But she's a very sweet girl, I hear, and you may he very comfortable together ; I am sure I hope so. Well, I'm oft". There's Miss Laurence coming up the street. Fine woman that: I wish my Amy were more like her. Don't forget your promise to come up. Good day !" * ( To be continual.)
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2570, 29 December 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)
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2,363Novelist. [ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] TWICE TRIED, Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2570, 29 December 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)
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