EVELYN MOSSLEY'S LOVER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2671, 24 August 1889, Page 5 (Supplement)

EVELYN MOSSLEY'S LOVER.

A Sketch, isy MRS W. RATTRAY, Author of " The Mystery of Sloan's Cottage," Captain Alteu's Torpedo Expedition," &c. CHAPTER 111. A day or two after this de Cnsteneys told his story, merely omitting any mention of Miss Mossley. " Of course I believe in your innocence ; T need hardly tell you that. After nil I have seen and heard of your goodness to my mother, and sisters, and myself, it would be simply impossible to doubt you. May I toll the others ? They are consumed with a romantic curiosity concerning your real social status. Jenny, I believe, fancies you are a duke in disguise." " Most certainly you may tell thorn. And row, pleaee drink this, and I will eend Bomeono to you ; for I have to ride into Newburgh, and it's getting late." "Why it's nearly dark," said Ted raising himself on his elbow ; " must you really go ?" John laughed pleasantly : " Must," he answered ; " Misxis eays so. Besides its not really dark ; your thick curtains exclude tho daylight." As young de Casteneys passed through tho kitchen on his way to his own room sometime after his return from Newburgh—for he had lately slept in the house—ho found Miss Brown, busy preparing the nondescript evening meal, which the girls thought gave them less trouble than the regular late dinner they usually indulged in, when they had servants to cook, and serve, it for them." '' Did you find the letters, Miss Brown?' , ho stopped to ask. "Oh yea, thank you," she answered. Ursula had always treated the young man with a quiet courtosy wliich prevented her feeling any embarrassment in meeting him now that she know that their groom and general factotum, was, in fact, far better born than they were. Jenny on the contrary had heard her brother's story that afternoon with very different feelings. She had been far more attracted to the tall, handsome man, than she liked to* own, even to herself, and tho fear that this should bo noticed had made her often absolutely rude to him. Then, her conscience reproaching her for her quite uncalled-for severity, she would smile distractingly, and ask him to perform some little service for her, in her most winning manner. And thrown together, as they unavoidably were, it was not surprising that there were a great many little things that John found he could do for either or both of the sisters. He honestly tried to make no distinction between them. If it was Ursula's turn to wash up after the meal, which ever it was, he seemed quite as ready to wait on her as on her sister ; but lie frankly owned it was much greater fun, and a far less irksome bnsiness, when Jenny played the part of kitchen maid. In whatever mood she happened to be at the moment, she was always piquant and attractive,sometimes well nigh irresistible, so John felt almost sorry when Ursula said, " Isn't it a comfort P A friend of mother's in Aucklaud has managed to get ua two servants, so after to-morrow we shall not have this horrid work to do." John lifted the tray, and went into the dining-room, wondering what would become of him. He felt he could no longer stay on, and have his meals in the kitchen with the servants ; still less could he go from the stable to the diningroom, and eat with the young ladies, whose horses he groomed and whose boots he polished,

Mrs Brown came forward wih ont,atrefcchod hand,and a warmly sympathetic look in her kind face, " Do:ir Mr Smith," she said ("I understood Ted you wished us to call you that still). I canuot tell you how very sorry I] am for you, and how bravo I thiuk you have bsen. If there is anything at all we can do for you I am sure you know how very glad we shall be. My husband comes home to-morrow, and he shall use his influence to get all put right for you. No? Well, then he shall find yon some good billet in Auckland. See, we have actually got Ted on to the sofa. He wants to see how you like yourreturn to civilisation, he says." The good lady had rattled on aeeiug that John was so much overcome by these kindly advances, and frank, unquestioning, unhesitating , acceptance of his statements, that ho could not reply; and sho continued in a motherly tone that thrilled through him. ''There now run away to your own room, and get ready for tea, we aro all waiting for you " It was Lho first meal he h.nd had with tne family, and as lig took his coat ho glauced round, as though in search of someone. Ted's quick eyes caught the look, and ho answered it with a inischiev k<VL* Biiiilo and the words; "Jenny has gone over to see old Mrs Roes ; she intimated her intention of romaining to tea if she woro asked; she hasn't turned m>, J conclude sho did receive an invitation." ' Jl'iw does sho expect, to get homo ?" asked prnutiuul Ur.-ula," sin; i.i afraid of the dark, and thoro is no-one at Mrs Ro.-s's to walk backwith her." John could scarcely avoid offering to go and fetch hsr, and Mrs Brown suggested that rjr.sulii should go too, the w:ilk would do her good, as Aio had b?en indoors co rouoh lately. John readily acqursii'd in thu proposed arrangement, but Ted who had his own ideas on the relations subsisting between his sistor and do Cistnoys, objected, saying that ho wanted someone to read to him, or play to him, or amuse him somehow, as bo was still quito incapiMo ot doing anything to occupy himself ; and as his mother was tired, Ursula mu-<t really stay at home. They all 1 iiighed, and gavo in to him, looking , upon his behaviour as merely the whim ol an invalid. So, after reiuWiny sot.o little domestic assistance to Mis* Brown, John went forth on hU errand.

CHAPTER IV. Mrs Ross lived in a cosy liltlo cottage, about ;i mile and a half from tho Brown's largo, and comfortable dwolliug-, Jenny was a great f ivourito with the old li\dy, wlio was a widow, with none of her own kith and kin near her, except a graceless young nephew, who sometimes came up from the good city, ostensibly to cheer his aunt's loneliness by spending a Sunday with her'; but in reality, to flirt with pretty little Jenny, who was not at all loth to accept his attentions, whilst sho made fun oE him behind his back. Mrs Ross deaily loved a little gossip ; as what elderly lady does not ? Aye, and some young ones too, for the matter of that; and she wns deeply interested in all Jenny had to tell concerning; the hero in disguise ; for somehow, that was tho idea of John do Castnoys which the old lady received from the rather disjointcl narrative poured into her attentive caw. Jenny felt she must talit about, John to someone, and sho selected her old friend, with the mistaken notion that hr-r advancing years would have dimmed her vision, mentally, tin well as physically. But she was mi-taken, Mrs Rossmarlo no remark to Jenny, but silently renouncing her day-dnrim of her nephew's complete reformation, by a maniaee with her younjr friend, set herself to discover, as far us judicious pumping could effect her object, what wore Mr Smith's feelings towards Miss Jenny. But she was singularly unsuccessful, and, at last gave up trying , , and asked the girl to sing to her. Jenny possessed rather a powerful voice, at all events sho nride sufficient noise to drown a knock at the door and the little maid of-all.work's sottn vocc announcement to her mistress. " Mr Smith's come for Mi-8 Brown." That lady glided out to the tiny hall where stood the man in whom sho had so lately become interested. " Good evening Mr Smith," sho said, with effusion ; " please come in ; dear Jenny is giving me some music ; it is so kind of the sweet girl to come and see an old body like me." John advanced into the sitting-room, wondering what on earth made the old lady gush about the younger Miss Brown to him ! The singing was a little more piano now, and the sound of the door closing roused Jenny from her absorption in her music; she turned quickly round and saw John. The sudden flush that instantly suffused her fair face; the unmistakable look of glad welcome in her sweet blue eyes were a revelation, and a startling one, to the young man. Jenny loved him ; what was he to do ? He became conscious that Mrs Ross was attentively watching them both. All his chivalrous instincts rose up to save this girl from the too curious glances of her hostess, whom he mentally apostrophised as a confounded, meddlesome old cat; epithets which the good lady did not really deserve. " Miss Brown," said he, with studied coolness of manner ; "I have been sent to fetch you home, as Mrs Brown was afraid you would be timid coming back by yourself. Kindly tell me when you will be ready to go?" Mrs Ross protested there was no hurry, but Jenny, feeling something was wrong, cast a nervous look at her escort, and murmured she would like to go at once. In five minutes they were outside the little garden gate. The night was rather dark, and John wished he had brought a lantern. Jenny suggested he ehould go back and borrow one from Mrs Ross. "What?" cried John; face that—l beg 'your pardon—but, you know the way perfectly, don't you ? Take my arm, and we will rise or fall together, according to the inequalities of our path." Jenny laughed gaily. Her temporary embarrassment had disappeared, and she was in the best of spirits and feeling unaccountably happy. John's manner had been so kind, how could she guess that he was blindly feeling about for the best way of telling her that his affections were engaged elsewhere? Iu his desire to let it appear that he had no suspicion of her feelings towards himself he was unconsciously cruel. "I have something to say to you," he said, when they had traversed about half the distance, " Something I want you to keep to yourself for the present, but it is a secret I should like you to share with inn, if you will ?" All unwittingly, the very thought of Evelyn made his deep, manly tones soft and tender as a woman's. They fell on the listening ears of the gill at his side, as sweetest music. To her, too, had come the knowledge that at last her heart had found its master; and the thought that now, on the first opportunity that presented itself after she knew who he was; he was going to tell her he loved her, was bliss indeed. True, he had been most guarded in his behaviour ; he had never actually made love to her and perhaps, now ho only wanted to ask her permission to pay hie

addresses to her, would he not be delighted when she would say: "John, I love you now." She had plenty of time for these hasty reflections as John iu his nervousness, had dropped her umbrella which he was carrying ; and it seemed to take him some time to pick it up. She answered gaily ; " I am a splendid baud at keeping secrets, I can assure you." Then as he did not know what to say next, she whispered softly : "Try me." There came no happy inspiration to the unfortunate man, and he blundered on ; "I have a very dear friend in Sydney, to whom I should very much like to introduce you. lam sure you would got on capitally." Jenny laughed, a happy little laugh. She believed a man always liked to hear his male friends say : ''By Jove, you know, you are a confoundedly lucky fellow ;" and, with no suspicion of the truth, said : " I am certain we should." John was very much relieved at her way of taking his news, and, believing she quite understoods began to tell her how long he had known his friend, &c. Slowly it dawned upon the deluded girl that this innocent fricud, was in reality, a dangerous rival. For a minute she felt sick and dizzy. A bitter sense of having been wronged swept over her, but she put it resolutely aside ; she could think about all that later ; just uow, she need >d all her selfcontrol ; he must never even guess what a liitle idiot she had been. Wo , neii arc very clever at concealing their real feelings, ami are, in consequence, a continual puzzle to their male friends and relations, who never know how they may bs relied ou to take a piece, of information. A pause in John's narrative gavo Jenny the) opportunity of asking the question she longed, yet dreaded to put : " Are you engaged to her?" There was nothing in her tone or manner to indicate wounded fe;cling of any sort, pride) or affection ; and John gavo a great sigh of relief. What a conceited ass he had been ! They were walking up the drive now, and it was too dark amongst the trees to glean any hint from his companion's expression, so he answered fervently : " We are not actually engaged, but I may s-ay in confidceice we perfectly understand each other ; at all events, she is the one woman in the world to me." They had reached the porch, and the light from the hall lamp fell full, for an instant, on poor Jenny's whit", face, with a look of anguish in it that struck John dumb. She hastily turned it away, only dreamily hoping she did not look as bad as she felt. She had successfully controlled her voice ; her face was for the moment, beyond her management. By the time Ursula hail opened tho carefully locked door, John's instinct of protecting the weaker vessel, enabled him to say," " What a brute I have beei.. I have made you walk so fast, you arc quite exhausted. Miss Brown, I deserve a scoleling, for not recollecting what hard work your sister, and all of yon too —liave had the last few days ; I ought to have taken the buggy for Miss Jenny. Perhaps," he said turning to her " if you go straight to rest, you will have got over the rapid walk by the morning. Good night." Ho held out his hand, and grasped the girl's reluctant lingers in a warm, frank clasp ; she murmured " good-night, ,, and slowly mounted the stairs to her own room, softly closed ami locked the door, and advancing to the still open window, knelt down in front of it, and resting her elbows on the low sill, gazed steadfastly out into the night. " Oh John, deal , John, so nearly mine, and now lost for ever." Her thoughts were not very connected ; she had received a very sudden shock, and not the easiest part of the trouble was the knowledge that she mu»t bear it entirely alone. She must laugh and talk as merrily as usual. She must meet John day after day as long as he stayed with a quiet indifference of manuer that should never betray to him the mad longing she bad at fiat moment to rush downstairs, fall at his feet, and confess that her heart was breaking ; eutreat him to forget that Sydney girl, who could never love him as much as she did, and implore him to marry her. "Its leap year," said poor Jenny, with bitter pleasantry " ; so why shouldn't I ? Her selfcontrol was tested a minute later by the necessity of answering Ursula's inquiries relating to the question of supper which that good elder sister hid brought to tho—as she supposed—still more tired younger, iu tho shape of some tempting-looking jelly. Jenny did not dare to refuse it, fearing her sudden loss of appetite should arouse suspicion; and Ursula sat down and asked bothering little kindly questions about Mrs Ross, and how tho girl had enjoyed her evening; nr.d whether sbo and Mr Smith had had a ploasnnt walk home; and was it not strange that hnwas not Mr Smith at all? To each question .Jenny returned an appropriate answer, and at length her unconscious turrneutor departed. Ted had told Ursula to send John to him and de Castueys accordingly entered the sick room when blio went upstairs. " Hullo, old man," said Ted," what sort of a time) have you had? Tho old lady was pretty slow, I expect, but tho young ono would more than make up. I am guinjr to ask Jenny to give mo a gold pin for my diplomacy in getting hoi , voutig company solus to-night." John did not reply. Ho was thinking that Jenny's brother had guessed her feellings all too well; and ho was revolving in his mind some answer, win h should put him off the scent, when Ted, with the freedom of a spoilt invalid, said with a twinkle in his eye; " Uome old fellow, tell mo what she said ; suspense is injurious to me just now." "She didn't say anything," John blurted out. '• What," cried Ted ; she- refused you ?" Hero was a splendid way of sparing Jenny the humiliation of having it known she had given her love unsought, and, at the same time, preventing any suspicion of trifling with tho youug lady's affections on his part. John promptly grasped it. " She wont have anything to say to mo. But wo are going to bo just as good friends, and all that, so please don't breathe a word of this to a soul, especially not to Jenny. I trust to your honour to keep this ceinfideneo Haered. You see it would bo very awkwaid if anybody knew, as wo have to be so much together just now. So forgot all you have ever fancied, or have got out of mo to-iiight." Tee! was far from satisfied, but could not, iu common elocency, pursue the subject, so bade John good night, with much the air of a disappointed child. " I must get out of this," quoth that gentleman to himself, as be took a lust look round the house, in obedience to a request to that effect from Mr Brown, who had gone to her room before his return, but had told Ted to be sure and remind Mr Smith of this important duty ; " I was a fool to tell these people anything, but their kindness made me soft-hearted." (To he milium;!.)