The Rhos Herald

[ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] My Wife BY INA LEON CASSILIS, Author of Is She Guilty Counsel for tire Defence," "The World Against Her," &c. The train was just running out of Padding- ton Station when the door of the third-class ^compartment in which Nora Moriiington sat alone was wrenched open, and a man sprang in. Instantly- he < led to her and raised his ba.t, with lili a,poiu- spoken in English, but with a slight forei,, accent. Then he sat down opposite, but 1 ,t immediately opposite to IlQr '&iid she gave eim a quick survey. The train did nottop before Swindon, and a young woman likes to know what manner of man it is with whom she is to travel some fifty miles wr more. A gentleman -that w as clear; a tall man—perhaps five and thirty—slight in figure in face hand- some, with fine cut features, very dark skin, and black hair and moustache; beard and whiskers non (1.4. He was well dressed, and in appearance generally somewhat foreign. His face, on the whole, was reassuring; but a woman cannot stare at a man, so the purvey was necessarily cursory. Nora looked down at her book again, and the dark eyes of the man opposite scanned Ite-r. She, too, was tall, and slenderly made a lr..civ-iot more than two or three and twenty; pretty—no! That was not the word; the face was too expressive to be called pretty the mouth at once sweet and firm, %t i tli curves that suggested a sense of Jtuuiour. 11-er dress, too, came under obser- vation. It became her, or she became it- which was it? It did not. suggest wealth; but it ivnii not poor or shabby. Bu.t idie was travelling third class—she could not be rich. Her hands were gloveless she wore no rings,. He took off his hat, and leaned back, think- ing, glancing from time to time at his com- panion, who, of course, took no notice of him. The minutes sped, a.nd so did the train. How could he open conversation. The young t&dy gave him no chance. He must plunge in media« res. He bent forward a little-- IIó Ma.demoiselle-pardon I" She looked up quickly, not alarmed, but watchful. lie smiled—a smile that dispelled fear. "Do not be afraid," ho said, "I am not a malefactor—but I am in a desperate posi- tion. I think—you can help me-if you will." Hln what way?" Nora asked, in extreme wonder. Was the man mad? she thought; but there was no sign of madness in the clear, dark eye- the musical tones. Was he a <"rimin!t,I? He certainly did not look like oue. "May I tell you?" he said, gently. j If, Yes. "Thank you. I am going to place—not my life, that, I hope, is not at stake, but my I liberty, in your hands. I mn English—at least on my father's side, but I have lived aiosi of mv life abroad; the last year in Petersburg. My ilanie is Lorrain-Vinc(mt Lorraine. I have travelled a great deal; I have friends all over the world — among them men of mark in Poland. A little while ago a minister of police —Lakaroff—was assassinated. Two of my friends were involved; I knew nothing of it.) but I was supposed sh<jrc in the Crime. That very night 1 hud n .message that *ny father — down in CUoueistershire —• was dying. I fled from Russia, .but I am pursued. Our English detectives are on my track; if they cateh me I shall be dragged back to London, taken before the Extradition Court. Tliere will be delay—and 1 may never see my fattier alive." 'He paused. Nora was iish-jiiug with inte- Mst. The man might be lying, but there was the i;npr'-s.« of truth in words and manner. He vent on: "They 11'1 a description of m?—not very perfect-I discovered that, and I am described as travelling alone. Besides, it is known in Petersburg that I am unmar ried. 1 only want time-—time to see my father: then am willing to take, my chance. This train at Swindon; the police will be warned. Will, perhaps, come to this car- riage. If tliey do He stopp-.d again, biting his lip; his eyes drooped. Nora's eheek coloured; ft vague dread possessed her. She almost held tier bur.tl1. '"Mademoiselle Lorraine said, not look- ing it, her. "i will gladly give five hundred |>oui>d« for one word—and for silence." 1 t't understand." Five hundred pounds! !f he really meant '.hat Nora poor—-her sifter, she kept, an invalid. She could do wonders w.rh v, a sum; but ,it was absurd. Lorraine again. "If thev come- if they question will you Jet me say titst-that, you are—my \it, "No, no!" tin- girl cried, the colour flam- ing to her brow. lmpov.fi bb* 1 couldn't do -thttt" "Forgive me!" Lorraine interposed. ,It is too much to ask. I am a; stranger to you. There is no time for cred .m-ii'als; besides, I understand. Ami how do you know I am tell- ing you a true story?"' "I don't doubt that, she said, deeply dis- tress- d., "I don't doubt your good faith in anv way. But if. after all, you A-ero to be arrested?" "Vou should not suffer; God forbid! I should sav it was my ru*t■that you were a friend. Oilier wise—whichever iirst leaves the train we parr you give me an address which will find you. ) remit to yon and we may never meet on this earth again. 1. do not ask yjur name -only where I shall send. If we jdhouid chance to meet—we are strangers." Nora turned her face to the-window, and looked out at the flying landscape, sewing no- thing. The position appealed to her roman- tic temperament-—even to her sense of jb amour. There was something irresistibly comic in the idea; and the man impressed her with an absolute conviction of his ioy&lty. Then the In; it—could she accept it? Yet ill one way it made the transaction more I possible—it reduced it to a purely business arrangement. Yet she could not but shrink from accepting payment under such cireum- atahttf'S. For herself she would have declined, but for Edie flip money might work wonders -—afford her skilled treatment which had hitherto been unattainable give her change of air and scene and all she had to do WIlS to play a part for a We minutes. Even without 1 i) e benefit, to li I .site would have served her companion at little real cost to herself. They were not more than tittif an hour from Swindon now. Nora turned round. "I will do it," she said quietly. "flow can tliank vou, Mad¿moif-\ene?" His voice broke; lie turned aside for a moment; but. quickly recovering himself, turned to her again. wI. the address, he 0tid. "You need not wrir. it-in ease I am arrested. I shall remember. "Miss Non; Momingtou. T~, lelvettoa- fjlaea, Kensington." ir ''Thank you. I shall riotgorget.» Me di<» j Hot ask her if she had given her own name; but he glanced at her hand—her left hand. She saw; and, colouring, caught up her glove. H No," said Lorraine, "this is 1) P, t i vou do not mind." He drew from his little finger a gold ring, and held it out to her, and she' took it and slipped it on to her wedding finger. A swift thrill went through Vincent Lorraine; but he leaned back again in silence. The train began to slow down. Nora's heart beat fast; she glanced at her companion- He looked perfectly cool and un- concerned he was evidently a man of strong will and strong nerve; there was no danger of his betraying himself by any appearance of flurry ")t' excitement. He looked at the girl and &-kw that she, too, whatever she felt, seemed eool and unconcerned. He smiled. "Good!" Me said, half aloud; and she smiled too. The position seemed more endurable after that mutual recognition of its comedy. Ont": mil)meut: he said, quickly, "your de- stination?" "South Wabieigh." Miuc is the station this side." He was dis- tinctly relicived to find that, if all went well at Swindon, lie would have the company of hi.4 "'wife" for another ninety miles. Aa* the train crept into the station. Lor- raine moved up opposite to Nora, and looked unconcernedly out of the window. He saw, and she saw, a policeman, evidently on the watch., but his eye glanced carelessly past the functionary. Nora held her breatb-, t her face betrayed nothing. The tram stopped; another moment and the policeman was at the carriage window. "Beg pardon, sir, your name." Nora's amazed look at her "husband," and then at the constable, was it fine piece of act- ing. Lorraine also looked astonished, but answered; "My name is Giulio Marotti." Thopolicoma,n looked puzzled, and turned to Nora. "And the lady?" he said. Ma deU she is my wife." His accent was arxtysjmely foreign. The policeman's glance went down to her left hand, which lay on her knee. "Miurxotty?" he repeated. "What country, .iT 1" Horn* Nora interposed, coming to the rescue of her "husband." "But what 149 fee waiter?" sho said, with a. touch of in- dignation in her tone. "Why are we ques- tioned "'l'm,fJ('n"J, I have an extradition warrant for -tli.e arrest of a gentleman named Lorraine, ehargs of murder in Russia, and this gentleman answered to the description." "Lorraine? An Englishman?" wY{1S. m)J\'m; but lived abroad, I believe. Thank you, sir, I am sorry to have inconveni- enced you and the lady; some mistake, evi- dently- "Yon do your duty!" said Lorraine, bow- ing with Italian urbanity. The constable saluted and stepped back, the lflit..e-cømer3 hurried into the train, tIle3 guard ■waved his flag and shouted, "Right, forward I" and the train, moved on. Lorraine drew a long deep breath of relief as the last carriages cleared the platform. Then he bent forward, hia fine features quivering with, emotion. Mademoiselle," he said, with intense earnestness,. "I can never thank you enough for your goodness. You went beyond your jrrojjiitfs.1" "A bargain, is a bargain. she answered, colouring; but her iip.-i gave her sense of humour mastered her: she laughed out- rio-hi. Lorraine laughed too. "You acted so he said, at length, "and it was a near shave. I don't think a London detective would have been so easily satisfied. You see, they are watching on all tite linM." After this they got on famously together. The only embarrassing moment was when Nora returned the wedding" ring, which Lorraine received with a bow, and began to tells; about something eke. He was a delightful companion; he seemed to have been all over the world, and the time sped only too fa^t, nntil his station- East Abberleigh-was reached. Lorraine, for his part, made a secret resolve that this good-bye should not be final. But he kept to the" terra* of the contract. "My station," lie and rose. "Good- bye, Mademoiselle—and once more, thanks- I "am eternally your debtor." He had not offered his hand, but Nora held out her»# and. for a moment it in his. "Goodbye/' she said, "I hope you will find vour father better." "You are very good. A riverhrla! He stepped on the platform, raised his hat as the train went off, and Nora saw him no more. Sho did not suspect that the form of his last farewell was purposely chosen. Not adieio--go(od-bye, but—till we meet agail £ ♦ Three days later Nora received a regis- tered letter addressed in an unknown mascu- line hand. Enclosed were bank notes for JfcoOO. She understood and appreciatted the fact whick had sent notes instead of a cheque. Only a week afterwards Vincent Lorraine's ten minutes' "wife" read of his examination before the extritdttion court. He was described as a man of wealth, having estateis ia --—«htre. Extradition was refused, as the charge was not proved—was. in fact, disproved, and Iiorrame was at liberty. < t < < They came face to face on the pirtade at Bognor—Nora pushing thelig-ltt invalid < car- riagc- in which Ediereclined. Lorraine half paused—Norm stopped, and involuntarily held out her hand. "I am sc pleaded to meet you!" he said, smiling. He had been trying, for the last tlcveu mouths, to do it! Nora introduced him to her sister, and he turned and walked by his "wife's" side along the parade. Edie was niu(-h bt-itkr-in answer to his inquiries; the dactors gave hopes .of vast; improvement, if not entire recovery; they had been at Bog- nor about a week, and would remain some weeks longer: the air seemed to suit Edie, and the quiet. Then he told her his father was dead—"I was in time. he said. "He died two days later." "I am fiJO glad you were in time," Nora said, eamestif. "I saw all about the extra- dition in the palieri." hAnd you are satisfied I had no hand in the murder?" "Mr. Lorraine!" "You might, have had doubts, I was some- times ttfrend." When the iiio pai-ted Lorraine asked if he might caM. "Wer shall be yery pleased," said Nora; and she gave the -address.. "And what name shall I ask for?" "Miss Mormngton. Ah! I forgot." She flushed a little and laughed. "You did not know whether it was- my real name or not, or forgot it. "The HJ?3-S," lie staid, "not the last." "Whrd a fascinating lIlan 1" said Edie, wfaen. J:.v-:r,of'n' was gone, Nora agreed. She was distinctly pleased to have met him again, and the first feeling of embarrassment speedily wore off. "I certainly feel grateful tg, liiiii," she said, "oil your account, Edie. I wonder what brought him to such a quiet place as Bognor. "He may have friends here." But that apparently was not the case. When I jorraine called, which he did the next I day, he mentioned, incidentally, that ne was alone. He was staying at. an hotel on the sea front. After ten they all went out together. .Lorraine pushed the chair; they stayed out, in the moonlight until quite late, and Lorraine sat by Nora and drank in draughts of won- drous sweetness and so did she, only he knew it, and she, as yet, did not. What days of "golden prime" they were that followed! Vincent Lorraine was always with the two girls. He evidently did not find Bognor "dull." Edie smiled to herself, but said nothing. One lovely evening—he b-d scarcely seen them that day—he called in. Would they care to come out? "Not I," Edie answered, smiling. "I have been out all day. I am tired. But Nora can go." "Will she?" he asked, turning to her. She had no excuse that would not be transparent. So she put on her Tam-o'-Shanter and went, Not the parade, said Lorraioe. "there are so many people," and Nora let him lead the way; her conscience made her fear to object. They strolled on, past the pier, be- yond the end of the parade, to where there is only a broken pathway and perfect soli- tude. They talked as they went in desultory fashion; but presently, after a pause, Lor- raine stopped, "Shall we sit here for a little while?" lie said, indicating a grassy bank by the path. "If you They sat down side by side. Nera, with slightly averted head, stared out to sea; Lor- raine's eyes were fixed on her face, and she know it; hut she dared not meet the look. Presently he said softly, and the very tone j was a caress, "Wltat are you thiuking of?" "I don't know—that I was thinking of any- thing. 11 "1 was; if that is thinking which is hav- ing one's whole being po«*»»ssod by one thought—one presence." Her ^loveless left hand lay on her knee he put Is own on it, and now his voice trembled. HI "ias think- ing of—my wife." She had started under his touch; but otherwise did not move; and she now sat motionless, drawing her breath in slow throbs, the rich colour flooding cheek and brow. He went on, bonding dtfwn a little, his clasp of the unresisting hand tightening: clasp of the unresisting hand tightening: j "When you gave me back that, ring—pre- cious ring !■—I have often kissed it!—I vowed that I would one diy—if I could—persuade you to let me put it on again. And all these months I have been trying to find vou. It was chance—no, good Fortune,, that favoured me at last. My wife of ten minutes His arm was round bar now, drawing her close te his breast. "Will you be rnv wÍfto. indeedh for lif t" Was there any need for an answer in words, when she lift d her eyes to his and let him read kyir heart in tlielvtl 'Wne,,n she yielded her lips to his kisses, and olung about his neck T She was more than content now with the solitude, and scarcely knew whether the, lights of the town were shining or aot. wlven Vincent Lorraine and Nora wars married, her wedding ring was that which she had worn that day as "Giulio Marotti's wife." She would have none other, though only one person besides hersalf and the bridegroom knew why.