The Story-Teller.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 940, 2 September 1891, Page 4

The Story-Teller.

PRIMROSE DALLIANCE.

(Continued.)

With an exclamation of delight and "relief.jlie seized it, and m a moment it fell m fcnrn fragments into the wastepaper -basket. ' Tlio bull which Was to further her causo will prove the instrument of her defeat, I fear," lie suid, with a t;ri n smile, ns lie pi rolled hisuiely back to take his plnci* amongst the dancers. ; Before be hml ri-u'n m the morning, a snia'l scenteil note was brought to him. VTe knew the appearance well. It was fiom her ladyship. • 4 1 am a perfect wreck ...after/.. Vast night's exertions, nnd must .deny./niyself to all tho woild *o day ; bat you : are not the world, therefore come and talk to me this afternoon. Shall bj alone,— Yours, , 1 Gertbude.' He turned the dainty mis eive between his fingers with n frowning brow. She had never written to him .m qnite a similar strain IWore. To what length was her Iwiyahip prepared to carry the dec<ptinn? Hal s'ie misconstrnctel his. honest friendship for a base dishonour able passion, upon which she was willing to trade m the furtherance of the game? Mr Dur»nt was no saint, but his soul recoiled from the situation m which he was placed. Still, to disregard her summons was impossinle. Besides, m. pliyinj her game wns he i.ot following his own ? So four o'clock found him upon the doorstop of Primrose House. He was ushered into brr ladyship's boudoir, her special private sanctum. A soft subdued light from pale blue blinds, a warm delicious frasjranue from choice hothocSi! flowers, greeted bis senses as he tnteied. Upmi a huge couch, reclining-on innumerable cushions, was Lady Primrose, r*.'ed m a wondrous mystery of silk and* lace, roses m hei bosom an I a fan of orange feathers m her hand. Lady "Primiose's hand was one of her greatest beauties, it was s exquisitely moulded, with its taper fingers and rosy almond* shaped nails, and it never showed to greater advantage than when" guidiug the movements of her swaying fan. Excej t for a becoming pallor and daiknrss of pjo, Lady Primrose displayed no outward sign of over fatigue. Klie (ii I not attempt to rise ; only ■ stri'tc'hed onther left hand m famiii.ir gree.ing to the y> vug man as he came and stood by her side. She thought, as she looked up at his grave serious face from among her nest «'f cushions, how strong titi'i] powerful-looking he was; and it amused her to believe that never theless he wns lut a weak child m her hands. He, held her fingers for one second m his large grnisp, then drew a chair to the si«!e of the sofa and sat down. ' You are suffering, I fear, from the effects of all your exertions on my behalf,' jhe sail. And as he spoke he looked at her calmly and frankly, with a heart steeled against the fascinations of her charms. Something m the tone of his voice, a certain expression m his earnest eyes, brought the flash to her ladyship's cheeks, and her eyes wandered from his gaze to the roses m her breast. Some great and sudden change had come over this man. bhe was keen sighted enough to perceive that at once and her woman's vanity led her to attribute the change to herself. She had long expected some outburst of adoration v.v. his part : it was only a matter of time, she had told herself ; , it was certain to come sooner or later; | it always did come, and no one knew better than she, who had had so loug and varied experience of playing with fire. That the calm of indifference should be broken certainly made the game more exciting ; but then it was just possible that the awakening had come m a most inopportune moment, A declaration with h^r ladyship always meant dismissal, and she had neither wish nor intention of closing her friendship with Mr Durant until after the election was safely over. She began to think she had bsen foolish m writing that note and arranging that inter- j view. ' I candidly confess lam tired,' she said frankly, with a smile. 'It has all been such a rush the last week ; and standing so many hours to receive is, of course, very fatiguing, Still, it was a grand success ; and yen were satisfied, I hope, with the results of my labours V 1 How can you ask me ? I was more than satisfied, I was deeply grateful. I feel heavily m your debt, Lady Primrose, 1 can assure you.' ' You need not,' she answered lightly. IWe are friends, you know, and one of the pleasures and privileges of friendship is to be of service to one another. If you were satisfied, I am more than repaid for any trouble the ball may have caused me.' 1 But why should you take trouble on my behalf ?' he continued, keeping his earnest eyes fixed upon her face. *It is that which overwhelms me.' ( f Continued m our next issue.)