VIOLET LISLE; OR, A PEARL BEYOND PRICE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 441, 21 February 1912, Page 2

VIOLET LISLE; OR, A PEARL BEYOND PRICE.

AH Rights Reserved.

-♦ tbe Author of "All or Nothing," "Two Keys," etc., etc.

PART 7. CHAPTER XI. IN PURSUIT. At the castle Lady Darlington endeavoured with some success, to make, ner guests forget the absence of Guy. It was singular that she should have felt so certain that Guy would obtain no sympathy from Melville Lisle ; but in truth she was able to do complete justice to a character Like that of the poor aristocrat. It was only towards the daughter chat she felt any anger ; but towards the father she found herself leaning ivith a growing admiration. It pleased her to see the precious possession of birth so highly prized, and she foun'd herself planning that when 3uy was safely married to Sibyl she would take up the Lisles, or — and she actually smiled at the thought — she would let Melville Lisle take her up. At any rate he was a congenial spirit, and worthy of a better fate than had fallen to his lot.

She listened during the evening for the ring of the hoofs on the paved courtyard which should announce the return of her son from the defeat she knew he would experience, and, as the time went by, and she was disappointed, she became uneasy. But at last, somewhere near ten o'clock, she heard the sound of hoofs clattering over the stones, and then waited expectantly for Guy to come in, something like pity stirring for him in her heart.

He did not come, however, and she felt that it had been a hard blow for him. He had probably gone to his rocirs at once, unable, perhaps, to face the guests in the drawingroom. Poor hoy ! as he grew to know the world better he would have fortitude to bear a disappointment like this. And with this, she dismissed the subject from her mind, and gave her attention to her guests until she retired, when it occurred again, and she said, casually, to her maid :

" Lord Darlington went at once to his rooms on returning, did he not, Haskins ?" '

* ." I don't think he's returned, your ladyship." " Oh, yes ; I heard his horse about ten o'clock."

"It was one of the village boys brought his horse, my lady. I suppose he brought a message, too." Lady Darlington started up in alarm ; but instantly composed herself and said in her quietest tone : " The groom must have forgotteD the message. Send —no, go yourself, Haskins, and find out about it." So Haskins, with an inkling that something was wrong at the castle, hastened out of the room and roused one of the grooms to inquire about the horse and the message. "There weren't no message," said the groom, sulky at being roused out of a sound sleep. "You didn't take the horse and let the boy go without a word, did you ?" demanded Haskins, with the sharpness of one who is near enough to the throne to assume some authority. "I ain't a fool, am I?" growled the groom. " I'm not so sure about that," said Haskins, amiably. " What did the boy say ?"

" 'Lord Darlington's horse,' said he. ' How come you by it ?' says I. ' His lordship gave it to me to bring home,' says he. 'What message ?' says I. ' None, exceptin' it's all right,' says he. An' that's all there was of it." And with this circumstantial account of the conversation the groom looked triumphant. " You ninny!" exclaimed Haskins, scornfully. "No message, excepting it's all right ! What is that but a message, I'd like to know ?" And leaving the man crushed and bewildered, she returned to her mistress and made her report.

Lady Darlington listened \ with vague alarm, and said quickly : " See Robert, and ascertain if his master has returned yet." Haskins returned after a considerable absence.

" Robert lias gone to Houghton, my lady. Lord Darlington said he would not need him to-night." " See if Lord Darlington has come home. Go to his rooms yourself." " I have been, my lady, and knocked, but did not receive any answer." Lady Darlington was greatly disturbed, but she controlled herself, and said, composedly : " I will go to his rooms. He may have had some sudden summons to London, and gone without disturbing me. There may be a note for me." She said this to prepare the waj for any freak of his lordship's. It was quite conceivable for the boy in his passion to have gone off to town. That would not have worried her much. She hurried to his rooms with a fear in her heart that she would not turn into words.

The bed was empty, and had not been occupied ; the rooms were silent with a sort of desolation. In the dressing room were signs of a hurried sorting of clothing, and on the table was a letter. A giance showed her that it was addressed to her, and she tore it open and read it as she stood. She read it to the last word, then for the first time, showed the agony it had caused her. She crushed the sheet of paper in her hand and back into a chair, crying, as anj human mother would have done . "Oh, Guy, Guy !"

The note was not a long one, but

it told everything the mother had dreaded. It ran :

" Tear Mother,—l received a letter ill's evening from Mr. Lisle, tellin? c of your visit to him, and of his trevocabb refusal of my suit for his laughter's hand, and of her sad conr.rrcncc with his decision. He said Violet released me from a pledge

vhich had been made without the cement of either parent and that she wished never to see me again.

" All this seems so unreasonable on your part and on his, that I have determined to take such steps that Violet and I are not to be treated as children. By the time you receive this Violet and I will be married.

"I am more sorry than you, in your first anger, will be likely to believe, and I shall look forward with the keenest solicitude for a word from you which will tell me that you arc ready to receive my wife and share with her the affection which has always been mine.

" Lovingly, your son, " GUY." It was the mother who had received the trst blow, a nd it cut her to the heart to know that her son had done this with no further attempt to win her to his wishes ; but as she thought of it her anger grew, and the feeling that Guy made so little of her authority rankled deep in her breast. The woman of the world overpowered the mother, and she began to think whether there was any way of escaping what she was pleased to call " this disgrace." Married ! Why, they could not be married until the morrow. The Marquis of Coldenham might suggest something to prevent the marriage. She started up quickly and sought the smoking-room, where it was quite probable she would find the marquis yawning away the time over his cigar. The marquis was not one to trouble himself about the affairs of others ; but there were several things just then that transpired to make him willing to do service for the Countess of Darlington. In the first place it was dull at the castle, and any excitement would he a relief ; he was much more concerned in the marriage of his daughter to Guy, than Lady Darlington had any notion of, and he was desirous that the marriage, or at least the announcement of the betrothal should come soon. He turned his head at the sound of Lady Darlington's footsteps and when he saw who it was, drew himself up from his lounging position, and would have uttered some commonplace of conventionality when he checked himself as he caught sight of the expression of her pale face. " Something has distressed you, Lady Darlington," he exclaimed with real interest, for his thoughts sprang at once to Guy as the cause.

" Something, indeed. Read this letter." He took the letter from her, anc" read it, at first hurriedly, and then over again, more carefully. Then he looked up at the countess, the hard set of his lips showing how much he was affected by what he had read.

" What are you going to do about it ?" he asked.

" Anything— everything, I have come to you for help, marq.uis. Advise me."

" You would interfere to prevent the marriage ?" "If it is not too late. There is nothing —nothing I would not do tc prevent this dreadful thing." The marquis mused. " The marriage cannot take place before to-morrow. Guy must have counted on your not receiving this until the morning. When does the next train leave here for London?" " Not until five o'clock in the morning." " That would get me there at seven. Earlj enough, as far as that is concerned. The trouble would be to find them." " You could telegraph to have the marriage stopped," said the countess, with a sort of fury at being outwitted, as she supposed, by the girl whe had taken her son from her. " That would never do," said the more cool-headed man. " Guy would only be angry and insist. What would you do then ? The girl is probably of age, and they would be married in spite of you. Permit me to suggest that some subtlety must be practiced in this instance." "What do you suggest? Oh, marquis, save my son !" " I will do what I can believe me. I will act as if it were my own case. The father of this girl, are you satisfied that he knows nothing ol this ?" " I had thought so ; but now—now I do not know what to think." The marquis, now he was roused, was full of energy. He had said that he would act as if it were his own case. It was very much his own case, in fact, and he was disposed to sacrifice a great deal of energy and comfort to prevent the marriage that would not only make Lady Darlington unhappy, but, what was of more consequence to him, would let loose the money-lenders, who were withholding their claims because of the prospect that hi.daughter might become. Lady Dar Darlington. " How far may I go in the matter ?" he asked. " Any length. If Guy should dc this thing, I would disinherit and disown him." " And you will be willing to pay something for a release ?" " Anything, anything." " Say five thousand pounds ? That will seem a great deal of monej tc a girl like her." " Ten thousand, if you like. Save Guy, I don't care what it costs. Save him !" "I will save him-df I can. Depend upon me to do al?. that lies in in\ power, Lady Darlington. I think 1 will go now and man, Lisle

L do not hope for much rrom \\\v.\ ; but I cannot set away til! live 3'clock and I may learn so.net'iing. Will you have the carriage ordered fcr mc ?" Less than an hour later the door of the cottage was opened to him by Melville Lisle himself. He had not yet retired, and a loud summon- at that hour of the night, excused the unseemliness of the act. Even a Lisle may open a door at that hour. The marquis, with Lad\ Darlington's description of the man in his mind, had no difficulty in recognising him. He bowed to him as lie would have done to the Earl of Granthorjic. " Have I the honour," \k said, "of addressing Mr. Lisle '!" " You have." " Permit me to introduce myself. lam the Marquis of Oolder.ham. I know the earl, your cousin, very well, and I am delighted to meet you, though under rather peculiar circumstances for a first meeting. I come on the part of Lady Darlington."

Even Melville Lisle's pride was satisfied with the tone and manner of the marquis, and though inwardly wondering at the nature of his errand, he asked him with stately courtesy to enter. The marquis did so, and having read his man so well, was too acute to make the mistake of beating about the bush.

" My errand to you at this unusual hour is a peculiar one, Mr. Lisle and I think that between lis. as men of the, world, the frankest statement of it will be the most acceptable. I represent a distressed mother, and I trust you will bear with me for that reason. Her son, Lord Darlimrton, has left home suddenly. A letter found in his dressing room says he has eloped with your daughter. I cannot believe it, sir : but it seemed due to inform you of it."

Melville had changed colour, and even started, hut he had not attempted to interrupt his visitor. When the marquis had ceased speaking he said, coldly, but with pecfect courtesy :

"It is impossible that my daughter can have done as Lord Darlington says ; but it is only right that Lady Darlington's solicitude for her should receive the courtesy of reproof. I will speak to my daughter. Pardon me for a few moments."

He was gone more than a few moments, and when he returned his face was hard nnd set. He held an open letter in his hand.

" Will you thank Lady Darlington for me," he said, without a tremor in his voice, though it was low and harsh, " and say that a letter from my daughter confirms the report you bring me ? Will you be good enough to say, also, that I reject all responsibility for her act and that from this moment my daughter is dead to me ?"

Even the Marquis of Coldcnham could find nothing to say to this stern message, and he departed, convinced, -as Lady Darlington had been that there had been no connivance on his part and that it would be impossible to learn anything from Melville Lisle.

The five o'clock train carried him to London ; but when he stepped out of the carriage he was as much at a loss where to go as lie could well be. As he stood hesitating, a sleepylooking porter caught his eye and stepped up to him inquiringly : " Anything I can do, sir ?"

The marquis was about to h align tily wave him off, when a thought flashed through his mind.

" Were you on duty wlrn the midnight express arrived ?" " Yes, sir." " I 7 m looking for a friend of mine who came by that train, and I forget what hotel lie was to drive to, He was a young man, tall, dark, and good-looking, Do you remember them ?" and he shipped half a sovereign into the man's hand. " Was the. lady closely veiled, sir?"

" Yes," said the marquis on a venture. " Can you help me to iind where they went ? If you enn it will be worth another half-sovereign."

" I can't, sir, but I know the cabby as took 'em an' he can tell you. He's on the rank now, sir." The marquis followed. though not certain that he was on the right track. A few words with the cabman, however, gave him hope ; for the man's description of Guy was perfect. " Take me to the hotel," lie said. "Which one, sir? Where the gentleman went, or the lady ?"

This was better than the marquis had hoped. It was only Violet he wished to see and it began to look as if he could accomplish that. He did not seem to hesitate, but an swered carelessly

"To the hotel to which the lad\ went ; for the gentleman will he there early and I may miss him.''

The man dropped him at the hotel a small but very respectable one in i quiet part of the West-end. " Is Miss Violet Lisle in ?" ;U'ke'.' the marquis as if a matter .if eoiirse. "Yes, sir," answered the v-a iter. " Who shall I say ?" " You need sot. announce me. Jusd show me the room." He still felt that there might Itsome mistake, but when he saw a lovely figure look out of the win dow he felt quite sure. " Miss Lisle," he said. The figure turned and the marqui: was face to face with the most beautiful creature he had ever looked up on. His first thought was llm, hi could understand Guy's infatuatioi ■xow. (To be continued.)