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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 605, 24 September 1913, Page 6

'■i have orders, sir, to admit no ..a.' : but if" "i tell you," he said. "1 must see .i-r. do, ieti her a gentleman mi ii'.u'eiH' business. J will wait here," The :jirl hastened away, and gave liie message to her mistress. who wad busily engaged at her desk. "i cannot he interrupted, Ssssasi : l.ray tell the gentleman tsuit .\lr. Seott will attend to the hank business for me. I suppose he is from (here ?" And Susan, looking more demure, went back to the tall, handsome, aristocratic gentleman waiting with such tierce impatience. "Go again," he said. " Tell Mrs. Morton I am from London, and that I have a message from her daughter." Then Evelyn laid down her pen with a very re-signed expression. "'.I will see him, Susan. Ask him to come up here. Has he sent no name —no card ?" "Xo ; no name ;" and Susan went Lack with a smile. She thought he looked very pale, and she fancied his hands trembled. "I will go alone he said to her. •'I am an old friend of Mrs. Morton. I will go alone." He had never known fear until now. It was only a woman he was going to meet—the woman whose love he had offered to buy and sell [or so much a year. How should he

»reet her ? Perhaps—and for half a moment the thought was a relief to lim—perhaps it was not Evelyn, after all.

His face was very white, his hands trembled as he passed through the pretty entrance-hall, with its light matting and stands of sweet flowers. Then he entered the room Susan dad shown him, and he would almost as soon have put his head in a cannon's mouth.

What did he see ? A beautiful room, with its wall of clear glass, a writing-table, and seated at it a lady, who rose at bis entrance, and advanced to meet him with stately step.

It was Evelyn—Evelyn, his wife. For one moment his senses seemed to leave him ; then be. recovered himself, and looked into the dark, beautiful face he remembered so well, ft. was more beautiful than ever in this, its prime of magnificent womanhood. Great Heaven ! had he ever Dfiered to sell the love of this glorious creature ?

He saw she did not know him at arst—he did not speak—he held out lis hand, and then the dark, lovely eyes were raised with wondering expression to his.

Slowly, as though she were being turned to stone, the colour left tier 'ace, the light faded from her' eyes, i wild horror, utter despair, name ;>ver her. So they stood tor some minutes, silent as death itself. "You !" she said, at last ; and lu' aever forgot the imperial gesture ivith which she moved him from her. "You here !"

"I am here, Evelyn," he said ; 'here to own myself the greatest villain and the greatest fool—here, to sneel at your feet and ask you to pardon me. Oh, Evelyn, do not look so at me. I am sorry—indeed, [ am. I would give my whole life to undo that cursed piece of folly ; so Help me. Heaven. I would." The white face never moved ; the dim horror did not leave the dark eyes.

"1 know there can be no cxci;.;2 for me ; but I was always weak, and I was persuaded that it was all for the best. I was only young, wild, and foolish. Oh, Evelyn, my wife, forgive me !" The rigid lips seemed stricken dumb. It was only through the mercy of God that Evelyn did ' not die in that the most terrible hour of her life. e

"I have startled you, Evelyn," he said ; "I have been too sudden. I should have prepared you. Have you forgotten me ?" No words could express the emotion on that beautiful face as she listened to him.

"You are too noble to bear malice," he continued, "and you loved me well in those old days. Oh, Evelyn, for the satfe of that old love, say you have forgiven me !" The white lips quivered ; she could not speak. "I know it was unpardonable ; but Evelvn, you were always different from others. You will forgive me ?"

"Hush !" she said, holding up her hand. '"Do you not know that to me you are dead, as I am dead to you ? Do you not understand that ?" "'Upon my soul, I do not," he cried. "I behaved infamously tc you. I loathe myself when I remember it ; but we must be dead tc each other no longer. Oh, Evelyn, my wife, smile''on me—say you for Sivc me ! I will do all I can tc atone -for it; I will proclaim om marriage to all England ; I wil take vou home, and make you queer there'; you shall have all the honoui and homage due to you." "It is too late." ;-ln' *aid, drear i!y. "How did you tind ihat I wa> hen 1 ?" He know, from the tone <>i hci voice, that tr-he rej;reU;ed In- bad s. found her. ") discovered it from (Jertio. i>' you think I have forgotten my line golden-haired jriri. Evelyn . '•!••■ bless hc-r !" "Hush V she sa,id. asraiu : "' ; '' V" 1 not see v. hai. a mockery such arc? You arc socakii!:;- Co t he- v.o IUaU VuH derivi'li-d—-whos.- hoc \ol valued at a thousand pounds. Span mo a:oy raor?. Vou are more dam