THE LUCK OF THE LINDSAYS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12606, 17 November 1926, Page 4

THE LUCK OF THE LINDSAYS

BY

CHAPTER XV.—NEMESIs. Leaning idly against the railings on a bright morning in late July, Gordon surveyed the equestrians in the Row with contemplative eyes. “Why, you look like a veritable patienoe on a monument 1” said a smartlydressed woman, stopping suddenly beside him; and turning,. Gordon found himself face to face with Lady Violet Gilderoy. “For heaven’s sake, don’t look as though you’d seen a ghost, or Eeople will be storing at us my dear oy,” she added gaily, as he still continued to look at her with much astonishment. “But I thought you, had gone abroad,” he said after a moment. “No, I changed my mind at the last moment. I am going to pay one or two country visits'instead. You see, I can afford to change my plans now if I want to. You’ve heard naturally ?”. “Yes. May I congratulate you?” “Of course,” she said, with a light laugh; then turned to bow to a man who was riding past. “Who’s that?” asked her companion with a sudden ouriosity not untinged by jealousy. “I don’t seem to know his face.’’ “Oh, that’s the Earl of Marmora,” she answered casually as her dark eyes followed the retreating figure of the well-groomed horseman. “He’s lately developed a most terrible habit of oalling on my sister with whom I’m staying, with most . unconvenional frequency.” “To see you, I suppose?” he queried. She smiled and shrugged her shoulders. “It may be,” she admitted. “I’m a most desirable partie now, let me inform yott*, since my great-aunt had the deoeney to leave me all her money, when I had never expected a penny. But I’ll tell you all about that later on. Just at present I am most decidedly hungry, so he a good man and take me to a qinet restaurant for lunch.” For the fraction of a-second Gordon hesitated. Then he made up his mind. “With the greatest of pleasure,” he answered gallantly. “Where shall it be?” “Oh, just anywhere that’s quiet. I don’t mind in the least. My brougham is ]mo6Mfig &B6ut somewhere; no more hired, .<®eß:-faE~me-.now .thank you!” she laughed as they turned in the direction of Hyde Park Corner. A few minutes later they were seated in Lady Violet’s electric brougham, and as the oar carried them along Picoadilly she leant back in its comfortable depths with a sigh of. complete satisfaction. ’ “Oh, you can’t realise how much all this means to me,” she said softly, after a few moments. “I, djan’t care what people eay to the contrary, but it is money that counts nowadays. II buys everything—even love.” > Gordon’s' eyes were fixed : steadily upon the mass of deep red roses in the silver vase before him, and he hesitated what reply he should make to ; the beautiful woman beside him; but the arrive} of the ear at the restaurant they had chosen relieved him of the necessity. A table in a quiet corner was vacant, and, hidden by a large palm, they. sat down with a feeling of delightful .-'aloofness. The meaT was a pleasant one, for Lady Violet was the best of - companions •as Gordon -had more than once fonnd. But it was not until coffee had been placed before them, However, that the subject nearest to the hearts of both of them was broached by her. “I shall never be able to spend all this money myself, Stanley,” she said quietly, as the matter of her fortune was again touched upon; “and I am going to ask you a very plain for-

MARGARET TYNDALE.

[COPYRIGHT.]

ward question. You know it has always been an understood thing between you and me,, that if either-of us was rich, we would share with the other. We have always cared for each other, hut there was always the one thing to separate usI—we 1 —we were both almost penniless. Are you willing to take me now, Stanley ? Oh, I know it isn’t exactly fhe right thing for me to say, but everything is so upside down now and so very unreal, that I feel as if I had the right to reverse our respective roles and. make you proposal instead!” / Gordon pushed his empty coffee-cup away from him with a gesture of deqp agitation. “Why didn’t you warn me? Why didn’t you tell me of this before?” he asked hoarsely. “Oh, if I had but known I” “But what difference does it m'ake?” she asked in surprise. “Oh, if only you had warned me I” was all Gordon could say. “If only you had warned mel” “Gohd heavens! you don’t mean to tell me that it is too late I’ she gasped, her fingers catching at the corner of the table as the horrible truth rushed into her mind. For a moment- Gordon could not bring himself to reply, for he was inwardly raging at the trick "fortune had played upon him. ‘.‘l married Julia Lindsay a fortnight ago,” he said at last. “We were married secretly in London.” “Then I am too late!” She tried to coptrol herself to speak in her ordinary brusque manner, but her voice trembled in spite of the attempt. She turned her head sharply away, and bit her lip to keep back the tears of chagrin and anger that threatened for the moment to overwhelm her.: “Violet —'don’t!” said Gordon hoarsely, afraid she would break down. “For heaven’s sake don’t take it like that. 'I will leave everything for .you —my wife ” “You have injured both your wife and me enough already,” she answered bitterly. “Do you think that J would consent to break the heart of a trusting innocent girl—never I You probably beguiled her from her home, and therefore nothing you can do for her will ever be too much, considering -the injury you have done her already! 'H’nrsure it is" not with her people’s she married you; you have admitted' as much already, and yet you are .base enough to ” He winced a little at her low, biting words, but did not attempt to de- ■ fend himself, for he could not. [ “Do you know what the world would call you ?” she went on with intense but subdued passion; “it would call you - an utter blackguard—if it knew »as much about you as I do. Oh, how could you!” she added sadly. “I never thought ycra could be as ’base' as' that ” Still he, said-no word, ior-tho reproach jn her eyes and voice made it impossible for him to frame a coherent excuse, even if he would. “The least yog..can do,” she went on ' slowly, as she began to draw on her gloves, “is to be kind to your wife. Make her happy, and perhaps one day you may win my pardon.” She glanced at a tiny jewelled watch on her wrist. “I must be going,” she said with forced calmness; “it is nearly three, and,, I have an appointment with my. tailor. 'But .first let me tell you -this— I did warn you. I heard from one of the Lawson girls that you had been paying a great deal of attention to Julia Lindsay, and she advised me to go down to Chestermere and look after you. . I made inquiries about the Lindsays. to learn that the present wife of the owner of Chestermere Priory was none, other than Adela Gunning, the girl you had treated so abominably.” - (To be continued.)