CHAPTER LVI.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 130, 26 February 1887, Page 7

CHAPTER LVI.

44 HEAR MY PRAYER, NORMAN !" Night had fallen over London, when Edna Ambrose, that fair maiden knighterrant, arrived at Lady Burton's residence. Lord Keith, who was pacing frantically up and down the library, hoard the knock of the cabman, and rushed into the hall. He seized Edna's hand and led her to the library, too anxious to utter a word, but hh burning eyes read in her tranquil, cheerful face good news. "It is all right, Kenneth," said Edna, clasping his hand, and her face shining with the reflex of that joy that is in heaven over penitent sinners. " Violet is safe.and only waits her husband's going for her to return to her home. Her running off was all the result of the deceitful counsel of an enemy. She went into a paroxysm of grief, thinking you and I and your mother had deceived her. Now all is well, and I hope for the very best, for her and her husband." *' But he — what will he do, or say ? I fear he will be inclined to play the brute with my poor child." "No, he will not. Every stop of her way can be traced and proved. Kind women have watched over her from the first, and she is now with Adam Moreland's widowed sister, a retainer of the houee |of Leigh. Where is Lord Leigh ? 1 must see him at once." "He came back from the searching in Sussex this evening about five. He seems worried and angry. I begged him to stay here, paying I noped for news by midnight, but he went off angry and grumbling. I will try and find him, but doubt if I can." In fact, Lord Leigh was not found un- * til Sunday about church time, when a messenger from Edna brought him to Lady Burton's. Edna was waiting for him alone in a little morning-room. Though Norman Leigh was alarmed, angered, and distressed by the flight of his unloved wife, and the social consequences it might ensue, he wa6 yet able to be mastered by the one deep passion of his life, at the sight of the beautiful Edna. Violet and her dangers were forgotten. Edna looked kindly at him ; Edna summoned him ; Edna's voice fell gently on hid ears ; Edna's soft, white hand lay in his clasp. In the intoxication of this joy all eke was forgotten. He could hardly refrain himself from falling at her feet, and protesting his undying, his hourly growing adoration. 44 Norman," said Edna, in the eager joy of her heart, " I bring you news of your wife —of our Violet !" Leigh's face fell. '* I'm glad to hear of her. I hope to save a public search. Heaven knows what accusations Keith was looking at me 1 Where is the woman ?" Edna coldly withdrew her hand, and stepped back from him. *• Norman Leigh » I will not answer you when you take that tone of her whom you promised to love and cherish. What was your vow at the altar ?" Lord Leigh stood morosely dumb. Edna was silent and indignant. is early five minutes sped. *• What shall I aay ? ' demanded Leigh, angrily, " Say— where is my wife ?" "Where is my wife? if you will have it." "She ia with Adam Moreland's sister, in Derbyshire." 44 Let her come home then, until I inquire into her conduct. Who knows what it has been ?'' "1 know," said Edna, sternly. 4< l can trace every hour of her disappearance. Her conduct has been that of a poor, lonely, heart-sick, grieved, disappointed, neglected, little wife, whose husband has ignored hia promise to love and cherish her. You must do better, Norman." A mad thought eeized Leigh, that he could make Violet's flight an excuse for a divorce, and once free, he could cast himself at the feet of Edna. 44 lam not to be deceived," he said. "The honour of the Leighs is at stake ; I w ill defend it." " And I will defend your wife I" cried Edna, with wrath. <4 If you continue your neglect and unkiodneas to her, the world ehall know it. Norman Leigh, I take your wife for my sister, her cause is mine ; ehe shall have a friend neither weak nor afraid." 44 Oh, Edna ! Edna!" cried Leigh, frantically ; "in calm you are a creature seraphic, in wrath you are magnificent !" , " Hush !" "we are not speaking of me, but of Violet. Norman, come here and ait

by me in this window, while I talk to you. You are showing yourself a man far other than I hoped. You are losing all my reepeot and kindness. Will you not, come back to your better self? Will you not show a tender and noble manhood ? Will you not be worthy of your race ?" " What do you wish me to do V eaid Leigh, doggedly, but peizinpr the opportunity to eit by her pide, and hear her words, deeming them music,even while they condemned him. "1 wish you first to hear your wife's story," said Edna. She had no idea of telling what little she kntw or guessed of the early love of Keith and Violet ; that was sacred to theuoeelves. but she tried to explain to Leigh Violet's feelings, her disposition — warm, tender, jualous, self-dis-trustful, suspicious, sensitive, easily forgiving, while easily offended, inexperienced, sweet, innocent, childlike— a creature to cherish, encourage, protect. She told how Helen Hope had pursued her and beguiled her. "Then iris her own fault," said Leigh, hotly. " I told her in Paris that *he must avoid that woman. If ehe had obeyed me she would have been safe." " Yes ; but on your part, you ehould have told her more You destroyed the power of your prohibition when you pretended that Helen Hope wat> a stranger. You are yourself largely to blame for her further influence " " But what am I to do with a wife who deceives me ?" cried Leigh, furiously. " She never meant to deceive you. And you may be sure that in future she will strive her best to pleaee you. She has tried, but have you encouraged her by any response, Norman ?'' "No, I have not. I am compelled to tell the truth when you cay ' Norman ' in that way, Edna." " Well, then, be now all that you ought to be to her. " Leigh saw that Edna was resolute- If Violet came back, he might further entangle her in some wild action or admispion. He looked down, and said, sulkily : " Then let her come back to her home, if she wishes, and I will inquire into the mattoi later." "That is not enough." paid Edna, with engaging eweetnea?, laying her fair band on Ma arm. "■ You will go at once to bring her back ; go to be kind, consoling, good, and merely accept what she explains, and give her no lurther trouble abjut what is already an unutterable pain," "I'll never do it in tbe world!" cried Leigh, hotly. " I vow— " But Edna laid her slender fingers upon hi? lips. " Vow nothing. Hush ! - hear me, Norman. Good and happy Hays are in store for you and Violet. She is to have a little child, Norman ; think how happy you will both be then ; think how you have wished for an heir of .Leigh. And now, in all your treatment of your wite, will you do one thing, speak one word, that will injure the child you hope for, or one day cause it shame or sorrow?" and Edna turned away her face mantled with lovelj blushes. Leigh sprang to hiB feet. He had longed much for a son. Was it possible that Leigh should have an heir ? He demanded : "Edna, what do you say ? Is this true ? And still she dared go away ?" " She did not know— not until she reached Magery Rogers, Adam's sister— and now Violet is bo grieved and penitent for her hastiness. Say, Norman." She rose, looked him earnestly in the tace, and took his hand — " Say you will go there and bring her home, say you will be kind and utter no reproaches, for her sake, fcr my sake, for your child's sake; hear my prayer, Norman." Lord Leigh, in his stubbornesa, hesitated for a aioment. But the lovely eyes, the illumined face, the ardent word-* of this charming girl were wont to raise those who saw her to their best possibilities, and so it was with Nerman Leigh. He felt a new manhood rise within him ; chariry, grace nearly a stranger to his soul, entered into his selfish heart, an interest in Violet, such at he had never before felt, took possession of him, and pride and some tnovinge cf parental feeling stirred toward his future heir. "It is enough, Edna," he said. " I will go. You have conquered. I promise you to be all that you demand. You shall be satisfied with me." " Oh, Norman !" cried Edna, happy tears rising to her blue eyes. I knew you would be a good man." "It is you, angel of my life, who mould me into goodness," he said, looking at her intently. And then, a black and terrible thought rose in his soul, that he might win Edna by kindness to Violet; that be might obliteiate the past", secure her esteem and regard, and — Violet was but a frail young creature after all — if it should be that a life wae paid for a life ; and that when an heir of Leigh came to the home of his father's, Violet should fade from her sad honours as coun tess, he might be free to win Edna. Per haps fate was making a way for him to achieve his great desire. (To be Continued-)