Literature.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 185, 10 August 1904, Page 4

Literature.

OFF TO THE DERBY. (Continued.) '■'ETldently. Does he know that Jpou back horses to such on alarming extent ?" "Oh, no. I don't tell ham everything., e You don't, tell, everybody everythfby, do you ?" "I h»T» nothing to tell. My life' but bweu as an open book that he Who ran might read.'' '" "HoW gweet ! What sort of bosk ? A thrilling romance ?" ''NoWi lE6B Corkran, that is too flirarg. £0 I look like the hero of a pray dreadful ?" ''No-, I suppose not, in a leather C£at gad «oijgl*s. He always wears faultless evening dress." <'l see.that .you are well read." "i > retty"fairi But what do you fall your book." "Let us christen it 'The Story of o'Blalneless Life.' " ' *■ " v '-'Charming !; Will you tell me the «tory 7" "Would it really interest you ?" "Awfully !" "IT I could dare to hope that you V* not jesting-!'.' "You have only to tako off your oog|fle» and youj will see tin a minute that there is not a suspicion of • Smile on my face." "Then, instead of my relating the past numbers, will you undertake to Mad the future ones for yourself ?" "How can I ?" *By permitting me to spend the remainder of my blameless life nljrays at your side." *Oh, Mr Howard ! You cannot JMan—" -'•"Idol Indeed I do !"' '•'But you know, this i 9 so embarraflsing. I never had an offer before, and I really do not know What I am expected to say." "Say what your heart prompts." "My heart does not prompt anything. 1 don't rememberthat it ever did." ' "Then, Ruby," he said, in as near an approach to a whisper as the' noise of the motor would permit, ''say 'Yes,' " "I think, ' perhaps, I had better Consult my guardian," she replied, with considerable hesitation. " H» told me if ever I got into any bother to be sure to consult him." "Surely you do not call the offer 61 my heart and hand a bother. Miss Corkran ? Oh, Ruby, my darling Ruby, do not keep mo in this terrible suspense ! If you only knew how much depends on your t»Vourabla answer ! My happines*, ■ay, my very life itself. If you refuse me I shall have nothing left to Hre on—l mean to say—to live for." Once moro she glanced at him from under those long lashes of hers. "You must give me time for reflection," she said. But that was just what he had no (Mrs to givo her. If he did not get •a answer now he had every reason tO teat that it would not be a favsurablo one. In half an hour they would be at Epsom. It behoved him to mako hay while tho sun shone, Meing that thirty short minutes torzned the time limit allotted to Inn) in which to bask in its rays. (f Was a caso °' now or never. Hs looked about him for a soft plftf« in which to fall, discovered a <fiOfl»y bank akirtod by a dry and not •Ter br*mMy ditch, and set the car «t it''Oh, taks care ! Put on the hmka I." cried Ruby. Gerald applied two brakes, but the •fiftrp eurr« he had described caused $» wheels to skid, and the car turned completely round and backed ittto the ditch, flinging tho occupants ityl to the bonk, where they alighted •eathtess, but consideralfly bewildered. ';What has happened ?" inquired tfrs Lethbridge, who had been comfortably asleep. "Arc we tJhere ?" '•'Yes, we are all there,' 1 ' laughea Ituby. "How shockingly badly you UrtTe, Mr Howard !" "I am awfully sorry," he returned W*th a ; fair show of penitence. " I I am afraid Ihave spoilt your chance Of getting to Epsom in time for the Perby." ''Oh, dear !" she exclaimed. "How *ery tiresome !' And Lady C oversale's party will bo expecting me ! Whatever will they think ?" '"Perhaps they will think we have •loped," he saiid, with a conscious laugh. "Upon my honour, I don't $«• how; we are to get the car out Of the ditoh unless somo unexpected aid arrives. And people are so fond of gossip and evil speaking, too." Ruby coloured with indignation. "What do you sunposo they will say ?'' she asked. ''About the most charitable thing they will say is that we are engaged. Ruby, let it be tho truth, and then I shall have the right to cast. •Ny lies the scandal-mongers choose to invent back in their venomous throats." "Our acquaintance is so very dfcort," objected Ruby. "One m a y livo a lifetime in a few aionieiits. And love at first sight. tile love that comes unsought, unbidden, is the most enduring love of •II," They were sitting on tho mossy tl&nSrSide by side. Ruby plucked, ffittt hesrfcatiwg fingers, at the little Innocent daisies. I "Are you really as fond of me as al] that ?"- she asked. yOb» Ruby, mere words cannot ex|m» the deep devotion of my heart, •pon which your name is, and ever will ,be, engraved in letters of flam-' tag fire." '■ "Oh, how interesting!" murmured "Jh*y. "'And, tell me, would you fo* MS as much if I were poor IwUt*, quite' poor •?" f\ B M It were possible, Ruby, I

rtiould love you even more, because :hen you con!.: have no doubt as to he complete di.i lerestedness of my affection." ... Ruby smiled. "You hove talen such a weight ilt my mind," she said, "for, accordn- to my faih.T"s •■.!!!, :f i r. .tin' lime. But, of courts', if you show Kim tho open book of your blameless life, ho can't have any objection to you, tan he '■' 1 only mention thisl:i> :ause one never knows exactly what may happen., and my guardian's opinions about blameless lives might turn out to be different from yours or mine." There was a long pause broken only by tho melodious songs of the blackbirds and the finishes and tho distant, plaintive cry of the cuckoo. Then Mrs I,ethl>iidge approached with a handful of scarlet poppies which sho had culled in a neighbouring cornfield. "I perceived some young labourers at work hard by," she said, "and II iwjucsted them to come and extricate the car from its present unfortunate position. I was unablo to hear what they replied, but I informed them I should be pleased to present them with half-a-crown for their trouble, and I think they appeared gratified." Three stalwart, sheepish yokels slouched forward, cap in hand, under Gerald's directions, the car was quickly lifted from the ditch and put in tho centre of the road again. The machinery proved, on examination, to be quite uninjured, and the trio were soon speeding away to Epsom Oowns. Gerald cleared his voice several: times before he spoke. At last he said, "I will call on your guardian, Miss Corkian, and lay my case before him." "Very well," returned Kuby, "and l>o sure you take that bjook with you. iK'causc my guardian is so strait-lac-ed and particular," "I wis'.i we could have plighted our troth here—at once," ho said. "Hut, of course, I dare not ask you to run counter to the wishes of your lawful guardian. It would not be honourable to do so." "No, I.suppose it would not," she agreed. But the comers of her pretty mouth twitched suspiciously. "Surely," sho continued, "we are nearing Epsom. I can" see such dense masses of people in the distance. How glad lam ! 1 shall bo in time to see my horse win the Derby after all" Luck seemed against Gerald in every way, for instead of winning! the certain thousand, he managed to drop another hundred. On his return to town he went to pour his woes into the ears of his sympathetic sister. "Well," she cried, "You have pulled in your safe thouoand pounds 1" "Rather not," he replied gloomily, "I am a loser to the tune of about one hundred and fifty." "Gerald !" Well, never mind, old boy. Of course, you_ have settled it all comfortably with the heiress?" "Luckily for me, I haven't. I found out, just in the nick of time, Nell, that she loses every penny if she marries without her gnardian's consent. Now, it is not in the least probable that any guardian would consent to overlook my particular brand of delinquencies." Lady Covordale frowned. " Who told you this nonsense ?" she asked. "The girl herself." "And you wero silly enough to believe her !" "Good gracious, Nellie !. An innocent little chit of a thing like that wouldn't be likely to go in for romancing to that extent. "Wouldn't she ? Her guardian is one of Mr Joshua's greatest chums. And I h. aixl him tell my husband that the money was left to the girl without any restrictions whatever." "By Jove ! Fancy my being -had by a boarding-school miss not yet out of her teens !' And I thought I knew my way about." "I daresay you do. But you forgot to reckon with the fact that the twentieth century maiden knows her way about too"