THE CONSPIRACY; OR, THE FAINT HEART THAT LOST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 8 June 1907, Page 4

THE CONSPIRACY; OR, THE FAINT HEART THAT LOST.

"I don't understand you at all," said Pierce Trevor to his friend Balph Dewey. "I'cveal yourself to inc." "You talk as if I were a conundrum."

"So you are. Now, look here, Dewey let's have a clear comprehension of the matter. Do you love Alice White?" "Well—yes—l rather think, on the whole, that I am a little taken with the sparkling brunette." "A little taken! How very enthusiastic you are. And she, poor child, is more than taken with you." "1 Hatter luvself that you are right.' "Well, then, why don't you ask her to marry you ?"

Dewey groaned. 'There it is!" he exclaimed; "you are all In such a hurry. Can't a man admire a girl without being brought to book for it the very next day? 1 won't be, hurried. When I get ready I'll ask Alice to marry me. Are you satisfied, dear bov?"

"Far from it." "As Miss White is only your wife's cousin I don't really recognise your right to catechise me." "Does that mean that I am to mind my own business?" , Ralph laughed. "Construe as you please, only pray don't bother me any more."

He threw himself lazily on the grass, flinging his cigar into the very heart of a duster of wild flowers), and making an impromptu pillow of his arms, crossed under his head.

"Sleep, then," said Trevor, contemptuously. "I can't afford to lose the brightest hours of a golden day like this."

. Our hero had not lain there many minutes before the soft chime of girlish voices sounded through the tiny bugles of summer insects and the monotonous murmur of green boughs overhead. "Girls!" muttered Dewey. "Can't a fellow be clear of 'em anywhere? But they are on the other side of the copse, that's one blessing, and if I keep quiet they'll never beat up my ambush." They were on the other side of the copse—three bright-faced, merry girls in fluttering raiment. "It's so delightfully cool here," said llilder Aymer, a fair young girl, as Saxon as her name.

"And one can talk here, too," said Mary Bell. "At the hotel one is never certain of not being overhead." Kalph Dewey gave a shert chuckle at this announcement.

Alice White, leaning against the twisted stem of a veteran tree, devoted her attention to her parasol handle. She was the prettiest of the three, with deep, liquid, brown eyes, and hair as black as jet, while her skin, just touched with a creamy tint, glowed carmine on her cheek.

"Alice, do let me try!" said Hilda. "It will be such a splendid joke, and your complacent adorer is so long in making up his mind."

"But, oh, dear me!—what will Captain Avmer think?"

"He'll be delighted; men always glory in a bit of mischief, and Kent is such a splendid actor." ''Do, Alice!" urged Mary Bell. "it will be just like the theatre. Hilda's brother is to pretend to be desperately in love with you, and you are to encourage his attentions until that slowmoving Dewey is brought to the point. I expect to enjoy the progress of the situation immensely." "Hut your brother must fully understand the scheme," said Alice, hesitatingly.

"Of course—shan't 1 explain it to him myself? There is not a bit of harm in it, aud Mr Dewey certainly needs some stimulus. Now, do consent! Kent will be here this evening, remember!" "She doesn't forbid it, Hilda," eagerly cried Miss Bell, "and all the world knows

that silence gives consent. Come, see how long the shadows are getting." Dewey rose to his feet and walked away also.

"My dear little girls," said he, by way of soliloquy, "it's a cleverly-concocted plan; but it won't work, and J'vc no doubt I'll enjoy it as much as Miss Bell proposes to do." And he began to chuckle again, to think how completely he should out-general his feminine adversaries. "I'll keep Alice in suspense for another month, just to pay her for that!" he added, within himself. " 1 like the girl well enough; but for all that I won't be hurried into matrimony."

Knowing what he knew, therefore, Ralph was not at all surprised that evening, when he walked into the hotel drawing-room, to see a stylish young man in the uniform of a captain sitting on the sofa, and devoting himself to his

own Alice White. "Let ""cm work," said Mr Dewey, with a covert smile. Then he sat down to play backgammon with a pretty widow. From beneath her long lashes, Alice watched i K . r lover.

"It docMi'l produce any ell'ect at all upon him-the bruic!" said Hilda, who had expected to see the delinquent brought to terms forthwith. "That's because we do not put it on strong cuoiiili," is>:i<! tlifi captain. "Alice i-1 mav call vim Alice?"

"Oil. certainly—it is all in the play," returned Miss While.

"Well, then, Alice, 1 think we ought to promenade through the halls arm-in-arm fur a while, mid if I were to whisper, inMcad uf speaking aloud, I lliink " Alice laughed ami consented, and the whole evening Inn" she and the captain c.chan.'Cd very cumiuuiiplaci; remarks in very cimiidejilial whimpers, while; .Mr Ocwc.v and the widow played serenely. "I like this game," 'aid Captain Kent In his sister, when .Miss White had gono to her room, "t-is is tl"- prettiest girl [ ever saw."

"Oh. but*. Kent. yoi. JOiisl not fall in love will, her." •I ,-linll i»:t fall in love with her—there's iki danger." said Aymer; "but it's such fun! I'm so much obliged to you fur suggesting it!" I Alice cried herself lo sleep that night. j Dewey didn't seem to care a pin whether \-h? iliited or not.

The nasi day she went out horse-rid-ing with She captain. Kent sat his horse

like a centaur, and Alice came back rosy as a whole bed of carnations.

"Are you going out with us to (he Falls to-morrow. Alice';" asked Mr Dewey that evening. "We said something about going together a week or so ago. didn't we?" Alice was roaily with her lesson. | "Did we? "I had forgotten, liesiiles j f nromisr-.l to go with Captain Aynicr." I "Willi Aymer?" I "Yes." "' S

"till, well, all right. I can take Julia Symington." Alice's lips quivered; but Hilda shook her head at her, and she did not call back her lover, as had been her impulse. Captain Aynier proved a most devoted cavalier, and Alice half-reproached herself that she had enjoyed the day so

much. "It is very wrong of me," sighed she to Hilda, her faithful conlidant.

"Mo, he. isn't; it's exactly right," responded her chum. "I—l begin to lie afraid he doesn't care much for me." "He's a brute!" asserted Hilda, "and it would serve him right if you never

looked at him again." So the glowing midsummer swejil by, and Air Dewey held aloof, hugging himself lo think how he was outwitting the conspirators, though an occasional twinge of jealousy now and then upset him.

Presently (here was a short outcry among the allied forces. An order had come from the inexorable War Department, and the captain must go at once. "The mailer was getting serious," thought llalph. "But just us soon as that confounded puppy gets away I'll make Alice a happy woman. Maybe, though, it would be well to punish her a bit longer."

"Alice, aren't you sorry?" sobbed Hilda, clinging to her tall brother, whose

face was unwontcdly grave. "Yes, Hilda," said Alice, "I am very sorry." Captain Aymer looked penetratingly into her face. There were real tears sparkling and quivering on her lashes, and the roses had paled from her checks.

"Alice!" he said, impetuously, "is it

from your heart!" Alice, silly little creature that she was, began to cry,' and Hilda rushed forward,

exclaiming: ''o Kent, you promised that-: —" "A man isn't responsible for his fate, and I've fallen in love with her," declared the young officer. "Alice, am I to love you in vain? Tell me, my sweetheart." The girl tried to smile. "Of—of course, this is part of the programme," she faltered.

"Hy Jove! but it is not!" cried Aymer. I "WJiftt was jest has become earnest. I love you, Alice; I cannot leave you here to become the bride of that self-conceited puppy. Tell me that I may hope." Hilda seized both her friend's hands in a firm grip. "She loves you, Kent—she loves you! I see it in her eyes!" she cried,, exultantly.

"Stand aside, sister mine," saiil Aymer. "1 have the first right here. She is mine now." And tenderly he folded her-to his heart. Yes; U was true that (ho little morsel of acting had become strong, lifelong reality. Kent and Alice had played at lovers until Love, the sly rogue, crept in-

to both their hearts with almost unperceived footsteps.

"Are you happy, Alice? asked the young soldier, when all was settled, and bis sister had run off to tell Mary Bell, as a great secret, how the stratagem had ended.

"Oh, Kent," whispered the girl, "I never before knew what true happiness was."

Captain Aymer must have been unreasonable indeed not to be satisfied with the answer. He departed, carrying with him the loving heart of Alice White. Ralph Dewey contemplated the departure of Hilda's brother with no small de-

grco. of satisfaction. "Now's my chance," he thought. ''l think, on the whole, 1 won't keep her in suspense any longer, poor child! I only wanted to let 'em see that 1 wasn't to be coerced."

Mr Dewey proposed accordingly in due form that very day.

"I'm very sorry, Mr Dewey," said Alice, looking provokingly lovely, "but —but I'm already engaged." "lingagedf "Yes, to Captain Aymer."

"Now, Alice," said I'talph. argumentative!)', "what's the use ot keeping us this farce any longer? Of course I know it is only stratagem." "It is not," said Alice, indignantly. "J. love him, and he loves me—and there is

my ring. She held up her linger as she spoke, whereon glitcred a solitaire diamond. So Mr Dewey found himself outmanoeuvred after all, and accordingly retreated in as good order as possible, while: Pierce Trevor, Hilda, Miss Bell and all the rest returned a unanimous verdict of "Just what he deserved, exactly!"