SENTENCED FOR-LIFE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 304, 19 December 1908, Page 3

SENTENCED FOR-LIFE.

By Mabel H. Robins. "Whom have you coming to Wynehruore on the Wth?" asked Hester Lu'.trell lazily. She had been lunching with Lady Brent in Urosvenor Street, and was now leaning gracefully back in her chair and smoking a cigarette. "Oh, there are the -Melville* and their daughter, the Fanes, Captain butler, and Hugh Derrick—" Lady Brent stopped abruptly, for Hester sat up with a sudden start. •'Oh, you havn't asked him '!" sin l cried.

"Hugh Derrick!" answered her friend, somewhat perplexed. " Yes, lie will be there." •' Then "—decidedly— '■ I sli'aiit come." Aad she leaned back in. her chair again and resumed her cigarette. "What nonsense you talk!" cried Lady Brent. -'What is the matter with Hugh 1 He is charming and clever, and one of tiie most rising men of the day." "I don't like him," said the spoilt beauty, with a little pout. "I dou't care to meet him." •' But what has he done 1 I thought you scarcely knew him." " I have only met him once, and he insulted me then."

A slow smile curled Lady Brent's lips. '■ Did he.prove an exception to the general ride '<" she asked slily. '■ Did Ire refuse to Jail down and worship you '!" Hester shrugged her shoulders. ''l really don't know whether lie did or not," she' said, with well-all'ected indifference. "X only know that 1 overheard him talking aliout me, and he said I had—a snub nose!"

•• My dear Hester "—laughing—" your ears mult have deceived you. Hugh would never have said such a thing." " But hfc did," persisted the girl. "It was when I was staying 'with the Westfields, ami he had motored over to luncheon.. 1 happened to lie walking along the. terrace, and he was in the drawing-room with Dora. The windows were open, so I could hear plainly. He said, 'What a •snub nose!'" Hester's voice was very wroth, and indignation shone out of her changing green eyes. 'Ladv Bieut laughed again amusedly. "Well", my dear child," she said, "your nose is a pretty one, but with the greatest stretch of imagination you could not say it had a Grecian or a Roman

tendency." "I dou't want to," said Hester liurriedlv. " But for a man like that to Uilk--a'maii who hasn't a decent feature in his face! Besides, it was his way of putting it. He might have said a ■lie!! retrousse,' or described it as 'tiptilted.' Thf very word ' snub nose' reveals a vulgar mind." ' " But he didn't know you heard " " Tha't mates it all tile worse. I am sure he is a| horrible man, and 1 1 don't cave to mceiuini."

'But vou Kill oomeV cried her friend in alarm'. Tie pi-«*eiice of -Miss Luttrell always meant the making of a country liouse party. ]!ut Hestef was obstinate. "J. doivt think I will." she said. "Wi don't know what i'. is to stay in lhe same house witli a! person yon .Mike. \ou feel all the time like a fat when its folia stroked the wrong way," __ "But you lvdn't speak '.-,, him: said Idrty Br'cnl in despair.

■■Oh. if Wean manage -o that ho never eom.lsiiour me, I don't mind! It vou promii, to l make him promise not to talk to im the whole time I am with you, 1 wil'<W<-'-" Ladv Jir'rit heaved a sigh of relief. "Of [iiifc., 1 o*n « !,sil . v ll °. V" lt ',-,„ said, "an, 1 arj, S ure"--w.th a LlUc malioe-- that Hugh will lie <|ii te w.llin" to enter intb the agreement. As a natter of fact' he <U,os„ll 'care ior „ ir l,-he has t.V1.1 me so lomself; he

savs theynre so.insipid. A little|colour; crept up mio Hostel .- prettv clHfck*. but she knockedthe as ,ff her e garotte nmiehalantk, I that ea,e."Uhe said, ;' we shall hot ■iti tied for if Ihere is one thing I hale more than another in this world it h a conceited jiore.' . "But vW. don'! know Hugh. } <>u said yomjself you had only met lmu

""Ssler Un.Rp-1 hj" -..ore. -1 ! judge hy appearances si. iil.l "•ml t.r ieok at him. I should Limine that Mr. Uerriek could talk of nothins ■ -e Imt his uauitercting so., But Plea.- don't tell 1..... the, as ~ . U not to lalk to iiu-l would nol h him knou for II.!- world that I oaivd about his -illy opinion, and f don I jeai > l-itisoulyheeause it.ssotiringto have lo speak to these dull people. I.advnrent.min.d.lmL.sanlno nu,rr hhe had got her Jray, and would line ' if^tor"-villi her on the lfltli. ami that was the vital thin*. If ke m ' more, in Hugh's favour, the chances wc

that the wayward beauty might veer round again and refuse to come. She deftly turned the conversation into other channels.

Hester had been at Wynchmore three days, and she was very bored. There was no one staying in the house wlio interested her, for though Captain duller was her ilevoted slave, he was by nn means exciting, and she was tired of the very sound of his voice. Derrick left her severely alone, and behaved as if she was non-existent, and this wounded her s.clf-c„tcem. It was quite right that he should obey her request 'and not speak to her, but he ought to look unhappy, and not appear so supremely indifferent as to whether she talked to ,him or ".lot. Hester was actually feeling a little piqued. It was a cold day for the time of the year, and was raining heavily. She was sitting in the library reading, having with dilliculty escaped from Captain Butler's company, when Derrick opened the door, looked round the room, and, after choosing a book from one of the shelves, came and sat down by the fire opposite her. He took not. the least notice of Hester. He settled himself comfortably in Ids chair, and acted as if the room were empty.

The knowledge was not complimentary. Hester gave a little cough, but he went on with his reading as if he had not heard-. She took up the poker and began turning over the burning logs hi the grate. Hut he did not stir, and allowed her 'to do it all by herself. She let the poker fall with a great clatter as she leaned back again in her chair, but he did not even give a start, lie simply seemed engrossed in his book and totally unaware of her dose proximity. IShe kept still for a little time after that, but her level brows met in a frown and her pretty lips were pouting. And then the continual turning of the leaves of his book got on her nerves to such an extent that she could stand it no longer. '■' Do speak or say something," she said impatiently; "one would imagine that you were deaf and dumb." He put down his book and looked up at her. " I thought it was your wish that I shouldn't talk to you at all," he replied slowly. She' gave a little sigh of relief now that the silence was broken, and she threw him a dazzling smile. "I release you from your promise," she said.' ■He shrugged his shoulders very slightly. " And supposing that 1 don't want to .l>e released?" She leaned forward in her chair. "Ah, don't he disagreeable!" she pleaded. "I know I have been horrid, but—you didn't say nice things about me, did you?" "1 don't remember making any remark about you at all," he answered coolly. " Indeed', I have been wondering for the last few days what possible crime I tan have committed."

" You—you said I had a snub nose," she said wrathfully. 'l?"—surprised. "I said you had a snub/nose? Why, I don't believe I ever saw you before you came down to Wynclunore." " Y'ou motored over to luncheon when I was staying with the Westfields," she said coldly. The fact of being in the same house with her and being unaware of the fact was even a worse misdemeanour than calling her snub-nosed. "Of course I did," he answered. "And were you there, too!" " I whs," her voice growing still more icy. "I happened to be walking along the terrace, and you were in the draw-ing-room with Dora Westfield. And I heard you say plainly, 'What a snub nose!' as I -passed. I suppose you did not notice the windows were open." "Good heavens!" he cried. "And have you borne me malice for that remark'ever since? Miss Westfield was showing me her Pekinese pug, and I was talking about the animal—not you. It seems impossible to imagine such a tiling but 1 did not even see—Miss Luttrell." There was silence for a few minutes. The patter of the rain beating against the window-panes was the only thing to be heard. Hester was not often at a loss for speech, but now she seemed Ito have nothing to say. " I—l am sorry I -ntC'idged you," she said at last. The"* man's' eyes flashed. At least it was someting to get an apology from the haughty beauty. "It seems to me that 1 have suffered punishment wrongfully," he said slowly., " I deserve some compensation, at least," "What can I. do'" she asked in a low voice. She was feeling very small. •■ Well," he said, " you condemned me to silence. Xow your turn has come. 1 think you ought to suffer in my place. You must- hold no intercourse with the rest of the world. But—you must alwavs have a warder with you. Yon have been labelled -Dangerous,' you kn°w." "Have I?" Her lips twitched. "Then innv 1 choose my warder?" lie .shook his head. "1 am afraid not," he said. "But I should like to knowfirst whom you would choose." ••Row would Captain Butler do?" " Sot at all "—decidedly. " One would not employ an imbecile to guard a prisoner."

"Don't you like him!" she asked sweetly. He Shrugged his shoulders. " 1 can't say I have ever thought much about him," ho answered. "1 spoke to him for three minutes once, and then was so bored that X had to take refuge in flight." She laughed softly. "How glad he must have been when you went!" she said. He looked up rather resentfully. "You mean you would like to get rid of me now?" he slid. "But 1 am afraid that is impossible. I constitute myself your warder, and you will have to put up with my company for as long as you remain at Wvnclimore\." "But I dou'l mind," she answered, with a-i enchanting smile. " You haven't bored nie in the least, and I am enjoying myself. Talking with you, yon see, has all the charm of novelty." He looked at her undecidedly, scarcely knowing what way to take her words. She threw him a dazzling glance from under her long dark lashes. "You don't regret it?" she asked in her seductive voice. "Do say you are glad that vou have been forgiven." " Forgiven?" lie cried indignantly. " Forgiven for a crime I did not commit?" " Well, we won't talk about that any more," she said generously. "But at least confess that you are glad that tiresome silence is broken." He had intended to be adamant, to resist till death the reputed fascination of Hester Luttrell. But he was only a .man after all. The witchery of the «reen eyes was upon him; he was falling under the spelt of that low, sweet voice. He settled himself again in his chair with a little sigh. "Yes," he answered slowlv, " f am glad that tiresome silence is broken at last."

It was three days later, and old Lady Melville was holding forth to Lady Brent in her shrill, quavery voice as they sat together on the terrace. "1 soe'that Luttrell girl has a new victim." she said. "1 should have thought Hugh

Derrick would have boon too sensible to follow in a crowd. He generally prefers to he original ami strike out on a different lino'from the rest, and now he has sunk into insign.ifiv.auco and hecome si more stupid lly walking with open eves into the spider's web." •'He'held out for some time, at any rate," answered Lady Brent, " and I must sav f am not surprised that he has succumbed at last. Hester is the most charming girl I know." "1 I'm! "—sceptically.

'•' 1 think vou are rather unjust to Hester." said her hostess; but the old woman did not bear—she was pursuing her own train of thought. ■■ It. strikes me," slie said, with slid- ] den brilliance. ' ; that Hugh Derrick is plavin" a little game of his own. He itoo stroll" a man to follow the common herd and be disapproved of Miss Lult roll'from the first. Didn't you iiotieo that he never went near her or spoke t-i' ber?" ~. , .. Ladv Brent did not think it necessary to explain matters. " What is Ins

• .aiiie?" she asked. ■• Well, f think he means to puuisii her for the way she goes on—to hoist her with her own petard and leave her in the lurch. He-wou't-propose! Pile rubbed her hands together maliciously. ••Oh. >lml it will be grand!" she cried, her old eyes glittering. " V.vorybodv I shall hear the story-it shall go all

round London!" . "11 has „„l to happen At: said liei llllsl( . ss coldly. Lady Brent was genu. i,„ly fond of Hester, and knew that Ihn ,„. 'of ill Ladv Melville s spile was Ihe fact that she iiad intended Derrick for I her own' daughter. "Let us come mf ewct tea will be ready directly. The sound of the retreating steps could he heard below where (wo poop c were sitting, iust out of sight of Uio orrace Hester's' cheeks were flaming, for the wind was in that direction, and everv ' one of Lady Melville's shrill tones had reacted tlieiu.

| "Oh," she cried, when the last footj step had died away, "' why don't they erect a lethal chamber in which to put old women after they have reached r> certain age!" Derrick stole a look at her. He was secretly rather grateful to Lady .Melville. She had broken the ice. "She is jealous of you,' 1 be said soothingly. " If report speak truly, she used to have ! it all her own way when she was young, and it is painful to sec her place usurped.'' Hester clasped her hands together tightly, lint did not answer. lie'leant a little nearer. "At least," he said slowly, his eyes on her face. " we can frustrate her plans and spoil her story. Jliss Luttrell, J am going to propose to von.'' Again the wayward colour flowed up through the clear skin,'and Hester made a restless movement. "I do'a't cine wlnn she says," she answered in a lonvoice.

"Ah, but I do! Hester, will yo:i marry me?" iShe smiled dreamily. "Do you want mo to say 'yes'—or 'Xo'?" she asked. "If you say 'Yes' 1 might take you at vour word." Aud his voice shook a little. "What?"—trying to speak lightly. "Compel me to marry you or sue me for breach of promise?" And then she gave a short, nervous laugh. "Tomorrow we leave here," she said, " and my punishment will be over. There will no longer be any need of a warder. Y'ou will be out of a place." She talked quickly to cover her momentary confusion. The sun was getting low, and the shadows on the lawn were lengthening., Due little fleck of sunlight broke through the trees and fell on her hair, turning it into molten gold. Derrick drew a deep breath. "Have you found your punishment very—very tedious?" ile asked.

She shook her head. I " don't think 1 leave ever been so happy before," she answered, A Hash of gladness crossed his face. " Then—then you won't nnind," he said, "if your isolation continues—if the sentence is extended for—life?" She turned her head and looked at him. Her glorious eyes were shining, and a new loveliness was dawning on her face. " Not," she said shyly, "if—l still have the same—warder."