For Honour's Sake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7952, 30 January 1906, Page 2

For Honour's Sake.

CHAPTER XVl.—Continued. "She was a Mrg Arnold, a very lovely woman. Your play, Fancourt." "Blow my play! How do they get on?" Chris shrugged his shoulders. "No scaudal; no open quarreling; Captain Stewart is far too proud for that; there'-? no Jove lost, for a certainty." "Well, now, that's a pity, Isn't it?" said Fancourt, repeating a phrase already uttered as meu the state ha was now in are wont to do. "I suppose it i3~ a pity," said CLris, impatiently. "Your play." "Bother the play I Well, if he comes here he'll fall in love.with the girl, eb?" "1 can't help it if he does," was the cynical reply. "It will be useless since he can't marry her;and Claude is not exactly of the class of girl for ■any left-handed homage." "Course not!" said Fancourt. 4, But s'pos.e she fell in love with him." "What can it matter to you?" asked Chris, roughly. He was annoyed by the man's continual harping on one key. "Oh, nothing. ■ I don't -know the man; never saw him before," muttered He drank some more brandy, set down tbe.elaaa and rose, but staggored, "All right," be said, with an unsteady wave of his hand toward the door. "I'm done now. Goo'-night." When be was alone he drank some more brandy, then flung himself on the sofa; but his mind clnng to the subject he had been talking about with the silly persistence of drunkenness.' "Handsome fellow." he muttered. "Ik's a pity—blamed pity. Never saw him before! Why should I oare? I don't! Blamed pity; yes it is—a pity!" And so be fell asleep. CHAPTER XVII. A CANDID HUSBAND. "So glad to see yon, Mrs Westmore," said, Pauline, holding out her white hand, as Matilda came in. She was making a round of calls, and included Carlton House Terrace; besides, though she did not like Captain Stewart's wife, she liked him immensely, and also the set usually met at his house; so she kept on' good terms with the mistress, for, of course, to make an enemy of her waa to close the doors of the mansion against herself. Matilda Westmore .lid not expect to see Captain Stewart on this or any occasion. He was very rarely at home, uuless his presence was required as host; and one would not expeot to find him in the drawing- • room, tete-a-tete with his wife. "If she is glad," thought Mrs Westmore, "she has something to tell or ask of me. She isn't really glad to see anyone hut . her own image la the glass." But Maida responded, in her bright, cordial way, to the greeting, and took a seat near her hostess. Pauline's tea gown was a "poem" for which the taste of an "art" dressmaker was more to be thanked than that of the owner, who did not forget, however, to take all the credit when Maida duly admired the garment. "Fanoy," Baid Mrs Westmore, "me finding you alone. I expected to see you nurrounded by a court." Pauline's vanity would swallow . anything. She sailed complacently. "1 get awfully bored, though, sometimes," she said, proceeding to pour out some tea for her visitor. "It's quite a treat to have a chat with you. Pray tell me all the news." "What's in the wind?" thought Westmore. She said: "1 have only one item—though, probably, that is no news to you. Major Langdale is on his way home from India." - "Indeed," said Pauline, "but" it is news* Oh, you thought I should bear it from my husband? My dear Mrs {Westmore, I have not seen him sinc6 yesterday morning, and he never tells me anything. We are quite a fashionable couple, you aee." "Yes?" said Madia, with a smile that meant nothing in particular, but inwardly intensely disgusted with her hostess, while her heart ached for Esrio Stewart. "Men are all alike, I suppose," continued Pauline, chaoging the laugh to a sigh, aa if her husband had loved her once and had proved fickle. "One mußt not expect much of them." This was more than Maida could stand. "There are men and men," sheob- < served dryly, "as there are women and women." Thie shaft, however," only grazed ; It did not pierce. Pauline had a singular capacity for discovering other people's sensitive points. She bad none of her own. She saw that Mrs Westmore was annoyed, but decided that it was solely on account of Captain Stewart and only with herself—Pauline—indirectly, because she spoke against him." "Forgive me," she said*' with the quiet' malice of heartless women. ■"Esrio is such a universal favourite that a word against him raises an army of champions. The woman always is in the wrong, isn't she? Never mind. Pray tell me, who are going to Mrs Millington's ball?" "All tbe world and bis wife," said Maida, only too willing to drop a sdbjeot whioh she. felt would presently (lead to hostilities on her part. "i have an exquisite gown for it," said Pauline. "I want you to see it; its quite a new idea. I don't suppose there will be any in the rooms like it." "You see," said Maida, "you pay the penalty of being a belle in havjng your gowns" copied. It obliges you tb have a new design for every* r ' function." ' "It really does," said Pauline, • "• oblivious of her visitor's Bar-

By Bertha M. Clay. Author of (i Wife in Name Only," u Wedded and Parted," "Dora Thome," "A Queen Among Women," " A True Magdalene," etc., etc.,

oasm. and taking the speech seriously. "I flatter myself, however, tLat this gown won't to easily copied." "You quite excite my curiosity. But there won't be time to copy it before Thursday, this being Tuesday, so you are safe from me for this ball " Pauline laughed. "The style requires a tall figure, 1 ' she said; "sol don't suppose you would care for it anyhow. What a demand there lias been for cards. Poor Lady Dashton tried overy source. Sne has three daughters to marry. But she failed. It Would be a flue opportunity for the new beauty, but no chance for her." "I heard to day she was invited," said Maida "she and Mr Davenant." "Oh, it must have been a rumour" exclaimed Pauline. "They don't know Mrs Millington." "Some oue mav have got them cards. It's always an advantage to have a beautiful gin lo the fore," said Maida,» ru herself with a keen delight iu the process, "and Misa Verner is simply exquisite." "So everyone says," remarked Pauline, masking her j jealous anger, p.nd smiling sereuely. "I should like to know her; and, if she is at the ball, I shall make Jilsrio introduce her; but I hardly think she can be." "My informant spoke positively," said Midia; "but time will prove." Almost as tbe words left her lips and before Pauline could reply, the door opened aud Captain Stewart entered the room. A flash of pleasure came into his dark eyes as be saw Mrs Weatmore. who turned with a radiant smile to great him. "The unexpected is always a delight," he said, clasping her hand in his. (To be Continued).