For Honour's Sake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7967, 19 February 1906, Page 2

For Honour's Sake.

CHAPTER XXVUl.—Continued. "1 wish I oould take you," he said j * with a quiuK indrawing of the . broath; "rut, that would be irapos- ( sible. 1 am not going at all„ It would excite more gossip and there ( must ba enough, Heaven knows. . Pauline is going on Lord Sholstone'a ( coach and so I'll stop away alto- ( getber." Claude said nothing. She did not ' feel bb if she' could speak just now; , and after all, silent sympathy was best. Stewart added, after a minute's pause: j "I thought, perhaps, you were go- , ing with Mre Westmore." • "I don't know. She asked mo, but I haven't answered definitely. Mrs J Davenant' will drive to the park j with Mrs Challoner and a friend, and tbey finish the day at Syden- ( ■ham, with 'some people Mrs Ohalloner knows." . "And Mr Davenant?" "He..talked about going up the J river fishing, with Basil Tollemache. Why?" , "Why?" Stewart bent down a little. ■■'*"Why, then sweetheart, you ( will be alone at honie. You will let £ me oome?" as she startod and coloured. "Dearest, I must see you ( alone sometimes!" ~ "You know," she said, in a low j voice, "it will make me happy, too!" , "You are very good to me, dar- j ling. Then 1 will come; and for a j little while, at any rate, we can be together." -j He took her to the gate of The , Ferns, but would not go in; he did not oome to see Mrs Davenant, or anyone else who might ohauoa to be ' there, and so took his leave with a lingering baud-clasp and soft-spoken: "Good-bye for a little while, my ( own darling!" From an upper window a pair of heavy eyes peered through the Venetian blind, and tried to distinguish whoiClaude's companion was. "I can only see a little bit of him, muttered Fancourt; "but it looks like our handsome soldier friend, Captain Stewart, of Loohmohr. Yee, I thouaht so," aa Stewart now turned from the gate, and the sr;y caught a full glimpse of him crossing the road. "Now 1 wonder if . he'a spoony on the child? Bet he is, or. he will be in no time. What a pity he can't marry her! What a ■aria-cross world it is! A rod in , pickle for you, my dear cirl. I told M,ra Kyrle-Miguelaa-iJavenant she must apeak to you to day. She went into tantrums, of course; but, unluckily 1 want the money." Olaude went upstairs to take off her walking things, and lingered :Some time before she passed Into the drawing room. The companionship of her own thoughts was sweeter than that of Mrs Davenant, but she went •down at last. Julia waa seated by a small workable, with some fancy work in her 'hand, which was more an excuse for subduing nervous irritation than an occupation. Olaude noticed at once that alio lookod unusually perturbed and seemed altogether in a state of suppressed excitement. "Well," said Mrs Davenant, "did you meet anyone at Mrs Weatmore'a?" "Major Langdale and Captain Stewart. Captain Stewart walked home with me but he wouldn't come iu„" auswered Claude, going to the window, and, by her reply, unconsciously giving Julia an opening; for, in truth, Mrs Davenant waa afraid of the girl. She caught at the opportunity. "Just as well he didn't just now." she said, "for I want to apeak to you." • Claude turned abruptly as she atood near the Freuoh window. "You want to speak tame?" she said, indifferently, "What about?" "I should think you migLt guess, Olaude." "I would rather you told me." "Then—about Tollemache." "I thought you understood," said Olaude, coolly, thouah at heart she was not cool, "that there is nothing you'can say to me about Basil Toilet macho that I am concerned to hear." She was about to step through the window, when Julia's voice, harsh with the note of fear, recalled her. "Claude, come baok! You must hear what 1 have to aay. Come into the room, close to me." The girl turned baok, and paused a few feet from Mrs Davenant, gaz.ing at her with that been, penetrating look of hers. "Well," she said. "You don't know what the position is," said Julia, speaking hurrieedly. "It isn't what it used to be. Tollemache can ruin us." "In what way?" asked the girl, coldly. "1 don't moan Tollemache himself, Claude, but Fanooart." "Fancourt!" Claado shrugged her shoulders. "Well," she said, "you don't suppose I took in your story about Fanconr*, being a poor relation? It isn't exactly uncle Chris' way to do kindnesses, Whether they aredeserved or not. Of course, 1 arrived at my,on conclusions." "Claude! what do you mean? What conclusions?" "Only that Fanoourt knew enough to make it worth your while to buy bia silence/' "You were right so far," said Julia, bitterly, cliuohing her hands on her lap. "And flow I suppose," said Claude, her quick mind. easily weaving in all the threads, of the web. "it has occurred to Fancourt to strike a bargain with Tollemuohe. Tollomaohe is to pay bo muob for me, if Faucourt, by threatening exposure, can force me, through you, to rrarry the worthy squire. Am I right?" "Yes, yes!" The woman wrung her hnnas. "Claude, how did you "''•" know?'"'""'' ' '" ' ' •"• "It waa not dil2cult, knowing, aa I Jo, the sort of people With whom I have to deal." said the; girl, with a short laugb.

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

"Ah! ynu are cruel," Julia said. "You have not sinned. You kuow nothing of the suffering that sin brings in its train—the miserable, haunting fear of discovery,the shame, the dread, the remorse.' 1 Olaude romai&ed unmoved. There whs even a curve of contempt on her lip as she looked at the woman before her. [She knew that all this was only acting, intended to influence her; fear and dread there might well be, and were, but shame, remorse, still Jess repentance—no! "It would simplify matters," she said, quietly "if you spoke out and told me what it is -this Fancourt knows, and what harm ho can do you—chough in one way it can matter very little to me what his power is. Nothing he could do to you would make me agree even to temporize with Tollftmache." "Olaude!" cried Julia, desperately. "You don't know what you say. I tell you this roan can crush us—blot us out of society. He knows —he knows events [of ray past life. Ob, Olaude! must I tell you?" "There is no need," said the girl, through her teeth, growing very white. "I don't want to put you to added shame, or to be the possessor of your secrets, if Fancourt could make you and Chris Davenant outcasts, convicted criminals, grind you into the very dust of degradation, I would not not marry Basil Tollemache to save you! I would not if I loved you, if I owed you a heavy debt of gratitude; but I do not love you, and I owe you oothing!" "You owe us nothing." (To ba.Continued).