For Honour's Sake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7975, 28 February 1906, Page 2

For Honour's Sake.

CHAPTER XXXlll.—Continued. P Claude looked at him as if he were some curious specimen of natural history, wbich she had never seen or beard of before. •'lf you don't wish" she said, deliberately, "to be put in a very uopleosrtut position when the time comes for mo to leave, you will accept my decision to go aloue with the best grace you can command." Toliemucha bent down. .. "If Cantaiu Stewart weie here," he said, "you would accept his escort." Claude did uot start, o? flush, or betray any agitation at this outragepus speech; she raised her dark eyes and looked straight at the speaker with a cool stare of absolute contempt. "Cantain Stewart is a centlemau,' she said, quietly; and ehe rose to her feet. "Will yr-u kindly understand, Mr Tolleinacbe, that from this moment we are strangers. My "guardians mvv receive you if, they please—l will not; and whenever, and wherever, I may meet you I shall decline to recognise you." She bowed her bead and walked away, inwardly quivering with pasBion at the cowardly insult—outwardly cool and haughty; while Tollemacbe stood for a few minutes as if stunned. Then, boeomiuß aware chat he might ho noticed, be made bis way raDidly to a small boudoir, dimly lighted, and now unfrequented and, flinging himself into a chair, tried to recover some degree of selfcommand. He was furious, mad with rage"— the more that he saw his own folly in forcing Claude to the position she had taken up; but the hotter for -that did his wrath burn against her and Captni'J Stewart. He would bavo rovpngn if he could have nothing else, and fortune might give him the' opportunity of something mpre than revenge. • After all, he tried to persuade .himself, when he had grown a little calme", it did not much.matter. He bad long abandoned the hone of winning Ciauda by fair means; and one attempt to win her by foul means had failed. Next time he -would succeed. He rose up by and by, as two or three onuples invaded his retreat, and returned to the ball-room; and the first thing be heard was some one saying: • "Ob, yes; Captain Stewart is here 9 —just come in." CHAPTER XXXIV. "TRY TO HOPE FOR THE DAWN." Tollemaohe looked about for his i rival. Was.be with Claude? No, Claude was dancing with a young lordling; and Tollemaohe presently saw Captain Stewart talking with a group of men and women. Claude had heprd that he was in the room—she thought she would have known it without any outer isense to tell her heart was beating wildly. How had he managed to come. Did be know how very much she needed him just now? Ob, the wearisome dance. When wouli it be over? It was over at last, and Claude waa led to Mrs Millington's side, and then Captain Stewart turned -easily from the group he had been , talking to, and came up to her. "I do not think," he said, smilas she put her hand *n his, "that I should have the pleasure of being here this evenirg at all, but Pauline left early, ao 1 came on -too late, I am afraid, for even one dance." "I shall have to beg off one as it is " said Claude; "I was just thinking of running away." "That's bard on Captain Stewart," exclaimed Mrs Millington, laughing; "okq would think he .frightened you." Stewart.laughed, too. "I am vain enough," he said, "'to, entertain no such fear; but 1 do hope you will remain a little longer, Miss Verner, so that I can have the pleasuio of escorting you home." "You are a day behind the fair. .Stewart," said Mrs Millington; "tbat honour belongs already to Basil Tollemaohe." Captain Stewart glanced at Claude. "By Miss Vomer's permission," he asked coolly. "No," said Claude, directly, ■though/she coloured. told Mr Tollemaohe," turning to her hostess, "that 1 did uot need an «scort—certainly not hie." Mrs Millington looked surprised; then a light seemed to break over h*.r. "I am sorry," sho said, "but of ■course it is for you to choose—that is" smiliog, "to choose your escort. I couldn't feel happy to send yon homo alone in a uab in the small bouts." "Indeed, un." said Captain Stewart, interposing: "Miss Verner, I am sure, will allow me the honour of seeing her home. We may consider the point settled, I think." "He is pretty arbitrary, isn't be, Miss Verner?" said Mrs Millington, laughing. "Well, Stewart, if duelling days weren't over, you would have a challenge to-morrow from Tollemaebe.'' "Lucky for him they are over." Teturuod the Scotchman. "1 don't fancy bis pistol practice is up to much." Couples were forming for another dance, and.Claude's partner came up to claim her. She could hardly i beg oS now, and so alio wed him to lead her'away; but Stewart Nclid not lose aifehfc of her, and presently, whon the danco was over, went up to as she sat by the .side of a silver-haired old dowager "I am at your, service, Miss Verner," be said, "whenever you wish to leave." "Thanks so much"—sho was long- ' . , lug to getaway—"but 1 don't want •'■ to make you go so early. "• ; "1 only came to look riri, you

By Bertha M. Clay. Author of il Wife in Name Only," st Wedded and Parted," "Dora Thorite," "A Queen Amour/ Women," (i ATrue Maffdalene," etc., etc.,

know; besides, bow could my wishes bo other than yours." "Oh, you soldiers," exclaimed the old l8dy; "but I'll allow," with a merry look at Claude, ''the subject i 9 inspiring. So you are aoiug to carry bar off, Captain Stewart?" "Not if sbe wishes to remain, Lady Marohelsea." "It i° so good of you, raadame." said the girl risiua—sho often fell into the foreign way of addressing rjcorle—"to wish mo to stay, but you will excuse me." "it's your own fault if I do it reluctantly," said the old lady; "but of course a handsome fellow like this will cut out an old dowager like me." 4, 0 hj, madame," exclaimed Claude; and both she and Stewart laugbed. "Ob, madam. There run away with your cavalier—and mind you come aud aee me." "I shall be delighted, and honoured." "Honoured—fiddlesticks. Goodnight, my dear, lake care of her, captaiu?: blue roses don't grow oa every tree." (To be Continued).