A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8122, 18 April 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTER Vl.—Continued. As the girl did not spank, he gently repeated his request. "I am feeling so much better .just at tills miuuto that I should like to remove to n hotel while lam equal to it. I must ask yon to tell tun good folks who tool; me iu how very much 1 thank thorn for their hospitality. 1 shall not omit to make thorn aomo recomponso lor it." "Yes," said Wynnie, suddenly. "This is tie best thing you can do. Go away; insist upon your right to do so; there is no one here who can prevent it except Mrs Marby, and she is but a woman. I will lead you downstairs; wo may be able to reach the door before we uro discovered. But' should she follow us,- don't stay to talk. You are a gentleman; there are plenty of people who will be willing to take care of you till you are better—plenty of people with whom you will be safer than you are here." . Harold Outram toadied bimeeif against the doorpost.mid laid a hand against his forehead. "What is it you mean? There is a dull beating iu my head that forbids me to make any great efforts to understand you. No: Bafe, did you say? The owners of this hoaso are poor, but honest,, and to-mor-row my surgeon will remove me in his own carriage to the residence of the friends who sent him to attend me—he has told me so " "Don't wait till to-morrow," urged Wynnie, reckless of the consequences to herself of the steps she was advising. "That man who calls himself a surgeon, is she oast a terrified glance over ber shoulder—"but I dare not tell you what be is and what be has done. Let us think only of your escape. You will let rse help you to get away?" "I am quite bewilderod as to your meaning, my good, little nurse," he answered, wearily, "hut of course I shall follow your direolions." "Come, thenl" But at the , thought. of encountering Mrs Marby, fresh from her conflict with her refraotory handmaid, Wynnie trembled and hesitated , till seized with an idea which she daringly proceeded to put in practice. The wrangling women were in the Kitchen at the back of the dwelling, and this room muse be passed ere she could guide Mr Outram along the passage leadng to the front of the house. And how was this to bo done? Mrs Marby's sight was keen, and the door stood open, as it usualy did, save when the gusts of wind that made their way through the many cracks and •crannies of the ancient tenement slammed it to with a foroe that shook the building to its foundation. Bidding Mr Outram await her, away flew the girl One touch of Wynnie's hand played the part of the north wind; the shutting of the door was so common an occurrence that it was scarcely noticed by Mr 9 Marby, who happened to be fiercely ■arguing some contested point; nor did she dream thai! the heavy bolt used for securing it at night was slipped into ita hasp, thus making! her and Becca prisoners in their turn. It was done; Wynnie marvelling at her own courage. While Beooa and her mistress screamed and scolded at each other there was» nothing to prevent her throwing wide the outer portal, ana once outside , that,,,guiding Harold Outram to the better part. of the towu. What was to beooraa of her afterward she did not ask herself. That she would be thrown on the wide world—thai it would be sosroely prudent to remain in or near Dover —were facta on which she would not let her mind dwell till he was safe. The bolt slippel-—her agency undetected—she was springing toward the stairs to play the guide in this bold enterprise, when she was seized aid dragged back, a harsh voice asking in her ear: I "Who's this playing traitress?'" It was Christopher Kennettl All was lost; and Wynnie, growing cold and faiut, slid out of his grasp, and dropped to the floor at his feet. CHAPTER 'VII. A STRANGE CEREMONY. When Wynnie awoke from her swoon she was alone, she knew not where. So fi*mly rooted was Mrs Marby's conviction that the girl was little better than a simpleton that she re- /' fused to believe her obedient drudge could have delibor&lely intended to bolt her iu the kitchen. „ Still, she conceded that it would bo prudent to take every precaution against foul play, and permitted bor brother to carry the insensible culprit to the garret, and there turn the key upon her. binding herself iu the dark, her bead dizzy, her limbs unsteady, Wynnie lay still for some time not knowing who might bo near, and therefore afraid to stir; but pre* gently she deteoted the tranquil breathing of the baby and groped her way to its little bed. As soon as she could think coherently she began to weep tears of disappointment and to be greatly troubled respecting Harold Outram. She bad left him with a promise to return immediately. Wh«t would be think of hei? Would he know or guess that she had been uuahle to effect hia escape? She sprang up to go to him to whisper the story of her detection by the hated man from whom she had been endeavouring to rescue him but as soon as Bhe touched the door she knew' that she also was a prisoner. She felt her way along the partition between the two garrets till she found a crack to whiob she applied her mouth and whispered

By Charles W. Hathaway. thor of " Wnrjorie's Sweetheart,*" " A Long Martyrdom," (i A Hash Vow,' ( "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc., etc.

his name first softly and cnutiou9ly theu iu louder accents. But uo reply readied bor. She listened long and carefully but not a souud reached her oats. At last she concluded that he must have fallen into one of those stupors that foilowed any attempt to exert himself; and though dreading the oioss-cxniniuatiou she would have to undergo from Mrs Marby and bor brother in the morning the weary sorrowful girl made a virtue of necessity; laid herself down beside bar infant charge and tried to gather from'sleep the strength nod courage she would need. It was a rude awakening for when Mrs Marty flounced into the garret she was iu one of her worst humours. "Come downstairs and make yourself useful!" she commanded. "Hore's the children howling for their breakfast—the shop to be attended to—and nobody to do it but myself. Be quick, or you'll feel the weight of my ten fingers." Wynnie, heavy-eyed and unrofroshed, hastened to dress the child and obey the virago'* orders; but ere she descender! to the kitchen she veutured to open the door of Harold Outram's prison chamber. It was empty! not a trace of its lato occupant remained. For n while she was stupified with astonishment, and when she did appear before Mrs? Mai by it was with such wild and ghastly looks that, after relieving her of the baby, the baby's mother shook her violently, ai.d then deluged her with cold water. "It that won't briug her to her seventeen senses nothing will! She going oH: her head, 1 verily believe! Wyn! You Wyu! Speak to me this minute! How dare you go on so. What ails ye?" "Is be dead" she asked, with chattering teeth and dilated eyes. She was seized and shaken again, for presuming to ask suoh questions. "If you bring us into trouble with your silly tongue, it's dead and murdered you'll be as soon as Jaok Marby gets hold of you. The young man that we took in because he'd a fall and burt himself has got better and gone away, if ever mention him again it'll be the worse for you, 1 can tell you. Now stir yourself, and let's have no more nonsense." Wynnie was partially, but only partially, reassured. That the Marbya would do Harold Outram any deliberate injury she did not believe for a moment; but she had not the same faith in the man from whose cowardly onslaught his victim was already suffering. She longed to ask way Mr Outram had been removed in the night, but knew that it would only bring down upon | her a volley of abuse. He had been taken away in furtherance of some soheme to whioh Mrs Marby had reluctantly consented to assist her brother in carrying out; but what the soheme was, or how it affected th« gentleman who had fallen into their power, she had uo means of knowing. If.she could but be sure that he was safe? If she could but be convinced that no further harm was threatening him. Where was he? The question hovered on her lips every time Mrs Marby came near ;her, but she had neither the courage nor opportunity to breathe it., (To be Continued).