A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8122, 20 April 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTER ViL—Uontiuued. " They stopped; at a sign from Chris Kennett the mystified girl alighted accented the arm of the ujknowu who had ridden on the box. But she did not look to see where lie led her; she did not listen to what he whisperod familiarly in her ■ear. She waß gazing over her shoulder, for Mr Outram reeled as aonu as he steeped out of the vehiolo, and would have fallen but that a watchful hand extended to sustain him. Ho was faint with an exertion for wbiob, in bis state, he was totally unfit-, and there was a pause, during which he became so faint and helpless that Kennett trembled with impatieico lest his veugeance ahould bo frustrated.

But, revived by inhaling some powerful stimulant, Harold Outram allowed himself to be led on. H e was not absolutely unconscious for he answered when spoken to, and by the painful contraction of his Mows it was evident that he was endeavouring to shake off the numbness in which his mental faculties were enchained; yet a stronger spirit than his own was dominant, and he waa unable to shako off the spell. And now it was Wynnie who drew her hand across her eyes and looked wildly, wonderiugly round her. They had led her into a ruinous little country church; they had placed her at the entrance to the ohauool, side by aide with Harold Outram; and au old, old olergymau, deaf, and wheezy, and tremulous, assisted by au equally aged oountryman. who combined the duties of sexton, bellringer, and clerk, was droning through the opening sentences of the marriage services. Close by, alert and watchful, stood Christopher Kennett. It was in obedience to his wbißper that Mr Outram knelt, and it was his iron grip that forced Wynnie to her knees, when with a gasping, "It's not right—oh I it's not right!' she would have drawn back. Had Harold Outram no knowledge of what he was doing? Some dim perception of the nature of the ceremony in which he was taking part must have entered his mind, for when he was asked for the ring, aud Kennett, execrating himself for having neglected to provide it, drew or rather dragged one off Harold's own finger, ho asked, confusedly: "Is it for her—for Cyrilla?" But he testified no surprise when his questions remained unanswered. He stood or knelt as he was bidden, repeated mechanically the words dictated to him, and aigned his name in £the register legibly enough to enable anyone who knew his signature to recognize it. - "And so this happy affair is terminated," said Kennett's witness, airily, "and it only remains for us to congratulate the bride. Allow me to be the first to do so. Permit me, Mrs Outram, the honour and pleasure 1" He was Dutting back the little spotted veil that hid Wynnie'B face, intending to kiss her cheek, but; with a etart she repulsed bim, and stared dubiously at the ring on her f; finger. Oh! it was but a mockery of a marriage—a grim jest played by that dreadful man foi , aome.wicked purpose that was hidden from her. She, the poor flower gitl, the drudge of Mrs Matby. actually married, and to a gentleman, 8 real gentleman like Mr Outram Of course it was impossible, and th< only thing she could do was to b< passive. By and by she might knov what it all meant; at present sh< was too thoroughly bewildered to d( ought but obey her tyrants aud wai the result.

CHAPTER VIII. A SUDDEN SEPARATION.^ "Some one— the old clerk?— presented Wyuuie with a slip {of paper, wbioh she afterwards discovered to bo a certificate of the marriage ceremony having been duly celebrated, r Not knowiDg its value she was content to oourtsey ber rhankfi for the gift and carefully put it iu her pocket. Hur bridegroom had already left ber side. The damp, musty atmosphere of the ohuroh increased the oppressiou|t|fi'om which he was suffering and supporting himself by catching at the , pews as he went he had returned to the porch of the building and dropped on to the stone bench within it. This little church stood nearly a mile from the residential section of the village. It was perched on tho summit of a gentle eminence and commanded a gloriou9 view of tiills and dales, woods and fields. The soft sweet air that played around it lulled the nbrobb'ug pain that wns fast driving Harold Outram into madness ncd cooled the fever lurbinc in his blood. Leaning, back so that tho breeze played freely on his temples he closed his eyes and enjoyed tho boou of a brief respite from the sutferings that had hitherto proved overpowering. Tho little old clergyman and liis clerk hung their gowns in the vestry, the onurob and trotted away by auother door. They saw nothing extraordinary iu the bride and bridegroom lingering a while in tbo porch nor understood that Wynnio had followed Mr Outram thither to avoid tho audacious stranger whose attentions frightened her. But now she was tapped on the shoulder by Christopher Kenuett. "Oorae! you must go back to Marby's; thon you'll be at hand whenever 1 want youl" "But Mr Out/am?" she ventured to say. "Who will take care of him?" A demoniac smile contorted the heavy features of her hearers. "We'll leave him to be found by his affectionate friends. I have no further use for him." "Leave hi-n here—alone?"

By Charles W. Hatkaway. thorof (( Mavjorle's Sweetheart," "A Long Martyrdom," "A Hash Yow,' ( "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc., etc.

"Why do you repeat my wordB?" she was asked, ferociously. "You are to do as I bid you. We started with that understanding. Here is the sovereigu I promised you; take it, and be thankful;and there comes the carriage; go aud get in; you have done a good morning's work for me, aud perhaps for yourself, too, aud you shall reap the advantage of it, by and by." "Where's that fellow got to?" he demanded, auspiciously. The said fellow had watched his opportunity, and sneaked into the porch to ueuotiate a loan from Mr Outram on his own account; but started away again guiltily ou hearing himself called. Assuming a jaunty air ha sauntered down the path, inquring if he was to have the immense gratification of driving back to Dover with the lady. The only answer he received was a distrustful look. Away strode Kennett to the porch, and was back again before Wynme had been pievailed upon to put her hand into the gloved palm offered to assist her into the carriage. "There were two rings ou bia fingers—the one a broad band of gold, and the other a large diamond. The used for the marriage, but where is the other?"

Without waiting for a reply, Kennett seized the younger man by the throat, exclaiming, fuiously:* "ifouhaveitl It was to steal it that you atayed behind. Give it up I give it up 1 say! or-—" Finding his vehement denials were heard with incredulity, the aooused retaliated with a blow, and a struggle ensued which no one witnessed but the driver of the carriage, for it frightened Wynnie into flight. fcrAt first she began to run down the hill toward the village, but reool- ! looting that she might be seen and pursued long before she could cross the intervening meadows, she doubled, and, under cover of a hedge, returned to where a wide, dry ditch enoiroled the wall of the churchyard. In that the grass and bracken grew so thiofc and tall that she had no difficulty in ooncealing herself, oreeping completely under one of the tangles of brambles that from above grew so thickly as to be almost impervious. There was good reason now for her dread of being found, for the lost i diamond [ring was tightly clasped within her left hand. It had been all too large for the finger on which Harold wore it, and had therefore been held in its nlace by the gold baud transferred to his bride's. Unseen by anyone but her, it gradually slipped off as tbey knelt together, and she had secured it, intending to return both rings to him as soon as she could do so unobserved. But when she saw the fury with which Keunett attaoked the fancied | thief, she trembled for herself too muoh to avow that the ring was in her possession. He would call her a thief, too; he would refuse to listen to her explanations, and perhaps rid himself of all further trouble by giving her to the police as soon as they reached the town. (To be Continued.