A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8128, 30 April 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTER Xll.—Continued. She also knew that Chris Kennett must have had some vile stratagem in vie® that he took all this trouble and risk upon himself. She did not forget how, when he proposed taking her back to Marby's, he had added a reason for it—that she might be at hand when he wanted, her. Was she to have been produced at some moment when darold Outram could be mortified and disgraced in the highest degree by his enemy blazoning to the world that he bad married a beggar? Nay, Kennett should never have it in his power to do that, she angrily' declared, for. come what might, she would be careful to keep away from Dover and from him Then sho remembered that the Aydens Eight notice her wearing such an uncommon ornament, for the ring was of Indian workmanship, and wrought with the delicacy and skill for which the goldsmiths of the Orient have nlways been famous. To obviate this peril, she took the narrow, black ribbon with which her veil was secured to the, toque, and tied her wedding ■ ring round her neck, so that none should see it till she oould take courage to wear it openly. Miss Ayden's now pupils soon tired of the restraints of the aohoolroom, and became so fretful that Wynnie was sent to .walk with them up and down the terrace. Indeed, the younger waa pretty well left to her care, not only on that day. but for several succeeding ones. His brother quickly became reconciled tq their new home and the society of children of his own age; but Ibis little fellow had caught oold oil ; the journey, and was so feverish ill as to require continual attention, Dating fcfce long, tedious hours that Wy nnie was constantly in attendance on the slcK child, she saw nothing more of the strange denizen of the upper story. She had on two or three occasions, when singing the ohild to sleep, fancied that: some one—could it be ' she?—6ame to the half open door and Rooked in at her. The landing was not lighted, and the lamp in the room threw out but a feeble Iglimmer, so .that she could not be certain whether the dark shape she believed she saw was really that of a woman; but it always gave her a creepy sensation as she thought that the pistol she had seen might at any moment be levelled at her head by this eccentric, if not absolutely insane, personage. Shei had dropped into an extraordinary household, there could? be no doubt of that. She could not go downstairs for water, et cetera, without discovering that the Misses Ayden and their spiritless, nervous ! mother conducted their domestic aftairs on principles of the strictest economy. During the day Mrs Ayden—in well-preserved black satin —was to be found seated in the parlor to receive the parents of pupils, and her daughters were the dignified instructresses of youth; but at night, when their scholars were dismissed and the bouse closed, they donned other gowns, and swept an 1 dusted, and washed and ironed, moving softly and speaking in whispers, lest some curious neighbour should hear them and discover what they were about. And yet itheir sohool was in a flourishing condition. , Were they miserly, that they denied themselves aught but the most frugal fare, or ; the assistance of a servant? Wynqie, whose nerceptions W9re growing sharper already, was asking herself this question evening, as she sat with her little oharge in her lap, patiently waiting until be would consent to be, laid in bed beside his sleeping brother, when the door was pushed open and she, saw that the occupant of the barred chamber was beckoning to (her. She did not dream of resisting the imoerative "Come, I want you!" but, gathering the child i oloser to her bosom followed to the room . above. ~ An easel now stood in the centre of it, and beside it a low chair, on whioh she was commanded to seat herself. ''That child is pretty when asleep. 1 want to take a sketch of him," Wynnie was abruptly told. "That , position will do; keep him exactly so until J give you leave to move!" For a f«w minutes /her brushes moved briskly over the canvas, but soon her attenion was transferred to Wynnie. "You have not left the house since you came to it, except to patrol the terrace, and you have sent away no letters. , V 1 begin' to think you must be honest after all." "1 told you before that I never stole anything In ray life!" she was indignantly reminded. "Keep your temper," was the cool retort. "I did not use the word honest in thai sense. 1 meant that I am inclined to thins that you may be trusted. And yet 1 don't know,"she added, dubiously; "you are very poor, aren't you?" Wynnie's lip quivered; it was sufficient reply. * "So poor that you could not afford to refuse a bribe. For instance, if anyone offered you half a crown to betray me into his clutohes,' you'd do it. Don't say you wouldn't, for you would!" "Why do you think so ill of • me?" asked Wynnie, spiritedly. " What can I tell, who know nothing about yoa, except——" "Go on; exoepfc what?" /"That you frighten me—and I did wrong . ( to, bring this child here. Please let me go!" and Wynnie made for the door, which was looked as well as barred and the key rattling ia the pooket from which protruded the barrel of the pist 01. A smile—so merry that for a few seconds one could divine how arob, how charming that cad, stera

By Charles W. Hathaway. thor of if Marjorie's Sweetheart" A Long Martyrdom (f A Hash Voiv,' ( tf Joseph Dane's Diplomacyetc.. etc.

faoe must have been once—partly reassured the terrified girl. "Sit down again, you foolish little thing. lam not mad enough to hurt an innocent child or .you either. -In another quarter of an hour 1 will give you your liberty." Again she applied herself to her work, and not another word was sprken until she threw down her brush, and turned ihe canvas for Wynne's inspection, saying: "There! what do you think of it?" The likeness was such a happy one that the gazer oould not repress a low cry of admiration. "It's almost too pretty," she said, simply. "It makes him look like a little augel!" "Then 1 have been sucoessful in ' etherealizing my study of a sleeping ohiid. I generally do succeed i with children. It's odd, for I cannot draw a grown person. Here are some dozens of attempts*" and she tossed the contents of a portfolio on to the table, "but they are all failures—all daubs, stiff, wooden and vaoant." Wynnie, who had a childish love of pictures eagerly bent forward to look at the sketches. She recognized among them the Misses Ayden »nd tbeir mother, but . the artist had spoken truly, the portfolio was harsh and uu pleasing. "You oannot know whom, this js intended for?" "No, i suppose not," Wynnie admitted; "but it reminds me of a lady I know, who is so beautiful, so very beautiful, that thereaan't be uo one In the world to equal her." "la she rich?" "I think so; yes, she must be," said Wynnie, involuntarily touching CyriUa's gift as it lay hidden in her boeom, "Beautiful and rich then Heaven help her! Better, far better, for her to have been born poor and ugly!" The sketches were thrust back into tee portfolio, and Wynnie abruptly dismissed. "Go I 1 have done with you for the present; and, when you have laid the child down ask my mother to oome to me," Then Bhe was a 1 daughter of Mrs Ayden as well as the Roman-nosed, angular preceptress; and yet there was not the smallest resemblance, though it was possible that their mother in her youth bad been almost as fair to look upon as this girl would ba now, but for the disfiguring soar across her forehead. Wynnie promptly obeyed all her commands, made her courtesy, and, departing as soon as the door was opened for x her, warmly tucked up her little charge id bqd, and then ran downstairs to deliver her message. < I3he had slipped off her very heavy shoes long since because they creaked and made a noise as, she walked about with the child, and it was therefore, almost noiselessly that she, descended to the lower part of the house. (To be Continued.) a