A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8131, 4 May 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

"" CHAPTER XlV.—Continued. Oyrilla, dressed in a pale yellow nilk, profusely trimmed with lace and decorated with flowers that looked like stars of gold, came to show herself to her mother. The same starry flowers were shining in her dark hair and formed the oentre of the immense bouquet she carried. Strings of amber bonds euolrcled her throat, and her red lips parted into a satisfied smile as she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror sh« was passing. "Ah, it's well to be you, S'rilla, going here and there and enjoying yourself," lamented the Invalid, "while I'm shut in my bedroom, and ray violet velvet dpoiling with laying by. Hut don't she look splendid, Linda, my dear?" Lady Dartison'a pride in her daughter's beauty overcoming hei fretfulness. "It doesn't matter what Bhe puts on, it's sure to suit her. It do surprise me that she can be satisfied to marry a plain oommrner when there's lords and earls that would be glad to get her I" "I'll leave you to rehearse my terfeotions to your new nurses," laughed Oyrilla, "for if I keep papa waiting much longer he will tear his hair."

"Ah, yes, go to your balls and parties, both of you," whined Lady Dartison; "go here and there and everywhere, and don't trouble yourselves about me. 1. shall get used to it by and by, I dare say;,, but when 1 was a young girl I wouldn't have treated my sick mother so cruelly." "Don't be absurd, mamma," said Cyrilla, with displeasure. "1 have brought Linda; and you must remember I have some one else to consider as well as you!" "Ah, I'm nobody now that there's a lover in the oaao," and Lady Dartison putting her handkerchief to her eyes, her daughter lost patience and walked away. The dosing of the floor with a not very gentle hand apprised her ladyhsip of Oyrilla's departure. "Has she gone? Ah. it's anything for pleasure. But did you ever see her look hotter? She do dress so tastfall I'll have my beef tea, and try if I can't go to sleep and dream about her!" But as she turned over in her bed she oried out, and hold up Oyrilla's .flowers: "She's gone and left her bookay behind her, and it coat a guinea this very day! Run after her somebody, and give it to her." Linda handed the bouquet to Wynnie, who intßanlly started in pursuit of the young lady. t» Not remembering by which route she had been ushered into Lady Dartison's chamber, Wynnie contrived to turn to the left instead of to the rigbjfc; but on discovering her mistaKe she retraced her steps, and found her way to the staircase leading to the entrance hall; Sir Jasper had already hurried his daughter into the carriage; but she had missed her flower*, and insisted on waiting till they could be brought to her. A gentleman, therefore, who had been wrapping her cloak around her, bounded back into the bouse just as Wynnie was halfway down the stairs, the bouquet in her hand. "For Miss Dartison? Thanks," he said, as he hastened to take it from her.' "Will you tell Lady Dartison bow glad 1 am to hear that she is better this evening?". And then he was gone. For a few seoonds Wynnie had gazed at a frank, handsome face, that smiled dosvn at her kindly as at a stranger never seen till then. Her hands pressed to her beating heart, she stoad where he left her till the carriage had rolled away, and the footman had closed the door and strolled away to finish a flirtation with a pretty kitchen maid. She stood there till Pauline, looking over the bannisters saw and came to ber. "Apparently you aro from the country," said the Parisian, eyeing her from head to foot, superciliously, "and you are overwhelmed with admiration of my young lady. You have never seen suoh a toilet before. It was my own devising. Mam'selle has a good face and figure; but she cannot dress herself. She would often be a fright, a horror but for me. Pleased to have a listener Pauline went on: "You saw, monsieur—the gentleman who was in attendanue upon her—Monsieur Outrnm. Ah, he is grand! He is mam'selle's fiance! You do not understand? He is her suitor. When milady has recovered he will be her husband." Was it a spssm of senseless, despairing jealousy that made Wynnie fling oat her hands when she heard this, crying, wildly, "No! no! no!"

CHAPTER XVJ. A MERCENARY MAIDEN. Recalled to herself by the astonishment she saw in Pauline's bold, blaok eyes, Wynnie was overwhelmed with confusion, and tried to stammer au apology. She was heard with a significant, laugh. "Ah, excuse not yourself! 1 may bo trusted; I shall never tell. You think that it is one great mistake on the part of such a gentleman as Monsieur Ou,tram; and;me also, I think with you. Ho ifl a fine gentleman; not titled, but of good blood, in la belle France we should oall him a chevalier, and marry him to some demoiselle who poaiesses a lineage as well as a dowry. Miss Dartison is superb when I have dressed her, but"—-and Pauline threw up her hands with a gesture of contempt—"but she, with her commonplace father, and uncultur-

By Charles W. Hatliaway. Author of " Marjorie's Sweetheart," "A Long Martyrdom," "AJlash Vow," "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc., etc.

To give her this encouragement Pauline led hor to Miss Dartison's dressing room, and displayed to her dazzled eyes the contents of Cyrilla's jewel case. A girl with more experience would have pronounced many of the trinkets gaudy and ill-ohosen, Cyrilla's tastes not being sufficiently cultivated to enable ber to prefer a few simple and good ornaments to showy ones of no real value. Eveu Pauline had detected this, for she remarked upon it as she rapidly opened and shut the oases containing them. "The lady I lived with before 1 came here was poor, but she would not have worn suoh horrors as these. Mam'selle has little of value except these bracelets and these rings, the gifts of Monsieur Outram. She should have worn them to-night, but she would not and for why? Because he withholds one she has set her heart on having. He exouses himself on the plea that he cannot remember where he has put it, and she smiles and seems to believe what he says; but when he has gone away she towns and stamps her foot, and rages about the room, so that it is prudent to keep out of her way. Oh, but these English are eooentrlque! It is a long word, but there is no other so expressive of their peculiarities." Wynnie pressed her hand apor. the ring in her bosom as if she feared that ie would be torn from her if she was suspected of having it in her possession. Instinctively she divined that it was the one Oyrilla demanded from her lover; the one he could not bestow upon her, though he knew not why. Declining Pauline's invitation to accompany her to the housekeeper's room to supper, she returned slowly and thoughtfully to Lady Dartison'a chambers. The ring had beoome very precious to her, though she would soarcely avow it to herself. Must she give it back to Harold Outram—telling him how he, with his own baud, had plaoed it on her finger while repeating mechanically the words that pledged him to her as long as life should last? To do this she must request an inerview with him, and how should she nerve herself to so great an effort as that would require? She might make confidante of Linda, and place the matter in her oands, but from this' course she also shrank.

It would involve such long and painful explanations. She would have to tell who she was and whence Bheoame; to boar witness against the Marbys and Chris Kennett, and perhaps to be punished herself for t'ot having denounced thera sooner. And when she had truthfully told all she knew, her story would sound so wild and incredible that her hearers might not improbably refuse to believe it. Or if they asked what motive Chris Kennet could have had for attacking Mr. Outram the only answer that she could give was that she did not know. Again, some one or other might inquire why he had taken advantage of Mr. Outram's, oonditiou to wed him to her; and, she, know ing nothing of his rejeotion by Oyrilla, could only say as before —she was totally ignorant of his reasons. Or if Harold Outram's memory awakened sufficiently to enable him to confirm her statements, what would be the result to her? She would still be regarded with suspioion, and dismssed as not a fit person to be a member of a highly respectable household like Sir Jasper Dartisou's. Look at it which way she would, any attempt en her part to make thesfl revelatious abounded with difficulties appalling to a timid, inexperienced girl; and Wynnie sent early *;o bed because she looked so pale and troubled, lay awake half the night striving to find a way out of her perplexities. At last she determined to enclose the ring and the certificate of the marriage, given to her by the clerk at the ohuroh, to Mr Outram, with a line in her best oaligraphy, referring him to Chris Kennet for a solution of the mystery. By doing this ahe firmly believed that she should set her bridegroom free to wed whom he pleased. She had seen a neighbour of the Marby's sell his wife for a few pounds, and no one appeared to question the legality of the transaction; and though she kissed the ring and cried over it—marveling why there was such an immense difference between hor fate and Oyrilla Dartisou's—she accepted that difference meekly, and fell aßleep, resolved to do what she believed to be her duty. To be Continued.

Ed mother, ia no match for Monsieur Outram. No! nol" She talked so volubly that Wynnie could only glean the sense of what she was saying; but she had listened with fluttering attention; she had appeared to agree with Pauline i«i all she said. The loquacious maid was therefore well satisQed; and though she prouounoed hor a stupid, silent little ttoing, she added, condescendingly, that the poor girl was well-intentioned, and deserved to be encouraged.