Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8230, 6 September 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

OH AFTER XIVI. Continued

Had Miohael asked him for money it would have anuoyed him; but this grave, quiet letter, asking for information about a dead man, infuriated Delaval. 'What can have put this in his mind?' he aske"! himself. 'H:s mother might turn disagreeablo because I went away from her, bu Michael is not his mother. What is working behind this? Can ho have guessed that Selina belongs to me? Is this the outcome of jealousy?' Then he dismissed all tne ques tions with contempt. 'What ie it to me?' he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. 'I don't think I need trouble myself about Michael Silchester. I shall make haste now and pet Selina out of ihe'country. I am tired of this restricted life. \ i want freedom, and, above all. I want her—now mora than ever, 1 want her.' He set his teatb and he stalled. He was not going to approach George Durnstone; ha was going to win the girl and carry her off in a lawless faahiou. ' • ""-""? He prepared himself at any moment for a visit from Michael, and took precautions to avoid the young man. And all at once the path was made easy for him, for Selina wrote to announce that her brothel and his wife were lcav ing the Gate House for a little while, and that sho was going with them to stay in London. 'Georce will have to be backward and forward to see after the alterations,' she wrote, 'and he ; wants me to stay with Dorothy.' At this Dplaval laughed; but he •wrote her one of his tender letters, and something prompted him to write in this letter a mention of Michael Silchester. *1 have bad such a strange note from Michael,' be Haid; 'he seems to have forgotten all his old friendship f-r me. lam very sorry, for I like Miohael. Jferhaps it will pass Perhaps you will be able to throw some light on this.' Those few words took a load from Selina's heart. . She had been'fretting secretly all this time ovei Michael's attack on Delaval. The mere fact that her lover bad spoken so freely about this letter made what had been a very important matter seem nil at once of no importance. 'How bright you look to-night,' Dorothy said, as they left the dniner table. '1 am quite sure that, like me, yon are very glad to go to London, Now confess—aren't you?' And Selina answered: 'Yes. I should have hated going away from the Gate Honse if it had been the dear old house I have loved so much,' she explained; 'but now that it is going to be changed, that everythnig is about to be pulled to pieces, I feel that I aai really glad to get away from it, and I don't thnik 1 shall ever oare to come back to it.' 'Don't be so tiresome,' pouted Dorothy/Jbut she was really in a very good temper. She had got her way, and.'London Btretched just in front of her. Already she pictured a triumph for herself, and Selina listened to all she had to say with a emile and a sigh.,

though she oared no,longer to •stay in their old home, it was strange that as the moment drew mear for departure she trembled and hung back. Something, she could not define what, hung about her heart as she pictured the future. And sometimes she would wake in the night as if with great fear. And yet tbroagh this, and round this there floated the wonderous fascination love. And when this held her spellbound it would have been hard for Selina co have told herself that out of this wonderful love sorrow and tragedy were shaping themselves only too distinotly and forbodingly, and though she never clearly defined this to herself, there mingled with her sense of regret at the change that wbs being worked in her old surroundings a recoileotlon of Miohael Silohester. Sne had been very nngry with him at first tut the anger had -worn off. What she had said to Dorothy when she had defended herself the other day was but the truth in a .nutshell. s~**p} -jsm ■—...'-• Michael waß not to blame in eality for anything that had oooured. His mother's faults were not his faults and gradually Selina worked herself round to the determination that Mrs Silobester must have made mischief about DeJaval and that it was her fault entirely that Michael had spoken as he had the other day. For why or for what reason should he be changed so tremendously? 'Why, he adored 'Mr Delaval,' Selina said to herself, as she pondered this matter again and again. 'He made bim a kind of a hero. He was never tired of talking to me about him. If it was anyone else but Michael I should imagine that this was a little spite fceuause wo haye beocrnu friends. Hurt Miohael is not like that. lam /afraid Mrs Silohester must be very jealous.' And then Seliua sighed. 4 0n, dear!' she said, 'how different everything eeems. In the old days I was always grumbling about Mrs Silohester,'but she never really did me any harm. Now, I have a sort of feeling that no one cares for me exuept Mary and ' But she was almost shy of putting into hor thoughts the name of this man whom she had grown to love. Quickly, too, she took hereelf to task. '1 am sure Michael has not really ohanged. How sad he looked the other day, and how ill! He must have hurt himself very badly when befell.. I wish I could see him again, not only to ask him some questions, but juat to try and patch things up a little bit. I don't

By Elsie Adelaide Rowlands. . Author' of "An Inherited Feud," " Umve Barbara," i( A Splendid Heart," "reinitiation of Mary Ban;" "The Interloper," etc., etc.

want; to Jose everything that belongs to—to the happy old time; and I must never forget what a chum Michael has been to me.' She walked twice in the road that led from the town to the priury,hoping that she might have an opportunity of meotiug Michael again, but he never came. On the second occasion, the after noon before they were to leave"for London, Selina met Nelia Poster. The doctor's niece was on her way to the Gate House. 'I must go and say good-bye,' she had explained to Mrs Silchester. 'I have not seen Selina snoe she has been down here, and it does not look kind.' And Mrs Silchester agreed to this simply eecause she was dying with cariosity to know what had been passing with the Durnntones. J %>■'• Of course, she had begun to shake her head morufully about the future, and she quoted a good deal about «au od fool being t«o worst kind of fool'i. She was also very eoornfnl about the alterations that were to be made at the Gate House. 'So the plaoe is not good enough for Mrs Baraldine's daughter,' she remarked on one occasion. Jt happened to be at dinner time, and when Michael was present. Nelia noted quickly how Michael winced at this tactless remark, and how his brows contracted. She rushed quickly to smooth away the uncomfortable impression. 'Oh,!' she said, 'don't you think Sir George is quite right? The Gate Bouse is very small, and he wants to make a beautifal home for his wife.' This was culy one of the many times when she tried tostand between Mrs Silchester and her spiteful anger against Selina. As a rule, she suocefde d in preventing his mother from saying this kind of thing when Michael was present. The sympathy between herself and Michael Silchester had deepened, but Nelia was far from satisfied. ■< She never deceived herself, though the whole of her life was set in a fashion to deceive others. She knew that Miohael found comfort in her presence in the house, and liked to talk with her, but she knew equally well that he had never swerved from his old allegiance to Selina, and, therefore, there was bitterness lurking in her heart this afternoon, when, turning a corner sharply, she came upon Selina walKing rather listlessly along the highroad to the priory. But-sbe had a smile on her lips, and her manner was just as it had always been, soft and gontlo, as they met. And for once Selina was glad to see Nelia. She had never been one of those who have raved about Dr. Foster's niece, having always felt tha| Nelia's manner was not genuine, and feeling, in her own straightforward, fearless fashion, that thiH sweet voiced, sad-faced young woman could be as human as any other person is if she chcse. Indeed, when, Nelia had first come to stay with her unce, Selina had summed her up very quiokly. 'She is too much of an angel for me,' she had said to Miohael. 'I like somebody who gets into a rage now and again, and you may be quite sure she can saratoh if she likes,' To which Miohael, of course, made no protest. He never did protest against anything Selina said. Her word was law. 13ut to-day Selina forgot all her old irritation against Nelia. She found it almost beautiful to be received with the same pensive smile and the same gentle voice. Anything that was as it had been bad a charm for Selina in these days. 'How nioe to see you,' she said. 'I was just going to the Gate House,' explained, Miss Foster. Selina turned at once. 'I will go back with y you. I don't know if Dorothy is at home,' she said. 'My visit was intended per you, not for Lady Durnstone this time," said Nelia, in her sweet, way, and Selina coloured with pleasure. (To be Continued.)