Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8233, 10 September 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

CHAPTER XVlll.—Continued.

She was drifting slowly but surely towards him. But if it had lain with Selina to call him to her he would have had to wait a very long time; she was /not that kind of woman. He came to lunch, and Selina was alone in the room when he arrived, a little earlier than he had been expected. She tremblod and changed colour as he caught hvr two hands in his and pressed them to his lips. The way in whioh his dark eyes sought hers, the por?er of the man almost frightened her. "So you went me?' he said, in a low voica. 'You need me, Selina?' She drew ner hand away from his. « '1 have uofc sent for you,' she said, ill a'foW voice?. He smiled. . "Unit is no answer, my dearest, T knorf yru did OOt Write th& latter, but are ybu not going to tell me ibnf; yoa are glad to see me? 1 came earlier boeause I had a sort of inspiration that I might have a few minutes alone with yuu. lam still awaiting your call, Selina, but you must noi keep me too long. I may grow impatient.' Then he drew her round to the light and studied her faoe eagerly. 'I k&ew it!' h 9 said, as if to himself; 'this life is coo much for you. You are suffering. Your letters told me nothing and yet they tcld me all, child. Why should you suffer? Why keep me outside your life so long. Who is there that claims you more than I?' Then he slipped away from her, and began talking easily on conventional subjects, as the door opened and Lady Durnstone oarce in. She welcomed him most warmly, and while she talked Selina had time to recover herself and to become calm. She had not known till this moment how muoh she had missed him, or how much his presence signified to her. She watohed him as he stood talking to Dorothy. How handsome he was—how distinguished! How unlike any other man she had met! His faoe waß well bronzed: be had the look of a traveller about him, and he was very smart; he was turned out essentially well groomed, and the conventional monring dress of modern manhood sat upon him with a «ort of grace which was not common to must men. Luncheon was a very merry meal. Laay Durnstrne and Mr Delaval ohattered and gossiped and laughed all the time. Selina was very quiet. Once or twice Dorothy looked at her with a little frown. She had an idea that Selina did not approve of this semi-flirtation, but Dorothy was not going to trouble herself very muoh about what Selina thought. 'lf she becomes tiresome I shall get rid of her,' she said to herself. •Once I am fully started I shall not want her; in fact, she will be rather in the way, for she has such old roaidish ways. She soaroely speaks to Mr Delaval. I suppose, in her stuak-up opinion, Bhe doeß not consider him good enough for the Durnstones. Well, I am going to make my own lawn for my own life, and one of those laws is that I am going to enjoy myself to the best of my power.' Sbef[]certainly was looking very lovely, and Delaval, who had not seen her since that celebrated evening at the Gate House, marked at once the development and the ohange in her. Beside ber Selina seemed to be pale and rather insignificant, but his loyalty never swerved. To him Selina wa a far more beautiful, muoh more attractive. She had lost a little of that regal sense of vitality which had impressed him in the beginning, but that would soon come back. He could ace how fretted she was by the circumstances of her present position.' It did not take him more than a few minutes to grnsp at some of the Bmall trials that she must endure living constantly with her brother's wife, and it angered him to think that she Bhould remain one day longer than she desired. He would soon bring thiDgs to a climax, however. Already all his preparations were made for leaving England, and the moment she gave herself into his hand they would start. In fact, he was anxious to be gone. He felt that whiln he remained he exposed himself, at any moment, to some annnoyance from Michael Silchester; in fact, he could not quite understand why Miohael remained silent so long. He bad been waiting to have a second letter, but none had come as yet. f t He fell readily into Lady Durnstone's pians, for Dorothy would prove a valuable ally to him. He paced himself unreservedly at her disposal. She was quite right in suppoing that he had it in his power to open the door to a great many interesting and amusing things. That same nigbt, in fact, be suggested tbeii going to the opening of the opera season. 'All the world will be there,' he declared, 'and everybody will put on their war paint. Now is the opportunity, Lady Durnstone, for wearing those beautiful jewels you told me about. As it happens, I am in the position of offering you one or the best boxes in the house. An old friend of mine, LadyLevereaux, is prevented from going tonight by illness, and she sent to me to ask me if I would like to use her box. I could not possibly have it graced in a fairer manner tban it will be if Lady Durnstone and Miss Durnstone will honour me by occupying it.' 'flow kind you are!'said Dorothy. She was quite cfelighted, and immediately began to oast about in

CHAPTER XIX.

By Efsie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "An Inherited Fetid," " Brave Barbara," " A Splendid Heart," " Temptation of Mary Barr," "The Interloper," etc., etc.

her mind which of ber'new gowns she would wear. Jewels she would certainly put on, those same jewels which George Durnatone had given her at the Gate House. She determined that she would be remarked by everybody. Perhaps by that time on the morrow she would be proclaimed as one of the heauties of the London season. 'What a child she Is!' said Delaval to Selina, when they were alone for a few minutes; 'but children require a great deal of patience, and are very wearing to those who have to be with them oonstantly. I cannot have my sweetheart worn nnd troubled in the way she is being now.' He changed his voice. He drew nearer to Selina. Come, my dearest one,' he said, do you still hesitate—are you still afraid of me? Is it myself, or only what tell you about me? Dear little white soaJ, you must know that a man, whea be hag reached what I have reached, is bound to Buffet 1 . Ihere are so many who would like to pull me down, to smiroh my honour, and take from me the plaoe that I have. Never heed them, Selina my dear one. Only remember that lam yours, that there has been nothing in my life. If—if you give yourself into my keeping you will bestow on me the foretaste of heaven. Indeed,' 'the man said, passionately an* earnestly, I never, never realised what suffering there was in love, and what a marvellous joy there was, till now! I will give you just a few more days, Selina, and then, if you will not have me, 1 will go far away from you, and I will never return 1' She turned white to the lips. Don't go,' she said, brokenly. It was all she oouli say but at the 1 sound of her voice Delaval's face lighted up, and his eyes flashed. He caught her hands in bis onoe again and he swept her round to where the light > of day fell upon her. . 'lt has come at last,' he said. 'You do love me, Seilna? You do need me? Ob, this is almost too muoh bappinesl* She spoke to him like a ohild, with all a obild's straighforward nees. 'Yes—yes, I ioveyool 1 she Baid. 'I tried at first not to love you. I don't know why 1 felt—it was wrong, but—but I cannot help myself. You have grown into my thoughts; nothing seems good without you, and there is nobody who wants me us you do! But—but I don't want to speak of this just jet. lam here alone with Dorothy. George had put her in my charge. Give me just a few days more, then—thenthen ' He did not speak for a moment. His face hardened a little, but bis eyes still had that look of triumph in tbeii. 'Yes, I will wait,' he said;. 'What are a few moie days? I know now that you belong to me. I know now that you will oome with me to the other end ot the world—that is enough for me, Selina I'

'HOW IS THIS GOING TO END?'

The days that .followed would have been happy forSelina if she had not felt weighed with a sense of responsibility. She could not but fail to realise now that her brother in a sense regarded her as 'a guardian of his »vife, and Dorothy was a real responsibility. Moreover, Selina was by nature, so open, so frank so straighforward, that any element of eeoreoy troubled her, and though she had herself imposed this pause inmaking publio her betrothal to St. John Delaval, she troubled about it none the less. It was very sweet to see. him so oonstantly—to feel the protection uf his presence—to know that though they might not speak, his eyes, whenever tbey soght hers, said more than volumes. Yet it did not take her long before she awoke to the fact that this secret engagement put her in a false position. At first she was amused, and then she was pained when she realised that Dorothy began to take Delaval's attention as something belonging to herself. (To te Continued.)