Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8246, 26 September 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

By Efsie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "An Inherited Fetid," " lirave Barbara **IA Splendid Jleart," " Temptation of Mary Barr," "The Interloperetc., etc.

[ CHAPTER XXV.—(Jonlinuefl. •The flfßt tiuao you knew of it, yon mean, you dear old thing!' cried Lady Durnstoue. But at this moment the carriage stopped at the house whore they were to dine, and further conversation was inipoßtsilile. • Sir George shunned each man who came into tho room, half droadiog he might see Dolaval appear, and he gave a sigh of relief wheu the party was completer!, auil tliey went down to dinner. He had innde up bis mind. He would approach this man in a different way. Instead of dragging in the subject of Selina's name, he should doal with him aa one who had an euthusiastio interest in the work Delavai was was supposed to do abroad. He was rather sorry Selina had spoken to Dorothy about, going away. He himself was very eugei that Selina should leave Lii'tdmi. When they reached the opera later on Lady Duru9tone began to look eagerly rouud the house which was filled with its usual brilliant orowd. - ; Delavai goDerally occupied a certain stall, and this Beat was empt>, bo Bho set herself to wait with patience for his ooming. He had suid he would come, and she had never doubted that he would keep his, word. Ho was in the habit of paying her a visit in her box-— Dorothy had not been a week in Loudou bjeore she had mauaged to secure au • opera box tor certain nights in the week. She was not going to trouble herself in the very least as to what her husband would say or do when Uelaval presented himself. She determined to pass over Sir George's remarks as if they had never been made. The opera wua a familiar one, sung by some of the most eminent artists, and Sir George, though ho was by no means a musical man, gave himself up io the enjoyment of the singing. But Dorothy oould enjoy nothing. A sick sensation came over her as the night slipped away, aud that stall remained eajpty. If anything had been required to drive home more surely the fact that Delavßl had suddenly become a necessity to 1 her, this [disappointment would have been sufficient. She grew pale, aud her beauty seemed to fade a little bb the night advanced. Other men came and went from her box. The usual homage was paid to her, but all at onoo this homage seemed to lose its flavour. 'lt is very cruel of hira,' she taid to herself. 'He ought to have come. He said he would I* to It was the petulance of a ohild, in one sense; but, unhappily, there was something more that a jnildish longing that began to clamour at Dorothy's heart, and while she sat with other women, looting at her with envious eyes, eager to pass critical judgement on her beauty, the man she looked for was spending the hours in futile plodding to the girl whom Dorothy already disliked, and whom she was destined to hate.

CHAPTER XXVI.. SELINA ADMITS THAT SHE MADE A GREAT MISTAKE. When he haC Darted from Lady Durnstone in the park, St. John Delaval had sauntered homeward to bis betel. Ho had sundry engagements for that evening, but he determined to break them all. With that intuition whioh was a part of his ouricus nature, he knew that a vital change had been worked in selina's heart this day. He cursed,himself that he should have left her so unprotected. He should have known better. To such a nature as hers," the claims of the old ties would liuger long—possibly might never be eradicated. It made him savage to oonfoas to himself so muoh, for it sounded as if he were less powerful than George Durustone, a man whom he deeply disliked and despised. Yet he knew that he could not deny this. It came to him with a disagreeable clearness that he had Bliained Selina against her will and against her better judgemnt; but this only intensified his determination to conquer her —if necessary, by brute force. It was typical of the man. surrounding him on every side there wei'e women of far greater physical attractions than Solina; women who might be supposed to claim and hold a 1 man where Selina could never have done so—even the woman he had just left was blossoming out into a beauty whioh would have undoubtedly an almost fatal attraction for most men; yet none of these Jbeld place with him. It was this simple country girl whom he craved; her freshness, her unworldliness, had oaot a spoil about him, and the fact that she was so hard to win made her threefold desirable. He resolved all at once that he would see her. . Despite Sir George's objection to him—whioh he gathered from Dorothy's banner must have been expressed pretty strongly—he resolved that he would go boldly to the house. He postponed dining until much later, and)after he bad sent telegrams excusing himself from hiß engagements he went back and sat in the park for a while. He wanted to give time to Sir George and Lady Durnstone to leave the house. He.hardly knew what exfluee be should invent fof asking to see Miss Darnstone, but that was a very small detail, Hndl he quickly deoided that he would not let her

know that he was coming, because he now felt qonvinced that Durustone must hhve spoken to his sister aa well as to his wifo of his disapproval of the friendship that had sprung up. But he should see Selina all the same, and to-night he would speak openly to her—he would put forward all the cower which he possessed and he would bind her to him. He sat alone among the wilderness of empty chairs which, but just aa hour before had been filled with a orowd of chattering, gayly dressed people. The park was monopolized by an other world now; the toilers came out to breathe the air and play at being in the country. Delavai watohed them in an indifferent way, these peoplo who earned their breac*, like so many slaves, aufc who knew so well how to make the most of leisure when it came. And when tho clook at Hyde Park Corner pointed tu nearly a quarter past eight he got up and walked away from the chairs. •She will probably be dining now.,' he said to himself. 'I shall say that I must see her; that it is most important.' He crossed the wide carriage drive and was approaching one of the side gates, when all at once bis eyes lit up, for he saw coming towards him, Selina herself. She was dressed in the simplest fashion, and might, in one way, have passed for one of the numerous girls who were walking hurriedly through the park on their homeward way from work, only that there was a note of distinction about her, a symplicity in her dress whioh marked a lady. She had two dogß with her, aud as she entered the park she let them loose. Ae soon as her brother and hia wife had driven away Selina had gone up to her room again. She gavo a message to one of the maids. 'Will yon tell Martin that I don't want any dinner? If they will send me up something, to my room a little later that will do for me quite well. 1 am going to lake the dogs for a little run. It is really too warm to eat to-night.' 'Shall I go with you miss?' asked the maid, and Selina shook her head with a smile. •Oh, no 1 can take care of myself, and Billy and Bob will look after me. You see, lam so used to running about by myself,' Selina added. 'Well, miss, if yoa don't mind going alone, and surely it's very dull for you here, and you won't really have any -then I'll tell Mr Martin.' , 'No; only a little collation wheu I come in.' The fact was that Selina was much oppressed with all the grandeur that surrounded her when she dined alone. She had dressed herself in a little white evening frock, although she was going to be quite alone; but she Qhangod this again for ono of her simple walking Presses, put on an ordinary sailor hat, and, whistling to tho dogs, ran down the staiis almost light-heartedly; indeed, her spirits had seemed to be borne on wings Bince that interview with her brother. It was so eweet to Selina to feel that at last she and Sir George were one in sympathy. The realization that he oared for her in such an anxious, brotherly way, seemed to sweep from her all the cobwebs of trouble Hnd apprehension that had begun of late to gather about her heart. The stately butler opened the front door for her. All the serfanls were fond of Selina; sbe had ao much consideration for thorn. Whenever she oquld avoid giving trouble Bhe did so, in whioh respect she was very unlike Lndy Durnstoue, who inherited more than one of her father's characteristics, and who treated all who served her as though they were her slaves. 'I am going for a run in the park, Martin,' Selina said. 'Aren't you going out? It's such a iag. H" 'Thauk you, miss. Yes, miBS, 1 was just thinking that I'd take a stroll.' 'That's right,' said Selica, and then she passed out of the door, and with another bright little nod turned up the street towards the park. (To be Continued.)