Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8248, 1 October 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

CHAPTER XXVll.—Continued. • 'You know those parts by report,' the old woman had gone on, In a low voice; 'there are beasts on land and beasts that orouoh just beyond. It was Delaval's orders that no one should help your brother; no one should put out a hand to touch him. He himself stood there, waiting and watobinp for the end that would surely oome. The banks were swarmed withcrooodiles. The body of the man that lay so near the water was dragged from the sand and ssen no more. Now'— the old woman finished, gripping Michael's hand—'do you wonder that I sent you a word of warning? It is your right—it is your saored duty to demand retribution.' Michael turned away with a shudder from the rippling waves. As on the night before, his mind was full of sorrow, and yet it seemed to him such a wild tale, so iuoredible, he tried not to believe it. By a strange coincidence, after he hEd gone back to the hotel, sitting a while in his room and calming ..himself as much as he could, his mother paved the way for the task which ha had determined to fulfill. Dinner was served in her sitting rocm. The windows were flung widely open; the sun was setting on the waters. Mrs Silchester was lying on the oouoh, looking out . dreamily. 'Michael,' she said, 'I want you to find Mr Delaval. I want you to ask him to come and see me. This is no idle thing, Michael,' Mrs Silchester added; 'I hav> a great longing to see him. I want to talk to him about Edward. He would never let me talk. I know it was kind of him, and he thought it would only upset me, but i feel that there is so much wo ought to know—things that we were not told st tbeMme of his death. And then, you know, Miohael, he always promised me that we should have Edward's * clothes, and the things that h 6 took out with him. I must say I don't understand why Mr Delaval went bo strangely from üb.' Here there waa the little familiar touch of fretfullnesa in Mrs Sil-chester-'a voice, bb also the usual disagreeable tone when she spoke next. I 'But, of coarse, when he became very friendly with Selina hd did not want us.' Michael's face flushed. 'Oh, mother,' he said, 'that is very unjust. I wish you would not be bo hard on Selina. If you would only give her a chance she would be very fond qf you.* It was the Mrs Siloheater of old who answered now. 'Fond of' you, you mean,' she said. But to this Michael gave a sad little laugh. 'lf I could only think that,' he said, 'I should be a happy man. Put it out of your mind, mother. Selina will always ba glad to have my friendship, but that is all that she wants of me. She would be glad to have your friendship, too, dear,' thq young man added. 'Why is it, I wonder, thnt you find it eo easy to like so many other people that you wilKnot try to like her?' Mrs Silchester shrugged her shoulders. 'We cannot always control our feelings,' she said. And then she came back again to the subjeot which was so painful, so significantly sad, to Michael. 'Michael, I want my poor boy's olothes and things. 1 want to have something that was with him at the end. Yon know J think it was very wrong of Uo. We never aßked about so muoh that we ought to have known. Who buried poor Edward? Waa he properly buried? Did he have all done to him that could be done?' Michael's trows contracted. It seemed to-him passing strange that his mother should have drifted to this subjeot at thia particular time. It was an argument that evoked magnetic sympathy. Nelia came into the room at that moment, very sweet looking in a gown of her favourite gray, with soft lace rufflles about her wrists and a wbitw fichu crossed demurely over her breast. She looked at Mrs Siclhester and she looked at Miohael, but she said nothing for the moment. She found an opportunity, nowever, to stand opart with Miohael, and then she said: 'I want you to help me to cheer np your mother.' Now that you are here, I fully expect that she will soon be alright.' Indeed, it waa a pleasant little dinner, thanks entirely to Nelia. She gave permission for her patient to have some champagne, and Mrs Silchester's spirits rose considerably, a faot which might have proved to Michael that this delightful nurse had exercised more zeal than discretion in the matter of his mother's food. He did hia best to put on one side that dark elond of oppression. Fortunately, ho waa never much of a talker. The two ' women chattered on, and be eat listening, making a good pretense to uit and enjoy his dinner. . , No further mentiun was mado of Delaval, and Mrs Silchester retired early. 'Why don't you go for a walk, you two,' she said, as Nelia went to escort her to ner room. 'I shall fall asleep directly, I know; that is because I have my boy with me, anc: you won't be oat long. You would enjoy a little walk, would you not, Nelia?' 'Very much,' said N'elia, in her demnro way, 'if Mr Silchester will bo bothered with me.' Miohael declared, of course, that be was delighted. As {a ! matter of faot, it was rather a relief to him to have a companion. He wanted to get

By Efiie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "An Inherited Feud," "Brave Barbara," "IA SplendidlMeart," "Temptation of Mary Barr," "Tlie Interloper," etc., etc.

away from away from the miserable subjeot whioh was taking such a black form in his mind. 'lf you will go downstairs r .I will join you directly,' said Nelia. Mrs Silchester seemed strangely exacting to Nelia that night, "although she really kept the girl only ten minutes. When she was free Miss Foster rushed into her bedroom, put on the most becoming hat she possessed, and then ran down the stairs, nut into the roadway, where Michael was already walking to and fro. She slipped her band through his arm, and they turned and etrolled down the parade. •Wbht a beautiful night,' the woman said, and Michael assented. Ha waa conscious of a very tangible sense of comfort in the near presence of this womanly orea mre; but, beyond, that, Nelia might have been as far away from tim as the moon from the earth. She talked to him in a rippling, serious way, and he answered her at random. He was thinking, think -ing with a heart on fire, that this man, with his unutterable cruelty and hia evil tyranny, was the man whom he himself had put into the life of the creature he loved. "6*l told your mother that you would oome,* said, 'and confess, are you not glad to be away from hot, dusty London? You look tired and pale; it will do you good to be here a little while. Miohael murmured something—he, hardly knew what—and Nelia pressed a little closer to him. They left the parade and passed on to the beaoh. 'Let us go down ti the waters edge, Nelia Baid. 'Look at that boat out yonder. The eea is so calm to-night, I should, like to be drifting on it. She clung to his arm, and every now and then, over the rough stones; she seemed to slip a little, and that would make her press near to him. When thoy stood at last by the waves, she looked at him, and then she realized with a pang that he was as far away from her as he had ever been—that he did not seem aware how sweet she was, how pretty. She bit her lip and started out to where the fishing boat, which she, had pointed out, was lying on the rippling sea. Then she turned and spoke to him. 'Michael,' she said* you told me 1 could help you. I feel now that you are in trouble, and I claim your promise. Do let me share your trouble. Then he looked at her gratefully. 'You are very good, Nelia,' ne said. 'I wish I oould share this trouble, but ilfis not to be shared.' Nelia stood with her hands loaked together. IHer voioe hardened a little as she" put a question to him. 'ls Selina Durustone part of this trouble? she asked. And Michael answered quietly, 'Yes,.' Flashing hotly, Nelia turned to him. 'Why 'do you lot her trouble you? 1 she asked. 'Why do you let her Booil your life? Why fret over something that is foolish and worthless?' It was Michael's tarn to look at her. 'Foolish! Worthless! 5 he said. His voice took a cold note, but Nelia had become tired. Her vanity was wounded. She lost control of herself. •Yes, Miohael.,' she repeated, 'foolish and worthless. Yon are the only person who endows Selina with impossibly good qualities. You don't know her. She ia a flippant, selfish girl, a tomboy! She is not worth the consideration of a man Jikeyou.' Miohael caught his breath. •Hush, he said, sternly 5 'your words nurt me, and they are spoken by one who does not know Selina. By what right do you judge her?' he asked, half passionately. 'You have caught my mother's prejudice.' (To be Continued.)