Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8251, 4 October 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

CHAPTER XXlX.—Oontinued

Martin regarded St. John Delaval j as beiog the perfection of what a gentleman should! be in drens and general appearance. Delnval was lavish with eervan:s. He altva.v? found it prudent to give generously in this way, and in consequence there was not a houso where he was intimate where bis comfort was not particularly well guarded. Despite all this, the butler knew enough of the world to be quite sure that Mr Delaval was not fcne most desirous friend for any woman. In the servants' quarters it had already been remarked that this handsome, unusual man was undoubtedly a person of importance in Lady Durnstone's opinion. That ho should admire Lady Durnstone was a foregone conclusion; but that he : was a poseible admirer of Mies belina's seemed to Martin this morning to be pretty nearly as conclusive. As the hour drew late Martin began to get annoyed. He disliked having his hours upset. Selina bad always been so punctual at breakfast and Kir Georgo matched his sister in regularity, After a little -while Selina came out of the breakfast room. Her 1 face looked drawn, and her eyes had a nervous look about their. 'Martin,'she said, 'I can't help feeling that something—something has happened to £ir Gerrge.' Martin smiled at this. He put on a very parental air. 'Now don't you worry MiasS liua,' he said. 'Sir George, he'e ell right. If I may mtke bo bold, miss, I would urge you to have some breakfast. You are uot accustomed to wait so long.' Selina was about to refuse again, but she seemed to gather that this was expected of her. Sha went into the big dining room, and sat down with a dazed, tired feeling, whioh afce would have found very difficult to analyze or explain thoroughly. And Martin waited on her in his most important manner. He wondered a little as be moved about (ho room if the girl's evident uneas'rippfl had not something, to do with fenr. 'Maybe, after all, 'I am mistaken, 1 lie said to himself. 'Perhaps something's been going on between these two, and Sir George hafi 4 heard of it, and He's turned nasty about it. Mr Delaval isn't esactly the sort of man to .please Sir George, 1 the butler summed up shrewdly enough. He was called out of the room at this moment by one of his subordinates. Selina had fallen into deep reflection. She was eating in a perfunotory manner, and she never saw liim go. Outiside In the hall Martin's face changed when he saw a policeman, and his expression became one of alarm and consternation <*hen he was given the reason for the polioeman's, presence in the bouse. you've, got to come, some of you, as quick as you can to St. George Hospital—the gent's been taken there; it's a very bad case. We suppose he comes from,' here; leastways, there was several/people in the park as says he does, and there was his letter case in his pookefc with his cards and some lettters.' i 'What. happened?' asked Martin, in a whisper. 'Horse turned suddenly unruly and bolted; threw his man as if he'd been a sack of wheat. The poor fellow was flung against a tree. I knew there wasn't a chance for him when I saw what'd had happened, and I run across to give you a helping hand. But there, we're wastin' time. Will some of ye come along?' 'l'll go,' said Martin. 'Just wait in the outer hall, will you? There's a young lad.v having breakfast iu that room; if she came out sudden and saw you, Heaven know what she'd think! This is tba sort of thing that must be told quietly.' The policeman shrugged his shoulders. . 'Well, yon know best,' ne said. But he did as ne was bid. He went into She outer hall, and waited while Martin went to fetch his hat and stick. Even then the butler paused. Placid and comfortable as he o>as, settled down by long years of lucrative service into a mental condition that was proof against disturbancpp, he could not very quielly pioture to himself the look that would come on Solina'a face when she heard the uow3 that must be told to her. Indeed, for a moment he turned cowardly. 'l'll let one of the others do it,' he said to himself. Then be shook his bead. 'No; I'll do it myself.' Ho opener! the door cf that large, dreary dining room, and quickly Selina turned towards him. I She was on her feet before he could say a word. He had forgotten to leave his hat outsido; neither could he take away from bis faoe that consternation which had fallen on it. She understood almost immediately. 'You Jan speak quite plainly to me, Martin/ the girl said, quietly. 'I—I am very strong. , I know some thing has happened. Just tell me what it is. Don't/treat ae as if I * were a child—tell me the truth.' And Martin obeyed her. I'te bad news, miss, I'm afraid,' he said. 'Sir George was thrown in the park. He—he's been taken to St. George's Hospitaf, miss. 1 am going there now. It seemed to the man as if the girl withered and grew old before his eyes. Then, as ho turned to leave tho room, she stopped him. 'I am goiru with you, she said.

By Efiie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "An Inherited Feud," " Brave Barbara * <a m A Splendid'Hcart," " Temptation of Mary Barr "The Interloperetc., etc.

'Tell some one to bring me a hat and veil.' Martin ventured to make one remonstrance. 'Won't you stay with her ladyship, miss?' ho said. 'Perhaps she'll wont you.' But Selina shook her head. 'Lady Durnstone will not want me. lam going to my brother.' Hurriedly .Martin went to the policeman, and informed him that he need not wait. 'I shall bring the young lady along myself,' he said. 'She's set on going. Please say that we will be tnore in a few minutes.' A strange gloom seemed to have fallen all at onue on the house. The servants movud about aimlessly, looking with curious eyes at Selina, who stood waiting for a maid to bring ber hat and veil. As she put on these things and passed out to a cab, with Martin fnllowiDg her, one looked to another in amazement. They ha! thought to have seen hei shefeen with sobs. This quiet bearing seemed unnatural. Who's going to tell her Ladyship?' saithe woman, who had p nned veil about Selina's cold, white faoe. The footman shrugged his shoulders, and went downstairs. The tcitcb«o breakfast was late, and he WAS hungry. It one man t*.as dying, or dead, there was no reason why he should starve. At that moment Lpdy Durnstone's maid came running down the stairs. 'Her ladyship wishes to speak to Miss Selinß,' she said. The other servants answered this sharply. 'Then she'll have to want! Miss Selina is not here. There's been an accident; Sir George has been thrown from his horse. You'd best go up and tell her ladyship.' 'Ob, dear!' said the Frenchwoman, and threw up her hands in disfaay. 'Oh, how unfortunate 1' Indeed, she shirked going back to her mistress, and Lady Durnstone's bell rang more than o'nce. 'Why don't you go up?' said the other maid, crossly, after a time. 'What's the use of being a •coward?' Ihen, with a laugh, 'How do jou know.that it will hurt; her?' The Frenchwoman crossed herself. 'To die so qoonl' she muttered. 'Poor man!. Poor man,!' She mounted the stairs slowly, quickly inventing some excuse for ber delay. 'lt shall be some one else to tell her, not I,' she mused. Lady Durnstone met ber with a torrent of iriitntion. Hhe demanded to know why her maid should have left her; why her bell was not answered; why Miss Durnstone did not come to her when she was wanted? Any number of questions. 'lhe French maid broke into voluble explanations, but never once broached the truth, except when she said that Selina was not in the house. 'I shall get up,' announced Lady Durnstone, sharply. 'Make my bath ready.' She was restless, and ill tempered. and impatient. Disappointment of the night before had put a kind of fever into her veins. She asked herself all sorts of questions. What happened? Why had Delaval not gone to the opera? He had given her a definite promise that she should see him some time during the evening. She was like a spoilt child crav ing for a toy. The feeling Delaval had brought so carefully to life in her heart had not yet passed into the deepest and most dangerous stage, but it was close upon that She took Iter bath, and sat down to have her hair dressed, wo f ;deriug what line to take. Young as she'was, somehow she fathomed the fact that reproaches, however well they rniaht act with eoire men, would be the worst policy with such a man &s Delaval, and then her eyes lit up and some colour came into her cheeks, for all at once she remembered that she was to meet him that day at lunch. It was au engagement which she had heard him make himself. He might fail to gc tho the opera, but he could hardly break a lunoheou engagement. (Io be Continued.)