For Her Sister's Sake; OR, THE LAVENDEN SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8349, 4 February 1907, Page 2

For Her Sister's Sake; OR, THE LAVENDEN SECRET.

"For Her Sister's Sake " was commenced on December 20th.]

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. Julia Lavenden sighed. "Winnie thinks," she answered, "that Mr Agnew ought not to marry her because of—because of something that has nothing to do with her, only with me. And that is why I hate myself, because it is I who stand in the way of their happiness." She stopped, her utterance choked by a sob. Constance Istria pondered for a moment, then stooped over her again. "You may trust me, dear," she said, with a dangerous persuasiveness; "indeed, if I am to conceal this supposed flight of Winnie's, you must be frank with me." Julia's gaze met the full violet pupils or her handsome chaperon, ana she winced. "I—l can't," she stammered; "it isn't my secret alone. I—l would bave tried to tell Mr Agnew for her sake. I wish I had done so. Once he knew all, I believe she would have consented to be happy, to make him happy. But I cannot, I cannot tell any one else. Condtanca Istria bit her lip. "In that case," she said, and a mocking note had taken the place of her caressing, persuasive tones, "I can only suggest leaving Miss Winnie to her own devices. If you seek to trace her, you will merely bring .about the scandal you dread." ' Julia Lavenden shivered; the elder woman noted it, and went on dryly. "No doubt," she pursued, "if the girl has really gone away for the reason you imagine, you will hear from her sooner or later. Meantime, I can easily account to any inquiries for her absence. The servants'will be worse to manage, but I will contrive to puzzte them somehow. We shall need a fairly plausible tale for them; we. can say that Winnie was called in the night to a dying friend. But you may leave all that to me." She paused, and Julia, stung by the disdainful sentences, rose tremblingly to her feet. "Thank you," she murmured; "and 3 will try and think what else is to be done. Winnie may write soon; she will know how cruelly I shall suffer till this awful suspense is, ended.'' "We must hope for the best," said Tier chaperon indifferently, and Julia Lavenden, bowed and desolate, passed slowly from the room. Wrapped in thought, Constance Istria watched her go. "So," she muttered, "the ■ great Lavenden secret, the secret that my •discreet brother would not confide to me, is your secret, my dear Julia. I wonder what you would have said If I had asked you how much your secret had to do with a certain nurse in blue and gray?" She sat down in the couch by the boudoir fire and fell to brooding; her delicate brows contracted a spark of sombre light burning strangely in the depths of her great violet eyes. When she roused'herself, it was to send for Winifred Lavenden's maid-*-a stolid English girl, stupid, .but good-tempered. "Miss Lavenden was called out suddenly in the night," Constance Istria told her languidly; "a sick friend was anxious to see her. The case has proved to be infectious; Miss Lavenden cannot return for a few days." f "Yes, my lady," said the girl; "but will Miss Lavenden not need to have some things sent on?" "Possibly," Constance Istria I answered, "but you will have instructions when it becomes necessary." She.laughed noiselessly after the maid had gone. "If I save the little fool's reputation now," she said, "it is only that I may destroy it when I will." CHAPTER XXIII. EDWARD AGNEW ACTS. "Is there anything for me, Raikes?" Julia Lavenden had stepped abraptly from the library of Lavenden House into the hall beyond, startling the footman as he passed, a salver with a half-dozen letters upon it in his hand. The postman's double knock had just sounded upon the hajll door. "No, my lady, none." His mistress turned sharply away. The evening was closing in and the electric light had not yet £been switched on in the hall, so i that j, the servant could not see the spasm of misery that crossed her face.t; She went into the unlighted library, and, half-fainting, staggered to a seat by the great writing-table, buried her head upon her arms and wept. All day she had watched ana waited, hoping for some communication, however brief, from the vanished girl, " .and each postal delivery she had suffered agonies of suspense and despair. And now hope seemed dead in her tortured bosom ; she felt numb. While she sat here a footfall attracted her attention. It came from the threshold of the library. She stirred and took a pen, pretending to busy herself with a note. A tall screen hid the door, and from behind it there emerged into view the figure of the footman whom she had; so recently addressed. He still held a salver, and on it there lay a letter. Juila became nervous with rekindled hope. He , had made ,|f a mistake, then- one of the letters had evidently been for her; perhaps, after all it'was from Winnie. The man hesitated, thinking her occupied. "Well, Raikes?" she said, strivingto steady her voice. The footman held out the salver with the letter, and Julia saw that the envelope was addressed not to her but to Winnie. The har:dwritmg£wasj|striking and

By R. Herman Silver, tftor o/ "A Double Mask," "A Daughter of Mystery , " "HeM Apart,' "The Golden Dwarf," etc.

legible—she knew it for that of Edward Agnew. In the disappointment that wrung Julia Lavenden's heart there was a throb of alarm. She had forgotten that Agnew had yet to learn of Winnie's disappearance. "Miss Lavenden's maid, my lady," answered the man, "tells me understands Miss Lavenden will be away from home for a . few days. Will your ladyship give any instructions as to the forwarding of letters?" His mistress did not lift her eyes; she feared to read in the speaker's face the sly intelligence of the welltrained domestic. She knew that, despite all the precautions which Constance Istria might have taken, Lavenden House must be ringing with gossip. Had not Winnie's maid come that morning to ask if Miss Lavenden had passed the night with her ! had not she betrayed her agitation to Cecile on discovering her sister's absence?" "You may leave the letter," she said; "it need not be forwarded at present." The man laid the missive down. "Shall I not switch on the lights, my lady?" he asked, glancing about him in the darkening room. Julia rose; she did not wish him to perceive the traces of her griefstricken outburst. "It does not matter," she rajoined, [ catching up the letter he had brought and she moved slowly out of the shadowy apartment. Suddenly an idea came to her—an idea born of the sight of Agnew's writing She would go to him and at once. Turning back into the library, she gave an order to the footman, K who was following her out. "Have the little brougham ready," she said. "I shall want it immediately." And before the servant could acknowledge the command she was hurrying up the wide staircase to her room. She did not ring for Cecile, but donned the first hat that lay conveniently to her hand, flung a fur coat about her, and hastened downstairs again. She had to wait for the brougham, and stood chafing impatiently in the library for five minutes. Constance Istria, she guessed, would oppose her intended visit to the young lawyer, and she dreaded lest her chaperon should enter and question her. Nor did she breathe freely until the brougham was rolling down the Park Lane. "The House of Commons," she had instructed. It was five o'clock, too late for her to find Edward Agnew at his chambers. She must endeavour to obtain an interview with him at the Parliament House. When the brougham stopped in Palace Yard, she sent in her card, and waited again. She dared not leave the carriage; a glance in her mirror had revealed but too plainly the significent signs that weeping and suspense had left upon her features. She had scribbled a line upon her card: "Please come tome for a moment." At last she saw Agnew. He strode out of the members' entrance in crush | hat and evening dress. In the light ■ of the lamps about the doorway Julia perceived that his face was contracted with a certain vague anxiety. "Good evening, Lady Lavenden," he said, clasping cordially the hand she extended to him; and what brings you here alone? Do you want to bore yourself with a debate? I will inquire if there is a seat in the ladies' gallery." Julia made a motion of dissent. "Mr Agnew," she murmured brokenly, "I—l have some bad news for you." Edward Agnew drew a sharp breath. "N-not Winnie?" he said, , and the words were husky and tremulous. Julia Lavenden shivered. She comprehended that he was under a momentary and natural misapprehension ; that he was preparing himself to hear of some calamity, such as sickness or accident. And yet she, too, in that moment found herself wondering if, indeed, some harm might not have befallen the friendless and unprotected girl whw had so completely vanished. "Not in the way you are fearing," she hastily, replied, lowering her voice that it might reach only his ear "but it is Winnie. She has disappeared, and we have no idea where to look for her. So I brought you your letter. When it came this afternoon I—-I somehow felt you ought to know." "Disappeared!" he exclaimed. "Great heavens! But when —how?" "I —I want to tell you something," answered Julia falteringly—"to—to explain. Will you let me drive you towards Park Lane? The brougham can return with you." ((To be" Continued)