THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8450, 29 May 1907, Page 2

THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

CHAPTER Vl.—Continued. : :.ybil beg: l -" to rouse from the stu■r of her" grief, filled with anute •prise. A shaded light was burning dimly one corner of the room, beside a .'.•all escritoire which occupied a '.he. The man finally approached ";i3 corner, drew from his pocket a . :ich of keys, turned up the light, itoclcjd the desk and seated himself . ...i'ore it. As the light fell over his face and *rm Sybil recognized the strange . iitor whose petition her father had , .'used, and whom he had driven • ini his presence on that last event\il evening of the dinner party. If she had been moved to pity the •■inn then, he filled her only with repugnance now. She rose slowly from her knees, ?. ,ok a step forward and hesitated. ! a her trailing, black gown, confined i>v loose cord around the waist, with '/•>0 wide sleeves falling back and revealing her white arms, her fair hair !,ringing in loose braids down her ; ; >ck, she watched the man who, so >.r, had not noticed her movements. With eager hands he drew forth the papers arranged in the desk, and bfigar to examine them. Sybil now waited no longer. ■"Wretch!" she exclaimed, "who iu-e you? What are you doing here?" The man started a little nervously. The low voice, the tall figure irt Mack, gave him an unpleasant sensa- , -un for an instant. But he soon recovered himself. "I win looking after my business, miss—that's all," he said. "Your business? May I ask what business you have with my father's fleets?" Even Jastrum looked away from ' the steadfast stare of the hazel eyes in-; he answered: "As Julian Grey's next of kin I ,nm the heir-at-law to his estate. That explains my business." Sybil remained silent a moment. She recalled the fruitless efforts to obtain herfather's signature before he died, Jastrum's threatening words in the libryy, to which she had listened, once more echoed in her era's. The possible truth of his assertion confronted her. But she rallied. "I don't know what you mean," she said, quietly, "by being next of icin. I am Julian Grey's daughter."' The moment for which Luke Jastrum had long waited had come. "His daughter—born out of wedlock," he said; "his daughter, by a woman who was never his wife!" Sybil stared at him vacantly. She was so ignorant—so, innocent. "You understand/' Jastrum went on. " Your mother was never married to your father. He may have recognized you as a daughter, but the law does not. The law gives his property to his nearest blood relation, and that's—me!" Jastrum, with an odious ' turned his stubby thumb inward toward his breast. "Do you understand?" Sybil had not removed her eyes from Jastrum's face. "Do 1 understand?" she repeated. "Do you mean, will I believe that my father was such a man! Never! What you have said is a cruel lie!" Jastrum smiled with his cruel lips. "Don't get in a tantrum," he said. "Everybody knows'the story but you. You see, Julian Grey was a handsome fellow and a clever fellow. He was born rich, and what he wanted, that fye was certain to have. "Among other things,-he wanted another man's wife. Queer, wasn't it, - that he couldn't have been content with any of the girls who rqight have been had for the asking? No ! —what he hankered after was forbidden fruit. She was a very fine lady, of course—the one he wanted. And one night she ran away with him. They had me to drive the horses, and'Serpolette to look after the luggage. Risky business. The husband who was left in the lurch sent a shot or . two after us; but we got away all the same." Sybil stood like a statue, listening to this shocking recital. Her. colourless Hps were parted, her pale hands clasped with convulsive fright. "The husband was a philosophical sort of fellow," Jastrum went on. "When h 6 found he hadn't hit anybody, all he said was, 'Let them go!' Then he added, so those say who heard him, 'but she shall never be'his wfe —never!' And the fact is that he spent the next five years and the best part of his fortune in hindering his runaway wife from getting a divorce. It cut them—Julian and her —it exasperated them. They thought they could eventually secure a divorce when they could marry and live happy. But the husband dogged them —from State to State—defeating their every effort. Oh, he was a game one. He's dead now. And his wife—who left him for Julian Grey's, sake —is dead, too. Shame killed her. She was a proud woman, and she died of shame. You see, it isn't always best for people to have their own way." A slow shiver went wearily through Sybil's frame. "I wish," she said, "you would ring the bell. 1 would like to see my i father's valet, Pierre. He will be able to tell me the truth." Jastrum touched the electric button - "If your story is true," continued the young girl, "1 must be a beggar?" "Well, that's about it." Jastrum assented in a cheerful tone. He was looking at her now. And as he looked a most detestable thought came into his head. "Send Pierre to me—at once," said Miss Grey, to the servant who answered the hell. The man stood and looked at Jas- / trum in confusion. "I wish to see Pierre, immediately," Sybil repeated, in some surprise.

By MRS W. H. PALMER..

"He is gone,miss," the attendant blurted out. "Gone! Where?"

"He knows, miss," said the waiter, indicating Jastrum, "I don't." Sybil drew herself to her full height. She levelled her arrogant eyes, blazing with the indignation, full upon the usurper. "Have you presumed to discharge my father's old servant?" she inquired. „ "Oh," said Jastrum, carelessly, "we thought we wouldn't trouble you about him at such a time. But the old fellow went mad over his master's death —stark mad. He had to be shut up, for safe-keeping." With a gesture, Sybil dismissed the servant. "I am hardly able to understand what you have said," she went on, addressing Jastrum, unflinchingly. "But 1 realize that I must endeavour to understand —at once. I cannot communicate any further with you. 1 will write a' note to a friend of my father's, Mr Charteris. He will instruct me as to my course." She advanced towardthe escritoire. Jastrum placed a chair and arranged some writing materials before her. And she was so used to being waited upon that the act did not strike her as remarkable. 2 But it was. Luke Jastrum was coming under the spell of Sybil Grey's beauty. As she appoached him, the odious thought which had come into his mind returned with increased intensity.

"She would make a nice appendage to all this luxury," was his happy thought. "Oh, things revolve and get square sometimes. I've been a loafer and a fraud. But that's over now. I'm a rich man. I can amuse myself. Why shouldn't I have what I wantf How Julian despised me! And only think—it has co ne into my power to—to" marry his daughter!" finished her note to Mr Charteris, with Jastrum standing at the back of her chair. When it was sealed, she rose abstractedly. The man's face —furtive, gloating, voluptuous, confronted her. Its expression, filled her with indescribable alarm. She stared at him for a moment. A rosy colour flushed her marble skin. Her bosom heaved under the loose folds of her black robe. Her sweet lips trembled piteously.

She tried to move and could not. The sombre dado on the wall, the bronze clock on the mantel, the shadowy mirrors, began to go round and round to her.

She gasped for breath. She stretched out her lovely arms—and fell fainting at Jastrum's feet.

The man stood for a moment contemplating her as she lajr relaxed, lifeless, before him, He feasted his eyes upon her fair proportions, from the crown of pale gold hair to the swelling bust and rounded limbs. A wild desire surged within him. He stooped and touched her—lifted her, held her, carried her in his arms to a couch near by. "I will have her!" he exclaimed, with his hot breath; "she shall be mine! Who will deprive me of what I coveit —now! Who will snatch her from me? She had no friends—no money. She is wholly within my power. Ha! Yes, mine! Mine!" From a sil/er water' cooler he brought some water and lightly sprinkled Sybil's face. She began to revive. She thought she should have swooned from this monster's touch even if she had been •lead.

"Be good enough to leave me—to call my maid," she said, faintly. "Now. look here, Sybil," he began familiarly, "If you'll behave like a sensible girl, I think we can settle our affairs without anybody(s interference. You're about as pretty a creature as I " Sybil rose slowly to her feet. She looked so strangely white and tall, with a sort of inspired courage in her face. "Hush," she commanded. "Never address another word to me. If you are master in this house, it shall not shelter me for another day. Leave me. If you are a man, and not a brute, leave me —to my misery." " Jastrum had no longer control of himself. The sense of his absolute power in the household, of Sybil's defenceless condition, and, above all, the sight of her maddening young beauty, influenced him . "Leave you!" he cried, "never! You shall be mine! No power on earth shall take you from me." Sybil uttered a faint [moan. She pressed her hands distractedlyjto her head. With the wild grsce of a startled fawn she sprang forward. Jastrum caught her wrists. She felt his hot breath against her face. (To be continued.)