THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8451, 30 May 1907, Page 2

THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

OHAPTER Vl.-Continued. •v/ho will help you? What will .1 ".o, alone in t'ae world?" •| will, die in the street," she . i"(], "to tfet away from you." '■oh, you will, eh, my young ...u-rosa. We shall see about that." : [<■ .-poke through his clinched teeth. W'tli ugly force he grasped her two -'.-m wrists with the fingers of his . ■;,:> hand. He threw his arm violenti,• j'.'oout her waist, and held hereon; in the room where her father V.rul died.' Stunned, panting, scared with'teji.\<r, Sybil stood. "Don't you know," he said, with -■, husky, eager voice, "that I am !v ; ,\f;ter here? Who will obey your orikral Who will let your friends in, l-'.' lot you out?" His pdious face v.-as close to hers but she forbore to struggle, knowing that he would only tighten his grasp. "You can't'mail a tetter or make a ' tiove," he went on, "no more than you could in prison. I am master ;,ow, Sybil Grey. I am your master -yours." i "Mercy," she implored, with her pale lips. Again the room reeled and grew fiavk to her. But the only mercy that came was the mercy of insensibility. Like a broken lily Sybil's form swayed and drooped. Again Luke Jastrum held a dead weight in his arms. At this moment a figure, which had stood ior an hour like a sentinel outride the door, glided in. It was Serpolette, dark, litho, ser-pent-like as ever. "This is enough 1 ," she said in her hissing, stinging voice. "Leave her to me." ) '.'•'■ ' ( CHAPTER VII. THE SIREN'S SNARE. Max Charteris found the short, November days which followed his arrival in New York dreadfully dull. He was like a stranger in a strange land. His father, long a widower, had retained but little society. Max rosily did not know how to dispose ■ of his time. He strolled into the great, fancy*' uox factory of Charteris and Co. one morning looking for diversion. The , holidays were, approaching, and the factory was a busy place. A long line of girls were employed in decorating the box covers, and among these he saw Rosalie Jastrum. Rosalie 1 possessed a brilliant and attractive .type of beauty. She had the bust and shoulders of a Neapolitan; night*black hair, massed against a low;brow; dark /passionate eyes,, and lips,, like the heart of a damask rose. With all these glowing charms, Rosalie disliked work and resented poverty. Brought dp under debasing influences, she was calculating and unscrupulous. She wanted money; . luxury, pleasure. And she meant to get them. She saw young Charteris with his dreamy, poetic face—saw that she s had caught his attention. Little she cared for what was noble in him. : But she was shrewd enough tcr perceive what was weak. By various coauettish little adshe succeeded in securing his acquaintance. By degrees she had i involved him in an. exciting but en 7 tirely innocent flirtation. '' Max whiled away more or less of his idle hours in the box factory, and Mr Charteris began to think his rather too ornamental boy was manifesting, an interest in business. Just as the affair might have.died a natural death, it received a n3w impulse. As Max as leaving the factory one day he was approached by one of the .superintendents of the girls' department—a silent, determined-looking youpg fellow named Malcolm Drake. "Mr Charteris," said Drake abruptly, "I want to warn you to leave Rosalie Jastrum alone. If you don't, you'll get yourself and her into .trouble." In his overwhelming astonishment Max could only drawl out: , "My good fellow, lam perfectly able to take care of my own affairs." up "You'll need all your ability," said Drake threateningly, "if you interfere with me in that quarter." The young aristocrat smiled, with amußed contempt and the workman walked away. ' The next day Max missed Rosalie from her place in the factory. Inquiry revealed that she hadjbeen discharged for that is, for wasting her time on him. Also that the discharge had taken place through Drake's influence. Max Charteris' blood grew hot. While he was wondering what he should do next he received, a slovenly little note from Rosalie, reproaching him for bringing trouble upon her,

arid tellirg him how her father had abused her for losing her situation. In, conclusion she asked him to come and see her just once, when nobody would know it. Of course he went. The interview led to another and another. Max decided to paint Rosalie, who wa.s certainly a subject to infatuate an artiat One day, however,- he found his model sullen and silent. He had carried a package of confectiunery, which she flung at his feet when he offered it. "Take youi'« things and never come . naar me again. You have made trouble enough for me." "Rosalie" he exclaimed, "what do you mean?" "Mean! Was it not through you t',iat 11 lost my place? And isn't father all the time abusing me for being out of work? And now"—she burst into a tempest of tears—"you might have known how it would end." "How it" would end, Rosalie?" he

By MRS W. H. PALMER.

repeated. "Yes—that it would end in everybody talking about me, calling me your dupe—and —in —in " she sobbed. "In what?" he asked. "In my loving you," she cried, burying her face in her hands. "Well," said Max, after a minute, "I don't think that is a bad ending, Rosalie." "Oh, not for you. You don't care of course. Oh, I wish I had never seen you. I never will see you again." "Rosalie," he said, putting his arm around her, "I love you sincerely—- —" and he kissed her warm red lips. Her heart beat exultantly. Triumph blazed in her eyes. But she sighed profoundly. "Ycu are cruel to make me imagine things that can never be. Even if you love, me, you would never marry me —me " "Why not, Rosalie?" he murmured with his arm still around'her. "I could find no more beautiful woman. And, if you were. fitted by educa-

tion " "You are safe," she burst out, wrenching herself away from him. "I am poor, ignorant—that is my crime. You oould never forgive it." "If you would study " "You know a great deal, I must say! You think father would let me give up work and fit myself to be a lady, on the strength of your promise. No; he would set me at work and turn you out of doors." Max fell into the trap prepared for him. "If you really an education, Rosalie, I will support you meanwhile, and pay for your instruction. I have been so unfortunate as to cause you trbuble. I will try to make amends." \ She stood humbly beside her benefactor. "You open the of paradise tb me," she. murmured, twining her arms about his neck, drooping her head languidly upon his shoulder, while her eyes were lifted with dreamy passion to his face. Max returned the ardent gaze. Once more he yielded to the tempting lips, and kissed them with lingering rapture. .Rosalie 4 understood the art of kissing. She could grant kisses as Hippomenes strewed golden apples, and thereby, win the race. "Max," she sighed, as the prolonged kiss ended, "you, will not abuse my trust." "Never, so help me Heaven." A small suite of apartments was taken m a quiet flat house. A lady governess and companion was secured. It chanced that the arrangements were' completed for Rosalie's flight and installation in her new abode upon the very evening of Julian Grey's dinnerparty. The engagement which Max could not explain was, of course, his engagement with Luke Jastrum's daughter. And it was Jastrum's rage and indignation at discovering his daughter's flight that led him at daybreak i in pursuit of Serpolette. Serpolette had' Spent the night with Rosalie, and had encountered Jastrum as she was returning home. It was thus that the excitement of their quarrel brought them to the ' threshold of the chamber of death. Rosalie, as daring as she was artful, had heen far from satisfied when Max, having received Mr Grey's invitation, was obliged to break,his promise to her. Nor was she pacified by his agreement to spend an hour with her after the dinner. As we know, she followed him, watched for him, and saw him drive off with Sybil to the opera. She abused Serpolette with ferocious indignation. "So this is the end of your fine advice." "Keep cool," answered the Frenchwoman. "The Charteris' sense of honour is kjeener than that of most folks. Make your appeal to it tonight. In the meanwhile I will speak to a discreet young minister who needs money. He will be ready for what may happen." Rosalie met Max with mingled enticement and reproach. "I have tested your love, and it rings false," she said sadly. "Let me give up my dream. Let me say good-bye, and return to my dreary life as it was before I knew you." .. "Rosalie, you are wrong." "Oh, no,' no. I have sacrificed everything to you—everything by coming here." (To be Continued.)