THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8462, 12 June 1907, Page 2

THE STUDENT'S SECRET.

CHAPTER XVll.—Continued. He pitied the poor fellow, but with the lapse of time he h;u'l lost much of his interne in Sutra's supposed secret. He had '.'oncludecl that the young man, being distressed by poverty, and discovering that both Rosulio an:l hims.-lf \veiv> wealthy, had appealed to them under the pretext of a mystery. In other words, he regarded Sutra as a beggar. But it was not for money that the young man had Bought the interview, the object of which had bean defeated by his attack. It was to relieve his conscience from what in hi? eyes was an almost inexpiable crime. Fate had delayed his confession. Week after weak ho had lain upon his cot. lifted, fed, like a baby;,.with no control of the muscles by which he might speak or write. At length, however, he began to mend. He moved, he walked, he spoke. And his one thought was of his confession which he had prayed for restored power to make. The physicians, however, forbade everything that would excite him, for a time.

He had to wait and wait, thinking the time would never come, and picturing the consequences of delay. At length permission was granted. Dispatches to summon Rosalie ftastrum and Max Charteris were sent. Max, as has been said, had los much of his interest in Sutra's secret. Under different circumstances he might not have hastened to obey the summons. But now, to linger beside Sybil Grey only increased his heart's distraction and his own selfcontempt. Moreover, Sybil sadly but firmly, urged him away. "Let us never meet again till we have the right to meet," she said. And she added: "That time may never come. If so, Max, we must be brave, and endeavour to do what is right." * * * * Charteris, on arriving in the city, proceeded at once to the hospital—a gray, ivy-grown building, that stood in the seclusion of a grassy square. A small chapel was connected with the hospital, and a service had just been held as Charteris reached the grounds. He saw Ernest Sutra emerging from under the Gothic porch. . The young minister took his hand and led him to a set under a drooping elm. "I have sent for her, also," he said; "but she has not come." "She is away," replied Charteris, understanding who was referred to. Sutra studied him for a moment. "You have never loved the girl," he said; "why did you marry her?" "My conduct seems so senseless now that I can hardly explain it," was Charteris' reply; "She was employed in my father's factory. I saw her, thought her pretty, flirted with her, for amusement. Then I was warned by one of her admirers to let her alone, and that piqued me to continue the —flirtation. She pretended to desire an education. She made me imagine I was in love with her. "I Was imprudent enough to take her under my protection, with. the understanding that sometime I would marry her. No sooner had she left her home for the place I had provided for her, than she made me see that I had compromised her, that I owed her the protection of marriage. I agreed to this secret ceremony which you performed. I knew at the time that I was sacrificing everything to my sense of henour. But I did not know the extent of my sacrifice." "It is strange," ;said Sutra, thoughtfully. "Yes," was the bitter reply; "strange, indeed, that I could ever have been such a fool." "You told me she was your wife in name only. Will it ne\er be any \ different?"

"Never —never!" cried Charteris. "If it ever might have been, her own conduct during the last month or two puts it out of the question." "Her conduct?" said Sutra, inquiringly. "Yes, conduct that no man with self-respect would endure in a woman who was to be his wife." "Well', Mr Charteris," said Ernest Sutra, "Rosalie Jastrum is not your wife!" The words were uttered in an intensely quiet tone, and Max looked at the speaker as he had looked at him befoie, with some question of his sanity. Sutra's face had, however, entirely lost the wild expression which had characterized it during his first interview. It was. keenly intelligent, patient and spiritual. As Charteris continued to gaze at him in silence, he went on: "I have had but one aspiration in life; a desire to enter the ministry. Povarty stood in my way, but when my keen desire became known, I received aid. I was assisted through college, where I distinguished myself by my attainments. I had still to pass through tho divinity school before taking order?. This would occupy two years. More than half the time had elapsed. I had a little money, a mere trifle. I sought to economise, but my small store soon melted away. I had received aid so often that I was ashamed to apply for more. I denied myself every comfort. I began to pawn my books and clothes. It was in one of these transactions that I met the woman called Serpolette. She interfered one day in a pawnbroker's shop, to prevent my being imposed upon respecting some books. I need not trace our slight acquaintance. But I will say that she believed me to be qualified to perform the marriage service when she brought me to officiate at yours. I was not qualified

By MRS W. H. PALMER.

and had never received orders. The words I spoke had no power to ma'.;e you and Rosalie Jastrum man and wife." Charteris uttered something like a groan. He started to his feet. "A moment more," said 3utra. "I will not seek to excuse myself. I will not dwell upon my terrible temptation. I was in such pitiful straits. I was in dire need of money. I did not for the moment realize what I was doing. But my ib gotten gains came too late. The morning after I had married you, I was unable to rise from my bed. Eventually, when partly convalescent, I came to find you in your hot?]—to confess my abuse of a sacred privilege. You know the dreadful attack that overcame me —you now know all!" "All but one thing," said Charteris, after a moment's reflection. "Why would 'you not communicate your secret to me alone, the morning you came to the hotel?" Sutra's pals face reddened. "I was afraid to trust you. 1 thought you might take advantage. I thought you might leave her in ignorance that her marriage was not valid until—until you were ready to discard her. 1 could not run the risk of increasing the mischief I had already done." The two men sat in silence under the trees. The sun wis low. The blue birds hopping in the grass looked askance at the motionless figures.

Presently a nurse came to call Sutra indoors. He held out his hand. "I feel that God has forgiven me. Will not you?" Charteris grasped his hand. "Do not ask forgiveness of one who needs forgiveness as much as I." He walked slowly from the grounds and made his way to Julian Grey's mansion. Pie might, perhaps communicate from thore with Rosalie, whom he resolved to see at once. To his surprise, the house was open, and servants stirring within. The first person whom Charteris encountered on entering was Serpolette. "Ah, Mr Charteris," she said, with affected deference, "you have come to congratulate us." "On what, Serpolette?" "Ha, ha! You, of all people!" "I do not understand." "Do you mean that you do not know that Rosalie was married this morning? It is in all the papers!" "Married! Rosalie?" "Without doubt. One would judge from your face, Mr Charteris, that you thought she had no right to be married!" "Had she?" "Heavens! Can it be that all this while you have supposed"—Serpolette whispered now —"that she was married to you?" "I have, supposed so—until today." "You' are duller, sir, than I thought." "How did you learn, since you seem to know, that the ceremony >• "Mr Charteris, do you think that I rested, without enquiring after such a ceremony?" "You made inquiries " "Very quietly. And learned that our friend Sutra was not legally equipped to marry. I leai'ned the fact the very next day." ' "But you never spoke." "I should have spoken, when there was need. I have kept close watch. I was ready——" "And Rosalie —did she know?" "Madame la baronne, if you! please! Well, I told madame what the situation Was some little time since. But, as she wanted to torment you a while, she bade me be silent, and I did»not extend my confidence." "And she is married?" "Yes, in broad daylight, by a genuine clergyman, this time—to the Baron von Brondein, with whom she sails for Germany to-morrow." "She is not here—in this house?" "No, they were married at the Hotel Netherland, this morning. They will give a wedding breakfast here on 'their arrival to-morrow at eleven, and they will sail at two." Charteris asked one more bewildered question: "Who is the Baron von Brondein?" Serpolette shrugged her expressive shoulders. "A beggarly fortune-hunter, who will leLd madame a life a little worse than she will lead him." Charteris turned away. As he reached the door, Serpolette said, in her sly, silky tones: "If you would like a card to the wedding breakfast, Monsieur Charteris?"

"Decidedly no!" cried Max, as he fled/lown the steps. (To be Continued.)