ONE IMPASSIONED HOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9041, 6 March 1908, Page 2

ONE IMPASSIONED HOUR.

• By OWEN MASTERS. Author tf "N.'na's Repentance," " Clyda's Love Dream," " Her Soldier Lover," " For Love of Marjorie," " The Mystery of Woodcroft," etc.

CHAPTER 111.-Continued. "Hello, Chun-lie," Berrington said genially. "Sl.r.ingo that we should light on the scan; hotel! Not sulking still, L-hV 1 nii'.y readied London an hour ni.uc. 'iVii.ied it to Dieppe, and boarded the Nj.viiavcn boat." "I a:u nut in llieknst interested in you or your doing.-*," Eastwood interrupted tartly. "1 don't believe that you are Iv.'re by ;'.::ckbnt." "Quite right, old man. I heard that you were here, ant) here 1 ca:ne, also. Now shake hands, and don't be a fool."

greater than I everlioped for. Next Tuesday, my darl iiig! "With iove eternal, STELLA.

"P.S.—- Mr Berrington has left Biarritz, too. I am so afraid of him." For fully ten minutes Charlie Eastwood indulged in pleasing reflections. His clear intelligence was unbalanced -his mental poise disturbed. He was as love-sick as a sentimental boy in the first flush of his newly-acquired delight. He went down to the dining-room, but he had little interest in his dinner. Vie went to the theatre with Berrington, and was introduced to Jack Berrington's son, whom he had not seen since that son was a boy in knickerbockers. "This six-footer is little Allan," said Berrington. "Making his way in the law, too. Only eight-and-twenty, and a lawyer with the ear of more than one fudge. Precious little I see of him at home now. Comes and goes like a will-o'-the-wisp" p ; Allan Berrington turned his fond, frank eyes upon his father. "The long vacation is coming, dad, so we shall see plenty of each other soon. lam glad you let me know that you were in London. Staying long?" "No; back home to-morrow. Eastwood and I have been gadding about in an aimless fashian. We got the idea that we were run down, and needed a change, so we went to Biarritz."

"No, sir; I have no use for spier, and meddlers. You will oblige me by doing me the honour of not knowing me in the future." said Berrington. "If I have spied upon your movements, it was to save you from the knife or the pistol of men like Viponfc. Oh, there's been a rare old shindy at Biarritz since you went away. Vipont was discovered on the piazza of the countess' villa, shot, and your name has been connected with the deed. Look here, old man, I've heard the whole story, and so has all Biarritz, and I'm not going to say another word to the disparagement of the woman of your choice. As you make your bed, so you must enjoy it. lam you loyai friend through thick and thin, so shake, and let's have no more of this bosh."

Charlie Eastwood took the proffered hand gladly enough, and pointed to the half-written letter. Then he plied Berrington with questions. "Vipont dead?" Jack answered. "Not he, and lucky for you, Charlie. He swears that he shot himself accidentally, although his revolver was picked up with every chamber full. People had heard you talk about having revenge, and misconstrued your meaning. You had been seen near the villa, too, just before the shooting took place. Then there was the countess, you know. A woman is supposed to be at the bottom of all trouble; but there's nothing to worry about, as Vipont has sent a statement to me in writing." "Why to you?" " Ar» your best friend, CharMe. Oh, I'll show it lo you in good time. Now, what's the next move?" His eyes wandered to the pile of crumbled letters.

' All this bored Charlie Eastwood tremendously, and he was glad when the theatre ;.nd the talk were done with for that night. "You won't forget to call at the Priory when you come home," he said to Allan Berrington. "You and my daughter Miriam were playmates twenty years since." "I have a vivid remembrance of a little yellow-haired girl who ruled me despotically ! I'll not forget your invitation, sir. Good night."

£ Charlie Eastwood went to bed, and with Stella's letter under his pillow dreamed many dreams. But for the postscript these dreams would have been happy indeed. Why should Stella dislike Jack Berrington so much? Oh, it would be all right when she knew him better. "I've had a suite of rooms reserved for Stella," he told his friend, when they were in the train, "and I've telegraphed to my daughter. It will be a ticklish job to tell Miriam about the wedding." He gazed at the flying houses for awhile, and Jack Berrington smiled wickedly. "I say, Jack," he went on, "I want you to tell me straight whether you have any ill feeling toward Stella now. She appears to think that you dislike her; and in that case, old man, it will be impossible for me to pretend even a semblance of friendship. You would despise me if I didn't stick up for the woman who is to be my wife. Her enemies are mine, too, and as such I shall treat them."

"1 am writing to my daughter," frowned Eastwood. ."You perhaps understand why." "Cremate the stuff, and face the music, Charlie. Why, you'll frighten the girl into fits. I know that it is your intention to marry tha countess right off, and that she will scon be hare."

"I have already applied for a special license." He regarded Berrington suspiciously. "You seem to have a lot of inside information."

" Vipoat again," was the careless rejoinder. "Now, Charlie, old man, there's heaps ol! time before you, and it is only right that you should tell your daughter the whole unvarnished tale. One would think that you were doing something you are ashamed of! If you have any proper regard for your future wife, you will be married in our church at home. Women appreciate that sort of thing, as it sets them right in the eyes of their neighbours."

"For goodness'sake, Charlie, don't rake up that little quarrel of ours. I spoke my mind then from no sinister motives of my own, and I shall do so in the future. If you don't like itwell, you can do the other thing. It's very certain that I shan't push in where I'm not wanted."

"You are evading the point, Jack. What are your feelings toward Stella, nosv?"

Eastwood reflected. He balanced his pen on the forefinger of his right hand for awhile, and his face gradually brightened. "I never looked at it in that light, Jack," he said at last. "Stella—the countess," ha stammered and reddened, '■ .von't be hare for the best part of a week, and I can make the necessary arrangement? in the meantime." "Of course, you can! Wo can run down home first thing to-morrow. An express leaves Euston for Castle Stanford aheight-thirty a.m.; arrives about eleven. .You won't finish that letter? It's too late for the mail, anyway, unless you post it at the general post-office. You can do alt that's needful in a couple of daysbreak the news to Miss Eastwuod—see the rector arrange for the honeymoon, etc." He slapped his friend vigorously on the back.

"To be candid, chey haven't undergone any change. Now, don't go into a rage, after forcing the truth from me."

Eastwood's face had become livid, and he turned his blazing eyes upun Berrington.

"If I had known this Yes, she i.=» right, after all. If you even so much as breathe her name "

"Slow clown, and don't worry! When her name passes my lips, it will be time to tfireaten. For the present, I'm working hand and glove with you, and you'll want all the help you can get. " (To be Continued).

"I'm glad we didn't really quarrel, Jack," Eastwood said feelingly. "Who said that we had quarrelled?" "I was afraid and I wrote some nonsense about it to Miriam, from Biarritz." He gathered up the crumpled letters. "And I am just going to tell her the reason when you come in." He touched the half-written sheet of paper. At that moment the door was pushed open, and an official called out:

"Mr Charles Eastwood!" "Hero," said Eastwood. The official advanced, and presented a letter. "You left instructions in the office, sir, that all letters were to be taken to your room im.n.idiately upon arrival."

"Thanks—much obliged." He gave the man" a shilling, glancing swiftly at the superscription; then his faca blushed and his eyes shone. Barrington was watching him pityingly. "I'm going to the dining-room, Charlie; I feel p2ckish. Coming!" "I'll follow you. This latter " "Ob, yes; read your billet-doux!" 'laughed Berrington. "Then dinner and the theatre."

He left the room whistling, and Eastwood read his letter.

"My Darling: My maid and I are packing up, and by the time this reaches you we shall have left Biarritz, as I wish to spend a few days with a very dear friend ah Bordeaux. This decision has one very painful drawback —I can't receive any letter from'you; but it is only a little while now until we shall be together again, and every minute of the day my thoughts are of you, and you alone. Dear —dear Charlie, I seem to be emerging from the deepest gloom into golden sunlight, and my happiness is