THREE MEN AND A MAID.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9042, 7 March 1908, Page 2

THREE MEN AND A MAID.

By OWEN MASTERS.

Author of " Nina's Repentance," " Clyda's Love Dream," " Her Soldier

Lover," " For Love of Marjorie," " The Mystery of Woocieroft," etc,

CHAPTER lll.—Continued. Charlie Eastwood relapsed into surly .silence. He felt very t-:ore agair.it his friend. It appeared disloyal l-:i Stella even to breathe the same air witli one who doubted her goodness, simply because she had once been a singing-girl. I-lardly a word passed between the two men after this. They breakfasted in the dining-car, read the newspapers, and talked to others. Eastwood was gloomy, nervous and fidgety. Berrington's fac? wore a grim s.nile, and yet he pitied his friend. ! At last the express slowed in to a great, reverberating station. Scores of people were bustling to and fro, worried officials were trying to answer six questions in a breath, and ruthless porters were imitating salvos of artillery with the luggage of unfortunate travellers. "Castle Stanfords," bellowed a guard, "Change here for Birmingham." Eastwood and Berrington left the train, and then, amid the confusion, a girl's clear voice cried: "Here I am, papa !" At the same instant, Charlie Eastwood was the recipient of a kiss from the lips of as charming an English girl as it is possible to find in all Britain. "The carriage is here, papa, and the luggage-cart," she said, "Oh, how do you do, Mr Berrington? So you and papa have made up your quarrel. Oh, you children of older growth! No'lugagge, papa? Then where is it?" "Come along to the Priory with me, Jack," Eastwood whispered. "How I shall tell Miriarr, I don't know. I would rather face " "All right; I'll do my best for yon. It is a ticklish job." CHAPTER IV. THE PRIORY. The drive to the Priory began, and Charlie Eastwood never remembered a more uncomfortable thirty minutes. Miriam gazed at him fondly and quizzically, and asked all kinds of awkward questions. Never did a culprit look more guilty than he. His daughter immediately divined that there was some change in him. Usually he was merry and boisterous; now he appeared to be nervous and preoccupied. He had made the mistake, too, of seating himself opposite Miriam, while Jack Berrington was beside her, smiling serenely. "I hope he is making comparisons," thought Berrington. "The good looks of the countess are vulgar and florid " "Haven't you a word to say?" asked Eastwood pettishly. There was a touch of reproach in his voice, too. He wished Berrington to make things easier for him. ' "I was just thinking what selfish wretches we are, Charlie. Fancy leaving the girls at home in flaming June, while we were enjoying ourselves among the sea breezes. Not that my ward, Miss Linley, cares much abou' leaving home,"he added. "She is devotedly attached to the Red House." Then he turned to Miriam Eastwood. "I don't think you have met Kutherine Linley yet?" "No," Miriam said. Her brown eyes were still watching her father's flushed face. "But you see, I have only very recently taken upon myself the control of the Priory, and Miss Linley has not been at the Red House very long I shall be so glad to know her, Mr Berrington. I heard from the curate whan a remarkably nice girl she is." "The curate!'" growled Berring-/ ton. "He mustn't think of hanging his hat up there. Katherine Linley is a wealthy young woman." Miriam laughed merrily. "Pcor Mr Forrest! I shouldn't think that he would have the courag3." "Faugh! It's the major part of the education of some fellows to look for a comfortable nest. But my son, Allan, is coming home soon, and then we shall see! Allan is a splendid fellow. Miss Eastwood, and I am not sorry now that he chose the law as a profession, in preference to the iron business. Both your father and I are University men, and yet our manners are loud and rough. The constant association with masses of workmen damages the polish." "I haven't noticed it," Miriam declared, "and I wouldn't have papa one little bit different for all the world!" Eastwood looked confused. "Yes, Allan is a fine fellow," he interpolated. "Of course, we shall go tj the seaside for a month or so in September, or just when you like, Miriam. The air of the Midlands is stuffy and sulfurous at the best time." "We will have a delightful time together, papa!" At that moment the carriage turned into a well-timbered drive, and soon the priory stood revealed— a low-lying mass of granite with innumerable windows, peaks and embrasures. The building was more remarkable for its antiquity and historicalassociations than for anything else, but outwardly it was picturesque and inwardly contained many handsome rooms. In feudal days the Priory had been surrounded by a moat, but the art of the landscape gardener had transformed the moat into terraces of glorious flowers. The Priory with its thousands of acres, had been purchased by an antiquarian ancestor of Charlie Eastwood's for a mere song. Charlie's father had exploited much of the land, turned the golden cornfields and the emerald pastures into blackened wastes, and made a huge

fortune! And the caverns below were yielding black diamonds. The colliery was a full two miles distant from the house, but there was times when the black smoke from the chimneystacks trailed over the Priory like an evil-looking comet. And still another two miles beyond the colliery were the great iron and steel-works belonging to Jack Berrington, where hundreds of tons of Eastwood's coal were consumed. The ties which knitted the two men together were of the very strongest. They were both rich, they were both powers in the country, they were both inordinately fond of sport, but this was condoned by the clergy, and the ultra good because they gave munificently to the church and to the poor. The carriage came to a halt at the main entrance to the priory, and the occupants alighted. Several servantmen stood in the background, awaiting orders. Charlie Eastwood could not endure fussy attentions, and the servants knew it.

"By George, it's hotter here than at Biarritz," remarked Berrington. "The automobile would have saved the horses," grumbled Eastwood, "but Miriam has a rooted aversion to the machines. Let's go to the library, Jack, and I'll order some iced claret. I must have a word with you while Miriam changes her things." "Oh, take it easy to-day, and do all that's needful to-.norrow. Troubles are ten times worse in anticipation than in reality." Berrington's face brightened. "Look here, old man, I'll try and forget all about it for twenty-four hours. I'm afraid of nothing but Miriam. She's a quixotic sort of girl, and believes that there can be one marriage only in the sight of Heaven. This comes of a superabundance of imagination and poetryreading; still, there it is, and at first she will recoil with horror at the idea of another woman being put in her mother's place. But I can't have such fanciful nonsense stand in the way of my happiness —and of Stella's too," he added, in a lower tone. "Of course not. Oh, it will turn out all right." "It has to." flashed Eastwood. "I tell you what, Jack, you must stay here until the evening, and then we'll drive over to your place, and fix up what line of action I am to follow tomorrow. Time is short, and I must see the clergyman, so that I can be back at the Cecil to meet Stella. " "Certainly," assented Berrington. "Now try and be your natural self before your daughter." He was thoughtful for a minute and a smile flickered at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, that is all right, Charlie. I mean to drive to the Red House. We'll talk it over on the way, and it will be as well to square accounts. You owe me a few hundreds, and I promised you your revenge." "Just as you like," was the indifferent rejoinder, "but you will have me at a disadvantage with so much on my mind. Try one of thoae cigars." He pushed a box of Havanas toward his friend. "They ought to be good; they cost nearly two shillings each. Ah, here comes Miriam." He jumped up, and kissed his daughter affectionately. "How fresh and sweet you look, Miriam, and how very, very young," he said. "Papa, don't be a goose." Her fair face flushed, and her eyes became misty with pleasure. lam nearly twenty-four! There, that is more like you»* dear old self. I was afraid that you had met with some business disappointment." He evaded the question. "Mr Berrington will stay until the cool of the evening, Miriam, and I. am at home, to nobody. I shall indulge in the luxury of a siesta after lunch; I've been doing that sort of thing lately at Biarritz, and it is wonderful bow it freshens one up. I won't touch the cards again, Jack," he added. "I'll try conclusions with you at drafts to-night. The best two of three games, eh?" Berrington nodded. "I must send a message to my ward," he said presently, "if you can spare a man." (To be Continued).