A GIRL TO LOVE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9071, 23 April 1908, Page 2

A GIRL TO LOVE.

f Author of " Thrown on the World," " ilev Mntliur's Sin," Beyond Pardon," "The Lost Lady of Iliulilon," " Dora Thome," " An Ideal Love," otr

CHAPTER IV.—Continued. But if the Chase was picturesque, one of its greatest charms was the garden. There were i;o ornamental beds laid out with mathematical precision, no smoothly shaven lawns, whereon it was sacrilege to walk. The winding pathways led into maze;-; of bewiidei inir beauty, for here sweet and bountiful nature was left; unrestrained beyond the garden of roses and liliey, of fragrant wallflowers and mignonette, beyond a belt, ofshaiy woodland, w:.e e myriads of violets bloomed, the trees grew closer together, the foliage became dense:-, until scarcely a ray of sun light fjund its way through, even when 110 cloud dimmed the blue of a midsummer sky. Such was the home of Victor Pelham, and people marvelled that he should Jive so much abroad. Surely there was inspiration in every line and curve of the Chase! And yet the place had been practically shut: up for years. Two old servants man and wife —were left in charge, to keep it clean and aired; a couple of gardeners pottered about; and on the first day of every nnnth Victor Pelham's agent arrived to settle nil monetary claims. So things were going on, and the wonderment of the neighbours was growing leas and less, when news came that Mr Pelham had succeeded to a business and a fortune, through the death of a bachelor uncle in the Black Country. Now he would be obliged to come home and settle down.

Victor came, and the doors of the country families were tin own open to him. Ho had recently written a successful book, and the world was making much of him. He responded grudgingly, and his callers soon •dwindled to less than half a dozen. He welcomed the vicar, because the vicar was intelligent; he welcomed Sir Charles Leigh ton, because Sir Charles had been a friend of Victor's mother and father in the days of his 1 hoyhood, and he welcomed one Harry Owen, because he was an old college chum —a young fellow with ,a true h°art and a business head upon bis shoulders. To Harry Owen he had turned when he discovered himself to he master of a colliery, and it was Harry Owen who undertook the management of that same colliery. "You have only to sign cheques," Harry said, "and to be satisfied with the balance-sheet." "I would sell the colliery if I hadn't you to fall back upon, Harry. There isn't much sentiment about a mine, with its black mounds, and sulphurous atmosphere*' 1 "There's gold in it, thou?h! Anc 1 ample material for your books in the lives of your colliers." "Yes -yes," assented Victor; "I want to see the condition of the labourer improved everywhere." "Then you must study the question amid the labourers, not in the gay cities of Europe, abroad floating palaces, and in the wilds of America. If I had your opportunities, Victor ——" Harry sighed. He had called to see Pelham at the Chase, and its peaceful beauty had awakened within a memory of dreams and aspirations in the long ago. "My home is here for the future," Victor said wistfully. "I was afraid of the silent rooms after the death of my mother. 1 heard her footsteps on the stairs—her voice in the hall —and I fled. She had been my only companion for so long, Harry." "Yes —I understand. You want to pet into society a bit. You are nervous and imaginative. Get married," he added with a laugh. "There -are plenty of girls who would be willing to risk it with you." Victor fehlugged his shoulders. "What an alluring prospect! And "What about my risk, Harry? I don't know half a dozen women in the wovld." "You don't want half a dozen wives, do you?" "I don't a wife at all. My prospective adventures are of a different character. Will you lunch with me here?" "I should like to do so, Victor, but business won't wait." Harry drew on hia gloves. "I must be back at the colliery before two o'clock." He took his hat from the taMe,'and hesitated. "I have an appointment-with two experts, who are of opinoin that we are working over a million of money." "What do you mean?" Victor :asked lazily. "I mean that we must sii k another couple of hundred yards and find a million tons of,' black diamonds! You give me carte blatiche?'" You are my manager," smiled Victor. "But don't ruin me!" Harry Owen paced the floor, his Lrow knitted in thought. "1 am suspicious very suspicious," he said, at length. "You are aware that the Stonewall pits are -within a milo of ours? That financial Colossus, Jaspar Trenwith, baa acquired them, and he will drive his workings right under ours. There's a groat seam of coal down there. . . . 1 must be off, Victor. It's a long journey from here to Dudley." Victor walked with Harry Owen as far as the entrance to the drive. "Of course, I .'e ive everything in yours hands, but don't step over the legal boundary. I don't want to fight Mr Trenwith —I don't want any fighting at all. My mind is fully occupied with other things. If wo do strike a fortune, I shall be able to develop my schemes of labour federation. And „vou shall share it, too, Hairy. By Jove," he added, with a laugh, "talk of angels, and you hear the fluttering of their wings! Here ia Mr Jasper Trenwith." An automobile glided down the white road, and stopped within a

dozen ; 1 ;;>• ■ ■ < i the two men. Jasper Tr><ir,vi;!i aiigotod, and snook Peiham heartily l»y the liai.d. "Thus Air Harry Owen, the iiian.u.w my colliery," Victor Swift flash of lightning Jasper Trenwith bad- measured the young follow. ])iiysi. jily and mentally. R>!';ne U;Ls is a fortunate meeting. Mr (hi>••!»," tie said. "Your tvpuiai iu>i ; it- .nioing engineer " "Don't,, if you pl-.iase," Harry interrupted. His ta.c: had reddened with anger ami annoyance. He disliked Mi- Trenv\ ith, because he feared him. "i will say good morning, gentlemen." "f.f you are going to Dudley, Mr Oweii, !»iy autuinoiiiie is at your service. and will eabilv beat the next train by lifty miuutts." Mr Trenwit.b looked at his watch. "There is no train for nearly an hour. Come; I want a i'i w minutes' conversation with you -with yen and Mr Pelham. L>u>iues:- -business!" Tiie financier Mailed, and Harry Owen scented conflict. He half hesitated but, Victor nodded encouragingly. "Your appointment is for two o'clock ; if is only twelve now." "Very well," Harry said, and then he was talking generalities with Jasper Trenwith, watching, fencing, and keeping careful guard upon his speech. "Don't give anything away," he managed to whisper to Victor. "This man has the charmed tongue of the serpent." "What lovely grounds—what a quaint old house," Jasper Trenwith observed. "This is my first visit to the Chase, Mr Owen, and I think it in ideal spot for a writer of imaginative books." He turned to Pelham. "You will pardon me, my dear Pelham, if I call your books on the labour question imaginative. You have never lived among the workers, or your views would be different." "I am willing to learn," Victor answered. "We are both socialists, I believe, only the name bears so many interpretations. In England it is possible for a man to be a socialist and an imperialist at the same time." Jasper Trenwith shook his head. "Very pretty in theory, my dear Pelham —mere inspiration. I was j never bothered with inspiration. You would bring the captains of industry to the level of the labourer — you would have this England of ours under the control of a shouting, irresponsible mob. Now tint you are in the heart of an industrial careernow that you have something at stake, you must live among the people, and sj:udy them, and I venture to predict tha* within three months all that you have written will be called in." "That is Harry Owen's opinion, also," laughed Victor, "so that I am in a hopeless minority here." \ "Mr Owen has seen the practical side of things, while you have lived in the clouds." And then Trenwith fixed his lumin ous eyes upon Harry, as though he would read his very soul. (To be continued.)