A HEART'S TRIUMPH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9142, 18 July 1908, Page 2

A HEART'S TRIUMPH.

CHAPTER XlX.—Continued. "He is corning back to England on business?" Cecil asked. She was sitting in a low chair by the five, her black gown falling about her in wonderfully graceful lines. She asked these questions about Michael because it gave her a touch of pleasure to see how eagerly the mothe? was ready to discuss anything and everything appertaining to her boy. Mrs Everest looked across at the girl's loveliness, at the proud .grace of the small, queenlike head, realizing once again the indefinite charm that pervaded the- slender figure, and she paused before she answered. Then influence seemed to force the words from her, and she told Cecil the truth. "He is coming because of you; because you are alone and much troubled, and he wants to help you." "He is coming for me!" Cecil repeated, and sne turned her eyes in startled fashion upon Mrs Everest; then, she was conscious of a fast thrill at her heart and a glow of hot colour in her cheeks. "Oh, why did you let him do this?" she asked, in a lotf, pained voice. "I—l am grieved he should come so far —and all for nothing." The last three words struck the mother's ears painfully. "Michael is veijy loyal," she made haste to say, "anw he never forgets those who have been good to him. You were very good to him, and now he desires to do good to you if he cr,n." remained silent. Some strange feeling seemed to be encompassing her; some strange truth seemed to be creeping into her heart. At this moment she called back the vision of ' that day when Michael had travelled down to the White Abbey to tell her of his foreign appointment, and to wish her farewell. She could see his face quite clearly before her now, his troubled eyes as he had looked on her care-worn face, and his equally troubled lips as he had begged her to turn to Ms mother if ever (she should need a woman's counsel. The quickening beat of Cecil's heart told her more surely than any other sign could have done what construction she must now put on the thought and care of this young man, who till ths last few days hid held hardly a transitory place in her thoughts. Cecil was conscious of being sharply touched by this knowledge of Michael's affection, and she was once again conscious of that sense of comfort and protection in the mere remembrance of this man's existence. She did not see that he could in reality do her any service by coming to England; yet she knew she should be glad to see him —glad to feel she had such a strong, tr,ie friend close at hand, even while she shrank pitifully from letting this friend know the full truth of her position. More than this Cecil was not conscious of; but the mother's eyes, watching her saw fiomething in the 'thoughtful face that lifted her former doubt and sadness a little, and even brought a flash of hope. Their further conversation was checked more by the sound of wheels stopping outside the gate. "Michael already! He is before his time," Mrs Everest said, rising, ' with a face aglow, to go to the door; but midway there she paused and looked out of the window. "No, it is not Michael," she added hurriedly; "it is s private carriage, ana a lady is in it. Who can it be?" Cecil, who had risen also, stood looking through the window in a helpless way. She knew no smart lady such as the one who was stepping daintily up the damp path, neither was there any one who could know her/whereabouts, or have reason to seek her; and yet she had u sudden feeling upon her that her liberty was at an end, and that fresh trouble awaited her. She was standing upright by the fire, very pale, very proud-looking, and very beautiful, as the maid servant, nervously opening the door, announced "Mrs Paul Darnley to see Miss Lacklyne," and Dora's richly garbed figure flitted into the room.

CHAPTER XX. A WOMAN'S HEARTLESS TRICK. Cecil experienced great relief as she heard this well-known name, and a similar relief came to Mrs Everest. Dora was in her most charming mood. She was the first to speak, and she greeted Cecil with as much affection as though she were an old friend. To Mrs Everest she was equally pleasant. "! have only just heard you are in London. I came at once, dear Miss Lacklyne," she said. "You cannot think how much I have looked forward f to meeting you. I seem to know you so well; Paul has,spoken of you so much." Mrs Darnley, while she was saying ail this, was smiling affably at Mrs Everest, and setting herself and her furs in a cozy chair. She was also looking sharply at Cacil, and 1 realising with grudging and angry envy the fact of the other woman's beauty. She herself was looking very handsome, but her face beneath, her veil was pale, and her hands moved restlessly. She was nervous and furious to the highest degree at the tisn Felix had forced upon her. She had foijht hard to get out of being mixed up in thn husuie-:s, but Felix was slrji gtr than she, and he had her to one Jience. He had her in his power, and he used that power mercilessly "If P.t'il over lcnnw-j th<! hrith, I shallfbe ruined," she had said to the man she feared and hatol; and she raid ic with white lip-i and great fear in her heart. For sometimes Dora had a dread that Paul could be as terrible in his anger as he was wonder-

By Effie Adelaide Rowlands,

Author of Gretton's Secret," "A Splendid Heart," -'Brave B .i'b. r t," "The Temptation o; Mary Barr," "Selina a Love Story," etc.

ful in his goodness, and she had no wish to spoil her new life at its very beginning. Felix had laughed brutally. "Uh, pooh! IJon't be so melodramatic. Besides, why should Paul know the truth? You are one of the nearest little fictionists I have ever met vvitli, and you can twist your dear Paul round your fingers just as you like." "Why do you come to me?" Dora had asked sullenly. "Why don't you go direct to this place, and'claim the girl as your wife? What do you want me for?" "I like doing things artistically," Felix replied smoothly, "and I like assuring myself of a measure of success beforehand. Now, were Ito go openly, as you advise, I should have no success whatever. Arranged through you, my dear Dora, I anticipate all the success in the worl 1. That is, if you do not blunder. I hope you will not blunder, my dear Dora," Felix added, with his sunny smile, "as that would be unfortunate for both of us." Dora had torn her lace handkerchief to threads during this speech. "Oh, that I had been dead before I met you!" she said passionately, as she looked up and caught his smile. Felix laughed outright. "1 wonder how many times I am to hear that speech?" he said goodhumoredly. "You women resemble one another marvellously! Kate Kearney at night; you to-day." Dora had turned white; the insult conveyed in these words was worse than his smile. "Tell me what you wish me to do," she said, in a dull, set way, after a little pause. To struggle was usele;s; she must obey. Felix, standing in front of her fireplace, gave her his orders. They were not many, but they made her heartsick; in particular, the order that was to formulate a false teleI gram and get her husband safely out of the way. There was no help for her, however, Felix despite his smile, Was inexorable; he needed her, and if she did not serve him, he would crush her as easily as he put his foot on a worm. How little either Ct cil or Cornelia Everest could have imagined the seething trouble that had possession of this handsome-looking, most pros-perous-looking young woman's heart, as she sat laughing and talking with them. Dora was a skilful actxess, and she was acting well now. She was very sweet and gentle with Cecil. "My husband has been grieving over you. He is so rejoiced to know your whereabouts; it has taken a load from his heart, I assure you." "How did you know I was here?" Cecil asked, in her {/rave way; and Dora replied with the, glib lie that Felix had prepared for this question, which had, indeed, an element of truth in it, since his detective had tracked the girl from the moment she had left White Abbey. "The lawyers told us; I fancy they must have followed you," Dora said. She liked her task none the more when s'ie found what sort of girl it was /she was to lure into Felix's keeping. Cecil's manner was so ' grave, so thoughtful, and her eyes jhad a searching look in them. Except that she spoke very little, there was nothing to mark her out as different from any other young woman. Dora could imagine, all the same, the effect Cecil must have had in her strange, boyish dress. (To ba Continued).