Mary's Great Mistake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3020, 17 October 1908, Page 2

Mary's Great Mistake.

By EFFIE ADELAIDE ROWLANDS.

"A Splendid Heart," etc., etc.

CHAPTER IV.—Continued. His loss was all the greater ths this could not be accomplished, an for years he lived in the memory c the people as an unforgotten frienc Lady Emily and h?r small family o one daughter and one son had mad their home in Birchdale, and it wa on account of her sister-in-law popularity and unconscious powe that Lady Hungerford was so fre quently vexed and chagrined. Six would have quarrelled over and ove again with Paul's mother if Lad; Emily would only have met her half way to this end, but Lady Emilj never quarrelled; and though some times, particularly in the past, hei sister-in-law's patronage had beer extremely hard to bear, it was born* and parried with the most perfect tact and delicacy. When Paul was by, his mother did not suffer so niucl: from this sort of thing; Aunt Anne had never been able to cope with Paul, and she sometimes told herself she did not understand him exactly, which was not a very remarkable matter to any one but herself. Yet 1 certainly it she had any love at all in her selfish, worldly, snobbish heart that love was given to Paul; she was proud of him, and if she could have managed him she would have been in her'glory. But Paul was not easily managed. "He is very handsome, very," a girl said to herself as she stood in the big drawing-room of the hall and gazed down on a photograph she held in her hand; "if he is half as nice as this he is about the bestlooking man 1 have ever'seen." She was an extremely pretty girl, petits m the real sense of the word, slight, and almost childish, with tiny hands and feet, a wellpoised head and an abundance of* flaxen hair, just a trifle too flaxen if one were hypercritically inclined. Her face was round and ingenuous, and she possessed a pair of blue-gray j eyes that made a pretty effect, but j which were undoubtedly pale in colour, though perhaps a little hard and cold in expression. Everything about Isobel Marston wai declared to be charming; she had a quiet, demure way, which had a very soothing effect upon most people; she spoke in a well-modula-ted voice, and walked gracefully. Lady Hungerford had met her in London a short while before Christmas and had become infatuated with the girl in a very short time. Miss Marston was certainly a great improvement on her former infatuations, and the more she saw of Isobel the more determined she grew in her purpose and desire to see her become Paul Hungerford's wife. As Laurie had said, "Aunt Anne is serious this time.'*; Aunt Anne was quite serious. There was no objection to be urged against Miss Marston, absolutely none. She was beautiful, she was young, she would inherit her uncle, Col. Leicester's, fortune, she was exceedingly well-bred; in a word, she was a most desirable future companion for Paul and his subsequent importance. Tha question of Paul's approval to this latest matrimonial scheme for his benefit did, of course, obtl-ude itself on Lady Hungerford's mind occasionally, and was just a little tiresome to realise, but she was, of all women, the most sanguine, and she was also exceedingly pigheaded; and 'so, everything taken into consideration, she permitted herself to feel very exultant when the news of Paul's unexpected return arrived, just as Isobel Marston had come to pay her first visit to the Hall. Lady Hungerford and her husband had received a cordial invitation from Col. Leicester, and a graceful one from his niece, to spend two or three days with them at their home, Thrapstone Court, in Westshire, and the invitation had been accepted and fulfilled just after Christmas. Lady Hungerford nad been enchanted with Isobel; she wrote long, enthusiastic letters to all her friends about the lovely young girl who played hostess to such perfection, and then she had extracted a very willing consent from Isobel to become her guest for as long a time as her uncle could spare her. Miss Marston proved a most charm- | ing companion. Even Laurie Hungerford was obliged to admit that, for j once, her aunt's goose was something in the nature of a swan, and that Miss Marston was net a matter to be dismissed lightly or contemptuously. Lady Emily, too, was immediately won by the girl's prettiness, and declared herself charmed and fascinated. It was impossible for any one to be an hour in Lady Hungerforu's society without that favoured person becoming well acquainted with the name of Paul, l.er nephew. Isobel Marston ieit she knew this young man absolutely by the time she reached the house that would be his some day. Lady Hungerford had been slightly depressed to think there would be no possibility, of her nephew meeting her young guest at least for tha moment- and Isobel herself was conscious of eome disappointment on this score. But with the new* o' his ?udden return all was more than satisfactory, and a speedy visit was paid to The Elms for the purpose of introducing to the family there the young'jereature whom fate, in the person of Lady Hungerford, had destined to become, arid that shortly, one of its. most important members. Paul was not present at thin visit. He had gone off for a long ride, and only Lady Emily and Laurie were there to receive the guests. This delay in meeting him made Isobel I Marston—having immediately gaged I her hostess' very transparent plans

(To be continued.)

Atithor of Selina's Love Story- "An Inherited Feud," " Brave Barbara,"

—very keen to do so. She was naturally anxious to see this young man as soon as possible. She had made a careful study of his numerous pi tures, and she was not long in arriving at a satisfactory conclusion on the subject of his appearance at least. As to the rest, Isobel was never too sanguine but she was clever, and the prospect of being the future Lady Hungerford and mistress of the fine property and position, - did not appeal to her in vain. She met him the day after the disappointing visit to The Elms. She was walking out in the grounds when she saw Lady Hungerford leave the house and come toward her with a very tall, well-built figure besida her that certainly did not belong to Sir Rupert.

Paul was conscious of a distinct i feeling of surprise as he was prei sented to Miss Marston. Despite his mother's and sister's sincerely i expressed admiration of his aunt's r latest "craze," he had not even a passing thought to the i matter. He was so accustomed to being brought face to face with some girl or other who was "trotted ; out," as Laurie always said, for his benefit, that Miss Marston and all j appertaining to her took the form of the usual ennui, that these proceedings always provoked in his mind. He was, too,, in no mood to remember any trivial thing when his heart was laden with such a burden of care and anguish and despairing longing as had crushed it ever since the moment he had lost all trace of the woman whose existence was very meaning of life and all future happiness to him. He awoke, however, from his miserable thoughts to pay a sincere tribute of admiration to the prettiness and charm of the girl who stood before him. She looked very young and sweet in her costume of dovelike gray, with a little close bonnet framing her face with its soft flaxen curls. At the first i glance, she was so slight and fair, she looked almost like a child. I "This is my nephew Paul, losbel," j Lady Hungerford said in her most pompous manner. The friendship between herself and the girl had progressed so far she had discarded the formal title of Miss Marston and called Isobel by her Christian name. Isobel glanced up at "my nephew Paul," and found exceeding pleasure in looking at him. He was more handsome in the flesh than he had appered in his portraits, and the peculiar fascination which Paul Hungerford exercised so unconsciously over every one speedily manifested itself to Miss Marston. "Now I shall leave you to talk to Isobel. I have to go'and scold Gregory for the state of the plams in the drawing room." Lady Hungerford sailed away, congratulating herself on her skill and tact in having given them such a good opportunity to become acquainted. {SSS£ Paul frowned slightly as he found himself left, ?s he had been left so frequently before, with a strange young woman with whom he had not the'slightest thing in common.