Mary's Great Mistake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3034, 3 November 1908, Page 2

Mary's Great Mistake.

By EFFIE ADELAIDE ROWLANDS. \ Au hor of Eelina's Love Story "An Inherited Feud," " Brave Barbara," "A Splendid Heart," etc., etc.

CHAPTER IX.—Continued. "It has never been off my neck for the last three years—dince my brother gave it to me. Ah, I see the cause now. The chain has worn through. Of course it dropped off quite easily. I feel so relieved," Laurie added, with a sigh, and then she thanked Miss Davis and the two maids, who fluttered away, and then she suddenly found herself staring at Mary in almost a rude fashion. "Why, she is beautiful," she said to herself; "perfectly beautiful! The ioveliest creature I have ever seen." Miss Davis was overjoyed at the recovery of so valuable a jewel. "I was beginning to be so unhappy; but all's well that ends well. lam only sorry you have lost the companionship of your friends back to Mrs Massingham's house. It was a pity they could not wait." "Oh, you know I would not let them; in fact, I should have been bothered to death, if they had not S.one," Laurie said, in her frank way, still taking long, surreptitious glances at Mary's delicate loveliness. "And then we had all promised faithfully to be back at tea-time; and Mrs Massingham would hava been annoyed, 1 am sure, if everybody had been -late. One person does not matter so much; and I candidly confess I should have stayed here all night, if I had not been so lucky as to get my dear locket back again. I remember, now, on going down that path a little way, though before you told me cf your discovery, I had forgotten I had gone so far." Mary was passing on with a smile and a bow, but 1 Miss Davis spoke hastily: "I am sure you will be pleased to offer Miss Hungerford a cup of tea, Mrs Barnes. She cannot leave now until a train after five, and " "I shell be delighted," Mary said quickly, colouring faintly. She looked to Laurie like some gracious princess, despite her shabby black clothes. "You will join us, too, will you not, Miss Davis?" "I will, most certainly, in about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. Miss Hungerford, you will excuse me ImlfoT 1 know. 1 OTd " ed " ea& wbe take veu to the | Walton," the kin&hfe&tted matron v aS they reached the house; | and theh, with a smilfe-, Bne bustled away, wanted in a , dozen directions Stonce. . "My mother declares Miss Davis to be "quite the cleverest creature in the world, and she is so kind and thoughtful. Don't you like her very much, Mrs Barnes?" "Indeed, yes," Mary answered, responding easily to Laurie's frank, plea sunt manner. She led the way slowly to her little sanctum.

"I must apologise for being such a tortoise," she said with a smile, as they reached the room,. "I have had m long illness, and am not-very strong as yet." "Very strong," thought Laurie to herself. "Why, you look like some beautiful spirit. I could blow you away."

The girl's admiration and curiosity deepened as Mary put aside her hat and cloak, and began arranging a little tea-table.

"You are staying here?" asked, as she glanced about her, tak- 1 ing in all the pretty touches about the room. "You find it is doing you good, I hope." "I am the superintendent," Mary answered, with a blush. "Dr. Cartwright installed me here about a month ago. It has done me great good—more good than I can say."

"You are a friend ot (.leorge Cartwright's," Laurie said; and it was her turn to colour now. She stooped to examine some of the books lying ■near her. "Is he not nice?" "Nice!" Mary said. She paused a moment. "I have no words eloquent enough to say what I think of Dr. Cartwright." She paused again. "He has been something more than a friend to me." Laurie stood in front of the firte, and stretched her hands to the blaze. "Dr. Cartwright and my mother are madly in love with one another. She declares he is an angel in human guise; while, as for him " Mary spoke quickly. "Oh, yes, I know. Your mother is Lady Emily Hungerford, is she not? Then, indeed, she is greatly beloved by Dr. Cartwright." Laurie's handsome eyes glistened. "He could not care too much for her. There is not such another woman in the world, Mrs Barnes. You will meet her some day, I hope, and you will like her at once, as," Laruie added, with frank flattery, "I am sure she will like you. She loves verything that is beautiful —please forive me for being so crude in my remarks —but you know you are . beautiful, and so there is no use mincing the matter." Mary laughed, but not without embarrassment. "Is that your mother's picture in your locket? It was wrong ot me to have looked, perhaps," she began hurriedly, but Laurie was delighted. "Yes, that is my mother"--she held out the heart to Mary—"and that is my only brother. They are iny two treasures, and I am of a distinct opinion that no girl in the world ever had fucli a mother, or such a brother, as I i ossess."

Mary took the bcket again, and once more Jooked down at the handsune face pictured within it. "t think,you are right," she said, i » a low voice that was not quite tieady, for It was so natural to feel a thrill of envy and of pain oyer this girl's happiness nn I pride in. her loved oner. ''Yiur mother's face proves the truth cf all Dr. Cart-

wright has told me concerning her. Your brother ■" Mary stopped a little abruptly; she was again, and for the second time, convinced she wtfs looking at the portrait of some one she had known, and known quite lately, some one a little older, perhaps. than the young man seemed in this picture; it was, in. fact, the face of a b:>y rather than a man—"your brother is very handsome," she finished, "and he looks as if he were good." "He is what he looks," Laurie cried. "1 am afraid you will think me a very boastful person, Mrs Barnes, but, really, I am so fond of my dear Paul, he is so good to mother, and to me he is my friend as well as my brother." Mary made no immediate response, and at this moment tea was brought in, and was followed by the arrival of Miss Davis. And after this, there was a good deal of. talk about the Home, many messages to be delivered to Lady Emily, and several bits of news to be discussed between the matron and Miss Hungerford. Mary sat by listening not very intently. Her thoughts were busy this time in quite a new direction. The name "Paul" had suddenly supplied the clue which she had wanted. The piiat cleared away, and she saw before her the image of the man whom this po»irait had recalled so vaguely yet so (distinctly, to her mind. She saw his faand&ome face, and distinguished bearing, and, as in lightning flashes, a hundred different little words and acts of courtesy, spoken and done for her by that man, returned to her memory. Then came, i accompanied by a strange sense of of regret, almost of remorse? seen now from this distance, a remembrance of these little acts, »nd they against the f sorrowful background of that o.H miserable life. Things that had her unnoticed then, came suddenly remen )- bran ce now. Mary sat * n maze of thought, while' Laurie, chatted on briskly to Miss and the time wore round for her parture. i She rose to go with reluctance. She felt an irresistible desire, to stay awhile longer in this small room, and make better acquaintance, with itrbeautifuif ySiihg mistress, whosa fafle alone proclaimed some sad his** tory, if even the fact of George Cartwright's friendship had not trayed that Mary had needed 'help, and needed it in tho absolute and pitiful sense of the word. Anything OP afiy creature that appealed to George Cartwright's great heart* found a corresponding place in Laurie Hungerford's sympathy, but Mary would have won this sympathy for herself if Dr. Cartwright's interest in her had never been revealed. There was a nameless charm about Mary, a charm she had always possessed, but which' sorrow and suffering had enhanced beyond description, that made itself manifest to all who came in contact with her, and realised her proud spirit and noble nature. (To be continued.)