Mary's Great Mistake.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3063, 7 December 1908, Page 2

Mary's Great Mistake.

CHAPTER XXVlT.—Continued. "Am 1 to do it now?" Paul asked, returning to the study of his map. Laurie paused again. "No, not immediately; in two days' time, perhaps." To herself she thought swiftly, "In that time George—Doctor Cartwright— will have written, and I shall know better •where we are." . Paul did not speak for a moment; then, pushing himself back in his chair, he said gently: "May I know a little of the nature of this request, Laurie?" His sister bent forward and kissed him again. , ''Certainly, darling! Before you go on this very long journey, I want you to undertake a very short one. I want you to go to Thrapstone Court, and see Mary yourself!" And then, before Paul could make any reply, Laurie had slipped from the table and gone from the room.

CHAPTER XXVIII. LAURIE LISTENS TO SOME AMAZING INFORMATION. Doctor Cartwright's answer came in exactly two days, and then it was delivered in the form of a telegram, I "Am coming down this evening," J be wrQte, laconically. • Laurie's cheeks flushed., "He has made some discovery." she said to herself. She was in great [ excitement. The telegram arrived j at lunch-time. She did not know

how to pass the hours till the express j landed George Cartwright at Birchdale. She sat a little with her mother, who was convalescent now, and who, although kept jn ppmplete ignorance of the disagreeable §}§= that had, through Lady "angerford's ministrations', b? e A Ist loose opon her household, was yet keenly alive to the fact that neither of her beloved children was well or happy. Lady Emily had been surprised and j somewhat pained at the news of Paul's broken engagement. She had liked Isobel, the little she had seen of her, and she did not quite understand matters. Laurie put them before her mother as gently and carefully as possible, and she managed to let Lady Emily see that instead of being grieved at his broken engagement, Paul was relieved, almost happy, indeed; but that from another source he was no so contented, and that for the present Laurie feared there.was no hope of making things brighter. Lady Emily, endowed with divine tact, asked no questions, sought no information, only she longed and - prayed that her boy might soon be given the sunshine he desires, and ■which Laurie had let her know was .essential to his life and happiness. Lady Emily was enchanted at the news of Doctor Cartwright's expected arrival. She was very fond of the clever London physician. 'I shall make Kate Massingham quite jealous," she laughed to Laurie. "I shall declare this is the second visit George has paid us since September." Lady Emily was writing to Mrs Massingham, who had gone abror for the winter with the squire, ,c

would be absent some months. arod "I think, if you don't mi' ing," Laurie said, wher jd, darihadbeen despatched,an'' j ftbe Jetter ne?s at last overcom' .j ber restlesswalk up and tell "I will guest to dinner. Paul we have a delighted t<- j I k.iow he will be wright." • i se e Doctor Cart"Do, good m y love - A walk Wlll be m- you. You are so much in j warm room." Lady Emily smiled tenderly and admiringly at her tall, handsome daughter. It struck her Laurie had grown more pretty and more gentle in her looks of late. Her hoidenish manner had quite gone, and a little softness and (.womanliness had come in its place. Laurie called together all her dogs. "A walk to see Uncle Paul," she communicated to them, whereupon there was a wild chorus of yells and shrill barks of delight. Who dares say that dogs have no understanding of human speech? There is very little a dog does not understand if he is treated sympathetically. Laurie walked briskly up to the big house. "It is very funny, I feel quite excited, just as if the end of all this trouble had come at last," she said to herself, as she went. She did nat confess, even ever so shyly, that, apart from this kind of presentiment for good to those she loved, was the undoubted sense of exquisite good to herself coming in this visit of George Cartwright's. She had gathered a bunch of autumn-tinted leaves, and pinned them in the breast of her black coat. These and the rose-bloo*u in her cheeks were the only colours about her. Yet there was a touch of glowing life surrounding her, and so Paul felt, as he walked down the avenue to meet her. "What's the news?" he asked, as he linked his arm in hers having responded separately to each and every canine greeting bestowed on him. Laurie told him. *'Moiher wants you to come and dine," the said. "Of course I will. And if you want some flowers go and rifle his conservatories, old girl." "Have you any news?" Laurie inquired, after a little desultory conversation. "Nothing in particular. I had a letter fr> in Mrs Massingham, and one from Donald Montagu, the chap that csmf flcwa here about two years sgo ' ■'■''' •'I renumber," Laurie said,

By EFFIE ADELAIDE ROWLANDS. Author of Selinas Love Story "An Inherited Feud," " Brave Barbara," "A SplendH Heart," etc., etc.

throwing a big stick for her dogs to hunt up; "what does he want?" "Nothing. I wanted something from him. I wrote and asked him if he would join me on this trip to India I like Montagu," Paul said, very quickly, as he saw the shade on Laurie's fare at mention of his prospective tourji and he hasten d to avert any discussion. "He is a real good chap, and a splendid companion. We have heaps of things in common. He plays the piano splendidly, in addition to everything else, so we i should be able to have some music to enliven us, only " | "On'y what?" queried Laurie, j again hurling a stick through the air. "Only he does not think he can come. He has a heap of things to keep him here. One of these is that he is assort of guardian to young Ingrave. You know his sister, Montagu's sister, 1 mean, married old Lord Wilrainster. She must have been pretty. Montagu always hated the marriage, and not without, cause, ..for Wilminster, though he is so rich, and an earl as well, is nothing more or less than a hopeles imbelcile. This boy Ingrave is the only child, and Mont- j

agu has always assisted his sister in ' looking after him. A young cub, I call him." Paul said, contemptuously. He was talking away on this subject simply to gain time before that other and more delicate, o ne ' Was ittttedueeaV "Do you know him?" Laurie asked absently. .She, too, was wondering how best to bring up again the question of that favour she had asked of him, the favour of that journey to Thrapstone.fand the personal interview with Mary. They v had not met since she had proposed it. She was halt afraid of his silence. "Saw him once. Such a vulgar creature. His mother wor-mips him, and despite all Montagu has tried to &Q for th'eboy's good, his mother has managed to undo most of it. Of course", Ingrave is fully aware of his own importance. He will be Earl of I, Wilminster, and a great individual in a monetary sense; but I don't think - he wiU make a much better show than his father. Montagu tells me he drinks hard already; is frequently rt at the lowest sporting haunts; and of I

course, his 'atest is a woman. She is mad about some girl. Montagu can lind out very little about her, beyond that Ingrave is infatuated and threatens to make her his wife." "He must be a handful," Laurie said, in realty very little interested in Lord Ingrave and his doings. Paul's manner made her suddenborn excitement die out faintly. She read more from his Bilence than if he had spoken outright. She knew that Mary's attitude had caused Paul far greater pain than he had ,ever expressed. It was not cnl'" his love that suffered, there w? /I hurt to his pride; a hurt i r j a sense that, by and thro>" .> the mistaken loyalty to Iso', her unconsciously {.assed ' ,&% 'Mary the honour of the r on ,_ . , >«© she loved. (To be -