HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3182, 6 May 1909, Page 2

HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

CHAPTER IV.—Continued. "Did I understand you to say that General Haydon will receive me? Is he aware that Mr Haydon, his son, has arrived 9 " And then he found himself listening as breathlessly as Laurence for her response, though he smiled at his own folly when it came. There was nothing remarkable in i either the matter or manner of her speech. Her tones wern measured and monotonous, quietly respectful, yet denoting no eagerness to please. "The general has not seen anyone but me since he went to his room. Shall I send his man to you?" "Thanks: there is no necessity I will announce myself," said Laurence hurriedly; and, bidding his friend follow in a few minutes, he stepped towards the door. Yet scarcely had he reached the middle of the room before be stopped short, seized with an unconquerable shrinking from this woman. She made no effort to avoid him, but merely moved aside to let him pass, only testifying her consciousness that hi 1 was near her, as, ashamed of his weakness, he was striding swiftly away, by the gradual rising of her cold gray eyes, which met his without a ray of expression or interest within their depths. "It is very odd," he mentally ejaculated, as "he went up the stairs, wiping the moisture from his brows. "She does not bear the slightest resemblance to poor little Daisy, and yet she made me think of her. What could be the reason, and who can she be?" And then for a few moments the white-haired woman was forgotten as he listened to the affectionate greetings of his father, who, still faint from the sufferings entailed on him by his journey, had insisted on being propped up in his]jinvalid-chair, that he might give to his frisr.ds.

"We'll met on English soli, my boy," he cried heartily. ."§2erg nothing of you when we landed, I be* 4aii to be afraid the attractions of sport had. made you break troth with me," '•lt I had done that," waa the laughing reply, "the blame would have rested on contrary wind? and rough weather. I know my duty as a soldier's son too well to disobey my general's commands." "Not commands, my dear lad, only wishes. lam content to waive parental authority now that you are fatbeyond my control. If I still call you a boy, 1 don't forget that at your age, and with your brilliant abilities, you have every right to be treated as a man any my equal." "Never that, sir," cried Laurence hastily, and with a twinge of remorse. "I shall always lack those noble qualities which have mace you " But the general would not let him say more. "Hush, Laurence; I cannot bear to hear you depreciate yourself. If you did—l'll confess it—disappoint me in your youth, you have atoned for it,now that all England is ringing with your »ame. I am proud to know that Laurence Haydon, the clever writer, the dashing hunter, the astute traveller, is my son. My only regrets that your mother did not live to share my gratification." "You are still lame, sir," observed the younger man presently. "I thought, from the few letters that reached me. you had quite recovered from your wounds."

"It was no use dilating upon them and making you uneasy. I should be well enough, only the arrows that entered my flesh were tipped with a poison so subtle that the English doctors can find no antidote for it. And so lam still very helpless at times, and should have fared-badly at the station if I had not been lucky enough to get your old schoolmate, Mr Stuart, for my fellow passenger. Bring him here, Laurie, that 1 may thank hiim for his attentions.", Before Laurence could obey there was a tap at the door, and Lady Marcia Lillingtun begged admission. She was one of the most indolent and good-humoured of women; excessively embonpoint in spite of her youth, and afflicted with a defective memory that would have involved her continually in difficulties if she .had not been too placid to distress herself about her many errors of judgment. "May I come in, dear general? I want to apologise for that dreadful omission." "What omission? My dear Lady Marcia, your rooms are as charming as yourself." The lady puckered her fair brows and gazed around her helplessly. "I don't know what it was. How queer that I • should have forgotten. Water ah, yes, was it not something to do with a fire? Ought I to have had one lit. or ought I not? Or was it that I ought to inquire whether you would nrefer a stove? Do tell me, somebody, please." The general kissed the plump hand she laid on h : s arm, gallantly assuring her that he wanted for nothing. "But are you sure—quite sure?" she queried, in her soft, sleepy voice. "Don't hesitate to say. for I do so want you to be comfortable. That's a nice word, isn't it? I like to be comfortable myself." Again she listened with smiling satisfaction to the general's thanks and praises of the pretty suite of rooms assigned to him, and was begging him not A o leave them till thoroughly rested, when a sudden though made her pout her baby mouth and heave a sigh. "I knew there was something else. Is there no remedy for a memory like mine? Ard it's of so much consequence, too. It's the gentleman who came with you from the general. Mr Stuart, I think you called him." r |6—l • "Has he gone away?" queried the old soldier anxiously. '* Wha

BY HENRIETTA B. RUTHVEN. Author of "His Second Love," " Corydoa's Infatuation," " Daring Doia," " An Unlucky Legacy," Etc., Etc.

, a churl he must think me. Follow him, Laurence, and apologise." j "Yes, do go to him, Mr Haydon," ' said Lady Marcia, dropping into an rj easfy chair; "he is in the morning- | room deep in the "Quarterly Rej view," for I peeped in, but had not I couraye to address him. And you'll 1 enlist him in my service, won't you? : Tell him what a poor, lonely thing I I am; neither husband or brother, and • always making mistakes. You see a ; clerygman would be just the right ,' rjerson to know; one could always ' appeal to him. And if you hinted ; that I am in a dreadful dilemma he ! would help me out of it, wouldn't j he?" "Con 1 be of any use to you, Lady Marcia?" asked Laurence, after exchanging amused glances with his father. "You may count upon me to do anything in my power. Or, if you prefer it, I'll fetch Stuart, who is one of the best fellows in the world." Lady Marcia folded those plump hands of hers on her ample bosom and settled her head against the cushioned back of the chair in a more luxurious pose. "How eood you are. 3ut every one is good to me, although I am such a blunderer. Let me see; what was it I wanted to say to Mr Stuart? How lucky it was that I thought of him, because, if what I asked him to do was rude, no one could quarrel with him on account of his coat. It's just this. Poor Sir David's nephew, a lieutenant in the Guards, wants to give a champange supper to his brother officers, but as he is short of funds he couldn't hold it at his own quarters. And so he arranged to have it here."

"Extravagant young dog," mut> tered the general. "I wish, Lady Marcia, you would discourage these drinking bouts—they are nothing better; they injure the morale of the army." "Why, po I do, whenever I remember how wrong they are; but I had quite forgotten Edward's wine party when that excellent woman, Mrs Mactavish, borrowed my rooms for a temperance conversazione."' "?"J tie ifcid* to-night also?" ''Yes." responded her ladyship tr$HH-.iii:', "it is awkward, jgn't It? \\ni Jones, my hoti!&&6£W»v-;» flood creature she iSv * BMer like to thwart her--Jotte§ BBys it cannot be done; that the house will not hold the three hundred and fifty members of Mrs Mactavish's party, not even if half of them consented to take tea on the stairs; and 'chat if those young officers mada as much noise as they did last time, it would lull the general. Dreadful, isn't it? I cannst have my guest incommonded, can I? Especially such a guest as you." "If lam in the way " began General Haydon, • and Lady Marcia roused herself to animation to respond. [to be continued.]