HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3191, 17 May 1909, Page 2

HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

CHAPTER IX.—Continued. This house was chosen somewhat against the wishes of Laurence, who thought it dull and badly situated, but A rubra had discovered that it was within easy walk of South Kensington, and this to her was its attraction. Since her arrival iu England her eyes were opened to her many deficiencies. How, she would ask herself in her humility, could she expect to win—or, what was of more consequence, retain—the affection of such a clever man as Laurence Haydon if she were continually shocking him with her ignorance? So she was'all anxiety to join the clashes held at the museum, and to enable her to do thi?, the house at Bromptom was decided. "You'll come and see us in our new quarters, Stuart!" cried his friend, when they met at their club. "Lady Msria is with us—out of si*eer benevolence, of course — and the Braysby woman, who threatens to be a nuisance with her inquisitive eyes and ears. But make an early call no us, will you?" Wilfred Stuart promised, but some days elapsed before he had a leisure evening, and then he found the general alone. His chair, was nearly surrounded by a screen, for he was shivering in the cold of a keen north-easter, which not all his servant's efforts would keep out of the room.

"It's like living on a Scotch moor," he said peevishly; "but don't tell Ambra. She thinks the house charming. Did you meet her? She has just gone with some acquaintances she has picked up at the art school to a conversazione. Lady Marcia and Miss Braysby are dining out, and Laurence is at Southampton. Gone to make inquiries about some of his luggage that miscarried. Foolish fellow, he could not be persuaded to leave it to the railway people, aiid ha has been detained there, as I foresaw he would be!" The absence of his son was evidently a grievance to the general, who missed him every hour, yet when Wilfred began to condole with him he drew himself up as if he felt that he was disloyal to Laurence, murmuring: "Chut! he would have returned sooner if he could! I can be cannot bear to quit Ambra's side. Thev will be a very happy couple, Mr Stuart'" Before his hearer could form a suitable reply, a cab dashed up to the door, and the next minute Laurence Haydon was in the ruom. He did not perceive his father, for the general had been suffering all day with headache, and the dim light of the fire was more acceptable to his eyes than the glare of the lamp?. He beheld only the figure of Wilfred Stuart, who rose to meet him. "What, all out! Thank goodness, for I am in no humour for society. I have been into Devonshire, Stuart; the suspense became more than I could bear. I could not find the woman, but as bsd as you suspected, and she is lurking somewhere near, ready to pounce upon me with the proofs of my irarriage to Daisy, and the miserable consequences of it in Daisy's daughter." "What!" thundered a voice, and the general, his weakness forgotter, stepped forward and stood before his discomfited son, whose revelations Wilfred had vainly endeavoured to check.

CHAPTER X. "SPEAK OUT OR I SHAL'L UTTERLY DESPISE YOU!" 'Startled out of all his self-posses-sion by this wholly unexpected apparition, Laurence Haydon dropped into the nearest chair, and hid his face in his hands. By his own lips he was convinced, and knew not wnat to say in his defence. As for General Haydon, he was fearfully agitated. Himself the most honourable of men, he had never distrusted his son. He knew him to be extravagant; but of what serious importance was this to one who possessed a princely fortune? He had cheerfully and repeatedly paid his debts, and been more ready to praise than blame him for an expenditure which he attributed to the extreme generosity of his disposition. That Laurence—his one son, in whom all his hopes were bound up —of whose abilites he was so inordinately proud, and of whose integrity he hid bean as certain as of his own —that this clever, handsome, energetic Laurence had been wilfully deceiving him seemed incredible; and yet, alas! it was coo true. Like many men who are slow to anger, his wrath, when really roused, waa deep and not easily appeased. Every time-his eyes fell upon the shame-stricken figure before him it grew stronger and mora passionate. Laurence had duped him; and, worse, Ihe had permitted him to bring Ambra Neville to England to ratify the ! engagement made by her father, knowing all tha while that he was not the free man he professed to bo. "I will not apologize for playing the listener," he said, looking sterni ly from his son to the silent, sorrow- ' ful Wilfred Stuart and back again.

BY HENRIETTA B. EUTHVEN. \utbor of "His SecDiid Love," " Corydon's Infatuation," " Daring Dom," " An Unlucky Legacy," Etc, Etc.

"I will not apologize, because I though my boy could have nothing to say to his friend the clergyman which I might not hear. I did not know they had met to discuss the best way of concealing one of their evil deeds." Wilfred Stuart could afford to let the taunt pas 3 unanswered; and the fiery old man—the veins in his forehead swelling with agitation—once more addressed his son: "There is no need for any more concealment. I will accept my character; I am the doting old father who has so far been cheated with impunity. But now that my eyes are opened, I should advise you to manage me differently. You'll not find it will pay to lie to me any longer!" "Oh, sir, be merciful!" gasped the humiliated Laurence, who, in spite of his many faults, was sincerely"attached to his father. "Oh, sir, do not think the worst of me!" But the general was all the more enraged because the self-convicted man had not a word to say for himself, and he made answer with an exclamation of the most withering contempt: "Utter no prayers to me, sir! What faith can I feel in the penitence of a deliberate trickster and scoundrel? Oh, I have heard enough to crush me to the dust! I was so proud of you!—of you who, while you pretended to be all I would have my son to be, had your base secrets hidden in your heart! You have stabbed me to mine! May Heaven forgive you for it—l cannot!" "And you, Mr Stuart." demanded the exasperated father—"how can you excuse yourself, knowing that you have been his confidant, hi 3 accomplice':" "Alwajs his friend, and yours too, sir, if you will permit me; but never the accomplice of any man in wrongdoing," was the quiet reply—spoken with such a manly demeanour that, in spite of his inclination to think the worst of every one just now, the general moderated his tone. "I wish I could think so. Perhaps, as you profess to speak the truth, you will oblige me with the explanations which, for my own respect, I feel bouni to demand?" "To no': blame Stuart, father!'* his son raised his head to explain. "Jf I had listened to him all this would have been avoided." "Mr Stuart will pardcn me if I have misjudged him; but who can I have clone so? Have I not heard you pouring into his willing ears a tale that has horrified me? Stand up, and speak out as man should '0 man, or 1 shall utterly despise you, and refuse to call you my son!" [TO BE CONTIN't/ED.I