HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3192, 18 May 1909, Page 2

HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

BY HENRIETTA B. EUTHVEN. Author of "His Second Love," " Corydon's Infatuation," " Daring Dora," " An Unlucky Legacy," Etc., Etc.

CHAPTER X.—Continued. "What can I say, sir, that will soften your displeasure?" murmured Laurence, as he slowly and shrinkingly obeyed. "The truth! I forbid you to say anything that is not plainly, positively true! Heavens! that I should have to insist upon this to my only son!—that I. should live to learn how he has been deliberately tricking me!" "I will not attempt to defend myself!" began Laurence, with deep humility; but he waa not permitted to finish. " y o u cannot do that Nothing can justify" falsehood so deep, so vile, so long-continued as yours has been. When you came to me in India, twenty long years ago, I welcomed you aa a light-heated, thoughtless boy; and even then you met me with a lie on your lips, for you bad left a wife behind you!" "I should have told you all, sir, at the first opportunity; but when her death took place I—l did not care to dilate upon so painful a subject. What good would it have done? You would have been vexed, and I should have been wretched." "But we should have had no reserves, no secrets. If it grieved me to learn that my boy had made a rash marriage, I should have known that I could rely on his honour. When I think that but for the . mere accident of being here this night I might have betrayed my trust, and given the happiness of poor little Ambra into your keeping "

Laurence started up with a passionate exclamation. "You will not refuse me her haud? She loves me, even as I love her!" . "Even as you professed to love the young creature whom, by your own showing, you deserted?'" asked the general ironically. "No, sir—no; you shall not make me a partner in your wickedness. You are not worthy of Ambra Neville, and I will shield her from you as I would from any other suitor whose character will not bear the iight of day." "You are dreadfully hard upon me," cried Laurence, knitting his brows. "No one can regret the past more than I do, and I am quite willing to atone for it; but must I give up all the hopes I was cherishing of a future which would secure your happiness as well as mine?" "At the expense of my ward? How dare you propose it! When her father expressed a wish for your union,, he thought," as I did, that you were deserving of her. Where you a thousand times dearer to me than you are I would not wrong Neville's orphan girl! She shall be given to some more honourable wooer." "No one but yourself, sir, has dared to call me dishonourable!" fumed the younger man. "Because no one has ever known you so well. Oh, Laurence, within this hour you have revealed a depth of treachery in your nature that horrifies me! From your youth upward you have been a traitor to the holiest impulses of nature. A trusted son—you have deceived your father; a father yourself—you have left your child to" the mercy of strangers. Taice up those long-neglected, duties, and never speak to me again of wedding Ambra Neville." Just as he spoke her name Ambra herself appeared at the door. With her soft, gliding step she came towards her guardian, her smiles vanishing when she saw his perturbed , features.

"What has happened? Oh, sir, are you ill?" she inquired anxiously. But. ere he could reply she had caught sight of Laurence, who impulsively sprang towards her. Though no linger in his first youth ha was as ardent as a boy, and the thought of losing her was terrible to him. He would have seiezd her hands and drawn her into a passionate emrace if the general had not sternly \ interposed. "I will strike you to the earth if you presume to touch her!" he exclaimed. "Miss Neville is under my protection; placed there by her dead father." He gathered the trembling girl into his arms, and with all the chivalric courtesy of a fine old English gentleman entreated her to pardon him for having frightened her. "Let me ask you to go to your rooms, my dear. Presently we shall all be calmer. Very unpleasant events have just come to my knowledge with which I do not wish to trouble your peace of mind. Go, my child, I ben of you." "And leave you angry, and with your son!" murmured Ambra. "Ah, if you love me, dear guardian, let me first see you reconciled." Laurence advanced eagerly. He had overcome the shock of being found out, and was beginning to think it awfully provoking that hig too exacting fattier should have taken such an exaggerated view of what had happened. Granted that he had acted foolishly in marrying Daisy, who could have repented more than he had done? And who but a Spartan of the iron age could propose to punish him for the si us of his youth by taking from him so fair and wealthy a bride as Ambra? He would not be so blind to his own interests as to permit it. Either this obstinate old man must 1 be conciliated or the dear girl stolen av, ay in spite of him.

"I do not know why I am so sharply lectured and threatened!" he exclaimed, with apparent frankness. "I have expressed my remorse for having vexed my father, I have offered to make any atonement he likes to suggest but he will not be appeased. Plead tor me, my dearest Miss Neville. To your gentle voice he may consent to listen. For one fault, long since repented, he puts me out of his affections and refuses me his forgiveness." But the general would not permit Ambra to intercede for his erring son. He was too shrewd riot to perceive how little reality there was in Laurence's much-vaunted repentance. It was the shame of the discovery that embarrassed him, not a wholesome contrition for the past. "My child," he said to his ward, "this matter is too grave to be referred to the pleasure of a kind-hearted little girl who would not k/iow what she was asking. Mr Stuart, oblige me by taking Miss Neville away, and make her understand why it is that I am obliged to say to her my son is no longer worthy of her friendship." .Ambra started, coloured highly, and glanced at Laurence; but his eyts sank before her, and, quivering with dread, she permitted Wilfred Stuart to lead her from the room. But, as soon as the door closed behind them, she gazed pi'teously at her companion. "Oh! Mr Stuart, tell me, must I —must I believe this?" Not for worlds would he have said anything harsh or ungenerous, and yet he was greatly embarassed, for in his secret soul he Knew that the shifty, equivocating Laurence Haydon could never deserve to wed such a pure-hearted girl as Ambra Neville. "Believe nothing, ask nothing yet," he said kindly;, "but suspend your judgment till our friend has had a chance of exonerating himself. By and by General Haydon may consent to be reminded that there is not one among us who has not at some hour of his lite been tempted into saying or doing something to be rued bitterly for the rost of his days. Seizing upon the idea that Laurence must be in debt, in which case her guaridan was unreasonable for restenting it so violently, Ambra allowed herself to be co.nforted, and hoped for the best. Knowing that there was nothing to be gained by irritating his tather, Laurence was no sooner left alone with him than he put forth att his powers of . conciliation, and endeavoured to bring the painful intenriew to an end. fTO be continued.]