HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3212, 11 June 1909, Page 2

HER SILENCE JUSTIFIED.

CHAPTER XXlll.—Continued. "I don't care to go out with you," she said bluntly, when invited to take a drive in the park. "You know such lot 3 of people." "My love, it is an immense advantage to have such a circle of acquaintances as I possess!" cried Miss Braysby, smiling and bridling. "My unfortunate story has enlisted so much sympathy! 1 think I told you " "About the man that wouldn't marry you? Oh, yes; ever so many times. If I had been served so 1 wouldn't have told any one a word about it. I'd have held my head high, and never let on that I felt it." "My dear child, you do express yourself so oddly! But why will you not take advantage of this charming morning and drive with me in the park?" "Because you tell every one who I am, and I hate to be stared at and taked about. Besides, Where's the pleasure of lolling back on the cushions and going to sleep as Lady Marcia does, or nodding and smiling at the people as you do? If I might sit on the box and have the reins " Miss Braysby gave a little scream of horror at the idea. "My precious pupil, it must never be said that you hive developed into a fast woman under my tuition. We will not drive: we will walk." "No, thank you! I don't call it walking to mince along in tight boots so many paces this way, so many that, and then say you're tired, and go home. If I had you in the forest I'd show you what I mean by walking!" And Lois gave a great yearning sigh for the green glades so far away. The general had extorted from her a promise that never again would she quit the house alone and, though she kept it inviolate, it often cost her a pang to do so. What would she not have given to be able to dance down to the shore bare-headed, as she used to do in the old times-; or climb some heathery hill behind Granny's cottage an watch the sunrise above the tops of the grand old beech-trees? Miss Braysby sighed, too.

"Ah! when shall we succeed in subduing tbat too impetuous nature? But I shall not oppose you, my love; your Lollie never does that, does she? If you are not inclined to go cut, we will stay at home and study. The general is so anxious for your improvement, and dear Mr Haydon was saying only yesterday—" "I don't want to hear anything he said," interposed Lois, "but I'm quite ready to learn, if it pleases my grandfather. What's it to be?" Miss Braysby produced a pile of books, and spread them on the table, crying, gaily: "We will be like the butterflies; we will flit from subject to subject, and extract the hnney from each. Where shall we take our first sip? Would you like to commit to memory the names of the Anglo-Saxon kings, and the dates of their reigns?" "No, I shouldn't!" said Lois flatly. "What would be the use of it? They're all dead and gone, and don't interest me!" ' "But, my Jove, they were our ancestors—the great and glorious men who—hem —whose exploits are all recorded in the history of England. The subject is deeply interesting to all cultivated minds. However, to please you we will pass on to the Conquest and the battle of Hasting." "I'd rather hear my grandfather tell of the battles he's seen; so we won't have history, Miss Braysby. Try something else!" "Geography, then; we can trace the wanderings of the gallant Stanley on the dark continent. My heart always goes out to such brave gexplorers! Oh, that I were a man to emulate them!" a 66fca£££ But Lois pushed the atlas away. "I'd rather have a map of the New Forest and see if they've put granny's cottage down upon it. I shall never go to the dark- continent, wherever it is, so what's the use of learning anything about it?" "If you liked arithmetic, here are some lovely problems." "Figuring? No, it muddles my head. I know that two and two make four, and tnat out of the two sovereigns my grandfather gave me I should have had fifteen shillings left if I had not lent them to you. What more do I want?" "The science of numbers is a most enthralling one!" Miss Braysby assured her pupils. "I have loitered at the gates myself—l must confess it. Fractions are to me a sealed book." |i,"Does that mean that you don't know much more arithmetic than I do?, Very well, then we'll pass that over, too." „ ~i^,' "Then we will sit by the window and read Borne grand poem that will thrill our souls with its fiery eloquence; and we will dream the while of those we love! Ah, me! does your dear papa, my Lois, seem to feel the absence of Miss Neville 9 I am devoted tc her! All the way from India she and I were inseparable; but stiil I am bound to admit that she is not the wife his true friends—of whom I am the humblest-—would choose for Mr Haydon. Do you remember what he says apropos of woman in that brilliant volume of essays from the land of the desert and the pyramid? 5. think I have it here It

BY HENRIETTA 33. RUTHVEN. Author of "His Second Love," " Corydon's Infatuation," " Daring Doia," " An Unlucky Legacy," Etc., Etc.

fis one of those treasured volumes that I will never part with—never." "You needn't trouble yourself to read it tome," she was told. "I don't like essays." "But you have a daughter's ecstatic delight in the genius of her parent? I wish, for your sake, my best of pupils, Mi Ilaydoii's choice had fallen on ; 'a woman of more tact, more experience—in a word, some good, sensible, warm-hearted ceature, who would not only share his tastes, but love you as—as I do." "Lady Marcia means to marry him if Miss Neville doesn't," said Miss Braysby held up her hands in horror. "That soulless lump ot flesh! Oh, no, no, it must no be! Would it not be possible—or, rather, is in not your duty—to awaken the dear general to her tactics? If he could be induced to politely tell her she has outstayed her welcome, we could not regret—eh, love?" "We. Of course, you would go, too?" Miss Braysby's sallow face was reddening with mortification, when Laurence Haydon opened the door. "Do not let ma disturb you," he said, as he shook hands with her. "At your lessons, Lois?" he queried, nodding'coldly to his daughter. "No," was the curt reply. "I don't see that Miss Braysby can teach me anything I want to know!" And, without more ado, Lois marched away, to sit beside her grandfather, while Nurse May read the newspaper to him. "Is this the way your charge behaves?" asked the frowning Laurence.

Miss Braysby folded her haods pensively, and gave a sad smile. "She is capricious. Indeed, I have much to bear at times; but if my efforts please you I do not murmur. On the contrary, lam happy." " "You are too forbearing. You should, protest against such insolence!" Laurence cried, in his angriest tones. "Neither shall you be exposed to much more of it if I have any influence with the general! There are schools where such girls are recieved and taught to behave themselves, ana to one of them Lois shall go!"

But now Miss Braysby, terribly afraid of losing her lucrative berth, threw herself between him and the duor, and pleaded so earnestly that he would have patience a little longer that he was, with much difficulty, induced to consent. I TO BE CONTINt'SP.I