When Love Rules The Heart.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9545, 17 July 1909, Page 2

When Love Rules The Heart.

S BT OWEN MASTERS. 5 ? ? J, Author of "Captain Erulyn's Daughter," "The Woman ? Wins," "The Heir of Avisford," "One Impas- $ 7 sioned Hour," Etc., Etc. *}

CHAPTER VI. —Continued

"I beg pardon," he said, bowing low. "I thought that you were alone. I will drop in at the Nook this evening." He smiled, and wispered into Duncan's ear, "Don't introduce me to the little Seton—l've seen her somewhere before. Pretty little thing! Au revoir!" Armitagt passed on with a sense of shame. He felt that he hated the man who had once been his dearest comrade. They had rowed together in the University eight, had been in many a riot between town and gown. "The thoughtless idiot!" muttered Duncan wrathfully. " 'The little Seton!' He shall apologise, by Heave^nl^ Zilla followed close at his elbow. He once almost dared to offer his arm, the crowd pressed upon them so. But would she take it? / "We will get out of the town, Miss Seton," he said. "That man is an old comrade. He is the son of Lord Mountarbon. Have you met him before?"

"I do not remember," stammered Zilla. "We see so manv gentlemen at the race meetings! They patronise us, aid then insult us—most of them."

The young man's face reddened, and he bit his lips. "And you call them gentlemen' They are curs, unworthy of the name of man! But it is your father's fault. What, right has he to exhibit you to the bold gaze of the unthinking public?#" The town was fi behind them. Armitage slackened his pace, and tried to realise all that he was doing—tried to understand the fierce throbbing of his heart, the intense passion that made every pulse tingle. He glanced at the shabby black robed figure, the well-worn gloves, the sweet face. A wandering minstrel, the child of a gipsy, and he, a member of one of the proudest families in England. He tried to speak, &ut could not. Zilla looked at him, then her eyes dropped and she trembled.

"Wec-in talk here. Miss Seton," Duncan said at last; "and I hope you will trust in me fully.. lam not one of those whose patronage is an insult. 1 heard you singing to that undiluted piece of ruffianism, Etherington, and 1 became interested in you. Your voice is beautiful, hut not half so beautiful as your sweet self. I felt angry when that man looked at you, and we exchanged compliments." He laughed constrainedly. "You remember?" Zilla made some reply, but so faintly that he did not hear it. "I think that you trust me--that ycu have faith in me?" he added awkwardly. "Oh, je«, Mr Armitage—you are so different from—from the others! I cannot think why you should go to so much touble on our account. And you have raised within me hopes which it would be bitter indeed to have to relinquish now!" She touched his arm unconsciously, and her touch thrilled him. "Yes," he said unsteadily. "I have been well educated," Zilla proceeded proudly. "With all his faults, my father has not neglected me in that way. I have lived abroad since I was quite a child—chiefly in France —and I knew nothing of his p<jsiti6n or pursuits until I came home a year ago. It appears that he had lost his money in racing, and something had to ba done My first duty was to him, and I have endured this life at his bidding." "Poor little Zilla!" murmured Armitage. "You a?e laughirg at ma?" She glanced at him swiftly, resentfully. "Laughing at you?" he said passionately. "You know that lam nut. Look me straight in the eyes, Zilla—l am always going to call you Zilla now—look at me, and say that you will trust me!" Her eyes drooped, her cheeks patedj "i do not understand your meaning, Mr Armitage," she faintly replied. "Of course my father and I thrust in you You have always proved yourself our friend in most trying circumstances. We are only poor wanderers, and you are a gentleman—but so different from the others! We no claim upon you, and yet we " She hesitated, and he smiled. "And yet——" he repeated. He had thrown discretion to the winds. "I don't know what else to say, Mr Armitage, only that I will do my best if youY friends will give me a chance. You cannot properly judge of my singing in the open air. Out doors one's voice seems to be lost. I am sure that you will never regret having helped a friendless girl." There were tears ip the great dark eyes. . A thrush burst into jubilant song in the hedgerow near which they were walking. Duncan paused to isten. "A happy augury!" he thought. "I cannot deceive myself any longer. I love this girl as J. can rever love woman again ! It is my fate, and I have rushed upon it! And I have already fully counted the cost. I love this wandering singer, this gipsy maiden —I, the only son of Lord Rainhall!" The thrush was singing rapturously. Dunnan looked up at the smiling summer skies.

"Yes, Zillaj" he whispered, "I will do all that I have promised, and more, if you will permit me." The rosehloom came and went in her sweet face. Her heart throbbed, and she wondered His ardent, passionate gaze bewildered her.

"Zilla," he went ori, "we have known each other only a few days; but in that brief time I have learned life's sweetest lesson. I ought not to say these things to yuu; but I cannot help it—l cannot help myself." He laid a hand tenderly, caressingly upon her shoulder; but she shrank from him a startled cry. "Mr Armitage, I trusted in you, and ynu are deceiving me! If you were to insult me, I think that I should die! Leave me, I beg you! I will return home alone." A sob burst from her pale lipa, and Duncan seized one of her hands. "Zilla, my little gipsy maiden, can you not see that I love you—that I honor you before the whole world would not struggle against fata if 1 ( could. My love is as a resistless tor* rent. Look into my eyes, dear one, and say that you believe me."

Zilla was silent. A deathly faintness had swept over her. Could this be the truth? The fairy prince of her dreams was whispering passionate love into her ear. She felt the clasp of his hand, she heard the intense vibration in his tones. It was no illusion, no trick of the fancy —the idol that in her rosiest dreams she had hoped that she might worship from afar was by her side, pleading for her love. And she was a singer in the streets, he a gentleman of noble birth. "Zilla—Zilla, will you not answer me?" Duncan said. "Poor little bird—how she trembles. We have known each other such a short time, and yet I loved you from the moment when your dear eyes met mine." The girl struggled to draw away her hand. "Mr Armitage, what will people say?" Her face was crimson. "Seme one is corning." "I don't care," he recklessly replied, "if you think that you/dan learn to love me a little I am not ashamed of my love, or the angel who has inspired it. I did not intend to speak so soon, but it does not matter. The whole world may know uf itno'w." Zilla withdrew the imprisoned hand, aiid retreated a little. A horseman was rapidly approaching. It was Mountarbon, and there was a smile of mirjglpd pity and amusement on his handsome face as he swept past them. He waved his hand to Armitage, but his eyes were fixed upon Zilla. | TO BR fIONTINi/ED.")