When Love Rules The Heart.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9547, 20 July 1909, Page 2

When Love Rules The Heart.

CHAPTER Vlll.—Continued. "'Fair as thy charms in yonder glass appear, Trust not their bloom—they'll fade from year to year; Woulds't thou they still should shine as first they shone. Go—fix thy mirror ir. love's eyes alone!"' Still Zilla was not quite satisfied. She was sensible of her own shortcomings, if her lover was not; and there was a great deal on her mind that she wished to say. "Duncan, have you quite counted the cost of my alliance with people like us—my father and me? I will not come to you with one thought unuttered. You love me; you show it in your eyen, in your passionate speech. I never dreamed of it —I never hoped for it until now ! I did not think it possible—l am so lowly! Duncan"—she looked steadily into his eyes —"'do you think that my father guessed something of your love, of your admiration? Do you think that he left me to meet you alone, anticipating some such result as this?"

"I don't care if he did; I am quite satisfied." Armitage laughed carelessly. "But perhaps you are wronging him, Zilla." Her e.ves flashed with scorn, her lips were tremulous with indignation.

"You do not know my father, Duncan, as I have learned to know him during the last few months! He is utterly mean and despicable in many things. I am as so much merchandise, and he would sell me to the highest bidder. I am on view like the poor quadroon girls. lam made tv sing whether I like it or not, and to be gazed upon by men whose smiles seem to turn my blood to ice! If 1 complain, I am reminded of the money which has been spent upon my education--of the duty I owe to the father who has denied himself so much for my sake."

"You shall never again sing in public, darling!" Armitage said determinedly. "And he will bargain with you for the loss of my services!" She hid her face in her hands. "Oh, the siame of it!"

"Let Mr Seton do so, if he pleases." He frowned a little. "I will see him this morning, Zilla. We have nothing to be ashamed of." He touched {ier shoulder gently. "We will turn now, little one: we must be two or three miles from Henley. Your father will be wondering what has become of us; and Lady Annandale M He broke off abruptly, and a keen pang shot 1 through his heart. He remembered Helen Howard and the promisa to her brother. It was a most unhappy complication.

There was silence for a litt'o while. A party of young men passed them, and recognised in Zilla the girl minstrel of the punt. They shouted back some vulgar jests, and Armitage felt furious. < "The curs!'' he wrathfully muttered. "Great heavens—and they call themselves gentlemen!" Zilla looked up at him with teardimmed eyes. "Duncan, you see what I am" she sobbed pitifully. "It is the same everywhere. 1 would rather walk into 'the town alone. I should not be noticed then., You are a gentleman, dressed as one. I am a singing girl in therags of my profession" "My place is by your side. Zilla. Your enemies are mine. I glory in my love and the adoration of a lifetime shall be yours. You must leave Henley to-day. If your father is so poor— —" He paused for a mo-

ment, and then conlinued: "I am gqing to London to-morrow. I have an appointment with my father, Lord Rainhill. It will be a stormy interview." He laughed grimly. "I ought to tell you. Zilla, that I may never be heir to the Rainhill estates. I have my mother's portion—a thousand a year. It is not much, but quite sufficent upon which to sustain my independence. My father regards me as a boy, who is on duty bound to obey his slightest behest, He wishes to send me abroad at once, and J believe that he has a wife waiting for me somewhere. I have revolted, Zilla —I revolted pefore I met you. I would rather die than be a slave! Money shall not buy my freedom! To-morrow I shall tell my father everything, and he will disinherit his degenerate son ! I shall be as stubborn as the Greek cnief of whom Moore sang: "As by the shore, at at break of day, A vanquished chief expiring lay; Upon the sands, with broken sword, He traced his farewell to the free; And there the last unfinished word J He, dying, wrote was "Liberty!"' ° "But I shall not be vanquished, ncr shall I die in the cause of freedom, but I live to enjoy it with the dearest, sweetest little woman in all England; ■ ,

"and you will, yield your birthright, Duncan—for what?" "For my independence—my liherty —for love of you, if you will." "No, no —don't say that!" she said, terrified. He laughed at her fears. "Do not be afraid, Zilla. I have already told you Ihs simple truth. I revolted long ago. It was my intention to go abroad. We may go together—you and J."

BY OWEN MASTERS. Author of "Captain Emlyn's Daughter," "The Woman Wins," "The Heir of Avisford," "One Impassioned Hour," Etc., Etc.

"Duncan, will you tell me the name of the lady whom your father wished ynu to marry" Zilla asked jealously. "Perhaps I have seen her. I want to know if she is beautiful; I want to find out if you could not care for her as you care for me." "I have no idea who the lady may be, darling." Armitage replied. "My father stipulates that she shall be high-born and rich. There may be half a dozen among his acquaintances whom he considers eminently suitable to queen it at Kainhill Court—Miss Casson, for instance, the Junoesque girl who is at present Lady Annanale's guest. You must have seen her." "Or the fair lady with the sweet angel face," Zilla murmured thoughtfully. "Duncan, will you tell me her name. I should like to know her some time in the future, when I am not Zilla the singing girl. She is so beautiful—and, Duncan, she loves you!" He flushed and stammered.

"Foolish little thing! What nonsense are you talking. Miss Howard and I were children together." "The eyes of love are quick to see. I saw her look at you—oh, so often. I admired you then as my ideal knight of the spotless shield—sans peu et satis epoche. And she was near you, Duncan. 0, you \vere not my love then" Zilla luoked up into her lover's eyes, a happy flush coming into her beautiful face. She did not notice how pale he was. "I thought that you belonged to Miss Howard, dear one—and now you beloi/g to me!" "My Ijfe shall be consecrated to you, Zilla!" When they were within ten minutes' walk of the town a man stepped from the shadow of a tree by the roadside. It was Seton, and his face wore an unpleasant smile. "Mr Armitage," he said, assuming a dignity which sat ill upon him, "I hoped that you were a gentleman " He lixed his eyes upon bis daughter's pale face. "Zilla, what does this mean?" he asked. The flash of anger and scorn in her dark eyes silenced him. "I was on my way to your lodgings, Mr Seton." Armitage observed: "but we can talk here equally well. To be brief, I have asked your daughter to marry me." Seton was taken completely off his guard. His face turned pale with joy"And—and she has consented?" he easped. "Certainly." Armitage sternly rjplied. , "You have taken me by surprise, sir! I am positively bewildered! The troupe " | TO BK roNTXNOKD.I