When Love Rules The Heart.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9575, 23 August 1909, Page 2

When Love Rules The Heart.

CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. ■ Armitage was in the street again. He caught a reflection of himself in a window. Mo wonder that people turned to stare, even in busy London! His linen was ruffled and dirty; his face was wild and haggard. N "Tdo not care now," he thought, : with a thrill of exultation. "I shall I find my poor Zilla and Gus EtheringI ton" He ground his teeth. "The I world were well rid of such a pest! I have yet to learn in what Clarence Mountarbon figures to advantage. I thought that Miss Casson hated him almost as much as I have learned to hate him'" paused irresolutely. "No, all is at'an end between my father and myself. A change of clothes at the Grand, and then for my po6r, persecuted Zilla!" A cab was crawling past him. He sprang into it, and was driven to the Grand Hotel. He was filled with feverish impatience. He named Perry hi 11 to the cabman. The man knew it well enough, but it was a long run. The sight of a five-pound note settled all his scruples. ,"Tnere must be no delay in getting there. You can return at your own pace. I shall be ready in fifteen minutes."

Armitage met his father in the vestibule Of U.e Grand Motel. Lord Kainhill looked very pale and distiesaed. He held up hie hand, and uttered the single word, "Duncan!'/ But his son passed with a fierce and haughty gesture. Within fifteen minutes the halffren&ied lover was being whirled aiong the streets. The journey to Perryhill seemed never-ending. It was a quaint old village of scattered cottages, and the inhabitants stared with astonishment at the fine London hansom.

The cabman pulled up at the village inn, and the landlord came to the door, raising one finger to his forelock.

"Can you direct me to a house called the Cedars?" Armitage demanded. "'Quick, man!" The landlord pursued up his lips, closed one eye, and gazed t at tha summer sky. "The Cedars? Why, that ie a mile and a-balf farther on. sir! Jimmie Strong and his missis live there, an' raise poultry .md flowers. A nice little windfall it were," too! Jimmie Strong was in the Etherington family, and the missis was cook. I. see the master tearin' through the \illage two or three times yesterday. Prob'ly you and him be friends, sir—not that it becomes the likes of me to be askin' questions." Armitage displayed a gold piece. He saw a cunning light in the man's eyes.

"Tell me what rumors are floating | in the village concerning, Mr Ether-1 ington. Quick, man! It Js life and death to me—and to another!*' The landlord drew closer. "We havei>'tseen Mr Etherington in these parts for years, sir, till; yesterday. He come sweepin' along in the mornin', hia hoss drippin' foam. Then he goes back and comes again in the afternoon. We was all suspectin' something; when he comes thunderin' at my piece after a gal who had run away. So says he. He was in a terrible w.iy. I hear that he went tb the police in Lunnon about it. Oh, she's gone clear enough, sir—an' good luck to her, says I —'cause I 'hear Sam Collins as fetches milk from the Cedars say so, no more'n half an hour since!" B Armitage's heart beat fast with hope. Zilla has escaped. She would return to London, and perhaps seek him thers. Oh, Heaven, be praised! He pressed a sovereign into the landlord's hand. "Thank you!" he said briefly. "I will go on to the Cedars. And Heaven help Gus Etherington if I meet him there!" » "Keep to the mam road," the landlord advised the cabman "until you get to y.uider hills. The Cedars is atween 'em, in a valley." The directions were explicit enough. Ten minutes later the cab was rolling down the drive to the gloomy red brick house. A woman came to the door. She was old and hard-featured." Armitage noticed her spotlessly white apron, her coarse handb. As he sprang out of the cab, she oyed him curiously but respectfully. For a moment it seemedy that his heart had ceased beating. Zilla had been here--his beautiful, hunted Zilla! Had this woman been kind to her? Would he soon be face to face with the scoundrel who had caused her so mut-h terror and pain? name is Strong?" he asked. "And this is the Cedars'?' "Yes sir. I'll fetch my husband. Will you come inside?" Armitage followed her into the sitting-room. Mrs Strong pointed to a chair. "Will you be seated, sir? I suppose it's about the young lady? You are not a detective?" Armitage felt his face flush. "Yes, it is about the young lady, Mrs Strong, I wish to hear at once, from your lips, the story of her fight. I will see your husband later —and Mr Etherington!" "Oh, I thought that you had been engaged in the matter, sir!" ;i Mrs Strong hesitated. But, since the story was the talk of the country

V BY OWEN MASTERS. 3 ? 1 {, Author of "Captain Emlyn's Daughter," "The Woman (, 5 Wins," "The Heir of Avisfortl," "One Impas- 5 7 sioned Hour," Etc., Etc. 7

side, there could be no harm in speak ing about it to this stranger. "The young lady was brought here yesterday by Mr Etherington, for me and my husband to take care of for a little while, until she could go to a more suitable home. She was ill and feverish, poor dear! I took her up to the room which had been prepared for her, and the next thing I knew she was gone—without hat or jacket. Mr Etherington was in a terrible way when he came back in the evening. The men were searching all night, and now the London police have been informed. I am sure that I shall never forget the shock the affair has given me." Tears were in her eyes. ' The woman had beer guilty of no wrong. Armitage's heart warmed toward her. "You were kind to her?" he said softly. "Then be thankful that she has escaped from the man who was once your roaster!" 'Mrs Strong regarded him wonderingly—half fearfully. "I don't understand you, sir." "No—l see that you do not. Miss Seton is my fiancee—my future vi ife. Perhaps you have heard of me? My name is Duncan Armitage. Miss Seton was decoyed from her home by the villain Etherington. I have traced her here--I will toljow her {<? the ends of the earth! I believe every word that you have toid >rae, and will not waste further time here. But I shall never forget you, Mrs Strong. You have been kind to her—to my future wife!" He took up hid hat He had every reason to be exultant. Zilla had escaped. She was perhaps not very far away. He would find her, and punish her enemies and his! There was a half-terrified, halfperplexed look in Mrs Strong's eyes. She was about to speak when the door was pushed open, and a man entered the room. "Armitage,-—by Jove! "^Etherington !'' The voice of both men rang with wrath and hatred. For a moment they glared at each other, then, with the fury of wild beasts, they grappled! | TO BR CONTINUED."}