When Love Rules The Heart.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9590, 9 September 1909, Page 2

When Love Rules The Heart.

S BY OWEN MASTERS. 3 ? 7 Author o£ "Captain Emlyu's Daughter," "Ihe W oman y V Wins," "Tho Htsir of Avisford," "One Impas- ? sionod Hour," Etc., Etc. /

CHAPTER XXXI. —Continupd.

"Oh, Miss Vavasour, it is rot that! But here is the story, and we shall be the only living persons who know the truth of it." Cecil drew a deep breath. "Lord Rainhill and my diar dead sister were children together. 'Little sweethearts/ they were always called, and sweethearts they grew up to be. It seemed the most natural thing in the world, though the late Lord Rainhill regarded the probability of their falling in love with strong disfavour, I know this to be the truth, for I was one of the few to whom he unbent. The reason was not far seek. Personally, he had nothing against my sister, but he and my father had had many differences of opinion Our estates adjoined and they once quarrelled over a few yaras of paltry right of way. They were political opponents, too; but the real reason. Miss Vavasour, was our comparative poverty. My father was a soldier, and soldiers are proverbially poor. The late Lord Rainhill's vast estates were encumbered, and it was his determination that his only son and heir should marry money." j He paused. Miss Vavasour waited with rapt attention. "The late peer," the lawyer resumed, "was a cold reserved man. He never took much apparent interest in his family. I have heard it said that he never got over the shock of Lady Rainhills sudden death while she was still a young woman. At any rate, he was feared by all over whom he had authority. His slightest word was law. You can fancy how such a man would map out his son's future without once consulting him? His lordship had arranged in his own mind that his son Duncan should marry an heiress, and a Miss Lorna Casson was thrown into his society, or he into hers. When Duncan thoroughly realized what was being done, his natural independence asserted itself He became angry, disgusted, and avowed that he would set his father and his father's plans at defiance, even if he were disinherited." "Prav go on, Mr Howard!" Miss Vavasour murmured. "You have no idea what kind of a man brother-in-law is, Miss Vavasour! He is hot-tempered, noblesouled, chivalrous." "What a paragon!" She laughed nervously. Cecil glanced at her sharply. "1 hope you will not accuse nie of false hero worship. Please reserve your judgment until I have done," His tone was one of repruof, but Miss Vavasour merely smiled-, "I like you for your defence of your friend. I spupose you are going to tell me now that be was guilty of some foolish or wicked action." "jNo. Miss Vavasour. I don't believe that Duncan Armitage—Lord Rainhill—has ever committed a wrongful action «in his life; and I know him even better than he knows himself." The beautiful girl sighed sadly; there were tears in her eyes. Cecil Howard wondered what he had done or said to vex her.

CHAPTER XXXII

CECIL HOWARD RECOUNTS A IALE OF LOVE.

"Miss Vavasour!" Cecil bent nearer. Her face was downcast. She raised her head suddenly and spoke quite tranquilly. "You must not mind my moods, Mr Howard. Yo« have yet to learn how capricious the emotions of women are, or you would not look po concerned. I can laugh and cry in a breath over a pathetic story. Your l'aith in your friend is extremely touching." Again he was in doubt. Her lip curled slightly, and her eyes had a scornful expression. "What more have you to tell me, Mr Howard?" After fully a minute's silence he continued: — ™ "I have told you then that Lord Rainhiil set his father at defiance. He would have none of Miss Casson, or any other woman chosen for him in such arbitrary fashion. Then he engaged hiinsef to my sister, his boyhood's sweetheart. That she idolised him I have every reason to know; that he cared for her ot:ly as a dear sister I have also everv j proof. But, in her blind faith, the | truth never presented itself to her —poor, loving, innocent Helen! Now comes the piquant part of my story. It is a story of marvellous rumance from beginning to end." He paused to wipe his warm brow. He was almost forgetting his own love story. Mis 3 Vavasour was visibly agitated. "I like romantic stories," she said sofcly. "Witnin two or three days—l am not positive as to the time — within two or three days of Lord Rainhill's engagement to my sister he realised the terrible mistake he had made." "Ah?" "Yes, Miss Vavasour. He fell in love —desperately, hopelessly ! lie met his fate—a poor, wandering street singer, a member of a troupe ot singers performing at Henley durI ing the regatta. Have you ever been a: Henley Regatta, Mias^Vavasour?"

She did not appear to have heard his question, and he went on: •'You can imagine the dilemma :n which he had placed himself —his agony of mind; and you must wonder how one of his oi\.er could stoop to a beggar But I have heard that the girl was very pretty, and that she had a charming voice. Her name r too, was quite uncommon." "What was it?" Miss Vavasour asked. "Zilla —Zilla Seton. Rainhill made no secret of his love, except to my sister. The truth reached the ears of his father. Then his lordship un derstood that his son was a man of action and determination. The late Lord Rainhill resorted to diplomacy, lie dropped his autocratic treatment of Duncan Armitage; he assumed instead the role of an affectionate parent. He let fall no hint that he knew of h:s son's shameful love story; he announced to the world his son' engagement to my oister, Helen Howard. Better Helen Howard and her poverty than Zilla, the itinerant singer! But Duncan was determined to marry the girl he truly loved. The only thing that really troubled him was the engagement between himself and my innocent, confiding sister. He rescued Zilla from the tyranny and cruelty of the rranjwho was supposed to be her father." "Do you refer to John Seton?'' Mi&s Vavasour interrupted, white to the lips. "I believe that was his name. It was Seton, at any rate, though it had been something else in previous years. But lam coming to that. You appear to have read of the affair, Miss Vavasour? "Yes —partly, but newspapers are ao unreliable," was the faint reply. She shivered violently. "Are you cold?" His heart sank within him. He remembered that he had to tell his own story yet. "Oh, no; the evening is delightfully warm! Pray continue, or we may be interrupted soon!" Cecil Howard continued rapidly: "I have said that Lord Rainhill rescued the poor girl he loved so well from the hands of tnis fellow Seton, and placed her in what he hoped was a safe asylum until he could marry her. The late peer had his son's movements watched—and I do not* wish to prejudice you against your friend and chaperon—but Mrs Francillon was instrumental in putting the late Lord Rainhill in possession of Zilla's address." I TO FTC OONTINttED.I