THE DOUBLE SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9618, 11 October 1909, Page 2

THE DOUBLE SECRET.

CHAPTER V. —Continued Loriy Lina, who. to her vexation, had been carefully guarded, and had seen little that was unconventional, tonic the stranger for a gipsy. A shrewder eye might have detected in this dress an assumed garb; the red cloak was worn, not like a tramp's wrapping but with a care and grace as of one accustomed to consult proprieties and opinions, and the step was not the slow, slouching gait of the stroller but that of one who frequents crowded city streets and public gafhering's. She stopped before Lina, who was too much engrossed in her lizard to notice the eager light arid dewy softening of the woman's sunken eye; the flush of hoce shilling like a sunrise across the faded beauty of her face, the eager tremi r of the mouth, that almost hindered speech. Still the inquiiy tt.at came was very commonplace : "Is ther? a path through here to a hamlet cell', d Harcourtfitlri?" "Yes," said Lina looking back, "follow out this path to a stile, and over a field, and you will soon reach the hoi:s3B." "And—is there - any inn there where I could stay?" Lina looked up a little surprised. Women seeking at the close of day for an inu where they night spend the night were not within her limited experiences. "Why, yes, 1 suppose so," she replied, "And is the path through here safe for a stranger? Are there no dogs? Dare I go on, my lady?" "Oh, yes," returned Lina indifferently; "nothing ever happens here, this is such a humdrum place." "One would think so, my lady, if such a beautiful young miss as you are takes her pleasuring alone i-j these woods."

Again if Lina had been shrewder, she would have observed an effort at common speech, that roughening the voice. "Let ire tell jour fortune, my lady. I know I can tell a true and beautiful fortune for you." "Oh, co!" cried the heedless girl. "I never had my fortune told, (jiana • mama would rot allow me. But nothere, I have left my purse, and have not even a sixpence with me." "Never mind, dear lady; good for good. I'll tell the fortune for your having told the way." She was about to take Lina'a hand, when an eager * light shot into her eyes. "1 dcn't want anything of you for the fortune, that's for showing the road, but the advice, my lady, I'll give you advice, and for the advice you will give me one of your rings, the plainest." "I hate advice," said Lina promptly. "Eh?" but not good advice—right wise advice. ' "Yes; I hate wisdom." "Eh, dearie? But not mine; surely you'll like mine, if I can ttll the fortune then you'xe safe to take advice. Come now, let me have your hand, ai<d a ring for advice." "Well, here's the ring," said Lina, laughing, and pulling off a plain gold band set with a single,opal.

"But you will put it on my finger," said, the woman. "I*"II noc have to say I tork your but you gave it. Put it here, and I'M wear it until I die." There was a prsvailmg earnestness in her manner. She held out her left hand, and disired the opal ring to be placed on the third finger, above a plain wedding-circlet. Lina slipoed her bauble in its place, still heedless ot the fact that some would quickly have observed, that this stranger's hand was shapely and small, very little roughened by hard work, and that as Lady Lina put the ring in its place, the woman's heart beat so wildly that the red cloak rose and fell, and her breath came fast and troubled, between her trembling lips. She clasped Una's soft white hand, and made a tremendous efforts for self mastery. She looked at the open palm and spoke: "Your are a rich young lady, with all that one can desire, and with many lovers. You have a grandmother and a father who are very proud, you are nineteen. You will marry a grand gentleman, travel in many lands, have houses and carriages; but do not want it too long. Tere is a lover that the father approves, and he is the right lover. He has a grand family and an old name, and he is the one that can stand between you and trouble. He has a strong heart. Don't wait too long. She that went searching through all the wood got the crooked twig at last, and not the.straight staff. Don't put it off. My lovely lady, marry this grand gentleman with the voice like music, and the blue eyes and brown hair; the lover who is tall, and straight, and pleas-ant-faced, with a straight nose and a fuil chin. I see such a lover; does my lady see him, too? That is my advice. Alarry him, and you will be happy ever after." "Go away with you, for a wicked woman'" cried Lina angrily, pulling away her hand. "You are just like all the rest, trying to choose for me and force my mir.d. I won't heed any of you; I'll choose for myself." "Oh," implored the woman, "for the love of Heaven, choose right.!"

V BY DUNCAN MKEGOE J 1 „ 1 V Author of "Kennedy's Foe," ''lshmael Eeforme 5 "A Game cf Three,'' "Edna's Peril," 6 2 °'° I

"You have bren put up to what you say by my father!" cried Liua. Hie woman shuddered. forbid!" she replied. "Then L.v my grandmama ?" "No, my darling—lady, I have not had one word from her." "Then I know well enough, and you need not cieny. Dugald Probyn himself as set you to say this." "Believe me, I never spoke with him I say this all from my own mind from what I read of your future." "Then you are not ashamed of yourself, you and all the rest, to be urging me to marry a man who never asked mc?" "But he will. If my lovely lady will but cease to play with the others, and turn a kind, maidenly lace to him, he will truly ask her at once, and her future is secure." "I wcn't take him if he does offer. I'll secure my future in some w.iy which pleases me better." "Think wiser of it. Lady Lina" cried the stranger, her eyes growing dark with earnestness. "Ob, I can see before you storm and danger ! I had a vision of a story sweeping on the top of the elm, and whirling the new fledged bird from its nest."

"Let it go," quoth Lina; "birds are better for being driven out to fly." "Ob, Lady Lina, I see before you the seasons moving on toward trouble and hurrying moons bringing great disaster. Child, take my advice, and assure yourself of a shelter." "I'm glad something is coming," said the incorrigible girl. "I am sick of endless quiet Let the storm come; I'd rather be out in it than in shelter." Ihe stranger woman suddenly fell on her knees, and clasped her arms closr-ly about the startled girl. "Hear me, I beg yru!" she cried passionately. "Oh, for your own sake, be warned! I implore you take his lordship's advice, and marry the man of his choice; so only yon can be safe." "Go away! Let me go!" cried Lina. "Let me alone, or I 3hall call for help. You are crazy, or you have been hired to say these things to me. (J:>, I tell you, they are useless." She put both hands on the kneeling woman's shoudlers, and pressed her strongly from her. The woman for one second grasped her more cloFel>. Lina thought that in the struggle the stranger's face bent far an instant to htr hand then she released her clasp, sprang up, drew her cloak about her, and hurried alongtho path to the stile. Lady Lina watched her gorig. The ti'l! red-cloaked figure, sCtpla and graceful in step, glided alung the darkening avenue of beceh;rees. Lina had hsd an adventure, but-it ruffled her, and she found adventures less agrecaole than slm had anticipated. She picked up her Shetland shawl, which had'fallen from her shoulders, wrapped it around her head and neck, and ran by the shortest way for the shelter of her own room in the Towers. I TO BE CONTINUED, i