THE DOUBLE SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9621, 14 October 1909, Page 2

THE DOUBLE SECRET.

5 BY DUNCAN ItcGBEGOR $ Author of "Kennedy's Foe," '•lshinael. Eeforme U 5 "A Game of Three,'' "Edna's Peril," | ( Etc, etc. £

CHAPTER V.—Continued

"Dear Lady Astraea, I was afraid of betraying myself, and I never spoke ten consecutive words to Mr Probyn while he was here. When I by chance spoke to him, my voice and manner were constrained, my eyes fell, my face darkened as if I had been plotting some great damage to him. How like are often the outward signs of innocence and guilt." "Still metaphysical!" laughed her ladyship. "Come, go with me to the village; there are some sick and poor, and young babes there to whose wants I must attend speedily. We are going to town early." Lady Astraea and Pauline walked slowiy through the pretty hamlets, .stopping now to speak to some aged person sealed in the sun in a doorway, again to question a young mother about her numerous orogeny, or to ask after some aged dame's rheumatism. Lady Astraea pointed out one of the best houses in the village. "We will stop there. Susan Larkin was under-housemaid at the Towers when Lina was born, then upperhousemaid, and finally married Joseph Larkin, who had been for five or hix years in Australia; his grandmother lived in this cottage before them, and did up laces and fine muslins for our family." They stopped at the door. Susan Larkin's back was turned to the entrance, and a little girl was holding up her forefinger with a ring of old and peculiar workmanship, crying; "Mammy! here's the ring the lady lost. I found it in the straw of her bed-tick." "Let me see that ring," said Lady Astraea in a sharp voice. Mrs Larkin started, flushed darkly and taking the ring from the child with an' impatient motion, handed it to her ladyship. The lady examined it with care and evident agitation. "Where did you get this?" "It was lost, as the gal says, by a lodger here lately." "A lodger? What kind of a lodger?" "Oh, just an ordinary person, as lodges awhile in cottages." "Mammy," said the child, "she was a lady quite " "And what was name?" asked Lady Astraea. "Who was she?" "Mrs Winship, and I know no more of her," said Mrs Larkin. "Oh, mammy !" cried the unlucky child, "you seemed well beknownst to her, and 1 heard you talking of old times while I was in my bed." Mrs Larkin was so incensed that she gave the tattling child a furious blow with a wet dishcloth which she had in her hand. "Begging your pardon, my lady, for the loss of my temper in your ladyship's presence, but the child is such a liar, and it's myself don't know where she gets it." "Do you know, Susan, where the woman is to send her this ring" "No, indeed, my lady, no more'n a babe unborn." "Then, as it is valuable, I will care of it until you find her, and you will always know where to get the jewerl for her." "As you please, tny lady," said Susan Larkin, ill concealing her chagrin at this turn of affairs. "It is the mother,, not the child, who is lying," said Lady Astraea as they left the cottage. "If the little one is untruthful, I know where she gets the trait. Susan told lies, but what she did teli she stuck to with the most astonishing pertinacity- Stay, 1 must speak to Betty Holwith.'

Lady Astraea stopped at the cottage opposite Susan's home. "Betty, did you see Susan's lodger lately? What was she like?" "A lady, ma'am, I'd say, with a tali, beautiful figure, dressed in black, with a net veil on her face, and through the veil her skin lovely clear, and eyes dark and deep; but shew ad shy of going abroad by daylight. There's a heap of people in the world, my lady, who can't a bear sunshine on them or their ways. Whence she came or where she went no one here knows." The ring still clasped in her hand, Lady Astraea returned home, and dismissing Pauline, went to her son in the library. She laid the ring before him with one sole comment: "A lodger with Susan Larkin lost thin ring in her houses" Lord Thomas turned palp, took up the ring and laid it down. He called his mother as she turned away. "Mother, what do you know about this ring?" "I know that I gave it to you a quarter of a century ago ' "And, mother —stay, it was my engagement-ring to Agnes Clifford! ' There was such contrite anguish in his tone that his mother, a model of all honour, standing erect before him, gave no accusation, except in the general rebuke of her whole expression. "Agnes Clifford must then have been in this village lately. Tell me, mother, do you apprehend any trouble or complication from her?" "Yes, I do," said Lady Astraea; "and you do. No, my son, I aak of you a clear statement of what you fear. Where can she harm you?"

"Mother, through my child." "Through your child? Oh, heav er.s!" Lady Astraea reeled at the suggestion, and fell fainting into a chair. Lord Thomas rushed towar'l his mother in alarm, and exerted himself to restore her to conscioinness. In a few minutes this was affected, and he then resumed his explanation. "Agries Clifford," he said, "was a woman ot wonderfully tenacious purpose, intense pride, and a capacity for revenge that could destroy herself for the sake of destroying others. And yet, what a singular charm she had where she willed it! Capable of fascinating men like a Cleopatra. I fear that she will revenge herself on me by following up my daugh ter, making secret acquaintances with her, influencing her heedless, reckless, romantic mind, and bringing her into some low marriage that will disgrace our house. 1 shall ,then have yielded her revenge for the evil hour when I told her love might for me he the pastime of a summer's day, but a Harcourt muat marry his peer. Ah, mother, with what slow agonies do we atone for the sins of our youth!" "I had other ideas of hsr vengeance," said Lady Astraea. "Believe me, mother, it will come through Lina. That will be retribution of the dearest order. Mother, we will go'to London, and this giddy benuty shall be married." "Marriage does not end blunders, It is often the beginning of the greatest. If Lina marries where she does not love she may be more giddy than before, and less guarded." "She is affectionate; she will love. If she at d Dugald cannot make a match, let her take her cnoice. Ah, if I had such a daughter as Pauline Percy I should fear no tempter for her!" Lady Astraea turned away without replying. Once more Lord Thomas detained her. "We will leave the Towers, my lady, in two weeks, if that suits your convenience." Pauline was one of the first whom Lady Astraea told of their expected removal to the capital. The eirl meditated for a few moments, then said: "Dear Lady Astraea, will you not excuse me from going to London? I cannot go there now." "Why not? You must go some time, and now, under my protection —and if not there, where will you go?"' "I am in too deep mourning this year to go into society, and yet I should doubtless meet some who have known me as Persis Urmesby— all my miserable story would be discussed. I cannot go there, kind iriend, thus orphaned and nameless. Can I not stay here and work for you here were so many letters, journals, and cabinets for me to look over. See, leave me my task, and I will be a good child, and do it well." ' "AH those letters and papers, and cabinets are at our house at Marke Holme. They were sent there when we went last to the Continent. I have not been at Marke Huln.e for a quarter of a century almost." "Oh, pray'let me go there and attend to the work myself. I will put all in lovely order for you. I shall not be so very far from you and while I listen to the Mewday rippling and gurgling along by your old Holme Castle, I shall think it carries my message to you." "But, my dear girl, to go there without any chaperon!" I TO BK CONTINUED, i