THE DOUBLE SECRET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9639, 3 November 1909, Page 2

THE DOUBLE SECRET.

CHAPTER Xl.—Continued

Truth to tell the charms of Granitto,s society were heightened by the delights of circumvei.itig Aunt V., and Lina was perfectly ecstatic at the skilful and daring disguise of her Italian iover. Her closest espionage failing to discov r any comunication between Arriano and Lina, Mrs. Vilthorpe turned hei attention to Pauline, and grew more and more irritated on her account. Restored to the dress of ordinary* life, and Pauline wa<* one of the fortunate women who know how to dress well, in exquisite harmony and taste, and hadj moreover, the adundant treasures of Charlotte Ormesby to draw upon, Pauline became daily mors dangerous in the eves of Mrs. Vilthorpe. Un consciously to herself, Pauline was gaining a new interest in life from Dugald Probyn; had she suspected that she was experiencing more than a passing friendship for the heir-at-law of Lord Harcort and Charlotte Ormesby, she would have mustered up courage to fly hi 3 society, but she was at an age when young people enjoy rather than analyse, and she duped on in the unsuspicious delight of daily intercourse. He touched a dangerous subject one day when the family Wete gathered in the drawing room after dinner.

"Miss Percy, did you ever meet in London Miss Persis Ormesby!" "Miss -Ormesbv? Ah-h!" said Pauline', and away rolled her ball of worsted, hnd after it went Dugald, add returning, conlinued: "No? And did you never hear :.bout her? I used to know her years ago as a terrible little vixen of a little girl, and rather plain, too. But Lady Astraea has assured me that she is one of the loveliest and noblest young laiies living, and I only wish I couid meet her and be friends with her. She took a part a year ago that 1 think very noble," "Thank you for msntioning Lady Astraea." said Pauline. "I am sure she needs me. I must go to her." She glided away and Dugald vowed within nimsalf that he would never mention Lady Astraea again, and he looked after her as she moved along the parlour of the villa, making such a quaint picture, with its low ceiling crossed by frescoed beams, and its polished mosaiced flour, and for the first time in his lifd Dugald felt bitier at heart, and thought that fortune w«s a cruel stepmother to him. "Harcourt," he said, with irreverent reference to his elder' cousin, "may keep me out of the estates if he chooses, but he shall not rob me of the girl, if I fcan get her. He shall not have her!"

Now he found an unexppcted and unconscious ally in Mrs Vilthorpe, who, feeling that she had gotten the better of Lady Lina a* d vanquished Arriano, had time to turn her atten tion to Jfauline,. and to reflect that it would be well to remove her from the companionship of Lord Harcourt. The first person to attack was Pauline herself. "Lady Astraea is growing feeble, and showing her age," remarked Mrs Vilthorpe, taking a seat on the piazza where Pauline was making up bouquets. "Oh, I thought she was getting much better," said Pauline. "She show? advancing age in a certain negligtnoe in little things, and a carelessness that is foreign to her. For instance, Miss Percy', once she would have seen how dangerous ic would be to a young womon dike jourself to live here as you do. You have no mother, and so I mention it." "Why; I don't know what you mean!" cried Pauline, dropping her flowers. "I felt safer with Lady Astr*ea than anywhere else." "But other people might misinterpret your being here." i "The relations between Lady Astraea and and myself are entirely our own affairs:" said Pauline, stiffly, returning to her work. "Yes; but there is Lord Har court." "He is kind to his mother's guest and hig daughter's friends." "He is a widower, and hints have not been wanting that you have chosen your home with reference to him, and that you are not averse to being an elderly man's wife. The position might be eligible for you, but consider how absurd it would make Lord Harcourt at his age. For my part," added Mrs V., attacking each eye gently with her handkerchief, "while I cannot for one moment believe that my brother-in-law would so far forget his station as to marry beneath him, yet I have oo great a regarn for the memory of my deer dead sister to hear ese hints with patience. If you do

V BY DUNCAN MCGREGOR 1 (f Author of "Kennedy's Foe/" ''lshuiael Reforme 9 "A Game of Three," "Edna's Peril." 7 Etc., etc.

not intend to give rise to them, why it might he better to take positive steps to coutradict or stop them."

Pauline sprang-to her feet, her flowers rolled from her lap, her cheek was white, her eyes flashed, her figure quivered with indignation.

"Mrs Vilthorpe! how dar<s you speak so to me? I see—you wish fo drive me out of thia family." "I confess, Miss Percy, I for one should feel much more comfortable if you were out of it. To avoid complications "

Pauline wasted to hear no more. She fled to her own room. When there she had no mother to counsel her; indeed, when she had supposed that she had a mother, she had found iu Charlotte Ormesby no counsellor. Happy the girl who in such straits is able to take counsel with herself. In spite of Lady Astra a's chaperonage and affection Pauline felt herself alone; she must decide for herself. Was she now guilty of an im> prudence t.r likely to make herself an apple of discord in the Hareourt home? What did she feel toward Hareourt?—reverence, affection, admiration, but all of the frankest kind—not at all as she would feel toward & \over. The very idea of Lord Hareourt as a lover appalled her;, and for him, she exonerated him from ever having given word, looks, or even thought toward her that was other than staid, fatherly friendship. But how would she feel toward a lover, and where was the man who seemed to her fit for that position toward her? Then all at once Pauline knew that she must go, and that Villa Pazzi and Palazzo JRidolfi were alike dangerous ground to her, for they both seemed to her filled with Dugald Probyn, the destined lover of Lady Lica —the man to whom she had relinquished a fortune -- the one man of all the world whom she was too proud to marry. What I give up the fortune to him, and then take it back by beguiling him to seek a nameless, portionless bride! It was quite time that she went away. And she would go -the sooner the better. Still, not in any way to make herself conspicuous or questionable. If she announced her intention, it might be inquired into or argued over. One of the ladies of the legation, one of the trio of dowagers whon. she had oftenest seen at Lady Astraea's soirees, was stopping at Valambrosa, for a while belore she went to England. Pauline wrote to her asking to be allowed to avail herself of her company to London. Once there. Allan Bird sfiouid help, her tj find occuipation. - The letter was sent, aud Pauline was silent. If she had cried, or resented, or declared her intuition of leaving, Mrs Vilthorpe would have been satisfied, but she could not understand that while saying nothing Pauline meant to do sorm tiling, hhe concluded that Pauline intend* d boldly to remain, and play out htr game and win Lord Hareourt. Since tKe girl was invulnerable, his lordship might be warned,. She ventured into Lord Harcourt's sanctum.

"My dear brother, I wished to say j a few words to you." j Now, "dear brother," in Mrs Vil- | thorpe's muuth meant mischief. Lord Harcourt braced himself for war, i "What has Lina been doing?" j "It is not Lina in this case; it is —the—other young woman." i Miss Percy! Impossible! Miss Percy can have done nothing i worthy of censure. I wish Lina were like her. I admire Miss Percy greatly —very greatly. '* "So I see," retorted Mrs Vilthorpe. "So anybody can see; and it is quite plain, my'dear brother, that a designing girl is making a dupe of you , I felt it my duty to warn you; men are so blind.' * j "What under the heavens do you mean?" cried Lord Harcourt. "Just what I say," replied Mrs Vilthorpe, quite frantic. "That a girl is lacking in honour and modesty who visits interminably at the house of a man old enough *0 be her father, to entrap him into a marriage. Men of your age are bound to get infatu- j ated over such girls; but one thing is sure, when a girl .makes such a match j she is prompted by ambition, and i not love! and I warn you in time | that you will put a poor successor in my dear sister's place when you marry Miss Percy." Lord Harcourt sprang to his feet. "Madam! Mrs Vilthorpe! you pass all bounds of prudence; you take a liberty which cannot permit in calling my intentions thus into question. Tell me, I demand, have you hinted > of this mad notion to Miss Percy?" j I TO BE CONTINUED.! I