SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9664, 1 December 1909, Page 2

SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

BY F. ( L. DA.CUE, Author of "A Lo vol ess Marriage," "A Change of Heart," ••'J'reiinolme'a Trust," "A C,iso for tho Court," Etc, etc.

CHAPTER I.—Continued.

"VictorShu lilared flown at herself depreeatingly." You will have to take ina i;fi 1 am? I havo only my Sunday frock besides these faded things, and in money I just two shillings and nineper.ca. 1 counted it after dinner, and wondered if 1 could afford a new pair of gloves. My devoted father has forgotten my existence I haven't had a letter from him for years, so there will he no help from tuat quarter. And, although my uncle is wifeless and chiidlwss He kissed tier suddenly on the lips, and was delisted to see thej color rush into her cheeks. jr| (■'? '■ "i'hat w!!'i ttfliinf? a mean advar.t----ap-e !" iJi!cia cosily s:\-d. '"Lon't J.o cr(.s-3, doai—l never did it before! 1 ' '"'V

"And yo'.i mu;:t not (In it a {.jam until this umtU-i' is settleil between us."

"You t::iu v.s ii' it were a bnuinei's contract, hut; I believe toe depths of y< ur heart are stinvd nt last." "And, although n 'y unclt; 13 } vl±c " less and childless," she continued, "I have no claim upon him Miss Morgan tl;as told :ne that he is a very clever man, and has deserved well of his country. He was in the diplomatic ssrvic;', or something ot the kind, lung before I was born. My father is many yoats younger than he, and, I suppose, received a younger sun's portion and squandered it. I know thai he has always been miserably poor. Then it was a mean thing to send me to Llanberis! We are not Welsh pcopl;, at all, and Sir John only purchased 'jastle so that he could hide himself from the world which kt.ew him. Mi S3 Morgan s..vs that I am a thorn in his side, and tnat ho hopes I shall soon be able to get my own living by teaching. When that happy time arrives he will y;ive me —what do you think? On condition that Igo away from Lhnberia-hundreds of miles away —he will Rive me fifty pounds to start a new lite with!" "Then you will not be quite a portionless bride, Hi.da," her biver said carelessly, not dreaming of (he wrath and contempt that were to follow. '•And do you thir.K that 1 would touch my ui cle's n.oney upon Euch terms? Do you think that I shall know rest and contentment until the money which he bus already expended upon me is repaid to the uttermost farthing? He understands my feelings toward hi n. I have written to him "

She paused, almost overcome by her passion. "Written to him?" echoed Victor blankly. "Yes; and demanded a statement of what I have cost him !" "Great heavens," exclaimd her lover; "what a strange girl you are! Sir John must have felt bitterly hurt!"

Her breast rose and fell rapidly; her hands were tightly clenched; her face was while.

"How can he fetl hurt? It is 1 who am the sufferer. Read that, and you will know what kind of man my hateful, unnatural uncle is!" She drew a well-worn letter from her pocket, and thrust it almost rougMy into Victor's hands. "The writing is blurred," the gitl said; "blur»ed by angry, hopeless tears, I have read it over and over again, and see no ray of hope no possibility of getting cut of this man's debt. How could my careless, selfish father have allowed such in ■ dignities to be heaped upon me? I have been worse oft' than the commonest beggar who goes from door to door, for even he is independent. I have been fcneered at by Miss Morgan, and Buffered the covert insults of her wretched pupils!" Then she laughed hysterically. "But now the gates of freedom are openinc beiore me."

Victor pressed one of her hands affectionately, and proceeded to read Sir John Carringtun's letter, which ran us follows:

"Miss Hilda Carrington : I approve of you* sentiments, but hope that they are not as flimsy as your father's honour.The amount I have been forced to expend upon you —or see my good name mixer! >;p with soine pauper question—is easily calculated. One hundred pounds per annum, in advance, has been paid to IVjiss Morgan for eight years. Utslefs you make some efl'oit to earn your own jiving, a further sum of one hundred pounds will become due to that lady on the iirst day of January r.ext. You are a young woman now, and, equipped with a good education, a good wardrobe. and. the sum of fifty pounds, I should imagine that you ought to be aljie U> lelieve me of a very paititui burden. However, the report concerning you from Miss i. organ, is anything but reassuring, and I regard your ourst ot virtue for what it is worth-- -nothing ! "Yours, etc., "JOHN CARKINGTON."

Victor turned the l2ttr;r over two or three times with a deep frown on his brow. "It is remarkable that a man of

CHAPTER II

Sir John Carriiicrton's character should write *o a motherless girl in this way. He was famous twenty yeara ago for his administrative ability, and must have had the power of reading other men's minds —of accurately Raging character and motive.'." "Does it folluvv that he is able to road a woman's mind''" she asked scornfully. "Besides, he is mad now -everybody says so!" "Wiiy do they say so?" with a quick deprecatory vnovemtnfc. "He iives like a hermit, he swears at his servants, and ride" madly through the fields and woods on a fiivy horse at midnight!"' "Not very- conclusive!" Victor answered, returning the letter. "And you have wiiticn no reply to this?" " Ycs vt's !" Her dark eyes flashed again, and she stamped her right foot. "1 have spurned his ofl'er, and declared my intention of lejuing Mi?s Morgan and Ll-inlicris immediately; and I have promised to repay every shilling of the debt I have incurred, with compound internet, even if I have to work my fingers to the bone! I told him that I hated him, loathed him, and—and —lota of other things which I forget now." "Poor little Hilda!"

"Don't call me 'poor little Hilda!' I can't bear it. Besides, lam net little!" She shivered violently. "The sun has quite gone, Victor, and the wind is cold —like death!"

"Shall we go down the hillside to the valley? No—not that way. It will not be quite daik for anothter hour, and, since you have written that dreadful letter to Sir John, you need have no fear of Miss Morgan." Hilda hesitated, and flushed lesent fully. "I J} have'no fear of her; she is afraid of me. A hundred pounds a year for eight years, and she had not spent a fourth of the money upon me ! As for my education, she has made me pay for that in all kinds of drudgery. I have beeii a governess and a servant combined! I have received the kicks, but not the halfpence." "Take my arm, Hilda, the hillside is steep." She obeyed. It was so nice to have some one to Jean upon!

"MY ROOF SHALL NOT SHELTER YOU t ,FOr< ANOTHER HOUR!"

$ The night to be lovely. There was not a cloud in the sky, and a full moon was rising, so on to shed her radiance over woodland, cr;;g and plain. "We had belter settle this business at once, Hilda. ' Victor Linton said abruptly, giving the civl's arm a fond pressure. "You are ur.dor the impression that ycu owe Sir John Carrington eight hundred pounds??" "Eight hundred pounds," sr:e re peattd. "But it is not merely ati impression, Vetor." "Perhaps not," he said doubtfully. "Well. I will not pretend that I have such a sum at command,

"I would not accept it it you had," she quickly interrupted. "Not as my wife?"

"I won't be your wife if you suggest such a thin.; ! I met 2on to-day because you sent me tiiat nnte, and I intended at king you if you could introduce me to some lady who wanted a companion—yuii seem to have so many friends! I had not the faintest d- a of—of " "Of wtiatV" lie s:;id mischievously.

"Of our talking of love and marriage! Wo have been such prod friends, and I liked ai.d t;riut-:ij you.'" "And now you are learning to iove me, Hilda?'' "Oh, Victor—l think I am!"

He felt that her hand trembled, and he'saw tears glittering in her eyes.

"You liked and trusted me, and now I wait your love as well as your trust If 1 app vu' to be overbold, over coriiicleut, Hilda, you must remember that a mac is useless in my profession unless he has unlimited cheek. When I found myself at Lianbjris 1 was desperately annoyed, as I had arranged ;o join a friend at B ttisford. It was the result of getting into the wrong train." "And what became of your I'riet.d?" "Oh. he went off somewhere else In disgust! When J. found myself her.', I enjoyed the wild, beautiful scenery for a we k or two, struck up an acquaintance with the rector-—he knows some people whom I know in town —and there you are; then I met you, and you amine::! me."

Hilda reddened. "Spure me, Victor!" -she winspert d. "I would not have you the least different for !I the world! Your originality, your ingenuousness, your wicked temper —all appealed to nie. You defied Alisfi Morgan because I Kuifl that you wura al'raH, and you smoked cigarettes )jee;!iK-;e it horrified the eotd old rect'jr. You confided your little Uoiibl.s to me, and huilicd ti.e, and n adc nu; love yon—worship you—you naughty little witch ! And now I want yo.j In marry n\e.'' "Wiltin; £*ui askul, quietly and softly. TO !!K eOM'l'lNl.'ED.