SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9665, 2 December 1909, Page 2

SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

BY F. L. DACEE, Author of "A L 3 ".'less Marriage," "A Change of Heart;," •'Tieiiliolmo's Trust/' "A Case for the Court," Etc, etc.

CHAPTER 11.-

- Continued

"At once—roxt week or the week after! We can Le married here, in the dear old church; Mr Jarvis will be delighted to make us one." "It ia very sudden —awfully sudden!" Hilda whispered. "And won't Miss Morgan end the girls be astonished! I don't think I can give you my answer straight awsy; I wish that 1 had some one to advise me; I am only a child " "Your own heart is your best guide, darling. Now, I will tell you my plans','* Victor went on quickly. "I am going bark to Harlech School with you to-night, .0 explain to Miss Morgan how matters have been arranged between us. Oh, the lioness ha.- no tenon; \iov mt! And, after all, I don't think that she ia so very bad, Hi kin.'" "You do : *t\kr.ow her as I do! She is always nice to gentlemen."

"i believe that she has cast eyes of admiration upon me!" Victor continued, wi'h mock seriousness. "And she calls me 'dtar Mr Linton!' and insists on my sitting near her and on pouring out my tea at the rectory." "The wretch !" Hilda laughed outright, a sweet, cherry laugh that echoed like gladsome music. Her big black eyes sparkled, and there was a touch of red in her thin cheeks. Victor stopped and gazed into her face.

"This is more like your real self, darling—and some day you wrll be a beautiful woman. Oh, about your plans! We mustn't wander from the subject and I think that we had bet ter turn our steps homeward now; I haven't much more to tell you." He paused and gazed up at the brightening moon. His heart was beating quickly. It was hard to realise that this girl would soon be hia wife.

"I am listening," Hilda said, "and I can deny you nothing, Victor."

"Kiss me, then!" he said quickly "Kisa me of your own free will!"

She turned and flung her arms about hia neck, a fierce, uncontrollable sob bursting from her lips. "Victor, Victor, 1 can't help it'. You have made me love you, and now I would die for you!" He was amazed and delighted, and pressed her tightly to his heart. "That settles everything, my darling! We will gn straight to Miss Morgan and tell l;er the simple truth. Then I will imerview the rector, and run up to London to arrange one or two urgent matters—break the news to the governor and the mater, and so forth. Ihey will be delighted to hear that my future wife is the niece of the famous Sir John Carrington, and the mater will love you. She is such a dear sou!! As for the governor, he has often said that marriage is the only thing to cure me of my roving propensities and my love of literature. Then we will be married quietly, • without otsentation, and have a delightful honeymoon"—his mind was busy with the subject of ways and means—"it does not matter where for the moment. And after that we can settle down to an ideal existence; you shall be my secretary, Hilda—my literary right hand, to typewrite my stories, and attend to my'correspondence, and that sort of thing.'

'•Oh, I shall be so happy, Victor!" cried Hilda delightedly. "And I will try to be good."

' "And the money you earn in that way," he went on rather desperately, "will be your own; you must let me give you what I should pay a professional secretary if you did not act as one for me. You will be perfectly at liberty to use it as you please, and in a few years you will be able to cry quits with your uncle.'.' "May I write and tell him so?" The blood rushed to her face.

"That is just what you should do. But it will soon be 'good night,'my love; here we are at the school gates. To-morrow I shall come to the school to see you—to-morrow, in the after ■ noon. We shall no longer be afraid of Miss Morgan."

"Afraid, Victor? No, indeed!" Then, exultantly, "How fortunate! Miss Morgan is alone in the front parlor—waiting, doubtless, to give me a lecture!"

She rang the bell, and the door was opened by the housemaid. "La, Miss Carrington, how late you are." the girl exclaimed, with out noticing Hilda's companion. "She's in there," she whispered; "and I should wonder if you aren't in for a rumpus; don't answer her back, miss." She shrank back in alarm at the sound of Victor Linton's voice. Hilda laughed contemptuously. "Don't be frightened, Sarah—you have seen Mr Linton before. He is my friend. You have always defended me, and I shall never forget you."

Saraji giggled 1 ysterically, and omitted to knock at Miss Morgan's door before opening it —a serious breach of discipline. Then she presented a sciirltt face to the amazed and dignified schoolmistress. "Miss Carrington, ma'am, if you please," she said. Hilda was close upon the girl's heels. Her head was held haughtily

erect, her great black eyes gleamed, and she walked in confidently, conscious of her coming triumph.

The schoolmistress faced her. Angry word:', of which she had an un> limited store, burst from her lipa. Then she ceased with startling suddenness, and exclaimed: "Oh. Mr Linton!" She stared at him for a second or two, then averted her face in confusion.

Victor pfaced his right arm protectively around Hilda's waist, and she glanced up at him gratefully, although her lips quivered, anJ the eoler forsook her cheeks.

"Oh, Mr Linton'' —Miss Morgan's face was sttill averted —"I am bitterly grieved, that you should have witnessed this dreadful scene, but that bad, bad girl makes ray l't'e a misery! t She leaves the school without permission—indeed, against my express commands—and wanders about thGj village at night like the shamelesSjhussy she is, with—with the village clodhoppers——" "How dare you? How dare you say such things of me?" Hiida advanced a step, her eyes flashing with scorn and contempt. . "You hear her now, Mr Linton? She is utterly beyond my control, and her tempur will be her ruin. It has been her ruin already, for Sir John Carringtcn ha 3 washed hid hands of her."

She turned her head toward them, and a low cry escaped her lips, for Mr Linton's arm was around the girl's waist; and Mr Linton was championing her cause—she saw that from his flushed and angry face, from his indignant glance. "Miss Morgan,'' he said in fierce tones, "hitherto I have always helieved you to be a lady worthy of my respect! Unless lam a 'clodhopper,' Mi.ss Carrington is innocent of your a malicious charge! As for her uncle, she h perfectly independent of him, and requires neither his friendship nor his chanty. Within a few days—a couple of weeks at most-she will be my wife!" The schoolmistress flung up] her hands in a way indicative of\,rage and unbelief. '"Monstrous!" she exclaimed. "A child like that? How dare you deceive her? And who are you, Mr Victor Linton? A stranger, an adventurer, with a wife somewhere else, no doubt! And she is Sir John Car> rington'a niece! But you won't get a penny from Sir John! He disowrn her completely, because—because——Oh, I cannot tell you why!"— which was strictly true. As for you, you little traitress, you must have been carrying on for weeks with this young man! Go! My roof shall not shelter you jfa another hour!" She Anger to the worV ht7 race convulsed with passion; but Victor Linton coolly interposed. "Madam, have oeen good enough to call me an adventurer, but, 'at any rate, I am a lawyer, and know how to protect Miss Carrington from your scurrilous tongue!" He turned fiercely upon her. "She remains here for at least another week, Oi you shall refund the money which her uncle has paid to you for her maintenance until next year! Moreover, she shall be properly treated, or I will make you prove, if you can, the aspersions you have cast upon her character and mine! Now, I trust, you fully understand that I am not to be trifled with. Hilda, are you satisfied?"

She looked bravely into his eyes. "You know what is best, Victor. I am not afraid of Miss Morgan." "Only one night shall you remain under this roof!" cried the schoolmistress." I warn you both! She has threatened to kill me—l will swear to it!"

With a scathing glance at the lovers, she darted from the room, and they heard her strident voice giving orders to the strvantj.

Victor took Hilda into his strong arms and kissed her swiftly nad passionately.

"See what trouble I have brought upon you," he saids*. "and all through my precipitate love-making! I suppose that you must leave here to-mor row—l hate your staying even for one night—but it will not be difficult to find lodgings for you in the village until we can start anew together. You will be ready in the morning—say, at eleven o'clock, darling?" "Yes." She merely breathed the word, but there was a world of meaning in it, and her eyes were filled with tears.

"Hilda—Hilda, what is* the matter?" "Can't you guess, Victor? Can't you see that I am beginning to realise the true meaning of love? But fo you I should cot have a friend in all the world, and I meant to start life alone, if I had to beg my bread. The girls and the teachers here all dislike me, and I hate them—l hate them' The only creature who has ever spoken a kind word to me is the housemaid." She sobbed with her head on his shoulder. "What a little fool I am!" Tj HE COVITNUIm.