SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9671, 9 December 1909, Page 2

SIR JOHN'S HEIRESS.

CHAPTER Vl.—Continued

"It is my own choice, and I am happy and independent. Besides, I am too old now to do the work that would be exp:cted ot me. My last mistress left me money enough to keep me for the rest of my days.'" "But it ia a lonely life!" Hilda said thoughtfully, her face flushing. "I feel 1 could not live without love now." Miss Lewis sighed. "There," Hilda cried gleefully, "don't you think that 1 look real nice, as the Americans say? What a pity tiie weather is so bright and warm! I should so like to wear my furs'" Mies Lewis looked amazed. "I know you thought it needless extravagance on my part to buy such things,'' Hilda wert on; "butlwant to vex Miss Morgan and the girls who have sneered at me behind my back. Never mind—l will wear r.hem tomorrow. I would do anything to annoy them! I wonder what my hateful old urcle will think of the news 1 sent him last night! You have quite finished, Miss Lewis? Thank you so much! Now, lam going to make a call upon the rector;, and I shall endeavour to meet Miss Morgan and the girls somewhere." Miss Lewis smiled feebly. "You are a most fortunate girl, Miss Carrington!" "Yes—l think I am," Hilda slowly answered. "But it is along lane that has no turning, and until nbw my life has been so dreary!" She drew nn her gloves and picked up her sunshade. "What a little wretch I am!" she thought, as she stepped into the street. "Oh, but it is so sweet to be revenged upon my enemies!" Then, as she became conscious of the glances of passers-by who had known her at the school, her heart thrilled. How respectful everyhody had become all at once the baker who supplied the school with bre?d touched his cap. "'Fine featheis make fine birds'" thought Hilda. On reaching the rectory she rang the bell, remembering as she did so that she reaHy had no business with Mr Jarvis. There was a flush on her cheeks and a sparkle -in her dark eyes, and her heart beat wildly. It was a shame to interrupt the goo-1 man at that unconvential hour, but she wanted to thank him for his kindness, ar.d— At that moment the door was opened by Mrs Jarvis, and Hilda's brow clouded; the rector's wife had always been a thorn in her side. "Oh, it is you, Miss Carrington" sorutiniaing the defiant-looking girl from head to foot. "You wish to see the rector? Come in, if you please" Her manner was almost genial. "Mr Jarvis is in his studysermon day, you know—always a nuisance. No one must speak; and, as for the children practising on the piano Well, men rarely have any thought for anyone except themselves."

"Pray don't let me interrupt the rector" Hilda hastily said. "My business is of no importance, Mrs Jarvis." "Nonsense, my dear, Miss Carrington. It can't be of less importance than sermons for wnich he gets the most scanty stipend. Besides, you must hear the news abau*; Sir John Carrington." "Sir John Carrington?" Hilda's head was held haughtily erect. "I dont' think that any news concerning Sir John can be of interest to me." She remembered htr letter to him —jubilant, scornful, defiant. Her heart had been made very bitter bj the ciuel wrongs that she had endured so long, and she had not paused to pick and choose her language. "Now, listen to my husband making all that noise—and no one elae in the house dares to speak on sermon day" Hilda stood irresolute. She disliked and despised Mrs Jarvis, whom she considered a peevish, vain, selfish woman. Never before had the rector's wife spoken so kindly to her or looked at her so pleasantly. The rector's sonorous voice rose and fell, and his * wife held up one finger. "Wait until he's«rlpre! That's the noiso 1 have to put*>up'with for hours together. He reads bis sermons over half a di'zen times before he is satisfied with them." A moment later Mra Jarvis burst into two little words: "My tear!" "Andrew, just put that stuff away for a bit; here is Miss Carrington. I was quite tired of w&itwig out there in the passage But, of course, you mustn't be interrupted!" The rector advanced, holding out a hand kindly. Ha could not disguise his amazement at Hilda's altered appearance; she l'ol:ed years older. » "I oughtn't to have come bothering you just now," she began. "Sit down, my dear! I have just finished my serm<,n," he added,

BY F. L. DACRE, Author of "A Loveless Marriage," "A Change of Heart," •'Trtsnholme'a Trust," "A Caso for the Court," Etc, etc.

flushing faintly, and glancing at a small pile of manuscript. "I told Miss Carrington that you usually had a rest about this time," hia wife remarked. "Now ycu had better tell the young lady about ths accident to Sir John Carrington. and the inquiries that his servants have been making here." Hilda turned deathly pale. An accident to Sir John? Oh, that cruel letter! "Icon know nothing of it, I see," the rector said. "Well, Sir John was hurt a week or more since during one of his wild midnight rides. There was no moon, and. galloping at his usual headlong speed, he put his horse at a fence, and the animal jumped shirt, falling backward, and seriously injuring Sir John's spine. At first, he treated the accident lightly, but now he knows that he has j not long to live. No one heard anything of the'affair in tne village until this morning, and I wag corning to set you as soon as I had finished my sermon." He glanced sorrowfully at his manuscript. "You ought to have gone at once!" his wife exclaimed. Hilda flushed an indignant glance at Mrs Jarvis, but the rector's wife was smiling at her sweetly. "I am very sorry to hear of the accident to Sir John," the girl said, "but it cannot affect me in any way. He has always regarded me in the light of an incumbrance, and I can never forget that he had me thrust from his doors." "iMy dear child, you must forgive if you cannot forget!" the rector answered gently. "Sir John has evidently repented of his harshness, for I he wishes to see you at the Castle." Hilda's face flushed again. "It is impossible, Mr Jarvis! I wrote to him Jast night. Had I known that he was ill, I should not have done so. I think that I told him how much I hated him and his money; and I know that I boasted of my forthcoming marriage, and gloried in the fact that I should be dependent upon his miserable charity no longer. No; he will not wish to see me after that. I want nothing from him; but you can tell him how sorry l am that he is ill!" The rector smiled blandly. "Your letter has done no harm, Miss Carrington. Sir John is just the sort of man to be pleased with it. He sent a carriage to Harlech School fov you not an hour since, and Miss Morgan referred the driver to me." Hilda's dark eyes flashed. "A bitter pill for Miss Morgan!" she said. The color came and went in her cheeks, and she found herself breathing hard. "What must I do, Mr Jarvis?" "There is no question about that. I told Sir John's man that I would take you to the Castle this afternoon,, I did not want yuu to be taken by surprise; aid, fortunately, your letter did not contain your new address. You will go, of course?" He regarded her anxiously. "I djn't want to, but I suppose I must. I certainly should not enter the Castle but for Sir John's illness!" "My dear, it may mean so much for you!" Mrs Jarvis murmured. "Do you think khat I would touch ose penny of my uncle's money?" the eirl scornfnly demanded. "I would rather work my fingers to the bone, after the manner in which hd I has treated me !" ■■

"You would think differently after E experiencing suc'i povery asou's!" 1 Mrs Jarvis said plaintively. "I gave E myselt to Mr Jarvis when I was 1 young and innocent " A "Yes; I will be ready to go with fi you at three o'oolck," Hilda said to I the long-suffering rector. "And I can S never thank you sufficiently for your 1 thoughtful kindness." § She rope, at d the rector regarded her earnestly. = "Three Vclock, Miss Carrington. And I beg of you not to permit your pride and jour temper—pardon me for saying it—to stud in the way of . your win lc future! I have no respect for wealth as such, or for people in high places " "That is just where wa shall never, agree," interrupted his wife. Hilda tc.ik her leave, outwardly calm, hut with her heart in a tumult. Mrs Jarvis saw her to the door, and then watched her from the window. "She'll be a great lady yet, Andrew ! And I have hardly a rag to my •«• b'aok —and it's more than six months .bef i!re the'next Easter offerings are >. due! I'm eure everybody looks down upon mo, and I'm ashamed to 'have anybody in the parlor, what with the shabby carpet and the oldfashioned mantel. Why, I declare if . she hasn't passed riaht by Miss Morgan and the schoolgirls without looking! Standing on her digr.-ity al- " /ready! I should like to see hew she'll snub that beggarly .\oung lawyer now! Oli, there's bnby !" Mrs Jarvis flounced away, ai;d the rector heaved a sigh of relitf. 'JO 1161 COKTIiVUt.D.