FIGHTING HER WAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9716, 11 February 1910, Page 2

FIGHTING HER WAY.

CHAPTER XVI. I TAMING A SHREW. There stood Gertrude Carrol, in all j the regal splendor of her crimson j velvet dinnsr dress and diamondsshe had flung off the rich fur cloak that enveloped her entire form, and now towered hefore them like an angry empress arraigning some ?uilty intriguers against her sovereignty. The jewe.s on her bare neck and arms flashed redly as the leaping flame in her furious eyes. It was an ordeal to put a man's nerve to the test, which Miss Carrol imposed on her affianced husband. But perhaps no man was ever better constituted to deal with a woman of Gertrude's type, fiercely passionate, vulgar to the core, and imperious as a duchess. Had Roland lost his temper, or in any manner betrayed the deep disgust he felt at her conduct, there would have been a fearful scene of violent accusation, and perhaps disgraceful abuse; for Gertrude was just in the mood to fling prudence to , the winds, and let her angry passions storm over her at their wild will. Jealousy had taken such hold of her that nothing would have been too gross for her to do or to say. Her low blood was all on fire, and her affected gentility had been for the time consumed in the flame. But before she could make any further remarks R land rose before her, cold as an iceberg, freezing her into silence, and something like awe, with the majesty of his manhood. Despite the rollicking gaiety of his happier mood, there were times when he could be stern and implacable be yond expression—this was one of the times, and Christine, 'glancing up at his, fancied a foot had beer, added to his stature, and a mask been drawn over his face, so utterly had his aspect changed. 'Allow me to see you home, Miss Carrol.' He spoke quietly, and with the air of (a man who had neither thought of fear of being contradicted -nor was he. Stooping to pick up the fur cloak she had dropped, he gave her a swift glance, that said: 'You have gone as far as you dare.' He placed her cloak round bar shoulders with perfect respect, drew her hand through his arm, and turning to Christine, said, with a low bow: 'Good evening. Miss Castlebar. I will return in an hour to finish my conversation with you, or to-morrow, as you may prefer.' 'To-morrow, please,' said Christine, timidly; the whole scene was so strange and sudden, that she felt bewildered by it. Gertrude had flashed on her like a magnificent young Fury, and dazed her brain for a while; she felt she must have time to recover from the shock of her presence and her words. At the door stood Miss Carrol's carriage and liveried servants. Silently Roland placed her within it, and said, as he stood aside to let the footman close the door: 'I will join you at home directly.' ' Why not get in and ride with me?' sh'e asked, in a half-frightened way, for she was thoroughly cowed by his stillness and dignity, as if he had struck her—indeed, much more so, for she was of the stuff to give a man blow for blow. This overmastering self-control in Roland was the only thing that could have sundued such a Tartar. 'I prefer to walk, thank you,'he replied, moving off in the direction of Madison Square. With a heart like a stone in her J breast Miss Carrol returned home, and waited in her boudoir for the appearance of the man she had so bitterly outraged. She had translated his countenance with sufficient correctness to arrive at the conclusion that only by the most perfect humility and apology could she bridge over the gulf that her hot, unwomanly attack on his private affairs had opened. By the time she heard Roland's ring her subjugation was complete In her cowardly fear of losing him she would have let him trample her in the dust. It is thus that women of her sort love , She sat trembling and afraid when he entered. He was pale as marble, and the deep blackness of his hair and mustache, the dark sullen fir,e in his eyes, made the whiteness so intense that hia face looked unnatural. He stopped in Iront of Gtrtrude's chair, from which she had i.ot risen. Resting his two hands on the back of the one she had already placed for him, he remained standing as he said, with a calmness fatal to her hope: 'Miss Carrol, how dared you insult me so unwarrantably?' 'Oh Roland! Don't don't!' dhe. cried, helplessly, and covering her face, as if to hide herself from the cold and bitter contempt on his lip and in his look. 'Answer me—how dared you?' 'There, Roland —read that, and you will understand that it drove me mad with jealousy.' A mobt withering scorn flashed from every Mneament as he perused

i ' BY ROSE ASHLEIGH. I » Author of "Eleanor's Luck," "The Widow's Wager. ' "Pure Gold/' ' Etc, etc.

the words, whose import he plainly comprehended and of whose origin he had not doubt. 'And would you so debase your own dignity and outrage mine as to Idnd yourself to the low enmity of some unknown scoundrel by allowing this to affect you for a moment?" he asked, as Tie cast the letter into the fire and watched it burn. 'But it was true, Roland, and I did find you with that creature!' sobbed Geitrude. •that woman, whom you injure with your senseless jealousy, and unjust suspicion, is as far above us both. Miss Carrol, as the star from the dull stones on which it sheds its ray. Until two weeks ago I never saw Miss Castlebar. The purest accident gave me a chance to befriend her. I have never breathed a word of passion to her, nor held any communication with her whatever that I should object to having had my own pure mother witness. All this I say, not to defend myself—you are welome to think what you will of me—but to protect a spotless woman from the calumnies of a dastardly coward that dares not acknowledge his words.' 'Oh, do forgive me, Roland! I believe you, and trust you, and, my won life, I worship you !* She had flung herself at his feet, and with her bare arms stretched upward against him, and her weeping face bowed on them, thus entreated him. tie put her firmly away from him, and said sternly : 'Miss Carrol, 1 forbid you ever again to utter such language to me. This night has cancelled all between us. You have offered me a deadly affront that would make marriage with you a crime. I was willing to'sacrifice myself for the preservation of your honour; but you have rendered that sacrifice void by your wanton disregard of all the rights of a gentleman. Sooner than become the husband of a woman who had so sinned against me, and her own decency, I would fight every inch of my way through the balance of my life.' 'Roland! Roland, you cannot —you shall not punish my folly so—l repent —I beseech your pardon—l will not be abandoned by you!' she cried out, in a reckless way. He answered, coolly: 'Take care how you attract the notice of a third person this time, Miss Carrol, for I warn you I will not repeat the chivalrous conduct of the opening act.' His words were so keenly sarcastic that they stung her to something like self-command.She sprang to her feet, and confronting him with the look \of a demon, she hissed through her set teeth:

'lt is but a wretched subterfuge you employ to rid yourself of our engagement, that you may marry that doll-faced girl whom you think so far above me. We shall see if there cannot be two for this game.' 'You think without reason, and I will not hear you a moment longer. Say (o your friends that you broke your engagement with me, and assign any decent cause you please—l will indorse your statement; but never breathe Miss Castlebar's name in dishonour, or otherwise, in connection with this affair, and rest assured you will repent it to»your last hour.' He turned to the door. Gertrude tried to prevent his passing by sprining before him; but he put her aside and went away, leaving her prone on her sofa. CHAPTER XVII.

CHRISTINE'S LOVER. After Roland and the handsome termagant had left her, Christine Castlebar sat for a time too stunned by the scene just exacted to frame her ideas into connected thought. What on earth could this strange woman mean by thrusting herself with such haughty insolence into her presence to attack Roland Marlow so savagely? And was it true, as she had said, that he was her lover, and she his affianced wife? At this point in her confused reflections Christine felt a deathlike pain throb through her. Roland Marlow was nothing to her—never could be anything to her save the courteous gentleman whose lot in life lay many circles away from her humble fortunes, But nature is ever the sovereign of Reason, and poor Christine now, fur the first time, clearly realised how her tancy cad fastened itself to her noble be.uty of this same gentleman, that she now learned was mortgaged to one of the most notable and wealthy women in the city. Forthwith she began to upbraid herself for the feeling of anguish that th's information created in her. TO BE CONTINUBD