FIGHTING HER WAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 979, 24 February 1910, Page 2

FIGHTING HER WAY.

CHAPTER XXV. —Continued

Mi' Derring, attended by a male close in the wake of Miss Carrol's voluminous train, End the solemn ritual of the Episcopal marriage service was introduced by a grand ..verture from the organist, after which the ceremony proceeded. No protesting voice interposed to arrest the sacrilegious rites when the minister demanded cause to be shown why this man and this woman should not be joined together in the holy bands that reach from earth to heaven or hell. From first to last the vows were assumed by each with unfaltering calmness, and the minister pronounced them 'man and wife/

Softly and sweetly the choir chanted a hymn of benediction, and the wedded perjured couple turned from the desecrated altar to meet the congratulations of their so-called friends, who filed uut of the church behind the bridal pair, and accompanied them to the Carrol mansion. One parson among the guests lingered behind all the others. He had stopped in the vestibule and stood in a shadowed niche just outside the inner doorway watching the procession pass him, and take its way down the street. His face wore a curious smile as he looked on at the pageant, his arms were crossed on his breast, and his head slightly drooped. Perhaps he was thinking of the narrow escape he had made ot being in Hubert Derring's place' beside the newly-made bride!

It was Roland Marlow, of course. As the last of the throng passed out he turned bis eyes expectantly toward the church door, the flush of some strong emotion was over his brow and cheek, his eyes scintillated restlessly, and he withdrew himself atill farther within the darkened nook as if he wished to be concealed. In a few moments a lady closely veiled, came out from the middle entrance, and glided through the vestibule. Her face was completely hidden, but the lithe elegrance of her graceful form was distinctly defined in the wakling dress of gray silk that fitted like magic to her perfect figure. On reaching the store she dropped a small velvet bag from her side", and stooping to pick it up a cluster of star jasmines fell unobserved from the brooch at her throat. She passed on, leaving the flowers on the floor. When she had disappeared Roland Marlow stepped out from his niche, gathered up the frail, sweet blossoms and thrusting them in his breast pocket took his way from the church, walking slowly in the rear of the lady, till he' saw her enter a shop in an adjacent 3treet. Then he turned back, and walked rapidly in the opposite direction; but a great change had come over his face—a radiance as of some secret ecstasy had displaced the sombre gravity it had previously worn. Instead of going, as he had been bidden to the wedding feast, he returned to his office, and when he found himself alone there took forth the spray of jasmine. Pressing it with fond passion to his lips, he said aloud: 'How strange that I should have found her among Gertrude Carrol's wedding guests!' Mis 3 Carrol returned as she had gone, alone with hsr father in her own carriage to the house much iu advance of the bridegroom and his friend.

On reaching home she repaired immediately to her boudoir and gave orders that no one should be admitted there save Mr Derring. He was to be shown up to her the moment he arrived.

Awaiting him, Gertrude stood before the window, her eyes fixed op the street, but their gaze seemed far away from the crowded thoroughfare. She turned herself haughtily and angrily toward the door as she heard her husband's steps approaching it. The moment he entered she exclaimed in a tone sharpened and intensified by repressed passion. 'You have lied to me, and basely duped me to compliance with your will. Christine Castlebar was in the church at our marriage. I saw her as I turned from the altar. And so did Roland Marlow.'

'Calm yourself, my love; your imagination has run wild with you. Surely you mistook some other person for the womafa you are so intensely jealous of.' 'Am I likely to forget or be mistaken about the woman whose beauty stole him from me?'

She seemed to spit the words like venom from her livid lips, and she looked an incarnate fury as she spoke.

Derring was not made of the material that a woman's or a devil's rage can intimidate, else he had surely recoiled from Gertrude instead of approaching her with tne masteriul look of power she had learned to dread. He seized her clinched hands in each of hi?, and his glance seemed to pierce her through as he said in a low but stern tone:

'Madam, you are now my wife. The past, with its mad frenzy and bootless passions, is gone with your former follies. Let me never heat

V BY ROSS ASHLEIGH. L Author of "Eleanor's Luck," "The Widow's Wager 5 "Pure Gold," ? Etc, etc.

CHAPTER XVI.

you refer to Roland Marlow again. As for the girl, she may or may not have been present at the marriage, and you are perfectly correct in surmising that I have practised a ruse upon you. I could never see the sense of a battle over a point that strategy could carry as effectually and with so much less trouble. Mrs Derring, allow ine to conduct you to your guests.' Strangely enough she made no show of resistance as he drew her hand through his arm. The fiery rage seemsd to have been quenched within her as suddenly and, utterly as an extinguisher puts out a candle flame. Although she was trembling from head to foot, she permitted herself to be led from the rouin to the parlours below, which were filled to a crush with sycophants, or curious gossips, eager to witness and retail the day's proceedings. In presence of this motley company, Gertrude's pride rose to the occasion, and she assumed and played out h3r rolw to perfection, receiving with her cold, self-con-scious smile the profuse flatteries and fulsome congratulations of her guests. In due course the magnificent breakfast was served In the costliest style of vulgar display. Gold and silver plate fairly dazzled one's sight in the glare of: gaslight that flooded the darkened chambers, and rich old wines flowed like water, in antique vases cf crystal and porphyry. But over hosts and guests an influence hung that chilled back the genial interchange of sympathy proper to a festal occasion. A veil of freezing vapor could not more effectually have benumbed all cordiality. Forced smiles soon faded from the lips that uttered hollow phrases. The face of the bride forbade merriment, and the swarthy visage of the austere bridegroom inspired mistrust and fear. When the old father lifted his glass to drink 'health, happiness and long life to the bridal pair,' a profound silence reigned, while each guest tasted the dark red wine that glowed like blood in the delicate glasses that held to their lips. The feast being over, the gueats made almost indecent haste to depart.

When the last one had gone, Mr Derring informed his wife that their passage was taken in a Cunard steamer that sailed that night, and there was barely time for her preparations for departure. Gertrude made no answer, but retired to her chamber to inspect her packing. Mr Carrol accompanied his daughter and son-in-law to the ship, and remained aboard with them till the last moment. In parting, the old man placed a sealed letter in Derring's hands, and, with peculiar emphasis, said:

'Don't open this till to-morrow. It contains my wedding present to my highly esteemed son -in-law' Derring felt little curiosity about the contents of the envelope, feeling sure they consisted in a letter of credit to a handsome if not unlimited amount on a foreign backing house. He slipped it in his breast pocket, and escorted his wife upon deck to vew the panorama of the gaslit city and the moonlighted harbour, from which steam and sails were bearing them to a new life in a strange land.

CHRISTINE LOSES "A LOVER AND FINDS A FRIEND.

Mrs Goodley was mot a woman who did half-way kindnesses, and her Interest in Christine was so sincere that assisting her was *a labour of love.

To find a suitable place in a desirable quarter of the city for Miss Caslebar's occupation was not the easiest task in the world; but the two women demonstrated the old adage that 'where there's a will there's a way.' In less than a week the removal had been effected, and Christine Castlebar wag, to all save Mrs Goodley, as completely lost to her former acquaintances as it she had entered a new woild. It became necessary that she should find another home, for Mrs Goodley's recidence was quite too distant from her new store to admit of Christine's remaining in her cozy quarters under the wk. jw's hospitable roof.

It was agreed between them that Mrs Goodhy was to keep Christina's new residei.ee a profound secret from everyor.e, most especially from Mr Marlow, Doctor Howard and Doctor Alcot, if the latter should make the effort to firu her. TO BE 'CONTINUED