A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10063, 8 June 1910, Page 2

A TERRIBLE MISTAKE

I BY Jb'. si. DACEE, f i i w Author oi—Tho Doctor's Secret, A Case for ths Court, Va (' . '1 '£' Sir John's Beires?, A Loveless Marriage, / 'J'lei'holiMe's Trust, Etc. J® t*

CHAPTER XXII. Continued

"ifes," he said; "but the is not j half Eo lovely kh .you tire, catling! j "You have wade n great mistake," i she repeated, "And I am afraid that yuu will never bfi trie same to me j again. You will soon be ashamed of | me: I have no aecmr-plishments at j all; I have no Knowledge o£ Frenchl or German, and my English is me,cly provincial. Do you not sen the terrible burden that you have thrust upon slighted by your exalted friends—-by J Miss Clinton, for instance—and women can be terribly cruel to each other! In my heart I believe that she loves you—that she expects to become your wi f e. but she will , learn to nate me!" i "You do not kno'-v Constance Clinton !" Percy said warmly. "Sha i-' | that is generous, wiT-only and true, j She vvi' 1 love you, cear because jou j are my wife." | "If you champion her in that way, I I wonder that you did not many her," the girl cried jealously. "I have no desire to know her—! have no desire to see her. I will not be laughed at and patronised!" "I ccuid not marry Constance, because I did not love her," he said kindly and patiently. "My love has been given to you, darling) and my one dream is to make you happy. You believe me, do you not?" "I don't know what to believe yet. I repeat that I am bewildered." The train began to slacken speed. "Is it net a great wa?3te of money to buy the Woodlands, and to famish it?" she flftked. "You must have houses and land 3 enough already." His brow darkened, Tiity had both taken so mtch pleasure i:i their new home "We shall be happy there, Hilo'red. I shall have no huiws a» d lards until my father dies," Clifford said gently. "Until then we shall be known at Ellesir.eve as Mr and Mrs Clifford, of the Woodlands." He tried to speak joyfully, hut her white face froze the blond in his vei()3. "Ard, cihrn ycu are Lord Manthorpe, cf Mar.thorpe Park, you will have many houses?" she puttied. * "Yes; three io'the country and one in town, and an old chateau in France besides " "And what is to become of the Woodlands?"

"It will always be worth what I gave for it, Mildred. If we like, we cun sell the place." He hesitated, and then added: "I have thought of reserving it for the sole use of Mr Dudley when we no lorger require it." The bride's face flushed redly, and an angry light flashed into her eyes, "t must decline! it!" she said sharply. "Before you married me it was explicitly understood that my grandfather was to live with us, or that we should live with him. What could a feeble old man do in that „ lor.ely place? I cannot leave him, Percy, and I am equally sure that you would not care to introduce the old provincial gardener to Mias Clinton as your wife's grandfather." .The train rolled into Ellesmers Station, and Fercy Clifford realised that he was paying a heavy price for what ho had considered a harmless bit of deception—that the rc3u he had gathered contained a cruel thorn. * * * * Lord Clifford did not grumble at fate; ha tore his misery in silence He knew (hat he was not altogether blameless, but he considered that his wife was unreasonable. ■ It struck him rather forcibly that her love was not of the enduring kind, that it differed from the affection he felt for her. If their positions could have been reversed, how differently he would have acted! Had he not perjured his very soul for love of her? was he not acting a living lie towards Constance Glinton? It was like heaping coals of fire upon his head; her reproaches maddened him. The next few days were extremely busy ones, and he strove to appear cheerful. He bee with Mr Dudley's grumblings with' Spartan-like fortitude, while the sound of the post- ( man's knock terrified him At length a letter came from Owen Daventry just a few words. With the letter was

an mclosure from Constance Glintoi', J j and, at sight of her l\andwritirg, ! Clifford's heart seemed to stand stiii. | lie turned the envelope over sever;-i j times before daring to open if, una then lie hastily tors out the enclosure and read. "Dearest Percy: When will your horrid business be finished? lam so iontly and wretcfcpd here: Sir Charles v-onstable :;nd S'irSparks arrived quite unexpectedly Yesterday. The physic ian says that ihe earl's iiiness is one of the most remarkabb of (he century. Your father takes' little e.r no nourishment now, and the worst fears are entertained—if wcrst is a relief from such a ilvirg death. Percy, I do not wish to reproach ;-ou, but do you not think that your place is at home? bir. Charles Consiabh: cannot understand your absence, and Mr Sparks j told ire trat he met yon in London recently. If you care for me one little bit, I am sure that you will hasten your return. With fondest, iove, Constance Clinton." Percy turned hot and cola when he r<?ad the simple, loving words. ' "Poor Constance !" bethought. "I am a/raid that she cares for me! I wonder how all this misery will Hid?' He placed the letter in his pocket bonk to answer at some future lime. They Were moving that morning into the Woodlands, and a fly was waiting at the door of the hotel. The house had been tastefully fuiisished and half a dozen servants? installed therein under the eye of an experienced houst--keeper. Hildred no longer rasstd objections. She had not uttered a protest of any kind since the memorable visit to London. She seemed utterly changed, e\en to herself. "i hope that I may die soon!" was her constant be better out of the world, for his sake and my own. He has done himself irreparable harm by marrying me. In his iieart he admires Miss Clinton; his love for me is but the glamour of the moment, and will die when he realises how ignorant, how vulgar, how incompetent I am. Aii--and I love him so much that I would gladly die for him—my dear husband!" She had grown pale and sad-eyed; there were lines about the tender mouth, shadows under the blue eyes. When she walked into the sitting room, dressed for the drive to the Woodlands, Percy met her with outstretched arms, a glad light in his eyes, an eager smile on his face. "How beautiful you look, (pittle j woman!" he said tenderly." But how | pale you are! We must coax the roses \ back to your cheeks. Say 'good-by' to the hotel, dear; we are going home at last." "I am glad of it, Percy! This excitement is not good for us," Hildred replied. "If I am pale, you are not l.oking at all well," "Oh, 1 am all right," he laughed. "A man's recuperative powers are so much greater than a woman's. I cannot help being worried, though, abuut things." " You have had bad news?" "No—ne7,s not unexpected. Miss Glinton writes that the end must be near. My father has ceased taking , nourishment.'' He did not sl.ow her the letter, and she wondered what it contained besides. ; "Kiss me. darling, in the old, loving, passionate way! You have seem- • ed so culd to me that my heart crie3 s out for more love!" i He locked so sad, so dejected, that ; she flung her arms about him, and ■ wept hysterically.