A SECRET FOE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10146, 16 December 1910, Page 2

A SECRET FOE.

(OUR SERIALS

iy uERTRUDE WARDEN. Author of "Scoundrel or Saint?" "The Secret of a Letter," -A Bold iWootion," "The Wooing of a Fairy," "The Crime Oi Monte Carlo," etc.

CHAPTER Xlll.—Continued. "Oh, ever so lone;," replied Dagmar, flushing a. little. "I lost half of one of them, and that's why I use the other as a collar stud." "You broke the little chain between the racket and the halls, I suppose?" her uncle suggested, m different tones. "T suppose so. But it happened such a. long time ago that I really forget," Dagmar answered, and the subject dropped. Luncheon passed off very pleasantly. Dagmar appeared to be in her brightest humour, and Lord Mallyon, kno"wn as one of the best talkers in London, able seconded his neice's efforts. Before Dagmar left it was arranged that Iris, Lady Constance and Lord Mallyon should dine at Lancashire Place early in the following week, and to all appearance the most perfect harmony prevailed. Yet as soon as Iris and Lord Mallyon were left alone the latter took out his purse, and from an inner compartment produced a tiny parcel carefully wrapped iji tissue-paper. Thfastening this, he displayed to Iris.the.tennis-f-acket half of a sleeve link exactly similar to the one Dagmar hatl worn. - "They are identical," he said quietly, "and you noticed that she admitted one half of its: fellow was lost?"

"Yes ; but of course it is an accident. What possible connection could there be between Dagmar and the madman who locked you into your cabin on the night of the shipwreck." -That is to be proved," he answered. "Meantime, when we go to my sister-in-law's you must contrive, if possible, to secure the missing half." Iris blushed deeply! ""I could hardly do that," she said in low tones, hurt at the suggestion. He smiled and. patted her hand. VYou shall do nothing distasteful to you, my dear," he said kindly. "I will do.my own.detective work and only ask you not to betray my confidence." In the meantime, .Dagmar, making her way to'the gate down the narrow winding gravel path, bordered by luxuriant shrubs, cast quick sly glances to the right and left, as though learning by heart every inch of the way. "If the night is only dark enough," she said to hersielf, "it can be done easily, with no fear of discovery."

CHAPTER XIV,

A DEADLY MISSION.

Dagmar, on leaving the precincts of Cazalet Lodge, hailed a. hansom and was driven to _ a massive government building in the West Central district, in one of which the Honourable Edward Fitzalan condescended to perform his duties of clerk at a yearly stipend of two hundred pounds.

It was nearly four o'clock by .the time Miss Mallyon arrived opposite the entrance to the offices, and at that hour the lucky young gentlemen for whom in most cases family influence had procured a living at the nation's expense were leaving the scene of their not too onerous duties, for the most congenial employment of afternoon calls, or strolling through the park. Dagmar drew her veil over her face, and leaned back in her cab, watching eagerly for Fitzalan's appearance. In a few minutes he appeared, irreproachably dressed, as usual, wearing a carnation in his buttonhole, and stroking his golden drooping moustache with one restless white hand, the while his big blue eyes glanced quickly to -the right and left, as though in search of someone he expected to meet.

I'll contrive that the other man shall be absent pretty often. In fact, his people in the country generally have him with them from Saturday till Monday, so that the arrangement will hej T think, an improvement. On the other hand it will ran me into a lot more money, and with my debts and my beggarly allowance, and pitiful rotary at the office, it's hard lines on a man to have to keep himself. Don't you think so?" "And whose fault is it?" she inquired in low tones of subdued anger, "that you are not nearly out of all your money worries and I out of mine? What possessed you to go and kiss that sly, washed-out, little schemer, and so start all this trouble? Uncle Jasper might have grown out of his ridiculous fascination for her if she hadn't gone _ to him with a grievance that morning. But now thev have actually fixed on the date of the marriage, and the church where the ceremony is to be performed." "Great Scott! Is it as bad as that, Dagmar; what is to be done?" "The wedding must ho stopped, of course." "But how? You can't kidnap the bride in England." "There are other ways." "I see you have got some idea by .the way in which you compress your lips. By Jove. You look a regular Clytemnestra! But, remember, darling, murder is a hanging-matter in England." "Murder, yes. But if one could spoil her looks, such as they are, and give uncle. Jasper a shock that, with his weak heart, might finish him off -" 'How do you propose to do it? "I hardly think I will tell you. It is pretty daring." "Well," he exclaimed in hurt tones, "it can't be much more daring than that I tried to do for you , on board the Atlantis." ' "You are absolutely certain that [he never recognized you that very night." I "Absolutely." | "I've fieen lunching an Cazalet Lodge with Uncle Jasper and Iris, 'and that cunning Cazalet woman, whom I am certain gets paid for chaperoning the girl. Ted, you are a lawyer, so you should know something'about law. Uncle Jasper is : sure to make a new will when, he maries, isn't he?" "Certain." "And if he died without a will at this present time," she added slowly, I should come in for nearly all his ! money. Think of it, Ted! No more bills to torture us, or duns to dog our footsteps! Think of being able to go to every race meeting in a really smart turnout, and to keep a splendid stable, and give the best little dinners in London, and wear what clothes and jewels one wanted. You and I ought to have money, dear, for we know how to spend ik Of Avhat use would it be to that primfaced little Puritan, Iris Travers? Or of 'what use is it to Uncle Jasper, now that his days of pleasure are I over?" .

She lapsed into a short silence after this, and still declined when he again requested her to reveal her plan. To change the subject, she asked him suddenly whene' he had bought the sleeve-links, one of which she was wearing in her collar. "Because Uucle Jasper seemed strangely interested in it. He said he had been offered an exactly similar pair at Tiffany's store, in New York."

At sight or' him Dagmar's. heart gave a great leap in her bosoni. It was with all the strength of her illdisciplined nature that-she loved this man, arid there was no length to which she would not go to serve him. Fiercely jealous of him, continually angered by his flirtations and his cynical flippancy, and even capable , of despising him, Dagmar yet lacked the power to subdue in any degree the overmastering passion which consumed her. At this present moment her mind was strongly prejudiced against him as the cause of all the troubles under which she was suffering; but he had only to jump into the hansom beside her, and snatch her ungloved hand within his own, to make her forget all "causes of anger against him, and, as of old, thrill with delight at his touch. , "I don't know what your news is Fitzalan began, in the drawling tone which was second nature to him, "but you must tell me what you think of mine. To begin with, I've left my sister-in-law's—* been fired out, in fact. Some infernally inquisitive servant had spotted me letting you in while my sister was abroad, and when she came home yesterday I was asked to go. Beastly mean, wasn't it?" "Surely the servant didn't recognize me?" asked Dagmar, growing white to the lips. "Oh, no; but I had to ' go, of course. So I've arranged to share tho anpartments of a felow in the office. They're off the Edgware Road, so I shall be nearer to you, and of course

"I bought mine at Tiffany's. But how did you get hold of them?" : "The box was on your dressing table. They were no good to you, the half of one of them being gone." "You didn't mention that to Lord Mallyon, I hope." ( J "Yes, I believe I Jid. Why?" i "Did you tell him whoso they were?'"*

"Of course not, when I am supposed to hate-you so bitterly. I only said I had had them a very long time, and lost half of one of them. Why do you look so startled?" "Nothing; only. I wish he hadn't seen it, all the same. The old gentlemen has the eyes of a lynx, and is given to putting things together, and I have an uncomfortable impression that I broke the link as I shut him into his cabin on. board the Atlantis. Now, tell me, my pet, what your plan is. Remember, the whole thing is quite as vitaly important to me as to you. If you don't get your uncle's money, and pretty soon, we shall both be dead broke and worse. Hang that girl! Why could she not have drowned when the Atlantis went down ? I owe Drogo Gordon a grudge, indeed, for saving her and Mallyon." "He'll get punished in any case. There was some stupid affection between, him and Iris over the saving of her life, I am certain, although the cunning . little- minx denies it now. Ted, while I was talking to her to-: day, pretending to be friendly, it was all I conld do to prevent my fingers from clutching her throat, and crushing the life out of her." "But this plan of yours?" Sho inclined her head to his, and whispered very low in his ear, which her red lips almost touched. He started a little as he caught her words, and became paler. (To be Continued.)