A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10235, 11 May 1911, Page 2

A Daughter of Mystery

OUR SERIAL.

BY F. L. DACRE, Author of "Was He the Man? 3 ' "A Phantom of the Past," Sir John's Heiress," "A Loveless Marriage," "The Doctor's Secret," etc.

CHAPTEK V -Continued. "Patience.-" "Torture," ho .snapped "Torture refined. And what will you be doing? Playing up to those reprobates. I do not' see the justice of it—unless you are dependent upon them." The girl was silent for a little while. "1 will tell you all sonio day, Ronald," she .aid gently. "No, I am not dependent upon the Morosovs; and please do not call them hard names. I teach the children— I amuse them ; 1 look after the housekeeping ; J read. I write, I dream. Oh, I have lois to do, and there is the future, Ronald." Her oheoKs glowed happily. "Yes." lie' answered joyously, "the future, when we shall be always together. Look at me again like that, and I shall be intoxicated with pleasant madness." "I really must go." She started nervouslv. Again the creaking of tho wicket. " "It's Roff. You see I am late, and he is anxious." She stopped suddenly, and gathered a handful of primroses and anemones. "I will show him these flowers:'it will explain why, I am here. Good-bv. Ronald, until to-mo'-row. Keep quiet until we are gone." Ono passionate embrace, apid ther.ext moment she was out of th- wood ar rl talking to Roff. "What n-p'fes you so late, miss," thr- man asked, in a mrly tone. "Am IP Aren't these flowers lovely, Roff?" A grunt was the answer, and then the gate closed after the Jew.

' frugctto than one of those silly, faint- ! ing creatures. Now, what's tho mats' ter, mamma? You were doing a bit of tragedy when I was" crossing tho lawn."' ! Mrs Heseltine's cheeks reddened jdeeply. "Something that affects you, Eva. Oil, I am positively angry!" "I am glad," confessed the girl. "Glad?" "I mean that I am pleased to discover that you are not really a living statue. I never saw you so upset l>efore. Don't think lam rude, mamma. I don't mean to be, really. Do be hospitable, and let me havo a cup of tea, please. I will ring, for it myself. Oh,'here comes tho stately Jarvis." A stout butler v.-«» u Ht noachiug iiy way of the breakfast room, with a verbal message for his mistress. The message delivered. Lady Eva Lorrington begged for a cup of tea. "A big breakfast cup, please, Jarvis— strong, with plenty of sugar and cream." "My dear Eva," Mrs Heseltine said "You'will ruin your complexion. You know strong tea isn't good for a young girl." "It's very comforting, mamma. As for my complexion, I havo a skin like an omnibus driver's. It all comes of golfing, hockey playing, walking and riding. Surely you do not want me to take to beer and a pipe? Oh, I have a teeny cigarette sometimes, and they are very ladylike things when f properly smoked!" "Hush!"

CHAPTER VI. LADY EVA LORRINGTON. There was, a spell of warm, fine weather for the British Isles, and,that same morning the- south was flooded with sunshine.- The sky was beautifully, brilliantly blue, and the soft sea wind that swept over the downs carried atonic in every breath. In the midst of a green park, not far off the sea, stood "Warden Hall, the historic home of the Heseltines, of Sussex. It was famous for miles around, not for its size or splendour, but for its antique beauty, and its association with the past. Round the park was a belt of trees which completely encircled the house; and 'gardens, and the wide-spreading lawns.' Upon this pleasant Sunday morning Mrs Heseltine threw open the French, window of the breakfast room, to the importunities of the golden sun, and decided that all things were very good. The wind was sweet with the odour of flowers, and trees, end the sea. She listened, and between the jocund notes of the spring birds, she could hear the ocean singing on the chore.

But of a sudden her thoughts were turned into another channel, and. plucking a letter from the pocket of her dress, she walkad into a Vjinewreathed piazza, which traversed the side of tho house, and sat down with an imoatient.pigh. "It-'s too ridictilous! I cai\'t think what's the matter with? the boy," She unfolded the letter again. "Going into trade, and in ! the Midlands, too. Horrid place." If there was one thing upon which Mrs Heseltine prided herself, it was her placidity in the midst of perplexing situations. But there are some annoyances which would disturb tho .serenity of a stoic: and when one's own flesh and blood acted like an idiot

The stately butler brought Lady Eva's tea, with a jug of cream, nd a cup and saucer of gigantic proportions. Gravely he set down the tray, and departed without the flutter of an eyelid. ~-,., Mrs Heseltme frowned, while the girt burst into trills, of laughter. "Jarvis is forgetting himself," the elder ladv said severely. "My. dear Eva, you should not be so familiar with tho servants. That cup and saucer were picked up at some bazaar by Ronald, and are merely samples of tho potter's art. I shall certainly take Jarvis to task." "Oh. it's all right," was the smiling rejoinder. "Now tell me about the trouble that concerns myself—please do. This tea is simply scrumptious." Mrs Heseltii/e resumed her seat and with it her most severe expression. _ "This is not matter for jest, Eva. Ronald is going into some sort of iron business in tho North, and we must put a stop to it. He has only a small capital, and is taking a partnership. He writes that he will not eat the bread of idleness." "And reproaches you for keeping .him in igr.ornnco of tho mortgage?" "Certainly not," was ihe austere reply, "Surely you cannot take up sides with him ? Look at the disgrace of it. It is quite time that you and he were married ; and if he is burdened with theso new responsibilities—• what of the honeymoon? How can he divide his time between his home and his business, separated by two hundred miles? It's a thousand pities you were away when he came baefc from Russia. I don't believe that you have seen each other for two years." "We have not," admitted Lady Eva, "but several letters have passed between o:\"

Mrs Heseltine jumped up angrily, to discover that she was being regarded with quizzical amusement by a young lady whose advancing steps had been hushed by the springy lawn. : 'Lady Eva I Good gracious, how you startled me, child." "Good morning, Mrs Heseltine. The first real sunny day for six months, and I couldn't resist a walk, so here I am." The speaker was a tall, fine-looking girl of three or four and twenty. Blue eyed, fair haired, her cheeks ruddv with" the glow of health. Shi vnn attired in a tight-fitting jacket;, and a walking skirt of some dark 1 lue material, while a jaunty :itiJe Alpine hit wa' poised rather rakU'ily on th.* top of her shapely he*d. At her throat vas a bunch of primrose l ?, and in her right hand a i-tous walking stick • • With a light laugh she r:tr vp tho J.eps of the piazza, and •" ».;••'] into ■i «>at "A long walk," Mr* Heseltihe began, in a tone of depreciation. "Yes; I have tramped all the way from the Grange, and shall tramp back again. A strong, healthy young person such as 1, doesn't mind an eight mile walk. Look at my muddy hoofs—boots, I mean. What a lecture T s'rnll have to endure from papa when lie discovers that I have not been to church. Now, which do you think is the more beneficial'to mind and morris—sitting in a stuffy church, and listening to old Daley's monotone—dry as dust stuff, or communing with God and nature in the open air?" "Oh, you modern girls!" smiled Mrs HesMtiue, with a reproving shake of lie;- head. "I think the modern girl is a distinct improvement upon the old-fash-ioned, bread-and-butter miss. But of course T only know them in books arid pictures, and I would rather be a suf-

"What will Lord Lorington and your brother say?" "I doa't care for anybody's opinion." Lady Eva snapped her fingers. "Papa is democratic, and Charlie is worthless. I admire Ronald for his show of independence." Mrs Heseltine stared .-it ilm girl half in half in lisrr.ay. ; "Of course, it's annoying," continued Eva, "but the only way to manage Renairi is to let him gang Ms ain gait. Your mistake was pretending to be in comfortable circumstances while you were head over ears into debt. How wretched your life must have been' The result is that Ronald has wasted thousands of pounds and years of his life in the belief that he was well provided for. Now, mamma, don't look cross. Virtually lam your daughter, having been engaged to your son for years." The elder woman's eyes flashed scornfully. "A remarkable engagement," she said coldly. "Lovers' who have never spoken of love." "We don't waste our breath upon such piffle." Eva retorted. She smiled, and showed her gleaming white teeth. "No mournful sighs, and rolling eyes, and moonlight madness, thank you. It's only a disease for fools. I like Ronald —I respect him—■ I trust him; I believe him to be the best man in the world. What more can ho want?" Mrs Heseltine's face softened. "That's a confession, Eva. You love him.'' 'Bosh! As I was saying, this iron business is annoying, but we must humour him. What a paltry affair it must be —a thousand pounds. Why, I spend more than that on one season's dresses. Mamma, we must contrive to advance Ronald all the money he needs, to make a respectable showing. I can arrange it through my bankers, but ho must not know from whom the money comes." Lady Eva's eyes were shining, and she laughed jubilantly. Mrs Heseltine was silent.