A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10239, 16 May 1911, Page 2

A Daughter of Mystery

OUR SERIAL.

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

CH AFTER IX.—Continued

"Let's sit over there and talk. I have got a lot to toil yon. Nothing so comfortable a:; an old-fashioned sofa, after all! Now let nie tell yon my plans in a few words. Wo have Ixv'i lov-m-s for a long time, and a;; I am settling down to business, I want yrv.t to ma cry mo in a month or two, Ehetli. When wo were in Russia, 1 !>;>':>, r;l that I wk- a rich. man. hit T l>a\••.■ discovered that my little estate is mortgaged to nearly its full vui.ie. I krow von don't mind that. Together wo will fight for fortuno, and win! What have you to say, dear one? I am buying an iron foundry at GastJ-j Claydon, and we should have to -ive within a. miio or two of the works. I think wo can afford a fifty-pound-a-year house. My mother has just enough to get along on, and the creditors won't touch Warden Hall as iou«' as the interest is paid. At some future time I may bo able to free it from debt." ■ ' ' .

attain," sho said bitterly, "but I want you. to find out the truth for me.'' "Of com so, I'll do anything for you, iittle woman, but this is tho deuce of a iaeket to bring about one's ears. Suppose wo get married first, and then solve the mystery at our leisure." She shook her head, her lips quivering. "i will i>ever marry you Ronald, if my parentage is disgraceful. I lov you too well." Sho broke down, and Ronald almost swor3 under his breath, ther ho laughed lightly. . "Notliiu'j; but comedy—higgledypiggledy, topsy-turvy, idiotic ooinedy '■ My poor liitlo Eboth, I will set about tho task this very day, on the'..condition that wo are married witi.dn a raofth after I have rendered my true and unvarnished report." "If it is satisfactory to me/' ihe amended. 'l'll take caro it's satisfacto^r." "T don't quito understand yoa." *'l mean that I am in touch wifu yert-ral leliablo problem investigators, and that no mistakes will be made," he unbtijshingly. answered. "Now for particular;;. Captain Ralph Tyndall, scapegrace son of old English stock; army officer, stationed in India from 1875 to 1883; died in that year, parried, Dnwdmably ir. India; lefs one child, a girl; fate of wife unknown, etc., will that do? Beastly nuisance! | Tho job will take a month." ! "Longer than that, surely?" "Oh, io I shall set the cables at work, for I am not going to wait six months for my wife." He crd'nmed the notebook back into his nocket, - and glared "defiance. , "Now kiss me for being good." I "I doi"i know that I ought ,un- ! til " yho winked fho tears away from hnr eyelashes, and turned iip her lips to his. 1 CHAPTER Q. ELNETH REVOLTS. It had been dark for an hour tvhen Roi aid accompanied Elneth Tynd&l! to tho Rookery, but lh vsky was studded with stars, and the moon was peeping ever the rim of the world. "Here's the gruesome old prison," he said, regretfully. "Shall I come to-morrowf" ."I wi<sk you wouldn't come i|ere at all. It isn't safe."

Elneth looked into his eyes sympathetically, the red colour mounting to her face and neck. "This must have been terr:Me news for you, Ronald."

"Just at first, but I am not ihe man to sit down and repine. What Do you say, Elneth, darling? Tell i;.e that Paul Moroaov does not stand in the way. Mere sentimental consider a - tions must be brushed aside." Elneth pressed both hands over her face, and drew a deep breath. . "We must bo candid with each other, Ronald." "In all things. How could it be otherwise?" "You told me that I was ii\>'!l.V<.i, you were right. Mr Morosov 'says that he will not see you. a:il forbids you the house." Ronald smiled slowly. "The Hessian assumes a good de.: . What have you to say, Elneth ?" liis arm stole round her waist. "Ho insists that I must not see -you again for a long time—until 1 am twenty-five. Then I can do as \ please. He is my legal guardian and my trustee. It appears that my father left me an income of one iiuii 'red pounds a year." "An heiress, after all. And told me that you were only a dependant. See how our fortunes hare cha-iged : about?"

' "Don't make fun- My view of hfe has changed completely in the last twenty-four hours. I had a certain affection for Mr Morosov, possibly o.\ account of his wife and children, until yesterday. Now I dislike him. He has been kind to me, he has ha<l «;e educated at one of the best.C-.v'-nent-al schools, and until he fled from St. Petersburg wo lived in an atnio«r«ero of wealth and refinement. But T a-nt not quite a dunce, and beliero that there waa something behind it all the time. The snap arid glitter ©f his •v<>» yesterday revealed another side »t h<s nature."

Ronald patted her hand fond'v "80 that is your trouble," he ohterfully said.. "I am rather pleased, because it put 3 Paul Morosov out >F court. Your guardian until you an» fiv3 and twenty? Stuff and nonsen.se.' The man'is a crank. "Whoevei* tries to upset law *nd unconjtit«ti«ni> methods i« worse thao a fool.'' Thera was a short silence. Wl ett. breathed fc.ard. Her lips were pale and trembling, "No trouble at all, little girl," U, mald went on. "I will call upon the j man, and tell him that we ar« going I ' to be married soon. If he tries iny ef hia pranks—well, you can go to :ny mother's place until tius comply ia over." "Comedy, Ronald?" "Topsy-turvy bosh!" "No —no. If Paul Moroso-- spanks the truth, this is the tragedy or my life. Ronald., my love, he swears that marriage between us is imposslbli', teeause of my disgraceful birth, or something of thekind." "Rot!" . . . . V "Nevertheless, I will never consenl to. drag you down to the depths of my degradation." Ronald stared at her in dismay. "Great Heavens, Elneth! What art you talking about ? I don't believe a word of it. Degradation be hanged!, I don't care if your father was a Malay pirate, or your mother, either." "My father," she said, with a touch of pride, "was Captain Ralph Tyndall, the younger son of .an old English fam- ! ily. I am quoting Paul Morosov once

He 'aaghed o mtemptuously. i. "You have an exaggerated idea of the rascality of that old ruffian Kofl\ He may have been a cutthroat in'his own country, but he's hardly likely to try it on hem'in England. lam coming every d»y> #nd if you don't meet me I shall beat the panels out of the wicket, or scale the wall! Say four o'clock." "Ve'ry veil.", "And ron't forget your promise to Mrs Cooper. Five o'clock to-morow at the vicarage. I shall put the inquiry business through immediately; it's understood that we are to be married withia four weeks after I give yqu the full and complete information. She smiled upon him brightly, and a wave of colour flooded her face. "Olr, Ronald, I feel so brave when you are near." 'Then I had better remain." "Don't talk nonsense! I really must -go, I know that Roff is spying about somewhere. I am not in the least afraid of him forj myself,, but —I. feel like a perfect little fool!" The tears started to her eyes, but she brusheS them away with a laugh. "Now won't you say good-night Ronald?" . Pasionately he embraced her, and then gave the bell-pull a vigorous tug. Elneth wa3 aghast. There was a reverberating peal. "It's just as.well to let those people know that they have a determined En- ; gfishman to deal with,"and if I have any of this escaped convict's nonsenso I'll pitch him into the middle of next week. My dear girl, I must see you safely indoors." "Who's there?" grated the voice of the Jew.

"You know who's here," snapped Heseltine, "Good-night;, Elneth," he whispered, pressing her' hand, "I shall keep guard over ycu. Don't fail me to-morrow. Four o'clock here—five o'clock at the vicarage. On Wednesday I shan't see you at all, and it will bo a desolate day. I have an appointment with my bankers in London. But we will talk about that to-morrow. God bless you, sweetheart. Goodnight." (To be continued.)