A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10242, 19 May 1911, Page 2

A Daughter of Mystery

OUR SERIAL.

BY F. t. DACRE, Author of "Was He the Man?" "A'Phantom of the Past," Sir John's Heiress," "A Loveless Marriage," "The Doctor's Secret," etc.

CHAPTER XL—Continued. Ho was thinking of Elnetb. Tyndall, and mentally compared the two girls. One was highborn, wealthy, and po,s messed of dazzling and imperious beauty. The other was a daughter of mystery, living in the shadow of a I crime. "Well, and what are wo go..:g to d,» I next?" vitcrjcctcd Charlie. "Lunch vith us," invited Basil. "Can't bo thought of, old chap," sid On r, ■ hasti'v, He li-*. i already summed up the modest pretensions of the vicarage, and as his gastronomic tendencies were decidedly epicurean, tho mere suggestion of food i'd\ j him nausea. "There's the chauf- • si, and I l;o cur, you know, and as Hcseltino isn't here, wo must onase him. Isn't that to, Eva?" "I. am really sorry to go, Mr Cooper," said Lady Eva, with one of her most dazzling smiles, "but I shall be hero again soon —very soon. It's my intention to take Ronald in hand." She flushed under his quizzical gaze, "I am sure it will be good for him and good for me," sho added naively. "I shall bo delighted to make your wife's acquaintance at another time. Goodby!" "She's fettled upon an earlj wedding, Basil," Charlie said, in a whisper, "and you will have to assist at | tho ceremony." They shook hands, and in another mi'iute the motor brougham was gone. When tho Rev. Basil Coope/ had partially recovered from hia • bewilderment, lie thrust hia fingers through his hair, and paced the carpet. "A prettv kettle of fish," he exclaimed. "My goodness, I am sorry for that girl up at the Rookery. What a, dashed idiot Ronald Heseltine must be!"

CHAPTER Xn

FLNETH'S PERIL.

A girl's first love letter is no light and airy, nothing when written by a man like Ronald Heseltine..; There were half a dozen pages of earnest and eloquent love passages, fragrant with the joy of living. The letter was dated at a London Hotel, but Ronald would be at Warden Hall on the ooming Friday, and he asked Elneth to write to him there. His business with his bankers had been amazingly successful. He had suggested a loan of one thousand pounds, and it seemed that he was at liberty to draw up to twenty times that amount if he was sure of a sound investment. "I shall now buy Mr Golding out," he wrote, "and proceed o build and equip one of the finest iron foundries and engineering works in the country. Everything new and up-to-date will lessen the cost of production, and turn out a superior quality of work. Of course, tha bankers -have known my family for half a century, and I ,was wrong to dream of any difficulty with them My darting Elneth, there is really nothing to stand . between us and an early marriage. I shall be back at Castle Ciaydon early next week, and in the meantime I shall make arrangements for you to pay a visit to my mother. Mr Paul Morosov will have to face facts, and tho sooner the better for you and for me."

She read it through twice, thriee, lingered here and lingered there, smiling and sighing. Oh, if only all doubts could be swept away, how beautiful all things would be! Elneth had sought refuge in the Nursery, and the two little girls of the MorosoYS were having a playful time that morning, They were sitting on the carpet, surrounded by toys, all lessons unheeded. Elneth had thrown the window wide open, to let in a little fresh air, and to clear the room ,of smoke. Whenever the wind was a bit gusty, the chimneys of the Rookery smoked, and madd everything disgustingly dirty. "I cannot endure the life," Elneth t jld herself over and over again, ''.tnd the understanding promised by Mr MorosoT shall be made this very day. I know that trouble is brewing—l feel it in the air—aid RofE hates me like poison!"

After lunch Mrs Morosov came into the nursery, to sit with the children. 'oUS of the girls had a slight cold, nnd wero not allowed out in the gardsn, although the weather was bright and warm. "I haven't seen Paul since he came home," she said to Elneth. There were tears in her eyes, and in her voice, and she pressed one hand over her heart. "I am so afraid —so afraid!"

She went over to a piano, and played some dreamy music, with a mournful refrain.

"Oh, let ns have something brighter," Elneth shivered. "A waltz for a change. This house gives me the creeps!" The tears started from her eyes; passionately she clasped both hands together. "It is cowardly, selfish, cruel, that »• man should torture i women and children for his own self- [ ish ends. Why do you stand it, Mrs Morosov? T cannot —I will not. For mo this game of hido and seek and degradation ha.s finished. I saw Mr Morosov for a few minutes after ho came home, and I told him then, and I shall tell him finally to-day." Mrs Morosov liar] playing, find was regarding Elneth in horrified amazement. ' "Oh, hush, my child, you do not

understand. You must be mad to talk in that way. And so it is you who have kept my husband away from mo.' Sho spoko reproachfully, her voice shaking. "Aro not his anxieties great enough already?" "They are none of "my making, Mrs Morosov, and I have shared them long .enough," Eincth angrily retorted. ' Thero was a minute's silence. The sad-eyed, pale-lipped woman was watching tho girl. J "What aro you going to do?" she ! said at last. "Leave this hateful house at all I events. If you were kind to me when I was a child, I have paid the price with heavy interest." "You have been an angel." "Or a fool," was the caustic rejoinder. "And have you no fear of my husband's anger?" "Not in'tho least. Ho made me a promise, and he has to keep it today." Mrs Morosov was silent. Sho pitied Elneth's foolishness. To her Paul's anger was a terrible thing. Elneth rose abruptly, and left the room. Her determination was at a white heat Sho went downstairs, and along the narrow passage that led to Paul Morosov's den of mystery. From the plan of the building she knew thaft there must be several rooms. She knocked on the door with ner hand, and waited. There was no response. Her heart..was leaping into her throat and she was breathing hard. She grasped the massive brass knob, and turned it. To her infinite surprise the door yielded to her pressure, and she was within the room. It was small, unearpeted, and barely furnished, tho only thing of any value being a largo steel safe. Paul Morosov ""was not to bo seen, but she heaard voices from an adjoining room,''and a smell of peculiar pungency stung her nostrils. "I have mastered it at last,",Morosov was saying. "This is perfection, Roff, and w, ill 'HetjimaW-a'- siMffl army. . There's no danger to us, fool. An explosion in vacuo is impossible." j "I don't know.about that," snapped I the Jew. '"We shall be surprised if •we are hot careful. I've no belief in that Heseltine fellow'. He has turned the girl's head completely." "She's all right," Morosov impatiently interrupted. "This new explosive has cost a fortune in experiments, and the Cause will be well served. Picric and mercury. Another twentyfour hours. Roff, and.we must shake the dust of England off our feet. I have our passages booked to New York, " "But the girl—the girl—and the fellow Heseltine," interjected the Jew. "She has revolted; she dared and also threatened me." > • "My dear Roff," Morosov calmly answered. "I have had Heseltine watched, and at the present moment he is a good two hundred miles from here, and not likely to return for a few days. If he troubles us too much he had better beware." He laughed harshly. "When we reach New York there will be one Grand Duke the less. As for Miss Tyndall, she is absolutely in my power. I have something to show her that will reduce her into terrified submission." ', "Good! Good!" "I think she had better not leave the house again," Morosov added. "You know what to do. Lock the gate. I will talk to her now that my work is done." Like one turned to stone Elneth stood and -heard every word distinct- ] ly. Her perilous position was reveal- i ed to her as clearly as tho sunlight on the cob-webbed windows. Paul Morosov was not the persecuted gentleman she had always believed him to be. He belonged to a gang of anarchists, and was one of the leaders, a maker of bombs, a cold-blooded murderer. "I will lay bare to her the secrets I have kept so long," Morosov went on. W I will tell her also that this lover of a day is to marry another woman —a woman in his own station, |to whom he plighted his troth years agone." j "He lies!" thought Elneth, with [fierce bitterness. "I will believe no- [ thing that he tells me. I am to be. made a prisoner. "We shall see." ( i She started for the door, and slid I through it, closing it gently after her. I Her lips were set firmly together, a | steady light burned in her eyes. There was no hesitation, no turning baek. LShe wetn to her room, and collected ! her money and trinkets with feverish ' haste. Her wardrobe was of the sim- ! plest description, and all sho would | need for a complete change was pack;ed into a bag. in a few minutes. Then ishe put on her hat and coat, and, seiz- ! in gthe bag, awlked into the nursery. i "I am going, Mrs Morosov." sho anI nounced. There was a break in her voice. "I want to kiss the children, and say good-by." ' (To be Continued).