A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10250, 29 May 1911, Page 2

A Daughter of Mystery

BY F. jL DAtRE, Author of "Was fle the Man?" "A Phantom of the Past," Sir John's Heiress," "A Loveless Marriage," "The Doctor's Secret," etc.

OUR SERIAL.

CHAII ER XVlll.—Continued,

Fortunately for Eonald, work was crowding upon him. The news of his groat undertaking seemed to have reached every industrial centre in Europe. A daily paper had enlarged upon tlio coming enterprise in such glowing terms, that the new ironmaster was rated a million, at least, and the mischief was done. Representative agents of Germany and Franco were soon on the scene of operations, and offering goods at cutthroftfc prices. Builders and brickmakers, coal and coke merchants, dealers in all kinds of metal—iron and copper, tin and spelter—came in scores, and a steady .stream of letters poured into the diminutive office of Golding's foundry. As the name of Golding was of no importance as an asset, it was to bechanged to the "Phoenix" when the i :iew works were finished. Nearly a fortnight passed before a general manager was engaged, and the plans were not accepted until this man approved them. And then a small army of men appeared, and the walls of the new works began to grow. The factory would be the biggest establishment of its kind in the Midlands. Gigantic boilers and engines, and hundreds of tons of machinery, swathed in miles of bandages, were piled in the big yard. And so the building went on, growing steadily and swiftly, until the surrounding factories were dwarfed into mere pigmies. A range of offices, and a clock tower, under which were the great entrance gates, fronted the public road, and the name of the Phoenix Iron Foundry was blazoned in huge letters of gold. CHAPTER XIX. ~ " LADY EVA'S INDECISION! The weather ivas almost languorous for May-. The prophets had (Msgfl from troubling with their cyclones and rainstorms, and the golden sun was shining in a vault of ultramarine. In the deep-green woods, in the fieldg, and aloiig. the hedgerows, myriads or ' wild flowers were blooming f birds were singing, soft winds were sighing. There is nothing in all the world so beautiful as an English spring in the country, especially when the country is in the heart of the glorious Downs of Sussex.

Lorington Grange lay adream under the spell of the enchantress. It was a fine, old Elizabethan mansion, standing on a slight eminence, after the fashion of the great houses of olden times. Terraced lawns were spread at its feet like huge green carpets. Beyond the lawns were stately avenues and green woods. It seemed but yesterday that the woods were filled with mournful winds; now they were offering incense and music to nature's God.

Lord Lqrington was lying at full length on a garden seat, a cushion under his head. He was blinking at a newspaper, the glitter of the sun in his eyes, and making futile dabs at a marauding fly. "Curse the exasperating beast!" he growled. "Oh, papa," trilled the voice of a girl. Sho was standing behind the garden seat. "I heard you." "You always do hear what you shouldn't, Eva," the earl snapped. "I hate people to come creeping upon me unawares. If I ever let myself go you are bound to be on hand."

I Eva was startled and indignant. "You j misjudge Charlie, as you do me. He lis the soul of honour." I The earl uttered a sigh of relief. | "And you are the soul of truth, so j I am satisfied. There's just a chance ; left for Charlie. He must make a brilliant marriage—not so difficult a matter with his lineage and good looks —an ambitious wife is what he wants. Kiss and forgive me, dear; I'm sorry if I vexed you." "It was rather unkind of you, papa, to say that I was buying a husband. II am merely assisting Ronald to reprieve his fortunes." "Or to acid fresh disaster. His business acumen is a fine thing if he is ready to believe that banks loan thousands of pounds on sentiment 1 He's altogether too slow for me as a lover. I can't think how you put up with him." Lady Eva's face flushed and then paled. She clenched her hands together passionately. Her father was right! "We are going to town this day week," the earl resumed, "and I am looking forward to an enjoyable season. Fortunately, there is nobody of importance in mourning, and I devoutly hope that all interested will have,the decency to keep their breath in their bodies for the next month or two." "I shall have to leave the woods and the flowers, and the birds," Lady Era sighed. "But there are pleasures in town, and one can't have everything." That afternoon sne went in the pony carriage to Warden Hall, to say good-by to Ronald's mother. She drove herself, and Dick, the bull terrier, was perched beside her, the monarch of all he surveyed. The pony was old, fat and lazy, and ambled at his own sweet will through winding lanes, rich with the fragrance of growing things. Past spacious and undulating fields, starred with daisies, yellow with buttercup amid, jibe emerald ,g£ass. Above the larks were singing rapturously. as though sorrow had been forever banished from tho world. At last Lady Eva aroused from her sober thoughts, to find that the pony's gentle amble had slackened to a walk. She flicked it with the whip, and spoke pettishly to the N faithful friend of her childhood. The surprised animal shook its marie by way of protest. Its dignity was hurt far more than its body. "I am so sorry, Vixen," Eva said remorsefully. "How cowardly of me to vent my ill humour upon von " When the carriage turned into the drive, the girl frowned slightly at sight of the approaching figure of a man. He was short, rotund, and attjred in flannel. From a distance he looked elderly, his very fair hair was chropped close to his head, his pale blue eyes gleamed pinkishly under his white eyelashes. He was in reality very young-—twenty-four or five, with a dimpled, baby sort of face. - "Lady Lorington," he said, blushing Avarmly. "I am delighted to meet you!" The girl stopped the carriage, and held out the tips of her right fingers. "How do you do, Mr Aubrey-Smith P I—l thought you were in India, or Cairo, or somewhere."

"I believe poor papa is in a bad temper!" in a tone of commiseration. "Poor papa," he mimicked, "is in a devil of a temper, what with maddening flies and irritating children. This confounded sunshine is all makebelieve, and we shall have a snow storm within twenty four hours." He jumped up, and his angry eyes met a pair of smiling ones. They were wonderfully alike, this father and daughter. He carried his sixty odd years with an almost youthful air; his figure was still lithe and active, and from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet ho was an aristocrat of the old school.

She spoke easily, but there was a faint tremor in her voice. Again he reddened, and she thought his blushes were decidedly unbecoming. "Couldn't stand being away—so far away. Besides I had to call at the Admiralty—l've invented a new submarine, you know—bp en working night and day. You haven't heard of it?" His tone and voice expressed disappointment. "Oh, it's creating no end of a fuss. You laughed at me once —a year ago—and I vowed that I would do something big. t shall never be able to thank you enough, Lady Eva."

"I've been up to the West Tower, papa," Eva said serenely, "and the view is simply splendid this morning. The sea is covered with little flashing ripples, and I counted quite a dozen sailing yachts." "Yachts l>e hanged! Sit down over there; I want to talk to you." He pointed to the discarded newspaper. "I've been reading about Heseltine and his -conquest of the Black Country." There was a sneer on his face. "A column of the stuff. He's building the eighth wonder of the world with your money. I know all about it—the bank manager let fall a word or two in an unguarded moment." "Papa!" "Tush—tush! Don't blaze your eyes at me. A Lorington to have to buy a husband! And there's that precious brother of yours loafing through life—nine and twenty, if he's a day—without aim or object." "Well, whose fault is it?" she challenged. "Oh, mine of course! I should have been master in my own house—l ought to have compelled my son when he was of a teachable age, to lead the life of a man, and not that of a loafer." He turned upon her suddenly. "You and he are as thick as thieves. Now, tell me the truth —is Charlie tacked to any girl?" "Good gracious, papa—no!" "You mean as far as you know." "He tells mo everything." Lady

"Me? Oh, nonsense! I had nothing to do with it, but I am very pleased to hear of your success. Why, you will rank among the famous men of the day." "And the rich ones, too." He gave her a long, appealing glance, and then looked away. The silence became embarrassing. "I wanted to see Ronald Heseltine" he we*it on. "I owo much to M>n for practical suggestions. He and I experimented on the thing years ago, and we've got to perfect it. together. Mrs Heseltine has told me al>out his engineering fad —fad, she called it—but, by Jove, Lady Eva, it's great—simply great. I'm off to Birmingham to-morrow to se<> him. Good-by. I hope to meet you again soon." Again the tips of Lady Eva's fingers were extended, and with a flourish of his cap Mr Aubrev-Smith, his face aflame, went on his way. At the lodge gates he turned, and watched the vanishing carriage, a saddened, wistful look in his eyes. "Beautiful—beautiful, but cold as a stone!" he said aloud. "A year ago she told me I was a presumptuous boy and she laughed at my name, my poverty, my folly. Everything iii connection with me was a jest, she has a passion'for speaking the truth. But she is the darling of my heart." (To be continued.)