A Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10257, 8 June 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.

CHAPTER XXV. THE LOVERS' SEAT. When Flnetli regained the Strand her courage and her strength were gone. Her face was white, her lips trembling and her knees threatened to give way at every step. She was jostled about by the eager, unthinking crowd, and signalled to a pasing cabman for the sake of rest and refuge. "Where to, miss?" he inquired. "St. JameV Park," she said, after a Moment's hesitation. Her knowledge of London was limited, but she knew and loved the quiet and beautiful park. The cab pulled up at the entrance ; ; i an incredibly short space of time, ; ,id just when the motion was sosoothThe driver dropped from his perch, and onenod t hedoor. "St. James' Park, miss." He cast a backward glance and grinned. Two other cabs, a taxi and a hansom, had stopped at the corner. "I think you will alive to drive me to Streatham, if you will," Elneth said chokingly. "Sorry, miss, but I have got to meet a regular fare at Waterloo. If you'll vaiUiere I will send one of my mates to pick you up.""Oh, don't trouble to do that."

She stopped down and gave the man bis fare. A cool breath of air came from the park, and it was sweet with the odour of growing things. The cabman climbed back, to his seat, and watched the girl with curious eyes. He walked his horse a little way. i The taxi and the hansom had vanished, and a score of men and women were walking into the park. So it was .Nothing after all! * • Elneth walked slowly along the gravel path until she came to a seat under a wide spreading tree. In front of her was the lake, rippling to the grassy banks, and making pleasant music. Above were vistas of manyshaded greens, with lances of sunlight flashing in between. How restful, after the din of the teeming streets! People were pacing gently up and down, or in and out of the mazy ways —men and women, children and the-r nursemaids. Others were walking rapidly homeward, their work finished for the day. Millionaire and tramp rubbed shoulders here—peer and pauper occupied the same seats. And Elneth sat there, seeing nothing, thinking of nothing, but enjoying the quiet beauty of it all. A tall, eager faced young fellow passed her twice, 1 his blue eyes aglow when they rested on her face, but she saw him not. He | slackened his pace, but wheeled round ' again where the narrow bridge crosses j the lake/ and came back. He stopped ! directly opposite to Elneth this time, j and softly spoke her name. ! "MissTyndall!"

you to catch mo spying on you, and 1 wasn't going to budge while you wore in that den of wickedness . These socalled private detectives are the great est villains unhanged. They live by manufacturing false evidence, and by blackmailing people. Just think .what came out in the Criminal Court the other day!" "And you followed me here, Mr Lorington?" "Yes," Charlie confessed. "I am a perfect old Sleuth! I could follow yoM to the ends of the earth!" "You are forgetting your promise, Mr Lorington," Elneth murmured reproachfully. "There can be no question of love between us. I like you very much—l esteem " "I would rather you hated me outright. I don't want any sisterly business, and as for Platonic love, there is no such thing. You've got possession of me, heart and soul, and as long as the field is open I shall keep on trying." There was a painful silence, and Elneth shook her head sorrowfully. Should she tell him the whole truth? Oh, but there was his sister, Lady Eva Lorington. It would never do. And he was the friend of Ronald Heseltine. The situation was unbearable. "I am a brute to bother you like this, Miss Tyndall, but I couldn't help myself. If there is no hope I'll clear out. I couldn't endure England, or anything that reminded me of you — not that I can ever forget you. I know that you are worried about that contemptible action of that guardian of yours— —" Charlie broke off. "If you want any help " "No —no! My guardian has gone to America; I heard from him this morning, and the little difficulty between us is over." Please, do not say one word against him. You do not understand —it is impossible!''You-fir© :i stranger. ' - ' ■ "A stranger!" he said blankly. The word cut 1-im like the lash of a whip. "Yes, and you are astounded «•"- m-; confounded impertinence." He jumr. Ed up, his eyes strained, and full of misery. ' Good-by, Miss Tyndall; I'll get out if the country. I'm a fail■ ' ure in everything—business—love- -

everything! From this hour I swear that you shall never see or hear of Charlie Lorington again," "This is mere bathos," Elneth said stiffly. "AVhy should you make an outcast of yourself for the sake of a girl you have only known for a few weeks? You talk utter nonsense, Mr Lorington!" He stared at her savagely. "I'm •human, anyway."

"Is it human to torture a friendless girl? The toll you exact is too heavy for the little you have done for me."

Ifc was Charlie Lorington. His face was flushed, his eyes shining, but his j manner was almost diffident. Elneth j was not displeased, and after her first j startled glance upward, she smile'] :it ', him kindly. To dislike Charlie Lorington was an impossibility. He raised j his hat, and then gently pressed hnv \ gloved fingers. I "Don't send me away," he pleaded, I a note of anxiety in his voice,. "May i T sit beside you?" '' J "I am glad to see a friendly fare," j she said faintly. • "The very same sreat, Miss Tyndall! It peems en age sir-ce we were he;\j the last time." Her face coloured. She had forgotten. ■ ■'','.;._ i■.• . ■ ', >",, -■■ '\ '•"■'>•' "I haven't, been here again until now." "Oh, I have—-dozens of times. To me it is a hallowed spot, and I feel annoyed if anyone else aproaches it.« You are not looking happy,' Miss Tyn- ' dall. I hope that my letter to you has j not made trouble." j "h. was very good of you to write j to me, Mr Lorington." "Lawrence gave me your address," he said, apologetically. . "i told him that it was something of urgency, tut I would not tell him what." "I am glad of that, too, Mr Lorington." She turned her eyes upoj: him, and wondered for the moment what was wrong. He was glaring at something ,or some one, his jaw •.if"-, his features strained. Then he laup-'J, and said:

She was trembling excessively, and was on the verge of tears. The constant strain of the past few months had torn her nerves to rags.

"Forgire me. I shall never have done lashing myself. My evil genius has had me by the hip lately. I quarrelled with my sister yesterday, with the governor this morning, and now with you. I tell you plump and plain that I love you, and always shall. You say you like me, and that is something I want yon to many me, but you will not. If you ever reconsider the matter you wil! tell me, won't you —if I promise not to pester you? That's a very simple arrangement, isn't it?" "If you keep your part of it I will promise. You made a promise once before."

"So I tlid the right thing for once. Miss Tyndall?" "I have answered your letter, Mr Lorington."

"You have? 1 shall treasure the dear writing as long as T Jive: you think it remarkable that i'e iceet here? Jsothing of the kind, Miss Tyndall. The truth is, I have followed you from Surrey Street. I went there, half resolved to have the precious Foxer on the carpet, but remembered just in time that it was really no business of mine. Then you came along, and [ watched and waited at a discreet distance. I didn't want

"And should have kept it but ; fpi; this seat under the tfee," 4 , ~v , .V i ; . ,; "''" She stared at* him in wonderment. "Really I don't understand you. Mr Lorington," she said. * "It appearsvth.at I have bartei'ed niy heart tor nOth'iiig but ejaculations of; amazemeut,''* he gloomily "answered "I cherish this seat with sacred affection, because it was hero that I first spoke of love to the woman who s enshrined in-my very being. Finding you here, I hoped that your sentiments ran in the same direction." She looked at him with misty eyea. ■ "Good gracious, no! I had forgotten all about it. I chose the seat ; belause of. tho shade." She spoke in a gentle tone, and was conscious of a number .of sympathetic heartbeats. "T don't want to lose your friendship, Mr Lorington, and I am glad that we have arrived at a straightforward (understanding. If I ever do change my mind," there was a little catch in her voice, "I will tell you so, if— if—" His eyes were shining again, and his face was radiant. "I will need no telling if you come to this true lovers' seat. I shall know —I shall know." Elneth shivered. She and that seat would have to be strangers evermore. "And on that condition," he went on, "I may see you sometimes?" "Yes, oh, yes." "The sun shines again for me!" said softly, joyously. (To be Continued).