Daughter of Mystery

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10270, 23 June 1911, Page 2

Daughter of Mystery

OUR SERIAL.

®

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

CHAPTER XXlV—Continud. j "Ho spoke tho truth." The young fellow's lip quivered. "She is in a Russian prison. Our father was an English officer, and I bear his name. He fell under Morosov's teachings, was sent to Siberia, and was shot in making an attempt to escape. Our poor mother is serving a life sentence u o\v." He smiled bitterly. 'The wily Moros-ov always managed to save his skin. But I have a strong hope of the mother's release. Do you wonder, now, that I should hate Russia iandf everything that is Russian? Do you wonder that the dream of my life is to publish the real Russia to all the civilised countries of the world?" Then his mood changed, and he smiled upon Ehielh with ineffable tenderness. "We shall be strong in ourselves now—you and T. It is good to have someone to ; lean upon and love." He laughed. ] "And if I hear any of Pardoe's scandal—that is the name of our pious mischief-makei —well, I will announce our relationship from the pulpit, and thrash him into the bargain!" Tho hours which followed were hours of tranquil enjoyment, not the boisterous merriment forecasted by Hugh Stanley. A quiet, little lunch, a drive to the White City, and a life's confidences were exchanged. Hugh Stanley had been educated by the only sister of his father. She was a great lady in her way, and some day there would be money for him; but he had ever been of an independent spirit, and he had worked and saved. And Elneth told him of her life's romance, and his contempt for Ronald Heseltine was only expressed inhi sdi lating eyes. "You care for this man yet?" he said.

emotion—suppressed and painful. Her breathing was quick and quivering—her heart bounded almost to suffocation. Then she recovered herself, and met Lady Eva's compi-ehensive glance with eyes o* hostile enquiry. "Perhapr. you will be seated, Lady Eva Lorington," Elneth said. "You know me, then?" Eva betrayed her surprise. "I have seen you once before—at Castle Claydon. *You called upon the Rev. Basil Cooper. I have heard of you, too, from your brother." Lady Eya selected a chair. "I did not know that you wero friendly with Mr Cooper, Miss Tyndall ' ah, I begin to see! My brothe rand Mr Cooper are old friends —old college chums. So Charlie has mentioned me to you." She floundered. The cold and steely gaze of the girl facing her i was utterly disconcerting. "To what am I indebted for the honj our of this visit, Lady Eva?" Elneth I said, her lip curling slightly. "I will come to the point at once, Miss Tyndall. It is purely on, my brother's accaunt." "Has Mr Lorington sent you here? He made no mention of it in the letter I received an hour since," Elneth coolly said. Lady Eva could not hide her enxiety. She rose from her chair, every nerve tense. "Miss Tyndall, my unfortunate brother's prospects are wholly in your hands. Let me confess that you are

not the person I expected to meet—l mean, I thought that you were quite different; but the fact remains that my brother is a poor man " "Are you here to plead Mr Lorington's cause,!' Elneth said. "I am here to tell yon that you are making a mistake if you think you have hooked a rich man, an earl's son though he be," Lady Eva snapped an- , g"ly. "Hooked!" Elneth regarded her en- ', emy with kindling eyes. "Now, what is it you want of me "

"I can-never forget the past, though I feel that I have hot been softened by love. He was ambitions, he wanted money to further his schemes, and he borrowed from a woman. He bartered love for gold," she said chokingly. "A tin god—worthless. Forget him from this hour."

"To release my brother. You are no fit wife for him. You would drag him down to the last ditch. I would i give you anything—money—anything, With his ruin you compass your own." Elneth raised an imperious hand. "And you think you can buy a wife for your brother as you have bought a husband for yourself?" she retorted, with withering scorn. '-'lt is my intention to marry Mr Lorington, and I shall write and tell him so to-day-" She walked over to an electric bell and pressed the button. "Show this lady to the door," she said to the maid. ■With livid features and qun&ering lips Lady Eva stood for several seconds, her hands clasping and unclasping, her kmbs trembling, her heart like a dead thing within her. The' pictures "'Seemed to be making fantastic faces on the wall: the furniture revolved giddily; and through it all j was the hateful, triumphant face of the girl'who had humiliated and insulted her—the girl who would one day be her brother's wife. She steadied herself "I can never forgive you," she said, with splendid courage. "I do not ask it. I hate you."

"I will," she said, valiant of speech, but with a despairing heart.

CHAPTER XXXV

ONE WOMAN-AM) THE OTHER

It was Friday afternoon, and Elneth was sitting alone in the garden. Her two modest trunks were packed for the voyage to New York, and were waiting in her bedroom, the covers unfastened, so v that everything else she cared to take with her could be dropped in at the last m»ment. The day was very bright, and very warm. The air was sweet with the scent of flowers —drowsily languid with the murmur of insect life. Into the last two days had been cro\i%ded an immense amount of work, and early to-morrow morning she woukl be speeding, with Hugh Stanley, |,from Waterloo to Southampton. A letter ) from Charlie Lorington was lying in her lap, a letter breathing passionate love. He told her that life was unendurable, that he could not live without hope. H. 3 had haunted the lovers' seat in St. James' Park, for days and days. That was not Elneth's fault, ■jut he could not help himself. If he did not hear from her he was going away indefinitely. ] Elneth felt pained. There was no '< doubting the strength and honesty of I Charlie Lorington'.? passion. She could ndw.liold'her head as high as the best , kflf them, but she had no love give, to any man A nice little letter oi —yes, that was all that she could do, and wishes for his future •prosperity. Ah, he was a splendid fellow! ' • • - ■';■■ She heard a shuffling footstep, and thrust the letter out of sight. The maid of all work was peering round the corner. "Are you at home, miss?"she inquired.. "What is it?" "A lady is in the drawing room, . miss. My! She is a fine one! A big motor car and a manservant in livery. She says she wishes to see Miss Tyndall. She wouldn't give any jiame." Elneth pondered. "Very well. I don't feel in the mood for visitors. I wonder who it can be ?■ Perhaps a relative. Hugh , .Stanley., had. written of • his discovery to his jaunt ".. . .1 . She followed the maid, and in one minute stood in the little drawingroom, face to face with Lady Eva Lorington. There were moments of'tense silence while the women each other's measure. Lady Eva's cold blue eyes kindled with sudden amazement. Could this tall, splendid girl be the plebeian and vulgar worker whom she had prepared herself to meet? She had expected to find a dollishly pretty but artful minx—probably overdressed, and cockneyfied of speech. And Elneth was labouring under intense

Lady Eva left the house and entered her car. Her mission had been an litter failure, and she was discomfited and. bewildered. The girl had said that j she, Lady Eva Lorington, had bought a husband, had flaunted it in her face. The terrible words rankled, in her heart until she was liearly frenzied.. What shameful scandal was this? And wherever scandal dropped the soil was congenial and fruitful. When the car stopped at her own door she, had partially succeeded in,' composing her mind. She went to her own apartments, where a cup of strong tea \vas brought by her maid. She had thought oiit the immediate future very carefully. The antecedents of Miss Tyndall must be discovered—no stone should be loft unturned to put an end to this insane manage. j "Love!" she thought bitterly. "It is nothing but a selfish emotion. There is no such thing as unselfish love. My mad-brained brother swears that he is in love for the mere sake of veiling 1 his family and Satisfying his own conceit. The girl probably fancies that she is in love because Charlie is an earl's son. What of my own case ? I don't believe that Ronald" would ac- ; knowledge my claims upon him but for the fact that Ms worldly success is due to mo, and I should'never have loved him, at all had he not piqued , my A'anity by his indifference." (To be Continued.)

r Winter's chill hm tmnna yoo With cough and lungs distrest; AOACIAN BALSAM frees you, And through the night gives rest. ACACIAN BALSAM, best on earth, For coidte and weakly chest; Of testimony there's no dearth, As thousands now attest Barraclough's Acacian Luna Balsam. 174