TO THE UTTERMOST FARTHING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10447, 12 October 1911, Page 2

TO THE UTTERMOST FARTHING.

CHAPTER XXVll—Continued. For she stood there, living! Her hand had touched him, her eyes were upon him, his arms clasped about her. "Living! Living I!" he cried like a madman as he lifted her as he might have done a child and bore her, out of the hut. A rough seat was close by, and he sank upon it, staring at her. She stood a few paces from him and spoke; her voice was curiously dull. "I did not mean to let you see me," she said, "but I was resting. I am bruised and shaken and the man who came with you from Lychet Morton spoke to me. Ho knew who you were —he had worked at Redbourne—and he .told me that you had 'recognised one of the dead. I saw that poor girl taken from the carriage and carried into the hut. I remembered that her hair was almost the color of mine, and guessed what the mistake must be. I —1 saw you by her body, and I was obliged to let you see me! That's all!"

" All!" He was upon hi & feet, his arms were about her, his kisses blinded her eyes. "All! Are you mad that you ttfhink' I'll let-you leave me? Forgive you? I adore you! You are my , wife.l, I dare you to leave me!" THe was-'.'tao" stnftngffdf her arid'she knew it —had known it from the imo-

ment his (hands had .touched her and t she had seen the rapture with which \ he bad looked upon her living face. ' But doubt and shame made a weak struggle yet. With her hands against his breast she pressed him back from her. ; "Do you know that I would have burned the will—that I meant to burn it to-day? That to keep your faith, your love, I would have robbed you for air your life?" "I know that you are trying to rob me now and that you never shall!" ' His clasp tightened. "You are my happiness, my life!" "If I marry you I wrong you." Her head sank against him. "Have you not borne enough from me?" I "So much that I'll endure no more." His lips were upon hers. | "You are mine. lam deaf to all you have to say." "No, no! Wait!" She drew back ~ from the kiss. "Remember, I've I tricked deceived you! In the time to [. come you will never be able to trust me more than you would do now." "Why, no—that's true!" For the first time he was smiling as he raised !' jier face between his hands, kissed her, and waited for her kiss. "I shall love •\ you more than now, never trust you ! more entirely. My life upon your • faith now and always, Lorraine I" He kissed her again, released her, and gently put her from him. "We must send a message to Clare. Can you walk with me to Lychet Mor-

Iton?" j "Yes, I can walk." She hesitated, v and then asked 1 "What shall you say ■ to her?" .i He smiled, holding out to her the J leaf of his pocket-book upon which he I had hastily scribbled. She read,the three words?.of the message': , ; -.''We are together!" '* , «,«.'' ;*:. <'*■.-■ ,-'*' ■ /Mora than half a'year had passed ■1 when one morning's, post va conclusionran. *'' ' "•_ - "And now, dearest, at the end of this mercilessly long letter—how exactly I can picture you and Bernard as you read it together, and how I should love to peep over your shoulder!—l have a.piece of news for you which I had meant to keep until I see youj but whioh I think I will now dispose. We heard through Mrs. Moorfield who has ofteh. written to me since y&u have been abroad. How she got the particulars I don't quite know, but there is no douht that it is true. It is about Sir Derek. He has married Rose Lamont,,and they have gone to Australia together. Mrs. Moorfield "believes that she means }torfitjim -to. itha stage, and seems to think it likely that he may try it, too. She says that endeavouring to earn his living will be '.,. a novelty and may help to keep him straight. :•". ""'For my r«*rtl -ihirik it is very likely; he was.always, fond of acting and clever at it. I need not say that T&fa truly glad that he has made what amends-he, could- to the poor girl after /treating her so cruelly, but I must " add—and Harry agrees with me — "■ that I don't think he would ever have done it but for the income which your v husband settled upon ner. He might starve alone on his two hundred a year; they can't very well do it together on four, and from what I have heard I should say she may be quite able to double it. J "Mrs. Moorfield says that when she i was on the stage she remembers her as j very clever indeed. I did not feel sure { whether Mrs. Vassell would know, so I thought it would be kind to write her I a little note and tell her. I have not

(OUB NEW SERIAL.)

By CARL SWERDNA, Author of "A Mere Ceremony."

» had a reply yet, but I know she is very j comfortable with. Lady Hesfcon and ! gives every satisfaction. It is certainly much pleasanter that she should be away from Itedboume, particularly after what has happened. Poor womanshe has had a wretched life! I hope my letter may be a little bit of comfort to her. "Oh, my dear, I can hardly believe J that in a week I shall really see you 1 again—that you will be almost ready { for starting when you get this! I know the week will seem longer than the seven months that have passed since I saw you. I talk about nothing hut you! Harry laughs and says he is jealous. I care a vast deal more about your coming home ' than I do about our wedding day. I believe he is almost right—l don't believe I would be married at all if you were not going to be with me. I'm almost inclined to be jealous, too —jealous of your husband, for I know I can never be quite first with you. But you love him, and I think I will forgive him if only .because I know how he loves you. Besides, I am a little bit fond of him myself, and you may tell him I say so. "fiedbourne ia looking as beautiful, as April can make it to welcome you, .but it is empty until you come. , I .put seven, kisses on tihe paper here, bile for every day until we meet!" THE END.