THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY. OUR NEW SERIAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10493, 2 December 1911, Page 2

THE EASTERNERS. OR MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

OUR NEW SERIAL.

CHAPTER XXXVl—Continued. j

Dalroar himself, pale from his wound, -tat able to walk, stepped apart with tlho pale, still handsome woman, who supported him with m assiduity that would not bo deiued. •"I have lost my true and faithful servant and friend,'! he said. "But you, Irma, do not regret the son who has left you ? li> .is the way of life." "Not my son, but my stepson. I thought you -knew. One of Abdul's wives died and her chilcUwas given to .me to raise, for the sultan had long tired of me. -But.the child was always sullen, and ungrateful,-and only came .into your hands When you took the patriarchal palace. I loved him, after a fashion. A woman must love something, you know; but Dakoff was always selfish, greedy only for the sultan's favour."

Dalmar, noting this indifference, said nothing of Dakoff's fate; but, looking, at irma's trusting face, he said:

"Will you go with M. Burian and me iback to the : wilds of Armenia, and take up the old, wild, precarious Liftagain? My nieces will soon be married as you have been told. I am a lone man,, except for—shall I say it? —itdie memories of the past, and hopes of the future. You, Irma, after all these years, are the dearest of them all, except, perhaps, my country." For an answer she simply placed her hand in 'Ms. tier eyes, meeting his, told him the rest... ' At Athens* the Armenian commis- ' sipiiefe;: M:4uian ,and ; M- Gorganion, were landed at the Piraeus with the recovered treasure. ' Here, a British i warship, bound for the Black Sea, was by the prince's eloquence, induced to take them and the treasure back to Armenia.' M. Burian would go with them, it being deemed unsafe for him to go back to Constantinople in the present state of public feeling there. The remaining Armenians would also go with them back to their native land.

'As for Dalmar himself, in the state of his health, Douglas and Greer easily persuaded him to travel by sea as far as London. Madam Yalid, or Irma Dalvorig, his family patronymic, would also go. Indeed, it was seen by all on the Mist that the reunited lovers were likely to be lovers again. Her Turkish marriage was not recognised an Christian communities, and that an ultimate wedding would result from the strangely reunited couple was evident. Thelma and'iAlma were sure of it. ' •"'

"You wj!' ..j**i someone," said Tihelnia simply, "now that I am going from you, to keep you straight." "As if you had ever done that," said the prince, and he pinched her

The Dentons still placed themselves at the service of their friends. Mamane lagilos did the same, doubtless because she had nothing else to do.

So to London they all went, on the Mist, of course. The girls demurred to an early marriage, but Dalmar'i? word decided them.

"In affairs of,the heart,'' he an nounced, "it is well to l>e slow in deciding, but quick in executing. You have decided to make these good Franks happy, haven't you? Well, make them happy." •Thelma, naturally submissive, gave way at once. But Alma, now that Sidney was bodily safe, still told him that She was unworthy to be his wifo. "Answer me this," Qie returned, almost sternly: "Is my happiness of any consequence to you ?" "Hoiv can you doubt it? Sidney, T would die for you!"

"When you know I will be miserable if you doiu't live for me, what in thunderation is the use of your dying? Do I deserve such treatment?"

"No-o. But, how—'how long will you put it off?" "Two days after wo reach Jjondon - Douglas and I figure that you and Thelma, with Madame Yalid and Mrs Denton to (help, ought to be ready." Two wedding trousseaus in two days? Horrible! Even Thelma protested. But the prince backed them up. He must almost immediately return to Armenia. T.nna would go with him, also Madam lagilos and other returning patriots. He wished to see his nieces safely married at once. And so it was; but only in ten days -instead of two. Uncle Marsovian cabled lengthy congratulation, insisting that the wedding jourrsys should bo

OCR SERIAL,

BY WILLIAM PEFRY BROWN.

to America. They were. In due time the prince of Dalvorig, restored to health, returned to Armenia, there to resiime, under more favourable aspects, his unceasing struggles for his native land's freedom, or at least home rale. Ti-ma Dalvorig, his second cousin, went with Jiim. Also am earnest company of his countrymen and women,; and, best of all , a renewed supply of casli in tlio treasure chest. Dalmar's name and example would unlock tlio strong boxes of "his wealthy expatriated countrymen in Europe's I money centres, where nothing else would. In time, when affairs brightened for liberty in the East, a monument was erected in the city of Van, by the prince and a public subscription, to his faithful'and valiant servant who had given his life for liberty. The inscription ran: "Sarins. In all good things faithful, unto death." : And Dalmar himself? The , bold, the irrepressible, the long-memoried lover. Well, he and Irma were finally married by their uncle, the patriarch. In this, the later day of the "Young Turkish" progress, at is irumoured that the Prince of Dalvorig is slated for the governorship of Anatolia, once held by the deposed sultan's one-time favourite —Rotan Pasha. THE END.

_ A romance' of enthralling interest, vigorous' and vivid aim every part, and full of dramatic scenes, bears the title of HELD IN BONDACE. (By F. L. DACEE.) Author ©£ "Sinhad's Valley," "A Plbantom of the Past," "The Shadow of Shame," "Sir John's Heiress," "A Daughter of Mystery,'/ etc.

The story opens quite capfcivatingly,

for it has the atmosphere of reality

I An elderly clergyman, the REV. SEPI TIMUS THORNTON »oor ane dignified, duiiiig a vacation rrom Homo astounds kh grown daughter l>y the utterly unexpected announcement of his marriage while'abroad. To ; MARGARET this causes a terrible shock, and she determines to leave home rather than submit to the rule of an unamiable stepmother. An opportunity to do so soon comes, with a proposal of marriage from a wealthy man of dominating cifoaracter. She accepts, but the result of this hasty alliajice is far from fortunate, and MARGARET soon has fear to believe that matrimonial happiness .«s anything but alluring. Ha missing experiences follow in quick succession, keeping the reader constantly on the tiptoe .of delightful expectation. i

The first instalment of this cle»v«r story vrM appear on MONDAY MORNING. ■