HELD IN BONDAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10508, 21 December 1911, Page 2

HELD IN BONDAGE.

OUR SERIAL.

BY L. F. DACRE. Author of "Siabad's Valley," A Phantom of the Part," "The Shadow of Shame," "Sir John'* Hedmese," "A Daughter of Myatony," etc.

CHAPTER Xl— Continued. Now tiha>fc tflidai-gs at Oliff House were resolving themselves into order, J regular hours for business and pleasure had to he arranged, and Margaret was left quite oinfhaimpered. Pitrick Ward never interfered, or even suggested anything. He was quite satisfied with Miss Thornton's judgment. He would merely listen to her proposals, and nod and smile. She. browght Do% into the dining room ,for meals and taught- her how tobehave at the table. Hitherto the child had been running wild. She devoted an hour in the morning, to a- few simple reading lessons, and thus Dolly's- education began. But most of the time' was Spent out of dooms, and once Mrs Ward went for a- drive in the motor car. Her husband was. the driver, and he clioce . the most unfrequented roads. So a. weok passed, and one norning at the. breakfast table Patrick Ward told Margaret that he had some typewriting work for ner.

mail till six o'clock. I hope jou ca:i translate my heinoglypliics. If not, I will dictate tflie matter." ' "No; I can't stand dictation. I shall make no end of blunders."

She took tlhe pepers and their hart is met. The contact thrilled the man, and lie turned away, repeatii.f,:

''Any time during tflie day-A-iU do Miss Thornton."

"There are two letters, and some specifications," he said,."and I want three copies made of each of them. No pairticu'ljar hurry, Mass Thornton. T don't want yoxi to work too hard." "Work too hard!" repeated Margaret, rather scornfully. "I -.lin not earning my salt." He smiled indulgently..

He walked off to his rami, a>id Margaret went up .to her room, taking Dolly with her. She gave the clnld a large book filled with coloured pictures, and stories, about giants and fairies Then she wen; to the v.inriow and gazed for a 10.-i.j- time \vr.h unseeing eye"; over tJio sinking *e,i Wic-h a long, quivering sigh, she turned at last to her work. a. sitting do'ui. unfolded the papers Patrick Ward had given her to copy. The handwriting was a veritable scrawl, but not so br.d as lie had pretended it to l>e. Xit more than an hour's work.

"Trust a woman to talk extravagantly Now let me see: Dolly occu jpies 'hiallf-a-dozen hours daily, and (teaching a youngster is tedious work; then you read to Mrs Ward—play to her —talk to 'her, and besides have certain of the Unouisehold cares to bear."

"Nonisense!" retorted Margaret., "t .should eai'n! what you are pvyr" ang for." . ' v .• -' "I'--.o'lm-. quite, satisfied—more tlrin, satisfied, M'iss. Thornton. I hope you do. jiKt meditate a- change.", .. , There was a quizzical light "m his €yes~~3 touch of tenter in bis tone. J. fcp»^ TO a gasp. "Good heaven*, o! „ I never want to go away from !hetfe\ u "And I never want you to leaVv."' 6 4-leave us." Has eyes were shining mow, a,nd his voice had soft&heu. "You have - eatwimed yourself about the' K&arts of all." He rose abruptly, and walked over to the mantel, leaning one elbow upon it. His manner was a bib confused, and he was tjpvihg •to hide it. "I am f Si . Self this mo;, n imjp(, I have spent two nights on ft kmotty problem, and a.<v. .no ihear&r its solution."

"Now Dolly must be quiet for a JitjfcLe. while," she said, "and when I have dor,? this\w.e will go airi find some pretty seta/ shells and wvtch the sea birds "

\ CHAPTER XH,

■I "Does it pay to burn the candle at both ends?" Margaret asked oracularly.

"Sometimes I shut myself up for a week at a. stratch. I dare let nothing obtrude between me and my object. But I haven't properly settle down yet; I get and my thought's warder. There seems to be soraeihii!: impending, and the impression weighs me d0wn.......Y0u have heard from Miss Janson?"

: "Yes—this morning." ; "Good news, X I hope? Slie hasrt Wmtten. to me yet. I must send. her' some acknowledgment for the troulle &he has gone to, but-1 don't want, to offend her."

;' Margaret hesitated and knitted her forehead.

] "It was a verv short letter, Mr Ward."

"And iwisiatisfaotory ?" • —' 'Yes —very.'' He walked round the room in search of this pipo. He had a dozen places for that pipe, and never knew exactly Where it was. At last lie pounced upon it, charged it,reflectively, a/ifl then sp*>U.e_agaiii.

"Unsiatisfadtorv as regairds your self?"

"Well, it was vague. My father is home again, and he called upon Miss .Tan.son. She tells me nothing more on that head.' It suggests ivrrplea*-■antness—-but I can't explain. -There, I am sorry 1..t01d you anything; yr.ii must not be troubled with my affair-.. My father shiall not interfere. He has gone .his way;'and I have ehose:i mir-.e. Ho could not afford to keep ne •now —" '' .

THE STORM

■Sho stamped her foot impatiently. "I don't think'that you have nv'i'ch to fear from your father, Miss Thornton.' Is there anvone else?"

Margaret's eyes darkened with anger .'iiul fear.

"It is ho affair of yours. Mr War:!, and; I will be not be catechized Yon promised to respect my secret." "There—there; I apologise. I only want to help you if I can. Forgive me. I told you there was trouble iv the air, nnd T have d'one nothing lvit hliuuler at everything lately. Ar.d new we arc frightening Dolly." , He took his daughter in his a.rrc.s. and kissed her fondly. Margaret got up...fi;om her lips quivering, 'her limbs shaking, '•• "Do«'t go «-ithoU.i^ lv i n g tint tam I vAs un-PJ-»donaJ^ v rudPi , )llt hod , )llt mio -x, and that was to help you if possible," pleaded Patrick Ward. "It's my ahominable temper, and 1 •am ashamed of myself. You have a perfeot right to know what manner of girl ycu have in your house." 'DtCii. after a pause: "But I deeM.i. to tell ! vou another word."

"You aire dciborttiiiiecl to be qnarrelsoune," lie said gently. /'Miss I'lioru-tom,-you slia.ll never have ea -, se to complain agami'. Now, let us forgot 'ill obont it. Oil, here is the work T w.vntyon to copy- Any timo during the .'..iy will do. Mark doesn't start, for the

The friends of Margaret fiercely, repudiated ■ tihe imputation, until it !v----came a certainty. George Aslon hi • put the machinery of the.law.into motiiooi, ini'icl charged Alf Maxwell. son of the wealthy Castle Clayford brewer, with being tlio guilty maai>. , A London detective was collecting evidence, Imt little satisfaction, could be got out of Castle Clayford.' He waylaid Emm a JoneS, ■ after. miflJy, bombarding' the vicarage for days; but speedily discovered that she 'was -worse than a hornet's nest. She luxew nothing. He threatened amd caoled. He reminded her -that he wais an officer of the .crown amd should subpoena lier in any case. "I hope yoti will,' she retorts /'Them I will tell tihem how you tried to bribe me to swear to wiiat I never saw. Now then, if yau don't get oui, there's « saucepan of boiling •water har.%,". -

Slie spread out the first letter t.> inaster it's contents before starting to work on the typewriter, and -as sK' read her eyes froze with terror. "Deair Aston: Yes, I am in England again, and ait- the old home. 1 don't know about your coming here, as you suggest, for I have an. invalid wife. oiiul can't attempt to entertain anybody ; but please yourself, and be pjepared to take pot luck; aeroplane promfeea.jßeillj and; there shouti be a fortune >m itiifa:hp&^XLS.,.l- } fim expecting something defirdte Frqm jhc Powers at Whitehall by any mail, j.'id to your placed a Bir-mingha.m-1 : >'

' Margaret eouhj read no-mone. Tile writing became a.bhu', 'jhere wa.s a jangling of horrid noises ui he? £aTS : and tt/njseen. enemies appeared »o be iirf the room. They appeared to be gilrfn;; other*. <. . """ ~

i 'Jhe muHl&r "was put and all Castle Cl&yford was an the times of t' ,€ mf ' s t acUte excitement. Men attd won en were sick with the scandal. The vicar 'liad brought home a young wif* — the daughter of one of their tradesmen, and the father of the p-ti m-ide known his resentment by the i.nbii'lled use of his tongue at the'village iuti and at the streer, corners. He'called the vicar a hoary old f inner, and he wrote raging letters to the bisnop,, he blamed 'himself loir not m;«;<ing «i workingigirl of his daughter. ?he.isr--1 agined to be a kdy* and apc<! the rnajnsieirS'Of .her -bet-teas. .She v-as a lazy, good-for-nothing hussy, who had married" the bid man because she .wanted an. idle When in his cui>s he carried tilie assault to the very g.i-tp. of the vicarage, and people were wondering what the outcome would l>e, when another bomb fell into the .heart; I of Castle Clayford, ten time.? bigger than the first one.

It was-known .that Miss AJnrgarct Thornton (had secretly and sitdder.lv married Geotrge Aston, the Birmingham engineer, and the knowing ones guessed why wftien iier.fan.-her liroiijrhfc home iai new wife. It was believed that she had gone away with her husband, and there the interest in hr>r movements had almost ceased, when a whisper. want abroad that she luul run -away from her husband with soma other person.

But 'he tracked the car to London, and two persons had seen it in Bl'Khii flbury Orescen/fi — a poliicema.iv .md a mil'kmasi. lit lilad contained a '.msi-ii ■w«d. •>VCS?! !, 'H-. aili .« khejirtaii was irivi.T>£... 'X\J»c- polifcema.u fed iake.il .tko lumihi :• for'it '-was sudh an uimisxnal tiling for :i motor car,to be in Btoomshury Orescent so early in the'.morniing. Tliiiiigs were running mnophivly for ,tTn© detective now,. .He y&\\<A 'upon Ediitih. Ja.nson, and Edith was. not used to lying. He questioned her in a kimd, and fatherly miUtMier, and s\v: confessed tlhiat Margaret bad been there, and moreover dhe had been brofiirlit to No. 94 by Alt Maxwell. The ro>t \v.v as easy as pie. He drove in n taxi to AilPs chambers, and walked into -the vott:ii, f i fellow's apartments without knocking. (To be Continued.)