HELD IN BONDAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10510, 23 December 1911, Page 2

HELD IN BONDAGE.

OUR SERIAL.

BY L. F. DAGRE. Author of "Sinbad'a Valley," A Phantom of the Past," "The Shadow of Shame," "Sir John's Heiress," "A Daughter of Mystery," etc.

CHAPTER XIII. THE INVENTOR REVOLTS. Two weeks passed by, and Margaret had easily adapted herself to her new life. True it was a life of ease, of luxury' ailmost, compared with what she had been used to. At. the vicarage there "hlad always been a difficulty to make both ends meet. Payments were aOlwnys overdue. If the grocer was satisfied the butcher was clamorous. Hard fare, hard work, and o'ne eternal round of worry ami wondering what was going to happen next. Life at Cliff House • woulfd have been like a pleasant drown, but for the shadow of the past.- As for work, there was no such thing . The time ..she spent with Doiy w"as<a pleasure* with; Mrs Ward she went driving,and occasionally did some : shopping'a!tLDeall>■.- • - ••". '.. Patrick Ward made good his threat tiM several dfcys,'and when' he. emerged'' from his den he looked more dead than alive. He seemed to be pleased with the result though, and was as merry as a schoolboy. "I must take you womenfolk for a long, mad-drive in the motor. I must do. something to let off steam as it wore. If I were arboy 1 should enjoy smashing somebody's windows, or doing anything against the rule of Jaw and order."

He had surprised his wife a'nd Margaret in tllie drawing room. Dolly was sitting on his knee, her arms round his neck. "How absurd you are, Patrick," Mrs Ward said. "You are better, Amy?" he asked tenderly. so much. The knowledge that we aire practically out of the world has worked wonders. I have been downstairs three times this week. I don't believe that I shall be ill again, Patrick, if you could matai&eto get rid of the people & the.lodge." "Do you mean Mark Jordan a*nd his

"Yes—who else?" iJ!"Amy!" , . •'"They are so inquisitive. I feel that their eyes aire everlastingly upon me. Have yod not noticed if, Miss Thornton?"

I "Mrs Jordan may be curious to see what you are like, Mrs Ward. Ykm , always hide your face from her." '"There did I not. tell you, Patrick? jt have to keep my face hidden from that prying woman." , :.}' Mr Ward was thoughtful for a mo-, 'paeht; then he lookedjjip .with,.a light laugh'. C "I'll soon put a'n end to that annoyance dear. If the.Jordans are unable tb curb their curiosity, they must go, old and valued'servants'though they be." He turned to Margaret. "I shall h|xve some copying for you to do tomorrow, Miss Thornton. My last invention is perfect-—on paper. I venture to think that I have mastered the Jast essential, as far as the practicability; of aeroplanes goes. In the last few days I have made a' working model that demonstrates all 1 that I have claimed it oari'do. Have you been o/er the old foundry yet?" "No,. I.understood that it/was forbidden, ground." Patrick Ward sighed _ , "So' you have'-heard something- o" the story:.";, ,-'v..y\ ' • -"I hope lam;not making mischief." He made -no answer, but gently 'ting Dolly o*n thefloor, rose'and paced up and down, Ins l«wy puckered with thought. "I am going to put the foundry and engineering shops into working order lagjnin.; Mrs Ward wishes it, and it is imperative that I have the building of aeroplanes under my own eyes. The works will be well away from the house, a'nd the noise of the sea drowns ■all the noise. For trial flights a better spot does not exist in all England. My aeroplane needs no-runners, hut will rise 'and fall at any given spoE with the ease of a. bird I have drafted letters to some of the leading engineers asking thenvto estimate for the work,a?nd shall put it in hand without loss of any time. Tl'ey must be copied and sent away to-morrow. Miss Thornton.'" Then he added, "T am going to have a talk with Mark Jordan now, and after teitvwe will take a walk to the foundry.", "It will be far better and safer to hlave aM the manufactures all irndcr one roof," Mr.* Ward said when he had gone. "But aren't these flying—macliines dangerous tilling® ?" Margaret asked apprehensively. "Two or three people

are killed every week." "Patrick does not go flying about the country. He has o'nJy made one before this and they are different from other people's. This is just where he scores. He was paid fifty thousand pounds last year for a submarine. Hark! someone is at the door." She turned as white as paper and shivered. "Only tJhe ayah!" Margaret assured her. She was getting hardened to'imaginary enemies. ■ She laid her hand affectionately on Mrs Ward's shoulder. "You are pver-cxcrting yourself to-day." « "Yips, I thank I v"U so up to my room a'nd lie down. Lc-uise shall take me, Miss Thornton, ; a*d:.y.oiv will stay here and pfoy some : Y '•./■- rtn' the piano; something dreamy trd soothing., Tl}en~ I can go to stteepwitih the idea that tny room* with VangeltfuUtetyl of. '■.. -.■ /•.-.•!.■: - ■'-.,;'• '*" '■ ,■■;■■■ '",* . * Margaret jumped up a*nd called to the ayah who w&s pottering about the hall. The;. woman e&me obediently enough, but there were strange, lowmubtered words on her lips. "Your mistress wants you, Louise. What are you everlastingly jabbering about?" The black eyes flamed mockingly. "It is no business of yours, miss. Yet it may be. The Indian woman has powers .that you never dream of, and would scoff at. She can see back into the past sometimes." "Oh, bosh!" Margaret could not help feeling chilled. "Mrs Ward is waiting for you. Doily dear, lam going to play beautiful music. Dolly likes music." It was of the child's greatest pleas Lures to he at Margaret's feet and lisI'ten to the piano. | Patrick Wttaxl appeared at tea, ali most looking himself again. A cold bath and a good scrubbing had worked wonders. He did riot' talk" vers much, and more than once Margaret caught bin) gazing at her with more than ordinary fntentness. The first time that she met his s glaze he turned away, but the next he- met her eyes kindly and frankly. "I was wondering what on earth C would do without you, Miss Thornton."

. Margaret coloured and bit-her lip. . <r Aid"l Have often, wo'ndered whfttf earthly use lam 'to anybody. I have never, understood tie-i meaning of,:liumari sympathy,before?' ' .■■'/. >;. words tSiat rose,!. to said liaitingjly: ''l have always led such a loneiy life— a life of disaster." "Bult you are successful—famous." He shrugged his shoulders. 'Tame and fortune do not always spell happiness.'' i "I understand," she said softly. "Your fatlher, L then your sister, a*nd now the strange condition of your wife nlso." '■,-■' / "Yes." "But you liave Dolly and Mrs Ward is improving." "Yes," he said again. "So you went to Deal with Mark Jordan yesterday, Miss Thornton?"

, "Tli ere was a , little difficulty about matching some-stuff at the draper's, you see." ? . "Mark -took you to .see ray sister's •'grtofre,?'.'; He told'me about it, and I .was angry with him. There;is bother' enough wMr the jiving without heaping up sorrow over the dead. The poor old chap mea'ntiio harm, though, at all." ' "lam sorry," faltered Margaret. "It was no fault of yours, Miss Thornton." ' "Mark only took a few flowers. He told me tfliat lie Wad tended the grave all tile years yo.u.'had been away. It will be a dreadful tiling if he and Ms wife have to leave you." "Oh, they will not!" he said shortly. "I have humoured Mrs Ward too much already. By the way, I must go to Birmingham and mlay be away for a couple of "days. Mi- Aston is my partner, and if I don't go to the works he will come here. We hiave stalled him off in the letters you/typed, but he is a most aggressive and suspicjous man. I intend to get rid of him as soon, as I can, but we can't play fast and loosi with partnership agreements. I expect there will be troxiMe when I tell him I intend to re-open my own foundry." He half closed bis eyes, and spoke in a low introspectively. (To be Continued.)