HELD IN BONDAGE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10511, 27 December 1911, Page 2

HELD IN BONDAGE.

OUR SERIAL.

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

JPHAPTER Xlll—Continued.

*'l was going to say," he added, looking up with a simile,"that I should flake, you to keep close to the house While lam away. A stranger might com© here unexpectedly iuid Mrs Word would be terrified. Hang it, Miss Thornton, I am terrifying you now.' "Oh, no," Margaret whispeied "I am subject to these fits of dizziness. I have been worrying rather nbmn iry father and aunt. I must write to them and teilil them how well and happy I am." She laughed hysterically. "Of course —of course. Letters may be addressed to you i\i care of Miss Janson, if you still desire your address to be withheld from them. T promised to show you over the foundry butt perhaps it does not interest you." .:•;■;■'. , Margaret, jumped up. By-a great effort "she iftewtLied her shaking nerves, attd heJ|Kei|i.l)olly down.from her chair. Patrick-Ward hurried off ?hito /M* stfudy; bringing-back with a; roll of sa-, per j: on.Avhidh he..-had sketched -...the■ plans of the new foundry. i "A miniature affair," he said, "but fitted with the latest appliances, employing: half a dozen artificers, representing the cream of half a dozen trades.''

The building was remote from the house, and ky in. a lioffllow behind the cliff. No stranger would have ever ' dreamed that a f artcory was hidde'n 'n there. On tllie land side a circle of trees thirty feat high hid it. from view altogether. "Not much to look at now," Patrick Ward. said. "Moas-c&vered, and failemj into ruin, but I inite'nd to rebudid and erect a series of mechanical ahops, eadli one to be devoted to its own partioufllar kind of industry. I wiH construct my own, inventions, as I originally warnied to do, but was overruled by my partner, George Aston. "You may have seen the man Mi,ss Thornton. He lives in a big house not' far from your village." "I think I have heard the name," sine answered gaspingly. He was standing witlh folded arms, •his brow wrinkled, his lips making a (tAiin line. "I am not a vindictive man, but I loathe tikis George Aston. Eight years si*nce —yes, just eight years—t advertised for a capitalist—(a practical engineer. I was very poor then,»and I could make no headway without money. Ideas on paper are of no use —only to be pirated. The invention has to be built a.nd practical demonstrations made to the govennment experts before there is any ohla ! nee of acceptance. All this takes money, and a greait deal of it . George Aston, <\- mong others, responded to my appeal, and the speculation interested him ( . He is a shrewd, a clever, an unscrupulous man. He has overreached rae on one occasion." His face darke'ned, '<his jaw.- squared.- Arid in the last 'six,; only his figures me. ■fraud like poete, are supposed; to &<e half mad. Do I look and act like a 'sane man, Miss Thornton?" Margaret's heaint leaped at the talk about Aston, and then she fairly '> laughed. .i '■; "Sane?. You —a genius." '. \

"But I have done many mad tilings in my Mfe—tlhings that the veriest clod would avoid. I made George Aston an equal partner, and received not a single penny in consideration. He merely adva'need certain moneys, and repaid IMimseJf from tOie proceeds of my inventions. Motor cars,' submarines, flying machines. He makes :i second profit on the buiilding of my invenand I 'haven't a pennyworth of claim on his'-works ait Birminglwim. If I sell a thing; for ten thousand or more pounds, half of it goes to George -.Aston, and in addition lie, charges me a fancy price for tihe miaiteniall production. If I had my just deserts, I would be in a padded cell!" -."Oh, Mr Ward!": i f 'And he is determined' to hold me to the agreement.hard aiKkfast foi; another six yeaa-s-—Unjtil expires. And yet IWe to write civil letters to the man', and dall him 'dear Asfcm' and sign myself 'his sincerely'! He certaiinfly is dear to me, and: I am sincere-in wishing Mm off the face of tihe earth." "And so do I!" Margaret said fiercely. Her hands were clenched together, her eyes ablaze. He swung round smilingly. "Oh, you spitfire! And do ( you harbour so impious a wish for my sake?" "Yes —for everybody's sake. No creature should be permitted to live who causes misery to others. They have no part in God's original plan. They ara fatal to all who have anything to" do with them." •"I am sure of that, Miss Thornton, <r. nd your human sympathy is very dear to me. I never knew the meanins °* heart anguish u'nitil Georve Aston crossed my piaith. Some day I will tell you more; you are cold. "Why did ymi not bring a. wrap or something? These sea fogs are very dulling." "I will go indoors, and write my letters,' shivered Margaret-. "Come along, Dolly darlrhg!"

CHAPTER XIV

EDITH JAXSON'S NEWS. The clays were, slipping by, and-Mar-£aret looking forward witih. unrostrained pleasure to a visit from Edith .Taiison. She had done a lot of work for Patrick "Wlard, and iflie typewriter actually held an honoured place be

I t "His- indifference surprised Margairet '''JVs^sof*fcs^ft& : sto vexed iat' aJJ, ; he^'ax^unt,;.rather-itftan." his .wtfctfsi v found •pitying Shim, and pity is a d&rigerous tthaaig--1 About this time came a letter from Ed&tih Janson. It was very short, but it meant a deal. EdAtai,,was com-i iFngfor abreatih of sea air, and' a talk with Meg! She would arrive early on tihe following Wednesday, and would spend the'day at Oliff House. She had news for poor old Meg—news of her father and others. Margiaret took the letter up to her "aerie" as she called the nest on the cliff. She was armed witlh a book and some sewing, well aware that both >vero Shallow pretenses. There would be neitUier book, reading nor l)louse mending. She was gomg'to bask in the. warm May sunshine, waitcili the rippiling sea. and dream. Sfhe had plenty of food for reflection—more tlnan she could conveniently digest by any.mental process, no matter how severe. For clays the name of Patrick Ward had been interdicted by Patrick Ward., , "We have stalled him ittitil his>, accountants arid mane come to ariagreemenfc about the profits,of the last six years,- and, Wiifficienibly unto tW day isthe evil thereof. The" storm will burst soon enough, and I hear tnat he is •busy witJh some - otilier ; legal/ trouble thJatidoes not concern us." IBut he was there all the same, and Margaret was wondering what the otlher legal trouble Ayas. She guessed that it might concern herself, but her ideas upon the subject were of t<he vaguest descripaion. Then there was the wall of distrust thlat bad arisen between Jier and Mrs Ward, and the very natural anxiety she felt about her father and Aunt Ellen. But EditHi ' was coming on Wednesday, and to-day was Tuesday. This was the burden of her thoughts and that aftertioon at tlhe tea table Patrick Ward remarked upon her preoccupation. • "I 'have wanted to see Miss Janson to thank her for what she did for me," (lie said, with a touch of raillery "And now I am a.lmos dreading her visit, Miss Thornton." | Margaret raised her eyebrows. | ' ■; (To be Continued.) \

tycen the wared walls of his study Jle had strained his right wist fl « vorkmg about the foundry, and there w/as 'no more writing for him f or ° week or two It was dictation to Margaret or nothing, whether she ]iked it or not. So the machine was fetched from her room, ajid she found herself at a bog, square table, with Patrick Ward o n the other side of it. Dozens or letters were written, and dozens of voluminous documents were, copied and tlhei.r liking for each other's Society grew apace. When the pressing work came to alh end Margaret suggested that the study wanted cleaning and tidying « < ?. n , ev «r I>ermit Itoe sonants here," Patrick Ward saiid. "When did you hove the carpet up last.''" • "1 can't remember."'.:' ' | "It mii2rt.be very iirihoalihy to'-hal*' Jive and sleep here 'do. If yoU/-i won.t hlave the oaup4 up,' why/not have, a vacuum cleaner? I witf 'superHitcud the c'ldinslng operatidns'if you wiH dare Half rslucrtantly'lhV was well satisfied wit!h the result a few : days later. In the meaniwhife workmen were busy revolutionising tlhe old foundry, and the scene of operations was circled by a new flint wall, ten feet in height, and croWned with barb wire and revolving spikes. The wall had. been built inside the belt of trees.. Hun- ! •direds of tons of iron and steel had ar- I raved, swathed of bahdlages.j cargoes of polished tools, of every conceiviable name-and size, and it was estimated that the mode] works would be in MI saving in three months. . It was May *iiow, and the month of sunshine and gentle rain, of smiles land tears, of scented winds, and jojCund song birds.., The typewriting finished, Margaret spent most of her spare, timeiourt of doors. Qri the day that Patrick Ward had' introduced the old foundry to her notice, she had spied a cosy.afbouir on the top of the cliffs , where it woufld be pleasant to read'or dream in the bright weather. It was a picturesque scene, hidden from behind by. Sowers L and thick I furze.

I Hero, tihen, Margaret found her way when her time was her own. Latiterjjy,' Mrs Ward ha t dev&opecl a new mood. • To be read to' amused her no (longer and she hid a positive .dislike for. htusdc. She openly expressed her aversion to Miss Thornton, a*nd had banged tihe door of her room in the , girl's face. .Margaret was ri6'fool, and instantly realised that tHie ayah was at the root of tihe whole trouble. She took tihe affront enough, satisfied that her rela.lio.hs with Mr Ward were unlikely to become less cordial. She mentioned the matter, to him and he dismissed it with a. careless slhrug of. his shoulders. ■ t ''She will come round agiain.i'n time. I Kave.had yeams of sont of - ■ .'■■'•' ■'•.'4.'\