A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10533, 20 January 1912, Page 2

A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

OUR SERIAL.

By Mrs De Winter] Baker, ? „rni. c-„ „f HnrineJ' "Sir Blandford's Protegee," "For Author of "The Sin of Oarme, „

CHAPTER lll—Continued. c At last the top was reached, and to ; ]icr aiiuiz("i.." ,r Lolnce portion of t'no and vaster i'lvan she n:\; : . a long corridor ran from tlio rig.'U ..;.>:- ' to the left, and grouped along tlho passage were numerous rooms, each one ( with its name affixed on a brass plate over the door. Here were to bo found "The Bine Room," "The Red Room, i "The Yellow Room." And to her great , astonishment, though Omer hurried , her past it witlh great speed, s 4 he no- |' ■ticcd a door with "The Black Room duly affixed to it. 'j mis last room was dafteren* from tne rest, 'being at tlho end of the corridor, • and having a handsome, wrought-.! Ron screen, strongly padlocked, to guard it from possible intrusion, presumably. Lettice had only time to notice all , this briefly before she was swept round t'he passage and had entered the second long corridor leading to tlhe other turret. At tlhe end of this passage was a door with a thick pluslh curtain hanging before it. "Without ceremony U-i are Umer lifted it and knocked for admiaann. '.'"'. TT i. "Come in," said a soft voice. Ushering Lottice before her, Grace Omer half led, half pushed her into the presence chamber. It was a simply furnished room leaJing into a bedchamber beyond. But Lettice had no eye for anything, rot even the glorious sweep of country to be seen from the small window. All her attention was riveted upon J>tdy Trcvellan, who, clad iu magniiiccnt black velvet, a diamond cross shining lon her bosom, gave her secretary a smiling welcome. "So vou are Lottice LasceUes, > sh«* said, mild then turning to the wilting attendant, said: "Go away, Omer; 1 wish to be alone with Miss Lascolles. With a frown of deep annoyance, the attendant obeyed, hut went no farther than the other side of the door, where she' promptly stooped to ?pply her ear to the keyhole. "I am glad you've come," Lady Trevellan went, on, when the doo" had closed on Omer's saturnine features. "I get sick of my own company, my dear, and want someihiag young and fresh around about me. Grace Omer is all very well, but she is old and tailing. I'll outlive her yet, se >if I don t

now. , . Lettice stood silent, not Knowing exactly what to say. The dowager's eyes rested approvingly upon tlu> bright, blooming face before her, <uid tney took oh a sad, wistful look. '• : •"I hope you'll be happy here, child,'' she said, more gently than she had yet. .spoken. "I -wall do my best to make you so. And don't you mind what Grace Omer says. She will try and get the upper hand of you, 1 dare say, bup don't give way to Jm by the way, has my boy come? Did -ou see anything of Sir Brie?" Now was the time for Lettice to confess her wrong-doing, if it conlcl be considered as such. "Oh yes, Lady Trevellan—wo met in the train. When he got here he Kindly offered to drive me in his dogcarx. 1 fear I offended your attendant. She wished me to go in the brougnam with her. If I did wrong, please forgive me —I haven't forgotten what you said in your letter." The open confession, and the pretty blush, and the sweet brown eyes »"n the old lady's heart. She leaned forward and kissed Lettice on the brow. Then looking furtively around as if she feared eavesdroppers, ishe whisp-T. Ed: "I want you t<> 'like my son. Ho is an on'ly :son, and lives a lonely life, I fear. Some day I'll tcfll you our family history—not now —tliat she-dragon might be (listening." Lettice marvelled why, if the oh! lady disliked her attendant ho much, she kept her in the castle. Perhaps her face expressed her 'bewilderment. "I can see you are wondering why I put up with Grace Omer," she said. "Ah, but I must. I shall always put up with. her. Not even my boy knows why, no oue but myself and Mark Jason. By the way, Lettice, ha.vo <*ou mot Mark Jason yet?"

CHAPTER VI

"I have only just spoken n Few words t..• him, Lady Treve'll« r., ; ' anpwered Lett-ice, " but ho has vt clever face." "Yes, but don't you trust him!" whispered the old ladv. "I could tell you— I).'it 1 must not say any more, and sfbo stopped abruptly, turning away, seemingly forgetful of Lett'ce's presence, and lost in nieditation.

Lett ice, unwilling to interrupt the ftmv of thought, though evidently it was of no pleasant nature, turned to look out of the window. Land -and sea were stretched 01.+ before her, while away in ">iie distance' could be seen the sweep of the bay, at til 10 entrance to which' stood the lighthouse known as St. Simon's. For some time dhe stood drinking in the beauty of the scenery, Lady Trevelkui still remaining silent and absorbed in her ; thought.

Letftdce grew tired at last of watching tiho white-crested waves dash in on the yellow sands below, and coiighed to remind (her ladyship of her presence.

"Dear, dear. I lost myself. .1 do sometimes. Go downstairs, my dear, and ask Mrs Barfitt, the housekeeper, to sOiow you to your room. You will have the green room next to hers. I will seo you at dinner to-night. We

dine afc seven. If yon see Omer, by tho wav, tell her I want to &peak to :,, ...... :..••..;.-—•• -:!::,!< ue •'.,'. ~i.';,,. An rovoir. ;..-: vie;' was not sorry to have perr:>i<«io:i to retire. But she was not ••' of the mission with which ' tllio had been charged. She was to line! Grace Omer and send her ha-jk to itilio turret room. Omor had so tried to take the upper hand with Lettiee that she rejoiced at this opportunity of ..• minding her that she was only a dependant in the oastle. But where should she look for her? Lady Trevellan had not spoken as though ,she. would have to seek veryfar. She heard a distant murmur of voices tat the end of the corridor, and stole .toward tihe spot. Surely she would fmd someone, even if it wero only a servant, -whom dhe could disI patdh to give Omer her ladyship's I message. ■".. • I The voices were so subdued that Lettiee could hardly distinguish Whether they belonged to roan or woman. But one was suddenly raised and she was positive rthat her own name was mentioned--and not very respectfully. Lettiee drew closer, and found the cound came from <tihe inner door, that was guarded by the mysterious iron , screen It was now unlocked, for a padlock hung loosely from the chain, and there was a key in it. ._ Boldly-*>r dhe was charged with an errand from her employer, Lettiee pushed open the stout .gate, Mr heart beating violently «b die did so Before her wasdhe "Black BxK>m. She read the brass plate wi* awne trepi-dation-then knocked-softly at first, then loader when no response came from within. There was a startled exclamation from the other side of the door—it was dowly and cautiously opened, and' Grace Omer's forbidding face peered out. Before Lettiee had time to speak or I explain her errand she was roughly thrust away by the shoulders, while t(he iron screen was pulled to with a slam and locked in ilier face.; "Never, never let me see you here ' \ aottin," hissed Omer, shaking the mas- ; Isive key in tlhe frightened giri's face. "This room is strictly private.'' Lettiee was a high-spirited girl ,and \ where another less self-dependent may havecompilained of Omer's unceremon- ■ ioua treatment, .*e determined to > keep it to herself. "I won't make enemies unneceasari ily," she said to herslf. "But I will r meet this woman and fight h&c oh her l own ground. I can see it is to be war > S to the knife between us!"

CONFIDENCES. lattice held her pretty head erect as she went down the quaintly-carved staircase ! ti> Fir a Mrs Parfitt, the 'housekeeper. Mrs Parfitt was waiting for her jn the floor below, standing at "the bottom of the ota-rs to greet her. Very d.'il'erent from Grace Omer was she, lying ouly thirty years old, wifih a sweet, homeh smile, and eng.'.ging manner. '*Miss Lascelles?" who said with an' in.terrogatioji in her voice. "I've been, waiting for you to come from her ladyship's room. It's a climb up to the turrets, isn't it?" Lettice was taken by Mrs Parfitt's looks and manner. "Yes. I can't imagine how Laxly Trevellan gets up and down," she replied, returning Mrs Parfitt's smile. "Even I was quite out of breath with the stairs." "Oh, her ladyship 'has a carrying chair," explained the housekeeper. "Mrs Omer and Mr Jason carry her up and down quite frequently. She always attends morning chapel." "The chapel!" exclaimed Lettice* "Oh, where is that ? I should ;so like , to see it!' ' / "So you shall, miss, but there is hardly time- now. Your trunks are up, and the dressing bell will go almost immediately. Shrill I assist you?" "Oh, tlhank you," Mrs Parfitt, but I am quite used to looking after myself. I've only recently come from a school abroad., and I was tanglht there to be very independent. But—there is one thing you might tell me," Lettice added, a thought flashing through her mind. "I want to know who Mrs 0mer is, and Why dlie .should [have so much, influence over Lady Trevellan." T.iio housekeeper her tiny shoulders. "Miss Lascelles, you have asked' me a question I cannot answer ; nor could any of the servants of the castle. I doubt if even Sir Eric could reply to you. No one knows wihy Jier ladyship permits herself to he ruled by lie, but so it is." (To be Contiutied.)