A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10542, 26 January 1912, Page 2

A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.

OUR SERIAL.

By Mrs De Winten Baker, Author of "The Sin of Carine," "Sir Blandford's iPtrotegee," "For Weal or iWoe," feto.

CHAPTER VIII —Continued. "I quite understand, Sir Eric. Wliat is more, even if you had not taken tn«' trouble to explain, I ishould never nave given the matter a thought. Mv position 'here, of course, .necessitates my attending the service, as you will see. I certainly sympathise with uj. if you say, hut J.'must try and forget it is Mr Jason who is conducting the service. By tlhe way, I see he is goine in. Will you take me .to the, front door?" \ Sir Eric offered his arm, and together they mounted a flight of turf steos to the -path above. Mark Jason was slowly retreating in the direction of the eastio now, patising mora than once to look back at the two figures following in the distance. The chaplain was in a condition of great mental disquietude. The incident that ho had just observed in the sunken garden made him clench his teeth in silent rage. Had he not arrived on the scene at that providential moment the girl would undoubtedly been in the man's arms, and he would Live confessed his love to her. The presence of Sir Eric in the casi le .. as now a nuisance, and Mark Jason saw that it would bo necessarv to adopt stringent measures to clip his rival's wings. Moreover, there was another matter, not very irritating to be sure, but stall annoying—lie had failed to find the thing lie had been looking for in the Lime Tree Walk. Ho ha_xl eventually come to the conclusion that it must have blown away behind the shrubbery. It was not likely tihait anyone would see it and .have picked it up, for hardly anyone ever visited the Lime Tree Walk, and certainly not at this early hour of the morning.

These thoughts were uppermost iti his mind, a« with mechanical and emotional accents he gabbled through the short morning service in the chiapel .<-onie minutes later. Lettice was quite surprised and .shocked at his irreverent manner. She shut her eyes tight and uttered her own prayers.

At the conclusion of the service Lady Trevellan was wheeled into the bttakfast room, where she greeted her son and Lettice, inquiring tenderly after her young secretary's comfort. Sir Eric and Lettice began, to cSiat quite confidentially again <as they sa.t down to the well-appointed table,with its varied assortment of hot and'cold dishes, and its fruit-laden bowls. The handsome young baronet was assidtt ously polite in .his attentions to the pretty young secretary, and was heartily glad to see that she possessed a healthy appetite. Jason preserved a sullen silence on his side of the table, while Lady Trevellan busied herself with the splendid tea and coffee services of solid silver, a duty that no one but herself was ever ,permitted to undertake. • "Are yoiu feeling quite ready to undertake your duties, dear?" she asked as she handed Lettice Iter cup of coffee.

"Quite, Lady Trevellan. And lam most eager, too," replied Lettice, with assurance in her voice.

"But you are not going to keep her with her nose to the - "rindstone all .day long, are you mother?' ;'said Sir Eric with a shade of anxiety in' his voice. "There are heaps ■of .'.very ■beautiful bits of scenery down in this pa rt of the country that she must not ' •.

"Miss Lascelles will always, have the j afternooir free," announced Lady Tre-\| vellan. with a, kindly smile. She.looked from the pdrl to Sir Erie's face I with unconcealed approval. Mark Ja- j son stirred uneasily v iri;his chair, • ''J was hoping Miss Lascelles would let me show fier Bickleighl Aibbey this afternoon," lie observed, breaking the silence for the first time with. Ms oily, smooth accents.

"Oh, all in good time, Mr Jason, ' said Sir Eric. "Miss Lascelles, is not going to run away from Trevellan Castle all at once I trust." He smiled, good-naturedly at tlhe girl beside him. "I hope not, I am sure, unless Lady I"revel lan is disappointed with me,"replied Lettice, with la pretty blush.

"All, we shall see," put in the dowager, with, mock gravity, and tactfully changed-the-subject. . Breakfast.over, Lady Trevellan was once more carried up to her turret room, Grace Omer arriving to assist with the carrying chair. She gave Lettice a, sullen good morning and turned her back on the girl forthwith. Lettice merely smiled to 'herself at the childish exhibition of petty spiite. Having a quarter of an hour to spare before her duties commenced, she now repaired to her bedroom and bega a to arrange the flowers that Sir Eric had picked for her. Finding Mrs Parfitt in the passage outside, she had no difficulty in coaxing some vases and bowls from the good woman. Mrs Parfitt's offer to assist in +he arranging of the flowers was readily accepted by. Lettice. She had a most important question to ask Mrs Parfitt—a question which, however, woidd have to be put with extreme caution. Her. little brain was extremely busy as she separated the flowers and with deft lingers deposited them ih different vases. As the last bunch of gorgeous pansies was (placed to her satisfaction, an idea flashed to her mind. "By the way, Mrs Parfitt," she said in casual tones, "you might ask Margaret to leave <my windows wide open at the top as I love plenty of fresh air." Mrs Parfitt stared for a moment, "You mean Jane, miss. We have

no servant in the castle named Margaret. It is Jane who; does your room for you." CHAPTER IX. A TURN OF THE SCREW. "My lady, we must speak plainly. It is no use beating about the bush. Miss Lascelles will be here in a moment. She must not overhear us."

Grace Omer and Mark Jason now stood in Lady Trevellau's turret room aiul it was plain by the look on the dowager's face that the interview was by no means an enjoyable one as far as she was concerned.

"What do you mean, Omer," she snapped irritably.

"I mean that this young secretary of yours is going to be a new danger. We shall have to guard against her most carefully. The additional risk was not included in our original—er —agreement, my lady." Grace Omer threw a meaning glance at the chaplain.

"I see," said Lady Trevellan. a shade of weariness in her voice.' "Another turn of , the screw. I won't listen to you, Omer, or to you, Mr Jason. I wanted a bright young girl to be a companion to I have secured her. I like Lattice Lascelles, and I think we are going to get on capitally. lam not go in" to be bullied into sending her away, nor am I going to put up with any more threats from you. You Jiave both been well paid for your silence, but drive me too far and it will be the worse for you." "May I remind your ladyship +hat when I suggested the --Visibility of your son falling in love with her you pooh-poohed the idea?"

Oiner spoke in triumphant tones, and Lady Trevellan started a,t the question., There was a new lisrht of expectation in her eyes—a keen observer might almost have read excitement in her face. She was as though waiting for some good news to be told her.

' '3l ark ]lad better continue here. 1 ' Omer turned to the chaplain at this point , and motioned Ihim to proceed. The man cleared his throat and began in obsequious tones

"Lady 'lrovellaii, I feel it my duty to warn you that an attachment considerably warmer than mere friendship ha.s aheauv spiting up between Sir Erie and Miss liascelles. At least this.is the only Corruption I can put upon laai incident that T—or—happened to observe;" quite by accident, before breakfast.,this morning.'" "Well:?" ..Lady Trevellan leaned forward, listening closely. - "\our son and Mis Lascelles were in the sunken garden, and I distinctly saw him stretch out has arms as if lie tfe're going to embrace her. She made nio movement to avoid him, and my arrival alone prevented him from carrying out his intentions."

"Idiot! Yes, I mean you, Mark Jason. You are an idiot! Why did you interrupt him? Why didn't you turn a way, or hide ?" -Lady Trevellan blay.ed with sudden wrath. "My lady, you speak as if you wouid have wished Sir Eric to embrace —er — the young lady." Tt was now Grace Omer who spoke in tones of surprise and awe.

The old dowager threw up. her delicate, waxen hands with a > gesture .of despair. "Yes!" she-admitted, and her voice was now soft and tender. "You are right, Omer. You have laid bar© r~ secret with your cunning. T was taken unawares by your question. But vou shall know the truth now. 1 certainly would have wished my boy to embrace the girl he laves; and from what Mr Jason has told me, I am sure that Eric loves her. From the first I have felt tluat he would love her, and I am heartily glad to .hear it. Oh, you may sneer, Omer —but don't forget that I •am a mother, and have $ mother's heart. Tn spite of your attempts to strangle it, I still have «■ mother's heart, thank God. My boy! my boy!" There were tears in the old lady's eyes and her voice quavered with emotion.

"Then I was right in suspecting that you .brought this chit of a. <nrl to the castle on pin-pose, my lady," retorted Omer vindictively. "It's a put-up job all through, that's what it is. But you don't catclh us napping, my dear lady, oh dear no! Mark and T are a match for you. You talk of a. mother's heart and love. Yoxi seem to forge, t that my own flesh and blood are suffering all the time."

Grace Omer's voice was raised in the fury of her anger, and the chaplain motioned her to moderate it.