A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS.
OUR SERIAL.
By Mrs De Win ten Baker, Author of "The Sin of Carina," "Sjr Bradford's Protegee," "For Weal or Woe," etc.
CHAPTER Xlll—Continued
Grace Omer bit her lip and frowned, j "Lady Trevollan shall pay dearly for j this!" she snapped. "I told you .it was a put-up game Mark. My lady ! wanted Sir Eric to fall in lovo with ! this chit of a girl all along, and it was ■ I'or this reason that she brought them j togetJier. Tho girl will come inito a let of money w hen she is of age, and that ■is what my lady is counting on,. She knows she won't have much to leave to Sir Eric; —you and I have seen to that, haven't we?—so she is trying to atone for it by introducing an heiress to her son. Why she actually wrote to both. •of them, before either of them left London,, telling'them to look out for each other on the journey down. That proves conclusively what a deep game the old lady is playing. Well, you and I have had tho whip hand so far, Mark, and we must see that we don't lose it.. You have stood by me, and I will stand by you, and between us we ought to make a good, thing put-of it. You say you want to marry this.Lascelles girl. Well so you shall." . . Mark Jason's face smile now. "You are a clever one, and no mistake," he observed. "But all the same I wish I saw my way a bit clearer. True, we have the whip hand over the old lady" —ho glanced-toward the curtain we can force her to forbid any engagement .between Sir Eric and this girl. But how can we prevent Sir Eric from disobeying his mother's commands? The chances are a hundred to one on their running aAvay when they find put that his in-i tentions are'thwarted by her ladyship." "You forget , Mark, that there are always 'two parties to an engageme.it of this sort." Grace Omer smiled cunningly, and Jason stopped whirling his watch chain to look closely at her. "You mean the girl, Miss '.Lasc*4!c.i, do you?" he inquired abruptly. "Yesl" Grace Omer'js reply was hisssed with' malicious, vindictive force "1 mean Lefctice Lascelles, stuck-up minx that she is!' Even though you say you want to .marry her, an-i 1 an? going to help you all I can to do so, I can't help saying what I think about her. I have hated her from the very first time that I set eyes on her, Mark, and I'll he downright glad to see. her taken down a few pegs. (V lt will give I me the greatest pleasure in the world to spoil her little.game with sir Eric, and I hope I may'be able bo cause her some of. the pains .she deserves • for vhe airs and graces she puts on. bhes ' the must go-for, Mark, if we are to see this thing through successfully." -• • •■■:•'■ "<■' , :•■:■ .•■■--' ; 1 I "Yes, but how? lam not sure ilia* Miss Lascelles isn't playing a deep game on. her own account. She must have seen"—«gain he nodded to the : plush curtain— "and yet she has not mentioned -a word about it. I must confess that it puzzles me." . _ v "Whatever game she-is playing, Mark, you-mad I ought to be clever ei-iough'to .'outwit her. At any. rate, we must have a good "try. &o l'»ag.a« we keep.r-.cr— our secret,;we. have under qui-'thumbs She must be squeezed dry, as she complained this morning, but that does • not matter— dpes.it—if you could only manage to marry this Lascelles-g'H and get.'hold-of her<fortune. What 1 advise is this riot's go. to her ladyship at once, and tell her she must iqibid ; this engagement between Sir Eric,-and Miss. Lascelles. Then, if Sir, Eric, win not listen to his. mother, you and .1 must step in. See?" - ; ■ ■ .-. .-, "Yes; but. wo have no direct hold, over Sir Eric What can : we do, 'Grace?" . • • ■.•■•■'■■ '. Jason was stall dubious. "We don't wan* to bother our heads about Sir Eric. We must .fix Miss Lascelles, of course." , . , "Fix her? What do you mean, Grace?" For answer Grace Omer pointed significantly downward with her thumb, and smiled with open glee to see Mark Jasom's startled look.
CHAPTER XIV. . LOVERS' CONFIDEisGES ;. V .•The.aim's great'fiery globe was hurrying down the -western sky, casting its warm evening glow over /the peaceful,, prosperous land. Farm labourers Siegan tlo look for their coats iarud to saunter toward the village alehouse—ploughboys unhitched their teams with ready hand and cheery whistle. Another day was drawing to. a close. 'Seawards a .bank of clouds had risen —gray wisps were scudding across the j darkening horizon. But still two figures saitTon, gazing out f rom the rock- ! bound shadows of Smugglers' Coveout over (the expanse of wind-swept •sea- . ~ Sir Kric and Lettiice were silent now —the silence of loving hearts. For •they wore deep in contemplation of the wonderful, all-enthralling mystery that they had solved that afternoon — 4lho mystery that every man m& every maid may solve hut once dn a lifetime —the mystery of, love. Very close did this particular man'hold his maid to liis heart,' pressing her yielding, supple figure to him with passionate joy. Very happily did this particular maid lay her sun-kissed and pretty head on her man's dear shoulders, sighing "with the aiapture of his dear caresses. But now, with rauouous crys, blackheaded terns and white-winged gulls began to circle overhead. The restlessness of .the birds grew more and more pronounced, until, with -a sudden start \
(To be Continued.)
I -as though waking from a dream, Sir ; Eric looked up at them aind out to sea | again. I "Dear heart!' he cried, bemling yet again to kiss the cherry-red lips of : his loved one, 'we must be getintg back to Cotter's Farm. There's a storm browing." | "A storm brewing?" Lettice rei posited his words nervously. "Oh, Eric —dear —l ihope it is not a bad omen!" | She Qield out her small soft hands to her lover, who had risen, a.nd sprang to her feet beside him. Gently he took 1 her dn his arms once more. j "Darling," he whispered, "what do j we care about omens now that we have each otiher? Our hearts are surely proof against all to storms in the world. With me to shield and protect you always you can afford to ignore omens ana suoh tilings." A smile of protest flackered on his handsome face as .ho played, witlh an errant tendril of her silken hair. . "Eric, dearest, forgive me—-I was .silly —just as a woman is silly, you know! But when you told me that a storm was brewing,' L was' thanking aboutlMark'Jiason and Grace Omeiv- | and somehow I couldn't help connectling them witlh what you said. But I there—l must not be dismal, must I? Come, let us hurry on, or the rain will | catch us napping." With rapid steps they turned now,to climb to steps to get to the top of the cliff again, and ithen sped across the meadow toward the house. Akeady.a few raindrops were falling, and the sky had grown dull and overcast. A -sudden clap of thunder .went tearing .across (the surly firmament directly a•bove their TKeads as toy readied the welcome Shelter of the tliatched farmhouse. Gladly toy sat down to the tea tot was waiting for them.. II was only a summer thiuiideretorm however, more bark than bate—and it passed over as suddenly as it had come up Then followed a short, sharp shower tot filled the air with a thousand sweet perfumes of fresh bloom and grateful earth. And once more all was peace. , In the cool of the twilight Sir line drove leisurely hack along the road to Trevellan Castle, Lettice sitting snuglv at his side. They were talkuig free- ! ly now, and on both their faces was no little bewilderment. ~ "Of course, I may be wrong, dear, Lettice was saying; "but I daresay you know tot a woman's instinct is often another sense to her, making her see or suspect things that are not derinitelv shaped. That is what I mean wilxen I tell you tihat lam sure that there is some Cas- , tie, dear, and tot Mark ton and Grace Omer sure .at.to bottom ot it. say saw a woman's figure,. darling,?, , ; asked 81 "Welt rather a girl's ngure,l should say," corrected Lettice. "Tall and St. The handkerchief I found was W'at to bottom o* the tree where .belongtoher, whoever she is. At any . rate, ghosfe don't kerchiefs, do they dear?"' She smuea sweetly, -but a little gravely. ■ , S ? say that Mark Jason was lookin. for this handkerchief this mormng, d ea.rpi . L ?'' Sir Eric went on.. "Well at must have been that> i fancv Why else would he be walking up to aviue with his eyes fixed on And if he was looking' £?■& ha.udkemhief, it Jows that he Si know who tWavmystonooß <Maisaret' is, doesn't it dear r. Tihe only tog to do is to me," replied Sir Enc. Lettaa. I«X *t-hM *m with * sudden gry "No no, dear. Don't you see that if M&k Jason is playing a, cunning Ime we .must play • cunmg game We must not let him that we are on his .track. We must figblfc Wbn with his weop°n mother, daring girl—do you not think tot she may know. Seining, and be prevailed upon to te «NJ, ? Sric' It is'best to say nothing a* at present, I feel coii•Sncetl of tlrat. . I have been watchang y!:and am sure tot poor Lady • Sevelkn Isbeioig controlled by some S ioftuence that Mark Jasouand. Grace Omer have over her. I had al 2 set myself the task of watclmng Son,, hut now-now you. have made 1 so'gloriously glad, so divinely happy with your sweat words of loye, dearest boy-why we can work toge to ei-to rid your,poor motor of this incubus to* besets her, can t wcr "You darling little woman! *ori mea.n to tell me that you intended to try and outwit Jason all on your owii?" Sir Eric pulled the mare up .tort and' gazed with loyelit eyes on the ,precious face pressed close to his coat sleeve. , "For vour sake, Eric darling, to murmured, and blushed sweetly For your sake I set myself the task—became you seemed so imha,ppy—because I wanted you to enjoy your, motors fullest confidence again—because i, knew—even—then— .that—tot I loved you, dear, dear boy." A good mam- minutes passed before Sir Erie sent to mare forward again, and twilight had given place to dusk as to dogcart turned in at the castle gates. The grey granite building loomed up eerily out of the gloaming ahead of them as toy came round a bend of the drive. Letdco felt a little shudder pass over her, and she moved closer still to .her 'lover's, side.
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Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10546, 31 January 1912, Page 2
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1,823A DEEP GAME. OR THE HONOUR OF THE TREVELLANS. Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10546, 31 January 1912, Page 2
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