AFTER RELEASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10608, 15 April 1912, Page 2

AFTER RELEASE.

OUR SERIAL

CM A VTKII XlX—Continued

"But I'll trust him!' .she .s:;id,a:i slio clenched her delicate hands under the bedclothes. "Ho has never disappointed mo yet. It is cnly a piuuso and will pass. Ho is tired and overworked and something has gone wrong —hut—oli, my son\ remain inv son!" G'wond awas mucli annoyed when alio heard that her beloved daddv was

Koiiin; auay .I'm- perhaps two daws*. Her fair Face ritw decidedly solemn; nor ■scarlet lips pouted. She rattled h»r .'•noon with imnwsarv force in her plai« of broad aid milk.

"Yon said you would not go aviv •again lor ever so long," she si ; d r" proaelif.dly./'aud [ don't like beinh>«fc a)!. I»y my own win Gran cau'T play witn mo, and Miss Hermv does r,nl love me now, .because, she" n-ver comes to sec. me. X o ] Jc d;v loves me" ~vnth an oui.nous quaver iu l lor voice liipy were alone in the. pretty o- av nursery. Rawavde sat down, in 'the rocking c \ mr flnd <lmy hig j.^ daughter on his knee.

' ''Do you' want Miss Hermy to come imdseo you?" ho asked. ' ■ "Yes I do, an' she never comes now J Jane, say s h e thouglit she was comm' hero for good. Oh, daddy dear 1 wish she would .'"-her grievance forgotten in tho new idea. "Won't you pJcaso ask her to come?' He laid Jiis tired Jiead on the short dancing curls.

"I have Asked her, .Gwenda, but she won.4 come. I want her even more badly -than you do." "Oh poor daddy.'" Gwenda cried sympathetically, and showered consolatory kisses out of the abundance of Jior loving little heart. "Don't you fink,' she said, -with the Happy hopefulness of youth that had never met rebuff, "that s!, c > would cp> if I .asked her vewy, vewy nice-

Tho_ carriage was waiting before he wont into Mrs llawarde's room. He had purposely delayed going in; he had a, morbid fear that she would question as to he reason of this sudden journey. But she said nothing. She gave him a commission to execute at one ctf the big needle shops, and chatted in her usual manner, as if she had not noticed the haggard expression, ami weary eyes. Only when ho stooped to.kiss her and say good-bye did she hold Ins face to hers with more than usual warmth.

Take great care of yourself, dearest, she said, smiling to the last. It was not until the door had closed behind him that she allowed her anxiety > find expression in the tears that filled her eyes. "I Wa fool to cry. I—->' Her glance fell on * letter on the quilt and. that had apparently fallen f ron ; Basil's pockety hb bent Over fcer Wie glanced at m wondering if it were o any importance, but she as rf ,t were a noxious reptile \vi K ,ii glance fell on the signature. Fo a m ?f cnt *t*t seemed an eternity the fcarely consciotS P * WS -'l4* '■**>&&* cornel wasGwenda's gay voice in " the corridor outvie that roused her and brought.her back to earth. The child danced in, full of the. details of her fatiier s departure and the lovely present he had promised to bring hack to

"But I'll like to see him best, won't .vou, gram?' sho demanded "Indcdd, yes!" Mrs Rawarde said from the bottom of heart. "Owenda dear will you bring mo mv writing pad, and ring the bell for Hannah? liiaak you, my clever little girl.' It was.net a long - letter that' she wrote, 'but she seemed; to find it a difficult one, for Hannah bad to wait several minutes before the letter was handed to her with instructions that it was to bo posted at once. The 'maid looked at the superscription with some curiosity as sho took it. Jtfre Rawarde wrote very few letters, but never bei or ?J ia T H lO maid seeil om addressed to "Lady Flora Blagg." _ Not ..until Rawarde reached London did he; discover- that BoviU's letter had disappeared from the pocket into wluel! tehad- t&nstit. • The letter in l £* ] !,J ns valueless, 'but it contained UoviU a nddress, and the name of the street had slipped Rawarde's memory Ho stood on the platform, faced by the ,impossibility of seeing Bovill, but recognising that no amount of ihroinracking and impressions would brin* back the missing name. The noised and traffic of the platform, with all the clamour of the arrival of an important traim, scmed to go through his tired brain, with the force of a tornado. A dull anger possessed him that he should Jiavc Iliad bis journey for nothing.

"Kob, sir?' a driver said ingratiatingly, watching the motionless figoro with soma interest. Rawarde hesitated a moment, then put out his band. At any rate, ]io would get something on tof his. j ouniey. If he coul d do nothing else he would disturb the ..] Dnko of Ludworih's self-satisfied assurance of the validity of his position. He gave the. address of a firm of solicitors who had been in the confidence of the Marehams for two generations, and ho leaned back in the cab with a sigh that was almost a groan. All his life •nervousness,, over-exhaust-ion had produced violent headaches near torture while they lasted. He was in intolerable agony as he held his hands to his • aching temples; ho was certainly barely conscious of his ■actions. "If I could only go to sleep!' 'he thought, but held on to his purpose

(To l>e continued.)

By VIOLET M. FLINN, Author of "The Master Passion, "What Shall It ProfitP" "Voran-." "By Devioua Paths," Etc.

tenaciously, driven by the idea that. in his present frame of mind, had become almost an obsession. Weldon, Shimmers and Hall's office w .is in one of the old streets of the Strand, one of thoso that yet retain somo of their old dignity and peace. The offices were dark, quiet., and dignified, and it seemed impossible to even believe that in these huslied precincts human passions were ever let loose or anyone ever spoke above a whisper. The whole atmosphere was semi-ecclesiastical, and to Rawarde, blind with pain, quivering with torture, the .stillness and repose came like a soothing halm. Mr Welldon was not iu, ho was told. Would 'he see Mr Hall?

"Xo; it is jMr Welldon. I must t>ee. Will ho be away long?' "It :'s uncertain. He may ba back in a'bout half an hour ,or he may be more."

Rawarde controlled himself with an effort, ;

"I will wait. J must see Mr Welldam." ho said.

■.."Will-you come this way, sir?" ■Tlio room was quietly (but well furnished.' ''A" fire burned sedately on the hearth; there was tho fragrance o»r hothouses flowers in the warm atmosphere. Rawarde sank into one of the deep, comfortable leather-covered easy chairs with the sensation that another five minutes would drive him mad. But the tired nerves were relaxing, the great strain was over. Ten minutes later he was sleeping peacefully with only am occasional movement to show that the pain had not entirely left; him. . .

It was some two hours later when a deadened noise wakened him. He sab up, wondering a. little dazedly where he was and what he was doing there Tho pain had left him though ho felt weak and exhausted, and his brain had regained its normal poise. The events of the last few days seemed like a nightmare as he sat piecing them together.

"I must have been crazy to coma here!" 'he thought. Hermione would be disapopinted in him if she knew, and she -would be sure to hear, since she was engaged to Ludworth. The thought was a pain, hut it brought no bitterness with it. He could see her point of view mow, and acquiesce iu it* There could ho no middle course for a man of honoiir.

"I wislul could get away quietly, 1 ' his thoughts went on. ''The clerks must liave forgotten I aan here. Well, I iaon obliged if they have. What a fool I have been! 1 must have been crazy to come.' '

At that moment the door was opeced, and the head, of'the firm came in. He was lull of apologies for his long absence, and a little curious as to the client who --would wait patiently for two hours to see him. - Raswarde had much the sensation of a trapped animal. He could, not leave the office without some explanation of his presence in it,. and yet ■ ho did hot wish to say .anything that might fUtor to Hermione's knowledge and make her ibelieve that he was playing" w traitor's part and had' fallen from her ideal of him. Mr Welldon, inwardly surprised, I outwardly impassive, found the lamely I told story somewhat difficult to follow. ! Undoubtedly this man, who bore a remarkable resemblance to the Marcham family,"" was sincere in his belief that ho was the rightful Duke of Ludworth —jet ho made no claim, while he cub the interview short with a celerity that surprised even the experienced ] man of tho world, {leaving liim in great doubt as to whether lie was a harmless lunatic, a catspaw or a strat--egist of the very first class. "But a very fine face, and very like the Marchams," Mr Weldon mused when his visitor had bolted incontinently. "Certainly erratic enough Ho be one." What did he call himself ?' ! He took up tho card, and ■ adjusting' his glasses, read it deliberately. Surprise came into his face, accustomed as ho was to strange happenings "Rawarde !< North port! Extraordinary, indeed!' ' Ho pressed the electric bell vigorously. An elderly man answered the summons. ' "Jenkyns, is that money still paid to Mrs Rawarde?" ho asked. To what address?" "Her bankers, sir. The acknowledgment always comes from them." "Very good. That is all I wanted to know." He sat for a minute or two in deep thought. . "I suppose I must let her grace know. Those were her instructions." He smiled rather grimly. "She will nob like getting my letter. A wonderful old lady, but far from being -mi I agreeable one!" I And, drawing an envelope toward him, he'directed it with methodical precision to "The Duchess of Ludworth!"