AFTER RELEASE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10620, 27 April 1912, Page 2

AFTER RELEASE.

OUR SERIAL.

By VIOLET M. FLINN, Author of "The Master Passion, "What Siall It Profit?" "VereW "By Devious Paths," Eto.

CHAPTER XXlV—Continued. Ludworth did not reply at once. He stood Icaiing against the jnantelS'helf, looking into i'Uie Are, as if he would trace his course of action in its glowing heart. "But I think you must see for yourself Rawarde, that this matter cannot .bo left unsettled now," he said quietly. "I could mot tolerate it for an instant, nor could you in my place. What I propose is that Mr Neal should repeat his story 'before others who are concerned in the facts as well as itiyspji'—Lady Flora for instance and our family lawyers." If lie had expected Neal to object he was disappointed Ile.seciv.ed to welcome the proposition. "I have nothing to hide,' he said. '"My only regret is that the duchess Iras turned tail in the end. A fig for her rest cure. She knew she would have no mercy from me. Yes, I will meet anyone you choose." . , "Then suppose you come to my house, let. me see —, yes, the day after to-morrow, at eleven o'clock, and I'llsee that the others are present also. The duchess is in Germany, hut if you can bring Welldon to your side, sho will of course, have to .be told everything that is going on." ".If only I could see her face when she hears f'' Neal said gloatingly. ''Oh you need have no fear, I shall be there, too!"

For a minuto or two Ludworth hesitated. He hardly liked to let the man out of his sight, yet there was no mean's of keeping him under supervision. He could only hope that the revenge that had been his ruling passion for so long would still hold him to his end ; yet it was. very doubtfully that ho watched him take his departure. ■ . .. ■ "It's an ungrateful world," he said with a vindictive look at Rawarde as he wont. "I'm laying the opportunity of a lifetime before him, and he won't even offer me a bed for the night or look grateful, confound him." "I can't doit!" Riawarde exclaimed when he and Ludworth were alone once more. "Even if,ho is what I have always believed him, I can't be civil to him when I remember how his \ evil memory shadowed and poisoned ( my youth. 'All my life I've been living to get away from him. Can you blame me now that I can only remember all that has cost- me and my—mother?" ■'lt seems incredible that he an wild ever have be*!. Mrs Ra-warde's husband, or evoi the popular doctor aid \V;;*l' Ludworth sa : <l thoughtfully. His mind was full of his own concerns and, how they affected Rawarde, but :he could not but feel sorry for him at the same time. Truly it had been against terrific odds that he was where he now was. o i Rawarde pointed to a row oi medical journals on a shelf near by. "Every one of those contains laudatory criticisms of Ins works and writ-. bigs',' he said dryly', "and in this one" —he took it from "its' place—"this is as he was when he was married," ho said, opening the volumo to show the portrait itself. ' "He was a handsome man, at all events, in those days, and— you must forgivo me saying it, Rawarde— you've got' an uncommonly, close resemblance to him, but at the same,time-you remind me of some of the- portraits at the castle. Yon are extremely li*e dark Marchams."! h *'There were some dark momenta 'wKeh I thought so, too," Basil answered with * smile. "But are you quite sure, Ludworth, that you realise what you are doing when you listen to his mad ideas?" "I quite realise it," was the.reply. "The fact is, Rawarde, there is ii screw loose somewhere. I believe ho is telling tho truth as far as he knows it. But T—well, it may be a case of 'setting a thief to catch it thief. There has been fraud somewhere, I am certain of it. I don't know where though —and I have to make some inquiries on mv own account"—with a little dad pulsation that his sober words did not warrant. Ho had told Eldyth he would bow to her decision and make no effort to see her, but surely, this was an exceptional case in which he might break bis promise- with jusi.tr fication. . ''To-morrow! to-morrow!' ins heartsang. Ho could bavo counted the hours until that one in which he would see the grave, dark face, and -hear tho voice whose every note was .richestmusic in has cars. His thoughts went off at a tangent, to be recalled by a whimsical idea that made him turn to Rawarde with laughter and sincere liking in his eyes. # . "Why, we shall all bo cousins yet, he said, and reflected that Hermione might, yet marry the Duke of Ludworth. . Ho had telegraphed to his valet earlier in the evening to send to him all letters that might arrive, in case there was one from Tresidder explaining his first note. It was late when he went to bed, and he slept badly, Ws dreams a curious jumble of the events of the day. It seemed only a short timo later when he was aroused by a servant with hot water and a pile of letters and a telegram. Ho opened tho latter with some haste. It had been, re-direc-ted from his house, and it was from Sir Thomas. "Do you know where Flora is? She left the house last evening, and we can find no trace of her. }Vir© reply immediately."-

CHAPTER XXV. Lud worth gazed at the telegram as if it held the answer to the question in its flimsy folds. Flora missing I It seemed too absurd to be true, and yot it "was! "I suppose the fact is that between Neal and Tommy an<J the inquiry agent they have frightened every particle of wits out of her,' he said, and sprung out of bed. "It begins to be serious. If she has run away because she's afraid of what she has'done, Neal has probably the facte on his side." He dressed hastily, splashing in and out of the bath with-his thoughts, flying in all directions. Early as be was, Rawarde was in the dining room. before him. ' ■ "I'm sorry to hear from Davis that you want to get an early train up to town,' he said. "I hope you have had - no bad hews." "Well, I don't know. It depends how it turns out." He- gave Basil the telegram to read. "The worst of it is you never know how such people are going to act," he said. "If she's so badly f.rigthened as .to, riinaway* from an Poor old Fluff, he burst, out, with feeling. "She was not half a bad sort if my grandmother hadn't treated her as if she had no business to be alive; and she was so happy and gay in her summer with Blagg until this trouble began! But she was just the very one-for Neal's purpose," he added gloomily. They sat down to breakfast. "Anyone sharpwitted, alive to .responsibilities, would have seen the danger in what he proposed. It would never dawn upon her."

"Perhaps she has gone out to see some friend," Rawarde said sympathetically. Ludworth shook his head. " ldon't believe she had any. They were only acquaintances, only good for a visiting list, and what they could get out of her at Pearlings. Poor old tiling—she was so good-natured and so easily duped! Tommy will be crazy with anxiety. It, is extraordinary how devoted he is to her. In his opinion sho was flawless." "It is a poor love that does' not think so,' Rawarde answered. "Will you have time to call at the hospital?" "Oh, I suppose I had? better drop in!' Ludworth answered carelessly. It is a remote chance that Fluff—Flora might think of Hermione as a refuge; but-1 doubt it, .she,had,a. frantic ;horror of illness in - any shape or any form. I don't think she'd willingly put her foot inside a hospital." In spite of his seal anxiety Ludworth made a good breakfast, and found himself added to Gwenda's.courtiers. She was rather shy and very coy when'she danced in as usual to see her father. | and at first she -would only peep at 'him with adorable coquetry from Rawarde's knee. But when she heard J that he was Miss Hermy's cousin she. condescended to unbend, and an a few minutes had deserted her father for the stranger,, and was chattering as fast as her little tongue could go. ' 'Poor Miss Hermy!' she sighed very mournfully. "Idid • ; - granny: told me she had a poorly face. I do, lovo Miss Hermy. She saved my lite —with much importance—"yes, she twuiv did; didn't she, daddy? An sho hasn"'t come to see me for ever so long —an, : she used to come so often. We do all miss her so maich, don't we daddv^" '"Very much indeed!" Rawarde answered. * ' " ~ Ludworth.put. her down gently as the door was opened and the motor announced. "Gwenda, little maid, good-bye tor a little while; and tell your grannie how much I have enjoyed being here, and that I hope she will ask mo to come again." 'We shall lx> all very glad to see you " Rawarde said sincerely, "but I cannot think this has been an enjoyable visit." . ~ "Oh as to Neal? Well, that hardjy counts'in my'visit here, because I.was bound to come across him some time or other:" You see, it has been like a rolling stone, all this business Itcsidder began, it, or did grandmother when she bad to leave us all to our own devices ? And it was bound to cro until it reached .tho climax. . _ "You are very philosoplucal. I don-1 know whether I would have taken all that has happened as calmly as you have done." ~ . , ~ -Ludworth shrugged his shoulders, • "It has never seemed to me that it I is anv use making a fuss over, what is unavoidable'. On the few occasions m j which Hermione and I have leally 1 talked to each other—most of then luvve been in the last few months—she has said that my fault is to. accept too much as unavoidable. Perhaps it is'. The person one knows least about one is oneself..' (To'be continued.)