Silas Dennington's Money.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10671, 18 July 1912, Page 2

Silas Dennington's Money.

BY F. L. DACRE. Author of "Held in Eezdftg?," "A JPhasfconc of the ?«*:..• John's llt-lress," "I'fce Shadow of Chsrr.3/- "1. Par.chUr of Mystery," etc.

OUR SERIAL.)

C'H AFTER XXll.—'Continued. * "I will buy it," decided Theodore Grant. "God has scut me hero. What a refuge from Uie world!" "Thß garden is lovely, - and the house seems all right, as far as we've gone," Rosamund said. "It's perfect. The house is in good condition, and dry. The owner lived to the age of ninety-six, and tlio last twenty years of his life here." "But we must consider the usual conveniences, dad. Water and gas, and so on." Mr Grant shook his hoar obstinately. "Lamps giv© a softer, mellower light, and there's a well of pure water in the enclosed yard. Eight hundred and fifty pounds freehold, and the agent says that the executors will take eight hundred for a quick sale. This place is ours, Rosamund; I will write to Dodd and Weeks to come down, and complete the transaction at once."

He wont over the house again, and from one of the upper windows cnmhf: a glimpse of the sea. It shimmered like sheeted gl.ass through the tops of the trees in the full warmth of the summer sun.

"This shall be my bedroom," he said, with a flush on his face. "Which room do you prefer, Rosie? One in the front of the house? The alcove, and the cunning little nook? you are very fond of such things." They were driven hack to the agent's office, and Mr Grant made an offer of eight hundred pounds in writing, and further deposited his cheque for a fourth of the purchase money.

."You can consider the Cottage yours, sir." said the agent, „ highly pleased with the ready sale. "And T hone that you may live many venrs to enjoy it. I know Dodd and Weeks very well, and we will have the papers prepared in a few days. "I should like to have a kev," Mr Grant said, "so that [ can plan little improvements at my leisure."

"Certainly, sir, with pleasure, and I hope you will never have to return it. The balance of the purchase money to be paid 011 completion of the transfer. If it would suit your convenience to borrow on mortgage " "Oh —no, rio!" "No offence, sir."

Mr Grant was now all anxiety to get to his writing desk. There was a lengthy letter to write to Dodd and Weeks —instructions about the furniture in Nether- Street —instructions about the sale of the s hop in Nether Stueet, and the news of the arrangement to buy the Cottage at Deal. He asked for one of the principals to visit Deal immediately, and see the transaction through in a proper legal manuer.

He spent the whole of Sunday morning at'the Cottagfe, wandering about the house and gardens, and making mind pictures of the future —his and Rosamund's.

"But, dad, do you mean to shut me out of the world forever?" she said, laughing softly. "Jack will never consent to our parting for good." "Jack —Jack!" He spoke the name with exceeding bitterness. "What is Jack Castlemaine to you compared with me? A month or two since you were not even avare of -kis existence. I though that 1 had expressed myself plainly enough, Rosie. I thought—l hoped that you understood. You are nothing more than a child. "What do you want with this stranger? He came and flattered you with bis insincere and nonsensical speeches, and because of them the love and care of a lifetime are to be set at naught." "Father, you loved my mother—i know that you did." "Tut, tut! False Reasoning always annoys and angers me. A few months .of separation will cure you of this senseless infatuation —and a much shorter time Avill cure him. Mark my words, Rosie. .1 am an old man, and I have seen life. I never liked Castlemaine —I never liked the mystery about the man. The protective instinct ©f the parent for .its young swelled within me at sight of him, and try as I would I could never rid myself of the feeling. Love in the young is but a selfish passion—usaalty the gratification of a speoics of inordinate van fly. I wrote to Castlemaine that the engagement between you and him was to be considered at an and. I told you what I should do, and yoH tacitly consented. In no case would I approve of your marriage to any one until you are years older. My darling girl, it would kill me'to lose you! I have nothing else to love in all the world!"

His voice gave W ay in a half-strang-led sob, and in a moment Rosamund's arms were around his neck, although her heart was burning with the injustice of it all.

"Dear, dear father 1" she whisp'ered chokingly. "Do you love the lonely old man, Rosie?" . "I do —I do." Rosamund looked up. "But donH you think you are unjust toward .Tack? There is no mystery at all about him, father —ho has | told mo everything. And lie was kind and generous to you." "I can't discuss it," ho answered wenri'fr —'petulantly. "You are the . first to accuse me of acting unfairly towards any man." He pushed her away from him, and" prepared to rise. This conversation

had taken place at the tea table. But Rosamund was desirous of something less definite. If she hud listened to iii 111 in silence, however much her heart rebelled, lie professed that she 'had tacitly agreed to all he had said; if she expressed opposition, she was selfish and unfdial.

"Let me understand what you wart ine t« do, father. T can't give up Jack altogether. Oh. it is utterly impossible. It would bo wicked—dishonourable, even if our hearts had 110 part in the contract. My love for Jack cannot make me love you any the less; it is a different kind of love. Listen, father," she pleaded. "I am agreeable to hold 110 communication at all with Jack for three whole months, without your consent, if I may send him a letter explaining whv. If he doesn't care for me at the end of that time—well, that, will bo the end of it." He looked at her with swift- susni"ion. but tho clear eyes never faltered. "Three months? Mako it six. and I will consent. He must not knowwhere we are, or the mails may be flooded with rhapsodies—he may come here to vex and storm the life out of me. Six months—six months? Yes. that appears to be fair. Go away and write your letter. I can trust to your truth and honour. It will pave the way to a more perfect understanding by and bv." He added the last words to himself in a quiet, absorbed manner. "And the letter must not-bear the Deal postmark. I will enclose it with one to Dodd and Weeks, and ask them to drop it into a London mail With this decision Rosamund had to be content, and she penned a long, long letter to her lover, but it was never sent to London. For the first time in his life Theodore Grant was guilty of the dishonour of opening and reading a letter not intended for him. Ho consummated the pitiful a ct by destroying it. and telling his daughter a 1 contemptiblo lie.

CHAPTER XXin. DISASTER. There was no reply from Dodd and Weeks until Tuesday morning. They congratulated Mr Grant upon his acquisition of so desirable a residence as tlies Cottage, and regretted that Mr Weeks would not be in town until Wednesday, when the matter should receive his immediate attention. AH the furniture had been removed from Nether Street, and carefully packed, awaiting further instructions. A bill of sale had been affixed on the shop in Nether Street, and they hoped for a quick buyer. A private inclosure assured Mr Grant that no information would be given to anyone regarding himself; indeed, it was one of their most stringent rules not- to give the addresses of clients under any pretense whatever. All this was in answer to one of the voluminous letters Mr Grant was in the habit of writing'.* Jn the meantime he was content with the c?rtainty of early p«sso~sion. The agent had called upon him to say that the executors had accepted the offer, but would not iise the cheque for deposit un!i! Mr Grant's ■ brwi'iers imn quite satisfied ■ nboufc the title to the property. "He will 1)0 hero on Tuesday or Wednesday,'' Grant said. "I shall get n- wire in cUie course."

"We have n line property nrlioining the Cottage, if you have any idea for a further speculation, Mr Grant — 300 acres of choice land, partly wooded. A fine site for'a country mansion."

"Then I hope-you won't sell it. I don't want any building operations anywhere near me."

"Buy it, and keen the builders a waf from you," laughed, the agent.

. "I'm not eager for that sort of speculation," Mr Grant answered importantly. "These people seem to know thn£ we have plenty of money," he said to Rosamund. "I expect they've made an inquiry at my bank. We have four thousands pounds there, and there will soon be two thousand more from the sale of the rfhop. I've asked the decorator to 'meet us at the Cottage tliis morning, so we will be off. I should like to move in next week." "We shall want considerable new furniture, father, and new carpets all over the house." "Get them —get them —anything up to two hundred pounds. Make a little paradise of our new home. Spare no expense. I notieed a decent-looking furniture shop in High Stseet. We will call in passing, and choose what we want. They'll send a carpet layer to the Cottage if we give them the order." "Now comes the question of a servant," Rosamund said thoughtfully. "I wonder if we could get a woman like Mrs Garland —or Mrs Garland herself. I know she would be glad to come." ft'i "be Continued).