The Romance of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 9 November 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl.

(.'HA FT Kit XIV. (Continued.) iii s reserve «<io quite gone -when they were .spinning - away from London, and ho talked freely enough to Serena. Mis lordly air had vanished. "So t \ o u have fallen under tho charm of Lady Laura, Miss Homing. I ought to liavo taken- Phil to her light away. Laura- was afraid that I had something to hide —something disgraceful. It was hardly fair to either. How better Carling can manage things. But I was handicapped because I owed my cousin a considerahlo sum of borrowed money, and she thought and said that a nuui with a visible absence of tangible prospects, and up to hi.s ears, in debt, w&s worso than a fool to marry a poor girl." Seren ft looked sympathetic. "I have always been a spendthrift, and my brother, the judge, washed his hands of me years ago, but I never dreamed«that anybody, thought that I had in mo the making of a conteniptiblo criminal. I never had Laura's complete confidence, either, although I allowed her to mother me. The truth is, she lias always regarded me as an-irresponsible, overgrown kid. She led mo to believe tliat that heartless husband of was dead. And all tho while tho sot was bleeding and blackmailing Iter. I was merely another vampire of a different sort. So my'wife was doing newspaper work, and was tho woman who took flights in aeroplanes? I read about it in tho papers, ;uid they called her Miss Birt. Mokes me shiver now." "Phil was awfully plukcy," said Serena; "And she was earning lots of money." "Are you sure that she was really afraid of me?" lie anxiously asked. "She took pains to hide and disguise herself." "Then sho kites me." "She was jealous of Lady Laura," Serena said gently. "You have only to tell her tho real truth, and be kind to her. Lovo, to a woman, comes before everything. It must be wholehearted and individual." There was a, short silence, and Maybew pondered. "One more chance is all I want," ho said to himself; then lie tapped Jim on the shoulder. "You arc making her rip." i "Fifty miles an hour. Straight, | open road, no police traps; What | place is that in the hollow? I can see a few chimney pots, and some smoko." "Leatherhead. I say, Carling, you : are. iu for trouble with Arthur Hope's motlier. You twisted tho poor unfortunate wretch's neck, and. Hp has been laid up ever since. I met liis man on Saturday, and tho mother is looking for your blood. He's her one and only." "I'm not sorry," Jim grinned. Another five minutes brought them within sight of Dalehurst, and the car plunged dawn tho hill, through the silent village, and up the long winding way on the other side, straight to The Pines. "We'll get some lunch at the Dalehurst Arm.s when the business is all through," Jim said. "Now for it; 1 see that my man is waiting." He stopped tho car and jumped down. Mayhew wandered off by himI self to visit his favorite spots in the houso and tho gardens. Serena wont ■ with Jim, and stuck close while ho 1 discussed tilings with the electrician. "Wo will have the telephone in- ! stalled, too," he said to Serena, "and then wo can italic to each ether when we aro miles apart." Mayhew joined'them now. "Hopo is shining ahead for ine, too," ho said. "I am dreaming of a little nest over tho hills—over there. Tho love of our youth returns ns we grow older, and every inch of this country is beloved by me." Back to the village, and to lunch at tho Dalehurst Arms, and there was no one more delighted than Binns when lio knew that Mr Carling had bought Tho Pines. ; "May you and the good lady livo long and enjoy it,, sir," ho said fervently. Ho glanced askant at Captain Mayhew; "You don't remember me, sir?" ho asked apologetically. M No." "I was in service with Lord Keywell five years since—butler, sir. You visited them." "Oh, indeed. Yes, I do remember you. But liow stout you have become, Binns." "Public-house business, and not much to do. Very slow at Dalehurst —so many of the gentry sent their trado to London, Motor vans loaded with stuff our tradesmen ought to

'OW bfcRIAL.)

BY F I. DACRE Author of "A Fleet of J) roams. ' "Sikr Dernimgtot.'s Money," "i he Shade w of Shame," "A Phantom oi tho I'ast," i : eld in Bondage etc.

supply. 1c i -n't fair; but we'll hopo iV.r botcor thing.--, with both of ;• .'<i P'.'iitii'Hiru t«i a- good oxamrnple." He glided away, and Mrs Binns brought- in tho table-cloth. Site glanced at May hew, and became vc. pale. "What, you hero, Clara?" said he, surprised. "But 1 suppose I ought to say Airs Binns?" "Oh, sir—yes. I married Bir.ns," she whispered. "I am glad to hear it. Mrs Binns was in service with my cousin, Lady Laura —her maid," ho explained to Jim and Serena, "and from all ac-. counts she has been married quits a dozen times to various members c.i' the nobility. The last story I hoard ■was that you had eloped with a French count, Mrs Binns." "Oh, sir; please don't breatho a word of such silly stuff; not but what I " But Mayhew exploded, ard she fled. "What a harridan she has turned out to be," he remarked; "and that is quite a new color for her hair. I'm sorry for Binns."

CHAPTER XY. Mll+S MAXWELL HOPE. The wonderful way iu which things had arranged themselves to occur is quite beyond the ken of poor humanity. It seems that aur lives are ruled by certain fates, which aro frequently at war with one another, and when our own particular star is in the ascendant, we are favored with blessings; when ous star suffers eclipse, we aro correspondingly at the mercy of some unforseen fury. We caJl some of these happenings coincidences, knowing within ourselves that nothing is more misleading, bin it the best explanation we can give. At the very minuto t-lmt Mr George Fleming, the Canon Street lawyer, was standing on the threshold of Jiis office, leaving some final instructions about business matters, a smart motor landauletto drew up under the window. Ignorant of the coming interruption, he went on talking, and began drawing on his gloves, "1 may not bo back again to-day Mr Varcoo, as I have to attend an appointment at, Dulwich." He buttoned his gloves. "Everything in order?" Tho imperturbable Mr Varcoe thought so. Ho stepped into the corridor, and came face to face with a fashionably dressed lady, who had just climbed tho stairs to tho second floor. She was rather stout, and well-nigh breathless from the unusual exertion. Her lips were firmly pressed together, and her grey-eyes Ijotravcd a set purpose from which there could bo no doviation. Mr Fleming backed to the wall to give her room to pass, his mouth tv.itchij) tr. his face just a shade paler. He was clearly nonplussed, sho saw it. (To be Continued.)