The Romance of a Business Girl.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 26 November 1912, Page 2

The Romance of a Business Girl.

nut? sfcRIAL.)

CHAPTEU XX. (Continued.)

When the cab draw U(> at Serena't> lodgings, h'-- saw Serena at the win-

dew, ;u:<] his first, impulse was to drivv away again. She wuv<>d a hand to lib) her face radiant with pleasure. Sh'/ left tiio window, and flow to the door to meet him.

"A dwi! lm muttered, "with the face of an an sol! What a confiding fool she must think I am!" He spoke to the driver: "Wait; I shan't be long."

The fronr d.'-w was opened by Serlona, but the exclamation of joy died !on her lips. J mi's face frightened her. "What's wrong, Jim? 'What's the matter?" "Go bank to your rrw;m." She gave him one startled glance and obeyed. He followed, carefully closing the door after him. He fumbled with the knob to .gain time; In felt that he must choke. He'faced her unsteadily; and she almost screamed.: "Are you ill, Jim? Don't look at me like that. T would rather you killed nae than you should look at me like that." ; "Yes," he mumbled, averting hi ; gaze, " lam ill; -. I've been overdoi;:.things."

He sat down, and covered his e; with his hands. The parting was more terrible than he had expected that it would be; he was about to part with more than his life, and from to-day he would be a broken and ruined man.

"Is that why you didn't come back again last night, Jim?" Her soft arms were round his neck, her warm breath on his face. "I waited for you until twelve o'clock. Captain Vance said you were sure to come. I was so sorry to have been out at all." Her voice quavered, and her face" was touching his. "Jim, dear, won't you look up, and speak to me? Were you so disappointed? You wrote that you would not be here until Monday, and I had given my promise to go to Richmond. I should not have done so if I had known that you were coming." "Richmond," he whispered hoarsely, without looking up. His voice was harsh and thick. She could not understand, and gave him a startled glance. "Jim —Jim, tell me just what's the matter. You are in * some trouble, and I feel that it's about me. Look me straight in the eyes, and give me some clew.' '

"Clew —clew? Oh, yes. I want a lot of clews . Tn the name of God, why did I come? I'll go—l'll write." "Jim," Sih'ena said, white-faced, quivering, but deadly calm. "Don't treat mo as if I were a senseless block. You shall not go untill I know the. worst. You have heard of my new-found mother, and because of that you are afraid of me. Am I to blame if she is drunken and dissolute? Have I not stifforecl enough already? A year of misery crowded into a single day.""Your mother!" he gm'gled a laugh. "Am I to blame?" she repeated fiercely. "I never dreamed of her existence, until my uncle revealed the horrible truth to me after you went to Paris, Jim, I have set you upon a high pedestal; don't topple down into the dust at my feet . Wait, and I'll tell you the truth, and then if it is to make a difference between you and mo, let the blow fall at once. Perhaps you know, that my mother is iVlrs Maxwell Hope, and that Arthur Hope —the young man I despised—is my half brother. Oh, he wants to refo. now, Jim, and I am sorry for him; he was good to me yesterday "

He felt her tears on his hand 'and a half-smothered groan passed his lips. Ho took her in his arms, straining her almost savagely to his breast. "Serena, dear heart, I think that I have been mad. I was disappointed yesterday, and after the overwork, and the strain " Ho was afraid to confess, it was too horrible. Better be a coward for once.

Sho was looking'fondly, anxiously into his eyes . "My brain seemed to be on fire —• my sight was blurred." He spoke feebly. "I need a rest."

"Poor old Jim . We have both had a bad time," she said caressingly, a nd with returning gladness. "It isn't about this mother of yours—l knew hot a word of that. _I don't care if your mother's a crossing .sweeper Yes, it's rather remarkable about Arthur Hope. The poor lad needs a helping hand,' and if he bears me no ill will "

His brow, had cleared, the lines were passing from his face, the sudden fears dropping away, and joy was shining in his eyes.

Neither saw nor heard a movement at the window. A man's face was

BYF.t.DACRE Author of "A Float of Freama, 1 ' "Silar Dennis sjTcvri Money." "The Sbadr wo f Shame," "A Phantom <if the Past." 11 eld in Bondage etc.

pressed to the glass, the burning black eyes, the curling lips, ugly witn

revengeful hatred. Then a revolver glinted, and a snappy, vicious report

was followed by a fury of sound. Crashing glass ,the hoarse voices of men, and the hum of gathering people. The sitting-room door was Hung op-

en, and Mayhew dashed in.—Captain Vance at his heels. "Great heavens Mayhew, what's what's up?" Jim cried, utterly eonfused. Serena was standing near, pale and wide-eyed. "Anybody hit? No! Glory! We've been chasing a lunatic, I think. The man who stole Lady Laura's jewels, He offered some of 'em to a Strand pawnbroker quite early this ..morning, and, finding the police after him, headed this way in a taxicab. Wo were after him when you left the Cecil, and I tried to stop you. Why. in the name of goodness should he come here? He's in the hands of a couple of policemen now.' ' "No idea who he is?" "A' Frenchy of some sort." Jim sprang suddenly into action. He ran over to the window. "Bring that fellow inside, he called to the policeman. "I've met him

before . His name is Gaston Cuveilla ; he's an aviator —or something of that kind. Now we'll get to the bottom of this." The prisoner seemed eager to enter the house ; new fire shone in his bloodshot eyes, and when he was facing

Jim a stream of invective flowed from his lips. He snapped at the officers refraining hands like a dog. "You win this time, and I lose; but we shall see! I will kill you yet, and vou. traitress!" He glowered at Serena, and then a change slowly overspread his face; his eyes widened ,and he became limp. He made a motion for water. "It's all a mistake, gentlemen," he slowly said, "but ah, at a distance the likeness is wonderful. This is not the lady, and if you will listen you shall hear the truth. I have no animosity for anybody here now. I am a great fool." / One of the policemen coutioned him in the usual way. "Bah! Don't interrupt me, pig. I have to-say that this is all a mistake. I am Gaston Cuveilla,. the great French birdraan—l fly in this country"; you have seen it in the papers. A newspaper girl was my passenger, and

we made a great hit. A lady in a flying machine was good, and she agreed to bo my partner. I "took contracts ,in France —in Germany ; T. was certain to make a fortune. But she broke her contract with me; she never appeared. I believed the lady hero was the same —T believed that she had left me for this man; I came for revenge." He shrugged his shoulders. "I was wrong; I am sorry. Now do with me what you will." "A good mix-up," said Mayhew, "but that doesn't explain the jewel robbery." ■ Serena gave Jim a swift, half-fri-ghtened glance.

(To be Continued.)