Fotheringay's Son.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 11 December 1912, Page 2

Fotheringay's Son.

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CH APTEIIV I (Oontin u ed.)

"There i* nothing to wait for," tie said. "Whore are you thinking of living:' Ojio advantage nf being had mp is that you «m mature your plans." "\W mu-c live in London." "1 suppose you have no place of your own. Tony?" remarked Lord Haybun! f->r the first time thinking of the materia! prospects of t-ho match to which ho had given his consent. I wMi 1 had," raid. Tony candidly. "Indeed, 1 have very little to nlfer: my own fortune is only about fivo hundred a year!" bo went on "Fiv: l hundred a year!' 1 cried j-.oid Eayhurn. Even he .felt saipefied. "Fivo hundred a year!'' ho went on. "But it is impossible ! You cannot have lived on five hundred a. year. Tony! "Why, you must have spent at least double that amount !" T have a few debts." was the complacent reply, "but they have never troubled me."

'Hut have you 110 prospects nothing at nil- 5 T)o you moan to tell mo yon seriously thought of marrying ii jrinia on five hundred a year?'* Torn- looked at the im.nn whom lie .l.nped' to have for his father-in-law. "Ye;-." ho said, "I difl —or rather T never thought of anything hut Virginia! I tliottolit some moans would bo forthcoming." I Lord "Raybum looked at hmi with ; something like pity. j "But. my dear hoy," ho siml—"my dear hov ( how can they ho forthcoming? T was ahout to allow Virginia t'.n) hundred a voar, which is really all that T ought to afford, for I am a poor man myself. You couldn't live .011. tint!" i "Why not?" iU'kc.l Tony. "You don't know me. Lord Rayburn. I would give up everything, go in rags for Virginia. I would exchange—get into a cheaper regiment, and would got 011 in my profession —really T love it. Virginia and T aro not of those who care much for the good things of this , world as long as wo have each other." • "You have never had to do without tlior:i," remarked Lord Ravburn dryly. Kor the first time he .applauded Virginia's line of conduct. The cold sweat, had risen to his hrow. What a fool he had been, and how.careless of his daughter's interests! Hie ought to have made all necessary inquiries before giving liis consent to tlie> engagement. "N>,v ho liad pledged his word and he could not, break it.

i Tony saw something of the combat that was going on in tlio older man's i mind. I I "You think that eov-en hundred won! ! not he enough," lie said, "f know it is nothing, really, but I would give up everything —everything in this world but Virginia! You must believe in ne and realize that I will do some- j thing:- I " ill talk to Damian about it. Dnniian ha s such a shrewd head—he is going out to India in a few days—He J will find out some means of increasing ' • » my income. I ''V(tv well," said Lord 3?ayburn, who was somewhat upset by what he had just heard. But he was a 'humane man. After nil, the young man was prostrate and not in a fit condition to speculate on ways and means,, Even if the marriage should have to be broken oft ultimately, this wa>s not a time to discuss it. Tony's face was flushed | rind he looked distressed'. The kindly 1 peer felt great compunction at having { said anything at all about money matters. | Ho stayed on for some time, and ' on]y left when Damian came in. Arj thur Damian hung over hig friend like ! a hen over a wounded chick. Love j and pity and pleasure at seeing Vir- , ginia's father were all expressed in ! the plain face. .Lord Rayburn felt a sympathy with jthe young lovers whose prospects just now looked so black, J "Of course they never thought of " js.uch material things as money," he said to himself, as lie walked across the park on his way home. "They are nothing but a beautiful pair of children made for each other. Sordid ( things like pounds, shillings and pence are not to bo thought of when love 'tsteps in. I wonder if We could scrape I lip .another three hundred? They might live on a thousand a year." He looked up and saw a couple coming toward him. Surely the woman w;w Virginia, who had evidently been walking in the park while he had been sitting with her sick lover. Somehow I this discovery gave him a jar. "You!" he said to Virginia, aro then he recognised the dapper little man as the duko of Alfreton. "Yes," said the girl, who was qui to calm and composed—"and hbw have —

BY MM U)W Author of "An Island Pirlncess," "A Marriage of Felicity " Etc.

yon found Tony ; father?" This question of Virginia's, asked in s:;ch a natural way, seemed to make everything right. If she could inquire after her lover in the presence of this y.mng man who was so highly placed and who seemed so much taken with her, there could bo nothing to conceal in their relationship to each other. "iFo is feveri."h and has been in pain," .said Lord Rayburn. The girl's lips quivered, and this exhibition of feeling was not lost upon the duke. He turned to Lord Eayhurn, "He had a nasty smash?" he said interrogatively. ""lies, very, but he has no end of p'uek." an.vwe.red Lord Rayburn. He wanted to say something in Tony's praise. ''He would have!" said his grace of Alfreton. twirling his slight blond mil staclie. There was a pause. Presently Virginia looked at the duke. "Shall wo .sit down over yonder?" ."ho asked, in a quiet voice. Lord Rayburn stared hard. Frankly, lie could not understand his daughter, She let it be seen that she cared for Tony and yet she was very agreeable to this young man. It seemed to him that he really knew nothing at all of Virginia. j "What criminal foolishness on my part not to have inquired a.s to Tony's I position!" lie said to himself, as he I walked on, leaving the couplo to themselves. "And yet Virginia does not know that lie has no means. If she knew T could understand it, although !• should never have believed it of my girl. I must talk it over with her mother."

i Ho found Lady Rayburn sitting at her desk, writing letters. / "Luce," lie said ( "T want to speakto you." | Lady Rayhuni looked up at. her husband's face. j "George." she said, "don't tell me that the dear lad is not going to Get better." j "Oh, vos\ he will get better!" said Lord Bayburn. "I don't know that it would not bo as well for him if he did not." "What do you moan?" "I mean that lie has no money t no prospects—nothing at all but a paltry fire hundred a year!" Ladyßnyburn changed color. "Five hundred a year!" she exclaimed. "Why, they cannot marry on that! Virginia, will break her heart!" "Will she? Do you know that I have just loft her and the Buko of Alfroton sitting in the park toget- 1 her?" Ladv Ravbum smiled. (To be C-ontinned.) j