Fotheringay's Son.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 16 December 1912, Page 2

Fotheringay's Son.

QW SERIAL.)

BY ALAN ADAIR Author of "An Island Princess," "A Marriage of Felicity " Etc.

(Chapter Vll.—Continued.) CHATTKR VIII. (Continued.) t Ladv Rayburn sank into a chair, spppchlok i-;>rd Rayburn looked at J thorn both sternly. j ' '•You have jilted a mairwho loves h vr.-i is few men love." ho said. I "Duke, we are not blaming you— j'j perhaps von never knew." j t "Piurlon!" said the duke. "T knew t ov.M-vtl.in-. The one thing- that, em-| lMikloiit'cl nu> in prosecuting my suit j t was the fact that your daughter told ] IIK . (hat she did not love Captain, j Fotheringay enough to marry him." 1 "It was impossible, dad!" saxl Vir- j oiriia. "When T promised to marry j hi,,, I thought that at lea«=t ho bad a j -■.puietencv. You would not have , liiid nte marry a beggar?" j.. "T would have had you keep your j i word!" said Lord Rayburn- sternly. "17 ymi had not intended to do so yon should have gone to him yourself i and told 1 him. or have commissioned , me to toll him. What T have suf- J I'o.red these last few weeks, knowing that there was treachery brewing,, 'and that T was tongue-tied, T could j not tell any one. Now ho'must know! [Poor Tonv!" Virginia, had never seen her father so stern ; she had not understood before what he had undergone. Lady Rayburn threw herself into the brench. "You must tell Tony yourself." she ft id to Virginia. "Tell Teiiv!" The girl shrank backward. 'T cannot! T dare not fi..«(« tiiv !" ' ' "There is no need for my wife \ say a word," said the duke haughtily. "Xor you either, sir," he went on, turning toward Lord Rayburn. "1 will do my own work. T played the man a shabby trick, hut, by Heaven, I will do it a thousand times to wi.Virginia!" His face h?.d flushed, and Lord Rayburn, always ready to catch; the glow of a courageous act, turned toward his son-in-law with more favor than he had as yet shown to him. • "Your draco will, I know, do whatever vou can to soften the blow to ; Captain Fotheringay," he said. 'He. loves mv daughter truly; he has scarcely been able to await this , dav -" Virginia stepped forward quickly. "Why this day, father?" she asked, breathlessly. * "Because he was coming here to-dav-t-his morning," said Lord Ray-' our n-"to see yon. He has not unjderstood the meaning of your silence, 1 {im] he was coming to-day on. Ins |;lhe, to see you; to find out far, hiraso lf why it i« tfet he ha S+ _never U a word from you all this W "I thoucrht it kinder not to send a message," said the girl. "That is wh vT kept silent, father. i«mi the first T saw that marriage with him was out of the question. It was only for one day-no. not even for one | w holed«ty-that I thought of lj,mw a Possible husband. If he. had been well T should liave told him at once, ~„t T could not while he ™s ill. Ch-lie- von will tell him that? "T will toll him everything you wish " said the daike quietly. Suddenly they heard outside someiihinor like the tapping of a stick. Virginia looked at her husband. "Heaven" " she exclaimed, "he has come! he is here.! I will not face j hi" l '" „„ ./ +I J "T will tell Mm myself,' said the j duke tenderly. - I "Oh Charlie!" She sank upon: a, chair and covered her faee with her j hands. The new wedding, ring and tiro other costly gems with which her hushed had covered 'her fingens glittered in. the morning light. The door was thrown open noisily, and Tony « voice, high, triumphant, was heard, "\'t hi«t!' he cried; and then a moment 'later, "Virginia.!" She shivered a.s she sat there, hut did not raise "her head. Tony Fotheringay come = -forward, his crutch tapping the .ground noisily. He stood .still and looked at the four occupants of the room. Lord Rnvhurn had turned his hack and was gasan" out of the window; Lady Bayhurnrvcry **&, ™ s ismnin " her f lf vigorously; Virginia *at with her head'bowed, and only the duke stood upright, facing the man he had wronged. "T. roust speak to you," said the ""I* cannot listen," Tony replied. "If you had any decency of feeling you would go. Man, are you .so slow witted that yau cannot see that you ore not wanted here?" I "You mtust 'listen to me," insisted the duke. Lady Rayburn rose slowly.

"Don't go, mothui ." said Virginia, tremtniiig with excitement. i'l.ny I'otheringay stared at ;k •Virginia, ' lie sam again, •'wjiav is it r \kiiat a.o umimg'r i,m are not aira.u or me, my {.laning; - " oiiu uirned her head from hun u,.,. Tony fotheringay began to ivaii.se tiiai. something unusual Had Happened. in silence he looked from mm to the other. A great fear ynook him ; he turned white, and would have fallen if Lord Rayburn had not offered him a chair, which ho firmly gripped. "Will one of you speak?'' he said, in an agonising tone . "Yes," said the duke, "I will tell you as quickly as J can. "That lady" —he pointed to Virginia—"is my wife! She did me the honor of marrying me this morning." - ' "What?" Tony Fotheringay stood upright for a moment. "What?" Say that again, you traitor, if you dare!" Ho towered above the duke whe stood him-ground manfully. "I have stolen your sweetheart!" i lie paid deliberately. "I have done a mean thing—T say again she is my only excuse—but lam ready to giv? you any satisfaction that one gentleni.in can ask of another." He might not havespoken. Tony sow Virginia, and Virginia, alone. Hemade his way to her slowly and painfully groping unsteadily. He .stopped before Virginia, whos?3 face was hidden in her hands. "Virginia," he said, "it is to you ' that T hive to look for an answer — is this true? Have you married that man?" The girl did not answer; she could not have uttered a sound if her life, had been at stake. "Virginia," he said again, "tell me that you are true to me—that you love me still!OOfh f Virginia!" The anguish in his voice affected tliem all. A sob burst from Lady I Rayburn, but Virginia made no sound at all. 'Virginia," cried Tony again "can't you speak? You are not afraid of i me, my darling? Don't you know i that T would not hurt a hair on your dear head?" Her head was bowed lower. She shuddered, but did not speak. Tony looked round. "IF this thing is true," he said hoarsely—"if it is true that you have betrayed me, Virginia, my life iy at an end! Can't you answer me?' looked at him-. "Tony," she said, "it is quite tm/ 1 —I married him this morning. For. give me and let me go !" < "Forgive you!" he cried. "Forgive you!- That T never will! Forgive you! You—you jilt!" 1 (To he Continued.)