Lady Marjorie's love

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 7 March 1913, Page 2

Lady Marjorie's love

(OUR SERIAL

By Carl Swerdna Author of "To the Uttermost Farth ing," "A Mare Ceremony," "A Fight for Honour," Etc.

CHAPTER rill. (Continued.) Marjorie did not answer; only her sense of dignity kept her from running Way, just as, when she wns a cliTkl, .she' used to fly for her life at the mere sound of his voice. She patted Jack, and troubled herself neither to speok' nor to glance at Jocelyn. It made no difference. Ho asked a direct question and forced a reply. "You knew 1 saw the countess, didn't, you?"

"No." "Oh!" Eor an instant only lie looked a little dashed. "She did not tell von, then?" . "Tell me? Certainly not: If it pleases Lady Mnrlingford to confide her affairs to you it docs not concern me,. Mr .locely.it."

"Her affairs? Wkvfc the dueco do ] care about, them?, She may fly to the moon on a broomstick for all I care!" He laughed and bent nearer to th» disdainfully drooping little head. "Come now, Ladv Marjorie, you know I don't care a,bout the countess or her affairs, either. They're no business of mine. So she didn't bell you about the little talk *we had? Upon my life, I didn't think a woman could hold her tongue, for so long! Then suppose I tell you myself, e.h?" "Pray, do not!" Marjorie drew haughtily back. "I am not interested," she said icily. "Your affairs have and can have nothing whatever to do with me."

"Oh, can't they though " He laughed again. "You're a little hypocrite to say that!" lie said deliberately. "Because you know what I mean well enough. No, I'm not going to let you pass! If you give me the slip now, who knows when I .shall catch you again; and 1 as for you being in a rage, I don't mind it, for you look particularly pretty when you're in a temper, which is more than one can -say for all the girls."

"You are a coward —an insolent coward!" Marjorie cried, trembling with wrath and helplessness. She did not dare to move forward to leave him, for she knew that if .she did he wouldf orcily .stop her ,and she; 1 !-, fear of his touch kept her still. But she hid it as well a-<? she could, looking at' him with eyes shining with wrath, aild indignant tears which she was too proud to let fall. It may have been because he judged it prudent that he moved back again to his former position, and spoke in a tone that he I meant to be conciliatory.

"No iv look here, Lady Marjorie! I don't believe in beating about the bush —not my style. I spoke plainly to her ladyship, and I'll speak plainly to you. What I've got to say is this: The confounded state of muddle that MairlingWd died in—and how such a long-headed fellow as he always seemed ever got himself into such a hole I shall never understand — all that muddle and the fact that he didn't leave you a sixpence doesn't make the slightest difference to me. It might to some fellows, of course, But if I chose and Ido it. You know what I asked you more than a year ago? I ask you the same tiling again now. There's the Holt —I can make you as good as its mistress to-morrow, and its mistress for good and all before long, for, if old Barlow's right, Steve won't hold out a,not'her year. Well, fine speeches aren't in my line. I'll only say that if you are sensible •and know what side of your .bread's buttered I should think you'll acknowledge that you can't do better for yourself than to take it and me." ! ,So far from being impressed bV her suitor's generous magnaimity, Marjorie looked at 'him as though he had insulted her, and answered with indignant contempt. I ' 'The answer I gave you a year ago should have prevented you from repeating the question, /Mr Jocelyn, for you must know I like you no bettor now that I liked you then. You know I dislike you!" she said, her temper rising, for his tone of patronage had done what he had so chivalrously meant it to do —made every pulse of her body tingle with the sting of pride coarsely and wantonly outraged and humiliated. "I have always let you see it., I liave never pretended to do anything else. And even if you did not know it, your speaking to me as you have done would be an insult, and vou know why."

so!" Marjorie flashed. "They would thank mo for giving them the chance, you mean. I'd try one of them just to teach you not to be so cheeky, but she'd be bound to say 'Yes,' which wouldn't suit lr.y hook. But what's that that I know so uncommonly well, if you please? The thing that makes my proposal an insult, and all the rest of it, eh. r '" "You know what it is!" She fa owl him defiantly. "I am engaged to my cousin." "Oh, that?" He laughed. "Oh. yes, now that you mention it. of course I know that! Her ladyship told me the other day that in a sort of fashion she believed it was dragging on still. But that's nothing—doesn't amount to anything. If he hasn't backed out yet, he will before long, that's certain!" "What do you mean, sir?" "Mean?" He laughed again. "Why, I mean that he will," lie said deliberately, "that's all. It was all right before Marlingford played»up such a blessed game of ducks and drakes, no doubt, but now when he hasn't a penny and you have just about as much —well, lie simply could not afford it, you know, and that's the long and the short of it. And you may rely upon it that ho do°.sn t .mean to try, either, not he! 'Jhat sort of thing isn't in Mr ' Loftns Bligli's line, I take it. and so the countess takes it, too. I should t dnk not —.rather! Quite the reverse!" There was no answer, oven though ho scoffiinglv laughed again, for : hcer choking rage, held the girl dumb. Had he been between her anc 3 . its brink, Mr Tom Jocelyn might have found himself floundering in the river. Marjorio just at the moment was furious enough for anything, and had he stood so that one passionate thrust of her hands con Id 'have sent him there backward into the river, he would have certainly gone. But he was a httle behind her, at her shoulder, nn,i he could not see her face. He bent his head close to hers in speaking again. "Como now, Marjorie, be -sensible! That's the plaifi state of the ease, and you must see it is. If you don't fling him over he'll precious soon fl.ng you. I only wonder, just as the countess does. t ; l,iat he hasn't done it before, Yoii'; 1 better take the while I give it to vou and make it l-ight with me. You'll be sorry if you don't, for the Holt doesn't need to go begging—no, nor me. either. t by George! So just, give me a ldss, you' little shrew, and we'll have the wedding over before Bligh lias time ■to hang himself!" I His arm was round her. his face close to hers. The girl uttered a cry of fright and and rorang back as white now as she had been crimson. "Don't touch me!" she gasped out breathlessly. "Don't dare to touch me'"

"Do I, though ?" Ho was quite unmoved ; her revolt, her rage pleased liim; they were what lie had known he should .see. As for lier hatred, that and her prettiness were just the tilings that he wanted her for. "I)o I, though?" lie said, only admiring her the more openly and insolently "because she was so angry. "I'm not so sure of that!. Insult, oh? You're trmioornvn only higfh fl-nd mi eel it v. mv littlo firebrand, all things considered, upon my word! You pretty little vixen, don't i-you know well enough that there's scarcely a girl in the country who wouldn't jump at the Holt?" "They would thank you for saying

! "Don't dare. eli ? Oil. T rlare more than that!" Hp laiifilied; the horror and aversion of lier faco wore to liim simply something- amiisino; to exult over and bent d'ovn. Her hards '.vpro hold ont- before her to keev> liim off. nnd lie caught t-Heni and forcibly drew her toward him. j (To l)e Continued.)