"Mrs Lorrimer's Folly."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 June 1913, Page 2

"Mrs Lorrimer's Folly."

(OIiR|SERIAL

Cll 'APT KR. XX V —Continued. "It may be of some consequence," answered Sir Gilbert. "Boys of tint age .sometimes have romantic notions, and Clarice seemed very much taken with him, I thought. Now. 1 have very decided views lor Clarice. She will be marriageable in a very few years, and' I want no nonsensical Iwy-und-girl Jove business to interfere with my plans. So I speak in time, and I trust that to a lady of your known good sense my hint will be quite sufficient." Lillian looked at him very scornfully.

"It is sligbtly premature, I think," said she contemptuously. ''When the. time comes, Clarico will make her own choice, Jiko the rest of us; and if it should fall upon young Saville, I don't know that 1 should object. You and I seldom think alike, you know, and the Saville, s are connections of my own. I may be excused if I prefer a member of my own family for her husband, instead of assisting you to sell her to any scoundrel*who will giro you a good price for her. There!" lifting her hand as she saw him about to make an angry reply. "We have three or four years ;it least before us to discuss the question. Let it go for to-day. It was not this that brought you all the way from New York. What was it, then?"

The question recalled him to himself. He remembered that, seeing he had to ask a favour of her, he had better not quarrel with her just now. As she had truly said, it would be time enough, several year s hence, to make Clarice a serious source of contention. So he .smoothed down his ruffled feathers and .spoke to her. He expatiated upon the heavy expense he had been put to in the business he was establishing, and explained that his funds had run short. ' Could she oblige him with five hundred dollars?

She listened with a great deal of contempt and some very slight curiosity. This latter feeling induced her to ask idly : "What is this wonderful business?" But she repented o'f the question even as it left her lips, and added hurriedly: "No, I don't mean that. Don't trouble to tell me. Really, it does not interest mo."

She consented to what he asked, however.

"Although it is quite contra*v to our agreement," she reminded him, as she sat down at her desk to write the cheque. "In our division of the spoils, yeu have always had the lion's share, remember, and were never to encroach on mine. Still—" She broke off there and wrote the order. Sir Gilbert's imagination meanwhile filled up the pause quite eloquently with the words:

"Still, for the sake of being rid of you, I don't object' to pay five hundred dollars."

It was i" order to annoy her and baulk this hone that he asked, as he received his cheque:

"What time, h full tide to-night?" She 1 , stared, at him in surprise. "Did you ask about the tide?" she said.

"About the tide," he answered

"Oh, I be<r your pardon. I thought you might have said the train. Tt will be full tide al>out eight o'clock, I fancy. When do you return to New York?"

"Why," said Sir Gilbert, "as I am here, and th;\ tide serves, I m-y as well stay hero over night and take a sea bath in the morning. You can give me a room, I presume?" But she gave him, instead, a very decided negative. "That is quite out of the question. My house is small, and has no accommodation for visitors. If you really intend to remain, I recommend you to go to the hotel. No doubt they will make you comfortable."

And it never once occurred' to her, then or afterward, by whom that hotel was kent.

Sir Gilbert noticed the name, though, when he presently passed the house. There was not much that escaped his keen eyes

"Saville's Hotel—and there's the very !>oy! These are her 'relations,' then," ho muttered. "Well, if Ido stay there, I shall be on my guard, and find out all about them. ' Strange that she should have sent me to them. Perhaps she meant some other hotel. though. Ah! this one will be good enough for me, I think, and T may find out something important." He might indeed. Though how important to all his future career, and how soon to come upon him and overwhelm him, he, in his egotism und self-conceit, was very, very far from imagining.

, Meantime, Lillian, divided between gratification at being so easily rid of him, and annoyance at his professed intention of remaining in the place all night, sat where ho had left her alone.

Tho excitement of her interview with Bertha, and tho vexation ami disappointment of Sir Gilbert's interruption, together with tho irritation which his more presence caused,' had greatly agitated and disturbed her. Her condition wan highly nervous and overwrought. Bertha's strange words about Fred came to her mind again, and vculd not bo driven away: "What if Fred had not perished?" "What." in other words, "if she had rarliiy tied herself to a wortless wretch, while her own true husband, her heart's one life, .still lived, and had thus rtised a barrier between their hearts and lives forever?"

The thought wa s maddening; "-hefc then,' if the reality were possible.

(To be Continued.)

By Charlotte M. Stanley. Author of "Edna's Vow," "Hi« C ountry Cousin," "How an Oath Was Kept," "A Wo man Wronged."

would the reality be? She tried to ' realise it; Fred alive, and she for-

bkkion to go to him! Fred alive, and indignantly refusing to look down u]K)n his false wife —bidding their son disown her as hi.s mother! She arose and walked rapidly up and down the, room, unable to endure her own emotion

"Oh, God!" she breathed, "if he be aiivo keep me from .seeing him! I feel as if I should fall down dead at his feet!"

Faint with agitation, she approached the open window, and stood there for a moment looking out. The summer afternoon had long since waned, and the evening shadows were growing thick and dark out in the garden among the trees. Suddenly, in the very midst of them, was Will Seville's face.

She stalled, and a curious chill passed over her. What was the boy doing; there, and why did he move f ,o cautiously? He seemed as if afraid of being seen. Just then the figure came a little out fro-n 'ho shadow of the trees 3 and lo! it was not Will at all!

The eyes and wavy hair, these h f id deceived her. but this was a man's face, bearded, careworn, and veiy pale. She gazed on it,, and her heart seemed to stop its beating. She put up her hands to her head, and cried out that she was going mad. and at that the figure ■started, and its met hers, and she knew them for the eyes of lost Fred Lorrimer!

Next moment a piercing shriek pealed through the quiet villa, and brought the servants rushing to their lady's roam. Clarice came with them.

"Mamma," she cried, "was it you who .screamed? Oh, mamma, where are von?"

For the room seemeel empty at first as well as dark. Lights were quickly brought, however, and then, upon the - floor, by the open window, they found Lady Holme, lying senseless and white, and cold a s death.