"Pretty Penelope,"

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

"Pretty Penelope,"

(OUR SERIAL

By Effie Adelaide Rowlands, Author oi "A Girl's Kingdom," "A Splendid Man," "The Interloper," "A Kinsman's Sin," "Brave Barbara," etc.

CHAPTER XVIII. —Continued. "Daphne, what an idea!" she cried; and indeed to iher it was a preposterous notion. "I don't see why you should be so much surprised," the girl answered quietly, "It is, after all, a very natural thing!" "But!" Mrs Warriner grew quite warm, "but it is preposterous! How romantio all you girls are, to be sure. Now, if Denis were in love with Penelope, why on earth did he not marry her instead of Marcia?" "Ah!" ejaculated Miss Riley; "that is the question —why?" Mrs Warriner looked anxiously at her sister. "Now, Daphne, for goodness' sake don't begin to put foolish ideas into Pen's dear little head." "I don't think it will be at all necessary, Daisy," Daphne answered dryly. She was silent a moment, and then, with a heightened colour, she said: "I —I think I begin to understand now why Penelope refused to marry Mr de Burgh!" "You imagine it was because she was in love with some one else?" queried Mrs Warriner, and then she laughed. "I am quite sure you are wrongl" , Daphne knitted her brows, and was silent for a moment, then jumped up. "You are right, Daisy, a<s you always are!" she declared, and so ended the conversation. "No use saying anything to Daisy; she doesn't see things as I do; and then she will tell her husband all about it, and then —well, that would bo a pity. 'My poor little Pen, my dear little Pen, I think I begin to understand so much now ; and to think I have been so jealous of you at times! Why didn't you marry Denis? Anyone who has eyes in his heaid must see fhe adores the ground you walk on I She sees it, of course, and she doesn't mean you any good, Pen, my dear. Now, what is her game? After all, she can't do very much," Miss Riley declared, with a feeling of great consolation; "this is not a benig'ited country, ar;d we don't live in the dark ages Only, somehow, Maircia gets on my nerves. I don't like her; sha is tricky, and she is so mad with jealouisv and spite that there is no knowing what she will not do. I must keep my eyes open." ' The day of tho bail came ir. splendidly—a fine, fresh, almost warm day —a day on which the embryo spring in tree, plant, and hedge thrust aside its covering, and began to burst into being. • Daphne was in wild spirits.

"I feel like the oolt one reads of in the Scriptures," she cried, as she danced up and down. "I. dont' remember that particular animal-" Penelope said, laughing aigainst herself; 1 and it was against) herself, for she had a very bad headache, the result of a sleepless night and a tumult of thought. "Your education, has been much ner glected!" Daphne retorted. ; "Well," Pen said, with a '.nischievouts touch that would come, "perhaps a, knowledge of the Scriptures does not oome amiss in oivse one's future lot lies in the direction of a vicar's wife— Daphne >swept down upon her. "Pen," she cried, crimon, yet delighted; then swiftly, wistfully, "you —you don't mind, Pen, dear—if—" "Daphne, how could you think sucih a thing! Once on a time Mr de Burgh had a foolish moment. It is a long time ago. He has forgotten it ;. I ihiave done the same. I will confess to you, Daphne, dear. I aim afraid I did not think of it very long, I—had other things in m(y mind." Daphne looked at her for a "moment as though she desired to say (something,. but she checked whatever wish she ihad, and contented'herself with frowning deeply. "Dear old Uncle George will be here this afternoon, I hope," Penelope said %y and by. "I aim glad of it, for you want a tonio badly," Daphne declared, in her most severe itrnanner, and then she laughed. "Just fancy Doctor Westall dancing!" "I expect ho dances beautifully," Penelope said, valiantly for her dear old friend. As the afternoon wore on, Pen's headachy grew worse, and she was about to go to her own room to rest a while when the sound of carriage wheels came to her ears, and Downs announced "Mrs Latiir.ar." "I have oome for a cup of tea!" Miarcia eaid, ais her oousing greeted her. "Soich a lovely day; I enioyed the drive." Penelopo gave her a warm welcome,, and tea was brought accordingly. "Lady Susan would have oome, too, but she has visitors, and Denis has gone for a long ride, so I am alone." Miss Biley sat and watched Maroia carefully. "I don't understand her," was the one thought that came into her mind. Any one knowing nothing of Marcia would ha/ve been favourably impressed by the elegant, pale, darkeyed woman who was bent on making herself so Agreeable, but Daphne had good reason for doubting Mrs Latimar very thoroughly. She withdrew after a while and left the cousins together, hut bairely a quarter of an hour had gone when she heard Penelope's voice in agitated tones speaking to Kate outside her door. "What is it. Pen?" she asked hurriedly. Penelope explained. "Oh, Daphne, dear, I am so glad you i»ra here. I wais afraid you had gone j at. Marcia has had an accident. She wanted to look over the house, and she tripped over a cur-

tain aiid fell very sharply lam afraid she is badly hurt. lam sending for a •Joctor—fihe seems to be in great pain in her foot." "A sprain, of oourse!" Miss Riley declared, and she ran down hastily down with Penelope. Marcia was leaning back in a* chair, deadly pale, and with an evident look of suffering on her face. All Daphne's objections melted before that look, and she vied with Penelope in doing all she could to alleviate the suffering. Marcia was very quiet. "<No ball for me. I doubt if even I cam go back to Lady Susan's. How very stupid of me! But the fact is, lam not very strong. lam afraid, Penelope, I shall have to crave your hospitality for a little while." Penelope was full of eagerness and anxiety. "You shall not move until you are better;, the house is yours, Marcia, and I will do all in my power to make you better!" When she was alone for one moment Marcia kept Jier eyes closed for some little time, then she sat forward and glanced cautiously about her. At the sound of some one coming, however, she was lying back in the chair again .with eyes closed and lips contracted, evidently suffering a very great deal. (To be Continued.)