Chapter XXXIX.—L- D-.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 293, 28 March 1874, Page 2

Chapter XXXIX. — L- D- .

my taMt intention for him ; ho might mean something— m whidtcswe his meaning would keep— in which case I should notb© put to inconvenience I told Deenng my mind plainly; and thon 1 p.n>i»'l tlmtPerrtngmusthaTem.de all he «xpected to mnko bv the transaction, for he did not urge me- HtTpr^v >i »> w in *•»• point of going to England in the spring— l * « t**w i«»t about to *o down South, mid he got me to writ? a fW linen to the eflrot Hint I would iJ » •o— and we pnrt.-d \Wii 1 returncl. I found th* wliol.» thine settled for mt>. I). mug had heard fmin the agrvf m Paris; my letter hod never renrhed him— l -ujjpov it 'tad been mislaid by Deermg. or somebody u> whum ho trusN.nl to mail it— howerer, it did not matter, for the information w»s no longer of any Talu« to anyone. The wealth which only a freak of fortune or a dernier restort of th» law could hare made mine, bad gone into much better bands, which, I prat, may long administer it.' He ro«e and approaohed her, drew* the faa away with' courteous gentleneM, and htld out his hand. •Mrs St Qoentin, I thought you kne# — until Miss ' Monitor told ma that you did not— that itut husband's n«me was Chbboro— he changed it to 8t Quentin bccauM there wns a general of that name once of kin to his mother, and it sounded better : I knew nothing about tb»t until Deering. found it out from Caux— and that his first wift was my Aunt Kate.' Miriam s«t before him, motionless, white, silent. She made no movement towards taking the band sh» held out, though' she saw it, and oh ! wretched woman, §«w »he unilc, drawing her heart from Jher bosom into hit, which went towards her with the hand. He coloured, drew back,, and said : c I bog your pardon. I h-ivo offended you. I should have told you in tome other way.' o.ie only said, with a gasp for breath, and an increase of her frightful paleness : ' You are L D •' He did not understand her, and he was alarmed. What had he done? What cruel folly to try her nerves in any way, when they were already so tried by grief and anxiety. ' I entreat you to forgire me,' ho stammered. ' I did not think— l fancied it would please you to know there was mother tie between Walter's friend and yourself. I ' — 1 Hush !' she said, in a roice so hoarse and unmusical that its sound still more alarmed him. 'Itis no matter ; it is no fault of yours. Don't mind me. 1 She stood up, oatching at the mantelpiece with her left hand. ' Please to leaye me for the present, Mr Daly,' she said, ' and not to speak to me. I haTe changed my mind. You must not meet Walter to-day. I will write to you. But go now, pray go.' Ho lingered for a moment, but her face told him it was bcrt. to obey hen, and he went, without a word.