THE STORY-TELLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XI, Issue 865, 5 January 1878, Page 2

THE STORY-TELLER.

WIFE IN NAME ONLY. By the author of ' Dora. Trornx " ' On Her WauDitra Moru," - *■• ! DKHBl'ti Bf LOVB," ' A WOHAH't War,' &c, &o. (Continued from la»t- Saturday* inue.) CHAPTER V. 1 Where whs it? asked Mr D*ruley. ' For I certainly have §cci« nothing of them/ ' In a small otkeh box with brigs clasps, which stood on a sideboard. I remember it as though it were yesterday.' 4 1 have teen no such box/ said che Rector. ' Our vriseit plan wiL o© to go at ouce to the house where ;ii» cousiu, Mr Grey resides, and set? if the article is m his possession. 1 am quite sure, chough, that he »rou!d bare mentioned it if he had *sen it.' : Without a minute's delay, they drove at once to" the house, and f »uud Me Grey at home. Ha was ■uir ( irwed when he heard the name \ itid r»uk of his visitor, and above | i.l when he understood his errand. 4A. sua.ill oaken box with brat»» cl taps/ he said. ' No, i have nothing of the kind m my possession ; bu , if your lordship will wut,l will hart* <i search made at once.' Every drawer, desk and recess were examined iv vain. There wab tio trace of either the box or the papers. ( I have an inventory of everything the Doctor's house contaiaed »— it was taken the day after his death,' said Mr Giey ; *we can look through that.' . Item after item was moat tare, tullv perused. The list oontained no mention of * small oaken box. It was quite clear that box and papers bad' both disappeared. 'Could the Poc.or have given them into Mm Dornhata's charge f asked the Earl. ♦ No,' replied the Eeotor — « i should say certainly not. I am quiue sure that Mrs Dorubam di> not, even know the child's surname I remember once asking her abon it ; she t-aid it was a long name, and that she could never remember it. If she had had the papers, she would have read them, I cannothink she holds them.' Then they went to visit Mrs Galbraith, the Doctor's honsekeepcr. She had a distinct recollection of tho box ; it used to stand on the sideboard, and a large-siaed family Bible generally lay on the top of it. How long it had been out of sight when the Doctor died she did not know, but she had never seen it since. Then they drove to the bank, thinking that perhaps, for greater security, he might have deposited it there. No such thing had been beard of. Plainly enough the papers had disappeared. Both the Earl and the Rector were pnziUd. « They can be of no possible use to anyone but myeelf,' said Lord Monntdean. * Now that my poor father is dead, and cannot be distressed about it, I shall tell to tho whole world— if it careg to li*t*n to it — the story of my marriage. — If 1 had wanted to keep that or the birth of my child a secret, I could ! hive understood, the papers being s ol«n by one wishing to trade with them. As it is, 1 cannot see that they are of the least use to anyone except mjswlf. They gave up the search at last, and then Lord Mountdean devoted himself to one object — the finding of his child. In a few days the story of his marriage was told by every newspaper m the iai d, also the history of ihe strange disappear nee of his child. Large rewards were offered to " anyone who could give the leaatinfor- ; mation. Not content with employing th« best deteotiv* skill io Egg. .

and, he conducted the seare'a him* e\f,. : .... He worked unwearingly. ' ' A mart» woman, and child could lot possibly disappear from the ace of the eartk without leaving «j*ne trace behind,' he would say. § One I jit tie gleam of l»ght cxme vhich filled him with hope—they ound that Margaret Dornham had told all her furniture to a broker iving at Wrentford, She had sent or him herelf, and had ask 4 him » purchase it, saying that she, with ler hUßband, was g<>in* to live at a Hstanoe, and that they did not care ibout taking it with them. He remembered having asked her where she was 'going;, but she waded any reply. He could tell do more. He showed what he had left of the furniture ; and team filled Lord Mountdean's eyes as he saw itnongat it a child's crib. Ho liberally rewarded the man, and then set to w»rk with renewed vigour to endeavour to find out Margaret Dornham's destination. He went to the railway stations ; and, though the only due he succeeded m obtaining was a very taint one, he had some reason for believing that Matguret Dornhun> ' had gone to London. In that vast city he sontimied the search, until it really seemed that every inch of ground had been examined. It was all without result^— Margaret Duruham and her little foster-child seemed to have vanished; ' What can be the woman's motive f" the Earl would cry m :espair. ' Why has she taken the child I What does she intend to do with it V It never occurred to him that her great, passionate love for the little one was the sole motive for the deed «he had done. The papers were .filled with appeals to Margaret Djrnham to return to Castledenn, or to give some intelligence of her foster-child r Tne events of the story were talked about everywhere ; but, m spite of nil that was done and said, Lord Mountdean's heiress remained undiscovered. Months grew into years, and the same mystery prevailed. Fhe B.irl was desperace at first — his aoguiah and sorrow were pitiful to witness ; bat, after a time, he grew passive io his despair. He never relaxed m his efforts, Bver> six mouths the advertisements with the offers of rewards were renewed ; k? ery six months the story was retold m the papers. It ha.i be ome oae of the common topics of the day. People talked of the Earl of Mountdean's daughter, of her strange disappearance, of the mysterious silente that hud Fallen over her. Then, as 'he years rolled on, it was agreed that s >c would never ■Hi found, that she must be dead. The iiarl's truest friends advised aim to marry ag*in. After years >f bitter disappoiutoiont, of anguish «nd suspense, of unutterable sorrow <tnd despair, he resigned himself to he entire losnof Ma.lalint'« hid. Nature had made Phi ippa L'Estrange beautiful, cii cumattnees hid helped to make her proud. Her father, Lord L* Estrange, died when the was quite n child, leaving her un enormous fortune that was quite •nder her own control. Her mother, Lady L'Estrahgo had hut ono idea m life, and that was indulging her beau if ul daughter m Bvery oaprioe. Proud, beautiful, and wealthy, when she mo*, nee ed ncr mothers care, that mother died, If aviug her sole tnintres* of herself. •She was but seventeen then, and was icnown as one of the wealthiest heiresses aud loveliest girls of the inj. Her first step, wa ~, iv the opinion of the world, a wiie one ; she sent for a wkiowud cousin* uady Peters, to lite with her aa# ohaperon. For the first year after her mother's death she remained at Verdun Royal, the family estate. After one year given to retirement, Philippa L'Estrange thought she hnd mourned for her mothei after the most exemplary fashion, she was just nineteen when she took her pl>»ce again m the great world, ona of its brightest ornaments. An afternoon m London m May. The air was clear and fresh j there was m it a faint breath of the budding chestnuts, the hawthorn and Mac ; the sun shone clear and bright, yet not too warmly. On this afternoon Miss L'Estrange sat m the drawing-room <>f the magnificent. family mansion m Hyde Park. The whole worid could not have produced a more marvellous pioture. The room itself was large, lofty, well proportioned, and superbly fashioned ; the hangings were of a pale rose silk and white laco; the pictures and ttatuee were, gems of art, a superb oopy cf the Venus of Milo gleaming white and shapely from between the folds of rose silk, also a marble Flora! whose basket was filled with, purple heliotropes, and a Pysche that was m itself a dream of beauty ; the vases were filled with fairest and most fragrant flowers. i\ o> bing that art, taste, or luxury could suggest whs wanting— the eye revel led m beauty. Miss L'Estrange had refurnished, the room m accordance with her own ideas of the beautiful and artistic The long windows were opened, and through them one saw he rip* f>ling of the rich green iolmji m the Pai'k. the large iron balconies were filled witii flowers, fragrant mignonette, lemon-scented verbenas, purple heliotropes, all growing m rich profusion. The t-pray of the little totnted fountains sparkled iv the sun. Everyone agreed that there wai no other room w J^&cion

> kt .vhe, vr^ud . drawing »ro«»in a V 9 *n H >uw. Tuei« Wis HomethiDg on iha bright May attern««on niore beautj f«l even thud tot* fl >w*ts, tie fyu» tarns, the hrightipluniH^ed birds ii their htindKome CHges, the white •tn-ut-B, i*r the pictures j th^t. waj tbo n»ißi reda and queen of .all thii mngnifl[cence— Hhilippa L'Estrange. She was ieciinin^ on a^ c^juch^ th«t had beeiij atju i fyt )ia .Par'ift-^ cpach made of finest. el>otiy, and covered with pale, wwe-oolound velvet. II Titian or Valeaqm c ba [ seen her a§ ■he lay there, the World would have been the nohjer, \y an immortal work of art. Titian, alone, couM have re-prodnoed those rich, mat yell iqs cplpur9tr!-.that • perfect., : queenly beauty,. He w.ouM have, painted the picture, and the ( world would hive raved about its beauty, (fhe"^^ tnassea <>t waving hair, the lovely face with its, warm. Soatheto tints, the dark eyes lighted with, fire and passion, the perfect mout^; with, its proud, sweet, iuiperion^ yet tender tips, the while, dimpled chin, the bead auil , \ faoa i u pri vnlied ,. m. their ;lor(b j^ojq^ifljir, straight durk Qfd^^bfat could, frpwQ/ and yet io£ en as few other brWs'conUL the whi c .) ueokiljalf- hidden, half re/eaeii by ; the caquetiisjb dres«,i the white, ouiid armp, aud buautitul lands— all would have struck the nas er. Her dress f foil round , her n folds. that would have charmed m uruat It was <»f . sor4e .rich raiittpai cut materinl, ; the. pale . am>er hue of which enhauoed her dark oveliness. The while aims were' lalf Bhown, half covered by ricli " ace— in the waves uf; her dark hair ;«y a yellow ro e. Slie looked lilfe. \ woman whose smile co Id be fatal tnd dangerous as that of a. siren, vho could be tnadjy.lived or madly : late. l, yet >o whom no man living ou db • indifferent. r ...... . She played for some few ( minutefl' ritli the riiigVon her fingers, smil-, ng to herself - : as6flf,dreauiy smile,--a tho gti her thoughts l weire yery ! iloasVnt orieSJ '. Then she^'tbdk up a '/loin> of ppeiris, read a ; (eiy : , Uneil,-: od tben laid the book down again. Phe d»rk eyei., with a gleam of im-' (sitience m them, wandered to tile i!ock. ; . /',_'' '■ ' ■'■■ ,', ,•_' ' * H»w slowly these. hands move!* he s iid. *Y.u are restless/ observed a, aim, ow voico ; \\ a,f chin'ir. a 'clock' ,lwHys make-, the time, se \in long/. } ' .yb,.Ladv Peitsrs,' »aid l »he tich, n-is!otl toiien,-' when I cease to be rouii : , I shall cease to be impaient!' ' . L dy Pet i'B,'fho chosen 'cdnfi 'apt >nd chaperon of the brilliHritliei^eksj ras an elderly lady whose most; tiiking ch'.rrtCtm<tio appeared. to : m cahuners and repose. j3he w s i'hly (lrensetl m a robe of black a>nr«, and «he w re a cap of pointice;. her sn jwy h^ir was braided ack <ro n a broad wnite brow ; her ;cn was kindly, patient, cheerful, ci 1 manner, .though sdmewhat tale'y, *he SHme. She eviilently ■eply -oved the beau tii'nl girl whose. ri.,-ht face was turned to hers. . .* Hh »ai I three m his no c, did he ot, Lady Perers]' ' Y«s, my dear, bufc it is im(>osible fo^ anyone to be always Bt^ctl« unc Ui , a hundred differeut^oings' lay have detained .him.' ; 'Bi\ if he were really anxious to Be mo,.he w^o'uld , not lejt auythingl etai i i hiin,^ slie said. To'be'CbiMHiud.

New Adyertiasmeioits^ '■. VKT \Vf SD t i Rea*| M o> Four- *» r'»«»'n * C etage "I Hunilton l^—vMr^H'W&i^mo* of thw jWr, or H H m aonil, Sittijner. [TfrvNTfilD. Appr«n ices and Im- ¥? prove -8 to he.DrH-s and Mantle laki-i»{. — App'y to Mi 9 Lovell, Hood ireptj Horn „n- ,: VKT .MTEOi.aSeooni-hand Pimoforte.' V ▼ A»py to Mrs KcdS Wa.ts, Hamil-: )n. . ..• .-..'. ".I'--:.': ■■•!'■- ' ?*■♦■■• :/ : ' ' ntTANrED.a handy Man, wi h a M kn- I wldtixe of gardening ; also, a toy. for the kitchen. — Ap,» y Hamilton LteL - - **■--.■ • V '- \\ —^ rt ; VKJ^ \,NjXEpi the ; Public 3 ~,kijp?? J. ; V ¥ iiiiMpuE *& Oq,«>f N garuawfjiia have! ota flra* <i!as§*CUttfer m ,iheir Tkilprint; Jeoai-- entknii-tHe best s'tbok' of Twi^pds nd Ooatings : jever ; intrdduQed 'into the [U'riofc to" select, from. • ... '.;■■)) PR B ard and fystianpe for tto»s *tten<iini; the Parneli or Auofcaud (iramnar Schtpj.a, ; - Be^ereDCf s, it wede<i. -Mrs .-mm £Fi'i£i4^> ' 1 " ' ' — -■•):i>U> PIE T JO «T C*rted from' Hamilton E ; ?;as' to Nottnghatn Castle Hotel, Pi-ki. At Pvm Piuuds Fri SbilHagH p»r tOD,. . ■• .-.■;■. ,: •.. ■. .... j. WOOD. COMMERCIAL HOTEL HAMILrpN WEST, i One of the^fioest. Hot«l« m the Colon] for Uonveoieuoe.an4-UeHiforo. FiB -class Show Uoom for.Commercia Travellers. , Gjiml Stabling. . ''ffifialjiji?, k&j&yfaitiZJL w<VanJJ, " . ... • -pjOi»ri«t«r. r,. f :,\r l -..:-.r: / -'- \>: k\: „. _ : •.:*••*:••;-. "> . ■ ' ,-. ...» . v fc*s->f----"i