CHAPTER IX.—(Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1961, 31 January 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER IX.— (Continued.)

"Pray spare me your rhapsodies on my elderly cousin, and remember the blood in my veins is as bine as Lady Claudia's," she laid, pettishly. Romano laughed incredulously, and Gidia, after giving a rioions kiok to the slumbering King Charles at her feet, want on, " I am afraid you have been dreadfully impolitic quarrelling with her, for, of •onrse, now all Sir Ralph's people will cut as, and under the circumstances we cannot afford to make enemies." M Oh, we have nothing to fear," said llomano, eaßily. "Without doubt, our marriage will create a sensation, but when it is once an accomplished fact, jou will find you will not lose one of your grand friends. It is ourselves Society will not care to quar rel with ; we shall be too rich, too powerful to be k^ept at a distance. I have seen enough •f yonr world to know the power of wealth, and we have other attractions to throw in the scale— Fame and Beauty. No, Gidia, I can ■nap my fingers at your sharp- tongued contin and her relations, though there is, I must confess, one wemin in the world of whom I ■tand in mortal dread "—and a vague untaiinetf caused his voice to falter. " Oh, Aunt Lilias," replied Lady Dianey, carelessly, 41 1 really do not see what harm ■he can do as, unless by leaving the property, which ought now to be mine, to others— jast the spiteful sort of thing,an old maid would glory in doing." " I have no uneasiness on that score," •aid Silvio, " but when our marriage is an- i nonnoed I shall be compelled to meet her face to face, and what if she recogniaes me ? You know how she tore the mask from my face that night ! Good God ! I see her great ■taring eyes now, as they gazed straight into mine before the knife fell. What a fool I was not to make sure she could tell no tales. I thought I had," he said savagely through hia olenohed teeth. " It 18 certainly tiresome," Gidia acknjw ledged, " bat you must manage to keep out of her way somehow, and fortunately we are not likely to come aoross her unexpectedly, for Auiit Lilias is snch an invalid, she cannot bear the sight of strangers. Ido not suppoce she will last much longer," Hhe said, comfortingly. . " She was quite mad for ever so long, and Mrs. Cunninghame says she ia a mere wreck." "We have disposed of Dupont, at any rate." Gidia had soothed his fears with her floft, mesmeric touch, and he was inclined to see matters in a brighter light. " She ia safe at the other side of the globe, and not likely to trouble us again." Then drawing her into his arms, ho began to talk over their future movements, the events of the evening having made some immediate action neceswy.