CHAPTER XLVII.-(Continued.)

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2081, 7 November 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XLVII.-(Continued.)

Ua stopped quite abruptly bofora her, and lie npokc bo abruptly thr.t both ladies looked quickly at him. " You will tire yourself, MidS Dorwent," he sail, "kneeling there. Let me give you a chair." " Lady Ethel detected the sliango tone in hi-j voice ; Ailie thought only of the kindness which prompted the words, and the face that she raised to his was beautiful in hia passionate love. '• I could not faston these flowers if I were Bitting, Lord Carsdalo," she replied, simply ; " but indeed it does not fatigue me. lam quite pleased to do it." " Can I do nothing to help ?" he asLed, impatiently ; and Lady Ethel believed that his impatience was caused by his desire to take her back into the ball-room. Ailie thought tho same. " I will not be long," eb.9 said. " I will be »s quick as possible." Lord Carsdale had seen his young wife in attendance on his mother, and it had not caused him the least feeling of annoyance, but his sense of honor and justice was touched now. " This is the last leaf," said Ailie, with a smile; "and Lady Ethel, I think this arrangement cvsn prettier than the other." They both felt some little surprise at suddenly seeing Lord Carsdale quit the room. Ho returned in a few minutes, bringing with him an ice-cream. " Pray take this, Miss Derwent," he said ; 11 yoa must be tired." Ailie was too much surprised even to answer; than the tender heart beat high with joy, and the sweet eyes grew dim with a rush of happy tears. "Now, Lady Ethel," he said, " wo shall be in time for our waltz yet." The beautiful heiress murmured some words of thanks to Ailie ; but tho girl did not hear her. She was lost in a maze of happy thoughts ; it seemed so wonderful to her that her husband should have been so solicitous for her— that he should have cared whether she was tired or not— that he should have troubled himself to bring her refreshments ; it was so wonderful she oould not forget it. She stood thero with a happy brooding smile on her faco ; tho ice-cream seemed to her far too precious even to be eaten, while L*dy Ethel walked away, saying to Lard Carsdale, with a gentle laugh : "I can never understand whether you like Miss Derwent or not, you speak to her in such a tone of suppressed irritation always." "Do I ? I do not intend it," he replied, carelessly ; but Lady Ethel's answer was : " Yes ; your manner is not the same with her as with other people," which was not quite a pleasant speech for him to hear.