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Bush Advocate, Volume I, Issue 29, 12 July 1888, Page 4

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CHAPTER f. (Continued) •Has., Mrs Richardson been V psifiing"a\y;old lady; a; friend of his mother's who lived in the Champs J Eiyseesj.and had been very attentive to his bride. ' Yes, my lord ; her card is in the <14>Met.-'- ; ■■■■'■■"- ' •''• =••' ■ : Half from sheer want of somethin^todo, half to get rid of the girl, he strolled towards the small , table in the window on which reposeela pretty silver basket. He had himself bought it a week or two befofe, when Gillian complained, laughingly, that, so many people called she did not know what to do wiuh their cards. .- : : He looked at the pretty fragile ornament with a strange sense of regret. '<■ Gillian had smiled in his face when he brought it home, and i tqld.hinnhe had spoilt her* She would never smile at him again, at . /leas.t, ? he .would never again put confidence: in her smiles. , Yes, there lay Mrs-Richardson's cardj.fair and white and .shiny ; not unlike tho lady's card, arid next to it,Ttouching • it, reposed a narrow slip of cardboard, inscribed * Mr f raiiatn Aspendale.' ..; ' Denis Greville had believed his cup, was full, had thought nothing could add to his misery. He discovered his mistake now, when he ; found that while he was away at her sister's funeral his wife was re- j ceiving her; old lover. He had meant to spare her— he had resolyed firmly not to reproach her, but merely tell hei* it was best they should^ live separate lives ; but , Heart hardened he would : one jot of. tittle ; if he suffered/ at least she "should • not go scathlesi . , They4i£not.meet till dinner time. 'The ' French servafats were in the room, and Denis just touched his " :vnf6's/han$ {; and enquired for her '^'n^^ of his voico toldher something was wrong. Alas ! she had yet to guess how much. . ; - ; tlohversation 4\d not flourish ; the meal was J stiff and constrained. When it was over and the servants retired Lord Greville sat moodily looking into the fire, arid his wife went to the piano. Her husband loved music passion- ' ately. often said her voice • r<whs the sweetest he had ever heard. She felt >if she : spoke 1 she should burst out cryitfg ; music would, be both solace arid relief; She^sat down, her white fingers wandered over the keys. She struck a few soft, harmonious chords, and "then she plunged into one of the most- beautiful, pathetic love songs ■•; ■* ever written— ' In . the gloaming.' '.■'■ She sang it through to the end. As she finished she saw that her hus--I'band had risen, and was standing '•-moodily against the table. She rose too. They stood for , one moment looking at each other, sb near arid yet so far, wedded, but strangers yet ; then the pent up j passion of the man's heart found vent. '= \ '"'■■' \ ' m . ' AHbw can you be so fair and yet so false ?' How can Heaven give faces such as yours to woman such . as yon ?' : '•■■■ '?' ■ She never defended herself. Gillian was a proud woman, and his :%6rds pierced her very soul. Only one thing kept her silent. She J loved 'him. She loved him now, .but she had not done so '• when she .. married him. She had done him that wrong. Perhaps he had a y, ■ right to reproach her. 1 Speak !' cried Lord Greville, bitterly ; don't stand motionless, looking at me like an accusiug angel ; speak arid answer me.' „ <>;' How am ltd answer ?' and her #ed lips quivered like a child's. How am I to understand of what . t you accuse me ?' „. •;* Acouse, you ! I don't accuse you. It is that there are facts against you not even my blind folly can -gainsay. , ■ „-*! have done nothing wrong, un- , less it. were to marry you.' * Aye,' he said fiercely, was that no wrong, no cruel wrong ?' v .' You wished it.' I But did I know the odds 1 Do you think T would > have married . you had. l known all I know now ?' Then Maria had deceived her, and failed to fulfil her mission. .: Should she tell him so?' Should she purchase her own acquittal by -;; heaping ii.famyon her dead sister ?' ■ Every instinct of her nature revolted from it, and yet it was her only chance — her only one ; and she loved him so. She hesitated— she almost yielded. ' But no, he would have no proof.' she thought. 'I could give him none. It would be just my word. He might not trust me, and, oh ! if he doubted still, I think it would bo less misery to leave him now. I could not live at his side and know his faith in me was gone.' - 'Well?' I 1 have nothing to say.' ' You confess the truth f 1 1 confess nothing. I . married you because you wished it — because' ~here Her voice : broke — ' I liked and trusted you.'. ,;■• , ' Would you have liked and j trusted me if my income had not been counted by its thousands and its tens of thousands I wonder V A terrible blush died her cheek — indignant innocence. He thought it shame. 'I am trying not to be hard on you,' he went on. ' You were terribly tried, but, f oh ! why did you take my heart for the plaything of an hour?' 1 1 never did*' *• You are so .young, and you cannot tell wjwt is to a man when.

he is my age. You deceived us 'both—you' forsook your lover and you married me— for my money.' 'You can think that ?' 'How; can I help it?' . Perhaps he still hoped against hopo she would den;/ : it, but she did. not. She only stood there motionless, her clear brown eyes meeting his gaze unflinchingly. 'I wish you would sit down.' ' I prefer to stand.' She was so weary that she had to lean against the table for support. She looked so unutterably pale and fragile that his heart went out to her in great pity. He must have relented, but his eye chanced to fail on the card basket, and once again he read the name that was so hateful to him. ' Why did you have that fellow here ?' ' Whom do you mean V •Aspendale.' ' I did not invite him.' < You saw him V •Yes.' • ! * Did you think it was right and proper V 1 Yes. It is always better to face anything unpleasant than to shun it.' * Then your interview was not a pleasant one, Lara to conclude V * ' You said you knew all.' 'I do.' ' Then you have no need to ask that question. I saw Mr Aspendale because I thought it right, but I never spoke a word to him you might not have heard. , * I wish I had been here.' 'I wish you had.' ' Gillian, don't you think a little plain speaking would have been better for us both.? You are not twenty-two ', I am under forty. We may live thirty years, and see what a muddle we have made of things.' Then he meant her to stay with him. It seemed to Gillian she could bear anything if only she were allowed to linger at his side. * Things will: right themselves in time,' sh** said* more brightly than she had yet spoken. . , . 'I don't share your confidence. Nothing in the world could restore my faith in you ; It has gone for ever.' *. ' Aren't you a little hard V she asked slowly, speaking in a calm dispassionate tone, just as though she were arguing- a stranger's case rather than her own. 'I was so young, you see, and I had no mother ; it seemed so bright to me to think of being taken care of always. ' ■ (To be Continued.)