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Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 964, 3 February 1915, Page 8

■ L ■'"' « " ■ - The last notes of a stately minuet died away, and., the player gently fingered the keys of the harpsichord as her listener drew his chair nearer and began to urge-his suit. He was young and good to look upon, with curling brown hair above hie high black satin stock, and well-shaped limbs shown off by tight kneebreeches and stockings. The girl his eager words were addressed Ko had such a fragile beauty that she looked a mere child in her ehort-waieted muslin gown, made in the fashion that was known when George 111, was king. Yet she wore a wedding ring, They were alone in a large room, furnished stiffly with epindl*legged chairs, and fragrant with th« scent of dried rose petals. • You oannot deny that you lo »e me, I defy you to deny it, so why keep up this shallow pretence ? Leave the old dotard to his musty books and come with me.' There was a triumphant ring in the mm'e low-toned pleadings ; he felt sure of success at last. She hid her face in her hands and bent her head lower and lower until it touched the keyboard with a faint jangling discordance.' Ralph Caxton stooped forward and kissed the white nape of her neck.'s The touch of his lips roused her, and'a crimson flush spread over even neck and arms as she started hastily to her feet, holding both hands outstretched to push him away. . ;'•.,;. I'How dare you, Ralph Caxton! How dare—oh, has the man no pity ?' ' You don't deny it. I knew you couldn't deny it 1' he repeated, rising from his chair and coming nearer. , "» J Stand back, sir I' she panted, 'or I call the servants! How dare you tempt a woman to deadly sin ?'

ia the sin of taking the woman"" I love, and who loves me—fovea me, do you hear ?—from a life of neglect and misery P If the old man who married you meant to keep you, he should have looked after his OTTO.' . '

1 Heaven forgive you for the evil you have tried to bring on me and on this house I' she said with a voice trembling with suppressed emotion. <Qo at once, sir, and never dare to ehow jour face here again I' ' I will go when you tell me that you love your husband/ he replied with a mocking laugh. ' You can't eay the lie, Rachel; your face te.ls me so,'

She grew white as the muslin of her gown, and her eyes were turned away as she murmured, ' I love—my husband.'

'lt is a lie 1' he said, ' and you know it. Your lips saj the words, but your face tells the truth. Yon dare not look me in the face and tell that lie I'

■ * I love my husband I' The words rang out clearly, and his eyes fell before the scorn in hers. 'Go now, before the servants put you out, sir I' Then, after a stately curtsey, she walked firmly out of the room and across the hall to a door at the opposite side. '"' _ 'ls that you, Rachel ? Wait a minute; the testis nearly corrpleted,' exclaimed the voice of a tall, el derly man, who was fusing something with a blowpipe. The girl leaned heavily on the back of his chair, with one slender hand pressed tightly over the bosom of her gown. ' I have found it, child I My task is over at last. See this tiny phial ?' and he held it lovingly in his hand and let the light fall full on the contents. 'lt contains a wondrous fluid, Raohel—the long-sought elixir of youth. A few drops of this precious liquid will restore the lost years and make me a fit mate for you, sweetheart. 'Ah I the anxious hours I have spent in search of it. I never told you what I sought, for the task was long and weary, a? .d I would not have my bird anxious for the result. Nor would I weary you with talk of my love until I had the secret in my grasp, for I feared you would think the greybeard but a prosy old fellow. Rachel slipped down to the floor at his stde, and held out her clasped hands towards him with an appeal that checked the flow of tender words coming from his long-shut heart.

• Hugh ! Jlugh I what have you done ? Why did you marry me only to leave me alone ? What need had you for the elixir of youth when you first brought me here ! I eould have loved you then if you had tried to win me. But now'—she orouched lower and buried her face in his knees ' husbaud, do you know that, while you pored over these old parchments, Ralph Caxton, the eon of your old friend, dared to apeak to me of love P He urged me to go with him to Ireland, and I—unhappy creature that I am—nearly consented. I do oot know how I resisted him—perhaps my dead mother watched over me—for I—love—.him!' H«r voice died away to a whisper, Hugh JMton bent over the crouching woman and tried to raise her head, 'So yon have come to look at your handiwork, Ralph Caxton P Are you satisfied with it P We have killed her between us, vou sad 11'