SABINA ZEMBRA.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 279, 26 November 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

SABINA ZEMBRA.

A NOVEL.

I JT fILLUM SLACK. : jjß .jfceleodofDare I " , silrineesi * ofThuW&C, &c----..Translation is Reserved.]

oF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS j AJ( T) ll.—Sir Anthony Zembra, btaad of manner, his ?■• f fashion and his dinners famous # ,4 lleoce> was yet the most detested w he was one of the »"canc3t. *&v engaged inspecting the Items o f in which the name of JW** -Sir figures, and which have SRSfSHted,Vhen he is interm "Titling noise, and a young man, Wβ* iffiless, is borne into the room, fefsffi. the daughter of the magW Lhsts against his house being made a She, however, has her H**?with a knowledge gained by six s«*'*%i«ieeas a hospital nurse, she tends tatfSSSS of a surgeon. The accithrough the young man, V» bicycle, endeavouring to s< cor (•ft Una's dog. At his request news of »°l thrffired to the Dukoof Exminstor riKFred Foster Iras ID. **"> I v -- jA ? ie a Wffief sabina's, perceives that, Walter fi wealthy young artist, is in love with call her, but that she her-heart-whole, not yet having iSSSw"Pleasingpain." At Waited *jKle promisesto induce Sabina to aether toa musical evening at Lindsay's "Ket the great Borella, anew baritone. \ nm Janie's mother, also promises to ji«isnperiitend tbo arrangements for «*r In the meantime Sabie, in constant JSupo ll wounded man, becomes Kflii his flPOTting talk and talca of the Si-.:,

CHAPTER V. TEi PARTY.

Janie Wygram regarded with 0s but favour the young man who lAm claiming so much of her beloved fiitteafcion; and her jealousy of him all the more determined that jjjiihould go to Walter Lindsay's

fit thy should I go?" Sabina said' fjod-iiaturedly. "Some people are B!ed in such things, but I am not.

ijjjbotliiamonga lot of half-strangers itmbg to talk about things that are llpstiot.'to you " ij-tat Sabie, you don't know," her jlak* "It's not like that at Mr LindIfSey're small parties, and there's no toifhoisn'teitherclever, orpretty, or

irisin gome way; and there is every I Worn and amusement ana vfj\\ find no old people ill, except mother, who is to play iftaUofas." " • iB, Janie, , " Sabina said. " I should

fflybe tired by that time of night, ffii'ooldn't want a kill-joy to corno in jjtbtoiyounK folks amusing them-

(JOB can't help going, Sabie, dear," ad said insidiously.

m And why?" fliftailteU you that you will conipat kindness on several people, and ititjarfcicular. That is en ou gh reason ietknghed; it was a dexterous piece

iiioire the two people in particu disked.

[Jjlidjay is tae one, and I am the

.Sffllmll go to please you," Sabina i»er frank and generous way ; and »i the glad-hearted Janie made jfwher own room to send a little j>«t.Lindsay, informing him of the fere. . ■ fcewnfcful evening drew near, the :* n -Wygram assumed a more and ; for she had undertaken Natendthe domestic arrangements ■jf«P|.artist; and she was in all his Uj»nd very earnest were their con"Wβ together. But one afternoon ,*■« tome looking rather puzzled. j*V ehe said to her daughter, '' what wilalcon'r "«falcon, mother?" W.Hnderetand at all; but twice "c has said the same thing; you r» remonstrating with him about °™»gaDce; and really the way he is wistfjsurd; oh, I assure you, there ™%in.Covenfc Garden half good M pelieve he would telegraph to ?™ Were was time to get back ;,WU was saying how absurd people did not expect such ?*■*<* a bachelor's house ; and penesaid, 'I wish I had nothing .WJ&on.' And then again he f'jg™ismy falcon to be brought Xi,*fl 1 ask ed him what falcon, JHm and turned to something &n$ d Janie > " don ' fc y° u story?" VJ w¥ ed M P uz:;led as ever. !>t|B- been told a hundred times. i»S a J°? n & gentleman of Florence *&£i wealth in & ivin S enfcer ' his lady-love; but she i;y t lothlm ; she married someone te slu . awa y into the country, iRIS nothing left him but hjß T^ en by-and-bye she beand she was living in the ! "Cw2'h litfcle b °y fell sick ' 1 wfi?i do but that h ° mnsb have 'fejfoS c had Been fl y in g over *«EK g ***«• So she went '^S y t0 the house ' ancl there cr > and he was greatly disnofchin^infchehouse for she had ! !feto ° nd eat something. Do n n ° w > mother? He bade and Bbrangle the tai cooit-j ai J hls possessions—and Sα Ji bro u?Qt in and set - n, °* course, when rr t q^est abou t the falcon, Jta^ ni g what he had done in order ■ U • she was 80 much !*lim^ rosifc y th at sho fell in W^ n ! married him- Have Sfrw c Bfcor y ? The y° un s and the , And you may fcfc ha fcMr Lindsay meant, i«« to . P, arfc wifc h everything VjKnnal? WOuld onl y win him NyV^Bheberthettothersaid,

fe« don't know, mother! HK?stt head-not for a Sabie whoisMr **<* are!" the mother

Or i fche y ma y not be ■ 1 d °n't Ido ]-„ i^il I**!'1**!' said, valiantly, " but S SabSe?' a fOOI " * Were " Ofc in love ri4d d mJ ength * reafc evenin S M> thabtL m * eVei^ thin » had been done think M'i anxious consideration could ~.„, a° ' anci all that was wanting now fea«e \ P 6SeUCe of Sabina t0 irradiate the \\Wm 3 a , m T a ttei' of fact, she and Mrs H ai ? d Jai,ie came »&« lat e I all 1? th ers had assembled-, and were idling ?ohL i lme iv fche stuclio . laughing and lv.v* t'? exami »i"g the sketches ; but hi l • L ,V ldsa y wa s in front of the house, Th lm , selt ' and rather nervously waiting. Then there was the noise of a cab J the gate bell was n\ng > ttttd the yellow gasamps gave but little relief ; but it seemed to him that when Sabina stepped out on to the pavement-so tall and queenly she « as, and yet with such a frank and generous good-nature in her face-that there was some kind of moonlight around. He had eyes only for her ; Tie wag a little bewildered ; she seemed something radiant— here in the dusk.

. ',' * fc is v ei -y kind o f you to come," he said ; out he did nob know what he was saying. He accompanied them into the house: could this beautiful creature know how great a favour she was conferring by merely stepping within the door ? And she smiled so graciously on the little maid who asked them to go into the improvised cloak-room : did she know that that, too, was a kindness ? —that she could so easily make friends with her winning looks and her gentle manner? but at this moment Janie Wygram hung back from her companions ; and said to him, m a half whisper :— " Is the falcon being cooked ?" " There is no such luck for me," said he ; and then he added quickly: " But do you think, now, that Miss Zembra could bo prevailed upon to take away some little thine as a souvenir ? There are all kind of things in this studio. If you found her interested in any of them could you give me a hint ? Anything, no matter what, anything in the house."

" I don't know," said Miss Janie ; but she could not add another word then, for she had to follow he/ companions into the cloakroom.

Forthwith ha sent Word to have supper served ns soon as possible ; and when these new guests re-appeared he would have them remain in the drawing-room. He seemed to forget the others whom he had left in the studio. It was Sabina wliom he wanted to look at these sketches, and medallions, and miniatures, and what not; and so anxious was he to interest her, and so strangely did the magic of her presence aflcct him, that his fingers were not so steady as they might have been.

" Why, your hand shakes," she said (for she was rather blunt-spokon on occasion). " What is it '! Too much Aits Club at midnight ?" It was a cruel speech, though it was not meant cruelly. How could he explain to her what it was that made his hand a trifle unsteady ? Or how could he say to her that he would willingly never enter within the doors of the Arts Club again, if she but expressed the slightest wish on the subject?

" But your other friends, Mr Lindsay?" said Mrs Wygram, who considered herself responsible for the proper conduct of the proceedings. " Should we not go into the studio ?"

" Oh, no," said he. " They're all right. Borella is there ; he will keep them lively enough." In fact, they could hear the sound of a piano in the distance. " That is another thing I wanted to warn you about, Miss Janie. Don't you keep insisting on encores. Borella is the beat fellow in the world, but he is rather noi.«y, and he likes to monopolise the piano. Now when he wants to go, let him go ; and then we shall have a nice quiet evening by ourselves."

Of course, Miss Janie knew very well i wa3 about Sabina he was thinking ; perhaps she might not like too hilarious an evening ; for there was something grave and serious in her manner, even with all its gracious sweetness.

Then came the butler (he was a butler only at night; by day he was an old man model, and favourably known throughout the studios for his prominent noso and shaggy eyebrows : it should be said, moreover, that his ability in both capacities were marked, and that he could decant a bottle of port just as well us he could pose as an ancient Highland catcran, or a scowling miser, or a smiling grandpapa) to say that supper was served ; and Mr Lindsay escorted those three guests into the diningroom. It was a clover little scheme.

" Miss Zembra," said ho, " will you take this seat, if you please ? Mrs Wygram has been po kind as to offer to take the other end of the table—she can see that things are going on rightly—and—and tho servants understand

Ifc was a clever little scheme ; for now, without fear of any mistake, Miss Zembra would be seated next him, and on his right hand also ; anrl there awaiting her was the bouquet he had himself designed for her ; while Mrs Wygram, instead of being annoyed at not finding herself in tho place of honour, considered herself promoted to the position of mistress to tho feast. Janie Wygram smiled to herself, but said nothing ; and with a light heart Walter Lindsay went away to summon his other guests from the studio. Ib was a pretty scene at that supper-table when they had all come in and taken their places—the shining silver and the Venetian glass ; the shaded candles shedding a soft roseate {flow on tho cover; the abundant flowers T the baskets of fruifc ; the faces of young men and maidens growing blither as the talk became more and more animated. And if there was a trifle too much noise in the neighbourhood of the blacka-vised baritone—who was telling very, very old stories in half-intelligible English, and laughing boisterously at the same—well, that was all the more convenient for any of the quieter folk, who perhaps had their ownlittlesentences(timid,andhesitatingand hardly daringtosay all that might be said) to communicate to each other in their small, separate sets. Walter Lindsay was not eorry to be able to murmur a word or two unheard by the general crowd ; even if there was no particular secret to be conveyed • it was something that he could speak to Sabina, as it were, alone. And then she was looking fo beautiful this evenj n o-_=o calm, and bland, and complaisant; and the gracious outline of her neck, as she bent forward a little to listen, was something to steal one's heart away. Her stepmother had said she was a dowdy in her dress Well, on ordinary busy days she generally wore a tight-ntting gown of brownish-grey homespun, with a jacket to match ; and her brown felt bonnet was serviceable enough ; and if you had met her in Kensington High-street, or in Cromwell Road you would W thought little of the costume, though perhaps her stat«re, a nd her gait and the set of her head might have attrSod abrief notice. But to-night there was naturally something different. &he wore a dress of pale blue Indian silk, with Tfichu of faintly yellow lace coming round the n»ck and bosom ; and for sole ornament, where The fichu met the gown therei«. a bunch of real forget-me-nots. Walter Ssay looked at these from time to time WhScon would he not "aye sacrificed to gain possession of any one of them ?■ And yefc he had a little score to settle W i?h her If any other person had tod Wm that he had a shaky band, he would H-HSiffiS* <° l Z'Zt Z e bold to say (but still to that undertone that he seemed

to prefer), " what did you mean by saying that my hand shook ?"

" Did I!" she said, and she looked up. And then something in his manner appeared to amuse her. "If I hurt your feelings I am very sorry." " What did you mean by too much Arts Club at midnight?" said he, for he was determined to clear himself of the charge.

" I am a hospital nurse on occasion," she said, laughing. " I suppose 1 spoke professionally. Bub really. I did nob mean anything serious, Mr" Lindsay — oh, of course, not."

" Oh, bub I'm going to have it oub with you," said he. " I want jusb to see whether you or I have the steadier hand '

" No, no ; if I apologise to you— :, " Bub I want to see. Now just you lift your wine-glass and I will hold up mine, and we will see who can let them come closest without actually touching." Well, she was good-natured; they went through that little performance; and certainly both their hands now seemed steady enough. '' Can I do more than apologise ?" she said, as she pub down her glass again. '' I did nob mean to offend you." "Offend me!" He looked at her; that was all.

Meanwhile, the robust baritone had chanced to catch sight of that raising of glasses, and imagining that it was merely the revival of an old custom, he set to work at his end of the table, and presently there was a good deal of drinking of healths and clinking of glasses, with even an occasional "S/osxt an!—setzt an! — ferlig! — los!" It was in the midst of this hubbub of chatter and merriment that Mrs Wygram found an opportunity of saying to her daughter, who happened to sib next her: " Janie, don't look up the table, but do you know what is going on ? I can tell you. Are you aware that your darling Sabina is showing herself as nothing else bub an outrageous flirb ?"

"She is nob, mother!" Janie said in> dignantly. " She doesn't know what tion is !'

" It's a remarkable good imitation of it, then, that is going on up there," said the little old lady, still with her eyes cast down. "I've never seen anything worse anywhere. Why, Mr Lindsay has not said a word to a soul since we sat down to supper ; he has eyes and ears for nobody but her !"

" And whose fault is that ?" said Janie ; " that is his fault, not hers. Of course, sho is kind to him, as she would be to any one sitting in his place. It's little you know about Sabio if you think that.of her."

" I can use my eyes," said Mr 3 Wygram, "and they're older than yours, my girl." " You know you're only saying that to vex me, mother ; and you can't do it. No, you can't; 1 know Sabie better than that." "At all events," the mother said, to close this underhand discussion, "at all events Mr Lindsay is having one happy evening in his life." Nor was Mrs Wygram the only one who was casually observant of what was going on at the upper end of the table. A tall, rather good-looking fellow—a recentlyelected Associato he was, and very proud of his new honours — said to his neighbour, who was a lively littlo maiden with a roseate face, a piquant nose, and ravenblack hair : " Who is the lady of the forget-me-nots ?" Sho glanced up the table. "Oh", don't you know? That is Miss Zembra—a daughter of Sir AnthonyZembra the Parliament man, don't you know? Pretty, isn't she ?" " How long havo Walter Lindsay and sho known each other ?" he asked. There was somo kind of significance in his tone. " I think for some time," paid his companion. "But I believe sho has never been in his house before. Sho doesn't care for such things—nursing babies and old women is more in her lino. It's all very well if they would only wash their faces." "Oh, they've known oach other for somo time ?" " I believe so." " Oh, they've known each other for some time ?"

■ What did ho moan by this repetition? What he was trying to do, at all events, 1 was to get his companion to raiso her eyes to his, to ask what his meaning was ; but sho was a shrewd little lass, and knew better than to be drawn into any such understanding. " Well, I suppose it's nono of my business," he said, finally; and that was a very sensible conclusion. And now did Walter Lindsay call down tho blessings of heaven on Borella's wildlymatted head ; for the noisy baritone had taken to performing conjuring tricks, and the attention of everyone at tho table was directed towards him. And Sabina wished to look on also, for she loved amusement as well as anyone, when the chance was there ; but her companion would not let her. He was sure sho had had no supper at all. A little more wine, then ? for she seemed to like tho purfume of that golden-clear vino di Capri. He was so sorry she had had no supper. It was a shame that she had come to his house merely to be starved ; perhaps she would never come again, after such treatment? Some fruit, then, just to show that; she had not been quite neglected? Not a slice of pine-apple, nor half a dozen grapes, even ? Some strawberries, then ? ''Oirapesand strawberries in the middle of March ?" she said, with a smile. " Really, it is perfectly wicked." And then there was on his lips some wild reference to Sir Federgo's envied happiness in the destruction of his falcon ; but fortunately he did not go so far ; he contented himself with engrossing her attention so that she could not see any of the conjuring, and he would have her tell him more of her experiences among the mudlarks down Lambeth way. Were they all so cynical ? And not so grateful to her as they might be? Was she not afraid of having her pocket picked? And that one of them who was her champion and chief confidant —could he be found now, by a stranger?— . Would he like to have a good, substantial, midday dinner given him, and thereafter a boat that he might sail on the ponds in Battersea Park, supposing that such an amusement were permitted ? Well, Sabina had a generous faculty of being pleased with whomsoever was talking to her for the moment; and he was her host, moreover ; and all the others were occupied with their own affairs ; so she had leisure to tell him about these and other things. And ever the glamour of her clear soft "hazel eyee was working him further and further woe. Her rounded white arms were near him ; the dimple in her cheek showed when she laughed; her beautiful brown hair was still more beautiful in the softened light. But these things were as nothing. It was her eyes he sought; and these were so friendly, and pleased, and benignant, that who would have accused them of working him woe? Nor did he care. He drank the sweet madness, the fell poison, without stint, and recklessly and joyously ; this night was to be at least one happy night in his life ; he had Sabie all to himself—and he was drinking in her pleased glances and her smiles as if they were strong wine : the years to come, whatever there might be in them, could never deprive him of that gold-and-rose-tinted memory. At length the conjuring came to an end ; and it was Herr Borella himself who suggested that they should go away into the studio to have a little music ; he had to leave soon, he explained. And then there was a fetching of wraps for the women folk; and somehow Walter Lindsay managed to secure Sabina's long fur cloak ; and he it was vho put it round her shoulders, and would even insist that it was properly fastened at the throat, for the night was cold. When they went outside into the back garden, at the further end of which was the studio, they found that the nigh.6 skies bad grown clearer, and stars

were shining palely overhead. Sabina thought of the dark early morning in East London; and of her crossing from the nurse's dormitory to the wards ; she was a little grave as the ghost-like procession passed along from the house, through this weird gloom, to the yellow light of the studio door.

All within there, however, was brightness ; the gases and candles lib ; the fire burning briskly ; the piano open ; plenty of music scattered everywhere. The great baritone set to work nt once; he was frank enough ; he sang them " 0 dv, mem holder Abendatern " from " Tannhauser"—a young lady in spectacles accompanying him ; and bhen he himself sab down ab the piano and eang— " Fern in die Welt, Weit, weit yon dir, Strahlet dein Bild Tlef, tief in mir." One would scarcely have expected a man who had been so boisterous and uproarious at supper to sing with so much feeling ; but the quality of his art was very fine indeed ; more than one young woman there was rather lumpy about fche throat when he finished. Then, after he had sung one or two more things, and bade such as he knew good-nighb, and lit a big cigar, and gone away, bhe young folks began on their own account; and as there happened to be lying open a volume of old-fashioned glees and madrigals and duets, they were soon in the midst of these. It was a careless, happy-go-lucky series of performances; when they broke down, they turned over the page to the next one ; sometimes a newcomer would stroll along and give them a helping hand. But the young lady in spectacles knew her business, ab all events; and so in one way or another they got along with laughter and jests thrown in. Now it was "Foresters, Sound the Cheerful Horn," or " The Chough and Crow to Roost Are Gone," or •' Hark, the Bonny Christ Church Bells," or "Here's a Health to all Good Lassos," and again it was " Chloe Found Amyntas Lying," or

■' Sigh no more, ladies; ladies, sigh no more, Men were deceivers ever." All this while Walter Lindsay was seated on a sofa with Sabina as his sole companion. On coming into the studio he had perforce paid a little attention to his other guests ; but once ho had got them fairly started on this occupation, he had gone back to her — how could he help it ? And Sabina sat and listened, her hands folded, her eyes pleased ; and she had the air of one looking on, rather than of one participating ; but surely it was no unkindly regard. " How pretty that is !" she said, rather wistfully, on one occasion. The tall young Associate was at the piano ; and it was his neighbour at supper who had now taken the place of the spectacled young lady ; and he was bending over the accompanist, so that their heads were very near together—his a fair chesnut brown, hens rayon black. And they were singing—with a careless bass thrown in by a gentleman standing opposite tho fire : — " Yes, it is a pretty air," Walter Lindsay said.

"Ah, but 1 did not mean that," Sabina said, in her low voice. "It is the picture that looks so pretty—the two young people tog-ether—and singingr " And why, asked Lindsay of himself, should she look and speak so wistfully? Was she not herself young and more beautiful than any? Was she to bo for ever a spectator ? Did she regard herself as ono cut off from the amusements, the associations, the hopes of young people? And where was the need of any such sacrifice ? " Tell me shopherds, have you seen My Flora pass this way."

" Tell me," warbled the young lady at the piano—" Tell me! ,, roared the basso at the fireplace—" Shepherds have you seen," struck in the young Associate, who had a very fair tenor voice ; but Lindsay did not heed them ; he was thinking of Sabina, and of her way of life and of her future. And if he was bold enough to consider how easy it would be for her to give him one of those for-get-me-nots ? Well, if that wild fancy crossed his mind, it was but for a moment. He was far away from that; and he knew it. But why should ho fret ? Sabina was here, and by his side ; and she was bland and smiling and kind ; and ever he drank fresh draughts of bewildering gladness and madness from the shining beauty of her eyes. By this time the black-haired maiden at the piano had had enough of duets and glees. "Go and get up a dance, she said, in her imperative way, to her companion ; and as the young painter dutifully obeyed she began to play the slow and gracious music of a minuet. However, it was no minuet that was in the young lady's mind. She only wished in that way to introduce the idea of dancing. As soon as the easels and chairs, and couches, had been removed, and the young men were choosing their partners, she started off with " Sir Roger de Coverley," and that at a rattling pace. " Will you join them ?" Walter Lindsay said to his companion. " I think I would rather look on, Sabina answered. " Then give me the dance, and we will sit it out together," said ho. She nodded and smiled : that was more to her liking. ; " Will you give me them all on the same terms ?" said he, quickly ; " I don't wish to dance." But she did not answer this; she was looking on with interest at the formation of the two long lines. And so Lindsay and this fell enchantress were left together again, and as the wild romp in the middle of the floor went on, he was telling her all about his work and his plans for the summer (in answer to her questions, of course), and be was describing to her the secret sylvan haunts he knew, and the remote little inns he stayed at, and so forth ; and as all this naturally led up to his drawings and sketches, he took her away into a corner to show her a big portfolio of these, and meanwhile he was forming a dark design in his brain. When the " Sir Roger de Coverley " ended, he withdrew from her side for a moment.

" Percy," he said to the tall young painter, " get up a cotillon." " Don't know how." "Oh, yes you do," was the hurried rejoinder. ''Anybody will show you. Do, like a good fellow—and look sharp !"

And then he was back at her side again. Now in the corner where the portfolio was, there stood a triaguilar Chippendale cabinet, filled with various lands of brie a brae ; and amongst these—and the gem of the collection—was a small chalice of rock-crystal, elaborately studded round with uncut stones of diverse colours. In itself it was a most beautiful thing; besides which it was obviously of great age and value. Sabina was- looking in at these shelves with a woman's curiosity. " Do you know what that dance is ?" he asked of her. She glanced over her shoulder carelessly. "No." "Ib is a cotillon," said he, rather breathlessly. "And you gave it to me, you know." " Did I ?" eaid she, with something of an amused look; what could it matter whether she had made this useless promise or not ? "Oh, yes, you did," he said, eagerly. "We are in it, if we choose. And do you know what the peculiarity of this dance is ? —that you are allowed to make your partner a little present. Oh, I assure you it is so—and—and this is what I want you to accept from me."

He opened the cabinet, and took out the jewel-bestudded wine-cup. Sabina rather shrank back. .

" Oh, no, oh, no," she said. •• You are very kind—but—bub I have no place to keep such things—besides, I could not take it—Mr Lindsay, please be kind enough not to ask me."

Her eyes were earnest; and they could make him do anything. Bufc he was unsatisfied, and anxious, and a little bit reckless, perhaps. " Then if you will not take, will you give ?" he made bold to say, but under his breath. " Miss Janie says that is more in your way. And if I ask a favour of you ? You will take this little cup : well, you could make it thirty times more valuable to me if you would drink something out of it. Will you ?" She looked surprised, but nob offended ; he did not quite understand. " Why, what difference will that make?" sho said. But before she had finished the words he had gone away, over to a little buffet that Mrs Wygram was improvising for the dancers, and the next moment he had returned with a bottle of wine in his hand. He pourod a little of the foaming fluid into the chalice, and offered it to her. " Is it a ceremony ?" Sabina asked, with a smile, and sho took the chalice from him. " Yes, it is part of the dance," he answered, glad of any excuso chat would obtain for him this gracious favour. "Do I say anything? Do I wish anything ?" Sabina asked. "I will do the wishing," he answered quickly ; and then she raised the wine cup to her lips, and drank a little and then gave it back to him. Ho could only look his thanks. Mrs Wygram's eyes had followed him across the room. "And what do you think of your Sabie

now ?" she exclaimed to her daughter, who was assisting her. "Just the same as ever—why?" was Janie's answer.

" You did not see what she did just now ?" "No."

" Well, then, I'll tell you; she drank out of that crystal wine cup, just to please him, I suppose, and he put it back in the cabinet!"

"And why ehouldn't she?" said Janie, bravely. "To please him?—very well. She would do that or anything else to please any man, woman or child who happened to bo there. Mother, what has set you all of a sudden against Sabie ? You know it's just her universal kindness."

"Kindness !" said the mother, with a gentle sarcasm. "Perhaps it is. But I have never seen a more • abominable piece of flirtation in all my born days." And with that she went to bid the model-butler bring some more lemonade and seltzer water; for the young lady at the piano had begun to play a wild Highland schottische, and Mrs Wygram had enough experience of these scratch parties to know what that meant.

They kept up the merry-making to a very early hour indeed ; but after Sabina and the Wygrams had taken their departure, Lindsay did not seem to heed much what was going forward. And at last he was left alone —in this big studio—with the disjecta membra of the revels all around him ; and he sate him down to think over everything that had happened during that eventful evening, even to the smallest details wherever Sabina had been concerned.

And so Ser Federigo had not sacrificed his falcon, after all—though his offer of the jewelled chalice was a Tittle tentative effort in that direction. No; so far from his being poorer by her coming to his house he was ever so much the richer ; that was like Sabina, as the faithful Janie would have maintained. The whole of this big studio seemed saturated with the charm and , wonder of her presence. Here she had sate, her hands folded in her lap, talking to him in her softly-modulated voice; there she had stood, her beautiful neck bent over the drawings and sketches, her praise and admiration frank and ready enough; it was by the side of that easel she had taken the wine-cup— now a hundred times more precious to him than it had been before—into her gentle hand, and raised it, and touched the rim with her proudly-cut lips, and given it him back with so gracious a smile. He was beginning to understand her now. If you said "Take!" her answer was "NO;" if you said "Give !" her answer was "Yes." But all through these visions and recalling of visions it was her eyes that chiefly he saw ; and they were regarding him somehow ; and always they were pleased, and generous, and benignant towards him. He made no efforb to banish the memory of that look.

CHAPTER VI. TO BKIGHTON. Sabina was unused to late hours and late suppera. Next morning she found herself less brisk than was her wont; and so' having despatched Janie Wygram on certain errands down in the Chelsea direction, she thought she would take a longer walk

than usual, and go round by Hyde Park on her way to Lancaster Gate. And very soon the fresh air revived her. It was one of those sudden spring-like days that occasionally show themselves in March ; a bland south wind was blowing; the Serpentine was shimmering in silver ; the pale brown roads dividing the level breadths of greensward looked pleasant enough in the warm sunlight; and every leafless branch of the elms and maples was defined sharp and black against the blue sky. There was a kind of happy murmur all around, and a look of life and animation amongst the nondescript crowd. Carriages rolled by with their occupants wrapped in their winter furs ; nursemaids were chatting as they pushed before them the somnolent perambulator; charming young horsewomen were walking side by side, and perchance exchanging confidences about the last night's ball; children were calling, dogs scampering, sparrows twittering; everywhere there waa life, and motion, and sound—and it was a sound as of gladness, somehow.

And, of course, Sabina thought of the poor young fellow who was shut out from all this, and kept a close prisoner there; and her heart was filled with pity for him ; and half unconsciouslyshewalked as quickly as she could, so as to give him as soon as possible the solace of her companionship. It is true—though she did not like to confess it to herself—that she had begun to suspect of late that he was not quite so grateful for her society, and her efforts to amuse him, as he might be. He seemed to be very well content with the sporting papers, and with the less officious conversation of the professional nurse. Perhaps, then, she—that is, Sabina—bored him somewhat ? Perhaps he did not want to be bothered with the formality of talking to a young lady ? Perhaps he might even consider her a little bit of a nuisance ? Sabina did not like to dwell on these questions; because they sounded like pique; and, of course, it did not matter to her whether he was grateful for her volunteered companionship or not. On this morning she found him in very gay spirits indeed; a number of things contributing:. First of all, Schiller had won the Shipley Hall Handicap on the previous Tuesday, and Mr Fred Foster was now in ample funds ; but this she knew, for she had been the gainer by that victory of ten pounds. Then, again, the horse that he had backed for the Lincolnshire Handicap, at 20 to 1 against, had quite suddenly risen in popular estimation and was now first favourite, at 100 to 12 ; and here was a fine opportunity for a little business ! But the chief and glorious news was that the doctor had consented to his removal; and arrangements were now being made for his being conveyed to Brighton.

"Do you know Brighton, Miss Zembra?" he saidj eagerly. " Oh, I do, I can tell you ; I know it just down to the ground. I shan't want for amusement. You see I'll have rooms in the King's Road ; they're nob dear just now, and I can be wheeled out to the end of the West Pier like the other cripples, and read the papers, and listen to the band. Then there's a telegraph office at the foot of the pier if one wants to do a little business. Then there's the tennis court; they'll let me look on, 1 suppose. Then the billiard-rooms, but I suppose they wouldn't like my hearse brought in there. When I can sport about in a bath chair, however, I know one rhop where I shall be welcome enough. And, then, the fellows I know are always running down to Brighton—to the Old Ship; I should hear what was going on ; they won't leave me out in the cold. I'm not likely to be.tempted like the ordinary stay-at-home backer,' to try a system "

"A system?" she said, with inquiring eyebrows. " Well, a system is a machine for making it certain that you drop your money— that's all," he explained. " But why should I bore you with such things;—you don't understand. And you seem a bit tired this morning, Miss Zembra." She told him something of the festivities of the night before; and said fchat, though they were mild enough, she was not used to them, and confessed to being a trifle fagged.

" That kind of thing would not suit me at all," he said, frankly. " I like to keep myself fit all the way round—fit for a steeplechase course, or a thousand up at billiards, or a pigeon shoot or anything. No<v I'll tell you the kind of feast I like a breakfast at Jem Reid's -Reid, the trainer, you know. Well, now, that is the prettiest thing that I have any acquaintance with ; Mrs Reid, buxom and fresh as a daisy, at the head of the table ; an excellent breakfast; fried soles done to a turn; bacon crisp and hot from the fender, a devilled kidney or two, and the best coffee in the world. Then as you're for going ahead, you may chance to glance out of the window, and there is a string of horses marching past on their way to the heath, and just as like as not you'll hear Mrs Reid say, ' Well, I for one don't object to seeing the touts coming about; it shows they think we have some horses worth watching.' After a breakfast like that, I'm fit for the day; I can do without anything else all day long ; there's never any ' sinking ' bothers me."

"You ought to be very thankful you have such a constitution," Sabina said; she could not help noticing the clearness of hi 3 complexion, whore the sun-tan still lingered, and also the brilliant liquidness of his eyes, which were like those of a schoolboy in the briskest of health. "It's just luck," said he, in his usual saturnine fashion. "I happened to be born like that! I might have been one of those miserable devils who can't go on for a couple of hours without a sherry and bitters. I don't blame them, but I'd rather be as I am."

when do you go to Brighton?" Sabina asked ; it occurred to her then that the house would become strangely empty and uninteresting when he was gone. " As soon as my catafalque is got ready," he said, with cheerful good humour. " And I shall be precious glad to get there. Not entirely on my own account—l'm afraid you must think me an awfully selfish brute, don't you ?—no, it's partly on account of the Mater. You see, as soon as I can date my letters from Brighton, she will be convinced that nothing very serious has happened. I have been mortally afraid of the old lady turniner up in London, and getting alarmed when she found I waen't in Burystreet. As for my father, I suppose he's disappointed that I haven't broken my neck. He has been prophesying these dozen years back that that would be the end of me ; and people like their prophecies to come off, you know." "It has been bad enough as it is," said Sabina, " but I am sure you have borne your imprisonment so far with very great courage. Most men would have fretted and complained, and found the forced idleness almost unendurable. I hope you will never have such an experience again ; but I must say you make an admirable patient." Now, surely, here was an opportunity for him to show himself a little grateful to the young lady who had given him so much of her time and attention. It could have been easily done ; nay, was there not almost an invitation in what she had said? But he did not seem to take it that way. He humorously remarked that he hoped soon to be about again, but that he would take care not to challenge John Roberts, jun., to play 3,000 up for a considerable time to come. There were one or two questions of some delicacy arose ere he could take his departure for Brighton. " You know, Miss Zembra," he said, in his usual matter-of-fact way, " I am quite aware that your people have wished me at Jericho ever since I came into the house ; and I don't wish to be indebted to people who wish me at Jericho; at the same time I should be sorry to offend you by offering to pay for my board."

"Please, we will not speak of it," said Sabina.

" It's an awkward time of the year—if I could send them some game " He saw that he only vexed her, and he dropped the subject, privately-reserving to himself the right of bountifully tipping the servants, for he was in ample funds at the moment.

Sabina, on her side, found herself quite unable to induce either her father or Lady Zembra to say a word of farewell to their unbidden and unwelcome guest. She represented to them what a gross discourtesy this would be to a man who was distinctly a gentleman; and that even common humanity demanded that they should be well-disposed to one who had suffered injury through a member of the family. But no; Sir Anthony, when he had said a thing, stuck to it; and he had declared he would have nothing whatsoever to do with this stranger, and Lady Zembra was only too glad to escape from bother by following the example of her lord. Sabina tried to make some little explanation and apology to Mr Fred Foster himself; but that young gentleman only laughed good-naturedly, said he understood the whole situation, and that, in their position, he would, have been precisely in the same state of mind.

Both Janie Wygram and Sabina went to Victoria Station to see him off, and it was then that Janie saw him for the first time.

" He does not seem much of an invalid," said Janie, aside, observing his sun-browned complexion and clear blue eyes. "Poor fellow," Sabina said; "jueb imagine what ie must be for one who has led so active a life to be chained down like that. And the doctor says it may be months before he can walk about. I have never seen anyone so patient and cheerful."

"I should have thought he was quicktempered by the colour of his hair : carroty curls always go with a short temper," said Janie, who had not forgotten her grudge against this luckless young man. However, Sabina did not reply to this remark ; for she had to step into the carriage to bid Mr Foster good-bye. " You won't forget to let me know how you get on at Brighton ?" said she. " Why should I bother you ?" he said. " But I particularly wish to know, and as often as it is convenient," she persisted. "You can't imagine how glad I shall be when I hear that you are getting about again, and shaking off the last traces of that dreadful accident."

" Oh, very well," said he. " But don'fc you bother about me. I shall soon be skipping about again like a two-year-old. ,:

" Good-bye," she said, and she gave him her hand.

"Good-bye, Miss Zembra," said he, and he added : " You know you've been awfully kind to me. I wish I knew how to repay you. If you were a man, I could." "Indeed?" she said lightly, for she guessed there was some small joke in his mind.

" Yes, I could. I'd advise you to put every penny you have in the world on Cherry Blossom for the Grand National." The tram was already moving ; she had to step quickly back; and then she waved her hand to him from the platform. " Poor fellow," she said, almost to herself, "half of his cheerfulness is only pretence. He feels it more than he would have anyone think." And Janie looked at her, with a curious glance; then they turned and left the station together, and in silence. ( To be continued.)