HEART'S IDOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 263, 29 August 1888, Page 7

HEART'S IDOL.

CH^ TS BIDEOO3 THING?' *** «;whbkfleWlitfcle,and ffSS "/formsof etiquette, that I**? "S "He placed his the'clearest circle of rt " « 'and wha'b do you want ffbo^.ff'tS fashionf demanded ' v ßufcl beheve tfrS^iSi a party once jj, you have., ■>■ ■'• y;fflost'UnßeeEqlv method of said the P^Tuftow, rcome to'copfess E <*.. rfid *on aiid others a great ■*t T the &m that made a ftj ri s with her ladyship, jour ■k'! Scoundrel! 'I could throttle, you Winds'shouted the earl, leaping fcf vl » table, 'an he-clutched ;?#^Sy neck of his visitor. ,;||ll|SgV said Thorp, cheerI^P^.ffi 'I'd be a troublesome Ik? Jf^ nob a BUbjecfc for an in" Up AMdD!' roared the earl, shaking ■"''Mbit T?W have you say?' ISSord, that I did a foolish and , 'llfwL I'm sorry for it, and always ■** ftmd my lord, I'd have gob fWEf*t knowledge! bad. For iHlfib United States, to live long fHHlet'^'divorce -papers, and I •,", llv lord, I l^e another woman, ■Kfo-Mriy her- T Fiftb) sir> * was: ! IS foolish, and I was over per-, , R And last of all, my M» lf yo? i -Rkffver will show me the chance »f pßEwhole al&ir, I'll jump at rr iSffirayo" are!' said the earl, '" K&SlifiH byOharles Thorp'spreWlfaS bell-cord, he ordered ffjKjßt who .answered to send Mr "■lßßisour man,' ■said the earl, when ■Laitoei ' The confounded scamp ilißl^S^''' Wliat isyour name,; Wmof' ' ■' rii '■,'■ 'iMiimfafa : Thorp, I suppose, or Charles M ;8&6n03t honest eye, for a villain,' M Hjhg iangdon,. smiling.,. '. We may : ■liwDflt so black as our fancy has ndjm Thorp, flid you get my letter vfH|iirßyebeen there; never heard of M|';-H1 this minute,' replied Thorp, ■ HJ^ioff did you .find out that" we do you "know about \ Ritas pretty fauch all there is to be ■liißi'flr) ealtJ Thorp, with a genial WnKn'M, tiiank justice, that you, ' :MRfps 6cr6ff ooße *v a crue^ w^°^e^ IKiIaJII made, sir. I was -beyond the IBtijAto untie the knot there, when I . fKmm loosed!iWlf, if I would^eome;, : y'KM&y«Q. IMMiemCora L6e,: ■ Mis&lnffiteVi-teifcoyhole story, '>'W/ora was dying to fell ifc;!as girls all ar, so she chose ms .toMLifc to, feeling ja safe party, aa I was in a distant yt: |'and not 'khmine^isS. ;any interest ily , So when ligotteletter, I-got leave ": ■: 4' month from my loss—l'm working ; 13 a house decorator with a firm—and j ;: ; I camo to tell all I know, and ask 1 t'jj^rdon all, That's the best I can ■ay,1 eaid Langdon. ' You married, in ■-KaTatopieton Church on Easter Mon■JpiKfl years ago, Miss Ferol Cameron, i«1B-)^ lße Ol^eroll^cy, you knowing' I j [■pitee than ;iEaoy was an 'assumed or ,- Bijou tell us how all this was brought. , vfßjjlM been brought up at a parish ||^K|^ool ) -m:as»^ir;(aad;:-atlki;:itay': ■»Mtancied Mad .-the making of B 1 went into a. studio for lessons, :»«(i!?{i for myself. "But I had ■itts I-had smaUtalent, and I laid hifßi"^ c^^> W* thought that.if fi taHteVto Italy tyatudy, and .gel .pat:ifHl§' -"a^ IH!l' te *:greatrstrike, and :iw yWfety thousand" tor a'picturei X I SPight, tWo Aunts, Hester ;Lacy* "mil Morrifl. "Well all at once they ■ ' ™wasmv fortune ready -made to 1 Hi^Qnld ffiaff^r ayCu'Bg %M Uhafc ffi(>lifi of Hester Lacy, 1 would bj :■■■ i iaie Ilito v, gfea'fi': fortune, and get'i fbm W«H I cared HfcbTe:«» iVabmy Aunt Marthai;oak'me up ' ?;» an -old, lonely house, and' *«* yo«ng girl walking in -Jj They told ac 'she-was the Ell B b7 r o£ a lady of ranje; her "half-1 HWBM? and ber father"waa an ■S?k Tlley Mid theplknwasfor rl'^dm due time-she -would be to her family, W ho .had lost her ;•' ; fi *»;ls little, and when they were ite t■ J -;* 611 ifr should be -made -*& Sl£i^ abh *nd S And they ffift her dower ' and let «s go to 9 i'l tl^ f°r a .few years, and j£k >. a.the b«t of mo, they would jWpwCarßa-bho fashion,-and they fiHieat sale, and 1 would be J6o Kent emeu painters 1 Well, /"U vS h's^'"but l V (''JUi^ J™" bein£ a Mtle oW *!tKI VltS J Jo^periej)ce.., S o I, jijjjD D vn J anci tho marriage was Mfe^ voice of Lang^on. aff " bt> ww from the pajft M i-fe W a< as I could do no art*,1!1 Ciinft^^ wlth-ber,^ ' SBPt l'^,,'!™^ 0 to marry (Jora Let-, ts, ' i.^ do w ??r wbilo> to "see * J^voree for tt ? M lon 1 ?* 8 needed, B^fcJ^|&e B'll''^'^'!"8 '11''^'^'!" wf 'i (lt I'.ll^w.-a1 '.Il^ w.-a wo?^; jT B^ • 'b'?" Bmc8mc tllL " wet whichVThs isSlßs'E^sb5 b Vecallea ihe ***** °f Jf ■ '■ fad ,ii r l y ara waa the lf!'' I. ' :ili'"iSrr ?m\ l^ lyin 01tTe ■■ %ov«! y 813ter- Using

yearly payments to Hester, Lady Sara made us her tools in taking away your Ruth, my lord, and "concealing her child s birth. But we had our own ends, and we cheated Lady Sara on our part, concealing ,the child's life, bringing up and marrying j the'ybung'lady by force to the boy we both | loved better than life. Lady Sara had no idea we were doing that. We, thought j when you had received your daughter, you would be forced to accept her husband. ' Mosb infamous of women-—,' began the earl, madly. "'Stay, sir,' interposed Thorp,, holding out a warning hand ; ,' for me she has lived, sinned, suffered. lam her soli—she ismy mother. No man, peer nor peasant, shall upbraid her in my hearing. \She is going away with me, "my lord. Iwilltake from your house my mother, and Cora Lee, my wife.' il--Once more the door opened. This time Lois darted in. ... . 'CHAPTER XVII. *>I SHALL ABEANGE A LITTLE COMEDY.' The keen eyes'of Lois were nob slow, as the, earl's had been, to recognise the rescued man of the previous winter. She knew him in an instant, and as instantly darted toward him; ;

1 ■'* What, you are here, are you ? Why did you-ncit;;come before? ..Why did you not 'speak, out the truth, at our house last winter ? If I had known then, you would not,have gob off so easily, you may be sure!' ::, ■V: ~- : : .-;

Thus the fearless Lois, attacking the big Gharles as valiantly as any king bird darts upon rook or crane. 'Wo have to thank you now for his coming. It'seems he is the lover of Cora Lee, and you told her all our secret—and she wrote it to him, and so he came' —said the earl, sharply.' ?-? 'Well, to be sure,' said Lois, nothing daunted, though her colour rose at the memory of her heedless babbling—'you might have waited long enough to get my ■Ferol out of her -troubles, if -I had not helped you ! There is such a thing as being quite too secret about affairs! Of course, I told it!' '

At this'reckless frankness, David Langdon, that.gravest and most reticent of men burst ihtoti laugh and lo'dked,with admiration at Lois. David, into whose life the smallest breach of faith, or lightest promise broken, had never entered, might have had before him some heroic maid, ready rather to be broken on the wheel than to forget "the smallest portion of her given word, and she would not have appeared half so'fascinating as ■•this'defiant, heedless little Lois, who said one thing, and promptly did another ! It is thepld story of the poles of electricity! She won him by the very force of contrariety. It is thus we human beings are made. - Even the earl laughed at the bravado, and condoned an bffence which had eventuated so well!

'What are you crying about, Martha?' demanded Lois. 'You have always aaid you loved my sister, though you were very cruel in hiding her as you did. Are you not glad now, that she is out of a trouble that was breaking her dear little heart? Or,' added Lois, shrewdly, 'was that trouble some of your making V 'Yes, it was of her making,' said the earl in his tone of high anger. 'This man is her sdn, and* it was she who married, or tried to marry him, to your sister. She thought it wise to have a peer for his father-in-law !' ■■ v. '• ■ :'■'. ' ■■::: '.. : ■

, ' 'You were a colonel then, sir f 4' cried ,:! Charles, eagerly. 'I was afraid of it, as it was; but if I'd heard a word of an earl, ,; or .your being, like to come in for an earldom, I?& have known better Jthan to try it, I can tell you. But these women, '■ there's no end to-what they think possible, - when their children are concerned ! Cheer up, mother, and don't cry ! I bate to see , a woman cry., That's one blessing in Cora —she's always laughing, even at the worst ■of times!' , v - 'Oh,' cried Lois, i you are Cbra-s lover !-— the Charles she thinks so much df, and| means to marry. Well, I do not believe I you ai-e a bad man at all. Do you think he is, Mr Langddn"?' • Quite the contrary,' aaid David heartily. ■ • Well, now, we'll have a little comedy, to cheer our spirits, and stop 'Martha's tears, and clear that thunder-cloud off papa's face. Papa, why do you look so hideously black, when things are all coming out as yo» ..wishihem? You should he merciful, papa. Here is Ferol <quite free—, free -to be "Countess of Herncrof t! And here is Martha/going to be -taken off to America or Australia, or some other nice far-off place. And here is Aunt Sara, beautifully checkmated; and here am I! ■ I'm sure you're .proud of m%, papa; I'm quite: proud of myeelf-!. Now for ;my : comedy—Cbaples Thorp! *You go behind that curtain, and I'll ring for Cora and give her a surprise !' ■ v . ; Obedient to the young lady, and burning to see his Cora, Charles promptly yielded to the little push Lois .gave him and enshrouded himself in the curtain, as Lois, before her father could .protest, /pulled the bell and gave or-ders that Miss Lee should •ble«anttothem. ; .— 'What are you doing?' cried th 6 earl.: 'You heedless ;ohiia,wMt next"? I hate comedies, I warnjou.' j. \ :-,/. ; 'iAß'if'Wlel.had-iio't rh3d eriqiugh. of jsragedies:i' cried:Lois. 'W^ have'rhad dyihg, and fainting, and midnight marriages, and stolen -heiresses, and "hideous discoveries, :and his lordship begrudges me one little comedy! James, say to Lady Sara Gage fhat Lord Cameron begs her to come-to this room. We will let Aunt-Sara see the end j of herplot.' Will we notj dearest pap^a?' : Cora Lee appeared, poised on the | threshcild "like v bright : butterfly in her; .black and scarlet, her scarlet .merino dress j setting off her plump-thtoat and pretty Mttlehead,arid'h e 'r wrists, round and white, gleaming above the lace pockets of her . toteciraHc apron, -whereimshe iiad bestowed' her hands. -,- ' ■ • ' •■ Cora, on itbe dooi>s"ll, unconsciously .had the pose ■wherewith she had been won't "to await the.greeting of her audience in the ; concert "hall.;, ' ■ ■■' •■ . ;

'Cora,' brought forth"Lois, 'you know 1 Charles Thorjvi -who,;■went, to : :-AmBriijaj •early in the spring-?1 : " 'Oh, yes, miss'!' dried Cora with a look afc Martha:- .i : ;-•:.■ •;>■' :,!•,_■." ':':-,' >. ,:--.": :.y---..: r': ' And you -loolced for rhim to come back, or eipeotQdtto'g o-toMm in t wt> y eats t ' Yes, Lady Lois.' . t'. . ..,."'*"■•' ' Well, 'dora,^r'hp^e.you will -not -be;dis'tresspd ;;6r*^lai;me3r^r' '■' ~ ~■... .'— '>.■■/! : '^qdy^ toisi -tady^fe! ie'll me ■anyjhattn-'hascomc»toGharles !'cried"Cora, wildW fcrfiFgfeg7her h&3s. ' ' Ts6t a liiir'!,. Ifm ''$s-right ii& a trivet!' 'shouted a 'big, glad voice, and. iHa® 4jroad: •'find smiling face: of -Charles was thrust thriOugh .ffie-burtairifl'. '!'& j Cora ! They shan't scare you «b:otit! me !' Ce*a -ferget-beth4erds':and-la jwyersj -and da^hiag' /aorfiss the room, took the jolly coiintenance of the taway-headed Charles between h'e'r'hanas and' gave him a kiss on ©ithercheek. ■ _.. ;,;'Charles ipharles.! "What are you here |or ?! she cried. , . ... ;'To Jnarry Cora Lee, just the day she Bays fche word,' responded Charles.' 'Cora, Wjhatia beauty you-are ■.]?..■;.. - . ■■\---. ■• ; : „ In their -joy, the pair had quite forgotten ■their audience. But upon €heft >lidWat^jjieWfaß"broke the cold tdnei of Esdy'Sara Gage. ~ ;, . . • :,;- ■: ':^:fii: J'aisKed'lifere r:'tp sSe; tt^s'tiifc bf loye;' jpaaking ? Ai-e you having theatricals xehearsed, Rpraifd ?' /,; Tligy'' a'l 1 Warted; Bavid LOTgcTo'ii wifcli-. drewlii3 from the piquant fa.cc of Lois,. to wJeHi 'they had iTCtodered friigited Witli ."upconecibus eirdtinr. The 'earl re"tui%ed"feb: himself. 5Je had been moved by the toiichj 1)f 'nature that Lois had 'improvised. He,, too, had lived—and loved. ; ;; .; '* ,. r .■ .; , ; Bfe turned to Lady Sara. f'v" ' I

* This is Martha Morris's son.' • This !' said Lady Sara. !So 1 Then you are found out at last, Martha.' 'And your accomplice against me and, my child had deceived you aB well. -She tod married, or tried to marry, her son to my daughter. It was to gain that end she was your willing tool.' 'Martha, you wretch ! cried Lady Sara, for the Camerons were somewhat given to expletives When roused. ' Were you working for .yourself all the time when I was taxing my small income soeachyeartobuy your silence ?' ' All the money went to niy sister, Hester, • That was her share,' said Martha, sullenly. •You promised me that you would keep my secret, and give me money yearly to rear -my son in comfort, if I would help youparb the colonel from his wife. I concealed the child's existence from' you, and gave your money; .to Hester, while 1 spent all my earnings to supporbmy son. Yes, I tried to marry them, and I failed, it seems, through not knowing law enough.' , 'I have done with you for ever, you false woman!' 4 '■' Like misbtess like maid, is an old proverb,' said Charles Thorp, audaciously taking part in the conversation. 'Of course you have done with her. I can take care of my own women-folks, and they need not i be maids to any body. She did what she did out of loveior me, though I could wish j her love -had. taken straighter fashions, j You'll come along with me, mother, this j very night, and we'll go to New York as j soon as I am married. Here's Gora Lee, who sets this day three weeks to be our wedding-day; so kiss her and be friends, mother. There's no use fighting fate. My lord and Mr Langdon, I'm at the White Heart Inn, and ready to do whatever you wish.'

('lobe Continued.)