LADY GAY'S PRIDE; THE MISER'S TREASURE. By Mrs Alex. McVeigh Miller.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 289, 5 December 1889, Page 6

LADY GAY'S PRIDE; THE MISER'S TREASURE. By Mrs Alex. McVeigh Miller.

CHAPTER XXIII

AtF.x Warren tuens around, his heart beating fast at the touch of those girlish hands, and yeb impatient ot delay.

'. Lady Gay, do nob stop me, , he cries. 'I will overtake tho wretch who has frightened you, aud punish his insolence soundly. , 'Mr Warren, what do you mean ?' she cries, with well-assuinod {surprise and clUmay. ! J[o one has frightened roe except yourself. You carjio ijpqn m.a so jsuddonly was about to capture you as—' her b'aiidi slipping: frqm his arm,, 'f»9 a burglar, I jjejijeve. J beg your paidou if I frightened you. . He looks at hoi , in profound astonishment, for she ended lier explanation with, a soft, aweeb laugh of apparently natural amusement. J / am sure,' he stammers, ' that I saw the man whq came out of the wopd to-day and frightgned you ep, and jugt before that I beard a murmur of l.ow voices Lady. Puy, do, riotseek to shield the fellpw if be lias se.ajiyunn.pyed you: Hβ juwl- nq right to arvhoy you—np- riiihb t« coroo into the garden, and h<3 should, be punished for it. I will allow »Q owe l<) frighten pr harm you when I am by tp prgiec-t you.' . ; ■ # Then ho. at,pps, (lushing crimson xn the n>pon)jghb, for bsr great eyes flash afc him haughtily. *Mr Wan en, you must bexaacl, she exclaiiin?. 'Qr can it be that you are dreaming? There is wq one )>or.e bub our two ee.lye.9 ! Arid if there need to defend we _y Ql i are nob my defender !' Then she pau?es in V.ecy shame. She cannot forget how bravely, how simply he defended her in the long ago from even tho flwdpsr of dishonour. And he answers in a tone nob intended for a reb,uke, bub .which shame? hor all the came: • Lady Gay, I beg your pardon. I meant no offence. It ia only that our codes of liojjour are different. To mo it seems thab all men are the natural protectors of somen.' ? You are riyht,' she answers gently, ebamed gut ot her by his true manliness. ' 1 was very "rude to you. Forgive me."' ■ «freely,' he answer?. 'I knew you would'see it in a clearer light as soon as the iirat impulse of anyer was over. You were only a little too hasty. , ' r ehe answers, quietly, and thep tbere'is a, momeut'e silfnce,%bich he ie the first to break. " ** >fay I take you back to the houso, Gay ?' Your dress is thin and' there is a chill in "these November nights:' " .' Did you, como out to find me ? sho asks. i Gn the contrary, I was very much surprised tb mectypu,' he answers. 'I only came out to smoke a cigar. , f'Lefc us return then; Stay-—I had foreotten my flowers.' " She gathers up tho flowers she had dropped siwhile ago in her dreadful agitation ab hearing of her mother , * fate, takos hie arm, and tfiey turn away. '-The towers linger lnte,' he observo? carelessly. ' Yea^she-anewera, in the same conventional strain, * the autumn has been unusually fair "for"this'climate.? ' They speak no more until they have entered tho drawing-room, finding it deserted'still.' Lord Annesley and the host still linger over their wine. The girl sits down i,V ?iptlQ wearily, and pushes" the sott lace drapery back her shining hair. ■'flFl'dared,' I would ask you for a flower,' be says looking at the pretty bunch in her. white band.. She looks at him through her drooping lashes with y cargleaa gmile. '"You" vppujd'be welcome, , $he answers, fdly. -, ' Wh»!> wjjj you %vp—arose?' 'A rpse— wo !'I sh'ouW' not c|p,r§. The rosp if not for me. * •- " " 'Hq stops looks at her, almpsb eagerly, bis brown eye? shining w'itii socqe newly kindfed hop?: " Pfifc slip makes no move fcp. give bitn ihp covete4 ftqvj-er/ " ' •' ' Lady Oay,' he says, after h moment, in a sad and altered tonf, «I see you' have your guitar here. May 1 r-ing to you V ' If you, \yil},'st}e answers, without lifting her eyes from her foldedhands. Taking the guiter, he steps through the Ipw wintfo\y, and sjts dp\yn outside. A low, aoft prelude, then the rich tenor voice floats'in ]b.o her,' freighted yvii]j a pewioaate lave, §t»gjottg}o|t 4« d i -Tho fairast flower .the rinePso fur abovo nir reach ir, grr-ws, ■I n t'er pan h.qpe $p. «»*•?« IS niinc >- 't'bp Sim a. pgejljpjs y<,s,9, Tfio'\vip4 is roJ«?Biiß»T»es lt>^" ItJswcefhfe'ss I can only Kueas, •■ '.On beautiQU3 l|ps—as fax , away. 'As in tii'6'i'ose-a Km thove }ie§, Ami on those \\m lUat kias may stay, look witli longing eyes. Acrticjf-fare hath v/lilod'itso." Not mino that cviifiSon infliith to press; Is3's%eetflß3B'lean bnljf g.uess, But uoyer know!'

A. pause of silence more eloquqnt than «roycfa. Lady Gfiy jjgacf ftltnqefc' molted by tlie passion of the strain, turns to ice again, as a sudden njpmpry fweepa over - &er fancy flies back through the intervening years} to that naver-to-be-foruobten nipht upon Miser's I-jland. Shsfrji (simple, aj-oamiriff, ourelees ohiid of

?he has never seen, and listening, with, a feliiill of strange sweefcnosa at tho heart, to the youPμ' qoirespqndent's odd \]OVf pad sho did nob"kuo>y then—and'again .•:lie hears i-Ain say that he" would kiss her a=; a seal to their betrothal only—only he bud been winuking. ' lie did hod love ujq then—ah ! no—an/1 he (Umfi nor, hue mo now. it i?i not" his fault,; but—ho L-, u-ying to deceive himself now t<l r my eiilit-. 1 \vi»h he would nob try ; i i«u.-,v, nob believe hup. But, oh! his wuoiiig seems <o tunibiy real,' sh« whisper* to iiur ov/ii heart. i'neti she pares the.luce draperies wit , - , . the caroiosisncis of tlio stranger she pretotida to hg, anil looks mi & ufc'liim.' ' iir Warnsu, you sing very well,' she observes to (,li<* quiet figure sitting in the uioosiiighc. ■ iic turns toward her quietly. ' Do you tl(ink no V" ho asks* 1 a &*,' sho replies. ' Then it in bucausa my heart was in the ( oong. You remember. Lady (jiuy, that it has been swaqtly written : ""Theanguish o£ (he singer uiakes thesweetnu'ss of Life'straw.'" 1 Yes, I remember the words ; I liave rend them somewhere, , she replies. 'The whole verse is very touching.' 4 Will ypu repeat it V he usks. ' I have fo.rgoLteu some of the words.' She complies, giving the-worda ju*t the touch of paxhorf Unit suits their tjjournlul tenor: 'lit it true, O G-nd in heaven, that Ihe bravest bu.tot-nioit f That v.i:o tit roifgcs t wander furdies:, and Ti.qst JH>volc.s»iy itrciOiti Thai: lno iiiusk oi ! rtm'.v in nature is ca; aeity i ! or pain; That Uie anguish of ihe siager makes the sweetness to the Strain V ' The words ure very beautiful,' he comments. ' and very sad if true.' ' I suppose they must bo true,' she replies : and then, before she can finish what she was about to say, her father conies in with his guost. Lord Annesloy conies straight to her side , . ' You are alone,' he says, looking admiringly at the beautiful'girl. * You must not think that tho wine has kept us so long ffoili you. I have been talking , to your father of—of most interesting matters. But I thought I heard Warren singing Y^ 'I am here, , he answers from outside. ' L thought you lefb us to smoke your cigar/ Aniioaley roplibs,'looking out at him, hid tones quite unconsciously tinctured with jealousy. ' Hβ Las only just come in a minute ago — just before.ho Banff,' Lady (jay answers for him, unconsciously taking his part against hi.-* accuser. ' Then perhaps you will sing for us now,' Lord Amlealfly urges, anxious to get her to the piano. Although l|e loves Alex Warren dearly, he is disappointed and sorry because he is outside the window. Hβ haii promised him self a tete-a-tete with .the lovely sill, but he eaniiot venture, on. saying any very sentimental tljings to her where his friend can hear. His beliei in his coldness and indifference to women is so strong that lie fcols quite sure that he would laugh at him. Sir Floyd intentionally or unintentionally helps him. ' Air Warren, will you step insido ?' he asks.' 'I would like to continue the conversation wo had at dinner. , So Loid Annesloy gets his coveted tete-a-tete after all. ' From his position ab tho other end of the long and elegant drawing-room, whero Sii Floyd has given him a seat, Mr Warren watches them together, Lord Annesloy illustrating the triumph of mind over matter by entire ob'liviousnes of the pains that have rasked his brain all day. He hae quite forgotten them now as he talks to the beautiful girl leaning languidly back in the crimson velvet chair, and playing with the flowcra'in her lap, with a look of pain and sadness on her sweet face that none of his gayest sallies can remove. She has refused to sing for him, pleading weariness as her excuse, and her looke second tho plea so fully than he has no heart to'urge her. She 'seems dull and d'wlrail, and'he gets little happiness out of hia coveted place beside her heyond tho poore pleasure of boing near and looking at tho wonderful beauty at which he never grows weary of gazing. And Alex YVairen, giving his attention to his host, and trying to keep his eye 3 and his thoughts awny from them, finds the trial almost beyond patipnee. She is his wife— be has, come to be quite coitain of that now —but she will not give him one kind word or glauce—not even one of those careless, languid smiles with which she rewards thp young lord's moat brilliant speeches. She would not SVfin give him one of those beautiful roses for which she cared so little tha.ts ehe has let them fall unheeded on the floor. It is almost impossible to bear it. Jlo rises almost abruptly, and bids them good-night. '"No, Lord Annealey, do not come,' he saya carelessly, as his young friond rises reluctantly to follow, ' I have a fancy for walking back to "your place. Your carriage is boo <;losc?. Ido not fancy it, and I have no wish to take you o|l - until you feel inclined to go.' Lord Annesley sits clown again very willingly. He ie loth to tear himself away from tho g\i\ w]io has him ep. ■ '■ * 1 believe I will go part of the way with you, , ' declares Sir tfloyd. 'I "have not finished talking to you yet about tho peculiar government ot yp.ur country. I am very much interested in it.' '' Papa, ifc is getting too late for you to hq Qut,' his daughter objects. ' You know you have been feeling unwell lately. Dq not KO. 'The discussion will wait. . But Sir Floyd only laughs?. • I shall only go a little way,' he answers. * Eugene '—this is Annesley—' you will excuse im| lam sure. Gay will aiiiusa you.' The young lord nods assentveVy willingly. Lady Way, ; ve,xed at lieart, but afraid to show it), says/npfchipg ; but shQ \yishe§ with all her heart that LoVd iJtineeloy would go home and leave her alono.' Wearied by her fright of the rflprnjiig, unnerved and overcomo by her interview with tho old miser, it is only by the strougpstwjforf; of i). refjplute will that she bears up at all. She longs to be alone to think over tiie strange news she has heaye], and £p settle upon some plan of action'by' which she may ppssibly hear news of lier mother—the mother sho hUd so rashly two agq- . •As I was sayJFig, Sip Floyd roniarks, as they pags gut, *I' Jiayp" never particularly admired a republican government, but I carinofc herp aduiittrpg that it work's very •"inpothly'in yo,ur country.' There are gbrne things about % that I cannpt und'ersband."' , '

' When I return to America, which I intend to donox6' month,'! will aeijd you a series of volume 3 treating upon the subject, in >yhic.h you m\} findttis grorjjg of qyt peculiar system very plainly seb forth.,' Alex Warren replies, lighting his cigar and hpding One to the baronefc. ; '

There follows a"political discussion not interesting t« thg general reader, and, in fact, not interesing afc this present moment tp aj.yQne |3Ut Sir floy<?. lyho faile qbterly lo perceive' that his~compam6n, usually the most thorough-going patriot in the world, is. bored and ennuy&d alniosb beyond enc(uranco, and longing "desperately to' be alone with hi? voxjog t^?u^^,^ !3 ■ W nat to I , ' 17, ' afc'l'his" inomenb, ia the decline and fall of nations,'monarchical or republican governmeofe'y . Given His choice a'e'a ruler ftbw, ho wouia be one frail woman's heart! TBey reaclj at lasbthe boundary between the Efmer and woods. Sir Floyd pa'pees, "throws aiyay the stump of hJ3 cigar, and lights another one. ■•Iwillturn back tiow. eood-njghfc, Mr Wpften? > Good-night,' the young American answers, r«seved, as hje companion turns owoy. '

But in an instant a cry mixed with a curse bveaksfrom fhe baronet's lips. Hehas aaught sight of a dark, sinister fac,e peering at him behind a tree—a face he has deadly reason to hate—its outlines terribly familiar and plain in the brilliant moonlight thjit floods the scßue. With thar, curse on his lips he dajjheg forward. Alex Warren, turning at tho sound, seen a Clark liyirig form

clearly delined in tha. brilliant uipon|ig.ht ati instant before it disappears in the thick fiai kfiese of the denao wob'J. With a start he recogjiise.s the form as that of the man who had frightened Lady Gay that mornine, and parted from her that night at the, eijd of the laurel avenue. Following the baro net's lead, ho rushes forwurd in hot pursuit of the lurking; tcarnp. Sir Floyd ig labouring under spme terrible agitation. Hia breath conies panttntriy, as lie doubles in and out amoug the trtiep, and low, bitter curses escape his lips. After some minutes hpent in vain pursuit, the baronet trips over a fallen bough, aud .'alls with a hollow groan upon his face. ' Sir Floyd, aro you hurt V' oxciaims Alox Warren, hastening back and lifting him up. '1 have only twiated my ankle, but it will keep me from pursuing that villain,' he re plies bitterly. ' I cannot run any further. I shall b:u'oly bo able to limp home.' ' I will give you hiy arm back to the house. After all a further pursuit would be of no use, Sir Floyd. The scoundrel had the start of us anyway, and is only too certain to o;et away. Did you know him, Sir Floyd* , ' Sir Floyd, leaning on the young strong arm, and'slowly and painfully ma!: ing hw way buck to the house, turns hia Hashing dark eyes on tho young man's face. ' Know him !' he repeats. ' The thief, the li.ir, the destroyer of domestic peace and happiness ! Mr Warren, should you ever forget the man that blighted your life with a poison as the fabled upas tree? That is thy bitterest enemy—that man I pursued tp-nighr. Twice he has escaped me, but I swear that his heart's blood shall yet pay tho pries of his a;n !' ' What terrible mystery is horo?' wonders the young Arsterioan.

{To be Continued)