NEVA'S THREE LOVERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 50, 1 March 1893, Page 7

NEVA'S THREE LOVERS.

; 0 MSS BABEIET LEWIS.

, nr o f ' Her Double Life,' ' l*dy *ft? 'EddaV, Birthright," Beryfa i^tbanrf,1 'Tha Two Husbands.1 :" 'Edith Trevor's Secret, etc., etc.,

CHAPTER XU. DESPAIR OF KOTOS AND LALLY. the youn, mistress of Heather 1 had changed her black bombazine JUc*-. for ablack lustreta. -k ,1 heavily with crape <md procraped at the It and had pub on her jet jewellery. t ready fov dinner. Her black hair been gathered Into braids, <*nd was bad Li with a black bow, and she omarnen ted *£* refinod) . inbe H . !oof welhted with sorrow coo heavy for f to s, yet meek and patient. as some »°, UV? fl TjUo down now to our guests, j,^;she said. 'How soon will you be face flushed. fe Lally,' she said hesitatingly, <ib is /Stable j [should dino with you. lam "wu m^id, you know. Mrs Wroat ??ie alwava dine with her, because "tfSedio must havo dinod alone, and ° dI comply. Mr Lan* is the younger B ld a Scottish bird, and ha might be liJcntedtodincwifchme' •Butl insist!' said Lally. X no Miss Lally. When you are ~'-I'll dine with you for company,1 said £ Peters, • but:l assure you I J Id rather eat by myself when theres J" y . I won't have anyone say that 17Ln2 mistress doesn't Know whab is SSR her station. If I could I'd-eb m UP on a pedestal above everybody else; Esl.osld.Mfca Lilly. I would like Lba housekeeper here and manage tne "rvants, but I can't dine with you when iWe'a company.' , ■ You shall do as you please, Peters, »id Latlv ' You are my fnend as well as Jymßid-my only friend, Peters. If you don't like to dine with company, you shall div where you please. There, give me a tii? Peters, and I'll go down. Potß'-s gave the desired kiss, with many additional ones, and wiped her eyes as tally went out, and muttered: 'She is just the bonniest, sweetest youn? lady that ever lived, if that young gentleman comes up here to see her, hell go away with a flea in his ear—see if he don't.' ,_ , Lally went down to her guests and talked with them until the dinner bell rang. Mr Lang offered her his arm with quite the air of a man of fashion, giving his wife hia Ether arm, and the three went in to dinner. 1 The dining-room was long and low, with *wo great wood-fir 33 on capacious hearthß, tad a seven-windowed oriel overhanging ifcbeaea, It was bright with ruddy colours Jind fine china and gleaming silver, and ibe dinner upon the oval table was in keepW with the room. It was a feast fit for a prTocess and had been ordered by Mra Lang ivith a view to presenting to the heiress of Heather Hills as many varieties of birds and game and fish off her estate as could be obtained. After dinner, Lally had a long business :onversation with Mr Lang, and repeated the promiee she had already given the steward's wife. She appointed another interview with the steward for the following day, and about dusk the visitors took their leave.

Lally spent the evening in playing upon ler piano, singing, and in thought. The next morning she walked over to tbs steward's cottage, and made a brief visit The day was dark and gloomy, but it did nob rain. In the afternoon the stewsrd came up to the great house to see lally, and he remained until nearly dinner. AtSvo o'clock Lally and Mra Peter 3 dined together in the dining-room overlooking the sea, a dozen candles lighted and sending their bright gleams out over the troubled waters.

'You look better to-night, Miss Lally,' fcaid her faithful attendant. 'You will find new interests up in this region, and trill find that you have something to live {or yet. ~ Lally smiled sadly, but did nob answer. '; They still lingered in the dining-room. Lally standing in the great oriel window Bnd looking out upon the eea, which was being furiously beaten by the winds, when Sirs Peters heard a carriage come up the drive and halt in the carriage porch-

The good woman's face turned pale, She planced at her young mistress, but Lally bard uo sound save the tumult of the winds find the waves. 'It'sa windy night,' said the young girl. 'Idon'fisee a sail on the Frith. The boats lave all made for the harbour.' At that moment a double knock was ■heard upon the front door, and Mrs Petera beard the house-maid going to the door. But Lally's face was pressed against the cold glass, and she did not. hear the eum■teens for admittance. 'The wind is rising,' the girl saicl.with a fehudder. 'I see a steamer coming in. She'll mako port just in time. I would not lit 1: to be on the tea to-night.' Mrs Peters heard the front door open. With a nervous glance at her young distress, Ehe stole out into the hall. The front door was open and a gust of f red was sweeping through the hall like a hurricane. Upon the threshold a man tearing a greatcoat and broad-brimmed Mists' hat, a m an with a slender figure and Eaperface, was standing, talking with the oouse-maid. ilrg Peters recognised the unwelcomo Sneßfc as Rufus Black. 'Iwant to see Mrs Fetors,' he was teJ'-ng earnestly —' Miss Wroat'a companion, I have" come up expressly from London to see her. I cannot "co back to werness without seeing Mrs Peters. She v my wife!'

,'Uwks, sir!' snid tlie houi-emaid, with a talidea that hor visitor was a lunatic. p^l'e reader, who knows how naturally »«w« Black's mistake had arisen, will not tonfe at it.

I 1 tonst sea her.' persisted Rufus, his ™»ltembling. ' Tell Mrs Peters a gentleOan wishes to see her-' At that moment Mm Peters, grim and j*"™B! resolving to protect her younc ~ 'stresefrom one ehe deemed unworthy of n«i', marched out into the full frlare of the a»_' lamp, vind placing her arms, akimbo, D;; a?suminfr her most warlike aspect, ex-

Well, sir, and what may you want of •"M" Jam Mrs Peters!' Ac the gfi m ar)C ] v¥ar jj| {e announcement of p. , ,cters'« identity, delivered in Mrs cr-3 grimmest and most warlike In! 61"1 ■^llfus Black recoiled involun•ji hia faco exnreseinj; his utter

Sn ;- ' iatl felt confident that this angular ta|! s? ur-visa^ed woman waa Miss Wroat the '■ r s deserted young wife was in B»v- * v.! n.nn s f'Riploy, under tho resumed Kuj' '. "'rs Pfil(3rrf. In his astonishment ' '."Appointment he stood pale and

£ ci :i-'-v go down, Mary,' said Mrs j" '■''■ housemaid. ' The gentleman rjw- ' ""«> you hear.' fetel "i!"(f' t? a'd, being in awe of Mrs i.. <i li Cioit-iroly retired to the servants'

' .And now, sir,' said Mrs Peters, in such a voice a3 she might have employed in uttering a challenge, * what may you want with me-?' ----- Rufus Black struggled to regain his selfcontrol.

• There is some mistake,' he gasped. I I remember you. I saw you in the Ilegent-streeb picture-shop the other day, with —with a young lady. I thought she called herself Mrs Peters. lam come to see her.'

' Come in,' said Mra Peters, who was in inward terror of Lally's appearance upon the scene, and who had made up her mind to prevent an interview between the young pair ab all costs. ' Gome in, sir, and I'll hear what you have to cay. She conducted him to the library, which was across the hall from the drawingrooms. It was lighted by a pendenb chandelier, in which waa a dozen of wax candles which burned with mellow light. A great circular bay-window took up one aide of Iheaparbmeofc, tha opposite side containing a great fireplace, in which logs were burning. The angles on either side the chimney were fitted with tall book-cases, and one end of tho room was also lined with rows of shelves well rilled with books and protected by plate-glass doors. At the opposite end of the room was a glazed garden door opening upon the grassy terrace.

This room already bade fair to become a favourite resort of Lally. She had ordered it to be warmed and lighted ao the same time with the drawing-room, and was likely to visit it during the evening. Mrs Petora locked the door, therefore, aa she motioned Rufus to a seat. He declined the civility, however, and remained standing, his hat in his hand.

'I remember you very well now,' said Mrs Peters, pretending to search her memory, 'now that, you have mentioned the picturo-shop. You are the young gentiernan who annoyed the young lady with me? Yes, I remember you. What are you doing here ? Why have you followed us to Scotland? Why have you come to Heather Hills ?'

' I am come, madam,' cried Rufus, white and agitated, ' to Bee the young lady who was in your company ab Benson's the other day. It ia imperative that I should see her.' 'I think no^,' said Mrs Pebers gr&voly. ' In the first place, how can you be sure that the young lady is in this house ?' ' I have traced her and you all the way from London,' cried Rufus. ' I saw the card you gave 'to Benson, with the name upon it of " Mias Wroat, Mount-street,'1 with tho number. I went to Mount-street twice, and the second time discovered that you had ieff> town. I hurried to the station of the Great Northern and found that the express had gone. And then—' 'And then?'

' I went to my hotel. I had nob money enough for such a trip as this,' said Rufus, frankly, 'and so I could not coma on the morning train. I had to sell my watch, a recent; present from my father, and as I had then all day on my hands before I could start for the north, I wenb to Mount-streot again. In one of the streets near, I ineuired at) a shop about Miss Wroac, and there learned that she was an eccentric old lady excuse me, madam, but I received a very accurate description of you. And so I knew that you were Miss Wroat, and that Lally'is Mrs Peters. I took the Dight train for Edinburgh, twenty-four hours later than your3olf. I reached Inverness this afternoon, and discovered the names of Mies Wroat and Mrs Peters registered ab the Caledonian. A sorvant of the house told me that you were ab Heather Hills, and a cabman brought me here. I know that Lally is in this house, madam, aud I must sac her !'

Mrs Peters smiled grimly as a full comprehension of Rufus Black's mistake dawned upon her. She understood readily thab the shopman whom llufus had interrogated had not known of Mrs Wroat'a death, and had confounded the names of Mrs Wroafc and Misa Wroab, and that Kufue very naturally thought her the 1 eccentric old lndy ' of whom he had heard. ' And so yon don't believe that I am Mrs Peters ?' slie a?ked. ' No, madam,1 said Rufus, bluntly. ' I have traced an elderly lady—yourself—and a young girl—Lally—all the way from London, and under the name 3of Miss Wroab and Mrs Petera. You are nob Mrs Peters, and I demand to sea her.' 1 You cannot see her,' said Mrs Peters, stoutly. 'I have heard the young lady's story, and I shall protect her from bhe persecutions of a man Who deserted her iv the mosb cowardly fashion, and who, believing bar to be dead, never made one movement to save her supposed remains from interment in a pauper's gravo. You have no claim on Miss Bird, Mr Rufus Black ; you have yourself declared that she is not your wife.' ' Laily has bold you all ? cried Rufus, in a low, heart-broken voice. ' Not all though, for even she does nob know all — the sleepless nights I've passed, the days of anguinh ! I've hated myself and despised myself. I have been on the point again and again of committing suicide. Her poor youne lace, aa I fancied it, mutilated and dead, has haunted rue sleeping and waking. God alone knows my anguish, my remorse. If Lally only knew all!' , 1 She knows more than you think, said Mrs Peters, significantly. 1 How ? What ? Ido not understand. • Miss bird has a shelter undor this roof now, and while I live she shall never want a friend,1 said Mrs Peters, purposely confirming Rufus Black's impression that Lally was a dependent ' but she has known eucli extremes of poverty as would make you shudder. She left her lodgings in New Brnmpton, turned out by an insolenb landlady, having only the clothes «he stood in. She wont out upon Waterloo Bridge in her despair to commit suicide. An unfortunate girl did commit suicide, springing from Lally's very side, and Lally's handkei- ! chief Buttering after the poor lost creature fixed upon her Lally's identity. Lully Hod from the terrible scene, and that night sho siepb upon Hampstoad Heath, under the opon sky, with tramps and thieves all around her in the darkness, and she knowing it not—homeless, houseless, penniless—1 ' Lally !' cried Rufus Black, in an uncontrollable agitation, • You think it terrible for a girl so young and beautiful? Listen. Worse. was to come. She went to a poor old seamstress she had known when teaching music in a school. This seamtress gave her shelter and protection, but bhe was dying of consumption, and Lally had soon to work for her and nurse her. and after a little to bury her. When the poor woman aied Lally v;aa once more homeless and without workShe was nearly starved, and her one great desire was to look upon your face agmn herself unseen. And so sha wanderod down into Kent—' . ' Into Kent ? Oh, my poor ?irl! ' She was ragged and tattered, hungry and forlorn, 'bhe worked in the hopgardens for food and shelter. She saw

you— ~ Rufua uttered a cry of incredulity. ( ' She did nob ccc mo !' ho ejaculated. I should have known her in any guise. 1 should have felt bor nearness had she been on the opposite side of the street ! Mrs Peter's lips curled. 'You think so?' she said dryly. Let me toll-von-that your wronged and dogerted yo'unjr wife was' nearer to you bnan that, and yet you did not know it. Do yon remember a.certnin September evening .hen you eat beside the heiress of Hawkhu,,t upon awiy-«dd bank, in the shadow ofH« W kh«rstpark? Do you remote your paesionofco vows or- lovo to jms WyndoJ.Do you Mifl'ember tdltoß Mb« Wyndcj that vpurliia Me and -beyo.Kl doyendcd upon her answer to your suit? Well, there was one listening to those pasdonate vows, whom you thought dead. In

the thicket, almost within an arm's length of you, a poor, worn-out, ragged tramp was lying for a brief rest—a hungry, houseless, tattered tramp, Mr Black—and that tramp was your disowned young wife !'

'Impossible!1 ' You passed on with your beautiful new love in all her pride and hor beauty, and the old love rose up from her thorny bed and crept after you like a shadow, and when you stood in the light upon the Hawkhursb terrace, with the hand of your new love pressed to your lips, the old lovo stood outside the great gates a long way off, and with her face against the bars looked in upon you both, aa a losb soul might look in upon Paradise. 1 'Oh, Lally, Lally!' cried Rufus, in a wild anguish, utterly losing hid self-con-trol. • Lally! Was she there ? My poor, poor darling.' 'When you turned to come backdown the avenue, she fled moaning. She had seen you, and it seemed as if she must die. But she was young and strong, and life clung to her, although her heart was breaking. She wandered on for hours, and finally lay down under a wayside hedge. The next" day she worked in hop-gardens, and the next night aho slept in a barn with i the hop-pickers, many of whom are tramps land thieves out of London fora holiday. Sho earned a little money, and wenfc^ to Canterbury and advertised for a situation, which she obtained—'

'As your companion, madam? May God in heaven bless you for your goodness to my poor forsaken girl ! And she lived and suffered while I mourned her as dead. Oh, madam, I can explain' all that seems _t>o strange to you and her. I nev6r loved Miss Wynde as 1 loved Lallv. I believed Lally dead, and that I was her murderer. I was consumed with remorse and anguish. I was desperate and going to the bad, and I prayed Miss Wynde to save me. But I loved only Lally. 1 pray you lab me see hor. She will believe me—'

' That ia the very reason I shall r.ob permit you to see her. She is getting to take an interesb in life, and I will not have her growing peace dieturbed. You are engaged bo this heiress —■' ' Oh, no, I am nob 1 And if I were, I would not marry her, now that I know that Lally lives. My lather threatened mo with arrest and imprisonment if 1 did nob give Lally up. Ho assured mo that tho marriage was null and void, and that ho would provide for my poor girl. I'm a coward, Miss Wroat, a poor, pitiful coward, Titsd I have had all my life long a deadly foar of my father. You cannot understand thao fear; perhaps no one can; but, I shall iling off that awe and terror of him and be henceforth my own master I was one-and-bwenty yesterday, madam, and 1 am row accountable alone to God and to the laws of my country. I love Lally, and Lally alone, in all the world. I am going to try to bo worthy of her. She ia poor and 1 am poor, but if she will take me back atrain,' ?aid Rufus, humbly, 'we will begin life anew, and I will try to bon better man. 1 will work for her, and I'll try bo baa great painter, so that she may bs proud of mo. And if I can't be that, I'll be anything that is honest and manly to earn our support. I know you have a poor opinion of me, madam, and I know I deserve it. I don't amount to much, but it you would intercede for me with Lally and bog her to try me again and marry mo, I I will bless you always as my benefactress and

saviour.' The young man's humility and anguished pleading touched the heart of Mra Peters, but she steeled herself againsb him and said : ' Mr Black, I am sorry for you. 1 bo lieve bhab yon mean what you say now, but if you were once to trefc under your father's influence again, Miss Lally would bo an unhappy as ever. I advise you to go back to Miss Wynde and leave Lally here. It) time she may marry an honorable and upright gentleman, with whom she will be fur happier than she could be with you.' A quick iluah of jealousy overspread the youth's face. Hw eyes glared at Mrs Peters with a hunted expression.

' She won't marry again until I die or tho law has freed her from me !' he exclaimed. 'I would never have proposed marriage to Miss Wyndo hnd I not. :-up posed Lally to l>o dead. She is my wife, madam, and I'll declare her to bo such until she herself forbids me to do so. If she marries any other man, I'll kill him !' The young man's jealous fury was succeeded by an instant and terrible despair. ' Forgive me,' ho suid. ' What am I, tota!k°of controlling Lally'a movements? I havo forfeited all claim upon her and upon her forgiveness. If she re!uses to take me back, I can only go to perdition. If she will stretch out her hand to save me, I will bo her slave. Will you not take a brief message to her from mo, madam— only a few words ''.' Mrs Peters fancied she heard a lighb step in the hall. Slid listened, but convinced o: her misfciiko, said nervously and hastily : ' I cannot convey your message, sir. I cntroat you to leave Miss Bird in poace. I repeat that you cannot see her under this roof.'

' How summarily you dispose of the

happiness and the vary destiny of a fellowbeiug !' said Hutu-', despairingly and reproachfully. ' 1 would see her in your

presence— ' You cannot. You have prolonged this interview beyond bounds, Hir. Take my advice and go bade to Miss Wynde. I muse bid you a good evening, Mr Black. You can go out ac this garden door, if you please.' Mrs Peters fchrew open the garden door and ft gnsb of wind swept in, nearly extinguishing the lights. Rufus hesitated, bub the door remained open and Mrs Petera looked so grim and storn that ho \ obeyed her without a murmur and went ■ out'in a dead silence, his wild eyas giving her a last look of reproach and despair. A minute later she heard his cab roll away from the house. ' I wonder if I have done right,' the woman muttered uneasily, aa she closed the door. ' I have taken a great responsibility upon myself in deciding the fate of my young mistress. I almost wish that I had let him sea her, but she is ho young and tender and pitiful she would be sure to take him back again. His eyes will haunt mo. He looked as a man might look on his way to execution.' At that moment the library door was tried from the hall and an imperious little knock sounded upon the panels. •Peters,' cried Lally from without, in an agitated voice, 'let me in! Lot mo

in !' Peters calmed her face and hastened to unlock tho floor. Lally swept in impetuously, her gypsy faco aglow, her black eyes foil of liro, her cheso" panting. She held in ono hand a gentleman's glove, which she bad just picked up from the ball iloor. Hor keen eyes swept the room and her countenance fall with disappointment at finding Mrs Peters alone. ' I heard a carriage ro away just now, Peters,' she cried. ' Who has been hero?1 1 Was it nob the wind, miss ?' cried Peters, flushing. ' No, I heard wheels soinp down the drive.' And here is somebhiug I found in bhe hall, Petera-a man's glove. Whose is it ?' ' Ib might be Toppen's mis_s ——' 'It might be, but it isn't,' paid Lally, full of buppre'sped excitement, (hat made { her strangely beautiful. ' This is a gentla j man's glove. Sue how soft and fino the liid if. Tho colour 1b ju^t Liie shade oi ' uivemlor Kufua'used to wear when ho wore ' plovos, and it ha? just the jasmine scoot liv ! used to drop always into his gloves. And —and here is one oi the very buttons ho used to slip from one pair of gloved to another. I would know that small e;oW knob, with its chased odge, anywhere. Peters, he has been here ! Knius has been

here !' The flushing, agitabed face of Mrs Pebers , confessed the^bruth. i 'He has followed us up from London 1 cried Lally, her eyes glowing like suns. ' He has come after mo and braced me to this place. He loves me still—he must love me, Peters ! He must love me better than Misss Wynde !' 1 He said so, Miss Lally. 'Ah, then ib is true? Bub why did he go away withoub seeing me? Why did you not call me ? Perhaps he will give up all for me, thinking me still poor like himself ?' •He said he would, Miss Lally,' said poor honest Mr3 Peters, driven to full confession. 'He thinks that lam Miss Wroat and that you are Mrs Peters, my poor companion. And he says he loves you, and wants to marry you, bub he ib so unstable and cowardly, and I knew you ought to make a grand match with your face and your fortune, and so—and so, Miss Lally, I sent him off, and he's gone back to I England and to Miss Wynde.' i Poor Lally stared at her maid with dilatI ing eyes and horror-stricken countenance. j Then she said, in a wailing voice : > ' Oh, Potere, you meant well, I know ; I but—but you've'brokeo my heart!' And with a low wild moan Lally fell forward in a dead swoon. ( To be Continued,)