YET SHE LOVED HIM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 228, 24 September 1894, Page 3

YET SHE LOVED HIM.

2y MXS. KATE VAUGHN.

Anthor of 'The Mother's Legacy,' 'The Baoker's Daughter,' ♦ Erin-Go-Brogh,' •The False Friend,' etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

At the time when Laura Perceyal wa 8 breakfasting and comforting herself on Mrß Mortimer's eudden move, Lord Ferrar' 8 was thinking in distress of his, course, Three days had elapsed, and, though he thought he knew from the beginning what hia answer must bo, he put off the evil hour. But now he could do so nojonger; he must let Laura know. He was white with contending emotions as he came to this resolution. He took pen and paper, sat down; and then, suddenly pushing it from him, rose and once more fought the battle over again. .

'What? Give-up all? Clara's fortune, everything—for what? Only a chimera, a scruple that, a9 she says, ca» wrong no one, since Madge dare claim nothing. And thon I could so Compensate her that) she would be really as well off. And ought I not to think of Clara? She loves me poor darling. And to give this up is to lose her beyond hope. Ah, what a wretched alternative. But if I marry her, should I ever dare to think—could I date to have children and let them wear my name, my coronet, when I have dragged ib in the dust ? No, by heaven ! A weak, unprincipled fool I may have been, bub I will never be the first Earl Ferrars who has soiled the 'scutcheon by crime. Noblesse oblige! I will throw up everything and go to America and raise sheep—anything rather than be rich on the proceeds of crime. No, Laura. You hare built on my weakness, and I am ashamed to think you had reason to do it.1 He sab down and wrote rapidly for an hour ; then ringing his bell, sent a man with the letter to St. Johnte Wood.

He knew he had beggared himself for 'an idea,' bub somehow, even with tho knowledge that the girl who had stirred everything that was best in his nature waa lost to him, ho yet felt happier than he had done since ho had seen Laura. He had fought a battle with his worse nature and bad won.

Laura was impatiently wondering why she did not hoar from Gerald, or rather ccc him, when hia letter waa brought. She did not like the sight of the thick packet. He could only hare to (sell hor that he agreed to her terms, and would see her. He must have spent this interval in getting free of his engagement. It could be nothing else he had to say. Her hands trembled with anxiety a3 she opened the letter, and then an awful change came over her expectant face as she read. Whitening it to the lips, her black eyes glowed with sombre fire, and when she had read every word, her breath came in low gasps. She sank on a couch, and fought against the mad rage and despair that urged her to desperate deeds. In the end her strong will conquered, and she rose; — tense, rigid, bub unnaturally calm. ' Now, evil, be thou my good !' she exclaimed, as she tore the letter into a thousand fragments and scattered it. She dressed herself carefully, and when she caw her own white face in the glass she shuddered. She hardly knew that hard, desperate woman, who looked back ab her. Half an hour later she was at Lawrence Sb. John's chambers. He was nob there, his new man told her he had gone out and might not be back till evening. She wroto a note and left ib for him, and then she went to tbe steamer offico to enquiro about steamers for New York. She was restless for action. Tbab man, that villain, must be beggared without delay; Nob a day longer than sbo could help should he enjoy bis wealth. How bitterly she regretted that she had seub Madge away. How sure she had been of her power. The little backbone Forrar3 had displayed she had nob credited bim with. She had believed he would succumb to her wholly. Now, so soon as ever Madge could be got back, she must, and she had determined already in her mind a way in which the will should be found. She would make it look weatherbeaten and then visit Melford, and, walking in tho grounds, this weather-stained document would be found, as if tho murderer had dropped it. To induce Madge to come b.aek and claim her own, she would assure" bar she had seen St. John, who, if she would allow him half the amount of the income her father had left, would agree to learxe her quite unmolested. Bub all this, she knew, written in a letter, would not brine1 her back. She must go to America and add her blandishments to persuade her. Sha had found a German steamer would leave Southampton that very day. She would barely have time to go home and pack a few things and take the train. She .had told Lawrence to come and see her that evening, but she could not wait. She wrote another note for him, telling him she had found out where Madge was and had gone toi1 her, and that she was anxious to bring masters to a crisis as soon as possible after her return, which would be in a month. Tbisi she addressed to him, and giving it to Mrs servant, she told her to give it; to the gentleman who should call that cv ening and ask for her. Laurk cared very little now for that certificate Of marriage that was to hold St. John in bhock. She cared not for power over him how ; his interest was hers. An houV later she was on her way to Southampton, and that evening she embarked on the steamer Wilna, bound for Now York. \

When Mrs \Wortimer returned, her servant gave her fch'o note that Laura had left) for St. John and, one for herself, explaining her absence. Ami this man, who had killed her sister, was coining to thehonse, and she knew it. Well, she would see him, she would accuse him asjid, although she had no proof, he should noS dare to think the crime Bhe was convinced be had committed was unsuspected. She gi\ye orders that when he came he was to be .shown up to Laura's room, and th«iu Bhe wduld take up the note herself and give it himA It so happenod thai? when Lawrence called, Mre Jlorbimor h\vi a visitor ; the servant, there lore, asked hjin up into Laura's room and begged him to? wait for a few minutes. It was getting Akrk, yeb the gas was not lighted. There was a pretty little balcony, and, ai r ter waiting i\ few minatee, be ohoughb longingly of a cigar.

1 Well, I suppose Laura will uot thank mo to ?rnoke among all this prettLness, but I will fumigate her flowera.'

He stepped ouo and, lighting'hie cigar, seated himself rather dangerously, it seemed, on the lotv railing. He .had taken a little too much brandy, 88 h© had been apt to do lately, and instead of steady ing his nerves it weakened them. He had not really been in the .house many ixiinutG?, but the hour waa just that when night falls apace, and, looking into the garden below, he waa reminded of the apparition of Cicely lie h»id eotfii when last. t.Sere. Furtively he lookbd dowu, but nothing was visible. . ,

1 Curse that girl.! Why didn't she Hgbp the gas»';;

Suddenly his gaze was transfixed. Right before him in the window, seeming to be\

long to nothing, was a white hantl, and on it_a ring—again the ring. Ho saw nothing but that. He saw not in the darkness the long, dark figure of Mrs Mortimer, nor thb white face above, only that hand and the. ring. And then it advanced toward him., With a scream of horror, be recoiled and/ losing his balabce, fell. Mrs Mortimer dropped the note she held and rushed down-stairs, screnming as eha went, and then out of the house, followed by the servants. There lay Lawrence St. Jahn senseless on the ground. Hia fall had been from no great height: no bones seamed broken ; he was only stunned, perhaps, in epite of ( thab e'blll face with the something in it thato made Mrs Mortimer shudder; Then the doctor came, and, to the surprise and horror of everyone, pronounced life extinct. He had fallen on his head, and his nock was broken. \ Mrs Mortimer alone was not, horrified ; only struck with a strange awe. She knew nothing of the awful significance that the ring had for him. She believed ho had been terrified by her likeness to her sister. Ib amounted to the same thing: \ A guilty conscience bad killed him. Y. (To be Continued.) \