Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 75, 1 April 1897, Page 6

BY BERTHA M. CLAY.

Author of One Woman's Sin,'' The Bur den of a Secret,' 'Lore in a Mask,' * The Woman Between Them,' • Lord Lynne'a Choice, 1 Etc., Etc., Etc.

CHAPTER 111.

•YOU ARE STRUCK BY THE CHARMS OF MY

NIECE, MB HAKCOTjRT.'

Mors than once Dudley Marcourb craned his neck oub of the window bo look upward, bub his greatest reward was a vision of Miss Laline O'Connor's head, and bhab bub a vague outline —a dark blob in the blackness.

Ab last he wiafeed her good-night, after reiterating his promise to help her, and the sweeb reeponse thab was breathed back to him liugered in his ears for days and days. The idea of sleep for him was out of the question. He lay on the bed thinking ef Laline and his own helpless position until the room began to grow grey with the light of another day.

Laline 1 What __ sweeb name ! What a liquid, musical name ! He repeated ib a hundred times, aud idealised the fair face of its owner until sho was the moat beautiful and angelic of women. ' I will nob admib even to myself bbat I am in love,' ho thought, ' ab least, until I havo seen her again. A pair of flashing golden eyes, a musical, pitiful voice, are hardly of sufficient substance to enchain a man's heart for all time—particularly fche heart of a pracbical lawyer, who is iv hie twenby-sevenbh year 1'

The birds were waking into sound outside, and Hareourb prepared to rise. His band was stiff and painful, bub tho throb-bii-g had ceased. For the first time he noticed thai the sling in which ib was suspended was a large neckerchief of softest silk. There was something feminine about its appearance, and with a thrill ab his heart, he wondered if ib had belonged to Laline O'Connor 1

He managed to bathe his face with hia uninjured hand, then resolved to go down* Btaire and find his way into the grounds. He must brave the anger of Doctor Averill and the surly Abel. Ho felb this would be a mere trifle if he could become safely assured of the position of Lalino's room — perhaps catch a glimpse of her face. With these thoughts in hia mind, he turned to the door, only to find it was locked on the outside.

An exclamation of strong annoyance escaped him, and his fireb impulse was to make a noise with the heel of hia boob. This wag promptly dismissed, and he consoled himself with sitting ab tho open window and occasionally glancing upward ab the second window on the top atomy— or ab leaab the sill, for that was all that he could see.

The streak of blue sky that showed between the house and the top* of the giant furs gave the promise of a glorious day. The birds sang joyfully, and now and again Dudley caught the flash of the rirer in the light of the brilliant sun, through the dense foliage that seemed to envelope the house on all sides.

A few minutes bofore eighb o'clock he heard a key thrust into bhe lock, tho door was flung open, and Abel stood on bhe threshold, scowling suspiciouely at him.

• Beady to come down ?' he demanded, his deep sec eyes wondering furtively around the room. * Shut that window- You aro taking liberties in another man's house.'

Harcourt closed the casement, bub made the fellow no reply.

' I'll tell the doctor you've been up hours, by fche lock of things, and that you aro coming down to breakfast now. Chicken and beor not good enough, eh:' he sniffed, eyeiug tho untouched food, ' Give us notice when you're coming next time,' he added, sarcastically, as be turned upon his heel.

' By Jove !' muttered Harcourfc, through his clinched teeth. ' I wonder how I refrained from kicking him down stairs. Fancy a tenderly nurtured young girl being subjected to the wretch' 3 brutality. Poer Laline !'

He wenb down stairs, and saw that Doctor Averill was awaiiing him in the doorway of whab proved to be bhe breakfast room.

' Good-morning,' he said quietly. ' Has your hand pained you much ?' ' During the oarlier parb of the night,' Dudley replied. 'Ibis comparatively easy now.'

• Then you have nob enjoyed much resb ? The opiate I senb you should have deadened all pain and induced Bleep.' The young man did nob reply to this, and .Doctor Averill continued:

' No matter ; a week or two ab mosb will see yon completely recovered. Call in your owa physician immediately after you reach home, and make no mention of my name, I hate to be talked about. If I had refused to dress your hand, you would probably have been a dead man within twenty-four hours. The recognition of this danger to you induced mo to break through a rigid rule—a rule thab I hold no communication whatever with strangers.'

He bent an inquiring glance upon the barrister, ab the same time motioning him to be Boated ab the breakfast table.

'I am grateful to you, Doctor Averill,' Harcourb said. • I have no desire to have my earthly career extinguished in this ignoblo manner, at the very hour when I am boginning to realise that there is some charm in life.'

H« was thinking of Laline O'Connor, and his eyos wandered around bhe table. No, it was only laid for two. The doctor's perceiving oyeß regarded him closely from under the shaggy, beetling brows; thou a cynical smile played aboub bis full red lips.

* Then you ate dreaming of love or fame ?' he sneored, quostioningly.

• Both,' Dudley replied, surprised by the friendly manner of his strange hosb.

'I think thab I have done with both,' Doctor Averill said, slowly. ' Lovo has made my life accursed—and fame and wealth have eluded me like gibing phantoms. Help yourself to coffee, tea, or anything you see here. My man is hardly capable of waiting at table, and my niece, Miss O'Connor, is shy of strangers.'

Harcourfc's heart jumped into hia throab. 'lour man ia certainly nob a model of civility,' he said.

' And you are inclined to think bho same of me V quontioaed tho doctor.

* I thought so lasb nighb,' confessed -Dudley.

•I was angry—annoyed; I am a bookworm—a recluse—a disappointed man. I came to this quieb place to hide myself from an unappreciative world —bo hide my poverty. lam writing a great) book, sir, or shall I call it a broabise ? upon a matter which entirely dispenses with bhe science of surgery, except in casos of broken bones. The probing lancet will become a thing of tho past. Bub this does nob interest you. Ib only shows you thab fame is still dancing before me in a will-o'-the-wisp sorb of way —and that lam but mortal after all. 1 have never practised the healing parb hero —at Kilburnio—bub my profession, my name, even the secrets oi my household, are all known to tho prying villagers !'* Ho laughed harshly. ' Bub I have some consolation in knowing that bhey dare &b pass the place ab night. Thoy believe it bo be haunted.' . • How doss your niece like fche seclusion ? ventured Harcourfc. ' My niece !' demanded Doctor Averill, flashing upon him a fierce glance. ' What do you know of my niece ?' ' You mentioned the young lady,' Harcourb replied ; 'and I judge bhab she and bhe girl who brought in a botvl of water while you were dressing my hand were one and bhe B»me.'

The docber smiled grimly. • Quite righb, quite righb! Ib is wonderful how Laline endures my gloomy companionship ; bub bhon, she hopes to wean me from this aeclusion : sho is tho one person who believes thab I am a genius— thab I am destined to bo great.'

Harcourfc was perplexed. Doctor Averill spoke of Laline O'Connor in tones thab were almosb tender. 'You noted her simplicity?' he said, questioningly. 'I bhoughb fchabsho was very lovely,' was the enbhusiastic reply. You will pardon

me, sir.' 'Perfecb simplicity of manner and dress,' continued Doctor Averill. * And yet, sir, thab girl ia heiress bo half a million. Her mother was my sister, and one of bhe mosb beautiful women of her day. Hor father was an O'Connor, of Balraggy, a genuine Irish gentleman, and a soldier. For some gallant deed an old rajah gave, him permission to unearth treasures outside the city of Delhi—which had lain for ages in a native burial ground. The resulb was vast wealth. Me and his wifo died in India, and Laline was sent to England bo mo.' *A very quieb life for the young lady,' Harcourb hazarded. 'I suppose thab Miss O'Connor—l hope that she is quite well ?' 'I fail to understand you,' the doctor scowled.

' I fanoied thab she was a little pale, thab is all,' the young barrister sbammerod. •Palo? Pshaw! She has n complexion like a pink rose leaf. You do nob know whab you are talking about, young man. You are going on to Southcome V ' Southcome Park—tho Boat of Lord Southcome,' responded Dudley. 'Yes,' was the indifferenb roj»i»der, 'you say that your name was Harcourt 1 I know so very few people bhab a man's name is of little consequence.' 'I am Lord Southcome's nephew,' Dudley said, thinking of Miss O'Connor, and the promise thab he had made to her. 'If you will pormib me, Doctor Averill, I should like to call again when I am completely recovered. lam sure that my uncle, Lord Southcome, will be extremely grateful to you for the service which you have rendered me. The doctor watched him koenly for a fow minutes. a

'No,'he replied, brusquely. * I have no wish to see you here again, and I forbid thab my name be mentioned. We way meet in London very soon—the success of my book, and my new method of romoving all malformations will soon bo assured. 1 shall then return to society, and movo in charmed circles. Ib is a duty I owe to Laline—bub she is young yet, and there ia plenty of time. I shall not forgot you Mr Harcourb, and you may hear from me much sooKor than you expect. lam suro that it is very kind and gracious of you to desire the acquaintance of one who has been barely civil to you.' tie rose from the table and glanced ab his watch.

• Nine o'clock. Your train leaves in an hour. You must not oxerb yourself violently, and I have no conveyance.' With a reluctant eigh, Harcourt glanced ab his watch also. He wa« thinking of Laline O'Connor, and tho more he thought of her tho greater ho was puzzled. Tho doctor spoko of her so kindly, »o feelingly, and ib was very evident that she regarded him as beiwg little short of a monster, 'Yes, I must be going,' he said. 'I wonder what my unclethinks of my tfbsence? Whab a careless noodle I must have been, to be sure!' Ab bhab inst-anb a figure flitted across bhe lawn and paused a momonb in front of the window—bhe willowy, graceful form of a woman. Her face was turned toward him, and Dudley Harcourb gave an involuntary cry, and keenly glanced in tho direction of the window. * Your nieco, Miss Laline O'Connor !' he exclaimed. 'Pray introduce me, Doctor Averill.'

* No, air,' was the brusque reply ; 'my nieco would nob like it. She objects to strangers.' His rierco, dark* eyes were bent upon tho young man's face. 'Tell me,' he added, quickly, *do you think that you have meb my niece before ?'

* Nob until last) evening.' •And you consider her a beautiful woman, Mr Harcourb 1 I read your face like an open book.*1 'Yea, I am deeply interested in Miss O'Connor. She has lovely eyea. You are doinp her n great wrong, doctor ; she ought to mingle with fche brighbnosa and beauty of the world.' He hesitated. Should he apeak of Latino's real misery ! This man was so wrapped up in his own pursuits, hobblies, or whatever they might be called, thab he had no thougbb or com.if_.erat.on f®r the pleasures and actual requirements of this lonely, beautiful girl.

* You speak truly, Mr Harcourb.' Tho atrango doctor's yoico and manner were full of fierce energy.

• You speak truly, and the matter has already had my earnest consideration. Laline, with her beauty and accomplishments, would shine in any society. With her wealth she ought to make a brilliant marriage. Bub things must go on ac they are for a little longer, until my bock—until my inventions rfecaive public recognition. You are struck by tha charms of my niece, Mr Harcourt. Tut, tub 1 you neefi not bo afraid to own it! Though a woman cursod my whole life, and mado of me tho social wreck bhab I am, my heart ia nob so utterly shrunken and withered thab I begrudge youth its sweebesb joys.' He held out bis hand. * You must go ab once, sir. lam now glad that we have meb, very glad. Ab an early day I shall t_tko the liberty of writ ing to you. Then you shall know my Laline.' Ho walked with Dudley to the greab iron-clamped door in the wall, Baid goodmorning, and then the bolts were shot home, and the young barrister was alone in tho lane. * (To be Continued. }