DOCTOR AVERILL'S SECRET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 77, 3 April 1897, Page 6

DOCTOR AVERILL'S SECRET.

BYBEBTEAM. CLAY.

Anthorof'Qne Woman's Sin,'' The Bar den of a Secret,' 'Love in a Mask,' •Tho Woman Bebween Them,' • Lord Lynne's Choice;' Etc., Etc., Etc.

CHAPTER V

LORD SOTJTHCOME'S WARO.

Lord Southcome was reported to bo one of tbo coldest and most unsociable of men.

His most intimate acquaintances were doubtful if he had any nerves in bis composition. In hia college days he had many times beon the horo of a town and gown riot, after facing desperate odds, with a emilo upon bis bruised faco, and a shrug ot his broad shoulders. In the heyday of his youth a disappointmonb of some kind bad driven him abroad. Nobody seemed to know whab ib was, and nobody waa particularly surprised thab his ail venturous spirit should lead him into foolhardy enterprises both sides of the equator. He hunted big game recklessly ; he headed harebrained exploring expeditions; and upon ono occasion was captured by the powers of a small African Froo State in the midst of a band of predatory natives. He was tried by court martial a»d sentenced to death. The judge solemnly asked him if he had any request to make and his reply saved his life. 'Yes,' ho said, coolly; 'permit me to finish bhia cigar—very tine, I assure you— deuce of a good brand ; then lire away! He had aob attempted to ehield himself under his powerful name, and it was months later when the story rang through the length and breadth of England. Twenty yoa.s later, Lord Southcome returned home. A greab deal was expected of him in the country, and society generally; bub my lord disappointed friends and enemies alike. He refused to be lionised, and settled down to a quiet life. People, said that he was cold and unsympathetic, and the most abaurd rumours werediscussed by the scandal mongers. Two years passed, and during all thab time he made not a single inqairy aboub his relatives, rich or poor. One or two had approached bim through the medium of lebtera, bub they had received no reply. Obco he board that tho heir to bis tible was fighting for lame in the lower courts, bub he promptly dismissed tbo matter from his mind. Dudley Harcourb's father and Lord Southcome had been good friends in tbeir old army days, but there had been an estrangomenb since the former's marriaere, and this estrangement had extended to the son. ' Tho money—tho estates are mine, absolutely,' bo reflected. ' This young limb of the law is welcome to the title when I am gono. Very little else will fall to his share !' c Then ho was grieved and annoyed one day by receiving a letter from the on'y man whom he had loved as a brother and a comrade. Ib ran this way : •My ©ear Southcome,—l've jusb meb with an accident in the hunting held, and though I feel almost as usual, and am quite wibhoub pain, the doctors tell me thab I shall be dead within an hour. Ib is a terrible thoughb, old man, bub I am bound to believe bhem. My horse wenb for t a ■fence, and missed clearing by a few inches. I was pitched over, and the shock has ruptured one of bhe main arteries of the hearb. In an hour it will be drained of ita life blood. I shouldn't care a rap, but for my little girl—my motherless Constaace. We have faced death together too often, eh ? I think thab I should prefer to die fighbing, though. Well, I wanb you bo look after my daughter, and have told the lawyers my wishes. I cannot trust ber to anyone else. You won't refuse my dying request, dear old chum; I know it, and shall die happy. Good-by until we meet in the world beyond. Leighton.' The same poßt broughb bhe news of bhe Earl of Leighton'B deabh, and Lord Southcome was in a dilemma. He wondered wbab kind of a girl his friend's daughter was. Her age might be anything between twelve and eighteen. • I shall be expected to do the paternal,' he reflected, sourly, * and become responsible for the honesty of the late Earl's stewards until tbe young lady ia of age.' He attended the funeral, and heard the will road. The Earl ot Leighton lefb bhe whole of his unentailed property to his only child, Lady Constance Hemming, the value of which was roughly estimated ab nearly one hundred thousand pounds, wibh the proviso bhab her ladyship was subjecb in all things to the control of Lord SouthCome until she reached the rather mature age of twenty-five yearß. If she married without hia full consent and approval, the bulk of her fortune would be devoted to various charitable institutions. Lord Southcome smiled grimly. •Leighton always was caubiou.,' he thought: ' and lam the bogey man ,to frighten away forbune-hunting lovers. I musb see the child before I leave, of course, and talk with the lawyers. aboub this guardianship. It is a confounded nuisance ab the best.' Another surprise awaited his lordship. Tho child was a beautilul woman of eighteen—tall, lithe and graceful as a fawn. Liquid, melting black eyes, an oval face and the loveliest Grecian nose imaginable. • A modorn Cleopatra !' he thoughb. He greeted her gravely. Tho responsibility was far greater than he had anticipated, Lady Constance waß filled with grief by her sudden bereavement. She had no interest- ab all regarding bhe terms of the will. Whatever her father had done had boon done wisely, and she was content. Lord Southcome waa relieved to find thab Lady Consbanco had enjoyed the advantages of a chaperon of irreproachable charactor, a reduced gentlewoman, who was eager te continue her onerous duties. Upon this point his lordship quickly relieved her anxieties. Ib took so much out of his hands. He was satisfied to leave future arrangements to Mrs IMewbon, and to the inclinations of Lady Constance. My lord's town and country houses were always open to tho ladies. In the end, Lady Coustance preferred to live abroad, and it was nearly two year. before Lord Southcome saw her again. He heard from Mrs Newton at regular stated times; he attended conscientiously to the financial affairs of the Earl ol Leighbon's daughter, and was agree-

ably surprised to find that the guardianship was an almost trivial duty.

But a bombshell awaited him. A brighb littlo letter arrived one morning from Lady Constance Hemming, and she affectionately addressed him as ' Dear Guardy.' A cold chill seized his lordship.

'I am tired of the Continent,' the letter ran, ' and long, oh, so much, for a glimpse of tha green lanes of England. One never values the beautios of home until one leaves it. I have been hoping for a very long time thab you would invite me to South come, and now I make known my wishes in a spirit of desperation! Even now I fear thab I .hall noo have the courage to poso this letter to you—my vision of you being so stern and grave. If you think thab lam presumptuous, or anything else that is not nice, please tell me so, and I will not bother you again.'

L .rd Southcome reflected for a week. He was touched by the letter from Lady Constance. Had he neglected his duty toward her ? Had he been eolfiah ? His ward was nearly twenty years of age, and had not yet been launched into society. It would take several months to make the Hall habitable. For twonty yoara a workman had nob set foot in the house. New carpets, new curtains, new furniture were required,

The bookworm—for such indeed had my lord become—the bookworm emerged from his den. Lady Constance Hemming's letter bad touched a human chord in his cold heart, and he wrote back to ber kindly. He told her to remain at Nice until the spring, and then he would fix a deßnite date for her ladyship's return to England.

* My duties are ouly just beginning,' he thought. 'I must surround the girl with young society, see her safely married to a man of her choice and mine, and then this guardianship affair will be at an end.' A little while after thia he heard of hia young kinsman, Dudley Harcourt. He hardly remembered theboy, but reportspoke very kindly of him. He was struggling to make a name in thorny ways, bravely and honourably. My lord Bought tbe young man, and at once became interested in him. He admired hia cour .go and independence — bis honest, handsome lace. Hero was a eolation to one of hia chief difficulties. What was to prevent Dudley Harcourt and Lady Constance Hemming falling in love with each other? It was a happy idea, and tho more he dwelt upon it the more it grew.' •In all probability,' he said coldly, ' you will bo the future Lord Southcome, Dudley Harcourt. I never intended doinc anything far you, as your branch of the family has ever been distasteful to me.'

•I have never expected anything, my lord,' was the equally cold reply ; 'and I shall be pleased if you will come bo the poinb ab once, as my time is valuable.'

Lord Southcome smilod in his slow, cynical way, and his keen grey eyes fixed Bearchingly upon hia young kinsman. '1 like your independence, Dudley Harcourt,' he said; 'and I have called upon yeu from mere curiosity. The papers spoke well of you, but, if I am any judge of character you will never make monoy at the bar. You are far too conscientious.'

Dudley flushed warmly and bowed. He knew only too well thab ho was making a doubbful tight. He had been prepared to dislike Lord Southcome, bub in some way his hearb warmed to him,

• I wanb to ask you a few questions,' hia lordship continued, curtly ; ' bub if you deem them intrusive I will take my hab and ge.'

•Proceed, my lord.'

The elder man regarded bim keenly again.

• I will be very brief,' he said. * Tell me plainly wbab your prospects are.'

Dudley shrugged hia shoulders. • You have already estimated them pretty accurately, my lord. Plenty of hard work and little pay.'

•Have you thought of marriage yet? for you musb be seven-and-bwenby. You are clever, good-looking—all thab a woman can desire.'

'I have nob seriously thoughb ot marriage ; 1 am too poor.'

•No entanglements? No promises to pretty actresses ? Or have you altogether escaped the arts and wiles qf these creatures? They usually endeavour to make capital out of young fools with prospects—the rank and file, 1 mean.'

1 You forget, my lord; I have no pros pects,' Dudley retorted, flushing hobly.

' You have nob answered my question,' continued his lordship, austerely. For a momenb Dudley hesitated, and he frowned; then a sunny smile broke over hiß handsome face.

'I have no entanglements my lord,' he said. 'If anyone else were to question me in bhis impertinent fashion, 1 should be angry. Wibhoub wishing to flatter you, let me say that I esteem the character you bear in bhe eyes of the world, and thab 1 believe a warm hearb exist, under your cold exterior. Ido not forgeb my '

• No reference bo the pasb, if yoa please,' was the curt interruption.

Hia lordship rose, and walked to one of the dusty windows that looked into a narrow dirty courb.

1 You may hear from me again, and you may nob,' he wenb on. • I make no promises ; forgeb thab I ever interrupted your work. Good-morning.'

He did not hold oub his hand to Dudley, bub with a slighb nod lefb bhe room. Weeks passed, and the young barrister had almosb forgotten Lord Southcome's visit when he received my lord's writben invitation to visit the Park. Ib would be idle to pretend thab he was nob secrotly delighted. He had no real liking for bhe law ; the sordid side of ib was sickening to his open, chivalrous nature. The depravity of humanity revealed to him was disgusting. Lord Soubhcomo's invibation, therefore, held forth dazzling hopes. So far his kinsman was a mystery to him. People Baid thab he was cold and austere — bhat he waa unsociable and punctilious to a marked degree' Dudley could hardly reconcile selfishness and coldness with the reputation Lord Southcome had borne in his college day. A man cannot utterly and completely change. Still, there was a very strong elemenb of doubb in his mind, and he was curious regarding his reception. He was determined to humour his lordship, and to try and understand him. Bub tbe mistake he had made ab Kilburnie had probably albered the whole course of his life.

(To be Continued.')