FOR LOVE OR MONEY

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 213, 8 September 1899, Page 6

FOR LOVE OR MONEY

By ST. GEORGE RATHBORNE

Author of "Doctor Jack," "A Fair Revolutionist," "A Sailor's Sweetheart," "A Chase for a Bride."

CHAPTER XXIX.

AND THE SENORiTA MAKES

ANOTHER

Why the sight of a lovely face should cause the marquis to tremble might seem a mystery, but he knew tbe reason. It was not that he feared this Spanish girl so far as his oavii personal safety was concerned, but there Avere other:

Mazette!

That Dona .juanita had been dogging his footsteps of late he had no doubt, and her motive in doing so was no mystery, since she had vowed to discover who the authoress of his wrongs in the past might be in order to avenge them.

This was only the avowed purpose she held. There Avas a deeper, a more sinister motive.

She designed to discover any possible rival and remove her. Doubtless she laughed to scorn his assertion that love had died out Avhen his heart turned to ice. Such women love Avith the fury of a volcano, and for ever, so that she believed he still secretly worshipped at the shrine of the one Avho had betrayed him, and his infatuation might only cease when that false creature had been removed from his path. But what had that to do with Mazette, since she Avas not concerned in his misery of the past?

Ah, the interest of this jealous woman had more to do with the presentI—the1—the future.

And that was why he trembled, because suddenly overtaken with the overwhelming consciousness that Mazette's happiness was precious to him. The shock did more to tear aAvay the cobwebs Avith Avhich he had concealed the truth than anything else that could have happened.

Besides he could not forget the blush that swept over her face as he said good-bye. Dona Juanita was the first to speak. She had made a half frantic struggle to lay hold of her veil, doubtless in the expectation of lowering the flimsy gauze in time to conceal her face, and when she found it Avas too late her hand fell to one side, and she met the astonished gaze of the marquis Avith a defiant smile, saying, "I have not had the pleasure of talking over old times such as you promised, Senor Jack. I sadly fear you find other attractions too great a tax upon your time." There Avas something pathetic in her voice and manner. Had he not known what a consummate actress he had to deal with, even such a shrewd man as the marquis might have been deceived, but her presence in this house after the threat she had breathed in his presence told him that she but played a part, that all things were with such a woman but a means to an end, and that climax the success she had made the passion of her life. "Ah, I am a very busy man, senorita. You can readily understand that. They have starved to death upon the streets, man in this London. Once I might have starved to death upon its streets, and a few lines in the morning "Times" Avould have been my poor obituary. Now it takes columns to chronicle my most simple doings, hoAV I live, what I think, and such stuff. Bah! I am disgusted Avith it all." "Still it is very nice to be noticed. Some men Avould give all they possessed to receive what you despise," she replied artfully. "It is past noon, senorita, and if you have no engagement perhaps you Avould step around to the Holborn restaurant with me and take lunch. This meeting is opportune, as perhaps I may make amends for my seeming rudeness in not calling sooner, will vou —can you come?" She looked at him intently, and he knew that in spite of his assumed anxiety to spend a little time in her society she had read his real intention —the eager desire to get her out of this house.

Still the temptation was very strong. She could not resist the opportunity of perhaps a whole hour in his society. Who could tell what it might-not mean in the end?

"Yes, you are very kind, and I suppose I may not see you again very soon. Besides the miniature very possibly is not yet completed. These high, priced artists are never prompt. So, amigo, I will lunch this day with you."

She had nevertheless shot an arrow squarely through the heart of the marquis, for at the mention of a miniature he knew she had already been to see Mazette, and the knowledge almost paralyzed him. He knew that this was no accident. Such things rarely occur save through studied design, and he feared for Mazette even more than he had done for Fedora when he imag-ined the blind fury of the. passionate Spanish woman might be directed towards her. It was not his intention to betray his anxiety, so he opened a conversation upon other subjects as they covered the few blocks necessary.

Finally the famous restaurant was reached and they found themselves

served,

Much attention was directed towards the couple. It might be on account of the senorita's Spanish beauty, which was of the type represented by the Empress Eugenic at her best, or possibly many present recognised in the marquis the man whose name as the owner of fabulous wealth was one with which to conjure.

At least he paid no attention to this fact, his mind being busy with their gossip and a plan by means of which he hoped to draw her out. She was well aware of what was doubtless passing in the mind of her companion, for when he made a vague reply to some question purposely put forward as a trap, she said,

"Hola! marquis, your wits are afar. You doubtless wonder what the Senorita Juanita was doing in that building of French flats." "Well, to be candid with you, senorita. That was one of the things

1 Avished to ask you, and yet felt the delicacy of doing so. Since you have yourself introduced the subject Avould 'you mind telling me how you came to knoAV Mazette, and since when have you started to rival my cellections of miniatures?"

"Ah, Senor Jack, let us have no beating about the bush. 1 might tell you a fine story of lioav I desired to 'have the homeliest men ever created painted in miniature and placed in a line as family treasures, but 1 am too open and frank for that. Some people are not. I Avished to see this red and white-faced artist girl with the sad eyes, because she seemed to occupy so much of your attention that you sadly neglected older acquaintances Avho believed they had at least a claim on your friendship if nothing more. The marquis kept his temper. He kneAV be bad. need of it Avith this jealous woman. "I am glad you have met her. Perhaps you remember my speaking of a little girl and her good aunt, to whom I owed so much in those gloomy days? She is the one. My design was to assist her, and as a stranger I patronised her really excellent work, paying, it is true, many times the value of it, but they were very poor, and I mean to do much more for them."

"A little girl. She has become a charming little woman, marquis, since you left London. And do you tell me she did not recognise you?" searching his face keenly.

"Until to-day, no," resolved to face the music.

"Ah, then to-day you told her and, of course, there Avere many little memories of the past to be gone over. Noav I understand Avhy you were so long. She is such an old friend." Undoubtedly the woman had been watching the house, and when her patience became exhausted, was, at the time he met her, on tbe point of ascending the stairs and disturbing their tete-a-fcte in the studio.

"We had much to talk about, it is true," Avas the only reply he deigned to make.

"Tell me, Senor Jack, have you given up your design for vengeance?" she asked, fixing her great black eyes upon him as though there might be much more in this question than appeared upon the surface. "Not yet," he ansAvered slowly. "Ah! then there is still hope," she muttered, and he did not comprehend at the time just Avhat this meant, though later on the full importance of it burst upon him.

Hope for Avhat?—-her designs were all selfish, since it never entered her head to think of others, and the future as connected with her own fortunes Avas all that concerned her.

The marquis exerted himself to entertain his charming guest, and they managed to get along quite agreeably, though there Avere many little tilts of irony and shafts of wit fleAv around promiscuously. He Avas glad when at last he saAv her into a cab, and raising his hat, pressed her hand in adieu, hoping that he might set eyes no more on the belle of San Jose.

(To be continued.)