HER RANSOM.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1904, Page 11

HER RANSOM.

I By CHARLES GARVICE. ' (Av.thoi of "Leslie's Loyalty/ "Elaine," "A Wasted Love." ■Her Heart's Desire."' etc. CHAPTER XXlll.—(Continued.) i "You will get into trouble. Banks,"' j Sir Jordan said, gravely. "\ou had ! better forget your daughter, and put ! .yourself beyond the reaphl krf thef I police.'" I Lavaru-k laughed, a gruesome kind of j j laugh. i "i'ou think so? Well, look here; if i rhe uia,n 1 want was sta,nuinir with a policeman on eac i ai-ie of him, I'd fly at his throar, and as I choked him I'd j ! say, "I'm -'i:r 1:..p..-:. the father of the | girl you rumci:' and I'd kill flim and, be hanged for i; afterward." Jordan turned pale. j.nj h s eyes hid | themselves umier their thick iias. i "I —I acarjt .y know whetaer I ;;hou'"l i be justified in teiiuig \ ra,' ! he began. I hesitatingly. I turned upon him eagerly. i ••You know something!" he esc'.aimj cd. "Wha* is it? Tell me!"' Jordan bit his lip softiy as if still considering, then he 3;: id siowly: "[ (.-inn >T refuse a lather's appeal.' , ; Lavariek swore impatiently. ! "Curse 11:?.*." h, j said, hoarsely. "Out with what you know.'" Jordan roae a ad lucked down it the carpet pensiveiy. ""You say that your da'.urhters name was Rachel?" he sa.':.!. "Puichel!"" assented Lavarick. I-What is it. What d 1; you know: I Jordan sighed. "Heaven know* -whether I am acting wisely in—ia telling you what I know." he said, "and if I do so it is the hope that I may aid yon to recover your danghter— net th:U you nmy wreak your vengr-anre j upon h'-r betrayer. I think I saw bar j but once or twice a.s 1 pas-sed through I the town. I should nnt remember her I if I were to meet her ag--un—*—"' -Co on! -, broke in Lavarick, impatiently. '"You must let mc tell you in my own way. said Jordan, rebukingly. "Did you know my half brother. Neville?" he asked, as if -wirh painful reluctance. Lavarick .started. "No,"' he "He was at collece. I ' suppose, when I v.as at home here. 1 ! never saw him. What —■why '' j ""Wait." said Jordan, almost gently. j "Wait here for a. moment. , ' j Hi.- went out and returned after a j ! minute or so with a letter in his hand. Lavariek. who had been pacing up down with the gait and, indeed, the expression of a tiger thirsting for Hood, stopped and glared at him. "What's that?"' he asked. Jordan held the letter firmly. "I do not know, as I said, whether I am acting wisely in showing you this; I aui nor. convinced that it —cr —brings home the guilt of your daughter's be--traval to the person who received this letter, but I cannot withhold my sympa- : thy from, or refuse to h.elp. a father in the search for his lost child." Lavarick eyed him with savage in- • credulity and suspicion. "Stow all that!"' he said, hoarsely. . "What is it?" "I will tell yon." Jordan, gravly. "'You taunted mc that night with bei-g the cause of the quarrel between mv 'father and my half brother Neville, fi ■ I was an ignorant and unjust acc-asation. 'The cause of th? quarrel between Sir ■ i Greville and Neville, who was his favour - i ite son, was—your daugliter.' Lavarick started back, gasping. "What!" he said, almost maudibly, bis eyes fixed on Jordan"* face. Jordan shook his head gravely. '"What I tell you is true," he said. "It i came to my father's ears that Neville was —well, well-being «wen too frequently with your daughter Rachel, and • I my father taxed Neville with his in- • ; tended perlidy. and bade him give up i his de.-Iras. upon a young and innocent : girl. But I am ashamed to say that my > : half brother Neville was as wilful and \ obstinate as he was vicious. He persisti ed in his evil courses; a stormj- scane en- . J sued between my father and him, and j then Neville disappeared. I fear—l i greatly fear that ho persuaded your unhappy daughter to accompany him." Lavarick stood white and trembling. "Is this one of yonr lies?" he got out at last. "Is this a dedge cf yours to : come orer mc?" I Jordan shook his head. "Yon do right to distrust mc, Banks" I he said, "but I mn telling you th.c J truth. Why should 1 concoct this story? i Mv brother eville is doubtless dead. I and beyond the reach of your vengeance: indeed" if I did not think so. I should not have told you, for I bear him no ill will. 3 Lavarick's trembling lips twisted into a sneex. * i ''You hate him." he said, hoarsely, j

""Bat that"s nothing to do with mc. Give mc proofs. Whafs that in your hand?" "The proof you ask for, ,, said Jordan, and then, as if reluctantly, he handed i Lavariek the paper. It was an old letter, which had apparently been partly burned. The date and the commencement were destroyed, but the body and tho signature remained. Lavarick seized it and examined it. then he glared up at Jordan. "lt r s—it's her handwriting' 7 ' he said,hoarssdy. '-It's her name —Rachel's! :, and be dashed his hand on the signature. "You recognise it t" said Jordan, gravely, almost pityingly. "It i≤ a heartrending letter, the appeal of a helpless girl to the man who has ruined and I deserted her. 7T I "Where—where did you get it from?"' demanded Lavarkk, wiping his eyes as it the sight of the familiar handwriting I had blinded them. "I found it in my brother's room ■when I was cleaning it out after my father's death," said Jordan, quietly. "It was Ivins among some burned papers. Will you return it to mc. please f , Leivarick' foided it and thrust it in his pocket, his eyes fixed on Jordan'? face with an awful look. •■Return it? No! I'll return it to him! I'll return it to him when I'm killing 'lim! Oh. my God!" and he seized his head 1 i with both hands and held it a« if lie were[ going to have a fit. "My girl, my poor: girl! Dead—yon say he's dead! He : = not! ! He's alive, and I'll find him! I'll " He stopped aa if he were choking, and tore; at his collar and necktie. "Give mc seme, water."' He seized a carafe from a side tablo; i and jnilped down a glassful, then stood; : breathing hard and staring vacantly at | Jordan. ! '' Jordau stood, rather paler than usual, but with his eyes fixed en the carpet. "For your own sake." hp said. "I trust I you will not commit any rash deed. For. your own sake " j Lavarick stopped him with a gesture at . one? defiant and savage. ■•. '•Leave that to me!' , he said, brokenly: I then hf laughed, a horrible laugh. "If j you'd only told mc this, given mc this let- j ter last night, I'd have let you off tho | money." ( Poor Jordan started, and a gleam of j regret crossed his face. Lavarick laughed again. ! "But I'll have the money and my re- j vens<e. too. Curse you both; curse every- j body by the name of Lynne! It's you and < the "likes of you that drive us to the dcvii! ' Mv girl —my pretty, innocent girl- " i IHe broke down again, Vμ ; recovered himself a< if he hid a, suspicion that Jordan, j for all his grave face, was enjoying the ■ sight of his misery. ''I'm he said. ! breathing hard. "Fridsv. remember! 11l have the money! It will help mc to find him! Your brother won't trouble you after I've done with him. >ir Jordan!"' i Hp went to the door. Hut his hand so that he could not turn the handle. "Open it!" be ssid. roughly. Jordan obe3«-ed. and accompanied him ' ■lownnuirs and to the hall door. "You will take wire of the papers, Mr. ! Smith," he said, blarily. for the benefit , .of the footman in th? he...

But .Lavariek, as if he had forgotten his ; assumed character and part, strode down the steps and along the drive with bent ! head and white, distorted face, his hand clutching the pocket in which he had thrust the letter. CHAPTER XXIV. A wise maxim maker has asserted that. there can be no love between two women when both are young and pretty. As is "usual with maxim makers, he. was wrong, j and Sylvia and Audrey proved him so. j They were drawn towards each other by a mutual sympathy which acted with J equal force. Sylvia had gone through the ; furnace of sorrow through which Audrey ; I seemed now to be parsing. But though J Sylvia saw that something was troubling . her newly-made friend, she did not ask ' for Audrey's confidence, and Audrey did not give it. But notwithstanding this, the ! two gins had fallen in love with ea.ch other with that quiet fervency which evidences something warmer, deeper and ; more lasting than a transient fancy. ! The day after their meeting in Sylvia's j room. Audrey drove round to Bury street, [ and carried Sylvia oil to Grosvenor i ■ Squarp. ■ Lady Marlow at first received her with a mixture of kindness and reserve, but before an hour had passed Sylvia, had made her way, unconsciously and without any effort on her part, into her little .ladyship's heart, and the viscount, happening to come into lunch, was as promptly captured and enslaved. The two went out for a drive together, and Audrey promised on their return to call at Sylvia's abiding place on the following afternoon, take tea with her. and afterwards accompany her to the | the:itr<\ ; : Audrey came the next afternoon, an<l the two girls sat and talked over their | tea, as women who are fast and loving friends delijrht to talk. Audrey was resplendent in her evening dress, and Sylvia was laughingly admiring her and holding up a hand mirror that Audrey might survey herself when the maid servant entered. ! Sylvia, thinkinjr she had como to remove the tea service, paid her no atten- < tion : when Audrey, who was trying to put aside the mirror, suddenly uttered a cry and half rose. > Sylvia turned her head to see what was the matter, ami saw a tall figure standing i in the doorway. She dropped the glass and ran forward with ooth hands outstretched, exclaiming : _ j "Lord Lornmore! ' He took her hands and held them =o tightly that he hurt her. But his eyes did not meet her-, they were nxod on the pale and downcast fare of Audrey Hope. "Audrey! Miss Hope, you here! , ' exclaimed Lorrimore. his dark face flushing, oyp-i lighting up with a sudden joy and gladness. Sylvia looked from one to the other. but not a glimmering of the truth dawned upon her. "Yp«; X" wonder you are surprised. Auiirev —Mi>- Hope i-< an old friend of yours, Lorrimore: so she is of mine, aren't you, Audrey?" and she smiled at her. But Audrey seemed unable to speak for

a moment or two, and she gave her hand in silence to Lonimore, whose heart rose at the sight of her embarrassment. It was the first time she had ever shown any emotion at the sight of him, and it made him hopeful. He sat down between the two on the large couch, and Sylvia plied him with, questions. i "Why did you not write and tell ns you wese coming?" she asked, ehidingly. '"And why have you been away so long?" i '"I didn't write because I did ' not know until yesterday that I was coming to England.'' he said, scarcely knowing what he said, all his thoughts scattered by the fact that the woman he loved -=»>s sitting withm reach of his hand. • He stole a glance at her. and hia faithful heart throbbed with love an! admiration. She was more beautiful than ever, he thought. He longed to hear her speak, that he might onc-a more in reality listen to tha vok-e I which he had heard so often in his j dreams. j He had not seen her for nearly three ' years, and yet. as she sat there arrayjed in her splendour, and her iovelv i'nee ! downcast, the long lashes sweeping her c-heeks, it seemed to him that it was but yesterday that he had stood beside her in Lynne Burrows, and started on the quest for Xeville Lynne. "I—l hope Lady Marlow .i≤ quite well?" he said. Audrey found her voice at last. "Yes, thank you," she said, and without raising her eyes; but the voice thrilled him as of old. and he turned his eyes with a dazed, far-away look in them, to Sylvia. j Audrey took advantage of his avertied ixaze to steal a glance nt him. sTe was tanned by travel in all weathers, i but he looked not a day older, and. if anything. he was handsome than ever. A sigh stole from between her lips, and her head drooped. She know that he loved her still. A woman knows whether a. man'a heart is still hers after a I long absence the first moment she sees ' him after his return. A look : s enough. What hail she lost—thrown away?' , ! "You seetn in capital spirits, Sylvia," he said, with a smile, "and no wonder. I have read of your triumphs, and un- ' derstand that all London is at your feet. I quite expected to find you the personification of vanity, and I hope you won't disappoint me."' - "I won't." said Sylvia. lavishing **l am almost too vain to live. Yes. I ■ t ' be«n very fortunate, and they nil pv.iLse ;me far too much. But this is my greatest piece oi fortune," and she leaned in front of him and took Audrey's hand. Lorrhnore looked quest ioiiingly from one to the other. '•I've got the best and dearest friend a worna-n ever had!" Sylvia went on. "We are like two sisters, only more so, aren r t we, Audrey:, Audrey smiled and pressed her hand. (To be Continued Daily.)