RIGHT AGAINST MIGHT

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 89, 15 April 1913, Page 10

RIGHT AGAINST MIGHT

THE DRAMATIC LOVE STORY OP JOHN STRAND, M.P. ■ ■ j

' By PAUL TRENT, ' 'Author of "TJic Vow," "tlie flome-Sccre-iaiy," •'•'_ [Wife hy Purchase," etc., etc.

jK 5 CHAPTER XXIX. ; Pliilip .Cranston, set out eagerly for Grosvenor: Square, but it .'was not Mr. Mason whom lie was so anxious to see. ;There was 'always a. chance of meeting Sylvia, and on this occasion luck was•with him, for the millionaire was not at :iiome. ""*." Is Miss* Mason.-in ? " Cranston asked, Siiervously. .",.'' I will ascertain if Miss Mason is at home," the gorgeous flunkey answered, with great dignity. :'.;•• Will you follow mc, sir 2" he said, vn his return. ';. Cranston was -taken to Sylvia's own •room, and ii was the first time .that he been there. His eyes wandered jrrecdily around as he waited, and they 'took in many personal belongings of the -"woman he loved. There was an open-'■work-basket, the sight of which was welcome, for it seemed to bring her :aiearer to-him, and then he saw a photo7gTaph of John Strand in a, tortoiseshell ■and gold frame. :'_ "She couldn't have chosen a better Vtnan," he muttered, miserably. 7 And then he looked round to find that "sSylvia was standing in the doorway, "where she had evidently beeu regarding „;irim for some time. ■J*!" Yon were thinking-Tery hard.- I am -cvfraid I have interrupted you," she said, lightly. ] "I have brought some papers for Mr. Mason. Is he likely to be back soon?" ~ tPhilip asked, nervously. ■ " I can't say." \y "Then perhaps;l ought not to wait," - he said,' and Tose. • ■' '7.' •'•' Sit down, Mi*. Cranston. I confess Xiiha'trl"was feeling rather: bored, and I ;.hope dad won't return for a long time. -*Take the Chesterfield," she said, peremptorily, and he obeyed her at once. • Sylvia drew up a chair and sat close . Sto him. She looked at him reflectively, ' for a moment, and his nervousness in--creased. Suddenly her eyes became ;;-alight with'mischief, and instinctively he ' moved away a h'ttle. - "You look: rather 'worried. Mr. -Strand has heen working you.too hard. "I must speak to him." "Please don't...' I am perfectly fit," he .answered, hastily.-; Jgp "I should think he -might be a hard ■-"task-master and-wouldn't consider those who worked for him." ; '•" You are absolutely wrong. There , isn't a more considerate man in the world. If you only knew what he had done"fgr w me*7- —""j.7 i.!-. ; He pnllei himself up .abruptly, and she smiled slightly. *gS " ■?. "Tliafciis'jiJst what I intend; to .know. "Mr. Strand accused'ine of curiosity and ; forbade you to tell mc. But still, I I must know." | 'Cranston jumped at the chance of . singing the praises of one to whom he gajras under such a (Treat obligation, and . although he knew that it might help to increase her admiration'for Strand, still • he did not hesitate. In a low voice he fold her of his youth and of his great foolishness. •"..-• --..\ 7, • "Mr.' Strand met mc Yiheii I was desperate, and if ever I make anything of my life it will be owing to him. There are not many men who would have taken an outcast by the hand as he did. I hope that some day I may be able to repay him." " It was splendid of him, and I love him for it," she answered, with quiet enthusiasm. At the word "love" fee tittered an involuntary sigh, and she sailed again. " "Mr. Strand read your real character, or he would not have acted a3 he did. You seized y*»ur chance, and if you had been the wastrel yon try to make yourself out to have been, you wouldn't have had the strength to make good—as, you have done." " But I -.-'have done nothing," he pro'tested. ; "'• - 7 ! ' •""'• ""'Ask Mr. Strand what "he thinks of you. Lately I have been thinking that you might do better than work for him. I suppose you want money ?" "Yes—tons of it," he said, impetuously. • " I" shouldn't" have thought that you jwereja mercenary." "I'm not j -but I want.money for a reason." • « , • ,f - "And that reason ?" A deep flush came to his iace and he did not answer.... ~_. _ ' " * "My poor hoy—l believe you are in love," she continued, and he could not understand hoi* humour. "I am —in love—headlong in love. - ■ And I want to make good. Xot that I ; have any. chance of winning, her,-but at ' ■ any rato she "shall' "see "that I am not ... worthless. I shall be content to worship '_... from afar, and my happiness will be'her happiness—with the man she lores." .'"So- this, lady—-she cares Jor-someone Hclse'V"- 7 '"*' '.'.-"•■ ■ "r > • - ; •■" Yesyl- think'so. But even if .she did not, I could never hope to ,win her. My record is a bad one—and besides " * , " And besides ?" she said, gently. ■■} 7-'She ; s'ioo.-far"4bove.meinmind. And yet l —l'd lay.down my life for her."' he cried j with sudden; passion. "Perhaps she would wish you to live for her," she suggested, gently.'The colour flamed'to his cheeks and he half tosc, only to fall back again. ' She had been watching his intently, sind when she saw him move turned away, abruptly. Thero followed a eilence'.that -was intensely embarrassing, - and it was Sylvia who first spoke. ' -~,-..."D0. Jl know -this lady.? . Perhaps I . can..guess—shall I try?'" . she asked, " softly. 7 '7. 7 ■-. j . '..y. •.-..'. Before he could answer the door was thrown open and Mr. Mason came-an. "They told mc you were here," he '..".. said, with a nod to Cranston, and -then tj ; added, io Sylvia, "I should like some '.-..,: tea." ":...... . — « ■"*'' ■_\* "Have you looked through, the - papers? They were taken '£5, the '.'..'■ library." 7 1 . "Yes. They;seem all right. I* have '; jpst dictated some documents to ..which I want Mr. Strand's signature at once, so you may as well wait to take them ■■_•■_ with "you." "■ - ~ - .- - " Mr"- Cranston will ■ have some tea," Sylvia intervened, quickly. Mason made some genial remark, and .the conversation turned to .the political situation. However, Sylvia soon brought it in the direction she wished. '" Dad,.T.wa_fc you to put Mr. Cranston i into. the Iway. of making money," she '. announced. Mason happened7to be in the best of tempers, so ie smiled indulgently. - '■ " He ' fi J ust teen Celling mc of a prcttv -■ Jittle roma-nec—and I'm anxious to see it have a happy ending. Th ero won't be much of an opening with Mr. Strand—at , any _rate for some time to 1 ':. ~«D-y Jon-*o. to^--out-sbm6_iinH 3 w ■•-.■»• .-„■-.- — r~r» —.

"If the lad's in love he'd' better "forget it. He's much, too young," Mason, said, : bluntly, but he waa wont to satisfy Sylvia's .whim .whenever it, -was ia his power'-to'do'sb, andhe lapsed into thought. She -watched him and waited patiently, for she knew his.-ways. j. '"I should fancy Strand., wouldn't like to Jose you* I know he .thinks a lot of you, Cranston," he said at last. , [ ; '* Mr. • Strand wouldn't . stand iin his •way foriy moment." Sylvia said, quickly. " Would you be prepared .to go over to the States and'settle down, if it were necessary ?" "I would do anything. • But I should iha-ve to be satisfied that Mr. Strand would let mc leave him willingly. Miss Mason knows how greatly I am indebted to him." "That's a very proper feeling. But I imagine that Strand would consent. What sort of people do you spring from?" "■ I'm one of thcCranstons of Cumberland." " Who may they he 1 " Mason asked, dryly. "One of the oldest families in England. One -of the families who are proud of having refused peerages," Sylvia broke in, quickly. "Good.. I do like to have a gentleman about mc. Especially as I spring from nothing myself. You'd better have a "little talk with Strand and let mc know t'e result. , I've no doubt I shall be able to fix something aip. Sylvia wishes it, and thatfs enough. Now I'll go and glance through those documents." " I'm very grateful, sir." "That'll do. You needn't come down for a. quarter of an-hour." "It is good of you," Philip said, impulsively, when they "were alone. " I was thinking of the girl. I always did delight in a love-story," she answered, demurely. .'. "And yet I'm afraid it won't bring : mc much nearer -to the girl I love." It "No woman Hikes a faint-hearted man." " I've deceived you. I ought to have told you the truth, and then perhaps you would not have asked your father to help mc." " If you had told my father the truth, then ." " . - "(What do you mean ?" he demanded. . " Nothing at all, and I think ■ we'll change .the conversation. By the by, you seem very friendly with Miss Arnold. She's a nice girl." " One of the very best." * "Someone else thinks so too. I 'shouldn't be surprised to hear of a little romance in that direction." '*' I don't understand you. As a matter of faot, she cares for " He pulled himself up abruptly. "But the secret isn't mine." "It's one I can guess. I wish them every happiness." "But he cares for someone else —I don't understand," he said, helplessly. She. laughed at him mockingly, and yet in her eyes was an expression that •caused his heart to-thump madly. It was, awfully .good of you to give I mc your confidence," she said, hurriedly. "It showed that you liked . mc, and every woman wants to be liked." " I should think you would get enough of that," Suddenly her face became grave, and she lapsed into silence. "I will return a.little of your frankj ness. Such a woman as myself—theheiress of millions—is marred. Her whole life is tainted by dollars. She becomes suspicious of everyone when she understands how moitey can be loved. All the time she is suspecting her friends of professing friendship for what they can make out of her. And woe to that woman when she heTself loves. She envies the factory girl her certainty that she is lovfed for herself alone. At times I would gladly throw aside all this luxury. I would welcome a cottage with •the man I loved." Philip had never before seen below the surface of Sylvia's nature, and he was amazed. It' was her lightheartedness and beauty that had first appealed to him, and now he had been given a; glimpse of a feeling that he had never suspected to exist." "Miss Mason, you need never doubt that you are loved for yourself alone. < As the factory girl of whom you speak, you would still command love. Come I with mc." J Ho took her by the hand and led her to a mirror, and he saw that his face I ■was white, while hers . was deeply, flushed. " Look at yourself.*' I But.it was he that her. eyes sought, and then were quicklj T withdrawn. " With a shawl round your head. and I a plain serge gown you would still be the fairest woman I've seen." " Mr. Cranston, you really must not pay such outrageous compliments," she protested, nervously. • " I wonder if you Teally believe I'm paying you compliments." " I don't know —but you are so strange." ; "I wish that I could tell you all that ; is dn my heart. "But I haven't the , courage nor the impudence. You speak . of your suspicion of everyone, and what must be the feeling- of a man who cares ~ for.you ? 'Perhaps he is as poor as you are Tich. Perhaps* he worships you, and i; yet, if he tells of Ida madness, how he r must dread that the suspicion might exist that he was — : —" "I've brought these papers to you," j called Mason from the door, and he , glanced keenly at them. " Mr. Cranston has been telling mc of , his romance. It's really most interesting." Sylvia f=aid, lightly, but the siisI pici'on did no leave "her father's face. ' i.• {To.lie continued daily.)