"ROBIN ADAIR."

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 213, 6 September 1916, Page 10

"ROBIN ADAIR."

By CHARIXS PEOCTOR, Author of "An Innocent Judas," "My Am Folk," "The Dice of God," "Ashes of Vengeance" etc. CHAPTER XXXVITL CONCLUSION. Invcreart was seething with excitement, and rumour was rife. Never in the whole of its history hud the village experienced such a sequence of sensations, and jipople stood about in groups, talking excited]}' and shaking their heads. ' To all it seemed that the hand of God had fallen heavily on the house of Invercart, and to many it seemed that if rumour was right that there had been a judgment—a fearful day of reckoning , . Corrieinver had been burned to the very ground, and Campbell Glouris hadi perished in the flames; and now from the castle came the news that Lord Invercart had been found dead in bed. Shock and heart failure, the doctor eaid, although come whispered '"suicide." The local police began to make inquires, but found Pam reticent. He had wired to his own solicitor and to Robin's solicitor, as well as to Miv-and ilre Adair. and when the legal men arrived he told them everything, and left them to act as they thought best. '"But I want no scandal, if it can be avoided, nor does Robin Adair or Mrs Stewart."' he said. "After all, 'both men responsible for the trouble are dead, and ■have answered for their sins at the •Highest Court, and it will serve no good purpose to blncken their memories. To make public the true facts now would be to punish those who have suffered." "There is one. point you have overlooked," remarked Robin's solicitor. "Mr Adair—l call him by that name 'because we have always known him as such—is the eldest son of the late Lord Invercart, and the heir to the title and estates. He is now Lord Invercart indeed, for we shall be able to prove his identity without difficulty, and his romantic story is bound to be made jublie. And that will necessitate some of the tragic facts respecting tlie conspiracy of the late Lord Invercart and his son being made public also." '"Not necessarily," responded Pam. "It should be possible to hush the matter up, by arrangement with Robin and the relatives of Lord Invercart. However, you can see Robin and let him decide. After all, he is the one chiefly concerned."' The matter was lef in abeyance for a few days, for Robin was in a weaK state, and it was not thought advisable to trouble him in such matters. Meanwhile the kept a secret, or as much of a secret as such facts could be kept—at least they did not appear in the Press, and Robin was conveyed home. The lawyers had experienced no difficulty in tracing the entry of the marriage of Lord Invercart to Robin's mother, and Mrs Stewart's statement, coupled with those of Mr and Mrs Adair, were legally regarded as being proof of Robin's identity. Sheila had returned home ■with her mother, and was speedily recovering from the effects ol v er ordeal. The roses had come back to her cheeks, and the shadow of miser}- had disappeared from her fine eyes, although naturally she was still troubled about Robin, whoee progress towards recovery was slow. She saw him one day, however, ami had been graciously welcomed by Mrs. Adair, a stately, white-haired old lady, with a sweet motherly face, as well as Lennox Adair. "Robin has told us how much you did , for him, my dear—how you saved him and how you suffered for his sake." Mrs. Adair said. "And we are proud of you— proud and grateful—and glad our boy has won the love of a girl so worthy of him. He is our boy, you know, and will always remain so, I feel sure, even if people call him Lord Invercart." "Yes, we are the only parents he ever knew, and he has -been more than a son to us," Lennox Adair said, with feeling. "He won't disclaim us now." Mr. and Mrs. Adair were right. Robin loved them and respected them; he owed them much, and regarded them as his parents, and when he was well enough to receive the lawyer, to discuss everything, and to learn how matters stood, it took him only two minutes to arrive at a decision. "Lord Invercart I may be," he said, deliberately, ".but I decline to use the title, unless the man who adopted mc, and has been a real father to mc, casts mc off and disowns mc. Robin Adair I have -been all my life, and Robin Adair I shall remain to the end, if you, sir, will allow?" He turned to this "father," instinctively holding out his hand, and Lennox Adair grasped it warmly. "My boy!" 'he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with feeling, "God bless you! I wanted you to bear the name, to be my eon, and—and you've made mc happy." Mrs. Adair said no word—her heart was too full of speech—but she bent forward and kissed Robin, and her eyes spoke volumes. "Capital! Eγ—but the estates?" said the lawyer. "I have practically established your claim, Mr. Adair." "If the estates are mine, to dispose of as I will " "Some are entailed,'" interposed the lawyer. "Sell what is not entailed, and well give the proceeds to charities. As for the rest —well, I shall leave "my descendants to decide. But, understand, although the title be mine, I am not to be known as Lord Invercart. Kobin Adair is good enough for mc!" There is little more to tell. Hugh Ladbroke, on learning that all his plane bad failed, gave way to drink, and sank lower until he threatened to .become completely submerged, but after a time the madness left him, and he began to reform, thanks to the efforts of his father. Months afterwards—indeed, months after she had put him out of her mmd —Sheila received from him a letter expressing remorse and praying for forgiveness, which was freely granted. Valeric Delmonte, » 6oured, embittered woman, burned up by her own passions, went abroad suddenly, and only Pam Panmure knew that, before she did so, she tasted the very dregs of humiliation. She had always felt that, if the worst came to the worst, she could rely on Pam, who had confessed that he loved her, and asked her to marry him; and when she found herself regarded with suspicion, baffled and discredited, ehe turned to the man she had rejected, meaning by consenting to marry him to attempt to show Robin and Sheila that she was indifferent. •She met Pam, apparently by chunce— in reality she had carefully planned the —and broached the subject. " Twice you have asked mc to marry you, Pam," she said softly, "and I have refused you. "I realise I made a mistake and if. you gre still of the game mind—"

She paused, smiling, her eyes downcast, and Pam's tanned face flushed deeply. " I am not still of the same mind," he answered coldly. "I. too, realise that I nrada a mistake," and I thank God for my escape. Good-bye!" He raised his hat, and turned away his heart heavy within him, for once he hit}, really loved, his handsome cousin, ni'^: i believed her a queen among women. N«Sf day he heard that Valeric had left Glasgow, and they never met again. It was on the very first day that Robin was able to be up and out, looking more like his old handsome self, despite the bandage round his brow, that he and Sheila had the opportunity of a long talk together, free from interruption. x\nd Robin prefaced the discussion by doing thfc most natural thing in the world in the circumstances: He folded Sheila in a close embrace, and kissed her red lips until she broke from him in blushing confusion. "At last!" he cried exultantly. "I have been waiting , for—dreaming- of— this, dear heart—and now I want but one thing to complete my happiness. Tell mc again that you love mc. and that you will be ready to marry mc as soon—ag soon as the law will allow." He caught her to him again, and held her fast, her sweet rosy face, and her eyes sparkling. "Not so soon as that, Robin," Sheila laughed, her voice tremulous with happiness. " But soon—very soon. And you know I love you, and will always love you." " Although I am only Robin Adair?" "Because you are Robin Adair," said Sheila, and hid her face in his breast. Palmereton Panmure was beet man at the wedding, and Sandy Ferguson, who soon afterwards married a bouncing, bonny country girl he met at Invercart Hotel, was an honoured guest. And many a lass envied Sheila and her groom and many a man envied Robin his bride, as the happy handsome pair were united. No shadow of Invercart cast a gloom over the joyous nuptials. And there is now a chubby, handsome baby boy in the household 'of Mr. and Mrs. Robin Adair. who may one day have to decide whether he will retain hid baptismal name—Robin Adair—or become Lord Invercart. As he bids fair to be a "chip of the old block" it is 1 safe to prophesy that he will choose to retain the well-beloved and respected name—ROßlN 1 " ADAIR. THE END. HEW SERIAL TAKE. \ ' Look out for opening instalment of the new and sensational story, '" LADY DAMER'S SECRET," which will be published in the "Star" of SATURDAY NEXT, September 9.