LADY DAMER'S SECRET

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 240, 7 October 1916, Page 19

LADY DAMER'S SECRET

By BERTHA M. CLAY AutKor of ->>ttt Aemder," -T*» Bitta of **c FatiHsr* "Redeemed lj Loee? "A Buret Bomu>» "the Shadow of a Bin," eto. _

chapter xxrr. MISS CHAUTERIS GROWS DESI*EtIAf E. "Hope," eiM Lady Darner, "I am Rowing quite uneasy atwut yoti; so w Karl. Do yx>u know how changed you are? Your eyes burn, and look a a thorigh they never slept; yonr hands tremble. You used to he so calm, so steady, so brave. And now you are nerrous, nneettledi What is wrog, dear? It "wee a very "wiliite, changed face tJiat Mies Charteris ttiraed to her eister. She tried to smile and assure her that it was nothing but--ill-health, bnt "Lady Darner's keen, loving- anxiety was not to >be so lightly dispelled. "Surely, Hope," she sa!<i, ""you taave nothing on yonr mind—there is nothing the matter—no danger?" "No, no, Floy; \yhat slnruld be on my inihJ? i)o not talk nonsense. J>ave mc to myself—l shall soon he better." "But," persisted -Lady Darner, "you have said so for a long time"; we have left you to yourself, ibut you gto\r no better." * ' I-ndeed, Miss CHiftrtetis looked very ill. It had been a terrible trial to 'her nerves, seeing her sister's son .brought as a Stranger under 'her sister's roof, arid no one knowing about the truth foiit herself. She found hersolf to bear it all in silence, but there was a great fear upon her, a terrible fear that nothing could do away with. That .morning, as the whole perty sat at breakfast, Rose laughingly toli the story of a little pearl locket She wore. "It holds a charm," she Said, "8 real charm, a talisman. While I keep it no harm can come to mc." Vet Tier turned to her, laughing nlao. j "I have a charm," he said, "but not co pretty ac yourfe; mine is an okl green silk purse." "Let mc see it," said lJose imperatively.

'"So you shall. It is in ray room. I s-o rioiviiere without it." "Why do you not wear it?" asked Rose. "You should put a golden guinea inside it. and keep it always upon you " "Xo: I am afraid of losing it. and you do not know how superstitious I am; ; t seems to hold all my good fortune.' I have a presentiment that if I lost that all my good fortune would leave me.'' "I am quite eurioU6 to see it," said Rose.

"After breakfast I shall be happy to I show it to you." And those few words had deprived Miss Charteris of all eelf-possession, and had eauae her almost to despair. "Floy will know that purse , anywhere.''i she thought. "She made it herself, and wae so proud of it. How could I bo so mad. so foolish, co thoughtless? Who could have dreamed that he would '>:• brought here? Oh. my God! My God-" cried the unhappy woman, "is it Thy hand that has done it? ,. She bent her whole energies upon making Vomer and Rcse forget the subject of their conversation. £!u; talked Jo them, told them anec|ott?s, rillnStl until they all wondered at her high spirits. 'jSTow," she said, "do not let us lose any" time. The morning is delicious; let us take some books and go out ac far as the King's Cedar: then Mr. Elster and Lord St. Alba us will read to us." "Why, auntie," cried Rose, "you will soon be a confirmed lotus eater. I could not hare invented a more luxurious idea fragrance, the cedar shade, and a book." "It will be very pleasant," eaid Lady Darner.

Lord St. Albans was perfectly indifferent, if he could only remain near his enchanting Rose. "We will lose no time," said Miss Charteris; and they who smiled at her anxiety to be gone little dreamed of the

feverish torture she was undergoing. She talked so much of what book they should take, who should read, and how pleasant and bright it was, that A'ernerl and Rose, listening to her, forgot all about the puree. Then, when they were all ready, and Verner, with the kindly politeness that distinguished him, had offered to escort Miss Gharteris, ehe suddenly remembered •something Very important that she had left undone. "Go on without mc," she said to Lady Darner; "I will folio* you— not be long." . . And Ledy Demer, as she went, thought there wae something strange about her sister.

Lord iSt. Alhans ihad made himself happy—he had secured Rose all to himself. The sound of their pleaeant voices and toappy laughter made music in the clear, soft summer air. Verner walked by Lady Darner's side. "Why is thw .particular tree called the King's Cedar?" he asked. "All, Mr. Elrter. there ere so many legends at Avonwold —I believe that this is the reaeon vrliy I love the place co dearly. The etory is, that Charles the 1 Second was under many obligations to the then Lord Dawer of Avonwold, and that, after hie restoration, he came here to Avonwold to thank him. The magnificence and beauty of this cedar tree struck 'the merry monarch, , and he suggested Junch underneath its shade. He was instantly obeyed; and, seated there, Charles 6tua*rt filled a silver goblet with choice malmsey, and drank to the-health, prosperity, and happiness of the lords of Avonwold. -The legend ie that no branch of that tree will ever break until Avonwold is on the eve of some terrible misfortune.'.' "Then I, for one, hope it will never break/ said Verner, and Lady Darner laughed. . "I hope not. I hare not much fear. Thank heaven, our prosperity eeettis well founded-."" Then, after sortie minutes, they reached the cedar tree, and he, with all the fervour of an artist's soul, cried oat: "How beautiful! Oh, Lady Darner, that ie a picture!" I This famous cedar of Avonwnld is so well known to all lovers of trees, that there is no need to dwell upon its beauty. The little party all eat down under the fragrant ehade. , "I am sitting where (King Charles sat," said Lord St. Albans, "and* like him, t, say from my very heart, peace, , happiness and prosperity to the Darners of Avonwold." Then "Verner, who had been eeked to read, and had chosen Milton's "Masque of Comus," began. It ie feared that neither Rose nor LoTd St. AJbane paid the attention due to euch j a grand poera;\they were faefc drifting to the shores of Fairyland; but Lady Darner was delighted. Something in the sound of that voice i>rousht back her youth, lulled her into Une sweetest dreams, awoke thoughts in ...t heart that hadtlong been froze* and .uc.id. She looked up at him aa fee paused.

"Mr. Efeter," she eaid, "where can I have heard your voice before? It eo'unfc to mc like a strain of half-forgotten music."

j ' ! I cannot tell," he replied, looking at her in wonder.

Her beautiful face was full of emotion I"er eyes full of tears.

"There are chance resemblances," he eaid, "in voices, and in faces, that move 'us strangely. Perhaps you have heard a voice like mine. Voices bound bo differently in speaking and in reading." "I do not know." she answered. 'It js like the chime of ibells I heard when

was a child. Never mirtd my interruption, Mr. Eister; pray pardon it. Go on 'with 'Comus.'"

"Surely," he said, struck toy her sad face, "eurely you, Lady Darner, so radiant, so bright, so happy: surely you have no sorrowful memories V"

"Why Should I have?" 6he asked in a brighter tone.

"I do not'think," eaid the yoting man bravely, "there can be a greater misfortune than to have' a life all darkened by a shadow in youth."

i "Xo stich shadow rest 3on mc," she said-, and mother and eon looked almost lovingly in each other's face. ; Ah. if they had but known the truth.

"Auntie fe a long time." said Rose, "ho whe very much attached to' Mi?s Charteris, and Lord St. Albans felt jeal cus that she should notice the abscnM of anyone else while lie wae present.

In the meantime Mfcs Charteris had not found her task co easy, ft docs not efrem a difficult matter to enter a stranger's rooifh and take anything from it. but when ehe came to piit the idea into practice she found the task by no means so simple as it looked. She liuiried upstairs at once, and caw, as she went to fier own room, that the door was open.

There was no need to look inside, for she heard the servant at work.

She remained in her own room, listen ing until she heard the maid going away, then she hastened in, feeling horrible guilty—her heart beating, her 'land* cold, her limbs trembling. She—Hope Charteris—felt like a thief in her siater'fi house. She stood in the middle of th° room, looking around; she had almost toped to see the green purse lying on the table, but there was no sign of it. Then she started, and a coli". perspiration broke out on her brow, for ehe heard the door open. If it rshould be Verner, oh, heaven! -what should she saY;

She hardly had strength to turn; but it was only Jane, the housemaid, come back for something; she hud loft behind her.

(To be continued cl<ilCy.t