STARVED HEARTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 162, 11 July 1925, Page 34

STARVED HEARTS.

Sf MILDRED BARBOUR.

CHAPTER XltlX. A Trump CMd. Madelon gave a little cry 6t joy Wher she recognised Barbara in the swathed figure. "Oh, I'm co glad you're cornel I wai afraid Uncle Stephen Would take yd* away before I could advise a way oi seeing you again." Barbara put aside her enveloping wraj wth an unsteady hand. Her pallor waa intense, And her purple black eyes wer< sadder than Madelon had ever Seen them "I couldn't go without saying good-bye We're leaving in the morning. Btephei is seeing to the reservations now, el» I'd never have dared to come . . Oh, Madelon, I'm such a coward!" Madelon took her arm and drew he) into the sitting room. "We're all cowards with Untile Ste phen. He's a regular Borgia. Has he beei hateful to you because of mc?" Barbara shook her head. "Not mot. so than usual." She turned to Chandler Who had stood by Silently after his firs freetihg. "Madelon has told you What appericd?" He bowed assent. "In timo he may come to look a things differently," she said hopefully. "Sometimes he changes. Not often, it i. true, but it is worth hoping for at least isn't it?" "I Bhould fancy that it might be," he agreed. "Mr, Lane is reputed to be verj wealthy indeed." "I wasn't thinking of the money," Barbara assured* him, flushing. "It is only that Madelon must feel terriblj alone to'be cut adrift from her famiij like this. Of course, she has youi" Sh( laid her hand on his ai_n appealingly "Oh, please be good to her," she pleaded "It shall be tny first consideration," he promised her. Believed, Barbara turned to Madelon and put her arms around her. "Good-bye. dear child. I shall miss you grievously I will pray for your happiness." Madelon clung to her a moment, and a little sob which she could not control closed her ( _ throat. Very gently, Barbara loosened her arms and gave Madelon over into Chandler's keeping. ( Above the girl's drooping head, her eyes implored .him, Then slipping into the Concealing folds of her wrap she murmured a low "good bye" and hurried away. Madelon clung to Chandler, her breath coming in tiny gasps as she sought to force back the tears. He held her tenderly, hia lips against her hair, but there was a preoccupied look in his eyes. Barbara hurrying through the corridors to her own Toom, hoped desperately, that Lane, had not returned. She would never be able to account satisfactorily for her absence. He would guess where she had been. With a little gasp of relief she noted that tho sitting room was still in darkness as she had left it. She stepped in, closed the door And snapped .on the light. Lane waft sitting in a chair by the window. The eyes he turned to her were Stony, expressionless. Her hand flew to her pounding heart. For a long moment he eyed her. "Is this.the way you obey mc?" "I—it—it—was stifling in here. I went out for a breath of air," she stammered. "You lie!" he said deliberately. "I know where you have been. Did you think you could fool mc so easily? Have the years of your association with mc taught you so little? By Heaven, I am almost glad that we have no child. Your stupidity would be an unwelcome heritage." A wave of crimson swept across her pallor, but she unwound and laid aside her wrap without comment. He smiled cruelly. "I wonder f you think you put much over on mc, Barbara?" "I have never . tried," she answered quietly. "No?" he leaned towards her, his eyes suddenly become hard and bitter. "And how about that affair with young Farley ?"- She went white to the lips, but her eyes met his unflinchingly. "There was no affair with Duane Farley." "You x don't have to tell mc that," he snarled suddenly. "You don't think I would be here—or you would be going back with me—if I believed there had been, do you?" She made no answer, and he repeated, "Do you?" "I suppose not," she answered dully, and then "How did you—what made you think that my acquaintance with Duane Farley could have been termed an •affair?'" f "That is beside the question. Sufficient to say that I have heard a few things from chance gossip. Little escapes the old man, eh, Barbara? Furthermore," he was watching her closely, "when I saw Farley in the lobby downstairs just now, I began to put two and two together." Her gasp of amazement was genuine. "In the lobby downstairs? Impossible." He nodded satisfaction. "Now," he shot at her suddenly. "Where were you? Visiting Madelon —or keeping a. rendezvous with Farley?" CHAPTER XXX. A Chance Meeting. Colour, like a crimson tide, flooded Barbara's face. "How can you, oh, how can you, believe anything co despicable of mc?" she demanded of Lane. "I didn't even know that Duane Farley was in Italy. Even now I don't believe that he is here. It's all a trick, a hoax you have invented to torment mc." He raised his brows at the suppressed emotion in her voice. His eyes were mocking—they seemed to Bay: "Ah, it is as I thought!" Barbara, pale, shadowlike, silent, was always beautiful; but Barbara with crimson cheeks and flashing eyes, proud, defiant, was bewilderingly lovely. Lane forced himself to an unwilling admiration of his young wife as she stood before him. He felt a twinge akin to jealousy. How vivid she was at- the mere mention of the younger man's name; how quickly the suggestion of his presence roused her from her apathy. "Control yourself, Barharai," he demanded mockingly. "You are making something very close to a scene. Be careful, or you "are likely to give yourself away!" / "- Her hands, which had been clenched convulsively against her breast, dropped to her side. The colour left her face and her. eyes darkened, "I have nothing to hide. I am going to tell you.the _ \ I could have loved Duane Farley. He would have brought mc all the life and warmth and happiness that you deny mc. But I sent him away before he oven suspected. -I have never seen .or'heard; from'him since." _ "A;prctty story," he commented with a'sneering smile. ■ ■•.*< ' , <• ."Jt ia. the truth,": she _vsaid quietly. He brushed her words aside and'rose. "It Is late. We're making an .early start ln the morning. You'd better "get -some<rest.''' ; - : . ~

He left her standing there, beset with I unanswered questions. Why had he brought up the subjesct of Duane Farley and left it uncompleted. Why had he taunted her, and yet not deliberately accused her Of treachery T What waa the meaning of Farley's presence here I Was ho really here T She paced the lioor restlessly. Sleep was impossible. Her heart WSS torn with conflicting emo--1 tions. There Was her love for Farley 1 and affection for Madelon. She wast having to tear both of them out of 1 hoi life. What a strange and terrible 1 thing Fats Wasl How it grasped one f with a giant invisible hand and crushed one to helpless pulp. HdW inexorable , was its will. She wondered if Farley could. possibly know of Madelon'a mari riage. What a curious coincidence that he should be brought to the very hotel Where She was spending her honeymoon. , I-tet thoughts spun round. and round ■ like a whirligig. She tried to stop them, to force herself to calm, but out success. : Later she found herself yearning for a glimpse of Duane Farley. Only a ■ glimpse. Just to see him from afar, to 1 note his splendid carriage, to hear the echo of his' voico. It was then she went j quickly to her own room and closed ttnd , locked tho door with trembling fingers. t For tlid fifSt time ih her life, she was , really afraid of her own desires. . _ Mftdeion, ifiearttin... had recovered her" spirits considerably. She had only to . think of the morrow .to be almost , happy, for to-morrow Stephen Lane . would bo taking her back to the East , and bondage, if it were not for Howard Chandler. She felt a gratitude toward her husband that was almost affection; ■ tlie doubts that had beset her earlier in the evening had vanished. When he suggested a drive to while away the long evening, she acquiesced eagerly, • arranging to meet him at the motor en- ' trance when.he brought the car around. 1 She was making Ih__ way through the , lobby, when her idle glance encountered , eyes vividly familiar. She stopped in amazement, the swift colour flooding her face, while Duane Farley made his way to her though the eddying crowd of , loungers. It was the fl/St time they had met since tho afternoon of her arrival from abroad. He took her extended hand in both of his and his eyes searched her face eagerly. He found 1 it lovelier than ever. "This is tho most unexpected happening of my life—and the nicest," he said. t "I had no idea you were here, though I heard you and—Mrs. Lane had come to Italy." Madelon withdrew her hand and hoped she didn't look as embarrassed as she felt. "And what brought you here," she asked. He came closer and the laughter left his eyes. "What chance have I to see you?' he said, ignoring her question. "Does tho ban against mc exist even out here " . , Madelon gasped. "Oh, don't you know! Haven't you heard? If-I'm married now!" CHAPTER XXXI. Disquieting Thoughts. "Married." Farley's amazement brought a smile to Madelon's lips. Her eyes flashed momentary mischief. "Your surprise is scarcely flattering. Is it so strange that I should marry?" He ignored her comment. "It can't— surely it isn't Juian Barton? He is still abroad." She shook her head. "I married Howard Chandler; I dare say you've never heard of him, but " "Howard Chandler! not the ■ ." - He checked himself quickly, but a peculiar expression crossed his face. "I once knew a chap by tbat name, but, of course, it's not likely to be the same one." "Something in his tone proved disquieting to Madelon. "It might be. Its trite but true that the world is small. , My husband declares he's a man without a country. Home, when he cares to call it so, is Honolulu." "Farley looked down at her gravely. "Then it must be the same man whom I met. He wouldn't remember mc. It was at two years ago." Madelon was uncomfortably aware of something amiss. Farley's strange manner frightened her, but she tried to shake it off, and said, with an assumption of lightness: "Then you know how attractive he is. Aren't you going to congratulate mc?" It flashed through her mind that there was sardonic humour in the situation—asking a discarded suitor to congratulate her upon her marriage with his successor. "I congratulate Chandler," answered Farley steadily. "He always was a lucky devil, as I knew him. Apparently the old adage regarding cards and love doesn't work with him." . 'TTou mean he was unlucky at cardat" she asked, puzzled. He gave a short laugh. "On the contrary, his luck was phenomenal. And he cleaned up a few fine stakes on the tables at Monte. Are you staying here long?" He changed the subject deftly. "I believe not. Howard, is anxious to be off to Honolulu, and now that Barbara is leaving ." She stopped suddenly and bit her lip, but his expression was unchanged. "I'm sorry that I didn't arrive earlier. I should like to have seen Mrs. Lane. You say she is leaving!" "In the morning. Uncle Stephen came to take her home." She added, with a light laugh: "Mc, he has cast into outer darkness, as you might well guess." He took a step closer, and his eyes were troubled. "You mean he objects to your marriage with Chandler?" "That would be easy to foretell, wouldn't it?" she asked, and flushed crimson at the veiled reference to the past. But he gave no evidence of understanding. "I am very, very sorry," he . said quietly. "Believe mc, I hope that you will find supreme happiness in your new life. It is a wonderful country— Hawaii." He held out his hand, smilingly, for farewell. In spite of herself, Madelon was slightly piqued. Of course it was relieving to find that she hadn't hurt him as much, as she thought she had when she had turned her affections to Julian Barton. But it was distinctly unflattering to discover that his, former love-for her was so completely dead that even her subsequent marriage could not rouse in him a flicker of regret. She did not realise that his smiling calm hid a vortex of disturbing emotions. / "It's been nice to see you," Madelon told him r sincerely. "It will likely be ■ long before we meet again. I shall not forget how kind you've always been." He still held her slim hand imprisoned in . his strong clasp, and for a moment he forgot to veil his eyes. "If you ever need mc ," he broke off, suddenly flushing. Those were the words with which he had parted from Barbara. ■ Was -he the sort" of bounder who was > always- going about offering cpnsolatioir to young "married women 1 JiiSt' asked.himself saypgely. _ ' .But in that flashing instant, Madelon realised that Duane Farley was far from ; indifferent toward her. . ' (Tb-oe continued daily;)