LITERTURE.

Bush Advocate, Volume V, Issue 354, 16 August 1890, Page 4

LITERTURE.

TBoilPTßßiill.4H(<ooi|fcinued,f) •t * of knowing your name, madam, owing to the^b»Mdi^%o|my|ei*|nt,| he said ' I jftn'* Itfs»6,-*ofi teouFrsefthat you are not Lady Sophia Hopeton. I amcMmed, however, Pray be seated '—and he waved his lo«g^hite ( fostrcf i® the idiwfdti dii 'of « a chair— •andUfctl'inotiM'Cdn be of any service to you. and to what I oSOTtt* i thisi- ttfrlbdfcetUi for visit. Though lam ignorant of your name, I— vMO'-'X c Alas ! that you should be, bir Giles,' &\«Wera&« Ws o^aknown visitor. l And —and" when you do know it I-Fftel sHke ycto| will be very mucb^ir-{»ri*«f fio|&i»g the diamond fly that fastened her dainty btfiM Mfli Ystf ought to Ifave* krfoSvh 'ifc^to have known me, loaffago, Sir Giles ; it isn't my fajfejSwtWll assure you.' trgs -Bhot % keen, 'cruel- glance '/ at her out of his Ms 4f-i<k*qyes. ♦ It's some time since your charming sex have showed themselvfls eager for my acquaintance, though in years gone by 1%-d nfcjreason to complain ofthlir t&ktrvjeM,' he said, with an evil smile. • Tell me , your nUni^?a?VAadJr,^d misiiohi} ItlWcrflfel'tb keep'ei-en'an old man Hk^roWiin Bttepehse.''"" ;(| '" "' '- ■ ♦Dear me! Bii" ( 6iles,' replied Anita, for she it was, ' I am afraid -.If^wnßWou^learn'Watl my name really is that you— you'll be angiy.' .WIH.4K * Angry ! Impossible, my dear lady,' he replied,, with another keen look at her, a look not unmixed with a scornful sort of .adiniratiop. for Anita, flushed wMM^o^iess/ and dressed to perfection, was looking, in M^M^tM^ , v ?, 7 well. f noi!feaHWo, H my« child. I_l'm old enough to be your father. I adore youth arid^rfauty, especially fresh, young beauty '—again a BC«MQly'llWQ«|tfftd e sneer— 'such as jfetii. Yin m/y speak to me without fear, What ! tears? 1 For at the risen to Anita's eyes. ' What have I said to hurt you, my dear lady % There— there ! believe me I am your friend,, you,r f jprotef/n 1 ;, f Xpn my f cbAfiae")i> me»l <Esej i;almf-(y;ou may trust in me.' „...„.«,.•. JHgltWßMet'li'aM'linlbnA' >of*hts as he spoke, and gently patted it as he peered inquisitively into her face. curious resemblance m the snarp, wizened face, so like, and yet so unlike, to" Geoffrey's struck her with a sudden pang. '¥<mm>P :are'frPep!:hyii— you remind me so of him, she faltered. *Of him ! Of whom V asked Sir (^,,s^ttan^y,; the^rp ( re|!ty/ Ijt^ woman's agitation and real terror beginning, to .interest Jiim. „ <Of~of ! G6offr^. 'Oh ! ( forgive me. How -how can I tell you,' she replied, all -her stock of selfpossession on which she had so confidently *cpnnt^di ? te^ua /he| <*' $ir j&ifesfs^&JTO "P W^l !><#» hand" as if "a serpent had stung him. ')}]■■/, i:^:\\ ♦Is it to my son, Geoffrey Hetheiingyptu yWi; ffltfLtft Have you atf^-^anjr csaW of 'cbfnplaint against m^ * sked ' in a voice cold and cutting as B J?b8io-%BiWat,aKtf b» wlii 1 he should be j the best, the most generous,' she interrupted. ; Ah ! that is a great and glorious quality, that last. I felicitato.Oteof-l frey on possessing your good opinion on that point,' said ta^iftlcl! man, sarcastically. ' Well, fair lady, proceed ; my time is muc^ occupied at present, aud him!— in fact, lam expecting friends^fclady— to arrive at any moment, and your presence here migji^errt^ut, of course, you understand.' ,<,&)&&> nodded knowingly. Anita blusKed crimson over cheek and bßgifrKjiiX „ • That is just what Geoffrey is always saying's; Hhe cried, bitterly. IHe is ashamed of me ; does not scruple to let me:. knemKi that his great relations would be ashamed of Vne, and— ' .- a<iio ;• J Sir Giles shrugged his shoulders. 'What would you . liaVe/ t"-?m^ ! dear?' he replied, sarcastically. • The ladies of our, circle in Society are exclusive;' particular, excessively so and;! dare^^hc^.hay,^ their roasonstqr. ocnig,so, : Geoffrey: inay , sn'piv : moie P . sens.Q in j .what, he says. than you are aware of. Ypun.^ lows can't afford to introduce even such a charming friend as you to their legitimate relations, you know.' . Anita stai^jiipjanjgijily. ' Who do you take 'me for, Sir Giles V she. cried, lq%, , ,■, .r, 7; iwoe^l, thif. j.(d , man ; ' I have been wai'i ing all this time for you to enlighten me as to that. I don't go much into the world now, and may be mistaken ; bub «a few year - ago I. 1 Was : not ■so muc^of a-ire&lasßj'-and '^1 never for- ; get<b^aoe)' Hadnjot t«h years 1 elapsed since I visited the Lyric, I should ; have said you were Mademoiselle Anita, the pretty, little actress who made her hebut ai a soubrettc in-r-Ah ! I ,a,«i "ghti am ! »°^f ty i l 1^ ! Madppiiislbllo/Awftjr, I:attiidol^hted to make your acquaintance, and catypalj&jegrefc-H'- < a , ' . ;1 iK -j y.x / • Stop !' she cried, turning pale her eyes flashing, 'you are

h'ght.. I was -A mtii the actress, but 1 am not an actress, now, nor — " ' I Sir Giles bowed with sarcastic politeness. I ' J^ar.',she> r pontinueoL. fixed, ,hflr moiselle Anita any longer.' I A sudden ygan¥e^.am over Sir IGiles' proud, scornful iace. a momeill together in it, then the old look returned ; it calmed down 'again, and with a gesture he bade Anita continue. -■• . • Pray reveal your identity, my clear madam,' he said, wearily. ' I ! am dying to know it. How-^ whafc aieyou to my son Q-e&Wey, » fotf instance V t The insult of t^P g[ueston roused her thoroughly. 1 1 am your,son's wife Sir Giles.' shsf]#tJ]ie"dHfifrii#.* )l came here to-day to tell you go and to demand my rights.' There was a silence for a few moments between them. Sir Giles had fallen back inio his arm-chair speechless ; Anita, having spoken thedatal words> ityembledt ew : m#4/J /I f / A I ! f Your proofs V said the old man at last, in a'auiet voice. 4 «,-p f -T 9 * fLti(i letters,' which he examme^. card 7 bow. ( So,', he said, ' then I have the houour >j)f jsJsea;kin!( W^! f¥ ade " moisello ' Anita, the 'charming actress, but to my^ daughter-in-law, bhe lovely Mrs Hetherin^ton, the future mistress of the Priory, and thfr wfte of my : only - £ti\i ■ ''' Yovi • aV6 right, my dear. Geoffrey should have iimiofluced; you Mot his' ia'niily, :to me, sooner.' ; .^hen^^u^are not/ angry,' <with/ Ime for coming V said Anita, Igiieatbr relieved, by the <of i 'Quite the coiitrary/ 'tarn delighted, hugely gratified. r l y wish ;I had 'Vm I #>' he 'answered. ' I must scold Geoffrey 'when we meet for having kept jme in ignorance 7 «'of his fortune and the honour you had done us '.HetKeti nWnfe lj i<s rfqp > tog) * do.i.iV b Where liave ydu ' b'eeii Kiding yourselves^ .all,, this time ? IComo, tell ■ tlie Old iiian everything.' ', •!'A.iiii ! »<Sir 1 -'%i!e3' i $ie\v •• l a r '"-b'tiair { close to -^iis ' 6vtii ' hiM [ ■ ihotioned to .Anita to seat herself beside jhim. ,Hi9'>wT j Deceived, her terror lulled to Isleep by the softness of hjs^on^and imanner, Anita poured f6fth the tale jof her marriage and her married life, ;her woes, the monotony b( her exisitence, her aspfrafcions aftei; what she jtermed 'A higher life/ "her ambijtious hopes for the future ; and the ■old baronet listened with the same icold, cunning smile on his thin lips las they had w.qr : nf,.\v.hen she first fentered his presence, till she Istopped her confidences from sheer iwant of breath 'to speak any 'longor. ( t ! <Y)id Geoffrey, 1 my son, send you ihere to-day V he asked, when she 'was silent: •!:!;! j 1 ]Sfo— oh 1 no, Sir Giles/ she re-pli^.-;,;jie|-.thinks 1 am safe at SlionW in my lonely little room at iSydnenham. I, don't know what ibeen down here, he so absolutely ■'forbid it; but !^ to^v it was the jproper thing to do— to toll you. It shall be half "i afraid to meet jGcoff and tell him when I get Ihomenr^eap^elVT-' !>;;Mic f ' : « ' i And she latched affectedly. ' (To he continued.)