EVE'S CRUEL SISTERS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XII, Issue 1754, 30 September 1899, Page 4

EVE'S CRUEL SISTERS.

J. 4- ■ Chapter IV. (Continued.) When Sir Gerald had assisted the three sisters to alight from the carriage, he walked on by the ride of Eve ; and D'Arcy fell in with his desire by hanging back on some pretext and keeping Julia with her, greatly to that young woman's annoyance. Eve in her self-absorption and unsuspiciousness, a&v. nothing m the little manoeuvres. She looked very fair and sweet and fragile as she wandered on by tha side of the Baronet. Many eyes were turned towards them in r dmiration aa they passed, and Sir Gerald felt a thrill of poraona* pride in the willing apI probation with which the fastidious Parisians viewed his diinty companion. Her white gown, which was simply yet perfoctly made, enhanced her child-like beauty. He thought he had never seen her look ao fair. She waa also a little more animated than her wont, for ■•hey were discussing music — a subject which aha lovad. ' You have been very unkind not to sing for us once during all this long pilgrimage,' Sir Gert.ld was telling hor. ] •' But how did you know that I could aing ? I always meant to ask you that,' Eve said, with a naivete which the Baronet thoroughly enjoyed. ' I heard you once, Misa Eve, long ago, in Paradise '. he declared with mock seriousness. ' In Paradise !' the girl exclaimed, a little shocked and puzzled. ' Perhaps I am wrong ; it may have been the Garden of Eden. Do you not remember ?' There was something in the Baronet's tone and in the expression of his eyes which made the girl feel shy and uncomfortable. ' I .do net understand. I am afraid you are laughing at me,' she said. 1 No, indeed !' he assured her vehemently. ' I am only telling you the truth in a whimsical fashion. I was in Paradise when I heard that exquisite voice of yours singing that day in the choir of the old church at Drayton. I have never forgotten it — I am never likely to do so.' ' I shall become, quite vain if , you flatter me so outrageously, Sir Gerald !' Eve deolared, with a nervous little laugh. ' Well, you could afford to enceurage a little vanity, only No ; on second thoughts, it might spoil the perfection of a nature I have never known any approach to in another of your sex.' He spoke with an earnestness which Eve could not parry ; so she tried to ignore it. ' D'Arcy will be thinking that I have gone far enough,' she said. Even at that serious moment the young man could not forbear a smile at the double meaning which

— -■- ■' tbe simple remark might fee made XXx'Sx^ to convey. He knew very X well '.yXXXX x^h that D'Arcy would havo no ground yXyZZZM of complaint, against her sister for AA 5 y-^£' the length of their walk- .', . 'SX A» ' Oh, do not. go back yet !' he ■'■_ X '-- ~ X'WX cried disappointedly. ' - A. '"'.-. *>"' ' I think I must,' she returned.,;:; AS: shyly, but firmly. ' ...;-, '. '-X.S- ZU ' Well, on one condition ! yWill:. [X you promise to sing for maAwhen-;' ...-,.<."• ySyXk we get back to Drayton ?' "••" ':*. SX oy'A -•"-; Eve hesitated. She dislik.ed gfary ' Ay ing tbe promise, yet, after f all iI SnV ; \"y X Gerald's kindness, she felt'it'wdSld . 4 be very ungracious to refusarAed . '"-' simple a request. ' Tho Baronet '.-.A seemed about to speak. It waa y really fear of what might .be coin*., '-"/',; ■_.) ing next that mado her -accede to "'"- -*_;;'* his request. Then 1 after ''shrf-j-'ad'^*- ' A A given her word, she was tormenMd*' \ ' by a feeling, that she had mer«l^ ' 'AA! ;5 postponed the evil day, and ' that * ','./ ao simple a promise would only add ', 'jv, to her difficulties aud hia sufEenu'jjr. ; . ,' „..i However, ahe hurried ■ back ,-.},»,■ . A\ her sisters, and for the present felt, herself safe with them. ■■'■>■;_■.: ,'i. Eve's distress of mind would ;> -- have been very much increased _„ could she have known that thßrS; Xi had been an unseen and. u_a^'.^A. +; pected witness to that little- s^fae' 'y oetween her aud the Baronet^i^yy a strange chance Mark Weyjcaan was present in the Bois v He Waa . •' lounging idly on a bench itf'tlie shade of tha' trees when, looking down one of the leafy glades, fi* suddenly beheld his Tpsi 1 little A-. sweetheart aiid hor new admirer."." ' 'What — a second time! .That, fallow is going in to win !' he told himself, with au angry impracation. > 'There is an air of proprietorship about him already. As for Eve, I wonder if she •» oiild wince if she knew that that shy sweet look of hars iuto his face had sent me straight to the deuce ? There is neither htart nor conscience id women '.' . •■ Ho rose and strolled away „tp;: wards tho city, , where ior soma A A weeks the gayest haunts flaw his. : handsome haggard face only too frequently. TobteorUiiiued ' i'l . *'■■■-!.' -"N