A MAD BETROTHAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5627, 11 September 1889, Page 4

A MAD BETROTHAL.

[BY LAURA JEAN LIBBY.]

CHAPTER 11. (Continued).

He had encountered the old music-mas.ter coming irom the college, one afternoon, and | then and there tho plan shaped itself in his mind. If there was one accomplishment the dashing: captain possessed abovo all others, it was a genius for music. He put it to use now, and it served his purpose well. It will never be known just how he accomplished his object. The professor of music was nroud and poor—whether the fifty-dollar note the captain offered him, just to bo allowed to take his place for one day, was too much of a temptation to be resisted, or whether ho allowed himself to be persuaded into it—the fact remains, that he did agreo to it, and the time came, in the after years, when he cursed himself for it, and would have given his life, almost, to undo that wretched act of folly; for it was the first step that led to a bitter tragedy. No ono would have recognised, in the sedate appearing gentleman—(whose face was concealed by the blue glasses he wore) —and who presented himself in the professor's place at the college, armed with a letter, asking that he might act in his stead for that day—no one would have recognised in him the dashing young captain. As the young ladies filed into the musicroom, he had little difficulty in singling out pretty Nadino at onco. Ho could not resist tho impulse to seize a pencil and dash off an impassioned note, begging her to see him, if for but five minutes, by tho sycamore tree in tb» rear grounds at noon. Ho had tossed it dexterously into her lap as he passed her, but not so quickly but that tho lynx-eyed madams' saw it, and suppressing a cry, sprang forward, and captured it at onco. And as Nadine had expressed it, there was a scene that beggars description. In a twinkling the captain found himself ignominiously routed, and there was nothing for it but to beat a hasty retreat, and that, too, before Nadino had even learned his name.

The next day Nadine was grimly informed that he had left Deepdalo. Rebellious little Nadine had retorted in bitter chagrin, setting them all atdefianco by declaring, if he had not gone, that she would certainly have seen him, just for pure spite. And that waß how. the letter happened to ho sent to the Judge, and Nadine had followed it by running away from school. " Sho is more like a fiery, untamed little savage than anything else I can compare her to," groaned the madame, when they found the rope dangling from her window to the ground the next morning, showing which way and how she bad made her exit. The room was empty ; the bird had flown. " I shall not take her back again unless sho asks my pardon on her knees for this -jsoapade." That showed how little she really understood wilful, rebellious Nadine's nature. Captain Osmond had not left the place, as they supposed ; but when he heard the story of Nadme's fight he made up his mind instantly to follow her to Uplands.

CHAPTER 111. " EVDJENTHt A FATAL MISTAKE HAB BEEN MADE." Maud Dorchester and her mother talked the matter over long and earestly when they reached their own rooms.'

" Now, after all our plotting and planning. Nadino is home again," said Maud, bitterly. " I do wish we could think of same means to keep her out of the way until I catch a rich husband. No one will give me the second look when she is near." "It is a terrible disadvantage to have two beautiful girls in the same house," sighed Mrs Dorchester; " but what can we do, Maud? We must live hero on your uncle's bounty until you marry. I never jrive up the hope that you can win Gilbert Wethereil yet." The girl's face flushed a burning red.

" He is tho only man I havo ever seeu whom I could really love, mamma," she said, huskily; " but he has eyes and ears for no ono but Nadino. When we are together, he will talk of nothing—no one else—until I fairly despise the sound of the name. Mamma," —and she took a step nearer her, and laid a little, white, trembling hand on her arm—"you must find soino means of keeping them apart. If she won him from me 1 should hate her through life!"

Mrs Dorchester was terribly shocked. A thunderbolt from a clear sky could not have appalled her more than this startling discovery. She never dreamed before that her daughter loved Gilbert Wetherell. Such a passionate avowal of the true state of her feelings bewildered her. What would happen to her beautiful, brilliant daughter if sho failed to win the love sho craved? She looked 'amxiouslv- at Sclutxd, standing there by the lace-draped windows, with the June sunshine falling about her. Ihe girl did not blush nor avert her face ; she showed nono of the sweet, natural confusion that a young girl feels when sho first speaks tc her mother on that most delicate of all subjects—her love affairs. And Mrs Dorchester realised that Maud's was a dangeious love.

She made it a point to plead hard with her brother-in-law that evening to send Nadino back to school at once.

" She is here now, and she may as well stay to tho archery party Maud is to have this week," ho declared. " After that event, she shall be sent back."

There was no help for it, so Nadine stayed, much to Maud's chasrrin.

Two days later, tho little village was thrown into a state of great excitement by the sudden announcement that tho " Willows " —a palatial mansion which had been closed for long years, and left to isolation, dust and crumbling decay—was let at last, and its occupant, a young and single man, with a troop of servants, had already taken possession of it. Thohe who had seen tho young master oi the '•'Willows," as he stepped from the cai on the night he arrived, gave glowing descriptions of bis dark, haughty face, with the rich, kingiy beauty of a Greek god. All the pretty village maidens were " just dying to catch a glimpse of him," as they quaiutly phrased it. But handsome strange*! in no hurry to satisfy tho hungry JuWiFgaze. " Shall we send him a card to the archery party ?" queried Nadiue of Maud. '' There are so few really nice youug men in the village, and if he is to be our neghbor, il wouldn't be polite to slight him. What h his name ?" •' Captain Osmond," said Maud. The curd was sent, and a graceful acknowledgement and acceptance was received "the next day from the handsome stranger. The archery grounds in the rear of the villa were elaborately decorated for the occasion. It was a novel and pretty sight when they were all out in the grounds, the gentlemen iv dress coats, and tho young girls all robed alike in their archery suitswhite mull, gathered to the waist, and with only a plain hem at the bottom, boasting oi neither overskirts nor frills—with a golden girdle about thoir slender waists, to which tos attached a gilded chain with a rcleptacle for the arrows. They weio all out on tho grounds when 3aptain Osmond made his appearance. He vaß the only gentleman present who appeared in a uniform. Nadine had not observed him. She was tending talking with Gilbert Wetherell, rith her back turned toward the entrance ate when he arrived. Gilbert had but greeted her, and would aye still kept the little white hand imrisoned in his, but Nadine drew it petumtly away. Ho looked wistfully at her—this bright, switching girl for whom ho would have „n content to give up the whole world, he ved her so well. " You do not seem glad to sre mo ad:ne," he said, slowly—" are you ?" ' Sho laughed a guy, merry, roPiekinjr ugh that made him flush to the very roots his waving-hair. " Of course I am," she ropliod, her great ick eyes twinkling roguishly ; " but you n't expect me to go into raptures over v, do yout"' A smile came to the grave lips that were t given to over-much smiling. 11 Not exactly," ho replied, "but I uld be glad if you were to show a little re preference for my society. Promise you will let mo be your escort to the onlight yachting party to-night, Nae," he went on eagerly. " You nO not use ?" ' You were very dull at the last yachting ty," she declared. " Would you prove 1 this time?" 'I hope not," ho said with a strange 10. "I should like you to think that eh I havo to talk to you about this aing more interesting than anything . have ever heard before." What will it be about f" she asked, dering at his earnrst tone. It will be about you and myself," he wired. hen he paused abruptly, for she turned face no frankly toward him ho saw she not the faintest idea of his meaning. Then it cannot be very interesting," me replied, with a toss of her dark leu ho saw her catch her breath with a k.gasp, and a burning blush, like the fc of a wild rose swept over her lovely and, following her gaze, he observed aiu Osmond, whom ho had met a day .before, standing under an adjacent nore tree, talking to Maud Dorclie ;ter. r"ou have not given me your answer j Nadine," he urged. "May Ibe your j t on the drive to and from tho lake ?" (TO be continued.) I