A TARDY WOOING.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9105, 30 May 1906, Page 2

A TARDY WOOING.

By CHARLBS W. HATHAWAY,

CHAPTER XXI.

A hint was given to Sir Jasper not to be so liberal in his supplies the first time Cyrilla went to bun for a cheque for her own o©e. She oould not go into the country without half a dozen of the newest and freshest of costumes wherewith to dazzle Mrs Pembnry and Harold's country neighbors.

Cyrilla would fain have left her mother at home, for her vulgarity was a greater trial to the beauty than the fussy pomposity that often made Sir Jasper the laughingstock of those who knew his antecedents.

But she knew Harold too well to propose this. Indeed, the invitation had been, given on Lady Dartison's account', and she must console herself with the thought that, until thoroughly convalescent, her mother could be kept out of sight.

Wynnie insisted on being allowed to pay a hurried visit to Linda, whom she found looking thin and- ill in her widow's mourning. But Mrs Ayden was with her, all anxiety do prove her regret for the past by -her affectionate- attentions to her youngest daughter ; and the spinsters were as kind as it was in their nature to be. "Although they are very good to me } I shall not be abie to stay here,"" Linda whispered, when they were left -together for a few minutes. "This house has too many sorrowful recollections attached to it. I have been offered apartments ia a pretty, old-fashioned cottage a few miles from London, rented by an artist and his wife, who were the first to encourage me to perseveTe. They think that I shall be able to earn enough by my work to support myself and Tepay by degrees the sums my poor mother and sisters were induced to part with. When, you can be spared, Wynnie, you must come baok to me, for I no longer prefer to lave alone." Ere they parted she clasped the girl in her earns, kissing her fervently. "Ah, you don't know how much I owe you! When you came here, the knowledge that those around me shrank from coming in contact with their miserable "asters and regarded her as a maniac, was driving me to desperation. But when you had no fear of me, and I saw that your pity was stronger than your terror, I took courage again"

Not a word was said of the wily scoundrel who had only wedded a confiding girl that he might grasp her money, and who, when he found' that by no cajolery could she be induced to lend' herself to his dishonorable schemes, had treated her with the greatest barbarity. Her forgiveness was too complete. Henceforth her wrongs were never to be dwelt upon — never named.

She insisted on presenting Wynnie with a couple of the simple but tasteful dresses that had formed part of her trousseau, and gave her, besides, many pretty additions for her toilet in the shape of ribbons and lace. Wynnde'e pride was not hurt by gifts from one who loved her so well, and she went back to Chislehurst with a lighter heart. Linda would gradually regain her spirits and resume her painting with renewed vigor; and as soon as Lady Darfeison was quite Tecovered, how delightful to join her at her new home, to wait upon her, to work for her, to share her pleasure when her pictures sold well, or to -cheer her if she had disappointments to endure. By dint of some strategy, CyriHa oon- : trived to keep Chris Kennett in ignorance of their projected' visit to the Towers turtah the day before it took place; and them, ' although he hung about the ho-use far I hours, she made hex packing an excuse for keeping her room till he. went sullenly away. But as soon as a peep from behind her curtains showed her that he . had really departed, her mind misgave her. It would have been wiser to have propitiated him, and she rang for a footman to recall him. However, the servant was busy and did not heed the summons, and ere she could) recall it the iron gates had clanged behind the retreating form, and her evil genius had passed out of sight. Lady Bartison, who was really much' weaker than either her- husband or her daughter believed her to be, was so irritable when fairly en route for the Towers, that, when the carriage deposited her at the station from which they were to travel Sir Jasper made letters of importance an excuse for getting into another compartment, whither his daughter followed him. Her Ladyship cried outright when she found that she was thus deserted, and bemoaned herself to her pitying companion till, £rom sheer exhaustion), she fell asleep. This happened just before they came in sight of the Towers, and Wynnie was free to gaze her fill at the fine old man-

sum. It stood on the summit of a well-wooded slope; its principal tower a landmark for miles of broad, fertile country. Never had she seen so beautiful a place, and when she followed Lady Daxtison into the hallj whither Harold supported her tottering steps, she stopped short, all else forgotten in her awe and delight. rThere was no finer relic of Baronial times than the Banqueting hall of the Outrams with its exquisite eta/ined glass, tapestried hangings, old arms and armour, and the huge fireplace in which logs were piled on the curiously carved dog-irone, to glow a ruddy welcome to the chilled and weary travellers.

Harold Outram, glancing ot©t tub shoulder, caught sight of Wymtie's delighted face, and -was more gratified 1 than by the eulogies of Cyrilla and her father. Indeed the -way Sir Jasper strutted about, criticising some things and commending others, made fab host bite his lips freqneniJy, sometimes in annoyance, sometimes to restrain his mirth.

But Lady Dartison was too much fatigued to look at anything. Seeing this, Mrs Pembury kindly led the way to the room prepared for her, and there left her to the cares of her daughter.

These were not very willingly given; Cyrilla was in a hmry to change her dress that she might go down andi make a closer inspection of some of the pictures and bric-a-brac; but it was not till long after, when her ladyship's querulous complainings were hushed in slumber, that Wynnie was able to steal away also, and, opening a door pointed out by an obliging servant, found herself in the terraced garden on the south of the mansion.

The moon shone softly on the greensward and statues, the flowering shrubs and masses of ivy climbing up the trelliswork that shut in. this sheltered spot, beyond and below which lay the quaint, oldfashioned garden and bowered walks al Iways known as the lady's pleasaunce.

Down -the steps of the terrace Wynnie ventured, and into one of these shady walks whence she could look back at tbo house with all its long, narrow windows lit up till it was like one of the my3tic palaces of a fairy legend.

How beautiful it was! How worthy cf its master ! And he would bestow ~"t on Cyrilla— happy Cyrilla. She would net envy the beauty, because he loved her, yet her tears fell so fast that she Mas ashamed' of herself for 6hedding them

Almost unconsciously she turnpd lwr back upon the house and walked on and on, till, remembering Lady Dartteon might wake and miss her, she began, to retrace her steps.

And 'now she grew nervous becaiae of the silence and the darkness, and scm-e>y knew whether to be afraid or relieved wßen the aroma of a \cigarette floated toward her, and she knew- by the firm fcotfall that Harold Outram was drawing near.

Cyrilla had not spent a pleasant evening. She did 1 not feel at home with Mrs Pembury, although that lady's polite efforts to amuse the guests were unfailing. She fancied there was a look of dissatisfaction in the widow's eyes whenever they rested on her, and wished she had not'insisted on wee/ring the bright uowers and ornaments Pauline had objected to as not quiet enough for a home dinner. As for Sir Jasper, fee had contrived to make his daughter tingle with mortification' by treating Mrs Pembury as a mere hou;ekeeper, and at as early ,an. hour as possible Cyrilla pleaded fatigue and went to her room. Then Harold made his escape to the garden with his cigar, for he, too, had discerned that while Mrs Pembury did justice to the beauty of his Betrothed, sne was keenly alive to her deficiencies, and he preferred to avoid her till, as he told h-mself, she knew Cyrilla ; better and could do her justice. Not willing to be found here, especially by him, Wynnie drew back into the deepest shadows, there to remain till he '.lad

passed iby.

For a moment he stopped and, baring, his head, looked upward at the pale blue sky, the moonligfit falling softly on the features already but too- firmly impressed on her memory. And then he sighed, and folded his arms across his chest. Was there a bitter drop in his cup, despite all the advantages fortune had lavished on him? Was he beginning to discover thai Cyrilla was not all his fancy had painted her? — not the kind of woman with, whom he could pass his life happily? ; Whatever the cause of the depression hanging over him, it was not to Be shaken off; and he sighed again as he paced slow-

ly down the bowered walk, passing so close to the hidden girl that she could have extended her hand and touched him. But she was looking beyond him, for she had

seen a man, whose steps were noiseless,

come swiftly dowm the walk yinv in pursuit of the unconscious Harold. She saw him raise the heavy stick he carried, and, with a wild shriek and outstretched arms, she sprang forward. , 1 She knew that she threw 'herself between him and his pray ; that she tried to grasp the descending bludgeon ; and then there must have been a blank, for she remembered nothing more. (To be continued.)