A SPLENDID SILENCE.

Mataura Ensign, 23 April 1913, Page 7

A SPLENDID SILENCE.

[Published by Special Arrangement.]

ALICE MAUD MEADOWS.

Author of "A Million of Money," "The Dukedom of Portsea," ''The House at the Corner," "1 Charge You Both," "One Life Between. Etc., CHAPTER XXV. It was more than natural, prrhaps, under the circumstances, that Douglas Havener and his wile should feel something very like disiuclination to return home. Where, to a certain exten , Ye.-a had expected to resign, another woman would be queening it. "here Douglas had he would bo still looked upon as heir, he would now most certainly be only heir-presumptive. Hisup fie—a vigorous man of only a little over what is generally looked upon as middle age, had married a young, beautiful and apparently healthy woman the chances were 10 to one m favor of his Ix'ing ousted from the Earldom, wh eh his uncle had always insured him Would some day be his. Still, even a, honeymoon must come to an end, ana Douglas and Vera were at last expected at the Castle, to which the earl and his bride, after a very briof stay at his Scottish residence, had returned. Truth to tell, the Countess had round the uninterrupted society of her elderlv husband somewhat trying. Ho was an elderly man. deeply in love, and his blandishments and perpetual love-mak-ing were anything but to her liking; added to this, she had achieved a great position*'and was more than anxious to piay tlw <*reat lady of the county. She had mapped out her course oj conduct in her clever mind. She would make herself beloved at all events by her household. She would be kind and considerate; but at the same time she would play the great lady to the manner born." . Whether the county was talking—and she was cute enough to know that it most certainly was; whether folk were asking. Who is 6he. Where did she come frojn? and all the rest of it—and, of course, they were—her demeanor would show no knowledge or suspicion of it. By no hint in her behaviour would she show that she believed an explanation of v her past was expected of her; and the county would dlli upon the new Countess of Northborough.—oi course, that was a foregone conclusion, , . And the county did, and found the ftevf countess unutterablv charming, luu of fun, life and clever conversation. Whoever she had been, she- gave not the very slightest hint that anyone expected or desired any account of the years that were behind her, and she gave none. "I believe she is all right, the old Duchess of Clairburgh said to her daughter, Lady Clarabel Wilston, as their carriage rolled away from Northborough Castle. "A nobody always tries to imprests others that they are somebody. The new countess takes it for granted that we are in no way doubtful of her—and, really, I for one am not. Champneya is a good name, a very good name, and no doubt—one «an see it from her beauty even—she comes of good stock." About five o'clock in the afternoon Douglas and Vera were expected at the Castle. The beautiful young countess had insisted upon triumphal arches, general decoration, music, and so on. Their home-coming should be just what it would have been had she not married the^earl. "I do- not want it to make any difference to them that I am here, dearest," she said. "I want them to come home just as they would had you not been so silly as to fall in lovo with me. I shall have to take my own. place, of course, as reigning counteea. That is only just to you, but I do want Mrs Davener to feel she and her husband are quite welcome. Later on I daresay they will prefer to make a home of their own away from the Castle, but for the present they can, of course, stay here •43 our guests." The earl said little. But he anticipated the homecoming of his nephew ,an<d niece with considerable trepidation. He had always told Douglas that he would be his heir; had always scouted the idea that he would ever marry again; had made over to him some of the most valuable property belonging by rights to the estate—a fact over which he and his lovely bride had already had what .lower-class folk are in the habit of calling "a few words." He hardly knew how the young folk would take their new position in the Oastle, and the whole affair worried him. He was quite as much in love as ever, but he was not so blind as he had been in his first infatuation. His lovely wife seemed' to think it quite unnecessary to tell him anything of the years that were behind' her, to take it I for granted that he had, as it were, f been bora a woman full grown, incomparably beautiful, on the day he had first met her. It was a situation not I altogether pleasant, ami the earl felit | it acutely. Added to which ha had not been f eelling at all himself fo<r the last few weaks. Sudden rushes of blood to his head' had turned him giddy—hot one moment, deadly cold the next. He had never in his life had a fk, but snare tham once be had felt as though he were going to have one. He half thought of consulting his doctor, but shrank from it. He kept his tjfefogosition from hia wife, not liking her. Th#new countess, on tho other hand, geemea full of the joy of life and living. In the -expectation of welooming the young couple home, she gave instructions to every servant in the I castle to be ready to cheer them when ; the carriage came in view, and to let them' reel there was the least difference from the homecoming they bad expected. "I am so anxious they should feel no difference in their position," shej gaid, almost pathetically, to the stately housekeeper, who, from her appearance, might have been a duchess. "We none of us, of course, know what the future may have in store for us. But I , „ wish Mr and Mrs D&rener to come home with iusfc the same welcome which would have been aooooxled them if I and the Earl had never married." Mrs Tolpin, an excellent woman, but rather given to emotional feelings, had been quite won over by the affability , of the new countess. "People may talk, die said to Mr S'ocum, the butler, "but her ladyship has a Rood) heart, as good a heart as ever I have come across. She's very kind and very sympathetic.'' Jit Slocum shook his head. "I judge nd one," he answered, "but mysteries is mysteries. The beautiful countess may be all right, At the same time she may be all wrong. Personally speaking, I have my doubts. She may be very innocent and good. £S 2W *• dee*,. If I had any money to lay, whack I've not, and if anyone would take the "bet, I d lay she was deep." + MraiTolpin looked shocked!, but said nn+fairfire - "*- Silenoe allows one to say "WeHl did not contradict voa,'» when other party saw "I told you so." In spite of what had happened since

tlvey left England, and rather contrary i to thsir expectations, the drive of the | newly-irnrrifd couple from tho station ;<>• the eastlo was a triumphal one—hands played, children sang, flags fluttered in the breeze, there were, triumphs! a,relies almost without mnnlvr, ?md tho whole village seemed, as indml it was, making .hoik 1 --v. A "rived , at the castle, d'<> first tai. \ bie 'hint <>i what -had oreurrod took ; iaee. The new countess, looking if po.-.siblo more beautiful than ever, ran forward with almost girlish glee to welcome them. •"Welcome —welcome to the castle!" sho said, clasping Vt ra's hands first a:-.: 1 -'leu giving her slender fingers to Douglas. "You can hardly realise, I daresay, how proud 1 am that your first visit after your marriage should' be paid us. 1 am a bride myself, of course, but I am not a young girl"— beaming upon Vera —"and tho earl is . not a young man. and so we do not expert any fuss made about us. I have had to make an alteration in the , suite of rooms you'are to occupy while vou are here, because I have taken those you would have had for myself; but you will not mind that, will you? Dearest," turning to the Earl of North borough— "will you not welcome our most welcome visitors?" Tho earl had .stood rather in t.h« background—perhaps he had hea.'d wlvait his wife had said, perhaps lie had been hardly conscious of it. Now ho came forward, and at the same t'u:e Vera hurried to him, put her arms round his neck, and kissed him ''Dearest uncle," she said, "we are so happy that we hope with ah o'.ii hea-rt and soul that you may be very happy also. You—why, uncle dearest, what is it?" Ho staggered from he'r as he would have embraced her. Tho excitement of tho homecoming of his nephew and niece liad been too much for the Earl of Northborough, and with a sharp cry, almost like the cry of an. animal in pain, he fell heavily to tlie marble floor. ' Doctors were quickly in. attendance, but —speechless, paralysed—little could bo done; his sight and hearing seemed all that was left to tho Earl of North borough. "Will he die?" Douglas asked of tho doctors. "Certainly," the great consulting physician answered, "as wo all shall; but not, perhaps, for years. Every nerve force, however, or almost every nerve force, is dead, unless Well, well, I need not enter into particulars; it is enough perhaps to say that in all proba.balit.y you will yet bo the next Earl of Northborough." 1 (To be eon tinned.)