LORLIE

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8472, 24 January 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

LORLIE

BY MRS. CHARLOTTE MAY KINGS LEY, Author of "Lady Gabriollo'a Fortune," "A Dreadful Secret," "Lost for Ix>vo," " An Awful Secret,"

"Kathleen O'Connor," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XXXVII. —(Continued.) WHICH ENDS THBUATKNINGI-Y.

Then having given the boy a, dollar for his trouble and an extra dollar for his papers (with the assurance that he might keep his stock-in-trade into the bargain), Lorlie hurried out of the post office, climbed back into the sleigh, and ordered John Thomas to drive home as quickly as possible.

" Oh, ib is too bad—ifc is too bad she forlornly murmured as the cutter sped away under the now fast-darkening sky. " I wish 1 could have managed to see him before he started out, for now there is no means of preventing him visiting the villa— although he will, doubtless, find it difficult to escape from Ids friends before nightfall, and under cover of the darkness his visit may not be detected nor his departure witnessed should there be a spy lurking around the place. " But I wish I had been able to see him here in Lakewood. Oh, I wish I had, for something seems to tell me that it will bo dangerous for him to return to the villa today." But whether this was or was not fated to be the case, she knew that nothing she could do had power to prevent him going there now, and with a sigh, resigned herself to the inevitable, and huddling back in the sleigh drew her furred wrap about her with a shiver—due more to nervousness than to the sharp December air—and suffered John Thomas to drive home by tho main road without one dissenting word. The journey this way was considerably shortened, but for all that, travel as fast as the horses would, they could not outrace the coming storm, and before they had covered mote than half the distance it overtook them.

It came clown at first in fitful flurries of large, lazily-floating flakes, then having determined to set in for a genuine storm, the clouds seemed suddenly to open and earth and air and sky became one white mass of whirling, drifting, fluttering snow.

Onward the cutter sped, horses and riders alike powdered by the stiflling mass which made all things white and beautiful as it fell, and the storm had reached its highest pitch when the sleigh whirled out of the high-road, swinging into the grounds of Shrub Villa, and scurried with prancing horses and jingling bells up to the steps of the house.

"Home at last !" exclaimed Lorlie, with a sensation of infinite relief as the vehicle came to a halt and she arose for the purpose of alighting, then her sensation of relief gave place to one of intense surprise and undeniable terror, for as she raised her eyes she saw through the veil of the thickly driving snow that hers was not the only sleigh which now stood in the grounds of Shrub Villa.

Midway between the house and the stable another cutter was standing, and being fast enveloped by the white mantle of the whirling storm ; but in her intense excitement, and her unutterable terror lest the unknown being who had discovered her husband's secret had already put in an appearance at the villa, she failed to notice that the horses had been removed, and that the vehicle itself was badly damaged. But before she could make any verbal comment upon—and indeed almost as soon as she discovered the presence of that other vehicle—the fears which had takon shape in her mind were dispelled by the sudden appearance of Miss Maria McGee, who whirled open the door of the house and popped out upon the porch, exclaiming breathlessly, as she clasped her hands and darted toward liar mistress- :

" Oh, dear me, Mis' Raynor, I am so glad as you've been and arrove at last ; and Ido hope as you won't be angry with me, for I couldn't noways possible say 'No !' when they went and fetched the poor, dear young lady here, with her lovely hair all dishhaggled, her face all bloody with blood, and a-laying as limp and unconscious as a dead corpse, poor thing !" " What is it? What has happened ? Has there been anyone hurt, Maria ?" demanded Lorlie as she alighted, intensely relieved by the knowledge that her dreaded foe had not put in an appearance. " What is this you are telling me about a straneo young lady being injured —in this house "Yes, ma'am; but I couldn't help.it, ma'am ; they had to take her summers, poor thing, and 'bein's there warn't no other habitation in sight, as her friend said, they fetched her hear for shelter. There's been an accidence, Mis' Raynor, and it all happened jest a few minutes arter you'd went. The horses ran away, ma'am —which they was attached to a sleigh drove by two ladies, Mis' R<»ynor, and chucked 'em both out, right afore my very eyes, cutting one of 'em on the scalp of her head, and a-rendering of her wholly unconscicnce all to oncewhich a dreadfuller sight you never did sec, and one to move a heart of adamint, to look on them two poor ladies a-layin crosswise like the letter X, the bosses a-gallopin' off like mad lunatics, and the sleigh a-standin' there as unconcerned as though nothing whatsomever had come to pass. "The unconscious lady, she kept still, but t'other one, she yelled, and when John rushed out to their release, we couldn't help but take 'em in.

" We knovod as it was master's orders that no visitors was to be let admit here, but John said as this was different, being an unintentional accident, ma'am, so ho sort of had an instinct that you wouldn't mind if we took 'em iu, and as I sort of thought so too, why, I let the poor, dear young thing be took into the parlour, which, 1 hope, ma'am, as you won't bo angry with me for a-doing of it, as the young lady is now recovered to conscience, and needn't stay no longer if you bs." "No, lam not angry. At such a time you would be less than human to refuse the ladies shelter, Maria," responded Lorlie, as she entered the doorway and began to remove her wraps. " I hope that you have done everything to make them comfortable, poor creature."." " Which I did, ma'am, as they'll botli tell you, and being as they got John to proceed off to their own home and summing one of their own carriages to take'em back, I even made so bold as to offer them a little wine for the refreshing of themselves, although I watered it some for fear as you'd be angry, ma'am, for which they was that grateful, they said as they'd like to see you, ma'am, ami thank you for the hospitabilities as had been shown 'em, and when I see you a-driven through tho gates and told 'em as you'd iU'iove—•"

" I am sorry that you did that, very sorry indeed," interrupted Lorlie with a despairing movement of her head. "They were welcome to all the courtesies you could extend to them, but I have no wish to meet strangers, and you should have consulted me before announcing my arrival now that they are aware of my presence of course I cannot decline to see them."

" Lor', ma'am, I never onco thunk of that," returned the crestfallen Maria, "and there they be a-scttin' in the parlour a-waiting of your appearing." " it is too bad—it is too bad 1" returned Lorlie in a tone of annoyance, as she gave her wrap* into Maria's charge, and returned reluctantly in the direction of the little parlor, but just how much " too bad " it really was she never dreamed even then.

Pausing a moment to glance at herself in the mirror of the hat-rack and to arrange the laces at her throat before presenting herself to her unknown guests, she walked softly down the hallway to the door of the apartment which tho.se quests occupied, and gently dividing the portieres, stepped quietly in.

" My servant has told me of your unfortunate experience-, ladies," she began as she advanced gracefully toward the two pants of the room, both of whom arose to greet her as she entered. " I trust that in my absence everything has been done for your comfort and that" If she said more her guests were unconscious of the fact ; for lifting her eyes to theirs she started violently, the colour for eook her lips and cheeks, and every drop of blood in her body seemed suddenly to turn to ice.

For there standing before her, and regarding her with looks which plainly told that both hud recognised her upon the instant —there, with brows uplifted and faces expressing the blankest of blank astonishment, stood Lady Falkland and Miss Ignatia Dysart.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

" WHICH GOKS FROM HAD TO WORSE."

For a moment they stood and regarded each other, and in the silence which reigned while that moment lasted one could almost have heard a pin fall. Lady Falkland was the first to break that spell of stillness, and she broke it in a manner truly characteristic of her. " Thank you !" she said in the frostiest of frosty voices, as she inclined her fair old head with the dignity of a stage queen | dispensing largess to the "supers." "Wo have been rendered most comfortable— most comfortable, madam — during our enforced sojourn under this roof, and if wo have intruded may wo be permitted to tender our sincere apologies to— er —Mrs. Raynor ?" " Yes, and to state that wo hadn't the remotest idea that ' Mrs. Raynor' would turn out to be —you !" supplemented .Miss Dysart, catching the spirit of her ladyship's dignified (and stagely) frigidity as blank walls catch and return echoes. "Still we return you the sincerest thanks. It isn't every day that one lias an opportunity to peep into the private life of professional ladies, even though they have retired from the stage ; and I assure you that we are very grateful for this unexpected treat. And to think that we have been chosen by fate to discover the hiding-place of that very charming mystery known to the world as La Heine Electra, and to discover her real name, too."

The pallor which had fallen upon Lorlie's face changed instantly to a flush of indignant and insulted womanhood and a hot rebuke leaped to her lips, only to bo checked before uttered—and checked by the thought that she stood in the presence of her husband's mother.

" Miss Dysart should recollect that, upon the stage, one has the privilege of being ' mademoiselle' even though one be married and sixty," she said, with a calm and cutting dignity. "Having, as you say, discovered my real name, may I venture to suggest that you also recollect I am ' madamo' off the stage. lam not a maid but a wife, Miss Dysart !" "Pardon me if I was not aware of that fact," serenely returned Ignatia. "I could not bo oxpected to know since I never read the sporting papers, and it is in those, I believe, one learns of the matrimonial felicities and infelicities of theatrical ladies and professional pugilists, is it not ?"

" Really, I have not the slightest idea," responded Lorlie, blandly. " Mr. Raynor lias never insulted me by bringing such publications beforo my notice, Miss l)ysart, and until this moment I* was not aware that they even existed. Still, I know but littlo of the world and must, of course, bow to your superior intelligence.

" I am sorry that my husband is not. at home, at present, or"—this with a gracious smile bestowed upon her ladyship — "l am sure that he would join with me in expressing his pleasure at having been so fortunate as to be of service to you, ladies. Need I say that you are most welcome to all that this house has to offer ?''

You have hoard of the gentle word which burnetii away wrath ? How or why she should have done such n thing was always a mystery, but hefore she was really aware of her intention, Lady Falkland had actually bowed and smiled and murmured soma pleasant acknowledgement of this gracious offer, and said something pleasant enough to open a conversation. Awed into speechlessness, Miss Dysarb simply turned and stared at her, and whether that stare awakened her ladyship to a realisation of the blood-curdling act she had been guilty of in condescending to converse with a " professional woman," or her stock of small talk had reached the furthest limit—no matter ! —she suddenly shut her lips, and. grew as mute and as frigid as any other social iceberg. " Dear Lady Falkland, I am sure it must be almost time our carriage arrived," said Miss Dysarb, at this juncture ; "and unless the man we sent back to the villa in quest of it signally fails in transmitting the mes-

he was paid to deliver as speedily as possible, ifc cannot; be very long before we are again on our way home. . I do hope that ho hasn't failed, by the way, for 1 am actually expiring for a breath of pure air." Again that indignant colour mounted to Lorlie's cheeks, and again she checked the words which rose to her lips. "If Miss Dysarb is in need of fresh air, happily 1 can accommodate her," she said, quietly. . " .Possibly the room does need purifying, for it is very close in here." Then, with inward enjoyment of the discomfort which sho would occasion—for, after all, she was very human, and the best of us likes to retaliate upon a foe sometimes —she walked across the- room, unlatched both windows, and rolled up the sashes, allowing tho bitter, biting blast to whistle through the room. But, alas, for her innocent desire to turn the tables upon her ungenerous tormentor, that simple act was like the easting of a boomerang, for it recoiled upon her in the most unexpected and most cruel manner. As she flicked back the heavy velvet curtains and threw up the windows, a sudden joyous cry arose upon the air, and a man, a poor, gaunt-looking, cold-benumbed wretch, who was toiling along the high-road and buffeting his way through the driving snow, attracted by the sound of the sashes being raised, looked up and saw her, uttered a scream that was not wholly unliko the cry of a famished animal scenting food, dashed through the gates, sped up the footpath, leaped upon the porch, and as Lorlie recoiled with a suppressed exclamation of surprise and despair, reached the open window and stood there with arms outstretched and face irradiated, gasping joyously : " Fraulein ! ' fraulein ! Ach, mtin GoU\ have I really found you at last It was Herr Steinmullor.

Startled and shocked by this unexpected encounter, poor Lorlie could neither speak nor moveonly stand there and stare at him with pale face and dilated eyes ; but Miss Dysart, turning as she saw him throw one leg over the window-sill, as a sign that he was about to« enter, arched her dark brows and emitted a highly significant laugh. " Dear Lady Falkland, need we wait for the carriage any longer ?" she quietly said. " We appear to be quite de trop, and if this isn't Mr. Ilaynor himself, I'm afraid that very moral and very mysterious gentleman will think this very strange !" There was no opportunity for Lorlie to respond to this, even had she heard, which she didn't, for by this time the poor old herr had succeeded in clambering over the threshold and gaining admission to the room, and a second later—pale, trembling, weeping—stood at Lorlie's side. "My fraulein, my queen, my pearl of song !" he wildly and brokenly cried. " Ach, mein Golt! is it thus we meet again? I felt it — 1 feared it, and yet— Oh, I could kill the coward ! I could murder the demon who has dragged you down to this ! Oh, fraulein, fraulein, to think of you sinking into disgrace, to think of you falling from the very heights of heaven to such awful depths as this ! Mein Gott ! mein Gotl I whyfore I live if 1 must suffer all my miserable life? 01), come away, come away from this terrible place ! I have searched for you so long, my fraulein ; come away, my queen of the song-birds, and forget the serpent who lias crossed your sweet life only to blight and to destroy it. Forsake and forget him, my queen of hearts ! I love you—l love you ! Come away, my fraulein, and let the old herr's love restore and redeem !

" Mein GotL ! we.in Gott ! I have found her at last, but found, as I feared—found her soiled like this !"

Then, with a great cry of misery and suffering, he reached forth his hand:?, and so fell forward upon his face at Lorlie's feet, and lay there sobbing bitterly, as though his poor old heart were broken. " Dear Lady Falkland, I think we had better go !" exclaimed Miss Dysart, in a stage whisper. "I wonder what in the world Mr. Kay nor, poor man ! would think of this ?" CHAPTER XXXIX. " DOUBLE, DOUBLE, TOIL AND TROUBLE !" Shocked and terrified though Lorlie was by this unexpected and alarming inopportune appearance of tho old herr, to say nothing of the sense of horror and indignation which swept over her soul when she realised that tins dear friend now looked upon her as a lost and degraded woman, she nevertheless heard and had spirit enough to resent Miss Dysart's words, and to resent them in a way which, for a moment, made her uncharitable and discourteous visitor feel heartily ashamed of herself. " Pardon me," she said, turning slowly and regarding Ignatia with a look of pity bordering upon contempt, " pardon me, but I believe that my servant has in my name offered Miss Dysart in her time of need the shelter of this roof and such refreshment as her condition called for, and was at tho time available. To all of these Miss Dysart has been, and is still, most welcome, but, in accepting them, might it not be as well to recollect that even barbarians and infidels refrain from offering insult or abuse to one whose hospitalities they have accepted, anil whose bread they have eaten ? And surely the rich Miss Dysart, who has enjoyed the privileges of civilisation and the advantages supposed to accrue to one whose wealth gives her the entree to the presence of people of good breeding— surely so blest a being as that will not permit a savage to display better manners and superior culture in a matter of breeding and etiquette !'' Miss Dysart started and flushed a deep crimson to the very roots of her blue-black hair ; but before she could think of any response to make to this cutting and welltimed rebuke, Lorlie's low, level voice again broke the stillness.

" Before I dismiss the subject," she went on, "you will permit mo to say, in answer to your insulting remark, that ' what Mr. Raynor would say to this,' is precisely what Mr. Ray nor wife says, and that is, that this poor old man, who, like yourself, is labouring under a delusion relative to my position in this house, is an old and valued friend, and although his appearance to-day is most inopportune, there is nevertheless a friendly welcome for him, and were Mr. Ray nor hero at this moment, his lips would voice that sentiment, and his hand be extended to him as warmly as mine." " Bless me ! what a very confiding person Mr. Ray nor must be !" responded Miss Dysart, with a significant movement of her shoulders, and a suggestion of laughing underlying her low, sleek voice—a sugges tion, by the way, which was not reflected in her face, for that, strive as she would to keep it placid and motionless, wore a look. which was positively murderous. " Mademoiselle la Reino Electro- is really to be congratulated upon having secured such a desirable parti for a lifelong protector. A blind and confiding trust is not, however, epidemic so far as all men upon whom Mrs. Ray nor smiles are concerned, it would seem, judging from the grave doubts expressed by the dear friend who lies at her feat.

" Dear Lady Falkland, I fear that wc are shockingly out of place here, and ifc will be as well, perhaps, for all parties —ourselves especially— if we beat an instantaneous retreat, and brave the storm by venturing forth afoot. It cannot be very long before our carriage puts in an appearance, and if we hasten to take our departure, we may meet it upon the way !" This suggestion, and, indeed, much of the speech which preceded it, fell upon deaf ears, as far as Lady Falkland and Lorlie were concerned, for in the moment the latter spoke of extending & welcome hand to the old hen', she had pub her words into fiction, and ho, seizing upon her fingers, had dragged himself to a kneeling posture, pressed her cold hand to his lips, and was kissing it and sobbing over it, and pouring forth such lamentations that the attention of Lorlie and her ladyship was arrested and wholly engaged by his semi-delirious behaviour, and Ignatia's spiteful remarks completely drowned by his noisy woe.

" Ach, metre Oott, mein Gott ! do you give me this as a sign that you consent, my fraulein ?" he cried as he kissed with passionate abandon the hand which she had given him. "Oh, my pearl of pearls, my star, my goddess of the singing birds, will you go then back with the poor old herr— back to the Frau McLoughlin and the poor, fatherless little ones—back to the old home —to the old life, and the old happy days we shared in our poverty. Ach, mem Oott! I cannot give you such a place as this, but, oh ! the welcome—oh ! the love which there awaits you ! Come back, my queen ! come back, and the roses will > come out of the very snow and bloom with gladness, and it will be summer again—summer in ray heart —summer in your life always, my fraulein, for we will forget that we were ever parted, we will cease to think of the great shadow which once came between us and is left

here in this palace of tears, and we will —you, I, the good Fran Bridget and the poor, fatherless little children—sing all together, sing and work and live in great peace for always. Oh, come, my fraulein, leave the nest of the serpent and let the old herr lead you back to Eden, back to the sunshine and the roses, and the happiness which there awaits !" Thus, in his queer, poetic way, he spoke to her, pleaded with her, and poured forth his passionate and eager entreaties — not giving her an opportunity to speak one word or to check his wild appeal, by sign or syllable, and conscious that in this trying moment the eyes of the one woman in alf the world before whom she would have appeared to the best advantage eyes of her husband's mother—were fixed upon her in a cold, contemptuous stare, Lorlie could only stand—embarrassed, blushing, overcome with sorrow and despair — and await the unwelcome end. Had all this occurred before any other woman, she might have conducted the old herr from the room, and in the full consciousness of her own honour, and the blamelessness of her life, have passed out in silence, leaving that "other woman" to think what she chose and believe what she liked; but before her husband's mother such a course was not to be thought of after the infamous suggestion thrown out by Miss Dysart, and now made to appear hideously plausible by the terrible doubts and the wild words of the poor old herr. He had spoken of her life in this place as one of evil; he had twice made allusion to her old home and to certain fatherless children who dwelt there, and the look which crossed her ladyship's face at these allusions brought with them a fixed determination to clear herself of the awful suspicions which were being fostered in Lady Falkland's mind lest in the after days, when the truth regarding Sir Lionel's marriage should come to light, those suspicions be recalled with the knowledge that nothing had been said or done to refute the charges thus brought against her. She would betray nothing regarding the identity of her husband, of course, but the knowledge that she was an honourable woman, that her past was a pure and blameless one. Oh, that she must establish— that she must tell before Lady Falkland left this house.

So when the old heir's wild appeal ended afc last and he, with a final prayer for he. to abandon this luxurious home and go back to their humble cottage, lifted his streaming eyes to her face and breathlessly awaited her decision, she gently but firmly withdrew her hand from the clasp of his and bestowed upon him a smile of tender gratitude. " It is kind of you to offer me this when you think I stand in need of it, dear old friend," she gently said, " and if I had for one moment deviated from the path of rectitude, your tender solicitude would be enough to recall me, and I would turn from this house, blessing God that He had sent me such a friend as you. But I have not done this Herr Steinmuller ; I am to-day as pure and true a woman as when in return for her kindness to me I undertook to help dear good Bridget support her little family— made destitute and fatherless by the death of poor Phelim — and blameless as was the life we all lived under the shelter of that little cottage, herr, it was not one whit more pure than that which I am living here!"

" Fraulein"— in wonder and delight. "I swear ifc to you, herr swear it upon my sacred honour I" she added, lifting her right hand, " and I think that you know me well enough to believe me when I give you that pledge!" " Believe you, my fraulein !" The old hcrr leaped to his feet as he spoke, seized her hand, covered it with kisses, and then after capering about the room as though he had suddenly gone daft with joy, plunged one hand into the bosom of his shabby coat and struck an attitude. "Believe you?" he reiterated. "Oh, yes, yes, yes! Before all the angels of heaven I say it. I will believe your word, for are you not the soul of truth itself, my pearl, my star, my queen of all the little sinking birds. Acli, me.in Gott! I believe, I believe, and, oh, the great joy it is. Such joy I can carry back to Fran McLoughlin, and her very small family. Such joy I will take back to the good, kind Herr Burleigh. Oh, it will so make up for the way I left them, so repay for the long time since I have these eyes rested upon their honest faces. See ! it is months— ah, so many months since I left that dear home and went forth to seek for you, my fraulein !"

" You have nob been with them then 1 You have nob been living at the old home as I begged in my letter?" " Nein, nein\ I left it that day. I wronged you in my thoughts then, as I have wronged you until now, my fraulein !" he answered, vehemently. " I had no claim upon your kindness, for I had been no friend to you like the good Frau McLoughlin, and I could not live upon the money which you sent us. Oh, forgive me, forgive me, for what I feared, my fraulein, but I could nob touch that money. Ach, main Gott ! nob a penny of it, and when Gustave Steinmuller accused mo of conniving with you to buy your freedom from that wretched contract, and then turned me adrift, I said to myself :

" ' Johann, we will find the fraulein; she has fallen into temptation, but we will tramp until we find her, and if she be quite low as the dust—no matter ! we will lift her up ; we will lead her back and we will begin the life all over agin !'

" That is what I did say to myself, and that is what I have been doing, my fraulein —doing until I find you thus, living as a queen should live in a home that it is as a palace, and wearing as a queen should wear the robes of great splendour and the crown of pure womanhood. Ach, mein Gott !it is the theme for an opera, and I will perpetuate it in music and song, and you, my star, my princess of the canaries, you shall create the leading role and carry the whole world with ecstasy before you. You are freo from Gusfcave—free from that miserable contract—and now you shall win fame and fortune in the opera poor Johann shall for you write !"

Lorlie smiled upon him tenderly, and slowly shook her head.

" No," she answered, " I cannot do thab, dear friend. You know that I never liked professional life, and now that no contract forces me to undergo the ordeal against my will, I shall never return to it. La Reine Elecbra has been heard for the last time in public, lierr. I shall never become a professional singer again."

"Ach ! you must nob say it;—you must nob say ib !" responded the old professor, with a look of horror. " God made such arfc for the enjoyment of the world, and to the world "it belongs. You are a priestess —prophetess the disciple of, a new and most magnificent school of music. Ach, mem Oott ! you are the very spirit of song, and you must not be muteit is like casting His glorious gifts in the Creator's face. You must sing ; you were born to sing, nob to hush all those little canaries which live in your throat, and pine so hard to be heard. It is your mission to give them liberty to trill and warble warble and trill all the wonderful harmony that is within them, till age shall their perfections shatter, and death shall their voices still. Oh, fraulein, fraulein, you shall sing, you must sing ! Ach, mein Gott ! how will you live if you do not?" "As I am living now," she answered, with a smile. "My songs are for one pair of ears, herr, and they alone shall heat my voice from this day to — the end !" He turned and stared at her, his thoughts recalled by those words, and his honest old face full of serious wonder. ' • " Fraulein," he said, after a pause, "fraulein, who is here with you? Who is the blessed one for whose ears alone your voice is now reserved ? You have said that your life here is a blameless one and I believe it, because you have said it; but will you tell me no more than that ? I thought once that you were fond of Herr Burleigh ; bub Herr Burleigh was poor like ourselves, and this— ah, surely, this is the home of one who is rich ! Are you a wife, fraulein ? and, if so, why must you keep it a secret from all who know and love you ? Why must you live here, and come no more into the lives of such lowly ones as the good Frau McLoutrhlin, the kind Herr Burleigh, the small fatherless children, and the poor, fond old Herr Johann ?"

"I cannot answer any of those questions," responded Lorlie, after a pause. You must be content to take everything on faith, herr— believe what 1 say to you and to ask me nothing. If you are not willing to do that— Ach, mein Gott! bub I.am— am," cut in the old herr, sharply. " I would doubt an angel sooner than the word of the fraulein, for that to me is as perfect as good music, well executed."

" Quite an accommodating person I" exclaimed Miss Dysarfc, with a slow, deriding laugh. "After all, a blind fealty to her word is epidemic among mademoiselle's masculine acquaintances, Lady Falkland, and I was wrong, it seems. But surely that is our carriage which I hear approaching, is it not, Missl beg your pardon, Mrs. Raynor V

" That apology was decidedly in order, Miss Dysart," responded Lorlie, with simple dignity. "As you say, it doubtless is your carriage which is approaching ; and will I be considered discourteous if I say that I, too, am rendered most happy by its arrival 1 Not in Lady Falkland's case, however, for I trust that her ladyship, having been above echoing Miss Dysart's sentiments, is also above entertaining them."

" Lady Falkland begs to have her name omitted from the entire discussion, Mrs. Ray nor," responded her ladyship, with icy dignity. "As I have taken no part in the conversation, kindly permit me to remain in the background. If that is our carriage, will you have the goodness, Mrs. Raynor, to accept our apologies and permit us to depart?" "Certainly, your ladyship," returned Lorlie, flushing a trifle, but bowing with calm and gracious ease. Then, as Bhe heard a hasty footstep coming down the hall, " I fancy that this is the butler coming to announce the arrival of your carriage, ladies," she added ; " but in the event of it being any other vehicle— 1 really doubt—may I be permitted to say that my carriage, or my sleigh, is at your service if you are in haste to depart, and in _ any event to wish you a very good-morning ? Ladies, your humble servant!" So saying, she gracefully bub" frigidly bowed to her unwelcome guests, beckoned the good old herr to follow her, turned to walk out of the room, and had just reached the threshold, when : "Hello, sweetheart! There, are you?" sung out a masculine voice, which made her heart leap and fall dead within her. " I say, but I've had no end of a job getting here so early, but thank goodness I managed to accomplish it anyhow. Come and kiss a fellow, you blessed little bundle of perversity, instead of standing off there like a prude. What! you won't, eh ? Well, if the mountain won't come to Mahomet, etc., you know the proverb, and here she goes !" Then the hasty footsteps grew nastier than ever, a bluff, breezy laugh echoed up the hall, and before Lorlie could recover enough presence of mind to wave him back —if, indeed, such a course would have benefited matters, which is exceedingly doubtful, since her ladyship had recognised bis voice Sir Lionel Falkland swooped down upon her like an eagle, caught her in his arms, kissed her rapturously, and hearing a little, shocked cry from someone else, turned and encountered the marrow-freez-ing stare of his speechless and horrified mother.

[To be continued.]