FAIR, BUT FAITHLESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8538, 11 April 1891, Page 3 (Supplement)

FAIR, BUT FAITHLESS.

BY BERTHA M. CLAY, Author of "Marjorie Deane," "A Heart's Idol," " The Gipsy's Daughter," " Gladys Greye," '■"■ "Violet Lisle," " Another Woman's Husband," etc. CHAPTER X. THE STRANGE WAYS OF WOMAN. When Lionel saw Phyllis trembling as if she would fall, he sprang toward her with outstretched arms, but she leaned against the window-sill and held out one little white hand to stop him. '«It is nothing. lam quite righb now," and she forced herself to stand upright. " You are ill. lam suro you are," said Lionel, anxiously. "lam not," said Phyllis, quietly. "At least I am growing better all the time." "It is taking such care of me," said Carrie, with self-reproach. " Now, Carrie, dear,"said Phyllis, in her composed way, "I ought to know, and I assure you it is nothing of the sort. Please go on with what you wore saying, Sir Lionel." "I had finished," ho said. "I wish you would admit that you are overdoing it, and let somebody do something for you." " What somebody, and do what?" inquired Phyllis, quietly, taking up hor palette. He laughed shortly, and looked inquiringly at Carrie. She shook her head to intimate that she was as powerless as he. So he said boldly : " Let mo bo the somebody, and let me do anything ? " What would you do ?" asked Phyllis. " Does she always put questions in this way ?" asked Lionel of Carrie. "Always," emphatically. "Sho calls it getting the truth. "How foolish you are," said Phyllis. "If there was anything the matter with me I would admit it, and would be the first to do something to get well. But do I look ill ?" and she stood up, her lithe, rounded figure erect, the colour of robust health tinting her smooth cheeks, and her red lips parted over her pearly teeth. Lionel looked at her with deep admiration, and found himself wondering who was the more beautiful—Phyllis in her shabby gown, or stately Flora in her robe of silk. " You don't look ill," he said : " but you may be. Why did you turn pale and act as if you were going to faint ?" " But I didn't faint," she said. Lionel laughed. " No, you didn't faint." Then he turned to Carrie, for it seemed to him that Phyllis was growing annoyed at his persistence. " I haven't asked you yet if you are better than you were. Are you ?" "Oh, yes; bub it was not as bad as it seemed the other night. I was frightened though. Oh, I want to thank you, Sir Lionel, or must I call you—what was it you said ?"

"Earl of Basiugwell. Iso, you needn't call me that if you don't like. What were you wanting to thank me for !" For telling the doctor you would pay the bill." "Oh, yes," and Lionel laughed; "but when I said that I wasn't worth a penny. It was a cheap promise, though I meant it. I have the money now, though." " But you are not to pay the bill," said Phyllis, in her quiet, decided voice. " Whv not he asked. «' Oh,"Phyllis, let him," said Carrie. " I would like to say that the famous Sir Lionel did it for me," and she laughed merrily. " I am going to pay the bill, Carrie," said Phyllis, decidedly. " But that is nob right," said Lionel. '* You almost promised I should pay it." " I do not remember that," she said, with a strange touch of hauteur in her tone. " I may have yielded to your insistence, but that is all. Please say no more about it. I shall pay the doctor." " Have I offended you ?" asked Lionel in a tone of pain. Carrie looked on in wonder. She had never seen the gentle Phyllis like this before. And so suddenly too ! " Ko-o ; but it is useless to talk of it. We are very grateful for all you have done. It was more than kind of you to come to my assistance', and I shall never forget it. It has been kind of you to come here again tosee ns, and Carrie has been delighted, I know. But you cannot pay the bill, and—" she hesitated ; then went on, with a firm set of the dainty chin, " You must nob come here again." " Oh, Phyllis ?"'cried Carrie, in dismay. Lionel turned pale. "I thought you were honest and open as the day," he said. " You have no right to say otherwise," she said, proudly. "If you give me cause I have,"he said. "I am sorry," said more gently, " if I have given you cause. I have not intended to. ' "I appeal to Hiss Carrie if it is not so," he said. " Carrie is not a fit judge," said Phyllis. " Well, for goodness' sake !" he petulantly exclaimed, " will you tell me what it means ? Here I was sitting and talking in the pleasantest atmosphere, without a cloud between any of us, and suddenly you act as if I were offensive to you. You won't let me have the pleasure of paying the paltry bill, and you tell me I shall not be permitted to come again." "I am sorry if I have hurt you. I did not mean to be rude. I did mean to be decisive," she said. " Well, you have been," he said, so ruefully that even she allowed a smile to flit over her lips. "This is no place for—for the Earl of Basing well to be visiting," she said. " You did not think so a little while ago," he said, in puzzled remonstrance. "I think so now." " I wished to bring Lady Flora Vanemore to see you," he said, cunningly. " Oh-h !" exclaimed Carrie, so longingly that Phyllis was moved. But she was not turned from her set purpose of discontinuing the visits of Lionel. " We do not wish to be patronised," she said.

"Oh, Phyllis ! that is rude !" said Carrie, indignantly. Lionel bit his lips. There was evidently more in this than he could fathom. He could hardly have told why he was so much pained by the girl's sudden and curt refusal to have anything more to do with him. "Miss Phyllis," ho said, suddenly, "I do not know why you are treating me as you do. 1 have too good an opinion of you to believe that it is mere wantonness. It may be something you read in the paper of which you speak has led you to treat me so. I have no notion of what was said there. I do know, however, that the worst that could be said is that I have been a reckless spendthrift. I have never consciously wronged anybody, and I have done nothing I am ashamed of. I think you owe it to me to tell me what I have done to make you act as you do toward me. Will you toll me ?" "Sir Lionel —Lord Basingwell, I will admit that I owe it to you to tell you," she said, with touching dignity and frankness, as if she had been determined to thrust aside evasion ; " but believe mo when I say that I cannot tell you. I am not ungrateful to you, and I trust you as fully as I can trust. I am sure you are a good and noble man. Please do not urge me to let you pay that bill, for I cannot cannot do it. Oh, if you only knew why !" and she was so near to tears that he put out his hand and said, With a simplicity as great as her own : " Please do not cry. I believe all you say, and greatly as ib troubles me, I will believe that I must not ask to pay the bill. May I not come again ?" " Please don't ask. It is better not. Ib isn't indeed, it isn't you. If it were nob —for— what I cannot explain to you, 1 would be glad to have you, and the beautiful Lady Flora, too, come here. I did not mean that horrid thing about patronising us. I am not afraid of that," and she drew herself up with an unconscious pride that stirred the blood of the patrician who looked at her. " You will say good-bye, won't you ?" she pleaded. " Yes." he answered, reluctantly, " I will go. Miss Phyllis," he said, turning abruptly after a step toward the door, " I am sorry to leave you in this way. I did not realise before how how much I had counted on knowing you two. I know you are quite out of my world—-I mean the world of fashion— ib has seemed to me that we might know each other in a very delightful way. You would like Flora, and she is so true herself that she would understand you. I had hoped bo be a sorb of

brother to you two—girls ; I don't mean ib offensively when I say girls. Bub you lead such a funny, lonely, hard sorb of life up here that I thought— Well, when I began I intended bo be as honest as you are. I don't mean that I haven't been honest, only I haven't said what I intended to say frankly. You won't be offended, will you ?" " No; because we know you do not mean to offend," said Phyllis, gravely. "I have a great deal of money, and you have none. I wanted to send you abroad to study art." " lb would be lovely !" murmured Carrie, looking wistfully at Phyllis. Phyllis looked at hor, and smiled. If Carrie could go without me," she said ; " but she cannot. Carrie will acquit me of selfishness. I can nob accept. If there was a way for Carrie—" " You know I could not live without you," said Carrie. " You see ib is impossible," said Phyllis. "Bub don't think we do not appreciate your goodness. We do— as much as Carrie. ' "Shall I never know why?" askod Lionel, surprised at his own persistence. " Heaven forbid !" answered Phyllis, with a sort of shrinking terror. "Do you forbid me trying to discover?" he asked. "Thank heaven, you could not do that," sho replied. " Do you object to my buying a picture of each of you for a keepsake ?" " I will gladly give you one," sho said ; ** but it won't be worth taking." " I wish to buy," he said. "I will not sell to you," she answered, proudly. " Will you, Carrie—Miss Carrie, I mean ?" "I will do anything you wish,"answered she, the tears so near the trembling eyelids that Lionel turned to hido the moisture that came into his own. " Please show mo what you have done," he said, a moment later. Do you mind showing him, Phyllis asked Carrie, meekly. Phyllis was not so far from tears herself that she could trust herself to say much, so she took a portfolio and opened it before Lionel. It was full of littlo sketches, all taken, as he could see, from the window that opened out of the little room. He looked them over, and then turned with surprise to Carrie. " You are an artist," he said, " and a true one, else you would never have seen so much out of this window, which seems to look out only on dingy chimneys and cloudy skies. May I buy more than one ? 1 am in earnest, and not trying to trick you into taking my money." " That was unkind," said Phyllis. "I know it. lam ashamed of it; bub it is all so incomprehensible to me. No, 1 won't say any more about it. Will you sell mo more than one, Carrie?" "All of them if you wish," said Carrie, tearfully. He laughed, but it was in a sad-hearted sort of fashion. "I will take them all. What is the price ?" "As much as you choose to give," said Carrie, defiantly. Even Phyllis laughed. " I'll take you at your word," said Lionel, gravely. " You won't be too generous, will you ?" E leaded Carrie, frightened as soon as she ad spoken. "Trust mo," ho said. "Won't you sell me one little picture ?" he said to Phyllis. "No, but I will beg you to take one of mine," she answered. " I will take copy of Carrie," he said. " Please give me a picture." They both laughed, and there was more of the first delightful feeling growing into existence already ; bub he was wise enough to see that it would exist only as long as he kept the subject of money and of the future out of sight. Phyllis shyly and with many apologies brought out her portfolio, and opened it before him. "You may take what you please," she said. She did much better work than Carrie, but it was evident at a glance that she had nob the same natural ability as the little cripple. She watched his face as he looked over the pictures, and then said : "I think you know something about art. You must, or you could not have said what you did of Carrie's work." " Well ?" ho said.

"Can you give me an honest criticism, without fear of my feelings V "I can," ho answered. " Will you ?" "Why should I?" "It would be of service to me; that is all," she answered, gently. " You always put me in the wrong," he said. " I don't mean to. Will you tell me what you think of my work ?" "It is better than Carrie's," and he smiled at the little figure on the bed. "I know that," said Phyllis. "What else ?" "Carrie has more talent than yon." "I know that, too," she answered ; " but what I don't know is, is it worth my while to keep on trying at it. Is it? What do you think?" " What else could you do ?" "That doesn't matter. Lots of things, probably. Is it worth my while " You will never be a great artist." " I had thought so, too," she said, but there was a ring of despondency in her tone that smote Lionel to the heart; but before he could say anything to counteract the effects of his honesty, she had recovered and said, " Bub of course, what does it matter ? We can't all bo great, and I will be content to see Carrie shine. I will put the picture in Carrie's portfolio. If you take them all, I am sure she will throw in the portfolio, won't you, Carrie?" " Yes, I will." Lionel saw that Phyllis wished him to go ; so he selected a picture and gave it to her to put with Carrie's. He watched her wrap up the portfolio, and when she had handed it to him, he said to Carrie : " I will bring you the money to-morrow, shall I?"

She looked inquiringly at Phyllis. " No," said Phyllis ; " please send it." "Hard as flint," said Lionel. "Well, good-bye, and many thanks to you both for some of the happiest moments of my life. I think I may say now that I believe I shall be better for having met you two. Good-bye, Carrie. Don't forget me, and be sure I shall not forget you." Ho took her hand, and carried it to his lips with the same respect that he would have accorded his mother. " Good-bye, Miss Phyllis," and he took her hand in his, but did not put his lips to it. "Yon won't be sorry to have met me, will you ?" "I shall always be glad," she answered. And so he went out; and, when he was gone, Phyllis locked the door after him and flung herself sobbing on the bed by the side of frightened little Carrie, who was not used to seeing brave Phyllis break down.

CHAPTER XI. A SCRAP OF PAPKK.

In the meantime —that is, since the night he had been knocked down for insulting Phyllis —the Marquis of Greo . had been keeping close in his great house, nob even receiving his most intimate friends, and giving oub through the servants that he had gone to one of his country-places on a flying trip. There was, in fact, a little contusion on his forehead which he wished to disappear before he resumed his daily walks in the world. It was not a serious matter, and the skill of a discreet surgeon, with a day or so given to solitary contemplation, were all that was needed to restore him to his normal condition. His thoughts gave him ample occupation, though they were chiefly on one subject, with its variations. The subject was Lionel, as might have been surmised. Ho had always hated Lionel — really hated him, though thab is a strong word. There had never been any special cause, bub there was something in the man that gave offence to the marquis. Lionel was a reckless, dissipated spendthrift, but somehow he never seemed soiled by his follies. There was much of nobility in his nature that he actually seemed for the time to dignify even his misdeeds. The marquis was pretty nearly everything thab Lionel was nob ; for, whereas Lionel never had and never would do anything base, either for himself or for others, the marquis rather preferred the low way of accomplishing anything. There are plenty of titled blackguards, and the Marquis of Gree was emphatically one. Well, if he hated Lionel before, there were simply no words to express his feeling for him after the blow and "the contemptuous words of thab night. Besides, there

was another thing. He knew that Lionel had supplanted him with Lady Flora, and while perhaps he did nob love her, ho did admire her; and what was more, had fully made up nig mind that she was to be the Marchioness of Gree, so that Lionel was doubly hateful to him.

However—and an evil smile crossed the 1 rather good-looking face of the sequestered marquis while ho thought of these things, [■ and for the hundredth time, perhaps—he I drew from his pocket-book a little slip of paper, and spread it out before him, and > gloated over it. The paper has been in this history before. It was the same that Lady Flora had torn to pieces and scattered over 1 the conservatory. In fact, it was the piece ; of paper which she had not torn up, un- : fortunately for her. Lady Flora had— , well, say, had lied about it. A very unpleasant thing to say of a woman. The marquis spread it out on the littlo table that had been drawn up by his chair 1 to accommodate his brandy and water, and : studied it. He read it over. Ho could have quoted it readily enough, for ho had read it so many times that it was very clear to him. "Barham doad," he read. That ; means Warne will be Earl of Basingwell, the heir of the miserly old scoundrel who has done nothing but save for the last—l don't know how many years. I wish it hud been Warne instead of Barham to die. I would have been willing to help him to it, curse him ! ' Twenty thousand a year raol'o than G.' lam G. Well, who ever wrote the note was right. The Earl of Basing well is worth that much more than I am, and has only two places to keep up. 'L. doesn't know yet.' That moans that Warno —Lionel—had nob heard of tho death, and still supposed himself a ruined man when he went up to Lady Flora that night. And she had just been encouraging mo to a declaration ? But after she had read this she grew remarkably cool. I don't blame her ; but I think she will have to change her mind yet. I want her, and 1 will have her, and this is the lever that will move her. ' Now is tho time. To-night.' I wonder if she made him propose then ? By jove ! I , believe she is equal to it. Magnificent creature! She'd make a stunning Marchioness of Gree. There was a triumphant ring iii Warne's tone that night—tho I scoundrel ! the hypocritical, canting fool! Made a merit of not owing tiling to anybody. And ten to one to-day he's more of a lion than ever. I believe I'll go out." It was a determination he had been working up to for some time. He folded the paper, which was very precious to him, justas the talisman always is in the fairy tales to the person who has boon favoured by the fairies. It was his talisman, and he hoped to work a charm with it, to tho discomfiture of Lionel. It never occurred to him that there would bo much difficulty with Lady Flora. Ho had taken her measure with something of the accuracy of a kindred spirit. He know that it would be simply a matter of money with her. Ho was very suro of that, and he had no doubt that she would take him with his twenty thousand less of income, rather than have him betray her to Lionel. For ho had measured Lionel, too, and knew how such a bit of deceit would shock him ; 'particularly on the part of the woman who was to be his wife. He placed the papor in his book, pub that in his pocket, and walked to a mirror, into which he looked inquiringly. The contusion was gone. At least, the discolouration was no longer there, and there was no soreness. The lump that remained was of the smallest, and would not be noticeable. He called his valet, and was shaved and dressed for the street. He had himself driven to the club first and breakfasted there, thinking very wisely that he would bo certain to meet somebody who would tell him about Lionel; for, inasmuch as Lionel was the talk of the town on ordinary occasions, it was certain that he would be still more so in the light of recent events. And so he found it to be. Everybody knew of the death of young Lord Barham, and it was also known that the Earl of Basingwell was dead. That was one of the things the marquis had not counted on. If Lionel was the Earl of Basingwell, and if, also, he had proposed and been accepted by the beauty, «it would make his task just so much the harder; for Lady Flora would naturally be more loth to give up tho actual earl than she would have been to give up simply the heir to the earldom.

He finished his breakfast slowly, and, after it, lounged a while about the smokingroom. At two o'clock he had himself brushed by one of the lackeys, and then went out to hi.? carriage " Drive me to Lady Dareleigh's," ho said to the driver ; and to himself lie muttered, " I ought to catch her before she starts for a drive." He did not quite acknowledge it to himself, but ho also hoped, and had timed his visit accordingly, that he would not. meet Lionel there. Not only would Lionel be in the way, but he did not care to meet him anywhere until he had worsted him in this matter. Of course it was doubtful if Lady Flora would receive him at this hour. She would be justified in saying that she was not at home ; but the marquis was cunning enough to count on her fear that he had picked up the slip of paper which she had so carelessly dropped. Perhaps he had counted correctly. Certainly she sent word, on receipt of his card, that she was at home. * "I would not receive him, if I were in your place," said Lady Dareleigh. "Let me manage this affair, mother," said Lady Flora. Her temper had been a little awry for the past twenty-four hours. Lady Dareleigh laid it to the unpleasant necessity of pretending to an innocence and virtue so repugnant to her nature. However, even Lady Dareleigh did nob attempt to control Lady Flora in these days. She still tried to guide her, but that was all. "Certainly, Flora," she said; "but do remember the danger of trying to sib on two stools." "I think," said Flora, irritably, "that your association with Mr. Simmons has led you into vulgar figures of speech." Lady Dareleigh bib her lip and answered : "Shall I remain with you ?" "Certainly not," said Flora. Lady Dareleigh sailed away, saying to herself that Flora was assuming the airs of the Countess of Basingwell rather too soon. She was more mother than woman, however, and she soon forgot her indignation in her anxiety that Flora should not make a mistake. She did nob realise that the vessel she had launched was as much beyond her control, or even guidance, as those little toy ships that boys launch in the park lakes to be carried as the winds of heaven will. Lady Flora was only irritable with her mother because she wished her away, during the encounter with the Marquis of Gree. She knew very well that a man like the marquis could come at that hour only with a set purpose. The question she asked her self was : Has he that wretched note, or has he come to propose ? When the marquis entered the room, however, her face was simply a beautiful calm, and told no more of her emotions than the surface of a marble table.

" I hope you will forgive the unusual hour of this call, Lady Flora," ho said, apologetically. " If it be an offence," she answered, gracefully, " its commission carries its reason for forgiveness with it." " You are very kind," he said. " I hope it really is nob an offence. By the way, you have heard, of course, what all London is talking about?" Ib was coming to the poinb with some suddenness, bub Lord Gree was hardly a diplomab, and, then, he felt so strong. Lady Flora was a diplomab, and did nob feel strong. Uncertainty always gives a feeling of weakness. " Do you mean about the Earl of Basingwell ?" she innocently asked. " Yes. A great stroke it was for Warne. Ruined—quite dramatically ruined, tooone day, and richer than ever the next. Never was such a lion before. Clever fellow, Warne !" " Yes, very," said Lady Flora, serenely, bub with increasing inward perturbation. The manner of the marquis was not reassuring. The question she was asking herself was, What is he going to do about it? A very interesting question By the way, Lady Flora," he said, with a kind of abruptness, •' ib must have seemed odd bo you that I should come here at this hour." He looked quesbioningly at her, and she answered sbeaaily : "A little unusual, perhaps; but you know we women are so held by conventional rules that wo rather like a licble novelty in others,'! .

" You are glad I came, then ?" . _ • "lam always pleased to sea you, Lord Gree." "Is that really so ?" i : • " Why, my lord, it would not be necessary for me to say it if it were not so." "Then, Lady Flora, I will say at once what I came to say. I came to ask you to bo my wife. It's a blundering way to say it, perhaps, but it is to the point. Will you [To bo continued.] •