BY DEVIOUS WAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10407, 3 April 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

BY DEVIOUS WAYS.

BY CHAKLKS GAUVICB. Author of" Just a Girl," " Qnoeii Kate," "In CupiU'ii Chains," "Tlw Outcwt of the Family," etc., ok

CHAPTER XLL-(Continued.)

WIIKN Lord Larry and Lord Esdaile with Denis reached the Hall—leaving the two ladies andCiilmer at tho cottage—thoy found that Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Foylo had alroady departed.

The three mon sat and talked late into the night, thoy oach had so much to say, But it was mostly of Blanche they spoke.

" Strange ns it may sound to you, the discovery was no surprise to me," said Lord Eedaile, in a low voice. " There have been many times and occasions on which I have felt that the poor girl was no child of ours; and my wife has confessed to tho same feeling. And for Nora she has always had what was an inexplicable, but is now an easily explained liking and sympathy. Just before Nora's flight, my wife came home from a painful scene at the cottageit wae about Donovan's offer—which vory nearly revealed the truth to ns. God know? how eweet the truth is. And it is all the sweeter for the fact that wo shall gain a son as well as a daughter;" and ho laid a hand on Denis' shoulder. "How strange it is that they should have fallen in love with each other. We talk of chance, Larry ;we should refer these mysterious coincidences to a higher source, and with awe and reverence."

" Wo have always loved each other," said Denis, simply. " Well, well ?'' said Lord Larry, after a torrent of surprised exclamations, "we'll make thorn happy, oh, Esdaile?" and he nodded clioDffully. " We're neither of us too flush, Denis, my boy, but we'll set you up between us. Anyway, there's a home here waiting for you, and another at Esdaile ; you'll have to take turn and turn' about. And as to pockeb-money, why, I daresay we can sparo some of the timber." Denis coloured and looked guilty. " I've—l shall have a small income of my own, sir," he faltered, uncomfortably. " Eh ! Oh, you're meaning your mother's money? It's email indeed. But never mind; we'll manage," and he nodded over his glass. "I wasn't alluding to that, sir," aaid Denis, inwardly quaking, for the old man had just filled his, Denis', glass, and was putting it into his hand with quite the air of succouring the needy. " I've had a piece of luck. I found a good friend in Calmer." ! Lord Larry nodded, ;

"Eh? Well, I daresay he's not as bad as he made himself out,"

" No, no ! Indeed, no !" said Denis. " I liked the look of the man. He may be what they called him; but he hadn't the cut of the—the—ahem ! I'es, I was taken by him, I'll admit." " You might well be, sir," said Denis, "That man— Ah, well, it's a long story. But Culmer has lnado a rich man of me, uncle." Lord Larry set his glass down and turned pale and then red. " What tho devil do you mean ?" he demanded, Denis looked ab Lord Esdailo a 9 if for help, and blundered on, "You heard Culmer say he was rich? So lie is, fabulously. He owne an opal mine." "A what mine?" " An opal—gem—mine; that is, half of it, for the other half belongs to me." Lord Larry gasped and stared, his anger rising rapidly. " Then you mean to say that you're,not poor, not down in your luck! What the devil—" Lovd E:>diule leaned forward across the table and laid a hand on his arm.

" lie never said he was, Larry. It was

"Said? No! Hut look ab his coatlook a f his hat—look—!"

"That's all right, sir," said Denis, hastily. " I was in such a hurry to get down to Marishaniioii that I hadn't timo to buy new things, and— Oh, dash it I I must tell the truth ! 1 knew that if I came looking hard up and seedy, you'd take me in, and forgivo and forget." "Right, Denis; ho would!" said Lord Esdnile.

" Hold your tonguo I" roared Lord Larry. " You'vo both deceived me."

" Well, no—not quite," said Denie. " Because, after all, I'm poor enough, seeing that all the money will belong to my wife, Nora Esdaile."

It was a lucky stroke. Lord Larry stared at him fur a minute, then tho storm-cloud passed irotn his face, and he hold out his hand.

" Confound tho boy I" ho said, " that's beaten me ! And so—you're (I rich man ? Well, you'ro tho first Deunison that's over been able to say so I Are you euro V Denis pulled out his packet-book, and shyly put, the notes on tho cloth. "That's only an instalment," he said, " There's plunty more whore than came from."

" But ono half is that fellow Culmor's?" " My mate, and partner, and friend's— yes," siiid Denis, quietly. Lord Larry whistled softly and looked at Lord Esdiiile.

" Then both the girls will bo rich," ho said in a low voice. "Cheer up, Esdailo ; it might have been worse ! But—butyou'vo robbed me of a pleasure, Denis. I was going to kill the fatted calf. Well, I'll forgive you !" and he shook hands again, CHAPTER XLII. One day while London—one might almost say tho world—wan ringing with the story of Lady Nora Ksdalle's restoration to her rightful place in society, and dilating upon her short and inarvellour) stage caroer, Denis walkod up to Esdaile. Binco Airs. Neil's death, Nora had, of course, gone homo to hor newly found parents, and had lived thoro in such seclusion that Denis himself had soon but little of her.

For Nora had nob yet got quite used to hor own identity as the daughter of an earl, and tho shadow of the old, false pnrontago still hung over hor, though daily it grew fainter and less sombro.

And tho shock of Mrs. Neil's death had boon no slight one. So that on the few occasions Donis had seon her, she hid, »o to speak, rathor hold him nt arm's longth. Lady Esdailo, with a mother's insight, understood thn phase of feeling through which hor daiightor was passing, and had boggod Donis to bo patient; but Doni?, being only a stupid man, had found it rather difficult to exorcise that. Christian virtue

However, ho did his boat to hold himself in and refrain from " worrying" hor. But one day Donovan cune homo, ilo had found it rathor difficult to toar himaelt away from London and tho Empress, where a certain Ali.«s Moberloy was again delighting crowded audiences; but he found it pon'iblo to run down at last. He had busints? with Lord Esdailo, ho said. And beforo many bourn, Denis, snatching at an allusion to Australia, had got out of him tho story of the resouo. D;iiis scarcoly waited for tho full dotails, but dashed up to Ksdaile, and demanded, rather than asked, to see La:ly Nora. She came down to him, looking toolovoly for words, but with a gravo smilo. "How do you do, Denis? Mamma will bo here in a ininuto or two."

" Thanks ; but I don't want to seo Lady Esdailii this morning, Norn," ho said, with his old directness. "I want to see you. Will you como into tho garden ?" She hesitated a moment, then passed out, taking up her hut u« she wont. "i'vo just loft Donovan," ho said. Hho Rfcnrtod pliijlibly, and hor faco grew pink, then wont palo again. "Yes? I hope ho ie well ?" " Thank you ; quite well. Ho wouldn't bo, if I had served him as ho desorvos. I nuijht to huvo given him a good hidini'. Nora, why havo you deceived mo?' , " Deceived?"

" Yes. It was yon who saved me from Foylo. It was you who saved my life. Tho second time ! It wasn't it dream, for you were out tliero in the buah when I was ill."

"Forgivo me, Denis!" she murmured, " I don't know," he mid, cunningly, for love makes us cunning sometimes. " I'll try to bofuro I no away." " (>o away !" Sho stopped short, with dismay written all ovor her. " Ves," ho said. "I am going back to tho opal mine. It sooiih that I'm not wanted hero."

"Not—wanted!"

" No. Who wants me?" " Why—why, Lord Larry, my father, my mother." " Thanks. Anyone else ?" The crimson stole over her face. " Yos, Uonis," sho said, a little piteously, "I, too." " Thou marry mo I" he said, promptly. "I—l will—joino day," she said, faintly. "Name it!" ho said, with business-like briskness. " Oh, Denis |" "And oh, Nora I" ho retorted. "Do you think I haven't waited long enough ? Do you think I'm not flesh and blood, but only stone? Why, I'm — I'm half out of my mind with longing for you, and I don't see you— But never mind. All I say is, what was the uso of going nil those miles to save my life, if you worry me to death afterward? Name tho day, Nora." "Mußtl?"shewhi3perod. He could play the " etand and deliver" no longer, but caught her in his arms (" Oh, Denis, the windows I" notwithstanding) and kissed her passionately And the day was named, As Lord Larry said, " One can't be mourning for ever," and the wedding, which Nora would fain have had a very quiet one, was anything but quiet. It was indeed so Urge and festive a one that both the Hall and Esdaile were crammed with guests, which not only coinprised the usual relations, but the friends of the Miss Olive Merton who had shone with such effulgence on the boards of the Duke's Theatre.

There was a literally full account of it in tho Cornet, for Mr. Sedley was present and made the most eloquent speech at the breakfast j and tho list of the guests comprised most of the stars of the fashionable and literary and dramatic world. Bub not even the graphic Cornet could describe the splendour and gayety of this truly Irish wedding.

Aβ Dora said, it was like a scene in one of Mr. Sedley's plays—only more so; and two " points" in the affair neither she—nor many others —will erer forget: the beauty of the bride, and the magnificent string of opals which ehone and Bcintlllated on her nock. They were not amongeb Denis' presents, nor were they on viow with the othere some days before tho ceremony, bub they arrived the night before the wedding without ft word from the donor. But Denis and Nora both guessed from whom they had come, andboth of them, while tlio words whicli made them man and wife were being spoken, saw a bent figure limp into a corner of the church, and limp out again before the service had concluded. It was Culmer. He had declined Nora's urgent invitation to join the guesti, but he had stolen in to catch a glimpie of hie partner's happiness. Of the breakfast, of the speeches in the hall, the merry-making in the park, the

general "bono," as Dora called it, space will not permit a description. But it should be stated, in fairness to that gentle' man, that, next to the bridegroom, Donovan seemed the happiest there. Perhaps it was owing, in no slight measure, to hie having a place found for him lit the table near the bridegroom ; or, perhaps, it was because he sat next Mies Moberley. Anyway, hie handsome face, lighted up with hilarity, made him a general favourite, not only of his neighbours and friends, but of the London guosts, from Lady Marchmont downward j and his glowing countenance reached its zenith when, just before the doparture of the bride and bridegroom, he managed to whisper, in as low a voice as was compatible with the din of excitement:

" Master Denis, I've done ray business with his lordship. We're to have the Meadow Farm, Master Denis; good luck to him I"

" Wβ!" said Denis, with feigned innocence, bub looking at Dora, who actually blushed.

Donovan chuckled and struck his thigh, as if it were tho best joke in the world. " Shure, and I'm mailing ay wife as ie to be, Miss Dora here I"

Dora laughed, and got bohind Nora. "As if I'd give up the Empress for twenty Meadow Farms! Don't boliove him, Mr. Dennison!" But to the infinite grief of her many admirers, she did ; and, stranger still, makes an admirable farmer's wife.

[To be continued on Wednesday next.]