LOVE MADE MANIFEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10969, 25 January 1899, Page 3

LOVE MADE MANIFEST.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

BY GUY BOOTHBY, Author of " Dr. Nikola," " The Lust of Hate," " A Bid for Fortune," " The Beautiful White Devil," etc., etc. [COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER Xn. A TEMPTATION* AND A SACRIFICE. The moon was just rising above the land when Claude and Faversham put off in a boat from the shore, and made their way out to the yacht. The water was as smooth as a millpond, and the little vessel, with its clear-cut outline and delicate tracery of rigging, made as pretty a picture as a man could wish to see. Away to the left, as they looked back, was the old town, nestling at the foot of its peculiar hill, and to the right and left stretched the Boulevard de la Croisette, where they had met Loie the previous afternoon. Though it was still March, the evening was quite warm enough to make sitting on deck possible, so that the two men were not surprised to find their hostess there when they came alongside. Belworth was standing

beside her chair, and as soon as he saw the shore-boat draw up at the gangway he told her, and they both went across to receive them. It was the first time Claude had seen Beckleton's yacht, and he was struck with tho elegance and luxury of its appointments. The owner was not on deck, and a sort of cold shudder passed over him when Luie explained that her husband was not at all well, and she was afraid he would not be able to join them at dinner, 'there was also something strange about Loie herself this evening. At Faversham's lunch at mid-day she had been all gaiety, now she was strangely subdued and silent. Nor was Belworth himself quite as cheery as usual. The reason was soon forthcoming. After a little conversation, Loie made an excuse and went below, and as soon as she had disappeared down the companion ladder he turned and walked aft with the two visitors. Faversham had noticed his unwonted quietness, and attempted to rally him upon it. "Don't," said Belworth, with a shudder; "my nerves have gono all to pieces, By Jove, we've had a nice business hero this afternoon, Ever since we left Plymouth, you know, liccklelou has been drinking like a fish, and though I pretended not to notice anything, I could see that he was on the verge of the jumps. About four o'clock this afternoon, soon after we got back to Iho yacht from your place, j Faver«ham, he came 011 deck, and, after a little preliminary nonsense, started running here, there, and everywhere, swearing the devil was after him. I've seen chaps in the same condition before, but never such a sudden, cold-blood exhibition as that." "Were the ladies mi dock at the time?" " Yes, and that was the worst part of it. Little Fanny Laverstock jumped up on a hutch, and held her skirts as if there was a mouse about, screaming all the time like a good '1111." " What did his wife do?" "Nile was silling down close to (lie binnacle when he first appeared, hut as soon as she saw what it was, she rose from her chair like a woman in one of the Ureek plays they talk so much about, and said very quietly to me: 'This is a disgusting exhibition, Lord Belworth. Do you think you could manage to persuade Mr. Beckleton to go to his cabin.'' By this time poor old lieckleton was hiding behind the companion hatch, moaning like old boots, and every now and again singing out that Old Nick was getting him by the leg with redhot pincers. He talked the silliest, rot imaginable about white frogs with pink eyes, and when I got him down to his berth it was as much as I could do to keep him there. Kventwillv. I left Parinan, his mail, with hiin, and sent a note ashore lo a doctor to come aboard and sc.' him. Hh's pretty quiet no<v I .rise lie believes we've locked the Old t lentil man up in the ice dust; but if lie gits it into his head that he's escaped wc shall have him trying to prance round the boat again.' " Perhaps the Indies would rather we didn't stay to dinner," said Claude, whose fato was as white as a sheet, a fact which his two friends had not failed to notice.

"Oh, but they would, though," said Belworth. " 1 questioned 'em 011 the subject, and they both agreed that it would liven them up to have company, and they badly want cheering." As lie spoke the gong sounded for dinner, and the men descended to tho yacht's saloon, where they discovered tho ladies awaiting them. Try how they would to enliven it, the n'cal that evening was as dull as ditchwater. Claude, Belworth, and Faversham heroically did their best to break the spell that bound tho others, but in vain. Indeed, it was not until the. coffee and cigarettes had gone round that the party in any way brightened up. Then, under the influence of tho superb liqueurs and cigarettes, of which their owner was so proud, things inclined a little more towards conviviality. Her (!race of Laverstock related the adventures of some of her friends in Paris with that, smartness for which she was so celebrated, and Belworth endeavoured to out-Herod her. Faversham, who was philosophically inclined, lay back in his chair and smoked, smiling when necessary, and officiating in the capacity of an audience, a little bored, but still willing to be amused. Only Claude and their hostess were silent and preoccupied. Somehow, Claudo could not help feeling that he was very near the one crisis of his life. Loie's face had lost all its usual colour, ami her eyes looked heavy for want of sleep. Once or twice Claude glanced across the table at the little, bewigged, painted duchess, chattering away so glibly on the other side, and could have found it in his heart to strike her. It. seemed a profanation for Loie to be sitting at the same table with her. When the cigarettes were finished, their hostess proposed that they should- visit the deck. As soon as tho ladies had obtained shawls from their cabins this was done, and presently Claude found himself standing beside Loie at the taffrail. Tho others were laughing and chatting at the bulwark opposite the saloon companion batch. The night was very still, and the little town ashore looked almost ghostly in the palo moonlight. While they had been at dinner another steam yacht tad entered the bay, and was now lying at anchor near them. "Loie," cried the Duchess of Laverstock, leaving her group and coming along the deck to where the other two were standing. " Belworth and I are having a dispute. I say that is Tremordcu's yacht, the Lotus Eater; he says it is George Custhaven's Sapphire Queen. To decide the matter, will you let us have a boat so that we may ! go and explore?" " Of course, you can have ono if you want it," answered Loie, who was not at all ill-pleased to get them out of the way.; She called up the mate, who was leaning on the bulwarks new the engine-room skylight, and gave him the necessary orders. So touched his cap and went forward, while the duchess lit another cigarette. Mind, Belworth, she raid, when she had induced the smoke to blow in dainty clouds to her satisfaction, "If I'm right, I win ten pounds and you pay on the nail. This is going to be a ready-money transaction." "Ready money!" cried Belworth, with mock consternation. "Impossible! You shall have my bill. If you want cash you ■will take your place between my tailor and my hatter, and it won't be their turn till 1901." "The bet is off, then, Loie," said the duchess, "I'm sorry I troubled you for the boat!" „ "You'd better not quarrel, I think," said Loie, solemnly. "You make admirable friends, but I really couldn't have you on board as foes. See, here is the boat. Now go a vay and- inspect the yacht. If Belworth won't take you up, Fanny, I'll bet you double the amount, with pleasure, that you're both wrong." "Done with you," shrieked the duchess. "Now let's be off." • The boat left the gangway, and was soon pulling across the streak of moonlit water' towards the shadowy yacht- at anchor in the distance. Long after its occupants

were out of hearing, Loie remained standing where she was, motionless and silent. Claude watched her uneasily. He was dreading what he knew was coming, and yet for the life of him he could not get a, T a y from or prevent it. Suddenly she wheeled round upon him, and took him by thel wrist. Drawing him closer to her, she said fiercely: Claude de Carnyon, fifteen years ago you used to be my friend—my true friend. What arc you to-day?" Your friend still, Loie. Can you doubt that? "Yes, I doubt it very much. But I would give my soul to know that it was true. Claude, for God's sake, if there is a God, listen to me patiently to-night, or you will never forgive yourself. You don't know how I am suffering. You have been told, I suppose, what is the matter with the man the law orders me to call my husband?" Claude nodded. "Of course you have. It is common pioperty, even among the men forrard, I suppose. Well, then, you can tell yourself exactly what my life is, and what it is likely to be. Knowing how I despised him before, you can imagine how I loathe and abhor him now. You know his character, ytu see to what degradation he condemns me. But you don't know half. He is mixed up in another awful scandal, and directly we get back to England it will come to light. My God! Claude do Carnyon, tell me how I can escape from this living death." " Hush! hush! Loie, you must not talk so loud," said Claude, in a fierce whisper. , "You don't want all the ship's company to hear, do you?" " I don't care who hears. lam desperate desperate." Her beautiful figure was convulsed with the vehemence of her emotion. Claude folt that if something did not happen to save him, he should soon be throwing prudenco to the winds. "Loie," he said softly, "you know that I would do anything under the sun to help you, that I would count no sacrifice too great if I could only make your life happier, but what can I do?" "You can do everything," she replied, raising her white face, and looking straight at him. "It is in your power to end my misery when you will. You must be indeed, blind, Claude de Carnyon, if you have not been able to see these many weeks past how madly I love you." " Be quiet, Loie, for God's sake be quiet. You don't know what you are saying. You must be mud to talk like this." " Mad I Aye, of course, I must be mad to imagine anyone could care for me. But you know you eared for me once, Claude. You were fond of me when we were children on the island together. You swore then that you would love me always, that you would never forget me. and that when you became famous you would marry me. And this is the result. Here we are, together but apart. You are famous, and I am the wife of that drunken debauchee in his berth downstairs." She laughed scornfully, such a laugh as was destined to echo in Claude's ears like a death knell. He did not answer, for the reason that he did not know what to say to soothe her. Every pulse in his body was throbbing fiercely, bis whole being longing to comfort her; his heart bade him take her in his arms and hold her thus against all the world. Hut for her sake he dared not do it. To do that, he knew, would be to ruin her body and soul, and she was Loie, the woman lie loved better than all the world, and her honour must come before everything. "All, von have 110 answer for me," she said, after a moment's pause, seeing that he did not speak. " i might have known you did not care.' " I did not answer because I saw no way of comforting you," he said, lamely. " What can I do or say? Don't tempt me further, Loie. I am only human." Sho came a 'little closer to him before she spoke again. "Say that you love mc as I love you," she answered, almost under her breath. " Say that, and you will make me the happiest woman 011 the face of this earth. Don't you hear me tell you that 1 love you, that I worship you as man was never worshipped before? Claude, I could kiss the very ground you walk upon, To me you are a g<d—my god. my religion, my life. And it is nothing 10 be loved by me, Claude? ! 00k of me, and tell me if I am beautiful or

no!.' , She had hitherto been leaning against the bulwarks, now she stood at her full height before him, and as she moved, her cloak fell back from her shoulders. Claude gazed at her and uttered a little involuntary cry of admiration. If the whole world had depended upon it he could not have kept it biek. Never in her life before had the famous Lady Loie Beckleton looked so beautiful. She heard his tribute and was swift to make use of it. "See what I am!" she whispered, and there was the subtlest temptation imaginable in her voice. She paused to let her words take effect. Then changing her tone to tenderest pleading she repeated, "See what I am and remember that if you will that loveliness can all be vours. Isn t it worth it, Claude? Can't you find it in your heart to love mo just a little?" Ho turned his head away and groaned. "Loie!" he cried, fiercely. " Hush, for God's sake. You do not know what you're saying, and how you are tempting me." On hearing this she came even closer, and sinking her head to a corresponding level with his whispered: " Love me, Claude, and you will make me (lie happiest woman in the world. For your sake, Claude, I will make any sacrifice known to woman." ] " (Jive me time to think, Loie. For pity sake, give me time." "Must you, then, think before you can love me, Claude?" But he only answered as before.

| " Give me time to think." "Very well," slio answered. "Leave me now, and come back to-morrow. You must be mine now, Claude; I have shown you that I love you with all my being, and you cannot say me nay. There is no one in the world to mo but you." Hitherto he had been keeping his feelings back by sheer strength of will. Now, in the face of parting, lie could contain himself no longer. She was so close to him; the scent of her hair and the perfume of her laces was in his nostrils, and it intoxicated him like draughts of rarest wine. He put his arms about her. What did anything matter now? Success, fame, even life itself was nothing since Loie loved him and he loved her. " 1 love you, Loie," he whispered passionately. "I have always loved you. There is no other woman in the world for mo but you." He rained kisses upon her beautiful soft mouth, to which she offered no resistance. The trembling form in his arms maddened him, and prudence was thrown to the winds. Suddenly his ear caught the chirp of oars under the counter, and the next moment the yacht's boat came into view and made towards the gangway. "Let me go, dear love, she whispered, as she disengaged herself from his arms. " Come to me to-morrow, I cannot live without you now." '■ I will come," he answered, and just as he spoke the Duchess of Laverstock and her two squires appeared on deck. Her brace was prodigiously excited. . "I knew I was right," she cried to Loie. " It is the Lotus Eatei, and I've won twenty pounds. You and Belworth have both got to pay, or I shall distrain upon your personal belongings. We've had such a jolly "I'm indeed glad, dear,' said Loie with such unaccustomed humility that the vivacious little duchess stared at her in surprise. Then she threw a glance at Claude, and after that suggested that it was cold on deck, and it would be better for all parties if they went below. At the companion hatch Claude, who had whispered to Faversham his intention, said | good-isght, and the captain immediately called up the boat that was to take them ashore. On the way they spoke but little, and it was not until they had landed and were in the full glare of the gas lamps that Faversham said suddenly, after a glance at his companion: , "My gracious, Carnyon, how ill you re looking. You're as white as a sheet." I'm not feeling very well," said Claude. " But I've no doubt I shall feel better in the morning." "Well, let's find a conveyance of some sort, You'll never be able to walk home in this state." "No, dont get a cab, said Claude. I would far rather walk. It will do mc good, I swear it will." Faversham saw that he was in earnest, so did not press the matter further, and they j

accordingly set off. It was long after midnight by the time they reached the villa, and when they did tney passed directly into the dining-room, where spirits were placed upon the table. The smart walk out from the town had given Claude a somewhat better colour, but he still looked like a corpse. Faversham poured him out a stiff glass of brandy, and made him drink it neat. He gulped it down, and then bidding his host unceremoniously "good-night," retired to his room. Onco there he threw himself down on a chair and resigned himself to his thoughts. The world seemed to be racing round and round him, and he hardly knew whether he were on his head or his heels. He had heard at last from Loie's own lips that she loved him, and he had also told her of his passion. The Rubicon was passed, but he had still a conscience left, and that conscience was now putting forth all its strength in one last appeal. He insisted to himself that he had only behaved as he had for the sake of pacifying Loie. But in his inmost heart he knew that such was not the case. His conscience told him as plainly as any words could speak that he was only using Beckleton's outbreak as an excuse for appropriating his wife, and desperate as he was, his honour recoiled at the suggestion. He rose from his chair and began to pace the room. What was to be done? He had pledged himself, and to go back would be almost the action of a coward, and yet to go' forward would be to prove himself worse. That' he loved Loie with all his heart and soul there could be no sort of doubt, and he was going to prove it by— But he dared not let himself think of what he was goin r to do.

Hour after hour he paced the room. V.'hen the first grey signs of dawn made their appearance in the sky he was still tramping and thinking. He glanced at his Gladstone, and rememoered the occasion for which he had bought it. With that a remembrance of Jlarcia, his - wife, came into his mind. He had had no time lately to think of her. Now her pale, sad face seemed to be gazing reproachfully at him. He stopped in his walk and leaned against the mantelpiece. This was the bitterest hour of his life and he was aware of it. He had to choose between honour and his love. If only there were someone in the world to whom he could apply for help. Some person who would protect him against himself. But there seemed to be no onesearch how he would. Then an inspiration came to him. What if he sacrificed his love and placed himself beyond the reach of Loie! Perhaps then she would learn in time to forget him. At any rate it would save her soul. Yes, that was the one chance left to him. He would sneak back to England and appeal to Marcia, make any sacrifice in order to induce her to take him back. His life would thenceforward be hell, nothing could prevent that, but he would have saved Loie's soul, and probably his own. He would begin a new life, forget his ambition, and thus save the honour of the woman he loved. He sat down at the table by the window, and, having unlocked his despatch box, took out some notepaper and prepared to write a letter. It was only a matter of half a dozen lines, but it took him an hour. When it was finished lie sot to work, packed his bag and then crossed the passage to Faversnain's room. Three hours later they were both 011 their way back to England, and Loie was lying in a dead faint in her cabin on board the yacht. (To be continued on Saturday next.)