LED BY LOVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

LED BY LOVE.

BY CIIAHLES GAEVTCE, Author of *'Claire/' "Elaine," "Doris," "A ' Wa«t% Love," "A , Woman's Soul," "Olkia," " Jeanne," "A Wounded Heart," etc..

CHAPTER IX.— (Continued,? As Edgar entered the tall, thin figure of Clifford Revel arose from the depths of an. easy-chair. fHe was in , evening dress, an exquisite white orchid in his buttonhole, his dark, handsome face set in its usual express sioh of calm, impassive acuteness. Something faintly like a sneer curved the cleancut lips as he looked at the flushed countenance and kindled eyes of his cousin, and as he held out his hand, white, and long and beautifully shaped,: he raised his dark eyebrows with a deprecatory smile. " How do you do, Edgar?" he said. ■:■■; "How, do you do Clifford? What- on earth's the matter? Jove, how hot it is! Level, open that window— -you mind, Clifford V ;i: " Not a bit! Is it so warm? You look hot!" '''':- ■ ". r ;:.'-.--:" ;: '; ; :" ): '; ; ' : '?>:£ -■ ?"■'■'■ -— " Look hot! I feel it'." retorted Lord Edgar, flinging his hat and dust coat to i the valet, who took them, and noiselessly disappeared. Clifford Revel pushed the chair on which he had been sitting 'to the window, and laying his white hands on; Lord Edgar's broad shoulders pushed : him gently but firmly into it. .r" "• ' . " Sit down, my dear fellow," he said, ■in his slow, musical voice. " " You are upsetting yourself, ;as usual, without, let us trust, due cause. ' The horse—" ■t Lord Edgar had' forgotten all about Elyaway again, and stared. Then he remembered. - '

" Confound the horse!" he said. ■ "Quite so," retorted :■ Clifford Revel, if anything spoken in so soft and serene a voice could be called a retort. "That is exactly what all the men who have been baching her will do, and they will confound you and me also." "What's the matter with her?" demanded Lord Edgar. "-The place is like an oven 1 What a man wants to , live in such a dusthole as London in the summer for I cant conceive." ,""' -"•'' •■"'- '■"••"<, "Ha! Only on Sunday last you remarked, if my memory does not deceive me, that there, was *no place ; worth living in but London !" ,; Lord Edgar coloured. : :Sunday last! 'A , Yes,::but something had happened * since then. He had not carried Lela across the stream then. > ' '- "Did I? I must :. have been a greater idiot than I thought myself. < Have you had i anything to drink? Lovel," calling to the | man, " bring some soda and brandy and I the cigars. Well, .go on." | But Clifford ■Revel"*' glanced towards the man warningly, and • remained silent until he had done his service and left the room. s "My dear Edgar, : i let> me. beg of -you to exercise a little caution; , one word of tlvs business before our 1 silent but i, intelligent Lovel and . the news will be all over the town." •: "Well, he % gone now. . Take a cigar. What is it?" ,- - " No, thanks; am going out." Lord Edgar glanced at the .scrupulously neat evening attire and nodded. . •"The horse, my dear Edgar, is dead lame." 'He said it in exactly the same tone as that in which'he. had declined "the cigar, and paused in the middle of the sentence to rearrange ; the orchid, which had fallen a little askew, , , Lord Edgar whistled. * "By Jovei' Howl did it-happen?" : \ "How do these things happen? No one knows—no one ever will know. The fact is, however, sufficient. We— and I and all oUr friends—have backed the horse to win, and, if she runs, we shall lose. ■'There is no time to be lost, you see. : ; I was sorry to wire, but I daresay you were glad enough for an Tj excuse to return; though, by the way, ; you don't '.seem '}■ so," -'ana- his keen dark eyes scanned for a moment the frank, handsome* face that certainly did not 'express much joy. Lord Edgar coloured and laughed, then frowned. * The "keen "; eyes watched him closely. ."I'll ask after the Abbey and my uncle directly," he said. "About this horse first. Of course; we must get out of the mess." " Get out of-it!" repeated Lord V Edgar, looking puraled.. .■'■..-•Clifford Revel nodded, and look a, cigarette. ■ v "There will be just time, if we commence to-morrow morning." ;; "Commence • what?" demanded i; Lord Edgar, with a frown. ' ""« ; .U. ■ "To lay against her," said Clifford Revel, coolly. "We must save our.money—" Lord Edgar sprang to his feet. ..','■;■■." Clifford, what) are you talking about? Are you joking ?r Do you mean to say that, knowing the horse is • lame and can't ■ win, we must bet against her, though up to now we have backed her right; through?" " Of; course !" was the reply. " What else would you do?" ? " Anything but that, iat any rate!" returned Lord Edgar, staring at him. ■ "Why —why, Clifford, it would be dishonest! ■ I wouldn't :do it to i eave—every penny I'm worth! •»: Gome, say j that you; are joking! Of course, the horse sha'n't run! Til.; have it put in the papers that she's lame." "You will?" said Clifford Revel, puffing at his cigarette. "I, am glad you mentioned it, so that I have time to get out of my losses. My dear Edgar, you evidently don't understand the turf! Your, virtuous indignation ■is ■ refreshing— is,; indeed, and I enjoy it. But, splendid, as it is, it is notbookmaking! No, Edgar! But you shall do as you please. > You can afford to lose a few thousands, while 1 cannot afford not to win a few hundreds!" "But— stammered Lord Edgar, colouring, ashamed and surprised. "Do you think it is right, Clifford? I put it to

yonClifford Revel smiled. > , . " Right and wrong don't exist on the turf, my dear Edgar. Money is the only thing that is recognised. Get that, arid.yoT» arc right; 1 lose it, and you are—wrong!' !» Then—then, this is the last horse I shall ever enter I" exclaims : Lord Edgar; t em< phatically, '' " I have done with it!" - "I am delighted to hear it," reetorfced the other, in a clear, smooth, voice. "If will be good news for my lord the marquis. Don't let us worry any more about it. J take it that vou are content.to lose all you have staked,'and lam at liberty to recover myself. And, now that wo have both made our minds. up, let me give you the lettei I received from the trainer, and wipe the little affair from our minds. -Here it is, and he took a letter and dropped it on the table, with a flourish of his hands, as if he had finished with the subject. Lord Edgar let the letter lie; he was surprised, and more than surprised, at > his cousin's code of turf morals, and yet be didn't like to say anything more positive than he had said. Clifford was by far the cleverer man of the , two, as he knew. Clifford must be right; he wouldn't do anything wrong! And yet—to back a horse until it fell lame, and then lay against it! His honourable nature revolted against the . ''Lame or not lame, I'll sell the beastly horse," he said, grimly, and his voice could be very grim when he chose, " and never keep another for racing purposes. If that a the sort of morality that is in vogue, CUifor( I—and you—are well out of it! Clifford Revel shrugged his shoulders. "We've done with the subject, he said, eyeing his cigarette with the deepest interest. "And now, how is mine uncle ; . "Very bad!" said Lord Edgar. 'Clifford, what is there between you and him J There must be something! He—l dont want to wound your feelings— he— t like you!" '■'■■--. , _, . , "That's no news, my dear Edgar, Ana, as to feelings, poor devils like myself have none; they pawn them at an early stage of their career, with their ■ other valuables. Shall I tell you why your father hates mel Well, because my father, his younger brol ther, ran away with a young girl—and mar- ! ried her—that your fathei nad set his own lordly eyes on! That is all! There has alwavs been hatred between the Revels and the Fanes—the younger branches'are called Revels, you know—and in great families like our own the younger always hate the elder, and'vice versa!" "Then you and I ought to hate each other!" said Lord Edgar, with a pleasant laugh. •''"''..•■ , ;, '■i'i Clifford Revel looked at him with naifcloyed eyes, and smiled.

■:■■ " Just so ! But we don't, It is bad taste on our part, no doubt. Some day, perhaps, we shall; meanwhile"—he looks at his •' watch" I must be off." | Lord Edgar jumped up and sighed, The evening stretched before him in ft dull ' vista. ~ "Must you go? I need; not have come up, after all!" he said, with a- sigh. # :.;:' Clifford Bevel looked around at him, with a sudden interest and eurioeity. • ■■..■-■.■. . "You 'seem to have torn yourself away from the ;\ Abbey with a " pang!" he said. "What was the attraction? ; When you were starting you uttered loud lamentations at the fate which compelled you to go down to that dismal hole. Was the hole less dismal than yon anticipated?" ; Lord Edgar coloured, and fidgeted at the sideboard. Should he tell Clifford Bevel of his discovery of Lela Temple? He had had i no secret from him ; hitherto, and the story : of ; his love trembled on his lips.; Clifford Bevel stood watching him keenly. Somej thing had happened down at Fanehurst; what was it? But he was far too clever to force Lord Edgar's confidence, and, f with "a slight shrug of his shoulders, took'up his dress overcoat and crush hat..-. ' ■;.". Well, ; good-bye," he said.' \*? I will " look yon up to-morrow." - " Oh, thanks/but I shall go back to the Abbey early to-morrow morning," said Lord Edgar. ; "Oh ,r - returned < Clifford Revel, with a smile that barely hid the curiosity that devoured him. : i "There must be , some great attraction, indeed I" he said, slipping on his coat with the slow deliberation peculiar to him. , , ~ "I—l like the country, and—-and there are some decent cattle down there that want exercising. 'i Yes, I shall go down to-morrow. Yon will see to Flyaway for me/ will you? Of course I sha'n't let her run." . - Clifford Bevel nodded.- '• *; I'll carry out j your wishes • I suppose you will lose a pot of money, but that doesn't matter, I presume?" " But' 1 it does, ■ though I" ■■ returned "Lord, Edgar. As he spoke he took up the letter which Clifford Revel had thrown to him j and unfolded it, absently. He looked at it without interest for a moment,, then uttered an exclamation. Why,; Clifford, this :is the wrong letter!" he said; then, with a smile of surprise, ; " I beg your pardon; fV, did not intend to read it, but—isn't my name in it?" and he threw the letter across the table, with a laugh. "■ ; Clifford Bevel did not change colour, but his lips came together.''tightly; and he took up the note without a word; v. ' "Oh, yes," he said, glancing at . it. ; "It is an invitation from some friends of mine; - ; they were kind enough to' include you;' they have heard me mention you, cf course ! I quite forgot to tell you—this Flyaway badness drove it out of my .bead." Lord Edgar nodded; 'the'; explanation seemed natural enough. ■.; " Very kind of them," he said. >;; - "Yes! I didn't suppose you'd ) care to go," said Clifford Bevel, carelessly, ? "What is it—dance, or what/and where?" j "Oh, nothing. They asked viae ■; to go and spend the evening; they had a dance last night." .' "It's; to-night, then?" said Lord Edgar. " You are just going? Who is it?" ■« "A Miss Drayton," said Clifford Eeveil. "Do yon care to I go?" he added, not vary pressingly. „ ■Lord Edgar thoughts moment. | " Yes, I think I should. I shall be aw. folly dull here alone to-night; ';, I don't car© about going to the club. Yes, I'll go with you, if - yon ~ don't mind waiting while I change?" • ''-*j-'* " Cut away," sj,id Clifford Revel, and he dropped into a chair, \ and closed bis, eyes, with a yawn. " . t ■■""-■■ Lord-Edgar shouted tovLovel,«; : and in about a quarter of an hour came into the room again in evening dress. '■ "I'm ready, old fellow," he said. "I'm

afraid I shall have made you late!" , "It doesn't matter," said \ Clifford Revel, in his impassive way. ■:,. "It ,is '■: a: mere informal kind of evening. I exjw«t you'll be bored to death." . j, • "Ob, no, I sha'n't," raid Lord Edgar. " Auything's better than sitting alone, moping over the Racing Calendar.'' A hansom bore them to ■ the .small house in the square, and they were ushered .up into the/drawing-room. . i

CHAPTER X. '•■' v *' "• "as mx BB won «rt'.*' '■ ~' , ..,.'" It was one of those evenings which have become fashionable of late, ilix" at home,'', •where people drop in aid stay and «hat, or go away, just as they please. You may play cards, or sing, sor sit still and go to sleep in a corner, anything but dance. The email rooms ; were neither crowded nor too empty, * and Lord Edgar was pleasantly impressed by the style of the houso and the agreeable character Of the pests. Somebody bad just arisen from the piano as j they : entered, and there was a little buzz of applause, neither 4 too marked ; ; nor "of l that j icy coldness which one usually receives m ft'; reward for r endeavouring to I : amuse-! one's friends. Their entrance attracted a'little notice, and Lord Edgar saw that Clifford Revel was a familiar guest. He followed; him up to Mrs. Drayton, who received them with something more than the ordinary smile of welcome. "This is very kind of yon, Lord Fane," she said. ,; ; ":" I scarcely liked to send' so informal an invitation; indeed, my daughter \ scolded]me: for doing so, but Mr. Revel has spoken of you so often that I thought we might venture to dispense with the customary ceremonies." %"I was very glad to come," said Lord Edgar, in his frank way. "I was just deploring having to : spend a solitary evening when my ';: cousin showed mo "i yow ) »ote.; Thanks, very much." : " There 1" said Mrs. Drayton, turning heir, head, and addressing a lady i who was ; approaching. "There, Edith Lord Fan* is not offended, after all, and I have borne my scolding without deserving it." '"" " . ,v Lord Edgar looked up, and saw the most beautiful;woman he had ever seen, excepting Lela Temple. It was Edith.'Drayton. There was ;no comparison between the two. girls; even Lord Edgar felt that. With all his heart throbbing with love for Lela., his pure little saint of the cloister, he was; con-; scious of a thrill of admiration for this magnificent creature. ; She moved J him as on* of "the superb creations, of Michael Angelo might have done; and, as he met the steady gaze of her dark eyes, something that was almost fear mingled with his admiration. ?■■■ She was magnificently ' dressed ;in a dark ruby satin, covered with old Venetian lace, and looked like .';:■ one of the* pictures of Spanish beauties one sees in the Louvre. Slowly moving her fan to and j fro, .eh« swept Clifford Revel with ; her : eyes,* then waited" for "the introduction. He came for-

ward, in his slow, deliberate [ fashion, ■-, and made the introduction, and she*; extended her hand, with a smile that, but for Ui; would have turned Lord Edgar's head, for the moment ;;:'at: least;: Then she began to talk, not \ the usual commonplace nothings which are•' such a fearful "bore ' to both speaker and hearer, but glided at once into a subject that would naturally interest him. She had read in the papers of his accident, and wanted to know exactly how it occurred, and whether the " jumps'' that they had made were not too much for both the borsee and the men. ~ :.: Lord Edgar, whose simple, guileless : ; nature never suspected for an instant that her interest was anything hut most genuine, plunged into the subject at once, ; and she stood listening as if every word were worth its weight in gold. Meanwhile, people were moving about, some chatting in little groups, others looking at a fine collection of etchings in the: huge portfolio in the centre of the room;' and presently someone went to the piano, and commenced to sing. Lord Edgar, who was passionately fond of music, stopped talking at once, which he would have done if he had not cared for music, being a gentleman as well as a lord; and Edith Dravton, putting her hand on hi* arm, whispered: <, ■ "Will you not sit down?!' He looked around for a seat; there was one close behind them, just at the entrance of the little ante-room, and she sank into; that, ; making room for him beside her '", by sweeping away her satin flounces. He. sat I and listened, and she sat and looked at him, without appearing to do so. Than she J glanced across": the room, to where -Clifford | Revel sat, talking to a young lady, ; and compared the two men. They were both : handsome—Cliff ord with the dark beauty i that was almost Italian; Lord Edgar with the bright, clear comeliness, that was essentially English. She noticed the muscular figure, the strong yet shapely hands, and then, she dropped her eyes, as he said, suddenly, the moment the song ceased: , ; _ , ' "Miss Drayton, I have been thinking of you!" ' -I

She looked at him, at the sadden, eager :>■ light his ewes,-arid knew in that women* J which was the handsomer. J " Oh, ma I" she said, in the clear, rtistiuct, * yet softly .pitched ton,: " I thought you * were listening to lie ffiOtfttf," * "So I was, but thinking .it the same ; time. I think I heard you- spoken of this" * morning-' ... She glanced across at Clifford Bevel. '- % "No, not by my cousin," he said; then, he paused, and the slightest, tinge of colour J came into his face. - 1 Her eyes noted it instantly. - * He was almost sorry that 'he .I'ad spoken, i He had done so on ths spur of the moment* J at the remembrance of Lela's words about 1 her schoolfellow. ' "Not by my cousin "ho said, "but by ft . young lady." . '„,!'■■■ . ■- -J . "Indeed! What "was her name.''.'. As 1 she spoke she bent her eyes upon.hint with I seeming carelessness, but, in.reality, with keenest scrutiny. .J ■' ! -'J' Her name," 'he said, :■ trying to : speak: v. with polite indifference, "is tela Temple.' * She remembered in a moment;, but ftpjeai'- -i ed as if trying to do. no. •-. ) ] "Lela—pretty nftm<.\—Temple! I don t- * think—ah, yes, I remember She was a / schoolfellow*of mine! A rather short and plain, but very pleasant girl—" * "No, no!" he. said, distinctly blushing :-. now. -u" You have confused with ;; iotka ' other girl. She is rather tell, and—and ] beautiful." . .-_ ] "Yes, yes, you are right," she said.' '~! ' [remember! How stupid of me! Why; wo were great friends at school, and swore ' an eternal friendship, which lasted just » ■ week. I am so glad she has not for- j gotten me! sls she in town'" « * ' More sorry than ever that he had spoken, j lift answered: - • "No. I met her in the country— Berk' j shire."'' ' .;.":"In Berkshire! ■ How kind of yon to come here to-night, after such, a journey," j! *'& couple of hours," he slid, laughing. j ' "It is not much of a journey from Fane- j ' worth." " ■■■■ ;, iHe had told her all she wiunted to know : in those few sentences jj, there ; was a light in " her eyes, as she arose, and she paused be- :; ' fore turning away to her mother,- who had beckoned her. "You are, evidently," so ' gootl-Katoml, , Lord Pane." she said, ""that I am tempted to take a lady's advantage^-" He arose, "and stood looking ftt her with his brave, honest eyes. . '..;' " I don't understand. If thisre is anything - I can do—" he said. "Well, there is," she answered. 'Tie foot is, my mother and I are alone-— mean, we have no gentleman at our beck and call, or to advise us, and just now we "rant advice badly." . ■: He smiled, and looked distressed. ;■■•■".•? If if s'fbusiness," he said, with genuine ; interest, "I'm no use in the world. My cousin, Clifford Bevel, is the nan, I'll fetch him for you." She pot her hand upon Ins arm, with * smile, not of contempt, but of admiration, of'his simple, truthful nature. _ • "Thanks, it is not business; or, rather,', • it is business which you do understand, or ; else people give you more credit than you deserve.' -. - ..., ~ .«« " They could easily do that!" he 8»W, ttHl waiting most eagerly. ~„.,'- 3 " That was very nicely said, she WU£ced., "But this is the business, Lord Fane ,My mother is anxious "about a horse • I .WW bought-"

His face brightened. „„,,,„> Oh, if it's a horse!" he «aid. *Well?" "My mother is afraid,of' it, and want* me to share her fear, and net rid of the animal. But I'm ■ not>fraid at • all, —he looked at her beautiful face, and the clea.r, black eyes, and thought that, indeed, it must be a. wild horse of Taitary to inspire fear in her heart—not at all. Now, would yon mind—it is a shame to trouble you<— would you mind looking at it to-morrow?' .' "I shall be delighted!"' he said then his face fell for one .moment. To-morrow! raid he meant to be at Leli's sid.s to-morvowr " You are sure it is not troubling yon unwarrantably?" she murnvursd. ■ , "I' shall - be" delighted," ?' he repeated- : "Where can I see him?" She - hesitated. "Perhaps, if quite convenient, you wouldn't mind seeing him in the park?; -' always take a gallop twice a day, betta '■ -bnafaartvand. after inftoh, 1 ' , , "I'll come after-" , '~ . .., ■ "To lunch/will you, please?'' sue said, 60 meekly and winniagly that, cjming from her f so majeatio and superb, he felt confused, "Thanks; I will come," be said. . - She swept.him a how of gratitude,.with queenly,' grace, jand went across the room,. her ruby satin shining through th« old lac* like a glowing, fire. , Lord Edgar . watched her as she swept across the room, and thought, as he did bo p ! that ho bad never , seen a more ' queenly figure, a more ; imperial• gaifc '; Her .• beauty „•. i her', manner, her voice, the gleam of her dark | —there are no black eyes, so artists My— eyes impressed him as no eyes had ever impressed him before. He thought of -Lai*, even at the moment; with his tender est low; i there was. nothing of love, of anything, approaching J it, in ; the \ impression| created \ by] this superb creator*, but there wasaom«» thing— vague feeling of having been \ in.' fluenced—that possessed \ bill. D .' ,}- t% ' s| ' He was still watching h«r>as she moved about the room, stopping :to talk to one and another of the guests, always with the per« feet grace which had so struck him, when Clifford Bevel came op to him,' " Well," he said, in his low, distinct voice, "are yon bored to death* Edgar?Vv>V^r' Lord Edgar started. "Bored? No! Clifford, what a splendid creature that is!" , Clifford Revel looked 3 around the ;room;' as if searching for the splendid creature,* *ai Lord Edgar, broke out with his usual'. impatience and impetuosity: ; .•"■.;..- . ; ":"' " Miss Drayton, I mean!" " Oh, Miss Drayton, j Yen," assented CUf* ford. : "Yes.ifthe is very much admirer!" . "Admired! .You speak as if she were' a statue or a painting!" Lord -Edgar*'*t< most indignantly. • (To be- continued: on Wednesday next.) -