MONA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12649, 1 September 1904, Page 3

MONA.

BY MRS. GEORGES SHELDON, Author of "Trixy." "Brownie's Triumph," '• Earl« Wayne's Nobility," " Queen Bess," •' The Forsaken Bride," " His Heart's Queen," etc., etc. CHAPTER XXXlV.—(Coutiwea.) The girl sprang to her feet, every atom of colour now gone from her face, and confronted him with 'naughty mien. "Your wife!" she began, panting. Blithe would not let her go cm—he meant at least to explain himself more fully before allowing her to reject linn. ! "Yes; why not?" ha asked, throwing ; into Lis tones all the tenderness he could command, " for 1 love you, Mona, with all my heart, I have told you so once before, hut you would not believe me. You taunted me with unworthy motives, and asserted that I would not dare to confess my affection to my aunt; but 1 have confessed it, and silie is willing that I should win you. 1 know that 1 have paid devoted attention to Kitty McKenzie, as you »Iso twitted me of doing, and A"«t ?Vr.r,-I-.. wjmte.j me to ;, ral :; ; W. . ■ but. when :il-. fouud that I had no loVfc '0 give, h ;r, .i.": uiy bca.t way s-.c ur>...-u you, ,je yielded ii'-fe {Joint. ■■■%! I V C.V have her ..u'l and free ccagent ■' male y-r----my wilt. "Do not scorn my . nit, it'..".'*. I cams.;** (Li* »i yon as Kr.'L> Mr -~h? any liiajer .do not curl jour {,; '- iv "..« '■-"'• th'.h ycii" •■''.:<i:~ v "'.' -'if.;i. »5 ».f >~:•.»._, ,vi j '■"■ . • ihai -.ay - jL«r' ; -"' ! " r ;■' ■■'• ' '•■cfer \ ■. *v; ; T& .-■"'.' "I -'-" *■! '-".">."":, i ;.'ti-.:', <" ■■■■•■■ ..,-, :.v... v.oitoy of" you," he Went OH, Hushing and speaking humbly for ones, for he was terribly in earnest; "I have bee!!. guilty of a great many thing?' which I Save learned to regret since I have known, yui; but I can conquer everything if yen' will 1 give me your love as tin incentive, and I i will be a better man in the future. I will even work for you, if you so despise the fortune which your father left, and which ! I have expected to inherit from my r*imt-. ! Oh, Mona, do not despise my love for you. j for it is the purest attribute of lay nature, and—"

" Pray, cease," Mona here, interposed, fur she felt'unrble to hear any more of this passionate avowal, while she was greatly surprised and really moved by the depth of feeling which he*evinced. " I would fc* the last one," she continued, in kind, {jrav tones, but with averted eyes and tremi>iinj lips, "to despise the true affection of am man. If I said anything to wound ?':'i that day at Hazel dean I regret it now, .- though ' I felt at the time '. 4 you ** showed some disrespect .n vour manner of approaching .< i.e. But I cannot be your wife; if yon ■■■•ike that, the condition"—and her lips c.r .1 a trifle here—" of my learning the mi . ery regarding my father's desertion of my mother, and* securing the proof of i:ueir marriage, then I must for ever relit. h all such hopen, lor .1 could never ma iy a man—" "But—" he interrupted, excitedly. ''Let me finish," she persisted "ift.ng her hand to stay his words. "No woman should ever become the wife of. a 'ran she cannot love. Ido not love you, M Hamblin, and knowing this you woulc not respect mo if 1 should yield it. ymr suit. Let me assure you that I hoi mr you for some things you said to-day-* that you would be willing to work for oiu vhom you loved: that you would ever, relinquish a fortune for her sake. Believe m> , I respect you and appreciate such an av>w >1, and only "regret that your regard coir ' I! t have been bestowed upon someone who • ould return such devotion. I cannot; but, Mr. Hamblin, .1 feel more friendly toward you at this moment than I have ever if-It I beg. however," die conch:<:'ed, sadly, '"that you will never address me thus again, for it gives me prill to know tfc .i anyone's life should be marred through me; put this affection away from you— it in your heart, and seek some dear, good girl who will love you and make yon happier than I. possibly could, if I fhou'J yield to your suit wnnout any hear-. <• ;ive you." "Pub this love out u. Ny heart! Crush it!" burst forth the you* g' man, with pale lips. "Could you (Jo t.'.il:, Mona Montague, if the man yw; loved should stand coldly up before yon s.nt bid yon to do so?" Mona flushed, and li '■ tears sprang into her eyes. She knew hi; too well that she could never crush o;r f <>i her heart her lo\e for Raymond Palm If Louis Hainblu. hfA bestowed but a tithe of such affection upo' her there was indeed a sad future in gi-Oi'e or him, and the deepest sympathies ci lie* nature were aroused for him.

"I am sorjy—" slie began, falteringly, as she lifted her .nvtwining eyes to his face, and both look and tone stirred him to hot rebellion, i& kvcw well enough, of what she had bt;<u chinking. "How sorry are you?" he cried, in a low, intense toner "sorry enough to try to do for mo what yo\ have bidden me do for another? Will yen crush your love for Kay Palmer, and bes'ow it upon, me?" Mona ret-jilflci beneath these fierce, hot woi'chi, whi'h'/ -he inwardly resented, the selfishness lumi rudeness of bis question. Still she ti\ X to make some allowance for his bi;N"-r disappointment and evident suffering. " I do -tot think you have any right to speak to x..-- like that," she said, in tones of gentle rep oof, though tier face was crimson with co isciotis blushes. ■' Have I no right to say to you what you have said to me?"' he demanded. " You have said ;hat no'woman should marry a man whom site does not love, while, in the very nsxt breath, you bid me to 'seek for some dear, good girl' and ask her to marry me, who can never love any woman but you. .Are you considerate —are you 'consistent';'' " i'er'r'ops not," she returned, sorrowful)-; but I did not mean to be inconsis'.it or to wound you— could hardly beii-:ru that you cared so deeply; I hoped you night be mistaken, in your assertion that so other affection could lie rooted in y ,tr heart." "'faere may be other natures besides ; vi own thai are capable of tenacious af-{•-:..ni," he retorted, with exceeding bit- ;' • '•• :■ SS. " True," Mona said, sighing heavily, '' at." driven to desperation and facing hi a with sudden resolution, "I cannot res' v nd to your suit as you wish ; I can never I 1 ■ ..our wife, for—perhaps under the eir- ( imstances I ought to make the confession — am already pledged to another."

J CHAPTER XXXV. " THK SKCUKT OF THE ROYAL iJIKROR. ' „ Mona's eyes were averted and she was i greatly embarrassed as she made the. AcI knowledgment of her engagement, therefore ! she could not see the look of anger and I evil purpose which suddenly swept every I expression of tenderness from Louis ILttit- . i'u's face. He could not speak for a, moment, lie wa,s so intensely agitated by her confession, i " Of course, I cannot fail to understand j you," he remarked, at last. " You mean ! that, you are engaged to Ray Palmer, and i that accounts for the attentions which he bestowed upon Ruth Richards at Hazeldean. You two were very clever, but even then I had read between the lines and knew what yen have just told me." "Yen knew, and yet presumed to make this avowal! Yon "dared to ask another man's promised wife to marry you!" Mona exclaimed, all her embarrassment now gone, her scornful eyes looking straight into his. "Well, perhaps 1 should not,say I knew, but I surmised." he confessed, bis glance wavering beneath hers. " That is but a poor apology," she retorted, in the same tone as before; "you certainly have betrayed but very little respect for me if vou even 'surmised' the truth, and would ask me to regard my plighted troth so lightly as to break it simply to gratify your own selfishness." " And your respect for me has waned accordingly, I suppose you would be glad to add," Louis H&mblin* interposed, with a sneer. Mora made, him no reply. She began to think chat she, had overestimated the purity of his motives—that all her recent sym- ' j pathy had been expended upon an unworthy object, You will not forget, however, that I made the promise to surrender certain proofs and keepsakes conditional upon your yielding to my suit," he added, with a cold resolutenass. "No honourable man would make such conditions with the woman he professed to ' love," retorted Mona, with curling lips. " A man, when he is desperate, will adopt i almost any measure to achieve hi:; object," J her cpjjjpaftioa responded, hotly.

'- A' , - "!J $',* rv% . - fd! SiaUej' uhVh< I the i:..;;. ;v, ~,,.. ' ■--■■ ,?.-' ' b :?'7.'.i leave the loom. ; "Mona, do not go iway like ihni— yi.M \ shall not leave mo iv. such » mood!" the i young man cried, ,',s tie placed himself in ! her path. "Do ? ov not fie© that lam filled with despf-,.*--t)«3."fc 1 am desperate?" "I am sorry, d. <■ answered, gravely, 'but I can tell you ,; ring different—my answer is final, and our own sense of what is right should iHihi you realise and submit to it." "Then yon <:.<) '->t care for the marriage ■ certificate and rcl''.;r proofs V he said. Again the yom g girl's lips curled with ; infinite acorn, " Did you =.u, " '.>se that my love and my hand were, lib? "tick's of merchandise, to be bought and - Id'.' she asked, with scath- ■. ing sarcasm. Yes, I do care for—-1 do want the proo: 3; but they are not to be mentioned hi. 'onnection with such sacred subjects," (j:iv- went, on, with dignity. "If you were rt.-il', my friend you would never have miggesu i anything of the kind ; you ! would r-uev; my mind and heart, from the harassing slits regarding the history of my parent-... If such proofs exist, as you claim, they rightly l;?loufr *o ' :rx '"" " are d;?iov)>-* "-■ , ;■-.,, 4 .'. ~. _, «i .- v j. ■■ - •i: ,v « m keeT.r.;,, ii:ie»V! from :*>-*." "V-„ilr, a.--: .;•'- v- ;'■'.■■: nr,'.?v of te'j'qK':■j iv.' 1". ...(■ ii.-r.ai>eut3 k;m! if '.•:■ he . i■«■ n ij.r*s?rvhig tlie/'i^clv•;',•• i'rom too ■cu-irg',- of v!e;c"i;!ne:\v." I.ciu? lajoniciliy *.'b- " 1 (,«■ ->> nal-;--iand from bint, I >.-.*.p'h,&\ it vuu wih no' give *h"in to fie," 'SI--, 'm'avVed. 'Well, sim.3 I know '■]i"j -.i.- re n'tJ! 1:0 hl»'.n:.- o 1 * ./:■<<, ■' ■ ■•■'' i-_- . '■ .'.■>.', .: —iiiii-C i Know -..i-i, •». was on' •!. victim to the wickedness of others, it wr'i' i matter so very much if Ido not have ; th<- -f i'gible proofs you possess, and I must try '<. be content without them." ! '*. '..■! made another attempt to leave the ! : -:<o 1 , but he still stood in her way. j •'. cannot— will not give you up," he ■■r-i , between his tightly locked teeth, , ' You will be kind enough to let me pass, ' If*, Ha.ablin," Mona returned, and ignori: , his excited assertion.

'No: I will not," lie fiercely replied. '' -'e lifted her eyes, and met his angry i ; «n« e with one so proudly authoritative ." i_.it be involuntarily averted his own gase. I " I beg that you will not cause me ,o j lose all faith in you," she quietly remarked. A hot. flush surged to his brow, and hi , instantly stepped aside, looking crestfalk-a i and half ashamed, j Without an other word, Mono, passed from the room and entered her own chamber. I As soon as she had closed and locked the door 'die sat down and tried to think over all that (had been paid about her mother; this one subject filled all her mind to the exclusion of everything else. j But for Louis Hamblin's last remarks, and the betrayal of his real nature, and his selfish, ignoble purpose, she would have been grieved on his account, but she saw that he was unworthy of her regard, of even oho sorrowful thought. " These papers and keepsakes of which he has fold me, are mine," she said to herself; "they belong by right, to me, and I must—'-I will have them. That certificate, ob ! if I could get but that, I could give myself to Kay without a scruple, and besides I could secure this property which Homer Forester has left to my mother, and then I need nor. go to Ray quite penniless. These things must be ill either Louis Planiblin's or " Mrs. Montague's possession doubtless they are even now somewhere in the house on West Forty-ninth-street;. I shall tell Mr. Corbin immediately upon my return, ami perhaps he will know of some way by which they can be compelled to give them up." She fell to musing over the matter, little suspecting that, the most important treasure of all—the contested marriage certificate — had already fallen into her lover's hands, and was at that moment safely locked in Mr. Corbin 1 s safe, only awaiting her own and Mrs. Montague's return, from the South to set her right before the world, both us to parentagoaud inheritance. Louis Hamblin remained in Mrs. Montague's parlour until her return from the concert, brooding over the failure of his purpose, and trying to devise some scheme I by which he could attain the desire, of his heart. I He. then gave her a faithful account of his interview with Mona, and they sat far into the night and plotted how' best to achieve their object Mrs. Montagu© was now as eager to have Louis many Mona as she had previously been determined to oppose it.

" I am bound that she shall sever go into the Palmer family, if I can prevent it," she said, with a frowning brow. " It" 7. am to bo mistress of Mr. Palmer's home, I have no intention of allowing Mona Forester's child to be a blot on my future happiness." " You are complimentary, Aunt Marg, in your remarks regarding my future wife," Louis sarcastically observed. "X can't help it, Louis. I bear the girl no good will, as you have known from the first, and you must make up your mind to accept matters as they are. You are determined to have her and I have given my consent to the marriage from purely selfish motives," Mrs. .Montague returned, in a straightforward, matter-of-fact tone. "I would never have consented," she added, with a frown, "if I had not feared that there is proofbesides.what we possess— of Mona Forester's legal marriage, and that tlirov.,.;ii it we might some time lose our fortune. .1 should be in. despair to be obliged to give it up— without plenty of money is not worth living, and I consider that I was my shrewd and fortunate in getting possess) of that certificate ami those other things.'' " Did you bring them with you when you left home'.'" Louis asked. "No; I never thought of them." Mrs. Montague responded with a start and a look of anxiety. "It is the first time 1 ever came away from home without them; but after I received that, telegram arid letter I had plenty on my mind, 1 assure you—my chief aim was to get that girl out of New York, and away to some safe place where we could work out our scheme." "But von ought never to leave stall valuables behind," said her nephew ; " the house might take fire, and they would be all destroyed." '•That would be but a small loss, the woman retorted. "1 have thought a. hundred times that I would throw them all into the fire, and thus blot out of existence till that remained of the girl 1. so hated ; but. whenever I have attempted to do so I hare been unaccountably restrained. But f will do it as soon as we get home again, she resolutely concluded. Louis Hamblin's eyes gleamed with a strange expression at this threat ; but at! made no reply to it. "But let us settle this matter of your marriage," she resumed, after a- moment of thought. "The girl shall many you—l have brought her here for that purpose, and if she will not be reasoned into compliance- with our wishes, she shall be compelled or tricked into it. But how, is the question." "I will agree to almost anything, so Hint I get her," remark; her nephew, with a grim smile. " The clock on the nruriel; ' 'e struck two I before thev separated, but- iUc-y had decided j on their plan of action, and only awaited i the coming day to develop it. I (To be- continued >!*'.Uy,)

~,... .- :T^-;/v -VT-. o T"' v ;^,-.T r? . Trotting Club war- a-.-. ' R.i ' '>, •,.. 3 .'.;>>.- Durham-street East, yesterday s-ir.e,-, Mr. A. It. Harris, chairman of commits-. ©, presided, and there were between 20 and 30 members .present. The committee's annual report, \vhi_-h was read by the secretary (Mr.. C. F. Mark) stated that the club had had another successful year financially, tie year's working showing- a net, profit of £182 3?, norwitnstanding a slight lulling off in th& tola! -itor receipts at the summer meeting. The sum of £2870 was paid in stakes, w'lirh showed a considerable increase on last- year, the' nominations and acceptance*: for 'each meeting' being excellent. The season's; raring had been of a high-das? order, and the closeness of the contests had led to an increased public interest. The stewards had not. had any serious case?' to consider, no disqualifications or suspensions, and only a few small lines being recorded. The separation of the offices of committeemen and stewards had worked satisfactorily. In f" turo no member «"»■"' .... ■~ .

: ■■: li i.i '}~■■ i-'-'i't!; e-iar.d I,.*mJ b\u rcprC' j '..'.ir.-V.ic.i on d" »•■? K'i:'.-.;;:;':, 'met ..,.u North 1 .l-.lar-i ivot-ml'-i-j ;:.,•' b--*Wi ».«ltrr.-d un<>p- i po3'<so !•:>• t.':> •;..-:n\'\, year. Tin c.'ub had ' striasiffec' for an r ; yeaviv' lease r A Alex- j andra Part: on "Atisfactory terms, and had aspaaded n Cutisidevabio aivio ,, "! in iiaprov.Mieiits Oij. thu ground. 11.. A. Coatcs aste ] v /." >xp-',:'.ation : ot v number of item.-; iv ihu bsianee-.ik«'» 4 i. I '?i>«,af vex» -. rr»L,. ; mvl i > 'ae chairman uu« ; Tlio Chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, and balance-sheet, said that, the result of last year's inquiry was a general expression of confidence in Canterbury in tho working of the club, as well as a proof that the club had been perfectly justified in the position it took up. He referred to the excellent services of the secretary, which, he said, had greatly benefited trotting generally in New Zealand. He stated that with the. view of making the club's races attractive a gentlemen riders' race for a trophy would appear on the coming season's programmes, in addition to the ladies' bracelet event. They were, he believed, tho first club in New Zealand to include such ».,n event in their programmes. He made special reference to tho kindness of the Taikapwna Jockey Club in allowing the Trotting Club the use of their course for the winter meeting. Mr. H. J. Greeftslade, in seconding the motion, said that in the Waikato there was a kindly feeling towards the club, and one of satisfaction that, it had come out of its recent trying ordeal with flying colours. Mr. J. G. Rutherford spoke to a similar effect It was resolved to carry out the committee's recommendation not to issue member;,' tickets until the subscriptions were paid. The motion for the adoption of the report and balance-sheet was carried unanimously. For the position of stewards the following were nominated: L. Cooke, .1. Todd, .Tas. MeLeod, J, G. Rutherford. A. Bach, R. Menaies. A. Hughes. J. McColl, ¥. Wells, K. P. Kinloch, J. Morrison and T. Crawford. For the six vacancies on th» committee the following were nominated: — Messrs. A. R. Harris, G. Tansley. .Tas. Hill, A. Coates, W. and Captain S. C. Oaultoti. In each case the number nominated did not exceed the number of vacancies, and all the candidates we'.e elected unopposed. The meeting closed with votes of thanks . to the Takapu.ua Jockey Club, the chairman, the secretary, and the press. The excellent services of Mr. Mark, as the representative of the club at the Trotting Association's meeting, were referxgdto by Mr. Rutherford (who moved a rots cT'fiiauks) and several other speakers.