THE WAY TO WIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13707, 25 March 1908, Page 10

THE WAY TO WIN.

. 4» BY MADAME ALBANESI, Anthor of "Capricious Caroline," "The Strongest of All Things." " Susannah and One Other," " Love and Louisa," Etc.. Etc.

(■PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.}

COPYRIGHT. *> ~— Covsta.vc'K thanked him with tears in her eyes, and did not refuse his offer. "1 shall be glad to have you near me," she said. " I try not to think it, hut I am afraid that I am going to lose clear Uncle Henry. Though we have been together such a little while'l have learnt to love him very dearly. He is so good to me! Only last night he told me of all that he had done for me. He has made me a very rich woman, and lie has desired me to go to his sister, an aunt whom 1 have never met, who lives in South America, and who is also very wealthy, lint all this matters nothing to me iii comparison to the loss I shall have —if he dies. " You must hive courage," said Humstone, and to give her this courage he sat, down, and look her hands in his and he kissed them. They talked together for some time, and then lie went to send telegrams cancelling all his engagements. His valet joined him the next day, and brought with him letters, amongst which was one from Mis*. Fielding's lawyers, giving on instructions with regard to the yacht and forwarding him the amount of money requited to complete the purchase. Just for an instant this generous action on the pari of Christine moved him. It was certainly very agreeable, to feel that he possessed such a valuable property. Then, of course, he began to find fault ; lie considered that Christine should have acquainted him with this intention, that she should have studied his dignity. However, he did not think very closely about Christine at this moment. as -Miss Lamborough's uncle seemed a. little better he persuaded her to go with him and spend an hour on board the, Flora, The yacht was perfectly appointed. It had been fitted up by its recent owner for his wile, whose untimely death had really been flic cause of the Flora changing hands. Constance Lamborough was charmed with all she saw, yet the inevitable jealousy and sadness tinged her wordsi

"You will sail away in this," she said, "far, far away, and you will be so happy." Sir' George shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? And perhaps I shall not sail .so very far. At least you have promised me, Constance, that before you go to strangers, should you be left alone, you will stay awhile with my mother, that will give us the chance of seeing one another." " A chance which we ought to avoid, at least 1 ought to if 1 waul to have any peace of .mind." George look the girl's hand. "Constance," he said, "do you really love me still? I know you did love me; but, well, 1 have not been very kind to you, and love needs kindness.'' "We must not talk of this," said Miss Luniborough, quietly. .She had grown very pale, and when she suggested that they .should go back to the hotel, Sir George fell in at once with her wishes. He stayed at Southampton a day or two, and when he left he travelled direct to Hunston. "The yacht is all ready," he said to himself; "we really have no need to wait. 'The quieter the wedding, the better Christine wilt be pleased." tit, he was restless, and all the way down in the train his mind was haunted by the vision of Constance Lamborough's face, by the pathetic beauty of her eyes, imd by the touch of her lips, tor he had kissed her many times. Had she remained his mother's companion, tin' undoubted beauty which Constance possessed would never have taken such hold on him. It was* the change in her circumstances which disturbed him. Unconsciously lie found himself setting these two women side by side. Christine, of course. was the wealthier of the two: but he had been astounded when Constance had told him of the amount, of money which would come to her at her uncle's death. Her elegance, the charm of her appearance, contrasted almost disagreeably with Christine's indifference to her looks and to the. shabby and unbecoming black she persisted in wearing. He found himself peculiarly out of sympathy with his betrothed wife as he drove up to Hunston. The recollection of their last meeting, of the story which she had then told, worked like poison, in his thoughts. It brought before him all sorts ot objectionable possibilities. If Fielding had been this class of man who could say what might not yet be hidden in the past career.' They might never be free from those disclosures and claims. The future seemed charged with all sorts of disagreeable possibilities. With this mood on him, he alighted and waited in the hall for Christine to come. When they were together He did not offer to embrace her; he just held her hand for an instant. It was Christine who spoke first. "ion have had my letter'.'" she asked in a very low voice. Sir George frowned. " 1 have had no letter for several davs," he answered. "I Ivave come straight here from Southampton."' Christine said "Oh!" rather painfully, and her face flushed. The young man looked at her just » moment and then said: " What was in your letter? 1 came here because I had not heard, because, I want to bring this matter we discussed the other day to an immediate settlement. You wrote to me. for some particular purpose?''" Christine caught her breath ; then she said, speaking hurriedly and vet with difficulty: ' . "Yes: you have so often urged me to come away from here—to break with old associations —to take up new duties and— and. 1 have decided that .you arc right. I will leave here at once; will marry you when you wish !" CHAPTER XXVIII. JUN'CKOIT IN" TEAKS. The news of her mother's condition had cut short Anne Bancroft's visit to London, although. her brother had kept her in ignorance of what was passing till the operation had been performed. Dr. Brathmore had tried and tried in vain to get Christine out of the house at the crucial moment, but Miss Fielding refused to be persuaded. To all Dr. Brathmore'e arguments she made the same reply. ..." I should not l>e at all comfortable if 1 were not .here." When he failed to move her Dr. Brathmore put the matter before Mr. Bancroft, who at first merely shrugged his shoulders, and then finding it imperative on him to do something brought the matter to Christine in the most casual way. " I don't think you had better stay litre," he said. " Brathmore says it isn't good for you." " Please do not trouble about me," Christine had answered him very coldly. "I have already informed Dr. Brathmore I intend to remain." This was about the only .licet sptodi she had with the young man. They uvrnul to have fallen back completely to the disagreeable conditions which had characterised the early stage of their acquaintance. Just at first Christine had been horribly surprised and mortified that Dancroft had not shown some appreciation for her thought-fulness in studying his mothers wishes. But she very quickly took herself to task for being so foolish; it was evident that the man thoroughly regretted that brief spell of sympathy with her. And yet she could not shut away her sympathy from him. Whilst his mother wa.s in the hands of the surgeons- she felt in her own heart each pang that must, have shaken his. She herself had gone once again to that beautiful spot under the trees and had sat there not even pretending to read. Though there could be no suggestion of real, feeling in her for the woman whose life might lie even then hanging in the balance; though, indeed, it would have been natural enough it she had hated Mrs. Bancroft, she could not put herself outside the significance of such a vital moment'; indeed, she even tortured herself by imagining what her sufferings would have been had such an ordeal come to her father in place of James Dancroft's mother. The news that the operation was perfectly successful was conveyed to her by Dr. Brathmore. She did not see James Dancroft that day. nor indeed until two days later, when Anne arrived. There was something mt her callous about Anne's frank disappointment in being called back to the country. Nevertheless, she brought an element, of life which was very welcome. Her humanity, though it was coarse-fibred was warm and fullblooded. She showed very little concern about the invalid, but chose to make a, confidant of Christine. At the same time, in her outspoken way, she brought matters to a point where her future was concerned. " Enid Collision wants mo to go abroad with her this summer, and 1 think I shall go unless things change in the way 1 want them to change. Mother doesn't want me: she's got Bessie and all sorts of people to nurse her, and I've had my share of her company. It's everybody for themselves in this life, you know," Anne said with a little hard laugh, " I .daresay i shock you, but then you must remember you've always had everything yon wanted, There has never Leu any hardship in your life. Money, my dear, makes all the difference." And Christine had answered spontaneously, passionately : " [ think I have grown to hate money," "Oh, yes," said Anne. •"Thai is what p np,e say when they've got too much. Well, 1 don't hate it, and 1 want all I can get! 1 Look here. I will tell you the truth. I've met a man I mean to marry. I never eared for anybody as 1 care for him. There has always been something between mother and me. Her heart was wrapped up in my sister who died, and in the other two boy's she lost. I should have got. fond of Jim if I'd seen anything of him, but, we've never been together. Though his life was not a very rosv one, still it wasn't miserable like mil's He moved about, and saw life. It. wasn't living from hand to mouth, having one's feelings burnt out with the hatred and the determination to be revenged which I believe are the only things which have kept my mother alive .all this time. Yea, I mean to marry, and I—l shall do it .soon] just as soon as I know what you and Jim have decided." They were silting in the low-roofed, sweet-smelling drawing-room. The wide windows were Hung open, the lamps were not lit. Outside the moon was shining softly. "There is no need to wail for your brother," Christine Feilding said. "'This can be settled between you and me. Tell me what you want. If it is in my power I will give it you." do be continued daily.)