FACING THE WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14299, 19 February 1910, Page 4 (Supplement)

FACING THE WORLD.

PUBLISHED BT SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

i BY FLORENCE HOPE, f Author of The Trials of Madge Moberley," fc "Paying the Penalty." "Against the , World," "A Merciless Woman," ..'■'. etc., etc. f tcqpyftiQHT.j 1 ■■■ ■ __; .. 3 CHAPTER XVI. J f cood-byb! J "A letter from Hamersham, Gilbert,' 1 . said Geraldine, when the post came in tin [ evening. "," suppose he wants us to hurr} our departure. I wish you would make UJ ' your mind where we are to go. Is it to bt I Germany and the celebrated oculist, or— , She had opened the letter, and was-read-j ing the contents, when she stopped short * with a sudden exclamation of astonish * ment." \.'\ [ " Well, here's news. What do you think! Hamersham has proposed to your little secretary, and not only been accepted but it married, and she pretended she detested him. What a. little humbug I" . "My God, what do you mean?" , Havelock had risen," and was staring at • his sister with those sightless eyes as if he were half mad. > "What's the matter? Why do you look like that? It is nothing to you. Miss Lorrimer has done well for herself, that's all, and has become Lady Hamersham, and mistress of. this place, but fancy getting married so .quietly. . She might. have let us know I think," said Geraldine, ; grumbling- : ly- ■ > ■ . - ■."" ■■'■■ . . Gilbert sank down again in his chair, and asked his sister to read aloud Hamersham's . letter. * ..:■ So she began again and read on: "Dear Miss Havelock, — will pro- . bably be surprised to hear that I was married this morning to Miss Mabel Lorrimer, a very quiet wedding owing to the eerious illness of her sister, who is slowly recovering, and will travel to Old Hall as soon as she is fit. - Meanwhile my wife remains with her; and we shall take a wedding trip when Irene is settled in her future home, which will be at Old Hall, until she is stronger. Will you thank vour brother for acceding to my request. He will understand what 1 mean, and awaiting ; your cqngratulation#, which I.feel sere of having.—Believe me, yours sincerely, Hamersham. " ; " You will write and wish them happiness, Geraldine, and say that we leave here to-morrow, and go straight through to the Continent. You can manage that, can't you?" said Havelock. ; V , - " My dear Gilbert, you are unreasonable. Here you linger on and on when I want to go, and how tell: me to be ready to start in a few hours, and I haven't got" Miss Lorrimer to help me. What luck for that girl. How well she has played her cards, hasn't ■ she?", > ' . "I muet get away from this place; we are expected to go. > Any day Hamereham might be bringing his bride ; down. If. I go alone, helpless as I am, I mean to leave to-morrow," declared Gilbert, and he had his way, for : before ( another twenty-four hours had passed they had taken their departure, ; and were staying : the night in town at the Charing Cross Hotel. ~ , - It had come like a thunderbolt upon him, the news "that after, all "her indignant refusal to marry ! Hamersham, :.Mab had accepted him in this sudden way. There must liave been some pressure brought to ' bear upon her, of that Gilbert felt inixe, and his heart ached ; for' the girl. •She; had been in difficulties ;'; probably, and needed money. Why had he not thought of .that and sent her-, a cheque, a substantial amount that, would have helped her with the expenses of this illness of her sister's. ' ' r And yet would she have accepted money from him? No, she-would have been too proud, yet she had taken it from Hamersham, the man she had said ehe hated." What had happened? If only he could get to the bottom of this affair, this ill-assort-ed marriage that made him clench his teeth with rage that he had been.so powerless to prevent. .-•': Geraldine had let Hamersham know, their movements, and on their arrival at the hotel they found his card, with a message to say he would call on them after dinner that evening. ,• - "What a surprise you gave us with your news," said Miss Havelock on his arrival as she gave him her hand, " Well, I suppose I shall surprise a good many people for sacrificing my liberty as a bachelor, but you see"with a shrug of his ' shoulders found it was worth it," was Hamersham's. reply;, ;; Gilbert felt a rush of angry emotion, and found a difficulty in clasping the other man's .hand., ' . , - ft- "Oh, by-the-by," continued Lord Hamersham," I tried to persuade my wife to accompany me this evening, thinking she would like to see you before you go, to say good-bye, but I could not' induce her to ; come. She sent messages, kind regards or something of the sort, and hoped you would have a pleasant crossing.'' . / : So this Was all! 'i p Was it any wonder that Gilbert felt hurt. Could she give up their friendship as easily as this? She "had had the chance offered her to meet him once again, and had rejected it. How was he to know that Mab had refused to come because she could not bear to meet him with Hamersham's eyes watching; her, and noting every change of expression in her face, the least heightenirig of colour: or the reverse, the' slightest tremor in her voice at parting - with the man 'she had grown to care so much for and respected so greatly. : 'j'. The girl had yearned to see him again, hut not in the presence of her husband, who would have looked out for signs of nervousness and agitation and delighted in creating a.meeting;and a parting that brought suffering. • - Mab thought her husband must have been a boy of the;.type \ that loved killing \ flies, shooting ;sparrows, perhaps even* larks as 4

they soared in their Joyous way singing into the azure of the ; heavens, and falling dumb for ever to earth. She was beginning to notice small cruelties in his "character that made her shiver and wonder; with dread about her future. ' ; '.■ •■,•;■':, There was a certain amount of business conversation between the Havelocks and the ; master of Old Hall, and an invitation given to them to nay a visit on their return to the old place where Mab would, he was sure, be ready to welcome them, and then Lord Hamersham bade them "Bon voyage" and took his departure. \' "He's as desperately in love with;my wife as it is possible to be ; this will afford me some amusement, certainly he must pay us a visit on his return." was Hamersham's strange reflection as~he took his way to his club where he played bridge until the small hours of the morning. Meanwhile Mab was wondering how and when she could see Gilbert for the last time. There could be no harm in a clasp of the hand, a parting word,- and she resolved to see the Continental train start from Charing Cross, for she had ■ understood from Hamersham that they were leaving by that. She was in time to catch them aa they were passing through the barrier, and begging to be allowed to follow, she came up with them; at the compartment they were about to enter.

"I felt I must come'to thank you both for all your kindness to me. I could not let you go without a word," said the girl, her voice shaken by emotion, and tears, that Gilbert could not see, in her eyes. " Why, I thought you had given us up in your elation at becoming my lady," retorted Geruldine with her usual sarcasm. Gilbert could say nothing in the joy of hearing her voice again, and knowing that she cared enough to come. I declare there's that idiot of a man taking my dressing case with the luggage," exclaimed Geraldine, making a rush after a porter whom she had tipped. to look after their things. .• .\. .";■: , - ■■ For one brief moment or two they were alone in a crowd, and Gilbert's hand sought hers. ■)'. '.'-';' . ;.:V :■•' '■■~-.■ ) ',u r ' ( ;v ,-■-.;; " Maestro!" she whispered, and there was the sound of tears in her cry. "Little girl!" "You know why I did itßene's illness — we were under such an obligationthere was no other way," she faltered. "I understand everything,, only I wish you had asked me for help," was his answer. "But then there was the future for Rene what could I do?"

" Child, do not set yourself against— ; things may turn out all right ; make the best of your life, and may God bless yon!" said Gilbert hurriedly, for any moment his sister might return, and their precious tete-a-tete be interrupted. " And you will be my friendstill?" pleaded the girl. "Always and for ever!"* She gave a deep sigh, then drew her hand from his close clasp, and turned almost smilingly to Geraldine, bustling up with her dressing-case in her hand that she declared she would not let out of her possession again. The bell clanged. " Take your seats," called the guard, and the platform was quickly cleared of the train, passengers. "One more clasp, I cannot see you," murmured Gilbert, with infinite sadness, and blinded with tears, their hands met, dropped, and with a final God protect you." Havelock stink back in the seat, and. Mab moved away. ' Geraldine for once said nothing, for there was something in their faces that touched even her, and settling herself in her corner, she wondered how it felt to care like that. v She had not let Willoughby know of her leaving England, but intended writing to him when they stopped in Paris. His last letter had angered her; and she had replied very shortly that he should hear from her later, but that their marriage could be postponed indefinitely, as he evidently desired. Her vanity was wounded but not her heart, and there was a vague idea in" her mind that if she met with a better match, as she might in their travels, Jack should be offered his liberty, but not until she had secured a better parti.

V ; chapter xv : "WHKN THE LEAVES BREAK. i'ORTH." , • ; .It was spjing , ; once: again* * the^second spring after - Mab Lorrizner's marriage/ She had been Lord Hamersham's wife just over 18 months, the little daughter that had been born to them was five months old, a puny delicate baby • that was a- disappointment to Hamersham, who had desired a eon, and hod shown almost a childish anger when they told him that there was a little baby girl arrived. ■ ' Mab had been very ill, and had regained her health slowly. The baby—poor wee mortal; with its almost incessant cry was a joy to her, for she loved it with a passion of devotion that was very touching, for one wondered if it would live to grow up. : Its father ignored ■> it completely after the first disappointed glance. He wanted ion heir,, not an heiress, and hoped that the child Would die, almost said so I in the presence of its mother, who instinctively felt that all the love the little thing would get would be from herself, and so she hugged it still closer to her heart. Then came the time when Hamersham became jealous of the child and the hours that Mab would spend with, it in the nurseries at Old Hall that had been so luxury ously fitted up to receive the baby boy he had hoped for.' 'You have nurses, then why on earth do you want to be spending more than half your day with that brat," said Lord Hamersham, brutally, and Mab had kept back the indignant reply that rose to her lips, for words were no good between them, and she. knew now what it was to fear her husband's anger. ~ The first real scene that had taken place* between them had occurred in Paris where they had gone two months after they had taken Rene to Old Hall, when Hamersham had insisted upon Mab discarding her mourning. She had begged to be allowed to wear lavenders, and greys and black and white, but so infuriated had her husband been that he had; . bought. her the . most startling -colours he could get had watched the fitting of ,a scarlet gown of, chiffon and silk for,the evening, and a bright blue of cornflower" tint for a day dress, and chosen hats' of i tiathers and flowers that were charming but certainly conspicuous. •";. , After the first bitterness of retaliation, Mab suffered in silence, for her husband showed that he was master, and taunted' his wife with all he had done for her sister. So she looked upon herself ; as a lay figure for the clothes he ! had put upon her, and: choked back the hot tears of anger and shame, submitting to his tyrannical behaviour for the .sake of pence. ■■ ■ ' She disliked the Frenchwoman he had engaged to be her maid, and knew that she was extremely familiar with her husband, and that they talked her over as if she were indeed nothing but a figure for clothes. , . Hamersham was proud of his girl wife and her beauty and : attractions, but love —such a man could only feel passion, which, ib a different thing, and it was that that made Mab recoil so from him. If he had loved her truly as most men love their wives, she thought she could have cared for him with a certain amount of affection, for love begets love, but as it was she could only try to endure, and endurance became a burden upon her worse than all else. < ' ' ■, , : She kept a. great deal from her sister; so that Rene did not know the half of the bitterness inkier life, but alas! she enough, and her heart ached for Mao. ' '•..:.-.•■.■','■ .':■.':■..'''■ She herself had soon, grown stronger in the pure country air, and surrounded by luxuries, but she dreaded lest any-day her' brother-in-law should send her to live at the Dower House, an £ was careful : to make herself as agreeable to him as possible r but it as often hard to do so when be f disgusted her by Ids manner to her sister So i Old Hall was not the happj: household it once had been, and the Vil- ; lage people often mid wit!, ] sighs and ; mournful shakes of their heads that "the new, squire was las different from th' old as chalk from cheese," But they were glad to have the young ladies back amongst them, v and there ; were always ■- smiles and respectful greetings when the sisters;appeared at their cottages. Mab especially was made welcome, and was, the ■ lady bountiful as far as A she } could be,, but Hamersham was not a generous, landowner, and proved to bo a stern and sharp landlord .; '. - ,n\-. , ~,- -. .. ,

; Of the Havelocks but little was known, except the fact that they were'still abroad, and that Gilbert's visit to the celebrated oculist had been postponed because of the great man being overworked and obliged to take a sea voyage. A rumour had reached 'Mab that Geraldine was receiving marked.'attentions from a wealthy American, and also from a German baron, that Willoughby was still at sea, and was starting on another voyage. ; Both the sisters felt that they had had the flash of love before them like a will-o'-the-wisp to vanish into darkness, a_rd they selflom spoke to one another of Havelcck and Willoughby.' Though but' the middle, of April, the day was so warm that they had taken chairs out on to the verandah, and the baby lay asleep in her carriage under a white silk-covered eiderdown and lacey adornments, watched over by her mother with adoring gaze. . 'I am sure she is really getting on. See, there is quite a colour coming in her cheeks, Rene, and she is growing pretty," said Mab, bending over the sleeping babe. "Every child is pretty to its mother," laughed Rene, adding, " but you are right, dear; she is perfectly sweet, and I think is thriving." = ' What on earth have vou got that brat out here for, Mab ? Ive told you a dozen times that I don't care for it 'to be m evidence; kepp it to its nursery, that's the place for babies," said Hamersham, roughly, as he came on to the verandah, and tossed a letter. into his wife's lap. " By-the-by," he went on to say, "I am going to have a house party. Irene, you can occupy yourself in writing the invitations. There are the Leaxams, the bcott-Redfords, Colonel Horsham and his daughter, and one or two others would be glad to come for a week or two if they are not wedded to the London seasonjbut it s not what it was. People go later and leave town earlier and find they get more fun out of the country. Who is your letter from?" :■" ,: Rene,' oh, listen! just think' if it be. really true. ..Oh, I can't believe it." Mab s face was flushed with excitement, her . eyes full of what looked like tears of joy. She was trembling all over, and her; voice shook with emotion. ~ V ■"'■*■" What is it, dear?" cried Rene, coming over to her sister's side, wondering at her agitation. , : ; " Maestro—Mr. Havelock, I mean— has been operated upon, andit has been a success, he — can see." ' She clasped her hands, letting the letter slip to the ground, whilst great tears rolled down her cheeks. Her husband picked up the letter that was from Geraldine, and rend the contents. His face was dark with displeasure, and a fury of anger possessed him. , Mab had shown plainly that she still thought of Gilbert Havelock as "Maestro," also that anything to do with him had the power to completely upset her usual calmness. "Control yourself," whispered Rene, standing in front of her sister, and dropping her own handkerchief into Mab'a lap. A frightened look flashed into the young wife's face, and she wiped the great tears away, , hastily mastering her emotion.

"I did not finish reading the letter, the news was so startling. Give it me, please," she managed to say in almost her ordinary voice. , -, "You behaved live a fool; ~it*s lucky there was no one else here to see you and make talk, and you've missed the other news m the fair Geraldine's letter. She has thrown over Wiiloughby and accepted tho proposal of Baron Orlf stein. She says they are going to make their wedding trip to England— must ask them here, and Willoughby to meet them, it would be amusing—also she says that her brother is on his way now under the care of a medical attendant. So he will set eyes upon you, my wife, for the first time; I wonder if he will be disappointed m you. What do you think, Irene?" • ; But' Rene had disappeared and gone into the house. Was it a wild strange hope that thrilled, her with sweetness? She wanted •to be alone to grasp the truth that Jack Willoughby had won his freedom, that he was no longer bound to Geraldine Havelock; - and ■ that if he loved her they still might meet with no barrier between them. . But did he think of her still after all this -long time, "and "the silence there had • reigned i between ; them. She wondered and trembled- at the thought of their meeting again. Meanwhile '/Hamersham was torturing his wife in his cold cruel way. "By Jove ! We will invite your Maestro down to Old Hall, he and Willoughby- and the baroness and her husband, it will be quite a family gathering, and' you shall make yourself beautiful to tantalise the eyes of your former admirer." :i She started up then, for he had not broken her spirit entirely, and - cried out passionately. .. ~."How dare you'" You insult me—and him. You will not invite Mr. Havelock here, _ nor those other people you have mentioned 'without my permission, : and Rene shall not, write the invitations 'I forbid her.''

" Great Scott! You look positively lovely when you are roused; it will be worth while doing so occasionally. Havelock ought to see you now, a little tragedy queen. . But, my dear Mab, understand that I am master, 'and your position as mistress is nothing," with a shrug of his shoulders, a trick of his that sbow- f ed ( absolute contempt or indifference. ,: ' Then let me go away; baby and me,'' cried the girl, laying , her 'hand upon the sleeping child. *'Fill your house with whom you like, but send me away for a little time. I want to go,' a change might do baby good and —" "r. Stop your rubbish. Do you suppose I" married you to have no hostess when 1 was entertaining. Send the! brat away by all means; that is a good ideat , Yes, I will speak to nurse to-day, and arrange for her to take it to the seaside. Then perhaps you will be able to give all your attention to" your house and guests, to say nothing of your husband. The little wretch is going to squall; it's waking up. Stuff something in its mouth, for heaven's sake, I can't stand its screeching," said the affectionate father with a look of positive repulsion at the unfortunate infant.,■,::., Y.

1 Choking? with indignation, Mab drew the baby into her arms, hushing its cries against her breast and turned with it into the house. Her eyes were blinded with hot tears that so r often .came now. ; Perhaps she was not strong enough to keep them back. V-/- : fi.

If, only—oh ! if , only she and:baby could go away -together 1 There, were times whun she shuddered at the thought of her hugband, when she. shrank from the sound of his step across the- threshold, \ arid the tone of the voice. that bad become : hateful to her. And yet she had tried so hard to care for him, and could have done si) if he had been different, ,or even as ho had been in London before ; they wer«> married.'.•'■•■'.':'•;.';;;'''••.: .;"•'"•-.''.'.,:■- :■[::■:'■ ."

.' She found Ren© upset by the news of Willoughby that Mab had, not given a thought to. * . " fa *■ "Lord Hamersham .',(she never called her - brother-in-law by any other name) must not ask him here, or I shall have to go away, Mab. How could I bear : it, it would look as if—as if—oh, you know what I mean— if I rushed at him aa soon as I knew; that he was free," said Irene; flushing scarlet, . , • „ -,'."•■''■ Don't worry, dear, about that; if he comes, you may be quite sure it will lead to your happiness, at least if he cares for you still, Rene, darling, but. don't hope too much, time . has passed and men change. ( Francis is unbearable to-day, and delights in hurting, one's feelings. Let us keep cut of his way as much as possible, advised Mab, wipely. ; She did not know that her husband sent ; off two letters, one to Geraldine enclosin'c.another for her to re-direct to her brother. Both were pressing invitations couched in cordial terms, and stating that his wife would have written but was so devoted a mother that she was always occupied with; the child. Charming letters they were that surprised '. the receivers of them. , ..'::.. ;■",», Gilbert, who had arrived in town, hesitated long. The temptation to see Mab was great'.. He had pictured her often to himself, but now, to look upon her in reality, what a thrill it gave him : U Could he resist going? ; Why should .he? 'He had vowed to be herfriend, they were both married, and both had a strong sense of honour, and he wanted—ah, how he ! wanted to , look ; upon her face. ■■■ It was her husband who had invited him, ; press-

ing him to accept his invitation. '- He must go, yes, he would. And the letter was sent, the day fixed, the hour, of arrival at Kiverston announced. He told Hamersham that he should be 'thankful for the fresh country air after the illness he had had and suffering connected with the serious operation to his' eyes that had been such a brilliant success, and he thanked him and Lady Hamersham' cordially for their 'kindness in asking him to Old Hall. Hamersham laughed in his sleeve at the . surprise he would bo giving his wife, for he told her nothing of these letters that had passed between him and Havelock.' He would be present at the meeting. It would give him a sensation, a new one, and he wanted something novel to happen, his existence had been stagnation lately. Tiresome that Willoughby. was Still away, for there mis?ht have been another fillip to life. " ' '. • A few days passed in comparative peace, for Hamersham chose to be quite amiable,/and. the sisters decided that he had frightened them needlessly, and supposed that the idea of asking the Havelocks down had passed away, and he had forgotten it. --.' ' ; The weather continued to be lovely, more like summer than spring, the hot son bringing out the leaves and buds and blossoms in profusion. Old Hall was looking its best, the orchards snowy with bloom, save where the pink flushed the white as if blushing at its own beauty. The Apple Tree Walk was a vision of loveliness, and under the- shelter of its twining boughs Mab was walking up and down with her baby in her arms, now singing softly, now hushing it to sleep. Presently, as its breathing became regular, she laid it gently in the white carriage, and was drawing the hood over to shadow it from the sun, when she heard footsteps approaching and voices one was her husband's; but the other— caught her breath— could not be—her heart throbbed passionately, madly, and then the two men appeared beneath - the apple tree arch, and Gilbert Havelock saw the woman he loved for the first time. And she saw instead of that blank gaze from sightless eyes a passion of gladness*,' admiration, and for . one moment —love. But Gilbert controlled himself sharply, though not before Hamersham had seen and understood. Mab, who was taken by surprise, could not recover so quickly, and the sigh of intense joy, the tremulous voice, the. quiver of her parted lips told their own tale. , >" Ah, .how lovely she was! He had not thought her to be like this; he had fancied a pretty, charming girl, but not a beautiful woman with depth in her expression and a suppressed, almost, spiritual, look in her face. Their hands met, but scarcely touched; they dared not, for the longing to linger over the clasp was too intense. " And you are no longer blind," murmured Mab. "No, I see everything, and am dazzled," he answered, his gaze upon her face. "Come and look at my baby—my treasure," said the mother, and she drew back the hood to show the tiny bit of humanity that was all hers. " For heaven's sake don't bother Havelock with babies. Besides, it's too ugly ' a brat to be proud of,".said Hamersham. " Surely not. It looks to me very sweet and dainty," declared Gilbert. "I should like to kiss it. May I?" , " Oh, yes, but gently, please, or she might wake," replied Mab, and watched the man's brown face bend to the delicate, fragile little blossom that he barely touched with his lips.', • , t " Her father has never kissed her yet," she said as Hamersham walked away, leaving ...them alone. "What do you mean exclaimed Gilbert. ; '' ■'";'. ".- . . . 'i",

" It. is bo. He dislikes her because she was born a girl instead of ; a boy that he wanted." '

'".'*' I should not let that worry you. When she grows bigger he will care" for her. He —your child—and his." ; O. At; that moment the nurse arrived to take the baby, out of the grounds for a walk, and the two went slowly; towards the house. ' ,' ' '

" You know, I knew nothing of your coming/' said M«b. * :v ' / ( It seemed to her as if -she;; must tell him the truth and show; him what her married life.

" I thought the invitation was from you. ,1. am'sorry— you wish that: I had not come?" he faltered, trying to pierce through what seemed a species of mystery.' , .. ' * :■': " How can I be anything but gladMaestro ? - Ah, yes, let. me still call you that? Let me look upon you as a friend, for 1 want one so badlyyou do not know how badly." , , '■?,".'. ;'. ,'.;.-; '..:" ; :-,Vf,;V' ;:

He listened to her pleading voice, and looked at her sweet tender face, and felt this whole charm of her personality only too intensely. How could he have ever thought it possible to be just friends with thin woman who was a distinct danger to him and to herself. • -

He , resolved then arid there to stay but a day or two and to leave them and not ireturn;; he dared not, knowing that an unhappy wife needing sympathy, arid what, .she calls friendship is on© of: the greatest dangers that can;beset a man. %:-■lnvoluntarily' he let fall the words : "• "Then God help you!" I She understood, and shrank a little from him, but his heart was aching for 'her, ; and just as they Were entering the house and ..were; hidden ;;, by the deep porch, he laid his hand upon her shoulderv and said, ' ■::'■ '-;. . ' .; : -.;; ; ~■■ ."■ "I will be••;, your friend always, even though I-should have to leave you, but whatever I do will bo the best for you, arid done for your sake,, remember. that, Lady Humerslmiri.": , :'■' < ', ■■■■ "Oh, why do you call me that?" she whispered as if it hurt. " Because I must get used to it. I must always remember that you are" another man's wife, *as I am another woman's husband. Let me tell you now— I may not have another opportunity, that my wife i» supposed to be, cured, and is at present; with her own people •in Oxfordshire. lam paving them an income to keep her. We are best apart, : you see. " I '.' Yes, lam glad she is not with you. It j would not be safe after what she did. Maestro, We both have our crosses to bear," murmured Mab, softly. . , • " And somehow we .will help one another to bear them bravely,'! he; said, : taking his hand from off her shoulder as they went in- , side .to meet Irene coming across the hall to' .welcome Gilbert. "I am so glad you are living here with your sister," ; said Havelock, shaking > her hand warmly. , Hamersham's voice answered him \ from the gun-room, the door of which was wide open. ;," Z\ 'll ■'•^'■ ; . :'• '.': ' ; ' ; : ■," '; \

! "Ah, |nit she is leaving shortly .for, theDower house that ie being made ready for her., My wife and I have a, fancy to be* alone; we have not yet got over the turtle dove stage of matrimony, Havelock," Gilbert saw the look of horror that passed between the sisters, and involuntarily their; hands met and were locked together. "Perhaps he doesn't mean it. Don't be frightened, Mab," whispered Bene, but her sister's face blanched, and there .was fear in the eyes that turned with a look of appeal to Havelock.. '..-'■ How could he help her? Great heavens, how? .:,••'." A pity it ie the close season, and there's nothing to shoot," said Haraershain, coming to the open door with a gun in his bands. '*.•'*- , , ,„, - .

"I recollect' you used -to be an awfully good marksman, Havelock, before you met with that accident, or whatever you lfke to .call it," he added;:• then he said, "I wonder "which is the best shot, you or I?" -■ • v ■"I wonder," replied Gilbert, coldly. V The eyes of the two met, and did not' flinch. - 'r ' ;'■-'■: *■ -\ : -'y. ..■■ • .

, " What do you think of this for a toy?" said Havelock, thrusting his hand into his breast pocket, and bringing;- out an exquiI.sitely made ; little pistol. "Be careful; \ it ! is loaded,"; he said quickly*, as Hamersham j took it from him.' > ■':■■,.-.' • ...'•,. ! ; . "Then let me advise you to leave euch a deadly affair here in the -room," and as lie spoke Hamersham placed the pistol in a Hafe place. ;• l i." It was ; a present made me from my friend and 'medical attendant, a little thing lie picked up abroad, but you hardly, looked at it," said Havelock, as if disappointed at the other man's want of appreciation. ■ , "Thanks, I don't care for such dangerous toys," was the short reply. (To be continued on Saturday next.)* ■' ■••"'•:'.',' ' •• ' ■-'':■ " ■- '■; v ■■• : ' ' ' V ■ . ■■' ■'■• ■ . ■■ .;!.>■• ■:/■■ ■:;.:■'.• :v- !: r';.; { ;.;,:':":, :-.-'' : y; • '• •, v ' ' \ N ' r, a