THE TELEPHONE GIRL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15237, 26 February 1913, Page 10

THE TELEPHONE GIRL.

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL AKGANQEMENT.

BY ALICE AND CLAUDE ASKEW, Authors of "The Shulimite," "The Etonian," "The. Woman Debc/sh," " Behind Shuttered Windows,'" Love the Jester," etc. COPYEIGHT. I CHAPTER XXlV.—(Continued.) Honoxia pulled herself together and welcomed this diversion. Also it gave her the. opportunity of explaining to everyone that her husband, poor man, meet be suffering from some temporary aberration of intellect. What he had said was, of course, the sheerest nonsense. It was true enough that Amy was very fond of Dick Pennant had practically been child playmates—but there liad been no suggestion whatever of any closer alliance between them. The poor child was naturally out up at hearing suddenly of Dick's accident, but she adored Owen, and 'would be the first to contradict her father's iantastic story. This would be proved by her willingnc -s to go to the altar tomorrow.

In the meanwluie, Amy had been carried out by Owen. She was but a light burden in his arms. Her maid was summoned, and presently Honoria herself was able to come and take charge of her daughter. Then Owen returned to the diningroom, where he- found John Martin, sitting hunched together in his chair, a broken man, being tended by Lord Caversham and three or four other men.

Mr. Martin looked up and at one© addressed Owen. "The whole truth has to he told, my boy," he said, hoarsely. " You have been sinned against, too. You've been forced into this marriage just as much as my little girl herself. Your heart was not to her any more than hers was to you. But that I didn't know till to-day, or, as Heaven is my judge, I'd have spoken."

" But I do k-ve Amy," pi-wealed Owen. " Not as you lo.vo someone else," came the quick reply. "You'd have been true to your first love if you had not been cheated out of her—"

" Hush, hush, Uncle John !" interrupted Owen, hurriedly. "She preferred another to me. For ail I know she may be married now. I have been trying so hard to forget." i ;." ■■ '" That other intervened on purpose to break your attachment. Ha has made a boast of it. His purpose is plain. You had to be won back to your old allegiance, to your engagement to Amy. No doubt the fellow has been well paid. He has deceived Miss Ryley, treated her» shamefully, and it is flonoria, my wife, who has instigated him to it. Oh! 1 shall speak the truthdon't interrupt; me, any of you—if I've sinned, I shall make atonement —and Honorih'a sin is my sin —I'm as guilty as she—" He was pouring out his words at great speed, half beside 'himelf. "The blood of the dead calk for vengeance he cried. "Let us stand degraded in your eyes, in the eyesi of all the world, we who are guilty, Honoria and I." He drew himself I erect-, folding hie arms. "listen, Owen, j This man, paid to do it, has inveigled Miss Ryley into a, false engagement. As soon as you are married she will be cast off cruelly, ruthlessly—" "It's a lie *' Standish Grome, who had remained behind when the other guests. had taken their departure, stepped forward. " You are referring to me, and I say again that your accusation is a lie! Miss Eyley engaged herself to me for the i simple "reason that she preferred me to j Owen. Of that she herself may be the j judge, And as for casting her off, I utterly repudiate the false insinuation. I nave promised to marry Miss Byjey, and I liave no intention whatever of going back upon my word." v ■.• He stood eyeing his accuser defiantly, stroking his black moustache. Owen was; about to speak, but Lord Caversham in-j terrupted him. ■-..-' "I don't know what your intentions may be. Mr. Grome," he said, quietly, "but I do happen to knovr Miss Byley'e. She has found you out for what yor. are, cheat and cardsharper, and she , never wishes to see your face again." -; CHAPTER XXV. ' Peggy Ryley stood on the threshold of the little sdttingroom which she shared with Helen and Winifred, confronting an unexpected visitor. She was wearing her hat, and had just returned from work, which she had recommenced only a few days ago. It was a little after four o'clock in the afternoon she had been on early duty, and consequently had been able to get away at this hour. " Mr. Grome! I didn't expect to see you after my letter last night." v ''That's just what's brought me round. Peggy," he said, with an effectation of carelessness. " I want to know who's been making mischief ■ between you and ma? I'd have come earlier, but knew you would be at work." ' _. f

"I don't know that it's worth dismssing," she said. " You see, Mr- Grome, Pvo found you out. It wasn't disinterested affection that made you propose marriage to me. You knew that I cared for someone else, and it was in order to separate me from that person that you pretended to be fond of me. You were pet on to do this by an interested individuals-Mrs. Maxtin, to be exact, the same lady who made inquiries about me gome weeks ago, before I moved to this house. As a matter of fact, you might both have saved yourselves the trouble, for I should never have married Owen Hughes— his hurt." Peggy took off her hat, laid it down, and stood confronting the man whom she hated and despised, and whom she had come so near to marrying. Her illness had not affected her beauty, as Grome, regarding her with puckered, anxious eyes, waft constrained to admit. He was beginning to realise that he had make a mistake. He had really believed that it was the fascination of his own personality that bad been mainly instrumental in winning her, and now his ' pride was suffering a rebuff. He could read her dislike in the way she regarded him.

Well, it was a pity, because there was a curious fascination about the girl, and by fair means or foul be meant to win her. He wanted to revenge himself upon Lord Caversham, too, who had insulted him last night, and who was apparently at the bottom of all the mischief, and how could he do this better than by making Peggy his wife and then proclaiming her to be Lord Caversham's daughter? Owen,.too! There had been trouble between himself. and Owen the night before 5 it had all come as a climax to that tragic dinner-party. It appeared that Lord Caversham, haunted by the idea that Miss Ryley had promised herself in marriage, not for love, but because she feared to involve Owen, convinced that his nephew had not read to the heart of that pathetic letter, had made certain investigations on his own account. He had, in fact, applied to a private inquiry agent. Thus he had discovered the name of the man to whom Peggy had engaged herself. This was only a day* or two before the date fixed, upon for Owen's wedding, and it had fully decided Lord Caversham to go up to London, despite the advice of %a doctors. For he knew the character of Stacdish Gronie—knew, too, the familiar terms upon which he stood with Honoria Martin. It was not difficult to put two and two together. ■ , So Lord Caversham had come to London on the morning of the day of the dinner party, determined to play the part of Good Samaritan to Peggy. Now, more than ever, he felt drawn towards the girl; the feeling was »so strong within him that it partook almost of the uncanny. He was quite excited when he sat in the train, not because in travelling at all he was breaking through a barrier of long-standing prejudice, but because he was going to see Peggy, and every revolution of the wheels brought him nearer to the realisation of this strange and impelling desim. Si'i From his agent be. know the address, and jbhe how at abjoi she was Hfcefe to, feq.

■found at home. Eu had presetted '*>*.*< self at Mrs. Jeffoott's Me in fhTtfS* noon, and had been shown no trfc oncelS the startled and deferential laW/ad? J? had never before in her »:fe met wil& ' real lord, to the little sittingroom. : ■'. Lord Caversham. reeved a Eaock whew he first set eyes upon Peggy, herSsemblance to Mary, his lost wife ****-, startling. F was quite unprepared W this, Owen having refrained from men. tioning tho subject. It was best notte speak to Lord Cavoitiham of his wife im, less the topic could not be avoided. J Nevertheless, in spite of the strange attraction that had drawn him to w* the truththat she was actually his own child—never occurred to the man. ' jj i saw only an accidental resemblance, jLjvi* brushed aside the deeper promptings of his heart. For even rl ids dreams he had I never imagined such a thing— ha should one day find flesh of his flesh Th was upon his wife, and upon his' -mf ß alone, that all his thoughts Bad been con cent rated. " , And now, in Peggy, it was big ■*» whom he saw again, and for Mary's sake he loved the girl even before, in a voice that fell strangely sweet upon his ears she bade him welcome. He did not 'beat about the bush, it told her at once winhe had come, d Peggy being equal!? candid he soon learnt that his Jiurnrisea had been correct, at at least, & &* was concerned. Sht .u not known, that Standish Glome was even acquainted with Owen. 7 "But even had I not seen you to-day * I she explained, "I was going to break with him. For he is a card-sharper—little bet. ter than a thief. I found it out quite by accident only this morning. It was when I war, at work. Somebody rang up and asked to be put through to him. I eiv , his number, and I just thought how carious it was that the call shonld coras through me. I didn't want to listen, but I couldn't help hearing a few words; 'they we enough to make me listen to more in defiance of all the regulations. It was my whole future that was at stale, you see. I needn't tell you what I heard.' My, Grume was condemned out of his own lips. It was a man named Wheeler who had called him up, a sort of servant of his, I believe, but a servant who can adapt tha tone of a master when it is convenient, and that is just what he was doing.;'-''." J think, in fact, that Mr. Grome was beinw blackmailed." * , s

Was he, by jove!" Lord Cavetahara actually laughed—a very rare occurrence : with him. "Well, I should say that ft served him well right. He has practised ' blackmail often enough on his own account s to merit being paid back in the same - com." , ■■■.-'!..•-•. v

They talked long and serious!v together, ' and Peggy opened her. heart to her, new I friend. She did not conceal the fact thai W she loved Owen, but explained her reasons* for refusing to marry hinv-reasons for which Lord Caversham could not bo*"? honour and respect her. Yet there was ikrl getting over the fact that, from every point of view, she had acted for the best and, eager as Lord Caversham might be team her happiness, he could nevertheless throwi out no hope of any renewal of the severed : % relationship with Owen. In fact, he spoka freely of the wedding on the circumstance of which Peggy was already aware. * """ , . '"r . (To he continued daily.) ' "'{