OUTLAW LOVE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20366, 21 September 1929, Page 18 (Supplement)

OUTLAW LOVE.

BY J U ANITA SAVAGE.

/ CHAPTER Vl.—(Continued). " That, uf course, depends oil Iho brifcand,'' answered Don Carlos, villi a tuspiciou of a smile. " Of course, if Myra is . really scared, and is genuinely afraid to conio l(j Spain lest elio should loso her heart—" "I arn afraid of nothing!" interrupted . Myra, exasperated; and immediately regretted the words. / "So you will prove the fact by keeping your promise to conic to Spain as my guest?" queried Don Carlos. " That will depend on whether you know your duty to a guest," retorted IMyra; and Tony raised Ins eyebrows, ;wondering at her unusual rudeness, y " I trust that you will not have to complain of your host or his hospitality," said Don Carlos'grnvol\\ A footman entering with the tea-tray, relieved the strain, and Tony began to osk questions about Don Carlos' trip, and • to tell him what sport he had been enjoying. Llou Carlos departed soon after, leaving Tony and Myra alone together, and again Myra could uot make up her mind whether or not to toll her fiance .what, had happened. It added to her rlifliculties and indecision that Tony was inclined to bu particularly sentimental, .wanted to make love to her. '* I don't want to be kissed, Tony." hbe objected, repulsing her lover when he tried to embrace her. "1 feci as if I never want to be kissed again and don't .want any love-making." " You certainly are in a queer mood, today, darling," commented Tony. //•"What's upset you, Myra? You were quite rude to poor old Don Carlos, and now vou are snubbing mo." Oh, Tony, dear, t—l don't know what 5s the mattei with tun," exclaimed Myra, laughing tremulously to overcome the inclination to give way to tears. " I don't even understand myself. Why don't' you iji make love to me, force me to kiss you " Hang it all, Myra, I've just been trying to make Jove to you and asking you to give mo a kiss, and now—well, I—l'm blowed!" protested the bewildered Tony. / '* You are the most puzzling girl!" And you are tlie dullest and most exasperating man.'' retorted Myra. still half laughing, half crying. " Oh, Tony, mv dear, take care of tne and love mo terribly if you want to keep me. Hold me / :fast and grapple me to you with hooks of steel or you will lose inc." She almost threw herself into Tony's arms, buried her face on his shoulder and gave way to tears. Tony did uot know .\rhat to make of it alb He patted her gently on the back and stroked her hair. "Myra, for heaven's sake don't cry." ho said, in what was intended to be soothing tones. " You make me feel so bally helpless. I've never seen you crying before. What on earth lias upset- you. darling.? You're quite hysterical. Shall I // ring for your maid, dear?" Poor Tony did not realise how sadly lie was blundering, how sorely ho was failing in an emergency. " Oh, why can't you understand !" burst, out Myra passionately. " Why can't, you love in tho right way ? Don't pat.' my head and my back as if I were a pet dog! Tony, I—l—oh, I can't bear it!" Slio broke from him anil rushed from the room, banging the door behind her. "Well, I'm sunk!" muttered Tony. *' What on earth can a fellow do in such circumstances? 1 hope to goodness Mvra won't carry on like this after wc arn married, or 1 shall never know where. I arn. I wonder what upset, the dear kid." Troubled in mind, lie took his departure, end on his way to his club he was fortunate enough to meet. Lady Fermanagh. My dear Tony, we. womeu are all Tnore or less creatures of impulse, liable to rlo the most unexpected and quixotic things,'' her worldly-wise Ladyship told him. when ho had explained in part, what /had happened and asked her to advise him. That is what makes us so interesting. We don't, understand ourselves, and if men understood us wc should cease /; to interest them." " Yes, I suppose so. Lady Fermanagh," agreed Tony, with a disconsolate shake of his bead. " But I couldn't mako out what, /the trouble was with Myra at all to-day." " Remember, dear boy, that Myra is Irish, and has tho Celtic temperament," said Lady Fermanagh. " Someone or , something had probably upset her, nnd you had'to suffer for it." " It wasn't only I who had to suffer," remarked Tony. " Poor old Don Carlos called —he was there when I blew in, as a matter of fact—and Myra was snub- / bing him unmercifully, Don Carlos took it rather well, but. I thought he seemed a little upset, all the same." " H'm! So Don Carlos is Lack?" commented her ladyship, with an inscrutable .'.mile. " Perhaps it was he who was responsible for Mvra's tantrums. But don't worry, Tony. Myra will probably be particularly nice to you when next you , tee her."

" I'm not exactly worried, Lady Fermanagh, and I don't suppose Dou Carlos had anything to do with the matter, really, although he chaflingly said he had been* making love to Myra again," said , Tony Standish. " But Myra seemed unreasonably vexed with me for some reason or other, and—well, a fellow doesn't know exactly what to do in the circumstances, and I thought I'd ask your advice." " My advice to you is to make ardent love to Myra, to woo her as if she had /not already promised to marry you," responded Lady Fermanagh. "It is just / possible, my dear Tony, if T may say it without giving offence, that you have not / been playing the part of tho devoted lover wholeheartedly enough." " Perhaps so," said Tony, ruefully. " £r—the trouble is that when I try to / talk like tho < hups do in novels Myra laughs at rne. I say, you wort t tell Myra I've been talking to you T She might bo angry with me. But if you can give me a hint as to why she was vexed with me to-day I'll be tremendously obliged." Lady Fermanagh had .1 very shrewd idea that she could have given him a hint as to the cause of the trouble, remembering weili as she did, Myra s boast that she would make Don Carlos fall in love with her, and t,ho did sorno hard think- / ing as she drove home. She found Myra seated listlessly in an armchnir. staring into tho fire, nn unlighted cigarette between her lips. "I'm fit enough, really, aunt," Myra •laid, in' answer to Lady I'crmanagh x questions, " but--oh, 1 feci fed up with everything. I don't think I shail go to the Cavendish's dance to-night." " What or who has made, you suddenly •" fr-d up with everything,' as you put it?" inquired her aunt. "\ou seemed in good spirits at lunch-time. I noticed Dou Carlos fie Ruiz's visiting card in ' th<* salver in the hall as 1 came in. Was it lie, by any chance, Myra, who upset you when lie called ?" Myra's fair face flushed, and she hesitated before, replying. Then, impulsively, rlie decided to tell her aunt everything. Lady "Fermanagh listened in grave--al-most grim- -vilonce. and with a troubled look in her fine eyes. Myra, do you realise that you have I brought this on yourself?" she asked quietly, when she bad heard Myra out. I warned you at Auchinleven that you would be playing with fire, and that it ■aas dangerous to trifle with a Spaniard. You deliberately set yourself out to make Don Carlos fall in lovo with you—" " Ifo deliberately laid himself out befoie that to make rnc fall in love with him. and pleaded that he was only amusing himself when he was challenged," inI terrupted Myra. "That was an insult, and 1 wanted my revenge. Ho had no light to take rno seriously, no light to take advantage and to kiss me, as ho did to-day. Now you arc throwing the Mcme on me, just as lie did himself. Why should there be one law for the man and n:»<••>Vr tor die women ?" de.-r Myra, do fry to preserve " !, f proportion," taid Lady FerI wrong of Don Carlos to make passionate Jove to you, knowing you aro betrothed

FINE MYSTERY STORY WITH ROMANTIC ELEMENT.

to Tony, but, as 1 havo told you, be was probably only following the custom of his race." "And is it an uulicard of thing m Spain for a betrothed girl to play tho part of coquette and flirt, for her own amusement, with men other than her fiance, who make lovo to her?" interposed Myra again. " Not at all, Myra, but 1 need not remind you that in England that sort of thing simply ' isn't done.' Yours was no mild flirtation. You set out to captivato Don Carlos, to mako him fall madly in love with you, and yon seem to have succeeded. You chalienged him to kiss you—" "He liarl no right to take what. 1 said to Tony as a challenge, although I admit. I said it to tantalise him." " Humph ! It' I were your age, as beautiful and as attractive as you are, and 1 had practically dared a man to kiss me, I should led slighted, to say the least of it, if he failed to lake up my challenge," commented Lady Fermanagh drily. " You can't mean to say you didn't, expect, liiiu to carry out, the threat or promise that ho made in his nolo, especially as you made no protest about his having entered your bedroom to leave the note?" " I—l didn't expect, I hat he, would have the opportunity," said Myra weakly, " I thought it best to say nothing about tho note. 1 had half a mind to tell Tony, but 1 was afraid Don Carlos somehow would turn the tables on nie, and I didn't want to risk a scandal. I've a good mind now to tell Tony what happened to-day, and leave him to deal with Don Carlos." " Tonv will bo flattered to tind you were playing him off against Don Carlos at Auchinleven," responded Lady Fermanagh in a somewhat sardonic tone. " lie may decide on reflection that a girl who makes lovo to another man, or, at least, encourages another man to make love to her, during her engagement, may do something of the same sort after slio is married."

" Tony wouldn't be such a beast." exclaimed Mvra. "If ho dared to blame me, I'd break off my engagement and marry Don Carlos to spite him!" " Humph! And supposing, after breaking off your engagement, you found that Don Carlos did not want to marry you, what a fool you'd look! Myra. my dear, don't you realise that if the- fads wore known* the world would decide you hail been playing fast and loose with Tony and Don Carlos, and the general verdict would be that it served you right to bo left in the lurch?" " Aunt Clarissa, you don't really think that Tony might throw me over?" asked Myra anxiously, after a thoughful pause. "Why, 1 told him at Auchinleven that I intended to flirt with Don Carlos, and lie would not- take me seriously. " That would make him all tho readier to find excuses for Don Carlos." said Lady Fermanagh, rising and laving her bands on Myra's shoulders. " Myra, answer me truthfully," she resumed, with a. searching glance. " Aro you in lovo with Don Carlos?"

"I—l don't think so. aunt." Myra answered uncertainly. " 1 think I bate him. but—but if T believed he was really in earnest I think f might fall in love with him. If I had been tempting, tantalising and encouraging him to day as I did at Auchinleven. 1 would riot be so angry with him for losing his head and kissing mo as ho did, But ho had shown his indifference by going away without paying a farewell call or writing, and lie kissed me in cold blood, merely to fulfil his threat—although surely no one could kiss so ravenously and passionately in cold blood.

" If T were sure that lio is ;is frantitieally in love with me as he professes, I could excuse him, and might even find myself falling in love," she continued. "It i.s the thought, that he may still only lie amusing himself, gratifying his vanity, and trying to make good his boast that no wumau can resist him, that galls me. If lie made me fall in lovo with him, and then told rne he had merely been amusing himself and testing his power. 1 should die of shame." " Why take the risk, Myra ?" inquired Lady Fermanagh gravely. " You aro playing with fire, my clear, and the dice aro loaded against you. That's an Irishism, J suppose, or a mixed metaphor, but what I mean is that if you lose your heart to Don Carlos de Ruiz you will lose Tony Standish, and if you find Don Carlos is not in earnest, you will be left brokenhearted, humiliated, and in a hopeless position." " I have no intention of breaking rnv heart about Don Carlos," said Myra, with a sudden change of manner. " and I have no intention of making a Jool of myself, if that is what you mean. T said I'd make a fool of Don Carlos to pay liiui out for saying he had only been amusing himself, and I'll do it yet. If he has actually fallen in love with me, I have the laugh on him now, in spite of what has happened." " Myra, for goodness' sake be sensible!" protested her aunt. "If you have made Don Carlos fall in love with you in real earnest and you laugh at him now, his love may turn to hate—and I warn you that the hatred of ;> Spaniard is even more dangerous than his love."

"Pooh! I'm not afraid of him, and 1 don't understand why 1 have been upsetting myself so much," exclaimed Myra, starting to her feet. " 1 shall go to the Cavendish dance, after nil. Don Carlos is.almost sure to be there, and I may get, a rhariro to punish liini for his impertinence."

" Mvra. I wish you would stop this folly." said Lady Fermanagh. " You are running grave risks and imperilling your own happiness. Don Carlos isn't the sort of man to bo trifled with. It seems to me, my dear, that you aro trifling with your own heart." " I mean to get even with Don Carlos," replied Myra stubbornly. "It will be amusing to sec the man who boasted that no woman could resist him chagrined and heart broken because Myra Rostrevor has made his boasts seem foolish." 1

" You have, had your warning." said her aunt abruptly. " Don't expect, sympathy from rnc it you get burnt as a 1 result of playing with fire." CHAPTER YII. So many people had been invited fo the Cavendish ball that there was scarcely room to dance. Myra had taught sight of Don Carlos several times, arid her heart beat a trifle faster when she saw him at last making his way toward tho corner in which she was sitting chatting to some friends during an interval. " May I have the honour and pleasure of dancing the next with you, Miss Rostrevor?"' ho inquired, with bis usual courtly bow. "The floor is becoming less crowded now that the news has gone round that supper is being served." Myra's first impulse was to snub him, but she refrained, rose without a word as the music restarted, and they glided away together to the lilting refrain of the band. Both were extremely accomplished dancers, and several couples ceased dancing to watch them, giving them the centre of the floor.

Aro you tifraid to look at me, Myra, mio .' wliispeied Dou Carlos, after a few minutes. " I want to look deep into your dear blue eyes and try to read what is in your heart."

I am afraid tho result would not. be flattering to your overweening vanity," responded Myra coldly, still avoiding his glance. lam very angry with vou, and am surprised you should have had tho audacity to ask me to dance with you before even attempting to apologise for vour conduct.

Dear, darling, adorable lady, why should I apologise for taking lip your challenge and redeeming my promiso ?"

(corrniGHT.)

Don Carlos asked. " Why bo offended with tlm man who loves you passionately for taking a few of the kisses for which ho was hungering? What is it your great Shakespeare Wrote that fits our case? Ah, I have it!" lie sang tho words softly, fitting them to tho rhythm of the dance tune the band was playing: A thousand kip3r.-t buys my heart from me; Ami pny them nt your leisure, one by one. Wluit me ten hundred touches unto thee? Are they uot quickly told nnd quickly goneV Say for non-payment that the debt should double: Is twenty hundred kisses such a trouble?" " Oh, you arc an utterly outrageous and impossible person!" exclaimed Myra, half-annoyed, half-amused, and nt heart a little fascinated withal. "Even if 1 did flirt with you at Auchinleven to amuse myself, you had no right to take mv teasing seriously—you who are such au experienced flirt and philanderer, and who do not expert women to lake your love-mak-ing seriously." " I expert you to take my loving-mak-ing seriously, Myra," lie answered. " Your expectations w ill not bo realised, Don Carlos, and if you attempt to repeat vonr conduct of today there wjll bo trouble," said Myra. meeting bis ardent glanco unflinchingly. "It is usoless to attempt to excuse yourself by throwing the blame on inc, pleading like Adam, * The woman tempted inc.' " " I have no regrets, Myra." murmured Don Carlos. " f have tasted the nectar of your sweet lips, and I hungoi to drink my fill."

" In that caso you will die of starva lion," said .Myra, with a forced laugh.

" Dios! how you torture me, Myra!" muttered Don Carlos, gritting his teeth. " I hoped you would tell mo you had found your heart. I lovo you with every fibre of my being, and you—-you love, but, you refrain."

" Quoting Henley, aren't, you, Don Carlos, and trying to be dramatic ?'' retorted Myra. " How amusing! Yon can ' break your heart on my hard unr'aith and break your heart in vain,' as far as 1 am concerned. .Don't grip my hand so tightly. Yon are hurting me." " f will hurt you if you arc trifling with mo and making mock of my love," said Don Carlos quickly through clenched teeth, " Beware lest my love turns to hate!"

" You are talking like a character in an old-fashioned melodrama," commented Myra lightly. " Should 1 now cry, ' Unhand me, villain!' turn deathly pale, or scream for help? We won't, danco the encore. If you will promise to be sensiblo and refrain from talking extravagant nonsense, you may take mo in to supper."

Myra frit, certain that she had both hurt, and puzzled Don Carlos, ami, sho gloried in the fact, flattering herself that she was taking her revenge. She was completely mistress of herself again, sure of her own powers, and during supper she onco more laid herself out to be

" nice," with almost devastating effect, playing on tho emotions of Don Carlos like a skilled musician on a sensitive instrument. Deliberately she encouraged him, only to rebuff him when she, had inflamed his ardour; deliberately excited his passions only to reward hi in with a cold douche of ridicule.

" I begin to believe the man is actually iu love with me." she soliloquized, smiling in self-satisfied fashion at, her reflection in tho mirror as she leisurely undressed that, night. "He was grinding his teeth in sheer mortification and looked quite murderous when I told him he was boring mo and went off with Tony. What a triumph if I find myself able to twist him round my little finger, so to speak—the man who boasted that no woman could resist him!"

Yet. when she fell asleep later Myra dreamed that she was again in Don Carlos' arms ■with his lips crushed on her own, without the power, or desire, or inclination to resist, and that she was returning his passionate kisses with fervour although Tonv (in her dream) was looking on, feebly begging her to desist and to come and kiss him instead, and Lady Fermanagh was beside, warn jug her in solemn tones that she was " playing with fire." " What an utterly absurd dream," she reflected, after waking with her heart thrilling. '" Now I wonder what particular kink in my mental outfit made mo almost enjoy being kissed in a dream when T hated it white T was awake. 7 And how fluttered Don Carlos would be if lie knew!" She chanced to meet Don Carlos an hour or so later while she was taking her morning gallop in the How, and ho brought .'.is horse abreast of hers, saluting in his usual gallant fashion. *' You tortured mo last night, Myra, but in niv dreams I got, recompense," he said, after formal greetings. " Really ! How fortunate for you !" drawled Myra, with-well feigned lack of interest.

" I dreamt that you were in my arms, returning my kisses with an ardour equal to my own," continued Don Carlos. " It. was a most vivid dream."

Momentarily Myra v.as startled, her heart seemed to miss .a beat, and she bent forward to stroke her horse's neek lest her expression might betray her if she. met Don Carlos'.s eyes. " Dreams are said to go by contraries, it is said," she commented in casual tones. " Incidentally, you will remember I told you if you persisted in being sentimental T should refuse to talk io you. Good morning!" Being Irish, Myra Mas naturally a x little superstitious and inclined to attach some importance to dreams, and she rode away feeling just a tiny bit scared at heart and wondering if perchance Don Carlos de Ruiz was a thought-reader. " Sure, and I don't know what fo make, of you, Myra Rostrevar!" she whispered to iier reflection as she changed from her riding costume into a morning frock, " I don't know what to make of it all, at all, at all. T don't know whether you arc in love with Don Carlos or not. and I'm not sure but what if ho kissed you again you might make a fool ol yourself. Oh, if 1 only knew whether he is in earnest or not!"

Myra could come to no decision concerning either herself or Don Carlos. She, continued to " blow hot. blow fold " every time they met, sometimes flirting with him in beguiling fashion, at, other times treating him with studied coldness—but always taking precautions against giving him an opportunity to kiss her again. Meanwhile Tony Standish had taken Lady Fermanagh's advice, and was wooing Myra with as much passion as bis somewhat phlegmatic nature allowed, wooing her as if she was not already hefrothed to him. Hardly a day passed but he brought or sent, some expensive trinket. in addition to flowers, chocolates and cigarettes. flis devotion made Myra feel just a trifle guilty, made her wonder, too. if Tony had somehow guessed that Don Carios's love-making was something more than make believe, and was frying to make more sure of her.

" Oh, Tony dear, you make me feel as if von were buying mo!" she exclaimed one afternoon when her lover presented her with a diamond pendant. " Why have you given me such lots of presents lately, you extravagant old tiling?" " Well, darling, I want to show you how much in love with you 1 am." answered Tony, looking quite bashful. " I ain tremendously in love with you, Myra, honour bright, and I'd do anything to prove it. I'd —I'd give my life for you, sweetheart. Honestly, it would break my heart if I lost you."

" Tony, what makes you talk of losing me!" Myra asked, quickly. "Oh—er—nothing, roally but—-cr—well, you're bo beautiful and fascinating and attractive* nnd all the rest of if, and I know, there are several man who ara in

love with you ami would liko In rut rno out if they coulcJ," explained Tony. " I say. dear, I don't mean that 1 think you'd let mo down and go back on your promise lo marry me. Er—yon weren't in earnest, wero you, you darling, when you talked about letting Don Carlos fall in love witli you at Auchinleven, and making me jealous? Pleaso don't mind my ■ asking, but I'm rather worried, to toll the truth." " Worried because you think 1 may be in love with Don Carlos?" " No, Mvra. not, exactly, bur. because T know ho is in love with you. lbs I old me so himself last night." " 110 (old you so himself!" exclaimed Myra, startled. "Yes. Placed mo in a rather difficult position. 1 suppose it. was really rather sporty of him. J don't, know if I should tell you. lie called on mo and said lie was afraid ho'd have to ask mo to release him from his promiso to be my guest on the yachting tour. Naturally t asked him why, and he told me frankly that he had fallen in lovo with you." Myra's heart beat a trifle faster as she listened.

" Said he thought it was only right 1 should know, and that ho supposed it, wouldn't, bo playing the gamo according to English ideas if lie made, love to you and tried to win you from mo while he was my guest," continued Tony. " 1 didn't c|iiite. know what to say, except that I was sorrv."

110 looked at Mvra expectantly and a little anxiously as ho paused, and Mvra laughed involuntarily. I'.iit, her heart, was still behaving rather oddly and .she felt her faco Hushing. "How absurd, Tony!" she exclaimed. " Do you think ho was in earnest?"

" Oli, yes, ho seemed to be in deadly earnest," replied Tony. " Er—l didn't quite know what to do about it, ns I said before, but it suddenly occurred to me that if I Jet Don Carlos withdraw his acceptance of niv invitation it, might seein like an admission that, 1 had not complete faith in yon, and was afraid of losing you. You see what T mean, Mvra?" " Moro or less," said Myra, rnflie-r bewildered. " But surely you don't mean that you pressed him to come, knowing lie would go on making love to mo?" T didn't exactly press him, but T told him that if he, felt ho must decline my invitation because he was in love with you we would naturally have, to decline his invitation to Spain for the same reason," responded Tony. " I told him he ought to have known you wero onlv amusing yourself to pay him out, and that ho should have known better than lose his heart after you had objected to his attempting to make lovo to you. So eventually ho laughed and said if I wasn't alraid of him as a rival he would come. I liopo you don't mind, darling. I fold him ho hadn't an earthly hope." " It is nice, to know you are r-o pure of mo that you have no fear of a rival," commented Myra drily, after a momentary pause.

"I say, Myra, do you mean that, or are you being snreasiiY?" asked Tony. " What could f do in the circumstances? Perhaps I shouldn't ha vn .mentioned the matter to you at all, but—er-—I thought you might feel rather flattered to know t.liat you have made another conquest, and you know you said you weren't in the least, alraid of Don Carlos. I thought, too, that you'd take it, rather as a compliment if T showed 1 had complete faith in you. You didn't really want, me, to display jealousy, did you?" " I don't know, Tony," replied Myra evasively. "If the positions were reversed and T were engaged to Don Carlos and you had been making lovo to me, f expect, he would have killed you by now, and perhaps strangled mo into flie bargain." " Englishmen don't do that sort of thing," remarked Tony. Looking hurl. "If you mean you would prefer mo to behave like an emotional foreigner—" " Oh, Tony, dear, don't bo absurd!" interrupted Myra, her mood changing. "I see how you looked at the matter, and I know I should be glad you have such faith in inc. P>ut don't you think Don Carlos may regard your indifference to his rivalry as being almost, in 'the naturo of a challenge?"

" I hadn't, thought of it that way, Myra, but in any case T know you'll be nblo to keep Don Carlos ,if. a distance if ho should try to make love to you again," answered Tony. " Suro you're not. vexed with me. dear?" " T don't know whether I'm vexed or pleased, amused or scared, but 1 nrn certainly thrilled," said Myra. "To think that Don Cnrlos. who boasted that no woman could resist him. should confess to you that he lias lost his heart to mo!

" f couldn't heln feeling rather sorry for the poor chap." remarked Tony. " I should feel ghastly if I had fallen in love with you after you had become engaged lo another man, and knew I hero was no hope."

" Don't, be too sure there is no hope for Don Carlos." said Myra provocatively; but Tony's look of piteous dismay caused her to relent almost instantly, and sho kissed him.

CHAPTKII yiil Long after 'J'onv bad gone. Myra sat lost, in thought, her heart, still thrilling. Don Carlos' confession, was, of course, a compliment and tribute to her powers of fascination, and, naturally, Myra was flattered; but, she was also more than a little puzzled.

She could not finite fathom Don Carlos' motive for telling Tony Sfandish lie was in lovo with her, and she realised that, Tony hud been cleverer than lie knew. By telling her of Don Carlos' confession and assuring her that he had complete faith in her, he had, as it, were, placed her on her honour not to forsake him. "T wonder what wise Aunt Clarissa would advise?" mused Myra. " I must (ell her that, although she saiil T was playing with tire, ii 11 Don Carlos, apparently. who has got, burnt." " You certainly appear fo have reason to flatter yourself on your success as a loquefte, Myra," commented Lady Fermanagh drily, listening attentively to Myra's story of Don Carlos' confession to Tony, and, incidentally without making any mention of the fact that sho had already heard tho story from Tony himself over tho telephone. " You liavo tho laugh on Don Carlos do Ruiz now, my dear, but don't forget the old proverb that ho who laughs last laughs best. Actually, if, is not. a laughing matter at all, but- a crime to break ;i man's heart, in jest." " You don't really suppose that Don Carlos is heartbroken, do you, aunt?" asked Mvra.

" Frankly, T do not." responded Lady Fermanagh. " I don't quito know what to make of it. My idea is that Don Carlos probably guessed you hud boasted you would make him fall in love with you, and he may either be pandering to your vanity by leading you to believe you have succeeded in your object, or else trying to make :i fool of you. Be careful, my dear! It isn't safo to friilo with men of the type of Don Carlos dc Ruiz, as 1 have I old you before." " F'ouf! If lie has actually fallen in lovo with me, he is more likelv to make a fool of himself than of me," Myra exclaimed.

" One never knows." Lady Fermanagh responded. " 1 believe you are half in love with him, as it, is, Mvra, ami ij ho eared to exercise all his powers he might be able lo induce von to break with Tony."

Myra shook her led gold head, but at heart sho knew her. aunt might bo right. " Your idea, as you have admitted, was to make Don Carlos fall in lovo with you in earnest because he had made love to you in jest," continued Lady Fermanagh. " You wanted lo have the satisfaction of 1 turning him down ' —to use the. ultra-modem expression—rind laughing at him for losing his heart. Take care, my dear Myra, that be does not turn the tables on you again." " How could he?" asked Myra, feeling somewhat piqued. (To be continued on Saturday next.)