PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11506, 19 August 1899, Page 3

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.

CHAPTER XXI.

MACGILLEROY'S MILLIONS By IZA DUFFUS HARDY. luthor o£ " In the Springtime of Love," " Lovo in Idleness," "The Girl Ho.Dia Not Marry," " A Woman's Loyalty," . " A New Othello," " Only v. Love Story," etc. [Copyright.]

Lilian was thoroughbred, arid, notwithstanding her gentleness and simple-hearted-ness, she was proud: while deep in her nature, beneath her habitual frankness, there ran a vein of reserve and self-posses-sion which answered to that in her lover. She would not break in upon the interview with surprised exclamation or question. She bore herself calmly and quietly as she entered the room, and forced a smile, making some casual remark, as if those betraying words which were not meant for her ear had never reached it. Cleo's quick perceptions, however, detected something strained in Lilian's manner; she wondered whether Lilian had overheard anything, and, if so, how much? For a moment, she felt halfinclined to make a daring dash at the delicate subject which was evidently to be forbidden, but an instant's reflection, a furtive glance flashed at Hazard's face, convinced her that the discreeter was the better part. It was possible that Lilian had heard nothing. It might bs simply that she was of a jealous disposition, and was annoyed at finding Philip and Cleo together, however accidental and casual their brief tete-a-tete might be. Any'iiow, so iong as she avoided the subject, it was safest to make no allusion to it, only to be most painstakingly careful to avoid any faintest shade of look or tone in her manner to Hazard that could fan any feeble spark of suspicion or jealousy which n-ght be flickering in Lilian's heart. If sine had indeed heard nothing, there could be no fuel for such flame to feed upon.

Suspicion and jealousy were foreign to Lilian's nature; but she was not so obtuse as to be blind to bara fact. She could not but see that some explanation of the terms between Hazard and Cleo was needed. She did not suspect her betrothed lover, so soon to be her husband, of falsehood or faithlessness ; she oniv desired to clear up the mystery, which psined and puzzled her, of a "private underscnading between these two, who had met as srrangers but a couple of days before. The question loomed like a black cloud suddenh- risen on her bright horizon, darker even i.han that strange new realisation of the depths and dangers of love and life which had struck her earlier on this memorable day. . That deeper, fuller chord was thrilling still when this jarring note of discord was suddenly smitten; and on her high-wrought and exalted mood this chill of doubt fell like an ice-cold douche that seemed to quench all the warm, fullbeating passion-life at ncr heart. All dinner time the doubt and the question were buzzing in her brain: What could be the meaning of the evidently familiar relations between her affianced husband and Anthony Fleming's widow? ahe felt that she could not endure the night in suspense, with this problem unsolved; she must find an opportunity of seeking an explanation ; and the opportunity was not far to find. Under the circumstances, it was easy enough for her to secure an uninterrupted tete-a-tete with her lover; she had only to express to Mrs Vaughan a hint of a desire for a quiet talk wah Philip about a business letter ihe had just received, and the matter was arranged. But that Mr Briscoe's letter was not the subject on which she chiefly desired the tete-a-tete was soon evident to Hazard; indeed, she herself was anxious to come to the point as soon as possible, the more anxious because of the undeniable difficulty in • approaching it, which sccraed to loom larger and larger with every moment of delay. . 'It's not this letter that's on your mind, Lii '■'■' he said, looking at her searchingiy. • Then what it it? What's the troub'e, little girl? I see something's wrong;with YOU." .- .. . ■'" :'v ■■-.■.- . .

" "Nothing is wrong. It's only that I—l am a little puzzled about something " "And you don't like' to be puzzled, eh?" '" No, and so I want to ask you. I " she hesitated—"l thought you and—and Mrs Freeman," (with an involuntary pause and stillness on the name) "were quite ■strangers t* each other?" •• And who says we are not?" '"I don't think," rejoined Lilian slowly, carefully avoiding the lightest shade of reproach or suspicion in her tene, " that you -.youid call a, stranger by her Christian ■name?" • •

"Who told you I did? " The colour rose faintly in Lilian's cheek, Jbut she suppressed any inclination to resent the evasive and interrogative form of his replies. "No one told me," in a low voice. "I was coming into the room, and I Jieard " What did you hear?" '■ Nothing of yoiir conversation," she answered, more quickly. "I have no idea •what you were talking about. I only tliought it strange that you should call her —that " "Should call her vhat?" Cleo," reluctantly. " Well, it's her name," he answered, sullenly. Lilian was silent. The transient flush had faded, and left her very pale. She did not reply by the natural and obvious questions—how did he know it was her name? and even if she herself told him, 'what right had she given him to address her by it, in tones of intimacy, on two days' acquaintance? .These rejoinders were -o obvious they needed no utterance; and she knew that he could not fail to perceive this. She felt sw if the ground were rocking beneath her feet; but she guarded her lips from letting any hasty retort escape them. She knew that they were •balancing on the brink of serious disagreement ; it would be their first, and she knew that no quarrel between them couid •fall short of being a serious, and possibly disastrous, matter. He could not but read ■the questions present in her mind as plainly as-if they had been spoken; and, looking in her.pale face, he read between the lines of the trouble and wonder and perplexity ithere, a certain latent firmness asserting itself; he saw. that Lilian was perhaps less io be trifled with than if she had bomfoarded him with cross-examining questions. The very pi'-ril of the position, which irritated his impatient and restive 'temper, forced upon him the urgent neces.ity of caution and self-command. After «i silence, during which they both realised m the atmosphere that one hasty or impulsive word on either side, might precipitate it dangerous collision, it was he who spoke. "I should be sorry if you were foolish enough to make a grievance out of such a •trine." be said, and though his tono was •masterful and displeased, he kept his imjiuliencs fairly well in curb. . " I can hardly see it as a trifle," she said. Now that she spoke there was a little betraying quiver in her voice, which softened 'him —though if it had been more than a Jittle it might only, have irritated him. " Come, Lil," he said, laying his hand on hers, " it is not like you to be suspicious and fanciful."

The touch of his hand seemed to melt the icy barrier that had risen imperceptibly be-

tween them like a wall of glass through which they could see, but could not reach each other.

"Philip," she said, raising her clear, true eyes to his face, with no reproach nor ■anger in their questioning glance, with something of trustful appeal in her tone, " suppose that you had introduced me to a friend of yours, a man, and we had received the introduction as strangers,, and then a day of two afterwards you found that we had known each other before, well enough to—to speak to each other in familiar terms,—tell me, would you think it a trifle? Would it be-fanciful and suspicious if you thought it strange?" " The circumstances are widely different," he answered, frowning; " and if you were not an unworldly child, innocent and ignorant of life as a baby, you'd know that, and need no telling! I have knocked atovl the world, and so has she! " "And you have met in your wanderings?" v " Well, yes—if you cross-question me so ! I'd seen her before —years ago. I should hardly have remembered her if she hadn't recalled herself to me."

'Yes, I can easily understand that you may naturally nave' met in your travels," rejoined Lilian, gently, but guardedly. " But why should you not have mentioned it?" She put this"crucial question simply, with no aggressive note of suspicion or challenge in her voice.

" If you were not what I said just now— aa unworldly, innocent child, ignorant of lift—you'd understand that-—that sometimes, at a first moment, meeting "unexpectedly, a man may—may doubt whether perhaps the woman mightn't prefer, that he shouldn't recognise her! " The unmanly words once spoken, he realised that this was the ' basest subterfuge' to which he had ever stooped, and a dark flush, the flush of shame, ■ rose in his bronzed clufk.

'■"Understand," he added, hastily, after a moment's pftuse during which he had been mentally grinding and gnashing his'teeth, "that I don't mean to imply a word against her. I haven't the shadow of an insinuation to make against her—her characte: or conduct." He perceived by Lilian's serious, questioning, doubtful look, that this form of assurance fell short of being perfectly satisfactory, and he proceeded hurriedly to strengthen it. "If—if there were anythii.fr. do you think I'd allow her to be for a day under the same roof with you? He saw that this line was more effective, and felt himself the more dastardly for-its success.

According to his code of morals, a man is permitted to perjure himself for a woman— or to a woman! He felt bound in honnnr —his "honour"!—to shield Cleo, yet In: hated to delude and mislead Lilian. "And understand one thing more," he added emphatically. "Whether I have met her before or not, there is nothing—nothing that can come between us two. You must leave a man the right of using his own judgment and discretion in matters that you can't understand. But -there's nothing—nothing that you need fret your innocent self about —nothing -that can cast a finger's width of shadow between you and me, my bride! Look at me, and tell me you believe it I"

Lilian looked up in his eyes, and read there the truth of his love, and took it for the truth of his word, as women have done since the world was young. " I believe all you" tell me, Philip," she said.

Poor Lilian! It was too true! She believed, as women, have .believed since the old, old story was first breathed into their ears. "If it is . for her sake " She paused, with an appealing look. His dark eyes, daring and defiant, gazed unabashed into hers, with a challenge in their gaze. "Did you,think," he said;, "it was for mine?"

"No, Philip, no," she mumured, with a passion of tender faith, and yielded softly to the, strong am that drew her close, rested in his enfolding clasp, undreaming of the black secrets of the heart that beat against her own, of the lie on the lips that kissed her.

" If you love me you must trust me," he said, and hated himself for the perjuries he was heaping on his soul; hated himself well nigh as passionately as he loved her. "I will have no doubting half-faith from you. There are some things that you must leave to my judgment; but don't you know that, as I live, I love you, my sweetheart— my wife-to.-be?"< ..■:.. ■ -. ■■ . ;.. ..i.

Lilian did know it, too well; and, indeed, that one word, arid that alone, was true. She believed in him, trusted him ; yet this episode had left a little crumple in the rose leaves of her life. Amongst those soft petals there lurked a little thorn, that pricked her every now and then with just a'phi-prick of perplexity that hardly went so far as doubt.

If her idol had for a moment tottered on his pedestal, she had successfully set him up steadily again in his shrine, posed now as the chivalrous protector of. a woman's secrets.

She conscientiously strove not to think evil of Cleo, who 'might very likely be rather to be pitied than blamed in those unknown circumstances, of which he had avoided dropping the smallest hint. He had stated distinctly that there was "nothing against her"; but even Lilian was arriving at a faint glimmering dawn of the knowledge that most men possess a double code of honour and truth, one branch of which regulates their dealings with their own sex, while they resort to the other branch with regard to women.

The circumstances which had led him to think that Cleo might not desire to claim his acquaintance were left entirely to Lilian's imagination, and she honestly endeavoured to bridle it from any flights to Mrs Freeman's disadvantage; but imagination is apt to be unruly and hard to hold on the curb; and .she could not ignore the feeling that a certain chill of doubt had come between her and Anthony Fleming's widow, though she would not allow it to affect or alter her line of conduct in any practical matters. Shs said nothing to the Vaughans on the subject of her discovery of a previous acquaintance between Hazard and Mrs Freeman". She would not- for the world have dropped a word that could lead them to suspect it—still less that it had for a moment threatened to sow the seeds of dissension and estrangement between her and her lover; for she was instinctively aware, deep down in her secret heart, by one of those intuitions which we would not formulate in words, would shrink from breathing even to ourselves, that although they liked Philip Hazard, and were now quite reconciled to her engagement, yet if anything should happen to come between her and her betrothed, even to the breaking off of her marriage at the eleventh hour, their no doubt sincere sympathy and regret wonld not be without its mitigations.

Meanwhile Cleo was not reluctant to comply with Hazard's urgent desire for her to leave Sunnyside—on a condition. Although the house was a pleasant enough one to stay in, she was not reluctant to end her visit, which, indeed, had never been intended to last more- than a few days, if she did not go alone! Hazard, for his part, found himself fairlycornered. To stay at Mayfield and see her and Lilian under the same roof hour after hour and day after day, was more than he could or would bear. Yet he could not go away and leave her there, and ho had no power to send her away if sho declined to go—no power unless he resorted to methods for which even he would have despised himself if he.could have stooped to adopt them. Thus, as he would neither stay and see her theie, nor go and leave her there, and could not send her away, there was but one thing left to do. She would

go—if he went too ! Not with her! That, of course, was impossible! Bub he might get her away under the promise of leaving himself almost immediately after her. The worst of it was, he knew that if he committed himself to this promise he would have to keep it—unless, indeed, he could devise some unusually ingenious excuse for lingering on at Mayfield, near Lilian. Yet better to leave Lilian for a time—it might ba only for a few days—than defy the woman who held the hidden wea] that could destroy him. What poisoned dagger is so deadly as the fatal power of a word? He chafed against the necessity of keeping Cleo conciliated, but he simply dared not offend her -while that one word of hers could deal destruction worse, far worse, than death to him !

It was easy enough for " business" to recall him to town for a while. And Mayfield was within easy access ; he could run up and down. Anything to get that woman away from Lilian, his trustful, guileless love! Anything to seal those lips that could betray him!

CHAPTER XXII.

" So you have been down at Mayfield?" said Stephen Royce. It was to Cleo lie spoke, as he lounged at his ease in her parlour, where it was easier to lounge now that she had. imported, amongst other improvements, two or three comfortable chairs. " Yes, as I told you, I have been staying at Sunnyside." " Ah! " You get on well with Miss Percival, eh? " "Very well." " And with her folk, the old major, and the aunt?" "Excellently. I gave the lady some valuable advice about the preservation, or restoration, of her complexion, gratis." "None could do it better," interposed Mr .Royce. "And I listened to the Dictionary of the British Empire from A^to Z, and looked as if I liked it." " Few could do that so well," he rejoined. " You have established quite pleasant relations there, evidently. And Miss Percival's views with regard—tc—er— your position as her late kinsman's widow, are they—satisfactory?" "I think so." "Not sure, eh?" "Yes, I think I may say I am sure of her intentions." „ "Her people are not likely to try and interfere in any way with her carrying them out?" lie suggested. " Not they ! ' Dear Lilian ' (with a mocking accent of mimicry), "bosses the show at Sunnyside." Stephen Royce smiled. "You didn't say that there?" She smiled too. "No, but I did long to raise the good folk's hair sometimes!" " I am glad it's all straight, smooth sailing." he observed. "Relations are sometimes apt to want to put a finger in the pie, when it's a question of money," "They need not when there's plenty of pie to go round," she rejoined. "And in this case I don't think they will try." "There's someone else who might put his oar in the boat," he suggested. " She has enough and to spare to' do what she likes with it," said Cleo, ignoring the allusion to Hazard. "And it would not be his game to cross her fancies so early in the day," said Royee, continuing the subject. " You've seen bun, the happy future, of course?" " Ul'i, yes. of course he was duly in attendance'! I daresay there are plenty would-be glad to step into his shoes," she added, with a curious glance at him. "Plenty, I should say. There's a good deal of /pending in old' MacGilleroy's millions, and she's a nice girl, too." "You wouldn't have minded being.in his place ycarself, I fancy?" she suggested audaciously. " You show your accustomed acuteness," he admitted coolly. "I certainly shouldn't have minded taking up the position, and, if it had been my luck, I ■ should have shown myself disposed to encourage any inclination of the lady's to make generous arrangements on behalf of an old friend of mine." The old friend gave a little, almost imperceptible, toss of her head, as if inclined to resent his. harping on that string. "It's to late to dream of any alteration in. the hymenal arrangements now," she said, with a singular* smile; "they are talking' about fixing the happy day! And the present owner," she added, deliberately, " does not show himself interferingly inclined." ' i ■ "Knows what he's about too well," observed Royce. " Sees it's his best game to wait till he has it in his own hands. Do you know," he added, after a pause, " it strikes me sometimes that there's something queer about that fellow." "About the happy man?" Royce nodded. "I shouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be off colour in some way. Sort of fellow who might have some shady episodes in the background." "Well, so long as they stay in the background, that's not much matter. And he's not the only one," she rejoined. " Now there has rather an odd thing happened," pursued Royce, musingly. " I saw him the other day at. Giugli's—a capital restaurant I've found out lately—with another fellow ; they'd been dining together in a private room, and they seemed as thick as. thieves. He didn't seem overpleased to see me, I thought, and didn't introduce the man who was with him, but passed on in a kind of hurry; but I noticed the friend—a grizzly, little fellow, with a bald, bullet head." He paused. " Well," sho observed indifferently, " there's nothing very suspicious about a man dining. with a friend with a bald head." " No, there's not. But a few days afterwards I met this very man at the Globetrotters. Knew him in a minute. I never forget a-face. I was introduced to him; he's an American by the name of Perry; and he turns out to be the Nathaniel Perry who gave evidence as to the identity of your late husband with Anthony Fleming; the man —at least, one of the men—who visited him in his lodgings just before his fatal illness." Well?" said Cleo, coolly still, but with a stir of secret uneasiness. " Well," he echoed, slowly, " doesn't it strike you that it's a little odd that tlie man who gave the chief,, really the only positive evidence as to the identity of Freeman and Fleming, should be.on'intimate terms with the man who's going to marry Lilian Percival? Practically, it's Perry's statement that makes Hazard's affianced wife, one of the biggest heiresses* in England. Seems rather fishy that the two men should be chums. I wonder if Miss Percival knows it?" I don't know. But whether she does or not, I don't see that it makes much difference." . "He turns her round his little finger, eh?" rejoined Pvoyce, putting his own interpretation upon the words. " Women of her sort were born to be turned round some-man's little finger," was Cleo's answer. Royce noaded, and meditated for a few moments before lie observed : " I've asked this fellow Perry to dine •with me." " Yes? " she rejoined, with well-feigned indifference. 'She had caught the gleam of ms blue eyes ; beneath their long light lashes, fixed with one of his searching sideway looks upon her face, and she was on her guard. "Do you think you'll get anything out of him?" " "You don't seem to have a very high opinion of.my hospitality to a stranger in the land," he replied, smiling. " Well, that depends on what there is to be got o\it of the stranger," she said, with her daring, laughing glance. "My fair friend," he smiled, "I have known you to be in a more complimentary mood." Just then there was the sound of a ring and a knock at the hall door, and Cleo involuntarily, unconsciously, looked round. Born.and bred actress though she was, his keen, quick eyes detected ■ a momentary uneasiness and anxiety in her glance. "She is expecting someone," he thought. "Who can it be?" The hall door was opened; a strange voice was heard, and a strange step passed up the stair. Cleo drew a breath of relief, unperceived by him in spite of his observation, as she turned to him smiling, with some playfully impertinent sally of rejoinder.. 'If he could' " get no more out of" ! Nathaniel Perry than he did out of Cleo ! that day, Mr Royee's chances of increas- ' ing his store of information wore but

small. She had suggested no light on the subject of the acquaintance between Hazard and Perry; she had steered clear of the question of what arrangements Lilian Percival proposed to make for her. He went away from her no wiser than he came to her —except for one apparently unimportant item. He guessed, nay, was sure, that she was expecting some visitor whom she did not care for him to meet. But, shrewd as he was, even he did not go so far as to guess who that visitor was— nor that when he came one of the first subjects she introduced was her interview with Stephen Royce and his foiled attempts at gaining information from her. "Be on your guard," she said, " and keep a- sharp look-out all round. He's not on the track, hut he's near it; he's scenting round about. He's asked this Perry to dinner, and he doesn't ask him without a motive." " Perry's all* safe," was the reply. "He : won't make much out of him! But I'm glad you've dropped me the hint. I'll pass ■the warning on. Nat Perry's mouth shuts like a trap. Royce will be a smart fellow if he gets anything out of it." Allan Thurlowe had been installed as j locum tenens to Dr Longridge for two or three weeks when late one evening he received a summons to attend at once to " a lady at Mrs Maloney's," who had fallen downstairs. Mrs Maloney was one of Dr Longridge's list of patients, though she had not required any medical attendance since Dr Thurlowe had been acting as his deputy, and the lady who had met with what "might prove a serious accident was one of Mrs Maloney's lodgers. So much Allan Thurlowe gathered frum the excited and garbled account of the young person who summoned him. He accompanied the girl back to the house immediately, and found the victim of the accident lying on the floor in the parlour. The landlady had dragged her into the room,. but had not. been able to lift her up, and was now bending over her in a state of anxiety which was not unnatural, as the blood which ■was flowing from a wound on her head, staining her hair and dress, and her deathly-white face, had an alarming., appearance. Her eyes. were closed; but just as Dr Thurlowe arrived she stirred and moaned faintly, and began to show signs of returning consciousness. "Glory be to the blessed Saints!" ejaculated the ■ landlady, with elapsed hands; "it's coming to she is! Oh, Doctor, I . thought she was kilt entirely, and me alone in the house with ■ her! " ■ . A cursory examination showed the doctor that 'the wound, although it bled freely, was only a superficial one; she must have struck her head in falling against some sharp corner, and her insensibility, which had so alarmed Mrs Maloney, was a fainting-fit from the shock of the fall and blow and loss of blood. Having bathed and bound up the cut, and restored the patient to consciousness, they assisted, her to rise, with the view of getting her into the adjoining bedroom; but she uttered a cry of pain as soon as her foot touched the ground, and then Allan discovered that she had somehow twisted her ankle in her fall. Although the injury did not appear at first glance to be a serious one, it was painful enough to compel . them to cany her between them and lay her on the bed. By this time she was able to^thank the doctor and the landlady for their kindness and attention, and held out her hand to the latter with a faint but sweet smile on her pale face; he had not recognised till that moment that the face was fair. To Allan Thurlowe a patient, man or woman, was merely a patient—though there might have been the usual exception to prove'" this rule if it had been Lilian Percival ,who had met with an accident. He perceived that the lady who now claimed his attention was still on the sunny side of the hill of life, and endowed with'a fair .share of good looks; but-he noted her pulse and symptoms with much more interest than her features. Asking her name, as he wrote a prescription, he was informed that it was "Mrs Freeman." Freeman? He had ■heard of the appearance of the soi-disant

,c Albert Freeman's widow, and he wondered n if this could be the lady, but, of course, ir under the circumstances made no inquiry. :s He called the next morning to see how she i'- was getting on, knowing that results which ie are not immediately perceptible, but may y chance to be serious, sometimes ensue from is a blow on the head. He found, however, >r with satisfaction that in this case there t- was no sign of any such after-consequences. >t The patient had left her bedroom, and - was lying on the sofa in the sitting room, 5t in a graceful negligee of Liberty morningw gown and Oriental shawl. She smiled ts graciously on the good-looking young doctor as sho assured him that sheA felt very much better, indeed all right >' again, except for- a slight headache and t- the lameness of her swollen ankle, which T • she could not yet bear to put to the '" j ground. I Having examined the injured member, c : and being able to give a cheering opinion ■ n oa it, encouraging the hope that she would iS soon recover the use of it, he was feeling ts the fair patient's pulse, watch in hand, 1- j when the little maid opened the door and announced, "The gentleman, ma'am." I Next moment the visitor, thus uncerels | moniously introduced, walked in, and >r proved to be no other than Philip Hazard. '- Allan recognised him on the instant, and a with 'a- shock of astonishment at his ap--11 pearance here, at an hour unconvention'r ally early for a visitor—unless, indeed, he ie came on business, or charged with any :e message from Lilian—while Hazard, for his ' s part, was scarcely less surprised to find » Allan Thurlowe installed at Mrs Freeman's is side and holding her hand, although the .h «ext instant, his eye falling on the watch, d enlightened him as to the" professional n character of the proceeding. ' Perhaps both men found this unexpected ie meeting not only surprising but a little emn barrassing, though neither betrayed any * confusion. ir With the discretion which his profesio sional training had bred in him—although :r ifc was probably not one of his naturally i- distinguishing qualities—Allan Thurlowe g refrained from any exclamation of recogni:r tion ;he merely bowed slightly, and waited 3> ior Hazard to be first to speak, and Hazard is . was not unready. "Ah, Dr Thurlowe?" r- he said. " You find nothing serious the d matter I hope?" glancing from doctor to 3- patient. " Not at all lam happy to say. I hope 1- a day or two will see .Mrs Freeman quite ; herself again." I . " How kind of you to call, Mr Hazard!" ie said Cleo, extending her hand to him 'with languid sweetness. "You and the doctor ie are acquainted, then?" with evident interid est -and curiosity. Ie " Yes,. we -nave met, more than once,'' ig replied Hazard. He did not say where. ■ • Cleo made no further inquiry; and Allan rs Thurlowe volunteered no .gratuitous infor:k mation. But, again, ths wonder occurred to him, could this Mrs Freeman, to whom t, Lilian Percival's affianced lover was paying s, a morning visit, be the widow of the mysiv terious, unfortunate, and happily-deceased ; Anfchonv Fleming? is " Don't let me interrupt your advice, Dr ;n Thurlowe," said Hazard, politely, iv " I have no more to give. I have said ;h all I have to say to Mrs Freeman. She :e had better keep quiet to-day, and I will ;h write a prescription. Can I find pen and in in~. " he added, and turned to the table for writing materials. Ie Well, how did this happen?" asked is Hazard, taking, in obedience tp a sign ;o from Cleo, the chair at her side which the Ie doctor had vacated, d " I caught my heel somehow on the stairs." she replied. " I think there must. >r have been a stair-rod loose. It is a wonh der I didn't kill myself,' or at least break m my bones, for I fell the whole flight down n from'-the first landing, and split my head t. open." w "It might have been a bad accident; it ie is lucky you came off so easily," said Hazd ard. "Does your head feel very bad?" ie "It did, but it is much better now." .h Nothing could possibly have been more innocent and commonplace than the words 2- exchanged between these two. Thuris lowe's back was towards them as he wrote d -the prescription, and there was not the it slightest reason for:.the curious feeling of

distrust and doubt that came over him, like an intuition- of something hidden, something that he could not see nor hear, and had no cause to suspect, and yet that he felt was there. It was the sort of instinct by which one in a. dark and silent room, without a stir and rustle in the shadows, or a glimmer of light in the midnight blackness, is yet conscious of a presence there. He could not explain the feeling, but he was vaguely, distrustfully, disapprovingly conscious of something he could not define in the atmosphere. He rose abruptly from the table when he had finished writing. "Here, Mrs Freeman, are the prescriptions," he said in his most business-like tone. "The lotion to be well rubbed into the ankle, the mixture to be taken three times a day. Put the fresh lint on that cut this evening, and I will look in tomorrow and see to it."

The next morning Dr Thurlowe had his hands full; several urgent cases claimed his attention, so that he postponed his visit to Mrs Freeman till later in the day. Arriving in the afternoon, he found Mr Hazard again installed beside the sofa, though at a perfectly discreet and proper .distance ; but it flashed upon him then that as the maid opened the parlour door he had caught a sound as of a chair quickly moved, also that his patient would probably have expected him to call in the forenoon as he had done the day before, thus his arrival at this hour might have taken her unawares. Certainly there was nothing very remarkable in a gentleman calling two days running to inquire for a lady who had met with an accident. Mr Hazard might be an old friend of Mrs Freeman's, or, if she were indeed the widow of Anthony Fleming, he might have been easily and naturally brought into friendly communication with her through Lilian, or indeed, by Lilian's own desire.

Allan had not caught a look or tone of Hazard's to which Lilian herself could have taken the smallest exception. There was no good reason for the quick thrill of displeasure and suspicion that stirred his pulse; but instinct is swifter and sometimes surer than reason, and as he thought of Lilian and looked at her affianced lover by that other woman's side, a feeling of almost fierce resentment kindled in his heart.

He greeted Hazard with formal politeness, and. devoted ; his attention to his patient in the most business-like of professional manners. Hazard offered to take his leave, and call again presently, but the offer was a mere formality; Mrs Freeman would not hear of his going; so he remained, discreetly occupying himself with the books on a sidetable while the doctor interviewed his patient. * There was but little to be said, as she was much better, and needed nothing more now than the simplest precautionary treatment, so that the visitor was soon summoned from the side table, and drawn into the versation —not, however, by the doctor, to whom nevertheless Hazard showed no lack of geniality.. . "Been at Mayfield lately, Dr Thurlowe? " he said presently. "No, I have not." And, judicious or not, he could not refrain from adding, though with as easy an air as possible, " Have you? "

" Oh yes," replied Hazard with conventional nonchalance. " I was down there the other day." • "All well there, I hope?"

"Yes, all thriving." "Ah? You know the charming family at Sunnyside, Dr Thurlowe?" said Cleo, quickly following the allusions. She spoke in her best tone of languorous sweetness, but there was a certain half-surprised searching glance in her eyes.

" I have that pleasure," he replied, a shade formally. " I was staying there lately. I only returned the other day. A delightful visit; they are all so sweet! I am, if I may say, a connection of the family, through my late husband."

Allan ' detected the gleaming shaft of daring mockery and challenge that shot from beneath her languidly drooping eyelashes at the other visitor, but did not know what to make of it, unless, indeed, it hinted that Lilian's affianced, husband did not approve of the intercourse between his bride and Anthony . Fleming's widow? For this must surely be the widow; it was not likely to be merely a coincidence \ of ; name—some other "Mrs .Freeman"' connected with the* Sunnyside family. And if she were Fleming's widow, and Hazard disapproved of her as a friend for his bride, then why was lie here?

Allan was puzzled, doubtful, suspicious. Ho looked from Hazard to Cleo, leaning back gracefully on her sofa cushions, in a becoming tea gown, a lace scarf draped over her bright, ,ruddy-gleaming hair to conceal the bandaged cut on her head, a rich-coloured, Eastern-looking shawl flung over her, from beneath which the uninjured foot peeped out .coquettishly, in a dainty slipper. She made an attractive picture— which, however, did not attract Allan Thurlowe' one whit. Whether it attracted Hazard or not, his impassive face and inscrutable eyes did not reveal.

" A connection of t'lie family, through her late husband! " Yes, it must be the widow of the man whose timely death had cleared the path for Lilian to fortune. It might well be that Lilian, with her generous nature, had taken her into her affec tions as friend and kinswoman—that Hazard was visiting her as a future family connection, with his bride-elect's full knowledge and consent.

Yet as Allan Thurlowe went his way from Mrs Freeman to his next patient, leaving Lilian's lover, who showed no signs of departure, there by the fair widow's -side, a. fervent desire burnt in his breast to administer to Philip Hazard as sound a castigation as once in righteous wrath. he had inflicted upon the bully of his school.

(To be . continued.)