THE NOVELIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1897, 12 June 1890, Page 33

THE NOVELIST.

[NOW ffIBST PUBLISHED.} A BITTER BIRTHRIGHT; OR, LADY GILMORE'S TEMPTATION. o By BORA RUSSELL, Author of " Footprints in the Snow," " The Broken Seal," " The Track of the Storm," &o. [ALL EIGHTS KHSERVED.] SYNOPSIS OF PEBVIOUS CHAPTERS. Chapters I aud ll.— Poor Mrs Loftus, wife of a colonel in India, is expecting his return dally to England, to her and her family. She receives news, however of his death, and the family are thrown into extremities. Writing to a friend of hers, Lady Blenkensop. she consents to find one of herdaugters, Nancy, a situation, and visits Lady Gilmore, whose family of daughters she thinks might require a governess. On arriving at the residence of Lady Gilmore she is met by terrible news. Her son, Lord Gilmore, a young man, has been shot iv the wood, aud h even now dying from his wounds. Lady Blenkensop hurries to the spot indicated and finds the wounded young man ebbing away his life's blood ou his mother's breast. Chapters 111 and IV.— Lady Bleukensop's prompt fiction saves Lord Gilraore'a life. A bunch of cardU nal coloured ribbons is found near the recumbent body of the earl, and this Lady Blenkensop secrets for further inquiries. During his illness the suffering man often murmurs the word " Alice," and at the mention of this name his mother cover! her head in the bedclothes aud groana in agony. Lady Blenkenoop learns that the governess of Lady Qilmore has left after a quarrel with her mistress, aud she then introduces the name of Miss Loftus as her successor. The distracted mother consents and agrees to give her £100 a year. This is accepted by the sorrowing girl and her bereaved mother, and Miss Loffcus leaves to take up her abode with Lady Grilmore. Chaptkbs V and Vl.— Nancy Loftus takes up her residence at Worthsiey Castle, the abode of Lord Gilmore aud his mother, and is well received by Lady Gilmour. After she has been there a duy or two Lord Gilmour has a serious relapse, owing to the receipt of a mysterious letter which he keeps secret from his mother. He forwards the writer the sum of £500 in charge of a Dr Robert son " for his patient." On a visit to Lady Blenkensop Miss Loftus is introduced to two young cavalry officers, Sir John Oakes and Mr RyJe, and the former is at once struck with her beauty. Chapters Vf I and VHI.-Sir John Oakes paid a visit to Lord Gil.nore and introduced the subject of the beautiful Miss Loftus. The young and amorous lord' 6 curiosity is aroused, and he makes it his business to come across the young woman, whom he meets in the grounds and presents her with an elegant bouquet from the conservatory. In the meantime Lady Gilmore Is annoyed and angry at what she hears from a maiden aunt— that the accident to her son was not an accident at all, but a deliberate

outrage on the part of a woman he had wronged, and who afterwards shot herself. Chapter IX. The Mother's Choice. ADY GILMORE thought more, and more during the next few days of the grand-aunt's advice about getting a wife for her son, and cast anxiously over in her mind the attractions of the different girls he would be likely to admire. She knew he loved beauty, therefore a pretty or handsome face was essential. There was a Lady Mabel Bute, that at one time she had hoped Gilmore would fall in love with, a haughty, young, lovely girl, the daughter of a duke, and so even in Ladj Gilmore's eyes almost worthy of her son. But if there really had arisen any scandal about Gilmore — and Lady Gilmore knew the grand-aunt too well to believe she would invent one, for the old lady had a sharp but truthful tongue— would Lady Mabel with, her high rank and large fortune be allowed by her parents to marry him ? Lady Gilmore debated this question again and again in her mind, and then bethought her of a pretty, bright young girl, who had been presented during the last season, and greatly admired. She was the Hon. Kate Butler, the daughter of a poor Irish viscount, and her youth and beauty were supposed to be all the possessions she would bring to her husband. Lady Gilmore had heard her son praise Miss Butler's good looks, and had seen Miss Butler's bright, sparkling, Irish blue eyes light up with pleasure when Gilmore was talking to her; and as she came of an ancient, noble, though impoverished family, Lady Gilmore at last ! decided that if she could arrange it, Miss Butler would be a suitable wife for her son. And there was no time like the present, she decided also. Gilmore was now weak and languid, and a bright lively girl would help to cheer him, and have a hundred more chances of gaining his love when he had nothing else to amuse him than she would have in town ; and therefore Lady Gilmore determined forthwith to invite Miss Butler to stay at Wrothsley, and she had little doubt that Miss Butler would only be too I delighted to come. She did not confide her intentions to Gilmore ; she knew too well if he supposed she were scheming to bring about the match, that it would entirely set his mind against it. And Miss Kate Butler had also another attraction, and a great one, in her eyes. She was of her own creed, and came like herself of an old Eoman Catholic family, and as Gilmore was utterly careless on such subjects, she knew this would be a matter of indifference to him. She therefore wrote a letter to this young lady's mother, whom she knew fairly well, asking her if she would let her pretty daughter come to Wrothsley on a visit for a week or two. " It will be the greatest possible kindness if she will do so," continued Lady Gilmore, " for we are not receiving anyone at present, on account of the terrible accident, of which you may have heard, that befell poor Gilmore. He was'accidently shot in one of the thickets in the park, by poachers, and found by two of the keepers in a state that I dare not think of. He is now much better, however, and can move about the house a little, but still has to be very quiet. Thus, though I fear it will be dull for Kate, it would be a charity if she would come to cheer us up a little, with her lively, charming.ways, and I am sure Gilmore would be delighted to see her," and so on. The lady to whom this letter was addressed was a shrewd woman, and she at once guessed why it was written. Lady Lisburn knew there had been a scandal about Gilmore, but she knew also that they were poor, and that her pretty daughter would ( have no fortune, and that her eldest 3on was ; extravagant, and her. lord terribly pinched, and that Gilmore was very rich.. " His mother wishes him to settle, I supt pose," she mused, and she also wished her 1 handsome, sprightly Kate to settle, and she knew Kate liked Gilmore, and had always been very pleased at any attentions from the good-looking young lord. She did not confide her thoughts to Lord Lisburn, for they were never on very amiable terms, as there was constant trouble about money between them, but she partly did to her daughter Kate, and the quick girl instantly understood. " Here is a letter from Lady Gilmore," she said to Miss Butler, " and she wishes you to go and stay at Wrothsley for a week or two— to enliven Gilmore I suppose after his accident," she added with a smile. " Poor fellow, is he better ? " answered the girl with a quick blush. She was a tall, slender, young woman this, with regular features, bright, dark blue eyes with dark brown lashes, brows, and hair and a clear, indeed brilliant, complexion. Her movements were quick and the expression of her face ever changeful, and there was a certain impatience sometimes in her manner ; in the way she threw back her head which reminded you of what her father called her mother's " confounded tempers," for Lady Lisburn and her lord rarely passed a day together without some sharp, nay, bitter words being exchanged between them. " Would you, liko to go ? " continued Lady Lisburn, poking at her daughter. "May'lsee. the letter 7" said Miss Butler. Lady Lisburn put it into her hand, and as Miss Butler read it her colour deepened. " Yes, I think I should," she added after she had read it ; "it must be dreadfully dull for poor Gilmore— l could go from tbeCadogan's there, mother, couldn't I ? " "So you could, my dear, that will be a very good arrangement, and you are due at at the Cadogan's in the middle of next week ? Shall I write and tell Lady Gilmore that you will be able to be with her in about a fortnight 7 " The mother and daughter settled it thus, and they both quite understood what this visit meant, for it was well-known that Lady Gilmore watched over her son with the most jealous care, and was very unlikely to invite a handsome young girl under her roof while Gilmore was an invalid unless she had some motive for it. But scarcely was Lady Gilmore's invitation duly accepted, she began to be

afraid that she had been rash in sending it. Would Gilmore be angry ? she reflected ; and did she know enough of Kate Butler to justify her in throwing her son into such intimate acquaintance with her 1 And would the Lisburns, perhaps, expect that he intended to propose to Kate, when he had not the sightest idea of the whole scheme ? These doubts and fears tormented the anxious mother incessantly during the first few days after she received Lady Lisburn's reply, and when a week later she mentioned to her son that she had had a letter from Lady Lisbon, and that Kate was coming on to them after she ended her visit to the Cadogan's, an annoyed expression at once passed over his face. " What a bore," he said ; " cannot you put her off, mother ? I am really not strong enough to be expected to make myself agreeable to Kate Butler." " I thought you admired her, Gilmore 1 " "Soldo in a way. She's a pretty girl, but too excessively lively for me at present. Please make some excuse not to have her." Here was a pretty dilemma for Lady Gilmore to find herself in. She had invited the Hon, Kate especially to enliven Gilmore, and Gilmore did not appreciate it, and asked for the very young lady to be put off whom she had hoped he would marry I "My dear, I cannot refuse to have her for a day or two," she said, with a troubled heart, " for I have already written to Lady Lisburn to tell her so." " It's a nuisance," aaswered Gilmore, crossly, and then he turned away, thinking that Miss Kate Butler would be very much in the way at present. The truth was that since the day Gilmore met Nancy Loftus in the park, and walked with her beneath the spreading palms, he had never for a moment been able to get her sweet face out of his mind. And she had also piqued him by avoiding him, or at least not going to meet him as he asked her. He had spoken to her twice since, but this was only after a good deal of trouble on his part, and Gilmore was not used in his love affairs to give himself much trouble. Their two meetings had haprjened thus. Lady Gilmore had directed Nancy to take the children out each fine or tolerable morning for a walk in the park at 12 o'clock, before their early dinner, and Nancy had obeyed. It chanced to be a very fine winter morning the day after Nancy had first talked to Gilmore, the sun bright, the hoar-frost hiding on the pinched grass, and shining on the branches of the great trees, and fringing the leaves of the evergreens with white. A glorious morning, that sent young blood dancing in the veins, and made blooming cheeks more beautiful, and bright eyes more bright, and Nancy feeling light-hearted and exhilarated, went walking swiftly on between her two young pupils, with one of Gilmore's roses nestling in the boa around her throat. " Is that the rose you wore last night, Miss Loftus 1 " inquired curious Miss Dossy. " Why do you ask? "answered Nancy, with a little laugh. " Because it struck me it was not. You must be quite a favourite with Johnson, the head gardener, if he gives you roses like that, as he is a great screw." Again Nancy laughed, and then suddenly blushed, for she perceived at this moment Gilmore on one of the cross walks from the main road, now coming towards them. The children at the same instant also saw him, and proclaimecTtne news with cries of joy. " Look, Miss Loftus I there is Gilmore — there, under the trees — we must run to him."

They suited their actions to their words, and at once darted off to meet Gilmore, who, accompanied by them, a few minutes later approached the spot where Nancy stood, scarcely knowing what to do. But Dossy solved the question. " This is our governess, Miss Loftus, Gilmore," she saidj and Gilmore smilingly raised his cap, and looked more smilingly still at Nancy's blooming, lovely face. " It's a splendid morning," he said ; " and so you young ladies are having a walk 1 " " Yes," faltered Nancy in some confusion j " Lady Gilmore wishes them to go out each morning."

" Quite right. Do you never go down the avenue to the lake ? "

"Oh let us go there to-day, Gilmore," cried both the little girls in one breath ; " it'sso lovely to see the water fowl and the little islands— do let us go, Miss Loftus 7 " "Is it not too far ? " asked Nancy, for the park was a great place, and extended over an area of quite 14 miles in circumference, and in the summer-time was beautiful with its green and varied slopes, its lake, and magnificent trees, beneath which the dappled deer browsed and the wild birds sang. Sir Thomas Gifford, when he bought Wrothsley, had pulled down the old hall that stood amid its woods and wilds, and had reared the stately pile he considered suitable to his new state.

And he had spared neither money nor care on the great Elizabethan mansion that he built. Its well-balanced masses, and the magnificence of its details made it a show house in the country, and the old man had been proud of it, and was never weary of pointing out its beauties to friends that hehad known in humbler days, and would boasfc of the vast sums that the pictures alone had cost him, and the beautiful statnaiy marblemantlepieces, and the Aubusecn tapestry. The lake was a lovely spot, quite a mileand a-half from the house, and Nancy had' never seen it, but urged now by Gilmore to> comply with the children's request, she consented to go. Presently the little girls ran. on, and she was virtually alone with Gilmore.

" Do you know, I have watched and waited 1 over an hour this morning to see you," he said, when the children were out of hearing. Nancy felt greatly embarrassed by this speech, for more than once during the'morning she had taken herself to task, and had told herself it would never do for her to be seen walking with the young lord. " You promised to talk to me sometimes, you know, before you ran away yesterday," continued Gilmore, " so you will forgive me watching for you, won't you 7 " " I hope you won't do so any more, Lord Gilmore," said Nancy nervously. " You see Lady Gilmore would not like it— it will only bring me trouble."

"I have thought of that too," answered Gilmore, "for women are so absurd about some things, and my motter has

a very jealous and exacting nature ; but still we could meet, you know, on the quiet ? " " 1 could not do that," said Nancy, raising her head a little proudly. " Do not misunderstand me, please ; I only meant that to avoid the confounded gossip and talk that some people will make about nothing ; we could arrange some place where we could see each other, and have a pleasant ohat like we had yesterday. It must be horribly dull for a young girl like you to be shut up in a schoolroom all day with two children." " Governesses are not supposed to lead gay lives, you know," replied Nancy a little archly. " That is all nonsense ; it is a pleasure to me to talk to you, and unless you dislike it » Nancy's deepening blush was her only answer, and as Gilmore turned to look at her, he caught a glimpse of the rosebud nestling by her throat. "At least you honour me by wearing my poor flowers," he said, well pleased. "But even that has nearly got me into trouble already," said Nancy smiling ; " Miss Dossy immediately inquired if one of the gardeners had given it to me." " Tiresome monkey 1 " " So you see, Lord Gilmore " "I don't see it at all. Will you come down to the conservatories again this afternoon ? " " Certainly not." " To-morrow, then 1 " •• No, indeed." ' "Ah, Miss Loftus, don't be so hard. What possible harm could there be in your walking with me for half an hour ? " " No harm, but as I said before, Lady Gilmore would not like it." " But I would like it. I want to be friends with you ; I feel almost as if we were friends already." " Yet I have only spoken to you once," said Nancy, shyly. " What matter is that ? I know when I like people the first time I speak to them, don't you 1 " " Yes, I think I do," answered Nancy, still more shyly. " Then don't tell me you hate me, please. Ah, here are the tiresome brats again ! " Dossy and Flossy now rejoined them, and Gilmore tried in vain to shake them off. Dossy related to her brother how their greataunt had said such " funny things " the afternoon before, that " mother " had sent them out of the room. " I believe they were about you, Gilmore ; " she added, raising her blue eyes to his face, " it was about your accident she was talking, and she said she had heard some woman had a finger in the pie." A scarlet flush instantly rose to Gilmore's face. " What folly," he said, hastily and angrily. " What a fool that woman is, to be sure." " And she made mother as cross as two sticks," continued Dossy. " Altogether wehad a bad time of it, and Miss Loftus was far better off. She went over the conservatories when we were away, and Johnson the gardener gave her two of hia best roses." Nancy could not help laughing at this, and a moment later Gilmore laughed too. But there was a frown on his brow still, and after they reached the lake he parted with them. But before he did so he had a word to whisper to Nancy which the sharp Dossy did not hear, as she was taken up at this moment in watching some water-fowl on one of the little islands on the lake. " Please come down to the conservatories to-morrow at 4," said Gilmore in a low tone ; " I've something to tell you " ; and the next moment, before Nancy could reply, be had taken off his cap and left them. " Why has Gilmore gone away ? " asked Dossy, looking around. " He is tired, I suppose," answered Nancy, and she stood thoughtfully for a few minutes looking at the lake, and at the water pouring down over rocks at its side, and forming numerous mimic cascades which sparkled in the sun. " I must not go," the girl was thinking ; " no, I must not go." And she did not go to meet Gilmore on the following afternoon. And as he went to meet her, and lingered until nearly 6 o'clock before he returned to the house, he went back both angry and disappointed. And in vain also he waited for Nancy and her pupils on the following mornings. One was wet and they did not go out, and the other somehow Gilmore missed them. Nancy was afraid, indeed, to meet him again, and avoided going on the walks where they had twice met. But the day before his mother told him of her invitation to Miss Butler, he did accidentally encounter them, and seized a moment when he thought Dossy was not listening, to reproach Nancy for disappointing him. " What have I done that you should treat me so 1 " he asked. " I waited for you two hours that afternoon in the conservatories." " Indeed, Lord Gilmore, I cannot meet you," answered Nancy, with a deep blush. " What are you saying, Gilmore, that makes Miss Loftus' face turn so red 1 " no w inquired Miss Dossy inquisitively. " .Don't be rude, Dossy," said Gilmore with some anger in his tone. " I must say good-morning ; we are going in," said Nancy, and as they were within sight of the house Gilmore thought it more prudent to take off his cap and turn away. But as he went along one of the glades of the park he was still thinking of Nancy Loftus. " Ah, my little beauty," he thought, " you may be as cold to me as you like now, but the day will come when you will not be — yes, I swear it." Chapter X. The Son's Choice. Thus Gilmore thought that the arrival of Miss Butler at Worthsley at the present time would be very inconvenient, and so he had asked his mother to put her off. He wanted to see Nancy, and he was determined to see her, and he felt that Miss Butler's presence might make it more difficult. But for once Lady Gilmore was firm, and held out against her son's will. She thought, indeed, that it was impossible for her to make an excuse to Lady Lisburn, and so she told Gilmore, to his great annoyance. " It'wili only be for a few days, you know, ray dearest, and I am sure Kate Butler is

ouch a charming girl she will help to amuse you," said Lady Gilmore, not speaking the exact truth about the time she meant Miss Butler's visit to continue. Gilmore gave an expressive gesture of disapproval, for he thought of another amusement on which his mind was bent, and therefore he did not wish to be troubled with Miss Butler. But Lady Gilmore kept to her purpose, and Miss Butler arrive at Worthsley on the day which had originally been fixed. But in the meanwhile Gilmore had succeeded in obtaining another interview with Nancy, which in a way was one momentous to them both. And strange to tell, the grim old woman at Gateford Manor House was the person of all others who helped him to, obtain his heart's desire. Miss Gifford, though she never did, nor never cared to keep her bitter tongue quiet, was by no means indifferent to family ties, and there-

fore wrote one day at this time, to invite

Dossy and Flossy to spend a day with her ; and Lady Gilmore, however incensed and hurt she might be at the grand-aunt's remarks, thought it but prudent to Ist them go

And Dossy and Flossy had been in Gilmore's way all this time ! It could not be supposed that when he was so anxious to see Nancy Loftus, that he had forgotten the corridor where he had played as a boy, and

where he had first seen her sweet face,

had thought of it, indeed, many times, and no scruples that it was not quite fair to the yonng governess to enter it had caused him to forbear doing so. Gil-

more, in fact, was not scrupulous, but he was afraid of his little sisters prattling tongues, well knowing that if it came to his mother's ears that he frequented the corridor,

which had always been given up to the children of the family and their governess, that the present governess — if she w ere supposed to be the attraction — would have a very brief sojourn beneath the roof.

He had locked away the key of the door which opened on A the staircase that led to it, and been amused one day by hearing two of the housemaids shaking the door, and declaring the key must be lost. But they settled it was no matter, as the staircase was never used. "We can brush it down from the other side," they said, " when we do the armoury and the rooms there." Thus Gilmore had his key all safely in his own possession, and the afternoon that Dossy and Flossy went to Gateford, he determined to use it.

" I am going to have a smoke, and then to lie down," he said to his mother after lunch ; " it's too cold to go out."

" Then I'll drive over for the children," answered Lady Gilmore, who felt he was tired of her company, and as the children had gone in the morning to their greataunt's she thought by this time she would consider she had had enough of them.

Gilmore having thus secured an afternoon to himself, was determined not to waste it, and very soon found his way to the door of which he alone held the key, and having opened it, relocked it from the other side, and then descended the staircase, and speedily found himself in the long corridor, known as the armoury at Wroth sley.

He went slowly down this, wondering what excuse he could make for rapping at the schoolroom door when he reached it, but as he walked on he perceived this would be unnecessary, for before him, her back turned to him, her arms flung carelessly also, and her hands clasped behind her, was Nancy Loftus herself, singing in a low undertone as she went on. Gilmore quickened his footsteps, and a moment later the girl heard them and turned swiftly round. A flush rose at once to the clear skin, and she gave a little start when she saw who it was, and then she smile d. " I hope I did not startle you ? " said Gilmore. " But I came here to look at some of this old armour, and I am happy to have met you." " I often walk up and down here," answered Nancy. " And those little plagues are not here to bother you to-day ? " "No, they have gone to their grandaunt's." \ "So I was delighted to hear, and ever since I did hear it — shall I make a confession, Miss Loftus?" i " If it pleases you," smiled Nancy. " Well, ever since I heard it then, I have been planning on what excuse I could see you — and I found one in the old armour you perceive." And Gilmore laughed as he pointed to the walls. Nancy looked grave for a moment, and then she laughed softly too. "Do not be angry with me ? " said Gil- , more. ' " I think I ought to be." " No, please do not ; I have wanted to see you every day, you know, since we talked together under the palm leaves." " But we cannot see each other every day, Lord Gilmore." " I wish we could, that is all I can say, most earnestly wish it." Nancy did not speak for a moment. " And now at least, when we have the chance, you will not send me away, will you 1 My mother has gone to Gateford to fetch the children home, and we have the afternoon to ourselves ; may I stay with you ? " Nancy hesitated, blushed, and Gilmore could see that his request had slightly agitated her. " Let us walk up and down here," he went on, " and talk of all sorts of things. By the bye, I am going to be bored out of my life, d'ye know ? " " And how is that ? " asked Nancy with interest, looking at him. " That good mother of mine has invited a young woman to stay here, yclept Miss Kate Butler, to amuse me, forsooth I " " Well, and is she pretty ? " asked Nancy with curiosity. " People call her pretty," answered Gilmore, delighted by these signs of interest. " She's a lively, rattling Irish girl, up to all sorts of mischief I should say." " Then she will be a very amusing companion ; you won't be dull any longer, Lord Gilmore." " Oh, won't 1 1 I know who I should rather talk to one short half hour than to Miss Kate Butler all day." "I am quite curious to see this young lady —is she tall or is she little ? " " Tall and straight as a river reed. She

wants a certain softness to my mmd — a grace, a charm — that some people possess." " And when is she coming ? " " Very soon, I believe, in a day or two I think, but I hope she will not stay long."

'• You may change your mind on that subject," " I don't think I shall ; the very idea bores me. May I come and talk to you sometimes when she is here 1 "

" No, lam sure you may not ; you will not want to talk to me then."

" But I will indeed — if you knew how I think of no one else "

"Lord Gilmore, you must not talk thus."

11 Forgive me, but you don't seem to believe me ; you do net seem to understand how much I am in earnest."

"About what?" smiled Nancy a little saucily.

"About my great admiration for you, my eager desire to see more of you."

"But we really cannot see each other, Lord Gilmore ; I—lI — I told you why, you know."

11 Yes, I know you did ; but I cannot give it up."

Nancy was silent for a moment, and then she turned her charming face and looked at him with her soft shining dark eyes.

" I told you our sad little story, did I not 1 " she said. " How my dear father was killed in a moment, and my mother left very, very poor — so poor," added Nancy with emotion, "that you who are rich cannot understand it — and Lady Blenkensop, who is an old friend of ours, got me this situation here, so that I might be able to assist my mother — and, and — I must not risk my mother's bread."

Gilmore was moved ; moved by the girl's beauty ; and by her sweet voice, and the unconscious pathos of her words.

" You make me feel almost a brute 1 " he said impetuously, "a selfish brute — and yet "

" I do not wish to make you feel that, for I am sure you are not selfish, but you see 1 am obliged to think of these things."

" But it seems so hard — a young girl like you."

" But a young girl who has gone through a lot of trouble," said Nancy with rather a sad smile. " I told you how strange it all seemed to me when I first came here, and when I was at Lady Blenkensop's, just because Sir John Oakes talked to me a little, Lady Blenkensop gave me quite a lecture, and told me it would never do for me now to speak to young men."

" Lady Blenkensop is an old fool — begging her pardon and yours for calling her so — to talk such' nonsense. Does she think she can make young men blind, and expect them not to admire a lovely face when they see one? But I shall do everything you tell me — I shall never weary nor worry you — if you will tell me one thing." " And what is that ? " "If you were not here as the children's governess, would you have cared to talked to me sometimes ? " " That is hardly a fair question." " Yet I should like you to answer it." " You mean if I were here as your mother's guest, like the young lady who is coming 1 " " Yes. In that case would you have cared to talk to me 1 " " I think I should," answered Nancy, modestly, and sweetly, and with such a charming blush and smile that Gilmore was completely enraptured. " I am so glad, so happy," he said eagerly. " Now, I shall feel I do not bore you by trying to see yeu, and I shall not forget what you have told me about your family circumstances, and I shall never expose you to any annoyance — you can quite trust me." " I believe I can." Thus these young people came to an understanding in the fast gathering gloom of the winter afternoon, and as they walked up atid down the long corridor together poor Nancy almost forgot all Lady Blenkensop's warning words. As for Gilmore, he felt happy and excited to no ordinary degree. This beautiful girl was not quite indifferent to him then, he was thinking, and the thought was very pleasant to him. They talked after this of books, of theatres, of picture galleries, but the commonplace subjects did not seem commonplace, nor the time long, as the dusky shadows stole around them. " Have you any decent books to read 1 " asked Gilmore suddenly. " I have the school books," answered Nancy smiling, " and I study grammar lest Miss Dossy should ask me any questions I should feel unable to answer." " What a shame ! I have heaps of novels lying about since my illness; I must lend you some." " It will really be a great treat to me." "lam so pleased I thoughout of it. Shall Igo and fetch you some now ? Do you see that door there, Miss Loftus, at the end of the corridor ? " " Yes, I see it." "That leads to a staircase which opens into my part of the house ; the door is always kept locked though, but luckily I found the key, therefore I can bring books or flowers or anything to you without anyone else being the wiser." " But — " demurred Nancy as this proposal seemed rather alarming. "It will be such a pleasure to me," urged Gilmore, and Nancy was not strong minded enough to refuse.

They parted with the agreement that he was to bring her some books on the following afternoon, and that she was to leave the children in the schoolroom and go down to the end of the corridor to receive the books.

"Do not quite forget me in the meantime," said Gilmore almost tenderly, and Nancy left him with a beating heart and a rosy glow on her rounded cheeks.

Yet the flush of excitement died quickly enough out of Gilmore's face after he had returned to his own rooms as he sat down to reflect on the interview which had just ended. He knew well enough he was playing a dangerous game, and running certain risks which already had cost him so dear. But he was not one to stop half way, He had been spoilt from his youth upwards, and everj - thing he had wished for had always been his, and now his coveted toy was this young girl's love.

"Poor little woman," he thought softly, " how pretty she looked when she talked of not risking her mother's bread — well, she

won't do that, anyhow, but I'm not going to give her up. I can't, that's the truth, and the other," and Gilmore frowned, " deserves little forbearance from me now." (To be continued.)