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Otago Witness, Issue 2215, 13 August 1896, Page 41

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Chapter XXIV. The Woman and the Man. WO days later Hugh Gilbert called at Redvers Court, and Belle accidentally saw him alone. Stanmore and Lady Stanmore had gone over to Hurst to call on Lady Frobyn, but Belle had made no offer to accompany them. Indeed,

Stanmore had given her to

could. She was agreeable to him, and be tried to respond. And they were naturally not thrown much together. The five men made an early start the next morning with the keepers and the dogs. Lady Stan more did not come down to breakfast, but Belle did. -Gilbert was standing looking out of the window down on ths blue waters of the loch when she entered the room, and he turned round and advatcad towards her. "How beaulifnl all this i»," he said, as they «hook hands. "I knew you would think it beautiful," answered Belle, softly. ' " Have you ever been here before 1 " » Never. Tbis is my first visit to Scotland." At tbis moment- young Marchmoiit also came into the room, and the conversation became general. Then the other men appeared, and' all were eager for the fray on the jnoors except Gilbert. He lingered one moment by Belle's side when the reßt bad hurried into the hail. " Will you be going out this morning 1 " he abked. " Oh, yes," she answered. " Bnt not on the moors ? " •• No, I do not care for sport." I " I do not feel up to very much this morniDg, and I will not stay long. . When the others are having lunch I will come back here—if you will allow me." " I shall be very pleased when you come back."Nothing more was said. Belle watched from the windows the men. star r, with a couple of keepers behind them, and some bigbly-trained dog*, and two servants carrying a substantial luncheon basket. She saw them enter the narrow defile among the bills that led to tbe moorlands beyond, and justj as they disappeared Gilbert turned round and looked back. And her heart felt glad within her. How fresh and fair the world looked tbis August morn, when she -knew j that her friend was near. Life had suddenly become full of beauty again to her, and the aoul-wearfneas that had possessed her had passed away. " It is good to live, after all," she thought ; and ahe went out and sat in tbe sunshine, l her heart full of its new joy. She knew not bow long she stayed. The jbadows bad begun to lengthen, the day had •lightly changed, when she row. And suddenly tbe idea struck her that she would go into tbe defile among the bills where she had Keen the house-party disappear. It was narrow and uneven, with fern-hidden boulders scattered, along the path,. and coppices of birch and rowan growing under the crags, Bat the difficulty of guiding her footsteps was exciting to Belle in her present mood. And -perhaps a vague hope, too, that she might' meet Gilbert returning' from the moorlands led her on. If this hops were in her' heart it was presently realised, tfrom behind a jutting rock, where the pathway took a ■harp'-tnTtf; he presently appeared. Belle was conscious that her face flushed crimson, and 1 this consciousness embarrassed her. She wished to show no emotion, but to treat Gilbert as a friend, yet her burning cheeks ' apd quickened .breath she knew would be visible to his eyes. . But if he noticed these signs of agitation he did net appear to do so. He raised his shooting cap, and put down bis gun, " You Bee I've had enough of if," he said, smiling. "We have had splendid sport, though old Mr Marchmont very nearly shot one of the keepers.", . % ; " Perhaps he is not used to. the moors," answered Belle, smiling., „ " I should think not ; but now he is full of enthusiasm. What a wonderful ravine this Is, to be sure ! " added Gilbert, , looking xpund. . " I wonder what wild legends, what desperate -raids, are connected with its name ? " . < "In tbe days of old P How things change, &o they not ? " • -. ~ "It is a world of change," said Gilbert'; and the expression of his face altered. . " But everyone does not change," answered Belle, somewhat wistfully. "Unfortunately not; but circumstances always do. Are our lines written out for us, do you think, before we are born 1 " " We ee«m to bave no power over them, at least," said Btlle, and her eyes fell. Gilbert stirred v a easily, He did not wish to approach any allusion to their own life wreck, yet he knew they were drifting unconsciously towards it. , Perhaps Belle felt what was passing in his mipd ; she changed tbe subject. She spoke of returning to the shootiog lodge. " Lady Stanmore will be impatient for her Inncb, 1 suppose, by tbis time," she said. " I bave not seen her tbe whole morning." " And where have you been 1 " asked Gilbert, looking at her. " Sitting basking, in tbe sun," answered Belle, smiling; " I could not stay indoors." , " The sun is good in the?e northern latitudes, but I learned to bate the Eastern sun during those dreary days at Bombay." •' And you did not like Bombay 1 " "How could IV said Gilbert gloomily; and Belle was sorry Bbc bad asked tbe question. "Let us turn now and go back to the Lodge," she suggested ; and Gilbert took up bis gun and walked for a while silently by her side. Then presently, still in that altered voice, be returned to the subject of Bombay. " I should not speak of it, I suppose," he said, " but walking here with you brings it all so vividly back to. my mind. I went to Bombay with hope as my companion, Belle; I returned from it with none." "At least we were not to blame," answered Belle in a low tone. " Bat does that make it less bitter ? To me tbe knowledge that you wera tricked into a loveless marriage adds a thousand times to my regret." Belle sighed softly. "Wo must not speak of these things, Hugh," she said. "'No," answered GMherfc bitterly; "but it !b impossible to f.^ges, »hem — at least to xne." i (To It continued.) ■ — If is very seldom that one sees Industry looking for a job. The election* are beiDg generally discussed evei'ywbers. It is conceded by heads of familieß that Woods's Great Peppermint Cure for coughs *nd colds muab be a& tkn bead et the