CHAPTER VIII.—A BAFFLED SCHEMER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2499, 5 February 1902, Page 59

CHAPTER VIII.— A BAFFLED SCHEMER.

IR GEORGE DALBIAC was in a bitter mood. He had been very . clever, ' but riot clever enough. He had schemed and failed. While Carew was walking Lome from Hilda's, the other man who wanted her was chewing the cud of- his bitter reflections in the solitude of his own sitting room.

Yes, he had failed hideously. It was for nothing, it seemed, that he had planted the seeds of suspicion in Wilder's thick skull, and stirred a woman's jealousy, and made the mischief with which London rang. The one man whose opinion really mattered had remained staunch. Dalbiac had been reckoning that Carew would take fright at the scandal dinned into his ears on every side, and give Hilda up. And instead of playing into his rival's hands, it had not even occurred to him to suspect the girl he loved. He had stood his ground as naturally as though nothing were the matter. Misfortune had only made him her champion and drawn them closer together.

Dalbiac swore softly and flung the stump of his cigar into the fire. That scene between himself and Hilda in the conservatory at Closters had ended almost in a challenge. He had almost declared to her that she should not marry Carew, and nothing seemed more likely than that she would do so after all. For hs, the man who was really responsible for the scandal, was no nearer than Carew to entertaining any idea of her guilt. Circumstances had made it feasible that she should have stolen the brooch, and he had been selfish and unscrupulous enough to make use of the opportunity offered him. His mistake had been in imagining that Carew cared for her less than he did, and that hei fiance was likely to be ah'pnated by an occurrence which would have had no effect upon himself.

As there seemed no chance of a rupture between the lovers, he was sorry that he had interfered. It would not please him to see Hilda in the witness-box for the defence of her reputation, which his wirepulling had endangered, even though she had treated his appeal for her favour with such scant courtesy and consideration. To give the devil his due, the worthy Dalbiac had no desire to humiliate gratuitously the girl who had scorned his love. Mere revenge wa« a foolibh waste of time — and he was fond of her. The publicity of the affau-, the anxiety ehe must be suffering, made him stir in his chair. If it were to be his privilege to comfort her, tilings would wear another aspect ; but Caivw was to reap the seeds of mischief his rival had sown in a harvest oi gratitude. What a pity the chance had not been given to him *to show his unquestioning loyalty! He would have played the part as well as Carew, and yet no doubt Hilda was giving his successful rival any amount of credit more than he deserved! A woman can always make the mistake of tliinking that the man she fancies is a superior thing, whereas his sole merit lies in the fact that she likes him.^

It -was a fact that Sir George had been unfortunate throughout. He had met her after she had met Carew ; he had always Jaeeu handicapped by. eouae incaftveiiLeut

third person, and other ridiculous trifle*"' Her eyes had never done more than glances pasff him at Carew, as though he -were 90, or a woman. He could grind his teeth still over one or two snubs of hers. If they had been malicious, he might have found them easier to forgive than the superb unconsciousness ; which had ignored him. That evening, in > particular, when he had pressed her hand and she had drawn hers away without a. blush ! He had almost hated her. She waa the first woman who had ever put him,'consciously or unconsciously, in his place, and she was only a girl after all. "Oh, if I couldi get her !" he cried. "If . I could get her !" His thoughts ran on in silence. < "sPhe pnlj thing that, can avail ,me .is her disgrace. If she were to lose heri;cas&x to-m&rrow." '".^r^v He drew a deep breath. -For a moment he was a ■wickeder man than he had "evfir; been before, which is saying a good "deal. \ He was weighing his interests against herjß, and his own- .weighed down the scale. : • "Yes-, if she were ruined," he repeated aloud, "that would be the end, I presume, - between her and Carew. But it is impos- " sible!" ' - - - - He sat very quiet, gazing at the fire. His mind was at work with many emo-, tions and ideas, and the impossible was nob shut out, -because he knew from wide experience what a strange world this is> and-; that, just as often as not, it i? xht "impossible" which happens after aft,