THE LOVE CHASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 59

THE LOVE CHASE.

By ISrnER MILLER, Author of "Should She Have Spoken?" "'lhe Quicksands of Life," etc., etc. [COI'YBIUHT.] CHAPTER XXXI —"I CANNOT MARRY YOU." R CAREW li.ts called?" "•Yes. miss. He was here yesterday."' ■" You told him that T should be home this evening? '" " Yes, miss. " Hilda drew off her gloves, and sank, tired, into the nearest armchair. " Oh, it's good to be home again, pater, isn't it?" she said to the colonel. "Dick's a dear boy, but I do wish they would quarter him nearer home. I believe I should like tea, Mullins. We dined in the traiu. Tea in the drawing room in half an hour."' The girl sprang up with renewed energy. At the door she looked back. " I am at (home to Mr Carew. Mullins, and to nobody else." She went upstairs humming. Yes, it was good to oe at home again, to be expecting her lover after a thiee weeks" absence. How interminable that three weeks had been, despite 'her affection for her brother. His, ecmiades had made a great deal of her, and a couple of them were good looking ; but they were poor creatures beside her own particular piece of pro-pert}-, which stood on a pedestal, of course, above the common herd. " Dear old boy, I s-hall be so glad to see him again. I hope he's well. And we are really to be married in three weeks!" She laughed a soft, low laugh of happiness. "It is too wonderful to be true." She was looking extremely well herself. There was a good colour in her cheeks, and her eyes were bright with health and pleasant anticipation. She could not help realising that it was an agreeable thing to be young and beautiful and about to be married to the man she loved. When she had changed her travelling-die-s she went down to the drawing room and diank her tea and nibbled a cake or two. Her brother could not get away for the wedding on account of the illness" of a comrade ; it was the only crumpled roseleaf. She was glad she had gone over to see him. The visit had helped to pass the time duiing Saville's absence, which might have been tedious otherwise. Presently she began to watch the clock. He must know what time the Irish train came in, and he ought to be here. " He doesn't seem in such a huiry." she thought, pouting a little. "Perhaps he is annoyed because I was away when he returned and could not meet 'him as I promised."' »She dismissed tne notion as absurd, however. Saville had never .shown himself an unreasonable lover, if he was of a jealous disposition. He had too much sense to take offence where none was intended. " Though it is strange, " she mused, "that he doesn't rome." She became a little restless as the /hands of the clock approached the hour of 10. It was growing too late to expect him. Perhaps Ronald was ill ; or Loid Raynor had bent for him ; perhaps he was ill himseh ' The colotii in her cheeks faded a little After all, -he was tiled with her journey. It «,ii only the anticipation of seeing him whuh kept liei up. It was lisud that he did not tome, She had looked forward to the meeting so eagerly. He ini>rht have sent a note, if any urgent matter dttained him. She waited till 11. and then went to bed. The home-coming had been unexpectedly flat and tame, mid a few teais trickled upon her pillow. It was absurd to cry. she felt ; he was not the man to neglect her ; he must have been unavoidably detained elsewhere. But the yearning in her breast was so strong. Her temperament had never bs^'ii a feeble one ; -he had always knr.wn thai some day .she would love a *tian as few women know how to love Since their rupture and lecoiieiliption. howe\er. he had become moi" to her than s-he dared to admit Fond as -he was of hei father and blather, she knew that thty. and all the win Id besides, were us nothing in th<> -tale compared with Sav.lle She would have gone thiou<;h fne and water foi the ni.in who had eonu Im< k to ht-i aflu tha< hideouconfession .md lemwed h 1 - pi oil -:a1 loiir. ot confidence and lo\e Sl^e niojned a little in her «-lt-n>. and dnectly -he ;iwoke in the morning, -he asked for her letter*. Theic weie two or three which -he disregarded ; thtie was one that she welcomed with a thtofi of her heait and a uembling of hei hand-. She opened it hastily. Her blow- rai-ed themselves lii'tead of the few line- o f apology and affection -he had expected, there was a long letter, which at fii - 1 she could not understand. '" Deal Hilda," she read. " I meant to call upon you tins evening, but I thought that uftei "all That I have to -ay might be written ju.st a- well. I have come to the conclusion that I cannot afiord to many. Your natural rcpioaeh will be that I have made up my mind on the subject rather late. My answer niu-st be that vi the last few wec-Ls I have had lo;--es which materially affect my position, and nece-.-itate special measures, however painful to myself. Will }on believe that it can-es me the gieate-t anguish t( wiite to you like this? I am -o unhappy thai I dare not #ive rein to my fcebmjs. even on

paper : restraint, silence, is my only safe ■ guard. " Oh, darling. I love you ! I must say, it for the la-st time. I began my letter witj^' the intention of letting you think, for yont own sake, that I was a heartless brute. But I can't keep it up. I love you ; my_ heart i* breaking, but it is impossible — impossible. I repeat, that anything can come of this ill-fated engagement of otirs. Don't',' I beg of you, write to me or ask me any questions. I cannot marry you. God forgivif me. Good-bye. " Savillk Cabew." The girl stared at this strange communit cation, and turned it over, and glanced through it again. She passed her hand across her brow as though to convince herself that i>he was awake. " He must be mad! " she said, aloud. Her face had grown very pale, and a stiained look of anxiety had invaded her oye>. It was impossible that this thing could be ! What cii-cumstances could hayt 1 arisen to alter his position in three weeks? He had gone away cheerful and happy ; no question about their future had been raised ; ard now he wrote to her like this! " He is better off than he was when L« proposed tcr me. because lie has obtained, this secretaryship," she- mused. She pushed the 'oose hair from her forehead, and threw up her head. "Oh. it is impossible!"' she said again, with a sort of impatience. " Someone has been putting it into hh head that he ought not to marry on such limited means : that I shall be dissatisfied ■ afterwards. Yes. that must Be the ca»e. It is Ronald." She persuaded Herself that she had fathomed the mystery. "Ronald ' was always averse to the maniage ; Saville as good as told me so. He is a wicked man ; no, he is jealous — the poor, sick foo. 1 —and Saville is as big a silly himself! " She sprang out of bed. " 01). I must see him ' This e.in't so on. Does he think that I am going to be cast off on »uch a flimsy pretext? If he hareally had losses, he must work ; and I must wait for him. I don't care how poor he is. Doesn't he know that? As though poverty or riches could make any differenci between us ! " Her cheeks were glowing now. " He shan't give me up! I won't be given tip ! What a poor thing I should be ! " She locked her hands. " Oh, you clear idiot. Saville, with your 'honour' ! Do you think it would be a wrong to any girl to make her the wife of a poor man she loved? If I am not w longed in that way.' then I shaP 0P mo& t miseiable. But I " won't have my life ruined. He shall tell me what silly notion has entered his head."' She wrote a note directly slip was dressed, and sent it off by express : " My dear Saville. " Yon must be mad ! Come at once and tell me what is the matter with you. If. you do not respond in person I shall know that you love me no longer ! lam so anxious, dear. Do come. — Yours always, " Hilda. " I have kissed Ihe paper because it is going to you, but I feel inclined to cry.Don't keep me in su&pense. Indeed, I am very miseiable. It is too bad of you. Come, come, come! — H."