CHAPTER XX.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 71

CHAPTER XX.

Before he left for town again Richard Varley gave Ellen the letters from her Irish relations to read, and she told him that she would put herself into communication witih these cousins almost directly. "I will let you know all my plans," she said, and she- thanked him warmly for •what he was doing with regard to Walter Barneith. "He has not written to me again, and I think he won't bother me any more," she added. "All thanks to you." Varley only smiled. "I have impressed upon Harry," he said, "the vital necessity of dealing very promptly with old Cottridge. If you get the opportunity please insist on the importance of this, won't you? Harry seeme," Varley added, "for some reason or other very mucl out of spirits this time. I expect that although things are so much batter than they were, there is still much that tries him." Then, as he held out his hand' in farewell, Richard Varley said, "At any rate, you have given me a promise you will let me know your movements, and you will let me do anything I can do for you?" "Yes, yes," said Ellen, "I shall gladly ask you to help me." With these words she went to Miriam's room ; but with surprise she was told that Lldy Norchester had gone out. "She changed her drees," the maid said, " and said she was going to the village. Her ladyship eeemed to have something that she was particularly anxious to do." Just a little uneasy, because this was not at all in keeping with Miriam's habits, Ellen went to her own room, where she was joined) almost directly by Lady Evelyn. "I want to come and talk to you," the girl said, and talk she did, and the subject of all she said was Richard Varley. Perhaps she was hardly conscious of how much she confessed ia her eager chatter about this man. But Ellen's heart grew verj tender is &he listened, and more than ever there came upon her the sense of necessity to take herself away from all these people. For she knew now that though he were to offer his love to her again and ajjain, this was a gift she could never take from Richard's hands, and it hurt her to realise that she should even innocently rob Evelyn Wynche of that which she fo ardently desired, and which w as co precious to her. She said nothing, however, except to answer Lady Evelyn's questions and to adopt a tone of complete sympathy ; she was, above all, very careful not to let the other girl realise that ehe had grasped so vital a secret But when -.he was alone she leaned back in her chair with closed eyes, and told herself that che must uproot these new affections which were going fo deep into her heart. She must leave Wynche. Rhe mr-t take herself ?way from an influence which was becoming dangerously sweet, and vhich might become a danger to another person. The Dowager Lady Xorchester had grown into the habit of sending occasionally for Ellen. She liked to hear the girl read, and then they talked tojyethsr, not of things present, but of old days, of people and of events which had figured in Lady Norchester's youth, and had a cherished place in her iwraovy; and always Ellen's father w«is prominent among the c -3 figures of the past. The day after Varley hnd b=sn, when they had been sitting together for a little while, Ellen told the Dowager Lady Ncrchester of her intention to l?ave Wvnche. "I came here," she paid, "with a special purpose, and I feel raf':er as if I were staying on unnecessarily." "That is a wrong id*%"' L"dy Xcrchrpter said, in her quiet, way. "I roeard you as a most important' and forcible factor in the aff?ii-3 here. At the Mine time, my dear chid. I can rsali^e. as Richard Varley h?« nlroa.dy told it.*. you are not properly placed here, and I have been intending for some da\v 1o make a piv>position to you, and that i~, dear Ellen, that when you leave here you

f should come- and live with us. There are, as you told me, relations in Ireland, ; but we have grown to know one another, i and as the child of a man whom I loved and honoured I am only too glad to give you that proper protection and care which you ought to have. I don't urge you to do this immediately," Lady Norchester added, "becaiuse, strange as it may seem, I want you to stay here r little while longer. I am going to leave Evelyn here in your charge. You are only a girl, it iss true, but you have a woman's head and a woman's heart ; and I can safely trust Evelyn in your hands. I want to go abroad ; I want to go alone." After a little pause, she added : "Richard Varley has often tried to make me see .that my life was a dull and tiresome one for Evelyn. Since I have been here, and she has met you, I realise how true that is. She needs gaiety and young companionship. She is such a child still, and children must not always live under a grey sky. -We will settle it that you stay here with Evelyn until I come back from abroad, and then if you. wish It you will join "las. in London." In her quiet, dignified way Lady Norcbester refused to listen to Ellen's stammered words of thanks or to hear any protest. "We have grown, so closely together," she said, "that I feel sure it is a pleasure to you to do anything that gives me happiness. Then, dear- child, you must not refuse to fall in with my plans, for it will be a great happiness to me to have you with me." In the same breath she addiedi: "I do not think -that I shall come back to Wynche when once I have gone away from it. We are playing a part, Miriam and I ; but we are not good actresses, and the stage is all too email | for us. If only I could realise that my boy has some peace in his life ; if only I could feel that the future would compensate foi the- past, I should try and resign myself; but though you have done such wonders, I am very nervous, Ellen — I am only too sadly assured that there can never be happuwss for my boy with such a nature as Miriam's." Lady Evelyn joined them at that ' moment, and the subject was not continued, and after a little whila the two girls left Lady Norch ester to herself. It seemed that Ladj Evelyn had something on hei mind. "I hate to come and tell you stories," she 6aid, as she and Ellen made their way out to the gardens, "but my maid told me something just now which, has upset me. You know that Miriam wi&nt out yesterday afternoon? She went to the village. There is a certain old- womian who stays there who tells fortunes. She used! to keep a shop, but now she travels about. Do yon know, Ellen, my maid declares Miriam went to this woman to have bar fortune told yesterday. Of course," Lady Evelyn added, ''there is nothing in that ; but she should be more caTeful ; she knows how people talk about her — how eagerly they watch her — how glad they are to chatter about her." "What can I do?" asked Ellen in a low, troubled voice. Lady Evelyn kissed her, full of contrition. "Oh! darling," she said, "I am fo sorry, now I have worried you ; but I thought I ought to tell you, Ellen, because you have had such an extraordinaiy influence ovei Miriam." "I will spsak to her," said Ellen quietly. And Lady Evelyn kissed her again. "Thank you, you are such a darling. Now I must tear myself away. I have promised to ride with Harry. By the way, Ellen, you haven't, been in the saddle since you have been here. Dick is always telling me what a wonderful horsewoman you are. Do come for a ride!" Ellen caugHt her breath — the suggestion filled her with delight, and then she shook her head. "Lady Norchester will want me," she said. "Oh! she never really wants you — she only keeps you standing about. Suppose you go and ask her." With a nod Ellen ran into the house asain and upstairs to Miriam's room. There she found Lady Norchester in the hand's of a dressmaker pent down from town. She lust shook her head when Ellen asked lierr if there was anythingshe could do. Miriam was engrossed in tfoa matter of the moment. " N<) — "° — 2° away ; don't bother me !" rshe said impatiently. "Yes; <ro out— do what you like, only don't vorrv!" Swiftly and with trembling hands, Ellen changed her clothes, slipped into her old ridintr habit, which 1-iy at th_* bottom of her box, and pinned on the old can th.it she u=ed to wear fo froqvntlv. It was a frlimrtfe of her old self wliuh the mirror grave back to her, and ju~t for an in.'fint tear* clouded her vif ; on ; then paily like a child she r.-n downstairs *o the h-ill, where Lord NorchpMei and Lady Evelyn wei'o waitine for her imnatientlv. "All! thnt is good." svirl W>r'-be-ter. as. ]»* eivr her. " I hardly honed v-ou would conip. You are >-o elue-ive. Mi%ss whenever I coma near you, you .°&9m to vanish." "One vanishes fo ea=!lv in thi« bier house,'" said Ellen, trying to be composed and natural; but h e r eyes were daneim. and joy was in hzv heart — % iov all the sweeter hcMmise it cime unbidden. She f p l! in love Avitii the mare she iu< to ride, and st^id whi^i^rmsr to it and stroking it? no^etiil L'idv Evpivn wa? mounted. Theu NorehoMcr nut hey in the wd'lle. He pushed a^ide {he ercom v."ho was about to do til)--. aP'l ait mired her habit and settled her f-tirrup liim = slf "Xmv. yon look a= you ouo;ht 1o look!" h° said ; nn.l ]u<t for an instant invoiunl"rilv b"> ] ml bU hand on tlio cu'il's small 7l"ved h.v.id h -Idincr the Vin 1 -. Thsn b* .--"Kline; him-elf into tho =i(M!r>. and they ■•"■idp d^wn the avenue '•Ircl.chinc? in front r s~ I'ic house. Miriam h;'d dis-iiK^d Ihp d^c-fmaker by th : s time, and wa- standing at her window as this little cavalcade started.

' Her heart began to throb ril-Hr, us it ' always did when she saw her husband, and then there came upon her a rush of bitter jealousy She had net. at first recognised Ellen; but as she scanned the figure riding beside Norchester with keen eager eyes, she realised in a little while that the dainty-looking horsewoman was no other than Ellen. She was more than jealous now ; in Miriam's heart there was resentment and hot anger. By what right had Miss Milner dared to ride out with her husband and with Evelyn? What were they talking about? Now they were laughing together. Perhaps they were laughing at her Had not the fortune-teller warned her only the day before to be careful with Ellen. Had not the cards told her that this girl was a danger — would even be treacherous? And what could be more dangerous than this intimacy? Indeed, the sight of Ellen on horseback was a blow, too, to Miriam's vanity. When they had first married Norchester had tried very hard to induce his wife to ride, to encourage her to share his lov.e for all country pursuits. But Miriam was afraid of horses: she would not even let him teach her to drive. There was so much that she had to learn! , A sense of hopelessness pressed upon her, and with a little moan she 6at down and leaned her head against the window. If only she could put the past back, if only she could have been strong enough to have resisted temptation! True, she would not have been Harry's wife, but would her unhappinars have been less than it was now.? And while she sat there weeping hot tears and cherishing the bitterest animosity in her heart for Ellen, the girl was talking about her, conscious, perhaps, that this ride, which was such a delight to herself, would not please Miriam. Ellen regretted openly that Lady Norchester was not with them. " Have you taught her to Tide?" ehe asked. The young man shook his head. " No, I tried, and she didn't care about it." " Suppose you try again?" said Ellen. He gave a shrug of his shoulders. "It would bs no use. Miriam, doesn't care a pin about it. She is terrified of horses." " I am not the bravest persor 1 in the world," said Lady Evelyn. Though she was not very clever, she felt the tactful drift of Elien's conversation. " I can never do anything more than sit on a horse and trot ; 1 get a little nervous even when I canter." "Oh, rubbish!" said Norchester. "You used to ride with the best of them when you were a tiny little thing, Evelyn." "Yes, but lam out of practice. I never cara to ride in town. Look how Ellen sits! I believe she -ould jump those trees." Ellen laughed and blushed, but Norchester looked at her with keen admira^ tion. — ---- "Would you like to do some jumps?" he asked her. She shook her head. "I, too, am out of practice," she said, "and besides the ground would be too hard ;we have had, no rain. I live always in the hope," she added involuntarily, "of being able to ride to hounds again come day." ! " Why do you say some day? Of course you will ride to hounds," Lord Norchester said decisively. "We ha Ye some fine runs round here." ' "lam sure it is a good country," said Ellen ; "but, I shall not be here in the winter." . "You won't bs here in the winter ? There was dismay and some other note in Norchester's voice, a note which brought s thrill to Ellen's heart, but re-awakened at the same time a sense of the necessity of being prudent. She regretted now that fihe had come for this ride. Ellen was above all things loyal and honourable, and she could not blind herself to the truth that Lord Norchestei was more than casually attracted by her. It must be h»r task to -check this growing sympathy, this almost revealed desire for her symP£ She Tode on for the remainder of the [ ride with a heart that was heavy and cold. She was oppressed with sorrow. The thought of Miriam called to her for pity; the remembrance of her duty to this other woman gaTe her str^n-th. TSTeverth«lees, it was impossible for her not to let her heart cry aloud its grief at the low of that which could have made her life so wonderful, so beautiful, and which could never, went to Miriam's room before changing her habit, but the maid told her that Lady Xorchester had a very bad headache", and was lying down. "I don't think her ladyship will be well enou-h to dine downstairs to-night. She becoed me to tell you this, miss, when, you came in ; and to *ajr that she did not v, L-ih to be disturbed." Eilen went tc her room thoughtfully. Sho did not quite understand this sudden irdi.MXJ*ition. Miriam had seemed in such unusually good spirits, and had been chatti^T freely with the dressmaker jusfc a little while before. A kind of apprehension stole over the girl. "Oh! :he must not be made more n-ii-erable," f-he said, "and through me; that would be terrible! I must go away, and I must refuse Lady Norchester's oiler." To leave Wvnche and to go and take i") her life with Xorchester's mother and £-i?ier would be no* only to strike a blow at Miriam, but to brincr aboir? constant a-sociation with Norchester himself, the very thing she must avoid, no matter afc what cost. "I will write to Mr Varley," she said £!■> '-he took off her riding habit wearily o! ouih. " I will take his advice, and si t'j Ireland. All my relations cannot he like the Barneiths ; with some of them I may hope to find sympathy and friendship ; at any rate, I must not stay here. I must %o away for Miram'e sake and my own."

Lady Evelyn was the only lively pe^s. eon of the three at dinner that evening* Norchester seemed strangely preoccupied, and Ellen confessed to being tired. She was certainly very pale, and she ate practically nothing. After dinner, as they sat alone in the drawing room, she said to Lady Evelyn : "I am afraid I am going to upset your mother's plans. She- wishes me to stay, here with you while she goes abroad ; but I want to go away. I have had some communications from my father's people in Ireland, and they want me to go to them," she added quickly. Lady Evelyn looked surprised and very, disappointed. "Oh, Ellen, dearest, don't do this ! Don't go away just yet. It is selfish of me, but I thought we were going to be so happy here ! lam afraid' my mother won't let me stay." "You have your brother," Ellen said, "and your brother's wife ; and, Evelyn, dear, I believe if I were not here you would drop into -loser sympathy with' Miriam. We are always together, and this is, I fear, hurtful to her; and, besides, I came here to undertake different duties, and I seem to do nothing It is not possible that this can last. Yon don't, think, do you," asked Ellen, almost passionately, "that I want to leave you, that I want to go away from your love and sympathy? We cannot always do the things we want to do, Evelyn, dear." She was trembling a little, and Lady, Evelyn, without grasping the cause, realised that she was very agitated. "If you must go, larling," she said,"you must; I won't bother you, and I will explain to mother." And she kissed Ellen tenderly They, started apart as the door opened, for both thought that it might be Miriam. In-, stead, it was Miriam's maid. "I am looking for her ladyship, miss," 1 she 6aid to Ellen "She is not in her rooms, though she said she'd let me pufc her to bed when I'd had my supper. I am afraid she has gone out 'nto * the grounds without a wrap." "I will find her," said Ellen very quickly. She took the lace shawl from, the maid's hands. "Stay here, Evelyn," l she said. "I will come back to you." Outside, when the door was shut, Ellea looked at the maid : "You wanted to cay, something else^" The woman nodded' her head. "Yes, miss, I—lI — I am just a little anxious; hep ladyship was so queer to-night She cried for more than on hour, «md put hereelf in a dreadful way. She said as I wasn't to tell you about it, but I think you had better know,, miss. I've never 6een her ladyship so upset ; she was just like a mad creature. I—lI — I daresay it is very stupid of me, miss, but I feel ner< voub, as if — as if something were goinf to happen." (To be continued.)

— The Police Force in England and Wales numbers over 47.000, the net cosb per constable working out at £98 pe>. annum.