WINGS OF LOVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 70

WINGS OF LOVE.

By Gut Thorne. Author of "When It Was Dax*k," "Made in His Image," '"The Arrow that Flieth," "Mantrap Manor," etc., etc.

THE NOVELIST. [Pdblished by Special Arrangement.]

[Copyright.] SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I.—Sir Jchn Belland, the wealthy young amateur aviator, is engaged in perfecting a new and improved type of aeroplane. He has had sheds secretly erected for the purpose, on a lonely part of the Oornish moo-s, where he is assisted by his man," Wilkins. • Having completed th* aeroplane, Sir John sets out on an experimental flight, end when about to return decides to essay a descent. He touches ground in a hollow of the moors, near an old house, and, having examined his aeroplane, is about to resume his flight when ho sees a tall and lovely girl running towards him, evidently in great distress.. He asks her what is the matter, tells her his name, and assures her that she can trust him. She confides in him that she, Muriel Moore, is a prisoner in the hands of paid gaolers, and that a fate worse than dearth awaits her unless she can escape and hideherself until shv> comes of age. She begs the young man to heJp her. Sir John does so with alacrity. He persuados her to take a seat on the aeroplane, which she does fearlessly, and he flies away with her towards the sunset. CHAPTER ll.—The extraordinary flight of Sir John Helland and Muriel Moore on ail aeroplane is accomplished safety, and after a welcome meal the girl tells him her story. She is an orphan, and has been under the guardianship of Florida, an >albino, arid his -Greek wife at Trewince manor house, where

she has been kept praotioally a prisoner. They have great respect for one vis iter. Constantino Milos, a name which Helland recognises as that of an old G-reek of sinister reputation. Only that very day Florida had told her that he is not her guardian, but Milos's agent. Years before, Milos had beon in love, with her mother, who, however,-'re-fused his advances. On her death she entrusted Muriel to Milos, and he had her educated and trained according to his own idea 3. She now learned with feelings of aversion that it was the old man's purpose to marry her immediately. The Florid.is having gone to the station to meet Milos, she takes the opportunity of escaping. Having heard her story, Sir John promptly faces the problem of her safe-keeping until she comes of age. He decides to place her in the oare of his sister Gertrude in London. To avoid pny dangler of pursuit, a tug is chartered, and she leaves Cornwall by sea. CHAPTER lll.—Meantime, Mr and Mrs Florida meet, their employer, Monsieur Miles, and conduct him to Trewinoe. The albmo tells Milo 3 of Muriel's passionate outburst when she learns of the'old man's intentions to maxry heir. They are met at Trewinoe with the astonishing news that Muriel has run away. Milo 3is at first amused at the girl's spirit, then as the search for her proves fruitless he becomes disturbed, and then angry. He orders Florida, to organise a thorough search. Men are sen* out, mounted and on foot; coastguards are communicated with, but without result. Milos discovers traces of the aeroplane's descent. Then a packet is delivered by the driver of a motor oar, which contains a watch that he had given to Muriel.

CHAPTER IV

HE train was approaching Leicester Station. Muriel Moore and Sir John Helland s&i alone in a reserved first class compartment. Up to the present everything had gone well; The tug had left Corn wall early in the morning, but instead of proceeding to London "all along' the south coast, made straight for Liverpool. It waa certain, Sir John thought, that during the next day or two the manner of the flight would be discovered. The port of London would be watched, and anything might happen there. If, on the other hand, they went to Liverpool, made the necessary purchases for the girl's convenience, and took the train from Manchester to London, thai, would be a much safer method than the one whjch bad occurred to him. They arrived at Liverpool without mishap, paid the captain or the tug, and went into the town, where Muriel shopped. . The giri's absolute faith m. her protector was extremely touching. She took all he offered her without comment. Once indeed, she did say, "You must remember what all the thing. I am buying cost, and in six months I shall be able to repay you." , He had nodded in the most busmess-hke way. "I will keep an account," he said, "and let you know." Immediately upon arrival at Liverpool Sir John had telegraphed to his sister, Miss Helland, who lived in a large flat m Victoria street. The telegram was not explanatory in any way, but his orders were and the urgency of the occasion m&isted upon. He had thought the matter out with the greatest oare during the voyage, while Muriel Moore lay asleep in the little cabin of the tug. Ho realised to the utmost, more now than ever before, the sinister forces that were in array against him, and he bent his mind to an unaccustomea exercise of cunning—a cunning which should outmatch that of Florida and his chief. He had read many detective stories, and he realised that the first thing he had to do wels to put himself in the place of his enemies, to try and think as they would probably think, to arrive as well as he could at the conclusions they would draw, and then'to combat them with all his power. It was certain that within 24 hours the method of Muriel's escape and the identity of her rescuer would be known. Penzance, would supply news of the hurriedly chartered tug. Its departure must have been noticed and commented on. Milos would connect it with the disappearance of lias ward with absolute certainty. London would be watched ; railway stations would be watched, in case of the fugitives stopping at some other port and proceeding to London by train. All the ports in England could not, of course, be watched at such short notice, and in that lay one great chance. The wire that Sir John had sent to his sister told her to proceed to Leicester without delay, mentioning her destination to no one. She was to hire a large covered-in motor car, and go down by road, awaiting his arrival at the Hotel. His own plans were these: to get Muriel to Liverpool, buy her what she wanted, take her by train to Manchester; and so on to Leicester. The entry to London would then be made in the" closed car, and nobody would be any the wiser.

It had been an after-thought of his, jus* as he and his charge were about to embark on board the tug, to ©end a message from 'Muriel to Milos by means of Wilkins. She had given the little man the watch and chain, which the Greek had presented to her some years before, and scribbled the note, which caused such consternation at Tre-tfance. This was done in order that the police of Cornwall might not be instructed to search officially for the curl, though at- the same time it was doubtful whether Milos would have gone so far now the Greek knew that Muriel was alive and had departed of her own free will. The duel had begun.

During the journey from Manchester to •Leicester'Sir'John had briefly outlined his plans. He knew the girl's pluck, and he did not minimise the danger of her position in the very least. He had trieci arid tested her already. She trusted him absolutely, and he felt sure it was the wisest course to disguise nothing from her. "We may take it as absolutely certain," he said, "that by the time we arrive in Ixmdon they will have discovered the manner of your escape, and that I was the prime mover in it. Then things will be-

gin, and they will make every effort possible to get you back. Now, everybody knows all about me in London, and everybody knows that my sister, Miss Helland, in. whose charge I am going to place you, lives in Victoria street. She is in society, you know, and people like that cannot easily disguise their movements. It will at once occur to Milos, or if it doesn't occur at onoe it is bound to occur before very long, that I have taken you to Gertrude. Therefore, for six months at least Gertrude must also disappear. Now, she might take you abroad. I have thought of that, but it is a scheme which I have had to reject. They could find you and follow you abroad, and you could not be protected there as you can in. _ England. It, is an axiom that there is no ■safer hiding place in the world than London. I am. going to engage a flat in some non-fashionable district, a furnished flat, which will be available at a few hours' notice. I have thought of Blootmsbury, where there are great buildings with flats, occupied hy people whom no one ever hears of. "My sister and'you will live in this flat and adopt every possible precaution; while I, of shall be watching over you constantly and supplying other and efficient protection. That seems to bs the safest plan of all; you will be only a quarter of an hour in a cab from Mike's house in Park lane, and that very fact will do more to ensure your safety than anything else. There are many details I have not yet worked out, but all this will be arranged in conference with my sister." "How good you are to me," she said softly; "it is impossible to thank you," though, as she said it, her eyes thanked him with an eloquence that no words could ever do. Helland was happier than he had ever been. Has whole life seemed to have changed. Even in the moments of his greatest triumphs he had never know such happiness as now. The wild exhilaration and excitement of the rescue had braced his nerves to their pitch of tension. He felt that the happiness of the whole of his future life depended .upon his skill and courage now. Every word he had exchanged with his. beautiful friend, every confidence which cemented their friendship, had contributed to the ever-growing volume of the love he felt for her. Gladly would he have died for .her. More gladly did he intend to live and "win her. She was so unlike■;any other girl that he had ever known. The strange seclusion of her upbringing, her views of life, gained entirely from books, had given her a charm and piquancy that were incomparable, and get, her trustful simplicity was welded to a curious self-possession, an innate good breeding—that breeding which knows no self-consciousness and ensures an absolute frankness, a high simplicity of mind. . ' ',," . . What his sister would say troubled him very little. She was devoted to him—this gentle elder sister of bis. He knew that her one wish for years had been that he should fall in love. He knew that she bad her full share of his own that she had her full share of has own courage, and that even the romantic circumstances of this affair would not deter Tier from helping him, in every possible -way.. He was certain also that she would fall in love with Muriel at onoe. Had not he hiroiselif done so ? Would not everybody who met Muriel fall in love with her? On this point, at anyrate, bis mind was tranquil and at rest. The future, he saw, was fraught with extraordinary peril, but he did not dwell upon it: Sufficient for the day! He had brought this lovely maiden, this rmost desirable of all girls, safely out of a black fate that menaced her. All had gone well; all should go well in the future or he was not the man he was. They arrived at Leioster without mishap; entered a cab, and drove straight to the Royal, where Sir John was expected. Together with Muriel, he was at onoe conducted to a private sitting room upon the first floor, opened the door, and found himself in the presence of his sister. Miss Helland was about 40 years of age;, a sweet-faced woman, whose hair was already- becoming tinged with grey, and who bore a strong family likeness to her brother. She was sitting in an arm-chair reading a book of verse when the two entered, and rose with a glad cry of welcome. "Oh, Johnnie!" she said, "here you are at last; I came at once; I did everything you told me to do in your telegram ; I have not been here long. What is it? What does it all mean?" Then suddenly she caught sight of Muriel. There was a moment's silence as the elder woman looked at the girl with keen scrutiny, her face suddenly hardening and becoming alert, even as her brother's was wont to do in moments of physical danger in the air. Muriel stood there, slim, tall, lovely. Her lips trembled a little; there was a great yearning in her eyes. Then Miss. Helland, without a further word j, stepped up to the girl and took her by both hands. "My dear," she said, "I am glad to. see you ; and who are you?" • "This is Muriel Moore, Gertrude," Sir John answered, "who, by God's help, I have saved from, a very dreadful danger, .and whom I am going to save from other dangers which menace her. I have brought her to you" Nothing could have been sweeter and more instantaneous than Mies Helland's response. She knew her brother thoroughly for the clean and stainless man he was. She questioned nothing; she simply drew the girl closer to her and kissed her on the cheek. "My dear," she said, ' C I had no idea that Johnnie was going to bring you to me. but I am gla I and happy to see you." Muriel hesitated for a moment, and then bent her head upon the other's shoulder and burst into a passion of weeping. "Oh, you are kind," she cried, "you are

good, you and your brother. You are good to me !''

JW.XSB Helland took the girl by the arm. "Come to my room, dear," she said, "and compose yourself. Oome to my room," and without a backward glance at hex brother she hurried the girl away. Sir John sat down and lit a cigarette. He was intensely touched and pleased m his heart. Everything had happened just as he had foreseen it would, but there was no outward indication of his feelings upon his face. "Rum creature's, women," he muttered to himself, and rang the bell for refreshments. He had half finished, and was about to light another cigarette, when his edster came back into the room.^ "Oh, Johnnie," she said, "the poor child! The poor, beautiful child! What she must have gone through ! I can tell it; I can see it, arid how sweet she is! ■I have bathed her face with eau de Cologne, and made her rest upon my own bad. I could see at once heT nerves were terribly overwrought, but she' is quifce placid now, and seeaned inclined to sleep. She told me nothing; I asked her nothing. And now, dear boy, I want to hear her story, and all about her." The brother and sister sat together upon a couch, and Sir John told her everything without reserve. He told her the whola story from beginning to end, and .marked with joy how the sweet face changed into sympathy and tenderness, became suffused with indignation and respond&d to all he said. When he had concluded there was a silence for a minute or two. Then Gertrude took his lean, brown hand in hers; "Johnnie," she said, "I know you would have done all you have done for any woman, but tell me, if you can, tell me •something—is it so?" Sir John nodded. He could not trust f himself to speak just then. Mies Helland laughed a low, merry laugh. "Johnnie," she said, "I saw it directly I came into the room, and I am glad, oh! I am so glad." "Gertrude," the young man said, in a low voice which trembled and vibrated with emotion. "I love that girl more than anything else in the whole world. The one desire of my life is to marry her, but I will not do so, even if she will have me, before she is her own mistress. I wiH preserve the trust which fate has thrown so strangely into my hands in an honourable way. And you will help me, Gertie, won't you? Will you join me in saving Mmriel from all that threatens her? Will you also face the perils to come? I can rely upon no one in the world but you. The circumstances make it absolutely impossible. If you fail me, even if you feel that you ought not to help me, then I don't know what I can possibly do." She patted his hand. _ "My dear Johnnie," she said, almost with astonishment, "was there any need to ask me? I will work with you hand iri. hand, and together we will save her from everybody and everything." He kissed his sister, and there were tears in the keen eyes. She had never failed him, indeed, this sweet sister of his. She lived only for him, rejoicing in his successes, sympathising in his misfor-. tunes. She had ever been his true and loyal comrade. By the last train that night Sir John Holland went to London. All arrangements had been made as to the immediate future. On the following morning he was to engage a furnished flat in Bloomsbury, .previously calling at his sister's flat in Victoria street and giving certain directions to her servants there, one of whom would aoccanpany Miss Helland to her new abode —a woman who could be trusted, and who was, indeed, an old family servant. The ladies were to change their names to Brown and pars as sisiters, while Sir John would post the key of the new flat to them at Leicester. Sir John went to his chambers in Jarmyn street,' and by 12 o'clock on the next day everything was completed, and he had communicated with his' sister in the Midlands. He was not, to receive them on their arrival, or to go near their flat for several davs, for he knew with certainty that before many hours were over all his movements would be watched. There was a telephone in his chambers, however, and one also in the flat, so that he could communicate constantly with his sister and Muriel. * Almost immediately Sir John Helland was. seen about everywhere in London. More so than ever before during the last three or four years his naone appeared in the fashionable intelligence of the. Morning Post as having attended certain functions, including a levee at St. James's Palace. He was seen at the theatre, supped at the Carlton and the Savoy, acd generally welcomed as a man returned from a long journey. Public interest at the moment was concentrated upon the great Aerial Derby, which was to take place in seven or eight weeks' time. All the world's fairoUs aviators were to be present on the racecourse at Epsom. The prizes were larger than had ever been offered before in the history of flying, and the principal event, upon which large sums of money were already being wagered, was the flying championship of Great Britain. It was known that Sir John Helland stood an excellent chance of carrying ->f this most coveted trophy, the "blue ribbon of the air" as it was called. Rumour was rife about the wonderful capabilities of the young man's new monoplane, built and experimented with in the wilds of Cornwall, and Sir John was a popular and feted figure wherever he went. It was about the fourth day after Miss Helland's and Muriel's arrival in town that Sir John realised that the battle had begun. He had not seen either of the ladies, but kept in constant touch with them through the telephone. One of his handy men from Cornwall had been installed, as man-servant ostensibly, in the Bloomsbury. household, but really as guard

and protector, if necessary. The establishment in Cornwall had been broken up, and the new aeroplane was at bheppey Island under the charge of Wilkms, who saw his master almost daily. # Sir John was looking out of the window of his chambers in Jermyn street one morning, when he noticed an individual of singularly inconspicuous aspect gazing into a shop window exactly opposite. When he went out and. walked to his club, the Cocoa Tree, close by in St. James's street, he happened to look out of one of the big Georgian windows there, and again his eyes feel upon the somewhat seedy-looking person he had observed before. During the day he found with certainty that he was being watched. So it 'bad- come at last! The first move in the game was being played. Miles knew he had taken Muriel from his clutches. All had fallen out exactly as Sir John expected. The game was to be played as he had thought, beneath the surface, a game of sunning and unscrupulousness. There was to be no appeal to the law. He laughed to himself that evening as he entered the Savoy to supper to see his faithful attendant, this time smartened up, and in evening dress, descend from a cab just behind him. The supper party he was attending was given by the Hon. Philip Duncan, a young man about town, of a bright and cheery disposition, vast wealth, and an admiration for Helland which amounted to heroworship. It was to be quite a small party, but to Sir John at anyrate it would be singularly interesting, for Maud Westmoreland was to be Philip Duncan's guest. Some three years before Maud Westmoreland had suddenly appeared upon the social horizon, and had startled England with her daring in the air. There were other lady aviaor two in France, a girl in Bel-gium,-—but Maud Westmoreland was easily far and away ahead of all of them. Her performancesequalled, if-they did not surpass, the finest of men's, and the newsp apsis dubbed her at once the queen 6f the air. Nobody knew anything about-her past. She occupied a charming flat in Mayfair, together with an elderly and Jjonvenient aunt as chaperone, appeared to be. wealthy, and was certainly both 'beautiful and charming. Sir John had met-her once or twice before at receptions, "and once at ' the Aero Giub's grounds, but he had never j had much conversation with her, though - he had watched her evolutions in the big Eariran biplane with wonder and admiration. He was pleased to have the opportunity of meeting her 40-night,. to have a technical talk, perhaps to find out something of the improvements it was said she was making to her ma.chinesj and also to ] discuss the chances-of the great coining contest, in which she, as well as himself, was to be a competitor. ■ ■ ... i. I He found the little group almost at once in the big lounge, standing and talking together. » . \ Duncan caught sight of. him first, and hurried up with almost a' shout of welcome. His pleasant boyish face, with its small, thickly growing yellow moustache, lit up. with greeting, "My dear old chap," he said, "where j have you been all this time ? It. seems an ] age since we've met. You know Miss Westmoreland, ' I think; Mrs Law&on, let ' me introduce Sir John Helland to you." The elderly chaperohe bowed, and they all walked into the.supper room together, and found the table which was reserved for them. The supper Avas bright and gay; the rooms were, as usual, full with beautiful women and smart men. The band' in the distance was playing Elgar's well-known "Saint d'Amour.'"' The air was heavy" with the perfume of flowers; jewels glimmered in the light; fans moved languidly; the murmur of conversation was punctuated now and then with the sweet, high -tinkle of girlish laughter. Sir John felt at peace with himself and all the world. He had just brought the most momentous adventure of his life to a successful conclusion as far as its first stages were concerned. He was deeply in love, and he had more than ah idea that Muriel Moore was far from indifferent to him. His chances of winning the blue ribbon of the air were rosy,, and everything was spiced by the sensation that he was surrounded by danger, that peril lurked someAvhere for him. (To be continued.)