CHAPTER XXIX. CONSULTING LADY MELROSS.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 129, 21 November 1885, Page 6

CHAPTER XXIX. CONSULTING LADY MELROSS.

Before Tony Folger could do more than cast a 1 blank look of surprise after LillisV light, flying figure, Lady Melross threw up the library window again, crying sharply : *• Lillis ! Mr Folger, where has Lillis gone?" "To the lodge to speak to Langdon," smiled Tony. Lady Melross once more withdrew, and Tony hastened round to the stables. Lillis's fleet steps were directed to the box-bush bower. She reached it, discovered- it empty, and instantly set about the task that was to prove Kebbeca Hough faithful or false. The d-ink turf showed the fragments of which Tony had spoken minute scraps of note p*per, scattered far and wide by the sharp gusts of wind that had caught and tossed them at will It seemed a hopeless undertaking to gather them and one equally hopeless to extract from them the desired information. The damo ground, the tiny fragments, to gether with the large space they covered, we'© all agaim-t her succe-s. Bug she would not be discouraged. Patiently and rapidly she collected the scraps iv her handkerchief, and then re turned to the Abbey. Lirly Weli-oss, sail at the library window, awv hrtr mount the terrace and went out to the hall. The girl met her keen gaze with a bitter reproach. " Had my father lived," she paid, "the pain a>id humiliations of this day would never have been mine ! He loved me." v* ith tho*e tremulous \et proudly accusing wjrds, e>he averted he-- eye;* and moved to pass on, when Lady Melross stopped her. " You mean to say." cried her ladyship, speaking wirh rare emotion -"you mean to say I do not l»ve you ? T who—" Li'ln fhook h*jr head drearily, and as a ru4i of tears blinded her sight, hurried on to th * stairs. Tnere frh-» paused and looked ba^k. 41 (Jive me happiness, not gold, my mother !" she faltered. • % I will t;ive you happiness and gold, my dmtrhre'*,' -in"»*ered Lady Melross Aid hHingherpiin at the girl's evident alien vi >n »i.nler than retort she turned away, and Lillis ran upstairs. A few minutes later the dog-cart was driven round, and tlood strode up at the same moment. Ue stopped to give an order to the stablemvi rind then went within doors. He hd-tened to the library. As he hoped, Lady Vl Htoes whs there alone. '•'Why," she excUimed, surprised, "Mr Fclgar iol J m^ he was to pick yuu up at the lodge Or is ie about Lillis? What did she want ?" H'»od looked startled. " Oh, ie id all right," explained Lady Mel-ro-s. " She i? in her room now. I suppose she altered her mind, and did not go to the lodge." "I suppose so," nodded Hood, satisfled with the knowledge that Lillis was safe •'I-ilteredmine,"adding. abruptly : "Have you seen Rebecca Hough ?" '" No." " I thought not, and came back to tell you that through her address and faithful ne3B I h-ive just intercepted a note from Li 1 s to Solicitor Gibbs." • " To Solicitor Gibbs !" Hood broke upon the astounded exclam ation with a brief and rapid account of wh-it had taken place, and his own opinion of Lillb's purpose. L-idy Melross was crimson with wrath when he ceased. "G'bLs !" she ejaculated. "To brave me through Gibbs! It was well I took your counsel and prevented her leaving the grounds ■ Do tbtles* it was her purpose to write and mail the letter at the post office " '/ Doubtless ; but it doe 3 not matter," returned Hood, soothingly ; '* I forgive this rebellious act as I forgive her foolish though shocking accusation " 41 You may well say shocking !" crifd Lady Melross, with severity. "I met her when she came in awhile ago, with the single purpose of expressing my deep dia pleasure, but - " " Say nothing!— not a word, I beg !" interposed Hood. "It was only the reck less charge of a rebellious girl." "But that detective, Koberfc? What if he overheard ? They are a dreadful pet of men -ready to ban anybody for the sake of a clue V flood smiled, secure in his breathless observation of Linter. " The detective did not overhear," he said, "and," the smile deepening, "granting that he did, the charge would strike him as too utterly preposterous for a moment's consideration. And now iet us return to the point from which we have wandered. See," holding tho letter written at the lodge before b«ir eyes. Lid y Melrots resd the indicated superscription plowly aloud : " • The Rev. George May.' So you have written ?M? M .*• he glanced up a lif tie uneasily. "Wauiei by Lillis's attempt, I havo ; and with jour kind permisfion, phe shall be nuda Countess of Langdon within an hour of hi<? arrival." Hh spoke with breathless joy ; bi^ dark face glowed with indescribable delight. " His arrival - w hen ? At the c'oae of the week, of course?" " Atthecloseoftwentynine hours to mor row evening !"