OUR SERIAL STORY

Taranaki Daily News, 21 May 1928, Page 15

OUR SERIAL STORY

"LOVE’S STOWAWAY” By JOHN L. CARTER .41/ Righti Res.rcea.

(Chapter XVIII. Continued). When they did meet, Lady Belden was kindness itself to her, which was a great relief to Cecil. The truth was that his mother regretted that unguarded impulsive protest, for she rea iised that Cecil, being a Belden, might be expected to be just as determined to have his way as she was set on hers. She therefore behaved most tactfully in her handling of this new problem. She was also most careful not to rouse’’Mr. Briant's antagonism. Nevertheless, she could not reconcile herself to the thought of Cecil marrying a girl who had been through such experiences. That night she wrote to Stella Cleave explaining the situation and urging her to come at once. And she told her that she could never be too grateful to her if she succeeded in saving the situation. The following afternoon Lady Cleave arrived. Lady Belden had informed Cecil that this visit had been arranged several weeks before, and he had no reason to doubt his mother’s word.

Meeting Lady Cleave was something of a shock to Mr. Briant. Ke discovered that they were already acquainted, though he had met her last as Stella Hooghley, the daughter of his one-time rival and antagonist in the world of finance. The meeting was a shock for him because it brought back some of his most dubious transactions. The one relief, however, was that Hooghley was safely dead and buried, and, it was notorious that dead men tell no tales.

Molly was deeply interested in Lady Cleave. She admired her for her pale beauty, her air of distinction, and her brilliant conversation. And, since she was wholly assured that she had all Cecil’s love she never dreamt of feeling jealous. No one told her that Cecil had ■been interested in her when she was plain Stella Hooghley, or she might, perhaps, have fe'lt not quite so confident and safe. As for Lady Cleave, she set out from the start to .be as charming as she possibly could to Molly, and quickly succeeded in winning her confidence. Lady Belden easily found an opportunity to tell Lady Cleave all her fears, and she again assured her that she was the daughter-in-law of /ier choice, while begging her to do all she could to win Cecil away from the pretty, unfortunate, but wholly unsuitable Molly. "After all, he was yours once, my dear,” she said. “And, I like a fool, didn't value him then,” said Stella. “Now, I think X would give twenty years of my life to get him.”

That was possibly true. In any case, it pleased Lady Belden. She felt there was still hope of "saving” Cecil, with such a love as this striving to get him. When Molly went to bed at last she lay awake thinking far into the night. She was not really happy. She had could not forget what his mother had said to him. She was not greatly concerned that Lady Belden should have never let Cecil guess the truth, but she believed the worst of her, but what did trouble her was her assertions that Cecil’s marrying her —in view of her recent experiences—would mean a loss of dignity and the smirching of the family name. The thought made her burn with humiliation. Still, though great was her pain at the thought, this was nothing compared with her concern for Cecil and his future, She realised that there could be no happiness for her, even though married to Cecil, unless she could be assured that the association would do nothing to lower the prestige of the Beldens.

It was, indeed, dawn, before she fell asleep, and even then there was not much rest for her.

CHAPTER XIX. STELLA’S PLAN. Though love is unquestionably the great healer, it cannot always perform miracles, Cecil realised, to his great disapj inent and alarm, when, the following morning, Molly did not come down to'breakfast. He told himself that the excitement of their meeting at Hull and the long motor journey, had told their tale. Lady Belden lost no tims in sending for the doctor, who was emphatic that his patient should remain in bed for some days at the least. Poor Lady Belden looked on this as a direct act of Providence. Stella Cleave also concluded that it was a heavensent opportunity, and, as she regarded herself in her dressing-glass—looking as she certainly did, very charming in the white serge tennis frock —she told herself that there was a chance for her, after all.

Lady Belden found it easy to throw Stella and Ceeil together. It was she who insisted upon this their playing tennis all the morning. That afternoon she arranged a foursome at golfy she and Briant challenging Stella and Cecil. Lady Belden confessed herself a warm admirer of the pretty, accomplished, and wealthy Stella, Of oommon stock she might be, but no one could detect it, thanks to the thorough education she had received from English governesses. Moreover, 'Stella had a rare self-con-fidence. and assurance, which would prove au invaluable asset to the future Lady Belden. With characteristic detachment Lady Belden compared the two girls. There was not much to choose between ns regards looks, she decided. As for money, if anything, Stella had the advantage. As regards social standing, well, the Briant creature had no standing at all—and, most certainly had no right to be allied with a noble house. Even were she all that Cecil believed her to be, she had, nevertheless, forfeited any right to aspire to marry a Belden. The wife of Lord Belden should he above suspicion, and, unfortunately, for her, this foolish creature had played ducks and drakes with her reputation, »

Lady- Belden found occasion to tell 'Stella that she had no desire to put anything in the way of Molly Briant’s marrying. Bpt, there could be no question as to who was the man whom she ought to marry. It could only be George Knapp, with whom her name had been intimately linked for nearly ten weeks now by all the world as his wife. At tea. Stella expressed her regret at Molly’s continued non-appearance and begged Lady Belden to allow her to take up a cup of tea. It was, to say the least, a charming gesture, which Cecil certainly appreciated as an impulse of genuine loving-kindness. Arrived In Molly’s room, she found

that Molly did not want the tea. She sat at the side of the bed and laid a cool hand on Molly’s brow. “You’re very good to me!” said Molly.

"I feel so very sorry for you—you poor child!” said Stella. “You poor, unhappy little thing!” “No, Lady Cleave, I'm not unhappy any longer,” said Molly. "I think 1 'ought to be the happiest girl in all the world. Don’t you 1” “I think you’re the most unfortunate girl in all the world!” said Stella in a tone of compassion. And she gently stroked her forehead. “Poor little tiling! How you have suffered! You are, I am sure, the unfortunate victim of circumstances. But, never mind! It will all die down, in time.” Molly was so bewildered, so alarmed, that she struggled up to her elbow and stared at Stella.

“Why, Lady Cleave, I’m the happiest girl in the whole world!” she protested. “To think that '-I’m going to be marred to Cecil, ever so soon!”

“I'm afraid, dear, things aren’t quite sc easy as that,” Stella said. “I’m sure 1 don’t know what you mean?” cried Molly, beginning to feel afraid.

“Lie quite st : ll dear,” said Stella, in a soothing tone. “Listen to me, dear. I’ve got something to tell you —something rather painful, perhaps. It’s the sort of thing people don’t tell one —unless it is a very true friend.” Molly looked at her in growing surprise.

“It’s about Lady Belden,” began Stella. “She has been telling me just what she feels about this marriage.” “Yes, go on,” said Molly dully.

“She said she knew that we American people think a great deal about their old historical families, and all that sort of thing. Then she told me the Beldens were one of the oldest and most famed of all the Scottish families, and, throughout their history no breath of scandal had ever sullied the fair name of the Belden women.” "Cecil has told me all about the Bel-’ dens,” said Molly with eager enthusiasm. “Oh, it’s a wonderful heritage to take-up! And, oh, how earnestly I shalTstrive to be worthy of the name!” Lady Cleave heaved a heavy sigh. “That’s just what I want to see, dear,” she said. “I hate to have to say this. And I want you to promise not to say a word to your Ceeil or his mother, whatever happens.” "lady Cleave, what do you mean?” cried Molly. “I have to tell you something, something for your own good,” said Stella. “Yes—it’s no use blinking the facts—and for Cecil’s good too.” Molly looked up anxiously into that beautiful face that looked so soft and tender with pity just now. “I’m waiting,” she said anxiously.

“Well, then—you poor little Molly, can you honestly feel that the name of Belden will not be fur ever stained if Cecil marries you?” “Lady Cleave 1” gasped Molly, staring up at the pale face that looked so compassionately down at her. “There, there! Don’t excite yourself, dear,” urged Stella. “You must think it over calmly. Am I not right?” “What do you mean?” protested Molly. “Please say outright what yon mean.”

“Well then, -it is about this Mr. George Knapp,” said Stella. “Lady Belden insists that he is the man, if anyone, whom you ought to marry.” “No, no, Lady Cleave,” pleaded Molly. "You don’t understand.”

“It’s not what I think. Naturally I understand,” Stella reminded her. “It is what the world will think. Can’t you see that, if Cecil’s mother believes the worst, almost everybody will? Can’t you realise that, you poor little unfortunate? All the newspapers have been declaring that you and this Mr. Knapp intended to be married. Everybody who discussed the matter insisted that it was the obvious outcome, a necessary ending, indeed, to your life alone on that island. You must realise it.” “But I don’t love him. I was never really willing to marry him,” protested Molly. “Oh, please . believe me, Ladv Cleave! ”

“That is what I said to Lady Belden, but she reminded me that you allowed him to tell the captain of the Hope, before all the passengers, that you and he had set opt to get married.” “Oh dear, oh dearl” moaned the weary, bewildered Molly, “What does it all mean?”

“You poor kid! It’s a shame,” said Stella.

“What docs Lady Belden expect me. ;c do?” demanded Molly. "Shall I tell you?” asked Stella. “Well, she said she was going to get you alone

and tell you to be fair to him, and honest, with yourself. She was unhappy erough. But she said that loyalty to the Belden tradition, to Cecil and his ancestors, would force her to undertake the painful, unhappy task of convincing you that it was impossible for you to marry him.” Molly gave a little moaning cry, and then lay very still. What a fool she had been! She had forgotten the world and its evil thoughts! Of course, it was true, Ceeil was a public character, .with the eye of the world upon him. And yet, no, it was impossible! She could not give him up! “Lady Cleave,” she urged. “I swear that I have always been true to Ceeil! Would that make any difference, in Lady Belden’s eyes?” “That is not the question,” Stella reminded her. “It’s not what you or I know. It’s what the world says. Think what your reputation is, in the world. Remember all those foolish newspaper articles, about the romance of your life cn that island! Indeed Lady Belden insists that it is so longer possible for you to marry her son. And, if you and I could put ourselves in her place, no doubt we should think the same.”

Molly could see Belden’s point of view. It was a horrid point of view, but, she saw the logic of it all, “But, what about poor Cecil!” sha cried. “Ceeil would never agree to let' me go. lie loves me more than life it-