OUR SERIAL STORY

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1928, Page 15

OUR SERIAL STORY

“LOVE’S STOWAWAY" JOHN L. CARTER ,/71/ Rights Rwareec

(Chapter XIX. Continued). "That’s where your difficulty comes in —you poor dear!” said Stella. “Of usurse Cecil will not want to let you go. That sort of thing always falls on the .women. Yes, it is we women who have to think of . the future. And in your case case it is you who have to consider just hew these vile stories would react upon those who come after you bearing the honoured name of Belden. Indeed, it is because I know you love Cecil so much, so purely, so unselfishly, that I am convinced that you will make this sacrifice, for his life’s happiness.” Molly lay for some minutes thinking, then she buried her face in the pillow and began softly to sob. “There, there, my dear!” said Lady Cleave, resting her hand gently on th© soft head. “I know that I may seem cruel, but I could not shirk a duty because it is painful. Just think things over quietly, and I’ll come and see you again to-morrow. Good-bye dear! And ■ don’t forget, that you will always have my friendship.” With that she slipped out of the room, the look of exultation on her face showing that she was satisfied that she had succeeded. And now she hurried out to Mr. Briant who was practising his golf putting on the upper lawn. There was nothing like striking whilst the iron was hot.

“Just the very man I wanted!” she 'cried lightly. "Now Mr. Briant, what do you make of all this?” Briant turned and looked at her without speaking. “I am sure you must be of the same opinion as Lady Belden, that your Molly and this Mr. Knapp really ought to marry. Personally I feel that there is no other possible sequel, that is, if she wants to feel at all comfortable.”

“Why, it’s all settled up that she’s going to marry Loid Belden,” protested Eriant. “I don’t see what has happened to alter that. I say, what’s tho idea?”

“I’m coming, as a friend, Mr. Briant, to warn you that Lady Belden would never give her consent to the marriage,” said Stella.

Briant looked her over sharply. “Why can’t Lady Belden tackle me herself?” he said. “Well, you’ll have to guess again my dear. This marriage is not going to be stopped. What has Lady Belden got against my Molly, I’d like to know?”

“Mr. Briant, you’ll pardon me for saying so,” she said, “but there can be no qugstion but that, through her thoughtless conduct, and her unfortunate experience, your niece has forfeited any right to expect Lord Belden to marry her. No, no! Kindly listen to me!” she cried, as Mr." Briant started to retort. And so, he patiently waitel and listened while she reviewed the situation. And, indeed, she made out an excellent case.

“That’s all very well,” growled Briant, “But, now that you’ve done, let me have my say: “In the first place, I don’t think Lord Belden cares a rap what the world thinks. Certainly I don’t, nor does Molly. And, what’s more, that marriage is still going to come off—see? Let Lady Belden storm as she likes!” “Oh, so that’s your tune, it is, Mr. Briant?” she replied, in a deadly voice. “I’m sorry then, but I’m afraid I must indulge in a little plain-speaking. Now, Mr. Briant, I have put Lady Belden’s case clearly before you; whatever happens, Lord Belden must marry someone whose reputation is absolutely beyond aspersion. That, unfortunately, is not the case with your niece.” She paused, and Briant grinned with sudden understanding. “I see your game,” he cried. “You mean to marry him yourself.” “I am acting simply as Lady Belden’s friend,” she said. “And now we come to the practical question: how do I propose to impose my will upon you? You say you are going to defy me. But, I don’t think you will, by the time I have finished. In the first place, I happen to be in possession of certain documents which seriously implicate you.”

“What’s this?” cried Briant. And he turned pale at the recollection that this was Hooghley’s daughter. “My father left quite a number of—er —interesting papers behind him,” v/ent on Lady Cleave evenly. “You mean, the Five Trees Silver Mine affair?” said Briant. “But Hooghley swore that he’d burnt those papers.” "Well, he did not,” said Stella. “And his daughter didn’t either. And 1 have only to hand over those documents to the proper authorities and you would find yourself in an awkward position before many weeks were gone. You know, yourself, it might mean imprison, ment.” Briant looked ill.

“It’s not playing the game!” he cried. “Those were simply private agreements between myself and my partners. Your fathr had no right to get hold of them, in any case.” “Fortunately he did get hold of them,” she said. “And my point is, I ! shall hand them over to you the inorinent your niece is safely married—to somebody other than Lord Belden. Personally, if I were you, I should insist upon her marrying this Mr. Knapp.” John D. Briant turned away gloomily. “I guess you’ve got me tied hand and foot,” he groaned. “Ono momen, Mr. Briant,” she said firmly. “Lord Belden must not know a word of this.” “How, otherwise, can I explain things?” he protested. “There need be no difficulty,” said Lady Cleave. “The fact is, I have already had a word with poor Molly. Molly sees quite clearly that it would hardly be fair to ask Ceeil to marry her, when she has so unfortunately ruined her reputation. She is a dear girl; she will give him up just because she loved him so much. Rather a nice tempermanent—convenient for you,” she added with a curl of the lip. Briant clenched and unclenched his bands in fury at his helplessness. “Now why shouldn’t you have a private talk with your niece?” went on Stella. “You need never let her know a word about those papers. Tell her you will lake her back to America—or, say. ths Continent —wherever you wish. Advise her to leave behind a letter for Lord Belden, saying that she had never realised before, just how utterly her reputation would suffer, unless she married Mr. Knapp. It is quite an understandable outlook, I can assure you, with any self-respecting girl.” Briant jumped at this apparently easy way out

“I think your idea is not at all a bad one,” he said, “and you can rely on my getting her away at the first possible opportunity.” “It must not be later tlian to-morrow forenoon,” insisted Lady Cleave. “1 shall arrange for Lord Belden to take his mother out in the ear at eleven. I wouldn’t advise you to leave it till much after that,” she added meaningly. And she left him as abruptly as she had pounced upon him. Ten minutes later Mr. Briant summoned up his courage and knocked on his niece’s bedroom door. “Is that you, Lady Belden ?” she asked. “No, it’s me, love,” said Briant, “your uncle.” She asked him In. “I’ve iust called to see how yon are,” ho said. “I suppose I am rather better. I feel stronger,” said Molly listlessly. “But come and sit down. I have something I want to say.” Then after a pause, she said: “Uncle, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve decided that I want to go away.” Mr. Briant felt tremendously relieved. “But what about Cecil?” he asked.

“I’m not going to have anything more to do with Cecil,” she said bravely. “I’ve been thinking it over, and it’s not fair Ao expect him to marry me. You see, I’m not quite the same as when he and t first met, all those weeks sgo.’’ “You mean,” said Briant, “that your name’s been linked up with George Knapp?” Molly nodded.

“I’m sure the world must think, that, if I marry anyone, it must be George,” she said. “Yon see. uncle, I couldn't bear Cecil should marry me, and then perhaps regret it all his life. It might be a terrible seandal, I've been thinking.”

“Poor little Molly,” he said. "Well, inayne you’re right. You want to go away —well, what do you say to the Riviera, or somewhere like that?” “I don’t care .vhere it is so long as it’s right away,” said Molly.

“But lie’s sure to want to follow you,” Briant warned her.

She nodded slowly. "I must prevent that,” she said firmly. “I couldn’t bear that! It must be ended, for good and for all.”

“You don’t want to say good bye t«i him then? Perhaps that is best.

“No, uncle, I couldn’t bear that,” she said choking back a sob. “But how can we get away unknown to them all?” “I’ve got it!” exclaimed Briant. “He’s taking his mother out for a drive at eleven to-morrow. We can slip away then.”

“Yes, that will be best,” cried Molly. “The sooner the better.” There was a bright, feverish look in her face that her unc’- did not like to see. His conscience pricked him. And yet, he told himself, he could not help it. He was not his own master. “I'll come in a little later to see how you are getting on,” he said. “Very good, uncle,” she replied. “And be sure you don’t let a soul guess.” “About the journey,” he considered. "Why shouldn’t we go by road as far as London? That’s the idea! I’ll ring up a garage in Edinburgh. You will be certain to be dressed and ready by eleven to-morrow morning, my dear?” “I shall not forget,” she said. "I must get right away.”

“Why not leave a letter behind, telling Cecil that you realise that if you marry anybody, it can only be Mr. Knapp?” he suggested.

“But I don’t want to marry George” she objected. “Still, what you say is the truth, and I can put it in the letter.”

“If you’re going to travel to-morrow,” he suggested, “you can't do better than get up for a few minutes this evening.” “I am going to get up immediately to write the letter,” she replied. x “I’ll leave you then,” he said, going out.

Throwing on her dressing-gown Molly crossed to the writing table, and very soon had her short note completed. That done she walked over to the window, which afforded a ”iew of the tennis court. Seeing Ceeil and Stella sitting talking’ on a garden seat, she told herself that she eould not possibly go away. That sight tempted her to tear up the letter, and to stand out against everything. But then she gave a weary little sigh and turned to bed. Oh, if only she could have gone to sleep never to wake up again! (To be Continued.)