CHAPTER XVIII.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 10654, 1 July 1896, Page 4

CHAPTER XVIII.

It was a pretty home-scene that the miserable watcher gazed upon. The room was large and lofty, with a few priceless pictures, and a magnificent oaken sideboard with gold and silver plate, of which Lord Fielden had been very proud. She remembered every detail, and clinched her fingers as she looked on the silver and glass, the fruit and flowers, gleaming in the full light from the chandelier. "What a comfortable, luxurious room it was! She saw the footmen all on the alert, the butler solemnly occupied at his post, and then those whom .she wanted t" see entered and took their places Lady Fielden, looking very stately and beautiful even in her old age, was attired in a warmlooking dress of maroon velvet ; a cap and fichu of delicate lac 9 completed a most recherche costume. Loid Fielden looked handsomer than ever in his evening dress, and > Gertrude bright and beautiful in a robe of white laco and rich ruby silk, a spray of white jasmine in her golden hair and in the bodice of her dress.

As her eyes rested on tho group, the miserable watcher at the window drew back, unable to restrain the burning tears and bitter sobs that would come in spite of her. Was it possible that she had once been young, beautiful, happy, and beloved as that fair young girl?

She soon read Lord Pielden's secret ; there could be no mistake about it, Harry could not help showing it in every line of his face, in every gesture, in every tone of his voice ; it was plain and palpable to every one, and madame's dark sad eyes were not deceived. Ob, for the days and the love that wero past! Love is better than hidden well-water, than amber lying in cold seas, than gathered berries under snow,

Had this love of things anything to do with the advertisements? They seemed Tjjgry happy. She watched them, fascinated ; Bhe could not withdraw her eyes. The handsome young lord was attentive to his mother — no want of hers seemed to escape him—but his heart was at bonny Gertrude's feet.

Gertrude, glancing toward the window, by the purest accident, caught the gleam of the dark miserable eyes and the white hair, on which the light shone. She started with a cry — a cry of fear quite unusual with her, for Bhe was naturally brave.

" Harry, " she exclaimed, " there is a face at the window — a woman's face! "

Ho sprung from his chair and hastened to the window. But Mme. St. Ange was gone ; she had caught the look of fear on Gertrude's face, and understood it. Quick as a hare, she ran across the lawn, past the cedar-trees, down by the ctppice, and into the grounds ; she remembered a dark nook near the waterfall where she ceuld hide hf welf and no one would dream of looking for her.

Meanwhile Lord Pielden had turned :o Gertrude.

" A woman's face! " he said. " Are you quite sure, Gertrude? It must have been the shadows that startled you. "

She had quite recovered from her fright now, and walked at once to the window.

•• It was no shadow, " she said. "It was a woman's face, with wild dark eyes and white hair ; she was looking in through this pane of glass.

Lady Fielden came to her.

" I think. " she said, '« you must bare been mistaken ; no woman could get in here without the servants' knowledge, and they would not admit q

stranger. " She drew the lace hangings back. "I have no doubt," she said, "that it was one of the pale pessionflowers that blew against the glass. "

Gertaude smiled.

"You know, Lady Fielden," she said, " that I do not suffer from nervousness. I was startled for a moment, bnt by no means nervous, and 1 am perfectly convinced that it was a woman's face I .saw, I noticed the dark wild eyes and white hair ; there could be no mistake. You will wonder more perhaps when I tell you that I am sure those eyes are familiar to me, that I have seen them before. "

" My dear child, I am convinced it is fancy," said Lady Fielden, smiling— '• quite convinced. " Gertrude raised her hands with a pretty graceful gesture to her temples. •• Let me think, " she said ; " where have I seen that face before? "

They, looked at her in, astonishment, "iSfow I remember, " she said, " and I can verify my words. I called in at Grey's, the fruiterer's, to purchase some grapes, and that woman was in the shop. I thought she was going to faint; but, when I spoke, she answered coldly — almost rudely, poor creature! I noticed her eyes then, how dark and wild they were, and what a weird contrast they presented to her white hair."

Lord Fielden was listening intently. " Did she speak to you, Gertrude? " he asked.

"No — only a few words. I think ahe said, ' I am quite well. ' "

41 Did you notice her voice — any pecu. liarity in it? " he asked.

-' No *, I cannot say that I did. But you see, Harry, it was no fancy. Was it, Lady Fielden?" •' No, my dear, I begin to think not. Harry, you had better take a couple of men out with you and search tho grounds. I feel uneasy. " "I will go first myself, " ha said , and he did.

But he found no one. Close to the window, however, there was a broken spray of passion-flower and some roseleaves, as though some one had pulled aside the branches in order to look in. That was the only suspicious circuin. stance. Then the bntler and two footman accompanied Lord Fielden through the grounds. Mme. St. Ange, from her hiding.placo amongst the ferns, saw the reflection of the light that they carried, but they failed to discover her.

(to be continued.)