CHAPTER XVII.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11340, 5 October 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XVII.

A nOW ON THE LAKE. ' How fair she grew from day to day ! What wonran-nature filled her eyes, What poetry within them lay ; Those deep and tender twilight eyes.' — T. B. Aldrich. Florence did not close her eyes that night until she had written a letter to Mr Aylesford, in Lon "on, apprising him of the startling re-appearance of Hilda, whom they had hoped and believed dead. She was filled with consternation at the turn affairs had taken. Almost a year Lad passed away in perfect security and tranquil enjoyment of the good fortune of which she had j cheated Guy Aylesford's daughter — now it seemed to her that retribution stared her in the face. There was j something chill and foreboding in the ! thought that Hilda Aylesford was at ' that moment sleeping calmly beneath her own grandfather's roof,| secure in J the love and protection of such people as Lady Leigh and Sir Wilfred Hale — people as, Florence reflected to herself, who had never looked upon her anything but coldly, despite all her wheedling efforts to gain their favor and win their hearts. Having stayed up iate to finish her letter, Florence slept even later than usual the next morning and breakfasted in her own room. 1 1 will wear my dress of pale-blue nuns' veiling to-day,' she said to the maid, ' and turquoise ornaments. Arrange my hair very carefully. Are the guests up yes V 4 Yes, my lady, and have been out on the terrace half an hour,' said the maid. Florence grew very impatient at that. She could scarcely wait for her toilet to be completed before she seized her becoming rose-colored parasol and tripped out upon the terrace. The family and the guests were all there before her. Mrs Courtenaye, .a lovely, delicate, fair-haired woman, sat upon a rustic seat with Lady Leigh, asking her about her American tour. Sir Wilfred and Mr Conrtenaye stood a little apart, conversing earnestly. The old earl was taking his lesiurely morning walk by Hilda's side — Hilda, us bright and smiling as the summer morning, in a pretty, simple white lawn, with a scarlet rose in her belt, and a wide-brimmed, white chip hat, garlanded with blnsh roßes, shading her sparkling, piquant face, Florence went up to them. 4 Goq4 morning grandpapa — goodmorning, Hilda,' she saij. *My dear, you are a frzy girl,' the earl crjed, in excellent spirits. • Your i oung friend here has been up an hour, listening to the birds' singing.' Florence flushed. She knew that her grandfather was prejudiced in favor of early rising. But she said to Hilda, with a gentle smile : 4lt is yonr fault, Hilda, that I am later than usual this morning. I could not sleep when I first retired last night for thinking of the great surprise and pleasure your visit bad given me. Locksley Hall is a charming place, and I have derived some delightful plans for our mutual pleasure while you re. main with us.' 1 Thank you,' said Hlda, with her sweet, bright smile. The earl - smiled graciously on his granddaughter. He was pleased at her cordiality to the beau ifol young visitor to whom he had taken an unaccountable fancy. Others noticed that he was charmed with her. It did not Beem strange to him. He thought he liked her simply because she bad Wen raised with Florence, his granddaughter. He did not consider the fact that he really despised Mr Aylesfotd, who loved Flor once so well, and who had reared her , much better than he did his own child. * The first thing I have thought of,' weDt on Florence, quickly, 'ia to take you for a row on the lake, I remember you always loved to go on the water This will delight you. The lake is so j pretty with the w Hows fringing its 1 banks, and the water-lilies on its breast. j You may see it shining through the trees yonder.' ' It is beautiful,' said Hilda, turning her dark eyes on the silvery sheet oi" water. ' I think I should enjoy a row very much.' * Let us go then, smiled Florence. 1 Graudpapa, will you come with us, or

will you excuse me for carrying ' dear little Hilda off? 1 • Dear little Hilda,' smiled at the hon- ] neyed speech. She had grown half a head taller than Florence in the year of their separation. ' I will Bit down with Lady Leigh,' said the earl, indulgently. •I am quite sure you two are dying to get together and talk over your girlish secrets.' The blonde and brunette walked away, and Cecil Courtenaye watched them with secret longing. ' Msy I come with you ?' he asked and Florence threw a bright, dazaling, coquettish smile over her shoulder. •No,' she replied. 'I will not let you go to-day to pnnish you for not bringing me the water-lilies yesterday.' ' At least we can follow after them, and admire their beauty from a distance,' said Sir Wilfred, laughing ; ' let us Walk in the park, Cecil.' They sauntered leisurely on, and Florence did not know that they were coming. • Dear Cecil 1' she said to Hilda, with a pretty air of shyness. •He is never happy unless he is fol'owing me like my own shadow, but yesterday he was down at the lake and forgot to bring me some lilies, so, to punish the handsome fellow, he shall not come with me to-day. I intend to bestow my whole time on you my dear, undisturbed by his irrepressible lovemaking.' ' Does Mr Courtenaye lire at Locksley Hall ?' asked Hilda, quietly. . ' Yes,' said Florence, unblushingly. 4He goes to London often — all i young men of fashion do, you know — but his home is with us. He will inherit the title after my grandfather. Locksley Hall will belong to him then. •It is a beautiful home, I should think you would be sorry to leave it when that time comes,' said Hilda, in. I nocently. Florence tossed her head. ' • Grandpapa's death will make no difference as to my going or staying,' she laughed. ' Locksley Hall will be my home always. I shall stay here, then, with Cecil.' > Hilda turned her large dark eyes on the flushed, triumphant face of the fair [ dissembler. 4 Are you engaged to him V she asked, with her pretty straightforwardness. ! 'Just as good,' answered Florence coolly. ' Cecil has not formally proposed to me yet, but — we understand each other. You see, Cecil will inherit the title, but my grandfather's fortune comes to me. All the family, including Cecil himself desire that we should marry each other.' . • And you ?' asked Hilda composedly. I • Oh ! lam quite willing. He is the handsomest man 1 know, and then, poof fellow, so much in love ! It makes him appear quite sby add awkward, I declare 1 Hilda, are you engaged to Sir Wilfred ?' The red blood flashed into Hilda's olive cheek. 'No, I am not,' she replied. 'I j never dreamed of such a, thing 1 Why [ do you ask me Florence ?' 'Oh! no matter. I fancied so. He looked at you as if you belonged to him. And Cecil thinks so, lam sure. He told me so, and said that if it wear true it would l>e a splendid match for a girl in your position. Oh ! hear we are at the lake, darling. Thiß is my boat with the golden letters and the blue satin cushions. Is it not lovely ? Jump in, Hilda We shall have a splendid row, and bring back a bunch of waterlilies. I will do the rowing. You shall fold you hands and dream.' 'They made a lovely picture in tho dainty little boat— the fair blonde and the starry-eyed brunette. Sir Wilfred and Mr Courteuaye lingering, unobserved, beneath the trees, watched them with delight. Lady Florence bent to the oars ; her round cheeks flushed with excercise, her lips carved with a charming smile as she talked to Hilda, who sat very still, her white hands loosely folded over a water-lily in her lay, who*e rich dark, glistening green leaves looked lovely against the background of her white dress and the whiter flower. Hiltla did not look quick so careless and happy as Lady Florence. The inky fringe of her Jasbes drooped Jow upon her cheek, and her crimson lips were set in a grave little line.

Sir Wilfred and Cecil Courtenaye lingered near the lake, watching the two lovely girls, and listening to the soft, musical ripple of words and laughter that the summer breeze wafted to them across the water. Cecil did not have much to pay. He had asked Sir Wilfred to tell him fcow he had found Hilda, and tbe baronet had only laughed 1 , and said that ft was Hilda's own secret, and he could not tell him now, but perhaps she would tell him herself sometime. The baronet was disposed to be very chatty and agreeable, but Cecil was moody and taciturn. All his thoughts were centered on the dark-eyed girl in the boat with Florence. While the baronet was looking at the beautiful, sportive deer bounding beneath the tree 3, Cecil went nearer and parted the willows that fringed the lake to look at the girls. He did not wish that they, should see him, but he could not resist the temptation of gaz at the beautiful girl who had saved bin life and treated him so scornfully afterward. He wondered how he could ever have talked about her so rudely as he dll the first time he saw her. How quickly his captious, fault-find-ing mood had changed to reverential admiration and love when she had rescued him at sneh terrible and imminent dangi-r to herself, even 'while she despised him I And Sir Wilfred who had 'recognized her word at the very beginning, had won her—he felt almost sure . of that. What a lovely picture she made as he gazed upon her through the parted willows. Florence had stopped and was waiting while she gathered a bunch of water-lilies. Hilda was leaning forword toward a green bed of leaves, plucking the white flowers, while a smile of pleasure curved her scarlet lips. Florence.was talking and laughing, but she couli not hear what she said. They were out in the middle of the lake. On one side the water was shallow, and the lilies grew luxuriantly ; on the other side, just beyond the little boat it was deep and dangerous. Suddenly, as Cecil gazed, he saw Florence take up the oars with a swift movement, and the little boat spun around with dangerous rapidity. Hilda leaning forward and taken by surprise, lost her balance. She threw up her hands in a vain effort to steady herself — a minute later she was struggling in the dsep water. The baronet heard a scream among the willows that he never forgot to his dying day—it was so full of anguish. He plunged forward, and when he reached the bank he saw Cecil's coat and hat on the ground, and Cecil himself swimming with quick desperate strokes toward the middle of the lake. The baronet did not comprehend what had occurred at first, but when he looked across the lake and saw Florence sitting in the boat alone, a terrible fear convulsed his heart. He looked beyond and saw a little dark head held desperately above the water, aud the white arms reached out an instant to clutch the edge of the boat. But the ; little boat shot away swiftly out of her reach as Florence impelled the oars with an unfaltering hand, though her face was deathly white with horror, She had heard Cecil's cry of alarm and anguish, and witnessed his frantic plunge into trie water and now she steered' directly before him, and called out in an imploring tone ; * Come into my boat, Cecil. Poor Hilda has fallen out and is drowned, and you will be, too, if you don t take care.' bir Wilfred saw Ctcil put oat oue steong, white, iudignaut hand, aud puaa the fairy little boat from him with -Buck force that it bounded buck like a feaiuer. I'hen he swam paat it swiftly toward the spot where at that very iustuut the dark hfcaJ aud white arms had gone dowu beueatU the water. F.oreuee cluieued her oars tightly .and rowed to the shore where Sir WilJred, without any ceremony, lifted her out uf the boat and spiang in himself. Then he rowed desperately to liis fneua's assistance. He was just iv time. Cecil had dived down far below the waters, and had i-onie up with the beloved ionu clasped in his arms. But his strength was aluio&t spent. Sir Wilfred drew them into the boat with some difficulty, aud rowea bauis to

the shore, where Florence orouched weeping and'terror-stricksn among the willowß. Tto bg continojbd .]