CHAPTER XII.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12289, 23 June 1903, Page 6

CHAPTER XII.

"YOU HAVE GIVEN YOUR PROMIvSB AND YOU MUST STAND BY IT." When Airs Mencke informed Violet of * the arrival of the Earl of Sutherland, something of her spirit manifested itself for the first time since 'her illness. "Did von send for him, Belle ?" she demanded, an ominous flash leaping into her heavy eyes. The" woman coloured. She did not like to confess that she had done so, but such was the fact, nevertheless. "Why, Violet, you forget how anxious Lord Cameron would naturally be regarding the state of your health, M she answered, evasively ; "besides, he has waited a longtime for the answer to a certain proposal, and doubtless he is impattient for that." "He shall have it," the young girl reulrned, with sudden animation, a crimson flush suffusing her cheeks. "Send for him to come directly here, and I will give it at once." Mrs Mencke regarded her doubtfully. "And it will be " she began. "No !" replied Violet, emphatically, as she paused. "Oh, Violet, I beg of you to be reasonable," pleaded the woman, almost in tears. "Jxist think what your life must be ! One of the highest positions in England is [offered by a 33 r oung man of irrc'proachablc character ; he loves you 'devotedly, and there is nothing he woxilcl not do lor you if you consent to become his wife. Besides a • large income which he will settle (upon you, you will have an elegant ; home in Essex County, a town j house in IyOiidon, and a villa on the Isle of Wight. There is no earthly reason now, whatever there may have been two months ago, why you should not listen to his suit." Violet shivered with sudden pain as her sister thus referred to the deathof her lover, and the fact that no plighted troth now stood in the way of her accepting Iyorcl Cameron's proposal of marriage. "No," she wailed, "I suppose there is no reason, save that I do not love him— that 1113'- heart is dead, and I have no interest in life, no desire to live." "You may imagiue now that you I can ne,ver love him, but time heals all wounds," her sister returned ; "and since you can now feel you {will wrong no one else, by marrying him, 33 r ou might at least devote yourself to him and secure his happiness by accepting him." "Do you imagine that he would be willing to marry a loveless woman — one who had no heart to 'give him ?" Violet questioned, with curling lips. "He only can answer that question himself," respondod Mrs Mencke, with a sudden heart-bound, as 'she thought she saw signs of yieldling in her sister. "Oh, Violet, do 'not throw aw.ay such a chance. •What are 3'ou going to do in the future ? How do you expect to spend the rest of your life if you refuse to marry at all ?," A thrill of "intense agony ran through the yoiiig girl's frame at these probing questions. How, indeed, was she to spend her life ? How could she live without Wallace ? She had not thought of this before, and she was startled and appalled by the apparent blackness of the future. "Oh, I don't know— l don't know !" she burst forth, in a voice of despair. ' "As the wife of I v ord Cameron you would at least have it in your power to do a great deal of good, to say nothing of the happiness you would confer upon him," suggested JMrs Mencke, craftily. It impressed Violet, however, and she sat in thoughtful silence for some time. • One tiling had forced itself upon her during this conversation, and that was that she could not spend her life with her sister and her husband. Every day she became more and more conscious that there could never be any real congeniality and sympathy between them, and that it would be better if they should separate. But what was to become of her if she was separated from them ? Could she live alone— take her destiny in her own hands, and cut herself free from them ? It would certainly be very lonety, very forlorn, to have no pne in the world to care for her. She knew that Vane Cameron was a man in a thousand. He was noble and amiable in whatever he did

he was actuated by pure motives, and she felt that any woman who could love him would have cause to be proud in becoming his wife. She knew that he loved her devotedly, as her sister had said ; but I would he be willing to marry one J who did not love hiHi ? Would it i be right for her to accent all and .be ! able to give nothing in return ? No, she did not believe he would be satisfied to live out his in Cure in any such way. Still she conceived a sudden resolution. She would see him ; she would tell him the truth, and she believed he would sympathize with her and at once withdraw his suit, while her sister would have to accept his decision as final, and cease to importune her further upon the subject. Having arrived at this conclusion, she leaned back in her chair, with a deep sigh, as if relieved of a heavy burden. "Well ?" said Mrs Mencke, in. quiringly. She had been watching her closely, and surmised something of what was being revolved in her mind. "I will see Lord Cameron," Violet quietly replied. , ( "And, you will promise to marry him ?" cried her companion, lyi Violet sighed again. She was so weary of it all. ; "No ; I will not promise him_ anything now ; but I will see him — I will tell him the whole truth, and then " "Well ?" was the almost breathless qtxery, as Veiolet faltered and her lips grew white. "Then he shall decide for me," she said, in a low tone. Mrs Mencke arose delighted, for she felt that her point was gainedShe would encourage Vane Cainer* on to take Violet, in spite of everyi thing, and try to make him feel that once she was fcis wife he would j ! have little difficult}' in eventually ! winning her love. I She- bent over Violet, in the excess of her joy, to kiss her, but the young girl drew back from her. I "No, Belle," she said, quietly butsadly, "do not make any pretence i of affection for me ; you have not, ■ shown yourself a good sister ; I believe you have intercepted my leti ters, and you have tried to ruin my i life, and I do not want your kisses. I hope I shall not always feel thus," she added, regretfully, as { she saw the guilty flush which I mounted to the woman's, forehead, j "but, just now, I am afraid I do i not love you very much, and I will ! not be hypocritical enough to preI tend that I do." I Mrs Mencke had notliing to 'say I to this, for she well knew that she richly deserved it ; but she passed [ quickly from the room, and at ! once sought an interview with I Lord Cameron. 1 An hour later he was sitting be- ' side Violet, with a grave pitiful ■ face, but with. a look- of eager hope j,,in his fine eyes, which told that he I had no thought of leaving her pre- ► sence, a rejected lover. j "Your illness has changed you ; greatly, Miss Huntington,"* he re- | marked, regarding' her thin, white ! face sorrowfully, "Hut T nope that j you will soon be yourself again, 1 and — and now may I at once I speak of what is nearest my heart? [ I believe in a frank course at all I times, and of course you cannot be ! ignorant of my object in coming to you. I am sure. you. must realize, by this time,, something of the depth of my love for you. Indeed, my one hope, ever since pur pleasant voj^age across the water, has been to win you. Darling, words [cannot express one-half that I feel;. I have lived almost thirty years ' without ever meeting any one with ; whom I could be willing to spend my life until now, and- all that long-pent-up passion of my nature goes fortli to you. Violet, will you be my wife ? Will you come to me and let me shelter you in the arms lof my love— let me try to make 1 your future the brightest one that I woman has ever known ? My love! !my love ! put your little hands in mine and say that you will give yourself to me."

Violet made such a gesture ,of pain at these words, while her face was convulsed with such anguish, that Vane Cameron caught his breath and regarded her with astonishment.

When Mrs Mencke had told him. that Violet had consented to see him, s!he- hinted at some childish attachment, but encouraged him to hope for a . favourable issue v of the interview.

He realized now, however, that

suspect.

I this "childish attachment" had 'left a far deeper wound in Violet' 3 heart than he had been allowed to suspect. "Is my confession distasteful to you, Violet ?" he gravely asked,, when he could command himself to speak. "I was led to belie ve-^I hoped that it would meet with a ready response from you." "Oh r Lord Cameron ! Ido not know what to say to you," Violet began, in a trembling voice. Then * resolutely repressing her emotion, she continued :: "I have known, of course, that yoii regarded me in. a very friendly way ; but it', almost frightens me to have you express yourself so strongly as you have just done." "Frightens you to learn of the , depth of my affection," he said, : with some surprise. "Yes — to know that it has taken, such a hold.ujxm your life and that ~ such a responsibility has fallen upon me. I know that you 5 are good and true and noble, and yoxi have ' \ my deepest esteem ; but — but oh — " "Violet, what, does this mean?/; • I do not understand your distress - at all," Lord Cameron • said, loolldeeply pained. - . "Did my sister not tell you that I had a confession to malce to you ?" the young 'girl asked, with burning cheeks. - ' "No," .the young man returned, very gravely; "she told me that you- would receive me— that I might hope for a favourable answer to my suit. She did hint, however, that .there had once been a childish attachment^ as she .ex- - pressed it ; but I hardly gave * the matter a thought since she made so light of it." "Belle has done wrong, then, to let you hope for so much ; and how .„ Lord Cameron-^ may 'I tell you. aH. there is in my heart ? - Mayl make a full confession to you ? And then you shall judge me as you will." "' ■ ; .'"'.-' "Certainly, you may tell me anything you wish," -he replied, wondering more and more at' her, excessive emotion. "Do not be/, so distressed,, dear, child,," he added, as she covered, her face with her thin hands, and he saw the tears . trickling between her fingers. "I should •* blame myself more than I can tell you, for seeking this interview, if by ' so doing 1 1 cause you! so much luihappiness. I will even ga away and never renew this subject — though' that would darken all my future life — rather than > agitate" you thus." , .. -^ "*,"". "Forgive me," Violet said, wiping her .tears. "I will try not to break down like this again, and I will deal with you in perfect frankness ; I know I do not need to ask you to respect my confidence." . "Thank you,", he . simply answered. , . > '. ' . Violet then began relating the accident of the incline .plane and its frightful consequences ; she told how, almost miraculously, she and Wallace were saved ; about her illness in liis home, and of their growing fondness for each ibtlier during her convalescence. When she told of. Wallace's confession of his love for her and, hers for him, she bowed her face again upon her hands and went on, in quick, passionate tones, as if it was too, . sacred tor be talked about and she was anxious to have the recital over as soon as possible. She spoke of her sister's opposition to this affection and its consequences, with all the passion 'and trouble; it had aroused, and Vane Cameron's face grew graver, yet very tender ahd pitiful as she proceeded. It was all told at last— Violet had concealed nothing of her affection for Wallace, "nothing of her rebellion against her sister's wishes t regarding her marriage with himself, and having thus imburdened her soul, she still' sat with bowed Jiead be Ifore him, waiting for his judgment of her. ■yhere was silence of several minutes after she had concluded, while both seemed to be battling with the' emotions which filled their hearts ; then Lord Cameron $i>cke, and the tender cadence of his voice thrilled the young girl as it had never done before. (To be continued.)

EELENTLESS FOES. RHEUMATISM and Sciatica are ' ruthless, relentless .foes, and revel in the writhings of their victims. The torment and tovture of uric acid poisoning is known only to those who suffer. But why suffer? "Rheumo Conquers Rheumatism." Rheumo strikes at the. root of , the ailment, and strikes quickly. Rheumo lulls ~* thY pain, removes all swelling; and eliminates the uric- acid and phosphatic sediments. There is nothing to compare with Rheumo for prompt results and permanent benefit. Rheumo is rl-tißMit to.xaiio, md is.frw from nil \ harmful ingredients. » F*old, by all chemist* -and at 23 6d and 4s 6d p- *' " Little 'Jack Homer Moped in • a comer , ' • I And couldn't eat pudding or pie, j Till he heard from a toff ' .5 . About Sykes* Cura Cough, ;

And now he uhout's never say die.*