His Heart's Queen.

Taranaki Herald, Volume L, Issue 12291, 25 June 1903, Page 6

His Heart's Queen.

. • ' • By Mrs SEORSIE SHELDON,

AjiMiqi 0? " Stella Rovsevelt," " Sittyt's Influence/" The Forsaken Bride," ' " Qaeen Bees," « Brownie's Triumph," "That Dcwdy," &c, &c.

CHAPTER XIII.

iTHH DAY SET FOR VIOLET'S \ MARRIAGE. Mrs Mencke privately informed I Lord Cameron that Violet had ' acknowledged the engagement, and would see "him again when i she was ' a little stronger. ( His lordship thanked her with aj \ beaming face, and tried to think j j that he was the happiest man on • | the continent, but there was, neverj theless, an aching void in his i heart that could not be fully satis1 lied with the result of his wooing. ! The morning following his b'etro- ; thai he sent Violet an exquisite j . bouquet' composed of blue and | white bell-flowers, cape jasmine, 1 I and box, which breathed to the ' young girl, who was versed in the • language of flowers, of gratitude, j constancy, and joymluess of heart. I 1 She turned white and faint again i at the sight of them and a broken- . j hearted sob. burst fram her lips. ! t "Did I promise? Did I prom-] ise ?" she moaned, "I do not re-, 1 member ; but if he says I did, it j ! must be so, for I know that' he is : '•too noble to deceive me. I wish I 1 I could die ! for it seems tfke racriilege to become Lord Cameron's : j wife when my heart is so filled jwith the image of another." I Mrs Mencke came in' and found her in tears, and was secretly vciy much annoyed, besides being a trifle conscience smitten over- the strategy which she had employed to bring about this longed-ior ' iraxriage. But she exerted, 'herself to, amuse her troublesome invalid, while she told herself that she should consider it a lucky day when she got her off her hands altogether. " t , ( 1 The second morning after matters hatl been thus settled, Vane Cameron was told that lie 'might pay his bethrothed another visit. j This sic was, of course, only too glad to do, and his face lighted with positive joy when, uppu-en-tering her presence, he .saw a cluster of bluebell flowers fastened upon her breast among the folds of her dainty white robe- de chambre. I He went forward and took both her hands in his, pressing 'his lips first on, one and then the other, in a chivalrous, reverent way thkt • touched Violet deeply, and smote her, too, with a sense of guilt and shame. :-_ j "God is good to me in granting Imy heart's desire, 11 he said, in: a low, earnest tone. "May his rich- [ cst blessings be yours in the future, my Violet." ' ; j The fair girl could not utter one '•'vordin reply. Her heart was beating so rapidly and heavily that for' a moment she thought she snupt 1 suffocate, while that mute cry again went up from its wounded ( depths : \ ■ ; "Oh ! Wallace, Wallace, did I pro Imise ?" - • Lord Cameron saw that, she wp. > deeply agitated, and, seating 'himI self beside her, he began to talk of j subjects to distract her mind from I herself and their new relations to f each other. I] He possessed great tact and^a I wonderful" fund of anecdote and incident, and before he left her pre1 sence he had actually made her laugh over a droll account of all experience of the previous day. jj After that he enticed her out for j' a drive about -the beautiful bay, and having once achieved this much it was comparatively easy to plan something, for her pleasure and amusement every day. ' While Violet was with him she co ,:ld not fail to feel the charm of his presence, and she Would, for the time, forget herself and her trouble; but the moment she was alone, the | old aversion to the, thought of be* coining his wife, together with all her love and grief for Wallace', ! would reyivc to make her wretch-, eel. i One day, as they were Hearing, their hotel after a longer drive than usual, and Violet had seemed,. \ to enjoy herseli more than she was j wont to do, Lord Cameron venturi ed to broach a subject that lay I rei";* uear his heart. I "Airs Mencke informs me ih%t '' she and her husband arb content-, plating a tour of the ' Alps this summer," he remarked, by way, of < introduction. Violet looked up surprised. She '. had not heard her sister say any-, thing about such a tour, and there ' was nothing that she dreaded so : much, in the present weakened state of her mind and body, as beMig taken about to various fashion-" i able resorts and obliged to meet gay pleasure-seekers. r " ] She sighed heavily, but made no' ; other reply to Lord Cameron '§ in-\ '. formation. "You feel that it would be rather ; lfard for you to make such a trip,* do you not ?" her companion in- ' quired, gently. Then without waiting- f of a reply, he went on : "How ] would you like, instead, to come 3 iwith me to the Isle ol Wight and ; spend a quiet restful summer, in-. ] terspersed, perhaps with a little, yachting now and then ?" > j A great shock went through "Vio- j let at this, as she realized that he j .wanted her to become his wife itu- j 'mediately and go homo with him. „ 1 I A blur came before her eyes, a ; t great lump seemed to rise in her j throat and. almost choke herl ■>• . j On, she thought, if she could only j ,flee away to her own room at c home in Cincinnati, and stay there i by herself, out of sight or sound of 1 everybody, vhat a relief it would * :bc 1 i

She shrank more and more from Belle and \yill and the idea of going about from place to place them ; still, a feeling of guilt and wrong oppressed her. every time 1 she thought of marrying this good, noble man, and giving*, only the . ' ashes of a dead love in return for [ the wealth of his affection for her. ' j Yet, of the two plans, the : going j to the Isle of Wight, to quiet -and 'rest, seemed the most attractive, while the yachting proposal/, was, very alluring, for Violet was intensely fond of the* sea. . Vane Cameron was conscious b'f'* the shock whic.li had so thrilled j her, but whether it had been c.aus!ed by pleasure or ■ repugnance he ! could not tell. He feared the latter Jfor his sweet bride-elect has, thus •far,, been .very unresponsive to his 'love and devotion. He sat regarding her very gravely and" somewhat sadly, while she . seemed to be considering Ins prdj position. ' , j His thought had been more for her health and comfort than „ his ) own desire or pleasure, but he would ;'not bias her' decision one way or ■the other. • Finally Violet lifted her eyes , to »his face, while a faint flush tinged her pale cheek. , r ',"1 will do whatever y^u likewhatever you think best," she said quickly.- , . . His heart leaped as he remarked the flush, but he returned, earnestly, tenderly : ' " ".Not what I woiild like, dear, but , what you w,6uld prefer. I would not force" you . a hair's breadth , against your, inclination, much as I long to have you go with me. Would you enjoy the, tour through the Alps with your sister ?" ; "No, no !" Violet cried, -in a, strained^ unnattir^J voice, as she" felt the, .net- of. circumstances closing hopelessly about her. uoh,u oh, I wish I could go home !" and yet where, on the face of the earth, had. she now a home ? " . . This wistful, almost despairing cry actually brought /tears to the. eyes of the strong man' at heir side, while his heart sank heavily within him, for surely there had been no thought •of him or of his great love in that homesick, wail. But bravely putting aside self, as he always did -where she was concerned, he gently returned,: - ' V'Yoii *shall go home if you wish I—you shall do anything you like, an^-j will not urge yqu to any step against which your Heart rebels ';> stillj .ii. you are willing to go with me, I will gladly, take you home, to America. Mr, and Mrs Menck'e, I know, 'have no thought of at present, as they have. told. me that they intend to travel, for the next year or two, anct hope to see the most of Europe during that time. It seemed to me that you were not strong enough, just now to begin such a careless round ol tiavel, and that is why I proposed, .the Isle "of Wight. Shall we go there to rest until you are a little yno-e.ro-biisf, and then, if you v,-is*h, we will return, to America i s> y How good — how kind f;e I And if he had^ only -Leon her brother, Viplet could have thrown herself upon his breast, and Avupt cut her gratitude foi* and appreciation, of his though tfulness. . * But to „ speak the worls that would settle her ' destiny ior life — to tell him that she would become his wife immediately— rhow. could she? - '.. " ,'. -Still she knew it. must.; be one thing or the other — either a hurry and rush over Europe with uncongenial companions, > or* a- going away to some peaceful; retreat as. the Countess of Sutherland^ At last, with a mighty eflort to control the nervous trembling that seized her, but with a sense of despair in her ihea'rt, she - -murmured ', in a scarcely audible voice : "I will go to the Isle of Wight." ' Vane Cameron" made no reply to this, though his heart gave a great leap of gladness. Hp simply laid one hand gently and tenderly upon hers for. a moment*/ then touching up his horse, drove rapidly up the avenue leading to the hotel, 1 where upon the wide ,piazza, they saw Mr and Mrs Mencke seated among the other guests of the house., /'May I tell your sister, that you have decided against the tour through the Alps ?" Vane whispered, as ke lifted Violet's > light form from the carriage. ,?, . "Yes," she assented,, and then fled to her own room, where she' sank nearly, iainting upon her She! felt that, she was irrevocably bound, now ; that she .had given her unqualified consent to become Lord Gameron's wife. She toould sooli be a. countess and dcciipy, a position which half the women in Europe would envy, and yet she was utterly wretched", ' ' " A, little, ■later her sister came, to her, and in all her life Violet could not remember that - . she had ever manifested so much affectfion* for her. , * -. "Vane has told me, V she said, in an exultant tone, "as she b,ent do\yn and softly kissed Violet's burning forehead* "I am very glad, I fully agrer with him that, i,t will be better for you to go; quietly to the Isle of Wight until your health is fully established, lie says he has a yach£ there al^o, and intends to give you an , occasional, taste ofthe ocean which you love so much. It will be delightful;;, And now. we must begin to think . of the ' necessary preparations, for Vane says, if you are Asrreeabie. he would like

,the marriage to take place just a month, from to-day, when* you will start inimediately for England.^ For the life of her V^let cbi>ld not prevent the shiver which shook her from head, to foot at this announcement, and a wild desire for ;death and oblivion shot through her heart. . • "Well, dear, what shall I tell him ?" Belle askefl, Rafter . waitingsome time for a response'?jand,:receiving none. ' i"Suit yourselves — it makes no difference to me," Violet saio, wearily, .- and' though it Vassal rather doubtful and- unsatisfactory "concession, Mrs .Mencke, made the^ most of it ; and, feeliiig> perfectly 1 jubilant over this happy termination to all, her ambitious plotting .scheming, she ( stole away to impart the gratifying information. ,to her husband, who, of late, had seemed to be very impatient of the ■delay to /bring matter^ ito a criisis. ; - , . (To be continued.),.

Come to look at ifc any -way you. like the. Melbourne Glcyfching Company is a t^ememdous . beaiefactor to -tha iaju ; blic of .<■ Tarauaki. It is a benefit to thevoustpmer to be able to buy' goods cheaper than, -has .hitherto been- the J't is, a benefit to the custpmer to be saved -froni ' the .temptation of ' l-unriing clbihing bills- Tliink over these points the next- time you- want a suit or" a pair of boots.* - .. Little Jack Homer , . t _ Moped in a corner ■'* ; And couldn't eat pudding- or pie, .Till he heard from a. toff • > ' "r About, Sykes' Cura Cough, [ . '-■ ' y - And now he shouts never say die.* '* WHEN "RHEDMO" GOES 'IN ' L • RHEUMATICS GO OUT I JTIAT tells the story of -'Rheumo." 'it is a solvent of uric aqid, ,, and Nature V mode of solution. It is the excess uric acid- in * the system that causes #heumatism, Sciatica, Gout, sGravel, and . kindred complaints, , and 'Rheumo "is the medicine .that cures. In* diseases dependent upon a uric > acid diathesis, it is a remedy of extraordinary potency. _Rheumo is. a- medicine -rfipt aJlinimcnt, Rheumo/is a liquid— Tnot a pill. Rheumo * acts promptly and -effectively. "Rheumo Conquers Rheumatism.? SoJcl i»y all chemißts and stores at .2s (>d and 4 s Gd \pej^ bottled : -- . , ... ~ Spectacles to suit all sights in steel, niekle, polled gold, . or, solid- gold iranies from 2/G per. pair,,, and. ocu'lisf'S prescriptions made up at 'reason* able prices at J. H. ParkerV Optician, next Railway Grossing, Devon-street, New.Plymouth.* ' , ..-'•>"'

£200,000^ EASTOMAOH - 1 ! ■ ATLANTU.C CITY ' (if. J.)/ .U.S.A., -Jau^ittry -19. — J.ohn D. Eockeleller- ihe Standard Oil multi-millionaire, pfferacl 'Dr Philip Marvel, a • local' physician ; ,tw,o huiidred 'th.ousan.cl- pounds " if /-he' .would provide .him with. a li'efQtilijr 'Stpjoiacih. " Mr',Rocltefeller rehiav'ked'to that if the 'doctor coiild put ' his ■'diaftisticve apparatus in goocl Working coiwlition. .it would be worth this iampunt 'to him. . . •. I, "£200,000 -KOB A HEALTHY STO- '.' IHA.CH." And a physician, a man thorouorWy ■yersed^in the science pi- modicine^,pps r gessed of all iho arts of drugefom of an a,ccurate knowledge of anatqmy, 'cartnot find a remedy which ■ wilL ..re-*, 'I store the powder, pi Uig-es'tipo. „' ,-" THE PRIZE TWO HUNDRED" THOti- . ; , SAND POUNDS.; / * i INDIGESTION. ; ,^ ,' .of health, the, bane of ex- - sapper of vitality, the I io\n\iaH6n .of tiie ills that flesh is heic to". '.'"-, . PJ3AKSON ;S PEPTOiCFLOR Has relieved thou^Sbds 1 of sufferers. Why not you'?' Pepto-GKlbr u'c'ts at cnce on the digrestive organs,- and resliesves indig<isiion in three days. To I ensure safety against a|ubstitufes-- < or [imitations, Orlarado Pearsou's sigoaaitlire appears on tHe • seal of every • bottle- ,V" ' - ." * ' ■'/ .Healthy, digestion- clepenjcig upon the I flow of "these _ secretions in the sto.mach. By an abundance of "'solxl living-" the' secretive gJands are o\*er1 taxed, become slugffish, dorman^VanH r imally stop the supply "of seeret-iofis. . j Then" the food, instead of taking ;tne court-e. intended by Nature r , rots in the stomach. generates- a gas anrl pro'cluces all the .' horirots of inUi'gestipn; j PEARSON'S PfiPTO^CHLOR will absolutely aure you. ','•-'- - ' We warit to a,ive proof of this claim. We can gi-»-e the names^ancl ackiresses of Kunch 4^ df' prominent irien~ And women cm-ejii'V PEARSON'S PEFTOCHLOR.,, T ?'■_-'> --'/.'CHEMISTS 4s' STORES , Wholesale Agents: SHARt,AND AND CO.. LD. Head Office fpr N.Z.: 34a, York Chambers, •> ; , Manners Street, ,WelUngt6n. .