CHAPTER XXVII.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12757, 10 January 1905, Page 6

CHAPTER XXVII.

HER HEART WAS BURIED WiITH FADED FI,O\Y<ERS. "Yolu arc Gordon Cartasrct's ria}ugjh,ter ? Can you deny it ?" cried Enid, in a low, passionate •vojee. Riu-stfiimoxe and Garfield were looking , on, tui,ntterably ■ startled. "Can you deny it ?" "I am Gordon Cartaret's daughter !" answered the girl, meeting Enid's eyes steadily. "I do not deny it." . Enid did not answer. What moire was there to be said now ? She looked down at the face of the un,cons(ciaus man, white and drawn with pain. What a fool's • paradise she had lived in ! What further proof was waatting ? Her mother's companion was : the 'Madge Cartaret whom Bob i had told her he had lost sight ol ■ for ten years. All the time she : was living under the same rooli — . under an assumed name, under . false pi-etences. What wonkier, she I was thinking bitterly, that Bob cq'uM not give the explanation she - demanded ? j iWUien the fact of their previojus I acquaintance came to her ears, . they had pretended that it dated - from a chance meeting in New i York a few months ago. Lies<— L all lies ! He had Mod to' her t th'rduigihout. They were on terms . *o intimate that: when alone together, this woman called him b> r his Christian name. She coiukl novor ten st him again. ) Annesleigh moaned and tossed 3 restlessly on the Condi. It was as s though he missed the cool touch $ of her hands on his brow. Eut j Enid made no movement toward him. Mrs Deane waited for a mo- [ ment, loolking at Enid inqtuiringly. I Then cjuiqkly she crossed over to , Bob's side and renewed the Cool banjd'age. There was a sense almost as of !• something tragic iti the air,, and [|it was a relief to all when the vill jlage doctor, who had brought Bob L j tlrriQiigh measles and various in- . Ifaintile complaints, bustled in,. [J "This is a bad business, eh? — a [.very bad biu'siness !" he said to 1 1 those 'present generally, with a [ sort of aggressive cheerfulness. j As he walked across to the pat- : ient, Enid quietly left the room. : She felt that she must be alone L with her thoughts. ; ! 'Why had Bob done this thing ? Why had he pretended to care- for ; her, and asked her to be his wife, when all the time he was deceiving her ? He cotiM not love her. That he had so deceived her seemed proof enough to Enid of thatBut why had he pretended to care for her ? As Enid walked through the wide hall to the garden her eves fell on a jar of roses, while her lips trembled, and she tried to keep badk the tears. At her toaich of some of the petals fell. The roses were withered and falling. They had nearly lived their short life. And tho happiness that yesterday afternoon it had seemed as though nothing could alter had lived its short life, too ! He did not love her ; he had lied to her all through ; this was the end of everything ! The ro,ses were dying. To-morrow Mrs Deane wojnld tlixow the dead flowers on the fire. It seemed a fitting cud to her love story. No ; they shiould bo spared that fatq — her last gift to him. On an imjp.ulse, .scarcely scelciug to nnialy«e the feeling that prompted it., Enid took the roses and walked slowly to the open door. i Anfcl in the garden she djug a tiny, shallow grave, and p,ut the forlorn, faded flowers in it, aud CHwered them with the "brown earth. Enid felt as though «he had left her dreams in that little grave, too. '. She had not been in the gard«n loaig befotre the littlo doctor came bustling oitit in search of her. lie had as.shimed that she left the room, dreading to hear his verdict. He stood on the threshold of the door, talking. | "Wiell, Miss Cartatet, I have . come to .semi yonir spirits up !" lie cried cheerfully. "It was a ; .severe blow ; however, Dr. Garfield and myself halve decided that , there's no fracture. II only wants . time ; and we shall have him . abo;ut again, not much the worse, . I promise voti. I can mend that broken head of his. With Mrs - Deane to look after him, he'll be in lihe best of hands ; and I think jl shouldn't bo far wrong in sayiiu; .'U>al a tviUiiii you'ug lady will be . ghvl to assist her in her task '.sonic til ncs:~esh ?" added the doctor, with a knowing- twinkle. } "I am glad' you can such fyvVn'aWlM'iiews of "Mr i\nnesk'ii;li's , caL.c, Dr. Rob'biuy," Enid tuiid, in a

juict, midern'onstr-ative m'aaincr that rather pli^led the doctor. Her eyes bent on the ground as >he vSpoie, looking at tlie little Lra,ck of brown earth that marked Ihe grave of rose petals. She was glafcV-ttiore th'ali glad, dI course. — that in his own words he could "mend" liis patient. But tier faith in the man to wJiom she lui'd given all her heart • — wJiat jotilcl mcirtl that ? The doctor hurried off to his surgery to make up a liniment for his patient. 'Madge Cartaret came slowly tlwough tlic hall to where Enid stoofl luul'-r tlic verandah. lias Enid loolced closely, she might halve seen tihat the other's expression haid strangely qiianged. The girl wh,o had admitted, with a note as of defiance in her voice, that she lia*l come to Kdgemere Towers under a false name, ha r d been fighting a battle within herself, and all that was best, all that was most womanly in (Maidgc Cartaret's wayward, wilflul nature had conquered. She loved Boh Annesleigh, and for a little time she had 'dallied with the temptation to let the rift of mutual pique widen. If their engagement were brolken off, Bob might turn to her. The thought had tempted her. (To be continued.)