CHAPTER I—Continued.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12867, 27 May 1905, Page 6

CHAPTER I— Continued.

When Leila had given up her cloak and hat, Barlow uiniecl to her young mistress, who was reading some" letters which had arrived by the second post, and had been brought tip from the village. '•Sir Hubert came this afternoon, just after you'd irone, Miss Patsy. lie said most likely he would bo in this evening.'' Patricia just looked up for a moment, and her face brightened.

"Oh, that is good ; I want to see him," she said. Then, as Barlow turned and went up stairs, the girl slipped her hand through Leila's arm. "Now, then, let us have some tea," she said. But it appeared that Anna, the old cook, was baking, and could not allow them in the kitchen, so they went back to the cozy-look-ing room where the old squire had

loved to sit and smoke, and Patricia knelt on the hearth rug in front of the fire aud poured out

the tea. , She waited on Leila, drawing a stool forward so that the girl 1 ould rest her cup and plate, utterly unconscious that Leila languidly allowed herself to be served, and took all her cousin's attentions as her proper due. "1 have a letter from Lady Cros'land," Patricia said, brightly, after •a minute or two. "She asks me if ( I will take her for two or three days next week." j "Does she prefer to come here, instead of going to Heron Court?" asked Leila, opening her blue eyes with ama/ement. i "Strange to say, she does," Patricia answered as she ( >ippcd her tea and fed the dogs) with- little bits of cake. "Hubert's aunt is a character, you know, Leila. She always declares that she con never get a decent cup of tea at the Court, and that the rooms are too large for her. She we- reat, • great friend of- my father's," Patricia added, in the soft tone with

I which she always uttered the paternal name. "Ah, yes; we have • had some very happy times here 1 all together." Leila's brows contracted a little, s'Ui.i a flush came into her cheeks for an instant. : "Oh, well," she said, and her voice was a little sharp. "I suppose she won't find fault when you are mistress at Heron Court !" Patricia's cheeks borrowed a little more colour from the firei

"Oh, I don't know," she an.swerod, lightly ; "besides, that is a long war off."

"Why should it be a long way off ?" "

"Oh, because there is no need to be in a hurry! I am very happy as I am, and I want to finish all the tasks that my father left me.'' "You are a funny creature, Patricia," the cousin said, suddenly . "Sometimes I don't understand you a> little bit— l don't know what you really do care for." "I think 1 care for everything," Patricia answered, with her very pretty laugh. "Of course," she went on, more soberly, "I have had moments when I longed for a lot of things. There came to me at one time a great, great yearning to have known my mother. Whenever I saw another girl with her mother, I envied that girl. Oh, hcKv I envied her ! And it was so wicked of me, because my father was mother ami father, too. Then when he was taken — oh, Leila, that wa-- an awful time ! Sometimes I used to get up in the night and : come / down into this room and ! walk about like a mad creature, I ! wanted to have him back so badly. I I loved him so mudi ! And then there were times when I could not come into this room.. It was so [ awful to see that chair empty, to see his pipes put away, to know that I should never hear his dear, strong voiic again." There were tears in Patricia's rye«. She paused an instant ; then ■he went on, speaking very quiet!y : " "Well, I fought that down. I learned to think of him quietly, jind then— l had a little spell of loneliness, and then>— you came, and \ou have made everything so happy for me again, Leila. You seem to have given back all that I have lost." Leila Arimdalc rose in a hurried

"I wish you would not think such a lot about me, Patricia," ■die «aid. She moved, about reslk\sslv, and finally paused in. front of a shelf, on which some photo-j'-raphs were placed, ami she picked up one. It was the portrait ol a very crood-lookinrr- young 1 man, weariii"- a rough '-hooting suit ami carrying a gun under his arm. "You" should not want me so much," she said, "when you have Sir Hubert." But Patricia only laughed, and began to put the tea things together on the tray. She always spared the servants as nruch as she could. "Oh, Hubert and T understand one another," she said. "You see, I have known him ever . l iuce I roulcl remember. We have always been the best of friends. I am very fond of Hubert." She flushid and laughed half shyly as she said tiiisT "Somehow il never 1 seems necessary to me 1o pnl Ihis info word I.1 '. I know his fault 1 -. Innri I know lih good points; and

ihe is dear to me because my iuiher was ho fond oi him. Dear dad ! lie thought Lhe world ol Hubert." I Leila put down the photograph and tunica away restlessly. "But you are not a bit like an •-Ugaged couple," she said ; "you are never together. ■ You don't seem to mind a bit if Sir Hubert goes away shooting. 1 don't believe you know whether he goes or not."' "I am so sorry," said Patricia, lightly ; "but I am afraid it is all true. You sec, lam so busy always, and Hubert has really nothing to do but to amuse himself. Now, Leila, here are all the illustrated papers for the week ; just make yourself co'v in this chair, and get nice and warm. I must go out to the yard ; I want to see that little calf that was hurt yesterday." When she was alono and the door was shut, Leila Arundale continued to move restlessly about '.lie room. She bit her, lip every iow and then, and once she pressed her hands to her heart. Then .she went and stood in front of that shelf on which the portrait of Sir Hubert Dalborough was placed and,, suddenly putting, out her hanids, she took the picture and carried it to her lips. Twice she kissed ,it, in a passionate way, then she put it down as though it had stung her, for there was the sound of a footstep outside. When old Anne came in to carry away the tea things, Miss 1 Arundale' lay stretched languidly in the large armchair, , turning over the leaves of one of the illustrated papers. She looked half asleep.