CHAPTER X.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12924, 1 August 1905, Page 6

CHAPTER X.

"I HAVE YOUR SECRET NOW,

AQSTO I SHALL MAKH USE OF IT."

It was past one o'clock when F/sric Stewart entered Lady ' Allister's crowded saltffr, and was received with effusive delight by the hostess, and by all, and they were many who knew him, as he] made his -waJy through" the rooms. It was . not difficult to find his wife ; she was always a centre of attraction, and he soon discovered her, seated on a couch,, surrounded by a group of men"; she looking radiant in satin and diamonds galore. , , "Ah, there* is niy husband !" she said.' "I am not going home yet, lEsric."

"I will look you! up again presently," Stewart said, and was itirning away, when •• the loud, hearty voice that had greeted him

"Capt. Stewart— by all that's li.cky ! Well met again !{ So you've • turned .up witihout* .a, • s ratch, eh ? What in; the world made you go out to such a place?" And Stewart had to resign his hand to the ample grasp of Chris Davenant, while his heart stood still with the mingled) dread} and hope of meeting 'Claude face to face. Yet he said, smiling : "I heard to-day that you were in town. Are your wife and ward av ith you to-night ?" "My wife, not Claude. She'll be pleased to know I've met you. You must come and see us. There's I J ulia, yonder ; come and ) talk to her, , will you? and you will l run down to us ?" added Davenant, as vStewart turned away with him toward where Mrs ; Davenant sat. f 'The Ferns; Cranmore Roaft, South, Kensington. We shall expect you .soon." ' Thanks ; I will certainly give myself the pleasure," Stewart'' answered, as he might have. accepted ein invitation to which the conventional form of the answer wo^.ild ,i.pply ; and every nerve of his^fee'ng was quivering with the thought Tall that answer held for him. t Julia Davenant, who looked very! handsome !in red satin, shook! J hands warmly with Stewart. "Such a treat to see you !" she vaid. "I am so sorry Claude] is not with us this evening ; but, of course, 3'ou will come over and see ns. We are always at( home on Suaiday and Wednesday • evenings,, and generally, at * present, in the afternoons. Yfcur wife has been pointed out to me. 'How lovely she is !" He bowed, i ', The truth was too obvious to be treated as a mere compliment. "She is surrounded by admirers," !;e said, laughing ; "I have hardly spoken to her." "The penalty of having a beautihil wife." said ' Mrs! Davenant. 11 How odd that 'we never « met! abroad ! Were you in Vienna, afL er your marriage ?" ' _ "For a little while ; before you went." "You heard of us there, then?' Claude made an immense sensation. She had' splendid offers, but she is romanticj and refused .them all. The world doesn't seem /to have hanged her intrinsically one bit."

"Thank Heaven for that ! my PUireJheajTted darling, l "- saild Stewart, inwafdly. { 'Aloud : "I 1 suppose by 'romantic, 1 you mean she thinks love an important factor in marriage ?" "Well, yes ; I'm afraid very worldly, Capt. Stewart ; besides, I think a girl will learn to love any man who is kind to her. You look quizzical ! You Sctochmen are very romantiCj I fear ; at any j ■ate, you are. But where's the dificulty of loving a man like Count I a brave, goo'd-lookingi i fallow, and desperately in earnest." * Stewart shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows ?" he said. "Who „nows a woman's heart ? She .loesn't always know it herself. I'ray remember me to Miss Ver-i aer." - . ! He bowed and moved away, to talk to some one else. His own leart was madly questioning:— dallying with the hope that was so 'blinding sweet," yet which,- after all, was selfish. DM Claude retain ome memory of him, which, all mknown to herself, maybe, made; ier indifferent to other men's love? What her husband said to Chris )avenant, Pauline, could not) hear cross the buzz of talk around her; ;ut the 1 loud tones of Davenant cached her ear distinctly, and into her blue eyes, at his last words, mped suddenly a .flash of evil ight, as instantly veiled under the ! rooping: lashes. ; When 'the two, Tien turned away, ; she said, with angtiid curiosity to a man next 'ier — Sir James Feltiham : "Who is that who was talking to uy husband?" "That's Chris Davenant," he •aid : "talks for the whole room to hear him — doesn't he ?" "I don't know thej name," said 'auline ; "and Claude— he spota as f Claude were a woman "' "Yes, - she's 1 ' his ward ; hall French, ". I believe, and— well,; Mrs Stewart," bowing, "I may say it to you safely — a lovely girl ; -preti/ F isn't - the word ; she's, a blue rose!" "You are enthusiastic," 1 . said 1 ?auline, smiling, serenely. "Are you smitten?" "Oh ! I have never i spoken td her ; but I saw her- in Paris cmte, at a concert." "They come from Paris, thfen ?'' ."I don't know ; they were living in Paris at that time— about two ve&rs ago." "What is your paragon s name/" Sc-iid Pauline", still with that smile * < n her rosy lips. <4Verner." ' "An Irish name. I suppose there's not much money, and this Davetiant wants to marry his- ward o a rich man." "No doubt. She'll be extremely Popular this season, Mrs Stewart —after you." "But I am out of the marriage market," said J Pauline, purposely 'tiisunderstandinig him. "I meant in beauty," said he, valiantly. "Don't talk nowsense ! T am ■mte anxious | to see — my rival," with a roguish, -up ward glance.

"You're sure to, meet her, if you don't call. ' There's a Mrs 1 l>.v^:nant, you know." "Oh, indeed ! Is she here ? Point her out to me."

Sir James . looked about, ard presently said : "She is, ' close to the window yonder, in; red satinj talking to Squire Tollemache." Pauline gazed' steadily, then said :

r 'Do you call him 'Squire' 3o3lemacliej because he is s«iuat-i5-!»\iilt and broal» shouldered ?" "No ; he is Squire ToilemaKhe, of Bast Danford, in , Noi-thampton-shire—cuts it as a town man new. but doesn't look the part, dois he ? He's very rich, though." "They want him for Claude, perhaps ?'' "Very likely." Pauline had heard enough for the cresen-t, so she dismissed her cavalier for an ice, and Avas, for a few moments, actually alone. She did not mmd' it, just now ; she was chewing the cud of reflection at once bitter and triumphant.

(To be cototimied).