"A PERILOUS GAME."

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13357, 22 December 1906, Page 6

"A PERILOUS GAME."

Author of

"THKOWX ON THE WOULD,'' "A BITTER ATONEMENT," "BEYOSD PARDON," "ON HER NVEDbrNG MOKNV "THE LOS'x LADY OF J4 ADDON," etc.

CHAFTEII YCl.— Continued.

"I'm afraid you don't quite understand the species' . to which this wojman bclciags," he said. ''She will .have a hundred specious falsehoods ! ready t6 i her tongue if it suits her jto cultivate us. Hush !" seeing by her startled "expression that an idea of his- meaning ' Hashed across her,i "not a 'Word more now, Freda—anoth«r ( time. Savile is in need of a rescue.* "Xhv petals - are quite differently 'formed, "* the- duke's voice was hertheard saying ; ''anrl even the older botanists Were perfectly familiar— J — " "I "don't tJiink 31r yavile is, Edendale." here interposed Freda, good naturedly. "H's face is really a' for "a puzzle ! I'm afraid you U.ok for granted too much,' preliminary knowledge on his part." /nVkoreas// nddod Eauest, in his graven -c/uijizical manner, "he knows iil.iront ,as / -'much as I dct— and iliat doewi't amount to a great deal-" "Ah," > well'!"' said the duke, smiling, aad with a" courteous inclination toward Savil«> ; "Jhope 1 haA""en"t bored you terribly.'' 1 /"No;> -in'dedc?!'' returned' the young man ; a -but J f<»ar. on my si'Jo, th a t 1 wa« vty^- stupid, -and 1- own. to being frighthtHy . ignoduit aiboutt those things. I .- ,

"You Izefp Ernest company/ sai"d the;' uisbv . Jaiig-liing 1 . "He'll go into hffjHiirfes ,aycr a new ""'pyniinhdny, '.bwt i. n>M\ v ftnv;«r"> -ih'terefet^y h^bx not at vi •'. : ; • ■'.' • ■ " ! "Kxcu«e me. Pd«i<]ahs" said Emwjt,. **'b\it if. doe's— i* it is 'beautiful, and g*ood for> a buttonhole or a oouquet." , ' "Ah ! there it i? again/ returned tfderida'le. "You the artist, and 1 the iOcntist." "Precl-si'lyi, so' 1 am goin_r to c:\itv .''Veda, off. to the Lyceum , to-night-■^he iiasn't seen the new picc-o ;' and you are going to take the chair a+ t\ n*eel ing about the origin of somoUiing oi" ofh©!*."- ' " • ' "Yoo irreverent ' scamp !" said Freda : .'.'but thia: is- tlie lirst .'I hear about the Lyceum I", : you'll' come ?.'"'. ; ■"ifonsense !- Take some-*; f'ax-tty ,:•...'../ . ■ .' "And h,avc her 'mamma .or her aunt thrown in far propriety !. Besides, yoij Know J don')- ■ • carp for' ''pretty >"irls/ 1- \viint tin intelligent companion at a play, or a concert, not :ome one, who ' expwfs you to flirt ill -the time, and mixes, up the hero with ' the" Coihic man, or yawns through Beethoven's symphonies." •'Well. of .couvHe, J- shall like log*? mtuenst-ly." said I£reda. ' But sup;os« T had had an engagement 1" "V knew you hadn't. ' Saviile, you\'p iot b dinner, party on ; but if you vre off in <ini^,' and can drop in, j oj: •nay- Ask fov No. o.' } > "Tliank'e^ T sb"k!'l wrtamly try to

•scape." • '' j • ,8d .lynitost' Beaiidesert carried it iv fashion wi-th his sister ;n iayv .she. liked it ;- x she loved lim dcarfj-.'-anu was always happy ji his*, society. •'I'll, civile back to ciiuaer," Beau:le§eVt- sMtf,' as he and 'Savile were :.n.kihir 'leaver-he ,hatl hts chambers in P'iccayilly, but also', of course, the feedon? o? F'dp-ndale House. 'As t'he-t'wo 'j'ouug J'Aeit crossed this h-i.U, there w^s a child's joyous cry .Voxn . above,- and li;n<-st turned 'to 'c« a " lo,veJ,y. boy of" five ox six, "in.a ctainty plush suit, hurry'ng down iibo broad stairs. "Jump !'* "said he, bounding up a ;ouple of" ' «<»wi*k, an<l the child <\yrailg into • the opeoi arms. "You •;ruaiiV/ N saiß'. Be»ude.sei-t. kissing the <\veet. little fac^>,"N"6w a kiss for ur SaviJle— -you know hin>, don't v'o'jj ?". - ■' ".•Yes/', .said , "little Lord Langton. and put hip his rosy mouth for Sa-.-71r"s Was ; and just tlion a nursemaid put in an appearance. "I've- got' your prisoner, • nurse." .said Ernest. laughing. "Has -he oroken bounds V "He always wiJl run after you, my 'ord, if hefenoW9 you're in the house/ ' csakJ the girl, 1 . . "You mean ;i.o say I spoil him."' c said ETnesti '']t loots like it." observed Savile. as the boy nestled to his kinsman's* breast, and looked saucily at his x nurse. ■ " « "A libBl," said J3ea^>desert . /Couie, Bprt'ie. there's your • nurse waiting for you."

"Carry .me up," "responded Bortie, in a manner that plainly showed he was In" the habit of making s-uoh denioixds-, jn cl bei ng- obeyed . > "Autocratic !'•' said Ernest, la\}giiiag'. "You don't miml waiting a Miinute, do you. Savile ?" "N o t a l>it, ;old mtvn." .So ' 'lieaucie=;ert rnounkd his tiny aephwv oh liis' shoulder and carried hj'tu. up to "the nursery. Savije shool< !W head, when his friend came dowo a{j;ani. . • I . "Tuau- reversp the -order of things. jße'au." said he. "You ought to play Richard 111. to that boy, and in- 1 xt^ad k yo« naake an ajv?fu|l pet of Hrh !'\ l , ! "Smo^hec hi'm N fpr keeping me out of a dukedom ! de a r} fellow," Ernest,'. "I • & in infinitely grateful to thai* 'serai? of humanity that he stands between na'e and such a fate." They, w$V9 in Park Lane now, " ; -: "' ' i

\VAlKing toward Piccadilly. "I ma} st-mewlmt paraphrase the sayiug of Uharle." iI. and assure you that J would ne*v*-r destroy Ber-tie tp make myself a duke." '

'_, "You're \an odd fellow. Beau." limes t only «brugge\i his &h;juider? ; lout, it cros.-je.i'.him- that Freda yvould say something more thaii thiy when t>iie heard of tills .going tp • the houso of Madame de.St. L-ys- ■ WelJ ' iie ■might, have, to .-.tell her th« truth; he c'auld. no I allow t'roda to 'be estrang-c-J. . an-d nothing she ( could pktid ] would alter' hw'reso'jye. Ernest Be>an-.d-esert Wi\s wt themau to be } turnBd'froin afay purpose on- wliichhe hadj once set his will, t „ , (.To L«j uontuiuod.J