FOR HIS DEAR SAKE

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 145997, 1 December 1917, Page 8

FOR HIS DEAR SAKE

ATTRACTIVE STORY OF STRONG DOMESTIC INTEREST.

By RUTH TEMPLETON, Author or “The Price of Her Silence,” "The Tie Thai Timas,” “Love Jforbidden," etc., etc.

CHAPTER XVII. Lynette sat in the dusk of early twiliguc, in the Hedderwicks’ beautilul drawing-room, her cum propped in tier slender, wuite hands, her lovely chestnut hah- ruddy in Uie glow ol the liames Imm the hiiglitly burning log lire. She was alone —alone wild her sad thoughts, which, in spite ol ail her endeavours, refused to ho banished. At the twilight hour, a hundred memories ot the man she loved rose betore her, and in the crimson glow of the flames, she seemed to see ins strong. Handsome face smiling into hers, until the fancied .vision was almost more than sno could bear. c)he rose at last and went to the window. It was almost dark outside, but soon the moon would come up behind the tiocs, and cast their long shadows^ over tlie smoothly-cut lawns. The glories of her beautilul surroundings appealed strongly to Lynette, making up, as notning else could have done just then, for tne loss of her old home. How happy she might have been if it were Owen Travers and not Max Beaton waiting to claim her as his bride!

A little fluttering -sigh escaped her lips just as the door gently opened, and Mary, neat and trim, came into the room. “Miss Lynette,” she called softly, then seeing the motionless figure by the window, she tip-toed to Lynotte’s side. “Jopson, from the Grange, has just brought this.” Lynette’s heart gave a quick leap as her hand closed over the note Mary held out. Of coarse, it must be from Owen! She asked Mary to light the lamps and draw the blinds, and the moment she was alone again, tore open the stout envelope. . The sheet of folded notepaper contained but two brief lines, m Owen’s strong “I want to see you particularly. Can you be by the old arbour after dinner to-night?” There was no signature, but Lynette knew that the request was Owen’s, and folding the paper closely, tucked it into tho front of her blouse. Brief though it was, yet it remained dear and precious in her eyes. She wondered what could have happened for him to make a deliberate request to see her, m spite of tho fact that there was a tacit understanding between them to the effect that, so far as it was possible they would each avoid the other. She did not oven'dimly guess the real reason of his anxiety to see her —that he could no longer boar the torture of suspense 1 nuL ine”Silver’s words had occasioned him, with the result that he had determined to get the truth from Lynctte’s own soon as dinner was over, Lynette slipped up to her room and wrapped a long grey cloak round her lightly-clad form. Her head was bare, and the soft breeze gently lifted her rippling she sped to the rendezvous Owen had appointed, her heart beating .swiftly, her little hands trembling at thought of meeting with tho man she loved once more. . Long before she reached him she saw his tall figure pacing restlessly up and down before the old arbour, the dejection in his movements cutting her to the heart. What a load of sorrow he had to bear! How terrible must be the oppression weighing him down, under tlio burden of the awful secret he must keep locked in his breast for ever! Softly, verv softly, Lynette approached, hut ho heard her, and turned suddenly, the light from the newly risen moon falling full on bis white, set face. One look convinced Lynette that there was something unusually -wrong, and foi the life of her she could find no words to greet him. He stood looking down at her. an indescribable sadness in his steady grey

eyes and that curious silence, which means so much more than spoken word, seemed to hold them, to envelop them, transporting them to another world. Then Owen’s voice, low and vibrant, broke the spell. “You thought me a coward, Lynette, to send for you like this after—what has happened between us?” She shook her head. “I knew there must be some good reason." “There is, there is. I wanted the truth from your own lips,” he was speaking quickly now. “To know whether Pauline Silver lied when she told me today that you were Max Seaton’s promised wife?” A great shuddering sigh passed through the listening girl. So, after all, Owen Travers knew. “Is it, Lynette?” He was barely a foot away now. “You must tell me. So much depends upon it. Unless you have changed towards me. and have promised of your own free will, I cannot sec you this maxi’s wife.” He spoke tensely, passionately, and a light of understanding broke in upon Lynette. Owen would rather suffer anything, exposure, ruin, death even, than let her sacrifice herself to Max Seaton! His words, his expression, his manner, and the look in his agonised eyes all revealed this. Pauline Silver told you—this? she asked incredulously. Ho inclined his head. “She said she had it from Max Seaton himself, Lynette. But it is not true?” He caught her almost roughly by the shoulders, so that she could not avoid the questioning gaze of his troubled eyes. “Lynette, tell mo it isn’t true?” . She could not lie to him. Sooner oi later he must know, and because of the great love she bore him, he must not be allowed to com© between her and tue great sacrifice she was resolved to make. “It is—quite true,” she said at last, her breath coming and going in quick, uneven gasps. “1 have given Dr. boaton my promise to marry him.’ “Lvnette!” Travors’ hands dropped heavily from her shoulders, and his voice was full of pained reproach. She looked up afc him bravely, the light of a groat resolve in her eyes. Now, at this very hour, the greatest sacrifice was about to be demanded ql her, for, if Owen was to be saved, it behoved her to appear to turn traitor to her iove. . Her cloak had fallen a little back from her shoulders, repealing the white purity of her slender throat, the swift risijr' and falling of her heaving breast. “I know that when you heard of it, you must feel disappointed in me.” She scarcely recognised her own voice as she spoke, but its dead calmness did not deceive Owen. I “Lynette, this is no time for anything' but the truth to pass between us,” the stern note in his voice was new to Lynette. “If, as you say, you have agreed to marry Max Seaton, it must be because he has brought some pressure to boar upon you. I will not believe that in so short a time you could forcet the love that existed between us.” “A love that you yourself bade mo forget,” the girl broke in, nerving herself for the part she had to play. i (Continued daily.) !