THE LADY OF THE MINIATURE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16311, 11 December 1918, Page 8

THE LADY OF THE MINIATURE.

POWERFUL STORY-OF MYSTERY AND LOVE.

. By BEN BOLT,

Auihor of “The Lifting of the Shadow,” “Lovo Finds the Clue,” etc., etc.

CHAPTER VIII. Lady Nancarrow, the wife of Sir James Nancarrow, was one of-the most popular hostesses m London. Her Imsnand was a Cornish baronet, wiio on leaving Oxford, had gone into the City with the intention of restoring the | family fortune, and being a man of resource and character-had succeeded beyond all his anticipations. In addition to his great place in the financial .world he had a seat in the House of Commons, and his wife often entertained for, the party to which ho was attached ; and as she was always on the watch for the latest lion, her parties were at least interesting. : Just now she was calling on Mrs. Selby and her daughter Janet, who having recovered from the shock of the fire, bad established themselves in a flat, borrowed from a friend. “I did not know you were in London,” she explained, “until Jimmy met Mr..-Selby this morning. You seem to have had some exciting moments at the burning of the Murlaud Hotel. Janet, I hear, had quite a narrow escape. Who was the hero who. saved her so gallantly?” “Wo do not know.” explained Mrs. Selby. “We lost sight of him when we were whirled off to the TTartington, and howas a complete stranger to us.” “How romantic!” laughed Lady Nancarrow. “Was lie young?”

“1 never noticed,” answered Mrs. Selby. “I was too alarmed and upset." Lady Nancarrow looked at Janet smilingly. “Was he, Janet? You ought to know.”

Janet smiled back. “Yes, ho Was ! And handsome too !”

“I thought you would know,” laughed tho baronet’s wife. “You can always trust a girl to notice those tilings.” Then she shook her head playfully. “If it were not for Vernon Shapland and the ttoirsscan that yon are buying, I should say that there was a distinct danger of tho adventure ■developing on the lines of n circulating library novel. But things being as they are that painful contingency is ruled out.”

She laughed once more, and then explained. “I rame along this morning, because I am giving a dance tomoirow night, and 1 want you both to come. You must not say no, Vernon has already promised, and. besides, I have secured tho very latest thing in millionaires—a protege of Sir James’ from New Guinea, young, handsome, and delightfully unconventional. Ho dined’with us last night, and to hear him talk of New Guinea was like reading a Rider Haggard novel. He seems to havo been on quite friendly terms with cannibals, head-hunters, snakes, and alligators, and everything else that isn’t civilised, and besides he’s discovered a gold-bearing reef like nothing that has hitherto been found in New Guinea, where the gold is largely alluvial. as Jihimy calls it, though what on earth that means I don’t know. Oh 1 and there’s another thing 1 I had almost forgotten it! Ho was as the Mtirland when it was burned out, and curiously enough he carries a miniature of a girl who is so like you, Janet, that my husband swears that it is you, though of course that is absurd." Janet laughed. “Of course, Lady Nancarrow.”

“The odd thing is that he himself doesn’t seem to know the girl- whose likeness ho - carries—in a gold lockot, Jimmy says. Ho showed it to my husband and asked him if he know who tho girl was?” “AVhnt did Sir James sny?” asked Janet quickly. Her curiosity was only natural, hut Lady Nancarrow, glancing at her, had a sudden impression that there was something more than curiosity; behind the question. She made no reference to this, however, but laughed easily.

“Oil, you know tut husband. Ho never wraps anything up, and when Rowley—that’s the young man’s name —-showed him the likeness over the wino, he cried bluntly. ‘Why, that's Janet Sol by! Where the dickens did you pick up that, if you don’t know her?” Mr, Rowley didn’t tell him that. Ho simply said he had found the locket when and where ho did not explain; but he betrayed a very considerable curiosity about you, and when Jimmy said that he was bound to meet you if he did the society treadmill to which we were introducing him, he seemed quite pleased. My husband-did not tell him' about Vernon, so if he’s in love with ”

Lady Nancarrow broke off, and laughed merrily, then clinched her remarks. “So you see, my dear Janet, you simply must come. I can’t have a New Guinea millionaire going about with a face as savage as one of the cannibals among whom he lived on friendly terms. Heaven knows, ho may have (contracted their nasty habits, and want to eat mo if he doesn't meet you.” “Is he expecting to meet me?” asked Janet with a quick smile. Lady Nancarrow laughed as she made the admission. “You were the bait 1 held out to him in order to secure his presence. And believe me if you ecu get him to talk about alligators ?nd cannibals you’ll be amply rewarded for coming. And of course, as I said, Vernon will he there. I telephoned to him before I came along here; so that you will have ample protection from my wiki man of the woods, if it’s needed.” Janet laughed, and looked at her mother. Mrs. Selby was smiling. Lady Nancarrow nodded, and without waiting for either of them to speak, took their consent for granted. “Then it is settled. I shall, expect you, and if you can drag Mr. Selhy along with von so much the better.” She rose, and after a word or two of trivial gossip, took her departure, and when she had gone Airs. Selby looked at her daughter. .

“It is really very curious about that locket and miniature, I wonder where this young, man found it,-or to whom it belonged?” ,“I wonder,” said Janet. “Of course, it must be the iv-V.-’-e of someone bearing a verr.remarkable resemblance to yon, .Tarmt ”

“That. is very prohaMo.'’ answered flip girl, with a lan-v “They say flint everybody, has a double somewhere in flip ■n-p'iV’. r»--i '■ the matter ira? thus an flip night followa?, ‘he followed her mother up the ' ■'n'i of tlm N’nn'’arv ow r mansion - in Park Lane, Janet Reihv was in a fover of curiosity,, and very eager to meet the ,

man who was in possession of the miniature. Their hostess divined the fact and laughed as ebo whispered. . “My wild man of the woods is hero, glowering in a corner by himself.- Wait in this room and I’ll introduce you. He .can’t dance, hut he can talk whoa he wants to, and somehow most of tho men here look tame besides him.”

A few minutes later the girl had a surprise. Lady Nancarrow had disappeared, and presently returned, talking animatedly to a tall . man with bronzed face and with steel-blue eyes that seemed to note everything. His form suggested strength and self-reli-ance; and though Jiis surroundings must have been entirely novel to him, his manner indicated nothing boorish. As she camo to a standstill before Janet Lady Nancarrow scarcely noticed the girl. She was watching the young man with-amused eyes, ami was interested in the eager look upon his face. “Miss Selby, may I introduce Mr. Rowley, Ho ”

She broke off at a hasty exclamation from Janet, and looking swiftly at her was surprised at the. look of astonishment upon the girl’s face. “'What;,is it, Janet?” she asked quickly.

Mr. Rowley and I have met before, Lady Nancarrow. He is the gentleman who eared my life at the Murland the other night ; I am sure of it.” Her hostess turned swiftly to tho young man. “Mr. Rowley', is that so ?”

Charles Rowley smiled. “I certainly carried Miss Selby down the fire-es-cape, but as for saving her life ” “it is the same thing,” broke in' his hostess. “And I am very glad you and Miss Selby have met. I must go and find Mrs. Selby, and in tho meantime Janet can thank yon herself. She will want to do so, 1 am sure.” She turned and bunded away, leaving tho two alone. The girl looked at ‘he voting man and began to speak hurriedly.

“Mr. .Rowley, how can I thank—— ” “Don’t,” ho broke in abruptly. “I would much rather you didn't, I was very glad to he of service to you, and the move particularly as I was wanting to meet you.” “But von know nothing about mo,” protested Janet, womlerinplv. though as she snake her mind recalled tho locket of which Lady Nancarrow had spoken. “You had never seen mo. How——”

“Rardon me, Miss Selby, I saw yon on the afternoon of that day. You wore driving in ” Janet laughed suddenly. “You aro the man who was in the taxi.” she cried. “You rapped on tho window, and I saw you and wondered what on earth you wore doing. I thought you must havo made a. mistake, and taken me for someone else.” Charles Rowley shook his head. “No. I did not make a mistake. I wanted to speak to you. As a matter of faM I was trving to find yon at that very moment?” “You were trying to find me?” Janet was too astonished at his directness to say more.

“Yes.” he answered sironly. and thrusting a hand inside his dross coat, he drew forth a locket attached to a long thin chain of gold. Very deliberately he opened t l, -> locket and held it towards her. “Hint is your picture, is it not?” (Continued daily.!