ADVENTUROUS ANNE

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16448, 3 June 1919, Page 8

ADVENTUROUS ANNE

NEW STORY.

DELIGHTFUL STORY OF LOVE AND ADVENTURE.

By E. EVERETT-GREEN, Author of “Defiant Diana,” “Married in Haste,” “A Queen of Hearts,” etc., etc.

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS. Anne Desorough; The charming heroine, who seeks adventure and finds it. Lord Ravonhill: Heir to Valchester estates. Suiters from a brain injury. Hon. Jack Raven: Brother to Lord Ravonhill. In love with Anne. Olga Hartmann: Alias Princess Kolinsky and Madame Delfont. Endeavours to trap Lord Ravenhill into a marriage. Mrs. Dellermain: A friend of Anne’s. Amabel Seller; Lady Valchester’s ward and Jack's friend. CHAPTER I. “That settles it for mo !” cried Anno, rising to her full height and clasping her Jiandu high above her head in a gesture which showed the slim strong grace of her rounded figure, its fine proportions and splendid poise. “That is tho limit ! A committee of hens—or harmless, necessary cats. Not tor me, thank you. Little Anno goes forth to sock ailventurcs and her livelihood in the wide, wide world!” Anno Desborough was the youngest of that group of women, gathered together in the mistress’ room of Gheahunt House School, to learn exact ly what was about to take place now that tho sudden failure of the principal’s health had brought about entire reconstruction of the very successful enterprise which she bad worked up. None of those mistresses wore old; but Anne was the youngest, and tho others regarded her with a certain amount of uncertainty and anxiety, realising, as probably she herself did not do, how her beauty and distinction and some quality of magnetic attraction and unconscious supremacy might work alike for the splendour and the havoc of 'her life, unless guarded by reserves of insight and resource which her more .shielded life behind these walls might not have tended to develop. “But why make up your mind so quickly, Anne? We may have an excellent time under a Committee of Management. You see that changes are not desires. No doubt you would be kept on if you wished " “No doubt 1 should, but I don’t wish. Listen here, dear creatures all! I simply adored Miss Cheshunt. I was sent to her a kiddie of ton when my mother died. I lived hero at school for ton years, scarcely ever leaving unless she took me herself on some holiday trip. At twenty I wont fur imo year to my lather, had a ripping time, came out, thought I was going to take tho world by storm. And then ho died suddenly. Everything went to pieces without him. It was awful. There was almost nothing for me. I fled back here. Miss Cheshunt made mo sports and riding mistress, and I’ve had a quite' decent four years of it now. I've saved my pittance and Jived on my salary. In four years it has totalled the noble sura of five hundred, pounds. On the strength of that I’m going forth to boo the world in my own way. I moan to get billets right enough. But I’ll go my own way after them. I’ve a splendid testimonial from Miss Cheshunt. You have often had occasion to remind me, dear things, that I’ve quite a superabundance of cheek. I’ve an income that will hold starvation at hay; and money in. hand for a present fling ” “Take care, Anno dear, take care! You are very young to go out into tho world alone ”

“I am twenty-five. I have superb health and several accomplishments at my fingers’ ends. And as for games—and all the world is mad on games now —Oh, don’t bo afraid for mo! 1 am going to have a glorious time.” She broke off to laugh, and when Anno laughed the whale world must needs laugh in sympathy, for there was such whole-hearted joy of life in the peal that it set the pulses tingling, whilst in the light in the golden-brown eyes was like sushinc translated and expressed in terms of human vivacity. One of her hearers looked up to say with a quaint twinkle of the eyes; “Anne, dear, dues your prospectus of a glorious time include the consummation of a husband, home, and some babies?”

At the word “husband” an impish gleam leaned from Anne’s eyes, but when the final word of the question was reached her face underwent some softening change, and when this particular and very rare expression settled upon it she was simply adorable. But generally it was reserved for the kindergarten “babies,” to whose physical development some of Anno’o time was devoted. They worshipped her “to a kid.” as the principal well knew; but of this Anne never breathed one word herself.

“A husband—poof! Oh, well, perhaps in time. For the present moment I don’t feel as though I had any particular uso for one ” , “Anne, have you ever been 'in love, you incorrigible person ?” “In love? Oh, yes, quite frantically —for a whole five hours at my first and only ball. AVe danced almost everything together. My chaperon was amusing herself, and Jack and I didn’t care. Yes, he was called Jack Haven— Ithought it the loveliest name. And ho was an carl’s son—a honourable—a soldier, too—and bad the most fetching blue eyes and dark lashes. Ho liked my yellow cat’s eyes and yellow lashes, and tbo way my hair grew and everything. It came down once, and we had to scoot to a place of safety (ho knew the house) for mo to twist it up; and he hold my hairpins, and I thought it all extremely romantic; and I dreamt about him for about three nights. I’m afraid after that- X forgot him. But tbo world is a small place. Wo may meet again.

She looked delightful ns she spoke. Always about Anne there was something vivid, intense, ns though her splendid youth and health and courage had vitalised her to some splendid issue in life. Some of those who watched her to-day might readily agree that this was not a life to be passed always behind the walls of a school for girls. And yet for her to go south alone from that safe shelter I How would it faro with one who could never pass unnoticed in her walk through life.

But Anne’s mind was made up. All felt that. Words would be thrown away upon her or tossed about like playthings for her amusement. A nature like here must dree its own weird. Perhaps life would not be hard towards ono who approached it with such courage and delight.

A few days later a cab piled with several roomy cano trunks and other impedimenta of a feminine character stood before the door of a modest thoroughfare in a good quarter of the town

—tho kind of street where bachelor gentlemen make their homo with” capable landladies; and women journalists and others, who have attained' a certain success like 1 to locate themselves, as they feel that a good address sets a certain cachet upon their qualifications. Anne jumped out and ran smiling up the steps as the door was opened. tCoutmued oAiiy.J