A PLUNGE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16591, 13 November 1919, Page 8

A PLUNGE INTO THE UNKNOWN.

FASCINATING STORY OF POPULAR INTEREST—

BY CHARLES D. LESLIE,

Author of “A Wild Wager.” “Loved for Horself,” “The Errington Pearls Mystery,” ' “The Power of the Purse,”

etc., etc. CHAPTER NlL—Continued. But Mrs. Tourmaline only laughed. She seemed to think it a good joke, and though she verified Mr. Mailing’s prophecy uy at once going to the telephone and ringing him up, her conduct uecame more and more unaccountable to the puzzled Eva. What Mr. Mailing said she could only guess, but Mrs. Tourmaline calmly and positively told him that the lady under her roof was Lady Boulton, solemnly warning him that if ho repeated publicly any statement that she wasn’t, the consequences would be socially, disastrous to him. Finally she suggested that he and Mrs. jncKson-Utcksou should call tho following morning, when convincing proofs that her companion that evening was Lady Boulton would be given them.

Then she hung up tho receiver, told Eva she looked tired, and suggested her going to bed. Eva accepted the suggestion gratefully. wondering in her own mind how the other woman would get out of the impaste into which she seemed deliberately to have placed herself. But sho was too tired to trouble much, the strain of the long evening had left her physically exhausted. Apathetically, in Lady Boulton’s bedroom, she yielded herself to Bennett, who disrobed her of Lady Boulton’s clothes, and a few minutes after getting into bed passed into slumber, broken by dreams in which she, was pursued by raging husbands, while grinning Mailings looked on, and ineffective Arnold Bcrlyns faded away when appealed to for help. It was a relief to wake, and sec the early morning sunshine streaming through the blind into tho room, and know that at least the dangers that had disturbed her train while sleeping wore illusory. Then she fell asleep again, and this time slumbered peacefully and droamlessly.

Bennett woke her by drawing tho blinds and flooding the room with sunshine, and Eva opening her eyes found a breakfast tray by her bedside. For the moment she lay silent, luxuriating .in surroundings never before enjoyed. Governesses, in her experience, never got such bedrooms. “Good morning. Miss,” said Bennett politely. “Good morning, Bennett.”

“Mrs. Tourmaline says, Miss, she’ll bo obliged if you’ll bo dressed and ready by ten o’clock.” “What time is it now?” “Nine, Miss.”

She departed, the staid disagreeable Bennott, leaving Eva to her reflections. Presumably Mrs. Diekson-Dickson and Mailing were coming at ton. But how was Mrs. Tourmaline going to brazen out of the situation ? And how could she help her patroness? “I’ve done my best, and I’ve earned my fifty pounds, and I'd like to have tho rest of it and go,” decided Eva. She couldn’t fathom Mrs. Tourmaline, and she wasn’t quite sure if she liked her. She recalled Mailing’s remark about Mrs. Tourmaline throwing her away like an old glove when she'd done with hor. Well, sho didn’t mind being thrown away, but she expected to bo paid first. What an objectionable cad the man was. How different from Arnold Berlyn!

As she leisurely and luxuriously ate her breakfast, it was only tea and buttered toast and an egg. but the tea and the buttered toast and the egg were each perfect of their kind. Eva thought ol Arnold Berlin. Slie fell into a delicious reverie, over the fact he was coining to see her that afternoon in Highgate. She was all alone in the tiny flat, her friend,. Madeline Kent, being out of town, and there was no servant. She wondered if she could borrow tho temporary services of the housekeeper in the flat below to lend an air of domestic dignity to the establishment. ...

It was so comfortable in bed f.hat she felt averse to quitting it, and when finally she rose sho did not hasten, and was indeed only half dressed when Bennott returned with the news she was wanted immediately. Mrs, Diek-son-Dickson and Mr. Mailing had arrived.

Eva was startled. “Isn’t .Mrs. Tourmaline coming to speak to me here?” she asked, she had in fact been expecting a visit from .her hostess.

“No. Miss, she’s in her boudoir, with Mrs. Diekson-Dickson and Mr. Mailing.” With Bennett’s assistance Eva got into hor nlain tailor made, gave herself a final glance in the long mirror, and followed tho servant to the sitting room. Mrs. Diekson-Dickson sat in an armchair looking grim and vengeful’, close by her, posing elegantly on the hearthrug, stood Mr. Mailing, more carefully groomed than usual. On the sofa opposite reclined the hostess, seemingly quite at her ease, making play with a scent bottle, and easting amused glances at her former friend. Some ten minutes had elapsed since their arrival, and tho situation, so far as the visitors were concerned, was +hng stremed. Their hostess puzzled them exceedingly. She had received th™” as if it was an ordinary call. “My dear Henrietta, how nice to see von «o early. How is your headache?” such had been her greeting. “ T hank von. it still lingers, hut I had to come after the extraordinary communication Mr. Mailing has made to me.”

'‘Cu. ves. I remember; he has a silly idea I’ve been passing off a strange ".■n"nn for Eva Donlton.” Mrs. Tourmaline east a careless smile at that gentleman, which signified that In’s ’’agarics amused her. “As if I would do such a thing!” “But you have, dear lady.” Mailing pointed out. The lady who wa-s in Mrs. Dickson-Diek son’s house last ni'dii. ’-bo passed for Lady Donlton, attended the meeting of “The Society,” and afterwards appeared at the concert, was an imnostnr.”

“So yon said last night, and I warn- ’ ed you if yon repeated it .in public T would make you sorry yon levelled such pcec-atinns against me.” “Yon said von eonld give -proofs.” i said Mrs. Diekson-Dickson; “that is! T'h” I’ve come.. For I’m v”Vv cnrknrs | to hear them. I may add, besides Max | Mailing's discovery; I haw indepen- [ dontly the host (tf reasons for knowing yon introduced an unknown woman into' my house last night.” (Continued daily.)