THE CURSE OF TYRRELL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1416, 10 September 1872, Page 3

THE CURSE OF TYRRELL.

«, {From Tinaley'a Magazine.') (Continued.} " Any questions tbat Mr Alf Tyrrell asked me, and my reply, can in no way concern you," she said haughtily, and she tried to walk on. " Not so fast, if you please," N he answered imperiously; and he seized hold of her delicate arm with an iron grasp, while the dark face he bent over her was livid with paaaion. "■ You shall tell me what you would say if asked you to marry him." - N Fay stood in his strong hold, powerless to move a Btep until it should please him to relewe her from such " durance Tile." All her courage was oozing fast, and she threw longing looks around for some signs of pro tection from her tormentor; but the grounds of Tyrrell Court abounded in lonely and romantic paths and nooks, and no kind face was in sight. ■From sheer physical fear she thrust down the. pride that prompted her to sustain a dignified silence. "If Alt Tyrrell" desired me for a wife I should have to refuse him, because I do not love him," ske faltered low. 11 Because you love his brother Rupert, or, ratherj.it is the heir of Tyrrell Court that has enchained your .'affection . Faugh ! all your sex are alike — ready to sell themselves, body and soul, for position and wealth. I toll you that it is not; Rupert that you care for, but his worldly-possessions; and he, poor fool, imagines perhaps that you are simple, and true, and pure. Listen to me. If it had been A!f who had'taken your heart from me, I would have" 'spared : you; but I bate Rupert, and those ligs- shall not go to meet his pure and untainted 1" he shouted almost, holding her still tighter as she struggled to be free. The sweet pink blsom faded right out of her face, and she felt faint and cold; but gathering together all her strength, she gave a loud scream for help. Denley stooped low to close her mouth with the threatened kisa, when a blow dealt I

f on his head Mdi him on the earth, stunned by the force of the arm that had aimed it. "Fay, for God's sake tell me what all this means,'' Rupert questioned angrily. He loved the girl batter than his own life, and it maddened him to think that B he had been alone with such- an unprincipled villain as he believed Louis Denley to be. Now that protection had arrived and iei r was over, Fay's thoughts flew back to Denley's inuendoes regarding the nature of her feelings for Rupert. She knew quite well that her heart was his wholly, without any reservation whatever, that no shadow of a mercenary or interested sentiment mingled with her devotion. Rupert Tyrrell bereft of nches and name wou^ld have been as dear nay even dearer to her '-ihan as the heir to titles and wealth ; and often in her girlish dreams she had pictured a life in a humble cottage, where < love among the roses " was all in all. If a crowned head had besought her favour, Rupert, with- naught to recommend him but himself, would have won her hand. But now, as though indifferent to his pleading eyes a<:d tones/ she stood leaning against a tree, with her gaze resting upon the senseless figure of Denley ; while the thought that if the Creole had given her credit for such unworthy feelings, perchance he whose opinion Bhe valued above everything in the world might do the same, was uppermost in her mind. Fay was of a proud arid sensitive- nature and in order to hide her heart from Kupert's gaze, she strove to place a mask of coldness and nonchalance over it. - Still she could not bear that any one should deem her guilty of being willingly alone in so secluded a spot with Deuley. .-. " It was no fault of mine that I was here with that man," she said with a shudder ana her face turned whiter and whiter " Fa y. you are trembling," cried Rupert all hia wrath and jealousy vanishing in a trice, as he marked the unwonted pallor of her cheek. "The scoundrel, to have frightened you like this 1 By heaven, he shall account for his conduct when he reI covers his consciousness." Fay Vernon looked up at him as he spoke, and a great fear crept over her le3t any danger should befall him. Every hair of hid head was precious in her sight. Rupert caught her yearning glance before she could avert her gaze. The next instant all doubt and suspicion had passed, and he was pouring out the feelings she had called up in his breast. " Child, listen to me I Do not take away your eyes from mine ; see how truly mine are telling you of the love that fills my whole being ! Ever since you -were a tiny girl, and used to throw your fairy arms round my neck and lisp out " Good Rupert," you have been the ruler of my destiny. I never forgot your angel face and your winning ways all the years we were parted ; your image, Fay, has never been absent from my memory ; and now, that time and absence have proved that mine is no ephermeral love, that to have you for my wife i 3 the blessing I ask from Heaven in each prayer that I breathe, do not from any motive blast the happiness that one dear word from you can give. If you love me, Fay, lift up your eyes just once, and let me read your answer there I" He had overheard Denley's in-inuations regarding the girl's feelings, but, truthful and pure-minded himself, he could. not harbour ill thoughts of any one, and more especially of one so infinitely dear to him as Fay. He had divined at once that the sudden coldness of her manner towards him arose from wounded pride or delicacy ; but the sincere ring in his voice went Btraight to Fay'a heart, and dispersed all fancy on her her part that Rupert shared Deuley's suspicions. Her soft blue eyes looked up shyly at him as he had desired, and a fervent pressure of her red lips proved his gratitude. When the Creole recovered his consciousness he found himself alone, and staggering to his feet, ho walked slowly to the court, under the shelter of the dusk. He crept into his own room, and hastily putting together his valise, he stole noiselessly through the grounds, and taking the first train, was quickly whirled away from Tyrrell. Rupert's blow had fallen heavily on his craven heart as well as on his head, and he shook with fear at the bare vision of encountering his adversary again ; but nevertheless he cherished a mortal hatred against him, and his brain was busy with diabolical schemes of revenge against him whose hand had struck him. It was a very dark hour for Alf Tyrrell when the news of his brother's betrothal to Fay Vernon came to him. He loved her as dearly as his naturally cold and selfish, disposition allowed of, and her los 3 aggravated tenfold the ill-feeling he bore to Rupert. True, he had never breathed his passion to its object, but he had only bided hia time for doing so ; for an indefinable pre■entiment hung over him that fortune, ever strange and fickle, would be kinder to him ere long, and that, with the strong aid of wealth, his suit would assuredly be prosperous. He had even avoided Fay at times, in the fear that hi« real feelings towards her might le&d him into seeking prematurely, and thus perchance lose him his cause. But now the knowledge that the girl was lost to him came like a thunderbolt, and roused up a maligoitj to Rupert the vehemence of which almost frightened himself. For days he secluded himself in his own chamber, affecting illness as an excuse for his eccentric behaviour, and too proud to lit others perceive hia true ailment; and then, when solitude appeared to drive him wild, he rode out for horns, leagues distant from the court, on a horse that none but himself dared to mount. A fiery and vicious animal was the Erl King, whose magnificent coal black coat, and large wicked eyes that boded mis« chief, but with paces like the wind; and in Alf "s darkest moods, rapid motion and violent exertion seemed the greatest panacea he knew.

(To be continued.)