Chapter I.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6834, 23 April 1890, Page 1

Chapter I.

—•(Continued.)

A broad glare of light breaking into the fog with welcome brilliance arrested his flow of talk, and almost instinctively the eyes of each were directed towards the face of the other. The glimpse was momentary, but satisfactory. Seen through the bewildering medium of a black fog, the human face divine does not appear to best advantage, but for all that the stranger was satisfied that his first conjecture had not been erroneous. He could see that the lady of the fog was young and good-looking, that her figure was tall and well-pro* portioned, that her large dark eyes were directed towards him with a look that was half inquiring half defensive. And Mrs MontresaorP — she thought she had seen worse-looking men ; and on the whole, provided she did not miss the turning into Pont street, the adventure was not so disagreeable as it might have been.

There was a moment's silence after they passed out of the brief radiance of the light. "It is fortunate, " he said, with a nervous laugh, " that I have no anzions wife or children waiting for me at home, or I expect that they would be seriously alarmed by now ; and my sister — well, it eeema to me that marriage increases a girl's confidence in her brother's ability to take care of himself amazingly; though probably, after all," he added, "the explanation is merely that her anxiety is concentrated in another direction."

Mrs Montressor laughed softly. She understood the veiled inquiry. "I have no brother to be anxious about me/ she answered tantalisingly — if her eyes had been visible to him at that moment he would have caughta momentary flash of defiant mockery that lighted up the demure unconsciousness of her lips like a gleam of lightning in a summer evening. However, it was wasted in the fog.

Again there was a momentary silence. "However, if my sister has her own way," he continued, plunging again into the personal with full acceptance of his defeat, and a general feeling that under the circumstances somebody must talk to prevent the situation becoming too tense, " I shall not be long unprovided for. In fact I am to be introduced to-morrow to the woman whom she has decided that I am to marry."

" Indeed ! " replied Mrs Montressor briefly.

" Yes ! She is charming, wealthy, and a widow, according to my sister, and we are exactly suited to one another in her opinion. It Bounds all right, but the worst of it is that brothers do not agree with their sisters as a rule either on the subject of female beanty or female good qualities. Besides, Jane, I mean my sister, adores red hair, and I dislike it intensely. Imagine, therefore, if I am presented to a buxum carroty-haired lady of uncertain age, and perhaps blessed with a numerous family, shall I be aB amenable to my sister's views as I ought to? What she intends to do if we take a dislike to one another at first sight, I do not know, but I feel that the crisis is getting very grave." He concluded with the same nervous laugh and a swift reflection that the subject was not perhaps happily chosen. Nor was it in Mrs Montressor's opinion. How could she discuss private affairs of thi3 kind -with, a total stranger? She could scarcely imagine that any man would be so silly as to allow his wife to be chosen for him by his sister, but she did not choose to tell him that.

" Do you think we are going right ?" she suggested, changing the subject.

" Yes," he replied briefly, cursing his foolish wish to know about her, and his still more foolish tongue. As if it was likely that she would reveal herself to a total stranger met in this singular way. " I think so. By-the-by, that was a publichouse we passed just now. Do yqji happen to know the street well enough to be able to guess from that? l v , stands alone ■without any shops round it — that I could see."

She reflected for a moment.

"I am not sure," she answered at last, " but I think I have noticed one standing alone just below the turning into Pont street. I can't remember any other."

"Probably that is it. Then we have passed the turning. The best plan will be to go back, and I will inquire at the public-house."

The plan was very soon carried out, and in a few minutes after Mrs Montressor was standing safe on her own doorstep. She had asked him to take her to the first turning to the left in Font street, and there in obedience to the hint he had left her, — not, however, until she bad thanked him most warmly, and he had protested his happiness to have been of service to lier.

And now Mrs Montresaor was wondering ■whether it would not have been more rational if she had not been quite so stiff and on the defensive, and given the man a chance of finding out whether they knew any mutual friends or not. After all, on reflection, she had really treated him as if he were a dangerous criminal, and he had been so very gentlemanly and kind to her.

Never before in his life, it must be added, had Sir Henry Betford felt; such a decided inclination to do an un gentlemanly action, and track this Btrangely-met heroine to her home. la fact, in order to resist it he was obliged to set his Bteps resolutely in the opposite direction. Then when he reached Sloane street he cursed himself for a fool, why hadn't he done something, said something, told her his name, orhisßißter's — Jane knew everybody, or at least everybody knew of her — and so given her a hint — that he would like to see her again ? If she had snubbed him it -would scarcely have been much worse than this silent disappearance into the fog just as she had sprung from it.

And yet ! Perhapß ?