“UNDYING MUSIC.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17012, 10 April 1923, Page 11

“UNDYING MUSIC.”

NEW SERIAL.

(By

L. G. MOBERLY.)

CHAPTER VIII. “ Tell me just everything about her. 1 like to know it all : and perhaps I could help you.*’ Maisie’s tones were soft and seductive; she wae an adept in the art of voice inflection. “ I should like you aim your Gladys to look upon me as one of your best friends.” She shot a. glance at Philip From her blue eyes, and n little thrill ran aiong the young man’s pulse*, as indeed she had intended that it should. for Maisie Chalmers was a past mistress in rtiore arts than that of using her voice to the best advantage. A man was a man therefore, lawful prey; and this man with his fair, strong face and clear eyes was particularly desirable prey. Dolly had trotted off to the nursery after the fifth sitting for her portrait, and Philip, as had become his custom after the sittings*, was on the cottage verandah with Dolly’s mother. A lounge chair, a cooling drink at his flbow. an excellent cigarette between his lips, all these contributed to hie. creature comforts ; whilst the fragrance of the garden mingling with the salt freshness of the breeze drifting in from tne sea, added to the w.sthetic enjoyment of the moment—an enjoyment increased for his artistic nature by the loveliness ol the woman seated opposite to him.

“ 1 sViall certainly always look on yon ns one of my best friends.” Philip said earnestly, “ and I am sure Gladys will feel just the same. It's awfully good °* 113<i gas about her to

‘ I like hearing about her. J should like so much to know her,” came the soft response, and from under the eyelids there came at the same moment one of those glances which sent odd little thrills along Philip’s pulses. Re had found it so easy to confide in this sympathetic lovely little lady, who made confidences easy by her interested and sympathising questions; and he had told her more about Glady’s and Ills love for the girl than he himself was aware. In spite of bis twentv-six years he was still vej-y young, and a woman of the type of Maisie Chalmers had never hitherto crossed bis path . she seined to him preeminently sweet and innocent : that there could'be any eublety behind those childish blue eyes of hers never occurred to him ae a remote possibility; and even the little sarcastic remarks she had let drop about Brian Martindale’s marriage had not lowered her in his estimationT In his enthusiastic admiration he only longed to bring Gladys under what he termed “the charmingly womanly influence.’’ and at Maisie’s last words he sat upright and spoke eagerly. 1 soj , Mrs Chalmers, I would give 1 a most awful lot to get you as a friend for Gladys. I wish she could meet you. She is bound to feel about you just as I do.” ” Is she? I am not so sure of that,” was the thought that flitted through his listener’s mind, but alcud she only said isoftly : “ Perhaps your Gladys would not see nie through those rose-coloured ■spectacles you are kind enough to put on when you look at me. But 1 see no reason why she and I should not he splendid friends ; and if, as you tel! me. she is still so unhappy about her brother, wouldn’t she like to come down her for a little changer' Would ?” e _ think me horribly unconventional if I wrote and asked her?” “Unconventional?” Philip laughed happily. “ She would simplv think you were extraordinarily kind. She would love this place.” “ Tlie only thing is.” Alaisio said slowly, as though weighing her words, which indeed she was, but for her own purpose, “I am afraid it is not a very good time to ask he.r, or anybody, to stay here. Nurse is leaving, and *1 haven t found anyone in her place • which means that Dolly will pervade everything much more * than usual, i shall have her entirely on my hands.” She said the words with an effective little sigh and an effective little smile, as though to imply that though a good deal of extra work would lav before her it was a happines to have to do it. In her own mind she was weighing the possibility of inviting Gladys Burnaby as a- guest and then allowing her to share the privilege of taking care of Dolly. “Gladys is very fond of children,” Philip answered guilelessly. “ she’s more than half a child herself. When 1 want to tease her, I tell her she is not half grown up.” “ Then I needn’t be afraid of a smart young London lady—vei-y up-to-date and ready to look down on a little country mouse.” Maisie added with again that flicker of the eyelids the effect of which she seldom miscalculated. ” I always feel out of mv element with up-to-date girls. I am very oldfashioned and simple myself.” “ Gladv’e isn’t a bit smart,” he said. “ f think I can answer for it she would be pleaded to help with Dolly. She hates the orthodox and conventional. She would only think il kind of you to have her down here: and J am sure she would enjoy doing all she could to help. Anybody would enjoy it,” he added, with a fervour which brought a smile to Maisie Chalmer’s lips. CHAPTER IX. TWO WOMEN Gladys Burnaby was not so simple as Philip Dawson, nor did another woman’s charms wholly blind her to that woman’s faults and foibles; though it is undeniable that during the first few days of the girl’s visit co the Orchard Cottage she was not proof against Maisie’s fa.sci nation. And six year-old Doily quickly won her way into Gladys’s heart. There was a certain quality of straightforwardness in the child which responded to the same quality in the girl, and they soon became great friends. And because she was a childlover by nature, she did not resent being turned with almost indecent promptitude into a kind of voluntary and unpaid nursery governess; though by the end of the first week in Hartsdown she had discovered that Maisie’s velvet paws hid claws which were in good scratching order.

“It is rather convenient for Mrs Chalmers that I was able to come just now,” Gladys said to Philip one afternoon when he and she were alone in the cottage garden after tea. ” Convenient? Why? It’s awfully .jolly for you to get the change and to be with somebody so delightful. Hondo you mean convenient for her?” Gladys lay back a deck-chair, her head tilted at such an angle that she could look up into the blue depths ot the sky through the branches of a. rather infantile plane Before she answered she tilted herself into a more upright position, and picking up a handful of daisies from her lap, let them slide one by one through her fingers. “ l must finish Dolly’s daisy chain,” che said irrelevantly. “ You see, 1 am more or less in charge of Dolly, and that is why l said it was .so convenient for Mrs Chalmers to have me here.” iTo be continued).