A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8124, 23 April 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTEri Vlll.—Continued. Had sliß boan 1033 ignorant of the world she might have been more troubled about herself. As it was. ahe thought only of tbo suffering Harold Outram, on wbos? woakoned power 9 the walk told greatly. Indeed, he was so oshauatod when he reached the little country station, that a compassionate porter came to her assistance, procarod her tickets, and almost lifted h«r companion into a third-class carriage. In this —fortunately—there was a vacant bench on which he could lie at full length, his head piilowed 00 Wynnie's ulster. When the train got into motion Harold Outram groaned, and lost all consciousness of everything save the hammer-like beating in his temples; rut Wynnie's spirits roso, for was not every turn of the wheels carryiug them further from the Marby« and Chris Kennett? It would be night when thsy reached London, but what of that? There were girla as youir:'aa hursolf in the carriage; there were even a couple of children—little, pale-faced urntins phned in the care of the guard by a ruddy country woman, who cried loudly as she bade them farewell. She had nursed thorn, ahe told everyone within hearing, .over since their mother dipd; and now their father, who was in India, thought tham old enough to go to school, and they wore being tukeu from her io a 'paratory school for young gentlemen. Bless their little -hearts! ahe waa certain they woudn't be as happy anywhere as they had been •with her. . . They left her sobbing and wiping her tears; and the forlorn children would have wept, too, if Wynnie had not gathered them into her arms and consoled them. They forgot their nurso while they listened to the stories she told them, and she ceased to conjecture whether London was much larger than Dover till it burst upon her and she was bewildered by its vastnesa. The train disgorged its load at London Bridge, and now it was Wynnie who ciung to the arm of the companion of her journey and cast scared glances around her. At first the officials were tuo busy to notice the helpless couple. Several of the carriages were crowded with excursionists from the south 1 coast, noisy, if good-humoured, artizana who had been having a jollification, and now elbowed their way along the platform, or insisted on Htanding just wljere they impeded the progresa of "others. As these men gradually dispersed parties of ladies in evening dress, bound f orthe theatre and concert, came flitting yast the nook into which Wynnie and Mr Outram had 1 suffered themselves to be jostled. Tallest and stateliest in one of these grouDS there went a beautiful woman in whom the flower-girl fan - cied Bhe recognised the lady she had ■seen ou the pier, and whose gift lay in her bosom; but if it were Oy Tilla, she cast no glance to tbo right or left, but walked on, brooding over the thought that tormented her incessantly. Who was the favoured rival for whom Harold Outram was neglecting her? Presently a terrified cry escaped Wynnie's lips. Muttering something as a gentleman went hastily by, Harold took a few steps in pursuit of him, but only to fall forward on the stones in spite of her efforts to prevent it. ""Drunk," said both [the porters who came to raise him. "Oh, no! he is ill, very illlj' they were earnestly assured. "He has come to London to put himself under the care of Dr Oolliaon. Oh! please tell me where to find him?" "The great Oollison!? That was the gentloman that went by just this minute. He's been at a consultation in the country, and his brougham's been here waiting this hour or more. Are,you sure he's the dootorj you want?" "Quite suro. Oh! oall him, please! Tell him it's Mr Harold Outram that wants him—Mr Harold Outram. Maybe he'll know the name.'L Apparently it was a familiar one to ■the famous surgeon, for, spoken in his ear as he was stepping into his carriage, in brought him back dir-eot-Jy to the benoh on which sat Harold, eupported by one of the porters. He was recognized and when he bad revived sufficiently to answer a question or two he was Jed to the brougham and assisted into it—the porters being munificently tipped for their trouble. With his finger on the wrist of the patient so oddly found, *Dr Oollison drove away to his own house, and the porters went off to drink his health as a thorough gentleman. No one remembered Wynnio. That the shabby girl who had knelt beside Mr Outram, chaffing his hands, could be iu any way connected with him did not enter the surgeon's head. sSEgJ^^jJSS A policeman bade her move on, and she obeyed meohanically. The carriage containing her bridegroom disappeared, and she was left alone in London.

CHAPTER IX. CYRILLA'S HOPES REVIVED. Oyrilla Dartison was difficult to please jnet then, for bar heart was sore—her pride wounded—her amfciitioua hopes defeated, by what she regarded as the extraordinary treatment she had received from Harold Outram. gSSS^W When she and her father arrived in town, she begged him to take her abroad, and with guide-books and maps, and a Br'adsbaw, planned -a toar in Northern Europe that made liady Dartison put tip hei bands in dismay. * ,■ The good soul always preferred to stay quietly at home at the bouse near Chislehurst Sir Jasper had bought. There she

By Charles W. Hattiaway. thai' of " Marjorle's Sweetheart," " A Long Martyrdom," "A Hash Vow,' { "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc., etc.

could sometimes invite her bomely friends of old days, and display to them all her costly furniture and gorgeous riiitae'jt, and be happy iu the enjoyment of their awe and admiration. Crossing the sea didn't suit her; and why should dbe have to do it, she demanded, so pathetioully that Sir Jasper, who also liked homo best, was divided between his wife and his daughter, and would have Riven up the project. However, Cryilla was obstinate, and it would have been carried out if the gout had not seized upon her father and compelled him to postpone the trip indefinitely. But though he was a prisoner to his easy-chair, the knight was in no danger, so Mias Dartison, who could not endure solitude or the torture of her own thoughts, oid net hesitate to surround herself with guests. Harold Ontram should never be able to say that she was fretting at his desertion; and Lady Dartison's kettledrums, Lady Dartison's tennis parties and drives and dances ou the lawn were of almost oo« ourrenoe. Her ladyship's name headed the invitntion, and she waa expected to show herself for half an hour; Oryilla did the rest, and, with the aid of a little rouge cunningly laid on. and a vast amount of self-control, always appeared at her brightest and ineniast. Coming Covent Garden Market one morning, the carriage full of marguerites to ornament her rooina for a daisy dance that evening, the young lady caught sight of Eustace Leyland, making his way to the new law courts, and sent the page in attendance to summon biro. He regarded her intently, his own thoughtful features graver than usual. Ho admired Oyrilla Dartison very much; and he pitied her yet more. She was in a false position; she aimed at being recognized as a belle, and forgot that those who lauded her beauty talked in the same breath of her father's .pom posity and vulgarity of materuul parent. Ambition and pride were her sins; would they carry her to the top of the ladder, or bring about ber downfall. "So you have returned to England," she said to him, with a toss of her head and a pout. "Time was when yon would have found your way to Ohisleunrst and told us so " Timo was that I should have found a hearty welcome and a seat, at Lady Dartison's tea table, and her ladyship's daughter would have served me with my favourite cakes while 1 related ray adventures." "It is a lawyer's trick to fence with what one says, instead of meeting a well-deserved rep'oaoh with a manly answer.' Tell me the I truth, Mr Loyland." "Ihe truth is, Miss Dartison, that I cannot afford many evening parties. They mean gloves, cab fares, and flowers." "You can—nay, you must—afford to come to us to-night," she replied, imperatively; and then, with the seductive look she could employ so well she added, "You will!" and Eustace took the hand she offered him and said "Yes." But he laughed sardonically when ho had left her. (To be Continued).