A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8125, 24 April 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

' CHAPTER IX.—Contmeud. "She befools me, and I lot. her do so. It is uot for ankl lang syne that she invites me to her father's house. There "is something wrong betwixt her and darold. I have not heard bis name mentioned in the list of her guests. She has quarrelled with him, and now propoaou to make nie useful in luring him back. 1 will not go. She shall look for me in vain. She shall see that I can be as cold-fclooded and aelfl-sb as she is!" Yet Eustace Leyland kept his engagement after all. Perhaps he had detected the wistful look of uuhappinoss in her eyes and relented, or he may have found it sorry work to spend the evening alone in bis dull chambers. Anyhow, he wended his way to Chißleliui9ts, arriving a little late, yet greeted with a radiant smile by her beautiful young hostess. About a dozen couples were flyins round the drawing-room to the music of one of the prettiest of modern waltzes.- Only Gyrilla stood looking on. "I have excused myself on the plea of being engaged to you; but, as you do not care to dance, I know, let us sit down in this window, and you shall tell me how ■your affairs are progressing. Papa •says you are beginning to be spoken of as a rising young lawyer." Eustace Leyland bent his bead, but did not speak. He could not dilate on the hopes and fears, the few successor and many disappointments cf hiß oareer, while her absent look warned him that she was 'thinking of som«thing else. "Papa says you ought to have all the legal business of the Towers estate; it might be made to add considerably to your iuoome. By the way" and her voice trembled, 'though she strove hard to steady it_"by the way, is your cousin married yet, and where is be?" "1 thought as much," Eustace muttered to himself. "The quarrel must have gone to great length if :ahe does not Know his whereabouts." But the next moment he was smiling sarcastically. "Were you just wishing to see Harold, that you put the old adage In practice—talk of an angel and you hear its wings? Speak of my cousin—-and. hey presto! there he stands!" Oyrilla half rose, going crimson with surprise, then sat down again and fanned herself violently. Yet, it was Harold Outran) who stood just indide the door, whpre be had hajted on catohipg sight of the dancers, and she bad time to study him before be saw whither she bad retreated and could cross the room. He looked strangely pale and hoi-low-eyed,*and bis hair was thin on the top of his head, as if it had been cut away; but he gazed around him with the frank, direct look this!; always distinguished him —•not a3 if he had done oometbing for which *he was to bo forgiven, not as if he had excuses to offer or a confession to make. A 8 he descried the young lady and hastened toward her, Eustace Leyland walked away.' He had no desire to be de trop, and be assured himself that he did not grud B e his kinsman bis good fortune. "If it is good fortune after all," he added, mentally. "Had 1 inherited the -Towers, she would have favoured me; as it is, she accepts him. If this is the modern type of woman's devotion, which is the luckier—he who wins the lady or he who escapes her"? , Harold Outram thought he had never seen Cyrilla Dartison more beautiful, and he came toward her with both bauds outstretched, and all the eagerness of an enraptured lover. But she swept him with a haughty courtesy, and chilled him witn the disdainful looks. "Have you neither smile nor word of welcome for me, Miss Dartison?" he asked, in surprise. "I should be sorry to be rude to one of my father's guests, but really Mr Outram, it is so long since I have seen you that I felt doubtful whether it could be you or some stranger." v "Is it by fault of mine that we have been so long parted. I was led to hope that you would give me a warmer greeting!" he said, reproachfully. '"Ah! but that was one, two weeks ago. Since then " "Pray go on," ho cried, growing angry, too, "Since then, and while I was unable to defend myself, some one has slandered me, and you have believod them!" "Unable tc defend yourself, Mr Outrain, what do you uioau?" "Ab! you think [ might have come to you sooner; *but, while Collison peremptorily forbade it, what could 1 do? I felt sure that you, knowing why I did not bascen to you " "I! How should I know?" Oyrilla broke in. and her lever stared at her wonderingly. "You were apprised of the railroad collision in whioh I was hurt?" "Ah, no!" and now she put her hand on his arm. "A railroad collision, in which you were one of the sufferers! Then this was the reason you did not meet me at Dover! And so you have been ill, and under the care of Dr. Collison! My poor friend! Why was 1 kept in ignorance? It must have been papa's doings; oh, I will scold him well. I thought—yes—l thought you had forgotten mo for another." "And I have been wondering why you did not come to me, as you did atflrst, when your cool bands on my brow gave me the only relief 1 experienced. Let me kiss them, for they were angel hands to me?" Gyrilla laughed hysterically. What was he saying? What did he mean? Had the accitient to which he alluded affected his mind, and were her reviving hopes destined to be

By Charles W. Hathaway. thorof " Marjovie's Sweetheart," "A Long Martyrdom," "A Rash Vow,' ( "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc., etc. ,

crusbod again, aud crushed completely. CHAPTER X. A SUGGESTION THAT CAUSES UNEASINESS. While (Jyrilla stood struggling with her doubts, Sir Jasper came fussing up, and other persons iu the rocm who could boast of knowing more or less intimately the fortunate possessor of Outram Towers, pressed round to greet him. He had been ill; that was quiokly understood, and he was condoled with. He bad been hurt in a railroad collision, an-i some, his cousin Eustace among them, inquired what injuries be bad received. "A slight fracture of the Bkull," as the reply, "that had caused compression of the brain. .Hut be bad been under his friend Ooll'son, whose skill hai soon set him all right." . „ "Did the accident occur in England, or in France?" Sir Jasper inquired. And now one or two of the more observant saw that into Harold Outranks eyes there came a lojk of perplexity, and noted with surprise that he paused before replying. .' "In England, certainly; did I not tell you that I was taken to Collison and have been staying at his house ever siuoe the operation he found necessary?" "Outram must have been hurt in that dreadful breakdown on the Northern," sombody remarked. "It was rather odd tbst his name was not in the list of the injured." "Ob! they generally make as light of those things as they can," some one else made answer, "and keep as many names out' of the papers as possible." And then, a fresh arrival taking place, no more was thought of Harold's misfortune, except by Eustace Leyland; he continued to look puzzled, and observed to Cyrilla, behind whose chair he had once more taken bis stand, that he thought Harold was expected to cross from Boulogne to Dover. By what chaueo of plans had he drifted to the north? "Ask him if you think it worth while," said Cyrilla, carelessly, though she bad bitten her full red lip till the blood was ready to start. "An not your sex proverbially changeable? Mr Outram may have found mettle more attractive in that direction." But even as sho spoke her conscience smote her. Harold had loved her with more ardour than discretion when his suit was rejected because he was poor; but it was also with Buch manly, honest affeotion that she knew she bad cast away a trea. sure; and when he became rioh and she" had wooed him to return, he brenthed no word of reproach, as hj« might justly have done. Although two qr three talkative old ladies were keeping him from Cyrilla, his smile, his look, when their eyes met, were as frank, as fond of old. How, then, oould sbu doubt his constancy even if appenranoos were against him. (To bo Continued).