A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8140, 16 May 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTER XXIII. —Continued. Lady Dartison, who for some week's past had not been able to -cross the room without assistance, now stood in the middle of it dressed for a journey; while Cyrilla, powerless for once to overrule her mother's determination, was biting her full red lips, and looking from her ladyship to Pauline, who was on her knees filling trunks with the neatness and rapidity of an expert. CHAPTER XXIV. A FRIENDLY WARNING. Not long after Wynuie had started for the town a plainly dressed man had presented himself at the Towers, aakiugforSir Jasper Dartison, and was civilly invited to walk into ,the ruorniog room' while a servant? ascertained whether he (•»') <ir had not Accompanied Mr Oatram to the preserves. When aaked for. his bard, the visitor bade the footman say it was an old friend—a very old., friend—who awaited Sir Jaaper; and as the knight was not to\ be found elsewhere, the messenger tapped at the door of Lady Dartison's private sit- * ling room, and delivered his message there. Sir Jasper had fallen into a habit of walking down the village to a builder's yard sitoaled at the further end of the principal street. There his opinions were heard with respect, and he felt more at home "while watching the workmen plane ■and saw, or goaspiin'g with their master over a pipe and glass, tnan he did in ihe mansion or the society of Harold Outrarn. Lady Dartison endeavoured to keep her promise and sleep away the term of Wynnie's absence, but had found this impossible, and was already so restless and weary of solitude that she bailed with delight the prospect of putting an end to it. "An old, very old friend? Why, • that must be Chris; and I'll have him up to see me, no matter what S'j ilia says. * I must have someone to sneak to, and him and me was always good friends!" Accordingly, her ladyship gave her orders, not without trembling a little at her own temerity; but it would be time enough to ask herself what would Oyrilla say when she bod enjoyed the confidential chat she was looking forward to. Chris Kennett never received a more cordial greeting than was given to hi-n that day by the simpleminded mother of his false love. Nor did she perceive that the oordiality awoke no response, or that while she talked the gloomy face of her visitor grew darker and more threatening. "Where was Cyrilla?" he asked. "Why did she not come to speak to him?"' "She was out," Lady Dartison exclaimed. "For '.that matter she was almost always out." And now the mother's love and pride ih her beautiful child proving stronger than her sense of being neglected, she pourel into the quietly attentive ears ot the man the beauty's social Successes. "Everyone was struck on her; everyone said that they had never «een her equal; the people who lived near were always sending her invitatirns. Mr Outram was downright 'jealous o.f 'em, for he couldn't keep S'rlla to himself a bit. "I wish jasper would come in," her ladyship added, "that he might show you over the house. I don't suppose you have ever seen anything :to equal Outram Towers. The queen herself, can't have a han'somer soot of rooms than my S'rilla's will be when they're new furnished, and no expense spared. Ido believe Mr Outram wouli give her gold to eat, if she askod him for it!" "How long is it goiug to last?" queried her auditor, when his patience' was exhausted. "How long will it be before my lady comes off her high ropes and pottles down into her proper place?" Cyrilla's mother looked perplexed. "I'm not sure that 1 understood what you said. Do you want to hear when the wedding's to be? Well, you know, the day couldn't be fixed because of my illness; but it shan't be put off any longer on my account. I'll see my girl made u lady before I'm much older." Chris Kennett leaDod back in his chair and laughed bo long and loud ly that the poor woman knew not whether to be offended or frightened, but finally resolved on the former. "Why are you making fun of what I say? j.Ja there anything odd in the mother of such a daughter as I've got being pleased that she's going to make such a grand marriage?" "Pshaw!" cried Kennett, contemptuously. "Would it be any advantage to you if she married,'a j fprinoe. The higher she got in the world the more ashamed Bhe'd be for anyone to know that she was related ' to an old carpenter and a carpenter's wife." »''■•' There was no denying this, and Lady Dartison melted into tears directly. "She ain't so kind to me as she ought tc be, for I've been a good mother to her, as no one knows better thau you do; but I'm not going to be trampled on completely. Anyhow, I mean to be at her wedding!" "Witn Mr Outram, of Outram Towers?" and again broke forth that provoking laughter. "Make your mind easy; you'll never see ■your daughter his wife!" "Hoir dare you say eo?" she demanded angrily, <'Mr Outram is a gentleman/ and much too honourable, to break off the match." ""it's jou who must do that, if you want to save Cyrilla from pubJic shame!"

By Charles W. Hatiiaway. Author of " Mar)orle's Sweetheart*" "A Long Martyrdom," " A Hash Tow," "Joseph Dane's Diplomacy," etc. t etc.

"What do you mean?" she gasped. "I mean," was the deliberately spoken reply, "that this fellow Outram cannot wed your daughter because he is already married to someone else '*' "1 don't believe it!" Lady Dartison screamed in her excitement. "I don't believo you, Chris Kennet!" "Shall I swear to the truth of my statement? Did 1 ever tell you a falsehood? I say again he is already marred." "But it oau't ba true," she oried Diteously. "Who did you learn it from? Where's the proof of it?" "Ay, where?" he echoed, knitting his brows. "Ask him what he's done with the girl who travelled with him from Dover to London, and then I'll answer your question." Lady Dartison cliuced her hands in her excitement. "Do you mean to tell me he's fooling my poor S'rilla all this time? Why, I'll have the law of him,l will! But I say again it oan'fc be true." "Think so if you like; it's nothing to me," he answered coolly. "Perhaps ,you'll balieve it when I I've Mr Outram's wife and you've heard the story from her own lips." "You can't do it," she protested, though moro deeply interested than she permitted him to see. '"t-Tm going to try," was the response. "I've given you a friendly warning; let the marriage go on, if you choose. Without a word of adieu he walked away. He had thoroughly puuished the fond, foolish mother for ringing in his ear the praises of Cyrilla's rich lover,and he sauntered away. , Sir Jasper met him in the entrance hall, and in great uneasiness would have thrust some money upon him and hurried him away; but taking a malicious pleasure in playing upon the knight's fears, Kennett insisted upon being shown 6ver the principal part of the house, sayiug [significantly it would be a pity to lose the opportunity as it was not at all likely that either of them would ever visits Outram Towers again. Lady Dartison, left to herself, was in the wildest distress. One moment she believed all Chris Kennett had told her at the next she was assuring herself that Harold Outram was incapable of such baseness. She began to feel thoroughly ill with agitation and then an overpowering longing to get baok to her own dwelling took possession of her. Here she was the guest of the man she was being taught to distrust; there she would be able to take time to collect her thoughts to weigh the evidence for and against the truth of the tale to which she had been listening or at least to insist that Mr Outram exonerated himself before he led Cyrilla to the altar. Cyrilla Dartison carelessly sauntering into her mother's room on her return from Mrs Maclnnis', found her already directing Pauline's preparations for* departure. She would have remonstrated but it was useles?. L»dy DartiEon would not hear a woraV She was going home, as soon as the carriage, for which she had despatched a groom, could be brought to the door. What there was not time to paok could be sent on the following day; and Oyrilla, to her surprise and mortification, found herself compelled to give way, or else scene that would have scandalised Harold aa well a Mrs Pembury. \ CHAPTER XXV. A HURRIED JOURNEY AND ITS DRAMATIC CLOSE. Great was Harold Outram's aetonishmenl.when he and hie cousicj returned from tbeir unsucceeefa chaafl, to fiad a railway hack at the door, Faaline and half * dozea trunks in the entrance hall, and Lady Dartison tottering across ?it with the aid of Wynnie and a manservant, while Sir Jasper and; Cyrilla came slowly and sullenly in the rear. "What does it mean?'* echoed the latter, her voice sharp and shill with vexation,. "Why, that mamma is seizeijwitu ridiculous whim of which sho can give no explanation. ,She insists that she is worse, which 1 don't believe, and that nothing will do her good but going home—to consult, I suppose., her favourite doctor," "Lady Dartison has looked seriously ill ever since she has been here." Harold gravely returned, "and her anxiety to see a medical man in whom she feels confidence is very natural; but coul'J he not conoe to the Towers?" Cryilla abrugged her shoulders crossly. "You can propose it if you like. lam tired of expostulating. Mamma's obstinacy is always intolerably provoking; she need not have made herself so absurd jußt now." It was not a filial way of talking, and Harold Outram put an end to it b'y addressing himself gently and respectfully to Lady Dartison. But she snrank from him in great distress. "I'm sorry to seem rude to you, sir," she faltered, "and I'm sure Mrs Pembury has been so kind to me ever since I, came; but I've heard something about you, Mr Outram, that's upset me dreadful, and I can't stay in your house as long as I've got that on my mind!" Conscious that he had done nothing of which be need be ashamed, the young man drew himself up haughtily; then lemembering that it was Cyrilla's mother who spoke, and commiserating her evident distress, he endeavoured to remove the false impression. (To be Continued.)