A Tardy Wooing.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8145, 23 May 1906, Page 2

A Tardy Wooing.

CHAPTER XXIX.—Continued. It was not given without sundry "misgivings, and an attempt to learn why Mr Outram wanted it; but Cyjrilla was not at 5 hand to assist her father, in evading the point-blank question, "Where does the man Kennett reside?" »And consequently Harold went away with his rival's address in his pocket-book. Oyrilla's biow grew stormier than before when ber lover departed, and Linda looked up from her picture to speak a word of warning. "Aren't you risking all the happy prospeots marriage with such a tnau as Harold Outram offer 5 ou, when you treat him as you have just been doing?" But this well-meant speech elicited such splentio response that Linda rued her interference. "You think he is perfection because h€ has the courtly man uers of a Sir Charles Qrandison. I suppose you thought the same of Edgar Shirley because he was plansible. 1 hope [have more discrimination." lha young widow's lip quivered at this illusion to her dead husband, and Oryilla soon felt a little ashamed of herself for having made it, though Bhe patted her cousin's shoulder with an air of superior wisdom. "My dear, you ought |to have learned by now that every man is deceitful where we women are in question. I don't suppose Harold will ever hesitate to trick nie as long as he is tolerably sure he will not be found out." "I hope you have not'as unfavourable an opinion of me, Mias Darti-

son. as you are expressing of my oousiD," said Eustace Leyland, whom a servant bad just ushered into the room. He'had expected to find her subdued and pensive, not with flaming cheeks and knitted brows, while her voice was raised to the shrill, hard tones always detestable in a woman. "You are a lawyer, Mr Leyland," retorted. "It is not safe.to.have an opiuion at all ( where you are concerned." She walked away, and be looked after her with a bitter smile curling bis lips. Was she beginning already to treat him as the poor relation? He turned to find Linda throwing down her brushes to atone, by her more ladylike reception, for the rudeness of her cousin; and this she did so delicately that he was forcibly struok by the contrast she presented to her more fortunate and prosperous kinswoman. He found himself interested in her painting. It was not the efforts of an amatuer. as be discovered for the first time. She was imparting spirit and intelligence to her work; it would bo a more faithful portrait of Lady Dartison than the one she was copying. Linda was pleased to hear him commend it, for be oritisoised at Ihe earn e time, and so shrewdly that Bhe saw he was no mean judge. She led him to describe pictures he had seen during his few and hurried viisfrs to the Continent, and discovered in her turn that the sneering, cynical lawyer could prove, a most gentlemanly and entertaining companion.

She was sorry when! Sir Jasper, learning that he was in the house, sent Wynnie to request bim [to step into the study; and when Eustace said "I should like to see your picture when , you have finished it," she frankly expressed a hope that he would come and give her his opinion of it again. Sir Jasper, as usual, was at variance with one of his tenants, and anxious to get a little law without * paying for it. Wynnie was at his elbow, for on her now devolved the task of keeping his books and conducting his correspondence—she having learned to write a fair and clerkly band that put to shame Cyrilla's illegible scrawl, and Eustace Leyland was amused to see in how orderly a fashion she docketed and tied up the letters referred to, and was ever ready to point out the passages in them on which tde fussy knight founded his grievances. In a very, practical, common-sense fashion the young lawyer studied the matter in all its bearings, and advised Sir Jasper upon it; but the old man was in a litigious mood, and was disappointed that Eustace did not approve of the arbitrary • measures he wanted to employ. "Ho was sure," he said fretfully, "that Air .Leyland would come to a different conclusion if he saw the last letter his tenant had sent him. It was in a pocket of a coat he hfad worn in the morning, aud he would fetch it. And this he iusistod on • doing, begging neither Eustace or Wynnie to stir till he rejoined them. They obeyed his wishes, the young girl falling into a profund reverie as soon as her services were not called upon. She could noc forget what she had beard Ohris Kenned assert on the, previous day. He had said he could and would produce proofs of that marriage in the little church ..uoar Dover and be also deolared his ijjtqntion of finding and bringing to Chisleburst the girl who had stood at the altar with Harold Outi I'ani. . The very terms in whiuh the promise wus made showed that he had not the remotest idea be beheld Jber in the quiet, reserved Miss Moyle, wliom hblhad seen ocoasion■ally iat bu- "jaiper'a; Was it not the last pkco where, he would have ; .expected lim 10 refuge? ; So lar Wjnnie lsueW that she was j, safe; but that ,he t might 1 succeed in trubjng her was also ptissble, if not very probable. » s ; Would it 1 hot be 1 'her—well, her duty to put it out of his power • \io wreak any further " mischief 1 " bet engaged. lovers?. Arjd could she not do this by sending Harold the ring and certificate, with •'^WrTtt^'-'/aasuraiic^ I ''that' : .h£ : "'-' ; w6uid ' u hear''"from 5 thav^itep,

By Charles W. Hathaway. Author of " Marjorie's Sweetheart," "A Long Martyrdom, " "A Hash Vow," t( Joseph Dane's Diplomacyetc., etc.

I And then Wynnie started and blushed painfully, without being aware of it, she had ia her agitation fixed her eyes on his face so imploringly that he partly divined the form her thoughts had taken. "1 think you may trust me, Miss Moyle," he said, kindly. "If you are in any difficulty and I can help you out of it, don't hesitate to let me do so. Speali, and speak quickly, or Sir Jasper may interrupt us before I can give you the word of advice I fancy you need." "Ah I sir, if you will do this, how grateful I shall be!" But how was she to word her story without telling too much or too little? By a happy inspiration she resolved to fut it to him as the case of a person she knew, and with much stammering and hesitation contrived to apprise him of the nature of her perplexity. "Some one with whom you are acquainted went to obujfih with a man

who, at the time the marriage service was read over them, was ill. I think you said ill?"—tipsy, Eustace Leyland decided mentally, "and retains no i;eoollection of the vows he uttered. Is such a marriage binding upon him? Most certainly it is, unless he can bring very convincing proofs that he was married without knowing it." "One of the witnesses is dead," said Wynnie, "the other bears him ill-will, and would not help him." "Then your friend may make her mind easy. This ungenerous bridegroom of hers is as fast bound to her as the rites of , matrimony can make him." Wynnie's heart swelled with wild exultation. She had but to declare herself and Harold Oufcram would be bound to acknowledge her as his wife! , 13ut would he take her to his heart? V> T ould he love and cherish her instead of Cyrilla Dartisou? With a sigh she told herself that this could never be, aud her voice had taken its saddest tone when she spoke again. "I forgot to mention that I—that she—does not dream of forcing her self upon him. She will never attempt to bear his uame or make known what has happened." "And wisely, perhaps, for he cannot be worthy of her," "Ob, do not say that!" she cried vehemently. "He is the best of

iiion!" Hiustaoe raised his eyebrows a little. "It seems a queer case, and if your friends are a sensible couple, they will remember they have taken each other for better or for worse,

and resolve to live together contentedly. Only the strong hand of the law could annul their marriage no matter how distasteful it may have proved to one or both the parties concerned in it." "Will it not be sufficient if she returns the ring and never sees or trobules him again?—goes abroad or " But Eustaoe Leyiand's amused laugh disconcerted her, and, Sir Jasper returning, she slipped away, to wocder in the solitude of her chamber what she ought to do, (To be continued.)

who was aware that a oeremony performed while he was not fully conscious of what he was doing had given her no olaio upon him? "Yes; but she sighed as she said it. She must not let, the aversion she felt for Oyrilla, or her oonvic tion that she did not deserve to become Harold Outram's wife, interfere with her sense of what was right. Who WBS she that she should come between a pair who had known and loved each other so long? That passion of whioh she was ashamed—that mad, miserable jealousy of this most fortunate girl—'must be overome, and Harold maae happy in bis own way. Who could say whether constant association with him would not mold Cyiilla into a

sweet and unselfish woman? But just lately Wynnie's growing acquaintance with things technical and legal engendered a doubt whether the anonymous renunciation she purposed would be sufficient. As far as she was concerned, it would suffice to set Mr Outram free; for never again should he' behold her, or hear her name; but there was Ohr»8 Kennett to be considered. She must not only set her bridegroom at liberty, but put it out of his enemys power to disturb his wedded felicity by any more assertions that tbe marriage at Dover was a one. But how was this to be done? Not publicly if it could be avoided. For, though but a dep«ndant in Sir Japser'a household, Wynnie 'set a high value ou tbe nosition to

which she bad attained and dreaded confessing who she was and whence she came. Think of the terrible oonsequenes to one so friendless as herself !J| Why, even Linda, who liked her sincerely, would hesitate to near her a girl who had sold flowers in the streets of a seaport town. 4

She must be silent farther own sake; and yet for Harolds' she must speak, unless she could give him her freedom without betraying t herself. Would this be possible? Mr Leyland would know. Lb, for courage to ask him the question of such vital importance to her own comfort and well-being I