Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8201, 3 August 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

CHAPTER 111. Continued

'A>'d your brother is going to ma: ry Miss Baraldine?' There was a note in Mr Delaval's voice that made Selina look at him a second time. »y e a—they are just engaged. We meant to have such a happy evening. Wo were all going to drink their health, and I was going to make a speech.' 'Well, you "Jan still do that, can't you? I should like to hear you make a speech, Miss Durnsboue; I am sure you would go straight to the point. Now, I am an absolute ■ coward at thnt sort o. thing. I would sooner face a tiger that an after dinner assembly.' •you a coward!' said Selina, opening her eyes and looking at him in a way ne < found quite delightful. 'How ridiculous! Why, you are the bravest man that lives—that everybody knows. ivliohael has done nothing but talk about you for the last—l don't know how long. Oh, I know all about you!' said Selina, confidentially. 'Michael is a simpleton," said St. .John Delaval. He was glad that the'eonversation had veered away from Dorothy .Baraldine, for he felt pretty sure that Selina had a great luanv questions to ask, and he preferred not to be the one to answer them. | . , 'I think I must change my opinion, he said to himself, as he ate his dinner lazily; 'evidently there is as ■muoh drama hidden in the calm •strenms of a country existence as in the turmoil of a great city. What a strange thing thing to happened! I wonder what the girl's outlier would have done had she been present. How it 'brines back to my memorythat night when I|talked to her about her child! 1 urged her then if she would not change her method of existence, to put some kuowledge at least of the true position into the child's mind. Had she done this there would have been no such a scene as there was to night, but then, Jperhaps,' Mr J'eiaval mused on, 'there would have been no marriage like the one contemplated. What will he do I wonder?' he glanced down the table and watched George Durnstone. He will marry her,' he Jsaid to oimself, after a protracted study of his host. *fle is practical, and no longer a boy. He loves her as he has never loved before. Were there twenty sjaodals in h?r mother's life, he would still make this girl his wife. It will be interesting, to watch the ■development of the future.' -ft The lone evening came to an end -at last; everyone Had played his and her part as easily as each one ,could, but everyone was glad when the time lor separation that is to eay, except Michael SilchSt. John Delaval sat back in a low chair, watching tiis friend with aometbing like a sneer in Jais expression. 'Poor Michael,' he said to himself; 'he may pour out bis life's blood itself at the fewt of this sirl; she will have none of him. 1 Indeed, it was apparent to everybody that Selina wis treating Mr Silcheater very coldly. Just for a moment when all ■were preparing for departure Michael found his opportunity, and stood by the girl's aide. 'You must say something to me, Selina,' he said. His voice waP not very steady; it sounded as if it cost him an effort to speak. 'Must 1 ? said Selina, and her eyes flashed. 'What do you want me to say? To congratulate you on your mother's charming tact or to envy you her delightful acquain tances?' Miichael Silchester became very pale. 'You are not just, Selina,' ne saul, and the girl shrugged her shoulders. 'I don't mean to be just,' she said, coldly. 'Your mother has been guilty ,of a great wrong. 1 don't know everything, but 1 feel I know tbia much, that this woman had some grudge against poor Dorothy, and that [your mother was fully aware there would be a scene if she brought Lady Dunworthy here. 1 don't think 1 shall want to speak to your mother again in a hurry, Michael.' 'Leave me to deal with my mother,.' said Michael, almost hotly; 'but don't iaclude'me in your anger against her. You ought to know me better, Selina. iououglu to know that, it I could give my life to stand between you and any trouble, I would gladly do it. 'Oh! don't talk rubbish,' said, Selina. peevishly. 'That is all very heroic, I know, but I don't care nbont such nonsense. 1 am very unhappy about Dorothy. She is our guest, and more than our guest now, for George ia going to marry her. Nothing what you can say or do will change what has happened. If you really havo a pretenao of friendship for-us, you will arrange to keep your mother away from this house in future.' 'And stay away myself, I suppose' Michael aided, a little bict erly. Onoo again Selina shrugged her ishouldefu 'I make no suoh stipulation,' she said; 'if you find it pleasant to come here, by ail means come.' She turned away as she spoke, and Miohnel Silchesfcer stood and looked at her, feeling oold in every limb, and with a sick, a keen pain at his hear!. Ho could bear with hard cruelty better than with indifference. Selina's parting with Mr Delaval was very different. 'You ere staying with people 1 must henceforth regard as enemies,' she said, as she put her hand into bis, 'and so that makes that rather difficult to ask you to come here; because, you see,' she explained, 'I don't intend to be friends auy more with Mrs fciilchestar.'

By Effie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "Ait Inherited Feud," " Brave Barbara "A Splendid Heart» "Temptation of Mary Barr," "The Interloperetc., etc.

Delaval held her small hand in his slender strong o:ie 'Well, then,' he said, 'I shall solve the difficulty by moving my fffeots to the village inn, if there is such a place; because,' he said, I' really must see you again.' The little hand he held trembled visibly, and Selina's heart fluttered strangely. Sho murmured she hardly knew what. Her frank, easy bearing went from her at this moment, and Mary Lascombe, watching her, frowned. 'Don't you think you ought to go up and see how Dorothy is, Selina? she asked, abruptly. Selina drew hei hand away from Mr Delaval'a, ami, blushing turned away frnm him hurriedly and disappeared. Then, on 9by one, the guests drifted away, and Miss Lasoombe was left alone with tier host. CHAPTER V. ST. JOHN DELAVAL'S DISCOVERY. Sir George Durnstone. had no inteution of loitering with his old friend. But Miss Lascombe had equally no intention of letting him leave her immediately. She called him back into the drawing room shw was' about to mount the staircase 'George,' she said, 'I want to speak to you.' Sir George frowned, •Is it anything particular? Can't It wait till to-morrow?' he asked. \ Miss Lascombe shook her head. - x ' No. I shall not keep you long,' she added, 'and, in rny case, you cannot see her to night. I heard that she had gone tu bed. I hope she has done so.' Sir George came back into the drawing room, and walked to the fire. He struck a piece of coal with his foot, rather fiercely. 'I warn you, Polly,' he said, I am in no mood for pleasant conversation.' 'And I warn you ' said Miss Las combe, 'that what 1 have to say may not be extremely pleasant to you. I don't know that 1 have any right to speak of it at all, only t have known you all your life, George, and, if i do not put facts before you somebody else will, and perhaps not with so muob sympathy as I shall.' Sir George Drunstone frowned. •I am not afraid,' he said, 'say what you have to say—the more disagreeable, the quicker it should be saldr' He turned round and stood with his hands under his coat tails, and Miss Lascombe looked at him, As she had just said, she had known him all her life, and, though she honoured him for certain qualities, his was a character that had never drawn sympathy or real aifection from her. indeed, there had been many a time when she had marvelled at the love which Selina had lavished on her brother. Yet at this moment she felt sorry for Sir George Durnstone. In her straightforward way, however, she went dircet to what she had to say. g 'Have you the least idea, George she asked, 'why Lady Dunworthy,' acted as she did to-night^' 'No,' be said, 'except that she is a lunatic, and a dangerous one, too.' 'She is a madwoman, but only on one subject,' was Miss Lascombe's answer, 'and that a subject which should command a certain amount of sympathy. She was little more than a girl when Henry Dunworthy married her; she was little more than a girl when he deserted her. She had the misfortune to love him, and he,' Miss Lascombe shrugged her shouiders, 'well, rumor said that ho married her for her money; certainly he had a fine harvest of debts, which disappeared at the time of his marriage.' Sir George Durnstone moved impatiently. v 'Wh v at is all this to me?' be asked. 'Nothing, and yet everything,' was Miss Lascombe's answer; 'for the woman who has stood like a blaok shadow in Maria Dunworthy's life all these many fyears is the mother of the girl she struok to-night!' Sir George Durnstone gave a start, and his brows contracted; but before he could speak, if he had the jntontion of speaking, Miss Lascombe went cn quickly: 'You have lived a good deal out of the world, George; still,! suppose certain things have come to your oars J from time [to time—certain names j have grown familiar merely through seeing them in the papers. You know something, therefore, about Sir Henry Dunworthy's career, and you olao know, 1 dare say, that there existed, some twenty years ago, a famous singer called Caroline Bernetti; perhaps, too,' said Mary Lascombe, 'these two names linked togetner may have cocce to your ears in some fashion or' other. It is ntrange if you should not have heard of the old scandal, for Caroline Bernetti was a very great person in her way. She sacrificed everything —her popular career, the chanoe of a great alliance—all for the man poor Maria Dunworthy aarried. She assumed the name of Mrs Baraldine, and has lived, I believe, a very quiet life, wandering about the Continent for the most part, making "a home always for Dunworthy when he has chosen to return from bis wanderings. Lately, 1 was told ohe had settled in London. Perhaps you can guess the rest of nhat I have to say.' (To be Continued.) IiOAD TO ROW Begins when constipation and biliousness fasten themselves on you, and drag down your health. Chamberlain's Stomach and Liver Tablets cure these disorders, and successfully build up your strength and health. For Sale by T. G. Mason, , Masterton.