Selina's Love Story.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8240, 19 September 1906, Page 2

Selina's Love Story.

By Efiie Adelaide Rowlands. Author of "An Inherited Feud," "Brave Barbara," " A Splendid Heart," " Temptation of Mary Barr," "The Interloper," etc., etc.

' CHAPTER XXll.—Continued. They turned and strolled aoross the grass, which was veiled with a thin white mist, proclaiming the beat of the day to come, and after a while Selina left them. 'Promise me that you will come in at tea tiae to-day, Miohael,' she commanded. 'I had a letter from Polly last night; she sent you a lot of messages. lam sure I dont' know why. 1 suppose she must have had some intuition that I should meet y° u -' 1 as. When they were alono oir George turned abruptly to Miohael Silohester. 'Do you see any difference in Selina?' be asked. Startled, for a moment Miohael hardly knew what to say, Then he answered, 'Yes,' in his usual blunt fashion, adding, 'Hut I don't think there is anything to fce surprised at. Your marriage has caused a great upheaval for Selina, you must remember.' 'Yes, I see that now,' George Durnstone answered, quietly. He watched Selma's figure pass out of the park gates, and flushed a little as be said: •I am afraid I have been rather selfish, engrossed in my own thoughts and my own affairs. I have not given to Selina the proper attention she should have had.' They walked on in silence, and then Sir George turned to the younger man. •Have, you seen Delaval yet?' Miohael Silohester shook his head. 'No!' 'But you are going to see him?' 'Yes,' said Michael. 'I must see him—perhaps to-day.' After a little silenoe, Sir George Durnßtone said: 'I can see by your manner, Miohael, that you are troubled. If there is any way in whioh 1 can serve you, you have only to command me ' 'Thanks, George,' Miohael said.

He was really much touched by the offer of friendship from George Duroatone. Though they had bnen intimate so many years, it was really Selina who had been Miobael's friend. George Durnstone had always apparently legardod Michael Silohester as a boy, and sacb friends as he bad were, ruost of them, men of his own agp. But Miohael was not the only one to find a obaDge in George Durnstone. The love whioh bad oome to him had humanised bim in an extraordinary way, making him conscious of things about whioh he had never thoignt before. Sir George's next question went straight to the point. •Do you still feel tbat there was something withheld from you about poor Edward at the time of bis death?'

'Yes,' replied Miohael.* 'Forgive me,' said Sir George, a little quickly; 'I have not tße right to probe this matter too closely. At the same time, Miohael, for a great number of reasons I wane to assure myself as to the proper status of this man Delaval. I And that he is installed in my household as a bind of intiirate friend. This is a great surprise to me, and not a pleasant one.especialiy as I learned from my wife last night that he moved intimately in her childhood's life. This fact makes it rather difficult for me to aot unless, of oourse, I have the very - beßt reaHons for insisting -on what I feel is a fact, that Delaval is no proper acquaintance for such women of my wife and my sister.' 'Are you looking to me to give you this proof?' Michael suddenly asked.

'I don't demand it,' answered George Durnstone, 'but I do think that if oircumstancea bring to your knowledge the conviction that St. John Delaval is a man of doubtful Honour, our old friendship would entitle me to a word of warning from you. You see,' Sir George added, 'what Dorothy said to me last night is quite true. The world is wiPing to give homage to any man who achieves notoriety—to a woman either, for the matter of that. Therefore, the position ia a delicate one.'

•Why do you say all this to me?' Michael asked.

•Well, because, ia the first inatauoe, you brought Delaval to mf house, and, in the second place, 1 gathered from what you said to me the other day, you have the strongest reason to believe that Delaval has not dealt honourably with you.' 'I shall be better able to advise you, George,' Miohael Silchester said, in a low voice, 'after I have seen Delaval. It is true I really doubt him—much to my regret but doubt ib not everything. lam not going to lose my faith in him j till 1 am obliged to.' Sir George frowned. 'Weil, that is your affair,' he said. 'As far as I am concerned, I owe Mr Delaval no consideration whatever. 1 never did care for the man, and I shall put my foot down very' firmly about having him in my house. Dorothy was vexed with me last night, but she is a child, after all, and she will be guided by me. That does not trouble me so muoh as tbe question of Selina. lam persuading myself that, though in a sense, her proper place is with us, it is just possible that this may not be the happiest arrangement for Selina. 1 want to do all t can to compensate her for what she has lost. I never fully understood until just lately what a life of independence Selina has had. 1 can see that it is not very easy for her to fall into our new' ways. 1 wish 1 know exactly what ehe would like to do. You used to be so intimate with her; perhaps you can give me a hint?' Miohael did ooi speak for a minute. Then he turned, and hie face wbb white with emotion.

. 'Why do you say these things to me, George?' he asked. 'Have you been so absolutely blind that you have not Been what Selina fa to mn? I have loved her ever since she was tt day little child. It is quite impossible to me to express to you tbe extent of my love.' He paused abruptly, and George Durnstone spoke hurriedly. •My dear fellow,' he said, '1 had not the fuiatest idea. Naturally, if I had, I should not have spoken so frankly.' They bad strolled away from the grass, and wero crossing tho broad carriage path on their way out of tbe park. It wa's George Durnstone who spoke, after a long spell of silence. 'Why should you not love Selina?' he asked. 'Have you spoken to her?' Michael shook his head. •No, nor shall 1; it would be use less.' 'My dear fellow,' said Durnstone, impatiently, *it is rid << us to speak like that. Apart from any other consideration, Selina has known you all your life, and cares for you very sincerely., Any woman might be honoured and proud to be loved by a man like you.' 'I think Selina does care for me —at least, I hope she does,' said Michael, 'but she has no love for me, nor would she accept my love.' George Durnstone goc a little more impatient. 'lf you don't epeak to her, how can you possibiy knuw?* he said. Ho rested his hand 00 Michael's shoulder. 'You have my sanction to speak to ber at once. I know no one equal to yourself whom I should welcome so warmly as her husband and my brother.' Michael looked for an instant in the speaker's face. 'I am grateful to you, George,' he said, io a moved voice, 'more grateful that you can guess, perhaps, for I know that these words are not idly spoken, but Selina will never be my wife. 1 don't know what induced me to speak to yon as I have just spoken, exoept that when you discussed Se Una's future with me it seemed so natural to tell you how dear she is to me.' 'Have you ever told her that your self?* asked Sir George, breaking into a smile. Michael shook his head. 'No. Once I might have done so, but now •' 'Well, uow?' said Sir George, impatiently. Michael Silohester paused before' answering, and when he spoke he did so reluctantly. 'it is her secret, George, and if she has not confided it on you I feel I am a brute in saying so much. Only,' he caught his breath, 'when one loves very deeply one must eland forward as protector when protection is needed. Selina will never be my wife, because—tecause—she loves another man—and that man the very one whom we both feel is not worthy of the love or trust of any living creature.'

CHAPTER XXIII. 'SOMEBODY HAS EVIDENTLY BEEN MAKING MISCHIEF ABOUT YOU.' While Selina and Miohael had been having their littJe chat in the park, Dorothy Durnstone had boen lying awake, thinking remorseful thoughts'. It needed little, unfortunately, to alienate her from sjiupathy with the man she had married. Undoubtedly, if George Durnstone had aoted differently in the beginning his hold on Dorothy would have remained and have strengthened. The mere fact that she was absolutely dependent upon him for sympathy would have drawn them closer together.

To this very probably he would have answered that he had tried the experiment and had failed; but life alone with him at the Gate House, amid surroundings that were s to an extent familiar, was a very different affair to life atroad, where everything was new. Dorothy quiokly persuaded her self that she had a grievance against George. It had not taken her very Jong to cultivate a certain bitterness where Selina was oonoerned, and she quiokly attributed her husband's pronounced dislike to (St. John Delaval to Selina's influence. (To be Continued.)