The Ironmaster's Daughter.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8302, 4 December 1906, Page 2

The Ironmaster's Daughter.

j["The Ironmaster's Daughter" was commenced on October 17th.]

CHAPTER XXVl.—Continued. A full two hours before the great Ship floated into her dock, he and Frank were waitihg, both with anxious hearts. "I must get in the first word," thought Frank. "Great Scott! I've run a big risk. But when the possible advantages are so colossal It may be that Tressidy has broken off .the marriage—or said something to set alight the devil in her." So Pauline's schemes for meeting Frank alone were completely knocked on the head. She had spent hours in arranging her first speech, and flinging the letter in his face. She had anticipated, with a fierce, bitter sort of joy, seeing him wither and shrivel into nothingness! • And there he stood in the crowd beyond the barrier, and beside him was her guardian—her darling "papa." Both men bared their beads and Waved their Panamas in the ail'. And then the officious Jack-in-office, called the custom's officer, poked his hands and his nose into every corner of the girl's luggage, simply because she asked him to hurry up ! At last Chester Stark was kissing her face, and holding both of her hands at the same time; then he scrutinized every square inch, every ■ lineament of the girl's flushed face. Frank held out his hand, but she refused to see.it, and he murmurejj in her ear: "No upsetting news for father. • He's just had a bad turn, and his physician says that his heart's all wrong." Pauline heard, but looked haughtily, scornfully, another way. "Here's the carriage, Pauline," said Chester Stark. "I'm just starving to learn why you are here, and in such an amazing fashion. No letter—no cable—nothing."' "How did you know that I was coming, papa?" "Every newspaper in New York announced it days since." "Oh. I forgot the wretched papers. I'm so sorry. Wait; I must cable to Miss Tressidy. No—l can do it myself; the cable office is right here. Wait for me, papa." She ran into the office, and wrote the following to Enys: "Arrived safely. Send me news of Dick." Frank Stark would have given a great deal at the moment to know what that cable contained. He was in a very unenviable frame of mind, but had absolute confide nee in himself. "I shall pull out on top, as usual," he thought. "But I must feel my : way for a bit now." - The moment the carriage , was in motion, Chester Stark renewed his questions, but Pauline begged of •him to wait. "It's all right, papa; things are unhappy at Birchdene. Mr Tres : sidy's death came so sudden." Then she' thought' of Frank's warning. Her guardian's face was pale and troubled, but she had never heard ,; '"before that his heart was weak. "I just felt a bit homesick, papa; I wanted to see you, but I can't talk with all the din of the cars, and the automobiles and things. Ido think ' that Broadway is the nciseist street in the world." Chester Stark watched Pauline keenly, half whistfully, during the drive home. Frank endeavoured to appear indifferent, and was continually returning the salutations of people whom he knew. When he attempted to assist Pauline to alight she waved him haughtily aside,'but he managed to whispej.*. "I must see you alone. Don't upset my father if you have an atom of affectipn for him." Pauline ran up to her own room in advance of the servant. All was in readiness for her, and she hastily changed her dress, wondering all the while at Frank Stark's effrontery. It was well-nigh insupportable. "I will-lead him on," she decided • wickedly. "He shall get further entangled in the meshes of his own abominable net." Chester Stark was waiting for her in one of the sitting-rooms, where tea had been prepared, and he greeted her with a hearty embrace. "I couldn't hug you as/1 wanted > to in public, my child. Now we shall have half an hour to ourselves. Frank has gone down town .for • something. Why do you treat him so coldly, Pauline ? He came from the cool delights of Ocean Grove especially to meet you, and feels a bit hurt, naturally. How is Dick bearing up? He was mighty fond of his father." "Oh, Heft him very ill," Pauline answered. She choked back a •sob. "My dear child! Don't fear to iell me the truth. I know, that there is something wrong between you and Dick, or you would never come flying home again." "Oh, papa, don't! I just wanted to see you about something, but it will do anytime. Dick is only too ■much in love —and too anxious to be married. I told him I couldn't hurry'things without seeing you—without talking to you. But he was a bit delirious; the worry has been dreadful." Chester Stark was relieved, if not wholly satisfied. "We will have a spell in the

Bv OWEN MASTERS. Aniltr of "Clyda's Love Dream," "Nina's .Repentance," "Her Soldier Lover," "The Mystery of Woodcroft, " *' For Love of Marjorie," etc.

mountains, Pauline, or by the sea," he said, later. "I've been thinking of giving up active business life. I've got all the money I want, and its only fair to give the younger ones a chance. Few men who have made any success at all in England worry and toil at my age, and that's where they have the advantage of us. It's pitiful to see men of seventy, and even eighty years of age, scurrying to business, and panting and gasping in their efforts to keep apace with those half their age." "You haven't been so well, papa," Pauline asked tenderly. "No; IVe boen worrying about you." He stroked her hair. "Confound the newspapers! I warned the reporters off at the dock, and suppose they'll avenge themselves by printing an imaginary intevview, and indulge in personalities When are you going to tell me what is on your mind, darling," •'lf there is anything worth telling papa, it shall be to-morrow. But I want you to go back to England with me, to stay for quite a while. Giving up the business ■is a grand idea, isn't it ? I wonder how long it will be before I get an answer to my cable ? " [to be continued.]