Men Were Deceivers Ever.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1036, 9 July 1904, Page 4

Men Were Deceivers Ever.

BY EDITH FRANCIS

CHAPTER V. THE WORK OF FATE, The man was a roue, a consummate flirt, who laughed at tho memory of tho false vows he had uttered, of tho women's hearts that he had broken; and the woman was an adventuress of tho worst dye, ono who bod dono wrong a thousand times and who bad tho guilt of murder on her soul, And yet these two, so hardened, so heortloss as it sejmed, were doomed to fall in love at first sight as utterly as any lad and lass in their salad days. Lovo it was not, in its highest sense, perhaps, but it waß passion in its most vivid form. Noil Denton forgot tho luro of Alino's fortune, and fell ho would liavo risked bis eternal soul lo win a smile Iron) theso red lipa, to soo tho sensuous lovelight dawn for him in Iho depths of theso alluring eyes, And tho woman, seeing the man's physical porfootions, felt a strango pang in her breast, Sho was still determined to marry Sir Godfrey—sho knew that hor brother, Joso, bad to much at stako to let her draw back now, even if sho could 1 - -but, though tho bnronot should bo her husband, she knew thai tho love at which ' she had laughed before bad coino at last, that she would gladly hnvojjiven herself, body and soul, tuNoil Denton. And yet they were but meeting as acqnaintmic*."'. d--(luotion over Alinulolt an odd chill in her heart. Tho sun had been shining botore so brightly in tho knowledge of Noil's dear presence, and tbo birds' songs amid tho flowers around had taken a now sweetness. But now all was changed. Surely the sun was shadowed, suroly a disoord had crept into tho woodland melody I Yet it was all so vagno and alight at first : that she tried to laugh at her own foolish fancies. But Neil, instead of finding some excuse for getting his fiancee alone, seemod more than coutented to remain talking to Sara; ho'seemed to have oyes for no ono but hor. It was so altogether unliko tho happy rounion that Aline had looked forward to that the girl was very near bursting into tears from puro vexation, At tho luncheon table she noticed thai Neil's eyes wandored much oftener in the direction of Sara than she approved, It was not uutil Mrs Hariton went to hsr room for an hour or two lio down, and Sir Godfrey bustled off to attend i; business he had postponed, that Aline ant Neil found themselves alono together. " So wo havo a low minutes at length,' he said, with cool assurance, " Toll mo Oeur, has the time passed very fllowly t< you ? I swear it has to mo, Tboro was nothing in the words, tin yet thoy cauie to hor like a ray of sunshine. " You were so much longer away thai you thought for," she replied, " Through no fault of liino, But wliei one gets into tho clutches ot tho Jews on never knows how long you may bo kep waiting." "Tho Jews ?" '•Ho, dear, lawyors." " But you said Jsws." 'SWr.'i'ifl but I look upon I hrr .as- their profession!' tho miatftta Yi&s easily -UHtdsv I caM to! yon tha: it mado me perfectly wild I have to go down to their offices day aftc day whou my thoughts were with you Bo he soothed down tho irritation h had roused in tho girl's breast, aiu Alin was very happy indood until ilio afternoo ton, and they were joined by SaraHarlto when Neil hardly mado an attempt t hide his admiration for tho fair widow. For the noxt two weeks Alino'a lifo wa a succession of feverish attacks, sometime of hope, but oftener of despair, When sho reproached Neil at n longer loving her, he was immonsol penitent at having caused her pair at the some time swoaring that her jeo lously was unfounded, and that he di nothing more than admiro the brillianc of Sara Hariton, But in theso protestations Aline foun bit little comfort, aud if confirmation wt wanted that Aline was not alono in hi doubts about Neil, tho altored boluvioi ol Sir Godfrey showed that ho, at leas shared ber suspicions, It was not that bis courtesy towari Captain Donton was ahanged, but li gave him very fow opportunities of boi>. alone with Sara, to whom Sir Godfrt I attentions were now so marked that Neil brows neorly always wore a frown, whil Aline's pride was roused, It seemed to her that to struggle for tl love of a man, end an old man, whilst si openly admitted tbe attentions of anothe was humiliating, and tho conduct of h father in proposing to marry a woman whose past they knev/ nothing but whit she ohoße to tell them, was indiscreet the extreme. What would thoir oircle of friends so and would thoir respect for hor father strong enough to make thorn hold out t hand of friendship to this strauger who he took as wife ? Things wore getting considerably co: fused when Sir Godfrey at ono blow o the Gordian knot by asking Sara Harlt to be hia wife. Now it was exaotly this question whi Bara had looked forward to from the fir And yet, now that the moment of 1: triumph had come, she hesitated. fahe actually blushed when she realie the fact that sho yejy nearly loved t handsomo captain of tho dragoons w enough to throw away tho ono chance a fortune whioh might ever como in 1 way. She knew that sho must not givo w to sentiment, and yet to cut herself adi from tbo one man who Lad pleasod 1 was a littlo more than 'sho could do all a moment. 8o she asked Sir Godfroy to givo he littlo time. "Only a fow hours," sho pleadi 1 This ovening if you wish it." Ho bowed, and for a moment presi hor gloved band, 11 1 must bo content, I supposo," ho se " If, however, you only knew tho gr agony of suspenso I shall suDor, 3 would make this poriod of agony as sh as may bo, Everything I can do, Se to mako you happy, I will, I am still young man, and oan accompany you any country you would liko to visit, will All the houso with guests, and I hi family jewels enough to satisfy t woman, „ They only want burnishing and ajefl re.setting. Comfort goes ali way/fo keep love glowing, and overy 1 that goes by goes to prove that love i: oottsgo breaks down vory soon. Can you givo mo your answer now, doi Must I undergo tbe miseries of suspensi Bnt the lady was obdurate, and . Godfrey had to yield. His words, howover, had not been 1 for she looked on the futuro rather v the glasses of reason than of love. Sho went to hor own room and fo a letter waiting for her—one that written in Spanish, in a band she ki only too well. It mi dated from an obscure put house in London and tbe hown ditpi

Authoress ol " Sinned Against and Sinning," " Love in Idloness," etc., etc,

betwoon her brows lis she road tbo wordß it contained, " My Dkar Sistkr " (it ran),-" I am pretty woli at tbe end of my tethor, and must havo monoy. You havo mannged to hold out nil right, but with me it is different. Havo yon got tho old man to ask you to marry him yet? If so, for heaven's sake hurry on tho mutch, lie must make yon a good allowanco for pin money, and that you can send on to mo, "If you lrnve failed, do not liesi* tatc to send me a wire, and I will oarry out our original programme. With you in tho house it should be easy to got the diamonds, but thoy toll mo that English polico cannot be bribed and that English prisons are uncomfortable places. So your plan is tho best if it can be done; with mino thcro is so much risk, •' Only thoro nnw bo no dilay.—Youi affectionate brother, "Jose," To bo continued)