THE Woman Who Came Between.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume VII, Issue 2051, 24 September 1907, Page 4

THE Woman Who Came Between.

CHAPTER XXIV, (Conlinucil.) Miiarn rose with groat dignity, "Am I to understand that yon ncouai mj most direotly cf tilling« inlaohood, Patricia ?" sbo askc), ia a qoiet way that m>, nn'crtliclasi, (all o! nngor. Patrioia at ofchcd out her band ia a sort ol hopeless gesture. " Qod knows I wish to'lhink nothing ol ;ou but wbab is good and kind n,n;l jus', Miriam, It plows yon to deny nil knowledge oftbesotwo people; if I, in my turn, dony you tho right to claim suoh ignorance, it is bacauso I am forced to do 80—booauio I know tint yon hmsomo very Btrong Beoroi reason for wishing to thin away all thought and discussion ol this Woman and of bor son, Yon&iono' long or well acquainted with me, otherwise I think yon would know ttat I never , make any utatomont without first having gatitfied isyaeK most thorcughly that

there ii good ground on wbioh to found that Btatemont." Miriam laughed, "I know,of course, tliat you are eveytiling that ii li gii and noble, and mott honorable, Patricia," aho answered, slowly, " and having granlod you so much I may bo forgive?, perhaps, for that despite ail yout osro and phenomenally dovebped wisdom, it is possible for you to make a mistake ocosssionally just ' like a more ordinary, everyday m;i\al," Miriam's smooth volco could acconiuate a snoot to perfection Sho stood now with one hand leaning on tho mublt manteisholf, and ono little foot on the broad fendei;; she swayed to and fro in an easy, amused kind o! way as she spoke. 11 1 will pais ovor your conviction of my false-hood and general uhwortbinesi,' 1 sbo went on, her less mooring, more grave now. " You have noyer been at a; y trouble to bido your jealousy and hatrod of me, Patricia. Your bitternusi has been, in fool, a oonstant olond over the happiness of my short mariicd life. For myBolf I should havo continued to bear wito this unnotieod by eran ono singlo word, but vou seo you will not allow mo to do so. ' You have thrown down tho glove, and I mast for my own pride's snlce ariso end • an <wer your challenge I" "I make noehallongo," Patricia repliod to thisooidly," neither h ivo I any doiire to enter into a word dispnio with you, What you thiDk of my character or whu I think of yours hat little to do with the matter before us now; imaginary Eentiinents must always (uo way to plain facts,"

Miriam yawnod a littlo as sho answered Patrick " Naturally," she said, everybody knowf tho value of faois ugainit theorio?, bir then the faots must be good onei, you know, Patrioia, and it yon don'i mind, dear,!should liko you to set forth your (acts of this matter, which, I confess, acema to me to be rather tho oiso cf a big mountain boingbnilt up from & liny molehill, and then wbon yau h&va given mo your facta I will give you mine; for now that the subject has been introduced I find there are one or two littl) points touching the quostion of theso Butlara—that it their name, ia it not?—which seems to me to require some ixplanation." Beforo Patricia could have mado any reply, it Bhe ii.vi desired to do bo, which the did .liot at tho immediate momont, Miriam wont on speaking in tho saino half weary, half contemptuous mannor, "Juatnow, sho said, "youtemarkod that tho question ol our individual fooling* and opiuions concerning our characters had very littlo to do with tho matter in hand. Now 1 bog to differ from you, I'atrioia. Let us roviow the position. Your brotbor for some strango reason or other," Miriam smiled as sho glaaesd. upward and caught a reflsotlon of hoc loveliness In the mirror set above the fireplace, 11 has done me the great honour to fall in love with me, and to mako mo bis wifo, You, for somo ruasoa, which I am ofcoid I must.oall by Me name of jealousy-have from the very first set yourself against me," " You tiled your bsst to put an impassable barrier betwoon Drivers and mys ell; you failed, Nothing daunted, however, by your failure, jyou havo ,dc crmioed to find somo srmll lounda;ion on which to build tip :a fabrication of evil suggestion end iflalioioui Biißpioion ag inas my character, You have got it iuto your head that tbore is a secret in my lifa, and to gratify your spito "you havo sot about making a big coup out of circumstanoes which aurronnd you just now, and whioh I confess most womoii would havo fumd embarasslng." Miriam turaoii liar splendid eyes from thortflecioaotheritmgeand tiio jav.olß on her h&nd and she let them rcaa bugnidly, Insolently on tbo pale prjud laoo beside her. "Iqubayo ocmo hcrr, to'jon raid," she continued," bioiU6e you wero anxious to talk iJ»ut ibo Builore; and I am just as anxiour, Patricia, thst we shoull discuss tho imttcr as you err, fir if ray foars ato righi your poeit'on is exoeediogiy uncomfortable, and you may bo glnd cf a woman's advico and helping band. I wiH help you most. nil ingly, though I don't fanoy many other people would Bhow you so much generosity, You seo you aro not troatiug uie well. That you should havo somo mysterious tronblo in oonoection with this workirg woman and her son is a regrettable fao!, but that you should try to savo yourself in your brother's oyoß by passing on this mysterious trouble to my shoulders is something more than rogrottnble, ii is vory nearly a crime 1" Miriam's eyes reatod coolly, easily on Patriot's face, Sbo saw the big dork eyei dilate and fill with an expression

BY EFFIE ADELAIDE ROWLANDS,

that wa« not easily describiblo. Slio did not intend to wait to lot Patrich recover lierolf, "l?aoti oro obsiinato things, Pnlrioia ind they cannot, alas I bo rcmovod by incrowoi'Jj, It will perhaps not Burpriße you to lmcw that your brother is perplexed, and I /oar concerned about your connection with iliis young man and I was quick to boo he was puzzlod to understand txictly tho amount ol iaterost you had taken in tbia particular portege, and your ill-conoesled agitation at his illbealib, Youeoo Patricia, by your own lotions you have oxposo J yoursoli to oominont, it not aoluai .snupieion, Now -" Miriam cha gad hor voice very cloverly—- " now P-itrioia will yon not confido in mo'? I am your Mother's wife tho honour of your bro her'a funily san naver 1)3 douror to anyono than to me. You are only a gir l , and if through fo ly, cr—" (To be continued)