THE STORY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 4

THE STORY.

IF IZR S T -R ZE ZR I O ID.

CHAPTER IL THE MAX she rhfvsed.

?r>TJOY had decided on travelling to Honey bazzard as soon as he heard that Miss Herder was staying with strangers in that town. Haring had no earlier opportunity of preparing her to see him. he had considerately written to her from the i n. in preference to presenting himself unexpectedly at the doctor's boose. How woald she receive the devoted friend, whose proposal of marriage she had refused for the second time, when thev had last met in London t The doctors place of residence, situated in a solitary bv-street, commanded a view, not perhaps encouraging to a gentleman who followed the medical profession : it was a view of the churchvar’i. The door was opened by a woman-servant. who looked sn.spieioa.slv at the stranger. Without waiting to be •ine»tione«i, she sard her master was oat. Moantjoy mentioned his name, and asked for Mice Henley.

T- servant's -I-*-***-- altered at onee for the better : she snowed him into a small diawing-room. scantily aad cheaply furnished. Souse poorly-framed prints »a the walls (a little oat of piaee perhaps in a doctor's house represented portraits of fam«>us actresses who had been queens of the stare in the early f«trt of the present century. The few t.»»ks. too, collected on a little shelf above tne ehimneypieee. were in every ease specimens of iramaric literature. • Who reads these plays . Moantjoy asked himself. * And bow did Iris find her way into this noose f While he was thinking of her. Miss Henley entered the room. Her fare was pale ami careworn : tears dimmed her eyes when Moantjoy advanced to meet her. In his presence, the horror of bls brother's death by assassination shook Iris as it had not shaken her yet. Impulsively, she drew his head down to her, with the fond familiarity of a sister, and kissed his forehead. ■< ‘h. Hugh. I know bow yon and Arthur loved each ocher No words of mine can say Low I feel for you.' ■ No words are wanted. my dear.' he answered tenderly. • K»«r s-vmpathy speaks for itself. ’ He led her to the sofa and seated himself by her side. • Yoar father has shown me what yoa have written to him.' he resumed: ‘ year letter from Du t>Lin and yoar second letter from this place. I know what you have so nobly risked and suffered in poor Arthur's interests. It will be some reri.-olatien to me if I can make a return —a very poor return. Iris—for all that Arthur's brother owes to the truest friend that ever man had. No.' he continued. gently interrupting the expression of her gratitudes ‘ Yoar father has not sent me here —bat he knows that I have left London for the express purpose of seeing you. and he knows why. Yoa have written to him dutifully and affectionately ; you have plealei for pardon and reeoaeiliatiesi, when he is to blame. Shail I venture to tell you how he answered me, when I asked if he had no faith left in his own child ? " Hugh.” he said. ■- yoa are wasting words on a man whose mind is made up. I will trust my daughter when that Irish lord is laid in bus grave-—not before." That is a retfeetionon yoa. Iris, which I ■sun>:-t permit, even when yoar father easts it. He is hard, he is unforgiving : but he must, and shall, be conquered yet. I mein to make him do you rastiee : I have come here with that purpose and that purpose only. in view. May I speak to you of Lord Harry I’’ • How can yoa doubt it I' ‘ My dear, this is a delicate subject for me to enter on." ■ And a shameful subject for Me :' Iris broke oat bitterly. ■ Hugh yoa are an angel, by ciMnparison. with that man — how debaseti I must be to love him—how unworthy of yoar good opinion : Ask me anything yoa like ; have no mercy on. me." Oh,’ she eried. with reckless contempt for herseir, • why don’t yoa beat me * I deserve it f Moantjoy was well enough acquainted with the natures of women to pass over that passionate oatbreak, instead of farm rng the fame in her by reasoning and remonstrance. ■ Your father will not Listen to the expression of feeling.' he continue*! : ‘ bat it is posable to rouse his sense of justice by the expression of acts. Help me to speak to him more plain ty of Lord Harry than yoa eoald speak in your letters. I want to know what has happened, from the time when events at Ardoon brought yoa and the yoang lord together again, to rhe time when yoa Left him in Ireland after my brother's death. If I seem, to expect too much of yoa. Iris, p ray remember that I am speaking with a true regard for year interests.' In those words, he made his generous appeal to her. She proved herself to be worthy of it. Stated briefly, the retrospect began with the mysterious anonymous letters which had been addressed to Sir Giles. Lord Harry's explanation had been ottered to Iris gratefully. bat with some reserve, after she had told him who the stranger at the milestone really was. ‘ I entreat yoa to pardon me. if I shrink from entering into particulars.' he had said. ‘ Circumstances, at the time, amply justified me in the attempt to use the ban ker's political in faenee as a means of securing Arthur's safety. I knew enough of Sir Giles's mean nature to be careful in trusting him : bat I did hope to try what my personal inffixeaee might do. If he had possessed a tenth part of your courage. Arthur might have been alive, and safe in England, at this moment. I can't say any more : I daren't say any more ; it maddens me when I think of it ’.' He abruptly changed the subject, and interested Iris by speakin g of other and later events. His association with the Invineibles — inexcusably rash and wicked as he himself confessed it to be —had enable*! him to penetrate, and for a time to defeat secretly, the murderous designs of the Ln>therh*»L His appearance, first at the farmhouse and afterwanis at the min in the wood, were referable to changes in the plans of the assassins which had eotae to his knowledge. When Iris had met with him he was on the wateh. believing that his friend would take the short way back through the wood, and well aware that his own life might pay the penalty if he succeeded in warning Arthur. After the terrible discovery of the murder committed on the high rood . and the escape of the miscreant who had been guilty of the crime, the parting of Lord Harry and Miss Henley had been the next event. She had left him. on her return to England, and hai refused to consent to any of the future meetings between them which he had besought her to grant. At this stage in the narrative, Mountjoy felt compelled to ask questions more searching than he had pat to Iris yet. It was possible that she might be trusting her own impressions of Lori Harry, with the ill-place*! confidence of a woman innocently self-deceived. • Did he submit willingly to your leaving him y Moantjoy • Not at first.’ she replied. • Has he released yoa from that rash engagement, of some years since, which pledged yoa to marry him f • End he allude to the engagement, on this occasion f • He said he held to it as the one hope of his life.' • And what did yon say ■*' • I implored him not to distress me.’ • En<i yoa say mxhing more positive than that f • I eoal.in t help thinking. Hugh, of all that he had tried to do to save Arthur. Bat I insistei on leaving him—and I have left him.' • Is> y'Xi remembjr what he said at parting y • He said "While I live. I love voa." ’ As she repeated the woris. there was an involuntary change to tenderness in her voice which was not lost on Moantjoy.

* I must be sore, be sai*i to her gravely, ‘of what I tell roar rather when Igo baek to aim. Caa I declare, with a safe eottseieaee. that yoa will sever see Lord Harry again y *My mind is made up never to see him again.' She had answered firmly so tar. Her next words were spoken with hesitation, in tones that faltered. ' Bat lam sometimes afraid.' she said, * that the decision may not rest with me. ■ M bar do yoa mean * ‘ I would rather not tell you.' * That is a strange answer. Iris.' * I value yoar g*»i opinion, Hugh : and I am afraid of losing ri.' ■ Nothing has ever altered my opinion of you, he replied ; • and nothing ever wilL' She l»ked at him anxioody. with the closest attention. Little by tittle, the expression of doubt in her race -iisapteared :* she knew how he loved her—she resolved to trust hint *My friend,' site began abruptly. ‘ olu-wtion has done nothing for me. Since I left Ireland, I have sunk I don't know how or why - into a state of super-stitioas fear. Yes I I believe in a fatality which is leading me back to Lord Harry, in spite of myself. Twice already, since I left home, I have met with him ; and each time I have been the means of saving him —onee at the milestone, and once at the min in the wood. If my father still ac*rases me of being in love with an ad venturer, yoa can say with perfect truth that I •»»» afraid of the third meeting. I have done my best to es*-ape from that man ; and. step by step, as I think I am getting away. Destiny is raking me baek to him, I may be on my way” to him here, hidden in this wretched little town. Oh, don't despise me- Don't be ashamed of me .' “ My dear. I am interests*!—deeply interested in you. That there may be some saeb intfuen-re as Destiny in our poor mortal lives. I dare not deny. Bat I don't agree with year conclusion. What Destiny is to do with you and with me. neither yoa nor I can pretend to know beforehami. In the presetce of that great mystery, humanity must submit to be ignorant. Wait. Iris—wait She answers*! him with the simplieiry of a docile child : ‘ I will do anything yoa tell me.' Mountjoy was too fond of her to say more of Lord Harry, for that day He was careful to lead the talk to a topic which might be trussed to provoke no agitating thoaghts. Finding Iris to all appearance established in the doctor's house, he was naturally anxious to know something of the person, wio mast have invite*! her—the doctor's wife. CHAPTER HL THE REGISTEEHD- PACKET. Movstjoy began by alluding to the second of Miss Henley's letters to her father, and to a passage in it which mentioned Mrs Vimpany with expressions *:d the sincerest gratitude. ‘ I should like to know more.' he said. ■of a lady whose hospitality at home seems to equal her kindness as a fellowtraveller. Did yoa first meet with her on the railway f ‘ She travelled by the same train to Dublin, with me and my maid, bat notin the same carriage.’ Iris answered : ‘ I was so fortunate as to meet with her on the voyage from Ehiblin to Holyhead. We ha>! a rough crossing ; and Rhoda suffered so dreadfully from sea-sickness that she frightened, me. The stewardess was attending w la.lies who were calling for her in all»iireetions-: I ready don't know what misfortuihe might not have happened, if Mrs Vimpany had not eome forward in the kindest manner, and offered help. She knew so wonderfully well what was to be done, that she astonished me. "I am the wife of a doctor," she said: "and lam only imitating what I have seen my husband do. when his assistance has been required, at sea, in weather like this." In her poor state of health. Rhoda was too much exhausted to go on by the train, when we got to Holyheai. She is the best of good girls, and lam fend of her. as yoa know. If I had been bv myself. I daresay I should have sent for medical help. What do yoa think dear Mrs \ impany offered to dot " Yoar maid is only faint." she said. "Give her rest and some iced wine, and she will be well enough to go on by the slow train. Don't be frightened about her : I will wait with yoa." And she did wait. Are there many strangers, Hugh", who are as unselfishly good to others as my chaneeaequaintance in the steam t-oat f ■ Verv few. I am afraid.' Moantjoy made that reply with some little embarrassment : conscious of a doubt of Mrs Vimpany's disinterested kindness, which seemed to be unworthy *>f a just man. Iris went on. • Rhoda was sufficiently recovered,' she said, ‘to travel by the next train, an*! there seemed to be no reas*>n for feeling any more an xiety. Bat. after a time, the fatigue of the journey prove*! to be too maeh for her. The poor girl turned pale—and fainted. Mrs Vimpany revived her, bat, as it turned oat, only for a while. She fell into another fainting fit : and my travelling companion began to look anxious. There was seme difficulty in restoring Rhoia to her senses*. In dread of another attack. I determ tried to stop at the next station. It looked such a poor place, when we got to it, that I heritated. Mrs t impany persuaded me to go on. The next station, she sai»L was station. " Stop there.” she suggested, “ and let my husband look at the girl. I ought not perhaps to say it, but yoa win find no better medical man oat of London. ~ I took the good creature's adviee .gratefully. What else roald Ido 5 • What would yoa have dome,' M-xmtjoy inquired, ‘if Rhoda had been strong enough to get to the end of the joarney f • I should have gone on to Loudon, and taken refuge in a lodging— yoa were in town, as I believe*!, and my father might relent in time. As it was. I felt my lonely position keenly. To meet with kind people, like Mr Vimpany and his wife, was a real blessing to such a friendless creature as I am—to say nothing of the ad vantage to Rhoia. who is getting better every day. I should like yoa to see Mrs Vimpany. if she is at home. She is a little formal and old fashions*! in her manner —bat I am sure yoa will be pleased with her. Ah : yoa look roand the room ! They are poor, miserably p«>>r for persons in their position, these worthy fnenis of mine. I have had the greatest difficulty in persuading them to let me contribute my share towar*D the household expenses. They oulv yielded when I threatened to go to the inn. Yoa are l*joldng very serious. Hugh, Is it possible that yoa -*ee some objection to my staying in this house f

TSe drewiv»g-niom door was softly opened, at the moment w-en Iris pat that juesti-.n. A lady appeared on the -h-ehd Seeing the stranger. she tamed to Ins, • I T know, dear Miss Henley, that you had a ™nor. Prav tardea my intrusion.' . TSe voice was deep, the articulation was clear : the smge 'resented a certain modest .dignity which gave it a valae of its own. This was a woman who coaid make such a 2s7mmoaplaee thing as an apology worth listening to. Iris stooped her as she *- as about to leave the room. * I was jost wiSdw' tor vou. she said * Let me in trod nee my old friend. Mr Moantjoy. Hugh, this is the lady who has been so kind to me —Mrs Vimpany.' Hugh's impulse. under the circumstances. was to dispense with th* f. .riaiitv or a bow. and to shake hands. Mrs Vimnaar met this rriendly advance with a suavity of action. not ■often -een in these -lays of movement without ceremony, was a tall slim woman, of a certain age. Art had so cleverly improved her complexion that it almost looked like natnre.' Her cheeks had lest the plumpness of youth. but her hair thanks again perhaps to Art showed no signs of TTTrein.' grey, rhe expresson of her large dark eyes—placed perhaps a little too near to her high aquiline nose—claimed a.imirati<>n from any person who was so fortunate as to eome within their range of view. Her hands. long, vellow. and pitiably thin, were used with a "grace which cheeked to some extent their cruel betrayal of her age. Her dress had seen better days, bat it was worn with an air which forbade it to look actually shabby. The failed lace that encircled her neek tell in scanty folds over her bosom. She sank into a ehair by Hugh’s side. _• It was a great pleasure to me. Mr Moantjoy, to offer my poor services to Miss Henley: I cir~: tell yoa how happy her presence makes, me in" oar little house.' The compliment was addressed to Iris with every advantage that an lies and tones coaid offer.

«>idlv _ artificial as it undoubte«ily was. Mrs Vunpany's manner produced nevertheless an agreeable impression. Idspo-e*i to doabc her at first. Meant joy found that she was vinnirs her way to a favourable change in his ot-tnion. She so tar interested him. that he began to wonder what her early life might have been. when she was young and hangsome? He looked again at the portraits of a.:tresses on the walls, anf the plays on the • ■ >k*helf — ini then when she va-geairi-r; to Iris he stole a sly g’ance at the doctor's wife. Was it possible that this remarkable woman has! once been an actress ? He attempted to pat the value of that guess to the test by means of a complimentary allasi-:-n to the prints. • My'memory as a play-goer doesn't extend over many years.’ he began : ' bat I can appreciate the historical interest of your beantifal prints.' Mrs \ impany bowed gracefully—and dumbly. Moontjoy tried a rain ' One doesn't often see the famous actresses of past days,' he proceeded. ’so well represents*! on the walls of an English house.’ This time, he had spoken to better purpose. Mrs Vrm -ct.-y answered him in words. ■ I have manv pleassot associations with the theatre.’ she sai>L ■ first formed in the

time of my girlhood.' Moontjoy waited to hear someth vno- more. Nothing more was said. Perhaps this reticent lady disliked looking buck through a long interval of years, or rerhaps she had her reasons for leaving Mountjoy's guess at the truth still lost in doubt. In either case, she deliberately dropped the subject. Iris took it up. Sitting by the only table in the room, she was in a position which placed her exactly opposite to one of the prints—the magnificent portrait of Mrs Siddons as The Tragic Muse. • I wonder if Mrs Siddons was real, y' as beautiful as that ?' she said pointing to the print. • Sir Joshua Reynolds is reported to nave sometimes bartered hi* sitters.' Mrs V impany’s solemn self-possessed eyes suddenly brightened : the name of the great actress seemed to interest her. < m the point, apparently, of speaking, she dropped the subject of Mrs Sid-ions as she had dropped the subject of the theatre. Moantjov was left to answer Iris.

•We Are none of us old eruxigh.' he remmded her. ‘ co decide whether Sir ■•rush has been guilty of fiactery or not.' He turned co , Mrs \ impany. and'" attempted co -’»k into her life from & new point ot view. ’ Miss Henleywas so fortunate as to make vour acquaintance." he said, "yoa were travelling in Ireland. Was it your first visit to that unhappy country ?’ I have been more than once in Ireland.' Having again deliberately disappointed Moantjoy. she was assisted in keeping clear of the subject of Ireland by a P>rcunate interruption. It was the hour of delivery by the artern*»n-p>st. The servant came in with a small sealed packet. and a slip of printed paper in her hand Its registered, ma am." the w»i<naa ann»xißee»L * The postman says you are to please sign this. And he seems to De in a hurry. She placed the packet and the slip of paper on the table. inaistan«L Having signed the receipt. Mrs Vim pan y ook jip the packet. and examine*! the address. She in'uuitty looked at Iris, ami looked away again • Will you * moment Y saying this she left the room, witnoat opening the packet. The m’xnent the door dosed on her. Iris started up. and named to Moantjoy. 1 ‘k’ Hugh, she said. • I saw the address ‘>n that packet waen the servant pat it on the table . dear, what is there to excite you in the address ? < l <w so &>nd : She may be listening outside the

No* oaly the words. bat the tone in which they were spoken amazed Moantjoy. ’Y’oar friend. Mrs Y'impaay he exclaimed. ■ Mrs Y'impaay w afraid to open the packet in oar presence,' Iris went on : * yoa mast have seen that. The han-I-writing is familiar to me : I am certain of the person wiw wrote the address.' • Well ’ And who is the person r’ She whispered in his ear : ‘Lord Harry.' CHAPTER IV. FHE G AME : MOCSTJOV L AsES. Scar rise silenced Hugh for the moment. Iris understood the look that he fixed on her. and answered it- •I am quite sure.’ she told him. ' of what I say.' Mountjoy’s well-balai>ced mind hesitated at -w-hing to a conclusion. • I am sure you are convinced of what yoa tell me.’ he said. * Bat mistakes do sometimes hapten in forming a ju-igment of hand writing.’

In the state of excitement that now poeeesseti her. Iris was easily irritated : she was xngry with Hugh f--r only supposing that she might have made a mistake. He had himself. as she reminded him. seen Lord Harry's handwriting in past -lays. Was it possible to be mistaken in those bold thickly written characters. with some of the letters so quaintly formed t ‘ Oh. H ugh, I am miserable enough as it is.’ she broke oat : ‘don't distract me by disputing what I know I Think of a woman so kind, so disinterested. so charming—the very opposite of a false creature —think of Mrs Ydmpamy having deceived me There was not the slightest reason, thus far. for placing that interpretati<>n on what had happened. Moantjoy gently, very gently, remonstrated. • My dear, we really don't know yet that Mrs Vimpany has been acting under Lord Harry ’s instructions. YY ait a little before voa suspect your fellow-traveller of offering her services for the parp.ee of deceiving you.' Iris was angrv with him again : ‘ Why did Mrs Y imp any never tell me she knew Lori Harry ’ Isn't that •aspic;• as ’ Moantjoy smiled. * Let me pat a question on my side, he said. ‘ Did tell Mrs Vimpany yoa knew Lord

Harry f Iris made no ret !v: her face spoke for her. • Well, then, ne urged. ‘is w silence suspict-.-u- ’I am far. mind, from saying that this may not be a very unpleasant di—cvvery. • »nly let ns be -are first that we are right. With most of a woman s merits. Mi-s Henley had many of a woman - faults. Still holding to her -wn eonelusi. -ns. she asked bow they eoul-i expect to be sure of anything if they addressed their inquiries to a rers* n who had already deceived them. Moantjoy s inexhaustible indulgence still made all- -w--an-.-es f..r her. • When Mrs Vimpany comes lack.’ he -a: • I will find an opportunity -f mentioning Lord Harryname. If she teLs us that she ia--«. him. there will be good reason in that one eireumstance. as it seems me. f r continuing to trust her.’ ■ Suppose she shams ign- -ranee.’ Iris persisted, • an 1 1 • kas if she had never heard • -f his name before " ■ In that ca-e. I shall own I was wrong, and shall ask y a to forgive me.’ The finer and tetter nature of Iris recovered its induence at these words. -Itis I who c-aght to leg par-ion.' •he sii .. ■Oh. I wish I could think before I speak: j.-.-w insolent and Hi-tempered I have been : But -uprose I turn oat to be right. Hugh, what will you do then .’

Then, my dear, it will be my duty to take you and vour mai-i away from this house, and to tell yoar father what serioareasons there are'— He abruptly checked himself. Mrs Vimpany had retume-i : -he was in perfect t--.-es.-ion of her lofty courtes-v. sweetened bv the m-.-test -iignitv <rf her smile. • I have left yoa. Miss Henley, in such good e»Miipanv.' she said with a gracious inelinati-■ n her head in the direction --f Mountjoy. that I need hardly repeat my apel-.gies-—unless, indeed. I an- interrupting a donfciential eon ver-sat:- -n.' It was possible that Iris might have betrayed herself, when the doctor s wife had l-wsked at her after examining the addre--.-on the packet. In this ease Mrs Vimpany s allusion to • a confidential o-nversation ' woui-i have operated as a warning to a pers<-n of experience in the byways ■ f deceit. Mountjoy’s cimses exertion <:-f cunning was not capable of protecting him on sueh conditions as these. The opportunity of trving his proposed experiment with Lord Barry's name seemed to have presented itself already. He rashly seized on it. » ■ Y-ki have interrupted nothing that was ccnfidential.’ he hastened to assure Mrs Y impony. ‘We have been speaking of a reckless young gentleman who is an acquaintance of ours. If what I hear is true, he has already become public property : his adventures have found their way into some of the newspapers.’ Here, if Mrs Vimpany had answered Hugh’s expectations, she ought to have asked who the y-r-nng gentleman was. she merely listened in polite -ilenceYV’ith a woman’s -luickness - f perception. Iris saw that Mountjoy had not only pottneed on ids opportunity prematurely. bat had spoken with a downright directness of alltsioa which must at on-re have pat such a ready-witted person as Mr- Y inipony on her guar»L In trying to prevent mm from pursuing his nnf--rtonate experiment in s:cial diplomacy. Iris inn-.cently repeated Mountjoy's own mistake. She t> • • seized her opportunity prematurely. That is say. she was rash enough to change the subject. ■ Y'Hl were talking fust now. Hugh. ■ f --nr friend's adventures.’ she said : ■I am afraid yoa will find yourself involves! in an adventure of no very agreeable kind, if voa engage a bed at the inn. I never saw a more wretched -looking place.' It was one of Mrs Y unpony's many merits that she seldom ne-g'.eeted an opport unity of setting her friends at their ease. * No. no. dear Miss Henley.' -he hastened to say : • the inn is really a m->re clean an-i eomfortar-le place than you suppose. A hard bed and a scarcity of furniture are the worst evil- which you- frien-i has to fear. Do you know.' she continued, addressing herself to Moantjoy. ■ that I was reminded of a frien-i of mine, when y->a spoke ja-t now of the young gentleman whose adventures are in the newspapers. Is it petsible that yoa referred to the brother of the present Far’ of Norlands A handsome v-.ur.g I*:- m I first he'.sxn.e acquainted many years since. Am I right in snpp.ii.Tn-- tnat yoa and Miss Healey know Lord Harry f she asked. What m--re than this could an unpre-

judiced mind require I Mrs Vimpany had set herself right with a simplicity that defied suspicion. Iris looked at Moantjov. He appeared to know when he wa- beaten. Having 'acknowledged that Lord Harry was the y- -:ng gentleman of whom he an-’. Miss Henley had been speaking, he r-oe to take leave. After what had rxa-sed. Iris felt the necessity of speaking privateiv to H igh. The neee—ary excuse presented itself in the remote situation of the inn. ‘ Y--a will never find your wav back, -he <v i. ’through the labyrinth of crooked streets in this town. Wait for me a minute, and I will be your gui-ie. ’ Mrs Vimpany protested. *My dear ' let the servant show the way.' Iris held gaily to her res.-luti-«n. and -ar. away to her ro-vm. Mrs Vimpany ridded with her best grace. Mrs Healey’s motive coal-i hardly have been plainer to her. if Miss Healey had confesses! it herself. •YY hat aeharn-.iog girl I thedoetor- amiable wife said to M-xmtjoy. when they wete alone. •If I were a man. Miss Iris is just the young la.lv that I shoubi fall in love with.' She l*»ke«i significantly at lloantior. Nothing came of it. She went on : • Miss

Henley must have had many opportunities of lieing married ; but the right man has, I tear, not yet presented himself.' Once more her eloquent eyes consulted Mountjoy, and once more nothing came of it. Some women are easily discouraged. Impenetrable Mrs Vimpany was one of the other women ; she had not done with Mountjoy yet—she invited him to dinner on the next day. ‘Our early hour is three o’clock,’ she said modestly. • Pray join us. I hojie to have the pleasure of introducing my husband.’ Mountjoy had his reasons for wishing to see the husband. As he accepted the invitation. Miss Henley returned to accompany him to the inn.

(TO BE COTINUEDJ