CHAPTER II.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 23, 8 June 1899, Page 23

CHAPTER 11.

Thus, in one of the uttermost pans of the earth did Lord Ilarlath's daughter remain until she had compeL d her nineteenth year, when the sudden d< ath of her brother from diphtheria made her once more heiress to the family name and e-i'ite ■>. and brought her forward in her father's thought- causing him to send tor her to jome to him at Harlath Pork. A Though Mrs. Talbot hud always rxpected a -eparation from h< r Kaopted child, she felt the pang or it- approach unutterably, and dreaded, not lor herself, but tor Mi cntude. Lord Harliith's wrath on learning that his. oit'.spnng ■ adored fals • god-.' She tnid to prepare' the girl for the efforts winch would be made to induce her to give up her faith, avoiding, howevi r. a:iy aliu-um to tne old gentleman s unamiable character. When the < l.vy ot pining arrived tLu i poor lady was iilmo.st desperate with -.net anil apprehension, both ot which feelings she nevertheless eoncvltd to some extent from Mechtildc, who, though iv tears at having to bid Mr-. Tulbot tarewell, believed, with the hopefulness oi ;>outh, that her father would allow her to return often to Kilmore. The father who hod always been the hero and ideal of her day-dreams' How she longed to

behold his face, to feel his embrace, to sympathise with him in his sorrow on the loss of her brother, whom, ala--, she had never seen ! Such sweet hopes and desires filled the child-soul during the journey, as they had often done before at Kilmore.

It was late on the second evening since (heir departure when Mochtildc. her governess, and her maid, reached Harlath Fark, and the girl, naturally expecting to be shown at emeo into her father's pre-niiee. was disappointed when he merely s.-it a message that dinner would be served m half an hour. Woiideuug at this strange rtu/puon, -he began to change her dress, and wh'.n her toilet was um-jiui \u ut 'iu\\ usiUiirn aioue.

The drawing-room was still empty, and going over to the fire -ac leant against ibe marble pillar ot the mantelpiece and fell into a reverie, becoming so lost in thought that the entry of someone by the huiary door at the other end of the room did not attract her attention. A- for the person -who had come in, he -tood motionless m admiration ot the picture made by the beautuul young woman lean.ng against the Carrara column. 'The seventy ot her black silk dre.,s showed off the perfect proportion.-, of her tail fe-rm : her face was turred sidew ;>y-, bringing the fine pruiil'- i,i lull view, while upon th" slightly bent head rested a coronet ot s'mung hair. Uut tlie inte'is.ty ot his ga/u seemed to disturb her, for in a moment she moved and li. ted her wistful eye-, meeting the penetrating glance of a pair of grey ones, which mit-ned as they perceived h<_r startled expression.

■ I urn sorry if I have frightened you,' said the gentleman coming forward, and she saw that he was young and broad in the shoulder-, with straight features and light hair, but had little time to wonder who it could be, lor he continued : 'As Lord Harlath is not here, allow me to introduce myself ; I am James Durrant. I know 1 ha\e the pleasure of addressing Miss Harlath.' She bowed, and at the same moment the library door opened to admit a bharp-faced, bent old man, who, as he caught sight of the girl, seemed to become paralysed with astonishment. Unlike as this person was to Mcehtilde's conception of her father, still she quickly realised it was he and went towards him, but, as he made no movt inent to welcome her, stopped short strangely puzzled. Then tin did lord, beginning to feel the awkwardness of the position, pulled him-elf together, approached his daughter, and, dropping a loveless kiss on her cheek, ejaculated '\\ ell. well. I never expected to see such a fine girl ! Very like your mother, certainly, but a much better height. Dear me, how tune does iiy ' Eh, James I But you don't notice that yet, eh ?' The y Jung man made no answer ; he was watching" the flush of the girl - brow, called up by this terribly sudden disillusion. Vl ,)) lily all were reh-ved when dinner was announced, though it did nor nun out a very genial entertainment, Mechtilde being too DM'icoMc by her recent emotion to join in the conversation, and the gui t. eb civ uig how she wouid fain be left in peace, engaged Lord Harlath in an argument upon some question connected with China — to all'oid the author of ' Travels in Eastern Asia ' the occupation of airing In- views on the subject.