Weekly Mail

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.] THE LOVE OF A LADY, OR, ROWLEY LE BRETON. By ANNIE THOMAS, AHTHOR OF Donne," "Played Out," "llre of Blendon," &c. CHAPTER f. IN THE SQUABE BY MOONLIGHT. Hie dinner hour is seven, sir. Seven By the holy poker but that's a e8Qschated corpse of an hour at which to feed a man! What after that? u Coffee, sir." y that succulent crashed bean order. es> I know all about that. But do the r:PIe- do anything until dullness drives them ued? ])0 they fing, dance, play cards— j.^anything to get rid of indigestion and the "There is a piano always in the drawing °°m, there are cards at night. I have paid j°Uroab, and brought up your luggage. Shall 'IT? more do for you, sir ? *Qe German-Swiss, Adolphe, who was win- a martyr's crown by performing the anrf of hall-porter, valet, footman, butler, occasionally errand-boy^ in a vast boardiing-bou e in Bayswater, moved briskly ^ards the door as he spoke. The discon- nted, gentlemanly newcomer whom ana addressed moved more swiftly still, barred the servant's egress. i Don't be in such a confounded hurry," s a half-sovereign to Adolphe as he Poke; anfl JQQJJ y0U—don't place me next deaf man, or opposite to an ugly woman to als." ^he manageress will direct where you ait, sir." Then, as 1 Cowley Le Breton forward to light a cigar, Adolphe ^aped to resume bis duties below stairs, eg<natic abrupt, inscrutable, stolid, stupid, "lert'roi-ked but still observant. "w ill she know me ? or has she clean for- sotten mo as—she has herself ? the latest ^lr'val in the little world of the big Bays- •t-er boarding-hoase thought as he glanced jo himself in a perniciously unflattering n1°*ing-glass. Five years is a long time in j.e life of a woman—of such a woman as °ra Daore." Then he smiled rather savage- and reminded himself that it was of small b llllequence to him now whether she remem- tbred. him or not. At the same time he knew th at if she had not been resident here this bOarding-house would never have claimed him its temporary own. first gong sounded, he dressed and was to go down to dinner when the seoond inged f, rth. Against his will, against his ftitJ1on sense, against his amoui propie, his Was Seating uncomfortably fast, his -T^ks had too much warmth, his eyes too »v?ch colour in them. The very thought of gr? woman from the past—whom he was half faalf-3»eenng at —was like a draught th f infernal Indian liquid, which, under name of Bangh, spells destruction to those 410 even sip it. He had been sipping it for veral days now—he would dash the goblet f0**n presently, and slake his thirst at purer hOQntalns henceforth. At least, that is what e "tteant to do—before he met her again. fo f Was a verJ well-arranged table, and about y People sat down to it that night. Mr. Breton looked up and down the serried thi eaters on his own line, and across ^49 ea»ily at those on the opposite side. "She" flj n°t there He nearly choked over the which he made at the moment of v, 'low'n £ a spoonful of highly-peppered ta water under the name of Mulliga- bAs he recovered himself, and pre- for the worst that was to follow in the u food, a voice at his side said: sWi°Jv'e-T'do,n't you know me P he looked get),P to hiia lef t. where sat a young Indian bo .elnan who had just gone through the '"esj 0f aa exam, so successfully that a,ready feeling his heel on the fore- '°'.the whites with whom he was mean- fli''ting. Rowley Le Breton glanced th 011gli-I)eyoiid this youth, and saw a face of at all 1ntelligent angel might have felt proud 4npoasesailjg, there wits such purity of tint p}e .exPression in its delicately radient com- 1 ^°ldlfl" anc* IoveI7 violet eye3. The dark c^ed hair piled up on the top of the cag ja "oft, semi-ciassical rolls, fell down in early locks on the wide and clear brow Ctjf¥ transparency reflected them. Her rosy lips] were quicerlng with sup- hervo deling apparently. Her small, etel) Us hlte hand trembled as she half- ltidia across the barrier of the young *<idr J! Bentleman to the man whom she D h, ^ou know me ? she repeated soft- Of e>n|. Was answered by the look of fury, ^ioh 'on> of fear, above all, of fiery love, ^is j,|SWePt' over his bronzed faoe and caused *eMiedQ° e^es em^ 8Par^s °f ^re ere '-IT ^4f°haut '^°Q' ^es»'n^eec^' ^00 we^'» ^rs> itell"lghed sweetly. Almost sounds as Parted Wend Mr. l.e Breton and I had -ln Wrath, doesn't it ? she asked the *eady ,n.ervening Indian whom she had a!- PasgJojj ?^eously reduced to a state of i*1 a fe h°Peless adoration which kept him 8ij V|r °f alternate loving and loathing J^ich "6 Un<i vastly amusing. "Instead of ftie 8IlG-Went on plaintive'y> addressing ^bich1 Wl^ gracious impartiality, instead t>Ve yea ^°Q an<^ were dearest friends °MepsS Or it lovers we were, \7e '8al1-' I forget." *l' -^ora ve^e"atever you chose we should •i n to d:„fe,Sa*d k°ldly; ''it was your turn B^all k* terms. I am five years older; J»? turn now," _I She flashed an alluring glance, and pre- tended to shudder. "Don't make your terms too hard, Rowley?" she pleaded softly, "for my pro- phetic soul tells me I shall agree to them, and probably there are other people in the case now who might object." Other people • He thought of the un- known Marchant, and his handsome face- the face of an impressionist-clouàed gloomily. Even other people," she said, lightly nod- ding the pretty head in whose every move- ment, whether gay or grave, stately or co- quettish, lurkel a diabolically bewildering grace. Ah I have heard I have beard she continued, slowly lifting a little repo- batoryfinger at him. "Little birds are 80 maliciously interfering! they will whisper little lies that are three parts truth, and therefore the blackest of tarradiddles you know." Little birds be Ah No, no—pause before you condemn ittle birds to perdition, for the one who se lwhisper penetrated most effectually through my ears to my heart bore a name that you love and honour." You shall describe that bird's plumage to me after dinner." he said drily, and her heart danced in her breast as she marked the flash of mingled rage and shame that blazed into his face. "After dinner in the garden," she as- sented, glancing towards the French window that stood open in the corner at the top of the steps that led down into the leafy square. I will there describe that bird's piumage and repeat its notes to the best of my ability; and, when I have doue that you shall decide- What ? Whether you like me best as a mooking- bird or as myself—Dora Deane." The choice is denied to me Dora Deane exists no longer, Mrs. Marohant." Don't howl out my name in that way !— it's not such a pretty one as it might have been if-" "If what ?" 11 If someone who could have given me a better one hadn't been an impecunious Apollo in the days when nature and circumstances made it desirable that I should cease to be Dora Deane." Then having drank her coffee she followed the example of the other ladies, and left the table, laying a light hand on Le Breton's shoulder as she passed him with an injunction that he should "follow her to the garden presently with cigarettes, and a well- arranged budget of news and reminiscences." THE SHARP CRACK OF A PISTOL WAS HE\BD. I Three hours after this the lights were beginning to die out in the house, but still Mrs. Marchant and Rowley Le Breton were sitting out steeping themselves in the luscious atmosphere of a midsummer night under lime trees, mingling with the faintly mur- mured recollections that came throbbing baok to^th m from a luxuriously loving past. She was wrapped from throat to foot in a black silk cloak, but her dark gold-haired bead was uncovered, and the moonbeams played over it tenderly. The last time we sat out together under the moonlight yonr head was on my shoulder, Dora," he said suddenly, after a prolonged silence, leaning his elbow on his knees, and turning his face half round to look into her's. I believe it was," she assented oarelessly it was an attitude that found considerable favour with both of us at that time. What silly young people we were to be sure "We were something better than 'silly,' we were honest and plucky and true then, Dora." II So we were It's quite nice to have such a record. You met the present Mrs. Rowley Le Breton about a month after that last part- ing of ours, didn't you 2" Don't taunt me, Dora. You were the cause of my doing what I did." He put his hand on hers as she raised it deprecatingly, and she turned it in his clasp, and gave him the sensation of clinging to him. "How late it is, and how wrong we are!" she sighed lazily. Not very late, and not a bit wrong. The respectabilities are all going to bed- the good wives who have never panted for and prized other men's attentions, and the excel- lent husbands who have never forgotten the existence of their wives. They are all retiring to the rooms whose windows overlook this garden—and they are all peeping at us, and finding me wanting in every matronly attri- bute. 0, Rowley, Rowley What born Bohemians we are 1" You've thrown away your birthright. Don't pretend that you have sympathies with anyone or anything beyond the safe, com- fortable, well-housed, well-dressed, well- oonduoted crew you joined when you became Mrs. Marchant." She looked up quickly at the darkened windows of the big house that loomed large above them, then rose to her feet and stood a pace or two from him. Each window up there has has an eye- and each eye is evil towards me. But I'd brave the influences, and trust to you for for- giveness, Rowley, if--l didn't think more of you than of myself, i'or you'll give me what I asked for-and probably more." "When you look and speak like that I l. should be more or less than man if I didn't forgive you and-loi-e you." The words were scarcely out of his lips when the sharp crack of a pistol was heard by them both simultaneously, and the next in- stant Mrs. Marohant staggered and held out one arm towards him for support the other jerked down helplessly by her side. I'm hurt-hit in the shoulder, Rowley," she said piteously. Help me in. One of us has an enemy at olose quarters. That shot came from the house." "By Heaven, the hour shall give up its seoret," Rowley le Breton cried ex- citedly, as he half carried, half dragged her to the French window. In another minute an agitated group of people were chattering around her proffering advice and assistanoe, and endeavouring to aid Mr. Le Breton as he deftly cleared the lace sleeve from the wound into which it had been shot, and bound the limb temporarily until a doctor could be prooured. In the confusion no one noticed that the lady's confidential companion, Miss Hewlett, was the one woman in this house who failed to flutter round and offer her services. At least, no one noticed it until Mrs. Marchant herself asked: "Where is Agnes Hewlett? she must be sleeping soundly, indeed, not to hear this hub- bub. Miss Hewlett rushed out for a doctor the moment she heard that Madame was wounded," Adolphe explained. She is always ridiculously enthusiastic where I am concerned, poor dear," Mrs, Marchant exclaimed petulantly if she had only stopped to think how much more useful she would have been to me at home than abroad in the night in search of a doctor whom Adolphe would have secured in five minutes, I should have appreciated her devo- tion much more." Ah poor thing she lost her head when she heard you were hurt," a kindly middle- aged woman observed apologetically. Then it was decided by a jury of matrons that the mysteriously wounded Mrs. Marchant should be escorted to her own chamber by the. feminine strength of the house, there to await the advent of the doctor and the return of that misdirected but affectionate enthusiast, Miss Hewlett-Mrs. Marchant's own familiar friend and companion. Meanwhile the house was subjected to a sharp search. But, naturally enough, neither the pistol nor the miscreant who had fired it were found. I he last words that passed that night be- tween the old friends—the man and woman whose re-union had been distinguished by so awkward an accident—were— Command me as of old. Tell me to do something for you, Dora." You shall do this for me. Telegraph to my husband the first thing in the morning; say, I am in danger, and want him. "Am I to wire in my own name or in yours P" "Perhaps it will be pluckier and more honest to send the message in your own name, Rowley! And, in spite of everything I've done and left undone, I do value pltick and honesty still." Your will is my law, but I think you a trifle injudicious." Ob. I'm always that," she said simply; if I had been judicious I shouldn't have put myself in the way of a vindictive shot to- night. Stay up, if you please, till Miss Hewlett comes in, and if you find her emotional tell her you won't allow her to see me to-night. I like the idea of your seeming to take command of me once again, Rowley. 1 like to play at owing allegiance to you still." She spoke these words in so low a tone that none of the listeners heard them. Yet no one was able to say that Mrs. Marchant bad whispered her adieux to Le Breton She had spoken in subdued accents only, as was natural in the case of a woman who was half fainting from fright and loss of blood. The doctor came presently and dressed the wounded arm, and administered a soothing draught to his patient. But Rowley Le Breton waited in vain for the return of Mrs. Marohant's companion. From this night the boarding-house in Bayswater knew Agnes Hewlett no more. CHAPTKR II. ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE Mr. Marohant's ancestral home in Berkshire was all that the ancestral home of a man whose ancestors have been undeviatingly wealthy for centuries is apt to be. A beauti- ful house set in the midst of beautiful lands The Marohants were proverbially a prudent race, who from generation to generation had gone on acquiring and holding fast and enriching more and more landed property, until now they were the greatest lords of the I soil in Berkshire. 'I h-y were proverbially prudent in marriage as well as in money matters. Therefore, the present representative of the name, Robert Marchant, was held to have done violence to the traditions of bis house when five years ago he h d married a lovely, well-born pauper, who had brought nothing with her save her beauty and the reputation of having had a career that was spotleqs-by a miracle! When the wealthy county magnate had first met Dora Deane the girl was trembling in the balance between her desperate infatuation for an impecunious Apnllo and a liberal offer which had I)e, ii made her by the manager of an Eng- lish opera company to go on the lyric boards. l l'eal love for l-'owley fought with a prudent appreciation of the comforts and luxurieis of life. The latter would have kicked the beam in favour of the lyric stage and sent poor Rowley with a bang to the bottom under any circumstances. But Rowley was in crass ignorance of this fact, and so when the wealthy Mr. Marchant came upon the scne and carried Rowley's only love off from under his very nose, the young man was full of bit- terness ot spirit against the golden calf which mercenary women worship. To add to his wretchedness, he had not even the bitterly- sweet consolation of thinking that it cost Dora much of a pang to give him up. "Go and be as happy as you can with someone else, as I mean to bG, dear Rowley," she wrote, and please don't regret any more than I do that we have known each other and been very happy together. Mr. Marchant declines to ask a single question or to receive any information concerning our affair. Nevertheless, I believe he will feel easier, and, therefore, I shall feel more comfortable when we hear you're married to some nice girl worth plenty of money." Then she bad signed herself always his true comrade and chum, Dora," and there was an end. He thought of the woman that had been as a foretaste of heaven to him. lIe was not a bad man vulgar vices had no charm for him, and he had a mother and sisters who dearly loved him, and made him feel that he ought to be a better fellow than he was in order to deserve such love as theirs. Still, for a time he went under recklessly, and it seemed as if Dora would have bis dam- nation on her soul. But into the darkness of his discontent and degradation a light shone that led him to follow it, idly, in a half- hearted way, at first. But that finally fasci- nated him by the very force of the contrast its pure, cool, clear rays offered to the fiery glow of the flame Dora bad kindled for him, and in which he had been half consumed. This delioately subdued and discreet little beacon was held in the gentle hand of a girl who was worthy of a better fate than that which presently became hers—namely, to be the wife of Rowley Le Breton. She had a fair amount of character for a girl of twenty- one, and all the elements of this character were good. She possessed patience, courage, strength, endurance, and above all toleration. She did not go to the altar with any vain expectation of being the first and only love of her lord. She did not think it criminal and unnatural, or even very reprehensible that he should let it be apparent sometimes that he almost despised-at least judged himself harshly, for having allowed himself to drift and be guided into the haven of matrimony. But her heart nearly broke and her spirit rose when he refused to meet Mrs. Marchant or to go where her name would be mentioned. And then, when his wife reproached him, and in her repressed, jealous agony told him that it was cowardice, he blamed himself more than she did, thus leading her to think him more blameaele than he was. But all this tookjjlace five years ago, and now these things were nearly forgotten by the many who had watched the oase with interest at the time. It was only just those two, perhaps-Le Breton and Dora Marcbaut- who remembered how they had loved and tried to unlove and forgat. Perhaps no one had put the matter more en- tirely out of his mind than Mr. Marchant. In real good faith the great country man really be- lieved it to be impossible that any sane woman could hanker after a lesser man than himself. Dora's sanity and common sense were indis- putable. Her husband's absolute reliance on these qualities of hers came to the fore on the occasion of his receiving a telegram from Mr. Le Breton announcing Mrs. Marohant's danger and need of her lawful protector. "Mrs. Marchant was indeed fortunate to have an old friend at hand in such an unplea- sant emergency," said her husband to himself complacently. Le Breton Why he was in love with her once; he will naturally take oare that everything is done for her until I am on the spot to relieve him of the respon- sibility," To all outward appearance Mr. Marchant was in no undue haste to assume the respon- sibility of taking charge of his wife. He was very fond of her, but he was very fond- almost equally fond-of many other things. lIe loved her in a tender and protecting way when she was with him, supervised her doings and saying, and regulated her food and exer- cise as he did the sayings and doings of his model cottagers and respectable employes, and the food and exercises of his Berkshire pigs, greyhounds, horses, and prize cattle. It was rather inconvenient for him to leave home at the present juncture, for a horse and dog show was being held at his very gates, and he was one of the judges for the hunting and harness class. Nevertheless, he backed I out of his duties in a gracefully-worded note to the committee, and took a mid-day train to town with a clear conscience. It did not occur to him to speculate as to the nature of the danger in which his wife believed herself to be. Dora was not a fussy or a fidgetty woman. Still at times she asserted her femi- nine rights and let loose her nerves on such subjects as burglars, scarlet fever, mad dogs, and damp sheets. Probably she was suffering from a panic about one of these real or imaginary evils now. He would cairn her and re-assure her, and take her home, and make her write a pretty little note of thanks to Mr. Le Breton for his courtesy and attention. As his reflections reached this point he stepped out on the platform, and found him- self confronted by a lady to whom he had a special aversion, his wife's companion JMiss Hewlett. She was a tall dark woman, with a long large nose, and hungry, anxious, dark yellow eyes like a tiger's. Her figure was broad at the hips, narrow at the shoulders, flat at the waist, ungraceful altogether. Mr. Marchant bad as keen an eye for the points of a woman as he had for those of a horse or dog Con- sequently Miss Hewlett offended his critical eye, and annoyed him by her presence at all times. Nevertheless, he believed her to be I fond of and faithful to his wife, and so he greeted her kindly. "Ah! Miss Hewlett, this is good of you, You are anxious to relieve my anxiety at once ? My wife is-- I "I can't tell you what she is," the impa- tient woman interrupted, "I heard a murmar of her being shot at and hurt last night, and I rushed out for a doctor, and when I bad found one something constrained me to keep away from her, something forced me to go to a .other place and take counsel of one who gave me a message for you, which I must de- liver before you see your wife." The fine, florid, blue-eyed, slightly impas- sive old country gentleman regarded the agitated, haggard-looking woman carelessly for a moment, and then said half contemp- tuously My good lady, you know what my opinion is of your astrologers and soothsayers, your clairvoyantes and spiritualists. If any crea- tion of flesh and blood has sent a message to Lme, pray deliver it, but if it has been stilt-

t'R Y'S <- PURE CONCENTRATED COCOA. From W. H. STANLEY, M.D., &c. H I consider it a very delicious Cocoa. Fj is highly concentrated, and therefore econ mical as a Family Food. It is the drink par excellence for Children, and gives no trou ble in making." PARIS EXHIBITION, 18S9, GOLD MEDAL 60 PRIZE MEDALS AWARDED TO J. S. FRY and SONS. BRISTOL, LONDON, AND SYDNEY, N.S.W.\

tered out by the drug-weakened tongue ot a half-intoxioated charlatan You scoff at what you do not understand,' she interrupted angrily, but [ will not forci you to listen to words that might spare yot much sorrow, much certain humiliation. Go —since you will not hear me—go to you; wife unwarned." She turned round and buriied away, and In accepted his dismiss .1 cheerfully, taking oil his hat with his best air, and looking around sharply for a likely hansom horse at the same time. Then he had himself driven to the address Le Breton bad given him on the tele- gram. Here he found Mrs. Marchant suffi- ciently recovered from the shock of the pistol shot to give him an amusing and graphic account of the inoident, and also to parrj the quiet surprise he expressed at finding het located in a boarding-house. J took it for granted you were in a pri- vate hotel, my deai- he said, lifting his eyebrows enquiringly. Did you, Itobert ? Ah you see I avoid even the appearance of fastness; a boarding- house sounds so dull and decorously hospi- table, one has all the privacy of a house if one desires it, and a little society if the sooiety seems safe. By the way, Mr. Le Breton came here yesterday. lie telegraphed my accident to you, didn't he ? He said you were in danger and wanted me. I came, of course, at once, at a goof" deal of inconvenience, as you will understand I have tried to explain it 1I to the committee^ and have begged them to find a substitute for me to-day but now the judging will go o' without iiie-- My dear Robert! it shall not be imperilled another day. Johnson shall pack at once, and' III go home with you." The prospect of getting back to his con- genial haunts and duties without any vexa- tious hindrances and delays delighted him- Still Dora looked a trifle weak and feverish well enough to spare him, but not quite we enough to travel. There could be no quest tion whatever as to the course which woul be most proper for him to pursue. This woul<* be to set the police at work to discover tht miscreant who had wounded his desr Dora, and then to get back to beautiful Walmsey, his ancestral Berkshire home, and possess his' soul in patience while he was fulfilling his manifold country gentleman duties until such time art his dear Dora should be sufficiently recovered to rejoin him. He proposed this plan to his wife, and on her acceding to it be cat-ried it out to the letter. It did not occur to him to ask to see Le Breton, nor did he share Dora's indignant amazement at Miss Hewlett's heartless con- I duct in having disappeared without leave just when she might have been useful. "If I were melvehamatically inclined [ might susrecl; her of having fired the shot, Dora said suggestively at the end of aa harangue to which her husband had not listened, That would, of course, be quite too absurd and melvehamatic," he assented cheerfully; at the same time, though I believe her to be quite incapable of shooting with intent to injure, I regard her as an unsafe companion for you, my dear. She holds dangerous views about the other world, dabbles in necromanoy and other infernal folly of that kind. As she has gone from you without a word of warning" I shall decline to take her back." Won't you let me try to find out why' she went, Robert ? Her motive can be of no consequence whatever." Mrs. Marchant would have shrugged her, shoulders bad the wound permitted her to do so. As it was, she merely drew the corners of her mouth down a hair's-breadth as she said- I must confess when a viper slips out of my sight L like to track it to its hiding-place, and destroy its power to poi,.OI." There's nothing viperous about ooor Miss Hewlett, she's merely a superstitious fool." II I hope the day will never come when shell imbue you with the belief that her superstitious folly is gospel truth, Robert." My dear Dorn, I reafly am afraid VOU'('b a little feverish. The sooner I leave you alone to rest the better for you. It's like you. my dear, considerate girl, to insist upon my returning home to fulfil my duties. I assure you, Dora, there is not a man among them excepting myself who can judge a hunter or a greyhound. It's vital that I should be on the spot-vital, I assure you, in the interests of the Midlands Agricultural." "See Mr. IJe Breton before you go; thank him for having carried me into the house when I was shot." Was he with you at the time ? Yes, Hobert." She was so glad that he asked her the question She did so long to make her confession of folly and flirtation to him, and win his forgiveness fairly. But be was not prepared either to invite or receive it. His thoughts were down at the cattla show. He was impatient to be fulfilling his obvious and lofty duties as a country geiitle-11 man. So he only said in response to his wif J'S Yes, Robert." By Jove "Are you vexed, are you?" she beg-an, asking. When he interrupted with an air of genial satisfaction— "By Jove! What an uncommonly un- lucky thing that Le Breton should have been with you; if you bad been aloip. vou might have lost a lot of blood and been terriblj weakened. As it is I shall 1.0. you in the saddle again in a week or two And-a-yes —by the way, take my adrift*, r.e81', Get one of Busvine's habits, and dOl' I iwve anything; more to do with that silly morriazi who has; left you in the lurch just when her com- panionship might have been useful to you. I flatter myself that my views are fairly broad on most subjects. But I consider Miss Hew- lett's credulities and superstitions place her beyond the pale of toleration altogether." "Silly old thing! She seemed wildly do voted,U me at times, and at others sh se^flflFd to crate me," Dora said tboll btfully;, odd, I remember, last nigh* AReifcitmier, when I was putting on mv cloak .i.