The news., 1884-08-12
CHAPTER XIV.

10 meet Gitp6fL, IN an hour stolen when Mr.
Crawford Garden was poisoning Mr.. Gas
coigne's ear and counting the favor Of the
old man he looked upon as childish enough
to be cheated by his duplicity and duped by
his fiattery. / knew that in the end he
would find himself deceived, for, after his
departure, Mr. Gascoigne would chuekle,
and say to me-
Clever man, Viola! Pm an old rot fam
cam, and he is going to checkmate me in the
next move. He knows how to play two
games at a time. does Crawford Garden, and
he will win them, as he deserves. He knows
there's little sum to come to him under
my viii, for the last made he himself sng-
gested should be drawn up by another law
yer, and shouldn't be surprised If lie ex-
poets the Grange"
How can you bear to have him about YOU
when you think that?' Icried.
But he only laughed In his dry way.
On this night, as l was coming back
through the Grange shrubbery, came sud
denly face to face with Gwendoline Pom
eroy. She stood perfectly still in front OF
me, without speaking word.
Lady Martin p ] exclaimed.
Ihad never called her by her Christiaa1
name. although such was her own wish.t
preferred in one of her periods of friendli-
ness, and having its root in dislike Of her
married title. It was d curious stormy
friendship that existed between us; some
times she would be almost passionately af-
fectionate, at others she flung me aside
when would have sought her with an Inn
patience as fierce. Never for an hour to-
gether could tell what her hulnor would
be-; but never was she happy, and always
restless and changeable.
s'Youp she said abruptly. why are you
not with uncle Richard? Why are you out?'
Il came to see Gilbert You are taking
late ramble; but 1t Is such a lovely night,
far pleasanter out Of doors than In. =
Yes," she said, perhaps 1t is.
May walk up the terrace with you? /
do not want to 60 in yet. Mr.. Gascoigne
does not need me, and it is hot and close in
the house.
Il am not going ON heterrace, and don't
want company
turned away-I was accustomed to her
petulance; still wished she would walk on
the terrace, for down this narrow walk be-
tween the rhod0dendrons knew Crawford
Garden would be coming before long. |
wondered If the three girls ever suspected
anything of his visits, and could not ask
them for my promises sake; but, II Gwen-
doline had let me join her in friendly mood,
l think must have been i1npelled to induce
| her, with the strongest words could use,
without actually relating facts, to dismiss
| her maid; for that very evening, as came
out. had seen Mr. Garden enter the Grange
| by the little side-loor, and by the door Ma
| thilde met him, and j saw her place in his
As walked towards the house GWendo-
line stepped back and laid her hand on my
arm.
with me, whether want you or not. Don't
leave me here by myself. Youmust not go."
Dear Lady Martin, p / said at once, tax
| ing her hand in my own, you know want
| to stay. | should like to be here under the
| stars and among the trees for an hour. 1t
| u SO calm, and the air so sweet with the
r0sesi Let us 60 down the rose arcade.
.Calml Is it calm?' she cried passion
ately. Il think it is the calmness hate. /
| should like to be by d stormy sea, and hear
ilthe wild wind aud the M,ayes night and day,
Ehear the waves ktsiiilig fiic sl,oao assst tlfe
Wind moaning and shrieking! Let us go
| Away to the sea-shore, Viola, somewhere
ljust you and |, with no one else we know
/ Can't we do it?'
1T might be good for youto have change
and sea-air," | answered quietly. 1T is dull
| here, and the m0notony tires you."
YES" she said, in the same hurried way
-''that is 1t. 1t will kill me with its mono
tony and its calmnessi When you leave nay
uncle--it will be only few weeks now, will
| it?-you must come with me, and we will
forget every one and everything we have
ftknown, and we will watch the storms and
| thcsea till we grow calm with their fury
'Whege shall we gor' asked.
| could not contradict her in her wild
mood, though felt her fancies were only
fitting ones. She laugheda little hysterical
/ laugh.
Fool me to the top of my bent, Violal'
she said sarcastically. what is the sea-
side? Noise and rabble and brass bands.
| What are you? The promised wife of Gill
| bert Gascoigne, fancying yourself very much
| In love with him, and that you could not be
happy day away from him. What am II
A prisoner here, consigned by my husband,
with my sisters, and perhaps you too, as
guardians. Let us go and walk among the
roses, and say we will be,
| Living and dying,
Sweet roses, like theei"
| We were still in the narrow shrubbery
path, and, as quickened my steps in obedi-
ence to Gwendoline's behest, only too glad
| to hasten away, ! saw a man coming towards
us. 1t could be no one else but Crawford
| Garden.
| Gwendoline said nothing, and, / thought,
did not notice him. l looked round and
| suggested quietly
o,-,e,e 41x<,..-ts
There is short cut this way. Seep'
| stopped and pushed aside the shrubs;
but she did not seem to hear me. She walk
ed on, and, before had rejoined her. saw
whom she was meeting. She turned back
sharply.
Viola" she said, "comey'
lhastened after her; but Mr.. Garden was
already face to face with her. ! noticed
that he did not try to avoid her, as might
have been expected from his secret visits,
but stopped. and, as came up, heard him
| say
"What does this mean?'
'1t means that am taking an evening
walk Mr.. Garden" she answered coldly
| and / did not wonder at the c0ldness-swith
my friend, Miss Thorne."
ITO be surer he answered at once. Every
| pleasant. is it not? Good evening to you,
Miss Thorne. hope you will see that Lady
Martin does not stay outlong enough to take
cold. Miss Thorne and l are not quite
strangers, Lady Martini"
Il suppose not--so much the worse for
Miss Thorne''
Il trust she does not agree with you, i" said
he, laughing lightly. ''Do You think you are
wise to remain out here while the dew is
falling? Ladies are apt to be thoughtless
when stars and evening -breezes are the al
lurements. You are shiyering now. WIN
you fetch Lady Martin wrap from the
house, Miss Thorner'
Miss Thorne will do nothing of the kind, y
said Lady Martin. ''What will effectually
preserve us both from shivering is walking.
Don't let us detain you, Mr. Garden; it is a
| long way to Norbury. Good night"
Good night" he responded, holding out
his hand, which she either did not or feign-
ed not to see.
"Viola,'' she said, after silence Of sever
| al minutes, while we walked ON, II hate
that man. l know he is spy upon my
movements; but | cannot speak. Remem-
Der, / hate him."
IF you know what he is" said, you
ought to know also that your maid Mathilde
is in his pay. / have seen her meet him
only tonight"
She gave me a curious, searching, intent
look; in the half darkness her eyes cleaned
like fire. | felt she was trembling all over.
SIS she9''-and she laughed harshly. II
am going in. ] am cold"
A sudden strange fear seized upon me.
What did it mean? / knew not what it was
that 1 feared; but mechanically followed
GwendoIine into the house, and mechanic
Tally went upstairs to Mr.. Gascoigne. We
nlaYed at chess until an unusually late hour.