The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-20


growled Sir Jaffray. Then, seeing
couple Of menservants In the hall, he
said 30 them, "Turn that man out Of
the house, and II ever he coWes hero
again you have my express permission
to kick him right down to the lodge
gates"
With that be shut the door and turned
to Lola.
"And now, sweetheart, that the
rooms clear of that brute, tell me what
on earth does it all mean?''
He sat down BY her and first took her
hand in his, and then, seeing that she
was greatly agitatcd, he ran his arm
round her waist and held her close to
him and kissed her.
She was inexpressibly glad to be in
his arms, for she had grown to love
him with love to the full as passion
ate as that which she had formerly sim
ulated, and his demonstrative move
ments were rare enough to make her
prize them all the more.
She nestled close to him now, and
twining her arms about his neck clung
to him and drew down his face to hers,
covering it with long, sweet kisses,
while her eyes filed with tears, which
he could not understand. She knew
we'll enough, however, that they were
drawn from too certain foreknowledge
that such moments in their lives were
soon to cease entirely.
1t was growing pain to her, too, to
have to lie to him, as now she must, to
account for this extraordinary scene
with Pierre Turrian, and for the mo-
ment her wits failed to suggest even an
idea Of the tale she should tell.
She was completely unnerved and un-
strung in the moment Of relapse from
the excitement caused by the interview
with the Frenchman and the struggle
in which it had ended, the tension when
she had expected the truth to be blurted
out and the shock, half delight, half
fear, Of the horsewhipping.
Sir Jaffray on his side was very dis
quieted by the affair In the moment Of
his arrival bis thoughts had been too
closely occupied with the burning de-
sire to thrash the sooundrel whom he
had seen with his own eyes molesting
Lola to heed what had happened before
he came. His blood was set on fire by
what he saw, and he neither cared nor
stopped to think.
When he had stated that desire and
had dashed the man to bis souls delight
and content and sat waiting for Lola to
speak, he grew uneasy as to what could
possibly have happened between Lola
and the man whom he had regarded as
bis friend that could lead to such an
end.
How did this happen, child3" he
said when Lola's agitation seemed to be
decreasing.
II hardly know. I think he meant to
try to kill me. He insulted me. You
saw that mark on his face. did it.
struck him with my riding whip. 1t
was then he attacked me-" She spoke
in short sentences, like child recover
ing from fright.
"Did the man dare to make love to
your" asked Sir Jaffray, the thought
driving his eyebrows together in heavy
frown and making him clinch his teeth.
II was always afraid Of his coming
here, said Lola evasively. "You know
I said at the time I did not want him
asked. Ughi He is loathsome and dan
gerous.
"Never mind, sweetheart. Pluck up
courage. He won't trouble us any
more" said Sir Jaffray in much
lighter tone than he felt and wishing
to cheer her up. "And if he doesn't
clear out from the neighborhood Of his
own free will after today's business I'll
find way of making him; that's all. E"
His mood of demonstrative affection
had passed, and Lola, with sigh, let
him go from her side.
He got up and then lit cigarette
It'll DO lesson to me not to en-.
courage travelling fiddlers again. To
think that he should turn out such q
brute! And I actually liked tho fellow.
By CAD, but I'm glad thrashed him,
and I'm only sorry didn't lay it on
little longer and good deal harder"
He paused and looked at Lola and
then said very kindly:
"Do you feel better now, sweetheart"
"Yes, Jaffray; I'm all right now.
I'll run up to my room and get my hab-
it off. 1t must be nearly lunchtime.
Has the exercise made you hungry"
And she smiled
Her spirits had risen for the moment
at having got out Of the work Of ex-
PLANTATION so easily, and she thought it
best to appear as if she had shaken off
the worst effects Of the mornings
events.
But as soon as she was in her own
room and had locked the door and shut
out the chance Of being observed she
looked the truth full in the face.
The end had come.
With Beryl Loycester in possession Of
the secret on the one hand and with
Pierre pressing her from the other there
was no hope, no chance, no possibility
of escape.
What to do she could not resolve yet
At the moment she had to 60 on playing
the part that she had chosen, but what
ever the result few days must settle
everything. perhaps few hours If she
were to avoid utter shipwreck, she must
be prepared with some definite course
Of action, and the sooner she could de-
eide what that was to be the better.
Tho very safety Of the man she loved
demanded this. She knew Pierre well
enough to feel quite confident that he
would now have q double incentive to
do Jatfray harm. She had listened to
his devilish scheme in order to learn
what it was, so that having learned it
she might take measures to foil him.
But she knew also that he was quite
capable Of acting by himself from the
outside, and SO long as there was
thought in his mind that not only
could he have revenge for the horse
whipping, but also be, as he hoped,
gamer through Jaffray's death, the lat
ter was not safe for day.
She had reached this point in her
thoughts when the luncheon gong
I,,,ool,nI Of bo