The Portland daily press., 1898-10-14
PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
COPYRIGHTED, 1891, BY WILLIAM LIE QUEUx

MS fath6r, strangely enough, Isl useu 6o
grant him any further allowance unless
he gave up his chambers and returned to
live at Stratfield. This he had been
forced to do, although much against his
inclination, for he preferred his friends of
the Common Room to the society of his
eccent parent. However, it had, after
all, turned ont for the best, he reflected,
beca use a month after he had come back
h g had met the grey. eyed girl whose
beauty held him entranced, and whom he
intended to ask to become his wife.
From the very first it had been arranged
between them that they should keep their
acquaintance secret only Nelly Bridson
being aware Of it, and 1t was she who
met lie orge with notes from L1ane when,
on rare occasions the latter was unable to
keep her appointments. He had found
both girls extremely pleasant companions,
and through two sunny months the
bright, halcyon days had passed happily.
In obedience to Liane's wish he had re-
framed from calling upon Captain Brook
or. Truth to tell, the refined, ingenious
girl, with her French chic and charming
manner, was ashamed of their shabby
home, of her fathers frayed but well-cut
clothes, of the distinct evidences of their
povert and feared lest her lover should
discover the secret of her fathers ignomi-
nious past. She had told him that the
Captain was u half.pa officer, and that
her mother had been French; but she had
been careful never to rener to the polylgot
society in which they had moved on the
Continent. nor to the fast that she was
the daughter Of man well-known in all
the gaming establishments in Europe.
IL that was OF the past, she had assured
herself. If George knew the truth, then
he would certainly forsake her. Hence
her lover had been puzzled not little by
her steadfast refusal to tell him anything
Aof1v 70 uorv ordi nv how wi
the equal rer1cence of her foster sister.
OF course he could not fail to recognize
behind this veil of mystery some family
secret, yet in his buoyant frame of mind,
happy in his new-found love, 1t troubled
him but little. Liane, his enchantress,
loved him; that was sufficient.
For more than half an hour he sat in
the brown library in the same position,
plunged deep in gloomy. reflection. The
sunset streamed in through the big win
dows of stained glass whereon were the
arms of the Stratfields with the motto,
"Non vi, sed voluntate,' which his an
cestors had borne through seven centuries.
The ancient room, 1ined from floor to
ceiling with the books of past generations
seemed in that calm silent hour aglow
with many colors
The suddenness with which the storm
cloud had broken away, and the suns
rays shone forth, aroused him. He
glanced at his watch. 1t was already
seven O'Clock, and Liane was awaiting
him beneath the railway bridge IN Cross
Lane, fully mile away
He made movement to rise, but next
moment, rejecting tina he could not leave
the house while his father lay dying, sank
back into his chair again. Liane knew
of his fathers illness. and would un-
doubtedly wait, as she had often waited
before.
H. zikk
and patient. The bitter truth recurred to
him. He had refused to give his pledge,
and had therefore been banished from his
fathers presence. And this because he
loved Lianel
He rose, and gazed out down the long
shady avenue of chestnuts, that led across
the broad Park towards the village. Yes,
would marry her. Soon his father would
pass away; then he would be free to act
as he chose. After all, he was pleased
that he had not given a false pledge to a
dying man. At least he had been frank.
His brother John had never been his
friend, therefore he knew that soon he
must leave Stratfield. One thing he re-
gretted to part from was the library, that
fine old room in which he now stood,
where he had spent SO many long and
studious days, and where he had sought
refuge almost daily from his fathers ill
temper. With hands deep in his pockets,
he gazed slowly around the old place with
its cosy afmchairs and big writing table,
then sighed heavily.
He was thinking of his fathers angry
declaration, "Erle Brokers daughter
shall never become STRAIT field'' What
did he mean? Were those words uttered
because of some absurd prejudice, or was
be actually aware of something which
both Liane and Nelly had carefully striven
to conceal? Again he glanced at his
watch. The hour was f1eeting. Soon his
we'll beloved would weary of waiting and
raturn home
He pressed the electric button, and at
once his Summons was answered by a
neat maid.
"Tell Morton to saddle the bay mare
and hold her ready. may want to ride."
ne said.
Eyes. SIR" the girl answered, surprised
at his unusual brusquensss.
The door closed, and again he was
alone.
"At least I'll try and overtake her,"
he murmured. 4" must see her tonight
at all hazards" and as the sunlight faded
he paced the room from door to window
his chin resting upon his breast.
(To b g continued q