, 1905-12-20

Il 81 brother, GOrham, squirting
$SAoA TO Hardinge to fetch me in
hot haste to Lanston Grange,
| knew the us must be urgent and
scented danger in the air. We had
heard whisperings and mutterings of
fresh Jacobite trouble, and | feared my
uncle, Sir Guy Lanston, had allowed
himself to be drawn once more into
the business.
Some ten days before a stranger, a
Master Richard Lovelace, had appeared
suddenly at the Grange, and my uncle
had set off on a mysterious visit, from
which he had not returned. Now, it
was concerning this Lovelace that
something of a cloud had come be-
tween my sweet Awdrey and me. l had
come upon the two in close CONVERSE
ton and had seen the fellow kiss her
hand with a look in his dark eyes that
had set my blood tingling and my fin
gers prieking with desire to punish him
for his meddlesome intrigues.
Awdrey had but laughed at my
moody remonstrance, and when l ques-
toned her would tell me nothing.
-Geoffrey, Godfrey, you but worsen
mattersr' she cried, with a toss of her
pretty head. because a gallant gen
tleman in a hard case lays his lips to
Awdrey's poor fingers, and your wits
are not sharp enough to see the rea-
son, you must needs leap like a blind
horseman into the slough of mistrust
and cry, 1T is Awdrey's fault! Is
everything you cannot understand to
be Awdrey's fault?'
"And were my lips to go a-mumbling
Mistress Pallister's fingers, would you
cry: Godfrey is right. Well met, lips
and fngers|"
But at this clumsiness Awdrey bri-
died and tossed her head again.
Mistress .Paliister, forsooth!' she
exclaimed again in high dudgeon and
walked away with her head in the air.
I'll you leave me like that, Audrey,
I'd better go and
She broke into my surly words with
a laugh
"YeS; better go and stay away until
your wits are sharpened enough to
guess the riddle Of your W mistrust.
Mistress Pallister, indeed!'
iii return when your Master Love
lace has gone" l replied bluntly and
came away and for a week had not
been to the Grange. Seven miserable
days they had been. SO you may think
how my heart beat when | got her
message by young Gorham and knew
that in the time of danger she had
turned to PIE and how willingly | sent
my horse g%allOping straight across
country to Lanston that bright De
cember morning.
She was waiting far me in the large
domed hall of the Grange, pacing rest
lessly up and down by the huge eques-
trian statue, the statue OF, old Sir Guy,
who fought with the great Edward and
won his gold .sDurs at Greasy and Poi
tiers and founded the Lanston family.
Her face and manner were full of trou-
BILE.
81 have not forgiven you, Sir Mis-
trust. though / have sent for YOU" she
said. But her sweet blue eyes were
telling another tale.
you are i'll trouble, sweetheart.
When l have helped YOU, send me away
again if you wiz" j said.
you have learned how TO stay
away"
"And a harder penapce never grieyed
a penitent, Awdrcy."
"a sincere pelitent Should never sue
in vain, it is true" she said demurely
and then with a smile gooked up and
added 80 you're forgiven. And, oh.
Godfrey, the trouble is sore indeed"
"Tell me-" | answered, and when shf
did tell me | saw in truth she had moi
underjudged it. This Lovelace was a
far greater one than / had deemed-no
lesser than the young pretender him
self. He had come Over at the bidding
of certain reckless c~ounselors, who had
advised that a rising could be organ
lied Il he would but show himself tG
his followers. and o the plans had
all miscarried, his presence in England
had been discovered, and he had fled to
Lanston to hide while means could be
devised for his crossing again to
France. 1t was this business which
had taken Sir Guy away, and the Ill
news was come that he had been laid
by the heels by his old enemy, the govt,
and had done nothing.
Nor was that the worst. Sir Burton
Prendergast had got wind Of the mat.
ter in some way and might be trusted
to do his worst against Lanston. A
more malignant, rancorous, spiteful rat
of a man did not breathe in all the good