The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-09

| trying to adapt himself to an entirely new method of life. his mother began to hope that her prayers had been an- swered. and Lady Betty congratulated creditable victory
 From the very start Lady Betty's feminine intuition grasped the truth. Sir Richard was making love to her, and making love In such a refined and subtle manner that it almost seem- ed as though he wished to conceal it. She imagined 1t to be genuine senti- ment. and directly she had arrived at thatsconclusion she felt 1t her duty to respond She had no misgivings about the matter. Here. she said to herself. Is man of bad character who wishes to reform. If I can bring about this reformation by any means in my power shall have done a good work. She did not ask herself what the end of it all would be-
 And so here were two people, each pretending to be in love with one an- other. and each playing a part that was so we'll played as to be mistaken for the actual thing. And herein were all the clements of a very pretty comedy. which might do no harm to either of the parties concerned. and might do a lot of good to Lady Gwendolen Gaunt.
 But the fates do not view fraudulent emotions with favour, and. as there was only one touch required to turn the comedy into tragedy. they supplied 1t.
 Lady Gaunt began to notice that there was certain understanding between the two. and she was not al- together pleased at the discovery. She fancied that her son was remaining at Gaunt Royal, not from any desire to be with her, but because he was N~ n
 But, this feeling did not last more than a few days. She thrust it aside as selfhsh and unworthy. And she replaced 1t with a hope that Lady Betty Drake might save Richard from the slough Into which he fallen. AL ready there were traces of a new fn- fiuence on his life. And if marriage could be brought about--a marriage in which there would be no sacrifice then 1t was possible that Sir Richard Gaunt might yet become a credit to his name.
 It remained for Henry Gaunt to throw an unpleasant light on matters 1 that had far better have been left in obscurity.
 his triumphs In gnm arabic. and fb15o,o0o richer than when he last set foot on Welsh soil, precipitated himself on Gaunt Royal like a very clean and well-ordered avalanche. He announced his intention of coming the same day that he arrived. He might easily have given a weeks notice, but 1t was not his method to do things in that slow style. He loved to move like motor-car, and inconvenience every one else on the road.
 In appearance, Henry Gaunt was & sleek and self-satisfied replica of his elder brother. Both had the broad mouth and long thin nose of the Gaunts and they were both tall, broad shouldered. and without an aunce of superfiuous flesh on their bodies. The two brothers disliked each other. This was inevitable where both were utterly selffish and regardless of other peoples feelings.
 Before Henry Gaunt had been in the house for two days he fancied he had arrived at the truth of his bro ther's relation to Lady Betty Drake. He though over the matter for scarcely | as many minutes as he would have given to a new prospectus, and then | decided that he must act. Three days after his arrival he was sitting in the smoking room. with his brother. The two ladies had gone to bed and both men were smoking in silence. Sir Richard was reading sporting paper, and Henry was studying a company prospectus which had arrived by that evenings post.