Evening star., 1924-04-10
Mistress Wilding
By Rafael Sabatini
Author of "Scaramouche," Captain Blood" ETC.
Copyright, 1924, Company
1Continued from Yesterdays Starr
SYNOPSIS.
BY Rafael Sabatini


SYNOPSIS.
Anthony Wilding. suitor for the hand Of
RHth Westmarott, proposes TO drink TO her
eyes as he sits with others about Lord Ger
vas vase H HScoresby's hand As he does 80. Rich
ara Nestmacott brother of the girl spla shes
.he contents OF his cup full in the face Of
Mr.; Wilding. Others IN the party are amazed.
the Young man is drunk. Nick Trenc n .
active agent Of the Duke of Monmcitn. of
ms insult to Wilding, but Wilding declares he
intends 10 have the pleasure of killing the
yonth SIR Rowland Blake. another suitor Of
tuth Westmacott. protests but il is settled
that the duel shall take place The brother
asks Blake to serve second. but he de-
E!ares Waits ne VIII he no party 10 the butchery.
mouth. accepts. and SAYS ne will serve 10 the
usath' th' on grow prophetic says 1'reu-
chard Richard "estmacott. practically pen
hIiehs because his wild life has cut him OF
from an expected Inheritance while his sis
M ter Is an heiress. is dependent upon her for
MS support. He favors the suit OF Blake be-
cause he has contract with the latter 10 re-
celve quarter Of the estate II the man
s,nraS marr.eS ms yiS sister He undermnes the in
3r sisnder as 10 his moral character but
"hdlng persists in the face Of rebutfs
1t had been we'll for Richard had
he left things as they were and
waited. Whether Blake prospered or
not, leastways it was clear that Wild
ing would not prosper, and that. for
the season, was all that need have
mattered to young Richard
But in his cups that night he had
thought in some dim way to precipi-
tate matters by affronting Mr.. Wild
ing, secure. as / have shown. in his
belief that Wilding would perish
sooner than rafs. finger against
Ruth's brother. And his drunken as
tuteness. it seemed had been to his
mind a piece Of bottle glass to the
sight. distorting the image viewed
through it,
With some such bitter reflection
rode he home to his sleepless couch
Some part Of those dark hours he
spent in bitter. reviling of Wilding,
whom he blamed for this awful sftua :
tion into which he had tumbled: at
other times he wept from self-pity
and sheer fright.
Once. indeed, he imagined that he
saw light, that he saw a way out of
the peril that hemmed him in. His
mind turned for a moment in the
direction that Trenchard had feared
il might. He bethought him of his
association with the Monmouth cause,
into which he had been beguiled by
the sordid hope of gain, and Of Wild
ing S important share in that same
business. He was even moved to rise
and ride that very night for Exeter
10 betray to Albemarle the cause
itself. so that he might have Wilding
laid by the heels But if Trenchard
had been right in having little faith
in Richards loyalty, he had, il seems.
in fearing treachery made the mis-
take of giving Richard credit for
more courage than was his endow-
ment. FoD when, sitting up in bed,
fired by his inspiration, young West
macott came to consider. the ques-
tions the Lord Lieutenant of Devon
would be likely to ask him, he re-
flected that the answers he must re-
turn would so incriminate himself
that he would be risking his own
neck in the betrayal. He flung him
self down again with a curse and a
groan. and thought no more Of the
salvation that might lie for him that
way.
The morning Of that last day Of
May found him pale and limp and all
a-tremble. He rose betimes and
dressed. but stirred not from his
chamber till in the garden under his
and that of Diano Horton, joined anon
by mans deeper tones, which he
recognized with start as Blake's.
What did the baronet here so early ?
Assuredly il must concern the i'm
pending duel. Richard knew no
mawkishness on the score of caves
dropping. He stole to his window
and lent an ear, but the voices We're
receding, and to his vexation he
caught nothing of what was said. He
wondered how soon Fallancey would
come. and. for what hour the encoun-
ter had been appointed. Vallancey
had remained behind at Scoresby Hall
last night to make the necessary ar
rangements with Trenchard. who was
to act for MIR. Wilding.
Now it char need that Trenchard and
Wilding had buSiness-busineSs of
Monmouth's-to transact in Taunton
that morning; business which might
not be delayed. There were odd ru-
rumors which had come fast upon
the heels of the news of Argyle's
landing in Scotland: rumors which
maintained that Monmouth himself
was coming over from Holland. These
tales Wilding and his associates had
ignored The duke. they knew. was
to spend the summer in retreat in
Sweden, with Git was alleged) the
Lady Henrietta Wentworth to bear
him company. and in the meantime
way for his coming in the following
spring. OF late the lack of direct
news from the duke had been a
source of mystification to his friends
in the west, and now, suddenly, the
information went abroad-it was
that a letter of the greatest impor-
tance had been intercepted. From
whom that letter proceeded or to
whom it was addressed, could not yet
be discovered But il seemed clear
that it was connected with the Mon
mouth cause, and it behooved Mr..
Wilding to discover what he could.
With this intent he rode with Trench
ard that Sunday morning to Taunton,
hoping that at the Red Lion Inn
~ nlara of niSSanf arS-h no
might Gull reliable information.
1t was in consequence of this that
the meeting with Richard Westma colt
was not to take place until the eve
ming. and, therefore, Nallancey came
not to Lupton House as Richard
thought he should expect him. Blake
however-more no doubt out of a
selfish fear of losing a valued ally in
the winning of Ruths hand than out
of any excessive concern for Richard
himself-had risen early and hasten
ed to Lupton House, in the hope,
which he recognized as all but for