Seti. st BE & : O ~ Ps % o Her: Free nt ¥, a°f B 4 Gatti eFE% crs Author of "The -H ibs fie "Ro overwhelm him' by any uncomfortable: -@isplay of excessive gratitude, yet there sete a ag hg he was her Rpgnse and if e met hi in she could hardly feil- to refer to the facts ae it Foiled i ? laugh erself had bee: fon, When, therefore, she reached the fireplace, and turned round abruptly, in a shame 'saw thatche was convulsed'with ment. mierri- Astonished, as well she might be, the girl stared at him in silence.. Then, turning as she stood with one foot-upon the fendér, she caught' sight again, ad she ad doné upstairs, of her own reflection in a weather-stained looking-glass, and her feminine"vanity su r~ got better of every other feeling. e expression of her face changed #uddenly as she stared at the unattrac- rance in a shapeless 1 en thoroughly soaked and imperfectly dried, seen through the Victorian looking- od looks--for she her b hair looked lank, twisted up, half-dried, in an unbecoming fashion; and her large dark eyes and fairly regu+ lar features. counted for nothing against these odds. Instinctively she turned her head away -from Astley, who was struggling to re- his gravity. For the awful thought d suddenly struck him that she wight think he was laughing at her. In fact, the curious little knob into which she had fastened her hair peeped out under her shapeless iat in an extremely com It behoved him therefore to think it ve of me to ory " he said, of he came forward a little way into the room., and stood behind one of the mahogany srm- airs, "Oh, no. Some people see fun-in any- thing," said the girl, somewhat distantly Evidently she was mot. grateful ~fok what he had done for her... Astley felt that this was a great comfort, And it amused him to think that he had been anxious to avoid an hysterical scene of tears and thankfulness, while she hed een just as anxious to escape the sight | of him at all, - | "Well, wher things are at a very bad | ns eaey have @ .way of. taking, a! oo (turn,)-don't you t said he. ink 80?" e. "TI can't say FE do," said the girl, tert- ty. "There's a long walk in the srow to! _ faced, for one thing, and in the dark, ' And she glanced out into the gather- | ing gloom. Astley broke incheerfully: | 'Oh, it's not quite so. bad as that. I've | _ in to Oxford for a cab, you know, | and--"' | ghe had given since her reappearance. "Indeed you must not. I can't allow it," said Astley, speaking in his turn with seriousnéss, an@ also with unexpected authority. "To venture 6n such a walk elong an exposed road; in the dusk, with the snow and the wind driving towards = would be danger, if not certain eath, especially after such an adven- ture as you've had," he added hurriedly. What gave him authority with the 1 was not so much the fact that he saved her life an hour or two before, but a certain hardness, amounting al- most to a suspicion of mockery in his manner, which made her curiously: con- scious of a feeling of inferiority to him. Though he. was periectly courteous; it was with the courtesy of one who stands in an unassailably superior position. She felt that he looked down upon her, despised her, was courteous only because it was a convention of his class to be verbally courteous to women. The thought enraged her, quite swallowed upy) kn: indeed, any impulses she might have had towards gratitude . "Oh, asef t, I'm nofte*the worse for getting eb wet,*sh® said} dm graciously, as she paused a moment, watching for her opportunity to slip by him and get: away. ?; Pe her feet wet" was such a euphemistic description of what had hap- pened that another smile. want ty hae stupid © Marsh," "A Prince of Darkness," tone, 'as he' g ar | fireplace, "to take off your hat and wait manner, towards. bim, she ~.; "hight here, unless Ite 'anxious to coticeal her identity from her she-}see;7en undergrad 4 ety a the da ' out of Penny ; par ja momen ve one shy, t nergy og oe a Bis a quivering lip. .His manner. altered 'dr- rectly. . Z . "TY should. strongly advise. yon," paid with the resumption of a more every- quietly and get je aa warni' before the cab comes,.as you will havea very cold drive." pte: *And--and you?" faltered the.girl, in: a strangled voice, and she instinctively turned as if to obey him. "Oh, I think I shall perheds stay 'the ll the cabman to' come back for me," he said. It was quite clear that the girl began to breathe more easily after this" To the highly-strung mood in which he had first met her-had sutceeded the» inevit- able reaction, so that she now felt as rescuer And' to hide the had made, as she had P indifferent to all these things.' "Oh?'? she ejaculated in a low voice, in a tone of unmistakable relief. ere was a pause, and then she said: "But I don't' like to take your cab. And if you've been ill, it's even more import- ant that. you should get back than that I should. I think it will he better for you to go first, and to send'the cab back for me. I'll promise to wait," she added uickly, and with a certain ingenuous- ness which-confirmed thé impression that she was very young indeed. Astley tried not to smile agai "Oh," said he, head about ime. n. "don't trouble your After roughing it through an African enmpatgn. this sort of experience 3 a mere picnic." A look of interest suddenly peeped out ofthe sidelonz glance she gave htm. Then, as he still stood in'the way be- tween 'her and the door, she muttered, "Very well, then," and. immediately. walked back to the fireplace, where-ske resumed her former position, standing with one foot'on the fender, and her eyes directed<towards that- terrible £° glass. Astley came forward slowly, drew one of the horse-hair arm-chairs back to.# digereet distance, and sat down. As she was 'between him and the window, the only yiewehe could get of her:face.was by the light of the fire below her,-which threw distorting shadows upon her face.. Littleas 'he saw, however, he was gon- scious that she was taking up~ the "bur- den of life again, and trying to devise bomé 'manner of tricking him, so that she might hide her identity. Long before this Astley had discovéred that his companion bolorfged-to @ differ- ent social-class from that he had at first supposed, and perhaps she divinod "his curiosity. At any rate she" presently said, after a pause: ' 4 "Tt's really most important "that I should' get back to Oxford, quickly, a8 I'm only passing through it, with--with my aunt, and I have a train to catch to- night. , 'Indeed!' Thén it's as well! the cab is » you,-know, of dreadful and su y. & ? why you don't know what to"do. suppose you don't know anything about shopkeeping?" she went on, turning sud- denly to him, as if with a little burst of frankness. : F nce again Astley smiled, ' This' time safely enough, for his face was buried in shadow. And his answer was made " # little demure voice which startled er: "Perhaps I know as much as you about. it. ; Therd was a or and he heard her draw a sharp breath. Then she said eurtly: ; " ay" . "You don't believe what I'm telling our" re answered with great suavity: "Well, no, I don't. ut what does that matter? It's no affair of mine, you owl" *.v. a ' Dead 'silence followéd this unexpected retort. Then the girl moved restlessly, glanced two: of three, times, at. the? nio- _puléss tings of sha d at last asked in @ querulous, high- but if you insist know." i a . Again she;v said ifhperiousty," t "I do insist. gy ow in the big'thair, | hardly. liked to risk the chilly ing for a room for the night. a few momerits later Mrs. Benne Care and told her: the cab was at the-door- ; got in quickly, not givin her ad- dress in i how- ¢ more ressing to think about, for the chill he d got developed into'a feverish attack, and he had to send for his friend'and '2 'doctor... Althoug h he was well. enough in.a few days to go back to the hotel at Oxford at which he had been meayine, "Astley, weakened: and demoral by: this fresh attack of illness following .on the still,-more demoralizing. 'stayed on in the town, instead of going to his cousin's seat on the borders of East Lantashire, for the hunting season, as he had pro to de. M the 'friend he had®come to, Oxford to "pee; uate, some half-dozen years younger than himself, did his best ; e'the time im. He introduced Astley to his friends in the neighborhood, one one, and, finally to a family named Hast who lived on the outskirts of the town. "I'm afraid you won't find 'them very interesting people,' he remarked, as they drew near the modern gabled red- brick house one Sunday evening. "But they're inoffensive at least. The son-- there's only the one--is studying for the church, e's an ardent stamp-collector, and he's. going to marry a rich cousin. anaye about all there is to tell about im." They were shown into the convention- al drawing-room, which agreed in all re- spects with the promise of the modern abled red-bricked exterlor of the house.' here weré the usual small, over-crowd- ed tables; the usual curiosities, the usual photographs.. One of these attracted Astley"s attention: it was that of a girl, in evening dress, 'holding 'a bunch of roses. He tliotight he had seen the face somewhere, but could, not . remember wehere. He. had not, however, had much time for, considering the -- when the door opened, and Robert Bascot, the son, came in. ; He proyed to. be a rather,small and éffeminate-looking fair man, with curly light hair like a baby's, and a precisa little voice and manner. Astley mentally agreed with his friend that the stamp- eollector might be amiable, but was not interes i 4 And then two 'ladies came: ine "Mr; Haigh--my mother--my cousin said Robert Basoot, introducing the visi- tor. . .* Adtley bowed, and shook: hands: with 'the elder dady. Then hissheart leaped up_to his mouth... For, as. his eyes,met e of the younger lady, their eyes flashed out a mutual recognition. = ~ « Robert' Bascot's cousin was' the. girl Astley had. saved from :drowning..ten days: before! \"" CHAPTER I. Nobody noticed the confusion of these two, as Robert Bascot chirped out 'their names in introducing them to oth- er. ; , Astley bowed and looked down; so did Norma Bascot. There was a second's' pause, and then it was Mts. Bascot, a thin-faced woman of forty-five or so, who wore glasses and was "intellectaal,". who 'the, conversation. _ And Norma stole away to the furthest ssible "corner, and* took caré not 'to: meet Astley's eyes. t -He was, so. utterly, bewildered. by the. discovery that the girl he had saved from drowning and the rich cousin whom' ohert Biscot was "to marry 'were: one [and the.eame person; that it. was wit: the greatest pamibie difficulty that.he answered intelligently, afd laughed in the right places, "4 And ai soon as he could, he took the opportunity of examining minutely the face of the woman who had appeared to him within so short a time in two such very different characters." ~~ So different indeed; that: if it had: not been for..her own miserable _self;con- eciousnéss, Auer. might .eyen have been 'tempted to' bélieve himsélf_mistaken. For, with her" black' hair * beatftifully , pamed. inthe» middle, swayed; and coile head, her~ fae looked: much; more. beautiful'than it-had done: when'she avas: | bine with the cold and sick With mer- her vousness: «while slight: figure, which had presented no particular attraction when wrapped in a led skirteand shapeléss jacket, looked exceedingly ful Wew? that she' woré 'a black e throat? geavecg? of tha Jeveiiirig: Astley. other circumstances..ebouk, the, : ri dur. -attentions | "the hearitiz of the hindlady, but |' simply télling the driversto go into: Ox=4e0 ed could be; aiid what)' typhoid, |. pleasantly for |: into+a 'massives knot: behind sj They visi gp pred aan ge of; f 5 SW MARTON byte al Ln tie et a aha Tonivind Che | b+) yurs d to exchange if only a few best thing to#talking. with r, was to talk about her, and to mention her to Mrs. Bas- fang this Ww er! nieve... ane ae at.once, hPa seni good on 80 i" "that is é: don't his eyes, and saw that the girl chinery "Not in a syo photograph, and saw that the girl was stan iteously into his face. His eyes met rs for a,moment only, and. them,he turned to the elder. lady and said: "Well, I think, if she fell into'the wa- ter on a snowy winters day, that you won't have to reproach her with such eccentricity again!" ; The next ghmpse he' eaught of Norma was of a'pair ofibig dark eyes swimming in' grateful, tears. « bed , When the time.came for going away Astley tried hard to get near enough to the girl'to bid her goud-night. But-she' would not let'him. !She-becamd absorbed in the ,conversation, .of, somebody, else whenever she saw, him coming her way. Astley, of course, said nothing to his friend, Jaek Fitlding/'about: his' dis- 'And the. ects se high dried, except Mrs. Bascot' niece. You'te not attracted there, hope, bacatiaé you-know she's booked t" he' added: suapiciou Astley shrugged "Am T likely 'to be 'attracted 'by any' woman, after my experience?" said he impatiently. ° : you "And it's the say you're not, but--" __ truth. Perhaps one of me is that, the culiure-press seems, to havé @risd most of ihe attroctiveness of femininity out of the Iadies"" ~ "Not 'ott of Nori 1+ She's feminine mough,'in all conscience, With her: im- ulsivenéss and her impztience!" "It's not the: prettiest side of woman- hedd, that... No, Jack,-young Bascot need not leok upon meas a hated rival." AU right, then" I own I shouldn't like you'té make a second' venture with an opera-singer's daughter." perg-singer's, eht? --- 6 sy wi: es. About the last thing you would expect to"hear of that menage, isn' it? Bascot's' brother married 'a Singer, and though they ,are they are, not, at, unwilling. that the money she earned shouldbe kept in the family" ~°° : These 'détails coticerning °- the'. "girl wlidsé acquaintance he hadimade so odd- ty' inereased Astley's interest, and on his second visit he determined that she should hot estape 'imi as' shé had 'done the first time. . . But. to his,surprise -her er .to him'had changed altogether. . Satisfied nowithat he woule xeep her sécret, and grateful for his reticence, Norma at onée, upon' his entrance, gave him her tiand with a-blush anda faijnt;smile, and made no further attempt, as, she had done on "his previous "visit, 'to avoid. speech With -him. ' SOM It was natural : that;:asion the: pret "g service. The figh it) was udually<donspicuous by Oxford. atm ' tictilar Were never tired "of, pearing S adventtires; Which he**aé- Seri witheandttractive admixture-of a 5 henewoand strange. «x: eer 0 me 'ge ted | jou Seth Rould | mary Ul auswer fessorial 1 Yale 2 ue oe a said of easion| to" ve it at any price, wants . : a A CO, r- Tapia OL 2m " aaid Astley. And as he spoke ; ©O hutterd g 'from th the | ding quite'¢lése 6 her aunt, looking / NA 'shouldera with a the attractions of th» Basvots' house to | Sg othe. taint;: a poaidte tal We * Pieldtnig, Who "Wits to ive, him ,awagy'" - . Site mad COR: t, atid owned that 7. Wr} 'ited « plate the thought of at white rabbit?" : Astley wanted to burst out ene i - "Those are very ystrong, words," (be, 7 id. * ens _ "They're not stronger than my Teel © ings," replied Norma, whose passionately words had a strange piquancy e fact that they were spoken im a § been on th ow, ésted in the s no neéd for you'to. W . tion over the matter. man be forced 40' mi igainkt her will. , "Butiat this, Norma threw upon him @ look ef scornful surprise. "OM yes, she can," she re lied with confidence. ~ "I'm veryoldy" but I know that. And if you will think, and coer se eT to you Will 'find ,instasiecs ot oir ie - made to marry against their will" ey reflected. Se , perhaps" I-may~know -of some. instances of particularly weak and eas- ily led girle being persyaded into mary. riage," he, said, at inst, "butinot girls like" » - . we Ae ri ed,towards him with » *said he, more and more inter- sO of their adventure. ell,' you. . Norma turn little grave "You think ' nal Re Bat often; make t¢ take. Ne can stand thé constant pressure, the never-ceasing strain._ My mother left.me at the mercy of these people; 1 don't know why, considering = * all the circumstartes of her life; *bub-ehe, did. And 'I'ciin't.niov., I can't eyen haye.. * sommand of my own money, until I Peome of age--and that won't bé for twe yeara--two whole years--or until Damar: " whe ' Viewell, tis body else f?"s mn, Why mot® marry .some:,: uggested. Astley... ; "Because there is, nobody else. They" won't let there be," r=plied Norma quick- hat ~stamp-collecting thse a CES cy rr ae odes ef naw," protested Aattey.! » 1» Agait when poor he n id a "Oh, dom : But he" Wanted t> Iatgh 4 he cast a glance in the direction of little Robert Bascot, and sdw hat | was fidgeting in bis chair, and casti dolefil, uneasy glances towards himeelf-. ti (Te be, Gontinued.)» Tennyson don; says: "My uncle d of dexmOneit raiti j who was > land in the Let it be Grip, 'Mataria**% >> Fever.or what not, af ~~ be. Heart °° to. protect, it, .to,.strengthen it, to cuits and yom pile einer outa ailmente, pa bb te eae Dr. Agnew's. > 39 ways strike at,t tei ats SEES © Wsstow See: Heart.Cu re... Ye te, | rout ithe wi 4 a i StG! Fed off Yninswet - x , < 4