TEMPTATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3171, 17 March 1911, Page 3

TEMPTATION.

% EFj? IE ADELAIDE HOWLANDS

Published by special arrangement—All rights reserved by the “Times.”

CH U’TER XV4II

The days went slowly, and George Vcrney’s condition remained unchanged. Those who loved him gathered faint hope from this fact; the others to whom his death was so important felt as if the grave had already begun to dose over him. To ho one were those days more fraught with anxiety and importance than to Isobel So rri erto m. She had allowed her son’s view of the situation to possess her, and she longed eagerly, savagely, for the moment when Mary should be delivered into her hands again, unprotected by the man who had learned to love her so quickly. ft. cost Lady Somerton a great deal not. to obtrude on Mary in these days, but she saw the. wisdom of holding back, not only because Mary was inaccessible, but because she did not wish to. draw Lady Susan’s attention too closely to herself. For, after all, her own position was very much changed since George Vernev’s accident, and that hurried marriage. There was no reason to the outside world why she should remain at Yelverton, indeed, every reason why she might be expected to go. To make matters sure, however, between Mary and herself,' she had written a few words to the girl. “Though you have dared to do what you have done,” she wrote, “though you no doubt consider yourself firmly established by the mere fact of- having gone through this ceremony which gives you the right to use George Verney’s name, I beg you to understand that you still belong to me, that I still hold the right to order your life, and that there mutt be a day of reckoning between us. Out of respect to a dying man I am holding back new, but do not deceive yourself—you have an account to render to me, and I shall demand that account to the uttermost without mercy.” This note she had sent by her maid, bidding the woman find Hammond, and charging her to tell Mary’s maid to deliver the letter into Lady Yerney’s cvvn hands, none other. It gave her a grim sense of satisfaction to feel that she had power to reach the girl, even surrounded and protected as she was in this dark, sad hour, but, tlv's apart, Lady Somerton had little else to give her satisfaction. By every effort she tried to prevent the growth cf the friendship between •Paul and Carina Forrester. It was in vain. It was no new tiling for her to find that her son had a will of his own, but u"> ‘to the present she had generally been able to bring him to his senses by practical means. Here, however, no amount of common sense reasoning had anv effect.

Carina went each day to the oldfashioned house where Paul lived, to sit for her portrait. For once Paul’s heart rose to the occasion. - It was the living presentment- of the beautiful woman who dawned- upon the canvas—the actual embodiment of that beauty that was weaving chains of iron about the heart of the ina.n.

To speak to her son was worse than useless, and only once did Lady Sonicrton attempt to conic to an undeistanding with. Garinia. They left the stucho together one afternoon after a lengthy sitting, and the older woman looked keenly at Carina’ southern face, resenting the loveliness more fiercely than ever. “Does your uncle know of this portrait, Miss Forrester?” she asked. Carina, latighed. “No, it is intended as a sui prise for him. Please don’t tell him anything about it, Lady Somerton—but oh! by the way, you have never met my uncle have you?”

Isobel Somerton compressed her lips. “I hope you will not think me unkind at what I am going to say,” she began; but Carina threw out her hand suddenly. “Oh, please don’t!” she cried. “I know it so well. You think it unconventional of me- to go to Mr. Lester’s studio. You don’T approve of a» in general, and you disapprove of his admiration for me in particular—on, I have seen, it!” “Disapprove is hardly the _ rightword,” said Lady Somerton, in. her coldest manner. “No—isn’t' it?” queried Carina.. “I thought from the fact that you take such a deep, such an unusual"-interest in Mr. Lester that you would naturally disapprove of his falling in -bve with a girl so poor as I am. But. be at peace about this, dear Lady Somerton, I assure you Mr. Lester is in mo danger from me.” Laughing softly, Carina got into the pony trap, and had driven away before the other woman could say "another word. On her homeward road, Carina overtook the bent form of her uncle. She drew rein, and lier face shadowed for an, instant, as she saw the trouble written, op his, and the- mist of tears in lii-s eyes. _ ‘ “Yon have come from Lady feusan’s?” she asked hurriedly. The vicar nodded liis head. “Yes. To-might wid be the crisis. I fear the worst. Carina made the old man sit beside her and they drove back in silence to the’ rectory." The girl’s heart, was a tumult of passionate thought. When she had left her uncle in the house she passed' into the drawing-room for a. moment, and stood looking at the last portrait- of himself that George Verney bad given her. “You bad it in your hands, George,” she said, in a low voice, “to make: anything of me that you liked —and now!” She turned abruptly away, and .walking deliberately into the garden, passed from thence into the road., to make her way to the village. V She' knew that she would meet Leopold Verney sauntering along that road. They had met in this way every da.v since lie had come on the scene. Indeed, the time would have hung very heavily on the mail’s . hands if it had not. been for Garina and the rectory hospitality. f He quickened his steps as he saw Carina. They were silent, a moment after thy Iliad clasped hands. He turned as she turned to go back to the rectory.

There was an expression of eagerness on his face as he looked at her. ~ ‘•You have something to tell me,' she said suddenly. “I have a bargain to make with you,” said Gaiina, m a hard tone. “Y\ e have not known each other lor very long, but I believe even in* this short time we have learned to understand one another. We start from the same standpoint. We have nothing, and we desire everything! With me there is also an old score to pay. Before I tell you what I know, Leopold Verney, I require to make a compact with you.” His pale face flushed a. little. “I will not pretend to misunderstand you. Carina,” he sad. “You have some purpose in asking me such a tiling. It is true that George Yernev’s life hangs by a thread, true that if 'we were to" marry you wood be m all probability Lady \ ernev, hut the thread still exists*.' Suppo-e you became my wife, and George Vernev were bo live what then?” “That is my affair,” said Ganna passionately. Then she turned to him. have let you see wliat this man was to lire,” she said. “1 have let you know what his marriage cost me, I have let you understand l how my spirit frets at this small vegetable existence, therefore you will understand that I am prepared to risk something, . and I have that in my knowledge now that will give me the power to rise and rise very high. Don’t mistake me,” she added rather sharply, turning to the. man beside her. “If I suggest this compact with you it is became you stand in the position that you do to George \crney, because you have a right, a definite right, to move, in. matters which are connected with the Verney family, and,” said Carina between her teeth, “because you will be the weapon through which I can strike at this white-faced girl who has dared to .rob me of the one thing I most desired in life 1” (To be continued to-morrow.)