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CHAPTER XII. "A tisk too strong for wizard spellj This squire had brought about; 'Tis easy dropping stones in weils But who stiali g t them out ? The time has slipped by to spring, and Easter this year falls late. The Countess of Polehampton is holding one of her fashionable receptions which attraots half London to her doors. She is going down into Suffolk to stay with Lord and Lady Bruton at Bruton Towers for the recess, for she has a new scheme on hand to marry her brother, Sir Reginald Denison, to Lady Isabel Childe, the eldest daughter of the Earl of Bruton, a beauty and an heiress who has just been presented. Lady Polehampton has been able to advance such convincing reasons in favour of the alliance that Sir Reginald Denison has pro- mised to look in at her reception to be intro- duced to Lady Isabel, who has only reoently returned to England from a convent in France, where she has spent the last three years of her school life, and whom Sir Regnald vaguely remembers as a fair-haired child, full of dash and animal spirits, but who has now sobered down into a discreet maiden. At last I" eried the Countess, with a frown, as she caught sight of her brother endeavouring to elbow his way through the crowd. I had almost given you up." "Couldn'tget here sooner," said Sir Reginald apologetically. He didn't explain that he had been employed more agreeably to his tastes at a new gambling club, where baccurat and high stakes were supreme, and of which the police were supposed to know nothing, and that after winning heavily he, had been tempted to stay until fortune turued, and he lost all his winnings and a few thousands beside. It is very vexing," said Lady Polehamp- ton. Lady Isabel has been monopolised all the evening by the most eligible men in the room. You really ought to have come sooner. There she is wit,h Algy Fitzherbert. Mind he does not out you out, Reginald." I can afford to give Algy a good start and cut him out at the Jas»," said Sir ii,eginald. • Don't be too sure," wal^fho reply. Lord AJg-y will be a Duke some da|^ |JU# bt other Kffington is positively dying, the/ Say. Algy will be the best match in England before b is much older; and the Bratons Are so mer- cenary," she added below her breath. "He is welcome to what he can get," re- turned Sir Reginald, beauty and heiress and dukedom to boot." "That won't do, Reginald," his sister re- torted, It is quite time that you were married and settled down, and if you will only be amenable to me this time I will engage to bring this match off before I leave Bruton Towers." You always were fond of managing for other people, Selina," said Sir Reginald, with a cynical smile. II Would you be surprised to hear that I am quite indifferent whether I marry or not ?" And would you be surprised to bear that speeches like that sometimes make me think that you have a wife already, hidden away somewhere, whom you dare not produoe," burst forth the Countess wrathfully. It was a random shot, but it told, for Sir Reginald winoed and changed oolour, and when next he spoke he was what his sister would have called "more amenable." it. I suppose the money is all right, Selina?'' he asked. Trust me for that. Her grandmother, the Marchioness of St. Gerryan, who was the biggest screw I ever knew, has left her all her hoardings." Then introduce me as soon you like. My exchequer will stand a little replenishing." "It ought not to want anything of the kind, said the Countess, looking up with a quick glance of suspicion. U Ah, but you see it does/' answered Sir Reginald, banteringly. Are you really going, Mr. Maclean P" asked the Countess, addressing Claude, who was making for the door. 11 Thanki;, I must. You are coming to- morrow ?" Yes, you may expeot us before luncheon, said the Coantess smiling lightly at the hand- some artist, who was a favourite of hers. Here is a good idea for you, Reginald," said the Countess, turning to her brother, as Claude Maclean left the salon. "Lady Isabel and I intend to conimenoe a round of the studios to-morrow. I will introduce you to her in a moment, and then you can be our cavalier and return with us to lunch. I will see that you have an opportunity for tete-a- tete, and do—oh do, cut out AIgy Fitzher- bert." Sir Reginald smiled at his sister's enthusiasm, and agreed to fall in with her plans. Claude Maolean frowned heavily when he saw Sir Reginald IJenilonenter his studio next day, as the escort of the Countess of Pole- hampton and Lady Isabel Childe. He knew something of the dark secrets of Sir Reginald's life, and had hitherto declined the honour of the baronet's acquaintance. It was true that his information was mainly derived from hearsay, but in this case the hearsay was too well accredited in Claude Maclean's opinion to make a personal acquaintance desirable. However, he could not be rude to Sir Reginald in the presence of his sister, and the introduc- tion was accomplished with a stiff bow on Mr. Maclean's side and a graoious extension of the hand on Sir Reginald's whioh Claude ignored.. The artist directed the attention of his visitors to the only landscape that he contem- plated sending in that year. It was a fine picture of Ben-Cruaoban after a storm. The mighty mountain mass was half veiled behind a thick, moving mist. The clouds had parted and fallen away from the summit, wreathing themselves in heavy masses lower down, whilst on the top there was the glint of a trembling shaft of light, faintly tinged with the rosy glow caught from the light of the setting sun. It was a masterpiece of colouring and feeling. It seemed as if the whole mountain were alive and bursting through the fetters of mist that imprisoned him, whilst a wonderful art had endowed the misty vapours with an appearance of life, as they stretched forth their long, filmy arms as though they would still detain the titanic mass in their embrace. When Maclean's visitors had exhausted the vocabulary of adulation in praise of this work he turned to his seoond picture. This was concealed by a curtain, and for a moment Claude hung in doubt whether he would allow the picture to be seen. But he had spoken of it to Lady Polehampton, and he could not evade the dilemma. He must withdraw the curtain which concealed it or decline to allow the picture to be seen on account of the presence of Sir Reginald. For such an extreme course he had no motive, except his extreme distrust of the baronet and hit dislike to have the idol of his soul polluted by the gaze of a man for whom he entertained feelings of intense dislike. His hesitation was brief. He drew back the cur- tain and disclosed to view the picture to which he had devoted himself with the whole power of his genius, fired by love. It was his Helen of Troy," for which Winifred had eat in Glen-Orlooh. The ladies held their breath in astonish- ment at the loveliness of the vision that burst on their view. The picture oontained all that art could do to extol womanly beauty. For such a Helen the fault of Paris might have been judged venial. For such a prize men might be forgiven fighting. The passions which provoked the Trojan War were ex- plained. The effect produced on Sir Reginald was electrioal. There be saw the image of his wife limned on canvass in the full maturity of her charms. The picture almost seemed to breathe. It was not the Winifred he had known in her bright girlhood, and whom by a kind of moral coercion he had forced into marriage, and still less the Winifred whom he bad left sitting, pale and worn and &ad, by the fire in the hotel at York. But Winifred as she might have been if her lot had been happy. Not for a moment did Sir Reginald suspect the truth. The likeness challenged his atten- tion, but he did not imagine that his wife could have grown into the beautiful woman pourtrayed by Claude Maclean's pencil. It must be some other woman," he thought, "like Winifred indeed, but more beau- tiful. He stood tongue tied before the picture, but his silence passed without notice, except from Claude, who watched him narrowly. Lady Polehampton chatted away, rather at a loss for superlatives, seeing that she had expended all that she had at her command in her praises of Ben- Cruaehan. But she found words that were apt enough to express her pleasure in the picture and her praise of the beauty of the original. It is a portrait, is it not?" she asked and when Claude bowed in assent she exclaimed with sincere warmth, She must be a woman of exquisite beauty." Claude M'Lean accompanied his visitors to the door. As they were descending the steps to the street Sir Reginald stepped back, We have not met before, Mr. Maclean," i he said, and perhaps you may regard my question as a liberty. Would you have any objection to give me the address of your model P" "Most certainly," returned Claude haughtily. I can do nothing of the kind." "laisure you that you are mistaking my motives," continued t-ir Reginald. My intentions are strictly honourable. If the lady who sat for that picture will do me the pleasure to accept an alliance with me 1 shall be proud to lay everything I have at her feet." II You look as if you mean it," retorted Claude grimly, I do most seriously, 'pon my honour," said the baronet. Your honour I" retorted Claude, soof- fingly, You may spare the use of the term to me. How do you know that my model is not hump-baoked and a cripple? There was once such a case. A great man made a similar request to an artist on one occasion, and bound himself down to a promise of marriage by the most solemn vows. He saw the model. She had a very nice face, as faces go, but she did not look so beautiful as she did on canvass. She was unshapely and a cripple. The great man turned sick with horror when he saw her. But he was held to his promise, and afterwards he did not like it. You may read my parable, and you will exouse me reminding you that you are detain- ing the ladies." Then in a low tone he added sternly, "Henoeforth we are strangers, sir." Sir Reginald bit his lip with vexation, and tripping down the steps joined Lady Pole- hampton and Lady Isabel in the barouohe with an apology for keeping them waiting. We shall not be long at the next studio," said the Countess. The artist is young, but of extraordinary promise I am told. Pole- hampton wishes me to call. He has bought the pioture." The house at which she stopped was of humble pretensions, and Sir Reginald oast a look of almost oynical displeasure as be noticed the mean surroundings. But within, everything spoke of comfort and of refined taste, if not of luxury. But Sir Reginald, who brought up the rear, almost staggered beneath the blinding shook of the discovery when he entered the studio and found him- self in the presence of his wife The effeot on Winifred, for it was she who was the young artist of promise, and whose picture entitled "Highland Castle "Lord Polehampton bad bought, was even more startling, though she was not wholly unpre- pared for the risks that she knew she ran of encountering Sir Reginald Denison. She clutched the bosom of her dress convulsively with her fingers in the effort to control the beating of her heart, which throbbed wildly with excitement, and she turned pale to the lips. You are ill," said Lady Poiehampton, in a gentle, sympathising voice, who was in turn startled by the lesemblanoe that Winifred bore to Claude Maolean's Helen of Troy," but who suppressed her curiosity in her oon- cern for Winifred's evident disoomposnre. "No, not ill," cried Winifred, making an lieroio effort to recover from the agitation occasioned by the sudden appearance of her husband. It is only an old pain. It rarely troubles me-it will soon pass." And as she spoke, with a significant emphasis meant for her husband's ear alone, she darted a eWlft look full of meaning on Sir Reginald. The incident ended quickly, and after the picture was examined and praised it was with a sigh of relief that Winifred saw her visitors depart. I think that will do for to-day," said Lady Polehampton, as they left the studio. It is nearly lunch time. Are you not coming with us, Reginald ?" she asked, as the baronet stood hesitating on the pavement. "If you will exouse me, I think I will walk, Selina. You may expeot. me to lunch, of course. This with a polite bjw and a mean- ing smile directed to Lady Isabel, which in a mat) of meaner birth would have been called a j leer. 2 Sir Reginald had made a discovery that surprised him, and he wanted time to think.j He had not only met his wife unexpectedly after a lapse of nearly three years, but be had made the discovery that his wife and Claude's, model, who had inspired him with suoh a1 strange longing that he was rea:!y to throwl himself at her feet, were one an <1 the same person. It was a revelation, to >, to find! that his wife had blossomed into a woman of, such extraordinary beauty, for h'1 was con*, strained to acknowledge to himself that the' picture had not flattered Winifred. It seemed to him that it fell short of doing jus- tioe to her personal charms. Sir Reginald was too profound an idolater of self to have any capacity for the diving passion, but he remembered that the nearest feeling to love he had ever known had been called up by Winifred's bright girlish beautirg though he bad soon grown oloyerl by poasea< sion. But now that he beheld bp-r ii the ripe perfectness of her womanhood, and remem- bered how lightly he had let her go he was ready to curse his folly. If he Lad been a man of large and unselfish nature it might have been thought that Sir Reginald had taken fire in a moment and fallen in love again with his own wife. What a skin," he murmured to himself softly, as he trod the street with his jaunty step. And what features! And what a shape Helen of Troy is she ? And that fellow Maolean is the luoky Paris, I suppose? Not if I know it. I must get her back by' hook or by crook." Lady Polehampton found her brother an uninteresting companion at lunch that day.' In reality Sir Reginald's thoughts were back, at the shabby little house in Kensington, aruf he was scheming how he could escape Lady Polehampton's attention in order to return there, and how, if once admitted witl those walls, he oould prevail on his wife t return to him. But it is easier dropping stor.es into wells than getting them out again. (To be continued.)

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One hundred thousand of thtse vnUuibta lists sent out yearly. Bend One Penny Stamp to CAMPBELL AND CO., MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MAKERS, 116, TRONGATE, GLASGOW. ESTABLISHED PiirTy YEARS. Also the Largest Assortment in the Kingdom 4 VIOLINS, GUITARS, AND BANJOES, FLUTES CLARIONETS. AND FLAGEOLETS, CONCEHTINAS ACCORDIONS, AND FLUI-INAS. CORNETS AN BRASS BAND INSTRUMENTS. DRUMS, ORGA1 ACCORDIONS, MUSICAL BOXES, and all kinds a, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. VIOLIN MAKERS AND REPAIRERS. Fine Violin, Bew. and Case complete 20s., 25* 30c, CORNETS AND BRASS BAND INSTRUMENTS. OWN MAKE, Fine Cornet in Case complete, 28a., 35S., 45s. PAIN'S GREAT CHAMPIONSHIP LETTER-COUNTING COMPETITION. The First Prize, and the biggest on record, is an Eight-roomed House, or its Cash Value, £ 300; also 1,= other valuable prizes to be given. Full rules and parti- culars, with" Presentation Form for the abuve-named Competition, will be given to those entering- either one of the following Easy-for-all Letter Counting Compe- tiion. Easy Indoor Work. Over £ 3,000 has already been paid Pain's Grand 'Xmas Competitions for the Season of 1890. Easy Biblical Competitions I Easy enough for all! Eveniiiff work around the fire, which will be found both pleasant and instructive. Cash Prizes P.30, £20, £ lu, £5, £3. L2, 20 at 21 each. and 2Q at, 10s. each ( £ 00 in all;, to be paid in full certain, M matter how few enUr the Competition, to those couutinf niosi correctly the letter •• O" in the 16 Obapters ot L, Corinthians. Us* the old authorised version Bible, and not the revised. Count all letters together, both capital and small, of all Bizet. No mistaking rules, as only those letters in the actual words of veran to count, and not headings of chapters or references, Simply count the letter "C" in the verses. Thus it is a perfectly legal, fair. and easy working Com- petition for all. All prizes given to tho e who count must correctly they are giveu for best work and not by chance. Simply get an ordinary sheet of writing paper, and write very, very plainly, with pencil or ink, on the top of tho paper, firet the words 11 jeloo '0' Competition," your full name and address, and then the number you make in each of the 16 Chapters, and total of all. Write on one side of yonr paper only. Enclose nothing but your list, 2e. PuttaJ Order, or 2s, Id. stamps, entrance fee. and 2d. stamps for full printed result in envelope, and post same as soon as possible, but not later than Monday, December <&th, »■ Competition closes, certain, Tuesday, December 30th. Printed result, containing winner* full na nes and addresses, and the correct number in each Chapter, will be posted to every Competitor posi. tively not later than Friday, January 9th. Prizes coma same dll. Then you have only to wait ten days t. know the result, after sending in your work. If entries permit, prizes are largely increased, in Pam't Competitions, but Miler decreased, no matter hflo few may enter. if no one counts correctly, prizes will be giveu for the nearest cornet work. If several send t he C'.rreot numbers, PAIN reserves the right of either adding together the prizes, and dividing them amongst the correct workers, or giving further deciding work to the tying competitors. Don't forget that with tha result of this and the following Competition will be sent full particulars of the great House Prize, which will bring thr winner an inoome for life. Just f-acy yourself calling for the rent each week! Only one person from same atldress to enter the Competition, without help of any kind, and each to declare at foot of their figures that they have done the entire work aloue. Address letters:—W. T. Pi IN, "The Prizeries," 39, Quoen-street, Potkestone, and 14, St. Michael's-streetii Folkestone. Cash Frizel:— £ 20, £ 10, £ 5, £ 3, £ 2, and 20 at ICs. each (£5G in all), to be paid in full, no matter how few send. to those counting most correctly the letter u in tM 12 chapters of Daniel This Competition closes Friday, January 2nd, certain. Result to be posted to each Coinq pet.itor, positively, Monday, January 12th, latest. Entrance fee. Is. Postal Order or la. Id. stamps, an< 2d. stamps for full printed result. Other rules and com ditions the same as In O" Competition above, except that lists must be headed £ 50 • D" Competition." Gash Prizes: JHO. &20, £10. Sb. £3, iC2, 2U at jel each, and 20 at 10s. each (£100 in all), to be paid in full, ni matter how few send, to those counting most correctly the fetter D in the 16 Chapters of 1. Corinthians, This Comprtition closes Tuesda,, January 6th, certain. Result to lie posted to every Competitor, positively, Friday, January 16th, latest. Entrance fee, 2s. Postal Order, or 2s. Id. stamps, and 2d. stamps for full printed result. Other rules and conditions the same as in 0 Competition above, except that lists must be headed »■ £ 100 D Competition." SPECIAL NOTIOE ANOTHER OF PAIN'S 'XMAS OFFERS. To every Competitor in either one of the abov,. Com- petitions will be presented a Coupon (same to be sent with results of Competition^), to enter entirely fr« of charge (without payment of the entrance fee of 2ø1 tit another of Pain's Easy Letter-Counting Conipe I on Prizes over £ 100, ^nd tiie easy task will be to count th/ letter "A "in the 13 chapters of Hebrews. Addrn letters, W. T. Pain, «• The Prizeries," 39, Queen-stieel Folkestone; and 14, St. iiicliael street, Folk< stone. 1.c79.1.