Men Were Deceivers Ever.

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1033, 6 July 1904, Page 4

Men Were Deceivers Ever.

BY EDITH MANCIS

Authoress of " Siuned Agniiut ami Sinning," " Lovo in Idleness," etc., ote.

chapter in (Continued,) But ns their oyes travelled from tho outer sen and dwelt first 011 the bay and thon on tho shelving, sandy bench, Aline uttered ft cry of surprise, and her father only-saved himself from doing Ihn r.minby profanity, " Why," ho exclaimed, " tliero'* ut bo'-.t ashore, with a mini asleep in ine s'.an. Ii ie not ft fishing boat, r.ithor." Tho girl's quick eyo lia'l discovered that alrondy, but she could oft'sv no esplnnnlion, Tho baronet's impatience increased. "Why can't you suggest something? Tou are quick enough gmentlly," hi' ex> olaimed. "Thero is no good standing here, any way; lot us go down mid find out for ourselves." Tho descent was 1101 dillicu'i, anil in a few minutos father and daughter stood by tho side of tho bout, tho after part of wliicli alone was afloat, At tbo stern sat, with his head on his chest, a man, a foreigner seemingly, for gold rings glistened in his oars. In tho front part of 1110 bout, sirolehed at full length on tho plunking lay the body of a woman. Her eyes wero shut, her features palo. and pinched as if by hunger, and ti mass of copper coloured hair, which had become Unbound, formed a pillow on which her hoftd routed, and framed her face. She lev so still that neither Alino or hor ir.'hf v ('Mid tell whether she breivhed»' do:, till tlio latter laid his hand upon her :.i'dfolt a slight pulsation, " \\'ii;io thero is lifo llicro is hope," he said, turning to his daughter. " You must make your way to tho house ns quickly as poasiblo, and toll two of the grooms to come down here with a hurdle, or somothing that will do for a strotcbr. Let some one go for tho doctor, and tell Davis to throw a mattress into tho light oart and drive it to tho edgo of the scarp, Don't forgot to bring some brandy, child, and tell tho cook—" But Alino was out of hearing now, malting tho ascent wi'h panting eagerness, with one thought in her mind, that- in her speed depended tho lives of the two poor croattires in the boat Whilst waiting for tho rotum of Aline with anxioty, tho baronet sat down on the sido of tho boat and fixed his eyes 011 the faco and form o( the senseless woman. ■ The sun peeping from ut space between the layers of cloud, lit up (lie rich, coppercoloured hair till it flashed liko rod gold. Under that glory of the setting sun the faco seemed to beam for a moment will) roturning life, and tiir Godfrey owned to himself that he had never seen so gloriously handsome a woman. Nothing but tho natural colouring of vivid life was lacking—that, and tho animation of tho eyo. The sun van shed behind tho curtain of cloud, and onco moro the face of tho unconscious woman resumed tho marble lino and yet tho baronet,- kept his oyes fixed on it, drawn, as it were, by some invisible magnet.

It was not till he heard Aline's yoico calling to him from the top of tho scarp that he aroused himself from his lethargy, and with an undefined fooling of shame for having neglected the other nnfforer, climbed on to the boat and made his way ij hi? •iitK' Tlif iti-ii, who was warmly dud, umw>> to imvc latlun usliiep throngli ■ i- s i-x Lau.-tion. Ho ii;iS, as tho baronet either an Italian or, moio likely, a Spaniard, as liis face whs Mvnrtliy, and when partly awakened by a vigorous phokinß, showed for n moment a pair of iutensely black oyes. Another moment and his head fell again, and his oyes closed in sleep, but Alir.o had arrived, breathless mid pinning with a flask Of brandy, and Sir Godfrey having suc-> ceodeo in forcing some of tho spirit down the man's throat, which revived liiui, he saw the woman placed on tho carriage which ho ordered buck to the Abbey at a foot pace. " But the poor man Aline urged. " Surely we can wait till they bring him up also ?" Her father however would not think of BUoh a thing, " Lot tho men carry him so tho Abbey on a hurdle," he said impatiently. " They can givo him brandy. I hope we'll find Dr, Bartlot thoro wlion wo Arrive." To his satisfaction ho found that tho

doctor was waiting \vlicu the Abbey was iDuelled, and lie ut once tools ch.irgo of this fat?! sent "Ufst of Kir (.iodfrey's. Just ns lie and n footman were ciirryiny her lo a room which hud been wopared for her, sho slowly opened ut pair of cyw of ilin deepest blue. Tliiii'"lnmc nwfi'd for n moment ok Si;' Godfrey's anxious fiioo, mid llindo liim conscious ol a thrill of adiniriitioii ho had ■lot lilt for tlir, In-l twenty years, Then the nyelids gently closed, and 11. faint sigh escaped tho pi'i'lod lips, To be continued.)