PART II.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1823, 18 December 1875, Page 6 (Supplement)

PART 11.

The warm August days ripened into mellow September. Since the night of Jack's revelry, a change had certainly come over him, but as yet he left me uninformed as to the cause. Sometimes his old gaiety would return, but it was sure to be followed by a fit of more sombre silence than before. I chaffed him about it often, but his testy replies invariably shut me up. .We never met Miss Hallam, and the only time we saw her was in the morning among her flowers, or in the evening, when, after having ravished us with her music, she stepped out on the balcony, leaning on her father's arm, to enjoy the moonlight. On such occasions Jack seemed strangely affected, and would either break forth into voluminous praises of her grace and beauty, or sit

gazing mutely at the apparition. Such a state of affairs led me, naturally enough, to the conclusion that whatever might be the matter with Ferrars, the fair cantatrice had something to do with it.

One afternoon we resolved to have a row down the loch, and as I crossed the lawn, with an oar over each shoulder, I chanced to glance at Colonel Hallam's window, where the two ladies were seated sewing. The younger one was scanning me with a half-amused expression in her brown eyes ; and as Jack came sauntering down the gravel path, with a hand in each pocket, I quietly said: ' Miss Hallam's at the window.'

He looked in the direction I indicated, and, to my surprise, he immediately blushed up like a girl. ' Why, Jack, old fellow, what is the matter ?' I asked, with a smile I could not repress. Miss Hallam was viewing us with the aid of an opera-glass.

' Pshaw ! Harding, get on board quick, and row as well as you can,' he answered, throwing himself in the stern of the boat, in a position where the sunshine struck forcibly on his handsome face and auburn locks.

I bent as gracefully as I could to my oars —I had. been a fair oarsman at Cambridge—and soon the little craft was skimming far over the sunlit ripples.

As it was still early when we returned, we strolled down the road until it would be time to go in for dinner, when, turning a corner, we came suddenly upon Miss Hallam and her father, mounted on a couple of splendid grays. As she cantered past us with a smile, her beautiful face flushed with the exercise, I certainly thought I had never seen any one half so lovely. Her perfect form; the grace of every fold in her dark green riding-habit; the indescribable coils and twists of her brown hair, with the sunshine shading it to gold; the coquetish little felt hat, turned up on one side, with its dancing plume and streaming gossamer—combined to make up a charming '■ tout ensemble,' which was altogether irresistible. Jack had stared after her in openmouthed admiration for such an indecent length of time, that I was constrained to accuse him.

' Ferrars, you admire Miss Hallam,' I said.

He had his head bent, and was kicking the dead leaves with his feet as he walked. When he raised his blue eyes, they were filled with the expression of a passion I had never noticed in them before, and which fully corroborated the four words he uttered, as his eyes met mine: *I do love her!'

Strange as it may seem, I was thunderstruck at the announcement. Much as I had noted the change in Ferrars, I had hesitated to ascribe it to the circumstance of his being in love. I protested and raged against such folly—falling in love with a hdy with whom he had never exchanged a single word. For answer, a passionate confession was poured into my astonished ears, in which he vowed he must and would win her. Matters were made considerably worse when we received our letters that evening, informing us of business engagements requiring our immediate return to town. It would be impossible for us to remain more than three days longer. ' Humph ! your time is rather limited, Ferrars,' I said, with more sarcasm than sympathy. ' You'll be a pretty sharp fellow if you woo and win a handsome girl in three days.' Tbe next morning he came down to breakfast looking pale and haggard. I don't believe he had slept all night, but I made no inquiries, as I felt annoyed at this alarming impulse of my old friend, and was altogether out of temper with this adventure of his. He ate little or no breakfast, and looked so dejected that at last my sympathies were aroused, and I shouted cheerfully : ' Cheer up, old felloe, we'll manage it beautifully, and you'll go up to London the accepted suitor of Miss Hallam.'

Gradually he became more animated, and began to talk, and finally quite shocked me hy declaring that he was going to write and propose to Miss Hallam that very day. I considered him to be simply mad, but he had apparently thought it well over, and was determined what course to adopt.

• But, Jack, the thing is preposterous,' I argued; ' she knows nothing about you. Can you expect anything but a distinct refusal ?'

' And what would you recommend ?' he asked, curling his upper lip as he waited for my advice.

* Why, get introduced to her first, and wait at least until you know her a little before you make such a proposal,' I said. ' Have I not been waiting for the last two months ?' he answered. ' And do you forget that in two days I must leave this place ? There is no time for waiting now; it must be action, immediate and peremptory !' ' And are you quite determined to do— this—this thing ?'

' Quite.' ' And will nothing .persuade you that it is an extremely foolish action, and one that will be certain to defeat all your wishes P'

'Under the circumstances, I consider it the bnly thing to be done.' I succumbed. In difficulties of a different nature he had generally proved a better diplomatist than I, and perchance his skill might extend to this department also.

' Well, if it must be action, as you say

t must, action let it be; you must ;your proposal,' I said, pulling out U writin % materials with alacrity, Jji placing- a chair for Jack at the desk; jj after a lull hour's scribbling down m scratching out, a clean copy was pejS which ran as follows :

Datl cl'Arroch Lodge. Sept. 22, 1__\ -\ Dear Miss Hallam : I regret that einw stances' have prevented me making wj acquaintance ere I address to you which 1 pray you will not think lightW from the' mere fact that I have neverapoW to you. Since I came here two months il you have excited my intense admitatioi which feeling has lately ripened into a flea and passionate 1 love. _..: ™ My business engagements now demajj my immediate return to London, but I'fS that I cannot j* "> without first learning W you my fate. I .make you now an honon^. offer of my han»i in marriage, and I besee^ you not to think Hghtly of it, as on y ot( decision must depend my life's happiness oj misery. If possible, an answer per to-da/i nost will very much oblige. Yours respect fully, JOffiT FeRRABS.:

' That will do,' I said, holding the sh& covered with Jack's neat handwriting arm's. length, ' Concise; to the ppin not too spoony; slightly formal; J under the circumstances it is better^ Jack folded the letter and address^: and with serious misgivings at my _$ which I dared not express, I

with him to the post-offi.ce. and saw M drop the missive into the box. We-'ij nothing all day but lounge about 1 |g house and garden, waiting anxiouslyffi the postman would bring the letteisji the evening. At length, the weary M passed, and the letter-carrier arrived M sure enough there it was, a little pii note, addressed John F-srrars, esqn* My heart beat as quickly as thrinj&| were my own happiness that was atstii as Jack broke the seal. I looked pij his shoulder, and what we both'-saw wij Wednesday Afternoon;!

Dear Mr. Ferrars: I accept the gti| honor you have done me. Before, howwjj meeting you, I would like you to see p^ and obtain his consent to our engagemeii Yours, sincerely, Eunice —Aiu_]< There is an old adage that says 'ttm] straDger than fiction,' and if ever I felt 11. force of it, it was as: I read that mi Contrary to all my expectations, Jack la actnally been accepted ! He bore his gia fortune with much more equanimity flm"| did, his only remark being r * Emuce-wltf pretty name!' "While I, with Strang mixed feelings, actually got up a 'brim|| The next difficulty was how or wnewj meet Colonel Hallam and obtain his coniat An idea seized me ; I ba>4 seen -theif colonel walk down the road a short « before. ' Stay you here,' I said fs|l and, putting on my hat, off I bolted. II not gone far when I espied the old COW leaning on a wire fence, watching some raj men digging a drain. Pretending wj interested in the same pursuit, I walkeM to him and made some remark regarding! work. Thereafter we got upon the * friendly terms, which ended, as I intra* it should, by his walking home with mi coming into the house to join us in a ram of whist. I conducted him into the diaiij room and went for Jack. He began_ top slightly nervous when he heard what Ito done, but I told him not to say anyta* the colonel about his daughter to-niffi only to make himself as agreeable al could. I then instructed Mrs. Mason ffl down the very best we had in the hone*! supper and went to entertain our interea| guest. We found him a charming J gentleman. At whist, he and dummy b Jack and me ; and possessing an lnexhao ble fund of humorous stones, the 0 passed so pleasantly that it was W« o'clock before he rose to go. _ # I A cordial invitation to visit him 1 extended to us, as we bade him good fflj in the hall, which was exactly whatjlwM* and meant we should have. Putting o» grave face, I said :

'Nothing would have given us gn pleasure had we been staying longer, we were to leave for London the dpjy to-morrow.'

* Then you must spend to-morrow evfOT with me,' was his hearty rejoinder. IW take no refusal.' And to this arrangement we agreed. • ' A thousand thanks to you* Bob; youl a capital fellow.' said Jack, gratefully m ing my hand as we separated for the xugW 'Ferrars !' ' Hollo !'

* Are you ready?' I was donning my dress suit prepare' to presenting myself in Colonel Halh drawing-room.

' Yes.'

' Come here, then.' He came in, evidently dressed for cbnqW and looking faultlessly handsome. IM veyed him critically. . There was not ! item amiss, from the neglige arrangement his auburn curls to the polish of his patei leathers. __ ___ -. - 'How do I look?' he asked, withal laugh and a satisfactory glance at m magnificent proportions in the mirror. 'Like a Polish prince,' I answers 'Miss Hallam may have many lovers, » I'll bet a new hat she never had a ben* looking fellow than you. Now, look.Mß you do exactly as I tell you and n°* one iota from the rule I.lay down. As* • Colonel Hallam, and say that you want to i him alone. When the first greetings J over you'll explain to him that Mr. Harcß is detained for a short time with i-M packing he had to finish,"fand that yon « not wait for him as you fhad something communicate to him—the colonel iff pitch into the subject nearest yow.JKJJ tell him of your business and social cow» tions, and don't neglect to impress him *» the fact that you're your mother's only w and heir to her fortune and estates, .m sort of things go a long way with we Having thus delivered my advice;'to J* I sent him off to push his MOtUM?

B/^tod Hallam, and sat down aWMK. . cigar before following WfeKll an hour afterwards I ML $ \ a minute or two found me \\\\K .colonel's frtnt door. My B'<' Alv as, following the servant RXthe sound of a piano and mIW» merrily humming a bar If 1' lively air. and felt much R the door of the library was \w I nd I fonn(J myself ushered mf *.X only Colonel Hallam and f <nee at Jack's flushed and ■ ""L he stood leaning against the mfi J_j ece sufficed to assure me 'merry as a marriage-bell' SfKlh » feeling of thankfulness #2 colonel's cordial greeting. bow and see the ladies; I Q getting impatient,' he said, Sewbiseye, as belaid his tlSw on Ferrars' shoulder. ffli old boy, and I'm the MoL alive,' whispered Jack, as (»Tthe colonel down stairs ; but I ft e tograsp his hand and give it l» jjangratnlation, when the draw'fLjy,_B opened and we entered. "Clady was seated on a couch (J^place, where afire had been llrthe evenings were getting chill; rlipss leaning on the grand putno Ktnrning over some music. Beth El when we entered. The colonel, L? to the elder lady, took her hand Xt forward, saying as he did so : Mluve mnch pleasure in introducfisrrtfsto you. My daughter, Mr. jLfanri deadly pale. ' And—and Mm ?' he SasP ed ' loofelDg round [jantifnlyoung girl standing by the j ','■.

Lwppbse our consternation could had a bomb-shell entered Ljjjait Jack would have fallen had Sid him- Every one seemed to ti the situation at a glance. Miss jjfilßOt faint or scream or do anynKdayonnger or more sentimental jjamilar circumstances might have tut ihe blushed as deeply as her faded sia would allow of, and, covering her iHher hands, said:

llw dreadful! he has thought Nelly y&ther's daughter.' , Hallain glided to her side and led ijthe room, while the colonel and I litstoratives to poor Jack's colourless lieDflW,'muttered the colonel, 'I i nnlncky mistake. I wish, for the everybody concerned, that this had

explained the ready acceptance of proposal and the colonel's willing it to let his daughter marry a ire stranger. I inwardly growled, mof the whole business, as I ! the tie which Jack had so carefully in hour before.

is had somewhat recovered we ihome and laid him on the sofa in injj-room. I sat by him all the md, although he did not seem in excited or feverish, he kept asking l strange questions and seemed so <m of all that transpired, that I Id Ms brain was affected. I how- ! determined that we should not on nderation remain a day longer in

nfehj'and summoning Mrs. Mason, Kdher to get our traps ready, as we to be off by the first steamer in the :'Mr. Ferrars does not feel very idded in reply to a glance of incut at Jack as he lay motionless k 'He has had unpleasant news. rai o'clock the next morning a iajfewas driven up to the door and 11 were driven for the last time 3.trim avenue and arrived at the ?pod time to catch the steamer.

unaer was unnatural and excited, Mif I dared not leave him for a

What need to relate our miserable inth; enough to say that when we ondon, Ferrars was in the delirium

*ck proved to be a virulent one, weeks he lay partly unconscious, I the delirium had left him.

ut he began to recover, I took a t6 f the Isle of Wight with him, pin charge of his mother, who ing there. In the course of six came back looking as well as 1 showed me a letter wbich he ad from Colonel Hallam, in which y gentleman expressed his deepest The fetter went on to say that had ajusted things at home as as he could ; and that, had he for supposed that Mr. Ferrars had

his wife for his daughter, his Ud have been spared the unfortunmentin the drawing-room, nrrence which so nearly cost him » never again reverted to by us. this date, at least, he seems quite With his bachelor chambers and 'of his old friend, lob Harding.— 1 Jownal,