A HEART'S IDOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 191, 15 August 1888, Page 7

A HEART'S IDOL.

I BY BERTHA M. CLAY, ttSt«!"Th« Cfipsy"B Daughter,'; "Another Urn's Wife," "A Fair Mystery," .',.,', ."farJawtier's Sin," etc ,-_,. ~: . .. CMYK,?. kxXV. lEAB ME! IBID THE VraOKO^-I TAKE THE :waß four o'clock in the morning when ie great family carriage of the Cainerons tiled up to tJiS-frdnt'pflrtal of the castle, idLord Guy assisted ferol and Lady Sara i, alight. Tlie December .day : had not sgun ; to break,;'-the"-;night, was at its irkest, but. Castle (Jameron was a blaze of »|t from fctirreb to foundation stone, and broad oil glow poured from tlie wide nfcrance ball, aa the 'carved 'double doors Withrown back before "Fel-ol entered, WW^oh»thefiWb..pt:'.Hern'cr6ft." The ftots of the castle, nil alert and dressed ate.besfc as-if it were a midday in featiw.tii»e, stood in ranks on, either hand, bM by the butler and the housekeeper. jWlialiited respectfully, as the party, _. kniiy Tbvfom, ; Sliteited.' Ferol was ■■■*< tojinased to the ways -of lordly life, too «Bli and confused, to realise that there singular in this reception. if lit Sara, looking about, cried, 'What fit W tbiß mean ?' 'fcslull know in amomenfc,' said Hem--5 5» a low tone, flashing a strange look j A earl avalet was showing the way to ~4: "J 1000 where his master lay. , jtas door was gently opened, they saw _ S-l^liig np in bed, .supported by I far' a"ea?er &m of i°y and wonder j ]S a P his- face.- ;Near his side sat ";t 3« MJ eroll with Lois leaning on her _\ 3:; and.'the others of the family were 7f ''';■'. . -' w^N"' began the valet, bub his voice i tolll'^T? st*on g» excited cry of the ■Mmheld o. t both his arms. v _K IS mci Ferol! ' C°mG to me, my "Wda^hter, my dating.! Child of lte»- of^ own loßt iwife,- Ruth. ''I'l'MElloarfatherl''^^''.--I'1 ' -"■'-.- ---i _Uhm^ irit\ ?erol P^sed, turning from ' i KflliT' 1?"^ 6"' to snow pale ( - Bub the ':4BE;:P ab. face and voice explained : .Mhi!..^ 01 &a."c m, her own heart, 'E^ toward the oarl from V.-BI t^ if- °f , theit m^tm 6 :'- .With a sob, "' Kis n!" k WoUnd her ams mj;!)ir! oh. father! have I then a fclluf'lt^y darling, my best beloved !' \\_\__Z ■''.•? . I)roken voice. .;„'Lost so {Sr^'^yßuth; your face, _t\ Wh^^y soul. JOh, why M m .nw y°u: the moment I saw you ? H" tm that my Ruth ever had a fcj not! She did not!' cried Lady •M< i' 42 d,y,oua^ deceived.!' V S v thf, 0«9 who did not know; J e-f? Ceved- She did have a **bi£&?*_ t ' atchild ! Ireceived *•' f»»!ffi™ J c hour of h« birth! I ■'•'' ?ofMlrif^ove;thafcosbe is? the 4' '™K«th Cameron, the earl's first ~ , ro? f ,be y°nd her lovely i '■' S*tt Jl tfaat r6Btcd ™ his bosom. Sto W S if 6 y.our mother's second \l , P* £ 1 tlV*? flifference ; ybu $ ndßl Shtasßhe; you are « SS;: n ! rdl' Inyo«lsee *§ IWk m?l^ veß wolded fco her Nfc.i Cameron pride, and A. _ b J-»ve3 of my own precious *hf. fmaft 4' said, Lady Cameron, as '' r^f'iflfV 1' 011)^ 6 P^sionate ZiUI^SL mr^ G- My heart S'^finf tat once- Yo» -ve>^JuS }.^\y^ I opened " i^^dk^ed you, and loved thi^ri)^ i tau' ■ Fo,'°l) linking at &«&ii. 1,,;r<t bJ o,neyoo hSWd" c!'- Vwihave loved, > own grandmamma, ..let

me share your love with Lois! Give me your blessing !' Lady Cameron, with tears, kissed again and again the sweet uplifted face. '.Do not leave me out,* said Lois, gliding from hor place behind the old lady's chair, and twining her arms about Ferol's neck. •Dearest Ferol, you are my sister! My very own true sister !My elder sister ! You will love me moi'e than ever, will you not ? Oh, my darling Ferol, how glad I am that there is the tie of blood between us, that we 6&~ nevelr^be parted more !' ' I cannot believe it! I will not believe it cried Lady. Sara, ' there is some shameful plot in this !' . ' Sara Gage.' said the earl, solemnly, ' answer me as you will answer at the bar of Heaven I Did you know that my Ruth had a child?' ; .' No, no, no! I did not?' ' Arid you have not known that this dear girl, s6 strangely sheltered under my mother's roof, was my own, my first-born child?' , * . .. . 'No.nOjno! before Heaven, no!' cried Lady Sara. ' Lady Sara did not know it,' said Martha, stepping forward. * She never guessed that secret. I hid it from her entirely, I told her the. mother died before the babe was born, and shebelieved it.' * _; •And why, whyc did yon deceive me, wretch ?' exclaimed Lady Sara, furiously.. ' Lady Sara hated,,the mother, and sent her away, and co I feared to tell her about the child,' said Martha, holding down her face. 'But why, wretched woman, why deceive me /'.demanded the earl..- " ' 'Oh, my lord, bear with me. I always meant to give back your child. I only waited for such a time and way that you should, in the joy of finding her, forgive me for my share in a cruel wrong. My lord, she has been carefully reared, most gently tended. Day by day went on, .and the right hour never came to explain ;^and yet, I always meant it; and'—and when Ibelieved you dying, I could be silent no longer. I told you all.' ' I shall not die,' said the earl, in a strong voice, ' I shall live—live to avow Ruth's child, my own elder daughter, arid give her her rights, and make tip to her lor her neglected, lonely childhood, ' for her mother's,woe.' He drew Ferol back to a seat on the bed beside him, and circled her with his arm. 7 'Bear witness, all of you, that this is Lady F .vol Agnes Cameron, born to me in lawful wedlock, pf Ruth Breton, my first Wife. Mr Westcott will secure all needed legal evidence to assure this beloved, lonerlost daughter her rightful place and state. Now, before those gathered here, Martha is td tell the Btory of this cruel wrong, so that by those nearest us it shall he understood. After this, I beg all here to keep silence about this shameful, cruel treachery ,because—because its chief agent \vas Lady Sara Gage, my mother's half- ' sister. For my mother's sake 1 spare her.' I 'My lord 1 my lord;!' cried Martha; I * hear me ! I take the blame. I did the I wrong.- Lplanried it; I executed it. She i could not have done it but for irie.' j Lady Sara darted an amazed look of [relief at Martha, and from; poor Lady Cameron, came a deep ' Thank God!' which was yet like a groan of despair. .' ' ; . ; 'Speak!' said the earl sternly* to Martha. '.'; *I donot need to tell all the reason why Lady Sara wanted your wifo out of the way, I and resented what she thought a mis-match j for you, my lord. It was I who found a letter addressed to her, and so know where she was, and when we thought you dying from that fall, I. took Lady Sara to see ypuf wife, And I liolpfed Lady Sara to deceive her with the tale of a mock marriage. I seemed to be her friend, and I took her, to hide her trouble, up in the West country, in the care of; my sister. When we found that she expected a little one, it was I suggested that perhaps all would be well by the child and mother dying. And then, when the mother did die the third day after the little thing was borrij my; sister and I concealed that the child had been born. We were alone with her : we kept the baby's existence a secret; and we took it away.' 'And why did > you do that, wicked woman?' ' I thought it wquld save L, dy Sara from being found out:; arid I had had, money from her for it j and my sister had all the pt»or lady's clothes, and jewels, and money, and it wag-* dfaliiQ ber, my lord; and then,

sir, my lord, I thought as time went on I could See a way to gee a large sum, or great favour, from you for the child's sake ; and I deceived Lady Sara about it, and waited from year to year. But I saw that she was educated, and I had my sister bring her to London, and I wrote the note that seemed to come from Mrs Morgan—l had plenty of her letters in my lady's desk to copy from ; and I meant, as soon as you seemed to like her well, to tell you that she was your chi1d.',.,,.;',., ... r . ~.-.,. -..,-.- ■ >. '

CHAPTER XXXVI. - 'THIS IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY.' There was a long silence, Mr, Westcott, the lawyer, standing apart, his elbow on a mantel, his chin on his palm, alternately scrutinised the faces of Lady Sara ahd Martha. 'Westcott!' said the earl. 'This is not the whole story, Sir, I am convinced,' said Westcott, with a stert. ' There is something back of this^-some-thing concealed. What it is we may never know. There is a motive hidden^ Facts, very important facts, may bo yet undeveloped.' 'I know nothing more; not one thing. I knew nothing of this girl,' said Lady Sara, firmly..-. 'No, shedid not,' said Martha., And she fixed her eyes on Ferol, who, clinging to her father's clasping hand, sat like a snow-white statue, with her eyes cast down. •" * Perhaps,' said Mr Westcott, suddenly, 'your daughter herself, Lady Ferol, might unravel the mystery.' ' Fercfl, my child, can you explain ?' said the earl. .. ' Ferol sat for a moment or two in deathlike silence. Then she hid her faco on her father's heart, sobbing. ' No, no, I can explain nothing, nothing.' 'There, there, my darling, be calm ; no one can harm yo", more. You are safe, safe for ever in your father's heart, his arms, his homo. For you, my child, _ will live ! I live to assure your happindsa.' Lois, without a shade of jealousy at the evident wild adoration of her father for her newly-discovered sister, patted Ford's arpi, saving: ' r 'Don't cry, darling, don't, Ferol, dear, for now you shall be happy always.' The doctor came forward. • My lord, your recovery since you heard of the existence of this child seems to mo a miracle. I never have heard of kich reaction." And yet, I must Warn you, you can trespass too faiv It is now quite day. There have been hours of this excitement, I beg you let all tho family be dismissed to sleep. These violent emotions are too great for these young girls.' You must consider, also, yourself.' ; 'Yes, yes,' said the earl. 'It is useless to question longer why these things have been. I havefound my childj that must content me. Go, my dear. Lois, my child, take your sister away. Mother, I charge you, whether I live or die, to watch my recovered treasure most tenderly.' ; With arms intertwined, Ferol and Lois took leave of their father, and went to the room of Lois.. .Lois would not part with her new-found sister, and in another hour the two, entirely wearied oat with watching and excitement, were sleeping folded in each other', arms. . , ' Lady Cameron, greatly as she had been shaken by the strange events and revelations of thelast few days/gathered all her strength, all her reserve of pride, and, haying kissed the two girls and bidden them sleep long and well, marched ac a stately pace to her own room. • Lady Sara and Martha followed her, and when she seated her in her arm-chair, the two etood withdrawn from each other, and ;aS two criminals at the bar. 'She looked from one to the, other. The guilt of Lady Sara in regard to Roland's first wife Lady Cameron had long known. She had known that Lady Sara, discovering the young wife's abode, took advantage of the colonel's long and dangerous illness to go to her and tell her she had been deceived by a mock marriage. Lady Sara even insisted that ab the time she believed this to.be the truth. Lady Cameron knew that tho young and gentle Ruth, dismayed at this tale, and heart-broken by the long, unexplained absence of her husband, had fled somewhere, pined away, and died. Lady Sara claimed to have lost trace of her during- this period,! and' to have had no thought) that her cruel schemes w-ould endia the innocent creature's death. That

Lady Sara must have had somo 'confederate, Lady Cameron had always felt sure-—that this confederate was her own confidential, . long trusted maid, Martha Morris, she had never dreamed; and what could she now do but dismiss Martha in wrath and,disgrace? . 'Most wicked woman,' she said, 'let mo never see you near me again! What a - monster I have harboured in you !' '/• ' You need hbt be quite so hard on Mar- , tha,'spoke vp JLa4y Saja.; 'She has, perhaps, taken more" hlamo than she need, though ibis truesho entirely deceived me about the child.' , * Sara,' said Lady Cameron, ' our father knew your terriblo disposition, your cruel selfishness. He krew you were born for trouble, and with his dying lips be pledged me to stand by you through everything. I did nob then know through what wicked maze 3 your nature and that promise would lead me. I cannotj break my pledge. You are still my sister. But, for the time, we must part. You will find some quieb place cm the Continent whero you will stay until the rumours of this Btory die put, aiid Until its first bitterness passes from my heart, and the heart of my son.' 'I will go,' said Lady Sara, quietly. ' You must remember, Louise, that I was led on, in that old wrong, step by step, not thinking how far I should go, or how ib would all end, and you must also remember that I have told you I repented of that wrong, and wished I might undo it.' 'I remember; and yet, lately in regard to Ferol, you attempted- such another ; wrong.' ~,_' ■:•,..-,.",..,, '~.-', . '1 did her no harm. I meant merely to take a dangerous rival from Loia's way.' 'I can only understand your conduct by considering it the outcome of some madness ,in your blood,' said Lady Cameron, with a deep sigh. •■ > '■';-,• Perhaps so. Well, I am to go. Ido , nob wish to stay. I will leave at three. Martha, as you, too, are banished, lotus unite our fates. Louise, will you exchange Martha for my maid Fanny ?' • Martha gave a start-of eager relief. , 'Lady Sara, I will go with you. Lady , Cameron, I iniploro you- to forgive me. You have been a good mistress to mo, and except for this one thing, I have tried to bo a faithful servant to you.''. i ' Go, go, both of you,' said Lady Cameron. 'Perhaps after months or years, I can endure to see your faces again.' '_ "> Theywdnt outj and Lady Cameron- was ' left alono. She reviewed the events of the last few. days and the fitory she had heard. ' She had felt strangely drawn to Ferol from the first time sho saw h<?r, yet she felt that , she could have loved Ferol quite as well, , cherished her quite as warmly, if she had not been brought to see in her the elder sister of Lois. Lois had been born in her i home, brought up at her knees, and of tho two girls Lois must to her ever be dearer. f The. mother, of Lois she had loved as a daughter; the mother of Ferol she had '_. never seen. She perceived that in the, father's heart'Ferol would hold pre-emi-nent place. She thought, with a regret , and bitterness unexpected even by herself, , that Ferol had come to take the first and best of. all; the place as eldest daughter, , the father's fortune and fondness, the lordly lover who was evidently infatuated with _ her., '...-,'?.". "' ' She, will have all, my little, loving, , generous, happy-hearted Lois !' cried Lady Cameron to herself. 'She will take all . and leave you nothing—nothing except what your poor fond grandmother can do for you. My darling 1 I received you from ■ the arms', of your dying mother, and you shall have the first place in my heart and : thought.' >■' •' ' '.'* ' ;'"■ ' ' '". ■•* " ' ,'. " It was three o'clock, and Castle Cameron was, finally-once ; more astir, and the tides iof life were moving in the ordinary course _of a winter's day. Ferol was at the bedside of her father. The earl seemed to draw renewal of life from the soft glances of her i tender eyes, the lingering touch of her i dimpled hand. _ ; ■■..'. -. Herncrofb and Lois were pacing up and , down aV.walk bordered" by rich masses of chrysanthemums. The' travelling carriage of Lady Sara stood ab the door. Lady Sara had already entered it, with Martha1 seated opposite her.. ' . -",'''.- :.,. ..,■_•■;.• .':., ;; .;■"-'■;,'',: 7--7- ;': Lady Sara leaned from the window-, and beckoned Lois. The girl, went to her half reluctapt, yeit pitiful qf one going into dis- - graceful! exile. " ' ■'"v ' ' i : 'Lois,' said La<iy Sara, * lore-^eu Uttla?,1

tor you ha^o never shown respect ana attection fox-- me. Bub I will give you a warning, for which you will one day thank me. You think it very fine to ha\*o found a sister. I tell you you havejou-wl a rival .' Ferol will rival you in your lather's love-— she will outshino you ir. society?; she will rob you of the littlo fortune jrour fathei expected to give you ; she will you of your suitor, and be Countess of ,Herncroft in your place; Mark my words I', J 'There will be love enough foH usboth,1 skid Lois, with ingenious sweetness. * Pooi Ferol has had nothing so far, an 4 L.have had everything. It is her turn now !' 'You littlo idiot!* hissed Ladly Sara, 'you will live to be disgraced _&y some mystery that is in her life !' (To be Continued.)

"ROUGH ONT CORNS. Ask for Wells's "Rough on Corns?' Qflickro liof, complete, permanent cure. Corns, wartabunions. At chemists'and druggist^.