OONAH: Or, The Story a Crime.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 222, 20 September 1888, Page 6

OONAH: Or, The Story a Crime.

BY &EOI?Gf& -P&?X&

jCHA^fcßl^l'

/. will have ho orangeand be dressed, to ga away once. I used tothink the>rides; Kf e ; sH^^ b ikw one drily yesterday f^A®o^ g - IllSvgfolk thia Wfce. SbelefbFrtjled tiiSxt day s arid all her Mends for Jver.dud faaway xVitft this stinger IgpHy. 'How do you know that.{ the fil-encn woman Said. , :;■■.., »,;„; ~.;;,,..' ,* A ■:» fl «i Tiie gifl dropped Her eyes, and * Ririife came to hey face, as she replied—• , S 'OhTEnSdlwe^ to the Madel^e •S'ctlYHappy. is only the poor, the ?i|||^ feel ffliM{MM\ say, do not think, of Sentiment, Ui fuse 36.what,circumstances aii'ecp. , /Sf e-SpWe fne^e words" slowly, alngSt in BoWoc(gy;,and] as,%e sjfoKe sheeted - thd ■ ''flowers f-om itie. basket afad dropped theta back' through her Jitigerg, as if ; tlleni on.» grave. Poor phi.a, was she burying iiopesfKehadch&iehed? /■. ; , 'You must not'think ioo' much of these flifigs,- ml.* lerik^^lie companion replied: .'You-.pusfc tot «lg||M yourself; youihust consider the plan whoSo Ifffche happiness you Hold in ; » He loves you *<>, 5 ™dM h? s. suftor-?d^ much—Has: Had so little liappmess; iti His, life Even'hbwVwnen tlie great evotftor his life is to take place, -he dare not have his dear; friend's around him. He dare nob take his Mdc to Ms. beloved country.. He musd remain an-exile, far away from those who love Kirn,' untii:.better_time3 come. You afeall he carea ,fqr that can be near him ' You'must be frifn'ds knd coilntry to him,; and in seeing his happiness, you wi be1 happy yourseif, so liappy, -add ydu will be jjfotected; you will never be alone ' Ttig ycfu'n'g girl leffe tbe flowers and went ■■"■ to the;Windovv. -^ ■';.':■'.; ■■ i.-'frC-'-^V-ii-'&i "Th,e sky was. as grey aa the .asphalted " S&eet ttpon which she looked down. A few ' flakes of Snow were adilinß through the an; M^ering as lon£ as possible a,bove the -BJ^fe'&ud vrfiich' waited to swallow theth. ;'Me coctor'w.a's enveloped in" hisl'tdrpaulinlfk"B cap's-;'ilie poor hdtses were iog|in alongwith patohesof coveringon their baMs, foot people' wife' hidden ■ under umbrellas, and every thing looked cold, and dreary. Other faces appeared- ab other wihddws it the street, and Oonah wondered, as she saw them, iE they were happy. ; , M&tf : *nej • looking down upon a scene cold and deso . late .With: Marts Ir^e from care, or were they lonely, full of anxiety and ancortainty hkj Wdßmi What was'it that Oppressed her,: MHy, ctelß «he not ■Jsbaßd bat" and declare her independence, and. put a stop'topra ceedings from which sue feared sfte knew riot what ? Proceedings which should secur< her life's happiness, but which seemed tc invotve ; .h|r in1 a! Sbyrintii bl difficulties anc troubles. - ; „ She stood at the* window:trying to defint her position." It switied so involved, blk could not free one cireunisfcance fron jtindtherj do whati she would, she couldmo' : atfim:jthe stream tfhich.seemeito;be,curry -ingMer-alorig against her will., :. ..; i TBe cdni-se she wns.being' led Tvas.one^p jfrovedljf by Mr friend and adviser. ,MB - ccnnpaioMn chosen for her by the besi friends she had in the world; tbltj her sH( lradibabibne rdad open whichjaould m pur feed with hohovir and gustfoe; and thu jidvic'e .must be disinterested, lor there wai xia/pcfesible benefit -to be gained by itlif adviser,, who Mpbh previous occasions ;htfc jnbsb emphatically discouMenanced the at of the few other, gentlemen-the girl had beeS allowed to meet. ■ Her gtiar clians in America, to, whom sbe'wrote, madi no objection; in fact, the subject did: no seem to interest them,, for.'they made hi; reply/to her ■lettera i; , They probably ap proved or were indififerent, and left th< matter in her own hands. : • . 'No, no,' Shb thought, 'itis all as I h jmy igriora'nce wished. ' I was 'ever and eve: ilimking of him, and believing I loved lilii Ifi&ntthpufntihilil.'.'dead.1' ISfovr, wheliiiil is'here, and his liearfc is entirely mino, , ■ Bl&St bring myself fco: Yheet, him: ''withonl ie'ar, almost 'repugnance; 'and yet, pbot-, ';■■> poor fellow, I should be so sorry for him i 1 anything li.ippened .'npSy. ' 'He; 'BSeins tc have duly one'thought in lifo, and that if ". '- "iil worthless^ lie-—' ■ " ','.'.:' The door of the apartment opened,':'a'n'c ■'•■'■ as she turiied*:to'"seo i:iwho the waiter was handing letters to Mademoisellt v Melanie. ■ ■•;'.,'■:■";■ ■ Oonahcame'hurriedly. forward.. . .;^ny letters.for me ?' she asked, as: the 3?rSrich^6man" hastily, gathered tlhem up^iti her.hands. ' . ... ». ' ~\en, m«. chore, this one.' : ; The^girl took, it -listlessly, '.keeping : her eyeathe while on the..: budget in the otheria hands. . . • Surelythat is forme?' she.said, starting forward and rcachinffont her hand. 'Is it?' said the Frenchwoman, dropping the pacKeb-in hei" lap,' and holding one up. ' Yes; I ye. rily Believe it. is for flop"-', but what curious writing, and 'what a C'tirlails way' of addressing a letter!' . 'She h"eld the letter up so Wat the Ij'glit ; from.;the (Window "fell the better "u"pon it, and pretended'to'be 'studyWg'tlie 'andieiSj b'nHfc'^i^ie'^^tafc'lfihb'shd'wis^.e'd'tb^i'aw' the^!.Jgirl's;attention from; theiipSckebshfebacl tiastify dropped in her lap, and: cevei'ed: '■With^Ker''handkerchief.1 ' "' ' ' A'f ':.".": .*. Yes,.and from Amerjca!'; ; .... ■■..' .., :.,;."" Q6n ah "seized; the letter, wen fe bnofc td the ■wirtdbw, 'opened 'the^-'e'p'istle,' read a few : ; ."w.ords,;.turned,.-over,the page?,;"',and when she Btuv the name, uttered a cry of joyj which arrestedthe'isteps'bf-b'eiv'companion,-' ■who; shaviingigithered'ujil her €ofctefs, \vas leading the room. .;.',.'" * Oh, "IVlelanie,' she said, c looking up thr(Jugh;tteHai'S'6fcgladneSß, 'it is from Joey dear old Joe ! Oh, lam so glkd!''atfd her, eyes flew over"the Hnea wiffi a rapidity it 'l was curio.us;to ette,: ': ; ,^n gvjl JookijOa^neltb"itho,i Irerichwomatfa i ' face"': as she watched the /eject' this letter' ... ■•■ produced. She feared t-lie know, "notwhat, : 'arid^B""''ffiBl ;gi^r"reached''fcnelist p%e and looked up, ahe'.would'haye been 'Startled had she hot been so happy \vith her news. •Well, .made1 ttioiselle, and'who, pray, is .iJoe,?' i 'Oh,1 Tkieiaiiie.' I -'forgot you did not -know ; bub, I have so often told you the story;1* 'Joe1 i#the young ifaan I told you' of who _ \ro3 so. : good and kind I to me,' and who prontwed rae to tafeei'l ■(sajJWfWlr '^U;':WleM, F^l" irill fee1 ,;;,T...-,,; ; ;^.v,i:;i.- .'.-1^.;.,'-;'-v.■.>/■:■ •■-■•v-r;-v^ :f ■ -:

IB cla3 also; a«d Jos is doflflrfg—COtoto& her! ; was.to leave^ the v#^J|S3S dfber this tett6« ( a6d he >ntf b«Uert fot rty weddtifig. Li&teis tUMhfit -he says, doe¥«6t kitbtt that1 Pattl iff alfW hgre. Sit down. BttfcrdearM6lame r yo« have had bad news.! .What is the;- matter ? Yout She had left her seat,, and stood beside the Frenchwoman with her bands oapibher gffbuider. • I aim. stfieffishY so selfish When lam happy. Tell m^ Melame, what is the matter?' • , ~ ; Tne Frenchwoman, who had become deadly pale at the Kit mention of the contents 6f the lafteiv n6* Mnlt ddwn in -a ° S^hihg,' sn'e said , faintty". often have those attacks; .Pray do nofc nrnd me. No, there is nothing,,1, (seeing^pnah 8 eyes directed tb'fch'e jacket in her HaTid), tr«re i| nothing. E-Have Mil fto.-badones/8i ; I have scarcely opened, my letter. Go on ; tell me ; rearl iffie letiieT cb me ; ft3 jyou. jwerd going' i 6:.' " ■'■- '■'■ . "i',v .■ i Ooiiab pulled upl a chair,, aHd leknlfl^ one arm on hei\i apnijaawon^ kfleej bto'Now, you fnnst 'not laij|li, : MeMib.; The poor fdlfevf hal^ -ftbt Mi£'hf 6ttiicatlJdti y but he issa^bbtl, So;h"Ohest:!'", : , . , : :'' 'DiAli iffes ■ i%A»,-l Mk^'t^fW1 i^tf toiij: form you that riio si.nd Mv , arc quitd wclJ. W6, Pataffd inc. lolt'tlfcrffindlle with MB StoflcßkL (tlijit'fl:,tUo;opui>t), wocyou thouKhtj was dead. Weil, ho's all right, and me and nnu. ajid .Pat, (thata. PatuMuii-ady); i.B .a'ioln. ttf Pavvris, to see, Pawns and to,?ep you, rniss^ The Jiid(«),lie jjaVoiis yolu-ctlrCoUon, and mo I and the Count and Pat'll atai* Btpttpier, I Pat lie's a-ftoln' to stop at ife'lfLria to bco nea mother, nifd the CoxlHt aHtt me'll just go on trj *$fo and the Cpunt a»d Pat;aold put up to thtf ranohe. W«r sfot a.pile'JStlt 6V tbttt «re load, you bot... Wel-o all square,.an' tb^,Cpjint, m dali't'luiost wait for the steiimer.'Ho'fi1 sO tttiS9liueh ; to Ret to Pawns. Jjord,.iniß3,..ypu drought to, hoy see him whon the Jedge told him 'bout yer, offeriii, of tliat reward fur the papors as wor. stole from yoii. Ho justi jumped skyitifth, and, says ho to.-i»e,- I 'Qucßa, I'll jost stop over to, PffvvrlS and thank-that 'ere young lady, seshe,j The JeUgo said,' Why.don'tyej-writeJ .3rx% het sod, 'No, he'd just take his cjianco of flndln yoa to hbmfe j'and whdit wo coiii6 odt ol the \Jcag6 m ho walked straight to the steamboat office'and; he'u a-tooxjaatiket for.that afternoon; but Ij bdggetii so hard for Kirn to. stay, and take. me| lonK with him; and.sa.he did. and;im.o<3Bt -a-. writih' this unbokuOWnst to him, 50 to give ye a little notice, fui-e£ you v/tH tti roeeiVe him a ; liltlo cold-like, yo Know^l thinJt.itrudAo a; terrible diSap'pdiotiiieht. Sb.hoppiri to be for-! given for aTtaKDn'Of Sttohalibferty, - : ■■ 'I remain,....' ~..,.._.-.-, ...-:. Xours to command,,_ ~. i •• f „*'■ ;■ . ,- 'JOMSKI^Ens. , *t)lar, (iearr old^.beV said .OdxlaM. ' Ypuj see, Melanie, hb didn't Itndwjwhen he wrote, that Paul had stolen "&: mal-ch on Mm. I? wonder "Paul did not tell me they were, togetjhir in Mti York, r #o*u se"e;ifier"e ih no: date to this letter 5 it must have been delayed, But) whyj. I ..yrflndor, did he not come? Perhaps he has given itj ,up.. ; l ffiudtaait Paul. I Afrl^h Pftut wodd corfle now.' ■■'..„;. '• ■': :■■::'•■ _' ■ ":':'.-■ ' When Oonah liegan tbro letter a look of anxious perplexity came to her conJpanwn'fi lace. Waf there to be a disclosure ? xos, as the girl p'r"bc^dMther6 could b"e rio doubt of that. T^^hlSvbafc would happen ? What course was left for her and her accomplice? She Was trembling with ! the thought, when' tDo gitrs dwri V/ords■;.rlS* assured be|, ftnd she.saw Jbho poßsibility of .escape, and of yetdoluding her victim. _ So 'the' Frenchwoman started up at these words. ' Gome ?, Yes, he wpulcl corae,;aiid itll would 8§ lest.' ': ■' " * ■'■' \!• ■;' '... ' I must;go out now,' she Biaid; JI did riot like to worry you, but I havejhad ottd nbwe. VViil yon excuse nic, ma bHere',..jbliii morningl, and will you take Elistf'witti yOtt instead of me ?' . • ■ 'Y.ea, yes,;,degf Mejanle rf ; But shall I CO with yon ?:; fcfot iae lM)p you' if r can 1;1 do, dear;. or leti,m§ send;;for Paul"; he would helpvou. lid knows business sp/We11.,! -t- ■ ♦jfo,;n 6. BtaVheVe, chfer'eV Ishalt not ba gone Ibn|[, biit I ittuet §0 iibwi* She hastily left the room, bu'Vwhoh' felid Regained her chamber, 4 she did not.^as, ini^ht have been" expe'etect, dress herself to go out. What.she did dp, .was to fly t"o the door leading ;to tho corridor,., lppk hastily^ along tlse ftos^ftrje "•' vtMn'; ivilh a rapldityat* variance with her ago and the usual dignity of her ihdVe&elnls, ilie ilefl dowri the staircase. ' . 1 >

r\ lleachinji the- bureau of the concierge, 3 she hastily"gave instructions that she was 3 gpin^out, aHd that ■ in'adeSi6ii6lJfe #otttd ■¥&• j geiyejioone. ;No ojie-^-didMichel the con-' cicrge,. undersdand? n^ slieftald, Mi 3 - .§6oriefki call,'lie was to be given this note. a She penned a line, .enclosed: It, attd aa: i dresse^it. ',: , .-■,■■;..; |y ,ij '. ; fv! ■ ■ t '■i'his'riote^mui6 be given to m6tl^ieu!r at . pnpe,; she said. Miehel niust be.,011 the lookbut. for him ; he was oxpeefced rtow, . a'nd-Thacf'6iis6ißellß cidulaiioE.receive bitfi,, 5 : Y;e?j ■tM'%6oh'ci6r'we. : iiEtfderAo'6aj\'MH36'. t mafeelfeMelttnie.iUvd.ysiu&ecd'g'dfh ilfiik-' 3 ing these people understand her wiahesi. . Trub, the money she gave them to i buy 3 their seryiqes, was thd-.-W6n"ey of her inis--3 tress, but it camp, from her hand, and but 3 for'h4r it reach them.. And a 1 Frendhman doeaCnot bftetx"-. qiiesftidn } tile . route takjph by the goods tbe gdds %end j hyn.,.j.~ ,'.,,. . :>.;■ i.r ; - ■'■■>..^., ■ .;■:,. i , ■ "SbTwJciM prbmis'ed to dp Mademoiselle 3 ] Melanie's fiiddirig,aridSfrlien ? afe'^inlnutb's b after her departirird frpm tM bureau, ) rhohsieur the handßbmeL.Gount Stenezki ap- . pearcd the concierge .flew to .the door of 3 the elegant little coup 6in which mdrisiour sat, and gfvehim a' billot, Michel did not 1 fail to note the look Pf alartn with which ! f :tlie Coffrit opened : and rife|d ;tbe miSsivei 1 1 nor-tbe'hasfcb with which ho gave the! j border for the cbachrhail td drive bticlc to his [■ 'hotel. {.WHat he read in the note was eviy" ide'ntly of deadly import, for when he reached the db'br of his apartment a few f :mpn]e,ntß after, this, he .staggered^ ,and )■ 'wdula riavb i alien but for the timely aid df i l 'his yalet.',. -.. j a ~. :■. "-■.,=,' ■ < •;'«,..-,', ■ ';■;! Mbnsienr was no longer lodged in th 6 Rue ; :Sfcl Eustache, where we, first met him in, J. company of Mademoisfillo Melanie. I HP had 1 riow elegant apartrneutß : .in a fashionable a,nd, expensive hoteij as became the Itich 'fiance of the.heiress of the Pacific. <•" ;f! i i:'^ . •; was the interesting position he ndiW" held, and as suoh hewas thepbefeved of all "ob&ervefsr who wer,e ajlpwiad so great :a privilege. , For monsieur, t|>e jPolisnGount, was : seldom visible, save to Bis 'Valet and bis 'Cpacfrman. . ■■~ . When he Sid not dine with hisflan6tse and her. chaperone—^antj it was rernafked in the hotel that, he seldom gave himself that pleasure—-he dined quito albtie iv his rppins, He, seldom went out during the day, and when in tho evening he walked abroad, he bent hid footsteps t&wards unfrequented and unfashionable streets; Hifi 'toilet, replenished by boat English tailors, was fashionaiblo expensive, and yet JbPxes'aiid -oaliss Hi gb'pds continued tb r arrive, .; Perhaps .those boxes contai)4ed! other besides cleaning; or |yel-ha*pi rnonsieur's-wardrdbe, for he had arrived fet' sth'e1 hotel ivlth a very iimited supply, and few packages; for sO grand a gentleman; but hia^ew ;valet confided to theservants lof the hbtet that the arrivals were all new clothes. , - r Before going out this morning, he ;had infoiin^d-thS valet that he should breakfast and probably; dine with mademoiselle, but he had unexpectedly returned,- sta'ggdringintdthe sitting-room, pale and excited ; he Would have fallen bui>)M' the timely aid of his servant. .'.■' ■. ~. ■■.•..'.i : '' ' Shut the dp6r,'T^e:i«rriisp6red. ■<■■'' ; :k '' And as the,servant obeyed,>,tbe itnaster went. to-a -chiffonier, from iwhich'he jfcpdKa v bottle, ahß,pouring p,uti.a ? fujl jfelaret glass of brandy, drank it at a draught. .' < : Therihe sat down,and after a minute reopened thenpfee he;had.'received, aiid read its contents'. . . . ■ [When lie, had fitlialSed,= He crushed'the missive in feis hand, and there was an un-; pleasant loeik hi monsieur's eyes wnen his ; valeb turnbd. frbra;!the. db'o'r ./to announce ; Madembisello Sffelanle; ' \.'-{,'',;'.. .',""■•■ ''Aamit^no'onfffelße^ s.atd tho'(sp«nt,.(and wait downstairs till I ring.'