A SINGER FROM THE SEA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 254, 26 October 1893, Page 6

A SINGER FROM THE SEA.

BY AMELIA E. BARR.

Author of 'The Beads of Tasmar,' 'The •Mat*of><the "Easber Bell,"' 'The House- : v *old of McNeil,' • Friend Olivia,' ,\ ■' ~i EbCv.Etc, Etc.

CHAPTER lll—(Continued). THE COTTAGE BY THE SEA. flhnrAs rose quickly and looked a moment ab th«^tttll handsome girl picking her way across pebbly path. Then she threw down her. knitting and went to meet her and Elizabeth was pleased and flattered by her pgqtegee's complaints and welcomes. : 41 thought you would never send me a message 'or a letter,' almoßt Bobbed Denas. 'I i*6Ver hoped you would come ! Oh, Elizabeth, how I have longed to see you ! Life is so' stupid, when I cannot come to your houße.' 1 Why did you nob come V '. .. ' Father was afraid of your brother.' ■ fie was fight, pena's. Bolaud is coo gay . and thoughtless a young man to be round a ' jirebty "giiT-HKe you. " Bub he ha'sgone to LondSn j'a'nd'l do not think he will come back here, until near, the wedding-day.' .'.^hen' "they f were at the door, and John Peri'efleß welcomed the lady with all the iiative grace that springs from a kind heart . and from hbble instincts which have become principles.' ■•'--■■-.r ■■ " ' -be'righb welcome, Miss Tresham,' He Baid; rMy little maid has free more thah 'she should have done for you. Ido *ay thrftr .';1- '.- *■ " * I also missed Dehas very much. I have h6'B*isti[r;'Mr Penelles, and Denas has been something like one to me. I am come to ask you if she may Btay with me until my tnarriaee, in June. No one can sew like Denas, and kiow' 1 can afford to pay her a good tleaTof money for her work. For her love, I give her love. No gold pays for ibver-'Doe^iVsir?' ' ' ' John' pleased with her frankness. He knew the' value of money ; he knew also the ' nloral * value of letting Denas earn money.' He answered with a candour which brushed"'away allpretences: . ' We'fiB1 all obliged to you, Miss Tresham. \Vel vbe all''glad that: Denas should make tod'ney^sp happily. It will help her own Weiidlri^ and furnishing, whenever Gcd do^se'nd'her'a.good man to love her. It be a jffeab' honour to Denas to have your love'; 'but' there then ! Your brother is a fine, handeonio yoiihg man, and no oflence, misa >Mt 'Would riot be a great honour for my little fiiaid to have his love or the likelihood of it ; and oub of temptation ia out of dangef'^miSß fand if "bo be, I do speak plain and bluff, you will nob pub ib down against Die, I'll warrant.' ' 'IfchinkV-MrPenellea, that you are quite fight. 'I* have felb air you say for two yearS, 'and' Have shielded the honour and the happiness of Dehas as if she wero in very dcfeil niy ''sister. ■ Can you nob trust her wiin me now V v ' ■■•"■' 'Tis ti great" charge, miss.' ' 1 am'gTad td'take ib.' I will keep ib for ymrfalthfully.' "Tfs too' much to ask, miss; 'twould ■ be R o'"cbusbant charge, for wrong-doing is &ften'&''in'abt;er of a few rmomerits, bub the repentance for it may lasb a life-time.' •'RolaTid is in London. He went yesterday 'i!- Tdo"not expect him to coma to St. Penfer. again until the wedding. I assure _. yduof tHW,-Tris Penelles.' ' •Theft your word for it, Miss Trestiam. , Take my-little roaid with you. She be' my life,' 'miss.'./If Denas was hurt ■■ anyway 'iwbuld be like I got a shot in my bacikbciheV 'tVould be as bad for her mother^ likewise for poor Tim Penrose.' ; Elizibeth srailed. '-* "''"'l am 'glad to hear there is a lover. ; De»as'|iever told me of him. Is he good 1 and brave arid handsome and young and well-to do?' ' " •'rfe be all these and more, too ; for he do lov.e the ground Denas treads on—he do, for sure I' ••" Dehas was in her room pubbing on her ""^Klue ' merino ; and her hat, and while she ' matle her sniall arrangements and talked to \her mother, Elizabeth set herself to win the entire confidence of Job* Penelles. Ib was nob a hard thing to d< . Evil and sin had to be present' and palpable for John's houeßt"heart to realise them; and Mi?s ; Tfe«iham's 'open face, her frank assurances, hei* straightforward understanding of bhe position, were a pledge John never doubted. -:'.'-' :" Certainly, Elizabeth meanb all Bhe promined. She was a& desirous to prevent any love-making* as John Penellea was, and whoh ' interest and conscience are in the Bariikrmihd, tiboplo do as leaab try to keep their'promises. Denaa went gayly back With her to St. Peni'er. It was eomebhing to be in Roland's home; she would hear him spoken of, and shs would exchange the monotonous common duties of her own home for bhe happy bustle and the festive preparabions of a house where a tine woddiri« was bo be celebrated. , Her expectations in thia respecb were ' moi'o than gratified. Every hour of the day brought something bo discuss, to oxcfaifn.over, to wonder about, to select/, to try Notesand flowers and sweetmeats AhH preVefifca of "kinde were continually reminding Elizabebli of her lover, and she jrirVw, beau tjful and generous in bhe tunBliihe. of puch/a mas»nificenb love. Thursd'tty,' Friday, and Saturday passed like a happy dream. On Saturday evening Denas ' . wae fo return home until after the Sabbath, ' For Saturday nighcand Sunday were John's hoikiny, and a poor one indeed ib would be ' to liiui without his daughter. Nor was [Per.ias averse to go, home. She looked forward to ihe pleasure of belling her mother everything she had peen and done she looked loiwacd to going to chnpel with her fnthsr, and showing a pretty hat and collar > and a pair pi kid gloves which Elizabeth l>a<l j/ivßii her. . About, five" o'clock she started down bhe nliti: ' Her heart was light in spite of Rolnnd'a silence.. Indeed, she had begun to feel 1 a "'contempt for him, and a still I greater contempt for horeelf, because she *';! had for inQmen.b bo'teved a man so lighb of • Iq.,vi» and. »o false .of hearc. Elizabeth's aflnirs were. full of interasb to her; Elizabeth h,ftd, boeM so sisterly and kind. Sho hall bald' her well, and promised her many thWa. that made life seem full of hopo to the ambitious fisher-girl. How the birds did 'Bin^i.;: How : Btill the green glados vr^'re ! Ir. that one week of ruin and eunahme, how the leaves had grown ! She went gaily forward, humming eotbly tVhervc/..Vno»eof.ihe songs Roland eang \ • ,ti,"her—but a little lovoeouj' ililizabeth fV liWdibitrned i'rom Robert Burrall. Her foot Sjipil fciiat. upri.pjf in.lba life and fall that --.'* Viwvv* tl>gr«Jf » y oun^ innooonb hearb aVvo IK In and oub among the gladoa she 1 wet*V'»inroßt J<w 'brightly snd musically as, the\bn...k whose aparklinj? and darkling CDiirSa Tollowod. hen bub a few hurtdr«d"4\i.d.9 do-.vr. tlse patli, somo one called liV l-i'hv thought ie was ulaiioy, and went :'■ onward, -noverthek-ss ■ feeiinjc a nudden ullei <fe*-"KrW -trouble. Immftoiately she ' lierfnl lv>t?},ep» arA tho rustliit;? s(vvieh of ifettiri^Je'Sv^ and brauches. / ■ Th'ui -f he h-fcood fltill and moksd toward the pi«co di^rbanco.'*- A inomenh fcer- - wird ■■■'Holanrf iVwiba'ib '.ru'tat. her «d?; He ' fflfitiiv KfafiPi h* f id softly: m 'Thiw w«w rfoiclintr *'*& boforfl sic ?°/ d mr e *i»«r(&W*1l re««ft\«^ 'he bsti drawn her iato r. little iri-i'ia *hnb in by largo boulders Jirf' fn%- trflM.. Tfven bo bad hi* are* Ixowd her, and vu taugU£ng_ ; »ißl4 talking

a thousand Bweet unreasonable bhitigs. 'Oh, Mr Treeham, let me go. Leb me go !' cried Denae. '* Not while you say, " Mr Tresham."' 1 Oh, Roland !' • Yes, lbve,' "Roland!" Say it a thousand times ! Did you'think I had forgotten you?' , r ' :- X ' You aie very cruel.' 'Cruel, to be kind, Denas. My love, they think lam in London. Every one thinks bo. I did go bo London lasb Wednesday. I lefb London this morning, very early. I gob off the train at Sb. Claire and walked across the cliff and found' oub this pretty hiding-place. And I am going to be here every Saturday nighc — every Saturday nighb, web or fine ; and if you do nob come here bo meet mo 1 will go to Auabralia and never see St. Penfer again.' "He would balk nothing bub the mosb extravaganb nonsense, and finally Denas believed him. He gave her a ring bhab looked very like Elizabeth's betrobhal ring; and was even larger than Elizabeth's ; and he told her to wear ib in her breasb until she could wear it on her hand. And for this nighb find for many other Saturday nierhbs he never named bhe plob in his shallow head and selfish hearb. He devobed himself to winning complebely the girl's absorbing love—nob a very difficult bhing to do. For the air of romance and mystery, at once so charming and so dangerous, enthralled her fancy ; his eager, masterful, caressing wooing made her tremble with a delicious fear and hope ; and in the week's silence and dreaming the folly of every meeting grew marvellously. Nor was the loving, ignorant girl unaffected by bhe apparenbly rich gifbs her lover brought her—brooch and lockeb and bracelet, many brighb and sparkling ornaments, which poor Denaa hid away with joy, with almost childish delight and prideful expectations. And if her conscience troubled her she assured ib bhab, while ie was righb for Elizabeth to receive such offerings of affection, it could nob be wrong for her to do likewise. Alas ! alas ! She did nob remember that bhe element of secrecy made the element of situ If she had only entertained this thought, it would have made her understand that bhe meeting which cannob be known and the gifb which cannob be shown are wicked in their essence and their influence, and are incapable of bringing forth anything bub sorrow and sin.

CHAPTER IV. THE SEED OF CHANGE. I love thee! I love thee! 'Tis all that I can say; It is my vision in the night, My dreaming in the day.—Hood. Oh, if the selfish knew how much they lost. What would they not endeavour, not endure, To imitate a» far as in them lay Him who His wisdom and His power employs In making others happy.—Cowper, All fashionable wedding ceremonies are similar in kind and effect, and Elizabeth would not have bßon satisfied if here had varied greatly from the highest normal standard. Her dress was of the mosb exquisite ivory-white satin and Honiton lace. Her bridemaids wore the orthodox pink and blue of palest shades. There was the usual elaborate breakfast, the cake and favours, the flowers and music and bhe finely dressed company filling the old rooms with subdued laughter and conversation. All things were managed with that consummate taste and order which money without stint can always command, and Elizabeth felfc thab she had inaugurated a standard of perfection which cast all previous • aflairs ' into oblivion, and demanded too much for any future one to easily attain unto. In the arrangements for this completely satisfactory function, the position which Denas was to occupy caused Borne discussion. Mr Tresham had hitherto regarded her with an indifference which sometimes assumed a character of irritability. He was occasionally jealous of his daughter's liking for the girl; he knew men, and he was always suspicious of her with regard bo his son Roland. Proud and touchy aboub his own social position, he never forgob Ahab Denas was the child of poor fisherpeople ; and he could not understand the to.'erant affection Elizabeth gave to a girl so v car beneath her own standing. When Elizabeth included her in the list of bri'demaida, be disputed bhe election with considerable temper. He said that he had long endured a companionship nob ab all bo his taste, because ib save Elizabebh pleasure, buA that on no account would he compel nil' guesbs to receive Denas ac their equal. Hni opposition was so determined thab Elizabebh gave up her intention, though she. had to break an ofb repeated promise in the relinquishmenb. Bub, bhen, promises must be dependent on circumstances for theii" redemption, and all the uircumsbances were againsb Denas. ' Mr Burrell has two sisters,' said Elizabeth' to her, 'and if I do nob ask Cousin Flora, I shall never be forgiven : and father insists upon Georgia Godolphin because of his friendship with Squire Godolphin ; and I cannob manage mora than four bridemaids, can I? So you see, Denas,' etc., etc., etc. Denas saw quite clearly, and, with a certain pride of eelf-respeck, she relegated herself to a position Chafe would interfere with no one's claims and olfcnd no one a social ideas. 'I am to be your real bridemaid, Elizabeth,' Ehe eaid. 'Miss Burrolls and your cousin Flora and Mihs Godolphin are for show, I shall be really your maid. I shall lace your white satin boots and fasten your white satin dreß9, and drape the luce and clasp the gems and make your bridebouquet. I shall stay upstairs while you are ab church, a<bd lay ready your travelling costume, and s*ee thab Addle packs your trunks properly; and when you go away, I shall fasten your ciouk and tie your bonnet and buttot! your glovos, and then go away myself, for there will be no one here bhen that likoa me and nothing at all for me to do.' And this programme, modo with a littlii heart-ache and sense of love's failure, Denan faithfully carried out. It cost her somethins to do ib ; but she did nob permit Elizabeth to see thab sho counted her in her heart • faibhless.' For she did not blame her friend ; sho understood the potency of the reasons not given: Mr Tresham's latenb dialiko, her humble birth, her want of fine clothes and fine polish and rich connections, and sho felt keenly enough thab there was nothing about her personally or socially to make Mr Tresham's guests desire her. When tho day drew close and they began to arrive, Denas shrank more and more from their society. She caw thab Elizabeth's mariner with them was quite different to the manner between herself and Elizabeth ; and, in spite of much kindness and generosity, she felb humiliated, alone, outside and apart. She wondered how it wuh. These rich girh came in little companies bo Elizabeth's room, and with sofb laughter and exclamations of delight, examined the bride's pretty garments and presents. They were never haughty wibh her ; on the conbrary, they were exceedingly plea?anb. They called her 'Miss Denas,' and carefully avoided anything like condescension in their intercourse. Vet Dunns knew that betweon them and heraolf them was aline, impalpable aa tho eqnator nnd just as pobenb in its dividing posw. ' It B&ddoned her beyond reason, and when Roland arrivod, two" days before the weddintr, find fho saw him wandering in the garden, riding, driving, playing tennis, chatting and chaffing, singing and dancing with there four gfirla of his own circle, she divined a difference, which she could nob explain bub which pained and angered her. Still, thai) last week of Elizabebh's maiden life* was a wonderful week. It was like ljvi?ig in tho ?cenos< of a theabre ; there was no talk' but oflovo. AH thob every one said or did roforrcd bo bhe greab paeeion.

The house was in the hands of decoratorsT bhe aroma of all kinds of delicious'things to eat was in the air. There was a constant tinkling of the piano and harp. Snatches of song, ripples of laughter, young voices calling through bhe house and garden, light footsteps going everywhere, the flutter of pink and blue and white dresses, the snowy ribbons and massed roses in every room, the exciting atmosphere of love and expectation —who could escape it ? And who, when in the midst of it, was able to escape or prevent or to deny its influence ? Denas gave herself freely, bo the moment. The presence of Roland made all things easy bo her, He contrived many an unseen meeting; her lips never lost bhe sense of .bis stolen kisses ; her hands Were constantly pink with the passing clasp or the momentary pressure. No one could have eupposed he was planning anything ; for he was continually with some one or with all of the four bridemaids; yeb there was not an hour in which he did nob manage to. give Denas her part, though it were bub an upward glance ab the Open window where phe sab sewing, or a kiss flung backward, cp her or a lifted hab or a rose left where She alone could find it, or a little love-letter crushed into her hand in passing. . Such a week to stir a young heart to love's sweet fever ! It passed like a dream, nnd went finally with the clashing of wedding bells and the trampling of horses carrying away the bride. Then the guests followed, one by one, until the house was lonely and deserted ; and ihe hired people began to remove the remnants of bhe feasb and bo bake down the fading wreaths and roses.

(To ie Continued).