SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER HUSBAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 303, 20 December 1894, Page 6

SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH HER HUSBAND.

$V E. WERNER,

Author of 'Hia Word of Honour,' ♦The Master of Efctersberg,' and 'Tha Alpine Fay.'

CHAPTER XXVI.

AFTBR THE CATASTROPHE. Summer "had come again. Onco more Mountains and valleys lay bathed in sunshine and verdant with beauty, and down

in the Berfcow settlement there waa busy life and movement, aa in the old days, only freer and more cheerful than ib had ever been before. There waa an atmosphere of liberty and happy contentednesa aboub the works now ; extensive aa ever, they had gained all that had previously been wanting but this had nob come about in weeks or even in months. Years had been needed, and those following the catastrophe had nob been years of ease. When work had been resumed, a heavy load still rested on tho young master's shoulder. He had, ib 13 true, made peace with hia people, bub he stood on the brink of ruin. The crisis was past, th 9 moment of danger, when personal courage and personal sacrifice could suffice to restrain the excesses of a rebellions multitude ; but now came a time hardor to bear, a time of constant, arduous toil, of struggling, often desperate, against the force of circumstances by which Arthur was well-nigh crushed. Bub in the first trial he had learned to teat hia strength, in the second ho know how to uso ib. For more than a yoar it remained doubtfnl whether the works could be kepfc. on under their then owner, and even when this critical period had been tided over, there were still dangers and losses enough to be faced. :• . „ . . Then came tho interruption of all business, which had lasted nearly a month, the accident in the shafts requiring most important repairs; all this combined threatened completely to overwhelm a situation already greatly imperilled. More than onco it seemed impossible the works could be preserved, more than once it seemed aa though tho memory of pasb wounds, caused by harsh treatment and by. the late open strife,ranklcd too deeply ever to be allayed ; but Arthur's character, aroused so labo, steeled itself and grew to fuller development in this school of incessant and^strenuous activity.

All the foundations were shaken, and the ■edifice tottering to its fall, when years before Arthur had undertaken the difficult task of bringing order out of the chaos of debts, engagements and claims upon him, which had to be met first of all, and of establishing a perfectly new system. Bub he had learned confidence in himself: hia wife was ab hia aide, and on his exertions depended Eugenie's future prosperity and hia own. That thought gave him courage to withstand, where any other would have yielded in despair; supported him even in niomenra when tho hi9k seemed beyond his strongth, and obtained for him tho victory at last). Now every lingering ill effect of the catastrophe had been overcome; the name of Berkow, stripped of all tho evil which had attached to it, had won back for itself the old luck, and stood pure and honourable before tho world.

'The works/"' nibre''extensive and on a greater scale that ever, were rjiosperous and safely established as thoy had never beon before, and their owner'? wealth vow rested on a strong and sure baeia. JLt was getting toward noon as the director and the chief engineer walked home together on their way from the work 3. They ifcad both grown older in the course of years, but,in other respects, they were unchanged. The one was good • naturer], the other sardonic "as ever; there waa the old malicious ring in the latter's voice as he wont on with hia conversation.

• Baron yon Windeg's eldest son has announced his father's intention of paying us another visib again already. If) appears thab our relationship may be boasted of now, though it was condescended to at first with so much repugmmce. Tho baron is beginning to find out thab with all his possessions he is lost in tha crowd of wealthy men, while we have grown to be a power in tho province, and recognised aa such by ©very one.' ' Greater progress has been made here than elsewhere,' said the director. ' All around they are studying our improvements and our system, but as yeb no ono has imitated us.' ■

'' 'Yes, if wo go on like this, we shall reach the "philanthropic mod'ol eatablishmenb" which the late Herr Borkow usod to protest against so vigorously. Well, thank God,' the chief engineer raised hi 3 head with self-satisfaction —' we can afford St. We are in a position to expend sums for our people's benefit which other folk would have to stow away carefully in their pockets, and certainly the euma are not Btnall. Yet it is nob so very long since wo were fighting, not for influonco or fortune, but for the existence of the works, and wo ehould nob have succoeded in saving that feut for a few lucky chances which camo to xna ju9t in. the nick of time.' ■> . •Or for the admirable way in which our people behaved,' added tho director. 'It was h.o trifle for them to remain quieb while agitation and a regular ferment were going on ail around them. The accident in the inino ccsb money enough just at a time when every hundred was hard to spare, bub I think Herr Berkow did nob pay too dearly for what ho gained with his people. Evor since that time they have trusted him, and when he gave thorn his word ho would set matters straight if thoy would only givo him a breathing timo, they waited loyally, so it is no wonder if ho doea more than he promised. 1 ' Well, co far as I am concerned, he can Indulge himself in the luxury for tha future, 1 said his colleague. ' Besides, it is satisfactory to see that, under given conditions, philanthropy may be compatible with a good business. Our yearly balance is snore considerable than under the old regime, which, certainly, could not-, be accused of undue tenderncna ; all was squeezed oub of the works bhen that was there to squeeze.'

•You aro an incorrigible jokor !' said the director, ' no ono knows better than you do that Herr Kerkow is guided by no such considerations,'

• No, ho ia too much of an idealist for "thai"/,' returnad the chief ongineor, accepting the reproach with great equanimity. •Luckily, ho can be practical ab the same time, and ho haa been through too hard a school nob fco know thab to be practical ib the first condition of success in such a caso As ours, I have not much opinion of the ideal myself, flB you know. 1

Tho other smiled rather slyly^ ' 'Yes, we all know fchab, but you will modify your thinking, won't you, wh6nyou get each a purely imaginative eiomenb in your family as Herr Wilborg. Tho time is drawing near, is it not,?'

This little tljruab of the director seemed to have told, for'his colleague made a wry face, and replied, angrily ; ,' ; 'Don't talk to me about it, I hear enough of It at) home. To thinlt that euch a thin" should happen to me !to me, who hato nothing so much as your eentitnental, roy tnantic.nonaense. 'JotWnkthaitfftteahould have served for me, of aU^pple, a sonmi &' W? S vers6B"a«d; plays the guitar. There is no g'efctinp - r U it nZ fellow with hi.. I K h. andhSUetali "; and Melame w,U nob listen; t ? reaei.?; SSb

I have nob given my consenb yeb, and I am nob at all sure bhat I shall.' •

•Well, we will leave that to Fraulein Melanie,' said the director, laughing. ' She has gob a bib of her father in her, she knows bow bo have her own way. . I can assure you thab Wilberg goes aboub with the mien of a conqueror, and answers all congratulations with the words, "No, not y6t," in a way which 13 exceedingly eloquenb. The two young people must be pretty sure of their affair. Good-bye. Mind, I am to be told first of the happy event.'

This time ib was the director's turn to be mischievous, and nob withoub result, for the chief engineer looked greatly put out as he went up the steps to his hoase. FraulciD Melanie cama out to meet him, and was unusually tender in her attentions. She gave him a kisa, took his hat and gloves, coaxed him a little, and, alter those preliminaries, considered that the time had now come to proffer a petition. 'Papa, there is somebody here who wants to speak to you ab once, and on important business. Ho ia in there with mamma. May I bring him to you?' 11 can'b be spoken to now,'growled her father, guessing whab was before him, bub the young lady took not the smallest notice of the refusal. She disappeared into the nexb room, and nexb minute pushed oub the somebody who was thoro, whispering at the same time a few encouraging words in his ear.

They appeared to be much wanted, for Herr Wilberg, his hair carefully parted, drossed in frock coat, and presenting the general appoarance of an official suitor, stood rooted to the spot, as though he had fallen unawares into a lion's den. He had prepared a neat little speech for the important occasion, but his superior's grim looks and very forbidding manner aB he inquired, ' Whab he wanted?' were altogether disconcerting to him. ' My hopes and wishes '—stammered the lover, ' encouraged by Fraulein Melanio's favour—the bliss of calling her my own.' ' I thoughb as ■ much ! The fellow can't even make his ofFer in a rabional manner,' grumbled the chief engineer, not reflecting thab his reception was of «a nature to discompose any suitor; aa tho young man stumbled on, getting more and more confused in hia speech, he cub him short. ' Well, there, that's enough. Whab you hope and desire can bo no secret from me now. You wanb to have me for your father-in-law V

Wilbsrg looked as if this additional blesßing, so inseparable from hia future marriage, did not afford him any special delight.

41 beg your pardon, sir; what I want is to have Fraulein Melanie for my wife,' he replied, shyly. ' Oh ! and you will reluctantly take me into the bargain ?' asked the irritated father-in-law in spe. ' I really don't know how you dare come to mo with such a proposal. Have you not been in love with Lady Eugonio Berkow ? Have you nob filled reams) of paper with verses addressed to her ? Why don'b you go on atill wibh your platonic affection '!' ' Ob, thab was yeara ago !' pleaded the lover, in his defence. ' Melanio has known that for a long time, indeed that was the vorv thing which brought us together. Thero ara two sorts of love, sir ; the romance of youth, which seeks its ideal in a higher sphere, far removed and beyond its reach, and another more durable affection, which finds its happiness on earth.' •Oh ! and for this second mattor-of-facb sort of sentiment my daughter is good enough ? Douce take y.ou !' criod the chief engineer, furious. ' You will nob understand mo,' said Wilberg, deeply hurt, but still wibh some consciousness of the advantage of his position : he knew what a powerful resorvo he had in tha nexfc room. ' Msianie understands me ; she hart given mo her hand and heart ' 1 Well, thi3 ia a very pretty business,' growled the exasperated parent. 'If daughters can baatow their hand 3 and hearts in this manner wibhoub moro ado, I should like to know whab fathers are here for, WHberg'—here hia faco and manner became somewhat milder —' Wilberg, I must do you the justice to say that you have become more rational during the last few year?, bufi you are far from being rational enough. You have nob left off versifying, for ono thing. 1 would wager you have gob somo sonnets about you now.' He glanced suspiciously, at tha young man's frock-coat. Wiiborg reddened a little. • As an affianced husband I should be quite justified in writing them ?' said he, with a sorb of timid inquiry. 1 Yea, and in giving serenades ! We shall havo a nice time of itthia summer,' groaned the chief engineer, in despair. v Look you, Wilberg, if I did nob know thab Melanie has got something of her father in her, and that she will soon drive oub allyour romantic nonsense oub of your head, I would say no, onco for all. Bub is seems to mo you want a seneible wife, and raoro particularly a sensible father-in-law, who will give you good advice from time to time, as it appears it can'b bo helped — well, you shall have both.'

Whother ths laafc-named advantage appeared as groab in Horr YVilberg's eyes must remain undecided ; in delight at obtaining the first ho forgot everything eL-e, and rushed up to embrace hi 9 new father-in-law, who mado sbort work ot the ceremony. ' Thero, don'b let us have a scene,' said he, decidedly. ' I can't stand it, and wo have nob time for it now. Como along to Molanie. You two have plotted the whole matter together bohind my back; bub I tell you, if over I find you at your versemaking, and my girl unhappy and with red eyes, may tho Lord help you !'

(7b be. continued.)