Captain Adair's Wife.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 196, 18 August 1900, Page 6

Captain Adair's Wife.

'(By Lieutenant John Payne.)'

XX,

Eonan tossed and tumbled for a ?ong time after he had lain down in fcis room ai the hotel, to sleep. He reasoned with himself for hours, and groaned. "What else could I do? I didn't flo it at all; it did itself. It was Nature, and we were but automatons in her hands. How can I go to Colonel Marcy and tell him that I love his daughter and that she loves me, and that he must give his- consent to marry? I, a .beggar!" And then the misery of being a beggar by his own act, pierced Mm through with, remorse. "I suppose the worst defect in my character," he reasoned out to himself, "is indecision.. Why can't I be a man? I'll frankly tell Colonel Marcy everything." He already felt relieved of a bur<3en, in having made, up his mind to this confession of his weaknesses. "I am a man, I can work, and I Will. I have a right to win and work ifor the woman I love, and who loves me," and with this thought in his mind he fell into slumber. _ The sun was in the sky high, high, when there was a loud rap at Ronan's idoor. "Come in," he shouted. The door was pushed open about six inches, and a square white envelope was spun across the. room. "Letter fer ye." ; -"That you, Sandy Bob? Come in. iWhere did you get it?" "Pasco give it to me, and asked me €o sling it in at you. If ain't a rpost office letter Somebody brought it." - . "Well, come in." A big, red faced man, with ropy (hdir arid whiskers slouched in. He had the room next to Konans. He tad been out all night and was ]" st you'd hand me that letter," [Eonan said sweetly. - . _ Sandy Bob went error to the corner where he had flung it, and picked it up. Eonan usually got what he wanted out of the most unpromising people. He opened the envelope leisurely. "How bucks the tiger now? he flbegan, and then he sat up in bed arid lost all connection with his surroundings.. "I'm going to git my .beauty sleep," Sandy Bob said, and stretching his mighty arms above his head in a great yarn, he went in to elnmber off the effects of anight over ,the gaming table at .the Crystal Palace Saloon, , . ,- Sandy Bob owned a large mine, the income ttff^hich he regularly .-lost gamblihgTunder the delusion, that he .was enjoying "life." Konam's letter was from Mary, ana Ithe^rst she had ever written himIWhen' hetJooked at the modest, My dear Mr Eonaji," he could .have no idea of the dozens of sheets she had torn up, which had run the scale oi endearments. . "Mrs Savage is not very 111, the letter went on, "but she is in a sort of hysteric state. She fell into the river at the dam, and insisted on riding home in her wet garments. She seems to have no chill, but as a little feverish. Papa has sent for me, and I am leaving at once. He sent the ambulance and an escort for me. There is some "news of an Indian 1 outbreak, and he wants me safe under his eye. I hope we shall see you over at the fort very soon." "Yours most truly, Mary Marcy, was the signature. • Eonan. put the little note up to his lips and Idased it. He was not a particularly sentimental young man, but he was in love for the first time in his life. He a'jose hastily, and started towards the big tin tub which he had stipulated should be always in his room. There was another knock at the door, a knock that followed the sound of rushing feet, and which preceded, by, the barest second, fin excited entrance. i Eonan stopped in the middle of the floor, his bath towel wrapped around hiia. "What's wrong1, Mike? You haven't liad'nn accident in the mine?" "You ain't sold it, sor?" the big Irishman aßked, almost panting for !breath\ "No,\[ haven't sold it—but what Is the matter?;' A big\grin of relief went all over the red iace. "Beeau&s" the man said, hardly iaWe, tp get the words out, "we've Struck it I \ We've found the ledge, an' it's theVblggest in the camp,.an' BOlid horn silver. It's millions you're 1 worth this day, Mr Eonan." ■ "What!" Ebnan stood staring, not tible to take it all in. "When we went to the works this mornin', there was signs as some wan had keen medd'linV The ore bucket was at the foot, ;an' th' rope was ashes. iWe climbed down th.ladder, an' found Where work had \ been done, that uncovered the main1, ledge we've been a lookin' for. It w:as I that knew at .wanee1, it waz th' iWyers.", "No, it wasn't, Mike. I did it myself, last night, but I didn't know " Eonan sat down on the side of the bed, as he began to feel,the full rush .of his happiness. M;ary had brought him luck indeed! In,trying to make her comfortable in digging a seat he had uncovered the fortune that he Jiad meant to abandon that day. He could go to Colonel Marcy now. It all seemed like a fairy tale. "I'll be there in an hour. Takeout an assayer. See here, Mike! You and Jim shall never regret thavt you stuck to the work. You shall have your chare," and he walked over and shook the Irisman heartily by the, hand. "It's a gentleman you are, Mr Eonan, that it does a man's heart good to give his (work to. A body might know your father was1 a gentleman off the old sod." Pour hours later Eonan was* on the, best horse that he could find, following Mary ,to the fort. He was carrying not only love, but a fortune to offer her. ; 1 (To be Continued.)