A MAD BETROTHAL.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5650, 8 October 1889, Page 4

A MAD BETROTHAL.

[BY LAURA JEAN LIBBJ.]

CHAPTER XVII.

"13 YOUB ABSWKE ' YES ' OH ' NO, MY DAE LINO ? " HE ASKED. EAOEELY. In a short space of time, but which seemed an eternity to those struggling in the mad waters, other steamers were on the spot, gathering up the victims of the terrible disaster. Among the saved was Nadine. It wasjlong hours before the woman who was attending her succeeded in bringing life baok to the inanimate form. Tho steamer which had picked them up had reached port, but the sufferers from tho awful shock had not been removed as yet from the cabins, where they were receiving attention from the physicians who had beon summoned. Extras had been gotten out at once, and the whole city was electrified over the list ef tho lost, wounded and dying. The nurse who had taken Nadine in charge was looking over the paper, when a stifled cry from the white lips startled her. "Where am I?" sho demanded, in bewilderment; "and who are you ? " Before the woman could reply, Nadine covered her white face with her hands, shaking like a leaf. "Oh ! I remember," she gasped. " I was standing alone on the deck of the steamer in the moonlight; there was a terrible explosion, and I felt myself being hurled through space. I -truck tho water, and I went down—down. Who saved mo F" " You were picked up by the crew from another steamer/ ~*. "And he—my_mv—husband," said _.adine, uttering t„ 0 word with great effort— "was ho saved?" *' I will read over the list, and you can , tell then," replied the norse, settling herself back in her chair, and running her eye half down the column, she began : "Among those standing within range of the ill-fated boiler when it exploded, and who wero killed outright, were Captain Osmond —" A cry of terror arrested the words on her lips ; her patient had fallen back on the pillows in a death-like swoon. "Poor creature!" sighed tho woman, pityingly, brushing back the dark, clinging carls from tho lovely, pale face. "It must havo been her husband who headed the list." Owing toNadine's strength and youthful vigor, she soon recovered from the terrible shock and exposure. " You will bo able to resume your journey by to-morrow morning, I hope," said the nurse. " Where shall she go?" Long and earnestly she pondered over tho question. Uplands would be desolate enough for her, now that her father was no more. Suddenly her mind reverted to her Auni Hester and Glen Farm. " I will go there for a littlo while," she said. "It will be a quiet, welcome refuge for my tempest-tossed soul." Nadine lost no time in putting this plan into execution. It was a distance of some ten miles from the station to Hester Burns's place, and Nadine was forced to hire a carriage, although her funds wero extremely low. - It was quite noon era the carriage turned into the lane that led to tho red-painted farm-house, and Nadine observed her aunt, Who was attracted by the sound of carriage wheels, coming .down to tho gate to welcome her visitor. When Hester Burns caught sight of the pale face, she started back speechless with fright. Was this merry, laughing, will-o'-thc-wisp, Nadine, or was sho dreaming ? Nadine sprang from the vehicle and into her arms with a great, sobbing cry. Mrs Burns drew her gently into the farmhouse. Ah, no wonder the poor lamb looked no palo and thin—a ghost of her former self. Had she not lost her dear father f—a sufficient cause, indeed, for it. " I expected you long ago, my dear," she sjiid. "fori received your cousin Maud's letter, sayiug th_t you had started. And when you did nt como, I knew there was some mistake—that she must mean you intended starting soon." During the wouk that followed in this quiet retrtat, Nadine had time to reflect. So Captain Osmond was really dead ! How ' strange it soomed that Heaven should punish him so swiftly for what he had dono. Wedded and widowed within the hour! Was there ever so strange a fate ?" A. score of times she was on the point of telling her aunt all, and each time an indescribable something hold her back. Suddenly, an inspiring thought came to her. : Why need she ever divulge the terrible past to any living mortal . Now that Captain Osmond was dead, she could • carry tbe secret down to the grave with her untold. '" I must not feel glad at the taking off of any human being," sho would tell herself over and over again. " But—Heaven • forgive me—-I am fure that it must have been the will of God—delivering me out of tho hands of my enemy." At the and.of a week, surrounded by the oldjfamiliar scenes, Nadme was growing .something like her own bright self .gain. ' ' One morning, Mrs Burns came out to the orchard where Nadine was sitting, holding an open letter in her hand. "I have a littlo surprise for you, Naddy, •he said. " I have a letter hero from Mr ■ Wethorell. Business brings him in ihis vicinity, and he will call hero. We may expect him to-day Put on a fresh ribbon, my dear, and place a rose or two in your bell. I should like to have you look particularly nice before him. Ho is a fine young man, Naddy." Tears filled Nadine's fine eyes. Ah, who . knew that letter than she ? He arrived beforo noon, and it seemed to Nadine that ha brought all tbe sunshine of the world with him. He held out his hands to her eagerly, longing to kiss tho girl's white face and pale lips. " You do not know how pleased lam to see you. darling!" ho whispered. "Tell me, aro you glad to see me ?" She drew her hands away from his clasp with a startled cry, murmuring incoherently : " You must not talk to me so, Gilbert. It is wrong for me to listen." She tried, in that supreme moment, to muster up courage to say t* him : " I am married; but my husband died a tragic death upon onr wedding-day;" but the words died away on her lips unuttered. Gilbert Wetherell looked down at the black dress she wore, which reminded him forcibly of the judge's death,', and forbore prei_iug his suit then. He bad written Mrs Burns that he would not stop at GJen Farm more than a day or so, but, onco thero, and in Nadino's society again, ho could not tear himself away, and the two days lengthened into a fortnight; still ho was reluctant to take his leave, much to Mrs Burns' amusement. He had noticed, in puzzled wonder tho great change in Nadine. Where had all her charming, wilful spirits gone to? Could the judge's death have changed her so completely, bo Utterly ? or hud she sent Otniond away, in accordance with some ex- , pressed with of her father's, and was growing pale and thin, grieving-over his loss? The very thought was torture to him. At this juncture, tho old judge's lawyer wrote Nadine just how matters stood. Uplands w. s her home, only on the forbearance of a very lenient creditor, withholding bis name, however. On tlio day that Nadine received this intelligence, Gilbert Wetherell found her in tears, in the rose garden. , "Have you bad news, Nadine P" he asked, anxiously. For answer, she placed tho letter in his hand. ..... i

Ho frowned as ho read it. How stupid of tho old lawyer to mention this, wfcen be had given particular orders that she should not be informed of it, as he had no desire to press the claim. ... "My home is broken up," she said, . piteously. "I can never rgo back there again." Gilbert forgot his promise to himsolf that he must not speak to her of love, so soon after her father's demise. "Nadine," be cried, eagerly extending his arms to her, " come to me ; let me protect yon from the world's cruel storms ! Oh, Nadinej my little love, come to my heart; marry me at once, and you shall never know another hour of hardship. ' I am wealthy—you shall have it all: my heart, my love, and my life are yours.-T-0 not say no, dear! lam sure if the dear old judge could speak from tho grave he would bid you marry me, if you could love me ; and 1 think you have learned to care »or me during the fortnight I havo been here, more than you ever did in your life before." He could not understand why she shrank from him in such abject terror, pleading, pantingly, with him to say no more, for it was a sin to listen to him now. "How long must I wait, then, until I am permitted to speak the words that are burning their way from my heart to my lips?" he asked, despairingly. "Not for—a—a—year," sho faltered, faintly. "A year !" exclaimed Gilbert Wetherell, in consternation. " Surely, Nadine, you do not mean that ? I will not wait a year. I have waited too long already." " Stop ! stop !" shegasped. " I will not listen 10 you. It is a sin now. Oh, I know why—l know why !" Again he thought it was on account of the recent death of Judge Halsey, or, perhaps, he had expressed a wish to that effect ere be cied. "Your wish shall be my law, Nadine," he said, tenderly, "but a year seems an eternity.' ;"

The disconsolate lover made a confidante of Mrs. Burns. " Do not be disheartened," she said; " between us, we willtry and persuade our pretty Nadine that a month longer would bo reasonable time, under the circumstances, for an impatient young lover to claim the answer to his suit. lam quite sure her answer will be " yes," my dear boy." (to be continued.)