THE LAST OF HER ROSES.

North Otago Times, 11 November 1905, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE LAST OF HER ROSES.

On tho doorstep of Lavender Cottage Major Carruthers showed signs of'un-j soldierly hesitation, if not nf absolute ''funk." Instead of pulling tho boll, handle ho pulled his grey'-- moustache and looked back undecidedly at the garden Balo through which he had passed ero his courage failed him. Ho who had been eager many a time to meet the enomy, was now nervous and afraid at the prospect of meeting an old friond. The sharp, sudden bark of a dog inside' tho door actually caused him to jump, and a mo. meat later a wotuans voice reproving the animal set him trembling. "This will never do," ho said to himself, and with an effort he laid bis fingers on the bell-handle, A faint tinkle was followed by a scries of barks, but no voice, and presently ho was asking a maid, who glanced admiringly at his broad shoulders and bronzed countenance, if Miss Novile was at home. She was, replied tho maid, and would he kindly step in? Major Carruthers found lilmseif in a small dressing-room, tho furniture of which wag old-fashioned jet arrauged without primness. A dainty touch was everywhere evident, and though tho seasou was late, autumn flowers abounded. He noticed photographs of peoplo as ho had mot them twenty years before, and he observed with a sigh that his own likeness had no placo among them, And he also searched in vain for one of Miss Nevilo, lie moved to the French windows and stood looking out into the garden, wondering if the woman had changed as much as himself, Surely not, if he might judge by her voice which he had heard while faltering on tho doorstep. His eyes gradually realised the condition of the garden before him, "Not much left in it," he muttered, "not much left in it—just like my life!" Ho turned back to tho photographs, and singled out one on the mantelpiece. It was that of a brother officor in his first campaign. "Poor old Jack!" sighed the Major; "she has forgotten me, and she has remembered you though you've boon in your grave a score of years, I wonder if you wero really engaged to her before—" He turned suddenly, for tho doer had opened and Miss Nevile was coming forward to greet him. "Do you know me, Hilary?" he stammered. "Know you? Of course, Jiml" was hei reply, as she held out a friendly hand. Major CarrutheS's was surprised and relieved. Ho had anticipated an awkward meeting, and at best a polite recognition of himself as an old acquaintance ivhost appearance" was a sort of resurrection, but hero was Hilary Nevilo receiving him as though he had parted from her only yesterday, "It's awfully good of you!" he cried boyishly, and theu laughed, He couli not help it. "I should have known you by your laugh,'' anyhow," sho said, smiling, and motioning him to a scat. "And I should havo known you by youi voice. Indeed, I recognised you scoldinf your dog as 1 stood at tho door." "Did you? Did I scold so much-well, how long is it since last you heard me scold?" "I didn't mean that," said the Major laughing, Then he became grave, "IVi twenty years in December—twenty years —since I last saw you," . "It is so much, I can hardly believe it." "Neither can I, when I' look at you, Hilary," "Ah, Jim I I won't forgot myself when I said it didn't seem twenty years." Miss Nevilo flushed slightly, "How did you discover mo in this out of tho way corner?" she asked, rising to ring for tea, Carruthers roso also, and somehow their bauds met on the boll. "I-I'm staying at the castle for a week or so, and I chanced to hear that you were living here. I had inquired for you before, but without learning your whereabouts," he said, resuming his seat. "It's not so long since I settled here, and for a long time previous iuy address was uncertain." "You were always abroad any timo I happened to be home on leave." "Yes. For years I had a desire for travel. Now, I'm rather tired of it all, and am quite conteut to vegetate at Lavender Cottage, I suppose the contentment is a sign of age!" sho said, smiling. ''Nonsense |" exclaimed her visitor, He was forced to admit that timo had changed her, but his heart cried out that sho was as street and desirable to him as ever. "I'm thirty-nine," sho said bluntly, thinking to shock him, "Not till January," ho returned simply. "And I'm fifty," he added stoutly, lie glanced through the window as he spoke, and somehow the garden did not appeal so desolate as it had done ten minutes earlier. The maid encred with the lea-tray, and on hor departure they dropped into a conversation on tho past—the past as it had interested both of them. It was natural enough that they should come to speak of Jack Cunningham; but the Major was a little surprised that his companion referred to her dead lover without gicnt sndness, though with all gentleness. Her fingers did not tremble as sho took Ihe photograph from the mantelpiece and handed it to her visitor. "Poor old Jack!" he said softly. "1 remember the day he and I went together to havo our portraits taken, This is a capital likeness." fto wondered what elso he could say. Alter a moment ho went on.. "Jack was one of those clover fellows who would havo come to tho lop if ho had lived. He got ahead of mo in everything, Hilary," ''l think you arc under-rating yourself, Jim," she said kindly. "No. It's the truth. IJut only ence was I jealous of his succosx" Thcrowas a silonce, which was broken at last by Miss Novile. "Would you liko to see tho companion photo to jack's?" she asked with a faint smile. "Yes. I looked in vain for it on the mantelpiece." "Excuse me for a moinonl, then, and I'll get it for you." "Stay, Hilary," said the Major, following her to the door. "Is it the same as this?" And he look a worn leather case from his breast-pocket. "Is it tho same as this?" he asked, opening the case. Miss Nevile stared for a moment. Her faos flushed crimson and thou turned vory pale, "Oh, no, no I" sho whispered and ilpd, "Whut havo I done?" ho muttered. "Hayo I offended hor?" Ho looked longingly at tho faded photograph in his hands-how often, in many a far land, he had gazed on the girlish face !-and returned it carefully in its case to his pocket. Ilia hostess was' absent for several minutes, and whou sho returned sho j brought no photograph, i, "I must let you see' it another timo," -sho said carelessly, almost coldly. ; "I have surely offended her," thought • tho Major miserably. "I'll remind you, ;Hilary," he said aloud, trying to speak ! cheerfully. "\Vns it taken after tho one II showed you just now tho ono I ste'j from your mother's album twenty ''oars | ago?" ho added with a feeble lau<A, "It-it is quite a difl'ero I phol'graph," sho replied, turning away he' iiead. "I suppo'se you never ',i -ed that I luul one of your photos," > .<«id slowly. "I never though you r aid have stolen it, Jim," she returu.u, with an attempt at a smile. "It used to torn Tit me sometimes," "So you were 1 i without a consoienco after all!" "I mean 'lint I—l ought to havo let mv poor oK chum Jack know that I had if." ; Miss Vevilc started. "Wh\t had ho to idi \r r A it?" sho.demamleil. ''Pa, wcl\ -er-whon a n an'a engaged to > girl— o» —" , "What are you talking about, Jim?' 1

''About Jack Cunningham aud-and you, Hilary," "Well, then, you are talking nonsense I" "You mean there was no engagement? Forgive me, forgive me. But you see Jack told me, just before wo were ordered to India, that he had an understanding with yon," "Oli !"■ ''And later ho told mo he hoped soon to be formally engaged. 1 was going to write congratulating you—l wanted to be the first, you know-but he begged me to delay a little. And then came the night in the hills when wo were attacked and nearly cut to pieces, and Jack saved my life, and-an'd lost his own." Major Car. riithers stopped speaking, _ and walked over to the window. Miss Novile hid her faco in her hands. Her heart was in a turmoil. Could she tell her old friend—her old friond who might havo been so much more to" her—that the man who. had saved his life had also deceived him—that the hero had lied and stolen a double happiness? 3ho could not tell him, and she would not. Had it not boon for Jack Cunningham sho would not have lost-Jim Currut'iers for the best years of her life and his •• how sho hated tho liar! Yet . • . . had it not been for Jack Cunningham she would havo lost Jim Carruthers for ever —how sho blessed the hero! And now fhe must allow the man she i.-.ved >o belitvo that her heart had been hij old chum's, oven as the latter had said. Tho Major camo'back from the window and touched her gently on the shoulder. "I shouldn't havo spoken about it, Hilary. I'm sorry, very sorry that I've hurt you, and I've wished often that I could have changed places with dear old Jack.. Now I'll go." She roso and faced him with tearless eyes. If only he would understand a little—not ail-without being told. And oh I if only ho had been bold and asked a question twenty years ago! ; Sha went with him to the door and walked down the garden path towards the gate. Their tongues seemed tied un- ; til tho Major, halting abruptly, pointed ; to a rose-bush and said quietly—"Will ' you give me that rose. Hilary ?" i "Yes, if you wish it. But perhaps I i can find you another more perfect." Sho • looked about her, and then shook her . head.and sighed. "No. There are no more, Yon must have this one. It is tho | last of my roses, Jim," she observed, with . a thin smile, She broke it from the stem and gave it . to him. He took it and hor hand with it. lie looked at hor faco and saw the f lines that Timo had begun to trace, and he loved hor more for evory one of them. . Ho bent and kissed her hand; then, \ looking up dolefully, he perceived somei thing in hor eyes that helped him to dare 5 a swooter desiro, So ho kissed her on the lips, 1 But sho made no sign, she spoke no ! word. 1 "It was good of you to give me your Inst ] rose, Hilary," ho said, gazing at her if. s puzzled fashion. "Oh, Jim," sho whispered, breakii.j; j down, ''my first ro9o and all my roses wore 1 yours had yon askedforthom." lie stammered. j "If you had come in the spring." Tho full meaning of her words djd not reach Mm—how could it? Yet ho under- | stood enough to make him glad; he underthat in some strange way sho had kept , a small place fn her heart for him all these years, that somehow she had grown ' to care for him in spite of Jack Cunningham's memory, and that she would have welcomed him had ho come to her a few ! months earlier. "Oh, Hilary," he cried, when they were 1 in the drawing-room again, "I could never have hoped for this!' ' i "What? Tho last of my roses?" she . asked. "For it's all I have to give you, ■ dear Jim," she added half-gaily, halfsadly. Tho Major took her by the shoulders aud shook her tenderly. "The last of your roses is the first of mine, and God knows how sweet it is," \e cried, and kissed her, } But was it the last of her roses? Of course not! You can't help a woman making a foolish remark now and then, The success claimed for the lr.uchlauded Irish Land Dill is scarcely joflccted in the figures for farm live stock, 1 just come to hand. Cattle havo der-rcas- ' cd by 31,495, sheep 78,600, and pigs (tho fellows that "paid the rint"), by t 150,801! Mules and goats have also seriously decreased, but asses havo inoieas- ' * i ft Tho rents collected last year from es- . lates purchased under the Laud for Settlements Act, amounted to £149,600, and ' tho interest received for that portion of tho loan invested by the Treasury ,' was £12,875, making a total of £162,i 481. There were also raw cries for landu disposed of otherwise than by lease am--1 ounlmg to £O7O. The interest paid [ for tlio money obtained under the Act . was £134,703, showing a profit for tho , year of £27,770, The total profit rea- , hsod from the outset up to March 31 < «wt. was £184,035, all of which had ■ been expended on the construction of | roads and other works. | The New Zealand. Wool Buyers' As- - Sociation circular to tho effect'that sel- ; lew detected in falsely packing bah : M\ inferior wool in tho centre will bo dealt with for obtaining money under ; false- pretences comes none too soon. | J hero lias been too much of this, and ! not only do buyers suffer but tho whole industry also. Cheats of this class will bring tho reputation of our wool to about the same level as they have our ! flax fibre. It is hoped the' Associationwill carry out its threat sly>nld they bo successful ill detecting any bales so. ! packed, ■ » * • , Tho Stock Department (per Inspector Munro) obtained a decision against a Pahiatua dealer for having lice-infected sheep in his possession. The ■ inspoolor admitted that the infection i was slight, and that defendant had only > (according to his statement) had the 'jwicop three days and had dipped them. [Tho case- not being a serious one, a fine j The percentage of foals "in Waimato i district promises to be very large tins .iyear. Already many beautiful and valui ;ablo animals havo been dropped, When I one sees tho excellent quality of lmrseI flesh utilised for breeding, 'it is little'wonder that South Taranaki can and ■docs more than bold its own in tho |show rings, and it is not hard to understand why horse-dealers arc always so eager to snap up any surplus horses i 'that may bo available and pay top. ! puces for them. !_ Agriculturist (to*season ticket-holder in the train): "You don't have no ticket.." Season Ticket-holder: "No,' I travel on my good looks." Agriculturist (after critically looking him over): "Then, probably you ain't going very , The late fine weather has been exceedingly welcome, and farmers am very busy attempting to make up arrears of work. Spring sowing and the preparing of ground for rape and turnips are going on apace; but it is now evident that there will not be nearly as much land in Crop this summer as farmers had 'intended before the very wet season .upset their calculations, • The grass and winter crops are very backward, and warm woathor is muoh desirft