THE LUST OF HATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10509, 31 July 1897, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE LUST OF HATE.

BY GUY BOOTHBY, Author of "The Beautiful White Devil," "A Bill for Fortuue," "Dr. Nikola," "In "Strange Company," "A lost Endeavour,' &c., A. 1 ., Ac.

[COPY BIGHT.) CHAPTER IV.—/Continued.) A STRANGE COINCIDENCE. For soma moments after I had come to the surface I could see nothing of the girl I had jumped oVerboard to resque. She seemed to havo quite disappeared. Then, while on the summit of a wave, I caught a glimpse of her, and, putting forth all my strength, struck out and swam towards her. Eternities elapsed before I reached her. When I did I came carefully up alongside, and put my left arm under her shoulders to sustain her. She was quite sensible, and, strangoly enough, nob in the least frightened.

" Can you swim 1" I asked, anxiously, as I began to trend water, and looked at the great bulk of the steamer, which I could seo had been stopped.

"A little, but not very woll," she answered. "I'm afraid I am getting rather tired."

" Loan upon me," I answered. " Don't be afraid ; they-will lower a boat in a few

omen;?, and pick us up."

She said no more, but. still fought hard to keep herself afloat. The weight upon my arm was almost more tlmu I could bear, and I began to fear that if the rescue boat did not soon pick us up they might have their row for nothing. Then my ears caught the chirp of oars and the voice of the second officer encouraging his men in their search for us.

" If you can bold on (or another three or four minutes," I said to my companion, "all will be well. Do you think you can manage it?"

"I will try," she answered, bravely; "but I fear I shall not be able to, My strength is quite gone." 1 did nob tell her that I was in a similar

case; but the truth was anon to become apparent, in spite of my exertions. Her thick clothes were sodden with water, and

added greatly to the weight I had to support. Not once, but unite half a dozen time?, largo seas, cold as ice, broke over us; and once I was fcompelled to let go my hold on her. When 1 rose tn the surface again some seconds elapsod before I could find her. Slio hud sunk, and by the time I had dived and got ray arm round her again she was quite unconscious. The boat was now about thirty yards distant from us, and already the men in her had sighted us and were pulling with all their strength to our assistance. In mother minute or so they would be alongside, but the question was whether I could hold out so long. A minute contained sixty seconds, and each second was an eternity of waiting. When they were near enough to hear my voice I called to them with all my strength to make haste. I saw the bows of the boat

coming closer and closer, and could distinctly distinguish the hissing of the water under her nose.

" If you can hold on for a few seconds longer," shouted the officer in command, " we'll get you aboard." ; I saw the men on the starboard side throw

in their oars, I saw the matt in the bowi lean forward to catch hold of us, and i

remember saying, 14 Lift the lady in first; I can hold on for a moment longer," and then the boat seemed to fade away, the icy cold water rose higher and higher, and I felt myself sinking down, down, down, calmly and quietly into the black sea, just fading out of life as placidly and happily as a little ohild falls asleep. When I came to my senses again I found myself lying in a bunk in a cabin which was certainly not my own. The appointments were decidedly comfortable, if not luxurious; a neat whitc-and-gold w&shstand stood against the bulkhead, with a large mirror suspended above it. Under the porthole, which was shaded with a small red curtain, was a cushioned locker, and at one end of this looker a handy contrivance for hanging clothes. Two men— a young fellow about my own age, and the other the elderly gentleman with whom I had often seen Miss Maybourne walkingwere standing beside me watching me eagerly. When they saw that I had recovered consciousness they seemed to consider it a matter for congratulation. "So you know us again, do you?" said the younger man, whom I now recognised for the ship's doctor. " How do you feel in yourself "Not very bright just at present,' 1 I answered, truthfully. " But I've no doubt I shall be all right in an hour or two." Then, when a • recollection of what had occasioned my illness came over me, I said, "How is Mis# Maybourne? I hope they got her on board safely ?" j "Thanks to you, my dear sir, they did," said the old gentleman, who I discovered later was her uncle, as i suspected. "I am glad to be able to tell you that she is now making rapid progress towards recovery. You must get! well too, and hear what the entire ship has to say about your bravery." " It wasn't very much to do," I answered. " Anybody could have done it.- And now, how long have I been lying here J" "Since they brought you on board last nightsay twelve hoars. You were unconscious for such a long time that we were beginning to grow uneasy about you. But, thank goodness, our clever doctor here has brought you round at last. You will owe him as big a debt of gratitude as we owe you." The young medico resolved to stop this flow of flattery and small talk, so he bade me to sit up and try to swallow some beef tea he bad had prepared for me. With his assistance I raised myself, and when I had polished off as much of the food as I was able to manage, he made me lie down once more and try to get to sleep again. I did exactly as 1 was ordered, and, in less time than it takes to tell, was in the land

of Nod. lb was not until 1 got up and about again that I learnt the hiitory of the rescue. Immediately Miss Maybourne's shriek had routed the ship, and I had sprung overboard to her assistance, the chief officer, who was on the bridge, ran to the engine-room telegraph and gave the signal to stop the vessel; the second officer by this time, with commendable activity, bad accompanied the carpenter, who among others had heard the alarm, to one of the quarter boats, and had her ready for lowering by the time a crew was collected. At first they had some difficulty in discovering us, bub once they did so they lost no time in picking us up. Miss Maybourne was quite unconscious when they took her from my arms, and I believe as soon as I felt myself relieved of her weight I too lost my senses and began to sink. A boat-hook, however, ston brought) me to the surface. Directly we reached the ship's deck the captain had given orders thai) I should be conveyed to an empty cabin at the end of the saloon, and it ■ was here that I found myself when I returned to consciousness. For what length of time I slept after the doctor and -Miss Maybourne's uncle left the cabin I cannot say. I only know that when I woke the former would not hear of my getting up as I desired to do, but bade me make the belt of a bad job and remain where I was until ha examined me the following morning. ■ It must have been after breakfast that he came to see me, for I heard the bell go, and half an hour later the voices of the pas.iengers die away aa they left the table and rent on deck. "Good morning; Mr. Wrexford," he said, as he shut the door behind him and came over to the bunk. "How are you feeling today! Pretty fit, I hopel"

" I feel quite myself agaihj" I answered, " I want to get tip. This lying in bed is dreary work." . " • " I .daresay you find it so. Anyway, I'll not stop you from getting up now, if you're so minded; that is provided you eat a good breakfast first," "I think I can meet you on that ground," I said with a laugh. " I'm as hungry as a hunter. I hopo they're going to give me something pretty soon." " I can satisfy you upon that point,' he replied. " I saw the steward preparing the tray as I came through the saloon. Yes, you must hurry up and get on deck, for the ladies are dying to shake you by the hand. I suppose you're not aware that you are the hero of the hour?" " I'm sorry to hear it," I said in nil sincerity. " There has been a terrible lot of fuss made over a very simple action." " Nonsense, my dear fellow, there hasn't been anything said yet. You wait till old Manstone gets hold of you. He would have said his say yesterday but for my preventing him, and ever since then he has been bottling it up for you when you're well enough to receive it.

" Who is this Mr. Manstone of whom you speak? 1 don't think I know him." " Why, you must remember, he's Miss May bourne's uncle, the old gentleman who was in here with me yesterday when you got your senses back again. Von must have seen him with her on deck, a fine, militarylooking old chap, with a big grey moustaohe."

"Now that you describe him,l remember him perfectly,' 1 1 said ; "but I had never heard his name before. I wish you'd tell him from me that) 1 don't want anything

more said about the matter. If they want) to reward me, let them do it by forgetting alt about it. They couldn't do anything that would please me more." " Why, wlmr. a modest chap you ore, to be sure," s*id the doctor. "Most men would want the Royal Humane Society's medal, and some would even aspire to purses of sovereigns." "Very probably. But, down on my luck as I am, I don't want either. The less notoriety I derive, the happier man I shall be. To change the subject:, I hope Miss Alaybourne is better?" "Oh, she's almost herself again now. I expect to have her up and about again today. Surely you will not mind receiving her thanks ?" ■

"I should nob bo so churlish, I hope," I remarked; " but all the same, I would rather she should say nothing about the matter. That is the worst part of doing a little out of the ordinary run of things: one must always be thanked, and praised, and made a fuss of till one begins to regret ever having done an action that could produce such disastrous results."

"Come, come, you're looking at the matter in a very dismal light, I must say," lie cried. " Nine out of every ten men, I'm certain,would hive given their very ears for the chance you had of rescuing Agnes Maybourne. That it should hare com* to a man who can't appreciate his good fortune seems like the irony of providence." I was about to reply to his jesting speech in a similar strain when there was a tap at the door, and a steward entered bearing a tray. The sight was as good as a tonic to mo; and, when the doctor had propped me up so that 1 could get at in comfort, I set to work. He then loft mo to myself while he went to see his other patient—the lady of whom we had jußt been speaking—promising to return in a quarter of an hour to help me dress. I had just finished my meal, and was placing the tray upon the 'floor in such a way that the things upon it could not be spilt if the vessel should roll, when there came another tap at the door; and, in response to my call, " Come in," the captain of the ship appeared, and behind him tho elderly gentleman whom the doctor had described to me as Mies liny bourne's uncle, under whose care she was travelling back to South Africa.

"Good morning, Mr. Wrexford," said the captain, politely, as be Advanced towards me and held ont) his hand. " I hope you are feeling better?" "I am perfectly well again now, I thank you," 1 replied. " The doctor is going to let me get up in a few minutes, and then I shall be quite ready to return to my old quarters forrard." "And that is the very matter I have come in to see you about," said the skipper. "First, however, I must tell you what' the entire ship's company, both passengers and crew, think of your splendid exhibition of bravery the night before last. It was as nobly done, sir, as anything I have ever seen, and I heartily congratulate you upon it."

" Thank yon very much," I answered ; "but I must really ask you to say no more about it. I have already been thanked ever so much more than I deserve." , , " That could not be,' impetuously broke in Mr. Mans tone, who had hitherto not spoken. "On my own behalf..and that of my niece I, too, thank you most heartily; and you may rest assured I shall take care that a full and proper account of it is furnished to my brother when 1 reach South Africa."

" Until we do so, I hope, Mr, Wrexford," said the skipper," that you will take up your quarters in this cabin, and consider yourself a saloon passenger. I'm sure the owners would wish it, and for my part I shall be proud to have you among us." " And I say ' Hear, hear 1' to that," added Mr. Mans tone.

For a moment I liardly knew what to say. I was touched by hie kindness in making the offer, but in my position I could not dream of accepting it. This notoriety was likely to do me quite enough harm as it was.

"I thank you," I said at last, "and I hope you will fully understand how grateful I am to you for the kindness which prompts the offer, But I think I will remain in my old quarters forrard, if you have no objection. lam quite comfortable enough there; and as I made my choice on principle in the beginning, I think, with your permission, I would rattier not alter it now." " Bub my dear sir," began the captain, " yon must let us show our appreciation in some practical form. We could never let you off quietly, as you seem to wish." "You have already done more than enough," I answered. " You have told me what you thought of my action, and you have also made me this offer, the value of which, you may be quite sure, I fully appreciate. I have felt compelled to decline it, and, under those circumstances, I think it would be best to let the subject drop." " You are too modest by half, Mr. rexford," said Miss Maybourne's uncle. " Far too modest." For some time the two gentlemen did their best to persuade me to forego my decision ; but, hard as they tried, they did nob succeed. There were so many reasons why I should nob take up my residence among the first saloon passengers aft; and, as I reviewed them in my mind, I became more than ever convinced that it would be madness for me to forego my resolution. When they discovered that I was nob to be moved they shook hands again, and then left me. Five minutes later the doctor came in to help me to dress. He carried a bundle of clothes in hie arms, and when he had abut the door behind him he threw them 011 the locker under the porthole. " Your own clothes,* I'm sorry to say, Wrexford," he began, "are completely ruined; so, if you'll allow me, I'm going to lend yon these till you can see about some more. We are men of pretty much the same build, so what fits me should fit you, and vice versa. Now, if you're ready, let me give you a hand to dress; for I want to get you on deck into the fresh air as soon as possible." In about lulf-an-hour I was ready to leave my cabin. The doctor's clothes fitted me admirably; and, after I had given a look round to see thab I had not lett anything behind me, I followed the medico out into the saloon. Fortunately, there were very few people about; but, to my horror, those who were' there would insist upon shaking bauds with me, and telling me what they thought of my action before they would let me escape. To add to my discomfort, when I left the saloon and passed along the spar-deck towards my own quarters, I had to run the gauntlet of the rest of the passengers, who clustered round me and overwhelmed me with a chorus of congratulations on my recovery. I doubt very much if ever there was more fuss made over a simple act of humanity than that made by the passengers of the Fiji Princess over mine. If I had saved the lives of the whole ship's company, captain and stokers included, there could nob have keen more said about it. • • 1 >•> . , ■ &.«■

Reaching my qwn quarters forr&rd, I went down to my berth in search of a pipe and a pouch of tobacco, and wheal hid found them, ml my«lf down on lh« f».

hatch arid began to stfloko. It was 4 lowly morning, overhead was ft bright blue sky, round about us a bluey-green sea sparkled in the sunshine; a luorry breezo hummed in the shrouds, and the great steamer was ploughing her way along with an exhilarating motion that was mors beneficial to me than any doctor's physic. On the 1 bridge my old friend, the second officer, was. pacing up and down, and when he saw , me he came to the rail and waved his hand in welcome to me. The chief steward also found m» out, and embraced the opportunity to tell me that my conduct reminded him of a cousin's exploits in the Hooghly, which said narrative I felt constrained to take with a few grains of salt. When he left me 1 sat where I . was, and thought how pleasant it was, after all, to find that there were still people left in the world with sufficiently geuerous natures to appreciate a fellow-creature's actions. One question, however, haunted me continually: What Would the folk aboard this ship say when they l(new my . secret? And, above all, what would Miss Agnes May hour no think when she should come to hear (To be continued on Wednesday next).