THE INCUBUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11040, 18 April 1899, Page 3

THE INCUBUS.

■* Oct over the bay the moon made a glittering white path leading up to Naples. Close in beneath the sheer Sorrento reck the darkness lay thick and cavernous out to the sharp line where the cliff's shadow ended. I At the shadow's edge the ripples danced and sparkled, elate in the moonlight. On a balI cony, high above the water, two people, moved by the still beauty of the night, drew close together, listening silently to the "mall, lazy waves which, far below, swished f'Utly against the narrow beach. A boa; drifted out of the darkness, a speck upon the white path, and a woman's voice, sing, ing, came up to them on the puffs of the damp, salt air. This man and this woman were happy, knowing the infrequencv of happiness: thev wore happy in the zest and fulness that comes of mutual understanding. The woman sifThed unconsciously, and the man spoke in a low tone, loth to break the exquisite hush «bout them. [[What is it, dear? You are happv?" , les she answered, with a depth' her voice which answered all his doubts. iJWliy do you sight" ho asked. I am remembering another night, a beautiful night, when we heard that lviutifnl voice in the open air at Berlin. You ere sad and strange. ... 1 have m often wondered why," she went on timidly. " Vli why do you do that?" He had drawn .way M< hand. ' "IJon't speak of that night," ho said. quickly ; "no are too happy." There came a little* sinking at ler heart for a moment she stopped breathing; then she Mid, quietly:-" I | iaro often vondrred whether it was the woman herself, the siumi, who meant K.inethii.g to von that you never told me. We were very happy We had been all day. a .Tune day, in We fields. At, audit wo came home with "he cr inflow." 8do you remember? There vrti a nreri and a woman was singing. We e,vld net see her; but I saw you start with surprise and something like dismay. You left me for a moment, and whon you came back there was a strange look in your eyes that said to mv reading, 'Yes, I was right; it is she.'" ' She wailed, but ha did not speak. "I have never asked you what it meant, but tell mo now while we are happy and alone, so that it will go out of my mind for ever. Tell me. did vmi know her?" " Yes." She trembled a little at his voice, and then, with a iwrrow laugh: "You didn't sometime— " Yes," he said. " I iovcil her." She could not see his faco in the darkness; but hi voice said plainer than any words, "If you ask me, I will speak." Hut. there was an ominous note, a warning that ulriirk her with a chill. She shivered, and drew in her breath, knowing that she had Rone 100 far to turn back. "Is that all!" ' " No." "Will you tell me," she whispered. " What —did she love you?" T.'ere was a gasp in the voice that she Ir-ed to make calm. "And you—you?—did y..u? "Yes." he answered again, his voice dull. almost indifferent. In a moment she had passed through the high window into the dark room. Somew.iere m the darkness her hand brushed a Chair. She held it tightly with a sense of relief. "Why. why did I come in? What is it? What has changed? I am (he same; he is the same. We love each oilier—nothing inn change that. h it nut true? Tell me, tell me," she repealed to herself passionalely, is it not true? What was it thaithat--' A storm swept over he,-. She could not think. Then she spoke to herself calmly. She repeated to herself the intonations' of his voice. It was lortiire. Hut, after all, she was no foolish girl: she was a woman, lieloved, trusting, trusted, with memories of happiness. Ah, the word pierced her. He, too, had memorin;, and some were not of her' What should she do" She fought to escape litis agony of mind. It was senseless: she ' wanted to accept this fact as quietly as micrht bo. Slio wanted no tears, no re ' proaches, no scenes. She wanted to under- ' stand. Hut what could she do with this hateful emotion that lore her throat with vioonce! Cry? That was hysterical and use- ' ess. She thomrht of him. and knew that ho, too, suffered: sho understood his helplessness and loved him. lie could not come to liiT-whnt could he say? She knew, too, ' thai she trusted him slxnlutelv. " Hut we . love each other," she whispered insistently; ' "what, does anything matter?" Ami vel' with the sob that ►!■ „,1; her she knew t'hol always, I" the end of life, this „,.„„„„, would relnrn to Inr. She could be reasonable, sr„»il,|,.; l ml , „1| could she forget? Siidden'y, with a passionate gesture, ' she SHepl 'side all thoughts and reasoning; she was mil upon the balcony, mi her knee,.beside him, her arms about bis neck, sobbing out (he trouble of her heart. Far nut across the bay the lights of .Na- ■ ples winkled, a gigantic are along the' shore. Down the lowering rone of Vesuvius ! glowed a ruddy stream of lava. Near by ' all was dark and silent.—Maude. Ba-ttorshall ! in the Ran Francisco News Letter. j ATIILETIV SPORTS. i - .<*-. - J i ARATAPU FOOTBALL OLUB. j The annual meeting of the Aratapu Fool- j ball Club wa« held in the Rink on Monday, ! April 10. Mr. W. Donaldson was voted to the chair. The attendance was good. The election of officer? for 1899 was made as follows:-Patron, Mr. ,1. Harrison; president, Mr. Curtis Moore; vice-presidents Messrs. May, Donaldson, T, Nield, W. bias'sett, W. Oorkill, T. Webb, J. Reed, J. Flotoher, W. Votisdon, K. Ikssett, H. B Wilson, .1. W. Pearco, and J. W. Stubbs; secretary Mr. E. Pholan; troasurer, Mr. G. Meredith; Managing Committee, Messrs. T. Nield, W. Phe-lan, W. Kelly, W. Bonella, *. Holland. F. Barker, and J. McLean; Selection Committee, Messrs. W. Pholan, J. McLean, and captain ; captain, Mr. W. Harrison; vice-captain, Mr. H. R. Pholan; delegates to union, Messrs. T. Nield W Pholwi, and E. Phelan; auditor, Mr. A. B Hammond. Mr. T. Nield was unanimously elected a life member of the club for past ™* v.. A voto of thanks was passed to Air. il. Webb for the use " his paddock, and to Mr. Vousden for the use of his rink. ARATAPU MILL HANDS. The Aratapu mill hands opened the seasou on Saturday, when the No. 1 mill hands, uncler the name of "Rats," played a team of Old Buffers" in Mr. Webb's paddock, lony started the bal! going, and Harrison returned to centre, and then the fun began. Ilie game was a bit slow, and the talking a bit fast A good ran by W. Harrison, and a pass to Stanaway. enabled the latter to score the first try of the season, and Johnston missed the goal. Another ran by the backs and Stanaway scored again, Johnston making another miss at goal. Bonella made the run of the day-the whole length of the hold—and this timo Jacobs missed the posts. «0 further scores were made. Jacobs played a good game, and will be an acquition to the club; so also did W. Harrison and Barker. Keane, E. Harrison, Christianson, and others showed good going. The Aratapu Club promises to be very strong this soason.—[Aratapu Correspondent.! > THE FOOTBALL SEASON. The Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby Union have decided to open the football season on Saturday, May 13, and also, provided sufficient entries are received, to arrange for a fourth junior competition, thus dispensing with the playing of "A" and "B" sections in the third junior matches, ATHLETICS AT CAMBRIDGE. The following handicaps are declared for the athlotio sports meeting to be held at Cambridge, under the auspices of the Oddfellows' Lodge, next Friday, the opening day of the Chrysanthemum Show;-220yds Hurdles Handicap: L. MoLachlan, H. J. McAlister, scratch; W. D. McPike, 10yds; M. Roberts, A. Andrews, J. McNcish, 16yds; H. Jackson, 30yds. Three.Mile Bicycle Amateur Handicap: 8. Banks, F. Medland, scratch; J. White, B. Ferguson, J. Russell, 150 yds. HalfMilo Handicap: L. McLachlan, scratch; H. J. McAllister 25yds; R. Bell, H. Arnold. A. Andrews, 45yds; C. Craig, 80yds. Two-Mile Bicycle (amateur): S. Banks, F. Medland, scratch; 0. L. Ewen, J. White, B. Ferguson, J. Russell, 100 yds. 440 yds Amateur: W. J. Taylor, scratch; C, A. Care, George Bridgman, 10yds; M. Wells, 15yds; W. Tucker, A. Jane, 20yds. 100 yds Amateur: W. J. Taylor, scratch; George ; Bridgman, William Todd. M. Wells, Ivd ; A. Jane, W. Tucker, 9yds: John Kite, E." Kelly, 12yds. 250 yds Open Handicap: L. McLachlan, H. J. McAllister, scratch; M. Roberts, 6yds; W, D. McPike, 13yds; James Brown, R. Clark, A. Andrews, 17yds; A. MeKinnon, 20yds; E. Brockelsby, H. Jackson, 22yds.. 100 yds Open Handicap: L. McLachlan, H. J. McAllister, scratch; SI. Roberts, 2yds; W. D. McPike, 6yds; James Brown, R. Clark, A. Andrews. 3yds; A. MoKinnon, J. W. Murphy, E. Broekelsbv, 10yds: H. Jackson, 12yds; J. Arnold, 12yds; Jim MoNcish, 15yds. 440 yds Open Handicap: 1.. McLachlan t H. J, McAllister, scratch: SI. Roberts, 13yds: W. D. McPike, 24yds; James Brown, R. Clark. A. Andrews, 25vds; A. MeKinnon, 30yds; W. F. Morse, 40yds. /