A TALE OF TWO HEMISPHERES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1332, 9 June 1877, Page 20

A TALE OF TWO HEMISPHERES.

By Fabian Bell.

(Written for the Olago Witness.)

Pabt 11.

Chapter VII. —

" Weary and Dis-

HEARTENED."

But, at Cromwell, the kind landlady, who remembered them well, and was much astonished to see them again so soon, could give no newer cr fuller information than that which she had already imparted.

Six weeks before, a stranger, calling himself Mr Mark, had come to her inn by the Dunedin coach. He had remained, one night and part of the following day. He had then left on foot, purposing, as he said, to walk to Queeustown. He carried with him only a small hand-bag, the remainder of his luggage having been sent on to Qoeenstown by the coach. This was all the landlady knew ; but she was profuse in her hopes, fears, and suggestions ; and when her little sou learned that the gentleman who had been, so kind to him , was missing, he set up such a roar of lamentation, that his mother was quite proud of his sensibility ; while Stella, with a curious kind of anger, exclaimed — ' ' "

"Hush, child, hush ! Why should you cry — he was nothing to you ?" "He gave me lollies," sobbed the child.

And the mother, hushing him in her arms, said, with complacency, " He ha 3 a feeling heart, has my Billy." " Would that my heart had ceased to feel," murmured poor Stella. Walter saw that she was becoming exausted in mind and body, and that her naturally sweet temper was growing irritable and peevish. The baffled hopes, the constantly recurring ' disappointments,, were gradually undermining her health j as well as her happiness, and an anxious restlessness pervaded every movement; the very tones of her voice were altered, and had a sharp unaccustomed ring. Her whole nature was growing warped, and the change jarred upon him like " sweet bells jangled, out of tune." He saw the evil, and strove to' control it — speaking to her, in his character of doctor and friend, in plainer and more decided words than he had ever yet ventured to use. ' '. ; " Dear Mrs Leydon,", he said, " you are wearing yourself out, and all to no purpose. It is clear to me that we may spend days and weeks, even years, in this manner, and then be no* hearer to success than, we are now. Mr Leydon has a considerable start of us, and we have no means of tracing his movements, for we cannot tell what guides them. To follow him is obviously futile ; no will-o'-the-wisp could be more uncertain. We muse, therefore, pursue our search in a quiet and systematic manner ; husbanding our strength, expecting many checks, and no immediate result. I would, therefore, suggest that yon go for a time to my ' uncle Birigley's station to recruit your strength, leaving me to continue the search." "No, no/c ried Stella. , "It must be so," returned Walter, firmly. ' ."-Waimera is not far from here.' You willbe able to rest there, and gain new strength and energy. I shall buy a horse, and^gCrbnnd to the digging townships, making enquiries everywhere. I shali x ln that manner, be able to travel quickly, and visit places where you could not go. . I will return to Waimera from time to time and report progress, and if I really .' strike the trail,' I will let' you know."

"You promise."

" I do. Yesterday you told me that I waß your true friend. ' Prove your words by trusting me now. I will do all that man may do to serve you and find your husband."

" You are very good." Walter shuddered, and made a gesture of dissent.' For half a moment he wondered whether she guessed the torture he was preparing for himself, the bitter cup which, in his love for her, he was willing to drain, accepting the pain as an expiation of the crime which. he had so nearly committed a few hours before.

" I will do my best. 1 cannot say more. I will not say less," he answered, gravely.

" You are better to me than I deserve. I fear that I am getting cross, and irritable, and foolish, but I cannot help it." " I know that. Your system is completely unhinged. If you do not rest now, you will fall ill," and then who will continue the search ? Believe me," it is bad economy to knock yourself up." "I do not think I could rest. .I am haunted with fears night and day. If I am still, even for a moment, dreadful things seem to come before my eyes. 1 see a man lost in the bush, wanderipg on and ou through the pathless manuka scrub, without food, without a compass, doubling on his own footsteps, getting every hour more disheartened and exhanated, stumbling over rotten branches, falling, rising again, and at last falling to rise no more. Lost — dying — dead I" As Stella, spoke, her voice rose almost to a scream, and with the last words she dropped her head npen her hands and burst into tears.

For a moment Walter was startled. He remembered curious Scotch stories of second-Bight, and questioned with himself whether she might not possess that dangerous gift. But, whatever the cause, he knew that such emotion must be phecked, if possible. " You attach too much importance to

the workings of an over-excited brain," he said, gently. " Remember, it is only a few hours since you believed that all our troubles were over, and that Mr Leydon was waiting for us at Queenstown." "Cruel to remind me of that," murmured Stella.

"It is the cruelty of the surgeon who probes the wound he would fain heal. I wish you to see that your whole nature is over-strained, and that your imagination plays you false and cannot be depended upon. Go to Waimera ; enter into the colonial life there, which will be in all respects new and strange to you. Suffer yourself to become interested in what passes around you — in the lives and stories of others. Ido not ask you to forget." "No— no."

Walter bit his lip.

"No. It is, 1 suppose, impossible. But try to put your trouble from you, and rather take an interest in the troubles of others. In fact, be your own true self — gentle, sympathetic, patient." " I was never patient." " it is a lesson that all human beings must learn sooner or later." i " Especially women." ■ " Perhapk so ; but men do not escape. And they who rebel the longest suffer most in the end. Do you remember Milton's oft-quoted line — " They also serve who only stand and wait."

" I seem to recollect nothing ; but those words are in some way familiar." " They occur in his sonnet on hia blindness ; and when we ' consider the activity and energy of his character, they are singularly touching in their acceptance of his hard fate." Walter spoke more to himself than to Stella. . He also was learning his lesson of patience, and found it by no means an easy one. A short silence ensued. Each was lost in painful thought. Stella's reverted to Mark, if they could be said ever to leave him ; Walter's remained with her. • " Will you take my advice ?" he said, abruptly. "Will you go to Waimera?" "If you wish it— if you really think it best."

. " I do. I think it is your best and only chance of recovering your usual health and spirits ; and, as regards Mr Leydon, I will do my utmost to find him, as 1 have already told you. Indeed, I shall work with far greater energy when you are away from me, and I know that you are safe and well. Now, your presence impedes my movements ; I could travel farther and faster without you." . " There is something in that." "There is everything in that," returned Walter, delighted to find that she was at last coming round to his wishes. I" There are hundreds of spots which I ought to visit, and to which I could not take you. I will search the Province thoroughly — returning often for your ad,vice and suggestions. Will you trust me?"

"Promise me one thing." , "What is that 1" \ "That if you are on the track — quite near — you will fetch or send for me ; I must be the one to find him."

Walter bit his lip.

" I promise," he said. What did a little extra torture more or lees matter ? Hejbegan.now to. understand something ; of the pride with which an Indian at the stake f ace> his tormentors. He had been a fool, and must bear, the consequences. There was a curious kind of justice, he thought, in this swift-falling retribution. ; "1 promise." " Then I will go to Waimera whenever you desire," said Stella. And so it was settled.

Walter then suggested that carefully.worded advertisements should be inserted in the chief colonial newspapers, saying that Stella L was in Otago, and entreating her husband to communicate with her- These advertisements were varied- in every possible manner. At 'first they were so very enigmatical that even those persons who were in the secret failed in their endeavours to supply the key ; but, after a time, the advertisers became bolder, ,and Mark Leydon was openly addressed. Yet, however worded, the result was equally unsatisfactory — no reply came from Mark. Once, indeed, the advertisers seemed on the brink of a discovery, when an anonymous answer directed S. L. to send a bank-note for £10 to the writer, who would then tell her. of "something to her advantage." Walter wrote to the address given — obviously a false one — and declined to send any money, until he should receive some further , particulars ; at the same time offering to meet the writer at any time or place he -liked to .appoint. But the anonymous correspondent, baffled in his pecuniary designs, and having no real information to impart, did not reply to the surgeon's letters, and that hope died out almost as quickly as it was raised. • Still the advertisements were continued from time to time, but without success. Mark Leydon never saw one of them. (To be continued.)