CHAPTER XVII.

Otago Witness, Issue 1431, 26 April 1879, Page 26

CHAPTER XVII.

' " In the Home Country." , Three years had passed away since Maurice Stretton left his native land, and to his friends and, kmsfo! k the tinae had passed in a quiet, so mew tiat eventless manner. Steadily an I surely, without turning either to the right hand or the left, Noel Stretton had pursued his self-appointed task ; with untiring patience he had mastered all the details connected with hia father's business ; had examined title deeds and trust-deeds, looked into securities, and by dint of this steady application 'and an unusual aptitude for business, joined to a sel .-denial that would not permit itself the smallest indulgence in time or money, he had succeeded in .inspiring the clients with such confidence that they willingly left their affairs in his hands and did not press for an immediate settlement. Time was what the young lawyerchiefly needed, and when this was granted . to him, he took courage and worked ceaselessly at his labour of love. To 'clear his father's name, or rather not to allow a shadow to fall upon it, was the young man's one hope and aim ; and to "'secure this he willingly sacrificed the ' pleasures natural to his age and circum stances. ,No girl could boast that Noel Stretton had whispered to her a word of love, no man could point to him as the companion of his pleasures, lawful or unlawful. A very aesthetic, Noel" was resptcted by all^ arid 'loved by few. He had many ' acquaintances and few friends ; and this ' suited him well, for he was not a man to lean on others for advice or assist arsco ; he was strong enough to stand alone and he was well content to do so. Therefore he worked steadily on with one end in view, turning neither to the right hand ' nor to the left, and in time he saw that nia efforts would be crowned with suc- ',' i A\\ men need an object in life, and the : possession of a high and noble ideal is in * ffeelT a great element of happiness, A

desire to approach attainment, but never quite to attain, seems to be the summnm bonuni of human bliss. So three years of patient labour for a worthy and unselfish purpose, strengthened .Noel's mind and ennobled his character, and were not profitless or unhappy ; they were not long years to him. To John Passmore, in his successful middle life, full of business and pleasure, honoured and respected, prospering in all to which he laid his hand ; adding house to house, and acre to acre, taking a keen Bhare in all that was passing of local or general interest ; these years were so swift in their movement that they seemed little more than hours.

But to the sad and sorrowful, to those who m atched and waited, they were long ; each year passing slow with leaden footsteps, seeming to contain far more than the orthodox number of days, hours, and minutes. And among those to whom the years were long we must number Eveline Passmore.

She has changed since we saw her last, she is no longer a girl but a womau, with a woman's heritage of sorrow, the likeness to her brother is not occasional but habitual. She has suffered, and the soft lines have left her cheeks and chin, but the tender light still lingers ia her eyes and plays around her lips. Through these long years of waiting her faith has never wavered or faltered, sore tried it has been with the sickness of deferred hope, of long silence, but that Maurice could forget or be false has never once occurred to her. He has been ill, unlucky, unsuccessful, but not unfaithful ; others have learned to doubt him, to distrust his long silence, and short unsatisfactory letters ; but she cannot doubt, she judges him by herself, she seldom enquires for him, she seldom mentions his name— her love does not find vent in much talking or many confidences;' it is like the aloe which grows steadily on for a hundred years, holding in its heart the bud of a Bingle glorious blossom which bursts forth at onca into perfection when the appointed hour is come.

Maurice is not worthy of such love. What does that matter ; she gives royally according to her nature, and it is not those who receive that are blessed, but those who give. Yet the years of -waiting are long. The first two had passed with comparative swiftness, and on the secondjanniversary of his departure she had fully expected his return, and with a loving woman's fond conceit had waited for him all day, arranging hor room and the very details of her dress, so as to reproduce as much as possible the old effect, and awaken the old feelings, but he did not come. And Eveline still waited, without one doubt of his truth, but with a thousand fears. "She deemed him, true : tint nought beneath God'a sky Could tempt or change him — "

But she feared that he was suffering in mind or body, that he was ill, or poor, or utterly discouraged by long failures, and weary of striving. She pictured him in every phase of trouble, and grieved in secret over these mental visions until the gay brightness of girlhood fled away, and she became a fair gracious woman, with a touch of chastened sorrow in face and gesture. Most persons thought this subtile change was an improvement, but to John Passmore it was a source of almost passionate regret. He loved his sister with all his heart, and it was torture to him, not merely to lose the first place in her affection; but to see it given to one whom he believed so utterly unworthy of it, as was Maurice Stretton.

' "'lf it had been Noel," he thought, " I could have understood it," for John loved and admired the young lawyer more thin any living man. But " Maurice ! vacillating, selfish, uncertain, no woman could be happy with him, least of all Eveline."

Still as the months and years went by, and he saw that she did not forget, and that her heart was troubled, he resolved to make a great sacrifice, to leave his mill, his many occupations, and interests, and to take Eveline abroad, not merely for a few weeks, but, if necessary, for a much longer period. At the end of three years his plans were matured, (his place in the mill temporally supplied, and all things arranged for a long absence. Then, and not until then, did he tell Eveline of his projected departure, making it appear an if it was chiefly a business trip. " F shall go here and there, half over tho world," he said gaily, " first to New York to visit a branch house there, then across the continent to 'Frisco, afterwards to Melbourne and the Cape. A grand scheme, little sis, will you come too ?" _ ."Ob, John, do "you really mean it; how delightful ! how I have longedto see the world ; perhaps we shall have time to visit the falls of Niagara, and the great trees of the Yosemite."

" All these and more ; it shall be a fairy trip. Do you like the idea V " Indeed I do ; it is splendid. Oh, John, you dear kind brother, how can I thank you enough for taking me." " Look always as gny and happy as you look now," returned John, bending to kiss her, "and I shall be more than repaid. Thonyh indeed it is not you who all nld bo grateful, but I. Think how dull tho trip would be, had you refused to accompany me. " ' And how more than dull I should have been left alone at homo. No, no, it is you who are good to take me. When must we start T " Next week, if possible." " Oh, John !" " And oh, Eva !" "Put I have no clothes ready."

" What could be nicer than the dress you have on now, or the one you wore yesterday, or the day before ; for I am sure that I have seen you in half-a dozen different * costumes'— that's the right word, is it not ?— during the last week."

"Oh what a libel." "Is it? Well, nevermind, I will give you carte blanche to employ all the milliners and dressmakers in Liverpool, provided you are ready to start by the mailboat on Friday week." " Supposing I can't manage it V " Well, then, [ shall be reluctantly compelled to leave you behind ; but I do not fear that. I suppose it is just possible to buy a dress or even a ' cosiume' in Kew York."

" Of course it is ; but I dont want to look quite a guy when I get there." "Wo fear of that. B u t hurry up your work-people. Remember that time and tide wait upon no man." John Passmore was wise in this hurrying their departure, and giving his sister no time to regret or change his decision. During those few days she was kept in a constant whirl of occupation and excitement. Dresses had to be chosen and arranged ; the house had to be shut up and placed in tho hands of an agent. Orders had to be given to servants and tradespeople. P. P C. cards left. Goodbyes and aux revoirs exchanged. And, as it seemed, in the midst of all this, and before she had in the lea3t realised what was about to happen, Eva found herself comfortably ensconsed on board the Orinoco— one of the finest Cunard boats, as it slowly steamed out of the broad and crowded estuary of the Mersey. " This is indeed like a fairy tale," she said, settling herself in an easy chair on deck, and preparing to take a critical survey of her fellow-passengers, to speculate on their histories, and wonder whence they came and whither they were going, for indeed they were a motley crowd, and would have amused many an older and wiser critic.

(To 6e Continued,— Commenced in No. 1424.)