THE NOVELIST.

Otago Witness, Issue 1729, 10 January 1885, Page 24

THE NOVE LIST.

o A STORY OF LAKE WAKATIPU. Written, for the Otago Witness, BY "SAGITTA," Author ot "The Pate o{ a Pioneer," &o. Chapter XXX I II. IZZZY left the spot where she had met Lady Sfcamborougb, with mingled feelings of compassion for the insane lady and of wrath and loathing and aohorrence for the man who had so grievouslywronged her. She knew that as Boon as she should have told her mother of her adventure she would not stay a minute longer than was absolutely necessaryunder the roof of a man who could be guilty of so heartless and cruel an outrage, She hastened back with all speed, and on the road to the Castle went over the meeting again in her own mind. She had had no experience in the treatment of the mentally deranged, but she told herself that she had adted' rightly. She was especially pleased that she had not mentioned anything pbout Dfabet to her. It would have destroyed the only hope left her upon earth. She was happy in the belief that her son was still alive. Why should she destroy that hope ? When she arrived at the Castle, and entered the drawiugroom, she found her mother busy with several letters, and evidently in deep at>d | mournful thought. Whan she saw her dnughter j she burst into tears, and going to meet her, J folded her in her arms and affectionately kissed her. Her mother was not an effusive woman, and Lizzy surmised at once that something unmnaJ must have happened ; and aa hor mother could not speak for sobbing, she aik9'i : "What is the matter, mother? What has happened to affect you so ? " '• My dear girl, it aftVcts you a« much as me, if not. more, The mail brought us bad newß from home," replied Mrs Tregenning. *' B.td news from home, mother ! Has the house bren burned down ?" Mrs Tregenning Bhook her bend. '• Has anything happened to Tom Belfast,?" queried Lizzy under her breath, grasping her mother's h ind. When gho noticed that her mother did not reply, she continued : " Tell me all, mother ! After what I have just experienced I can bear anything ! " Without; quite comprehending her daughter's remark, Mm Treganning said : " Prepare yourself for the worst, my poor girl, for it is a singular fate which seems to follow you. You remember the new manager, who came to fill Mr Diabet'a place at the station. He had a new house built to accommodate his large family, and moved into it before it was quite finished ; it was a wooden build ing, and the same night a fire broke out. Tom Belfast was one of tho first upon the scene, and worked hard in saving the children and effects When the house was in full blaza the unfovtunate irother discovered that one child tvsw still left in the house. Hir cries and lamentations were frightful. It required two men to restrain her from rushing into the burning mass. Tom saw her grief. He wrapped a wet blanket round himself, and before h9 could be prevented had disappeared in the flames. Almost immediately afterwards the whole building came down with a crash, burying the noble fellow under the burning ruins. Next morning bis body was found a charred mass, with the child clasped in his arms ! " At the end of the recital of the sad occur- i rence Lizzy fainted. When she recovered tears came to her relief. " What an end for so noble a man ! " sobbed Lizzy. " But, oh ! how a noble ending softens | grief. How much is such a death to be preferred to a lifo of infamy and crime ! ' She { was thinking of Lord Sfcamborough. When she became calmer, she paid : ! "We must now return soon, I suppose, mother?" "Yes, my dea-. By the next steamer, if possible ; it leaves in six days." Then she continued :• " I knew you would bear your loss like a brave girl, but I was not prepared that you i would bear up against it as you do." ! " Oh, mother, do not judare me by appearances j I grieve more for T-im than I can ' express. He waa very, very dear to me, and ' I feel he would have made me lovo him aa ' much as it is in my nature to do, But that time had not come yefc. I respected him too much to love him very deeply." Here Lizzy broke out into fresh tears, '• I have also to exchange some very sad news for youi", mother," she continued, and then went on to relate to tho minuifst carticular her meeting and advpntm-e with Lidy Sramborough. Lizzy had not previously told her mother of tho miniature Bhe had seen in Lord Stamborough's possession, When Lizzy ended her account of her adventure there was no doubt felt, in Mrs Tregenning's mind as to the true state of affairs. She rose to her feet, and said indignantly : " So my worst suspicions are confirmed, after all. We cannot stay a minute longer under this roof than it will take to pack up our things. We must leave instantly." " Yes, mother, just as I thought. But what can we do in respect to Lady Stamborough ? I promised to meet her again to-morrow, and would not for the world disappoint her and break my word." "We can move to the inn in the village, and you can drive out to-morrow at the appointed time. But it is clear we cannot remove Lady Sta,mborougb from the custody of her brother-in-law. That w» uld be an infringement of the law, find un unpardonable breach of hospitality. Besides, she ia evidently out of her mind, and we do not knowbut that she may be kßnt out of the way on that account merely, and may be fairly well treated." " No, mother, she is not. IE you had seen her wasted and emaciated form, the haggard look of her face, her shabby and scanty dress, you would come to the same conclusion as I h-wo done, and that is that her gaolers are aiming at hor life. We must devise some meant? to her." % " Well, them will be time to consider that till to morrow. Our present objoet in to Jeiwo here as Bonn a» wo can. L'.t us pack up our things, and walk down to the inn ; wo can Bend tip a car*; for our boxes. Wo nhall not trouble his lord«hip or hia servants any" further "' " Bub we will have to write and in Rome way explain our Fudden drparfure to him." "Of course that will hove to be done, and the necessity for our immediate return to Lake Wakai.ipu is a sufficient explanation." Mother and daughter then went to pack up, and io a short time were re^dy to etarfc fo* tho

village. Mrs Treganning gave instructions to the butler, r^gardiog their boxeq, and Lzzy delivered to him the keys with which Bhe had been entrusted by his lordship. Arrived at the inn, a cart was despatched for the boxes. Mrs Treganning said to her daughter when they were left alone : " I hopg we do his lordship no wrong with our fcu-ipicinn^. What, after all, do we know about him and his affairs ? " " I am convinced he is a villain," said Lizzy. " D.d he not tell us that Mr Disbet could not succeed to the title and properties of the family? Did he not always lead us to suppose that Mr Disbet's mother was dead, or had disappeared in some mysterious manner ? " " Yes, my dear, all that is quite true ; anji indeed there is a great amount of far more condemnatory evidance against him than you ara aware of, but all takyn together is only one sided. We have naver confronted the i suspected culprit with the evidence against [ him." i "It is the enormity of the crimes with which we charge him that makes us hesitate in our condemnation uf him. It is our timidity and fearfulness which shelters him, and not a question of his innocence. Such at least are my feelings when I analyse them." "Yet we may be mistaken, but so far we have acted rightly and consistently. We have to guard against mistakes in the future. lam utterly at a 10-<b what to do in regard to Lady Stamborough." " I quite agree with you, mother, that we cannot remove her from Lord Stamborough's custody without Mr consent. But perhaps wheu he see 3 that I have found her out, he m>ght not object to us relieving him of a burden, and take her with vu 1 * to Lake Wakatipu, for her ravings and accusations can do him no barm. We might even promise him that we shall invariably turn a deaf ear to them, ani never attach any weight to whatever che may say." " That in the only course we can honourably pu>-sua, and I ara prepared to adopt it," said Mrs Tregenning, " It will be as well to tell L*dy Sfcamborough of our decision before we act upon it, aud it will be time enough tomorrow afternoon to write to Lar.i Soamborough," replied L'zzy ; and her mother assentei. L'zzy had Hpnkeu the truLh when she explained her feelings in regard to Turn Balfasfc to her mother, and it was only the excitement of her adventure with Lidy Sfiamborough and itß consequences which prevented her giving ! beiself up entirely to her grief. She went 1 early to her room tha*. night, and when alone her pent-up anguish caused by fcha melancholy news of Tom's death burst forth with overwhelming vehemence, It was true she had never loved Tom ho much and so sincerely as she had -loved Disbet, but she knew he rei garded her with far different and nobler foelings than Disbet bad ever done. In fact, it was Tom's deep devotion and thorough earnestness which held in check Lizzy's stronger and more material emotions, which make love what ib should be. She estimated her loss at too high a value, perhaps, bub she did not feel it so deeply as she would have done had fhe loved Tom Belfast as she had and even still loved Disbet. The sad news did not create so large a void in her heart as did tho discouraging news with reference to Disbet's whereabouts aa it came to band from time to time Yet Lizzy was doeply moved. She found, upon looking closer into har hearb, that ahe loved and cherished Torn'a memory more than I (-he ever had done the man as she had known | him. i It was late bgfore slumber came to her relief, ! but when at 1.-.st her eyes closed in sleep she slept tranquilly and healthily, and awoke much refreshed just as the sun began to peep into her bedroom window. The gloom caused by the mournful news from New Zealand, deepened by the" 1 responsibility of their painful and distressing position in regard to Lady Stamborough, rested heavily upon mother and daughter, and it was some time before either spoke much on meeting at their morning meal. Tha breakfast finished, Mrs Tregenning said : "We can make our arrangements before lunch, so as to be ready to start immediately you come back from your engag- ment with La'lv Sramborough." " Very well, mot.hnr. We will have to vWfc Grandfather Cromlick, and stay a day, and tbon a day or two, if possible, with old Mr and Mrs Tregenning. That is absolutely necessary.'' "Ye-f, that will leave us a clear day in London to get ready for our voyage. As it happens, we shall go back the same way we came, and I see by the papers in the same vesßei — the steamer Saxony — which brought us across the Atlantic Ocean, which leaves Southampton on the 26th inst." Lizzy had listened in a preoccupied manner, taking little interest in her mother's talk. An early lanch had been ordered, as Lizzy proposed to walk to her rendezvous with Lady Stamborough. Mrs Tregenning was to follow with a fcrap hired for thp purpose, driving hercalf, and would wait for Lizzy at an appointed place. Ar L : zzy came in sight of the yews she found the insane lady on tta lonk out for her. She ran towards her, shouting : " I thought you would never come ! How pretty you are ! You are ao sad ! It is pretty to look sad ! I am never cad now ! Why should I ? lam going to eroape — am I not ? Oh, how well I begin to feel now you are near me 1 And I slept, and then slept again, and dreamed of you and of my boy — oh, such a pretty dream ! But you have come to tell me you cannot tako me with you to New Zealand. No, that would not be honourable— it was not honourable of me to ask you ; but I am mad ! It does me good to talk to you — I could go on for ever ! No, it was not honourable for me to ask you to take me away from here. But you and your mother are ladies, and free as the birds, which can go everywhere, and you will forgive a poor incarcerated worm like me, who bftß been robbed of ray reaßon ! Tell me ! Why don't you speak ? I so like to hear your voice ! ' . Lizzy was overcome with emotion at hearing her prattle of reason and of madness mixed. It moved her to team, and yet she dared not weep for fear of irritating her poor deranged companion. So when she stopped Lizzy said : "We have received letters from New Zealand which make it necessary that we should return by the first steamer, which leaves in a few days, and yon werp quite right, when you said that it would not be honourable to take you away from bore by stealth, but my mother will wri*-e to Lord Stamborough — if you approvo of it — and aßk him to allow you to go w jth ua." Lady Statrtborough looked at Lizzy with an > ino'oiiulouH Hmilg for some moments, and then paid : " You are madder than I am ! Do you know what ho will do? He will find out that T eomfltimoa see tha day and the sun, and he will wall up the pwage, and I sbali go on for ever and for over in the davk dungeon, and Bee no move the green trees, nor hear tho birds, tier fe«! t-be raia sometime?, nor sea the mva

mer flowors como and go, nor see your faca again. You are madder than lam ! and have never been confined in a dungeon where there is only smell, and darkness, and cold, and damp." A violent shiver shook her spare frame ; then nlie went on : " You are madder than I am ! God help you ! You, who always see the sun, do not know what it is to always live in daikneas — to see nobody, hear nobedy — to hoar, and see, and feel, and taste, and smell nothing but the darkness ! Oh !if I were not mad it. would make me mad to think of it 1 " She ceased speaking only to break out into one of her horrible laughs, which Lizzy cut short by saying : "We will do anything that we can honourably do to release you from your dungeon and the darkness. Tell us what we can do ? " " Don't write— don't write to him one word about me. Do nothing — nothing at all. In a few days—— Didn't you pay you were leaving England in a few days ? How many ? " "We sail by the steamer Saxony, which leav s Southampton on the 26^h inst." " How many days till then?" " Five days from to day." Lady SUmoorough hete embraced Lizzy and kissed her, after which she said : " When yoa see my boy in N*w Zealand, tell him you h ye seen his mother, but don't tell him I am mad ! " With tbat she bounded away like a wild deer, aud before L'zzy coald recover from her surprise Bhe had disappeared in the ground below the trap door. There was nothing left for her but to return to the place appointed to meet her mother. When she arrived there the trap had put in an appearance. Lizzy related what had happened, and when hlib had finished Mrs Ttegenmng said : - "lain almost afraid that the poor lady will make an attempt at escape and iollow us, and wili be intercepted, which might lead to very unpleasant consequences for all concerned," " If such should happen, Lord Stamborough would be placed in a very awkward position." " But it would be worse for the poor lady in the end," said Mrs Tregenning. " Oh, mother ! can we not do something to ■ revenfc that ? " asked Lizzy, much agitatwd. " I never couid forgive myself it our meeting led to any disagreeable consequences for the poor creature.' 1 " I am utterly at a loss to think what we can do." " We can at least take grandfather, who is a magistrate, into our confidence, and ask him to watch the case, and do what he can to prevent L>rd Stamborough from iil-treating the poor woman." " Yes ; and we could not get a better man for the purpose than Squire Cromlick," replied Mrs Tregenning, When the inn was reached the letter to Lord Stamborough was written an,; despatched to the Castle, after which, there being nothing further to arrange, Lizzy and her mother drove to the station to meet the London train. It was late whon they arrived, and upon consideration an alteration had been made in their arrangements to this effect, th'vt while in London they would prepare for the voyag? and send their effects at once to Southampton, where they intended to go on thpir return j from Cornwall, turning off either at Salisbury or Winchester, thus not only saving unnecessaiy travelling but escaping inquiring friends, i who were collecting for the coming season. Arrived at Squue Cromlick's place, tb.9y were received veLy warmly by tho old gentleman, and correspondingly effusively by the younger people when they learned that the visit was a final one, and was to last one day only. The old Squire readily listened to Lizzy's story of Lady Stamborough, and to the scheme concocted for her protection. He promised to do all he could, and placed himßQlf at once ia communication with the authorities at Scot land Yard, and with several magistrates in Warwickshire with whom he was acquainted. All this was arranged with Lizzy's aid and entirely to her satisfaction, and the interest he took in the affair endeared the old geutleman more to her than anything else he had | ever done for her. Toe leave taking between the Squire and his ' daughter and grandchild was a very tender one, for each knew it might b8 the last time they would meot upon earth. Miss Becky and her brother, drawn up to their full height, formed a very prosaic background to the pathetic picture, and went through the neces- j sary ceremony like automatons. The farewell visits paid to their other relatives were much less alloyed with unpleasantness or coldness, and left a far warmer impression than had been the case with the Squire's family. On the evening previous to the sailing of the boat Mrs Tregenning and her daughter reached Southampton. Their boxes had^ arrived at the hotel in due time, and everything wai ready for the start in the morning, the vessel being advertised to sail at noon. Immediately after breakfast next morning an inspeofion of the steamer was made by the ladies, when they selected their berths. They had the pick of nearly the whole saloon, only two or three b?ing engaged at the time. They were juat returning to their hotel when the train with the bulk of tho passengers arrived, and amongst them they noticed Lord Stamborough. He advanced towards them, and in his blandest manner said : " So you intended to leave without a personal farewell, but you see I am not to be batfbd." Both ladies stood' somewhat abashed before him. Lizzy actually shuddered as he shook hands with her, but Mrs TregeDning replied : " We had no intention of evading a persona interview, but necessity dictated our immediate departure. lam not aware that my letter — which no doubt you have received — was in any way deficient in the explanation of the circumstances of our departure, or tha\ anything was omitted in it which required an additional personal interview to explain." This was said in bo frigid a tone that Lizzy was afraid to raise her eyes off the ground. Lord Stamborough felt the studied coldness of the reply, and vainly sought to account for it. He replied, however, not attempting to dißguise that the words pained him : " I intrude myself upon you solely to expreßß my regret at the unfortunate occurrence which calls you away just at a time when I hoped to make your stay most agreeable." Mrs Tregenning stiffly bowed, while his lordship continued : " I am deeply pained at the terrible end of th" nciblo man we have all known " Here another and vory viable shudder parsed through L'zzy's frame, noticing which ho B%id : " You are ill, Mi3a Tregenning. Allow me to take you to ihfi hotel." Lizzy thanked him, without, however, taking the proffered arm. They walked in silence to the hotel, whoro the l&dies Btill had their wraps Bind some trifles. By his behaviour they Baw that if Lady Stamborough had escaped he knew nothing of it, and the chances were that she bad abandoned the icfoaj fes there ccvild

be no doubt tbat if she were at large she could be easily traced and captured. Lord Stamborough tried his utmost to interest either mother or daughter, and Boon discovered that some other reason than the distrefsing event that had taken place at Lake Wakatipu oppressed them. He had nearly a ! l the talk to himself, and under the pressure of having to sustain the conversation he said : " I venture to predict that you will not be able to settle down in your old home. Tho changes that have taken place are of such a nature as to destroy whatever charm it may have " Here Lizzy broke down and began to Bob bitterly, Thia was exactly her fear. A thou. Band times had ahe told herself the same thing, The old home had become the grave of her hopes ; she almost dreaded to re-enter it, In an apologetic manner his lordship continued : " The reason I refer to the subject is that, in the event of my surmise proving correct, I wish to remind you tbat at all times my houses are at your disposal, and tbat I shall esteem it a favour if you make any use of them you please." "The offar is a very kind one, my lord," replied Mrs Treg6nning ; " but if ever we should return to England — which I consider is not very probable — we have to make good the neglect with whiqh we have treated our relatives upon our present visit. But it is time we were on board." ' Lizzy rose and picked up what things ahe had to take, declining his lordship's assistance as much as possible, and the party went on board. Oace there she bade Lord Sfcamborough her last " Good-bye," and retired to her cabin, Shortly afterwards the whistle waa sounded, all who were not passengers went on shore, and in a few minutes the vessel was in motion. Towards evening they passed the Needles, , the westernmost point of the Isle of Wight, and there waa a general rush on deck to see the pilot leave the vessel. That excitement over, Lizzy sat down on the poop to watch the setting sun, after which she went to her cabin to prepare tor dinner. As Bhe neared her cabin Bhe noticed tbat the door of the adjoining one was partly ajar. Just as she was about to enter her own compartment she heard a laugh that pierced her ' with terror. At the same time the door she had observpd was opened, aud the occupant beckoned to her. Lizzy approaohed, and at once recognised Lady Stamborough. I " How did you get away ? " asked Lizzy. "Yon do -not say you are glad— you are pleased— to see me here ? And I feel so well and so pleased to see you and the ocean ! ' Where is your mother ? I muat know her now, you know, and sne must know mo. The pilot is gone ; they won't put back and deliver me up. I shall go all thß way to New Zealand with you, and stay with you there, and get bettor, and I shall be put into nr> more darkness ! Oh, what happiness will be for us all when I find my boy ! Where ia your mother?" L ; zzy went to call her mother, and when both entered Lady Stamborough's cabin tho insane lady "broke out again into one of her wild laughs, but suddenly checking herself said : " You see I got away, and got away with all the money ; I didn't leave one bagful of it not one bagful. Oh, you were mad to propose to write to him about me. I would never have got away. I would have died in the darkness ! " " How did you succeed in getting here ? " inquired Mrs Tregonning. " I got on board while you were talking to him. I saw you," she said, addressing Lizzy, " but you did not see me ; you were looking at the ground." " But how did you get away?" asked Lizzy. Here followed another laugh, but lower and not quite so disagreeable. Then she said : " Oh, the day after you went away — the last time — I went to the village and bought a trunk. Here it ia," showing them a leather-covered and much battered trunk. * " I left it in a hedge close to the inn. I had been twioe in the village before at nights, when all were asleep. Then I went every night to Bee if it were still there. Then the 23rd came, and I was going to sail in the Sixony on the 26th. That night I carried down all the money — every bag. There were ten b3gs, and five hundred sovereigns in each. I carried two baga at a time. Here they are ! " She opened the trunk, which was filled with dry leaves and grass, to prevent the baga from rolling about. Opening one of the bags, she said ; 'Here is the money. It is all mine, and my boy's. I did not steal it. It never belonged to him. Oh, where did I leave off ? I was going to tell you— yea, I was going to tell you how I got away. I pulled the trunk along the road. A man passed in a trap, and I told him I was going to London to my husband, and asked him to take me to the railway Btation. I got to London, bought a ticket to go to' New Zealand, and stopped that night there. Next morning I came to Southampton in the same train with him, and while he was talking to yon I came on board." "But have you no clothes?" asked Mrs Tregenning. " Clothes ! " repeated the poor creature, looking at her shabby, scanty, and not overclean dress. " Clothes ! Oh/ 1 forgot ! lam no longer to live in darkness, and I muat have clothes ! Yes, I have plenty of money, and I must get clothes." Dinner was about being served, and it waa impossible that Lady Stamborough could ait down to table in her present habiliments. L-zzy undertook to bring her dinner to her cabin, not wishing any of the stewardesses to see her, and it was fortunate that she did so. The poor woman had utterly forgotten the ÜBe of knife and fork. She ate with her fingers, and in a ravenous, uncouth manner. After dinner Mrs Tregennine: went to the captain and the doctor, and told them that an insane lady, who was well connected, had followed herself and her daughter on board, but that she was harmless. Mrs Tregenning undertook to ba responsible for her behaviour, and for the charge she might become upon the vessel. The doctor offered to see her at once, which offer Mrs Tregenning firmly declined, pointing out tbat it would only annoy her, and ■ impress her with the fear of being under surveillance. The fact w»b Lady Stambbrough waa not in a fit state to be seen by anyone on board. Next morning Lizzy rose very early, and going to Lady StamboroucttVs cabin, induced her to take a bath, after which she dressed her in her own clothes, which very nearly fitted her, although rather ehort and sitting somewhat lnoßoly upon tho mad lady's emaciated fnrm ; still she made a v- ry fair appearance, and for the first timo L^zzy discovered in the wre<ik before her the traces of great beauty, Duvi»K thn rest of the voyage Lizzy took her mpaln with Lady Slamborough in the latter'a cabin, instructing her in the uao of the knife and fork, Upon going on deck after breakfast the first morning at sea, Lady Stamborough said : " Oh, I forgot to tell you I am Mrs Taylor— that's th.3 came I get tbeea tip pat, upoto my

ticket, you know. Wasn't it clever ? But what are your names? You never told mo who you are ? Toll mo ! " " My name is Lizzy, and my mother is Mrs Tregenning." " Oh, yours is a nice, easy name, but your mother's ia too long to remember." When on deck the poor lunp,tic looked fearfully around her. It was a beautiful morning, calm and clear. The sea glistened in the sun, and everything was bright and cheerful. Such a contrast to the darkness and gloom she had been so long accustomed to ! The doctor camo up and entered into conversation with Miss Tregenning, at the 3ame time making a close scrutiny of tho insane lady unobserved by her. After a little while Lizzy introduced tho doctor to " Mrs Taylor," and was surprised at the grace she displayed and tho lady-like manner in which sho coniluotod herself. When the doctor began to aak about her health she gave fairly satisfactory replies, which appeared to please him muoh. His opinion of her caae, when speaking to Mrs Tregenning, was a very hopeful one. Though the length and excitement of the journey might occasionally lead to relapses which might prove troublesome, upon the whole he was satisfied that with quiet and kind treatment and a light but strengthening diet e<he would in time recover her senses and be completely restored. No mention, of course, waa ever made to hor Diabet by either mother or daughter. The foyage to New York ended without any unpleasantness whatever. As soon as possible Mrs Tregenning telegraphed to Lord Stamborough, informing him how Lizzy had become acquainted with an insane lady representing herßelf to be Lady Stamborough, the wife of his elder brother ; how she had followed them, and that her presence on board had not been discovered until after the pilot had left the vessel ; and offering, except otherwise advised, to take her with them to New Zealand. When Lord Stamborough received this teleEram he was thunderstruck. It was the first c had heard of Lady Stamborough's escape, the gamekeeper, her gaoler, having kept tho fact back from his lordship's knowledge in tho hope that she might return. The telegram when it came to his hands was more than a day old, as he was travelling inspecting some of the properties mentioned in Lord Karlyla's will. He knew that Mrs Tregenning would not delay on her journey, and aa all the harm the meeting of the ladies could do had already been done, he decided to defer his reply until the departure of the steamer via Melbourne, when he would write in full. The letter would reach Mrs Tregenning about a fortnight after her arrival at Lake Wakatipu. Now he understood why Mrs Tregenning and her daughter had left Cliff haugh Castle so abruptly and taken lodgings at the village inn, and ho also interpreted correctly the coldness of the ladies when be met them at Southampton. But the question arose— What was to be done ? He knew Disbot was alive, and he was aware that the insane at times possess and exercise strange powers of divination. If the mother and son should meet he would be lost. The mere thought of the possibility of such an < event happening nearly drove him mad. He He would go out himself and bring her back. No — that would bo too suspicious. He would Bend out a doctor, with a female assistant, to bring her home. That would bo the only plan, and the best. He soon found a suitable man, who selected his own help. They left by the first Suez boat, and thus while the poor insane runaway coursed round the world in one direction, her pursuers took the opposite one to meet her at her journey's end. At New York Lady Stamborough was fully and appropriately fitted out, and by thit» time she bad regained all the manners and customs of polite society. But before the journey across America to San Francisco had been half completed she sustained a relap3e. The constant confinement to the railway carriage, the vibration of the cars, the surging crowds at the different stations, the unusual noises — all tended to unsettle her reason with fears ann! dangers of an entirely new kind, and it was not without great difficulty and muoh trouble to her companions, and pain and suffering to the poor creature herself, that San Francisco was at last reached. Tho outgoing steamer had been detained for several hours awaiting the arrival of the train, which owing to late snowfalls had met with several delays. Here the trouble with Lady Stamborough reached its climax. When she found that she was about to be led again on board a steamer, she refused to go. "No !" she shouted, " I will not go ! You'll only take me back again to the darkness and — to him ! I will not go ! I'll stop ! I have plenty of money ! " When it was pointed out to her that it was an entirely different vessel, and that they had to make another long sea voyage before they reached New Zealand, she shrieked : "It's all a lie, I know !' I am not mad ! You can't deceive me!" The whistle sounded, the boat would start in a few minutes, and there was a danger of the party being left behind. Mrs TregenniDg beckoned to some men, and with their aasiatanoe Lady Stamborough was conveyed on board. The poor deranged woman when Bhe saw tho steamer not unnaturally conceived the idea that she was_ about to be taken back to her dungeon again, and hence her violent opposition. It was many days before she recovered the state of health and spirits in which she had landed at New York, but when once her confidence had been restored she made surprising progress, and by the time they landed at Dunedin she was wonderfully improved in every Hben at last Mrs Tregenning's homo on the shore of Lake Wakatipu was reached Lady Stamborough was quite enraptured with the beauty of the scenery, and under its influence, combined with the care of kind friends, made very satisfactory progress in her general health, which had so beneficial an effect upon her mind that she began to converse in a connected manner, and took an intelligent interest in passing events, In her appearance, also there was noticeable * very pleasing change. The wild fierceness in her eyes had given place to a vacant stare, mild and melancholy in its expression, and with just a shade of insanity in it sufficient to indicate the sad havoc her misfortunes bad wrought in her senses. Lizzy, on the other hand, began to complain of ill-health and lowness of spirits almost from the first day of her return to the farm. Her state of health soon showed itself in her appearance, and the doctor advised a romoval before the winter, or, better still, a complete change, and for good. The associations conneoted with tho place were affecting her nerves, and there was some danger that it might lead to very serious consequences. This newa was very unwelcome to Mrs Tregenning, who was inexpressibly attached to her farm. It had been of her own making, everything about it had been planned by her, it had been her home for more than sixteen years, the beauty of its situation was incomparable, and Bw views it commanded were unsurpassable,

The utmost good feeling and perfect understanding subsisted between herself and her neighbours, ani it waa altogether a spot after hor own heart — yet, much as she was attached to her farm and home, her daughter's health was of paramount importance, and so the situation left her no choice. Thero wa3 no difficulty in finding a buyer for the property ad a very handsome price, which together with her savings would enable Mrs Tregenning and her daughter to live in ease and comfort in any part of the world, aud perhaps thoy might return to England, after al), and verify Lord Stamborough's prediction. His lordship's messengers had been making the trip as much one of pleasure as of business, and during some sight-seeing at Naplos managed to mi«s the steamer. This would delay them for fully a month, for at that time theva waR only a monthly service between England aud tho Colonies, bui, as they were supplied with ample funda the extra time thus placed at their disposal did not hang very heavily upon their hands. It was, howover, n very dili'erent thing with Lord Stamborough, for when the time arrived for him to hear by telegraph from them without a message coming to him, he grew very unaa3y. He had, of couree, written to Mrs Trpgenning acquainting her of his intention of resuming tho custody of Lady Stamborough, and stated that he had sent out a qualified doctor aad proper lady assistant, who was fdso to be a companion for "tho self-styled Lady Stamborough," The letter further explained that the writer had reason to fear that tho deranged lady had not been properly treated by her keeper during his lordship's absence in New Zealand, and probably for somo timo previously, and he asked Mrs Trcganning to spare no expense to make her thoroughly comfortable. His lordship concluded by thanking her very warmly for the trouble and concern she had shown for the invalid. Thoro was not ono word about her pretensions to be Lady Stamborough, his elder brother's lawful wife ; she was only onco alluded to as " the self-styled Lady Stamborough." Mrs Tregenning was very indignant at the letter. Sho saw through ito fine spun hypocrisy, and estimated its evasions at their true value. She did not say a word about the letter to Lady Stamborough, but took Lizzy into her confidence, when the latter said : "I hope we shall be far away by the time his lordship's emissaries arrive — or, if not, that Lady Stamborough will be so far recovered as to claim the protection of the law against her husband's brother." " What an unfortunate position we are in !" replied Mrs Tregenning. "We can really do next to nothing to protect her. Tho appearance of her convoys aud thsir mission will produce puch another relapse as that at San Francisco, and probably make her worse." Exactly a v/eek after th 9 receipt of tho letter a telegram arrived from London for Mrs Tregenning. Being busy inspecting a distant part of tho farm, it was recoived by the servant, and placed upon tho table in the drawingroom. Lady Stamborough at the time was dozing upon the aofa. She i-obo and looked at the missive, and saying to herself, " It conoarns me, lam sure ! " picked it up, opened and read it, and put it in her pocket. (To be Continued. J