THE NOVELIST. [NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.]

Otago Witness, Issue 1856, 17 June 1887, Page 29

THE NOVELIST. [NOW FIRST PUBLISHED.]

BY ELLA J. CURTIS j (SHIRLEY SMITH), Author of " The Favourite of Fortune," " All for Herself," " His Last Stake," &c, &c.

Chapter XXXI.

At the Lych Gate. • . OME two or three weeks perhaps, before the sudden, and tragic death of young John Erskine at Simla, the village of Stillingf orfc, in Stoneshire, , was en fete to celebrate the return of Lord and Lady Stillingfort and their daughter from : a long absence abroad. Her ladyship's health, it was said, obliged them to leave England the preceeding winter, and they had gone direct at the close 1 of the season without coming to Stillingfort Park even for a few months in the early autumn.

A short stay was made in London upon the return of the family from the South of France, and when it was announced that they were expected home, a rumour had reached the village in advance, of the engagement of the Earl's only daughter, Lady Judith, to an enormously rich and childless widower nearly double her age. He was a commoner, whose father , had made his colossal fortune in trade ; a man .against whom, .^neither envy nor calumriy 'could find one word to say, but who would not have been accepted by the proud Earl and Countess of. Stillingfort for their daughter, were it not for the princely settlement he proposed to make upon her. - The news of the engagement was widely circulated in the village, and it created an unusual amount of excitement, for the attachment of the beautiful Lady Judith to Charles ; Rossitur,- the farmer's son, and organist of the parish church, was a sort of open secreb in the neighbourhood. It was whispered how last year -when she was at home she used three or four times a week to go to the church when she knew he would be found in the organ loft, pouring out his soul in- music at .his beloved instrument. But whether the maiden of high degree and the poor musician, whose handsome ; face and noble form had attracted her notice, met as mere acquaintances who were interested in

music, or as.lovefs interested solely in: themselves, n6 one knew." ' ' The poor old 1 f ellow. who so patiently blew for hours while Eossitur played was both blind and. deaf, and if he had any suspicions as to the nature of the interruptions that so often put an end to the organist's daily practice he never spoke of them to anyone. aHe was one of Lady, Judith's favourite pensioners, and she was very kind to him. ' , Early in .the afternqon of the day the Stillingforts were expected home, Charles Rossitur, .and his .sister. Alice were .walking together not "fifty yards from the spot where their sister Bella stood with Pottinge'r "when poor Jem . Heatheaway.her.hoodwinked lover, shot himself. ..Alice was in every way a remarkable contrast to her handsome sister and; brother. ■ She was a> short, spare little' woman, with scanty, dark hair, and a sallow, sickly, complexion ; and 'in - her ; , eyes alone was any. resemblance to be .found |to the handsome race from which she sprang. She was not specially amiable in mind or manner, ' and she .had (the reputation of being able, on occasion, to use a shrewish tongue with good effect. . . ,■ .If she loved' any creature upon earth with a strong, unselfish love, it was her only brother, andfrom the first she had seen his wild infatuation for Lady Judith Forster with sorrow and dismay. No good, she knew, could ever come of such a love, and moreover, she did not believe in the sincerity of the high-born beauty. It was an immense relief to her when the family went abroad for an indefinite time, for she hoped her brother would shake off the glamour of Lady Judith's beauty when he was no longer under its constant influence, and make-up his mind that he could never win her for his wife. Before she had bewitched him the young man had been well inclined, to a modest' girl' in his own station, and Alice looked back with infinite regret to the time he had walked in that very wood with herself and Ellen Balfour, the village, schoolmistress, . whose j naturally beautiful voice had improved so •much under his training that she had several times appeared at the local concerts, i Now, as far as Alice knew, he never spoke j to her except in the most formal manner, and it was scarcely to be expected that the man who gave lessons to Lady Judith Foster, and sang his own songs in fine houses in London, would trouble himself about the ' insignificant person who taught the village children to read. As the brother and sister walked up and down the pretty woodland path, they naturally talked of what was uppermost in their, minds, the home-coming of the family to the Park and the rumoured engagement of Lady Judith. " If it were announced in fifty newspapers it is not true," Charles Rossitur said, doggedly. ".You .may think I am boasting, Alice, if you like, but she loves me and she will be true to me in spite of everyone. Do you suppose I don't know 1 " 11 1 never said she did not love you, dear," the girl answered, in the slow quiet manner peculiar to her, '.'but I say again, as I said to you before many times,. that she will never marry you. jHer pride is far greater than her love ; and, besides, it is not as if she was rich. She is a lord's daughter, but she has no fortune, people say; and what have you to offer her in comparison to this Mr Milbanke ? He has about half a million a year, they say." " And what is he with his half million ? A man nearly old enough to be her father." "Age is nothing with such a fortune; you haven't a farthing but your salary as organist of the church, and what you make now and then by writing a song. There is the farm, to be, sure, when i father dies, but do you suppose his lordship would, let you keep that if you married his daughter against his wish?" " I can always sell my interest in ifc." "And live on that !" cried Alice, scornfully. " Why, your yearly income would not keep your fine lady wife in gloves — " " You do not know her noble heart," interrupted Rossitur impetuously. , "If I cannot get on in this country she will come with me to America or Australia, and we can face the world together." \ "My poor brother !" , said Alice. " What will become of you when your dream is broken up ? Oh ! If I could persuade you that you are deceiving yourself about this girl, and that she is " " Listen to me," Rossitur interrupted again, and stopping suddenly he . put his ;h'and on his sister's shoulder and looked into her face. "You ask what will become of me if. Judith' Forster plays me false. The bare idea of it turns my brain, so, if it happens, remember that whatever I do will be the act of a madman. May God help me, for I cannot answer for myself ! " " Oh, my brother 1 " said Alice, the cold, undemonstrative Alice, flung herself weeping on his breast. " Would that you had never seen her beautiful, false face. Forget her, dear. Do not let your life be blighted by this love., You are handsome and- clever; there is not one of , her fine friends with their money an,d their titles to be compared to you. Perhaps, if she did not know you, or if her people did not know you, she might marry you ; but look at me, with my hands all red and rough from common work at home. Look at our father; he can just make a shift to read and write — there was little schooling when he was young; and Bella, our sister, is a soldier's wife." ' " I do not care for any of these .things," the young many answered. "Judith loves me, and she is more to me than my life. And I shall see her presently," he added, his face flushing with rapture at the thought. " She will come to the church this evening if she can,, l know she will, and if not to-day, then to-morrow. I shall see her, my beauty ! my queen 1 Do not look so solemn, Alice, Treat me as a madman if you like, but you must .laugh over my folly until we see who wins— the organist or the millionaire."

" I do not feel as if I should ever laugh again," she said.-

" Nonsense, girl ! Come along with me to the church gate and let us see the carriage go past from the station. The train is due in half an hour, and it will take us twenty minutes to walk down."

But Alice .would not go. " I do not want to see her," she said ; " and the less she sees of your relations the better for you,"

And if he had thought.of making a good , ithpressibn, Charles \ Rossitur Tcouid';scarcely have been "more : picturesquely" posed than when Lady Judith's eager, restless eyes caught sight of him, as, seated beside her mother in the open, barouche; she' dashed past the, old church' on her. way from the station. , He was leaning against the quaint old lych gate, ' and* the dark' back-ground might have been chosen by'an/arfcist, who wisheel to set off to advantage' thehandsome face with the dark, passionate eyei land the fair brown hair. ( . ' '^V _ J For one moment' 'his glance" n?et" that of Lady Judith as he bared; his : head to salute the occupants of .the 1 carriage, 1 to. two of whom, it must be confesse'd^-he waSs at that moment the most' unwelcome sight in the world. 'Lord^StiHingfort/ffovsrned; his wife looked at tihe young' man' without making the slightest sign of, recognition^ and Lady Judith, as she'sligtitlybent heir head, lowered her parasol to hide the 1 burning blush that mounted to her face. ,'.'•!. : After many months df absence she saw him again, and on her finger at that 'moment was the almost priceless diamond ring,' the pledge of her engagement to 'Mr Milbanke.' ' She had now to choose between the two, and that evenjng Charles Rossitur's organ practice was not interrupted. Chapter XXXII. ' Face to Face. ' ' And Lady, Judith knew well ,'eriough that her young lover was /waiting anil watching and hoping for her coming)' but' she was not daring enough to run the risk of .going to meet him on the very evening. of her return. The suspicions of her father and her mother, which have' been aroused before they left Stillingfort, would have been on the alert at once if she had' gone out' alone within an hour or two of, her arrival.a t home; and neither could' she venture to send Charles Rossitur a note, she had not a messenger whom she could trust. ' . ' Alice asked her brother no questions when he came home, looking sadly disappointed and in miserable spirits, from , his evening practice at the church. "He was a fool to expect her," the girl said to herself. ' The next morning the young man, after a sleepless night, was up and out wandering alone in the woods soon after daylight. It occurred to him that Lady Judith, on the chance of a meeting, might also come out for an early ramble, but not a soul was to be seen except a woodman going, to 'his work, or a gamekeeper returning from his rounds. Rossitur was excited, jealous, and wild with the desire ,that possessed hini to meet Judith face to face, and hear from her own lips that the report of her engagement was untrue ; and wild also with his ardent longing to clasp her in his arms after their long separation, broken once only by a precious letter she had sent him early in the year. But she had desired him- on no account to answer it, and he had obeyed. Night and day since he received it that letter had been his constant' companion, and he took it out now and read it again as he .walked up and down the woodland path, hoping at each turn to see her coming towards him. Before he went home' to the early breakfast at the farm he had taken a mighty resolve. He would go that very day to Lord Stillingfort and ask him for his daughter. It was the most honourable and manly course to pursue; and if he refused, as was but too probable, to listen to the prayer of the poor and humble .suitor, Rossitur would .consider himself free, to marry Lacly Judith, if she loved him well enough lo brave proverty and estrangement from her family and friends for his sake. And, judging her by himself, he had no fear. Aad he been' a peer's son' and she the farmer's daughter, he knew the difference in rank would not keep him from her ; but it did not occur to him that the husband raises the , wife to his own social level or pulls her down, as the case may be. f When breakfast was over he' told Alice that he might not be home iri time for the early family dinner, as, after the choir practice, he was going to the Park to see Lord , Stillingfort on business. "Oh, indeed ! " she said ; " and you expect to be asked to luncheon, I suppose."

It was impossible to coll by her manner whether she spoke satirically or^in earnest. " I expect a great deal,- 1 admit," he answered, with a smile, "butrl do! not know that t I thought about luncheon. However, if I come home hungry, you will give me some food 1 "

He kissed her and went out. and she stood for some time looking after him with tears in her eyes. . "It is madness 1 " she said to hersel f " Downright madness ! If • she would tell, him herself that she is going to marry this' rich man, he would be, cured; but she will keep him on and play with him. until she breaks his heart.

, It was still early, not more than 1 o'clock, when Rossitur rang the great bell and asked the powdered and supercilious flunkey who answered it, and who knew him well by sight, if Lord Stillingfort was at home. . He was shown into the library, ,' and ' then, the footman having announced the early visitor to his master, went back to the . servants' hall and told his companions that " that 'ere horganist chap had called to see his lordship, and it was a wonder he 'ad 'nt come in the middle of the night." Rossitur had to wait with what patience he could muster for nearly a quarter of an hour before Lord Stillingfort appeared ; the fact was that when he ' heard who was waiting for him he went off in a great hurry to his wife to beg of her to be present at the interview, but she refused. "I dare say he wants money for the organ," she said. " Just give him a cheque and send him away as> soon as possible." " And suppose it is something- about Judith ?"

At that Lady Stillingfort laughed. "If it is," she said, "you' can order him out oi the house. But I do not suppose he ha* lost his senses, although he fancies himseli in love with her." Then, as her husband waf leaving the room, she called him hack anr. added : "If he says anything", about Judith, just send for her and make her tell him be.

' fore your face that sheis going to marry Mr Milbanke. _ How unfortunate that lie had to go to America just now. If he were but here we might have the marriage directly." Lord Stillingfort met his unwelcome visitor with polite urbanity ; but he contrived also to make his greeting formal in the , «xtreme. , „ "Good morning, Mr— ah— -yes— Rossitur/ "to be sure, !the organist. I did not quite catch the name from Thomas. May I ask you to state your business as briefly as possible, as I am very busy this morning ? After , my long Absence I have, a great deal to look into.; , What 'can Ido for you ?". . • He did not sit down or ask his visitor to be seated ; so the, young man stood, and he looked like a young giant beside the spare little man who stared at him so 'coldly through his gold-rimmed piiice nez. "Lord Stillingfort," Rossitur began, and it must be confessed that the hopes that had buoyed him during His walk to the Park had all died awayj "it is now nearly two years since I had the honour of giving your daughter. Lady Judith, some lessons, on the organ, and I — since that time, I mean — that is, I L " . : "Oh, you mean, I suppose, the lessons were never paid for," interrupted Lord Stillingfort, brusquely. "Really, that was very remiss, but why didn't you send in your bill ! Then it would have been settled with the other accounts. What is the amount, and I wili write you a cheque at once ?" Rossitur's face grew scarlet. " Pardon me, my lord," he said, "It was an understood thing when I gave Lady Judith lessons that they were not to be paid for, and I am sorry you think I came here for money. My object is something very different. I came "—" — and he raised his'handsome head proudly and looked Lord Stillingfort straight in the f ace — " I came to tell 'you that I love your daughter, and to ask your consent to our marriage." Lord Stillingfort adjusted his piiice nez and starred in his turn at his audacious visitor. " You love my daughter, and you ask my consent to your marriage with her," he repeated. " Upon my word, young man, I must do you the justice to say that you are very frank, and apparently not much troubled by any doubts as to the success of your suit. When you talk of my consent you imply that you have already obtained that of Lady Judith. May I ask if this is so?" " I have every reason to hope that if your consent were obtained Lady Judith would become my wife." "Do you know what, sir," his lordship broke in with a dry chuckle, he' was too angry to laugh, Vit would serve you right, and teach you a timely lesson, if I were to ring the bell and order my servants to turn you out of the house! Have you forgotten, sir," and his voice rose angrily, " who and what you are? What right have lyou to come and ask for my daughter ? How dare you so much as think of her ? What; is your position? What are your means? Your father is a tenant farmer on my estate ; one of your sisters is in service, and you hold the not very lucrative post of organist ' of the parish church ! I have no wish to be unduly hard upon you, but your proposal is ( simply impertinent. And now, perhaps, the sooner you go the better," he added after a_ moment's pause, " and I must — "' " I cannot, be dismissed in this way, my lord,"brokein Rossitur, passionately.' ' " I may not be the equal of your daughter in rank, but, although we are only tenant farmers, the Rossiturs are every whit as old 4 family as your own. For myself I can say that the one talent I possess has already brought me some social distinction, and at the .present day people do not ask questions about an artist's birth. lam not very rich, it is true, but I love your daughter, and I am willing to work for her with all the power of mind and body I possess. Cheered and encouraged by her love, I believe I can achieve greatness, and I am proud and happy to know that her love is mine." ' , Lord Stillingfort at these bold words fairly lost his temper, and in his passion he flung the papers that were strewn upon the library table about, and all but overturned ,an inkstand. ' " Your insolence passes all bounds,' sir," he almost shouted. "Perhaps you are not aware that Lady Judith is .engaged to be' married, and that the husband she has chosen is one of whom we cordially approve." " I heard a report of Lady Judith's engagement to a Mr Milbanke," Rossitur replied, " but I do not believe it." "Perhaps you do not believe me," Lord Stillingfort • cried. "Very well." He rang the bell. " Tell Lady Judith to come to me at once," he said to the footman who answered it, and not another word was spoken until the door opened and Lady Ju*dith came hurriedly in. When she saw who was in the room, she stopped short ; the colour rushed to her face and then as quickly left it again. " You sent for me, papa," she said. And then she stood like a statue, with her eyes bent on' the ground, and the man whose heart was breaking for a "word or look from her, feasted his eyes for a few blissful moments upon her matchless beauty. "Judith," said her father, "this young man, Rossitur, says he has heard' a report; that you are engaged to , be married to a Mr Milbanke, and he does not believe it even when confirmed by me.' Will you be kind enough to tell him whether it is true or not?" Lady Judith gave one rapid glance at Rossitur, then her eyes fell again, and she was silent. " Speak ! I insist upon it 1" cried her father. •Is it true or false that you wear his ring on this finger,'.' and he took her left hand and held it up, " and that you have promised to marry him ?" "It is true," she answered, so low that Rossitur barely caught the words. Then she turned and rushed from the room . " I hope you are satisfied,'" said Lord Stillingfort. But the young man's pale and quivering lips could frame" no reply.

, . ' : i; - ' True or False. . ; '■ ' When he left the house, dumb with bitter disappointment;' I ' 'and 'his wounded pride stinging' him 1 sore; Rossitur struck across the park towards the woods; intending to make his way baek'td the farm "circuitously. The whole thing had been so suddenthat he was bewildered and 'totally unable to realise that frdm' Judith's 'own lips he had 'received the deathblowto all 'his hopes.' ''-There was the hateful ring glittering on her' 'finger,; what better'eviden;ce'could ! he : have'of heir- perfidy, even if her 1 own' 1 faltering Admission lof the .truth had riot been' confirmed by her father's words. ■•' ; ■ '- ■'•■••• ..:. .< '■ He walked on in a stupid, 'blundering kind of Way Until he' reached a little' glade, so shut in and lonely that: he knew 1 he should be free from observation, and there, flinging himself/ face downwards on the turf, he gave vent to his passionate grief . (How long he lay there, he never 1 knew ; it might l have been' for hours or only minutes, for in his ! abandonment he was quite lost to the passage of time. But at length >he heard a light, quick step approaching, and presently some one knelt beside'him, and a ■'soft hand was passed over his hair. . • ' ' ' " • "Look -up 1 Speak to 'me — to Judith," whispered the 1 lotv,' musical voice that had •been so hard and constrained when last he heard it, and instantly he sprang to his feet,, and she was by his side with her hands clasped round his arm. ' " Why did you say it ? " he cried. , " Did you want to drive' me mad ? ' You told me the truth 'just now, I suppose, and I do riot want to hear it again. Take away your hands. I cannot answer for myself while you stand' there' looking afc me with those eyes." • ' ' " I take them away for this," • she cried, and flung them' round his neck. "Do you think lam going to give you up ? "' she murmured, and for answer he clasped her to his heart' and kissed her as he had never dared to kiss her before. ' "My love !my darling ! " he said, passionately, " I cannot live without you 1 " Then she told him how she' had slipped out when she knew her father and mother were shut up 'together, in the hope of intercepting him in the wood, and she gently upbraided him for having gone to 'her father at all. " You knew he would never consent to our marriage," she said; "even if there were no Mr Milbanke in the' question.' Perhaps if you were to write some grand 'opera, and get famous all at once, he might listen; to you, but as you are now, you have no (chance 1 . You do not mind my saying this, do; you ? " she added,' looking at ■ him with admiring eyes, " for you know I do not want you one whit different from what you are;" He listened enraptured. The glamour of her presence was tijjo strong to' leave any' room for reason or' common sense, and' not 1 one thought was given by him to the* future, as he stood beside her in that secluded spot. It was enough for him! that she had' come to! him there of her own accord, and pad '&- lowed-him to clasp her in his arms and lavish [ upon her a hundred i endearing names. He, no doubt, believed that she would giv6 up her rich lover for his sake, and abandons father, mother, and home at his -biddings but he little knew the nature of'' the' woman',' who certainly 'would have given' 1 all she possessed in the world if she could have transferred the money bags of Mr Milbanke to this penniless youth,' whose noble beauty of face and grace of figure would haunt her to her dying day. The danger' of the double game 1 she was* playing was patent enough to her; she looked ahead after every cautious or incautious move, but she trusted to the'ehapter of accidents to see her safely 'outj of the,; mesh' in which she had involved *herself. She knew perfectly well that marriage with Rossitur in his present position, or indeed in any position, was absolutely impossible, and that her marriage with Mr Milbanke was an absolute certainty ; to love a poor rrfan and to philander with him was one thing ; to link herself voluntarily to his poverty was another; but as the summer days sped on, and these stolen meetings in the woods were continued, she made much ado to 'pWsuade Rossitur that if he would but be patient all would be well. It would never do for them to run away on the chance of obtaining her father's 1 forgiveness as soon as- she was married. The only way out of the 'difficulty was to temporise. ' - ' ! His proud spirit chafed against 1 the secrecy, but his infatuation, '<■ which | day by day became wilder and less under 'control, forced him to bend to her will. ' His sister Alice, watching him narrowly, saw that since the return of Lady Judith he had some secret spring of happiness to which he gave her no clue. He was in the gayest spirits ; the light had come back to his eyes and the elasticity to his step. He once more took pleasure in his work, and it was at that time that one of the sweetest songs he ever composed was written and sent off to the publisher. Love inspired him, and he wrote as he had never written before. What was the meaning of it all, the sister wondered. He still heard Lady Judith's engagement spoken of in the village ; it was rumoured that Mr Milbanke was expected immediately at the Park, and that as soon as he came the wedding day would be fixed., Alice made up her mind to act the 'spy, and, find out. when' and where her' brother and Lady Judith met, for that they met and. met, often she was certain. ' , - . She noticed that four and sometimes five ; times a week he went out always at the same hour, with a book under his arm, as if fora. quiet saunter in the woods.' She at first thought that Lady Judith would not be rash enough to meet him so near home, but' still it was possible. • So she followed him one afternoon, and was an eye-witness to the meeting between the lovers. It was ardent enough to imply not only devotion, but constancy on both sides, but Alice could riot and would not believe in the lady's sincerity, so she made up her mind, at all hazards, to put an end to this clandestine intercourse.^ Her first attempt was made with her brother. " It is of no use to deny to me- that you meet her," she said, " for I followed you

'yesteraay'to'Warleigfr copse (the sequestered glade in the Stillingfort woodthat the lovers had 'chosen for their tryßtmg place) and saw you together." - .'i /',',<> 1 " I had no idea that I had a spy for a sister,"Rossitur broke in : angrily. " I spy upon' you," she' retorted, "because you are laying up misery for yourself in the future and behaving' dishonourably now. • I suppose you are.fondof tha^ woman, andshe" likes you well enough to meet you in secret, ;„ but mark nty words, she will 1 ' never | marry you, and you' blight to be'too r proud tdlether delude you. into these underhand dealings. If you were'-her !i equal in birth itwould.be different, but your father's son cannot affordto act 1 dishonourably."' ■ v i ' ; ' ' Eossitur .wincedi ' "He.fcad many scruples, about fie,' was carrying on, but he' silenced them all by the plea that he' and Lady Judith'were ! 'driven to • meet in secret, as her father had practically turned him out -of the;house and insulted him byaskingif he had come t for money. But. then the temptation ! He was young,;' he .was'in love, and, willing to fling- everything to the winds for her sake. ' ' ' " 11 Do' you suppose I don't.'know all that ?" he exclaimed, " but a man must fight with the best weapons he has. .Lord, and Lady Stillingfort are bent" upon forcing, their daughter into a marriage she abhors ;' she is obliged to temporise to protect herself, and it .would be' 'hard indeed if ,we w6re never to meet." ' '' , ',' Alice said no more, bub an annoymous communication which reached Lord'Stillingfort the, following day was written by her. It briefly informed his lordship that Lady Judith ' atid Charles Rossitur, the organis'fc, w.ere in the habit of ' meeting almost every day at a certain hour in Warleigh copse, in the heart of Stillingfort wood. "It is a curious .revenge of fate," Loi?d Stillingforth said to himself, as, having ascertained that his daughter was noli in f the house, 1 he" set out for Warleigh copse, to interruptjthe lovers' meeting.' , " When this young fellow was. >an infant, my step-brother carried off his mother from her husband/and' now, the child is a man and he ( makes secret love to my daughter. Were it jnot for the horrible wrong his family had suffered from a member of,' mine, it would ' go hard with him to-day, but, knowing what I .do, how can I accuse him of dishonour 1 " * Disheartened by his sister's reproaches, Rossitur that same afternoon' urged upon Lady Judith the necessity of making it' known without further delay that she did. not mean to fulfil her • engagement with Mr Milbanke. • „ , • " Every day you grow dearer • and more' dear to me, my. darling," he said, ' " and every day I hate more and more the false position I am in." •■ . ■ "Tarn glad you have the grace to acknowledge\thja.t 'the. position' is a false one," said the sharp clear voice of Lord Stillingforl at his elbow (so' absorbed were the lovers in .one another that, he 'had come upon them 'unobserved) arid therefore, the sooner it is « pusan end to finally the better." . Rossitur fell, back, mortified beyond ex,pression, and unable, for very shame, to utter .a word in. his. defence as the angry father drew his daughter's arm within. his own. Then ithe thought that his too brief bjours of happiness were over, and that long months, if not years, of weary waiting might be before him arid the woman who was so 'madly beloved, overcome him, and he eagerly, passionately entreated to be allowed one word" of farewell. • But Lord Sfcillingfort was inexorable. " I cannot trust riiy daughter out of my sight," he said, with a glance at her that said more than, words; but .for some reason | known only to himself he did riot reproach,,the young iriari. l • / ■- > ' , " You mugt not blame her, my lord," Rossitur cried, "lam ; in. fault throughout. I urged her to meet me here secretly. I beseech you do not visit my wrong doing upon her." ' Lord Sfcillingfort, who had turned away, stopped short, and faced Rossitur again. " Judith," he said addressing his 'daughter, "Is what he says true ? Did he ask, you to meet him here 1 " She raised her beautiful eyes to the young man's face ; hesitated for a moment, and then answered boldly, " Yes, papa." ' It was but the corroboration of his own statement, but, somehow, the falsehood that had fallen so glibly from her lips > sent a deadly chill of disappointment through him, and planted the first doubt in his heart. ' Was the woman who uttered it herself true or false? ' (To I/o continued.) ■

The Bulli relief fund will reach about £30,000, it is expected. Victoria has contributed over £5000 already, and her total will . reach £6000. This compares very favourably with Adelaide, where only £525 could begot together. A statement of the claimants on' the fund has been prepared. There are six j widows without children, 31 widows with 120 children, one mother without children, 1 ' four mothers with 14 children, one grandmother, one, father without children, five fathers with 27 children, and one guardian with four children — in all 215 souls. ' „ '