Chapter VII.

Otago Witness, Issue 2130, 20 December 1894, Page 9

Chapter VII.

Return of the Prince.

It is just a week since Jess's hurried flight ; the day a typical midwinter day In the Lake district; the ground frozftn hard by a frost of several weeks' duration, and stile covered with snow in the shade of the housee and under the trees, but a brilliant sun was shining overhead, which with the pure, freah, life-giving air was as exhilarating as champagne. Presently a buggy drove up to the door of Duncan M'Lean's house, and Percy Hawkston, springing down, hastened into the kitchen, where both the farmer and his son wore seated.

" How d'ye do, Mr M'Lean ? " he cried, holding out his hand. " I told you it waa possible that we should meet again soon." Old Dancan stared at his visitor, but young Will sprang up from his seat, his brows black as thunder.

"How dare you come here, you blackguard ? What have you done with Jess ? " Hawkston gaz9d with astonishment from one to the other.

" What Is the meaning of this, M'Lean ? " he said to the elder man. " What does he mean about Jess 1 I have just returned from a hurried visit to England on purpose to make her my wife."

I " Your wife ! " gaaped the old man. ! •• Yes, my wife. We had arranged it all before I left, but I asked her not to toll any* one until I returned. I did not then think a journey to England would be necessary." " Aye, lad," said the old man, turning t* his son, " I ken it a' noo. We wranged her, lad, and oor suspicions drove her from us."

" Jess 1 Where is she 1 " oried Hawkston once more. " Has she left you 1 Where ia she 7 "

" Yes, she has left us," shouted Will, still mad with rage. " She left us when we found her out, and has gone to bide her shame elsewhere."

" What is that you say?" oried Hawkston, starting forwmrd with upraised fist. "Da you dare to Bpeak bo of my intended wife I— the f nture Lady Hawkston ? "

" Eh, mon I Lady Hawketon ! Jess Lady Hawkaton I "

" Yes, Mr M'Lean, I am Lord Hawkston, of Oakhuret, and my wife will be Lady Hawkston," replied Peroy, already quieting down. " And now perhaps you will tell me what has taken place since I last saw you."

" I will tell you," said Will ; and hastily he related all that had taken place, touching lightly upon the suspicions of his father and himself, but concluding with the faot that Je»s had been followed by him to Cromwell, but that no further trace of her oould be found, although he had searohed diligently.

"How long ago did all this happen?" asked Percy.

" Just a week ago," he replied. " I only returned from Cromwell the day before yesterday."

1 " Well, good-bye, Mr M'Lean. Yon meant well, I have no doubt, but you did not understand her sensitive soul. I shall at once go on to Cromwell, and take up the trail, and, please God, I may find her safe and well." - Twenty- four hours later Peroy Hawkston climbed down from the box seat of the Law* rence mail In Cromwell, and began his inquiries. Jean had been seen by many when she arrived, and she had dined at the hotel, but from that moment all trace of her seemed loflt. No one had seen her go, and as a last resource he determined to appeal for aid to the police — represented in Cromwell by Servant Mulligan.

When be arrived at the camp he found the sergeant just coming from his stable, whtre he had been grooming bis herae. He was clothed in cord breeches and boots, but with his braces hanging loose and his shirt sloeves rolled up, his uniform cap on his head.

"Sergeant Mulligan?" queried Hawh> ston.

"At your service, sorr," replied the sergcaat. "lam in great distress, sergeant. I have been searching for a young lady, MUs Jess Desmond, who formerly lived with Mr Dun* can M'Lean. Did you know her 1 "

" Did I kuow M'Lean's Jess, is it ? Sure, of course, I knew her 1 And if I may be so bould, aorr, may I ask what so young a gentleman as yourself may be wantiag with Miss Jess 1 "

For a moment Lord Hawkston felt inclined to tell him to mind his own business, bat repressing his annoyance, he replied! " Well, I don't mind telling you, sergeant, that I am Lord HawkstoD, and Miss Desmond (laying btresn on the names) has promised to be Lady Hawkston."

11 Indade, thin, sorr — that is, my lord "—answered the sergeant, pulling off his cap in honour of a real live lord, and with a twinkle in his eye, " I don't mind saying that perhaps I can put you in the way of finding her." Indeed, sergeant 1" returned Peroy eagerly; " where is she ? Pray relieve my mind ; I will handsomely reward anyone that assist* to find her."

" Never mind the reward, my lord. Now that I know you do not Intend any Injury to the girl, I am only too happy to help you to find her) again. Do you see that range of hilltt 1 " pointing to them as he spoke. " They are some 15 miles away, and just beyant is a rate little farm kept by my friend Morlarty, Well, I did hear tell," he added with a wink, " that Mrs Morlarty one day last week picked out of a snow drift a girl who called herself Jess."

" How is it you did not tell young M'Lean. when he was here searching for her ? " " Well, sorr — my lord, I mean — I did not then know, but even if he asked me now I would not tell him, for I did hear," he; added thoughtfully, rubbing his band over a stubbly obiu, "that the girl particularly asked my friend not to let out to anyone where she was ; and yet herfc I have gone and told you all about her 1 "

With the aid of the good-hearted sergeant Lord Hawkston soon found himself in a buggy with a good horse before him on bis way towards the gap in the mountains whicb formed the pass to the flat beyond. The weather had now changed, a dull sombre look was over all, while heavy leaden clouds) gathered overhead and portended a fall o£ snow. Ha wkston and the driver, Tim Delaney, were, in spite of thick coats and wraps, perished with cold from the ioy blasts which came down from the snow-clad mountains before them. For some distance the roaa was fairly good and the horse went at a fasfc trot, then they had to turn off into a side track seldom vied, and the pace became very slow, until it fell into a walk when theY reached the foot of the steep hill that leg to the mountain pass. The threatening clouds now let fall a few large flakes of snow; which increased until, as they entered the pass, they were met with an icy blast acoom* panied by such a blinding storm of snow that they could only see a few yards before them, "We must push on Borr," said Tim, "o$ we will get snowed-up here, and we must stick close to the wall, for, by the powers! there is a fall beyant there right down to the river below 1 " Fortunatelythe pass was not a long on& and they came out at length on a small flar.

tvhicb, thongh oovercd with enow, yet From tbe black posts an 3 rails was, it could be seen, colrivattt-J land. " Hwre we aw, sorr," said Tim ; " that a Morißttj'o farm," polulir>g as he tjpoke to a tmull bat vc'7 nnet. # -t little hooae new almost covered with mow ; and tW a* Hawtetton got down to opeo the gate for the bng^y and said he would walk up to the house, he adde<l, "It is no gnod going to the front door, eorr ; yo'd better go rGund to the b'ick, where ye'il find Mrs Moriariy somewhere about,"

Followii g these directions, he soon found binsself at the back door, where stood a Btout, cheery-looking woman sweeping awhy the rawly-fallen wiow. "Mrs Morlsny," o:iid HawkstOD, doffing bis cap. " I have juet driven 5n from CromWell."

"Lost your way, yourg man, I reckon," she replied. " I expect you are a tourist, as they call them— not that many ever find their way up here; — but you nre welcome to your bite and sup, aoyhow. Pretty wet and cold I expec* . Here, Moriarty 1 " she addedj raising htr voice, " bring the whisky aud a glass here sharp I " 11 Tba&k y ju," returned Hawk6ton, smiling. 11 111 not say no to that, for I am both wet and cod; bu:, I have come in to see you, Mrs Mori?ny." "To see me ! H.ly mother, think of that now 1 And what do you waut with me 1 I don't remember ever seeing you before."

" N-j 1 you never saw me before, but Sergeani. Mulligan told me that you could give me s^me information of a young lady named Jess Desmond."

In -a. moment the bright look in Mre Moriaity's f*ce changed to a dark and threatening one. " And what may be your business with her, If I may be bold enough to aek?" she queried. " For God's Bake don't hide her from me 1 I have searched everywhere for her. She is my promised wife," replied Hawkston. " Is your name Percy, young man 7 " "Yes, it is. My name is Percy Hawkston."

11 Then I have a mind to drive you from my door," uhe answered angrily. " Itisyou.theß, that deceived her and left her and brought her to death's door 1 Holy mother I bow one gets taken in by these eoft-spoken fellows ! I should have thought you true as BteeJ, judging from yonr face." " Indeed, then, lam true. But where Is Jess 1 Is she ill ? "

"Well, thtn, come with me," said the kind-hearted woman. "11l trust you— anyhow she has done nothing but cry out for you. I found her near stsotfaered in a snow wroath ard brought her in here. She has been ill e^er sinee — now and again off her head, and then it was nohit-g but Percy, Percy, my prince, where are yon '/ Why don't you come to me 1 And so on ; but when she got her senses not a word does she say of you. Ah, I am afrAid you are a bad lot I But come now."

Mutteriog his thanks, Percy followed her to the door of a siua'l room. "Stay here a minute," abo vrhi*per«d, and went in. Preseatly he heard a. faint, weak voice cry, ••Here? Percy here? Oh, no, it om'c be true! " and, waiting no longer, he burst into the room and threw himself dowa on Mb knees by the oeci ou which lay Jeep, but a shadow of her old self.

Little moiO newi be said. Percy's presence acted hka a tonic, and Percy's purse procured doctors nnd nurseis. After a few short weoku a quiet, vredding took place in Mrs Moriarty's little parlour, and the happy onple departed upon a long honeymoon tour through America aud Canada on their way to England. To this day tbe memory of the generous English lord and tbe story ot his wooing and weddiDg dwells with all with whom be was brought into contact in the Likes district.