Chapter XXXVII. The Bad.

Otago Witness, Issue 2203, 21 May 1896, Page 41

Chapter XXXVII. The Bad.

In Melbourne the episode of the millionaire digger and his splendid fete was long talked of and remembered, and the girls teased Ella Mason about the mysterious disappearance of her supposed suitor ; but she took their jokes in good part, for not having cared in the least for Oonrad Hard castle she was rather glad than otherwise to be released

from his attentions, especially as Af£ Lovegrove soon declared himself, and was gladly accepted. Not so Mra Mason, who, to the last day of her life maintained that Ella might hava been the richest woman in Melbourne if sbo had known how to play her cards woll, and had not been such a little fool as to snub the most desirable parti that had ever appeared thero. The true story of Hardoastle'a death was known to very few except Stubbs and Grlmehaw, who for Solatia's sake suppressed all the more painful details, making it appear as if he had fallen over the cliff by acoident. And the miners, touched by her wonderful self-devotion, joined in the pious fraud, and" gave decent burial' to tbe man, whose bones according to their rough ideas of justice— bhould have beea left to swing on the highest branch of the old wattle as a warning to other malefactors, Robert took Eulalie baok to Melbourne, to the tender ministrations of her child and of Mrs and Miss Rainbird, and there he left her for a time that she might be "healed of her grievous wound." . As her friend, and by her permission, however, he arranged all business details, and with some difficulty and : after much delay he succeeded In establishing •• her claim to Hall's, property : to suoh of the diamonds as had been set in ring* and studs — '■. the remainder of the stones had disappeared j to a large balance at tbe bankers and in the ' bands of the lawyers, and to a share of the : Government reward for. the discovery of a new goldfield, which latter was claimed by Stubbs, and by him divided into three parts, one being given to the relatives of poor Jakes, whom he had great difficulty in find- 1 ing, and another handed over to Eulalie. Grimshaw objeotad to receive tbi». saying what was perfectly true, that Hardoastle had not deserved it, to which Hiram replied, with hie enigmatical smile: "Of course not, but his account is closed, and if I choose to hand it over to her tbaf a my look-out. You mind your own business, young man, and don't poke your nose where ' you are not wanted. I'd give her the lot, • but I gaees she's got more than enough, and - perhaps she would not take it." " No, I'm sure she would not." I " Ab, well," said the Yankee, with a por- ' \ tentous sigh. " I wi*h she would, for I think she's the best, as well ac the prettiest ' girl I ever saw, arid I'd like togive her something to remember mo by. Say, young man, do you think she'd mind giving me a shake of the hand before she quits these parts ? Seems as if I'd feel a better man ever after ; and perhaps she wouldn't mind saying she forgives me. I won't never forgot her face as she stood under that wattle ready to give her life for t!iat scoundrel. I—lI — I mean ' Hall. Perhaps she wouldn't like me to curse bim, but he deserves it all Ehe same I" After some months the business waa ■ finished, and when Eulalie learned what - Robert had done, and the larga sums he had ■ received in her name, she asked him only ' one question : " Is it enough ? " I And bo, knowing well what she meant, : answered at once : j " Yes, I think so, more than enough. ' Enough to pay all the creditors Id full and ' still leave you a small competency." "I won't take it. I shall work for my living; it is the best and noblest life. X have found something that I oan do. That great florist in Bourke street would like to engage me permanently to look aftor tha decorative part of his business. It would ■ please mo very well. lam fond of that kind of work, and ' he will give me a handsome ' salary!" "And you do not thick of returning home ? " " No, it is hard for a woman to earn her living in England, and I am not clever. I can do so few thinga." "But some of this money is honestly ! yours. I can understand that you wish to discharge Mr Hardcastle's liabilities so far ' as money goes, but when everything is paid 1 there will still be a surplus." j " I cannot touch it. To me the money Is ; 1 stained with blood." " And Rita t " "Rita is mine; she shall not touch It." Robert looked at her doubtfully. Since Hardcastle's death a strange cloud and shadow had fallen between them. He could ' I not understand it ; he could not fight against ' ! it. It baffled him. Sometimes he thought'ihe must be grieving after Hardoastlo ; ■ and ' although this was monstrous, how else could ho account 'for her obvious shrinking from' him, or attribute It to anything else bat- the fact that he had offended her past forgiveness in the part he had taken in bringing ; about Hardcastla'e death. And yet his oath, ' bis sense of duty, had alike constrained him. He could not have done otherwise and retained the approval of his own conscience. | He had thought that she would understand this, but apparently it was not so. What could he say or do to regain har friendship, that inestimable gift which hud been his so - long, and the loss of which grieved him go much. It is true she allowed him to act for : nor, but that eras because there was no one ' ehe. She had not asked for bis services ; ihs had merely accepted them. Oaoe he bad thought that he understood her better than she understood herself. Now her manner completely baffled and confused bim. She was dressed in black, but not in weeds. To have worn them would have been indeed a mockery. The Conrad Hardcastle she had loved and believed in, had gone down in the - Dunbar five years before. The Charles Hall ' who lay in the little dusty cemetery at Dead Man's Flat, the robbar, traitor, and murderer, ' who had only eßoaped by suicide from' a murderer's death, was not, could not be, anything to her. Thank heaven he was deadshe was at last free. from the chain which bound her to that mass of corruption ; for - that, at least, Robert was thankful, though, apparently she was not. He could not understand * it ; she had ' turned from him, and was occupying herself, with the contents of her workbasket, apparently indifferent as to whether he went or stayed. He took a step towards the door, hesitated: and came' back. " Where is Eita ? " he asked. " She has gone for a walk with Miss Rainbird," she answered. " Oh, here she is," 'a* the gay young voice sounded without, cam ing "Mam*, mama I"

Bita burst into tbe little room like a small thunder-clap, aed saw Grimshaw. With a cry of delight she flung herself into bis arms. " Papa, papa Robert, I am so glad you've Come at last." The blooß tugged to the roofs of the young man's hair. 'His bine eyes glowed. He trembled in every limb. Who had taught the child to call him that 7 He caressed her, filling her hands with toys, but all the time he was watching Ealalie, who appeared entirely ecgro'pßed with her workbasket, the contents of which were becoming every moment more and more entangled. Echel Rain bird put her head in at the door, and as quickly retreated. "Rita," she cried, " come here a moment ; I have Bbmething to show you." " No, no; I shall stay with papa. Susy said I hadn't a papa, but I have— a nice, nice papa— bettor than hers." "Oome here; I want you very particularly." Robert put her off hi* knee\ whispering: "Go, darling, and sea what Miss Rainbird wants. Yon shall come back in a minute." "And you won't go'away again ! " " No,' I won't go away." Very reluctantly the little maid departed, throwing fond backward glances at the two whom she so dearly loved. Bobert rose to bis feefc; all bis courage had returned. • " Let me straighten that basket," he said. "See, you are making it worse every moment." She dropped the reels and turned towards timHe caught bolb her bands. •• Eulalie," he said, " aro you angry with we?" II No, no." " Do you forgive me ? * 11 1 have nothing to forgive." " Did you hear what RUa saf d just now 7 " No answer. : „ " Who taught her to say that 1 " ." I— l— don't know. Perhaps Ethel." , " Ethel is a wise woman. She sees what Is best for us all. Moreover, she knows that one should always teli the truth. Is it not Bol" No answer. "Eulalie, I love the little maid and she loves me ; for her aake say yes." " Not for her sake, but for my own, for I too love you." [The End.) ,