[Sixth Prize.] HELEN'S PERIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2387, 30 November 1899, Page 43 (Supplement)

[Sixth Prize.] HELEN'S PERIL.

BY MARK GILFORD.

(Otcujp Imily Times Ji: Witness Christmas Annual 18U9 Prize Tale Competition.) WO girls were standing in a bay window of a rambling farm house, which faced the West Coast. A wide lawn reached down to a pretty brook running between two rows of weeping willows ; the water from the mountain stream was dammed back to swell into a charming little lake that supplied the power for cutting chaff on the farm in winter. Between the willows, as the wind tossed the long cascades of green skyward, a glimpse could be caught of the Waimakariri rushing on to water the fruitful Canterbury Plains. Neither girls were occupied in observing the Bejuity of the view ; therefore the tints of foliage and gorgeous colouring of a sky painted by the setting sun glowed and faded unheeded by them. Deep emotion evidently swayed 1 heir minds, and each betrayed it according to her nature. Nancy Raynor's sweet face was pale, and her lips, out of which the red had flown,

were set. in a line of stern resolve. In her dark b""vn eves was a startled expression quite unusual to them.

Helen, the young mistress of Hill Farm, and Nancy's sister-in-law, leant against the window-fr.-ime. The colour was fading and returning in richer tones to her cheeks, and tears — she would fain have restrained them — were falling in heavy splashes on her blue dress, which under the rounded chin rose and fell rnpidly. Helen was a type of dark loveliness, possessing an emotional nature. Such a nature, alts ! is often a source of danger to its nwner unless it is accompanied by great vital force and strength of will. With a «udden dramsitic gesture, she turned to Nancy.

" T cannot help myself," she cried ; " the tide is too strong for me — even against my will lam swept away. lam sorry that you heard those words, Nancy. Is it my fault that I have discovered I love one man, while I am tied by the hard rules of conventional life to another? "

" Helen ! " replied Nancy, looking at her long and earnestly, " you are self -deceived I know you have no love tor Gilbert West ; call the sentiment by another name. He has used every art in his power to attract you, yet he will fail to achieve his desire, for soon you will recoil in horror from the danger before you."

"I will never wait until Jack returns from England," exclaimed Helen. " I know you think that I will wreck my life ; but if I perish, I perish." " Do not echo Esther's cry," said Nancy, softly. "Remember, Nellie, that it was

not the love of self which caused her to put her life into the balance against Hainan's power. Esther's actions sprang from a clear conception of her duty and a deep, undying love for her race. Only through the power of the highest love was her spirit strengthened to face her dreaded King." " Nancy," cried Helen, " you do not understand me. How can you, for you are as cold as the Southern Alps." Nancy paused before replying, and drawing nearer to her said : " Nellie, I understand your better self. Although nry brother is far away, I am sure you will not fail him ; and " — a very tender tone was added to Nancy's sweet voice — "do you wish a shadow to lie across every path m the future for Bobbs and Dot, because their mother forgot her motherhood?" At the last words Helen shuddered. Her thoughts travelled to the little room where two curly heads were resting upon the pillows, sleeping a dreamless sleep. Again she hears Dot in the orchard saying to Bobbs, "We love mudder lots, don't we, Bobbs?" Then Bobbs's sturdy reply, " Rather, and mother will love us all the time, right up to Heaven." Nancy leant towards her and whispered, "Helen, I will never fail you. Listen. Faith and love will save you."

The last rosy tint died out in the evening sky, and the light faded from the room. The silence was not again broken save by the gay whistling of the returning milkman, who was far from dreaming that a shadow was resting on the home of his absent master.

Nancy went up the gully the next afternoon. Half-way up she paused and drew a deep breath. For days the atmosphere at the farmhouse had seemed thick to Nancy because she felt Gilbert West's mental force permeating the house — there, nearer to Heaven, she felt free.

Gilbert West had arrived at Hill Farm with a letter of introduction to its owner, who was absent on business in England. Nancy's aunt had extended a warm welcome to him, for, in her younger days, she had sat in a square pew and listened — between her consideration for the latest sweet thing in bonnets — to the voice of his grandfather, giving wise directions to his flock to guide them to the golden path. He had only been six weeks at Hill Farm, but during that time had succeeded in winning afl hearts but Nancy's. He charmed her aunt by his humourous tales, given in the dialect of her county, and his bright description of her birthplace, caused her to live over again her early triumphs, when, as belle of the room, she led off in the country dances. In the evening he would give them recitations with a musical accompaniment ; and for Helen he played Chopin's most passionate nocturnes and valses, played them with a depth of passion and tenderness which thrilled her. The spell which he had cast around her came from the soul of the departed composer. Her emotional nature Was swayed and stirred by it, like leaveß by a breeze. .

It was only yesterday — it seemed an age ago to Nancy — that in passing through the orchard she heard him proclaiming in passionate language to Helen his love for her.

Nancy's thoughts went out to her distant brother, for she realised the pain that would come to his life if the wife whom he idolised should prove false. But gradually her thoughts were drawn back to the scene around her. Summer had advanced on her bright path, therefore many bush flowers had ceased to bloom ; still the gully was lovely, and each side of the hills was covered with golden broom. To Nancy, as she gazed on the yellow colour, which, in the distance, was lost in the sunlight, it seemed one golden glory — a fit entrance into Heaven's gates.

Nancy dropped among the tussocks ; never for any length of time had she lost sight of them. She loved to see them waving on the plains ; she loved them on the hillside, and now she rested her head against one, and felt as though she was leaning on an old friend.

Nancy listened to the music of the water flowing down the gully, hurrying by leaps, rushring over the mossy rocks to find its level on the plain below. Great trees stretched their long limbs over the stream. Ferns were drooping in every siudy nook. The note of the quail came from the opposite hillside, and near by the mocky-mock, in sweet, rich notes, was singing to its mate, while twit-ter-twitters sounded from countless smaller things of the feathered tribe. How Nancy loved it all. She listened to the life beating near her and watched the colour glow and fade and live again. Then sHe felt the life force pouring new strength within her. and knew that the Supreme Spirit was jpeaking words of comfort and wisdom to Tier soul.

A careful mother and her pretty lamb were stepping daintily towards the crossing over which flowed the Gully Stream. The mother sheep bent her head to drink, but suddenly started and listened. Then she imparted her fears to her lamb, and both sprang up the hillside, passing from rock to rock, until satisfied that they had reached a place of safety. Nancy also sprang up, knowing that somebody had disturbed the peace of her paradise, and as she turned her head to look down the track she faced Gilbert West.

He gave her a bright greeting, to which Nancy returned a cold, though courteous, reply. Nancy shrank irom being compelled to sustain a conversation with him on her return walk to Hill Farm.

"Miss Nancy," he exclaimed, "I have been in despair this afternoon. Mrs Raynor has deserted us and taken Bobbs and Dot over the river to see Her friends ; therefore, I came in search of the sunlight of Hill Farm."

" You have so many resources, Mr West," said Nancy, "that an afternoon, even if spent alone, should pass pleasantly." "Well, may I confess to you that I do not care for my own company, and until I came to Hill Farm I found life in the colonies very slow."

" Yes, perhaps you would," said Nancy, quietly ; "of course, so much depends on one's mental condition. Siddartha-Buddha says: — Within yourselves deliverance must be sought : Each man his prison makes. If you have not found your freedom in the colonies, I should advise you to return to London, where, possibly, you built your prison." "On my honour," cried Gilbert West.. and he cast a quick, penetrating look at his companion, " that is too cruel, Miss Nancy. I did not think you were tired of me at Hill Farm."

Nancy could not sacrifice truth to politeness, so she returned no answer, and 'an awkward pause followed, which was broken, to her relief, by Jim Board, who overtook them on his way down from the bush. Nancy detained him with a few words of sympathy, for the man had lately lost his wife.

"Yes, the waife be gone, miss," said Jim, who had come from Tauntori, and the Somersetshire dialect still clung to his speech. " Her wud zooner go than stop on most times zuffering. Thanks to thee for thy swate kindness. Her were buried where her wanted to go, right close to the cornfield. The waife be right, Miss Nancy, for noo ghosts coom walking nigh that spot like in the old country." "Yes, Jim," replied Nancy, "it is well with her now, and we should be glad that our lovely country is free from the superstitions which still cling to older lands." Gilbert West gave a cynical laugh, and said, " Jim, my man, I will give you one month to look out for another wife, and I wish you luck." " Harken, lad ! Never talk laike that ; but for Miss Nancy, who wud make a fusb about thee, I wud give thee one minute and chuck thee down the gully, and zarve thee right." Mr Yjfesb glanced at the stalwart figure striding, beside him, and bit his lips — in this case silence was golden — and cursed his own want of tact. Nancy skilfully started another subject, keeping Jim Board still by her side, and in a few minutes they reached Hill Farm.

Helen was dreaming that Bobbs and Dot were in danger, and she was struggling to reach them. What had happened? She was suffocating, and yet was being borne in somebody's strong arms through an intense heat. Then a rush of cold air, and she heard the strong voice of Jim Board reassuring her. A heavy rug enfolded her. and she found, on gazing round, that Gilbert West was beside her. Nancy had hardly recovered her senses, and was wrapped in an ulster. Jim had brought her out first, for the farmhouse was on fire and the flames were rapidly spreading through the dry timbers. Gilbert started as Helen caught his arm in a grasp like a vice. " Bobbs and Dot — save them for me," came from her white lips, while a fearful coldness seemed to be freezing heart and brain. •

" Dearest Helen ! ' She shrank as though she had received a blow. "ft is not possible. The man Board has returned to the house, and he will lose his life," exclaimed Gilbert West, and at the same time he placed his arm firmly round her. Helen struggled to free herself in her frantic desire to reach her children. The motherlove was killing her. Then, with a bound, her spirit- reached out toward her heart's true mate.

"Jack, Jack," she cried, "save them.

"Be quiet, dear, and trust me," said Nancy, and her eyes looked for one moment into Helen's. " I will bring them ,to you, " and she sped to the burning house. Ah! the depth of pain, the flood of thought that surged through Helen's brain, so intense that it reached the man, and he drew back from her.

"Mrs Raynor," he said, "'your sister-in-law has gone to her death." " Nancy is my husband's sister ; therefore, she is not a coward."

"Am I to understand," he exclaimed, "that "

"You are to understand," interrupted Helen, " that I never wish to see your face again." And he turned and left her.

Christmas Eve. Again the sun was setting, and again Helen in her bright young beauty was standing in the bay window of Hill Farm House — a pleasant, modern building erected on the site of the old place. ,

Peal after peal of laughtea came from the orchard. The gate was flung open, and Dot danced before her father, who came through carrying Bobbs high on his shoulder. They pass the window and a glance of love, linked with eternity, was exchanged between husband and wife.

" Nancy," cried Helen, " God, through you, gave me back the joy of life," and then her eyes filled with tears. Nancy understood her, and, leaning forward, their lips met. "It was a dream, dear," said Nancy. 41 This is the reality — the good abides."