THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 86

THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.

By Babbie the Egyptian

(For the Witness.) . It was only a small cottage, but the teeat, -well-cared-for garden gave a homelike' aspect to the place. -A boy, tall, [and\ sturdy, storid gazing moodily over ; .-"Jus handiwork, 1 From inside the house , 'came a sound of moving feet, and presently j three women filed out "of thie door on to .' the stretch of yellow road which ran ,by, i end" gradually disappeared in the dim distance: Five moments afterwards a girl ' «ame and looked out of the open window. •Her- "eyes rested in- a dazed fashion upon! ithe boy's broad shoulders. Something- of . yearning and indecision was '.revealed in j terrace, but as Alex; 'Ca-ssells turned' and '• came indoors "he- was unconscious of her softened frame of mind. - * *'/ ■ '1-suppose ~w© had betfcer^part here-,'!, he' ctminenced. gRKfeLy"; "but^reniember always" " .ire- part "friends. Ella." " - •/ j "Yes," she answered.' "Had we remained j merely friends this trouble would not have i oomfe'upon us." "You are' right," was the gloomy assent, •Taut we were fools and needed the teachings of experience." Then they turned and faced each other, these two. who were man and wife. In )Bach of their hearts pain tras throbbing fiercely. An impulse to clasp her to himself and -forbid her to -go came to the - boy,' and., almost, overpowered his previous resolutions ; but he. cast it from him immediately. Had not reconciliation always teen followed by disagreement in the past? Setter far to make "the break now than .to condemn themselves to a life of discord.

"Are you sure that you do not wish to try, ior a divorce?" he asked hoarsely, for his wife was silent, and isbmething. in her silence pulled fiercely" at his "wise resolutions. "I should not defend myself, acd you would then, have liberty" to marry ngain." " - " f' v " - - " She laughed harshly, this girl- of- 19, to whom, matrimony had meant such mixed blisa. "Tnank you," she answered^quickly; "but I prefer, to live my life alone, unless (with a change of "thoughty you wish-your freedom." . " ' -'■_>-'

Axi oath burst from Casselis'. At that. moment'- -the suggestipnrangered him m-^ tensely/- * '-'-'". . _ . • "I have no "wish to experiment, again/'. he stated, in a . quieter voice, after an instants. oppressive, silence i.."but be Happy;" Ella. - You cany with you my goodwill—Bnd . esteem." ". He added the „ last word, hesitatingly but sincerely.' Somehow it touched the- child wife. She took his big hands in hers and pressed a kiss on them, while the bitterness died out' of her face. "Do you still esteem nvi?" she queried quickly, "even after our unbappiness?" "Of course." And then each felt the strain to be too severe. He picked up a bag that lay handy. "Good-bye, Ella. Ba happy in New Zealand^ and put me out of yoar life altogether." Her hand lay passively in his. The pndisciplined child was almost stunned by the- realisation of his departure. Undc cidedly he looked at- the small, desolate figure, his eyes strayed from ,the top of lier head down her wistful "face, and- still further down until they rested on the little hand, a finger of which was adorned, with a plain gold band. At the same iKetant his wife became aware of the ring and sis significance. Passionately she pulled it off and gave it' to him. "Now go, Alex," she cried, with a break in her voice, "and God .help us both." , ' "For the last time," he said tenderly. - "Don't" fret, dear. We cannot live together. , We are, both' too strong-willed and ba"d-tempefed;"' , * „ '' " " Aid be^-spokcTthe truth. The.reason^bf this strange 7 separation was incompatibility ' ftf temperament. . -

. "Good-bye!" Then she submitted to Ms Sembrace and was left alone, while the ttrong,' sturdy figure.- strode, resolutely away — away right out ■ of. .the track of iher life. And the child in whom womanliness liad been born out of bitterness buried her face in her hands and sobbed as though her iieart were broken.

The sun stole into the men's ward of I,he / Invercargill Hospital, and lightly touched the closed eyes of the man who Say in the -end l>sdv He drowsily bruskecl .away an imaginary fly and twisted his fcead slightly, but the persistent, rays .speedily succeeded in their object and thoroughly awakened the sleeper. He yawned and looked curiously down the Yard.

"Ah!" ho murmured with interest after & prolonged inspection of the nurse to -fwhoso ministrations another was subniit--ting. - "Tbore have been changes. This Is another nurg.e, and a very pietty one." Having aired his opinions h© lazily patched the nurse's progress through the •iward. At last it was his turn, and no liad opportunity to study more closely the Jobject of his interest. In truth slio was .a very attractive-looking woman. Of medium height, she carried herself well, .«md the dainty whits cap, perched on top ©f piles of 'brown hair, became h,?r exceedingly. Her well-oat, -intellectual face, -.from which flashed brilliant brown oyes, •completed the .pretty picture- and " entirely captivated her last change Nurse ' Graham attended to her duties :*nd moved away, serenely unconscious of .the feelings which she had excited. "By Jove," Everett mattered sincerely, r *yon. is a lovefo' woman However came

she to be a nurse. Probably she is

! single, and yet she must be about 30. "' ! He closed his eyes and' meditatively : mused ooiicerrdng the new nurse. Not for 10 years had his thoughts wandered to persistently to any woman, and then the one of whom he had regretfully thought had been an immature girl. For a month he had been in the hospital, being treated for a severe sprain. During this time h.9 frequently had been reminded of the little Australian girl. Perhaps the fact of his dependence upon womankind had awakened recollections of her tender care during the first few months of their married life. Whatever was the reason to? had wondejed more concerning her since his arrival ! at the hospital than he had done- in the j previous 10 years of separation. ' From the* graceful nurse his thoughts wandered to the desolate figure in the little cottage. He sighed. What a thoughtless brute lie had been to trammel her, with the marriage vow, and then to let her go bearing the yoke, but know-ing-nothing of the swoet fellowship. He was sorry for her — indeed, he always had been 5., and as" he" thought of * the nurse he heaved a faint sigh for himself. Each had made a mistake,- and each was suffering the coDsequener. ' She was . somewhere in New Zealand, -he believed, and he in the hos-pita-l/^a prisoner to, idleness and pain. c Again- a sigh" of self-pity stole into the .air. ,- After all; ;he was suffering quite as n\uch. as > she "could be, for added to tho unsaiisfactoriness of having a wife somewhere in 1 the Avorld, but where he knew not, was a_ feeling of remorse. He it was who had pleaded, for an early marriago-, and his year's seniority ought to have given him greater patience with her undisciplined nature. Above all, they had loved each- other, and she had absolutely trusted him. __ Fool, fool that he had been to allow his pig-Jieadcdr*?ss and bad temper to overmaster his better self.

Presently Everett was wakened out of his reverie by the doctor's visit. The professional examination over, Dr Hastings smiled. "In a week's time you'll be yourself again," he announced, with, satisfaction, for the case had taxed his i-esourc.es and caused him anxiety. "Indeed," absently; then suddenly, "What "is the new nurse's name?" . 'A broader smile took the place of satisfaction on the doctor's face. "You are i not the only victim," he chuckled amusedly. i "Every man in this ward has asked that question. "

.Everett scowled. Jesting did not suit hid .mood. "She certainly is an acquisition I to this hospital," he remarked crossly. \ At which' remark the doctor laughed good : liuniouredly.' ' ''!Well," , he' stated, J '"she' is-'Nurse Graham, . and hails from the Dunedin Hospital. ".. scanty 'information Everett. was' -forced do "be content ; but later on in the mprningj as he lounged about the ward -and on the, verandah, he> found opportunity to engage the ' nurse, in conversation.;'He was well read, and a good , talker..; This morning he exerted himself j L* c Xecure r interest, and succeeded in no "smalL measure, for when Nurse Graham ' went off duty she wore a troubled face. Finding - herself alone for a few minutes she took out an old photogaph and looked queeriy at it. ; "Odd," she murmured; "but that man reminds me of Alex."

; You are going away from Invercargill to-morrow," Nurse Graham repeated quickly. "Probably I shall follow you in a few weeks at the most, as I am tfnly down here until the matron finds someone to take Nurse Harvey's place. You know she left in a hurry to be married."

"I Lope that she -will enjoy the state of matrimony and exercise more wisdom in it than I did," the man answered, almost savagely. He had been out of the hospital for a fortnight, and was now on a vist presumable to the other patients, although Nurse Graham received an undue amount of attention.

At this unexpected statement she started, and a vivid flush dyed her face. However, .her answer was delayed, for at ihiß juncture an imperative call came from the other side' of' the room, and the nurse ..obeyed .quickly. - Meanwhile Everett stood .waiting hei; return in vexed silence. From •the nearest bed chirped a boyish voice. •"Say, Mr" Everett, yon look bad enough for gout. What makes you so cross?" The gloom lifted from the man's face, and he smiled as most people did when addressed by "cheerful Dick," for so the ward called the bold speaker. "What is gout, anyway?" Everett asked, evasively. "I have often heard it mentioned, but never has it been defined in my hearing." The wan, lined face among the pillows looked serious, but, after an almost imperceptible pause, the answer came : "Well," drawled Dick, whimsically, "it's what rich old gentlemen have, and when they have it it is dangerous for intending sons-in-law to a6k for a benediction."

Everett laughed outright, and as Nuwjo Graham came back propounded the problem to her.

"Gout is a swelling in the big toe, which is very painful, and sometimes extends over the whole foot — at least, I think so ; but, really, I have not had experience in that department," she answered in some bewilderment, which disappeared when the questioner explained that it was some of Dick's nonsense. But the opportunity was gone. Everett no longer felt inclined to give the nurse his confidence, and she was startled out of her wonted calm.

"I must go now," the visitor said, after a strained silence. "But I would like to see you to-night. Will you come out with me this- evening for a little while?" "Yes," she answered with dry lips, and he went away. A© she watched his receding form she saw-a long stretch of dusty road, along which a boy strode rapidly. A mist came over her eyes. God, what a long while ago that was, and now, perhaps, recompense was at hand.

As soon as shs was off duty she donned her cloak and hurried oul of the hospital

gates. Everett met her and drew her arm within his.

"Let us walk through the Avenue,"' hisuggested in a low tone. "I wish to tell you my life story and to ask your advice." Presently they reached a fallen tree. Upon this the man placed the girl and sat down beside her.

"You are tired after your long day," he asserted, "and I was selfish to Lring you here ; only, nurse, I wish jou to know everything, and perhaps, although I'm afraid not, you may be able to help me."' Nurse Graham nodded ; speech seemed impossible. "Years ago," commenced the man in a dreamy tone — "ten years ago, — I left my wife in a little Australian village, Sale by name. We had only been married a year, but we found the intimate life unsupportable."

"Why?" asked his companion in a voice that trembled with eagerness. "Was she unworthy?"

"No, no," he answered, quickly ; "'she was- a gocd little girl, but only a child in character, unformed and fiery, and I" (here his voice became remorseful) "failed her, and consented to separation when she proposed' it. Then I though it best for us both, bufc life and experience have taught me the- folly of our action. She is forever bound as I am. Into her heart may come a forbidden attachment, as has been my fate." Do you understand?"

The cloaketl figure trembled from -head to foot. After 10 weary years ! She did not reply to the low-toned question, and the silence appalled Everett. Perhaps she had misunderstood him.

"I do nob wish you to misjudge me/ he continued. "Why I have told you all this I scarcely know, perhaps because I love you, perhaps because I feel overborne by the vagueness of my affairs. Anyway, I want from you only that help which your womanly heart prompts you to give me."

"Have you not heard from your wife?" she asked, quietly. "Has she let the years go by without communicating with you?" "Necessarily so," answering the second question. "She is as unaware of my address as I am of hers. I changed my name. Poor little Ella, I hope the years have used her kindly, and I wish to God that I had been better to her ; but I was only a selfish boy, pigheaded, and fiery tempered." "Did you — do you love her?"

The man moaned. "I loved her as a boy, and even now" (in perplexed tones) "I am drawn toward her. But I love you ; forgive me if I offend you ; I know it is against honour to speak thus, but, oddly .enough, I do not feel guilty. .'Somehow Ella's personality seems lost in yours. Of course," very shamefacedly, "you think I am talking nonsense, and the matter very probably is turning my brain. Are you able to help me?" "Listen, first of all, to my story," said £he woman gravely. "Years ago I also was married. In" those days I was a wayward, "undeveloped child, such as you have described Ella to me, and my husband, like you, failed in patience. We parted even as you did ; but as I watched him walk away from me I vowed that I would never love again. In that hour I became a woman, and had he but come back to tne then, I would have made up to him for all his weariness and pain. That was 10 long years ago."

Everett rose. "Good gracious!" he exclaimed. "You^are Ella!"

What happened immediately after that neither could ever remember. "Only," Ella always affirmed, "it felt like heaven."

Presently, when commonsense and consciousness had returned, the man drew a ring from an inner pocket. "Let me put it back, Ella," he pleaded. "I never could find it in my heart to get rid of it, although when I looked at it your cry, 'God help us both,' sounded in my ears, and made me feel a brute*'"

"Never mind," consolingly ; "it ha 6 all come right, and in the days to come, God helping us, we'll help each other."

They were back on the log now, -and the nurse's head rested contentedly "where it belonged," to quote her husband. Presently she moved it a little, and looked into his eyes. ,"You will not go away to-morrow," she asserted, happily. "Of course not, unless you corns with me. When I go you come with me, dear little wife, and the sooner we commence our honeymoon the better."

"All right, Ales, boy; I'll tell the matron to-night."