WON NEATH THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2782, 10 July 1907, Page 84

WON NEATH THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

By Tee Gbucophohz. "Only promise to wait, darling, until I Teturn from Australia; it will not take long out there to make a fortune, and then I wi'l come back -and claim you for my own. Do promise, my darling? Do say 'Yes.'" The speaker, Arthur Mansfield, was pleading with prettj Nelly Darnley, daughter of the squire of the village of Burton. News of the wonderful discoveries of gold in *he colonies had Teached this village, and Arthur was determined to go oat and seek his fortune on the goldfields rather than be a. dependant on' his father. Before leaving he wished to have her assurance that she would remain true to him. They had long been lovers, but on account of his circumstances h* had not asked the squire for his daughter's hand. The newly-discovered goldfields had seemed a w«y to make * fortune andl bring him nearer his bride. He was leaving England for them on the morrow, and on this, hie latt sight in, hit native iovm* h« was taking

leave of his loved one, and begging her to H tell him that, come what might, she would be true to him. "What is your answfir, my darling?" he ask«d. 'Go, Arthur," she said, "and my love go with you. Do not be long away, dearest one. I promise to be true to you until your return." "God bless yon!" he said, and with one last fond embrace he departed. There was at least one person who secretly rejoiced at his departure, and that was Fred Archer. He had also loved Nelly Darnley, but while Arthur was present he had not dared to declare his love. Now, however, he was | determined to push his suit, and Accordingly called on her a few days after. She did not care for him, as he was of a morose disposition, entirely different from Arthur's sunny, open ways. Her woman's instinct told her what was coming, so she determined to give him a refusal that would do one© for all. "Miss Darnley," he began, "I have called on you this afternoon with one express purpose, and that is to declare my love for you. I heve long loved and admired you, but have feared to tell you of _my love. Do not turn away from me. Think what it would mean to you t« be my wife. lam not a poor man. for I have an" income' of £3000 a year, and could, make you comfortable. Do not say_ you^ do not care for me; try to love me a little, and promise to "be my" wife in the neai "I care not for wealth ; I have all I need," she replied. "My love is another b, and I can never b. anything more to you. . "Do not say you can never' be anything dearer to me; do not aay your love is already bestowed," he pleaded. "Is Arthur M«nsfield the happy person, may I ' ask ?" He s*w that this touched- her, «o deter-, rained; to injure his rival's cause if possible. "Do not rely on him," he said; "you will., never Bee him. again. He will meet someone out there whom he loves better, and^ will soon forget you." "Sir," she replied, "do not insult me with your opinion of my choice. My faith is in him, and always will be." "I trust your faith is not misplaced," he said. "I will find means to win you yet." Leaving her, he went to the squire, told him of his love for his daughter, and begged him to assist his cause. This the squire promised to do. After a few months Fred, who was now -a constant visitor at the hall, again pressed Nell foT a favourable answer, but she would not listen to him. Nothing daunted, he conti^ed from time to time to press his suit. Nellie was in the meantime the recipient of many letters from Arthur, who had now been nearly J.B months in the colonies, and had not yet made Mb fortune. She wrote to him regularly, but did not mention Fred. One day the eagerly-looked-for letter did not arrive, and Nellie ] wife at a loss to account for it, as every mail had brought one since his departure. Another mail came, and still no letter. She ! wrote to him again, thinking her letters might have gone astray. She did not know whetlrer to think him -01111116, but,_ Temem- J baring her promise, pontinned writing. As the months went by Fred beoune impatient for an answer, but she hesitated to speak to her father of Arthur, fearing his anger with her for encouraging * man of no means. It was a scorching summer day in Victoria. The «un was shining out from a perfectly cloudless sky, and along the ground could be seen the shimmer of heat. The heat wtas intense. Everywhere' there tranquil calm." not a "bird was stirring, and all things were waiting for the heat of the day to pass. But underground -a digger was steadily pick, picking away, urged on in the search for gold by love. Arthur Mansfield had now been nearly two -years in the colony, and «s yet had ,not made his fortune. Beyond striking a rich patch or two i he was no nearer success. Presently he ceased picking, and sat despondently with his head in his hands, thinking of all that had happened since he 'left the Motherland. He was 00 richer, except by experience; he was.no longer a new chum, and could, wash a dish of dirt with the best of daggers ; but ill-luck seemed to dog his : footsteps, and he" had gene on x , just winning enough of the precious metal to pay hiß way. True, he had had one or two lucky finds, but, comparatively speaking, they were nothing. He bad given up following the rushes, and was now prospecting "out back," miles away from the nearest township. A likely-looking spot lad taken his fancy, so he snnk on it. ,and was now driving through most promising 1 country, expecting to "strike it rich" any day. His provisions would only last another fortnight, ; so he wished to thoroughly test the place before leaving it for a "duffer," if such it -was. Taking up his pick he started to work once more. For a long time the steady stroke was all that broke the silence, and then it suddenly ceased. With an exclamation he dropped the pick, seized the candle, and held it nearer the face. He could scarcely beliere his eight — there in a hollow in the reef lay a. little nest" of nuggets, bright and chining. TTeverishly he dug them out, and laid them side by aide. At a rough guess there was £500 worth, and every indication of the run continuing, as the reef was dipping away. As he expected, the gold continued, and at the end of the' fortnight he had enough to satisfy his most sanguine expectations. Leaving the olaim> one evening he set out for the nearest store and post office. There he found two letters from Nellie, which had followed him from place to place. One, v later date, earnestly requested him to come home. Her father had, through misfortunes, suffered heavy losses, and Fred had promised to make them good on receiving her consent to marry him. Arthur's mind was at once made up; be would sell his claim and go Home at once. In two months' time he was once more *n his native village, and lost no time in telling the squire everything. The old man was overjoyed to know that his daughter loved, and was loved by, such a noble young fellow as be knew Arthur to be. He baa *1w»t» -admired and respected him, and was pleased to give his daughter into his- keeping. A few months later, just aa spring was giving way to summer, a very pretty wed3in«r took place, and all the villagers turned out to see Arthur and hie lovely bride depart on their honeymoon for -the land of Jthe Southern Cross, to visit the place where he had found ihe fortune that enabled him to claim his bride.