SHORT STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2803, 4 December 1907, Page 89

SHORT STORIES.

♦- HER HEART'S DESIRE. By Gladys Harvey. (For the Witness.) 'A tall, fair woman stood in an alcove of a Dunedin ballroom. She was a statue in white ; her golden crown, of hair and bright blue eyes- were the only touches of colour about her. Grace Darvall was no blase woman, although she was thirty-four, and unmarried. She enjoyed life ; the music set her pulses throbbing, her heart palpitating. With all her years, she.was a girl at heart, and looked still a girl. She ■was very beautiful, and had no lack of partners, but just now she was playing the role of onlooker. A petite woman, dark and vivacious, came up to her. _, ' "Not dancing, Grace?" ' "Not for a space. I rather enjoy watching the dancers." "Is Athol here?" | "Yes; I sent him, to dance with Milly Graham. She is a nice little girl. I like her." Kiity Warburton gave her a searching glance. "Oh, Grade, dear, is there never to be reward for him; he is so faithful, so loyal I" "That is the pity of it all. I would I could give him the love he cravee." "Or the consent he desires 1" "You cannot put life into a atone.' "No, you cannot ; I know that. A myth, a memory, stands between you and my brother's happiness. For over fifteen years he has loved you — as girl, as woman And still you remain untouched." "Kitty, you have no right to speak thus; because my heari is filled with another's image you must not blame me. I had no hand in implanting that love in his heart. I did not seek it. therefor© I do not hold myself responsible for inspiring it." "And you despise his patient wooing, his hopeful trust: He is too good for you, Grace ; a man of wilder nature would have quicker touched your heart. While other men rush through half a dozen adventures and reach a pigmy height called notoriety, then rest on their prowess, .and let their swords rust with inaction, he is ever fighting difficulties in silence. But you are blind ; you contrast him with the handsome soldier lad who went off to seek glory,' and in the" quest forgot his lady-love." "Kitty, you have said enough It is not nice of you to make such assertions. The fact that Vivian Ralston's name was never found among the killed or missing does not prove that he deserted. I wish you had not spoken in this strain, but we will drop the conversation once and for ever. I see a partner coming, so goodnight." "Athol, you go the wrong way to woo "Grace Darvall. It is a spirited wooing sheneeds. A m.\n must stand apart from, the crowd ; do something that will startle or sfcir the' world. She should have lived in ages when a lady's hand was won by the mettle of her lover's sword You men of silent devotion don't fit in her life at all." . , Kitty laid down the law imperiously, and Athol Warburton began to consider what she was saying. He was due for a holiday, therefore he would make arrangements at once. To India it would be. Grace adored ti^er-skins and Eastern nick-nacks, and perhaps " But he checked the thought at its inception. - Ho held Grace's hand and looked into her eyes as he bade her farewell. And she knew the object of his going. "What shall I bring you irom the Er.£t, milady?" "Silks and barbaric charms and quaint offerings. I love all things beautiful, so bring me my heart's desire, and I shall set you on a 'pinnacle. Take care of yourself, Athol," and she laughingly bade him • adieu. - . • | Athol's visit to India was full of incident. -Some of his frirmls arranged some j hunting for him ; and in the oldest quarters of India's most ancient towns he "** found charms and curioa quaint^ and antique enough to «atisfv even Grace DarvalFs taste. The last three weeks of his time he spent with Percy Russell up at Darabad. Russell was Maior of the 2Ut Lancers, and lived in a pretty bunga1 low at the foot of the Currajo Hills. ! Athol received a royal welcome from his ! old chum and his metty wife, and a week and more passed pleasantly away. One night, as they were smoking on the verandah, a tall, slight figure in white j slipped across the grass plot. Athol ' started. "My secretary; I told you he was on ' a^ holiday. You'll like him. I think, for he has tasted of the» gall of life. I should like to tell you his story j , it is worth hearing." "Please do so," Athol returned with a vague feeling that something momentous • was in' the air. There was a silence while [ the men refilled ;lieir Tiipes, then Ru&sel j commenced. # I "You ■ will .remember tl»o time that I Uloola set the fire alight up at Telabadda, ! and you will remember how that fire was i quenched. Colonel Seaton v.as in comi mand-of the 74th Regiment, and he had ! orders to put down the rising at any cost. The - natives at Chittengong were too bloodthirsty to take a warning; they thirsted for fight, and they meant to have ; it. Seaton approached them with negotiations from the Indian Government ; but they defied the Ambassador, and so ife ended up with 6words and muskets. He I had two lieutenants with him who were great friends of mine— -Vivian Ralston, of Kent, and Jack Cameron, of Glenavon Perhaps you know Viv ; he was knocking about your way for some months. He and I were like brothers j he was the 1 brightest,, cheertefit chap yojj ever saw— ,

and, I think, the biavest. Uloolo came out and met "us on, the march. Before we had sighted them for half an hour the fight was in full swing. The darkies were emptying saddles remorselessly, and, comehow, our fire was defective. Seaton gave the order to charge, and within a minute we were among them. Oh, those lovely boys ! How they fought ! But the enemy outnumbered us two to one ; besides, they were better mounted. "The colonel was set on deposing their leader, a turbaned bully mounted on a superb black Arab. His zeal led him right among them, and a sabre slash across the right wrist and down his side gave the Indian the advantage. It was nearly up with Seaton wlien Viv came dashing up to' his assistance. Talk of 'a sparkle of swordplay splendid It was there all right. Tlie way that man used his sword was a picture to see. But no one had time for more than a glimpse. We were all hard at it. We saw Viv gallop up to his chief ; then he did the most mag-nificent-thing I erer saw. He pulled his , horse up dead, and ■ half lifted, half dragged the colonel on to his own horse, and then galloped back to the rear. Half a dozen of the black wretches endeavoured to stop him, bnt fate was with him ; he cut his way through "with splendid dash. His action was a glorious one. and entitled him to a V.C. ''What followed is beyond our comprehension. Yiv placed Seaton in the Tignds of the surgeon, and rode back. He regained his place at the head of his company, and prepared for the charge ; that is the last we caw of him. Dacre says i he saw his reins cut in two and his horse stagger, and then bolt with him. He saw Viv swavincr in his* seat, and after that he was never seen again. General Lasselles, with whom poor old Viv was always at variance, squashed his career, anyway ' Missing under very peculiar circumstances' was the end of a «cry damming report. 'We barracked tight and left for Ralston. Car^n and some others bribed PonEonby to keep the affair out of the English papers. Crawford stole the adjutant's papers and burnt them. But it was useless. Despite all our efforts, the story drifted to England. Of Vivian Ralston we could hear nothing, although we made every effort to trace him. At last we gave up hope,- and believed .him. dead. "One night in the summer of 18 — I was lying out here smoking, when someone spoke at my head. With one leap I was out of my hammock. Vivian Ralston was there. "One sleeve hung empty., and his hair was white as snow. His explanation was short and terse. A poisoned arrow had almost maddened his horse, a sabre stroke had broken his left arm, while a second -assailant had thrust his spear between his ribs "and had left him powerless to guide oi stay his -affrighted charge. That Mazeppa-like ride ended in a dead horse and almost dying rider falling into the hands of a band of Uloola's men. In their thirst for vengeance they paid to poor old Viv the score they had against the English He led a hellish life with 1 them for nine years ; then, seizing his opportunity, he escaped, and had; come straight to me. He asked for English news ; I could give none. I had reported him missing to his own people and that was all I knew. This was not enough for him. He wanted to see the records — asked me "what they had reported when he was found missing, and whet he found . out he was like a man distraught. He rej fused to proceed to England, and made 1 me swear that I would never divulge hie presence here. I begged him to stay with me, and got him some clerical work tc j do. He seems pretty content now, but I am always so sorry for him. He is the best fellow 1 ever came across, and my kiddies fairly worship him, and the wife trusts liim co. When I am on duty I like , to know he is at hand." There was deadly silence for the space of a minute. Athol felt that some hot, quivering shaft had pierced his brain and crushed his heart. With all his manhood's strength he pulled himself together. "Her heart's desire ! — her heart's desire!" The words played in his mind. He had promised to bring her her heart's dosire, and here it was at his hand. The love of another man; the life of another man. The irony of it was like a scene of Dante's Inferno. There was something in his face, grey and grim, that told Russell how keen a blow his 6tory had dealt , his friend. He showed him the sympathy ! of silence. Athol rose. "I am going to see Vivian Ralston. Perhaps I can lift the cloud of his sorrow. Good-night!" He walked straight to Vivian's room. "V;v, old man, how are you?" The words were conventional — very conventional ; but the man sitting afc his ! writing table looked startled beyond expression. | "Athol ! You here !" i They shook hands with a 6trong lingering clasp. "Why are you here?" "To take you back with me." "Has Russell told you anything?" "Yes, everything— the V.C. episode, your plucky endurance, and much more." J " "The general's false report?" "Yas. that also; but this is merely by the iray. I want to return to Australia by next week' 6 beat, and you are coming with me." The man gave a naif-articulate exclamation, and drew back, as from a blow, i "I cannot face New Zealand again — nor Grace Dan-all !" • f "But jou -must-, old chap ;it is neither fair to your country not to your affianced i wife to "remain silent any longer." ! "After these years how can I know that Grace's love is still mine ; and, even so, how can 1 offer her this?" touching his empty sleeve. ''I assure you, Viv," and Athol spoke very slowly ar.d impressively, "Grace's love ifl still yours I And it is like her to prefer a hero with one arm to an ordinary man with two. So I pray you be just to her. She has been very loyal, very patient, and I have come all this distance to try to find some record of j;qu for her sweet

1 6ake.*' The lie came so glibly that it surI prised the ntterer. but there was too much at stake to hesitate over trifles. The happiness of a man and woman lay in his hands. Vivian Ralston held out his nand, nd Athol wrung it heartily., ''hen *ie went out to smoke alone. "Do take pity or* a tired traveller and come to tea »vith Kitty and me this afternoon." This wa» the telegram that Grace re- I ceived the morning of Athol's arrival. He awaited he anxiously He was torn with a hundred conflicting doubts. Had he done right in taking the 6tap he "had done? He had inferred so much. If Grace shonld fall short of his estimation — if she turned away from Yiv in his battered condition — it would break him altogether. Grace came in looking happy and lovely. She looked so delightful that for one half -■moment Athol thought that fate had played one of her own inscrutable games. Gould it be that she loved him after all? But her first words dispelled the idea. • "Well, what wondrous things hay« you brought me from the East? Indian gods, wizards, charms, and mysteries untold)?" . she rattled off. "I have brought my lady fair all -ihe asked for — a necklace from Damascus, an idol -from Calcutta, a tiger skin, and a medley from the north : I have brought you your heart's desire. Just go into the next room while I wait for Kitty. She opened the door with a laughing retort ; then came that cry ot joy. Then the air grew dark, and the- man grit his teeth and waited. A while after Grace came back to him. She 6tooped over him and pressed her lips to his forehead "My life-long thanks for youi noble gift. Yes, Athol, you have brought me my 'heart's desire.' ' The man went out into the sunlight, md strove to look at his destiny 'n new lights.