CHAPTER XI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11340, 5 October 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XI.

' When I went away, Nellie,' said Mark, ' I did love you with all my

heart. Do you remember how my father used to teas? us, and Galled my love lad's love V 1 And said it would die aB soon,' I remarked . 'It was a lad's love, Nellie, but it was honest, eager and tine. You had filled my heart, and I had no thought but for you. 1 would have giving up going to India, but my father was not willing. Would to He&ven that I had I left England Nellie, with the hope of returning at the end of fonr years and making you my wife. My father's death was a blow to me. I shoulH have come hack then, but I could not throw up my appointment. I will tell you the candid truth Nellie, I will not hide one word from you. During the first year of my absence I loved you a* truly and dearly as ever. You were never out of my thoughts by day or by night. I lived for yon. The second year — ab, if I wound you Nellie, I wound myself more deeply — the second year I found myself thinking more of my work, v had been promoted and the difficulties of my profession engrossed rae. I thought less of you, but I loved von jnst the same. I own that at times some little coldness crept into my letters, that at times I missed a mail ; but my heart was true to you. One thing that had an evil influence over me was the constant chaffing of my comrades. It was strange that the cry of lad's love, was used in India as it was in England. They laughed at the number of letters that came ro me in your dear handwriting, Nellie. They laughed at the number I sent away. They said that was lad's love, that in a few years I should laugh at it, that ell the boys suffered from it, and though at times I blushed over.it, yet 1 my heart was always true to you, Nellie.' He stopped and looked into my miserable face. I could.not keep my lips fro r ai quivering, aud my eyes were heavy with un lied tears. , „. „.. _ ' Nellie, have you heard any news — anything about me ?' he said. ' ' Nothing since you wrote last,' I asked. ' • • ■ ' Then,' he said with some little .hesitation, ' do you know what name I bear now.' 1 Your own, I suppose,' was my listless reply. ' Yes, my own, but it is a new one.' Is it possible, Nellie, that you flo not know who I am, and why I am here/ he continued. 'No suspicion of the truth came to me ; indeed, nothing was further from my thought. • How can I know,' was my impatient reply. ' I have not h«ard anybody mention your name.' He was silent for a few minutes, and then continued slowly. • I know not which part of my story is the hardest to tell. It was the beginning of the third year of my absence from England that a strange event happened. It was so unexpected so bewildering, that' for a few moments I seemed to lose my senses ; and yon know Nellie, that I was in raauy respects, jn9t what my father called me — merely a lad. L was so dazzled and bewildered that I forgot al] I ought to have remembered. My first thought was of you, and I ought to h^ave written , to you, but I had let two or three mails go by without writing, and I intended to surprise yon. I had to go to England at once, and I knew I could reach you aB soon as my letters I did a scrange'y earless thing ; i left no ad dresß, forgetting that you would probably go on writing. I thought I should soon see you. Nelljf, do you follow me. Do not look at me with with those sorrowful eyes. You see that up to this time, the third year of my absence, I had done nothing specially worthy of blame. 1 had been shy and self concious about my love, when I onght to have been bolder and more courageoii3. 1 had allowed my time and my thoughts to become engrossed in my profession, at the expense of my love, still I was true at heart, Nellie. 1 had no other lo\e, when I set sail from India, still thinking more of your surprise mid delight than anything else. But, Nellie, I have not told you what the strange event was. Can you' not help me, Nellie ? Can you riot guess what called me back to England and to you?'

1 How should I ? You may tell me all safely, nothing can hurt me now Mark. I have realized that you are married, nothing more ie.main?. ' I hate myself tor having to tell it,' he said, his face flushing*; ' uut, Nellie I was only a lad, and the news completely bewildered me. Do you remember that once when we were together I asked you about your relatives? You replied that you were almost alone in the world, and I told you that 1 had some wealthy one 3, and had some very poor ones, I knew but little of -others. There bad never been any correspon deuce, nor even the slightest acknowledgment of any kind. My father was a most peculiar man ; he did n£t like his poor relations. His dislike was not caused of their poverty, but because they had offended him, many years before, and he had never forgiven, them . As to the rich members of the family, he was too proud to seek to know them; nor could he allow me to speak to them; they took no notice of us, nor we of them. Lord Severne — Baion Severne is the proper title — of Severne Court, and my father were second cousins.' In one moment I saw it all 4 You are Lord Severne, Mark, 1 I cried. ' Yes, it is so, Nellie ; I am Lord Severne,' he said gravely, ' And Lurline — you wife is named Lurline,' I said. - ' Yes, my wife is named Lurline. Now you understand. I did not know that you were here, Nellie. I never dreamed of seeing "you wh&n I came out t this morning. I am here as Lady Yorko's friend and guest y Lurline is with me.' He stopped, thinking perhaps that I. should speak ; but what was I to say ? Words were useless. ' Now you know what happened Nellie,' he saTd. In the third year of my absence, this news came from England this news came to me — Lord Severne, of Severne Court wan dead, the brother who should have succeeded him was drowned, in returning from Italy, and the two sons of his brother, the heir, died from fever at school — two generations swept away. My father, had he lived, would have been Lord Severne ; he was the next heir, and both title and estates are entailed. As my father was dead, I was the next heir. My father had never given me to understand that there was the most Remote chance of our succession. I do not believe hs ever thought of it himself ; he was only second cousin, and at that time Lord Severne was a strong healthy man, his brother the same, and the boys at school gave every promise of a long life. ' Now all was changed ; they were dead, and as I was the nearest ot kin, I became master of Severne Court, and Baron Severne. Nell, as truly as there is a Heaven above us, my first i thought when I heard this news was of you. ' What will my Nellie say V I : cried aloud ; and I felt proud to think I that I could make my fair and beautiful I love Lady Severne. I 'If I had written one line to'you, then all would have been- different — my life and yours ; but I was restless and .excited. I had so much to think of, so much to do. I was pleased, proud, agitated, but not untrue to you, then, Nellie — I swear it — not untrue to you then. 1 The letters sent to me by Messrs Norton & Bon were most peremptory in their summons. I must return at once. Fortunately there was a young Englishman who could without difficulty take my place, and I was free. My frieuds and comrades were honestly pleased with my good fortune, and we parted on excellent terms. Nellie when I started in the Queen of the Seas, bound from Bombay to London, my thoughts were full of you. Oh, my true love, my lost love, how shall I tell you what happened then ?' ' I deserve to be shot as a traitor, as a coward,' he continued, with passionate bitterness. ' When 1 look back I cannot think what folly, what madness possessed me. lam sure that my good fortune had in some measure turned my brain. ' On the seeood day that I was on board I began to take an 'interest in my fjellow passengers. My romantic story was known arcoDg them — how from a simple engineer, glad to earn, an

income of a few hundreds, ' had suddenly come into possession of a title and estates wocth sixty thousand per annum. On thfe second day »f the voyage I wis walking about the deck amusing myself with the novel sights and sounds, when, Nellie, I saw one of the most beautiful women I had ever beheld in my life — beautiful as a dream or a vision, bnt ah, Nellie not half so fair and winsomw as you !' ' I had seen but little of women. I had never been thrown much into thc^r society. I hardly remember my own mother ; sisters and cousins I had none you and your mother were the only two witli whom I had been on friendly or intimate terms. I loved you I understood your simple noble nature ; I knew your tru» houest character ; but I was perfectly ignorant of the acts of women, I thought they were all like you ; their caprices, fascinations, charms arts and intrigues were all unknown to rae. Never was prpy more easily caught. I hate myself when I think' of my own folly. ' The beautiful woman was walking along the deck ; her veil was thrown back, and the sea breeze had brought a lovely bloom to her face. Hjßr graceful carriage, so free, so easy, attracted me at first. ' I saw her lay he band on the rail. She was looking over at the passing waves, the hand was as whijte as a snowdrop ; a wedding ring sbon*e on it, with broad bands of diamonds and sapphires. . She is married I thought. Then little as I understood the mysteries of lady's attire, I perceived the coquettish line of white defining the form of her beauli< fill head was a widow's cap. 1 Who is that lady V I asked of Captain Luttrel. ' His eyes brightened, as did the eyes of every man on board; when they rested on her. ,' ' She i& Mrs Nugent,' he -replied — ' a young widow returning to England. Her husband, Captain Yere Nugent, died a few months since. I will introduce you to her ;' and the next moment I was bowing before the beautiful young widow, who seemed still a young child.

CHAPTER XII. ' Lurline is my wjfe now, and I will not say one word against her. I will not even say that I could do so. She was certainly the most fascinating woman I have ever seen. She looked so young that it was almost im^pssible to believe that she had been a wife, and was now a widow ; bnt I knew afterwards that she was ten years older than we thought her. 1 1 will not describe her to you ; you will see her and judge for yourself. ' if ellie, ' he continued, ' there is as great difference between you and Lurline as between a simple natural lily of the valley and a gaudy artificial camelia. I saw it afterward, bnt at first she took my senses captive, and held them in thrall. I remember how she puzzled me, how I watched her. One of the first things that struck me was the subtle odour of sweet violets that seemed to envelope her. Everything belonging to her, her sables, shawls, books, fans,, gloves — everything had the same sweep odour of fresh violets. That charmed me. Oh, Nellie, I -was a rash, foolish coward, but I never thought of loving her, and I never dreamed of marrying her ! Every man on board was in love witb her, bub she favoured me, and I was weak enough, young and foolish enoui^h, to be flattered by this preference ; to feel proud and delighted when this little court ot admirers had to make way for me ; when she turned from all the others with a smile for me ; when she laid her genimtd hand upon my arm, dismissing the rest with a nod of tue head saying, ' I will accompany you Lord Severne. 1 should like a quiet promenade. [to be continued]