CHAPTER XIX.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13320, 10 November 1906, Page 6

CHAPTER XIX.

''■ '* DOCTOH GARtTOIGHT AS A ' '•- PEACEMAKER: ;, It was very pleasant at Oak'dene -. the., old ..gardens . seemed) alivo with • cblotuv -every, breath* of- < the* summer breeze, was laden with the fragrance of the myriad . flowers; that studdejd the batiks ,, r and' terraces. ' Laurie satiii,; one of ;^he; big' ■ wicker chairs ; . . sh.e tkd! her * v arms- ~ " crossed " over her ■ bosoOT; r ?au'd'. her 'hat pulled low over hferi.eyes't „- c .-.A' ' . " '. „ ;,.A -l^eek' hjad gone; by,,, in , .whi f ph' :she ■ ;^ad^ learned to 'love Mary Ball as^,on v with something,. , 'of t he saiue love' -alKd 'devotion slie lavished on her 1 nipth'er, and .on. Paul. There , had been torigi' /talks }>et\veen them many a time ttoiring"' ihiis week iliit 1 had gone and every.- 'quality in Mary's pro^d, ' 'Huperlor/chai'dCfcei*, '-evtry Sound of her " be#Hj|ul'foE«ifi,.wpn; v a'.waly mor© surfcly jnto, J^^i^'s troubled, heart.-, , s _"- . .Iphey,,. 'talked^ -,©£ M t— v*se moments,;^ was.^ almost a joy, to Mary /'fo/ "spo a k of - all his> ■ kmdntess .to her. iti- the past, „«ie'k andaess: ■ «ljo was ' /so- anxious < to'r^qiwte'now, ■ii pbssible/^lrilcj- '' a rjleasure,' equally great" '. 'Was sit. "and hear nis. sister speak" of his thousand noble acts and thoughts,, no less noble feecauso they had- been r performed, maybe,- for some • humble. • purpose; in the quietest of •quiet rW^y&. They talked of Colenel Leicester. Laurie heard the whble story, 'of. \ Mary's .mistaken marriage from the' girl^s own 'lips ; she quivered iiv. unison witli M'aryj. over the humiliation' r and suffering that had succeeded ' that mistake.

.They 'had, pat with cWpefcl hands as ,the^ r s^r^Wfia.t<>l:d;/aiMiXa,tirie, • a^ she listened, v felt* a new sense of disgust arid indjgnataon rise 1 up within her jot .'-th>, gSrl'wlio w a s so sooii to beconW .Paul's , wife. They did not talk of, isolwl..- Their lips' wesre sealed on thiy subject, but frpin^ different causes 1 .", T/auiie knew,. 'only' iq well iha love Himi Jived jin ,;heart for Mary, .Jijjfr jsmo! hu;d/, n o knowledge of how ' 'jgrekt loWVa's torturing poor Mary ;now for the,"-, man .whom. Isobe'l w ft s td '-'marry.. TJie subject of thr>, mhrria^e^ indeed, .never arose between them. When "they talked, it t was of the past, never, of the future; and, though- that future Was so -dark and gloomy ' to, them ,boih', there was a happiness in :being together, and find'■rii comfqrt 'in\each otWs society, .. pleasure no pain" could spoil or clotid. .'<■-.'

"It sqems as iC we had known each other 3II' -our lives, not merely one short, Irfcile ' week/ Mary said one morning/- w%n seven days had gone

by, land found \ fheir -friendship ■strengthened into love. ' ' "I never wished for a" before,"' Laurie made answer t^.tihis; ' iWhen Mary ii'Jtd'-' *iefi to, Wit across th-e lawn back to^nei^tfti'fcie* in the siol?t-rooin, Laurie down , in the giarden^dhair, 'and herself up to her thoughts. She. little .-kiaew how -those last sweet woi'ds d'f^hers h a d hui*t Mary,, they conveyed 50^ much to our heroine. They spolce out ,\so .clearly, what Mary had already -feared, iihat Laurie had no liking for Isabel ; 'no sympathy in her brother's marriage ; and' she, knowing Isobel too well, felt anew the pain 'a&d doubt that come when . she- first .hoard of Paul's betrothal to her cousin..

(To be continued.)