LITERATURE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5642, 11 June 1886, Page 1

LITERATURE.

[HOW VTBBT rDBLMMB.3 THE TREASURE OF I THORBURNS. j [»t Fmbwucx Both, aitthob ov "Os TltS BOSDJB liAKD," " A <*OOD HA9OBB/' " Ca» Notm," Ao.J [Tie Sight of Translation Sb Beaarred.] anopsia of pbbviovi okjjvsbs. n.imi I. Int-odioe* uwMi Baking, the . prinßsar of Little Thosbaraa, end kia daagfctea ' flil&e. who reada from the newapeper an annoonc*. . Mrfmat the death of Ceptain^horbuin.ef The*> , TunA a r -igbeonrtog maneioa. H» Baking at , «m<BU»TfH> for toe adi-voent Tillage of Shuttieton. . •Mx ba£ Mra Hubert Fauahawe, a newly married ; aoquaiß reduced circunartanoea, pay a Tint t* Miaa . HOda Baking darin* her father*! abaenoe, and scan . witb.iat»rMt the ourii* sad antiquee, for the eollemfaof whiob Mr Baking baa bean famous. Tba • iPajmhawee *ell H*lda that Mr Eakinghad paid aa to old Thorburn. who bad Men in difiV , oafctoe, in order to get poaeessionof Tkorbnrnaat kiidKtn so batheoodldiiearohfotatrauaraßiip. ; posed to bo bidden there. { Cauraa ll.— Mr Editing oouanlta Mr Thwaite, ; tka first aolicitor in ahattleton, wha informi hlra ' tiaat Mr D&rid Thorbarn, of Cape Coleny, baa forwarded the 41000 adranoed by Mr Baking, I tdKemmt with iatorest, for the pnraoee of eeeking far tiie treasure after the death of the Captain. Bgkioff ia annoyed, bat an there ia no eaoapa. : accffl* tba money and loaas tba ebamoa oi T3kjarbarna. During hla abMno* Hilda and bee . •aSsta jay a T'sit to Thorbnrne, and are attaokei. ' ly two doge, which, by the braTery of Hebert,are Iteatwuoff. | Cfeanan lll.— Simmons, the ole\ |anito* of the j TbeAnrna, virite Mr Baking, and demands eonpeaSation for the injury to hi* doge, claiming 450. j .Mr Bskinr doclin-e to gire more thaa tit. whiea j Simmone rnUg-nantly refuses. Mr Baking them j anfolds * pi t to Huoert for robbing the treaaara } wTwjflh old dooam -rite show him to be buried at j TffiJHjarni. Hnbert ia alarmed, bat promises to > atfnfljtet the question of aiding in tka robbaar. j

Cxamm IV.— (Contemned.) Meantime. George had been matimg rack \ progress towards intimacy m he could. Hilda had known him for several years slightly, and though not oaring for him ia; the least, ha wu the only young mam aha ever spoke to. Instinct will have its -way. Hilda saw his abenxdities quite well, and felt no interest in his oharacter ; ant asale admiration was not disagreeable. it could not be questioned that the youth was clever. He had taken honours, he held . a fellowship, he wrote occasionally for a leading newspaper, and he worked hard at < toe bar, with prospects already •pemimg. J Tlds was his theme at the moment when, i after some airy sarcasms directed at the uncertain temper of foolish women thromgh j the particular instance of Kate Fansaawe, j he began s**rious conversation, j "Do you know. Miss Easing, I saeaat to \ call at Little Thorburns to-day, wikkeat a j pretext avowable, when yen* father's , ■leased note came to my relief. Is fact, that was my purpose in running down. I return to night." | " indeed f" Whether the ezolaaatisa referred to his intention or his departure was. left unexplained. George took it as applying to the former. : "Tea," he continued. "I msed to think that I did not want Bymmathy, aad fot the case of failure I still elmgte my opinion. I have tested it eftem ; enfflngh." ! r? W8 understood that yon never failed." j "I have encouraged that idea by sob- ; ceiling my disasters, but they have been ! mumeroua, comparatively. However, when • a piece of unexpected luck befell me j yesterday, I found myself quite as weak as other people The Judge complimented me in open Court, Miss Baking, the bar congratulated me, and the solicitors made am emphatic note. They say in the Temple thai my fortune is made." j *f I am 'very glad to hear it. Be yom cams down to tell Mr Genest f " ''Tea, and to carry the news to Little ' Thorburns. It is a pilgrimage fee ! sympathy, Miss Eating. Do I lad it t " \ " Certain ly you do. We have hardly amy friends, and to learn that one ef them has , made a> success is doubly gratifying.** "Will you drop the plural, theaf Mr Esking is always good and kind. I weald . rather hear that you feel aa interest." The earnest tone was net ia be misunderstood. Hilda had long know*, that bis regard for her was growing imta passion. Girls we read about but never see— l speak frem my own experience — weald have found an opportunity to let the yommg mam . understand that his suit must be hopeless. Hilda did not eeek it, or even desire it ; perhaps hecause her nature was still un- » wakened, and she did nob comprehend tka importance «f the matter. Wham the opportunity came, a hint seemed enomgh. Looking into his troubled eyes, which the everlasting glass coals! met make riflicnloua under this excitement, Hilda said calmly i — " I shall always fesl interest ia yarn good fortune, Mr Genest, whether at she bar or in your private affairs, evem tkengk we should neTer meet again." " Why do von put it so t We shall meet again — frequently. Tour soadifeiea makes me uneasy." i " I have no reason to think that yoa will met find me at Little Thornbmras, whenever you like to call, from this time until I she, and I am always pleased to see a friend." "* j (i Ton don't think of leaving it then P" "No. I don't Bee why I ever skemld." j George had a reason to v -mrge» most potent in his eyes, and he was about to , press it, disregarding the hint. Bat i Hilda had made use of his pre»e*o*pattoa i to turn, without attracting her earn- ] panion'a notice, and at this moment they I came in Tie w of Mr Genest aad Hubert at '■ tie hall door, scrutinising a pewerfnl yemmg horse. t " My cousin has a good eye," ska said, j " ThaF s a fine creature, hat it leeks . vicious, doesn't it t" i " Why, its • Bay leaves P Do yem care ] much about your cousin's oervical vertebras, : Miss Earing P The Governor forgets that it ia m>t a oa-e of sale, and the maxim caveat «ikWor does not apply. However, if yem wish, I will interfere." ! " Certainly I wish ! Is ' Bay-lf«,veß ' j dangerous P" j " Not in harness, though very lively. ] Eat the sight of a saddle detracts her." I *' Then pray interfere I lam mat nnoon- ! oeCtted about Hubert's neck, hat my own is j quite an aoidint; anxiety with me. Capid is \ not to be trusted whem Psyahe — or, im j Sogliab, Bay-leave?— becomes distraught. 0 j Mr Genest explained that she mew harse j was not to be ridden, aad if speed and . - power and good looks only were osaemtitil, a , finer or a better animal could net be fomnd. i When the merits and faults of Bay-leaves were impartially explained to Mr Baking ihy George, he did not hesitate ta pmrohase. " We will settle the price by •acrselTes* if , yon like," said the Sqmire, exohangms; a . glance with his eon, and, the olden with- . drew together. It is needlees to desosibe the mood in which Kate w&q found. George Genest ] -apologised volubly, intermixing a few re- j marks, »harp as thorns, emphasised by the , quizzical glass. Hilda was silent, aad ] Hubert sullen. In a few miaates Mr Esking arrived, and they set off back. "Well, father?" George asked eagerly, as the carriage drove away. "He listened, njy dear boy, aad if I can read expression he is not mmfavoarable." j " But he said nothingP " | " No. It was evidently a new idea. I ' am not dissatisfied by any means. And ' what did you make of the girl ? *'' " Nothing I She gave me to understand that the thought of marriage had never . occurred to her." ' "Then you are not dissatufied either, I sTippo.-p. if you did cot pat the basinets more distinctly than we rasdred? It's just the answer a yeang; lady ehould jaake." <

! "Tea, but Hilda meant it, aad meant ; ;us to understand it as serious. If you'd seen the resolute look in hor lovely eyes you would not doubt that. How divinely beautiful she is, father." "I go with you there. But Esking has a calm unembarrassed manner in drawing a cheque for three figures which is even more agreeable to my elderly tastes. Don't I lose heart, George ! Ton have the field to yourself, and the parent is not unkindly, t* say the least. But George was not reassured. On the drive back Mr Baking talked quietly of things archaeological connected with the Warrenage. He made no remark on Kate's evident temper, nor asked m , reply from Hubert. Father and daughter left them by themselves till dinner-time, and daring the meal they kept np an easy conversation with only formal reference from time to time to their gueßta. Such eonduotin a man grave and thoughtful like Mr Esking, was, in effect, a —n§4. Hilda understood it so, and she felt certain that unless Kate apologised he would express his meaning plainly within a short time. Hubert also understood it, but he had not the tact to avert impending mischief. After the extraordinary proposal of last night, Mr Esking could not afford to quarrel. So Hubert indulged his own vexation and sulked. Hilda rose immediately after dinner. When they entered the drawing-room Kate threw herself into a chair and sobbed hysterically. "If yon will tell us what is the matter, dear," said Hilda, " we will do anything we can to cheer yom np. Are you unwell?" " I have been insulted by those Genests, and yon saw it, and uncle and everybody saw it, and nobody stood by me or took my part, or said a civil word. It's shameful r' she sobbed. "I am sure, Kate, neither papa nor I saw yon insulted. Ton gare Mr Genest a good deal of trouble, and put papa in a false position. Bat I think he got oat of it very well." " Got eat of what P" she cried, fiercely. " I say, out of a false, ridiculous position. At papa's request, for your convenience, Mr Genest brought mp all his young horses, a very handsome lot, as Hubert admits, and you pettishly refused every one." Finding intimidation did not answer, Kate returned to tears. " I did not refuse every one, bat yoa all walked away before I oonld make a choice! I say, it was shameful I " "And I say, Kate, that such a word was never addressed before to my father or to me. Think seriously of what I tell yom mow. My father is very indifferent to conventionalities and forms. I can see that your conduct has offended him deeply, and unless you explain he will certainly pronounce nia opinion in strong terms. Come now, Kate, it is easy to make an excuse i Only say that yoa were unwell and irritable to-day, when you come down in the morning, and papa will accept it." " I shall tell no falsehood I &is tor yoa to excuse yourselves." I "If you take that lino Hilda i paused. i "We had bettor leave the house, yom | " I really think von had I Good night T An explanation hardly leas decisive had been reached in the Charter Boom, whither Mr Baking retired when the ladies had gone. He plunged into business forthwith. " Have yoa thought of the matter I hinted last night, Hubert V j " About she Treasure at Thorbums P" ! "Tec." ! | "I have considered year suggestion, ; uncle, and I don't like it at all." ! "Ton are quite right. It was a passing fancy, whioh, of eonrse, doss not bear a moment's reflection in the light of day. I mixed my whisky a little too strong last night, perhaps. Tell me, nephew, does your wife often indulge the humour she shewed to-day P" j i " Kate has rather a quick semes of per- j sonal dignity, and the Genests were quite i rode, unole." j " Were they P I did not observe. My ; cheque hook tells me that her resentment j fell a little heavy on me." i " I thought you wanted the horse." ! "I wanted a horse, but not at Mr ! Genesfs figure. But you have net answered' i my question P " j I "My wife has a warm temper, I most , : admit." | " And you cannot control it P How ' often do three outbreaks occur, on an average, in the fortnight P " " What do you mean, unole t " " I mean that this is a quiet, studious house, nephew. That life is short, and I cannot waste half a day in executing commissions for a lady who is not grateful, but ?uite the reverse. I mean more than that. ! t is unpleasant to observe that one of my family has so little command in his own household that a member of it can venture to behave as your wife did to-day." " Ton are very hard upon me, sir ! " acid Hubert. I "I am vexed at the loss of money, for needless expenditure is loss ; and lam disappointed in yon. After that gallant action with the dogs I thought my nephew a hero, and I find him a henpecked husband. For the sake of your own happiness in the future I recommend you to drop the part, but in any case, if yon stop the fortnight with me, take oare we have no more demonstrations of this sort." " We do not wish to stay in any house on conditions, uncle." " Tery well. But understand that Ida j not mean this unkindly. I shall not bear any malice, nor alter the present arrangement* I contemplated in my will, as advised at present. But if your submission to your wife causes me any annoyance I shall take what steps I may to punish j her and you." | His tone was impressive, and his look j made Hubert understand. The proposal j of the night before was to be kept secret, j on pain of forfeiting all interest in his , uncle's property. He did not reply, and left the room. (This BUry wU »s continued ia cur issue •/ Wefaesfa/y nest.)