Page 1 Advertisements Column 1

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5701, 19 August 1886, Page 1

LITERATURE. o [NOW FIBST PUBIiIBHKD.] THE TREASURE OF THORBURNS. £BT FBEDEBtCK BOTIiE, ATJTHSBB OP "ON the Border Land," " A Good Hater," " Camp Notes," &c] Ohaptsb XlV.— (Oontkiued.) The men carried him out, and presently | ■Bhe rejoined him. Mr Esking went to hia j studies, and Hilda Beated herself, perfectly idle, beautiful, and composed. Other girls would have brought work, or a novel at least, if only to give themselves a countenance in bearing company with a young invalid of the male sex. Such a thought did not occur to her. She needed no occupation ; and as for countenance, never in life had Hilda felt such anxiety about herself, or care what others might be saying, thinking, or judging, as to fear embarrassment. She sat in calm content, " eating ■the air," as Orientals say, absorbed in the joy of perfect health and mind untroubled. The embarrassment was all on George's «ide, and as he watched her it grew painful. To possess such a lovely creature, so -strange and so noble of disposition, was ■well worth the risk of Jife. He had re- j ■ceived her promise but ten days before, and liad thrown it avray in a fit o£ madness ! "What abject words could he find to recover the lost position ? For George did not mistake. He took it quietly for granted that the brief and inchoate engagement had come to a silent end. " I have to 'beg your forgiveness for my conduct that day, Miss Esking. I was delirious with pain." " Then don't recall it." " But I must, to set myself right before you. I said what I did not mean ; what I would have died rather than say, if I had possessed my reason ! It was no less than madness'! Ito insult you, Hilda, to drive you from me, when a few hours before — " "I think it is unnecessary to mention that." " I feel indeed that I am not worthy to mention it until you pardon me ! How can I move you:? You do not believe I could so act or speak if in possession of my senses 'i" \ "If >you insißt on that, Mr Geneßt, I am I hound to declare that your memory seems astonishing under the circumstances. I have understood that persons do not recollect, after regaining consciousness, what they said or did hi a delirium." "In some cases memory remains to torment the sufferer." "We will consult Dr Bowring on the •question." '■' Can you mock me? It is more than enough to refuse forgiveness." "But Ido not refuse, Mr Genest. I forgive yon with all my heart." "'But — no more than that ?" " I don't pretend to misunderstand you. 'Please say no more." "I must ! If you really forgive we reBume the position towards each other which you granted that night before going to Bohun Castle." " Then if you insist, I must say that the position was destroyed by your own 1 — " " But unconsciously, Hilda ! " A rough voice interrupted him. " Could il have a word with you, Miss ? Sorry to intrude, I'm sure, but yon Armstrong -wouldn't show me in regular. Good arternoon, Mr George." 'It was old Simmons. " Are you quite -sober ? " Hilda asked. " Oh, ay 1 Ain't tasted" a drop since you know when. Miss. A sailor man's never too old to learn, and I had a caution that ■day. ,I'm come to beg your pardon humbly •for the same, and to swear I was out of my senses, or I'd never have spoken so to a young lady as is beautiful as a hangel and 'better than gold." " What's this ? " George asked. Hilda answered gravely, but with a 'laugh in her eyes. "Simmonß was rude 'to me the other day, and he urges in • excuse that he was delirious or something. x Very well, Simmons. I accept the /-apology." " Thank ye, Miss. If s what I expected •of your good heart. But there's another ithing!" "Again? Well?" " Mr Thorburn's dismissed me, and he's cruel hard. I've served him and his faithful this five years, and I've lost property, as you know — them dogs. But he won't make no allowance. 'You be off/ says •he, '. and here's a month's wages, and go to •the devil!' Ay, when he'd knocked me -down for it, too, a ; blow as could drop a •bullock, which I feel it now, in the buzzing of my head all hours of the day and night It ain't just to hammer a man and give him the sack afterwards. I ask .you, Mr George, as a counsellor." "The law does not admit two punishments for one offence." He was glad to •escape further reference to the analogy 'between Simmonß' case and his own. " There, Miflß ! You hear what the law of the land says! Mr Thorburn has no aright to go agin' the Constitution." ".J don't think he cares much about the ■Constitution. What do you want me to do?" "Just to tell him Pveasked your pardon humbly, and you've been bo good as to say I'm kindly welcome — that is — " "I'll do that, when an opportunity ocoursl" "And to ask him to take me back, as porter— he'll want aporterironxalllhear — or anything an honest, well-conducted -sailor man can do." "I have not the slightest :olaim to ask Mr Thorburn anything of the sort. To forgive is my own affairs, and you are kindly welcome. But that's all."' " Why, Mies, he wouldn't refuse you, not if you asked for Thorburns, he wouldn't. Make your mind easy about that, .ffust a <word, or a look might do it, and I'd be .grateful, Miss. I would indeed J It's starvation for a poor man to be out of work, and I'.ve no friends here. Come, now, Miss Epking, do a good turn for once!" "You dlumey scoundrel!" George said, Utterly laughing. "Here's half-a-eover-eigu you ! Now go ! Of course, Miss Esking •cannot make Buoh a request of a stranger. 1 " " Armstrong will give you another haiif .sovereign if you ask him this evening." " You won't help me, Miss ?" "Not in the way jyou ask." ; Simmons argued the matter again, but anxiously. George gcew angry, and threat to summon a gardener in sight. "You mind your own business, Georg€ Oenest. Well, I'm going. Take back youj forgiveness, Miss, for I take back my .apology. We start fair again — the score* rubbed out. I say n© more than thai. Maybe we'll re-open the account one daj if we live 1" " A desperately ill-conditioned veteran, said George. " You must give up you. lonely rides so long as he stays in th» neighbourhood, Hilda." The tone and the Christian name implieo a peculiar interest, almost a right to advise her movements ; and it was not used unconsciously. She made a resolute protest. "I have given up my lonely rides already. Don't misunderstand me, Mr j Genest, if I beg you to resume your former way of speaking to me now you are almost convalescent." i " That is to rob me even of a deperste hope. If so, it would be better." They sat silent for awhile. " How hor. xibly calm you are ! " George broke out.' "I try to set you a good example, Mr Genest." . Armstrong arrived wifchthe cards of Mr ,