Chapter II.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6713, 28 November 1889, Page 1

Chapter 11.

"Whsfciathat bell, Angelo ?" said Edmee. "It ia to summon the lifeboat crew." They were standing together at a window of the Imperial at Seal. "Won't you come with me and Bee the lifeboat latmched, Edme'e? You can pat on your deck-ulster and cap. lam going to catch the expression on my boatman's countenance.*' Angelo was rather fond of showing the public how his beautiful cousin could dare rough weather. "Will you come, papa? Oh, I should like to bid those brave fellows god-speed." "The girl had risen with alacrity. She longed to be out among that anxious, throbbing crowd upon the beach. She had passed the night at her chamber window wrapped in her whifca dressinggown, shuddering at the distress signal, rising amid the crashing of the sea upon the rtoue3. Mr Carlos at length replied from the depths of a lounge-chair, -where he was enjoying a manllla. "On the whole, no, Edmee — it would necessitate a clean collar afterwards. Wait till you have a twitch in the back by painting out of doors, and you won't be in such a hurry to go out and get drenched." When the cousins reached the beaoh, the lifeboat was already manned, the noble coxswain at the helm. It was an awful moment when the signal was given and the boat sped with its living freight as it would seem to certain doom. For a brief moment it appeared to be Bwallowed. Then it rose royally on the towering summit of a wave and a wild cheer greeted it from the shore. The dangerous launching was over; for the rest they muyt wait. "Where is the wreck ?'.' asked Angelo of a gentleman who was standing near them, and had placed hiinseif bo a3 to shelter Edmee from the wind and spray a little. "They are gone to the Goodwins, but the wreck is sunk in the sands by now ; it has been sending up signals all night, but this morning there are none." " A sort of fool'a chase then, is it ?" said Angelo, "No," rejoined the stranger; "this morning a solitary figure was made out running upon the sands. It is to rescue this man that they are gone/ "One man alone on those terrible sands!" Edmee spoke with dilated eyes and ao rapt an expression that Angelo knew she was suffering for that man whom she had not seen. It angered him that her minutest sympathy should go out to another; so he remarked irritably — "You needn't look so tragic, Edmee, over a man you have never seen, and who is probably a scapegrace of a Jack Tar who would be no loss to anyone, and who has without doubfc desired to make his grave in tihe ocean •which " "But," perhaps," interrupted the stranger, " his desire for a watery grave did not extend so far as to a wish for the slow torture of seeing death advance moment by moment on those awful Goodwins. It is a little different from going down grandly to the music of a stormsymphony, with not a moment to think in. Lack of time to think has made many a hero." "If I were only a man !" cried Edmee, fervently. " What then ?" said Angelo. "I would have gone in the boat with them." "And have been of no earthly use," rejoined Angelo, who was not sure that his cousin had not administered a reproof in these last words. The stranger had moved away disgusted with Angelo's cynical mood. Edmee moved away too, and, accosting a fisher-lad, put some silver into Mb hand, saying; " Come to the Imperial and let me know when the lifeboat returns." Then, rejoining hex taciturn companion, she said, with quiet dignity, "We will go back to the hotel, if you please," to which Angelo made answer :— , " The boy will pocket your money and bring you no message ; you should have asked me." "Angelo," said the girl earnestly, "what is it that you have hidden in your heart, that has changed you so ? Thero is something, I know there is — ever 6ince — -— ' she broke off and looked down. "Ever since what, EdmSer" he asked, averting his face. "Since Mr Godney went away," she replied, in a voice scarcely audible in the "wind. But he heard, and understood. A change passed over his face. "Do not go back to the hotel, Edmee," he said, after a pause, and in a voice subdued yet agitated. "I have a sin to confess — a sin that I have hidden in my heart, and can no longer hide." " We will walk towards Sandown," she said calmly. "Coußin," he began again, "I tallied wildly about your marrying no other man, because in my heart I knew I inuofc soon tell you all, and lose you — lo3e even your friendship; for you will hate me when you know how basely I hare acted. Eut I loved you so." "Go on— tell me quickly what it is," cried Edmee. "I saw Arthur Godney looking at your mother's wedding-ring-as it lay upon your desk one day, and a demon took possession of me, for I was mad with jealousy. Oh ! you can never forgive me. I led him to believe the ring was yours, that you were Beeretly married — to me." They now stood together near an old mill, gazing out to sea, both, silent. Presently Angelo broke out :-— "Speak, Edme'e! Heap reproaches on me, say what you will, but do not stand there so silent, so pale ! " " When you give him back to me," she answered slowly, " Then I may try to forgive you." And they walked back to their hotel in silence.