"The Love That Conquered,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 6 January 1928, Page 7

"The Love That Conquered,”

A CHARMING ROMANCE BY A POPULAR WRITER

BY CHARLES PROCTER. Author of “The Rockell Combine,” “Pools of the Past,” "The Man in the Case,” etc., etc.

CHAPTER II. —Continued. As the launch sped away from the schooner towards The Adventure the fury died out of John Brown’s eyes, and he dropped the pistol back into his pocket. “So he thought he could trick me like that!” he muttered. “JLe knows and guesses, perhaps, what is coming to him, and thinks to evade vengeance. The old resentment lusts like, death.” He signed heavily and turned to Julie, who was regarding him with concern. “I’m not crazy, if that is* what you are thinking, Julie,” he said, “although the very thought of Fortesque daring to send his son here to kidnap you is enough to drive me almost to madness. Tell me what has been happening. How long has that young blackguard been here?” Julie collected and composed herself and told him.

—because of something which must have happened before he and I were born. You haven’t even told me what the injury was, and I refuse to believe Crosby is a blackguard, and has been fooling me.” Her father’s eyes glinted angrily, and liis face darkened again.

“•'Would you dare to defy me!” lie thundered with sudden fury. “You dare to doubt my word, and would sell yourself and me and rob me of my revenge! You would dare to think of marrying .the son of the man who brought me to this and made me what I am. I’d rather see vou dead —”

“Now tell me what it all means, Dad,” she pleaded. “Why do you denounce Crosby as a blackguard? You can never have seen him in your life before.” Her father did not answer immediately. He tugged with nervous lingers at his beard, and took a few paces to and fro, his face grim and set. “His father did me the greatest wrong one man can do to another,” he said at last. “'Now the sou would wrong you and try to cheat me of my vengeance. It shall not be!” CHAPTER ILL Martin Eden, who had been a silent witness of the scene, crossed the deck after shouting orders in beche de mer English to the Kanaka crew, who were standing about, staring like big inquisitive children at their skipper and his daughter. He was a dark, clean-shaven man of about thirty-five, decidedly goodlooking and something of the gipsy type, but with a naturally pale complexion which even tropical suns had failed to tan. Ilis black hair was thick and curly, his dark eyes very bright, and he showed a double row of strong white teeth when he smiled.- He was generally smiling, but there were cruel lines round his thin-lipped mouth, and rather a shifty expression in his bright eyes.

“How do you do, Miss Julie,” he said politely, and Julie shivered inwardly as he took her hand and pressed it. He had cold, clammy hands, tho touch of which always made Julie think instinctively of coming in contact with ►something loathsome. Once when surf bathing she had stumbled and fallen with her hands on a dead jelly-fish, and Eden’s hands always reminded her of that. “I could not help overhearing,” he continued, his keen eyes darting froin .Julie’s troubled face to that of her father. “Can I be of any assistance?”

“You’re ill again, sir!” Eden ex

“I don’t know, Martin,” answered Julie, her ci’os still searching her father’s grim face. “I don’t understand what it all means.”

“I have told you whatsit means, Julie,” said her father abruptly. “That fellow who came aboard with you is the son of my worst enemy, and must have come here with the deliberate intention of kidnapping you or inducing you to elope with him. He and his accursed father have good reasons for seeking to get you into their power. llow they discovered you were here is beyond me. I must take steps to guard you and checkmate their cunning plot to rob me of my vengeance.”

“I am quite sure, sir, that Julie would not think of distressing you or disobeying you,” interposed Martin Eden. ' “She is inexperienced and knows little of the world, or she would not have been so easily victimised by a plausible stranger.” “I am, at least, able to manage my personal affairs without your help,” flashed out Julie, resenting the intervention.

“My one desire is to help you, Ju lie,” said Eden.

“Yes, yes, we quite appreciate that, Martin,” said John Brown, who had now recovered himself. “We will all go ashore now, and you will take a message to Courlander to the effect that Julie declines to see him again and wishes to have nothing further to do with him.”

“I am sure you are mistaken, Dad,” Julie protested. “Would Crosby have told you and me his right name, told you his father is Sir Fortesque Bercsford Courlander, if he had come hero with the 1 deliberate intention of kidnapping me or persuading me to elope with him, as you suggest?”

“He may be a fool as well as a knave,” her father responded. “He is neither,” said Julie spiritedly. “I am quite certain lie has not the slightest intention of wronging me, and did not come here with an evil intention. He loves me, Daddy, and I love him and want to marry him. Tell me what the wrong was that his father did you —and when.” “Xot now,” said John Brown. “Soon enough you will know the facts, Julie. Meanwhile put this nonsense about love and marriage out of your head. Courlander has been fooling you. •’ ' “I am quite positive he has not,” insisted Julie. “You are doing him a great injustice, Father.” “My dear Julie, do try to face the facts,” broke in Martin Eden. “Do you think it merely a coincidence that the son of your father’s enemy visits this remote spot while you are alone and tries to persuade, you to go away with, him? Do you think it likely that the son of a wealthy English nobleman would want to marry an unknown girl from Talula?” “Why shouldn’t lie?” retorted Julie, drivem.'to desperation. “You have told me, Martin, that I am the loveliest creature God ever created, and you want to marry me yourself. Wouldn't you want to marry me if you were the son of a nobleman? Would it be the first, time that a nobleman’s son had ever married an unknown girl if Crosby Courlander married me? Are you suggesting I am not fit to be the wife of a man of birth and breeding?”

“Xo, no, no! You misunderstand me, Julie,” protested Eden. “ You are fit to be the wife of any man, but the son of Fortesque 'Courlander is no fit mate for you,” added John Brown in tones of finality. “I shall not permit him to see you again.” “You are treating me as if I were a child,”, protested Julie, rebelliously. “I have promised to marry Crosby, and I refuse to give him up merely because his father did you some injury

. “But, Daddy—” began Julie then broke off with a despairing sigh. It seemed futile to argue, protest or rebel. She knew intuitively that her father would restrain her by force if needs be from seeing Crosby again, and realised that his hatred of the very name of Courlander was deeply rooted. Site longed yet feared to learn what the wrong was that John Brown had suffered at the hands of Sir Fortesque Courlander, and found herself at a loss to know how to act. She was torn between love for her father and love for the man who had asked her to be bis wife and to whom she had given her heart. pi silence she went overside to the boat which had been lowered, and with her father and Eden was rowed ashore. On the beach the entire population of Talula had assembled to welcome their white masters, who gravely submitted to being decked with garlands of flowers, in accordance with immemorial custom and kissed by the native girls, and they, in turn, distributed trifling gifts. “Here in Talula I thought to find peace, if not happiness, but the serpent has invaded our Eden,” said John Brown gravely, when he • and Julie reached their bungalow. “I must now be constantly on guard, ’i “Tell me what it all means,” pleaded Julie, but her father shook his head.' (To be Continued).

• He broke off suddenly, catching in his breath as if in agony, and pressing his hand convulsively to his heart. His face went grey, and he reeled and would have fallen had not Martin Eden caught him and supported him.

claimed in concern. “ Run to the cabin and fetch brandy, Julie.” Julie obeyed instantly, sped to the cabin, and was back again on deck within a couple of minutes with a pannikin half-full of neat brandy. John Brown gulped down the strong spirit,.which revived him, and straightened himself, wiping the clammy sweat from his furrowed brow.

“I’ll be all right presently,” luj said, breathing unsteadily and still leaning heavily on , Eden’s shoulder. “Curse the pain! Something wrong with my heart. I—l forgot myself, Julie, but the thought of your giving yourself to Courlander . . Oh, you don’t realise what it means, but soon you will understand. 'You must —you must believe that I know best, Julie, and that everything is at stake. You must obey me.”

Julie was greatly concerned and upset. She recognised that her father was desperately in earnest, and was, moreover, ill and in pain.

“You’re all I have in the world, Julie,” resumed John Borwn, before she could speak. “I have centred all my hopes on you, my dear. I count on you to right the wrong that was done me, and I can’t believe you will wreck my hopes and ruin all my plans. I can’t —I won’t —permit it!” “Daddy, I don’t want to upset you or spoil your plans, whatever they are,” cried Julie tremulously, taking his hapd and pressing it; “but I don’t understand, and —oh, Dad, it seems unfair that I should have to send away the man I love.” “You will do as I wish, Julie,” said her father.