“The Love That Conquered,”

Wairarapa Daily Times, 7 January 1928, Page 7

“The Love That Conquered,”

A CHAR AUNG (ROMANCE BY A POPULAR WRITER

BY CHARLES PROCTER. Author of “The Rockcll Combine,” “Pools of the Past,” “The Alan in the Case,” etc., etc. — mini i —a— iji ■ggji

CHAPTER 111.—Continued

“I do not feel equal to it now. Julie,'’ lie said, and sank with a weary sigh into a long chair on the verandah. Greatly troubled in mind, and feeling rather helpless, Julie stood gazing across the lagoon at the Adventure, to which Alartin Eden had put off in a native boat. She was wondering what Crosby would say and do when Eden delivered his message, but she guessed he would not accept his dismissal without attempting to see her again and insisting upon an explanation. She was right. Alartin Eden returned from the yacht to report that Crosby had said he refused to believe Julie had' sent the message, and that he 'was coming ashore to demand an explanation, ‘’‘He talked as if he meant to carry Julie off by force if necessary,” concluded Eden. “I warned him you were not a mair to be trilled with, sir.”

without a light, I think.”

Two minutes later she had climbed into the launch, and Crosby took her, wet as she was, in his anus and kissed her again and again until both were breathless. *

_“Xow tell me what it all means', darling,” Crosby implored, when Julie disengaged herself from his embrace. “Surely' your father can’t be in Ills right mind?”

“I don’t know, Crosby',” Julie answered with a mournful sigh. “He says he isn’t crazy', but in deadly' earnest. Your father, it seems, wronged him terribly, and daddy will not believe that you have not come here to try to kidnap me or do me some injury. ’ ’

“If he attempts to set foot on Talula again, I’ll shoot him like a dog,” snapped John Brown savagely, jumping to his feet and taking his pistol from his pocket. “Daddy, arc you crazy?” cried Julie. “Crosby has a right to demand an explanation. Let me see him and tell him —” “I will not!” interrupted her father. “I’m not crazy, but I’m desperate, and I warn you I mean what 1 say. ’ ’ Julie wrung her hands in despair. She feared her father, carried away by passion, might actually shoot Crosby' if the latter insisted upon landingon Talula, and in any- event she was desperately uilxious to avoid another scene.

“But it is absurd, Julie!” protested Crosby'. “There must be some mistake. Aly father was never in the South Seas in his life, and I am quite sure he never did anyone any deadly injury'. ’ ’

“Let me send him a note telling him not to come here,” she exclaimed, after a few moments of rapid thought. “Tony' can take it and intercept him.”

“Perhaps it was before father came to the South Seas and before we were born that it happened,” suggested Julie. “Dad can hardly be mistaken, for surely' there can’t be two men called Sir Fortesquc Hereford Courlander?” “Well, in any' event, the sins of the fathers are not going to be visited on the children in our case, Julie,” said Crosby decisively. “I love you, darling, and mean to make you mine in spite of our fathers. Say' that you will come away with me. We can be married at once—to-night if you wish. The skipper of The Adventure has the power to perform the marriage ceremony', you know, and we can be married again later by a parson if you wish. Let me take you aboard now, sweetheart. They are getting up steam o)i the yacht, and we can sail at daybreak. ’ ’

She sped into the bungalow, snatched up a writing-pad and pencil, and scribbled, hastily: “Crosby' dear,—Do not attempt to come ashore now, or there will be trouble. Wait off-shore in your boat after dark, and I will swim out to

He paused expectantly', drawing Julie closer to him and waiting breathlessly for her answer. Woman-like, Julie’s first thought was that she could not elope with nothing to wear but ! a flimsy- bathing costume, then came recollection of her father’s words.

you and explain.—Julie.” The launch had already' put off from the Adventure by the time she had written the note, and she ran to the beach, where Tony, a copper-skinned fellow, naked save for a loin-cloth, was preparing to launch a dug-out canoe. To him she gave the note, ordering him to take it quickly out to the “big fella white man” in the approaching launch, and she watched with concern and impatience as the native ran his canoe through the surf and hoisted an enormous sail.

The crazy' canoe slid over the water like a streak of light, and Tony' manoeuvred it with almost miraculous skill alongside Courlander’s launch, signalling and shouting to the white man to stop as liq did so. Julie saw him cling for a moment to the launch, saw the note change hands, and then she.waited apprehensively, fearing that. Crosbymight disregard her warning.

“I can’t, Crosby',” she said slowly', after a pause. “I’m all daddy has in the world, and all Ills' hopes are centred on me. It would break his heart if I ran away' with you, the son of his enemy', and left him desolate.” “But Julio darling-, you can’t mean that you are going to cast me off and refuse to marry me because your father has some grievance—real or imaginary—against my father!” exclaimed Crosby'. “I love y-ou, dear, and life without you would be misery'. I didn’t fully realise until to-day how much I love you. Merely to be with you gives me happiness, and to hold you in my arms like this is rapture. I think of y-ou by r day and dream of you by night, beloved, and the thought that you love me as I love you has made me very-, very proud and happy'. Say that you love me, Julie, and that y-ou will be mine.” -

She waved her hand, motioning him to keep off and pointing back to the yacht when Crosby stood up and shaded his eyes to gaze in her direction, and she drew a breath of relief when he' turned the launch and headed back to the yacht. t “So lie decided that discretion is the better part of valour! ” said a grim voice, and Julie turned to find that her father, pistol in hand, was standing close behind her. “I am glad you saved me the necessity of shooting . . . Now I can take a rest, but I shall ask Eden to keep guard while I sleep—if I can sleep. ” lie dropped the pistol back into his pocket, stood for a few moments staring at the Adventure with sombre eyes, sighed heavily, and walked slowly back to the bungalow, his chin sunk on his chest. CHAPTER IV. To Julie, wandering restless about with her mind in a turmoil, that day seemed as if it would never end. But at last earao sunset, followed swiftly by tropical darkness. Julie had put on a bathing costume beneath her cotton frock, and she stole out silently from the house to the beach as soon as darkness settled in. From the verandah She had watched the Tights spring into life along the whole length of The Adventure, which looked like some great gleaming jewel set in the centre of the lagoon. She had seen, too. a tiny pin-point of light leave the yacht, and she rightly surmised it was the launch. On what might have been described as the equivalent of the “village green” the natives of Talula were holding high festival to celebrate the safe return of John Brown, their white lord and master. Flower-bedecked youths and maidens were singing and dancing together to the strains of primitive musical instruments, and as Julie stole past, keeping in the shadows someone called “Talofa” -(“my love to you”) tho Tahitian form of greeting and farewell. Julie did not respond, but sped down swiftly to the water’s edge, slipped off her frock, dashed through the surf, and swam out towards the launch in which her lover awaited her. It was a moonless night, but there was a phosphorescent glow on the warm water of the lagoon, and as Julie cleaved her way through the water she seemed to send off little ripples of flame. “Are you there, Crosby?” she called softly, as she neared the launch. “Yes, here, Julie,” Crosby’s voice answered her through the darkness. Can you see me? I can’t sec you, clear. Shall I show a light?” “No, they might see me from the shore,” said Julie. “I can get aboard

“I do love you, Crosby dear, but — oh, I don’t, know what,to dij!” Julie responded tremulously'. “I don’t think I could be happy' even with you if I thought dad was angry and hated me for having gone away' with y-ou. Besides, he isn’t well, and—and —” Her voice broke, and she flung her arms round Crosby’s neck and buried her face iu his shoulder. Crosby, himself shaken, held her close, soothed her, and kissed away' her tears.

(To- be Continued)

“1 think I understand how y-ou feel about it, dearest,” lie said, when Julie recovered herself; “but you can’t mean that you intend to sacrifice yourself and me and condemn yourself to lifelong exile on Talula because your father objects to me for some mysterious reason?” “No, I don’t want to do that, Crosby,” answered Julie shakily', “but—but I can’t c-ome away' with you now. Give 3nc time to find out why' dad hates your father, .and why lie thinks you came here to entire me away-. Don’t think that I doubt you, Crosby dear, but give me your word of honour that dad’s suspicions concerning you are quite unfounded.” “Sweetheart I swear to you that until a little more than a week ago I had never even heard of Talula, did not know of your existence, and have not the remotest idea why your fathershould be under the impression that I wish'to harm you or him,” Crosby responded earnestly'. “I was sure of it, and I will try- to convince dad he is mistaken and find out how your father wronged him,” said Julie, recovering -herself. “I don’t think dad will want to visit the sins of the fathers on the children, and i when lie realises that I love you, and that you really and truly love me, I am sure lie will relent.”

“And if lie does not, and persists in believing me to be some sort of a scoundrelly kidnapper—what then?” queried Crosby'.