The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1066, 13 August 1904, Page 4

The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

BY MAY AGNES FLEMING Author of " Tho Heiress of Glen Gowcv," "ThoUnweu IhidogwDtii," etc.

"And Aunt Tom will bo anxious," said Ch up, "Audilmt romutdsme of her col: ..lissiou, which I Iwd nearly forgotten. When we reach tho store you can wait outside. I will join you in a moment, The moon was just rising when they seta sail for the isle, which Christie had left child, and to which sho was now roturiw ing ;i wifo. The soft bright moonlight was lighting up tho isle with its calm palo rays when thoy reached it. The cry of tho whip* poor-will from the neighbouring forest mingled with the murraurof tho waves on the shoro, is the s.tcetest munic that ever was heard..;;;'.... :.i-•£'*'.j*. Tempted by thc.'.ieinty of tho night the lovors prolonged their'stroll ovor the beech, At length, as it began to grow late. Chtislie, tawing Mrs Tom or Carl might come out to watch for her coming persuaded Wilhird to lot her return. They walked up the rockoy, roiiuntic lath, whispering tboso low and Dften foolish tilings so sweet to lovers' cars when coming fiomtho lips of ilielovoil (no. A light still twinkled in the widow's collage, casting a long, thin lino of yellow light far over ihe 'onoly road, But no other sign of lifo was visible. Christie's blue eyes wero bent on the ground- and Willard's stately head was bent abovt, her, when suddenly, looking up, ho behold a sight which ftozo tho blood in his veins, From th'e dark, mystic pino woods a whitcrobed figure came floating toward them, One glance sufliced to tell him it was tho strange vision that had bent nv r him a fjw night? before There wero ihe same hollow, rnyloss eyes, Ihe same wild, stroaming black hair, tho samo ghastly, corpsoJiko face, with its fixed look of unutterable woe. It was coming steadily toward them, this awful phantom. Willard stood fixed, gazing as if fascinated on the appalling specter. His next thought was for Christie, He glanced toward her, to see her face blanched lo the Imo of death, her eyes dilating in honor, frozen, tin. able to speak a word, one hand raised, and ono dickering finger pointing to tho dread being approaching. Neither eouid move nor spsali. Slid the phantom lloated on until it stood before them face to face. For an instant it paused, with its hollow eyes glaring upon them; then with an awful cry of " Murdered! Murdered!" llut poalcd through the dim old woods.it threw up both its arais, mid with it shriek, lied away among tho beetling rocks, The hand that' grasped Willard's arm was growing weaker and weaker; there was a low moan, and he turned in time lo catch the senseless form of liis child'wife j in Ins arms, / The wild, unearthly scream had startled Mrs Tom. Alarmed and wondering, she cautiously opcneJ the door and went out. And there she saw Willard Ditimmoud with the senseless form of Christie in his arms. To lie continued.)

CHAPTKfi IX I ( Fickle fortune, that often favors tho . wrong and erring, certainly smiled on tho lovers that day, For scarcely had Christie entered tho house when Mrs Tom cauio buatlo out, saying in heart-rending tones: " What is to he dono ? This live and forty year, ruin or shine, I've had a cup of tea for brookfast; ami now there ain't a gvain in the hou'c I j*s' know that I won't bo tit fo' nothin' to morrow, when I ain't got a cup of lea for my breakfast; and there's no use tryin* 10 make thai gooinfor-nothing Carl go for any to-night, Scat I yon hussy!" And Mrs. Tom gave. Ibo cut ii kick, which was her usual way of winding up nn address. " Aunt' Tom," said Christie, " Let me 11 You J Aro you crazy ? How arc you goin' to go ?" " Mr, Druinuiond is going over to West port this evening, and ho wanted me to go with him," said Christie, turning away to hide a rising blush. " T can easily get it thero.' 1 " So yon can," said Mrs Tom considering, "hjt will Mr Druinuiond return early ?" " Yes said Christie; "he has some •light business to transact, and then he is coming home immediately. I'd like to go." " Well go then; and don't be gnnc any longer than you cm help, " Get two poun's oi hyson at Mr. liingcr's," "Yes luu'nui," said Christie, taking the money nn-a putting on her hat and slnwl . iu ft trembling, ugU&tcd sort ut wny: Sbo hurried out, and on her way mot Willard coming \\\, to tho house, " Well, bas Mrs, Tom givon you permission ?" ho asked, 111 pleasei supriso. Christie related her errand. " jhe gods favour us," ho cried, gayly, " See, Christie I" the sun is approaching the west, and beforo it dies out of tho sky who will bo what heaven has destined for you— my wife," " And to bo that for an hour is Miss enough to repay ut whole life of misery," she said, with licirtfoltcarne.stwss, They had now reached the boat. Ho handed her in, pushed off the boat, took tho oars and rowed away, But other eyes were upon them. From one of tho windows of the high chambers of Campbell's Lodge Aunt Moll and her son Lcin were taking ob aerations. I'Dardeygo-olhsiilii),' What will Miss Sybil say to dot?" observed the scandalised and indignant Aunt Moll. "Goin out pailin, don't signify much Doy young gcuiblutn wauls somebody to talk to as he rows," " Tain't rigln," said Aunt Moll; "dar is souielin wrong, somewhere. Don't believe Miss Sybil would 'prove of it; deso yer young men ain't to be trusted, nowadays," " It's natnrnl'M arse Dnnnmin' wou'.d got tired o' one gal and take up wid annoder for a change, I'it do it myself," concluded Loin in n pompons lone, " You would I" said lih mother in high dudgeon, "As if any gaP would look at you, you brach fool, Marsi> Druuimin' wil get hissclfinter a liomot's nest, it he trifles wid do 'fections of Miss Sybil, Is come to de conclusion to conform Miss Sybil ob his goin's on, soon as eber she arrive.*. Dar I" And having thus settled tho matter to her own entiro satisfaction, Aunt Moll descend to the kitchen and scon forgot all sublunary things in :hc coleslial bliss of smoking a dirty pipe, as black and atuuipy as herself. Moautimo the erring young pair wero swiftly skimming over tho bright waters in the direction of Weslport. The labour of rowing precluded the possibility of conversation, and both wero silent and thoughtful. Urged on by his intense desire of completing what ho hud so successfully begun-urged on, perhaps, by fato, tho boat seemed to fly over tho' (paneling suu bright waves, Ero the last ray of sunlight had faded from tho sky tho boat touched tho opposite shore; nr.d, drawing Christio's arm within his own, Willard set off rapidly in tho (own of We*tport. And having reached it he led Christiein tho direetion of a little obscure Methodist chapel, while ho left hor to seek for license and a clergyman, In a short time he wturnod with both, Without unnecessary inquiries the clergyman hasionod through the marriage j ceremony, and in a few moments tho young couple were man and wife Then, hastily paying tho clorgyman his fee, Willard ltd bis brido from tho clmrch. "My brido! my wifo I my own forever now!" ho cried, fo'ding her to his heart. But just then, with a sharp, piorcing cry of horror, Christie sprang back, frightfully pale—with dilating eyes and choking breath, "In tho n mo o( Hoavcn, what is the matter, my own Christie ?" he cried, iu alarm, But, pressing her Inivh ovor her heart, she sank dizzily o.i tlio cY';'?!i s:opa. " Christie I dearest lovo I what is it'/' he said, anxiously. "Ohl the doom-thn doom!" she said, shuddcringly, hiding her faco in ins arm. " What doom? Of what ii'c you speaking, sweet wife ?" he inquired, in increasing anxiety. She rose now and passed her bunds overher brow, as if to clear away a tirsl. Then seeing his pale, troubled face, sho recovored herself and Wed a smile. " Dearest Christie, what was it'/" he orkod. " Oil. Willard, you will laugh at me; but 19ftW it all so plainly," sho said, "Haw what? I do mil understand," be said, puzzled by her look, " 'J'hoso eyes I and that tierce jrasp on my throat, mid tho keen knifo. Ah I Heaven! I feci it yet" Ami she shnildeml. "Aro you raving, Christie, h Heavon's name, whut eyes, what knife, are you Bp-'king of?" lie said, " Oh, Willed I just as you folded me in > ■ arms wid O'illc-il mo jour wife, Svbil .....jpbeli's ti- ,'. black oyer jroso Ww.' me, glaring on me like b iming coals, and I foil two strong lmi„'i, clutch my throat and a kn'fe plunged into my breast, Oh, saints in heiven! it is before me yet" "Cbrislie, you uro mud I" ho said, veheuiontly, In all tlio terror, honor ami momentary frenzy of ihnt instinct, tho fear of his displeasure conquered every other leolimin her breast. Shaking id! ihe creeping dread that was palsying every ner\n, sho clung to his arm with lvnowed conlidcnce, and said, with a deep breath of relief: "I bolicvo 1 was, for tho moiiient, Willard; but that has passed now. You aro not angry with me, dourest "/illard ?" she said, observing the cloud that s'ill overspread his face, "Angry? Not nt all ho said. "Only sorry and surprised to think you should give way to such extraordinary delusions." ""Oh, Willard lit was not ut delusion! I saw it all as plainly as I see yon now. Oh, those drondfnl eyes I they wil haunt me to my dying day!" " Do not think of it uguin, my own love, and do not look so wild," bo said, soothingly, " Come, let us be going; the moon Will toon rise, and it will be late before we reach the isle."