The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1096, 17 September 1904, Page 4

The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Author of "The Heiress of Glen Gow

CHAPTER XXV. THE MANIAC'S STORY. Autumn was at hand. The woods wcro gorgeous in thoir radiont robes of geld and purple and crimson, Christie's chief ploasuro was in wandering through the forest, and blazing on the brilliant jewelry of naturo. The weoks that hid passed had restored her to health, but her step had not regained its elastio lightness; her voice had lost its old joyous tones; her fosoato cheek had lost for over its vivid bloom, and the bright, joyous light of hopo and happiness had died out in (lie deep, melancholy blue eyes, Sho moved through tho little forest cabin, tho shadow of her former self, pale, wan, and spiritual, And, in looking at her slight, delicate figure, her fair, transparent liltlo face, with its sad, haunting eyes, you might liavo though hor somo fair vision of another world, and almost expect to see hor fade awey beforo your vovy oyes. It was vory lonesome, buried there in tho depths of the foresl, with no companions but tho man, lieubcn, and tho maniac Bertha. But its very lonolinoss tnado it all the moro woloomo to our litllo recluse, who droaded nothing so much os a discovery ; and, roaming through the grand wood sho felt sho never warned to leave this solitary spot again, At any other timo she would have shrunk in terror from the prospect of passing tho long, dreary winter here, when oven tho comfort of thoso walks would bo denied her, How little did -sho droam of all that was to occur beforo that winter came. Reuben's absence to N—to buy necessarios for the littlo family wero tho only incidents that broke tho monotony of their life. At first, Christio had beoti somewhat afraid of remaining alouo with Bertha; but finding sho was, as RcubeiPhad said, porfectly harmlesss, she had soon recovered from this fear, Lovo was a necessity of Christie's life, and as time passed, sho learned to lovo Bertha with a deep earnest lovo that souiotimes surprised even herself, - The maniac, too, in her uncertain way, seemed to return this love, anu would sit for half a day with hor head lying in Christie's lap, As for Reuben, no ono cou'd know him without loving him; and Christio already loved him as a lather, whilo he felt dn affection for his little stray waif. As yet he had not told her th>) history of tho maniac; and Christie, for tho most part absorbed in her own sad thoughts, had almost forgotten it; but one cold an I blustoiing night, as she drew her low roching-cbair up to the fire while her nimble lingers busily flew in making somo warm clothing for tho winter, sho reminded him of his promise, and urged him to relate tho story, Bertha had already retired, and lay aßleep in tho kitchen, and Bonbon, his day s work done, sat opposito Christie, making wicker baskots, which ho usually tooft to N—at intervals to sell, and which was tho chief incomo of tho family. "It soems a sad thing to recall days so long past," Baidß-üben, with a sigh, "but theo deserves to know, Christie, for waiting so long, And, my daughtor, when theo hears, theo may think it btrango that there should be so much wickedness iu this world; but tho Lord will redoem His servants in His own good timo, Let mo Bee; it requires timo to look so far back, My father was a farmer, living in Connecticut, and belonged to tho Sooiely of Friends, Ho had a brother, it seems—a wild youth, who ran away at the age of sixteen and wont to sea. Eight yoars passod beforo they received any nows, and Ihon a letter cuno to myjfutlior from him, saying ho was in Spain, in a place called Grenada, and was married to a Spanish girl of thai place. "After that, for fourtoon yoars more, tve heard nothing olso from him, until ono cold wimor night, as wo were all itting around the lire, tho/o cauio a knock at tho door; and. when ono of my sisters opened it, a man, drossod like a sailor, ontered, leading a little girl of twelvo years old by the hand. That man was my father's long-absent brother, whoso wife was dead, and who wished to ploeo his only child with his friends beforo he wont to sea again. That child is now iho maniac, Bortha, theo scos on that bed," Uncle Reuben's lips quivorcd as his eyes {ell on tho beautiful fauo of tho sleeper. " Bortha, though only a child then," said Undo Reuben, " was taller and moro womanly looking than many girls of sixteen- My tliroo sisters woro thou accounted very handsomo girls by everybody; but they wero no moro to bo compared to hor than candles are Jo stars, Tbey had [lino, hoalthy figures, and red cheeks, and round merry facos, but she had a dark oval face, with long blacK curls, and largo melancholy dark oyes, Ah, my daughter, theo looks as if theo thought her beautiful still, but sho is nothing now to what sho was then, "Bertha could speak very litllo English thon—hardly a word—ond tho villagers usod to laugh at hor attempts to speak to them; but when tlioy looked at her mourning dress, ond sad bcautifqi faco thoir lafightcr quickly ceased. 11 Her fathor wished hor to bo sent to some good boarding ecliool, where she could aequiro a good education. Ha was going off on a voyago in which ho expected to make his fortuno, and whon lie camo back, ho said, Bertha should be a great lady. Accordingly, tliroo weoks after sho camo sho was sent awiy to a boarding school, and I do not think thoro was anyono sorrier to bid hor good T byo thon than I was. Hor father tbo next day went away in his ship, destined to somo far off place, which ho was never doomed to reach; for a month after, nows came that the vessel was wrecked and all hands cast away, and Bertha had no living rolativo in this country, excopt us. . " As her lather, beforo ho went, had made abundant provision for her schooling, in casj anything Bbould happen, Bortha remained livo years at school. Wo had parted from her a beauiiful child, but sho roturned a woman—p e less, ruperb—a perfeot vision of beauty. Everybody was raving about her, All tho young men far and near wero in lovo with hor; but Bertha novor seemed to care for any of them. I was a young man, then, somo seven and twonty years of age, and I, too, liko tbo rost, fell in lovo with my boautifill cousin. It was a hopeloss lovo, and I knew it; I felt that she was as far abovo '.no as heavon is abovo the earth, and I locked my secret in uiy own , bosom, and resolved I would never her a moment's pain by telling her of it, "I was, ho'wcvcr, lrr favourite; thero woro two inoro broihoiv, but she liked me best—but only with sisterly lovo, To mo alono sho used to speak ol (ho vino-clad hills of Spain, and of her longing for sunny Grenada onco more, And I had to listen and lteop down the yearning desires which usod to fill my heart to kneel at hor foot, "Ahlitllo Christio, theo may wonder how such a rough uncouth man as 1 am could feel lovo like this. But I could havo died thon for my beautiful cousin, thou no ono dreamed I cherished to her other than a cousinly affection. When I used to see her smile on other young

BY MAY AGNES FLEMING

,-cr," " Tho Unseen Bridegroom," etc

men, mid lean on their anus, and listen and look plonscd they talked a-id blush when she would meet thoir eye?, I used to feel tho demon of jealousy rising within ino. It was very lmrd thon (o bear my lot patiently; but whon after a while Bertha camo buck to me and told mo how tiresoiuo thoy nil were, and that I was tho dearest best cousin in tho worhU could liavo knelt down at her foot in gratitude for tho words, These wore the happiest days ot my lifo and though I know Bertha could no\or lovo mo, yet I felt if 1 might' only bo near hor and know alio was happy and see her sinilo on mo sometimes I could ovon beano soo her married to souio man moro worthy of her than I was, Ido not say thero were not times when I was tempted to murmur and wish Ileaven had gifted mo a loss ungainly form, for Bertha's sake, yet I may say,l atrovo to subduo all such ungrateful murmurs, and think of many blessings, and on tho whole, I was happy. " My father loved liertha with a passionate fondness, and often spoke of his cherished wish of seeing her united to ono of his sons. I was the oldest and his favourite, and I know his ardonl dosiro was to see us marrioj; but, ns this could never be, I always strove to ovado giving a direct answer to his questions concerning my feelings towards my cousin. To hor ho had nover spoken on tho subject; but, on his deathbed, he called ns to linn, and, putting hor hat;d in mine, charged us to love ono another, and becomo husband and wife, Ah 1 thoro was little need to tell uio to lovo ono I almost worshipped already. Bertha's hand lay passively in mino. She was weeping convulsively, and neither of us would rondar his lust moments, unhappy by saying his dearest wish could not bo fulfilled. 1 thought thon-sha had merely acquiesood to sootu/t-hia lasts momonts, and resolved not totyind her by any snob promise. But iu the bustle rind confusion of the next throe days thero was no timo for explanation, and tho funeral was over beforo I could oven spoilt a word to her in private. "The day after *ho funeral, I found hor sitting alone in a sort of arbor in tho foot of tho garden, and, going to her, I said, with abrupt haste: "' Bortha, I know thee did not liko to refuse my father's dying request to marry ine, but, as the promiso was against thy will, I havo l iken tho first opportunity of lelli nq thee I do not consider it binding, and, bo far (HI am concerned thyself quite free from all engagement to uio,' (To be continued)