CHAPTER XXIII.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 191, 24 November 1876, Page 6

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE SISTERS.

"O, Marion ! my dear, my only sister, don't say that. I was only thinking if it were right for me to talk, even to you, of other people's affairs." " How supremely silly ! " replied Marion. " You worry yourself about trifles with an intensity worthy of Dr. Nelson. He was scrupulous to a degree ; tormenting himself about little atoms of conduct, and would hardly trust himself to look at me, or speak to me, after my engagement; ceased his visits almost entirely, and made himself observed by every one ; underwent all kinds of selfimposed penance, to punish himself for falling in love with me." "Mamma Avrites as if papa were very fond of him," said Rosine.

" Mercy ! yes," replied Marion ; " I never saw him take to any one as he did to him. I suppose lie was the means of savin°- his life, and I think he would have been glad if I could have looked at him with his eyes ; but dear me ! a country doctor's wife ! there's only one thing worse — a country minister's wife. One might like to be the lady of a notable city physician," she added, p!nchin°Eosine, "the first of the faculty; and I can imagine a position worthy of effort, were I a Protestant, as the wife of a popular preacher or a bishop, but a country doctor's or country minister's companion ! — one must be devoid of ambition, surely!" Rosine did not reply, her mind was wandering back through the two years of separation, and the reflection, "How changed*!" seemed to strike her dumb; she feared they could never come together again as when they were children. In Marion's breast was something of the same thought, " How changed ! " but they were both mistaken ; time had not changed, but only developed their natural traits of character. They were preparing to retire for the night, and as Rosine did not begin the reading of the note, Marion took the pins from her luxuriant mass of chestnut hair) and commenced her toilet> saying very indifferently, " You may do

as you please about reading me the note, or telling me anything of your new friends." Rosine was willing to do anything but do wrong to soothe her sister, and she commenced slowly, without looking up : " Navy Yard, December 18 — . " My Sweet Young Friend : " I must congratulate you on your reunion with your sister, of which I heard to-day from Sister Agnes. ■ I hope I may yet have a little place in your thoughts. Come and see me with your sister, you know you are always welcome. Mrs. Laura Hartland was with me \esterday, she misses you constantly, but your friends are right, your yonng fresh heart should not be made the recipient of sorrows like hers. I wish I could comfort her, but naturally she is very anxious about the Lieutenant just now" — she hesitated. " Go on," said UMarion eagerly, " I nave been m3ning to ask an explanation of some expressions I heard the Doctor use yesterday ; it seems that she had desired to go to her husband, and the. Colonel prevented ib." " I knew nothing of it ! " replied Rosine, with surprise. " Well, I picked it up from the end of a conversation ; but go on," she added, impatiently. " There is nothing more of Laura here," said Rosine, and continued her readiDg — " We hear from Harry almost every steamer ; he is getting on finely, is at present at Strasburg, working hard at his profession." " Profession ! " cried Marion, looking around from the glass, " I thought he was in the navy ! " "He was in the service," replied Eosine, " but resigned on account of the war with Mexico, which he could not justify to his conscience." " Very foolish of him !" said the sister, in a tone slightly contemptuous. " What had he to do with tlie right or -wrong of the matter ? If he obeyed orders, the responsibility rested with the government." "You reason like the Commodore," said Rosine, laughing. " He was mortally angry with his son." " I don't wonder," replied the sister ; "it is a great hinderance to the rise of a man to change his profession after being established. Does he live on his father in the meantime ?" Rosine's face flushed with indignation as she replied, "You don't know Harry Greenwood. He is above all meanness." " He has a warm advocate in you, at least," said Marion, looking keenly at Rosine, who blushed painfully; "but go on, let's hear what his sister says of him." More reluctantly than ever, Rosine continued her reading, still loath to offend her sister by seeming to want confidence — " He thinks to stay in Europe two or three years. Father is a shade more reconciled, at least he does not speak of my brother with the severity that so distressed me. Come to me soon, my dear one, and I will tell you more of his daily life. You will find a loving welcome from your attached, "Dora Greenwood." It was true, as Marion had surmised from what she had overheard, that Laura had desired to go to her husband. Since Le Compte's departure, her anxieties for Aleck had redoubled, and she had even gone so far as to secure a passage in a steamer bound for the Gulf of Mexico Sister Agnes could not persuade her to the contrary; with all the energy of her former c*ays, she was determined; there was but one thing to be done, Colonel Hartland must be informed of her intentions. The good Sister performed the painful task as a matter of plain duty. No sooner was he aware of her plan, than he called upon her, and used every argument to dissuade her from her purpose, begged her to consider that Aleck was in the midst of preparations for carnage and blood. Finding that he made no impression, he changed his tactics, and told her plainly that under the circumstances the world would say, and not without reason, that she followed Le Compte. This was "the unkindest cut of all," but it kept Her where she was.