CHAPTER XVI.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 3, 11 May 1883, Page 7

CHAPTER XVI.

ONK cheerful thought, however, arose iv his mind that sent a thrill of delight through him. Within the white home he had just parted from the beautiful being beside him would keep his memory green and treasure up his name. Be felt he had made an impression favourable to his suit, and he trusted to the tenderness called up by absence and to the good offices of his sister to do the remainder. Wherever Alice was, Frank knew well his name was not likely to forgotten. It was therefore with a light heart, and with a great of his old airy, careless manner, that he took his sister in his arms and embraced her, drew Grace to him in the parting and kissed her forehead, and, stepping into the parting train, waved his hand and was gene. "I wish there were never these udhappy wars," said Alice as they rode slowly homewards, her sad thoughts following her brother. Save and except, however, for the loneliness left by thitj separation, the days afterwards passed very pleasantly at Craighome. The two girls were so similar in age and disposition, they were further bo much alike in the orphaned position they were placed in and the fact of their only relations being away at the war created a further bond that knit them closely together. A letter from Portsmouth and another from Malta, from Prank, full of airy sketches of his journey, full of 'fanciful recollections of Craighome, and full of kindness and. tenderness for the two girls, was all the correspondence they had had from their late sojournersBach morning the papers, when they arrived, were eagerly scanned at the breakfast table for information from the seat of war ; from that beleagued fortress upon which the eyes of the civilised world were now fixed. But among the list of the killed and wounded now beginning to appear with ominous regularity in the columns of the newspapers the names of the two first travellers, to Grace's inexpressible relief, failed to appear. It was with trembling fiagera and a beating heart that she each morning opened them. One morning some weeks after the departure of Frank a letter lay on the breakfast for Lady Alice. It was from the wife of a colonel of artillery, a very old and attached friend of her father, stating that she was about to pay a visit to the East to see her husband, whose health had been gradually weakening under the pressure of incessant duty in the trenches and on the batteries, and suggesting that as her young friend had a strong interest there also she should accompany her. The invitation came most agreeably to the young lady, whose affection for her brother, as we have seen, was very great; and as the matter was discussed between the two girls at the breakfast, Alice suggested that the young hostess should make one of the party. The suggestion came on willing ears, for it had been a long time since a letter had been recieved from Maurice, and though his name still failed to appear among the lists of wounded, the continual silence was unaccountable. Her dreams ran on him night after night; and Sometimes taking tone from her waking thoughts, grew into strangely distortedand hideous fancies. After some of these horrible dreams she feared to open the paper at the breakfast table, lest the everincreasing lists of killed and wounded should contain the dreaded intimation. But the name of none of their friends, happily, yet turned up, nor did any letter come. The suspense had grown almost unendurable, and Grace's heart beat high with pleasure at the prospect of again seeing her brother. Indeed so full of trouble had she been About him. that it was only at chance times that she bethought of her rival lovers. So, Alice having promised her that her presence would be equally welcome with her own, Grace at once assented, and before they had. arisen from the breakfast table the details of the projected journey had been discussed, and a letter ssnt off to the lady at once accepting the offer. v A few days elapsed V fore Grace could leave. There were a great many things to be settled abont the house and the lands ; a aj good many of the accounts that appertain to a large bouse to be investigated and closed; a good many arrangements to be made with the tenants, and a good many visits of more or less importance to be paid. Among the many other numerous dependents whom Grace made it a point of duty to call on was the old harper, Manus O'Donnell, and bis sister, Grace, in their hut on the mountain side. 44 And now, dear," said Grace, one morning as they were preparing to ride out, "I am going to take you to see two of the most remarkable people in Donegal, or anywhere else in Ireland." A rather strong statement to make," said the English girl, laughing maliciously, " when you consider the tend you speak of." " Well, I suppose it is," Grace said, joining int he laugh, although the saying somewhat grated" upon her; " but they are really the most remarkable people you have ever seen." "O'Donnells too," 41 Oh, yes, certainly." " I should be surprised if they were not, my dear, for I don't think I have met one yet around here not of that name." 44 You will be interested in it for once " " I could scarcely need further interest in it than to know it is the name of a dear and kind friend," said the young lady speaking with great sincerity and abating her raillery. 14 You will, however, be much interested in these old people. They are brother and sister, and nearly a hundred years old. Manns O'Donnell is the finest harper in Ulster, or, I believe, in the world." 411 shall be delighted to see him and hear him. lam passionately fond of music. And I have often heard of the wonderful pathos of your Irish airs,"

" You shall hear them to perfection— if he be in the humour, otherwise not." "He is not always in hnmonr, then, like all other clever people f ' 44 He is old,— very old," said Grace tenderly and apologetically, " but he is very fond of me, and that makes up, as far as I am concerned , for all his. other failings." As the girl lightly stepped without aid into her saddle, and sat a very northern Venus, with the freshness of the morning mantling in delicate rosiness on her cheek, Alice could not help thinking that it would be very hard indeed to get one of the opposite sex who conld look on her and fail to fall in love with her. She thought of her brother, and sighed. What an excellent partner this fair and beautiful girl would make him would he only stay at home and live on his property as a country gentleman. But this only passed through her own mind. She did not speak it. " Strange to say," continued Grace, as they cantered down the path and on to the undulating hills that formed the shortcut, "they both have taken a most unaccountable dislike to Maurice." "Why is that?" " I don't know. They give no reason for it. They give him a name— it is a most dreadful one to Irish ears— and if you were Irish I should not mention it to you." . "What is it?" " Why, they call him ' traitor.' " " Well, there is not much in that," said the English girl carelessly. '• I knew you would say that. Yet to Irish ears no word so hateful or damning as that was ever formed by human voice. The very suspicion of it is in itself damning." "Of course it is not a pleasant attribute, but there are worse things." " None to Irish senses. I suppose it is because Ireland in general and the Clan O'Donnell in particular, have suffered so much through them from generations and centuries, that it is so. But the name murderer has less repugnance or horror for Irish ears." " But why does the old harpei give him that name ? " " I cannot understand. He does not speak over the matter with me. He did with Maurice, when he was present." " That is very odd." " Yes ; and so I mean to ask him the reason to-day. There is a half gift of prophecy or foresight in these old poeple that is very re* markable, and that makes me feel uneasy. But Maurice " " Was Maurice like you, Grace dear ? " Alice interrupted. She waa prompted to ask the question by the extreme beauty, the exercise of the ride, and the indignant pain which the imputation on her brother had painted on her rounded face ; and further by the kindling look of haughty defiance that leaped from her eye as the thought of anyone else using the word occurred to her. "We were always accounted very like," said Grace gravely, " until Maurice joined the service. Five years' campaigning alround the world has a good deal altered him."