Sibbie, the Puritan Maiden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 428, 28 July 1904, Page 3

Sibbie, the Puritan Maiden.

SHORT STORY.

lIL- (Continued from last week.) • *£? B€xt da J * «»m1 croquet nartT £S d wl Klf J otki »* ffrwM <* to it more eagerly than to the firstball of the sLo" thi^ C Hi,rS U il to get cxcited *t>«ut a i? g S? at ' Bne htrself. T " th v le€B / f xdted 6he ™a» "id deep down in her heart ahe was becauae aha would aee Mr Fairfax againto Lesnie• opportanit r' Noran *»* **& f^L? o*'' 0 *'' forg^t m * 8 l0Tes » dear boy 1 I taie Bix a. Lucky for me Miaa Fairfax waen t there, whoever ahe maj be-I could win m , i, 6t without any trouble,' for all anawer her couain laughed boisterously, and replied: until this afternoon. He ran iff whiatlmg, nor did Bhe see bun again until the arrifai of Mr Fairfax t ltfa Miee Gray. He at once tackled the youngeter. ' Now 'young man, J° u bavegot to explain ? Wnat do you mean bj atuffing up Misa Dire with auch noneense about a MiasFaufaxf' • *I never ueei a word about a Miaa Fairfax, I tow. Did I, Millie P' * No, yen certainly did not!' aT erred the young lady. ' Oh, Lennie; How can you tell euch a fib ?, Ton know you and I had a bet about her I' 'Excuse me, mademoiselle!'—the boy bow(d m:cl iagiy to hia cou3in—*l ra. d) a bet about Sibbie Fairfax.* * WelJ, that comes to the asme thing, doesn't it P No, perhaps it doesn't though! —atd a audden pain tightened at Norah'a heart—' perhapa Mr Fairfax is married, and it iB the wife'a name you made use of. Am I. right ?' The answer was another gay laugh from > Mil.'ie and the boy, which did not tend to ' reaaure Norah, especially i a she saw r, smile twitch round the corner's of the < man'a mouth, too.

'Before we txplain,' said Mus Gray, 'do let Mr Fait fax hear your fancy description of Sibbie.' ' Perhaps he may be offended ?' 'I give you my word of honour J will not 1' And the smile broadened. -'Bat supposing it was very uncomplimentarj ?' ' Still I promise not to take effence.' 'Anyone would think he did not care fox his wife 1' mused Norah. Then she proceeded t 'Wall, »9 far aa I remember, my fancy portrait of her was: 'Very demure, of a puritanical type of countenance, staid and deoorcu?, ana much affecting deep linen collars and caffs.' Not very dreadful, after all, was it Y And she looked appealingly at Mr Fairfax, who bad now joined the others in undisguised laughter. 'Am I right in my description f she went on, the pain at hex heart deepening. * Look aad judge- fcr yourself I' laughed Mx Fairfax, drawing himself op. 'I don't uadexatKd.' 'No? Ibis young imp of mischief—shaking Lexmie— f and Millie axe enough to mystify anyone between them, so I must explain. My Christian name is Sebastian, which, shortened by my intimates—amongst whom I do not reckon you, you young rascal I—becomes Sibbie. Now do you see f* Sibbie Fairfax, the Paritan maiden, this brawny young giant! Fox the moment Norah joined in the laugh against herself. Then Lennia called oat -.

'Confess that I have won my bet absolutely!'

The bet! She had related its circumstances to Mi Fairfax, especially the part about being /gone* on him. Would he think that P A passion of shame filled hex as she recalled hex pleasure in his society, and embarrassment held her dumb.

' Confess that you spoke at least twenty words to Sibbie, and of your own free will,' went on the tormentor.

' I can make up fox it by speaking no more, then,' she said, and rushed off to hex own room J 'Whew!' whistled Lennie. 'What on earth's the matter now? It isn't like Norah to take the huff in that fashion.'

But Sibbie, with rare intuition, had read what waa passing in the girl's mind, and felt to shake the michievoui cause of the trouble, though, indeed, the lad was as sorry as need be when he found that he had unwittingly wounded his beloved cousin.

She appeared no more that day, and when next she met Mr Fairfax hex manner was totally changed. She kept aloof from him, and seemed to be trying to make im understand that he waa less than nocning to her, In such a small community, they of neceaiily met many times a week, and each meeting proved more and more formal. He could not make way when she so persistently treated Mm with chilling .Indifference.

'She cannot enjoy her visit much, poor :..cl»ild!' bethought. 'I must be a perfect " nightmare to her, for I notice that, however gaily she might be talking, when I enter the room she becomes instantly ~ Bilant. There is nothing for it but my withdrawal. If Igo right away, she can be her own natural self again. But how ■ shall I live without a sight of her ? Hove her even as my own soul!' Jane Higgins thought she had much • cause for rejoicing is these days, and said to her Eiater: : 'You Efe, there was nothing in your idea of . that London girl entrapping Sibbie F*irfax, after all.' | 'lam not so sure about that/ replied Mariai -'T4ej are bo ely, these town girls/ 'Sly, indeed 1' sniffed the other. 'I tell yon he cares-more for my little finger that for Miss Dare's whole body/ * Then I must say he chooses a queer way of showing his affection. Father told me only this morning that Sib is going to set out on Jus travels again.' 'And where did father get such news as that, pray P* 'From the man himself. He intends t starting to-morrow,' said Maria, and with ill-concealed triumph. Between herself and her sister existed untold jealousy, and both were envious of the eldest,-who had contrived to become engaged. The three belonged to that by no means uncommon order of women who •. consider marriage the only end of a girl's existence, and who, accordingly, feel deeply grieved at the bare idea of any competitor in the matrimonial race outdistancing themselves. They had been told of Norah's triumphs in town, and beheld in her a successful rival. She, poor girl, was altogether downcast on hearing of Sebastian's projected departure. Though every meeting with him was fortune, yet the torture was sweet, and she courted it willingly. But now— And the dreariness she had felt on first coming to the rectory settled down on her with the redoubled force. The last morning came. He was going that day, and, knowing that he would - come to say good-bye, she went down to the summer-house on the bankß of the river so as to be out of the way. Bather—a thousand times rather—that he should believe her wholly indiff srent than that her self-control should give way before him, as she felt it might. She believed she had slipped away nn-

perceived, but Eva, whose eyea were sharpened by her own love matters, saw that as well as many other things, and when Mr Fairfax iEquired for Miss Dare, could direct him where to fiad her, ai d contrive also that he should go alone. He walked along the grassy pasha, his head bent down and hia mind in a whirl i of conflicting emotions. As he approached the opening of the arbour Norah jumped up with a sudden atart, her face crimaoning unwarrantably. •lam come to bid good-bye!' he said gravely. • Yee.' No more could ahe utter. • You knew ? And yet you came here.' ' I did not suppose I should be missed,' ahe returned half defiantly. •And yet, it is because of you I am leaving!' he cried, determined that he would break through her reserve—that Bhe ahould know the truth, even did ahe acorn hint for it. ' Because of me?'

Her accent was one of unmitigated astonishment. 'Yea. I see only too plainly that my presence ia distasteful to you. I cannot refuse all invitations, aa we must need if I remain here. Therefore I am going away.' 'You mean I am driving you from home ?' ' If you will have it bo—yes.' ' But why P We are not obliged even to speak when we meet ?' 'How caa you talk like that ?' hejasked angrily. «How can I see you and not long to be near jou—yeu who are the only woman I have ever wished to call my wife—you whom I love better than life P Good-bye ! Lst me go!' She looked steadfastly at him for a few seconds; then a winsome smile curved her rosy lips. ' Go, if you choose,' she whispered j 'but do not say I sent you away !' ' Norah!'

He made a step forward and held out both hands. She placed beis within them and laughed gently. 'Why do ycu not go P' she asked. 1 Because—oh, because I love you—l love you I And you love me 1' As J.ne Higgias was pasaißg the garden gate she saw two persons join in a loving embrace. ' Defeated I' alio murmured huskily, and went her way.