Terence O'Hagan's Three Christmas Boxes. (FOR THE "FREE LANCE" CHRISTMAS NUMBER.)

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1904, Page 12 (Supplement)

Terence O'Hagan's Three Christmas Boxes. (FOR THE "FREE LANCE" CHRISTMAS NUMBER.)

TERENCE O'HAGAN left his native Tippeiiary at the adventurous age of twenty-two, to pick up golden nugget* in the streets of Wellington, New Zealand Disappointed in nuggets, he looked around' for the ciowcU of employers that he had been told were in eagei quest of youthful talent f i om the Old Country. He understood there wat, a great deaith of well-set-up young fellows who oould manage a t>hop 01 look alter a-warehousbe at anything from £300 per annum upwards. The employers, however, whom ho waited on gave him a cold leeeption — some seemed positively amused — and isO Teriy fell back upon the Irishman's final report, and enlisted in the police Lambton Quay was not the kind of El Dorado he had oome so far to find. The only son of a solicitor, lie would not have quitted the Emerald Isle merely to wear a shako and cam a baton in New Zealand foi seven bob a dav. But, there was a little affair of the heart at the springs of action Teience had been smitten with the sunny looks and bright face of a pert, htle milliner acio^s the way from his father's office She seemed 1 plea-ed at the awkward ad\ance» and bashful attentions of the smooth-faced lover. His happiness leached 1 to Elysium when one memoiable night she accepted his invitation and his escort to the theatre. Buef waft, that taste, of Elvsium Nevt week therei came to the town a stylish commercial traveller. He was tailor-made from top to toe His patent-leather boot*, his spotless spathis silken tie, and the single diamond that flashed o.i his fingei suggested that he was a duke at lea^t. He had a quick eye for anything attractive m the feminine line, and soon found a way to get on speaking term-, with the pert little milliner. It was an easv conquest. Rage consumed the heart of Terenoe w hen he saw- his splendid rival, with the oiange, tawny moustache, and the old-gold' hair, clipped short, walking out with the object of his affections Desperate plans of revenge floated nebulously through his mind. Then a bolt shot from the blue. The news wa,s all over the town one morning that the little milliner had '"old out of her shop, and eloped with the fashionable stranger. It was said they had gone to Australia. That was why Terence had come to New Zealand. He had a vague idea that it lay off the Australian shore and wais a convenient place from which to watch people on the continent. Also, that money was plentiful there. When your bank account got low you simply poked about the rich alluvial soil until you had collected sufficient nuggets tokeep you going till the next spell. So, without a word to anyone, he drew hi> slendei savings from the bank, made his way to London, and worked hiis passaere out The Tipperary lad filled a large— .ized uniform in Wellington. At home he would have been called 'a broth ov a bhoy " In the colony he seemed, through no fault of his own, to be constantly in the soup." He stood' six feet in his socks, and had the shoulde.rs of a Sandow. But Ins powerful physique wais matched with a countenance that invited vou to take liberties with the owner. His open, freckled face, reddish hair, and soft brown eyes, and general a.ir of artless good-nature gave has show away Pi anks were played upon him ad lib. and Vie accepted them all in the be>st possible spirit Still it was no fool that lav undei that mild exterior. Onh tno tir-.o hadn't come to prove it Withui lik first Empire Citv beat there w>s a bf>v' college Also a superior kind of bonrdin^ establishment called "Yo-emite House," much affected

b$ bloods who plied the quill on jumped the counter tor a living. They took care that lite didn't gi o\\ too dull for young Constable O'Hagan. Everybody wore a smiling ia.ce on tlio Sunday afternoon that he paiaded Ins beat with a lai germed papei , 'Beware of Bluebottles" pinned to his unconscious tunic. At vauous times he had been summoned by bogus message* He had reported 'himself for duty at a mothers meeting, that was scandalised 1 by h'S entrance. He had dutifully trotted' up and down the town after the mayor one buby day, until H'S Worship demanded an explanation, and found out that it was somebody'** piactical joke. And he had got an undeseived lating for reporting himself at Government House in response to a call which never proceeded from there at all. He had been the f?uy of the force, and the of schoolboy-, and' Yosemite House boarders for .several months, when the firvt opportunity to show his real grit came- to him. It was on Christmas Dav and. m plain clothes, he had enjovedi himself among the crowd at Day's Bay A gale was blowing in the late afteinoon, and the steamei by which he icturned danced Tike a cork on the b'llows. All the passengers who could manage it went below, or got under cover in the alley-ways. Several pleasuie yachts were p^ssnie, lying ovei gunwales under, as they stiugerled under leefed sails to get back tithe^r anchorage beyond the Railway Wharf A young ladv in one of them attracted Terence's notice. She had a rich olive complexion!, lo\ely daik eyes., a mass of raven, ban piled m i ich profusion round her shapely head, and her figure was elegantly moulded. It was a vision of rare beautv to the eyes of the voung Irishman. Theie was no mistaking her teiror of the sea A young man m smart yachting flannels and packet, whose face seemed 1 ather familiar was doing his best to reassure hei , and persuade her to go below Suddenly a fresh squall struck the pleabuie craft, and, as she heeled quickly over, the young lady pitched into the yeasty waves As'shei came up, her cry rang out m terrified accents 'Oh, save me save me'" Terence made sure her companion would' instantly spring after hei To his amazement, the man was wildly throwing overboard rope-ends, small cables, anything he could lay hold of, but quite plainly didn't mean to follow He hesitated not a moment longer. Fully clad ais he was, he leaped on the steamer's taffrail, and lumped boldly into the. sea. It was a desperate venrtuie, foi the girl had drifted far Foitunately, she was to leeward, and, in spite of the blinding smother of »pmdnft he made good progress. He reached her juvt as she was sunking for the last time. Her struggle^ had giown feeble, and she was at the point of exhaustion. A moment later, and he would have been too late. As it was, she was too far spent to even clutch him She lay quite inert under his arm, and he was able therefoie to support her without impeding himself too much. Very soon, however, he realised that his own strength was ebbing fast in that boiling sea. It needed his utmost power of will to resist the subtle lethargy which crept upon him, dulled his senses, and urged him to end it all and sink to rest. A voice smote upon his ear, and roused him to one last effort. "Courage, mate. Hold. on. We've got you." There was a rattle of oars, and he put every ounce of blood into the btrugele to stay the foice that was dragging him and his senseless burden

down. It seemed a*> if theie was a lifetime in that instant'^ agony. Then, all at once the' gul's weight, winch he had so bi avely and tenacioiislv sustained, seemed to leave him, and away down, down, into unfathomable depths, he sank It wa.s all over. They had much trouble to bring him to. Happily, there wais a doctor on boaid the steamer, and the means of restoration were skilfully applied. Still it was a tw o-houis' job. His fitst thought \i ib of the girl Had she been saved? The assuiance that she had been went far to revive him They sent him home in a cab Noxt day will for ever stand maiketl for O'Haaran with a white *-tone F'i'-t of all, the mspectci came along and, on parade referred in teirm-> of piaise to the plucky rescue by which Constable O'Hagan had m? -aliped himself Ho warmly shook hands with the young policeman Later on ho was to the Insut'ctor'-. room Two lad 7 e> waited theie to see him. One was the rare and radiant maiden whom he had >aved fiom the wa\ es — still pi'e, but cweetei than cvei The D-luno-o he had caught of he on the vacht had not left an exa^eiated impicwon of her chaim>->. Slie was not more than 18 or 19 — iu-.t budding into glorious womanhood. Her h?ure was gracefully moulded on lino-- of perfect svmmeti'v, flow me; into soft contours. Theie was a witchery about hi?r iich daik, liquid eves which held ■sou m thrall and bespoke an infusion of v driner blood than the AnorloSaxon Her nci^e was 1 small slendei , weli-chiselled, sti aight — with the tiniest inclination to he retrousse Her man'iei was perfectly ea^y rather subdued but without any trace of selfcon 1 - '".ousnes". The other lady was an eldeily matron, of distinction, urbane in her depoitment, and, like her younger companion, richly dressed. She caught up her gold-rimmed pince-nez, and scanned O'Hagan w ith evident interest and satisfaction. ' Constable O'Hagan," said the Inspectoi, in a kindly tone, ''the Hon. Mrt>. CiMbitor has called with her niece, Mis6 Lueilla Cursitor, to thank you in pei son for youi brave conduct of jeiaterday." Both ladies lose at once. The Hon. Mrs. Cur^itoi advanced, and extended hei hand, with a pi aciOUis smile Mi O'Hagan, such heroism as youn> manes thanks seem tame and) commonplace But, s"uch as they are we offer them to you, with the assurance that they are* heartfelt." Miss Cursitor also put out her hand, adding tieinuloubly to hei aunt's words "I owe you my life, Mr. O'Haga.n. I am your debtoi always " The tears weiled to her eyei->. She was deeply nun ed. Terence blushed furiously. He opened his mouth once or twice, but was absolutely tongue-tied. His lips moved, he plucked at hus helmet, but could not utter a word 1 . They saw how it was with him, and the old lady spoke again. We know how impossible it is to recompense you, Mr. O'Hagan. An action like yours is beyond reward. But, as a favour, we beg your acceptance of a small memento of a noble act. Your Inspector has kmdly consented. Will you wear this in memory of oui gratitude?" It was a handsome gold watch and chain. While he fumbled with it in his big, open hand, Lueilla herself came foi ward again. "Please accept a smaller token from myself — merely a purse," she said. He found his tongue at la.st. "I thank you from the bottom of mv heart, ladies It was a poor thing I did after all. You prause me too much. Any man would have done the same. Shure, I neaily bungled the job iintoirely. It was the men in the boat that deserved all the thank* Still," with ashy look at Lueilla "I would' like to kape the purse but the goold watch and chain aire

far beyant anything it lay m me to do." But the Hon. Mi^,. Cunsntor would: take no denial. "Certainly not," she remarked "Your deserts are much greater than a watch a,nd chain. Please accept them as our Chrustmas-box — not ai> a girt, but as a keepsake, and a maik of our lasting regard." That closed the interview and the incident, and O'Hagan took up his daily duty and life went on as usual in ito beaten track. Lucilla Curator had gone to- her home _i iv the South Inland, and wa,-> onlv a bright memory now to Constable O'Hagan But her silken pms lav verv close to his heart • ♦ # In the wintei that followed, a ser.es of bold 1 and skilful burglanes affoided sensational matter for the newspapers and scared timorous, people very deeply Constable Terence O'Hagan felt keenly interested, foi every member of the force was on the qui vive. Each man ot them felt tha"t fortune might bung him a clue any day that would start him on the road to distinction and promotion Terence was on night dut\ , and his patrol lay at the Thorn don end. His thought-, were busy as he plodded his steady beat A stylish visito • had come to town, wliokp face and figure awakened bitter recollections Thoi-e heavy, tawny moubtachios, that sleek, well-qrroomed. well-tailored personality', could not easilv be mistaken. It was stiangelv like the favoured rival who had earned off the little milliner. O'Hagan wai» quietly moving along his beat, his thoughts upon the little milliner and her possible fate, when his steel-toed boot struck shaiply on some object that gave out a metallic ring. He stooped! to the footpath, and picked up a centre-bit. He was only a raw peeler, but he knew enough to identifv it as an implement favoured by Bill Sikes and Co. A glance around, and he found himself opposite the i evidence of the Hon. Mrs. Cursitor. He knew now she wa^ a widow with two grown-up sons The postern gate admitting to the grounds lay aiar. He peered' through There was no moon, but the iught was starlit. It seemed to him that the lower bash of the nearest giound-floor window had been raised', and left open. No harm, he thought, in making suie. He went forward cautiously, arc! found his eye^ had not deceived him. The window wasi indeed quite open. Then he made another discovery An unhghted l match lay upon the sill, and beside it an ordinary bna,r-root pir>e, with the tobacco still warm, showing it had been in nuite recent use. He lit hisi bull's-eye lantern, and bent down to look for footprints. Instead of them he lighted unon two pairs of boots neatly stowed away close to the weatherboarding. Or rather, there was a pair of common, heavy bluchers, and alongside them, strange companioned, a pair of gent's fashionable button-ups, of shiny patent leather. Terry scented game. First of all he thought of reporting to head-quaiters. A moment later he had his own boots and' overcoat off, and was ciawling through the window, lantern m hand. Hei might be blundering again, but hewouldl chance it. He passed through one room, and then stumbled over some small an tide of furniture, which fell with a clatter. Instantly a tall figure came swiftly towards him. He flashed his light, and, at the same instant, received' a stinging blow acrossi the temples with some heavy weapon. His assailant was a man, light, active and! well-dressed, and sprang for the window with a valise in has hand. As Teienc© turned to follow he was pinned from behind, but, wuth a furious kick, he disdodged himself, and grappled a powerful man in shirtsleeves. Althoueh half-dizzy from the stouch he had received from the fugitive burglar, he struggled desperately with the other. He realised it was a life and

death affnn this time, tor his assailant called out, in a, hoar&e whisper, to his escaping confederate' ' Take the r?-,t of the swag you blasted fool I'll soon hiuoli this trap '" The buiglai was sinewy, athletic, and strong Failing to throw Terence, or clutch him bv the tin oat, he slashed his arm with a knife, but in the act (A doing so it .slipped from him, and fell to the floor. Then, he plucked a levolver from his hip-pocket and tried to use it. By this time, the whale house was in an uproar. All the inmates had been roused by the noise of the scuffle. Onie buirerlar had fled, consulting his own safety The other desperado was stearins: hoinbly, and violently exerting himself to free his wrist and pull the tngger. Women were shrieking, lights were moving about, hell) was coming. All at once, O'Hao-an vlirroed, Irs hand fon a second lel axed its hold, there was a blinding flash in his eves, and he knew no mc/e * * * It gave him a &pel] of six weeks at the hospital, and made a first-class constable of him, with much honourable mention in all the papeis The bullet had lodged m hs shoulder, and it was cleanly picked! out. Hi> assailant had been taken at the window in the act o>f clambering thi ough. and was found to be a notorious crim n,il from Sydney. They M?nt him up foi five yeans. His intercepted booty was plate to the value of £000 But the confederate got dear away, with moiev and family jewel- worth £1000. The-e was mo olue'to hrs identity and tlr 3 ruffian who was captured had honour enough not to peach The Hon. Mr= Cursitor was mofu^e m her thanks aaud this time wanted to >-et the pluckv policeman up in business He firmh declined all leward ♦ ♦ # Time sped swiftly bv and O'Hagan was not settling dow n to the prosaic roubme of the b cubby 'ri life. It giew more and more uksome, and the diesare foi change woo constantly uppen-nost m his mind. He thought of Lu cilia Cursitoi , and fond dreams of making a name and \\m\loang a fortune to rise to her level glowed within horn Christmas was appi oachwi? and brought her back to Wellington on a visit to her aunt The gentleman with the tawny moustachios ateo le-appeaied like a comet in the social firmament. His name it now appeared! was the Hon. Guy Blakiston. So 'twas given out. Terence could not dissociate tins fine gentleman from the say and da^hHi cornrV'Ti cial traveller who had levanted from his *, native town of Thurles with the Ktifele milliner The mail one dav thought him a letter which set all dc-übts at rest It Ccim-o from SyJncy, and Tarn — "Dear Mr. o'Haga.n, — I am in deep distress. The man who tempted me to leave my home hat> deserted me. We were married in Belfast, and; I idolised hun. For a time I was very liaproy. But when my small means were, gone he became oold. We came liere to Sydney, although he wished me to stay behind. When my baby was born he d/Lsapoeared leaving mo without a penny. I have searched everywbeie, but oan find no' trace of him In spite of has desertion, I love him stall. Friends at home have told me you a-ie m New Zealand. I have a fancy that my Fred is there He calls himself the Hon. Guy Blakiston, but has real name, is Fred Bilkins If you can give me news of him I shall bless you till my dying day. I enclose his picture, take.ii with mine just after w r e were married Forgive me for any disappointment I may have oause-d you. I have Sauffeied — Yours respectfully, Aaiy Cloynes " « « • O'Haigan put the letter away in the breast pocket of his tuinic, and took time to think out a com se of action Ho wanted to make s,ure of his man A few nights later, he was detailed for

service at Go\ eminent House. A gay patty was on. Actuug chai ad<?s formed the hrst part of the piogiammc, to be followed by a small dunce All the elite of the city were theie, and Terence, with seveial othei picked men, were bent up fco call oabs .ind lendei othoi services of that order He was made happy by a look and* a smile of recognition from Miss Cursutor She was simply dio-sed in the costume of Marguerite But his puke be.it fiercely and his hngeis twitched when he saw that her attendant escort was the Hon. Guy Bhikiston No-i were his attentions disagreeable. He seemed to* be a privileged friend penhaps, a favoured suitor It was very odd. but the Hon. Guy Blakiston had d>re--ed himself in a policeman's uniform and if he had applied himself of M>t purpose to "make-up" on the model of Terence himself he could not have '-uccededl betbai . The imitation was cleverly worked out It may read funnily but Teremoc hitnseilf did noit peice ve the resemblance But he felt all the pangs of jealousy H( wa- r.pe for m <• ch ef if the danuh would give him but half a chance. It almost choked him to think of that sweet girl givu^ her lo>o t3>-uch a co<\OP' t~d coxcomb The night wore on wea ily fo>: the bobby. He re-ted by the oariaagew ay. wrapt in thought Inside a bra'-is bind wa- olavinsj a dreamy, voluptuous valse. A telegraph boy touched lum on the shoulder. He held out a.n emvelope 'Would you mind erivinor thus to someone in»ide p " he .sa d It'- for the O-cnernor's private and I ca.n't find anvone ti take it " OHagan was too good natured to refuse He took the me-.sag-e, and crossed the hall towa.idis a liveried footman Some of the guests weire bee;miMng to leave. He had delivered the message to the lacquev and wais turnine to withdraw, whe'i a lady opened a, doon hurriedly, and called to him. He hesitated, and she glided rap dlv to his sade and took his arm. "Ah there vou are," she said. "I thought I had missed vou Plea-e lose no time or we shall be noticed 1 I'm dreadfully nervous Cnll the carriage." Constable Terence's biam was in a whul. He didn't know whether he was on his Jiead or his hee<ls Sufficdent for him that his d'Vinitv was bv his side and was o^eakiue familiarly to him. It nevei o^cuired to him she hfld mistaken him for anvone else. If she had a^ked him to turn a flm-flan or walk o<n his hnndi« he would have do"ie it on the ini«t<a nt. Ouite meohanioally lie called the cab, aind assisted her m He was nreparing to close the 4oor when she said "Come f|Uickly, or I'll be missed " He entered in a kind of .stupor, and took the seat ov npr s^df Apparently the driver had had his 01 dens, for he drove off orate smartly Miss Cursitor had not pa,id> much at^ tentiion to her companion She seemed in great agitation of mind She was tremblima; like a leaf. "Oh, Guy, Guy, my heart fails me. It seenus t*o d'readfuil now that we aie actually on the way. Paoa will never, ne\er forgive, me How foolish not to "wait and quietly get married to-morrow Must we go bv the steamei to-mght p " Terence at laist grasped the situation That &ooundi el had persuaded the young girl to elope. Theresas a steamier leaving for New Plymouth and Auckland that night, carrying the out-goaaxg Trifico mail. The whole infamous scheme lay bare to his mind. He reflected a full minute before he spoke. "Miss Cui sitoi ," he beeran and them paused as he saw her start back fiom his unaccustomed voice in diismay. He went on more earnestly lC Th.nt miserable hound has deisaved vou. He didln't toll you he was a married mam, with a wife and child in Sydney." ' How dare you ?" she flashed out. "Take me back at onc-e. Whv did you enter this carnage with me You must

have seen 1 lnisbooic you tor Mi. iJiak i5 - ton. i<oi the love or JAeiaveu, iVusi, Ciu»itoi/ lie saiicl, witn the utmost humility, "don't — clou t think nie mumo euuugh to aiut the pare or a cur or a, brut© to any woman on bods ea« th, let aioioie you. 1 never thought what you meanst or what 1 did when you asiKeu me to oome with you. But, it's, the Gospel truth, l'n telling you about that ma.ii. I know him. Heie, take tins ldtteu — look at thife picbuie, with hit. wite by his side — and then — in pity's name let me see you safe to your aunt's home'" He tore out the photograph from it» envelope, and held it to her. The light fiom. a passing lamp threw a gleam aerocs the vignette, and she saw the likeness. Mechanically, she took the card! from hi 1 hand, and examined it. Tnen, in, a tiemor, she glanced hurriedly at the beginning and ending of the woman's letter. She did not try to read it Instead, she looked u>-> with tears feti earning from her fine eyes. "CoinMtable, take me home'" was a,ll she sai.d. Like a child she broke down, and sobbed bitterly, but quietly withal. He cahed to tho caibby, and 1 ordered him to dirive to Tuvako>n-ro>ad. Something had been forgotten. The> Ind ju.sl reached 1 the Poet Office. l\o further wend was spoken. With innate delicacy, O'Hagan left the young iad t > to her thoughts, which must have been distressing enough. He handed hei out at the Hon. Mrs Curator's iesidence, rang the beJl for heu, and, when the d'oor was opened, eftmply s.a.d 'Good-night'" then gave the Jehu h.^ fe€, and piomptly returned to Govemr ment House. He inquired! for the. Hon. Guy Bla.kuston, and found that interesting gemtle>man, still m has fancy pol iceman's unifo'i'm out in the. cab ja.nk, fussulv endeavouring to a-ceita.n if Mj«s Cur-L-tor had beem dnven home. Constiable o'Hao;a,n dlid 1 not trouble to beat about, the bui-,h. He dlre^ Ins man aside, and dtenounioed. him as an infea'nal scoundrel. He taxed ham with beane the 1 dlesea-tmp huebandi of Amy Cloynes. Blakitston began to bluster anid thi eaten. "By the lioly poker," exclaimed Teienoe, now thorouehlv enra^edi, "if you sav {in.at.her word I'll ran vou in for wife desertion, anid bv the wme token for burqrlai'-v as well Now I know you, my fiiip fellow. Wh-pn vou rain lake- a hao-e leavine your nal to hiis fate lake the coward you are you left a pdece of your gaudv watch-chain in my hand And bv the blessed St Patrick he.re is tiVie lest of it. Youi foo^e is cooked. I'm thmkmio- my tnuirtv, nntale Fnied Bilkins aviok'" The fellow tuined hvid, and diopped to hi>s craven knees. "For God's s'ake — fur Amv's sake" — he whined "be menioifnl as you hope fo>r mercy'" Terence O'Hagan was too softrJieuirted for an ideal policeman. There was nothing of the a roient fetoac about him. His heart i dented to the wietch at his teet. 'I'll give you a oha.nice," he sa.id, 'on tw o conditions One is, that you go back to your wife a-id cihild in Sydney The othei is that you give me now a signed confessjon for Miss Curator that \ou area mainetl man. So long as you let straight and square I'll be mum as the grave. Go crooked, and be the livm' iingo I'll have vou lagged as sure as me name's Tei ry O'Hagan." The terms were thankfully accepted, and — 'here let us add — werei faathfujlly earned out. Terence O'Hagan still treasures among his archives the little woman's* teau -stained letter of grateful, aftectiomate thanks. Fred Bilkins was f lightened into ways of decency at In the meantime, Constable O'Hag.nai kept his own counweil. Witih one exception, liowever He povted the Sydney letter and photograph, along w r ith Biilan.s', alias Blaikiston's, sngned confession to Mins Curator. Theii'e was no covering note from Teience himself.

He respected her feelings too* deeply to obti ude his own personality. Seveiai dayi later a brief missive, in tin Han. Mii-s. Cursitor's dekoate, cursive writing, with its ornate Italian flourishes, invited him to Skawfefll Lodge an a matter of urgent private business.. The fine old lady was deeply moved. Luodla had 1 confided everything to her, ana evidently bad' not faaled to extol most highly the oondfuot of tftie young constable. After warmly expressing her &ense of the obligation under which her family had again been placed, Mrs. Cursi/fcor oanrt/mued "Mr. O'Hagan, you have qualities fitting you for a much higher position than that of a policeman. It is my earnest desire to be privileged 1 to g, ve you a. start in life. Please don't lefuse this poor request of mine. I feel it is idle to offer vou any monetary leward. But pray do oblige me by accepting a loan — a loan without interest — from a childlesis old woman, who ha! far more than she can spend. At fir-.t, O'Hagan, with all the pnde of a lover of twenty-three^ — and am Irish one at that — flatly and 1 firmly dieehiied But, the dam^ would' have made a raue d! plom.atist. Bv slow degrees she broVe down his pridie and «hy leserve With much taot she led him. to tell bus storv and', witih a woman's keen intuition, ascertained has rea l feelmss towards her niece. When at last the inter-view ended there was a compact beitweein the pair. Terence wa.s- pledged l to accept a, loan of £500. H was to renan the force at on,cc » beitake himself to London, and study {ok' a medioad career. On her part Mrs. Cursitor promr'sed if he did well for the fiist two years, and her ra.ece was still unmarried, to let him write to her. If Mass Cuirsitor remained unengaged' and fancy free, and O'Hagan took hois diplomas asi physician anJ surgeon, he might, if he were so minded, offer himself then as a suitor for the young ladv's hamd. It was a distant prospect, and onily a vague, one at. that, but he left the house fulll of blight hopes and walking oxi air. Next day there came to him, from Lucilla herself, a Christmas card, and aloiiig with it a walking-stick. The silver head opened out by toudiLnig a spring, and within it her miniature was deffclv fitted. It was his second] Christmas-box from her dear hand. The Wellington police force lost, a promising recruit. A good-natured' butt for small jokes .and petty trdidks was missed by the frolicsome big boys of the p<ublic school and the smart boardens of Yosemite House. Within a couple of months a freish and stalwart Irish student was entered on the* books of Guv's Hospital, London. • • * Airs. Cursitor's> confidence was> not misplaced. Ere two yeairs had 1 slipped away the name of Terence O'Hagan was inscribed high on the prize and! honours list of has college. He won scholarships. Better tytall, a close correspondence was springing up between himself and Lucillla, who dlisolayed a «aim personal interest in has st-uidti-es . Why prolong the s^tory further ? You have, long ere tihic, rair reader, pene^ trated ltis fullest inwardness. With feminine aleitness you have already outpaced my story, and reached the altar and the orange blossom®. It only meeds, therefore, to throw the limelight on the final tableau, and ring dk>wn the curtain. Dr. Terence O'Hagan graduated high in both medicine and suirgery in his final year at Guy's an/d cairned off high honours in several specialties. The Hon. Mrs Oursitor and Miss Oursator were in London — by a happy coincidence, of course — and so was Papa Cursitor, a.nd so that year, on Christmas Day, there wa.s a quiet wedding at St. George's, Hanover Square, when Muss Cunsator became the wife of the brulhant young physician, Dr. O'Hagan. He stall dec! an es no man ever had a Chi'istmas-box so lov&ly and priceless as Ins New Zealand bride.