CHAPTER XXI. MAGDALA.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 216, 20 August 1887, Page 6

CHAPTER XXI. MAGDALA.

By E> P. K. N. Southwoutil

Tis our mud neighbour.— Suaksi-kke. "It is Ma^daln," said Bon Bowers, and he went gently toward the woman, and laying his hand upon hei arm, said : "Come, my good girl, you must leave tho room. Don't you see that we have company here 1" But with one sweep of her long- arm sho sent him reeling- across the iloor, a« she exclaimed : " Bhoo ! 3011 great drone! Don't come buz/ing around me. I have no line to shelter you, no honey to feed you." "Oh! Dr. Goodwin, who is she?" whiskered Geitrudo, halt in terror, half in pity, .1-. she shrank nearer to her guardian. " it is Magdala.a poor mad woman, who vras it scued, years ago, from the inundation (it the Wilde, some miles below YVildcville. She wa^ a stranger in the neighbourhood then, and she was conveyed to Eockalone, the seat of old Judge Sallusb Rowley, the father of the present Mr Sallu-t Rowley. She has remained there ever since - that i* to say, they gi\c her a home there whenever she choot-es to stay at home : but she is very much addicted to wandering, and sometimes for weeks together she disappear and is not seen or heard of : for yon see, my dear, s-he has boon mad ever ?in«-e that teirible night of her penl and ir>seue. So mad that she has never been able to gi\e any rn-count of herself, and no one ha- <*\or been able to find out who slvms ; though for we continued, from tiHH 1 to time, u> insert notices in the newspiper- for her iriends— if sho had any — " " Poor woman '.- Dr. Goodwin '.'" " Yes m\ do,u\ " " L»irl giandf;ithei u\o-> tell you anything about me . " He told nu' all tbout you, my child." '• Then you know he found me among the ■white water-lilies washed ashore in m\ cradle on tho morning alter the great Hood." " Yes, my dour, 1 know it." '• And no one knows any more of my history than they d« of that poor woman thtAv-' '• Ko, my dear, although for your friends, too. m-uiy advertisements were pub m bbc papt. 1 -. and continued for year? after you ■were round." "Could there have been any connection between me and that poor woman, Dr. Goodw in ?'' ' ' None w hatever, my child. This woman va- touud full twenty miles from Haddon's ' Ferry, and on the other side of the river. Be-idos to all doubt about that at iest, she «,b brought to tlie terry, and you were pheed in the cradle in which >ou were found, ..nd show nto lier. .She did not know you, and took not the slightest intoie.->t in .> ou." Tin- com elation had been conducted in rapid whispers, which had not reached the cat-, ot the grange woman, whose eyos weie -till loving wildly about the large and deeply -haded 100 m. Suddenly tho.-e A\ild eses fell on the tace ot Gertrude, which wa? Nov. turned toward her. And to the girl's exticme amazement, the wonvm now strode up to her, and nxing a bteidv uaxe upon her face, seemed to read her \efy soul, as she said, in slow and solemn tones : '• Geitiudei'itigorald, you have received into vur hcait a deadly seipent. Cherish it the'ie and it will sting you unto death; but tear it thence, though to do so may lacoiate > our* bosom. Strangle it and east it fai horn you, and you shall do well. Meanwhile, aii^e and Jly fiom this fatal 1001 ! Fly foy your life while theieisjec time ' Woe ! woe ! woe to you and others if you di-regiiul my earning ! Lo ! the de-'uo\er is at hand ; his tooti-?o\en now upon the thichold !" And y. ith the-e awful woid=s u]ion herlip^ the wend woman lifted up her hands high abo\e h< 1 head, and stiode from the room. " Oh, Dr. (Goodwin ! Dr. (ioodwin ! what did =he mean ." " ga-ped (.Gertrude, shiseiing a-, -he clunu to her guaidian's arm. '•Sho does not know herself, my gill. She 1- as mad a- a haie. She alwa)-ii at the mil ot the moon. Come, chuei up,' 1 said the minister heaitily. '• ftht called me Ceitiude Fit/.goi<dd ; and ■\ou kuo % \ w<j really h,i\e no clue to my ti ue ] l.ame. If she should luneone no»v V sug-gc-:ed the gul. "Xon-en-e, my love. She meant Ger- ' ttude H addon, i)oor addle-pate tliat .she is 1 . Come, thu^k no moie ot her. Here is Mi-o Ctuonlcit. A-. I'hj miiii-ter spoke a tall, stately, fairc mjKC-.ioned and leiined-looking lady, of vi) )\n. oit>-two or thu'O .\ear.i of age, c- tei>i'i thepnilour. Although it was still 1:10; nin» -he was dressed in a rich black silk, nith iiiielaecrutllusailiei throat and wrists, and hor brown hair wa- carefully ai ranged in pdtN <*n the crown of her head, and fii '/(.,- dow n on the forehead Dr. Goodwin arose on her entiance and bowed with old-time stately courtesy. Then taking Geitrude by the hand, he said : " Mi— , Gieenleif, permit me to present to\ou .\Hss Geittude Haddon, the young la i\ ot w horn I spoke to you ye^teiday." "Thanks, Dr. Goodwin, for bringing her so socm. Aly dear, you are welcome to Greenwood. I am veiy glad to t>eo you. We me not quite sti angers, you will lemembiif, ' said M.iss Greenleat, taking tha u'uTb hand and kissing her cheek ; the kindness of the lady's loolw and tones compensating for the somewhat oldfashioned formality of her words. " I thank you, dear madam ; you are very good to remember me," answered Gerbnule, in « low \oice, tor it was always difficult for her to speak to such a stately per-onage as Mi-s Sue. " I .should have been with you before this-, Dr. Goodwin, but I wa.s detained, as I hope Mi- Bowers explained to you, by that poor creatvne, Mugdala, who has been loaming al)out the neighbourhood here for the last? week, and who came to the house ju<-t now and insisted on weeing our young fiiond here. It was with some difficulty that I pre\ ented her intrusion. However, f gave her an old guitar, and sent her down to the south porch to strum it, and sol have succeeded in quieting her," said Miss Greenlea-f, with a smile. Dr. Goodwin and Gertrude exchanged glances but neither of them spoke or thought it worth while to undeceive Miss ttreenleaf. Bub Mr Bowers took ib upon himselt to ;-cb her right, by o.cclaiming : "Then she lias outwitted you, Cousin Hue, for shw rushed in here and gave this young lady a pretty fright." "Now did she- really? The cunning of these mad people ! I hope she did nob terrify you very much, my dear," said Miss Greenleaf, turning to the young girl. '• She gave me a little tright, but i have quite gob over it,- T assure you, madam," answered Gertrude with a smile "That is rigfcb, my love. Dr. Goodwin, I have had your horse and .carriage put up. I intend to keep you a pi'i»ouei' iioro to- j day," said Mias Sue,

" A most willihg captive, dear niadim," replied the doctor, with a doep bow. "I thank you for surrendering 1 so £tta-ce-' fully. It saves trouble; Come, my dear Miss Haddon, I will show you the roonai we have had prepared for you." And instead of calling a sei'vanb,. Miss Greenleaf, with her sweet old-time- .courtesy, herself conducted her young profce'gSo to a pleasant chamber on. the aecond floor. It was a large and lofty room, immediately over the sisters' parlour,, with snowwhite bare walls, and yellow, polish ad, bare floor. The window-curtains, bed draperies, dressing-table, chair,, and sofa covers were all of dimity. Bedstead, bureau, and washstand, of cutlet t maple wood. Upon the whole-, it was a spacious > clean, cool, and dainty room. "My bister, Mrs Fifcy.fcorald,. rnul my young niece, Patricia Fitzgerald,, hft've tho adjoining room, my dean 1 trust you will bo pleasant neighbour?. Across- the hall. Miss (leraldine Fitzgerald has tho room opposite to this. I "have the rooniia^the back of hers, and opposite Patricia's* Tho gentlemen of the house, my dear, have their bed-chambers in the other wins, over tho drawing-room and long dining-room. My sister and myself do nob think it convenient to have the gentlemen's apartments on- tho same side of the house with our own. Guv new guest, Mr Benjamin Bowers., has a loom in what we call the garden wing: -an extension of this end of the house. I hope you will tind every convenience you. need here, my detir. 1 will .send up your trunk directly, and also one ot the maids, to juss-isfc you. In an hour I will return to. taJte you down to the drawing-loom and introduce you to Lho young ludma of the family, j Now, my dear, is there anything, oke 1 can do for you just at pie?ent V" " Nothing, thank you, dear JNliss Cieouleaf. Indeed, you quite confute, mo with all your goodlier/ said Gertrude, with a I low" voice and blushing cheek. ! Miss Hue smiled and patted Hie girl* head, and withdrew irom tho room. Gertrude went to tho front window to look out upon tho new scene while waiting tor her trunk. The vie,* was circumscribed. There was nothing to be seen but tlie deep, green lawn, shaded here and theue by | heavy forest ticca, and the surrounding forest inclosing it But it was such an ample wealth of greenness. "It is rightly called ' Gieenwood.' I never saw so much unvaried verdure in my life," said (iertrude to herMjlf, a* she looked, out upon it, tracing tho grass-grown diive, by which she hud reached the house, fiom itd teimination at the enhance hull back to its junction with the t'oiost road. As she looked, a gentleman on. horseback, followed by a mounted utoom, emergedfrom, the forest road, and canteied up the clihe toward the house, mid Gertmde's heart stood still as she ieco«uiserl in the foremost rider the commanding form an/I dark Italian beauty ot Goneral Fitzgerald. '• Now, why doe* the sight ot that gentleman disturb me so much 'i What does it mean 1 ne\ei .-et my eye; on him bofoie last night, and 1 never expected to see him ai>ain.° Ho is nothing whatever to me ! Can bo nothing for ever to me ! Why do 1 think, of him at all ? Why do I grow nick at heait w hen 1 think of him a- - a*.— Oh, Hoayeiu help me ! f hope I am not gi owing morbid !"■ .said the girl to herself, a« she watched the stately horseman, until he drew rein at the house-door, dismounted, tlnewthc bridle to his groom and dw\pj>ea.red within the- doorway. Gertrude .vn« about to turn from the window, when the sound of w lice's struck u[)on her car, and the next- moment she saw an open carriage i->->ue from the finest toad and turn into the drive coming towaid the house. The can iago was drawn by a handsome pair of bay horses, and within it weie seated tin cc ladies a fair and stately lady of about forty-five, diessed in elegant widow's mourning, an impeiial, dark -eyed I beauty of twenty, in a eariiage costume of dark "blue silk ami black lace, and a young girl of fifteen, in a white mu4in dress, red ribbons, and a -itiaw hat. (ieitrude guessed that tho-^e ladies were Mrs Doy Fitzgerald and the Misses Geraldino and Patricia Fit/gcrald. The carriage drew up to the house and tho ladies alighted and disappeared fiom view under the verandah. A knock at her chamber door called Gertrude fiom the window. She opened the door and found a negro man there with her trunk, and d qnadioon gill waiting to ser\e her. ° The man brought in the tiunk and set it down, and having received the thanks of the young lady, together with a small giatuity, retired. With the help of the little quadioon maid she unpacked her trunk, ananged its contents in a wardrobe .and in bureau drawer?, and then changed her black cashmere travelling di ess "for a black silk, trimmed with ciapc, and ■finished with white er«pe Hs^e ruth and cufl's. When she was dressed she dismissed her little maid, and sat down and waited for Misft Greenleaf to come and take her down into the pai lour. While she sat and waited there, she heard tho sound of many light footstep? on the staiis, which, lightly as they tiod, iung clearly on the bare boards, for in tins midsummer w eather no carpets were laid down any whoie in Greenwood Farm-House The tripping steps came up into the uppei hall, where they paused a moment, when the sound of girlish voices was heard. " Ye-,," cried one, in laughing tones. "'Young Lochin\ar has come out from the West at last.' That is to say, Colonel Fitzgerald has anived from Washington. Hannibal says he lode up here just ten minutes bcfoie our carriage turned into the yaid. And his groom told the old man that his master reached Haddon's Ferry last night, and was brought over by Gcr fcrudc Haddon in the storm. What a brave gill that is, by the way ! I am so glad that she i.s coming to live here. I forgot to ask if she had arrived. Now, to leturn to younf Lochinvar - that is to say, to Colonel Gerald Fitzgerald. Well, he reached the Summit Manor House some time between cock-crow and suniise, and finding his. ' fair Helen ' flown, he scarcely stopped to change his dress and eat his breakfast befoie lie set out for this house. And, as I said before, he arrived about ton minutes ao-o. He will dine with us, of course. Look your best, ' Fair Helen.' Wear your peach-coloured taffeta and pearl jewellciy." "Have you quite done, Patricia, or are you only out of breach V inquired a proud ' and measuied voice. " Quite done, Geralrline, miles* you wish me to begin again," replied the saucy tones. "Then all I have to say is, that if ! Colonel Fitzgerald is to dine here, I shall not go downstairs," said the cold and haughty voice. " Oh, my dear, you are 'wrong. You are yery wrong to triile so with your happiness. You cannot suppose that Gerald Fitzgerald has been to blamo in this unfortunate delay, or than he will brook even the suspicion of blame," spoke another and a graver voice that had yet been heard, that of Mrs Doy Fitzgerald, " Colonel Fitzgerald owos me an apology, madam. And until ho makes it, I must decline to meet him," said Geraldine, loftily. And then the voices passed out of 'hear ing. , | About fifteen minutes elapsed, and then the light footsteps and the voices were

heard again in the hall, as the ladies wenfa from their chambers downstairs ■ to the driving-room. ■ ' ' > They'had acorcely passed out e>f hearingwhen Miss Swe Greenleaf entered fche roo-m and said ; " 1 have come to take you downstairs 1 ,, now, my love. How pi-etty you look ! How very pretty you do look t You remind) mfc of L Emme-line, or the Orphan of the Castile/ did you ever read that book, my dear ? Ib is very touching. I Imve it, and will leswl it to you if yew would like to read iL" Gertrude thanked the lady, and told her that she had not read the book, bub wmilel 1 like very much to do so. i ce ~ Come, my dear, let ms go down,. We i lave an unexpected visitor — Colonel Fite1 gerald r the betrothed husband of Geraldine, , and on<* of the most elegant young men I ha-vo ever seen. He quite reminds na» of 1 Lord Mortimer, in the Children of the Abbey." "i* liave mot Colonel Fitzgerald. He cvobw I the- Ferry last night," saidi (.ievtrude, in; a low voice, as she- followed her conductress down-stairs. When* they entered the dvawiniOf-room. 1 they found there the whole family circle and all their guei+ts, with, the exception of ' Geraldine Fitajjerald, Koyal Greenleiif lefc a gioixp of ladies- and gentlemen, and came to welcome the ferrygirl as if she hati been a little princess. Tlww Colonel Fitzgerald Suepped out, and bending his dark eyes- earnestly on the young rttraai^er v with that fixed ojsuA wistful lock which was peculiar to thenx, «itd : " Tliis- i.s indeed a surprise, and & pleasure. Miss Hnxldon. I aia very glud t&sec you here. %1 (Jci-trnde bowed and cast down her eyes. She could not have answered him m words if her lito had depended on her doing ba " Mi™ ilnildon is-to>be onr gwest for an unlimited period," said Miss- Sue Girccndeaf, kindly, a^s>he pa-seed om and j)i-csen.ted hor young protegee to her fcLster, Mrs Fitzg.ei'ak'l. Mire Duy Fitzgerald wn» older and handsomer than her sLsl or Sue, to whom,, however, she bore a very strong family like-nc-5.-. She wa* clothed in a rich black bilk dres-t*, ami Avore an elegant widow's cap. She received the orphan girl with great lcindnebo, and immediately introcsticefl her to Patricia., who gave hor a hearty kiss- by way of welcome-. " We are waiting for Geraldine,." said Mr Royal (ireoilonf, impatiently. "Geraldine id too much indisposed to come down. Wo bhttll Ivave to- dine without her, 1 regret to say," Mrs ])oy expbvined. " ' Indis^io^ed !' Yen r indi^po-siid to come" whimpered Pafcikia to Gertrude. Diiincv was announced. Mr Koyal Greenleaf gave his- arm to his widowed sister, as ho always did. Dr. Goodwin, offered his to Mi. 4--*4 --* Greenleaf. Mr Ben Bowers tucked Patricia.-, little liand under his wing. Thou Colonel Fitzgerald came up to Gertrade, smiled, and ottered his arm, saying : "■Shall 1 h-we the houour?'*