CHAPTER XXVII.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 217, 27 August 1887, Page 8

CHAPTER XXVII.

TIIK DISCARDED LOVKK. Coino rouso thee now ! I know thy mind. And would its strenKih awaken. Proud, gifted, r.oble, ardent, kind. Strange thou shoudst so bo shaken ! A. P. Dinnies. Colonel Fitzgerald rocio rapidly away towards tho Summit-, leaving his croom far behind. Though he did not spare his horse, it was an hour past midnight when ho clattered up to the porter's lodge, and t,s ith shouts and missiles thrown at the side of the house succeeded in rousing tre old man, who had been sound asleep in his bed since nine o'clock that e\ ening. " Lord save us ! Marse Gerald, sar, is anything dead or dying at Greenwood that yoiu honoui comes a rushin' home at this time o' night, sar?" anxiously inquired the astonished porter, as he slowly unlocked the gate and swung it wide open to let the colonel ride through. "Nothing has happened, Nimrod,"' answered the young officer, as he cantered i into the park and rode up the long avenue leading to the house. But his approach was not undisturbed. A volley of barks saluted him from the kennels and the stable-yard, where the dogs were chained near enough to perceive the entrance of a horseman, but too far to identify him as their master. The outcry of the dogs roused up little old Hassan, the most vigilant of sentinel-, and the bravest of defenders. "Whodar?" he ctied, rushing from his den in the and bringing in his hands a huge blunderbuss, which he did not hesitate to level at the unknown intiuder as he continued with a roar : " Oil, you sheep-stealing vilyun, / knows you ! Stop jest where you is, you white herrin' or I'll put a bullet through your brains quicker'n 3'cu kin say Jack Sprat ! Stop when 4 you is?, I tell you !" " Don't be a fool, Hassan. It is I, your master. Quiet those dogs, and then come and take my hoi^e," said Colonel Fitzgerald as he allowed his tired beast to fall into a leisurely walk. " Now de lors habmarcy on my fool head !" groaned Hassan, as he lowered his weapon with a look of consternation. " 'Deed, I begs ten millun hundred pardons, Marse Colonel ; but -who'd 'a' fought to see you coming home this unreputable time o' de nigHb? Bofe me and de dogs did take you to. bedat dere sheop-stealing Jim Hiee — 'deed we !" "Thank you, Hassan. Yours U not fcho first back-handed compliment I have ieceived to-night. So you and th& dogs took me to be Jim Hice?" laughed Gerald Fitzgerald, as lie walked his horse slowly on. " Yes, Marse Colonel ; but we knows better now — bofe me an' do dogs. We know'd you soon's ebbor we hoord your woice — bofe me an' de dogs. Listen. Dey's quiet now, sar, an' 'dout my havin' to speak to 'em, eider," Hassan explained, as he ran along beside his master's horse "lam afraid that they have all been gone to bed so long that it will bo difficult to arouse any of the house-servants without disturbing my father," said Colonel Fitzgerald, as they approached the house. " I's afeared so myself, mars ter, indeed, par," assented Hassan. But a tin n in the avenue showed them the front of the house, with lights glancing fiom window to window. " Some one is up ! Something is the matter ! My father ! He was no worse than usual when I left him at noon," exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald, as he sprang from his horse and threw the reins to the old groom, ran up the steps, and loudly knocked at the door. It was opened b}' Peter, the footman, who, on seeing his young master, cried out : "Oh, Marse Colonel ! Oh, Marse Colonel !" and burst into irrepressible sobs and tears. ** Jn the name of Heaven -what is the matter ? What has happened V demanded Gerald Fitzgerald, as he pushed past the servant. " Oh, Marse Colonel ! It is ole marse !'' cried the boy, weeping aloud. Gerald Fitzgerald hurried past, and ran upstairs to his father's room. He paused for a minute at the door to compose himself, for he was unwilling to enter a sick man's presence in a state of agitation. Then he softly opened the door and walked in. The room was brightly lighted up, and half a dozen of the house-servants were gathered around the high four-postbed^tead that stood in the middle of the floor. Swiftlyand softly Gerald Fitzgerald stepped up to it. The servants made way for him. There lay the form of his father extended at full length, quite insensible, though still living A strong smell of camphor filled the air. "Oh ! Marse Colonel, what a blessing you've come," cried old Het, the housekeeper. " Havo you pent for a doctor ?" inquired Gerald Fitzgerald, in a voice that he could scarcely render steady, as ho laid his hand over the feebly-beating heart of his father. " Oh ! no, Marso Colonel, seems like we was all panic - struck and 'stracted, and didn't know what to do ! What a blessing you's come !" cried Het. Without waiting to hear her out, Gerald Fitzgerald hastened down stairs and despatched Petor in great haste to the stable, with directions to saddle the swiftest horse and fly as if for his life to Wildeville, find Dr. Burton, their family physician, toll him that Mr Fitzgerald was in extremity, and bring him with all speed to the Summit. Then he hurried back to his father's bedside, wherehe found all thehousehold servants reassembled, and old Hefc standing over him, bathing his head and face with spirits of camphor and her own falling tears as she tried these ineffectual means to restore him fco consciousness. Again the servants gave way for the sorrow-stricken son, who came up and make a moro careful examination of the patient than before. He found the body deadly cold, the heart beathi£ slowly, the pulse scarcely per-

ceptible. He now 1 -cowmmmdl the active treatment that his--* iwuerftecb experience suggested. He sent? tabs wousen-eervants oft in different directions^ one- to bring bottles of hot water; . aawtfliesr fco prepare mustard poultices, a - tbird to. bring hot brandy, a fourth for huvt&hoEn*, They flew to do his bidding, and returned in an incredibly short time with... sIL fches remedies lie had sent for These* --Mem all applied with promptitude and great Garey bnt without the least etfecc. AJteu working over their patient for an lunui without the slightest encouragement*, bo persevere, Gerald Fitzgerald gave overs;, say nap? : "We must wait for iLhe- avrxvai of Dr. Button. Nothing morc< caw. be- done until he comes. Darken the jreom.. Fust out all the lights except one. 'Vnd. lafr every man and woman of you rotmwi do fclW servants' hall except Hester." His orders were quickly, rjbayeil. When he found himself alone i»i ijlie room, with the old housekeeper, he thusw liiaiself, exhausted, into the ea&y -chain afc tlie head of his father's bed, and beckoned He-b to come and seat herself near him*. She came up, weeping scfifly ibehind the white apron that she held b&> h®v eyes, and, curtseying respectfully,, so* down in the chair her master had pointed out. " Now, Hester, toll me alt abowfc this attack. I left your old masts? as- well as he has been at any time mbhin the last fewweeks. I come back afteu an absence of a j few hours to find him in> this state ! When did this fit seize him ? ' Ho'-v did it happen ? What caused it? Corac, you are an experienced woman ; you>.caateH me." " Oh, Marse Geralds 'Id was all de doings ob dat dere crazy moonatic, Malady ! Nobody but she !" &aid Heb, with heavy sobs. " Magdala !" exclaimsc? Gerald Fibz gerald, in surprise. "Just nobody butdafc ram-mad moonatic, nobody but she : which all &ioh should be shot up in a mxuittliiiw&fc, and kept till deaf do' em part !" sobbed Het. "But Magdala? — that poor, harmless wanderer ! 1 cannot? see- how she .should have disturbed my father. Explain yourself, Hester." "Oh, Marse Colonel, ib was jest dis-a-way. Ifc was 'bowk 'lev en o'clock, an' me an' Jcicmy a-bibifeini up in de kitchen beyant our bed-time,, 'cazt> ole marse hadn't ringed his boh for his pitcher of ice-water to make his puncH, on' we much as our lives worf to sturb him 'clout he ring for us, or go to bed eider fore he tell us he done wid us for de nigh" Is. And so we &at dere, ole Jeremy an' me, on de steps ob de kitchen door, '&.*Ha it war bo hot in de house wo couldn't hardly breave. I nebber did see sich a hot summer in all my life. Don't hardly cooliafi" qjwi at night." " Never mind tho weather, Hester. Tell me about your master," f>aid Colonel Fitzgerald, a litblo impatiently. "I gwine to. tell you, honey ; deed I is. So me an' Jeremy we sat dere, catchin' our breaf in do heat till de clock struck y lc\ en, and &ay pie Jeremy : " 'I woim&ct wat dc matter losig o' ole marse. He- don't ring for his ice water.' "' I dmuio,' 1 say. ' I spects he busy writin' loiiters.' " ' Olii,. gf'long 'way from hero wid your letteis,.' Jeremy say. ' Ole marse done writ all his letters, and nil his mail-bag chock full, and sent it wid mo down to de stable, more'n two hours ago,' he say. Den afbstf di\t 1 didn't say no more ; but tlar we sab an' »vaited some time artcr leven o'clock. Den at las' ole marse bell rings — loiftd, honey. And we jumped up and run ] upstairs, ole Jeremy wid the pitcher ob ice water in his hands." " And you found your old master lying in this state ? ' inquiied Colonel Fitzgerald. 'Lor', no, Marse GersiLd ! nothing like it! Dis state, indeed ! N,o, indeed ! He was settin' up in his chair as pcort as a parrot, a reading of a book, a Inch he pub it down and told me to r*ake his punch, while Jeremy undressed him an' got him into bed. Well, Marse Colonel, me and ole Jeremy stirred round riyht lively, we did, and put the 010 marse cyanfovtablc to bed, and then we gave him his Roman punch, and while lie "»as a drinjtin' of it in "walks that crazy moonatic Malady, bole as bia^.s. 01c Jeremy ?e& her fus', and says ho : " ' Lor' & massy on all ou>' souls ! ' says he. And den I look and I see her, too, and 1 says j " ' How, on de face of de ycth, did you get inter de house, and what does you want, anyhow ? ' And den 010 marse catches his oye on her, and growls out : " l What de debbel do you want in my pribato apartment at dis time o' night, 'onian ? Bo oil" wid yourself ! ' says ole marse, says he. And den I goes up to her, and says : " ' Yes. Wha docs yer mean, you ondecent white trash, a trading ob ytrtalf into a geman's bedroom dis time o' lvghb, and he in bed ? Shame o' yersc'f !' says I. ' G'long out wid yer !' says I. Bub bress you, Marso Gerald, she put out her lone arm and sweeped me out'n her way as if I'd been so much chaff, widout a word spoKC, and she marches up to 010 marse and she takes pomeiin out of her bosom, she docs and she holes it closo to his face, and &he says, hoarse like : " ' Does yer know //*?•>■ ? ' And don she snatches it away, and lucles it sudden in her bosom, and stood up pioud like. Ole marse he sot de glass o' punch down on de stand by de bedside, an' he fell to tremblin' an' starin' at her, bill lastwise he say, sca'ce speakin' 'bove his bre'f : " ' Who are you ? Where did you get dat ?' " ' Ef yer will send clem dere black idiwuts out'n de room, I hab somefin to say to yer,' she say. " Yes, Marse Get aid, dab jos' wob she calls we — dem 'spectable, 'spon&ible cullucl pussons — idiwuts ? Bub wob could you 'spect from sich a moonatic as Malady ?" "■ Never mind the nvid woman. Tell me about my father, Hester," groaned Gerald Fitzgerald. " Hi, honey, aint I a-tcllin' ob yer ass fa' as I kin ?" Well, when she say dab, ole marse, he say : "'Jeremy, you an' Hester may go. I shnll ring when I want you to show dis 'oman out." " ' Oh, marse,' I say, ' 'sidor y repitibion as a gem 'an,' I says. i " ' Oh, marster, 'skier de safety ob yer life alone 'long o' a mad 'oman,' says ole Jeremy. " '»Sider yer good character, ole marster, I says, pitiful. "Bub, lor,' Marse Gciald, he wouldn't 'aider nuffin'. He roared at us to begone, an' we went ; but wo didn't go far. We sbayed in de passage outsido de door, enze our ole marse might bo pub in fear of his life, an' he so helpless lie couldn't move hardly. Well, Marse Gerald, we hadn't been dere more'n ten minutes 'fore we heer'cl ole marse shout out : "It is false as — !" "An' den no more -nob a word, nob a bre'f bub presently dab ciazy moonatic, Malady, come out an' say to we-dem : " Go in an' look after your marster.' u An den we went in, an' found him jes' like you see him now," concluded Hefc, breaking into sobs and tears. "And tho woman, Magdala? Where did she go ?" inquired Colonel Fitzgerald. " Deed, I dunno, marse. Wo was dat ahooked and griebed we didn't know wot , was about. \ v e gib de 'larm, dough, >yev c h all de^erv&nta intor de room ; bub

! woteber corned cb>^i£|&ciy r Idtmuof 'spects as how she wenritasksn® eomed/'said Het, sobbing and sigh£ag£Colonel Fitzgerald fcuimd and looked afc his father. No change nob the slightest;, had taken place in his apftpauanxse. Clearly nothing could be done for him until the, arrival of the doctor. Colonel Fitzgerald raag; tih& belL Old Jeremy answered it. " Have the premises searched for the woman Magdala. When* olie-iihfflMnndi take her into the library and come and tell me. I must see her." Old Jeremy bowed low,* in ailence,, and left the room. Colonel FitcigsraM assumed his seal and his watch. Half -an - hour passed in silence only brolssan by Che ticking of the clock on the mantelpiece and the sighs of Hetty in the aim--«liaiir. And then eamo a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of Jeremy, wlio ftowetl low, ajj waft his custom, and then' said : "We found Malady wandering; -in do groun's, Marse Colonelf an' wsfetcn her in, which she were willin' onoaglii to come when we tell her as you waut her, Marse Colonel." "Ah ! and you have pjitt lia» into the library, as I directed you to cVq V" " Yes, Marse Colonel," anvvered the old man, with a deep bow. " That is right. Go ozn I will soon tollovv," Raid Colonel Fitswaald. Then, turning to the old hou&ckeo^a v lijj charged her concerning liis father : " Watch your master with (she greatesb care, Hester. You must saaeeely remove your eyes from him. If the change should occur in his apjjeai'ajic®, you must immediately come down to t/he libvary and let me know. Do you understand ?" " Sartin, Marse Colonel, Twiia;h I'll let yer know de minute any changev/o cosae ober : not as I think any cluing as- wiX," replied Hct, &adly shaking her head* ( To be Continued. )