CHAPTER LXIV.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 239, 28 January 1888, Page 7

CHAPTER LXIV.

HOMEWARD BOUND. Once more upon the waters ! Byron. At seven o'clock on Saturday morning they went on board the Zanzibar. Gertrude immediately asked to bo shown to her state-room, a plainly-furnished bub clean and comfortable one in the second cabin, of which she then took possession. Sallusfc, with officious kindness, followed her, and told her that his room, which ho shared with another man, was nob far off— was, in fact, within the sound of her voice, if ever she should want anything. Then, leaving her to arrange her effects in her state-room, he went on deck to stand and view the fine scenery of Southampton water as the ship steamed out to sea. As he stood leaning over the bulwarks, letting his eyes rove over the receding 1 spires of the city and shipping of the harbour, he heard a voice at his olbow, saying : " Well, friend, it appears that you are to share my state-room ; and as we are to bo fellow-travellers and chums ,for the next ten days, we may as well get acquainted." While the voice spoke, Sallusb Rowley turned and looked ab the speaker, and saw before him a tall, swarthy man, roughly clothed, in whose gipsy complexion, Roman feature?, burning black eyes, and long, iron-grey hair and beard, he recognised an , old and interesting acquaintance^ and was simultaneously recollected by him. • " Why, Adam Lackland!" " Sallusfc Rowley!", .burst in the same instant from the lips of both, as their hands met in a cordial clasp, - ' flam so glad to meet' you 1" exclaimed < * ! " And I to meet you," responded, the other. "~*- ' ' "' ' -"■*■"' s '? Sol you are going back to 'America ?'• ,' inquired Sallusfc.' •>,>> • \ 1 ! *.''Yes yl have been advenbised for. , -''''if Adam" 'Laoklahd^ who >vas hvWashington two year^ ago,^ will, comiminioltfe with Messrs , 'Able ana ■ JBarke, >, A ttornoys-at-Ijaw, • wydeyille; he,»>vitl -bear something to la's ad-, vantage. v~ fii 4 - „..»■< ■ < ijhatf" is &'&; a'dvertis'emorit tltat/is taking m<3 , back :f thejFeT after Mnbre'fctia'rl .thirty .yea^s,' "absence l^ ss^ 'fhe is, after thifty^earV b*dnisti'men : b; I ought j to say, for I wag a native ot Wilde county," '

added Lackland.' „ '" ">oh ! Indeed! Yorf must have left it when a boy." said Sallust. • *"Idid." ••. , '. •* kJ %%!$ ' "'AM 'have you never,, seen, the place since??" - - ■ '** **» "I may pay I have never seen the- place since, though I was there for one night — one awful night — about seventeen yearsago", or a little less." ' ■ ' " '* V " And now you are going back t6 answer an advertisement. ■ Advertisements worded liko that generally mean a fortune left yon, or something, don't they ?" - * "I believe so." " Can you guess what it may be in your case?" •'I think I can, but I would rather not enter into particulars just jiow." •' <i "Of course not. Well, lam going, back to Wildo county, too, as you- may guess, and very glad to do. it. lam taking home a young lady who was saved from the wreck of the Messenger, which was burned in Dover Straits, you know.'"' "Yes." " I'll tell you the whole story some time, but I can't here, in this crowd ; besides, she will be coming back on deck, and will interrupt us." ' • • < "Good heaven of heavens, Rowley!— who is that ?" suddenly exclaimed Lackland, turning pale as death, as he stared straight before him. Sallust glanced in the direction of his gaze, and saw Gertrude, in her sea-dress, and with her head covered with a white Shetland wool hood, advancing towards them." " Who is she 1 In the name of Heaven, who is she ?" demanded Lackland, trembling from head to foot. "She ? Why, Mrs Fitzgerald, She was Gertrude Haddon," eaid Sallust, gazing at the questioner as if he suspected him of being insane. ■ < "'Gertrude Haddon!'" echoed the man, leaning on the bulwark for support^ " Gertrude Haddon !" "'Gertrude Haddon !" Why, yes," exclaimed Sallust Rowley, looking on his fellow-passenger in amazement. "Gertrude Haddon that was, Mrs Gerald Fitzgerald that is ! What is there in all that to astonish you so much ? Did you ever happen to know the little lady ? If so, of course, you will be glad to rentw your acquaintance ; if not, I shall be happy, to introduce you, and no doubt you will be happy to make the acquaintance." " Thanks. No. I never knew this lady. She resembles one I once knew. That is all. She may be a near relative ; indeed ifc is quite likely," said Adam Lackland, recovering himself, with some effort. " Well, I'll make you acquainted with her, and then you can judge for yourself," said Sallust, pleasantly. But he had no opportunity. Of keeping hia word just then, for Gertrude, seeing her escort in earnest conversation with ' a stranger, had just nodded to him in passing, and gone on to the stern of the ship, where a group of women and children were gathered. The eyes of Adam Lackland followed her. - .• "You said her name was Fitzgerald, formerly Haddon. Both names belong to Wilde county. Does she come from that part of the country ?" inquired Lackland. 14 Yes, man ! what is the matter with you ? We are not rehearsing private fcheat tricals for the amusement of the second cabin passengers, are we ?" demanded Sallust, in a tone that recalled Lackland td a sense of the situation. He controlled Iws emotion, and answered : ' * ' ' No ; but the young lady strongly resembles one I loved and lost many years ago, in the neighbourhood of Haddon's Ferry. Would you mind telling me all you know of her ?" " Why, I will introduce you, if you say so. And then you will have time enough in the ne::t ten days to get acquainted with' her," said Sallust cordially. " Not yet. By-and-by. Sit down now and tell me all you know of Mrs Fitzgerald. What a child she seems, to bear a matron's title!" said Lackland, as he dropped" in a seat on a bench that ran along the star* board bulwarks. " Yes, she must be quite young," said Sallusfc, as he sank into a seat. " Not more than seventeen." " * Seventeen !' " echoed Lackland. ( Sallust turned and gave him a look— notof approbation —saying : " Come now : no more of that, old fellow, you startle a body." "It is seventeen years ago since I losb the one whom she so strongly resembles. But go on," said Lackland, in a low voice. Sallust Rowley then commenced, and im a few words told all he had heard of the story of Gertrude. When Sallust left him Adam Lackland found himself the only man on deck, < with the exception of the ship's hands,' whose duties kept them there. The sharp, cold wind had driven every passenger into- the cabin. Lackland, left to himself, walked up and down the deck in a thoughtful and sorrowful mood. The sudden sight of the young creature who bore so vivid a resemblance to her whom he had loved and lost so long ago, recalled too painfully his vanished youth and forfeited joys. As he walked slowly back and forth, with his head bowed upon his chest, and hishands clasped behind his back, he reviewed his own wasted life — his froward boyhood, that neither parents nor teachers could train ; his wild youth, that neither pastors nor masters could tame ; his reckless manhood, that even sorrow could not discipline, and now his decline of life, stained with crime— with blood-guiltiness. Yes, the jury had acquitted him of murder, in having rid the world of a vile destroyer of innocence, and the. judge had discharged him, a free and vindicated man j and public opinion had endorsed and approxed the action of the court. But his own soul ? Before his own conscience he stood a guilty and convicted murderer. Sweefc peace had fled from him for evermore. His youth had been tarnished by folly. His manhood had been darkened by the deepest sorrow ; but the iron had not entered his soul until his age was stained with crime, and cursed with remorse. Little of this inward anguish did the outside world see. Adam Lackland had always been a grave man ; now, perhaps, he seemed somewhat graver than before. That was all that appeared to those who saw and con- , versed with him. • To-day another subject of anxiety divided with his remorse the task of torturing him ;; — his meeting with Gertrude Fitzgerald. Who was she ? Yet no one knew who Gertrude realljr was ! Nor could it possibly be known 1 now, after all those years, in. which investigation, had failed to trace her parentage ! Or if ib could be known— if she, could be proved to be his daughter — what J goqd could come to her from that ? As the child of her mother, she would be the heiress off half Wilde .county, to be sure. A?rthe child of her father, she w6uld inherit nothing but — He shuddered'and groaned: ' . ' The Zanzibar had W'bad night of it in the'Cha^nel,, The r . wind, a * gale ;, the 'way 6s rolled " mounHajfns," |%h ; the ship .tossedlikeTa shell ; the p^engers,all gr^yv.^ v eßustfe^e Bu$tfe^ * nii^SiimwEQ^U continued,)