CHAPTER LXIX.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 242, 18 February 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHAPTER LXIX.

GERALD'S WEIRD. A wanderer under many skies, Where springs ot bitter taste arise, Where many leaves, once f«ir and gay, From youth s full flow ors will drop awn/ : I3ufc as the looser leaves depart, The lessened flower gets near the core, And when deserted quite, the hcort Takes closer what was dear bcfoi •. MONCICTON IMILNES. On the morning of the thud day the stage-coach reached the village of Wildevill, and drew up before the " Anters." Colonel Fitzgerald and his paiby were the only passengers left on the coach. The colonel came down from his roopt on the top, followed by his servant. He oponed the door of the coach, and offered his hand first to Dr. Goodwin, whose crampod and stiffened limbs could hardly be straightened enough to effect his exit ; and next to Geraldine, who lightly touched his arm and sprang to the ground. Jubai took out Meba and the parcels. Meanwhile Mr Estep, the landlord, followed by the black waiters, hostlere, boot-blacks and boys, poured out of the bar-room and stable to meet and groet the travellers returing from " foreign parts." " Your humble servant, Miss Fitzgerald—this is a, joyful eurpriso ! And most happy to see you back !" exclaimed the landlord, first addressing the young lady, as in politeness bound. "1 thank you, Mr Estep. I am very glad to get back," replied Goraldine, as she took the offered arm of Dr. Goodwin. " And you, reverend sir ; this i<t an unexpected pleasure. I am proud to see you ! here again," said the host, bowing low before the minister. t "lam much obliged to you, and very i thankful to be here, I aeßure you," returned i the doctor, as he walked off with Geraldine into the house. " Welcome, Colonel Fitzgerald. This is a delightful surprise ! Welcome home again !" exclaimed the landlord, greeting Gerald with more heartiness than he had exhibited to any of the others. "Thanks, Mr Eetep ! I am glad to find you still in the old place, and still so hale and prosperous," said Colonel Fitzgerald, cordially. " Thank you, kindly. Well, yes. lam hearty enough myself; but when one hasn't got their own troubles to vex them, they have got; someone elso's to mourn over," said the worthy landlord, with a sigh. " I hope no misfortune has happened to any of our old neighbours, Mr Estep ?" said Colonel Fitzgerald, as he walked toward 1 the house, attended by the host. | " Well, no, sir ; nothing has happened to any of our old neighbours j but we have all heard of your great affliction, Colonel, and it has spread a gloom over the whole county, and that is a fact," said the landlord, with another heavy sigh. "My old friends are very good to remember me and my troubles, 1 ' replied Colonel Fitzgerald, with a grave dignity that put an end to poor Estep' s well-meant but ill-advised condolences. "Will you walk into the parlour, sir? It is really quite a surprise as well as a gi-atification to see you, sir, and Dr. Goodwin, and Miss Fitzgerald, too ; though, to be sure, I did hear a rumour that) you had been written to, to come home on some sorb of business ; bub I wasn't that certain about it. There are so many rumours. Sit down, sir, if you please," said the landlord, placing a chair. "Where is Miss Fitzgerald?" inquired the colonel of Dr. Goodwin, who was the only other occupant of the parlour. " She has retired to a bed-room with her maid. She will join us at breakfast, I have taken the liberty of ordering breakfast for tho party, Gerald ; for we can scarcely go to our homes with fasting stomachs," said the doctor. " You were right, and I thank you, sir," replied Gerald Fitzgerald. Then, abruptly addressing the landlord, he inquired : ' ' Can you tell me whether the woman Magdala still lives ?" "Oh, bless you, yes, sir! There's no such thing as killing those varments ! A month— yes, nearly three months ago— she j was picked up in the woods in a dying condition, and conveyed to the alinshouse. After a while she sent for a priest, joined the Catholic Church, made her confession, j and received absolution, and took the sacrament. About a month ago she was so low that she received extreme unction, was annointed for death, as they call it ; and she lay all night and all day like one dead, except that her heart beat feebly. Then she revived and grew stronger and stronger, until now, I hear, sir, that she is sitting up and walking around the wards of the infirmary." " Has the almshouse doctor still his office under this hotel ?" "Yes, sir, but he is off to see a patient somewhere in the country now. Did you wish to see him ?" "Yes." " Well, I'll tell you where* you will be sure to' find him — at the infirmary of this alms-houso at ten o'clock. He always goes there at ten," said the landlord. " Then let us have our breakfast as soon as possible, Mr Estep, so thab I may go and meet the doctor. " " All right, Colonel," replied the landlord, as he left the room. At the same moment Dr. Goodwin, who had been standing at one of the front windows, made an exclamation. "What's the matter?" inquired the colonel. * ' " Why, here are our friends, Mr and Miss* Greenleaf, just, driven up in their phaeton." "Indeed! Who? Eoy and Sue?" exclaimed Colonel Fitzgerald. ! "Yes, : and here they are !" cried the doctor, rising and facing around to meet thcrh just as Royal and Susan Greenleaf entered the parlour. ' * ( But on seeing tho • returned travellers 'they: stopped short,, and stood aghast. They could not believe the evidence of t their own senses, until Dr. .Goodwin, 'laughing, took a hand of each and 'shook tWm cordially, saying \ } ■ ! ,'^os, it is,fcrue 1 ' Hero -\ve arc, ourselves la)nd no^ .mistake! Wo have only iust arrived.^ We left England for America so suddenly* that we had no time 'to write and warn y oli . ,' The ship , that , ' would ' ( ' have 'j ,b 1 rouglit mta loiter has 'brought o'ursolves. ": ! ,@orhV! Bless" my > 'so"ulraKve ! ' Aren't yoiV 'going to welcome us ?" ' ' j

" Welcome you !— yep ! But, confound' it all ! you've taken all my breath and strength away !" shouted Royal Greenleaf,, by way of illustrating his want of wind,, while he seized and shook the doctor's hand heartily, to prove his lack of strength. A cordial and general greeting followed. " And when did you hear from Geraldine,, Colonel?" inquired Miss Greenleaf, as soon as they were all quietly seated. "Geraldine returned under our escort, and is now in her own room. We shall see her presently, no doubt," replied Gerald. " Oh ! then I will go to her there !" exclaimed Miss Sue, who immediately left the parlour to go in search of a chambermaid to show her Miss Fitzgerald's chamber! " Now, how docs it so fortunately happen that we meet here so soon ? ' inquired Dr. Goodwin. "Oh, I drove my sister over hero this morning, to please her. You know Sue can't exist without her novel, and there is a new novel out, and she has come over here to buy it. That is all," somewhat' scornfully teplied Royal Greenleaf. Then, turning gravely to Colonel Fitzgerald, he suddenly grasped his hand and wrung It, crying : "Do not suppose, dear Gerald, that I have not beon thinking all this time of you and your heavy bereavement. Ido believe that was the very best reason why Sue ran., away. She could not bear to stay herewithout alluding to it, and— she could not bear to allude to it. But, my dear friend,, you know our Christian faith teaches us that all happens for the best," he concluded, ns he dropped the hand of Fitzgerald and turned away with much, emotion. " Thanks, Royal. If we conld jeel as well as believe this truth, doubtless we should be better able to bear misfortune. Let.iischange the subject. " Here comes the ladief," said Gerald Fitzgerald, as Miss Sue Greurileaf and Geraldine Ifitzgorald entered' the room. "Well, fair cousin, I am most happy to welcome you home. We little thought that when you went off to Washington in a jiffy that time, that you would clear out to> Europe, and it would be near two yearsbefore we should see you again !" exclaimed) Royal Greenleaf, as he arose and heartily shook hands with his quondam ward. "I am glad to see you, Cousin Royaf r and I hope I find you well," said Geraldine coolly. "Well! Whenever was I anything els© except I fasted over long ? I am always well, my dear, a fact that I account for on the? ground of my being always unmarried andJ unengaged — though ever at your service !'* added Royal Greenleaf, thinking, perhaps,, that his logic might, under the circumstances, seem to be a personal reflection on> Miss Fitzgerald. The landlord at this moment appeared* and announced breakfast. Dr. Goodwin gave his arm to Geraldine^ to take her into the dining-room. Colonel Fitzgerald invited the two Greenleafs to join his party at breakfast;, bub, Royal and Miss Sue both assured' Him tWey had breakfasted two hours before, and it was too early for luncheon. " We will go out and do the little shopping that brought us to the village this morning," began Miss Sue. " That means buy the novel," put in her brother. " And then we will return here for GeraTdine, who has decided to go home with us, and stay at Greenwood until her own house at Mountain Manor can be put in order to receive her," concluded Miss Greenleaf. "Is it there that you have decided to live, Geraldine?" inquired Gerald Fitzgeaald, for the very first time manifesting some little interost in his cousin's affairs. Mies Fitzgerald bowed in silence, thinking, "he can afford to be kind to me now that we are to part company within an hour." " I have counselled her to live there in preference to any other of her manors, because it is nearest, to the Summit," explained Miss Sue. " It was originally a part of the Summit Manor," added Mr Greenleaf. "Lotus hope that it will be so again, and that the old historical estate will be restored to its ancient integrity," added Dr Goodwin, earnestly. " Let us hope so," breathed Miss Sue, in a low, benevolent tone. "Of course ! of course ! The only right and proper thing to be done. The wishes of the fathers must be carried out. Therefore let us believe, that when the proper time shall arrive, the tw o great e&tates^vill be merged in one under happier auspicesEh, Gerald? Eh, Geraldine?" heartily shouted the irrepressible Royal. " Let us go in to breakfast, answered Gerald Fitzgerald. As for Geraldine, she was crimson to the edges of her dark hair. She could neither speak nor lift her eyes. Yet she was not sorry that the subject that filled her own mind and occupied all her thoughts by day and night should have been suggested toColonel Fitzgerald by his oldest friend, and that he should in this manner learn, what the world expected of him. Dr. Goodwin, seeing her embarrassment, led her in to the breakfast table. " Well, good morning, for the present.. We will caU within an hour to take Geraldine home with us," said Royal Greenleaf, as he nodded to the party, and offered his arm to his sister to take her to the sidewalk. "Royal," said Miss Sue, when they had _ gained the street, and were walking down' towards the circulating library and bookstore, " do you think it will be a match, after all ?" "Why, of course it will. It mmt be a match, you see," said Mr Greenleaf, dogmatically. " I don't know," sighed Miss Sue. "Why, they muU marry, you know.. And whomever could either of them marry but the other V " I don't know." "Besides, whatever did they come over together for ?" "I don't know." " Dun it, Sue, you provoke me with yourHon'tknow.' Kow, tell me thin : Didn't you notice how she blushed up to her eyes at the bare mention of such a thing?" " Yes ; but he turned pale, compressed his lips, and abruptly changed the subject. I shouldn't wonder now, after all, if he got very fond of that meek little girl whom he married for revenge, and that he mourns for her very deeply, to lose her so suddenly in such an awful manner, too. Why, evenif he had not loved her, he must mourn her, losing her in such a manner. " "jnow, Sue, men are not- like what you-, sentimental old maids think we are. A man may love a woman as hard as a horse can kick ; but if she dies, or if she jilts him, ho don't go mourning all his days on that account. He ups and loves some other: * woman just as hard." " Alas !" sighed Miss Sue. She was, perhaps, the very last Englishspeaking person who continued to. use " Alas !" instead of some slang substitute.' - " And you women ar6 just as bad. Look at the f youn« widows, with their airs and'' graces. They make me sick—the 'limbs. No, Gerald means to marry 'Geraldine," the most' suitable person for him.' I' am 'sorry for the poor little girl, 'Oertj'rude'^tdo. I never saw one,human beiiig'so wholly and k tinsetftehly devoted to another 4 as she'waCfo^ 1 her lordly husband. Here ? s the circulating

library, and here's whore you get your notions of constancy," added Mr Greenleaf, as he took his sister into the book store. Miss Sue's purchase was soon made, and then Mr Greenleaf called at the village post-office to get the letters and papers for Oreenwood, and finally they returned to the Here they found that the returned ; travellers had finished breakfast, and only ■waited for them to leave the hotel. Royal Greenleaf ordered his horses to be put to the carriage, and then placed hit? atster and his late ward into their scats, and returned to take a last leave of Dr. Goodwill and Colonel Fitzgerald. " I hope to see you very often at Greenwood, Gerald," he said at parting. " I thank you, Royal ; I shall do myself the pleasure to see you as often as possible during the short period that I shall remain n the neighbourhood,'' replied Colonel Fitzgerald. " What ! Yon are not going to leave us again ?" exclaimed Royal, in astonishment. r " Yes, I must. I cannot rest here. I shall put my affairs in order and then apply to be reinstated in the army and sent upon active service. I hear that there aro some « troubles brewing in California. I hope they vwill send me there' " Come, come, Gerald, all this is morbid. Stay home. Look after your estates. And • in good time — " •' Stop, Royal ! There are some subjects . that must not be touched upon between us. .1 thank you for your good wishes, but— Good-bye, old friend !" said Colonel Fitz•gerald, abruptly. »' Good-bye, Gerald ! Heaven comfort you," said Royal Greenleaf. turning away And hurrying towards his carriage. "Yes, it is too early yet. But you give him time, •and Gcraldine will bring him around," he added, as he took his seat bofqro the ladies and drove off. " And now, Dr. Goodwin, it is nearly ten 'O'clock, and we will go to the alms-house to 'meet the physician and hear from the lips of the weman Magdala that terrible revelation which, she says, is to overwhelm the house 'Of Fitzgerald in ruin and dishonour, but which neither you nor I believe," said Colonel Fitzgerald, as he rejoined the sector. "Of course not. But come. Now for rthe secret !"