CHAPTER XLII.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 251, 31 March 1888, Page 6

CHAPTER XLII.

U M.Ki Mil I> \\ X r 1 1 1 ~> -hnuld hau hotii a wcddm'j, ifioiiunuc The faith had donm d In i f.uic>t iuidaj ml>e, — the M>ft -nuw mantle '^aintnv: a tOIU'h ')[ gold tIOUI till' Ullltl\ -UllllLjllt , ! ele n and i loudU -- -hone tht> pie him. -kit - ; (lit 10 weic diamond- i.n klui^r m the HCU'^C lv>W-, tin -s.uu oi i(u clun^li -pur tla-lu d a di-ta it i;iy l>ul it wa- a bl.itiv bin (1 little ptoic--ion ih.it iiiduml -lowly tin ou'_di tin whit*, hu-h' d woild out tioin tlu ~ti iv ( _ r U iv village, along the Pitted laur, and up to the irate <>t tlu; ehuiclnaid The nei<_dihouti wer.'hn^ei my ,ii>u\it lliu puu'li ; when the (ins I'oliin had been can ltd m, the\ followed, and and entiled tin pos-. mo our -eumul to notice thit ia-t buoie the dooi wa- -hut, two women, both <11 *. — t_il in d<'t|> niouin ing, and » 10-elv viilul, cam<' in l.t^t ot all. 1 and took thai piaei - lat lx-i ap.n t fiom tin te-t. 'I hi \ weie in the du-k ; not e\uu \\ altei Liml-u that the -tiu-Ueli niothei \uii theie, ( onie t.) in ar tho-e liiead' a! u old-- of a la --I i.newn ew cli \\ hen tht and the lilt le r-rowil pa-ed out a^im into the •-unh'^ht and the miuw , thc-e two lemauied behind for a I l> Sabie -(Uar S'ilji'c fonie ho no now ! You ( an t neat U ; it v, ill kill \ ou ' .Sh.'did nor an>\sei ; - ie onl_\ -h n>k her head Hit ,i- tin \ ueut nut into the ulute eluu<h\aid -he in Id .faun '-, umti^ht, foi -Ik- ua- trxmbluiLT a little. The} took up then station a -*hot t di-iance fnun tin olhoi>; the bwandei- paid no hceil to tlu m ; all ls c- vue tin in d tow.utU the ckiL, r \inau ;u\il the o(>en t, r ia\», an<l the '-mali, -in. ill < othn eo\eied with white |I)\sm- It wa> when t'i"V proceeded to louet that tin) c'>tiiii into the Lfi.ne thit -Kinie fouu<l thaf hei rtunpanion \\ \s -haUiriLj like a h'.if, -o th it n^ afi ud -he would tottiM and tall: and when the lu-t, -|)imkhn«j: ot em t h -tiui;k with iU hollow and ominous -ound, the \oun^ mother uttered a -hoi t. a d -tilled c\\, a- it a dau^' l had jj-one thion^h her heaif. -lana h.id aiiuo-t to diaic hei awaj "My little bo\ ' -tli it wi- all -In said: and -die -po l >e notnoie a^ they made then v. a\ back tot lie \ lllaire. f.u in adva'icc of tin- othei-, the twobliek hmue- in th" %\oild of white. Aimed theie, .lain* took her to hei own l.iotnin the inn Sabma «.!•■ \nu po-ele-^ in a -tian^e kind r if wax ; down at the window, wlnie -he amid -ce-aeto--thc diwun like wa-U of miow— the Intle chinch, and it- window-, and the -pile, and the ■wine -ondui^ foi ( h it- golden iw^. Then her head fell foruard. on her hand-. A ine--'ine eamo foi .fame tint Sir Anthon) Zembra was bolov . ami wanted to -ci hu- She went down to the -mall pailoui. Xe\er in .'ill this woi Id wa- there a more -ua\e, and di-tin^iu-heddookinL,, ;ind perfectly appointed mourn t; a- he took oil hi- black kid (jdo\e-aud put them on the table, -o that, he mi^ht nib hih.ui 1- beeaine of Che cold. and a- he took up hi-> position on the hearth ru^ in front of the (ire, he f-eomed to -ay that not any one of the trials oi dutie-, ot hte eonld find him wanting ; pufc the oeca-ion befoie him — he wa- there, and equal to ir. "I heaid that v;i> with you," he n^marked. He had nob .seen bi-> daughter thai morning -- not ha\in<^ eaied to go within door-. " % .Janio answeied. " She 'vill stay here until the house i-> di-infected. My hii-b.'i'ul and Mr Lindsay weic poing | up lo London immediately the funeral was o\er, to .-,ee about having it done at once." " A inosb necessary measure," .Sir Anthony obsened, with approval. "It is an inipoi alive duty that one owes to the rc-t of the community. And I hope it will be done thoroughly, whether Sabina goes back to the cottage or nob. She herself has alway.- been too reckless in such matters— " "I don't think s-o fit all 1" Janie .said, rather holly ; who was he thai he should criticise Sabiua'.s conduct? " All, you joined with her in those foolish enterpriser, " he said, with a superior air. "My share in them may have been foolish enough—Sabina's never was," 1 said Janie, whose meek eyes were growing indignant, "it's all \ety well for people who sit in their own homes, sunounded by every selfish luxu'-y, it's all very well for them to talk of fooli-hncs? when anyone tries to do a little good in the world. Perhaps you never even took the trouble to go and see what it was thabSabie was doing?" " We will not discuss the question,' he said in his grand manner. "If I have otlended you, I beg your pardon. I merely i wished to express the hope that before my

daughter poos buck to tho cottage the most rigid precautions may be taken to giurd against tho spread of infection. Temerity in such miittoin is the worst of folly, It \s not bravery : it i.s euminal hoedledsnessj. And i think that oven you cannot deny that Salnna hub always .shown herself fur too careless— only now she may bo warned by the teriible consequences." " But what do you moan?" Janio said, with t.er face grown a tiiLle pale. "That Sabio was eaieless about her boy ?— -that she was responsible -'' .lame's woids failed her: her indignation was too great. But she pulled heiself together. "lla\e you an> thing further tosay lo me, Sir Anthony " bhe demanded, coldly, "lam going back to Sabie " "1 wish to hear what she proposes doing," Sir Anthony sud. " That is all. ' " I iion ( know," w as .lanio'.s answer. "For it 1-. quite absind her goimr back to li\e by herself in th.it cottage," he eo.ituuied. " 1 suppose that at present it would be u-ele-s lot mc to -co hei, to discuss the matter w llh be i ." "Slie won't- see an\one--she eani." .lauie answeii'd. " At all e\euts 1 should like h< i to know (his, 1 Sir Anthony -aid, "Lh.it Lady Zembia i- pi>i leet !\ w lllmg that -he should letum to hei own li >me always, of eouise, on condition (hat she should .ibandon tho-e pm -uit- w Inch made that ]inpn->iblo when she u-id to be m London. Piobabl) she has hiid enough of tint. In the enoum >t nuns, then, .md with tin conditions I name, weaie(juite willing she .should ictui ntn t o hi l on\ n home "As toi ill. it, ' -.n i .Jan,'- (and theie w a-> .xtmuhot sioin in lv i \oiee that nnidit haxopieiccd Sn Anthon\ s complacency, had thai not been so cnUteh giganlu ). |" a- ioi th.it, Sable will ne\ii have- to go bt vrumg toi a home. Theio aie plenty whowou'd be pioud to ha\e hcl ptoud and plea-ui And i know thai it -he will come and lne wit h u-. neiihei i))\ hu-baiid noi niwlt will-ta\ toiinpo-e.un condition — no -lit -hall h\> in tin wav she plea-e-and I em .mi-wci lvi u that hei welcome w ill be nope t he It -- "Ah ' sml Mi Anthnnv, looking at hei a- it -Ik \\t ii -nine kind o! -iiitinental in.vii.ii "\\ t <!, it is i «iood thing to hi\f tilt ml- But fncnd-hij) l- apt. to vet -liaiin tl u om In i_s i out umalU m the saint hou-e. " \\ as it e\ « i -o in ki n-ingion Squaie ' -aid .lame, boldh I! thti not an-Wt i (hat (pit -lion. " C't>minoi\ -t n-e. ' l\c uctit on to ob-ei\e, "• would -ti'jge-t that a -ingle w om. m mln i 1 t ucum-tain l- -h"uid come ami In c m In i own In. nit At the -anit tnnt\ it -he pi i • tei-hei litcdom I mean, it -ht wi-ht-tn ii turn to the ut" ip it 111 1 >i » — oftlio-t lot m, i da\- well and uood , she will ha\i iui a.lnw 'raft, a- In toi t . ■' Or t utii-i .<\ hi come- to live w ith H-, it will bi i- tan ... in -t That l-chaih untlei to. d i>^ all of v"Oh. tln n \iiii h.iwpnl tint piopu-al bi foi c hi i ' ' " \iui h"i" an u < ) ' " li \sa- nun i -u<j/j;e-U"n we wanted h. „i Lmm ihtt Uilu was a hotii'-awan hilt 'it ' and -he -aid nothing detmut in uph And at pie-uit it l- u-ck-- t o -n_\ any, t l:inir •' \i all c\inf-, Sn Anthony -aid, ">oii aie of opinion that <-he -hould not lontimi' to li\c'i\ h«i-clt in that cottige 1 Win, good t_q at ions, xhc imirht he umideied m ()'->il , tli it would be a nice itor> to inti. I tilt, |) lj» 1 s ( This nidi od was an appalling thought - that the name of mi Anthoii) Zembi.i mi'_ r l)( hediagged into the public pi nits in coiim'fii hi with an obbcuie andicvoltinji \ illairc ti ,i'_r ( d\ ' >v 'S e-., 1 want to get Ivr .ui.'ij fioin hen . ' -aid -lame, sadl> , " but it is no iw talking to In lat piL-tut I wish slie wantit l _,oing hack into the cottage at ill I \',i-h -In would tome awa} with u- tln\ti\ afttini'on, as midii a- I'hd in) hubaud, i mean h^ -oou a- he comes dow i fiotn town That would be the bt-t thing ' flu a do jou letum lunne thi- aftn noon ' ' j She uliuoed ai him in -uipii-e: touldhaidi) undi l -tand ,ui\ hum in beunj put tmu' -ncli ,i <|iv -tion. " ')!,, no ' llow could fdo that How could I Ua\ i. Xdne a! -ut h a time— alone if ?he uould go w u'i v-, that would be well but as it is 1 inu-t leinun with hei to -u w hat -he is gouvj; \o do. "And when -he ha? decided Hi.it, 1 hope \ouwdllet me know," ,Sti Anthony -aid. and he took up his gtou> "1 iucsmuh when tiie-e sanitary mea-uies h.ne I>umcai l led out th< ie w ill be no ])Os— lbibt j of .'i lettei < on\e\ ml^m 1^ ititeetton You might tt 1! in\ dauuhtei that Lid} Zombi a would have w nt ten to hei to espic— her s-ympat h\ , but that -he thought it moie piudent not li ojicii coniinuiucation witn a hou-e in w lneli t lien, wa- fe\ci. Wo ha\e got. to eon-ult tin -atety ot olhei-, not our own lociiui, r- \\ hen he had delivered him-clf ot tin.-wi-c -aviiig, Sir Anthon\ took up hi- hat and uinbiella. again a-ked .lame to com inuiuc..te with him when Subma had conic I to a d* ci-ion, bade her good b\e irtaeiuu -l\ . and set out for the .station. He walked with an an of loft 3 satisfaction ; he seemed to think that it wa^hewlio was ditliiMiig that. < heeiful -unbglit o\ei the wide landscape. Those ne\t few da>s at Wit -toad were tenihle Sabina had wholU uncnwa.v to I a dumb stupoi ot misery and hopele-sin.-- : she was as one walking in the d.uk, &eemg nolhinu of what wa- aiouud hei, heeding no One. She hardly cvci spoke; sii 0 had no wild lit- of cr>niu ; theic was nothing but tin- dreadful monotony of unuttered and unutteiablo L'lief. .Meehanieally she went ii]i e\eiy morning to the little gia\e, with a poor handful ot iloweis; sometimes bhe would go m the afternoon too ; and always her dull, despairing thoughts were there. -lame sought in to distract her and arouse hot. Sometimes she will ully indicted pain, if but to break in upon this dangerous listlessn-ss. Once she went the length ot asking what should be done, when they could° go into the house again, with the little boy's toys and playthings. Sabina shivered, but did nub answer. .lanic went to Walter Litu^ay, who U'as pretty frequently over at Witstead, hurrying on the workmen. "I do c\erythi:ig I can to get her to talk,' said Janie, " and of course she has to settle what she is going to do. But it is vciy stiange. Bhe is keeping something back from me. It is always ' Wait a little while, and 1 will tell you.' 1 don't understand it at all. Kven about tho house ; it appears it belongs to a Mr Deanc ; but she docs not know where he is ; and svhen 1 asked her how she paid the rent, it was the same thing—' Wait a little while, Janio and 1 will bell you everything. I cannot talk to you now, or to anyone' But she thinks it is 3 on who put the fiesh (lowers on tho little grave evei y morning. Is it ?" "No." " Do you know 7 who it is, then?" lie hcsitatocl. "Oh, weil, if you must know, it is one of the Lulwoith girls. I asked her to doit for me. F have them bent down from London, and she takes them up. You need not say any thing about it." Janie thought-, she would follow hor own counsel about that

" Then what do jou think is she going to do V" he a*«ked. '* As- likely us nol .she will go back to the hospital and become permanent iiur&c,'' .janie answered — but this was merely a i guess ol her own. "It is dreadful to think of the poor, broken, wasted life. Yon icmembci' what,Sabic used to bo in old days '! Well, last night 1 was lying awake, and 1 was wondering whether it would not be possible for ,-omcono to take Sabie away fioin what has happened during these last year.- — to take her auay altogether, t,o some- mlier country, and teach her to forget. And I thought that )ou wore- the only one who eared lor her enough, and had money (o do it as well ; and 1 .saw ;vll s-oits of pictuie.s ot you two -walking along the Promenade Anglais at Nice — and Sabie lauulnni; an 1 happy again ' ll(i turned \eiy pale, bub she did not notice; .she was intent upon her waking dicam- ol (ho picviotis night. " \ es, and L followed you to Venice F was an m\i-ible gho-t attending you- -and 1 saw Sabie leeding iho pigeons in the Sqn.iie -and 1 .saw jou and hei in one of the gla-s Lv loiies <>\or at ..M lira no, and y u wetu diaw ing hei initial- on a bitol paper so that t lie nun could cop) them and put them on (he ]ug he was moulding for her I wonder it sueli a tiling c\ci happens in the w mid ioi people to lorget ihe )e.us of nii-ei y they have "odd llnoiigh, and be come happy again as they u-ed to be '! It set ins haul it it !'• po»-ible.' Jtovvc\ei, the-e ueie but loieca-ts ol a \aguc and shadowy iutuie; .in>i in the uh .iiilimc .J.uiie was k o(m to be -(aided by ,i tit liiiiti- announeenu lit ol Sabma's plans. On the e\emng aitei they had ietunud lo W a) -ltle Collate I ! ie fumigation and -o toi th all )>■ ing o\ u - the-e two \m re -cated in (he little pal lout to^ethei, Jailie -tvviuu, s iluiiii p'elendin^ to )iad, but uioieolteii with hei eabu, t\»s h\ed wi-tlidU on the me In inn- them. At U nulh she look a lettei fiomhei po< ki.l '•.lame,' -he said, "a It w il.i_\- a<n> L uiuli' loold Mi Po-tei, down in Hueking-hun-hin, and tin- nioiningl iccrividhi-an-v, ■•] ' .lanie «,i-,i little -nipii-cd to h.t\<. heaid nothing; ot tin- heiote : and qiiite -imply ■ i'id natm.dU -lie )>ut mil hi i hand to take Ihehttei loi then ne\ < i had bit n-uie! -> between the-< two It va- ha-tily with f haw v, how i \ <u . "He wnti- \u> kindly, ,Sabma said, -lowly : " ,uid be a-k- me lo uo and w u h him, I hough he -a) s it's a dull hou-e 1 wund- i i* Ik tbinks it i- gaiety that 1 -hould piefu " \ud .no>ou liomg''' -.aid .lanie, lat her up athle— l\ •■ \\ In n ! ha\e ( vei) thing -etlled up In ie \e- 1 'limk it )- th- 1« -t thing 1 v.in do ' •'( )h, Sabic, we '-hall ne\ 1 1 see vim at all '" .I.imk ( i led. ••And don t you think that would be be-t '' v\a- the calm ,m-vvti -he waitai iu<: 'ili-i utl\ into i Me i! inn -. • lame - e\ i - uuw inoi-t ([inekly cnuULih. " \ftei tin ti lends that \ou and 1 lia\e b< i n, U 'loi - -eem- a little haid th it \ou -lioiild talk m that quiet wa\ about goin<_*awa\ fioin u- foi e\» i •• l>nt 1 -hall not Unuet, t lit otlui -aid Anil -ovjii ifrci 1 .imthoio 1 %\. ill w i ILO > oil a long, long lettei , to explain a numlifi ot t!jin'_r~. 1 oiMiht to tell} ou lhe w holt st<u^ ; now : I'm 1 ha\o not tin eomaue And I am '-o t u ed, ' sin addt d w t ai il) . .lame did not undti-tand what t hi 4-puum-t- nuwut , and peihap- paid little at tendon to it, fo- >he w i-. bent on tippo-inu this ilen ion it -umed ,-o tin adtul that, -hould witlatiaw heiM.lt into i -eulu-ion so lemotc horn all iho-ewho had know u hei. " \ on have so many niend- m London, S.ibie' It was bad enough \otn coming duw d In, i ; but now, w hen thei c is no i c i-on in i he w oi Ul w h\ \on -houltin i I'Oim and li\e with u- -I wi-h I'hil weie heie. and he j would -peak loi himself — Lo think of\oui ! <_'om i _! aw a} down to that pl.it c, to Inuj \otn-( li alone, and biood o\oi all that has happened. Is it wise is H ie'W)nable *' .siuel> you -hould eoine among-t )oili tiKiiii- 1 don t mem at this piet l-c moment but b\. and b\ , when time habegun to tell a little \\ c don t a^k \ou to conic to an\ gaatv. It i- a tpiKt house You would ha\e>owr own looms; no one should di-tuib uut when ym wi-hed to be alone. Tor aiiswei Sabina took Jauu'- hand, and ]),d(vd it a little "N on ha\e al\va\- b' t u -o kind to me - I neM-i t oukl umlei-tand uh), Hut lam nomg down to i^iiekiafhain-hiie, -lame, she said. Itwa-laiu on that sameevening- in the tit .ul -iLnee thatwa-* biokenonls by the chi kot .lanif s neetllt that Sabin; 1 . looked up horn hei ie\ene- and said '•-lame, tluif i- one thing 1 mus(, do hefoie I have tin- place. I mu-t say some thing to Mi Lu.d-as of what L (eel tow ai ilium foi all lv,- Lroodne-sL r oodne-s to me — lum neuni- 'jcotnlness and thovightfvdnt-s ami kindness. lam mho I don t know how I shall .-ay it -but I mu-t tiy I cannot gc <iway and lea\e him to th.nk me initiate ful " "That he nevet would think, nor any tit Ik i ill of) on, Sable '" .lame said, cageil) . " Hut -nit 1) )ou ate light— -uiel) >ou can ilouole— :- and a woid fiom )ou would be a git at deal to him," she made bold to add. " I -uppo-o uui don't know when he w til be heie a^ain ' ; ' was the next question. " N'ti : lvi I could stud him a note, ' s-aid -Janie, piomjitly. •'\ou might tell him that 1 wa- going aw.i), and that, L wished to .say gooil-bye_-II it would not be 100 much tioul>lc foi him to call w hen he was in the neighboui!iOO<l." .lanie s nimble biain >oon i.i-shioned toitl> a better scheme than that— though she kepi lLioheisclt Could che not, on tin nc\t morning. Imd some pi eteuee for slipping out-, and make her way south to Hnr ton? Hiulge by one of the earl) trains 1 ' A tow word.s with himself would be ol greater seiwce than any note ; and was not the occasion urgent? Sabina wa^ going away. She would be beyond the iniluenees she 'had known; hho would forget; she would sink into apathy; she was closing the book of hot liie. But w hat if, at Mich a juncture— and she was helpless, and die ti aught, ami uncei tain— home .sudden appear~we!c made lo het V Jb seemed dreadtul to think of weddings and wedding-bells, when one had to think, too, of (he little giavo lying far away theie amid the as yet unmelt'ed ?now : but, short of that, might not homo vague hint be given her tti.u w hei ever her footsteps might lead her, thcio would ah\a).s remain open for her the refuge of a strong man's love, when time and distance had dulled the edgo ol her cruel sorrows ? (To be i'oniinmd.)

it ib announced that, in view of Ibo removal of Lho prohibition on importation of btock, the vaiioiw Colonial Uoveinments bine combined to pny an expert, whose duty ib will bo io inbpect all stock sh pped at London for Australia, and advise the (Jovcrnmcnth in event ot unhealthy amn.aJs being shipped. All the colonies, except Now South Wales approved of the proposed inspection by an Imperial otficer. Mr Uillies is pressing Sir Henry Parkes to agree.