CHAPTER VII. (Continued.)

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 309, 20 October 1888, Page 4

CHAPTER VII. (Continued.)

? O'Lafferty, standing behind his master, lifted his hands in horror. The great aim 1 of the steward's Hife was to uphold the dignity of the O'Neils, their grandeur, riches and honours. The simple, %traight- ' forward honesty and the lack of all false pride in his young master, were, therefore, his greatest, trials. *Ah ! hear him !' whispered the steward to Mrs Kelly, with forced jocularity. ' Him slating the roof with the labourers, and "superintending of it ! The quality "ll do anything for a lark, mum. I've heard of noblemen driving for the fun of it. The O'Neil has spirits for anything I 1I 1 The Lady Nora and Lord O'Neil were alike unconscious of this little bj -play. * The young girl desired an inteniew « ich her host in a place less public than this great hall, and she said, with a glance at the glazed door thiough which he had entered : *Is your garden in as fine order as ever, my lord ? Won't you t<ike me to see it ?' ' With pleasure,' replied the young lord his face beaming. ' \*ou remember the old gaiden, then, Lady is'ora, Mith its oldfashioned flowers ? lam gardener-in-chief, and have constructed a garden which seems .. to belong to our grandmothers' day? !' Not seping OXafierty's imoluntai'y grimace at his indi-creet revelation? of his humble and industrious habits, Lord O'Neil conducted his young guest down the length of the hall to the glazed door, and led her out into the sunny garden, where the bright-hued flowers were yielding their fragrance to the mild September air. Down the trim box-bordered paths the young couple walked slowly, Mrs Kelly and O'Lafferty following at a i-espectable distance, and out of earshot. c I came over to see you on business this morning, niy lord,' said the young Lady Nora. ' The truth is, lam in need of friendly coun&el, so I ha^e presumed upon your old friendship for papa — ' 'And you did not recognise your own claims on me ?' said Lord O'Neil, as &he hesitated. ' Oh, Nora ! you know I'd go thi*ough fire and water to serve you ! If you want a friend, Larry O'Neil would die for you to prove his — his — friendship.' ' But I only wanted a little clear-headed counsel," said the young Lady of Kildare. c Perhaps I did wrong to come to you, but I have been so anxious and troubled. I did not sleep all night.' The O'Neil's face grew cri-ave and anxious. ' It's a real trouble that rots the young and healthful of sleep,' he said. 'And this i^ a real trouble!" exclaimed Lady Noia. ' Kathleen could not help me, - and our chaplain went to Belfast and has not returned, so I have no one to counsel me. The truth is, Larry, theie is another claimant to Kildare !' Lord O'Neil repeated her last sentence in amazement. ' Yes,' asserted the Lady Nora, desperately. ' And he's over at Point Kildare now. ' ' Another claimant ! Why, Nora, it's impossible ! The man is an "impostor ! You should not have allowed him 1o remain at Kildare. He may be some London villain who has heard of you and your wealth, and who has come up here to enrich himself. Who does he claim to be ?' ' Lord Kildare ! He claims title, estates, and all. He says he is the son of Uncle Redmond. And the worst of it is, Larry, he has the family features. There can be no doubt that he is one uf our blood. He carries his paternity in his face.' ' But — he may yet not be the lawful heir,' suggested Lord O'Neil, delicately. 'It he were, we should have heard of him before this. The heir to a great name and estates can't be hid out of everybody's sight. Lord Redmond died young, and I have heard he never was married.' ' It turns out now that he was married secretly to a London actress,' <?aid Ladj Nora. •He was ashamed of his wife, and never openly acknowledged her. At length he abandoned her. and she went insane and was put into a mad-house. And tbere she has remained until a month since, shs was discharged fioni the asylum as cured.' ' And this rival claimant to Kildare pretends to be the son of Lord Redmond and his actress wife ?' ' Yes. He has shown me the certificate of his mother's marriage, and of his own bitth. And he brought me a letterfrom my distant kinsman, Michael Kildare of Dublin. That is the most astonishing part of it, al. Michael Kildare has known all these years of the existence of Uncle Redmond's son, and has kept it secret, out of family prie'e. Uncle Redmond t >ld him the whole story, and said he did not want to acknowledge the boy to the detriment of papa. And now it's all come out— as Ivdden things will — and this present Redmond Kildaie has forced Michael to speak the truth, and declare him the Earl of Kildare !' 'It's a strange story!' exclaimed Lord O'Neil, knitting his fair brow s in perplexity. 'I know Michael Kildare's love for you, Nora, and [ know he would not have recognised this claimant had not the claim been founded on justice. But the letter may have been torged — ' •That we shah boon know. But the letter was no forgery. Michael Kildare promises to be at the castle to-day or tomorrow, and be has telegraphed to Kir Russel Ryan to come also. It will take the strongest proofs to satisfy Sir Russel. I shall leave it in bi3 hands whether this claim be contested or not.' ' All that you can do, then, is to wait, Nora.,' said Lord O'Neil, in a troubled voice. ' I wis-h I were a more able counsellor. I wish Lord Tre&ham were here !' ' And is he not ?' asked Nora. 1 No. He rode over to Belfast to consult a lawyer. That's a bad business of the Lady Kathleen's marriage, is it not ? Tresham's nearly crazy about it. He's going to make every effort to free Kathleen.' • It won't do any good,' said Nora. 'KathJeen won't move a step toward securing her freedom. She told me so. ' • She loves the fellow ?' ' No, but she fears him ! She dare not move in the matter. The only thing to be done is to bury the affair in our own '' breasts. Kathleen will have nothing to do with this Bassantyne, but she greatly dreads scandal. It seems, Larry,' added the young girl, 'as if a ; sudden blight had fallen on Kathleen's ,„ fortunes and mine. Yesterday we were so \Happy, and to-day we are so miserable \' i ,-' Lord O'Neii halted in the shade of a ; spreading laurel, beside a small circular "pench. ( The Lady- Nora sat down, and he ; took his place be&ide her.

'Happiness don't depend upon tnoaey, Nora,' he said, with a shade of tenderness in his tones. ' Here am I, poor and in debt ' — thank Heaven, the debts are not of my incurring ! — and yet I am as happy a man as any in all Ulster. A clear conscience and a good digestion, they say, ought to make any man happy. You are rich in Mends, Nora. There's not a poor person in Antrim but sings your praises ! Tho widows down at the fishing village call you a young saint, and the orphan children, for whom you built and endowed the school, lovo yon with ail their little hearts. There's no ono so poor but you have given them a kind word, a gay smile, or money for their wants. And if you have to leave Kildare, Nora, a hundred hearts will be broken for you.' ' Everyone is good to me !' said the young Lady Nora, smiling through tears. j 'It will be hard to leave Kildare, but if I I must go I will go bravely.' Lord O'Neil arose and walked up and down the path before his guest. His face was pale, a sure sign that a struggle was going on in Irs heart, Glancing around him, ho saw that no one was near, and lie came to a pause before the girl, trying to catch a glimpse into her downcast face. ' Nora !' he said, his voice tremulous with feeling. ' Nora, look up at me !' The young girl raised her drooping head, to meet a glance of fire from his glorious blue eyes, and in expression on his noble face that, thrilled to her very soul. * Nora,' said Lord O'Noil. ' I've kept silent till now because you weie rich, and J was poor and in debt. But now that poverty threatens you, too, I may speak without dishonour. 0, Nora ! Nora, darling ! Noia, mavouineen ! T love you ! 1 lovo you ! Let this storm that has assailed you drive you to the shelter of my breast ! Let me be your protector and husband ! Nora, will you give yourself to me? When you lea\ e Point Kildaie, will you come to Glen O'Neil as it's honouted mistress, as my wife?' His impa^ioned tones, lib eager, passionate eyes, his impetuous manner, brought a Hood ot happiness to Nora's heart. Her ?unny eyes fell, her piquant face flushed lo carmine, and a shy sweet bmile quivered about her lips. 'ripeak to me, Noia,' pleaded The O'Neil, half stooping, half kneeling before her. and trying to look up into her face. ' Can't you love me, Nora, mavourneen — me who have loved you all these years, and who have dreamed night and day of the hour when I might tell my love? Speak to me — ' ' Let my face speak for me !' whispered Nora. And then she shyly lifted her young face, so sweet, so tender, so bright, so happy, and the full revelation in it, and in her shj', sweet eyes, were an answer a thousand-fold more delightful than Lord O'Neil woul have daied to hope for. In an ins ant he was seated on the bench beside her, her hands in his, her little head solftly fluttering down to his shoulder. | For a few moments a delicious silence fell between them. Then the song of some bird near at hand aroused Nora from her soft trance, and she started up, all blushes and confusion. ' Don't — don't kiss me again, Larry,' ehe whispeied. *Ah, now — ' This la-t utterance was one of tender reproach, for Lany, interpreting her injutic- j tion to suit himself, had stolen another | carets from her ro*y mouth. 'You are so aggravating, Nora, darling,' said her lover, by way of excuse. ' And it's all so new to me, too ! An hour ago I ehould as soon have expected to be ki&bing the queen a? you ! And I want to make the mobt of my new prhileges. The nexo time I see 33 r ou it may be in the presence of others, and you'll be so stately and cold I shall find it hard to belie\e there's a warm and true little heart under jour haughty manner — ' ' I won't be haughty to you, Laurence. I shall never forget that I am going to belong to you some day. But lam not sure but I am wronging you in promising to marry you. You ought to have a rich wife—' ' And so I shall ha\e, Nora, mavourneen. Mv bride will be rich in goodness, s*.7eeti>e>-s and beauty. 1 might say you ought to hive a rich husband, but I am not so generous. 1 have no grandeurs to otter you, Nora, only love and tenderness, but these will never fail. T know b?st of anyone what the place is,, and how unfitted the old hall is for a r'ainty young mistress ; but ib shall be repaired, if I have to repair it with my own hands lam becoming a working hand. lam becoming a working farmer, Nora. I put my pride in my pocket the day I inherited mv title, with this dreary, wor'iout estate, and I have vowed to myself to make the Glen blossom some day like a n>e — to render these acres fruitful, and res' ore Castle Ruin to its former glory.' ' You will succeed, Laurence, I know. ' I intend to,' answered Lord O'Neil, vu'th quiet determination. ' I am already making good progi e=s. I have sold off fche lower oak wood to a speculator, who will paymeahandsome price, and remove the trees himself. And with the money I get from that source I shall repair the old house and stables, buy a horge or two, get all the new-fangled plough? and farm machines, and d>ain the marsh this side the bog. In one yeai's time you won't know the place. And in ten years, Nora, I hope to clear the esfute of debt, and stand up a free man. It may take longer than that, but I mean to be industtious and economical, though not mean, Nora,' be added with a smile. ' But this project of getting out of debt has become a mania with me.' ' I wish I could have helped you in your labour** !' sighed Nora. ' But I may not come to you utterly penniless, Larry. Mr Kildare— l can't call him Loid Kildare yet —said something abouc a compromise. He may give mp what papa would have willed to me could papa have foieseen this rival claim. Theie are railway stocks and bank Flocks and mine shares which belonged to papa entirely and exclusively, and it may be these Mr Kildare proposes to give over to me.' Lord O'Neil's bright face clouded a little. ' Likely it is that,' he said. *Mr Michael Kildare, who is po fond of you, will protect your rights. Yet I could wish, Nora, that you were coming to me dowerless, or rather doweied only with the riches nature has given you. I do not like to be thought a lortune-hunter — ' ' Do you mean to imply that people would think it odd that anyone should want to marry me if I had no money ?' said Nora, gayly. ' Ah, stop now, Larry ! Mrs Kelly is coming with O'LaiTerty.' She arose from the bench and began busily plncking a bouquet from a bed of gorgeous dahlias, in which ta=k Lord O'Neil assisted her. They were thus engaged, the sunlight glinting on the girl's rippling waves of floating tresses, and upon Larrys tawny hair, when good Mrs Kelly, leaning upon the arm of the portly and consequential steward, came in sight. Nora finished her bouquet, andannounced her intention of departure. 0 LafTerty, obeying her command, hastened to bid Shane bring the horses to the front door. The lovers slowly retraced their steps through the garden, crossed the terrace, and strolled through the sunshine .to the front door, where they found Shane O'Laf- , ferty, the horses and the dogs in waiting. j The Lady Nora mounted lightly from her lover's hand. Mrs Kelly climbed into -her

saddle from the horse-block, and clutched her fat hands into her pony's mane. Shane sprang to his* saddle. ' I shall ride over to Kildare this evening,' whispered Lord O'Neil, as he adjusted the Lady Nora's foot in her stirrup. 'I have something to say to your guardians, Nora, mavourneen, and you can guens what it is.' Ho pressed her hand, and, blushing and smiling, the Lady Nora, in a happy confusion, broke from him, and galloped down the elm-arched road. Mrs KeUy and Shane and the dogs followed rapidly. And the girl sped on with a light heart in spito of all her anxieties. The clouds that lowered abovo her had soemod to shut out all hope and gladness only «n hour or two before, and now the gloiioub bow of hope spanned her path, and made lite radiant and glorious. It Avas worth much sorrow and many pangs to be so happy as this. Lord O'Neil stood gazing after her with enraptured glance. His kindling face, his passionate glance^, betrayed his seciet to his faithful steward, and 6 Lafleicy, not being troubled with bashfulness, did not hesitate to break in upon the lover's trance ' She's a bonny lady, the Lady of Kildare !' he said. 'The man that she marrios can eat wedding cake e\ery day in the year, begorra ! Uood luck to her blight, sweet eyes ! And it's a long purse she has, that'll reach from hero to Dublin, and she's generous as the sun. With a purso like hers to put Glen O'Neil in it^ glory, and to make Castle Ruin splendid, and with her lovely face to light up the drawingrooms, we could outshine any nobleman in Ireland. She'll many some day, I does be thinking,' he added, with a long sigh and a sly glance at his young master. ' I wonder who the biiJegroom will bo?' Loul O'Neil turned his happy eyes and srlowing face upon his faithful attendant. He had not heard half O'LaHcrty had said, but the steward had been his ardent -'orshipper from childhood, and it was his impulse to share his secret with him now. 'I know who she'll many, Shamus,' he exclaimed. ' It's a secret yet — but she has promised to mairy mo." Without waiting to hear O'Lafl'erty's excited and rapturous comments and congratulations, the lover turned back into the flower-garden, and gave himself up to his | happy thoughts.