CHAPTER XLIII. COLONEL MAPLESON'S STORY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 331, 5 January 1889, Page 4

CHAPTER XLIII. COLONEL MAPLESON'S STORY.

Colonel M \flesox sprang forward to life his wife, amazement depicted on every feature. August Huntress appeared like a man suddenly depiived of his senses, and stood spell-bound, gazing with a look of awe upon the prostrate woman before him, whom he had instantly recognised as Mrs Marsfcon, the mo/her of (Uadyn. Geoffrey, after one astonished glance at this vivid tableau, staited forwaid to assist Colonel Mapleson to bear hih wife to a sofa at one end of the room. ' Shall I ring for assistance ?' Mr Huntress asked, rousing himself with an effort from his state of stupefaction, and reaching toward a bell-pull. Colonel Mapleson turned sharply upon him, with a stern, troubled face. 'Did you ever meet my wife before, sir?' he demanded. 'T—lT — I think I did cnc:e — year.s ago.' Mr Huntress replied, shrinking from compromising the lady, yet forced to tell the truth. ' Where ?' was the terse query. 'Perhaps,' returned the gentleman addressed, while he met his host's searching gaze frankly and steadily, yet with corH scious dignity — 'perhaps it would be as well to give our immediate attention to the recovery of your wife, and allow hor to make her own explanations when she is able to do so.' It was a polite way of telling him that he

would say nothing move until Mrs Maploson gave him permission. Colonel Mapleson bowed acquiescence. 1 Hand me a glass of water, if you please,' he said to Geoffrey, and glancing toward a tahle on which there was a wator service. ' We will do what we can for her ourselves, without having any prying servants about. I do not believe my wife ever fainted before. ' He sprinkled her face vigorously, bathing her temples, and chafing her hands, to restore circulation. She began to recover almost immediately, and beforo tho expiration of ton minutes was able to sit up, and called for water to drink. Her self-possession returned at the same time, and looking up in her husband's face with her usual brilliant smile, as she passed back her empty erlas.s, she remarked : 'I hope, William, that you and your guests will excuse my suddon indisposition. It was a startling greeting, a sorry welcome to strangers. But you did not prosent me to tho other gentleman.' She glanced inquiringly about for Geoffrey, who was standing a littlo back of her. As thoir eyes mob, ehe started, opening her lips as if about to address him believing him for l/he instant to bo Everet. But her mind worked very rapidly, and she checked hei'self. Sho remembored that .«ho had seen a young man at Yale who strangely resembled her son, and that his name was Huntress?. This must bo he. But what could ho want there, in her home ? And why had his coming so disturbed nor husband, who was usually the coolest and most collected of men 1 The blood suddenly leaped to her temples and then as quickly receded, leaving her very palo, as tho answer throbbed in hoi' brain, ' A .secret in his early lite !' Colonel Mapleson was -switching her every expression ; he marked the quick colour, then her pallor, while he wondered what secret of her past life lay in her acquaintance with August Damon Huntress. He, however, introduced <Teofhcy, whom Miii Maplefcon greeted very graciously, ro marking that she believed she had seen him at the last commencement at Yale, when he had taken his degree at the same time with her son, ' whom,' she added, with a covert glance at her husband, " you resemble to a remarkable degree.' Colonel Maploson's heart throbbed heavily, He knew tho moment had como when ho must unveil a portion of his life which he had believed was buried in oblh ion. 'Estelle,' he began, taking a chair and turning hie taco a littlo from her, 'my object in asking you to meet these gentle- } men was because I have a confession to make to them, and — to you ; a confession of ouch a painful nature that 1 felt 1 could make it only once, theiefore I wish you to hear it at tho same time' Mrs Mapleson glanced from him to Geottrey. She was very quick, and immediately she recalled what Dr. Turner, of Boston, had told her only the previous summer ; for it was she who had been his \isitoi that day : she who had been searching for August Damons address in the Boston Directory. She remembered he had told her that the man for whom she was inquiring had adopted and was educating a boy ot gieat promise, and now, in view of his wonderful resemblance to Everet, she began to suspect something of the nature of her husband's confession. 1 It is the strangest thing in the world, she thought, as she turned her eyes upon Mr Huntress, and realised w ho his childien, by adoption, were. ' It i=; the strangest thing in the world,' was echoed in Mr Huiitres-A brain, as he met her glance, and with a sudden heartthrob of joy, leali-ecl something that she did not. 'I will go back a^ far a» my boyhood,' Colonel Maploson icsumed. * You have heard me say, Estelle, that I was in the habit of \isiting Vuo de I'Eau, often spending weeks and sometimes months with Uncle Jabez when I was a boy. I think I could not have been more than twelve when, during one of those visits, 1 became acquainted with a young gill just about my own age, who resided near here with her mother. J refer to Annie Dale.' JMi-s Mapleson gave a violent start at this, a light broke over her face, which instantly became crimson, then grow as suddenly white. ' We became very fond of each other, her husband proceeded, without noticing her emotion, ' and we were together clay atter day, week after week, playing ball, hoop, battledore and shuttlecock, .sailing our boats together on the stream which feeds the pond that used to run the old mill, riding horseback together — in fact, were scarcely separated tioin tho beginning 1 of my stay until its end. It was always sought my charming little companion on the day of my arrival, and gave her my last good-bye when I went away. ' This went on for seveial years, until I grew to love her with all the strength of my young heart, and I fondly believed she returned my affections, although she was so modest and shy that &he never betrayed it, at least after she grew to womanhood, save by evincing pleasure and a sort of trustful content in my society. There came a time when I resolved to confess my feelings toward her and learn if possible if she returned them, hut befoie the time for my visit arrived that year, Uncle Jabe/ died and everything wis changed. This uncle,' said Colonel Mapleson, glancing from Mr Huntress to Geoffrey, 'made a very sin gular will — a very arbitrary and ummtnral will. He divided the whole of his property, which was very large, into two poitions, one ot which he bequeathed to me, the other to his niece, Miss Estelle Everet, who is now my wife — upon the condition that we should marry each other. He gave us until Miss Everet was twenty-five to make up our minds ; if we both refused to comply with his wishes at the end of that time, and each married someone else, tho whole fortune was to go to a certain .Robert Dale, who was first cousin to our uncle. If either of us died during that time, such an event would free the other party and ho or she would inherit the fortune thus left ; it either married during that time the same result was to follow. I was at that time in my twenty-first year. Miss Everet was seventeen. • You can perhaps imagine something of my feelings upon learning the contents of this will. I had always expected to inherit a share of my uncle's property, tor I was a favourite with him, and he had hinted that I was to be his heir; but I had never dreamed of being hampered with any such arbitrary conditions. I was very indignant. So was my cousin, for, although we had always been the best of friends, we felt that this was a matter in which we should have been loft free to choose for ourselves. However, the property was divided between us, and we found ourselves independent. I was an orphan and had been entirely dependent on my uncle : I had just completed my education and was thinking of establishing myself in some business, when I suddenly awoko to the fact that I was rich and could live as T chose, provided, at the expiration of eight years, I would marry the woman my uncle had chosen for me. But I loved Annie Dale, and I knew I could nob marry anyone else while my heart belonged

so entirely to her. I became so wretched nnd unhappy over my situation, while at the same time I could not make up my mind to part with my newly ■ acquired fortune, that I could not come hero to Vue de l'Eau to live whore I should have to meet her constantly ; so I had the house closed and started off on a trip through the West. ' During my wanderings I went to New Mexico, where 1 heard the most wonderful stories regarding 1 the wealth of the Morena Mine". A bright idea suddenly came to me. I would invest in them — I would throw myselt into the business of mining during tho next fow years ; if what I had heard was truo I could easily double, perhaps treble, what money I put into them before I should hav-2 to give up my fortune according to the conditions of my unclo's will — the money thus, earned would be legi- , timatcly mine. 1 could then make over to my cousin my share of Jabex Mapleson's fortune, and bo in a comfortable situation to many tho girl I loved. ' Inspired with onthusiasm ovor this idea, I bought largely in the Morena Mines, and then bent alt my energies toward the ono object of my life. The first three years 1 was very successful, and it my luck continued, I know that by the end of another three 1 might .snap my fingers over Jabc/ Maploson's will, and securo tho wife ot my choice. But just at this timo a terrible temptation presented itsclt to me. ' Annie Dale's mother had been a widow for several years. Tier husband was a cousin of my unclo's, and when Mr Dalo died, leaving his wife and child destitute, Uncle Jabez had given thorn the use of a small cottngo on hu estate and increased the small annuity which Mrs Dale possessed to a sum that enabled thorn to hvo comfortably with economy. Afterward, when Annie grew older, they opened a binall piivate school, and, having succeedod in securing all the pupils they could accommodate, tney declined receiving further aid fiom him. They lived very poorly and meagrely, howevor, and it galled mo to see. theii poverty : so, upon coming into possession of the estate, 1 Look nd\antage of their absence on n \isit at one time, had tho cottage thoroughly repaired an' 1 newly furnished in a style to suit myself. Mrs Dale wa« almost inclined lo be angry with mo fo" this, saying it was far too elegant ior their position in life ; but the deed j was done, and I laughingly told her it was i only a poor loturn tor all the trouble I had ghen her as a boy, v. hen 1 tracked her, spotless ttoois with ray muddy boots, and depleted her lardei with my rapacious appetite, a- day after day I shared Annie's lunch. ' But T am getting away from the temptation of which 1 began telling you, which came to me after I had been tlnee ycais in tho mines. Annie's mother died very suddenly after an illness of only a week, and I did nob learn ot the fact for nearly two months afterward. I wrote at once to Annie, begging her to choose some elderly companion and remain where she was — to consider tho cottage still her home and accept aid from me until 1 could return and make some poimanent arrangement for her. 1 told myself that if 1 could only keep her there in seclusion for a couple of years longer, I should then bo in a position to return and ask her to become my wife. !>ut in a cool, dignified letter she refused my request, telling me that her plans for tho futuie weie already made, and she was on tho eve of leaving tor Richmond, where she was going to remain with an old nurse, until she could obtain a position as governess in some family. ' For a week after rccei\ ing this letter J fought a terrible battle with niy&elf. F could not enduio the thought of that delicate gill going out into tho woild to toil for the bread siic ate. On the other hand, if I yielded to my own desire, and asked her to many me, it would doom her to n lite of hardship almost as severe, for I could only make over my shaic ol Uncle Jabe/'s fortune to my cousin at a sacrifice that would leave me almo=t a beggar. 1 could not force a sale of mining interests Avithout losing nearly all that I had made during the last three years,. I was nearly distracted, and I imagined a thousand evils and dangers that might result from Annie's becoming a govci lies'.. Not only would such a lite be a buidensome and disagreeable one, but, worse than that, she was liable to meet someone who would be attracted by her beauty and sweetness — someone Mho would Avin her, and thus I should lose her. ' The thought Avas unbearable, and I resolved upon a desperate measure. I wrote again to her, confessing my love -that I had always loA^ed her, and begging her to rome fo mo and share my life in the W est. I told her that I would gladly give up fortune— OA'erything — if she Avould become my a\ ife ; and L meant to, by another year, or as soon as I could sell to advantage. I told her, also, that I could not come on for her, as my interests at the mines Avould nob admit of my being absent long enough for that, but I Avould 'j->ect her at Kansas City, Missouri. Avhere avo Avould be immediately mariied, and then pioceed to our simple home among the mountains of New Mexico I begged her nor. to say anything to anyone whereshe was going until afterour marriage, when J preferied to announce the fact myself, t sent her a route carefully mapped out, and a cheque ample for all her needs, begging her to telegraph m«3 the day and the hour that she would start. You have the telegram that she sent in reply there,' Colonel Mapleson said, turning to (ieoffrcy, and glancing at the package Avhich still lay on the table beside him. ' I have always kept that precious bit of paper,' he resumed, ' for its contents made me almost wild with joy when 1 received it. I set out immediately to join my dear one, l caching Kan=a=s City only a few hours previous to her own nrriuil. 1 had everything arianged, hoAvever, and A\ r e drove directly Irom the station to the hou"e of a prominent clergyman of the oity, where we A\eio m irriod in the presence ot his household, and three hours later avc were on our Avay to Kew Mexico. ' Bui 1 knew it would noAcr do for me to take iv. -• witc to the Morena Mines, Avhere 1 Avas known by men Avho Avere also from the South, and through whom the knowledge of my marriage would soon travel back to Virginia. Only a short time previous I had bought out a man in another district, getting his claim for a mere song, and not a soul in tho place knew me. I resolved to take Annie tlieie, make just as pretty and comfortable a home as i could for her, call myself William Dale, going back and forth from one mine to tho other, as my business demanded it, until I Avas satisfied to sell out altogether and return to Virginia, proclaim my marriage, and give Mips Everet tho other half of her fortune. But when I confessed this to Annie, as of course I had to do in order to assume her name, she Avas very unhappy. She Avas* not lacking in spirit either, and made me almost despise mysolf for the parti had played. ' ' T would never "have come to you if I had known this,' she said. ' 1 hate deception and double-dealing of Avhatever nature. , You might have told me frankly how you Avero situated, and I avoulcl have Avaited and been faithful to you until you could have i openly made me your Avife. 1 I ' ' But you Avould not have alloAA ed me to talce cai'e of you.' I replied. ' ' No,' she answered, flushing ; 'my pride Avoujd not have yielded to that, but I could

have dono vory well for myself for awhile, ( and waited patiently until it was right that we should be married.' ' I had a hard task to pacify her She was determined at first that the whole truth should bo confessed, saying she would not occupy a false position. But when 1 told her that it would ruin me to force a sale of my stock — that I should lose all the, 'mrd labour of the threo years that I had spent there and not even then be able to replace the money from Uncle Jabcz's fortune which I had invested, she became moio leasonablo. T promised that if she would try and bo patient and happy for a year, I would leplace every dollar that xvnh not my own, and have something handsome besides, at> a capital for myself. ' I honestly meant to do all this, for I knew that T should never thoroughly regain the respect of my wife until I had redeemed my position and hers before the world. (To be Continued.)