LITERATURE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7729, 3 February 1905, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A STIFF COUNTRY* (Continued.) Tho laugh ended in a stifled sob. Sir Hugh's solf-control was swept away. A torrent of wild words rushed to his lips, ami he, the highSy- "• trained gentleman, was no more abU -' to arrest their utterance than woulc v have been the lowliest bargee. Maisie rose and gazed at him wit! piteous, appealing eyes. Oh, the pitj of it ! The friend she had adniiret and trusted had torn oft his ninsl and stood revealed—a tempter uhc .would drag his pretended ido! through the mire, and make of hei a thing for all men ,to gibe un< scoff at. " I am very sorry," she said, look ing up, at him with clear shininj "' ejes. •" I set such store upon oui friendship,- and now it must be fo; ever at an end. lam very, ver; , sorry," Could the noblest lady in th land have poured a more icy streau of words upon his burning passion « is so amusing to fan the flam tor a while, ere placing), for th Bake of an honoured name, tho fma - extinguisher upon it. " For the ray of light you hav Drought Into my solitary life thank; you sincerely," she continued " ♦ .£ l Toai , to - ni B h t I must retur to thai solitude,"- - wf to WaS already at »e door whe .. arres ted her steps. - Maisie,". he cried, •• can you no ■ Let a,l be £7t w° ' sUOe crush down my love ! Fro. this time fourth I swear ■: shook her head with a «, " fli!?** - w ? uW "C Playing wit %££ t Said ' " t j^ou—ana to me." .were uttered as softly as Ihe whi, * 2T2S. muTa^ r of a s, " amer br «*< «s she passed through the heav • velvet curtains, ' Tu^fV 1 lhc following mornini _ Maiste descended the ball ttlpl ™2 to mount her-horse, she found t* «u«sts already assembled for I start. Her husband was sfandin ; close at hand. WTth a cum nod b •* air °' morning Sreeting?. he coi tinued lighting his cigar and ullowe the head groom to put her ui Maisie looked round for Sir Hugl ~ rwn <ZV nowhere to be seen. "* »!t u that surprised her might. 1 ' ?£""* S? *** ***"*• H «d he le the castle ? The friendship had bee so sweet. Why had he made it in - Poyabie ? She did not ask her hu: band for information as to S Hugh's movements. She had leamc 'yu read the suriv answers throw like a bone to a starving cur. The cavalcade moved slowlv dow - the long avenue, Ko one speciall - addressed Jlaisie ;nor did she fei capable of joining in the noisy bat ter of Lord Glengariff and hts friends Her attention was Ailly occupied b - the management of her horse, whicl drafting under the irritating touch c an uncertain hand], bade fair t break free from its control. As the ?£? r °° ched the s P° t appointed fo -, the meet Lord Glengariff reined u £" beside her. - « Hold in that Brute of yours," h k said, angrily, - <> r you wHI be rk I ™„! l/ Uno ? S the hounds and wakin '' S r worSi, u C ? WE Palcd "»*» « wated aDd ncrvousn ** " * she l • bCUer ' s ° home- - dfbly, a Volce tbat shook at ■ ■ "Go home be hanged i•■ hj., n l v^sak c „™ ;- nT^;," tlWt ' i * The colour flew to Maisjc's ™i '■ T^' h aWI ?"'** her : 11% u "*J J ulIJ awaro that his rrt" her nerves for B str „" * SSJ??* Ws hcad violently ! • H inclusions with him. A ' W '^ ed,y round androun, t- V i CUm - Maisie cau sn vast fnt Ugh trottin S brtskl ,' that a fox was f °"»< ,L g ° nc awa »'» Marc's hors , J °f " W - somb,an « of oontori - 2F? a frantlq effort sho i«* manag *■ » Pf» vell t him from rushini £L fieW \. 1 * e brute bad S«t the oil 5S e !L. teeth - »«•. hi: P, Bead well .was going for al *?*** WorUt . After the ffrst ter nbte moment of panic, Maisie sc t lied down to her work and began tc . hO, exhilarated by the furious, pace In a few moments she was far awaj ... from the pack. The trees seemed t< t Ay past her ; some low stone walls *■ .Were cleared in a n easy stride, *. earth, water, sky appeared merger j '. in one indistinguishable blue. She dej; .tcrmined to sit tight, to give the S; furious animal hishheatd t and let him I go uritil be ran himself to a standand stopped from sheer cxhaus■ption. Arriving a,t the summit of a steep V .decline, aa appalling sight met her f aiewc The ground descended in a gens' tie gradient, BU t f ar away at tiie I bottom lay a wide and fast-flowing iMver, To right and left a high waLl, built of big loose boulders, skirted .the field and made her position that of one caught in a trap. She made a desperate attempt to turn the infuriated beast. As well might she nave endeavoured to change the course of the distant river,. " One ol two things must surely happen. Either Brian Boru, notori■r pusly nervous of water, woujd stop dead and fling her. his head into the river, or he would take the , plunge and they would be carried away, helpless and entangjed, by tho ■writ current. A prayer rose to 'her S»hitci strained lips. A weak thought S»* «elf-pity flashed through her bcgjrildered brain, a sorry satisfaction hthat perhaps her husband would ggnove a lit«e when he found that ,*e was dead, Thero was no help I*°, *° loofced for from man. 'it scemped hot a question of time ere the crash, .would come. lier mind Baa room for only one thought: |£hat jjoaM it te lik(J wh(aj mme ftUQ 7 .Suddenly a loud cry sounded in her fursi . -•■ For, Gods sake, sit tight.'i "" ''_£_ hßS i y glan9e ' m tho direction JJMaKO tho voice proceeded revealed gneflgure of a horseman who had MvMerttly Jwaded her off from af a r, WE* was nov approaching, swift as at a right angle, straight ■P 88 i f r . Path. It was a forlorn *nt, it .was the only one Her K? t miracle ' be savcd■>ut his! The high stone wall, the Kose bouWers-for him it meant alSt n^ rtain deatn< lie c ame onma. The ciy that welled up from her E^l-J 11 "PP l * l to him to stop, froze ■jp ter Mps, There was the sound of J. blow? on her horse's head, and W*aa Boru, startled and panic ftrjckea, wa s standing still as a rock, fa's panting sides a mass of loam, his strong frame quivering in Bfyery nerve. The brave horseman bad.passed like a flash, there was no lime to prepare for the big jump, Wily a terrible impact, a sickening tbud, the Jowl rumble of falling itonesj then horse and rider were jring, stunned and motionless, in a jonfuaed 'heap, on the ground toptfterj f Madsio only remembered raising Sii; 3ugh'9 head and gazing with mute, igonfsed appeal into her husband's yeSj Glengariff shook his head in jttent grie?. Presently, with a rush I bitterest remorse, he said, ■•' That Boifld have been my place, Maisie, Wm hia< Hay God forgive me for Hpevil I have wrought—'to him and KHr Hugh" caught the words. He Hened his fast glazing eyes, and Bked from Gtengariff's face to B That wilj, be all right now,"- he Hrnrared broftcnly. smile flitted across his wan, HHoeaturcss He was not wanted ■ginore. With this birth of a newEel nobler- love he, hanging over brink of the silent grave,; had IgthTng whatever to do. His head HihacK on Maisie's arm. He was b