ONE IMPASSIONED HOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9068, 18 April 1908, Page 2

ONE IMPASSIONED HOUR.

By OWEN MASTERS. or of " Niaa's Repentance," " Clyda's Love .Dream," " Iler Soldier •Lover," " For Love of iM-irjorie," " The Mystery of Woodcroft," etc.

CHAPTER XXXV

SOMETHING LIKED A FINISH

Four whole days—ninety-six hours j —before .Lie;< liemngton evinced a J deure to sit up and ta'k. He had B juhc be-in eatuig arid drinking and sleeping 11-J liad smiled plentilully in his waking moments, and clasped s the hands of he loved in no uncertain way. And then dropped oil c to sleep again. 1 The fourth morning, however, 0 witnessed a huge yawn, and a steady ' Ikht shone in the dark eyes. He was no longer afraid to face the beautiful r golden sunlight. f> "Oh, you are so much better, said s the nurse. "I will get up," said Jack. I "No—:io! The doctor will be here \ soon. Wait." "Bother the doctor! He reflected e for a while. "Ring the bell, please; t I want to see Mr Eastwood, and my t son, and Miss Linley—and Mr Eastwood's daughter, too. I've got some- t thing to tell them. Stay—l'll see old Charlie first." 1 Charlie came, anxious, happy, curious. They clasped hands. "This is good, Jack," wistfully. "The others will be here soon. Allan and Miss Linlcy co-no every morning, and stay until nearly midnight. How do you feel now?" "Jolly!" There .was a short "I can read your thoughts, old chap." "And I can read yours. The nurse discreetly retired, and Charlie whispered: "You are thinking about—Stella—and wondering. She has gone out of my life forever, Jack. She repented, I believe, poor wretch, and there's ar. end of her as far as we are concerned." , Silence again. Jack sighed; ther, he looked at his friend. "You were wondering if I believed I you to be guilty of that murderous blo<» in the chapel. No, Charlie, no; I caught a glimpse of the man's iiemlish face—and the flash-light photograph is graven in my memory. Black, flaming eyes, a nose like an eagle's beak." "Stella's father, old chap—the man called Markham the man who. engineered everything. There's an end to him, thank goodness. He was cleverly shadowed in New York, but outwitted the police there. He bribed some fellow to ersonate him, and they corralled the wrong mar. at Southampton yesterday." He laughed. "Deucedly clever, but he gave himself away in a drinkingsaloon in the Tenderloin. Result, a chase, and Markham jumped into the rivtr, struck his head against a floating hulk, and was fished out 'iead." Ther i was a small commotion in the corridor outside, and Berrington's eves brightened. ""That's Allan and Kate." "And Miriam. The girls have buddenly become very much attached to one another." Charlie ran to the door, and into the room filed the happy, chattering trio. "How do, dad?" said Allan. "The nurse told us that you had cast aside the Rip Van Winkle business." Berrington went through the ordeal of being kissed and cuddled. "I am glad it all happened," he J said, "otherwise I might never have known how much certain people really care for me. But I'm a very poor sort of hero. A ruffian hit me over the head with a stick—and I put up no sort of fight. That isn't a bit heroic, is it? I fell into the mine, and if the earth hadn't been very soft and yielding there would have been an end of me. As it was. I rolled downjjtne slope/and lay there without knowing anything for a long while. Then I crept away somewhere. When I rocovereed my wits, it was the blackness ihat puzzled me, but I soon decided what must be done. I had a half-pint flask filled with brandy in my pocket, and to me it was more precious than all my earthly possessions. It represented a life—l honestly|believe that." He shivered, and laughed. "I felt my way to the main shaft — it took me a couple of days to do it f but found the mine flooded down there. Then I came back again, and groped my way about. I couldn't tell how the time was going; it was one long night, but I never lost hope. At first the air bothered me, but in a measure I got used to that. I drank the water that trickled down the prison walls, it was much better than the stagnant stuff. Then I knew that the pumps were at work, and I was full of hope. My friends were going to rescue me. "My eyea were getting used to the gloom now, and I went down to the main shaft again. The water whs rapidly disappearing, and plenty of fresher air came through. But I had a narrow eacapj from death, and 1 began to io:?e heart. The roof, the pillars, and the galleries crumbled away, and I ran ran By George, didn't I scramble! I shall never forget the thunder in the mine. 1 quite believed that the end had come." Ho panted. "I think my mind wandered a bit after that. I know I took off my vest and shirt, because of the intense heat, and I had a sharp tussle vviUi a lot of rats. I pulled o.'f my boots, and beat them with the heels. They didn't show any more fight. Then I went to sleep again-—and you woko mo up, and thanks be to Go J, 1 am here.'- ****** That same afternoon Miriam Eastwood and Allan Berrington occupied one of the prettiest little nooks in the pleasure garden. They were 1 listeningj[to the the

trees, to the love-songs of the birds, suit! looking love into each other's eyes. "These secluded little nesta are one of the Priory's greatest charms," .said Allan. There was satisfaction in his tone, and an arm stole round Miriam's waist, "I am glad it is settled." "And so am I, Allan." "The world is very beautifulsunshine, fragrance—and " "Love!" she blushed. "The colour, the radiance, the sweet-smel-ling flowers—all would be ugly without love." Then she whispered, "Hush!" Another couple were walking very near to their hiding-place. "Ought we to listen?" Allan said softly. "We can't help ourselves," Miriam breathed. "It is only Kate and Mr Warren." Then both laughed into each other's eyes. Warren's face was very close to Kate's, arid ho was spying something—something Is there any need to tell? Then they passed on, and Allan laughed —- "This is a veritable garden of love!" Miriam thought so, too. THE END. I