The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1063, 10 August 1904, Page 4

The Queen of The Isle OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE

BY Mil' AGNES FLEMING

Author of "Tho Heiress of Glen Gower," "Tlio Unseen Bridegroom,' etc.

CHAPTER Y [I (Continued) "Would you?" said Christie, looking at him with unfeigned surprise; " then why not stay ? lam suro I should bo glad tol'Rve you hare always,' Hor innocont words, her enticing beauty, her childish candour were ut strong temptation. For one moment ho was about to fall before her, lo clasp her in his arms, to hold her thero forever, while be breathod forth his mad, pisMonnto love, and told her nothing on eai'ili should over Enrt them new. But, ng.iin rose up before irn tho dark warning fa jo of Sybil to allay the fever in his blood. It seemed to him he could see lur black fierce eyes gleaming on them through the trees—he could almost hear her voice shouting "Traitor I" All unconscious of the strugglo raping in his breast, Christie stood leaning against a (roe, her curved lips half parted —hor eyes drifting slowly over tho sky, little dreaming uf the far darker clouds gathering rapidly now over the horizon of her life. And still in Willard's heart went on the itrugglo, He dared not loelt at her as sho stood Before him radiant bewildering—lest the last lingering remains of fidelity and lunour should he swept away by tho fiorco impetuosity of passion in his unstable heartBut his good angel was in tho ascoivdent still, for at that mouioiit tho voico of Carl was heard calling, loudly: " Ohristib I Christie I I 1 Here, Carl I Hero I am," sho answered; and in another instant, honest Carl stood boforo them. "'Aunt Tom sont mo looking for 7011," said the young man, rather sulkily; and I've been tramping through the wood this half hour, wbilo you were taking it easy here," said Carl, wiping the prospiration from his hot brow,

" It was all my fault, my good Carl, 1 ' ' said Willard, as Christie hastily snatched up her bat ond basket and lied, having just a terror of Mrs. Tom's sharp tongue. " Make my excuses to your good aunt, and here is something for yourself. Carl's face brightened wonderfully as Willard drew a gold pieco from his pocket and pressed it into his hand, and then turned his steps in the direction of Comp' bell Island,

Mrs Tom 6 roproaebes fell unheeded on Christie's ear that day, She her.rd not a word of tho long lecture doliverod with moro than the widow's usual eloquent; for sho was thinking of another voice, whoso lowest tone hail power already to thrill to the innermost recesses of her heart,, tfho loved without knowing it, without wishing to define tho new, deli* •iotia feeling filling her breast, only conscious sho had never been so happy before > n her life, and longing for the lime when should see him again. Ah! well had it been for her had they r.ever met more.

CHAPTER VIII. THE TRIUMPH OK PASSION, "Well," said Aunt Moll to her son and hair Lena, " I would liko ter know what dat ar Master Di uuimin's up ter 'I I doesn't understan' dune yet newfangled young man 'lull. Fust lie eo'iies n-courlin' ot our .Miss Sybil, and jes' ns soon as her back's turned, lie goos rito oil an' lakes up wid dat ar Hiss Chrissy." "|Tain't no business ol your'n, ole Woman," said Lcm, grullly, " I 'spec's as how Marse Dtimmiin' knows what he's about." "Yes, honey; but 'pears to me 1 ought to toll Miss Sybil 'bo-.H it. Ef ho is her beau, lie oughn' to bo takin' up wid dat ar Miss Chrissy." "Better let Miss Sybil look arlor her own beau," replied her dutiful son. " How does ye know lio's a-oourtin' Miss Chrissy 1 " 'Cause I se?d dcin.chilo-yes, I did—las' night, down on de shore. Dc moon was flhinin jest as bright (is a new pan an' I took dat ar litter o' kittens down to do shore to drown dem. when I scod Marao Drummoi)' ft walkin' along with Miss Chrissy, gnl ho had his head stooped down, an' wag whisperin' soft stufl, jes' as (oiks do wbon doy're in love," »Well, what den ?" asked Lorn, growing interested, " We l l, doy some up an' seed me, in cou'se, an' lor' lor 1 I jos* wish you seed de look Marse Drnmmin' give mo, But I Warn't afeared, deed I wa'n't; chile; so I just stood still an' drapped a curtsey, 'Good evenin' marse and young uiiss,' 808 I; 'don't bo skeered; I only wants to drown dese 'ere kittens,' sez I, for I thought as I might be perlite, jes as well as not. " 01, how'docs yor do. Aunt Moll ?' sez M.fls Chrisjy, laughin' and blushing'; ' how i' Lcm and yer rheuuiatiz, dese times?" ,jtOAB.& " • Thank you,J honey,' sez I, ' dcy's protty well, bof ob dom. An' den Marso Drummon' he pulled her arm troo liis'n, and marched off: and don I pitched [do kittooa in do water an' coine home," jHMj " Well dat ain't much," said the sceptical Lem. " Dey might bo walkin' on do beach, but dat ain't by no means courtin," '"Ciaolyso, chilo; but dat ain't all," snid Aunt Moll. " Dis berry mornin' as I was passin' troo do hall, do sitting room was open' and I heard voices n-lalkin' doro; so 1 listened mid peeked in, an' dar was Marse Drummin' .rampin up and down, talkin' to hisself." "Well,dat ain't nothin' eithei," said Lom, "I've heard dat ar Carl talk to hisself, whon Mrs Tom sent him out to work, sn' ho ain't in lova wid no oiio." " But liston, honey, and don't you bo putlin' mo out so, 'causo '(ain't 'spcclful," said Aunt Moll, getting slightly indignant, "As I was sayin' 1 clapt my ear to do door, an' I heercd him sayin'-' Oh, dis* chanting, onwildering Chrissy 1 d I had nebber mot yon, I might >et bo hapfyl' Dar, what ho say dat (or, of ho wa'nt in lub'?"

This last wns settled, Lorn fell tlml lii« mother hod tho best of tliu argument, mid unwilling to seem dofoatod, lio wont out, loaving tho old lady to enjoy her triumph. Three days had pnsaetl sinco the departure of Sybil, find certainly Wiliard's conduct soemod to justify Aunt Moll's suspicions, Uunable to break tho thrall which bound him ho lingcrod still by her side, There was shame, dishonour, sin, in remaining; but oh I there were dcatli, raisory and desolation in going, All worldly considerations wero swept away like walls of cobweb before the fierce torrent cf passion that overwhelmed. And she loved him, this angel of beauty —he could see it in the quick flush of joy at his approach, tho quick, burning glances shot fiom her bcaut : ful oyca-hor low, impMsionod tones, her bri»ht, bountiful blushes, Thoro was joy; and yot, unloss ho forgot honour, vows, all that should havo been Bacrcdi what did this love avail ? And so liko a tempest-tossed bark on a Icmpeßt-toßsed sea, ho strove with passion and honor, love and remorse, right and wrong, Once only, fearing lest her suspicions might bn aroused by his absenco, he hud visited Sybil, whoso rapturous greeting and confiding lovomude him feci fur more of a villain than over, Ho looked fori ward with dread to the period of her r«.

(urn, foaring for tho discovery ol his falsi! ; but more tltnn nil fearing for the offeo ■ jf her fiereo wrath on Christie, knowing well what must bo the strength of Sybil's lion passions whon unchained. And so, when Mrs, Brantwell proposed tlml Sybil should remain with her iini other week, instead of returning to the dreary isle, instead of fcoling irritated now, bo backed ilie proposal, saying that perhaps it would bo better for her to do so, more especially during her brother's absence. And Sybil, in her deep love and woman's trust, suspected nothing, fearing nothing, consented; to the inward joy and sincere rolief of her false lover 1 To he continued)