The Queen of The Isle

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1087, 7 September 1904, Page 4

The Queen of The Isle

OR SIBYL CAMPBELL'S LOVE BY MAY AGNES FLEMING Author sf "The Heirew of Glon Gowcr,"" Tho Unseen Bridegroom," do

CHAPTER XXI. " t UMHBRJIURDEUER!" About an hour bcforo tbo storm burst upon tho island, Edgar Courtney, tho vioiiiu of bis own diabolic passions, rcaohcd it unseen and unobserved.

" You will await my return here," be said, rb he was moving away. "I must be back in N—before morning." " Don't know 'bout that," said tho boy who had taken him over; "there's an awful storm risii:g; but if you aini afeared to venture, I nin'i."

Mr Courtney glanced at tbo dark, sky. but what was tho storm without compared with the storm within ? Leave tho island he must beforo morning, so ho replied: " I must go back, lot it storm as it will. You can remain here, sheltered under those rocks, till 1 come back." Tho spot whero bo stood commanded a viowoftlioscaon all Bides. And therefore, when, in the deepening gloom, Borne hours after, ho saw a boat approach the isle containing the form of a woman, ho had not a singlo doubt as to whom

that woman was. Blinded by his passions, ho did not observo, as in a calmer moment he might have done, oven iu tho gloom, the difference between this tall fifiuro and that of his wife, Ho only saw a woman landing on the isle, and who but Laura would have ven turod to tho isle that stormy night ? When the night fell in moro than Egyptian darkness, accompanied by wind and lightning and rain, he made his way blindly through it nil to tho trysting place; and sheltered behind a friendly rock, he crouched down liko a panther waiting for

its prey, . •' Sho will not couio in this storui —alio .(. oannot; yon will wait in vain," said the voice of reason, trying faintly to make itself heard. "She will couK-shG will 1" said jealousy;" alio has bravod (ho 3torui to oomo to tbo island, and though firo should fait from heaven' alio will keep her tryst. Wail! wait I ami yo'.i will have your rovenge I" And tho demon voice conquorcd, * * Meantime, how wont tho night in Ihe widow's cot ? When wet, dripping, soaked through, Carl reached home, his first caro was to change his wet clothes and seat hirnsell before a smoking hot supper. Mrs. Torn held up hor hand in amazement when she hoard that Sybil had braved tho storm to coino to the island.

" Tho girl must bo clean crazy I I do wonder, though, what brought Alisa Sybil hero to-night?" "Dunno," said Oar], his mouth full of griddle cakes. " S'pcct she thought Mr. Drummood was hero."

Christio, who sat sowing, flushed to tho temples and then grew paler than before, She knew what brought Sybil to tho isle, though Bhe would hriyo hardly fancied she would have ventured out in such a storm. '• Ob, I wish it had been clear 10-night I"

sho thought, lining her head and listenin, anxiously to tho howling storm. Lem, truo to his promise, had faithful! delivered Drummond's nolo to Ohrißtie un observed. But would bo come in all tbi storm ?

Some vague rumour had reached her eai that Miss Campbell wns soon to bo tin

bride of Willard Drumuiond. Sho did not beliovo it, tho bare possibility of such a thing was maddening. But Sybil loved him, ahd might cherish hopes that could nevor be realised; and Christio felt it her duty to put an end to all tlioso hopes oy proclaiming their marriage. Therefore, she seized the first opportunity, and sent the note before mentioned by Captain Campbell.

By this time Carl Iloiily had dispatched his supper and mado n hasty exit up tho ladder to bed, firmly reaolvinf; not to go out again, though Aunt Tom should pull every hair out of his head. And, when ho was gone, Mrs Tom, having securod tho windows and doors, drew up her wheel and sat down to spin, Christie sowed on in silonce, roplying v vaguely and at random to tho stream of \lk kept up by Mrs, Tom.

Thore were many anxious thoughts passing through tho mind of tho young girl. Why bad Willard been absent ior so long a timo—would he venturo on tho sea in night and storm? His manner had ohanged so of laio that the conviction thnt he had already repented of his hasty marriago forced itself upon her, with a pang liko tho bitterness of death," "Oh, I might have known," was her inward ory," that ho, so rich, so handsotno, possessing tho lovo of ono so beautiful as Sybil Campbell, oould novor be content with poor little me. Oh, I might have known he would tiro of me. But now that. it has come, it does not not make it any oasier to bear," " Well," said Mrs Tom, breaking upon hor roverio, " I would like to know what's got into you to-night ? Here I'vo askod you three blcssrd lini'r ■? hand mo that there gownd, an' you don't mind uie no more than if I was tho cat, ij'poso it's the latost fashion not to answer your elders when they speak to you." " I didn't hear you," faltered Chriscio; "my head aches. Ploaso excuse mo. I didn't mean to offend."

" Better go to bed thon, if your head aohei. Time wo was all in bed for that matter. Gemini I how it blow?," said Mrs Tom, as bHo slippod tho bands off hor wheel,

Glad of the permission. Chistio rose and prranjjed hor bed in tho kilchon whore sho slept, and Mrs Tom sought hor own couch and was soon in tho land of dreams. Helioved of her presence, Christio wrapped herself in her inantlo, tied on her hood, and Boftly opened tho door. Tho storm was at its height, and tho suddon ontranco of a rush of wind and rain sent all the loose articles lying about, whirling through the room.

It was awful to venture out in such a storm; but the faithful, loving child-wife w.iuUl bravo it all to moot him sbo loved, !'>'iriin|; nil h-r strength, she closed !ho door after her, and quired thj houae sbo wnti dostinoi) never to outer more!

Ou throuugh tho falling rain, the vivid lightning—sho plungod, making hor way thron»h it Ml. It was well Bho know tho road or sho would novor havo boon ablo to follow that hrtnous rocky path. But shrinking and blinded by too rain

fit times she was forced to stop and covor hor faco in hor mantle; and anon, bb

sorno mote furious blast would have whirled her away, sho graspod some rock or troo to prevent heracll from being blown over the crags; but sbo toiled on to her destination.

'' Will ho bo there?" sho mud, "Oh, if

after all, ho should not como, It seems madness for mo to expect him in such n storm; but, if ho should, it would novor do for mo to bo abaont. Oh, saints in heavon, what lightning!" she said. . Sail on through night and rain and rain and storm sho pressed, until ot last, dronohed, dripping, and totally oxhtuistod,

she gained tho wet, slippery beach. Half dead with cold, she sank on a rook, and cowered boneath tho pitiless blset. The- dull booming of the waves

sent it thrill of muueloss awe and horror intc i or vory soul. SV could not long sit thcro oxpoaod to tho pollings of thoslnrm; so she ;oao with a shiver, and slrovo to picco through the thick ilarkno?B in search ot that loved one. In vaiu I Tho gloom of Hades could not be deeper, But at that instant, caino a Hash of lightning, illnminatim; with a blue uuoarthlp glare, tho black, hetiviufi son, with its foam-crested billows. Nothing uiorol Ab far as she could see, no living thing but herself stood on tho shore. "Oh, why does ho not cotno 1 " was her heart's agonized cry "Does ho not know in spite of storm and tempest, I am await' iug hun hero ? " Another flash of lightning revealed tho slight form of a female standing alono on the shore . .„ " Oh, he will not come I I know it! thought Christie in an agony of doubt. Still another hind blaze ol ilumo I And now looking up sho uttored a cry of joy, for tho tall figure a man was seen comiug towards her, "Oh, he isl hero Ihe is here I' was her joyful cry, and springing forward, blio threw herself imo his iiruis. Ho did not speak—p.. ly ho drew back a stop and folded his arms over his breast. " Dearest Wiliardl I feared yon would not como; but lam so glad you are with mo ouce more IJ' and hor encircling arms claspod him closer, whilo her sunny head sank on Ins uteast. And now, for tho first time, sho noticed his strange silence, and lilted her lace in ■surprise, saying: •• What iB tho tuattar ? Why do you not spoak tome? Oh, lain bo sorry ill have angered you, What, what have I done ?' His tooth closed together with a snap, and his hand clutched somothiug withii: tho folds of his cloak, with a convulsive grasp, And still she to him, and still ho maintained that strange silence, "Tell me what I have done 1 Spßak to me 1" she cried out in anguish. " Oh, indeed i love you bettor than any one in the world I I would dio soonor than offend you I" "Dio, then I" shrieked tho maddened man' And, clutching her fiorcoly by the throat, he pluuged tho hidden knife into her side. Oqo piercing shriek, and sho sank, writhing at his feet in mortal agony, And the wretched maniao abovo her, stood rootod to tho ground, caving not, fearing the storm. Was she dead? Would that wild appalling shriek bo repeated? He listoned palsied with horror, but naught met his ear,

Just at that instant ihore came a Hash . of lighming. and he beheld that childlike form lying still and rigid at his icot, the bright golden hair half shading tho cold, bepatdulfacoon whicli the pitiless rain wildly beat, All his jealousy, his hatrod, passed away with that pitiful sight, and tho passionate love ho had ouco felt for her returned liko a swelling flood. " Oh, my God! what have I done 1 Oh, my wife 1 my beautiful, murdered Laura! Oh, what have I dono?" And, with a shriek of agony, the wretohed man fell prone on his face besido her, But now there camo another sound, nioro terriblo thau all else. With the roar of a boast of proy, the furious waves, lashing themselves into foam, rushed upon the alioro, It recalled tho misorable assassin from his frenzy of doßpuir; and, with- tho iiißtiuct of selfpreservation that never deserts us while lifo remains, no seized the cold, stark form, and flow wildly up tbo beach. But just then—had the infernal regions yiolded up thoir hosts to pursue him ?—a human form, woarin? tho flguro of a woman, revoaled by tho quick Hashes of lightning, came flying towards him, hoi uncovered hair streaming in tho gale—j hor wild eyes glaring with tho fires of i madnoss,

Her oyes foil upon him and his blooding burden at tho samo instant; and, throwing up hor arms, with a pioroing cry of" Murdor! Murder!" that pealed high abovo tho raging of the storm, sho flod in tho direction of Campbell's Lodge. That appalling ory, that awful apparition, drove tho last spark of reason from hiß maddening brain, With a perfeo: yell of terror, he flung bis lifeless burden on tho rooks, and lied, as if pursued by the avonger of blood, from tho spot. To be continnedA

DEAD THE SIGN POST LOTS OF I'KOMiE HAVfI LEARNED TO HEAD IT OAREt'UtI/Y, Road tho sign-post rightly. Tho sign-post of health is tin back. You must know the language of tho back. Bntkacho is kidnoy ache. Tuino back is mine kidneys, Weak back is weak kidneys, To euro tho buck euro tho kidnoys. Only ono suro euro to do this. Take Doan's Backacho Kidnoy Pills. A Paeroa citizen aids his endorsomonl horo, Mr Jas. Glasgow, flikutaia, near Paeroa, says:—" Souio time ago I obtained a supply of Doan's Backacho Kidney Pills and I took them for backache, a complaint from which 1 sufforod considerably. I am pleasod to inform you that thoy re* liovod tho pains in my baok in a very short time, Tho pains in my case were caused by a strain through heavy lifting. I am quito right now, All who'suffer with soro and aching backs should nso Doan's Backaoho Kidney Pills. . Take no substitute, iiomembor it is Doon's Backacho Kidnby pills which Mr. Glasgow recommonds, and there is nothing ' just as good' as this remedy for kidnoy trouble Doan's Baokacho Kidnoy rills aro Bold by all chemis.s and store' keepers at 3s per box (six boxes 16/6), or will bo posted on rccoipt of tho prico by tho Fostor-McClollan Co, 76, PitNtrcot, Sydnoy, N.B.W. But be suro thov are DOAN'S.