CHAPTER XXIX.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1580, 19 August 1882, Page 5

CHAPTER XXIX.

Hector Macinnis had just read the missive from the Governor, ' summoning his chief to Toorak, when the servant entered and handed him a card, on which Avas printed : " Mr. Obadiah Sweetcomfort. " He looked for a moment as if in thought, and then hastily sayiug, " Show him in," turned to glance again at the missive which he now so greatly prized. ■ " At last," said he, as he looked at it, •' at last my dream is realised. When ' I look back into the long vista of years, I find the remembrance of the dreams of such an event as this. Surely, King Agag said, ' the. bitterness 'of death is past ;' surely I shall know no more' of the horrors of the days that'are' gone. I will fling from me everything that appertains to the day's of trial and trouble, a'n'd begin to day a new life. . Ha ! Obadiah, lam glad to see you. I see victory in your face." ' - i • ' <■ J ' ■ ' " And it is there," said Obadiah.' '• I have succeeded, -and I see/ by' to-day's papers that you have also" I 'grasped the great prize." Undoubtedly Obadiah 's face bore the impress of elation ■; but; \fnb the 'Same time, that lo'ng'.anHi'sinister frontispiece was not at all very pleasj&nt to look'upoii. There was a strange. <'re ! stleVsnessf'itft'hiE glance that showed -dissatisfaction' *and a 'want of contetft.'^'^'ii^'^f Miff's*} " It was a tough j ,str'ugglei*'^#d' 'he, as r >x sat, ( f-db,w^l>in A i&efevof 'P |th« luxurious 111 1 chai%'^ f <\b^l^^t&x i li^ l 's|iai^{ I bouglit ga ve.us a, compl^^triffmltliJ-^ *' '" tHeli&l i ne^ ; oi?f*%^n^^ge^KC^f^ spleHaidffurnitu¥^W^^^u^p^ir;fi||l

fo'rfe, -would- be"- as rich as Hector Macinnis ? , HeVas'richer, but he knew well enough' he had iy>i -Hector's' talents! 'But theri'he-Was'shfe'vvd,' and he had money, and to a'inan with" such gifts what was impossible in a democratic country ? " I have just glanced over the account of 'the meeting in the Trumpet," .said Hector. " I suppose now,' Obadiah, that you see your way to make a fortune more than ever you dreamed of in your wildest moments," Obadiah's eyes lit up. " Yes, " said he, and he continued in a lower tone—" not only to make a greater fortune, but to have ret enge ; to ruin the only man I hate in, this' world,' tlie man who has robbed me of the woman I wish to makemy wife, thcmanwho hasthwarted me in every tiling." ' \- ' There his sallow face flushed and became of an unnatural red. " Wise man, said Hector, scanning, ■however, very closelythe face before him " for you satisfy two desires at once and step to success upon the prostrate body of your enemy." " And not only I, but others,'' was Obadiah's reply, given in a tone which conveyed much to the listener. " You have no love for this man ; you dislike him even more than I." " And why should I not V" said Hector. " Has he not lived to be a thorn in my side ; to everlastingly palgno me with his presence ; to scatter abroad the vilest insinuations ? Let him once more become poor, and shame will compel him to seek other lands." It was evident there was no thorough confidence between these men jthey only spoke half of what they knew, It was quite apparent to Obadiah that Hector looked down upon him. The two would only woik together as long as it suited each. "Our course now is pretty clear," said Obadiah. "The mine is in the possession of a man in whom I have the most implicit trust, read lie will work it to suit the purposes of the party. The moment, Jack hears of the event he will at once set to work and buy every share in the market. , That will be his ruin." "How is it,he was not at the meeting ?" asked Hector. "Because he rushed down to Melbourne last night. Can't you guess why ?" "No, " said Hector, although a flush came into his face. "Well," said Obadiah, "he has heard the White's have returned from Sydney, and of course he is determined she shall be his wife. If he can't get the consent of the old gentleman he will attempt to carry her off." A dark look came into Hector's face, anda cloud fell upon his brow. "But she will not have him," he said. Obadiah's face brightened. Arc you sure ?" he asked, "You know he is very rich now, and the old man is a worshipper of Mammon. There is no toiling what change might take place." "She will net have him ! Neither will Mr White allow her were she Milling," said Hector. "You effectually settled him by the revelations you made about that girl Maggie. Bortha White is a proud and jealous girl ; and Jack's unfaithfulness has done what nothing else could do." Obadiah rubbed his hands gleefully. "Why, that's better news for me," said he, "than even the result of last night's meeting. Shakespeare says that theie is a tide in the affairs of men. The tide may have set in with me." Hector shut his mouth closely and looked on the man with contempt. "Then you still love this girl ?" &aid he quietly. "Love her !" replied Obadiah, his pale face flu&hing, his thin form dilating. "Love her ! Why all my toil, all my contriving has been for her. Why have I denied myself the pleasures, the luxuries so dear to youth ? Why have 1 scraped and gathered together ? Why have I made a fortune ?— For love of Bertha. From the very first I have loved her, and that passion has grown and grown until it is the essence of my life — until it is the only end or aim of my existance." Hector smiled. "Really, Obadiah," said he, "I thought you were too practical a man to conceive so violent an affection, I am sorry for it. Bertha will never marry you." Obadiah's face grew black. "And why not ?" said lie, "I am rich, respected, quite the equal of her father. Surely, now that she has cast off the man she really loves, she will not disdain anyone else. Life has taught me this lesion, and I think it has al&o taught you it, that to perseverance everything is possible." A troubled expression &tole over Hector's face, he seemed to forsco a storm. "Well, well," he said hastily, "let us hope for the best. I would like to talk to you about different matters ;butlmust go up to the Treasury." "I will go with you," said Obadiah, "because I want to instruct you how to act in the cri&is that is approaching." "Very well," said Hector, in a absent sort of way. He was evidently studying something. For some time after the two had entered the hansom they were silent, at last Hector spoke. "How is the constituency ?" he asked, "Well, it remains much as usual," was the reply ; "but you require to do a good deal in the way ,of local works to keep their ' confidence. Divert as , much of the country's money in Grit as possible, and your reign will be a long one." "I understand all that." said - Hector, "and depend, upon it, they will not be able to complain. . The votes for the charitable institutions shall be doubled, bridges and roads looked to." , " And couldn't you spend a little more time up at Giit?" said Obadiah. "Absence don't make the heart prow fonder in this country, especially as far as members of Parliament are .concerned ; and the shopkeepers .Tvill get jealous if; you spend the larger.part of your money in Melbourne." , , , Hector did not say ,that he despised. Grit and its dust,' its shopkeepers, and, the man ; who sat beside, him.,, He replied in general terms. 1 ,■ „ *, ( ■ f . "J ( intend to invest largely in the i mines under your, advice,", he said, '• an'd v then they canit, errumble. - -, „ ■ ' " That's right," aaid Obadiah, ,who at that moment recollected several doubtful stocks wMch s Ke could got rid of by trans'f erringjijhqin, to t hisJTiencL , , .Disinterested? geuero'u^man ! s ij; ; , , Jyi j f/ „ „, ^ -;j, } ,C ' '^^t G ? £ P«i%e%iteHienfc 4 iB ( over,,and>

" By-the-bye," said Obadiab, in' a- sort of half apologetic way, " that was a great relief for ybti, the death of your 1 wife. Poor creature, to think that she* 'should have gone mad." ■ - - Heotor frowned. " How did she die?" asked Obadiah. " Miserably^' replied Heotor, " Aa you know she became a victim to intemperance, and after two or three attacks of delirium tremens went mad. She had not been long in the asylum when death relieved her." Obadiah was silent for a while. "•Yoii-can now enter upon a new life," said he after a time ; you can fling away the past > and become another man. No doubt you^will be 1 able to find a better partner in- this 1 ' great city.' 1 Hector's face g»ew dark, and puzzled. His path appeared one of danger. ,' And the memory of Janet, of Prudence, will pass away for ever," said Obadiah. "Obadiah," said. Heotor, his eyes lighting with fire, which had -so often cowed even the boldest, " Never mention either name again, I have forgotten the past." He looked like it. " And how is Bunakum ?" Hector asked at length. "He is going. the road of all the slaves of alcohol," replied Obadiah. "H& is losing all that belongs to the man in him, and becoming a mere animal. Already he has had several attacks of deluiutn tremons. His alloted'span is drawing to a close. ' Ere" long he will follow the many victims the Demon of Drink has gathered in Grit." _ A flush ofj triumph suffused Hector's face. Was the ,dawn of the day of 1 emancipation so close at hand. Janet, • Prudence, Bunakum, dead ; Jack ruined for over, and a wanderer in distant lands. The star of Hector Macinnis was in' the ascendant. As he diove through the suburbs he became oblivious to all, and before him arose a beautiful dream. A splendid villa was there, the abode, of the greatest man in the land, who .was wedded to the most beautiful of her daughters — wealth, peace, prosperity, children, honor. " Even so let them pass, one' by one, while I remain. The past -is vanishing ; the present and futura are mine. The black night of suffering and sin is fleeting away, and tho dawn of a peaceful day is at hand. V i - • >• That rwas what Heotor thought). . And witb thatdream vivitlly> impressed on his mind he entered the Treasury to confer with his chief and colleagues, * who were busy over itheir /policy which was' to eclipse any ever 'propounded in thecolony. He left iuithe hansom a:mnn iwho was agitated by die most seiious feelings. Secure in a victory over tho youth he hated so sincerely, with a prospect of an immense fortune, and political power in tho distance ; yet Obadiah' was not serenely happy. He knew that bis future life depended upon Bertha White. He had allowed his wild passion for her to obtain such an unholy ascendency, tint life would be a barren blank unblessed by her. But, as ho sat and w,aited for his friend, he gradually worked out a scheme that promised fairly to give him the desire of his soul — a scheme in which lie made his friend an instrument ! As foi Jack, he feared him not; he know his ruin was at hand. Bearing himself proudly, and with a prreat triumph in his face, Heotor Macinnis stood at the side of the hansom. " Your hand, Obadiah," ho said. "I am a Cabinet Minister." And these two men, with schemes so opposite, were whirled away from the Treasury, their hearts boating high with