CHAPTER XXXIV.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2027, 4 July 1885, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Herbert and Ebby arrived at tho Happy Isle in time for the evening meal. Their absence had not been noted, so busy was John Morden with his preparations, until the time came to call them. John had been arranging tho programme of the night, which he nie&n to make one memorable on the island. He had two electric batteiies, one of which he used for tiie electric light, the other for the terrible currant that protected the Happy Isle. Oiinora did not join the party ; Dorala explained that Bhe wished to romain in her room. Very little was aaid by anyone. John Morden alone appeared to have any spirits, and even he occasionally relapsed into gloomy silence, when tho past, called forth by the occasion, thronged his mind. Herbert was torn with a host of contending emotions, and wag engaged in keeping down the rebellious thoughts that surged through hid brain. Ebby had given way to a dull despair. He felt he had played hia last card, and that therp was nothing to do but to surrender. It was bitter, tembly bitter, but his brave good heart resolved to stand by his friond, and to do all he could to make the lot he had chosen uaderciroumstances bo unparalleled, as happy as wai possible: and the chauea of happiness in the end was not not, Ebby thought, very gr.->at. John Morden departed to put the finishing toinhea to hia preparations, and left tho two jroung m"n alone. John wa3 aware of the terrible night that was probable, but he had resources enough to meet it. A bridal in thunder and lightning aad storm and earthquake had no terrors for one who had seen enough of them, and he was not without the ' MQtiifaction of thinking that if nature did manifest all her terrors they would only add to tha deep awe tha natives already fait. Ha had prepared scenes and effects that would never leave their superatitioua mindd. Herbert and Ebby had not sat together long before Aherno entered, and going over to Herbert, whispored to him. " My lady would see you," said the girl. "She appears very ill, and cannot rest till Bhe upetks to you." Herbert, alarmed at th& words, rosa and followed the girl who led him to Orinor*'s boudoir or private sitting room, a beautiful apartment which Herbert had seen repeatedly when in her ohildish innooenoe Orinora had treated him as her brother and companion, befoie the deeper passion had made her ooy and maidenly. Here he found the lovely girl lying on a couch, her golden hair in disorder, her face paler, her eyes wot with tears. As he entered she turned upon him* look that went to his heart ; a look full of love, despair, and shame, yet, evidencing a firm resolution. She rose and fell into his arms, sobbing luoh sobs as unmanned Herbert. " My own darling," he oried, leading her to the couoh, " what is the matter ? What has turned you from the happiest to the most wretched of women." " I have heard," she managed to articulate. "Heard — what," queried Herbert puzzled. " I have done what wai wrong, baso, unwomanly," she said Blowly, mustering up all the reserves of her strength. " But it was my lovo made- mo. I wan ho jealous of you, bo afraid to lose you for ever. Herbert, I overheard your conversations with Ebby last night without intending, this evening purposely." "My poor girl," said Hoxboit compaapionatoly; "for your s.%ke I wish you had not." " It was better," she roplied. " I have been a ohild, I am now a woman, and I have to do a woman's duty. Until recoutly I lived in a

' ii i 1 .1 „ n >a iiq '■.m >f ot nig iv,. Ao.. I twa wul.p ; c:i3 siui ma iiidi >nd I c?o the \ 'ild, not !>'> i 1i 1 us teeu in moonlight v\'\ ftar1' 'hi t*uJ t ,'ilight, but as it is when tlio uua h ytfs upon i 5 and everything is revealed. Last 'iuht Iw^ but halt fuvake. I heard Ebby f.uaipt you to fly ; I dreaded his success, and I told my sorrows to my father, at least p irthlly, and the result was what happened t*> day. This evening I heard all, and become awake aud hvinf. I now know the wot Id whence you came is liko this world, peopled with men and women, who have greater r.ims and wider ecope. I listened, and you cannot t3li what was my suspense when I koard Ebby so eloquently, bo unanswerably pleading to you to escape, to return to the great world that waits for you. But what was my joy when you resolved to stand by your promise at the loss of all that life holds for 5 on, my darling, my noble Herbert. Oh, that I bad heard no moie. I did hear. I heard that my father was the unhappy man of whose history I had heard snatches ; that the woman you loved in the other world was my owq sister, my darling sister Alice, of whoso existence I know nothing. I have a sister, a fiood kind eiater, who seems to have been a queen among women. And I would rob her ot the man she loves, I would condemn her to b life o! unhappiness ; I would, selfish creature I am, to gratify myself, keep you from j our first, your true, love, my own tleyh aud Mood ; I would tie you down to an ignoble If fe merely for my selfiah aima. No, Herbert, jou do not understand me if you think I v»ould do that. You would sacrifice all for ma. I will not accept the sacrifice. I will offer myself in saenfuo inoload LiHten to Ebby; flj from this island, put oa this marna^o to-night— l will put it off myself— go forth to the great world that wait; you, become a king among men! Do not fear for iT>e. Duty calls, and I will obey. Here I will live an'l die a maiden, graying ni«ht and day to the great s* ar which I worjhip, to thp God I heard you tpeak of, for your happincw. And when »ye leave this world wo will meet, aa my father tsaches,high and purified spirits, meet and dwell together for ever. ' She had risen as she spoke and stood there the personification of beauty and self-devo-tion, her cheeks tinged with the crimson of enthusiasm, her golden hair floating around hor head like an aureole of glory, her eyes beaming with a pure and high resolve ; her stature apparently twica what it rsally wai. As Herbert looked upon her he thought suicly never man had beheld the embodiment of an angel before. Could ho accept this awful saorifica ? Could ho doom this wonderful creation of fairyland to what was inevitable, early decay and death ? Was it not his duty to take her to his heart ? It was a terrible thought to lose Alice, tt be unfaithful to that grand and glorious woman, but did not doty tell him his plane was by ths side of this, the loveliest, the tenderer of the blossoms 1 Alice was a woman of another mould, with a strong mind and frame, who would sustain the loss of her dreams of happiness, and who would find in a hundred charitable occupations balm for the wound. But if he left thia flower it would droop and die, and the aged treo that had sheltered would fall in sorrow to the grave. " No, Oriuora," said Herbert, firmly, starting up and clasping the radiant vision of beauty to his heart ; " I will not accept! the sacrifice. If Alice were here, if she knew all, she would say, noble and highspirited as she ia, 'Take my sister; she is the weakest; I can make out a life for myself, full of goodness and happiness,' Already she has heard of my loss ; already the bitterness of death is pftat, and she has buried her feelings in what she thinks my grave and taken up her cross courageously. Shall I divert her from the path she has chosen ; shall I come up frtm tho grave and disturb her peace? No, Orinora, offer no saorifioe ; it will not be accepted. The struggle in my heart has been teirible ; it has almost torn my soul asunder ; but it is all over now. I have made «p my mind and uot even you, sweet one, will turn me aside from my purpose. Here I remain to be yours through life and youis thiough death." The girl's brain reeled, her heart stopped ; she fainted away in his arms and became a pale cold statue, lie thought her dead ; he chafed her hands aud brow and called her the /oudest namos. Slowly she revived ; her violet e^ed opened and beamed upon him with a look so ravishing that never had he felt their power so marvellously. She slipped kom his gr&sp on to her kneos and clasped her hands, looking up to where her Btar should have been. •' Groat Power," said Or"-iora ; "grant me to bo worthy of tliis groat uv , u sacrifice.' Make my sister's heatt hapi , ' .' sm her fate the oloud that now restb ;■ . -mt Power! Gieat Star 1 let my im ,> / i'^o gittj inestimable thou hast bestowt, . '